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7. Managing addresses. An alias usually consists of a description and the e-mail addresses of those grouped under the alias. Groups of aliases can be stored within the address book

tool found within most e-mail packages. The address book enables users to create, delete, edit and organise aliases.

8. Signature files. A signature file contains information that can be automatically added to the end of an e-mail message. The signature file is normally a simple text file that can

Signature file

be created or edited using a text editor or similar program. Most e-mail programs allow users to have a number of different signature files.

The World Wide Web and web browsers

The World Wide Web, or ‘web’ for short, is a medium for publishing information on the Internet in an easy-to-use form. If we take the analogy of television, then the Internet would be equivalent to the broadcasting equipment such as masts and transmitters, and the World Wide Web is equivalent to the content of different TV programmes. The medium is based on a standard document format known as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) which can be thought of as similar to a word-processing format. It is significant since it offers hyperlinks which allow users to readily move from one document to another – the process known as ‘surfing’.

The World Wide Web (WWW) is accessed using a web browser. Since they have been designed for ease of use, WWW pages feature sections of text that include hypertext links and graphics. Figure 3.13 shows the Microsoft Explorer web browser being used to access a typical web site. Other web browsers include Opera, Firefox and Mozilla.

Features of a web browser

The interface used by a web browser makes use of hypertext linking techniques. A hypertext is a document that includes highlighted words or phrases. These highlighted sections represent links to other documents or sections of the same document. Clicking the mouse above one of these links causes it to be activated. A link can be used to move to another document, transfer a file, view a section of video, listen to a sound file or carry out a number of other actions.

World Wide Web (WWW)

Interlinked documents on the Internet made up of pages containing text, graphics and other elements.

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) WWW pages are mainly created by producing documents containing HTML commands that are special tags (or codes) to control how the WWW page will appear when displayed in a web browser.

Web browser program Enables users to navigate through the information available and display any pages of interest.

Source: Screenshot frame reprinted by permission from Microsoft Corporation.

Figure 3.13 Web browser being used to access Google

Hypertext A hypertext is a document containing highlighted words or phrases that represent links to other documents activated by clicking the mouse.

As users move through a hypertext document, their actions are recorded automatically by the program being used. Users can access the history of their movements and jump backwards or forwards through all of the documents they have viewed.

All web browsers provide users with a variety of tools that enable them to navigate through often complex collections of WWW pages. Some of the most common tools include:

n Navigation buttons. These enable users to move backwards and forwards through the list of pages previously viewed. Additional command buttons include:

(a) Stop. This cancels the action currently being taken.

(b) Home. Users are able to designate a specific WWW page as a ‘home page’ which is displayed each time the web browser runs. The user can return to the home page at any time by using the appropriate command button. Some browsers allow users to specify multiple home pages, making it easy to keep track of several web sites at a time. This can be very useful, for instance, when monitoring web sites belonging to competitors.

(c) Search. Many pages provide access to search engines that can be used to locate specific information on the Internet. This command causes the web browser to load a WWW page that provides access to one or more search engines.

n History. All web browsers maintain a list of pages previously viewed by the user. The user is able to display the list and can revisit any of the pages previously viewed.

n Address bar. Users are able to enter the location of a WWW page or file via the address bar.

n Multiple tabs. The latest generation of web browsers allows users to open a number of pages at the same time. Pages are organised using tabs and can be managed individually or in groups.

n Extensions. The browser’s functionality can be extended by installing small files that add new features. As an example, a user might install a translation tool that automatically translates foreign-language web pages into English.

n Integrated tools. Many browsers include a variety of additional tools for handling tasks related to e-mail, scheduling and time management, security, and so on.

In order to increase the speed and efficiency with which a web browser functions, a temporary storage space is used to store copies of any pages that the user has viewed. If the user returns to a given location, the web browser retrieves the required page from the temporary storage space, rather than transferring a fresh copy from a remote computer. The use of a cache in this way improves the speed with which previously viewed pages can be displayed.

Search engine space is used to store copies of any pages that the user has viewed for rapid access if the user revisits a site.

Pull technology Information sent out as a result of receiving a specific request, addresses in the form of bookmarks.

The transmission of information across the Internet is often described as being based around either pull or push technology. Pull technology describes information sent out as a result of receiving a specific request, for example a page is delivered to a web browser in response to a specific request from the user. Push technology describes information that is sent without a user specifically requesting it, for example a customised news service received by subscribing to a channel or e-mail.

All web browsers allow users to maintain a directory of WWW sites. The directory will enable users to add, edit, delete and organise addresses in the form of bookmarks.

As organisations seek to apply the Internet to business applications, renewed emphasis has been placed on matters concerning security and privacy. As an example, many users and organisations cite security concerns as a reason for not taking up developments such as e-commerce. In order to address these concerns, many web browsers now provide a range of

security features that can be used alone or in combination to offer varying levels of security.

Some common features include the following:

n Digital ID. A digital ID provides a means of confirming the identity of a specific user through the use of a small data file called a personal certificate. The certificate contains encrypted information relating to the user’s identity. Since the user’s web browser is able to transmit or receive personal certificates, they are able to verify the identity of a third party or confirm their own identity to that party. Personal certificates can also be used within e-mail packages.

n Certificates. A site certificate contains information regarding the identity of a particular site on the Internet. As with personal certificates, the site certificate is encrypted to protect the information it contains. Web browsers automatically maintain a list of certificates concerning sites designated as being trustworthy by the user or organisation.

When the web browser accesses a given site on the Internet, the corresponding certificate is checked to ensure the authenticity of the site. If the information in the certificate is invalid or out of date, a suitable warning is issued.

n Ratings. Many browsers support the use of ratings in order to restrict access to inappropriate content, for example pornography. The majority of ratings schemes are voluntary and are based on four basic criteria: language, nudity, sex and violence. When a web browser is used to access a site belonging to a given scheme, the site’s ratings are checked against the list of criteria set within the browser. If a site does not meet the criteria specified within the browser, access to the site is denied.

n Applets. WWW pages can contain small programs that are activated when a page is accessed. Such programs can take a variety of forms and can include complete, self-contained applications known as applets. As an example, a page may have been created to display an animation sequence by activating an appropriate applet after the page has finished loading. Although such programs are generally considered harmless, they can represent a potential security risk to an organisation or individual. As a result, all web browsers provide control over the operation of any applets embedded in a WWW page.

A plug-in is a small program or accessory that can be used to extend a web browser’s capabilities. For example, a number of different plug-ins exist that allow a web browser to display video or animation sequences.

The use of ins offers two main advantages. First, users are able to select which plug-ins they require and can plug-install only those needed to meet a specific requirement. This acts to reduce storage space requirements and prevents unnecessary or unwanted changes being made to the user’s computer system. Secondly, the functionality of some plug-ins can be extended to the user’s computer system as a whole. From the point of view of a company hosting the web page they have the major disadvantage that their customer will not be able to view the content unless they go through the process of downloading and setting up the plug-in.

All modern web browsers are capable of executing special commands that have been embedded within the body of a WWW page. These scripts can be used to control the appearance of the page or can provide additional facilities, such as on-screen clocks and timers.

Many scripts are produced using a special programming language known as Java. Java, a derivative of the C++ programming language, can be used to create small applications that run when users display a WWW page or activate a control shown on the screen. One of the major advantages of Java is that applications are platform-independent, meaning that they can be used with any system equipped with the correct software. This allows applications created using one particular kind of system to work on other systems without modification.

Other common scripting languages include Javascript, VBScript and PHP.

A brief introduction to HTML

Many web browsers provide facilities that allow users to construct their own WWW pages using a special authoring language known as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML pages are made up of two elements: tags and content. ^Tags describe the

Digital ID of a particular site on the Internet. The site to certain content. If a site does not meet the criteria specified within within a web page used to control the appearance of the page or provide additional facilities.

Java

Java is a derivative of the C++ programming a control shown on the screen.

characteristics of the page and how to display the content. Tags are usually paired; the first tag is called the opening tag, the second is called the closing tag. As an example, all HTML documents begin with a <HTML> opening tag and end with a </HTML> closing tag. These tags indicate to a web browser that everything between them is formatted as HTML. As a further example, the snippet of code below specifies that everything following the <B> opening tag should be displayed in bold type until the </B> closing tag is encountered:

This <B>bold</B> but this is not.

HTML pages are usually made up of several sections, some of which are not intended to be shown on the screen. For instance, the HEAD element contains information describing the document, such as the name of the author or a description of the page, while the BODY element contains the actual content of the page.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) HTML is the language used to create web pages and documents.

The HTML code used to construct pages has codes or tags such as

<TITLE> to indicate to the browser what is displayed.

Extensible markup language (XML)

Since 1999 a great deal of attention has been paid to the use of the extensible markup language (XML) for business applications. Both HTML and XML share SGML (standard generalised markup language) as a common ancestor. However, whilst HTML is used primarily for the creation of WWW pages, XML is intended to serve a wider variety of applications. In simple terms, XML is a data description language that allows documents to store any kind of information. The ‘extensible’ part of XML refers to an ability to create new language elements (or whole new languages) using standard XML elements. An XML document created using one application can be used with other programs without the need to convert it or process it in any other way.

The nature of XML means that it is ideal for applications that require information to be shared between business organisations. For example, many organisations have already adopted XML as a core element of their EDI systems. Since XML documents are easily transferred between operating systems and applications software, XML lends itself to

<HTML> tag Denotes an HTML document.

<HEAD> tag The header part of an HTML document containing titles, meta tags and scripts.

<TITLE> tag The text that appears in the browser title bar.

<BODY> tag The main part of an HTML document containing content.

Comment tag

<!– –> Used to document code; text does not appear in browser.

htML code Browser display

<HTML> Welcome to the web site of BIS 5E

<HEAD>

<TITLE>BIS</TITLE>

</HEAD>

<BODY> <!-Main content starts here->

Welcome to the web site of the <B>BIS 5E</B>

</BODY>

</HTML>

➨

The term Web 2.0 describes a new generation of applications and services that allows Internet users to communicate, share information and do business in new ways. The term was coined by Tim O’Reilly (www.oreilly.com) and Dale Dougherty in 2004 after they noted that many of the companies that had survived the dot-com collapse at the turn of the century seemed to share certain characteristics. They also noted that today’s most successful Internet companies had a very different approach to those of the dot-com time. In order to distinguish between these approaches, they began to call the older approach Web 1.0 and the newer one Web 2.0.

applications that include web portals, e-commerce, e-procurement, m-commerce, mobile Internet, groupwork and database development.

Some of the advantages of XML include the following:

n XML is supported by a wide range of existing applications. All modern web browsers, for example, support XML. This means that XML documents can be created and distributed without the need to purchase or install additional software.

n A large number of development packages already feature support for XML. Such packages range from conventional programming languages, such as Visual Basic, to web authoring software, such as Front Page.

n XML is extremely flexible. If a feature does not exist, it can be created and added to the ‘core’ language. This enables XML to be used for an extremely wide range of purposes, from controlling the content of a web page to sophisticated database applications.

n XML can be used across a wide range of technologies. In terms of information technology, XML can be used across different processors and operating systems with little difficulty. This means, for example, that the same basic material can be used on Windows computers, UNIX systems and even WAP mobile phones.

n Since XML allows extremely flexible data structures to be created, it can be used to work with any existing legacy data owned by an organisation.

n XML is considered simpler to use than alternatives such as SGML.

n XML files are often compatible with many existing applications that are based on SGML (although the reverse is not necessarily true).

Many large organisations have already begun to adopt applications that use XML as a medium for storing and transmitting data. Furthermore, as organisations move towards distributed computing, using the Internet to enable communications, we are likely to see an even greater emphasis placed on the use of XML.

Using the simple web-page design tools included with packages such as Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, produce a simple web page containing your CV. If possible, make use of colour, different typefaces, graphics, horizontal lines, bullet points and other features.

When you have created the page, save it and then view it from within the web browser. View the source for the web page so that you can see how the design of your page has been translated into HTML.

Web addresses