Web Browser

web Browser is an application software that allows us to view and explore information on the web. User can
request for any web page by just entering a URL into address bar.

Web browser can show text, audio, video, animation and more. It is the responsibility of a web browser to
interpret text and commands contained in the web page.
Earlier the web browsers were text-based while now a days graphical-based or voice-based web browsers are
also available. Following are the most common web browser available today:

Browser Vendor

Internet Explorer Microsoft

Google Chrome Google

Mozilla Firefox Mozilla

Netscape Navigator Netscape Communications Corp.

Opera Opera Software

Safari Apple

Sea Monkey Mozilla Foundation

K-meleon K-meleon

Architecture
There are a lot of web browser available in the market. All of them interpret and display information on the
screen however their capabilities and structure varies depending upon implementation. But the most basic
component that all web browser must exhibit are listed below:

Controller/Dispatcher Interpreter

Client Programs

Controller works as a control unit in CPU. It takes input from the keyboard or mouse, interpret it and make other
services to work on the basis of input it receives.

Interpreter receives the information from the controller and execute the instruction line by line. Some
interpreter are mandatory while some are optional For example, HTML interpreter program is mandatory
and java interpreter is optional.
Client Program describes the specific protocol that will be used to access a particular service. Following are the
client programs tat are commonly used
• HTTP
• SMTP
• FTP
• NNTP
• POP
DEFINITIONS AND TERMS
• Internet – set of millions of computers worldwide connected into a network
with the purpose of exchanging data among users
• WWW - World Wide Web – one of the services on the Internet which we use
to browse web pages (set of HTML documents connected with hyperlinks)
• HTTP – Hypertext Transfer Protocol – protocol (set of rules) that allows
transmission of information published on the Web
• URL – Uniform Resource Locator - Web address of a particular object (Web
pages, images, or Word or PDF document) published on the Internet
• FTP – File Transfer Protocol – protocol that allows data transfer between
computers over the Internet
• Hyperlink or link - part of the text or graphics on a web page; when we
activate a hyperlink (click on it), it takes us to:
o another part within the same web page
o another website

• Web address elements – for example http://www.google.hr

o http: - protocol (rules of transmission)
o www – a type of service available on the Internet
o Google – a domain name (computer)
o .hr – top–level domain (ccTLD - Country code top-level domain)

• Domain: - electronic identification on the Internet

o commercial (.com, .net, .biz)
 international (.hr, .si, .it, .de…)
o non-commercial (.edu, .mil, .gov)

• Web browser
o software (program) which allows us to browse web pages
o the most widely used: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera,
Internet Explorer
• Web search engine
o contains content categorization of many Web pages
o after one enters the desired term, search engine will search the Web
and display results (web pages, images, documents) that are the
most relevant for the entered term
o www.google.com , www.pogodak.hr , www.yahoo.com, www.bing.com

• Cookie - text file stored on our computer by web page to facilitate

communication between your computer and the website’s server
• Cache - a folder on the hard disk which stores all objects visited on the
Web
o provides: - faster re-loading of pages
- reading web pages in offline mode (while not connected to
the Internet)
• Internet Service Provider (ISP) – a company that provides Internet access for
its users (T- Com, Carnet...)
 • Really Simple Syndication (RSS) – facilitates the possibility of information
(news, blog entries, etc.) transfer published on a web page in a
standardized manner (usually the title, a sentence or two of the article, a
link to a page that contains the whole article). Subscribing to site’s RSS
feed allows users to receive updates from that website without going to
the site itself
• Podcast - Digital files containing audio or video recording

SAFETY
• access to some sites is granted only to the users who have the necessary
username and password
• identifying a secure web place: web address begins with „https“; look out for
the lock symbol in the Address bar
• Digital Certificate - converts data into a code to protect it from abuse (credit
card number, for example)
• Encryption - protection – a way to convert data into a format such that the
person with a way to unlock it can read it, others cant. . Used by most
email service providers to ensure protection of emails over the internet.
• Malware: Computer virus, Worm, Trojan horse, spyware
• Spyware – a spy program installed to the computer over the Internet used
to send our private information to the author
o It is recommended that you install an anti-spyware program such as
Ad-aware, Spybot Search & Destroy
• downloading files from the Internet has its risks, therefore it is
recommended to:
o share files only with the people you know and trust
o use up-to-date antivirus software
o do not open e-mail attachments received from unknown sources
• dangers of leaving (personal) data on the internet
o sharing your e-mail address on the Web exposes you to spam
o possible theft of credit card numbers used for Internet purchase
• dangers related to online activities are: inadvertent disclosure of
personal data, threats or annoyance, predators attacks
• programs that allow parental control through:
o monitoring visited websites,
o web browsing restrictions,
o setting limits to video games, and
o limiting the time spent using the computer
• Firewall
o program that controls and protects the ports, allowing only
authorized attempts to enter
o Windows Firewall was first released as a part of Microsoft Windows
XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
 Starting Internet Explorer

Internet explorer is a web browser developed by Microsoft. It is installed by default with the
windows operating system howerver, it can be downloaded and be upgraded.
To start internet explorer, follow the following steps:

Go to Start button and click Internet Explorer.

Accessing Web Page

Accessing web page is very simple. Just enter the URL in the address bar as shown the following
diagram:
Uses of Internet
The Internet is a global networking system that can be used on most devices nowadays and has
become an essential part of our lives. In today's technological era, most of the companies are getting
their operations done over the Internet. There are various uses of the Internet by which companies and
individuals are making their daily tasks more productive and more comfortable.

Here, we have discussed the major uses of the Internet that play a vital role in daily life:

Online Booking & Orders

The Internet has made it a lot easier for people to book tickets for buses, trains, flights (domestic and
international) directly using their devices from anywhere. People can also book a taxi by choosing their
current location, and they will be picked up or dropped at a specified location. Now no one needs to
wait in long queues for their turn to book tickets at the ticket counter.

Besides, people can order a wide variety of products at home using the Internet and devices. It can
range from grocery products to ready to eat, fashionable clothes to medicines. Most items can be
ordered at home and received directly at the door.
 Cashless Transactions

Most countries are promoting cashless transactions and digital payments. This helps people not carry
much cash. People can pay their bills through debit or credit cards using POS devices. These devices
are connected to the payment gateway on the Internet. Besides, People can also use their smartphone
and the Internet for processing transactions on  UPI (Unified Payment Interface). It does not even
require them to carry their cards. The UPI payment method is continuously evolving and is expected to
cover most transactions in the near future.

Education
Most of the devices nowadays are connected through the Internet. The Internet has the availability of
broad educational content on any topic with different types. People can study the relevant topic just
by spending a couple of minutes over the Internet. Internet Search engines help people quickly find
the relevant study material in multiple formats (such as images, videos, documents, etc.). This helps
eliminate the need to go to the library to read several books to find the desired information.

Besides, the Internet has also enabled students to participate in their classes through video
conferencing, where students can connect with their teachers or professionals anywhere in the world.

Online Banking & Trading

The way of banking has changed after the introduction of the Internet. The Internet has made banking
online where people can manage their bank accounts while sitting at home or traveling abroad.
Nowadays, most of the features of banking are right in people's hands. With the help of online
banking, people can securely transfer the money from one account to another, change their ATM pins,
apply for the physical or virtual credit cards, update credit card limits, enable or disable international
transactions, track their transactions, and many more. Also, they can even raise an online complaint or
contact to bank's support staff.

Apart from this, the Internet has made it a lot easier for people to trade in the Stock market from
anywhere. People can easily buy, sell, or manage stocks online.

Research

The Internet is playing a significant role in the field of research. Before the use of the Internet, it was
quite hard to look for information about anything. People had to go through hundreds of books for
references to find the desired information. However, the Internet has made it a lot easier, and anyone
can find the required information at some clicks only. In research, people can study about the success
and failed research and work further for the improvements. Uses of the Internet in research have
incredibly beneficial for the researchers.
Electronic Mail

Email or electronic mail is one of the first significant uses of the Internet. The email has enabled faster
communication between people on the Internet. Using email, people can quickly share information,
data files, such as images, audio, video, and other types of files. The use of email has significantly
reduced paper use, which was the primary source of communication in the olden days. Anyone can
have a free email address and can easily communicate with others. This has also reduced the load on
the physical mail system, although it is still in use.

Job Search

Getting a job is a lot easier than before. Any person can view relevant job information using the
Internet. Earlier, people had to go through each company individually to know if a position was vacant
or not. However, the Internet has enabled people to find employment sitting at home to suit their
interests. Many websites provide details about job availability. Once people submit their resumes,
these websites keep informing about vacancies through email. Besides, each well-known company has
its website, where the company posts about the vacancy opening. So, just sitting at home, people can
search, apply for jobs and even give their interviews and see or know their results.

Social Networking

Social networking sites have connected people around the world. Social networking is an essential part
of the Internet. With the help of the Internet, people have got the ability to form social groups where
they can share information, thoughts and ideas about anything. The social networking platform is the
largest source of content, covering everything from informative content to entertainment. The best
thing is that people don't have to pay anything to use these services. This helps businesses develop
their community and promote their products.

Collaboration

Due to the Internet, communication has become easier and better. You can easily connect with anyone
on the Internet, either texting, calling or video calling. It has created new cooperation opportunities for
the people. There are several online chat software and websites that help people create group
discussions or meetings. It helps businesses to have a hassle-free discussion. Therefore, people do not
always need to travel long distances to attend meetings. This helps people avoid unnecessary travel
and save time for productive use.

Besides, there are many cloud-based software and websites that offer people to work on the same
project simultaneously at the same time. People from different places can easily connect and support
their specialties using the Internet.
 Entertainment

The Internet is the most effective means of entertainment. There are various options available on the
Internet, which people can try, such as watching movies, playing online games, listening to songs, etc.
The Internet has also made it easy for people to download entertainment items to their local storage.
Using the Internet, people can also share their videos, songs, pictures online with others. Also,
nowadays, people can watch live TV or sports on the Internet.

E-Commerce
The Internet is not just limited to ordering things; it can also be used to sell products. Many e-
commerce websites allow businesses and individuals to sell their products. Products are purchased by
these e-commerce companies, stored in their warehouses, packaged in their brand packaging, and
distributed by themselves. E-commerce companies charge some commission to distribute goods to
customers. Also, they offer great discounts and offers to customers. The best thing is that customers
do not have to go to physical stores.
Besides, sellers can also create their website and list their products there. They can refer to all
information about the product, answer customer questions and provide online payment options to
their customers. All these things are possible on the Internet.

File Transfer

The Internet has made file transfer between systems or devices easier. With FTP (File Transfer Protocol),
data can be securely exchanged over the Internet. FTP is mainly beneficial when large files need to be
transferred because email allows sharing files with limited size. FTP is the best way to exchange
information between two stakeholders. This method is still quite popular and in use.

Navigation
The navigation mechanism is one of the most beneficial uses of the Internet. Once a user put the
location in the online maps (such as Google maps), it provides all the details about that location. Users
can even find the best route to visit that particular location. The map also provides the distance
between the locations. The best thing about navigation is that it will provide the shortest possible
route with less traffic. One can also search for any specific place like the nearest hotel, restaurants,
banks, ATM, etc. Apart from this, a person can share a live location with others using the Internet and
the navigation technique.
Advertising

Because most people use the Internet, it is the best means of promoting something or advertising.
There are options for paid promotion as well as free promotion. There are many advertising platforms
on the Internet that help promote products or businesses online. These platforms advertise products
on other related websites using banners, videos, email etc. They charge for these advertisements
according to distance, keywords and audience etc. However, one can also use social media platforms
to create online groups or communities and advertise freely.

Real-time updates

The Internet is helping people to keep up with what is happening around the world. Many news and
information websites provide real-time updates on various categories, such as politics, history, news,
geology, leisure, sports, technology, marketing, and more. One can easily select the category of
interest and stay connected with updates. The presence of e-newspapers and magazines is updating
people and helping to cut paper usage.