Technology Instruction: Basics

This section combines the information from our classes on Mouse Basics, Internet Basics, Intro to Gmail, Typing Lab, and PC Basics

Firewall: A computer firewall is used to protect your computer from damage by unauthorized users. The firewall is already configured. The firewall can be either hardware- or software-based. Firewalls are used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet.

HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) is a programming language used to create and design websites on the Internet.

HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a standard format for transmitting data used by the World Wide Web. HTTP defines how messages are formatted and transmitted. An “S” is added if extra security is provided (such as a bank’s website).

Home Page: This is the starting point or the first page of a website. This page usually has some sort of table of contents on it and often describes the purpose of the site. For example, http://www.mcl.org is the home page of Mercer County Library System. When you type in a website address, such as http://www.mcl.org, you are typically directed to the home page of the website.

Internet: The Internet was created in 1969, during the Cold War, by the United States military. The Internet spreads across the globe and consists of countless networks and computers, allowing millions of people to share information. The World Wide Web, email, and Instant Messaging are some of the features of the Internet.

Internet Service Provider (ISP): This is the service that provides, for a fee, Internet access, and usually an email account. Comcast and Verizon are some examples of ISPs.

Links: Links allow you to “jump” or link from one document to another on the Internet. The text of a link is usually a different color from the rest of the text on a page and may be underlined. An image or a button can also be a link. Your pointer or cursor will change into the shape of a pointing hand when it is on a link.

Search Engine: Google, Bing, and Yahoo are all search engines. They index millions of sites on the Web, so that we can easily find websites with the information we want. By creating indices, or large databases of websites (based on titles, keywords, and the text in the pages), search engines can immediately locate relevant websites when users enter search terms or key words.

Spam: Spam refers to junk email. The unsolicited email messages you receive about refinancing your home, reverse aging, and losing weight are all considered to be spam.

Spyware: Spyware can capture information like your web browsing habits, email messages, usernames/passwords, and credit card information. Spyware can be installed when you open an email attachment containing this software. It can also be installed when you install another program that has a spyware installer attached to it.

URL: A Uniform Resource Locator is the address of a website. It identifies the location of a website on the Internet. For example, you can type in the address www.mcl.org to access the library’s website.

Virus: Computer viruses are software programs or scripts that can modify the way a computer works. These programs can delete, move, or create files, consume your computer’s memory, and cause your computer not to function correctly. Some might damage a computer’s hard drive. Others can create a backdoor, allowing a remote user to access your computer system.

There are many anti-virus software programs that scan incoming files for viruses before they can cause damage to your computer. Some of these programs are Norton Antivirus and McAfee.

Web Browser: A web browser, or browser, is the computer program people use to access the World Wide Web. Some common browsers are Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari.

Webpage: Websites are made up of webpages, similar to the pages in a book.

Website: A website is a collection of webpages. For example, www.mcl.org is a website, which includes many webpages that make up the site.