Naviagating The WWW

So you know about the World Wide Web (WWW) and you have a computer, a modem and have registered with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your ISP will probably provide you with a Browser, which should be compatible with your computer platform. The Browser is the main tool you will need to access information on the Web.

Internet Browsers
A Browser is software used to interpret a hypertext markup language (HTML) document. Web pages are designed in HTML, however, each Browser displays the page slightly different. This is why some Web Sites specify the best type of Browser to use when viewing the site.

Chances are you've already heard about most Internet Browsers, but maybe you didn't know exactly what they were. Some Browser software, such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer, can be bought for a low price in most computer stores, but the software is useless without an ISP. Once you have an ISP and are on-line you can download the latest version of these Browsers. Commercial services such as America Online (AOL), Prodigy and CompuServe are ISPs with specialized Browsers that give you access to the Web.

Navigation Tools
Now, you're in your Browser and you've heard about all of the information on the Web, but the only thing you can see is your ISP's home page! If you have the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a site that you want to visit, you can type it in at the "Location:" text box. Most people don't know the actual site they want to visit, but they know what information they want to find. Luckily, there are numerous search engines available to help you find information.

Search Engines
For your first few visits to the Web, you will definitely need to have the URLs of some popular search engines on hand:

When you type in a key word or topic and submit the search, thousands of results may be generated! Also, remember to try different search engines if you can't find what you are looking for in one of them. Usually, a site must be registered in order to be found, so not all search engines have access to the same information.

After you get the results of your search, you will need your mouse so you can start "clicking" on the hyperlinks to the specific sites (linked text is highlighted). Graphics can also be linked, or image mapped; if your cursor is on a linked item, most Browsers will show the link's URL at the bottom of the page. If you want to go back to the search engine after you have connected to another site, you can click on the Browser's "Back" button.

Links can connect to different pages in the same site or to other sites. Links make the Web fun, but they can also make you forget where you've been and what you wanted to find. While you are discovering new sites, make sure to add a "bookmark" to your favorite pages. Browsers have a bookmark file to remember the URL of pages that you want to visit again. The next time you want to find the site, you can select the title of the page from the bookmark list and the Browser will automatically connect to its URL.

Browser Problems
Unfortunately, not all Web sessions will be fast and error free. You may have a bad connection or there may be too many users at the site you want to visit. Whatever the reason, you have to be patient! If the Browser seems to be stuck, just click on the "Stop" button or try reloading. However, if you are experiencing regular problems with your service, you should contact your ISP for assistance.

Geek Speak
Download: Retrieving files from the server or other on-line computer.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol - A method of transferring files between computers.
Archive: A site where similar information is stored and organized for the user's convenience.

ASA Web Ways

Do you already have a Web Site? ASA will link to your site from its listing in the Find Nearest ASA Shop database or the Associate & Educational Member databases on the ASA Web Site.

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