-
Help for new Internet users
Libraries - Help for new Internet users
The Internet: the world's biggest store of information
The Internet can seem daunting if you've never been there before. This page provides some pointers to what is available, a short glossary of some of the jargon, and some useful starting points.
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a global network of people and computers, all sharing information. There are millions of computers on the Internet, which hold all manner of information, and millions more people all around the world accessing the information. Messages (email) can also be sent worldwide.
The computers in Kingston Libraries are connected to the Internet, so the world's biggest store of information is available, at your fingertips!
What's on the Internet?
Everything. From vast organisations such as the British Government to individuals sharing information about themselves. Whatever the kind of information you're looking for, the chances are you'll be able to find it on the Internet.
How do I get around the Internet?
Perhaps the most important aspect of the Internet is the World Wide Web. The web is a method of sharing data using pages much like those in a book. The page you are reading now is a web page. But the big difference between a web page and a page in a book is that a web page is interactive. You can use the mouse to point at text or pictures, and this will take you to another page.
Text which you can click on is called a hyperlink. This is a hyperlink. Try clicking on it now. All you need to do is move the mouse pointer over it and click the left button. Many pictures on the web can also be clicked on. A collection of pages from one organisation or with one theme is called a web site.
Getting the most from the Internet
To get the most from the Internet, you need to know what you are trying to achieve. If you are looking for information on a specific subject a good place to start is with a search engine. A search engine is a web site which allows you to type in a word or phrase which describes what you are looking for. Then a list of web sites which match your interest is presented to you. Some famous search engines are Yahoo, and Google.
Another popular use of the Internet is to send messages. Messages sent electronically are called emails (electronic mails). To send an email, you need an email account. You can set up an account for free, and send messages for free. Two good web sites for sending and receiving email are Hotmail, and Yahoo! Mail.
Using email you can talk to anyone in the world who has an email address. The messages are received virtually straight away, and they don't cost you anything to send.
I'm stuck, what do I do?
Help is at hand! Please read this list of Frequently Asked Questions. The chances are somebody else has encountered your problem before.
With the Internet, the world is your oyster!
The best way to get the feel of the Internet is by clicking around and seeing what things do. Feel free to experiment - see where you get to. Good luck!
Glossary
The Internet is full of jargon - but it all means something. These are some commonly used phrases:
Email
Electronic mail. Written messages sent around the world via the Internet.
Email address
A personal address for email messages. An email message can only be delivered if it has an address, just like the post!
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions. A list of common queries presented together.
IRC
Internet Relay Chat. A facility which allows you to "chat" by typing in messages at your keyboard.
Hyperlink
A link on one web page to another. To jump from one page to another, you click on a hyperlink with the mouse.
Internet
The global network of computers which allows information to be shared amongst millions of people.
Mouse
The device used by most computers these days to point at something on the screen. You can also select something by clicking one of the buttons.
PC
Personal Computer. A small, but powerful computer.
Search engine
A web site which lists other web sites, and allows you to search for information about them by entering words or phrases.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator. Every page on the World Wide Web has an address. URL is another way of saying a web address. They are commonly in the form of: http://www.something.com.
Web page
A page on the World Wide Web.
Web site
A collection of pages on the World Wide Web.
Windows
A way of communicating with a computer using words, pictures and a mouse. Invented by Microsoft, and commonly used on PCs.
World Wide Web
All the web pages in the world!