LESSON 3: THE INTERNET, THE

WEB,
AND ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

TOPICS TO BE COVERED:

 The Internet and the

Web
 Internet Access
The Internet and the Web

• The Internet was launched in 1969 when the United States

funded a project that developed a national computer
network called Advanced Research Project Agency Network
(ARPANET).
• The web, also known as the World Wide Web or WWW, was
introduced in 1991. Prior to the web, the Internet was all
text—no graphics, animations, sound, or video. The web
made it possible to include these elements. It provided a
multimedia interface to resources available on the Internet.
** Web makes the internet accessible to us.
The Internet and the Web

The web has matured through three generations.

We commonly have three which are called as Web
1.0, 2.0, and 3.0.
• Web 1.0: focused on linking existing information.
Google Search and other search engines made it
possible for users to search the web to locate web
pages of interest. However, to create a web page
required a background in computers and
programming. Many users could view web
content, but few users could create web content.
• Web 2.0: evolved to support more dynamic content
creation and social interaction. Facebook and other
social media sites made it so that nontechnical
people could be seen and heard on the web. These
sites allow almost anyone to post videos, images,
and text about their lives. However, the massive
amount of social media posts made it difficult to
find truly valuable information. Many users could
view and create web content, but few could readily
locate valuable, timely information on the web.
• Web 3.0: identifies relationships between data.
Siri and Google Assistant are examples of Web 3.0
applications. One of their many capabilities
includes maintaining a user’s calendar of events
and automatically reminding the user when an
event is imminent, such as an upcoming flight. As
this web technology grows out of its infancy, we
can expect to get more personalized, helpful
information from our devices.
INTERNET ACCESS

A computer that branches all over the

world only when provided with a connection
to the Internet, user can use a browser
program to search the web. Thus two
things are to be taken into consideration:
1. Provider
2. Browsers
PROVIDERS
• The most common way to access the Internet is through
an Internet service provider (ISP). The providers are
already connected to the Internet and provide a path or
connection for individuals to access the Internet.
• The most widely used commercial Internet service
providers use telephone lines, cable, and/or wireless
connections. Some of the best-known providers in the
United States are AT&T, Comcast, Sprint, T-Mobile, and
Verizon. Users connect to ISPs using one of a variety of
connection technologies including DSL, cable, and
wireless modems.
BROWSERS
Browsers are programs that provide access to
web resources. This software connects you to
remote computers; opens and transfers files;
displays text, images, and multimedia; and
provides in one tool an uncomplicated
interface to the Internet and web documents.
Four well-known browsers are Apple Safari,
Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla
Firefox.
BROWSERS
For browsers to connect to resources, the location or
address of the resources must be specified. These
addresses are called uniform resource locators (URLs).
All URLs have at least two basic parts.
 The first part presents the protocol used to
connect to the resource. Protocols are rules for
exchanging data between computers. The
protocol https is used for web traffic and is one
of the most widely used Internet protocols.
 The second part presents the domain name. It
indicates the specific address where the
resource is located. The domain is identified as
www.mtv.com. The last part of the domain
name following the dot (.) is the top-level
FIGURE 2-3: BASIC PARTS OF A URL

protocol top-level
domain

https://www.mtv.com
domain
name
FIGURE 2-4: TRADITIONAL TOP-LEVEL
DOMAINS

Domain Type

.com Commercial
.edu Educational
.gov Government
.mil U.S. military
.net Network
.org Organization
Various technologies are used to provide highly interactive
and animated websites. These technologies include-
• Cascading style sheets (CSS) are separate files referenced
by or lines inserted into an HTML document that control
the appearance of a web page. CSS help ensure that
related web pages have a consistent presentation or look.
Netflix uses CSS to visually connect all its web pages.
• JavaScript is a language often used within HTML
documents to trigger interactive features, such as opening
new browser windows and checking information entered in
online forms. The Microsoft search engine Bing.com uses
JavaScript to make its website more interactive and to
assist its users by auto-filling search requests as they type
content into the search box.
• PHP, like JavaScript, is a language often used within HTML
documents to improve a website’s interactivity. Unlike
JavaScript, which is executed on the user’s computer, PHP
executes on the website’s computer.
Today it is common to access the Internet from a variety of
mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Special
browsers called mobile browsers are designed to run on
these portable devices. Unlike a traditional web browser
that is typically displayed on a large screen, a mobile
browser is displayed on a very small screen, and special
navigational tools are required to conveniently view web
content. The Apple iPhone, for example, enables you to
“pinch” or “stretch” the screen with two fingers to zoom
web content in and out.
FIGURE 2-5: ZOOM WEB CONTENT
WEB UTILITIES

• Filters
• File transfer utilities
• Internet security suites
USES OF INTERNET AND WEB
USES OF INTERNET AND
WEB
Every day over a billion users from nearly every
country in the world use the Internet and the web.
The most common uses are the following:
• Communication
• Shopping
• Searching
• Education or e-learning
• Online entertainment
COMMUNICATION
• As previously mentioned, communication is the
most popular Internet activity, and its impact
cannot be overestimated.
• At a personal level, friends and family can stay in contact
with one another even when separated by thousands of
miles.
• At a business level, electronic communication has
become a standard way to stay in touch with suppliers,
employees, and customers. Some popular types of
Internet communication are social networking, blogs,
microblogs, webcasts, podcasts, wikis, e-mail, and
messaging.
SOCIAL NETWORKING

• Profiles
• Pages
• Groups
• Friends
• News feed
• Share settings
BLOGS, MICROBLOGS, PODCASTS &
WIKIS
• Many individuals create personal websites, called blogs, to
keep in touch with friends and family. Blog postings are time-
stamped and arranged with the newest item first. Often,
readers of these sites are allowed to comment.
• A microblog allows an individual or company to share posts
with an audience. However, microblogs are designed to be
used with mobile devices and limit the size of posts.
• Podcasts are audio programs delivered over the Internet.
Typically, a podcast is one audio program in a series of
related podcasts.
• A wiki is a website specially designed to allow visitors to use
their browser to add, edit, or delete the site’s content.
MESSAGING
• Text Messaging: also known as texting or SMS (short message
service), is the process of sending a short electronic message,
typically fewer than 160 characters, using a wireless network to
another person, who views the message on a mobile device
such as a cell phone.
• SMS
• MMS
• Instant Messaging: Instant messaging (IM) allows two or more
people to contact each other via direct, live communication.
(See Figure 2-15.) To use instant messaging, you register with an
instant messaging service, such as Facebook, and then specify a
list of friends.
E-MAIL

• E-mail or electronic mail is used to communicate

longer and more formal text.
• E-mail exchanges tend to take longer to write and
are more carefully crafted than text message
exchanges, which make them ideal for business
communications and newsletters.
• A typical e-mail message has four basic elements:
header, message, signature, and attachment.
SEARCH TOOLS

• With over 20 billion pages and more being

added daily, the web is a massive collection of
interrelated pages. With so much available
information, locating the precise information
you need can be difficult.
• Fortunately, a number of organizations called
search services operate websites that can help
you locate the information you need.
SEARCH ENGINES

• Search engines are specialized programs that

assist you in locating information on the web
and the Internet. To find information, you go
to a search service’s website and use its
search engine.
E-COMMERCE

• Electronic commerce, also known as e-commerce, is the

buying and selling of goods over the Internet.
• Electronic commerce is fast-growing and widely used in part
because it provides incentives for both buyers and sellers.
• From the buyer’s perspective, goods and services can be
purchased at any time of day or night from any location that
has an Internet connection.
• From the seller’s perspective, the costs associated with
owning and operating a retail outlet can be eliminated.
TYPES OF E-COMMERCE
Just like any other type of commerce, electronic commerce involves
two parties: businesses and consumers. There are three basic types
of electronic commerce:
• Business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce involves the sale of a
product or service to the general public or end-users. It is the
fastest-growing type of e-commerce. Whether large or small,
nearly every existing corporation in the United States provides
some type of B2C support is another means to connect to
customers.
• Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commerce involves individuals
selling to individuals. C2C often takes the form of an electronic
version of classified ads or an auction.
• Business-to-business (B2B) commerce involves the sale of a
product or service from one business to another. This is typically
a manufacturer–supplier relationship.
SECURITY
• The two greatest challenges for e-commerce are
(1) developing fast, secure, and reliable payment
methods for purchased goods and
(2) providing convenient ways to submit required
information such as mailing addresses and credit card
information.

• The two basic payment options are by credit card and by

digital cash
THANK YOU