MEDICAL COMPUTER LITERACY

MEDICAL SCHOOL PRE-CLINICAL -

MSPC 202
INTERNET AND THE WORLD
WIDE WEB
Topic 5
 The Internet defined
• The internet is a global network of the
interlinked computers using dedicated routers
and servers, which allows its end users to
access the data scattered all over the world.

• It is a collection of separate and distinct

networks

• Able to act together as a single network

 The Internet -features
• Data is transmitted/ communicated via the
internet using communication protocols

• Every device connected on the internet is

assigned a unique number called IP address
which pinpoints its location on the internet

• Information accessible on the internet is

stored on a server

4
 Protocols
• Rules that ensure accurate and orderly
transmission and reception of data

• Communication among all the different

devices on the Internet is made possible by
TCP/IP

• TCP/IP is a standard set of rules for

electronically addressing and transmitting
data
5
 TCP/IP
• TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol

• TCP/IP is a set of standardized rules that allow

computers to communicate on a network such
as the internet
 TCP and IP
TCP IP
• TCP is responsible for data • IP is the part that obtains
delivery once that IP the address to which data is
address has been found sent

• All the technology that • Could be likened to the

makes the phone ring, and phone number of your
that enables you to talk to phone
someone on another
phone.
 Protocols used on the internet
Protocol Name Function

TCP/IP Transmission Control Breaks messages into packets and

Protocol/Internet Protocol addresses them for transmission over the
internet
HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol Exchanges information over the web

FTP File Transfer Protocol Transfers files between local and remote
host computer
POP Post Office Protocol Transfers mail from an e-mail server to a
client inbox
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Transfer e-mail messages from client
computers to an email-server

IMAP Internet Mail Access Protocol An alternative to Post Office Protocol

TELNET Telecommunications Network Allows users who are logged on to one

host to access another host
10/5/18 MED 302 8
SSL Secure Sockets Layer Provides secure data transfer over the
 Internet Protocol (IP) address
• A unique address that identifies a device on
the internet or a local network.

• It is responsible for addressing, delivering and

routing online requests precisely

• It consists of a string of numbers separated by

full stops eg 76.240.249.145
 Internet Protocol (IP) address
• The string of numbers are made up of a
network ID and the host/computer ID
 IP address and domain names

• IP address is different from a domain

name

• IP address is a set of numerical

instructions that communicates exact
information about the address in a
way that is useful to the computer
but makes no sense to humans
IP address and domain names

• The domain name functions as a link

to the IP address – it does not
contain the actual information but
points to where the IP address
information is

• The IP address is thus the actual

code and the domain name or URL
the nickname for that code
 Domain names
• Domain names are used to identify one or more IP
addresses

• Computers that host domain names are domain

name servers

• A domain name is a key component of URLs and

email addresses - they are used to identify web
pages

• It is what comes after @ in an email address and

after www in a web address eg yahoo.com,
google.com, ug.edu.gh
 Top-level domain
• A top-level domain (TLD) is the part of
the domain name located to the right of
the dot (" . ").

• Three types:
Generic top Level domain– gTLD
Restricted top level domain – rTLD
Country code top level domain - ccTLD

14
 Generic top level domain (gTLD)
• one of the categories of top-level domains
(TLDs)

• The entire group of domains that do not have

a geographic or country designation

• Examples: .com, .org, .net .info,.edu, .ac

 Restricted Top level domain
• Restricted top-level domains (rTLD)
- require the registrant to represent a certain
type of entity, or to belong to a certain
community.

- Examples: .aero, .biz, .edu, .mil, .museum,

.name, and .pro
.name TLD is reserved for individuals, and
.edu TLD is reserved for educational entities.

16
 Country code Top-level domain
• Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs)
represent specific geographic
locations

• For example:
.mx represents Mexico
.eu represents the European Union
.gh represents Ghana
17
Domain Description

edu, ac Educational institutions

com Commercial businesses

biz Commercial businesses

gov Government agencies

int Restricted to organizations established by international treaties

mil Military agencies

net Network organizations

org Professional and non-profit organizations

info Informational sites

 The World Wide Web
• A collection of files that are
interconnected through the use of
hypertext

• These files are called web pages

• They are identified by a Uniform

Resource Locator (URL)
 The World Wide Web

• Series of web pages are called

website

• Webpages are stored on web

servers
 Uniform Resource Locator
• Unique address to web pages
• Example of a URL
www.cnn.com
• The site might then be divided into topic areas
that are reflected in the URL
• Eg: http://www.cnn.com/showbiz/movies.htm
Document
Web Web Top level Folder name/
protocol server domain name filename
standard name extension

• Webpage filenames usually have an .htm or

.html extension
21
Web page
with URL
• https://www.ug.edu.gh/

• https://admission.ug.edu.gh/applying/

• https://admission.ug.edu.gh/applying/gemp/ove
rview
 The World Wide Web & links
• Link is short for hyperlink

• Allows you to jump to a new location

when you click it

• Found on web pages

 The World Wide Web & links
• Provide a simple means of navigating
between pages on the web

• Links can be attached to text, images,

or other HTML elements
Webpage
with links
 Web browsers
• A computer program with a graphical user
interface for displaying HTML files

• Used to navigate the World Wide Web

• Used to locate, retrieve and display content on

the web such as web pages, images, videos and
files

• Used to Access and view websites

 Web browsers
Examples
• Internet Explorer (Microsoft)
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
• Opera
• Brave
 Search engines
• A program that provides variety of tools to
help users find information on the web

• Used to search data such as text or a

database for specified information

• A site on the world wide web that uses

such software to locate key words on other
sites
 Top 8 Search engines
• Google

• Bing

• Yahoo

• Baidu
 Top 8 Search engines
• Yandex

• Duckduckgo

• Contextual Web search

• Yippy
 Internet communication services
• E-mail

• Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

• VoIP and Internet telephony (skype,

WhatsApp, Facetime)

• Instant Messaging (IM)- yahoo messenger,

telegram, MSN, Ask-a-librarian
 Internet communication services
• Short Message services (SMS)

• Usenet (Newsgroups)

• Blogs

• Wikis
 Internet communication services
• Social networking sites (facebook, twitter,
Instagram, WeChat, LinkedIn)

• Chat (Google Hang outs, Microsoft Skype,

Apple Facetime, WhatsApp, Telegram)

• Video conferencing (Zoom, Skype, Cisco

Webex, GoToMeeting, Microsoft teams,
Google meet)

• World Wide Web

 Uses of the internet

• Information and communication

• Collaboration and training

• Education and research

 Uses of the internet
• E-business

• Health diagnostic tool

• Daily life
 Use of the Internet results in…

• Efficiency and productivity

• Competitive edge
Internet World Wide Web
• a global network of net • A collection of information
works which is accessed via
• Internet was created the Internet
first –January 1, 1983 • The system of web pages
• Protocol for Internet is and sites that uses
mainly TCP/IP the Internet to pass the
• TCP/IP is a set of rules files across
that allows computer • Web was created in 1990
networks to
• Protocol for World Wide
communicate
Web is http/https
 Summary
• What is the Internet
• What are protocols
• IP address
• IP address vs domain names
• The world wide web – URL, Links, top level
domains, web browsers, search engines
• Internet communication services
• Uses of the Internet
• Internet vs WWW