Learn About the Internet

The Internet has many components such as email and the world wide web. lt is a network of permanently linked computers joined together into a community.

A proper definition for the word 'Internet' has grown to be more difficult with the changing of technology and addition of more services such as telephony.

We would rather compare the Internet to the game of tennis! Players may never be on the same side of the court or even shake hands but they are all vying for the same source - the ball.(in our case - information)

The popular term, "I've found something on the Internet!" , is rather wrong - you can't find anything around by zipping connections of hooked computers which is what the Internet is!lnstead they would have found it on stored pages which are part of the world wide web.

The World Wide Web is like a magazine with pictures,text,sounds among its content. This is where email fall - a method of sending messages around the web.Since you are reading this page - its most likely you already know the methodology of getting on the net. But for those who don't - the behind of scene access require a computer with a modem,browser and a phone line. lts also possible to access the net with special televisions and mobile phones.

A browser is a program such as Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator that allows the viewing of web pages.To view pages you will need to know where they are located. Web pages are just like houses - they need an address in order to be identified. This identifying of pages is known as URL,standing for Uniform Resource Locator. Every page has a unique address. The URL of this page is http://zimbabweonline.info/theinternet

Before an URL there is always a command , 'http://' which tells browsers the type of document required for viewing. Please note - its not always necessary to enter http:// (browsers usually assume that if you enter just your URL - (http:// should be there!)
Just like in a magazine or book - the web also has an index of contents or special appendix! This comes in the form of search wizards , commonly expressed as search engines. They help find web data ,addresses.You only need to use key words for the information you require.

For example - if you just type 'zimbabweonline ' using the search engine on http://www.altavista.com or http://yahoo.com - you are likely to find our address.
Other common indexing systems on the web are directories which are compiled by humans with particular sites categorised.
 
Tips from Zimbabwe Online
 
~Use the Internet when its cheap and fast. This however varies depending,where your point of presence is. But its basically governed by the huge number of surfers in United States. Surfing is better when the US is asleep!

~Go quickly around pages of interest so that they cache. lts then advisable to read them off-line

~Program your address in the favourites so that you won't have to type in long URL's.

~lf you have Pop3 mail -compose your letters off-line. lf its web mail you are better off creating your letter using a word processor so that you will only copy and paste when you are on line.

~Most of all -plan ahead and have a clear idea of what you what from a session. This will prevent you getting lost in cyberspace which can result in a long telephone bill. lts easy to feel overwhelmed by the huge volume of material on the web.
 
Good luck!Remember not to be afraid - with the Internet you can travel miles although going nowhere. You can spend hours cruising destinations of no national boundary. Its a playground with no curfew!Get ready to surf!Start here by clicking the word 'home' below!