Principles of Information

Systems
Eighth Edition

Chapter 7
The Internet, Intranets, and Extranets
 Why Learn About the Internet?
• Internet is an important part of most people’s lives
– Individuals can investigate career opportunities
– Businesses sell and advertise online
– Employees can communicate with coworkers and
bosses

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 Use and Functioning of the Internet
• Internet: a collection of interconnected networks,
all freely exchanging information
• ARPANET
– Ancestor of the Internet
– Project started by the U.S. Department of Defense
(DoD) in 1969

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 Use and Functioning of the Internet
(continued)
• Internet Protocol (IP): communication standard
that enables traffic to be routed from one network
to another as needed
• Research to make Internet faster and easier to use
– “Digital objects”: allow all types of computer systems
to use and share programs and data
– Internet2 (I2), Next Generation Internet (NGI),
Abilene: provide Internet speeds of up to 2 Gbps or
more

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 How the Internet Works
• Internet transmits data from one computer (called a
host) to another
• If the receiving computer is on a network to which
the first computer is directly connected, it can send
the message directly
• If the receiving computer is not on a network to
which the sending computer is connected, the
sending computer relays the message to another
computer that can forward it

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 How the Internet Works (continued)
• Data is passed in chunks called packets
• Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): widely
used transport layer protocol that is used in
combination with IP by most Internet applications
• Uniform Resource Locator (URL): assigned
address on the Internet for each computer

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 How the Internet Works (continued)
• Accessing the Internet
– Connect via LAN server
– Connect via Serial Line Internet Protocol
(SLIP)/Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
– Connect via an online service
– Other ways to connect cell phones, PDAs, and home
appliances: e.g., wireless application protocol (WAP)
for cell phones

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 Internet Service Providers
• Internet service provider (ISP): any company that
provides individuals or organizations with access to
the Internet
• Most charge a monthly fee
• Many ISPs and online services offer broadband
Internet access through digital subscriber lines
(DSLs), cable, or satellite transmission

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 The World Wide Web
• Also called the Web, WWW, or W3
• Menu-based system that uses the client/server
model
• Organizes Internet resources throughout the world
into a series of menu pages, or screens, that
appear on your computer
• Hypermedia: tools that connect the data on Web
pages, allowing users to access topics in whatever
order they wish

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 The World Wide Web (continued)
• Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): standard
page description language for Web pages
• HTML tags: let the browser know how to format
text on a Web page and whether images, sound,
and other elements should be inserted
• Extensible Markup Language (XML): markup
language for Web documents containing structured
information, including words, pictures, and other
elements

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 Web Browsers
• Web browser: software that creates a unique,
hypermedia-based menu on a computer screen,
providing a graphical interface to the Web
– Menu consists of graphics, titles, and text with
hypertext links
– Popular Web browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer,
Netscape Navigator, Mozilla Firefox, Apple
Computer’s Safari
• Applet: small program embedded in Web pages
• Web browser plug-in: external program that is
executed by a Web browser when it is needed
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 Search Engines and Web Research
• Search engine: Web search tool
– Examples: Yahoo.com, Google.com
• Most search engines are free
• Searches can use words, such as AND and OR to
refine the search
• Meta-search engine: submits keywords to several
individual search engines and returns results from
all these search engines

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 Web Programming Languages
• Java
– Object-oriented programming language from Sun
Microsystems based on C++
– Allows small programs (applets) to be embedded
within an HTML document

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 Web Programming Languages
(continued)

Figure 7.6: Downloading an Applet from a Web Server

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 Developing Web Content
• Suggestions for creating a Web page
1. Computer must be linked to a Web server
2. Web browser program needed to view the HTML
pages you create
3. Options for designing the Web page
a) Write your copy with a word processor, and use an
HTML converter to convert the page into HTML format
b) Use an HTML editor to write text and add HTML tags
c) Edit an existing HTML template to meet your needs
d) Use an ordinary text editor and type the start and end
tags for each item
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 Developing Web Content (continued)
• Suggestions for creating a Web page (continued):
1. See HTML page in browser; correct any mistakes
2. Add links to your home page
3. Store pictures as files before adding them
a) Draw them using a graphics software package
b) Copy pictures from other Web pages (with
permission)
c) Buy a disk of clip art
d) Scan photos
e) Use a digital camera

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 Web Services
• Web services: standards and tools that streamline
and simplify communication among Web sites for
business and personal purposes
• XML is used within a Web page to describe and
transfer data between Web service applications

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 E-Mail, Instant Messaging, and Push
Technology
• E-mail
– No longer limited to simple text messages
– Can embed sound and images
– Can attach files
• Instant messaging: online, real-time
communication between two or more people who
are connected to the Internet
• Push technology: automatic transmission of
information over the Internet rather than make
users search for it with their browsers
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 Internet Cell Phones and Handheld
Computers
• Cell phones connected to the Internet allow people
to search for information, buy products, and chat
with business associates and friends
• Short Message Service (SMS) or texting
– Brief text messages can be sent between two or
more cell phone users
• Handheld computers and other devices are
connected to the Internet using phone lines or
wireless connections

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 Telnet and FTP
• Telnet: terminal emulation protocol that enables
users to log on to other computers on the Internet
to gain access to public files
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP): protocol that
describes a file transfer process between a host
and a remote computer and allows users to copy
files from one computer to another

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 Chat Rooms
• Chat room: enables two or more people to engage
in interactive “conversations” over the Internet
• Internet Relay Chat (IRC) requires participants to
type their conversation rather than speak
• Voice chat allows participants to speak their
conversation
– Must have a microphone, sound card, speakers, a
fast modem or broadband, and voice-chat software
compatible with the other participants’

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Internet Phone and Videoconferencing
Services
• Internet phone service
– Relatively inexpensive, especially for international
calls
• Voice-over-IP (VoIP) technology
– Network managers can route phone calls and fax
transmissions over the same network they use for
data
• Internet videoconferencing
– Supports both voice and visual communications
– Webcasts or Webinars

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 Shopping on the Web
• You can shop for almost anything over the Internet
• Convenient, easy, and cost effective
• Many Web sites also offer free shipping and pickup
for returned items
• Bot: a software tool that searches the Web for
information, products, or prices
– Finds the best prices or features from multiple Web
sites

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 Web Auctions
• Web auction: Internet site that matches buyers and
sellers
– Businesses grow or reach customers for a low cost
per transaction
• One of the most popular auction sites: eBay
• Potential problems with auction Web sites
– Auction sites cannot always determine whether the
people and companies listing products and services
are legitimate
– Some Web sites have illegal or questionable items
offered
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 Music, Radio, Video, and TV on the
Internet
• Audio and video programs: play on the Internet or
download files for later use
• Music players and music formats such as MP3:
download music from the Internet and listen to it
anywhere
– Musicians can gain exposure without a lucrative
music contract
• Radio broadcasts
• Audio books

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 Music, Radio, Video, and TV on the
Internet (continued)
• Video and TV are increasingly becoming available
on the Internet
• New, innovative devices let you record TV
programs and view them at any time and place
• Many content providers offer their programs over
the Internet

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 Office on the Web
• Internet office: Web site that contains files, phone
numbers, e-mail addresses, an appointment
calendar, and more
– Allows your desktop computer, phone books,
appointment schedulers, and other important
information to be with you wherever you are
• Many services and software products give you
remote access to your files and programs over the
Internet

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 Intranets and Extranets
• Intranet: internal corporate network built using
Internet and World Wide Web standards and
products
– Used by employees to gain access to corporate
information
– Reduces the need for paper

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 Intranets and Extranets (continued)
• Extranet: network based on Web technologies that
links selected resources of a company’s intranet
with its customers, suppliers, or other business
partners
• Virtual private network (VPN): secure connection
between two points across the Internet
• Tunneling: process by which VPNs transfer
information by encapsulating traffic in IP packets
over the Internet

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 Intranets and Extranets (continued)

Table 7.9: Summary of Internet, Intranet, and Extranet Users

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 Net Issues
• Management issues
– Preventing attacks
• Service and speed issues
– Keeping up with Internet traffic and traffic on
company intranets
• Privacy
• Fraud
• Security
• Unauthorized Internet sites

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