chapter 2

The Internet, the Web, and Electronic

Commerce
 WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock

Why should I read this chapter?

 MyCreative/Shutterstock

The Internet has changed the world, and will continue to have an amazing impact on our
day-to-day lives. For example, Internet-​connected homes of the future hold the promise of
sorting our recycling, adjusting our thermostats, and even monitoring our health.
This chapter covers the things you need to know to be prepared for this ever-changing
digital world, including
• Impact—how Internet technology is changing your world.
• Hardware—how to connect your life to the Internet, including Wi-Fi, cell phones, and
tablets.
• Applications—how to get ahead using social networking, streaming technology, and
cloud computing.

Learning Objectives

After you have read this chapter, you should be able to:

1 Explain the origins of the Internet and the web.

2 Explain how to access the web using providers and browsers.
3 Compare different web utilities, including filters, file transfer utilities, and Internet
security suites.
4 Compare different Internet communications, including social networking, blogs,
microblogs, podcasts, wikis, text messaging, instant messaging, and e-mail.
5 Describe search tools, including search engines.
6 Describe how to evaluate the accuracy of information presented on the web.
7 Identify electronic commerce, including B2C, C2C, B2B, and security issues.
8 Describe cloud computing, including the three-way interaction of clients, Internet,
and service providers.
9 Discuss the Internet of Things (IoT) and the continuing development of the Internet
to allow ​everyday objects to send and receive data.

Introduction
“Hi, I’m Henry, and I’m a webmaster. I’d like to talk with you about the Internet,
the web, and electronic commerce, things that touch our lives every day. I’d also like
to talk with you about the role the Internet plays with ​Facebook, Linkedln, Twitter,
and cloud computing.”
 G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock

It is almost impossible to go a day without being on the Internet in one form or another.
Our cell phones, tablets, and computers connect us to the Internet, and there are even
Internet-connected TVs, cars, and refrigerators. but what is the Internet? What are the
different ways we use the Internet? And how can we tap into the power of the Internet to
improve our lives?
The Internet is an interconnected mesh of computers and data lines that connects
millions of people and organizations. It is the foundation of the digital revolution and
allows people around the world to share words, images, and any digital file almost
instantaneously. The web provides an easy-to-use interface to Internet resources. It has
become an everyday tool for all of us to use.
To efficiently and effectively use computers, you need to be aware of the resources
available on the Internet and the web. Additionally, you need to know how to access these
resources, to effectively communicate electronically, to efficiently locate information, to
understand electronic commerce, and to use web utilities.

The Internet and the Web

The Internet was launched in 1969 when the United States funded a project that developed a
national computer network called Advanced Research Project Agency Network
(ARPANET). The Internet is an immense network that connects together smaller networks
all over the globe. The web, also known as the World Wide Web or WWW, was introduced
in 1991. Prior to the web, the Internet was all text—no graphics, animations, sound, or video.
The web made it possible to include these elements. It provided a multimedia interface to
resources available on the Internet.
Today the web is a collection of machines and people sharing amazing content, but not
long ago it was a far simpler experience. The web has matured through three generations,
commonly called Web 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0.

• Web 1.0 focused on linking existing information. Google Search and other search
engines made it possible for users to search the web to locate web pages of interest.
However, to create a web page required a background in computers and programming.
Many users could view web content, but few users could create web content.
• Web 2.0 evolved to support more dynamic content creation and social interaction.
Facebook and other social media sites made it so that nontechnical people could be
seen and heard on the web. These sites allow almost anyone to post videos, images, and
 text about their lives. However, the massive amount of social media posts made it
difficult to find truly valuable information. Many users could view and create web
content, but few could readily locate valuable, timely information on the web.
• Web 3.0 identifies relationships between data. Siri and Google Assistant are examples
of Web 3.0 applications. One of their many capabilities includes maintaining a user’s
calendar of events and automatically reminding the user when an event is imminent,
such as an upcoming flight (see Figure 2-1). As this web technology grows out of its
infancy, we can expect to get more personalized, helpful information from our devices.

Figure 2-1 Web 3.0 application

Piotr Swat/Shutterstock

The future of the World Wide Web beyond Web 3.0 has yet to be determined. Futurists
suggest that Web 4.0 will focus on connecting data and devices into a seamless integration
into your physical life. However, there is not universal agreement regarding the specifics of
Web 4.0.
It is easy to get the Internet and the web confused, but they are not the same thing. The
Internet is the physical network. It is made up of wires, cables, satellites, and rules for
exchanging information between computers connected to the network. Being connected to
this network is often described as being online. The Internet connects millions of computers
and resources throughout the world. The web is a multimedia interface to the resources
available on the Internet. Every day over a billion users from nearly every country in the
world use the Internet and the web. What are they doing? The most common uses are the
following:

ethics
Twitter and other social media organizations ban users who post hateful or violent
content. Some people feel that Twitter has an ethical responsibility to monitor and
 remove offensive or inaccurate content. Others say that censorship is a violation of an
individual’s right to free speech and that Twitter should never censor content. What do
you think? Who should decide what information is shared on Twitter: the company or
the users?

• Communicating is by far the most popular Internet activity. You can exchange texts, e-
mails, photos, and videos with your family and friends from almost anywhere in the
world. You can reconnect with old friends, meet new people with similar interests, and
engage with special-interest communities around the world.
• Shopping is one of the fastest-growing Internet applications. You can look for the latest
fashions, search for bargains, and make purchases.
• Searching for information has never been more convenient. You can access some of the
world’s largest libraries directly from your home computer.
• Education or e-learning is another rapidly evolving web application. You can take
classes on almost any subject. There are courses just for fun, and there are courses for
high school, college, and graduate school credit. Some cost nothing to take and others
cost a lot.
• Online entertainment options are nearly endless. You can find the latest movies and
news, listen your favorite songs, and play video games with friends around the world.
To learn more about online entertainment, see Making IT Work for You: Online
Entertainment on pages 28 and 29.

The first step to using the Internet and the web is to get connected, or to gain access to the
Internet.

concept check
What is the difference between the Internet and the web?

Describe how the Internet and the web started. What are the four web generations?

List and describe five of the most common uses of the Internet and the web.

Making IT work for you

ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT
Would you like to be able to watch your favorite TV shows and movies from anywhere in
your home? How about listening to the largest catalog of music the world has ever known?
Or to carry a library in your backpack? Want to keep up to date on the news your friends
and family are reading? Or to hear about the latest trends in tech news? Online
entertainment has got you covered, with entertainment options for TV, movies, music,
books, social media, and news feeds.

Paid subscription services, like Netflix, offer popular film and TV shows, as
well as original content.
Jesse33/Shutterstock

Digital books allow you to read several books at a time on different digital
devices without having to carry around tons of books.
Annette Shaff/Shutterstock

TV Shows and Movies—Binge watch your favorite TV shows or movie trilogy

with subscription services such as Hulu, Amazon Prime, or Netflix. These services
allow you to watch vast libraries of popular mainstream TV and movies as well as
original content. Visit www.hulu.com, www.amazon.com/prime, or
www.netflix.com to learn more.
If live TV is more your speed, you can sign up for YouTube TV or go online to
CNN, CBS News, or the NBC website. These sites offer live broadcasts of breaking
news, sports, and popular TV show episodes. Visit tv.youtube.com, cnn.com,
cbsnews.com/live, or nbcnews.com to check it out.
Online Music—Websites Spotify and Pandora offer access to large music libraries,
with everything from contemporary hits to classical music. They offer free versions
with commercials or for a small monthly fee, you can get all the music you want
with limited commercial interruptions. Go to spotify.com or pandora.com to try out
online music.
Online Books—Digital books allow you to download all your textbooks and store
them on your laptop or read the latest best-seller off your tablet. Digital books can
be purchased online and read on your digital devices. Amazon’s Kindle Store and
Barnes and Noble’s Nook Store offer large libraries of titles at competitive prices.
Go to amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks or barnesandnoble.com to see what they have to
offer.
Social Media—Social media websites offer a way to connect and interact with
others about news, movies, and everyday life. Thoughts and ideas are posted
instantly with sites like Twitter, a popular platform for sharing short messages,
videos, and photos. You can follow other Twitter users to get automatic updates on
the posts they make, and others can follow you to keep up to date on your posts.
Twitter users include politicians, athletes, and artists. To join the conversation, go to
twitter.com and create an account.
News Feeds—Social media services such as Facebook or Twitter are a good way to
share and explore news, but they don’t offer an experience similar to a newspaper.
For a more traditional view of the day’s events, consider a news feed service. A
news feed application takes articles from news organizations, collects them
according to your interest, and presents them like a newspaper—grouped by topic
and in chronological order.
One of the best news feed services is Feedly. Go to feedly.com to sign up and
explore the many news organizations you can pick and choose from to be displayed
when you visit feedly.com.
 Popular social media site Twitter updates your Twitter account with new
postings from users around the world.
Castleski/Shutterstock

News feed services, like feedly.com, allow you to search for news sources by
publisher or topic, creating a more “newspaper”-like reading experience.
Roman Pyshchyk/Shutterstock

Internet Access
Your computer is a very powerful tool. However, it needs to be connected to the Internet to
truly unleash its power. Once on the Internet, your computer becomes an extension of what
seems like a giant computer—a computer that branches all over the world. When provided
with a connection to the Internet, you can use a browser program to search the web.

tips
Are you getting the most out of your web browser? Here are a few suggestions to
make you faster and more efficient.
Bookmarks/Favorites Bar: Most browsers have a bookmarks or favorites bar just
below the address bar. Add your top 5 or 10 most-often-visited websites here. The
next time you want to visit one of these sites, select it from the bookmarks/favorites
list rather than entering the site’s URL.
Shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts are often faster than using a mouse. Use the following:
F5 (refresh); Alt + left arrow (back); Ctrl + T (new tab); Ctrl + W (close tab); Ctrl +
Enter (adds “www” and “.com” to any domain name you type in the address bar).
Extensions/Add-Ons: Many browsers, such as Chrome and Firefox, allow users to
install small, third-party programs that extend, or add to, the capabilities of the
browser. These programs can perform a variety of tasks, from providing easy access to
your cloud services to making it easier to capture information on a web page.
Configure Settings: All browsers have a settings or options page that provides ways
to improve the security and privacy of your Internet browsing. For example, you can
 deny websites from automatically opening up another browser window, called pop-ups
(these annoying windows often contain advertisements).

Providers
The most common way to access the Internet is through an Internet service provider (ISP).
The providers are already connected to the Internet and provide a path or connection for
individuals to access the Internet.
The most widely used commercial Internet service providers use telephone lines, cable,
and/or wireless connections. Some of the best-known providers in the United States are
AT&T, Comcast, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
As we will discuss in Chapter 8, users connect to ISPs using one of a variety of connection
technologies including DSL, cable, and wireless modems.
Browsers
Today it is common to access the Internet from a variety of devices like cell phones, tablets,
and laptops. These devices use programs called browsers to provide access to web resources.
These programs connect you to remote computers; open and transfer files; display text,
images, and multimedia; and provide in one tool an uncomplicated interface to the Internet
and web documents. Four well-known browsers are Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft
Edge, and Mozilla Firefox. (See Figure 2-2.)

Figure 2-2 Browser

indiaforte/Alamy Stock Photo

Browsers differ not only by designer, but also by what device they work on. For example,
Chrome is a web browser designed by Google that has a mobile version for cell phones and
tablets and a desktop version for laptops and desktops. Mobile browsers are designed for the
smaller touchscreens of mobile devices. They typically have larger ​buttons to select options
and provide multitouch support for actions such as “pinch” or “stretch” to zoom in on web
content. (See Figure 2-3.) Desktop browsers are designed for laptop and desktop computers,
with smaller buttons and more on-screen options designed to take advantage of larger
monitors and the precision of mouse input.

Figure 2-3 Zoom web content

George Dolgikh/Shutterstock

Figure 2-4 Basic parts of a URL

For browsers to connect to resources, the location or address of the resources must be
specified. These addresses are called uniform resource locators (URLs). All URLs have at
least two basic parts.

• The first part presents the protocol used to connect to the resource. As we will discuss
in Chapter 8, protocols are rules for exchanging data between computers. The protocol
https is used for web traffic and is one of the most widely used Internet protocols.
• The second part presents the domain name. It indicates the specific address where the
resource is located. In Figure 2-4 the domain is identified as www.mtv.com. The last
part of the domain name following the dot (.) is the top-level domain (TLD). Also
known as the web suffix, it typically identifies the type of organization. For example,
.com indicates a commercial site. (See Figure 2-5.)

Figure 2-5 Traditional top-level domains

 Once the browser has connected to the website, a document file is sent back to your
computer. This document typically contains Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), a
markup language for displaying web pages. The browser interprets the HTML formatting
instructions and displays the document as a web page. For example, when your browser first
connects to the Internet, it opens up to a web page specified in the browser settings. Web
pages present information about the site along with references and hyperlinks or links that
connect to other documents containing related ​information—text files, graphic images, audio,
and video clips.
Various technologies are used to provide highly interactive and animated websites. These
technologies include the following:

• JavaScript is a language often used within HTML documents to trigger interactive

features, such as opening new browser windows and checking information entered in
online forms. The Microsoft search engine Bing.com uses JavaScript to make its
website more interactive and to assist its users by auto-filling search requests as they
type content into the search box.
• PHP, like JavaScript, is a language often used within HTML documents to improve a
website ’s interactivity. Unlike JavaScript, which is executed on the user’s computer,
PHP executes on the website’s computer.
• Cascading style sheets (CSS) are separate files referenced by or lines inserted into an
HTML document that control the appearance of a web page. CSS help ensure that
related web pages have a consistent presentation or look. Netflix uses CSS to visually
connect all its web pages.

concept check
What is the function of an ISP, a browser, a mobile browser, and a desktop browser?

What are a URL, a protocol, a domain name, and a web suffix?

What are HTML, a web page, a hyperlink, JavaScript, PHP, and CSS?

Web Utilities
Utilities are programs that make computing easier. Web utilities are specialized utility
programs that make the Internet and the web easier and safer to use. Some of these utilities
are browser-related programs that either become part of your browser or are executed from
your browser, while others work as separate stand-alone applications. Common uses for web
utilities include filtering content and transferring files.
Filters
Filters block access to selected sites. The Internet is an interesting and multifaceted arena.
But not all aspects of the Internet are appropriate for all audiences. Parents, in particular, are
concerned about children roaming unrestricted across the Internet. Filter programs allow
parents as well as organizations to block out selected sites and set time limits. (See Figure 2-
6.) Additionally, these programs can monitor use and generate reports detailing the total time
spent on the Internet and the time spent at individual websites. For a list of some of the best-
known filters, see Figure 2-7.

Figure 2-6 Norton Family is a web filter

Circle Media Labs, Inc.

Figure 2-7 Filters

File Transfer Utilities
Using file transfer utility software, you can copy files to your computer from specially
configured servers. This is called downloading. You also can use file transfer utility software
to copy files from your computer to another computer on the Internet. This is called
uploading. Three popular types of file transfer are web-based, BitTorrent, and FTP.

• Web-based file transfer services make use of a web browser to upload and download
files. This eliminates the need for any custom software to be installed. A popular web-
based file transfer service is Dropbox.com.
• BitTorrent distributes file transfers across many different computers for more efficient
downloads, unlike other transfer technologies whereby a file is copied from one
computer on the Internet to another. A single file might be located on dozens of
 individual computers. When you download the file, each computer sends you a tiny
piece of the larger file, making BitTorrent well suited for transferring very large files.
Unfortunately, BitTorrent technology often has been used for distributing unauthorized
copies of copyrighted music and video.
• File transfer protocol (FTP) and secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) allow you to
efficiently copy files to and from your computer across the Internet and are frequently
used for uploading changes to a website hosted by an Internet service provider. FTP has
been used for decades and still remains one of the most popular methods of file transfer.

Internet Security Suites

An Internet security suite is a collection of utility programs designed to maintain your
security and privacy while you are on the web. These programs control spam, protect against
computer viruses, provide filters, and much more. You could buy each program separately;
however, the cost of the suite is typically much less. Two of the best-known Internet security
suites are Symantec Norton Internet Security and Bitdefender Internet Security. These
companies also offer apps for mobile devices, Bitdefender Mobile Security and Norton
Mobile Security. (See Figure 2-8.)

Figure 2-8 Security suite

Norton

Figure 2-9 Web utilities

For a summary of web utilities, see Figure 2-9.
 concept check
What are web utilities? What are filters used for?

What are file transfer utilities? Downloading? Uploading? Web-based file transfer
services? FTP? SFPT?

Define Internet security suites.

Communication
As previously mentioned, communication is the most popular Internet activity, and its impact
cannot be overestimated. At a personal level, friends and family can stay in contact with one
another even when separated by thousands of miles. At a business level, electronic
communication has become a standard way to stay in touch with suppliers, employees, and
customers. Some popular types of Internet communication are social networking, blogs,
microblogs, podcasts, wikis, e-mail, and ​messaging.

environment
Daily newspapers are an important part of the free press; however, the traditional
printed newspaper comes at a cost of millions of trees. Many national and local news
organizations offer a digital version of their papers. Using the digital version instead of
the paper version can deliver the news quickly, cheaply, and sustainably. If you want to
save a tree, use the digital version of your favorite newspaper or magazine.

Social Networking
Social networking is one of the fastest-growing and most significant Web 2.0 applications.
Social networking sites focus on connecting people and organizations that share a common
interest or activity. These sites typically provide a wide array of tools that facilitate meeting,
communicating, and sharing. There are hundreds of social networking sites, but they share
some common features:

• Profiles are created by individuals to share information about them. These profiles
often include photos, personal details, and contact information. (See Figure 2-10.)
• Pages are created by companies to promote their business. These pages often include
hours of operations, upcoming sales, and information about their products.
• Groups are communities of individuals who share a common interest and come
together online to share information and discuss specific topics. Groups are typically
organized around topics, events, or ideas. They are popular among clubs and
organizations to coordinate activities or share information.
 • Friends are a list of other members on a social media site that you want to
communicate with.
• News feed is the first page you see after logging into a social networking site. It
typically consists of a collection of recent posts from friends, trending topics on the
site, people’s responses to your posts, and advertisements.
• Share settings on your social media account determine who can see your posts. The
most common options include sharing with everyone, just your friends, or just a subset
of your friends.

Figure 2-10 Facebook profile

ImageBROKER/Mara Brandl/Newscom

privacy
Have you ever seen one of those funny or not-so-funny embarrassing personal videos on
the Internet? Unless you are careful, you could be starring in one of those videos.
Without privacy settings, images and videos posted to these sites can be viewed and
potentially reposted for all to see. If a social networking friend were to post an
embarrassing video of you to Facebook, would all your friends be able to see it? What
about parents, teachers, or potential employers? To check your Facebook privacy
settings, go to Facebook and click on the security lock icon.

A social network often has an overall focus. For example, LinkedIn is a popular business-
oriented social networking site. The profiles on LinkedIn share professional information, like
resumes and job successes, and the corporate pages concentrate on sharing their corporate
culture and promoting job openings. By contrast, the largest social networking site,
Facebook, originally had a focus of connecting friends and family. As Facebook’s audience
has expanded, so has its focus. For many, Facebook is much more than a way to keep
connected with friends and family. It has expanded to include news sites, entertainment sites,
and a powerful way for businesses and organizations to connect with their audience.
There are many social networking sites, each with its own unique features and interactions.
For a list of some of the most popular sites, see Figure 2-11.

Figure 2-11 Social networking sites

Blogs, Microblogs, Podcasts, and Wikis
In addition to social networking sites, other Web 2.0 applications help ordinary people
communicate across the web, including blogs, microblogs, podcasts, and wikis. These
communication alternatives offer greater flexibility and security; however, they are often
more complex to set up and maintain.
Many individuals create personal websites, called blogs, to keep in touch with friends and
family. Blog postings are time-stamped and arranged with the newest item first. Often,
readers of these sites are allowed to comment. Some blogs are like online diaries with
personal information; others focus on information about a hobby or theme, such as knitting,
electronic devices, or good books. Although most are written by individual bloggers, there
are also group blogs with multiple contributors. Some businesses and newspapers also have
started blogging as a quick publishing method. Several sites provide tools to create blogs.
Two of the most widely used are Blogger and WordPress.
Much like a blog, a microblog allows an individual or company to share posts with an
audience. However, microblogs are designed to be used with mobile devices and limit the
size of posts. For example, Twitter, one of the most popular microblogging sites, limits
posts, also known as tweets, to 280 characters. (See Figure 2-12.) Instagram, another
popular microblogging site, is designed to share images and videos posts, with little to no
written content.
 Figure 2-12 Twitter
Annette Shaff/Shutterstock

Microblogging has become a significant media tool, used by politicians and celebrities to
share moment-to-moment thoughts with their audience. For example, Taylor Swift has over
83 million followers on Twitter.
Podcasts are audio programs delivered over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is one audio
program in a series of related podcasts. For example, The Science of Happiness podcast
offers a series of episodes presenting tips for a happier life. (See Figure 2-13.) Podcasts vary
widely, from daily news to arts and comedy shows. For a list of popular podcasts, see Figure
2-14.
 Figure 2-13 A podcast
Apple

Figure 2-14 Podcasts

A wiki is a website specially designed to allow visitors to use their browser to add, edit, or
delete the site’s content. “Wiki” comes from the Hawaiian word for fast, which describes the
simplicity of editing and publishing through wiki software. Wikis support collaborative
writing in which there isn’t a single expert author, but rather a community of interested
people that builds knowledge over time. Perhaps the most famous example is Wikipedia, an
online encyclopedia, written and edited by anyone who wants to contribute, that has millions
of entries in over 20 languages.
Creating blogs and wikis are examples of web authoring. We will discuss web authoring
software in detail in Chapter 3.

concept check
What is social networking? Profiles? Pages? Groups? Friends? News feeds? Share
 settings?

What are blogs? Microblogs? Twitter? Tweets?

What is a wiki? What is Wikipedia?

Messaging
Electronic messaging is a popular way to communicate quickly and efficiently with friends,
family, and co-workers. This form of communication is particularly common on cell phones,
where messages are short and informal, and instantaneous responses are the standard. The
two most widely used forms of electronic messaging are text and instant messaging.

• Text messaging, also known as texting or SMS (short message service), is the process
of sending a short electronic message, typically fewer than 160 characters, using a
wireless network to another person, who views the message on a mobile device such as
a cell phone. Today, billions of people send text messages every day. It has become one
of the most widely used ways to send very short messages from one individual to
another. Text messaging was originally limited to characters, but you can now send
images, video, and sound using a variation of SMS known as MMS (Multimedia
Messaging Service). Although popular and convenient, there are downsides to using
this technology in the wrong context. A great deal of attention has been directed toward
texting while driving. A study by Car and Driver concluded that texting while driving
had a greater negative impact on driver safety than being drunk. Several states have
passed laws prohibiting texting while driving.
• Instant messaging (IM) allows two or more people to contact each other via direct,
live communication. (See Figure 2-15.) To use instant messaging, you ​register with an
instant messaging service, such as Facebook and then specify a list of friends.
Whenever you connect to the Internet, your IM service is notified. It then notifies your
friends who are available to chat and notifies your friends who are online that you are
available. You can then send messages directly back and forth. Most instant messaging
programs also include video conferencing features, file sharing, and remote assistance.
Many businesses routinely use these instant messaging features. Three of the most
popular instant messaging services are Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Google
Hangouts.
 Figure 2-15 Instant messaging
Denys Prykhodov/Shutterstock

E-mail
Unlike electronic messaging, e-mail or electronic mail is used to communicate longer and
more formal text. E-mail exchanges tend to take longer to write and are more carefully
crafted than text message exchanges, which make them ideal for business communications
and newsletters. A typical e-mail message has four basic elements: header, message,
signature, and attachment. (See Figure 2-16.) The header appears first and typically includes
the following information:

Figure 2-16 Basic elements of an e-mail message

Microsoft Corporation

• Addresses: E-mail messages typically display the addresses of the intended recipient of
the e-mail, anyone else who is to receive a copy of the e-mail, and the sender of the e-
 mail. The e-mail message in Figure 2-16 is to [email protected], copied to
[email protected], and sent from [email protected]. E-mail addresses have two basic
parts. (See Figure 2-17.) The first part is the user’s name and the second part is the
domain name, which includes the top-level domain. In our example e-mail, dcoats is
the recipient’s user name. The server providing e-mail service for the recipient is
usc.edu. The top-level domain indicates that the provider is an educational institution.
• Subject: A one-line description, used to present the topic of the message. Subject lines
typically are displayed when a person checks his or her mailbox.

Figure 2-17 Two parts of an e-mail address

The letter or message comes next. Following the message, the signature identifies the
sender. For many business communications, the signature includes the sender’s company
name, address, and telephone number. Many e-mail programs allow you to include files such
as documents and images as attachments. If a message has an attachment, the file name
typically appears at the end of the e-mail. (See Figure 2-16.)
There are two basic types of e-mail systems: client-based and web-based.

• Client-based e-mail systems require a special program known as an e-mail client to be

installed on your computer. Before you can begin e-mailing, you need to run the e-mail
client from your computer, which communicates with the e-mail service provider. Two
of the most widely used e-mail clients are Apple’s Mail and Microsoft’s Outlook.
• Web-based e-mail systems do not require an e-mail program to be installed on your
computer. Once your computer’s browser connects to an e-mail service provider, a
special program called a webmail client is run on the e-mail provider’s computer and
then you can begin e-mailing. This is known as webmail. Most Internet service
providers offer webmail services. Three free webmail service providers are Google’s
Gmail, Microsoft’s Outlook, and Yahoo!’s Yahoo! Mail.

For individual use, webmail is more widely used because it frees the user from installing
and maintaining an e-mail client on every computer used to access e-mail. With webmail,
you can access your e-mail from any computer anywhere that has Internet access.

tips
Are you tired of sorting through an inbox full of spam? Here are a few spam-
reducing suggestions:
Keep a low profile. Many spammers collect e-mail addresses from personal web
pages, social networking sites, and message boards. Be cautious when posting your
 address.
Use caution when giving out your address. Many companies collect and sell e-mail
addresses to spammers. Be sure to read the privacy policy of a site before providing
your address.
Don’t ever respond to spam. Many are a trick to validate active e-mail addresses.
These addresses are worth more to spammers, who then sell the addresses to other
spammers.
Use antispam and filter options. Most e-mail programs and web-based e-mail
services have antispam and filter options that can be configured. Use them.

E-mail can be a valuable asset in your personal and professional life. However, like many
other valuable technologies, there are drawbacks too. Americans receive billions of unwanted
and unsolicited e-mails every year. This unwelcome mail is called spam. Although spam is
indeed a distraction and nuisance, it also can be dangerous. For example, computer viruses
or destructive programs are often attached to unsolicited e-mail. Computer viruses will be
discussed in Chapter4.
In an attempt to control spam, antispam laws have been added to our legal system. For
example, CAN-SPAM requires that every marketing-related e-mail provide an opt-out option.
When the option is selected, the recipient’s e-mail address is to be removed from future
mailing lists. Failure to do so results in heavy fines. This approach, however, has had
minimal impact since over 80 percent of all spam originates from servers outside the United
States. A more effective approach to controlling spam has been the development and use of
spam blockers, also known as spam filters. Most e-mail programs provide spam-blocking
capabilities.

concept check
What is text messaging? Texting? SMS? MMS? IM? Friends?

Define e-mail header, address, subject, message, signature, and attachment.

What are the two types of e-mail systems? What are viruses, spam, spam blockers, and
spam filters?

Search Tools
The web can be an incredible resource, providing information on nearly any topic
imaginable. Are you interested in music? Writing a paper on the environment? Looking for a
movie review? Trying to locate a long-lost friend? Information sources related to these
questions, and much, much more, are available on the web.
With over 20 billion pages and more being added daily, the web is a massive collection of
interrelated pages. With so much available information, locating the precise information you
need can be difficult. Fortunately, a number of organizations called search services operate
websites that can help you locate the information you need.
Search services maintain huge databases relating to information provided on the web and
the Internet. The information stored at these databases includes addresses, content
descriptions or classifications, and keywords appearing on web pages and other Internet
informational resources. Special programs called spiders continually look for new
information and update the search services’ databases. Additionally, search services provide
special programs called search engines that you can use to locate specific information on the
web.
Search Engines
Search engines are specialized programs that assist you in locating information on the web
and the Internet. To find information, you go to a search service’s website and use its search
engine. See Figure 2-18 for a list of commonly used search engines.

Figure 2-18 Search engines

To use a search website, you enter a keyword or phrase reflecting the information you
want. The search engine compares your entry against its database and returns the search
result, or a list of sites on that topic. Each search result includes a link to the referenced web
page (or other resource) along with a brief discussion of the information contained at that
location. Many searches result in a large number of search results. For example, if you were
to enter the keyword music, you would get billions of sites on that topic. Search engines
order the search results according to those sites that most likely contain the information
requested and present the list to you in that order, usually in groups of 10.
Because each search service maintains its own database, the search results returned by one
search engine will not necessarily be the same results returned by another search engine.
Therefore, when researching a topic, it is best to use more than one search engine.
Content Evaluation
Search engines are excellent tools to locate information on the web. Be careful, however,
how you use the information you find. Unlike most published material found in newspapers,
journals, and textbooks, not all the information you find on the web has been subjected to
strict guidelines to ensure accuracy. In fact, anyone can publish content on the web. Many
sites allow anyone to post new material, sometimes ​anonymously and without evaluation.
Some sites promote fake news or information that is inaccurate or biased. This can include
manipulated videos known as deep fakes where an individual’s appearance or message is
changed. Many of these sites are designed to look like legitimate news sites.
 To evaluate the accuracy of information you find on the web, consider the following:

• Authority. Is the author an expert in the subject area? Is the site an official site for the
information presented, or is the site an individual’s personal website?
• Accuracy. Read beyond the headlines and consult other reputable sources on any
surprising claims to separate the real news from the fake. Headlines can be misleading
and fake news articles often make their statements seem accurate by referencing other
fake news articles.
• Objectivity. Is the information factually reported, or does the author have a bias? Does
the author appear to have a personal agenda aimed at convincing or changing the
reader’s opinion?
• Currency. Is the information up to date? Does the site specify the date when the site
was updated? Are the site’s links operational? If not, the site is most likely not being
actively maintained.

concept check
What are search services, spiders, and search engines?

What is fake news? Deep fakes?

What are the four considerations for evaluating website content?

Electronic Commerce
Electronic commerce, also known as e-commerce, is the buying and selling of goods over
the Internet. Electronic commerce is fast-growing and widely used in part because it provides
incentives for both buyers and sellers. From the buyer’s perspective, goods and services can
be purchased at any time of day or night from any location that has an Internet connection.
From the seller’s perspective, the costs associated with owning and operating a retail outlet
can be eliminated. Another advantage is reduced inventory. Traditional stores maintain an
inventory of goods in their stores and periodically replenish this inventory from warehouses.
With e-commerce, there is no in-store inventory and products are shipped directly from
warehouses.
While there are numerous advantages to e-commerce, there are disadvantages as well.
Some of these disadvantages include the inability to provide immediate delivery of goods,
the inability to “try on” prospective purchases, and questions relating to the security of online
payments. Although these issues are being addressed, very few observers suggest that e-
commerce will replace bricks-and-mortar businesses entirely. It is clear that both will coexist
and that e-commerce will continue to grow.
Just like any other type of commerce, electronic commerce involves two parties:
businesses and consumers. There are three basic types of electronic commerce:
 • Business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce involves the sale of a product or service to the
general public or end users. It is the fastest-growing type of e-commerce. Whether large
or small, nearly every existing corporation in the United States provides some type of
B2C support as another means to connect to customers. Because extensive investments
are not required to create traditional retail outlets and to maintain large marketing and
sales staffs, e-commerce allows start-up companies to compete with larger established
firms. The three most widely used B2C applications are for online banking, financial
trading, and shopping. Amazon.com is one of the most widely used B2C sites.
• Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commerce involves individuals selling to individuals.
C2C often takes the form of an electronic version of the classified ads or an auction.
Web auctions are similar to traditional auctions except that buyers and sellers seldom,
if ever, meet face to face. Sellers post descriptions of products at a website, and buyers
submit bids electronically. Like traditional auctions, sometimes the bidding becomes
highly competitive and enthusiastic. One of the most widely used auction sites is
eBay.com. For a list of some of the most popular web auction sites, see Figure 2-19.
• Business-to-business (B2B) commerce involves the sale of a product or service from
one business to another. This is typically a manufacturer–supplier relationship. For
example, a furniture manufacturer requires raw materials such as wood, paint, and
varnish.

Figure 2-19 Auction sites

concept check
What is electronic commerce?

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of electonic commerce?

What are some of the differences among B2C, C2C, and B2B?
Security
The two greatest challenges for e-commerce are (1) developing fast, secure, and reliable
payment methods for purchased goods and (2) providing convenient ways to submit required
information such as mailing addresses and credit card information.
The two basic payment options are by credit card and by digital cash:
 • Credit card purchases are faster and more convenient than check purchases. Credit card
fraud, however, is a major concern for both buyers and sellers. We will discuss this and
other privacy and security issues related to the Internet in Chapter 9.
• Digital cash is the Internet’s equivalent to traditional cash. Buyers purchase digital cash
from a third party (a bank that specializes in electronic currency) and use it to purchase
goods. (See Figure 2-20.) Most digital cash is a digital version of traditional currency,
such that a digital U.S. dollar has the same purchasing power as a traditional U.S.
dollar. For example, Facebook’s digital cash, Libra, is backed by a reserve of several
currencies, including the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen. By associating Libra with
multiple currencies, Facebook hopes to keep Libra’s value stable, even if one of the
reserve currencies is suddenly unstable. However, some digital cash, like bitcoin, have
no traditional cash equivalent and exist only on the Internet. Sellers convert the digital
cash to traditional currency through the third party. Although not as convenient as credit
card purchases, digital cash is more secure. For a list of digital cash providers, see
Figure 2-21.

Figure 2-20 Google Pay offers digital cash

dennizn/Shutterstock

Figure 2-21 Digital cash providers

Cloud Computing
Typically, application programs are owned by individuals or organizations and stored on their
computer system’s hard disks. As discussed in Chapter 1, cloud computing uses the Internet
and the web to shift many of these computer activities from the user’s computer to other
computers on the Internet.
While some suggest that cloud computing is merely a marketing term designed to promote
new products, many others see cloud computing as a new model for computing that frees
users from owning, maintaining, and storing software and data. It provides access to these
services from anywhere through an Internet connection. Several prominent firms are
aggressively pursuing this new concept. These firms include Amazon, IBM, Intel, and
Microsoft, to name just a few.
The basic components of cloud computing are clients, the Internet, and service providers.
(See Figure 2-22.)

Figure 2-22 Cloud computing

Service Provider: Gravvi/Shutterstock

• Clients are corporations and end users who want access to data, programs, and storage.
This access is to be available anywhere and anytime that a connection to the Internet is
available. End users do not need to buy, install, and maintain application programs and
data.
• The Internet provides the connection between the clients and the providers. Two of the
most critical factors determining the efficiency of cloud computing are (1) the speed
and reliability of the user’s access to the Internet and (2) the Internet’s capability to
provide safe and reliable transmission of data and programs.
• Service providers are organizations with computers connected to the Internet that are
willing to provide access to software, data, and storage. These providers may charge a
fee or the services may be free. For example, Google Drive Apps provide free access to
programs with capabilities similar to Microsoft’s Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. (See
 Figure 2-23.)

environment
Studies have already shown that using a smart thermostat can shave as much as 30
percent off of energy bills. However, expect that going forward, there will be even more
emphasis on making homes “green” and energy efficient. For example, researchers are
currently experimenting with sensor-equipped clothing that works with smart
thermostats to automatically adjust room conditions to individuals. Other technologies
in development include more devices connected to motion sensors, which can reduce
electricity usage considerably. No one can predict the future with 100 percent accuracy,
but based on current trends and user demand, it’s easy to assume that these smart
developments will be common within the next few years—plus more that we can’t even
imagine yet.

Figure 2-23 Web-based service (Google Drive Apps)

Suffian akib/Shutterstock

In the following chapters, you will learn more about the services provided through cloud
computing. You will also learn about security and privacy challenges associated with cloud
computing.

concept check
What is cloud computing?
 What are the three basic components of cloud computing?

What are the two most critical factors that determine the efficiency of cloud
computing?

The Internet of Things

The Internet is becoming more and more a part of our lives. As discussed in Chapter 1, the
Internet of Things (IoT) is the continuing development of the Internet that allows everyday
objects embedded with electronic devices to send and receive data over the Internet. These
everyday objects include cell phones, wearable devices, and even coffeemakers. For
example, the Fitbit is a bracelet that monitors health data and sends that data to your cell
phone or personal web page. (See Figure 2-24.) Google Nest is a collection of IoT devices
for the home that allow you to answer your front door when you are not home, improve home
security, and automate your home thermostat.

Figure 2-24 Fitbit

Myriam B/Shutterstock

A Web 3.0 application can access the Fitbit data, combine that data with other data on the
web, process the data, and send information back to another device. For example, Apple’s
Health App, a Web 3.0 application, can access your Fitbit data, combine it with other related
health data, analyze the data, and report back to you through your cell phone. These reports
provide information about your health, including your heart rate, steps taken each day, and an
estimate of daily calories burned. (See Figure 2-25.)
 Figure 2-25 Apple’s Health App
Denys Prykhodov/Shutterstock

concept check
What is the Internet of Things?

What are Fitbit and Apple’s Health App? How do they work together?

Discuss how Fitbit and Apple’s Health App are examples of using IoT.

Careers in IT
Now that you’ve learned about the Internet, the web, and electronic commerce, I’d
like to tell you about my career as a webmaster.”

G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock
Webmasters develop and maintain websites and resources. The job may include backup
of the company website, updating of resources, or development of new resources.
Webmasters are often involved in the design and development of the website. Some
webmasters monitor traffic on the site and take steps to encourage users to visit the site.
Webmasters also may work with marketing personnel to increase site traffic and may be
involved in the development of web promotions.
Employers look for candidates with a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in computer
science or information systems and knowledge of common programming languages and
web development software. Knowledge of HTML and CSS is considered essential. Those
with experience using web authoring software and programs like Adobe Illustrator and
Adobe Dreamweaver are often preferred. Good communication and organizational skills
are vital in this position.
Webmasters can expect to earn an annual salary of $40,000 to $87,000. This position is
relatively new in many corporations and tends to have fluid responsibilities. With
technological advances and increasing corporate emphasis on a web presence, experience
in this field could lead to managerial opportunities.

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE

Home Smart Home
Have you ever come home from school or work, only to find that you had more work
around the house? Wouldn’t it be great if your home could take care of itself, with
robots to clean, computers that monitored heating and cooling, and security systems
that let family in and keep strangers out. Smart homes can offer all these solutions.
Smart homes of the future will do so much more! The smart home of the future will
have furniture that can monitor and improve your health, rooms that can expand and
contract as your needs change, and gardens that farm themselves and turn compost
into energy. This is a future where the Internet of Things (IoT) and Web 4.0
technologies work together to make for an easier, healthier, and more sustainable
home.
Today, smart home systems like Google’s Nest can adjust your thermostat to keep
your home comfortable and energy bills low. Researchers at Cambridge Consultants
are working on even smarter homes that will reduce waste, increase savings, and make
for a more sustainable world. The smart home of the future will have smart trash cans
that monitor and separate waste, recyclables, and compostable trash. Recyclables and
compost can be repurposed within the home to create energy and reduce carbon
emissions.
 MyCreative/Shutterstock

The smart home of the future will do more than clean up and recycle. It will
monitor and adjust energy use based on your needs and the energy sources available.
Interconnected IOT devices will work together to maximize their efficiency to make
for a lower energy home. Devices monitor inside and outside temperature, news and
weather reports, and fluctuating power availability from home solar panels and
community wind turbines. These homes will also use sensors in the home to predict
energy needs, such as increased hot water in the mornings when people shower and
reduced air conditioning when you go away for a weekend.
Your smart home in the future will not just use less energy. It will use less space as
well. Researchers at Samsung envision a home of smart walls that use adjustable
surfaces and actuators to change the size of a room effectively, making empty rooms
smaller and occupied rooms larger. When you are entertaining guests, the walls will
reposition to create extra seating directly out of the wall. When the guests leave, the
extra seating disappears back into the wall.
While these advances sound great, perhaps the greatest advantages of a smart home
will be the ability to improve health and longevity. Currently, researchers are
investigating the ways that IoT devices can help people make healthier choices. The
Fitbit and other monitoring IoT wearables have been shown to increase people’s
activity level and improve health. The smart home of the future will monitor your
health and adjust your home to make healthier choices, from furniture that reads your
posture and guides you to improve how you sit, to refrigerators that monitor your food
intake and promote healthier dining choices. IoT and Web 4.0 will allow smart homes
to work seamlessly in the background to help you achieve your best you.
Of course, these advances include an increase in potential risks. A home that
records every movement and activity could be used to spy on you. Companies that
store and analyze your smart home data could use that data in ways you haven’t
agreed to, such as to sell products or to design and test new ideas. Finally, by putting
your security and privacy in the hands of a smart home, you risk that smart home
being hacked and opening your home to criminals.
What do you think? Are the conveniences of the smart home of the future worth the
risks to your privacy and security? What smart home features exist right now that you
 would like to have? What smart home features that researchers are working on would
be most valuable to you?

VISUAL SUMMARY The Internet, the Web, and Electronic Commerced

INTERNET and WEB

Piotr Swat/Shutterstock

Internet
Launched in 1969 with ARPANET, the Internet consists of the actual physical network.
Web
Introduced in 1991, the web (World Wide Web, WWW) provides a multimedia
interface to Internet resources. Four generations: Web 1.0 (links existing information,
search engines), Web 2.0 (creates dynamic content and social interaction, social media
sites) Web 3.0 (identifies relationships between data), and Web 4.0 (futurists predict
connecting data and devices to physical life.
Common Uses
The most common uses of the Internet and the web include

• Communication—the most popular Internet activity.

• Shopping—one of the fastest-growing Internet activities.
• Searching—access libraries and local, national, and international news.
• Education—e-learning or taking online courses.
• Online entertainment—movies, news, music, and video games.

INTERNET ACCESS
 indiaforte/Alamy Stock Photo

Once connected to the Internet, your computer seemingly becomes an extension of a

giant computer that branches all over the world.
Providers
Internet service providers connected to the Internet provide a path to access the
Internet. Connection technologies include DSL, cable, and wireless modems.
Browsers
Browsers (mobile and desktop) provide access to web resources. Some related terms are

• URLs—locations or addresses to web resources; two parts are protocol and

domain name; top-level domain (TLD) or web suffix identifies type of
organization.
• HTML—commands to display web pages; hyperlinks (links) are connections.

Technologies providing interactive, animated websites include JavaScript (executes

on the user’s computer to trigger interactive features); PHP (operates within HTML to
trigger interactive features and check online forms); and CSS (controls the appearance of
web pages).
To efficiently and effectively use computers, you need to be aware of resources
available on the Internet and web, to be able to access these resources, to effectively
communicate electronically, to efficiently locate information, to understand
electronic commerce, and to use web utilities.

WEB UTILITIES
 Circle Media Labs, Inc.

Web utilities are specialized utility programs that make using the Internet and the web
easier and safer.
Filters
Filters are used by parents and organizations to block certain sites and to monitor use of
the Internet and the web.
File Transfer Utilities
File transfer utilities copy files to (downloading) and from (uploading) your computer.
There are three types

• File transfer protocol (FTP) and secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) allow you
to efficiently copy files across the Internet.
• BitTorrent distributes file transfers across many different computers.
• Web-based file transfer services make use of a web browser to upload and
download files.

Internet Security Suite

An Internet security suite is a collection of utility programs designed to protect your
privacy and security on the Internet.

COMMUNICATION
 ImageBROKER/Mara Brandl/Newscom

Social Networking
Social networking sites connect people and organizations that share a common interest
or activity. Common features include profiles, pages, groups, friends, news feeds, and
share settings. Two well-known sites are LinkedIn and Facebook.
Blogs, Microblogs, Podcasts, and Wikis
Other sites that help individuals communicate across the web are blogs, microblogs,
podcasts, and wikis.

• Blogs are typically personal websites to keep in touch with friends and family.
Some are like online diaries. Businesses, newspapers, and others also use blogs as a
quick publishing method.
• Microblogs use short sentences. Twitter allows 280 characters per tweet.
Instagram is primarily used to share images and videos.
• Podcasts are audio programs delivered over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is one
audio program in a series of related podcasts.
• A wiki is a website designed to allow visitors to use their browsers to add, edit, or
delete the site’s content. Wikipedia is one of the most popular wikis.

COMMUNICATION
 Microsoft Corporation

Messaging
Although e-mail is the most widely used, there are two other messaging systems:

• Text messaging, also known as texting and SMS (short message service), is a
process of sending short electronic messages, typically fewer than 160 characters.
Texting while driving is very dangerous and illegal in several states.
• Instant messaging (IM)—supports live communication between friends. Most
instant messaging programs also include videoconferencing features, file sharing,
and remote assistance.

E-mail
E-mail (electronic mail) is the transmission of electronic messages. There are two basic
types of e-mail systems:

• Client-based e-mail systems use e-mail clients installed on your computer.

• Web-based e-mail systems use webmail clients located on the e-mail provider’s
computer. This is known as webmail.

A typical e-mail has three basic elements: header (including address, subject, and
perhaps attachment), message, and signature.

Spam is unwanted and unsolicited e-mail that may include a computer virus or
destructive programs often attached to unsolicited e-mail. Spam blockers, also known as
spam ​filters, are programs that identify and eliminate spam.
SEARCH TOOLS

Search services maintain huge databases relating to website content. The information
stored at these databases includes addresses, content descriptions or classifications, and
keywords appearing on web pages and other Internet informational resources. Spiders
are programs that update these databases.
Search Engines
Search engines are specialized programs to help locate information. To use, enter a
keyword or phrase, and a list of search results is displayed.
Content Evaluation
Not all information you find on the web has been subjected to strict guidelines to ensure
accuracy. Many sites allow anyone to post new material, sometimes anonymously and
without critical evaluation. Some sites promote fake news (inaccurate or biased
information) and/or deep fake videos. Many fake news sites are designed to look like
legitimate news sites.
To evaluate the accuracy of information found on the web, consider the following:

• Authority. Is the author an expert? Is the site official or does it present one
individual’s or organization’s opinion?
• Accuracy. Consult other reputable sources to verify surprising claims. Fake news
articles often reference other fake news articles.
• Objectivity. Is the information factual or does the author have a bias? Does the
author appear to have a personal agenda to convince or form a reader’s opinion?
• Currency. Is the information up to date? Does the site specify when information is
updated? Are the site’s links operational?

ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
 dennizn/Shutterstock

Electronic commerce, or e-commerce, is the buying and selling of goods over the
Internet. Three basic types are

• Business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce, which involves sales from business to the

general public.
• Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commerce, which involves sales between
individuals. Web auctions are similar to traditional auctions except buyers and
sellers rarely, if ever, meet face to face.
• Business-to-business (B2B) commerce, which involves sales from one business to
another, typically a ​manufacturer–supplier relationship.

Security
The two greatest challenges for e-commerce are the ​development of

• Safe, secure payment methods. Two types are credit cards and digital cash.
Bitcoins exist only on the ​Internet.
• Convenient ways to provide required information.

CLOUD COMPUTING
Cloud computing shifts many computer activities from the user’s computer to other
computers on the Internet. The three basic components to cloud computing are:

• Clients - corporations and end users.

• Internet - provides connection between clients and providers.
• Service providers - organizations with computers connected to the Internet that are
willing to provide access to software, data, and storage.

Internet of Things
 Myriam B/Shutterstock

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a continuing development of the Internet allowing

everyday objects embedded with electronic devices to send and receive data over the
Internet. Objects include cell phones, wearable devices, and even coffeemakers. For
example:

• The Fitbit is an IoT device (bracelet) that monitors health data and sends that data to
a cell phone or ​personal web page.
• Apple’s Health App is a Web 3.0 application that can access Fitbit data, combine it
with other related health data, analyze the data, and report back to you through a
cell phone.

The Apple Health App reports provide information about users’ health, including heart
rate, steps taken each day, and an estimate of daily calories burned.

G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock

CAREERS in IT
Webmasters develop and maintain websites and web resources. A bachelor’s or
associate’s degree in computer science or information systems and knowledge of
common programming languages and web development software are required. Expected
salary range is $40,000 to $87,000.

KEY TERMS
address (37)
Advanced Research Project Agency Network (ARPANET) (26)
attachment (38)
bitcoin (41)
BitTorrent (31)
blog (35)
browser (30)
business-to-business (B2B) (41)
business-to-consumer (B2C) (40)
cable (30)
cascading style sheets (CSS) (31)
client-based e-mail system (38)
cloud computing (42)
consumer-to-consumer (C2C) (40)
deep fake (39)
desktop browser (31)
digital cash (41)
domain name (31)
downloading (32)
DSL (30)
e-commerce (40)
e-learning (27)
electronic commerce (40)
electronic mail (37)
e-mail (37)
e-mail client (38)
Facebook (35)
fake news (39)
file transfer protocol (FTP) (33)
filter (32)
friend (34)
groups (34)
header (37)
hyperlink (31)
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) (31)
Instagram (35)
instant messaging (IM) (36)
Internet (26)
Internet of Things (IoT) (43)
Internet security suite (33)
Internet service provider (ISP) (30)
JavaScript (31)
link (31)
LinkedIn (35)
location (37)
message (38)
microblog (35)
MMS (multimedia messaging service) (36)
mobile browser (31)
news feed (34)
online (27)
pages (34)
podcast (35)
PHP (31)
profiles (34)
protocol (31)
search engine (39)
search service (39)
secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) (33)
share settings (34)
signature (38)
SMS (short messaging service) (36)
social networking (34)
spam (38)
spam blocker (38)
spam filter (38)
spider (39)
subject (37)
texting (36)
text messaging (36)
top-level domain (TLD) (31)
tweet (35)
Twitter (35)
uniform resource locator (URL) (31)
uploading (32)
virus (38)
web (26)
Web 1.0 (26)
Web 2.0 (26)
Web 3.0 (26)
Web 4.0 (26)
 web auction (40)
web-based e-mail system (38)
web-based file transfer services (31)
webmail (38)
webmail client (38)
webmaster (44)
web page (31)
web suffix (31)
web utility (34)
wiki (36)
Wikipedia (36)
wireless modem (30)
World Wide Web (26)
WWW (26)

MULTIPLE CHOICE
Circle the correct answer.

1. e network that connects computers all over the world.

a. ARPANET
b. Internet
c. LAN
d. web
2. The rules for exchanging data between computers.
a. DSL
b. protocols
c. web
d. WWW
3. Using file transfer utility software, you can copy files to your computer from
specially configured servers on the Internet. This is called:
a. downloading
b. filtering
c. blogging
d. uploading
4. Communities of individuals who share a common interest typically create
Facebook:
a. clients
b. groups
c. pages
 d. profiles
5. Type of e-mail account that does not require an e-mail program to be installed on a
user’s computer is:
a. blog-based
b. client-based
c. utility-based
d. web-based
6. A very popular microblogging site:
a. LinkedIn
b. Facebook
c. Twitter
d. Wikipedia
7. Using a keyword, a search engine returns a list of related sites known as:
a. blogs
b. hits
c. podcasts
d. strikes
8. This is the Internet’s equivalent to traditional cash.
a. digital cash
b. e-commerce
c. ftp
d. Internet dollars
9. The continuing Internet development that allows objects to send and receive data
over the Internet.
a. HTML
b. IoT
c. search engines
d. Web 2.0
10. Three basic components to cloud computing are clients, Internet, and _____.
a. CSS
b. service providers
c. streaming
d. Web 3.0

MATCHING
Match each numbered item with the most closely related lettered item. Write your
answers in the spaces provided.
a. chat
b. C2C
____ 1. The most popular Internet activity.
c. communicating
____ 2. The most common way to access the Internet is through a(n) _____.
d. e-mail ____ 3. Transmission of electronic messages over the Internet.
e. Internet ____ 4. Two popular instant messaging services are Google Talk and Facebook _____.
____ 5. A business-oriented social networking site.
f. ISP
____ 6. Individual website to keep in touch with friends and family.
g. LinkedIn ____ 7. Publishes short sentences.
h. microblog ____ 8. Maintain huge databases relating to information provided on the web and the
Internet.
i. search services
____ 9. Electronic commerce involving individuals selling to individuals.
j. blog ____ 10. The basic components of cloud computing are clients, service providers, and the
_____.

OPEN-ENDED
On a separate sheet of paper, respond to each question or statement.

1. Discuss the Internet and web, including their origins, the four generations of the
web, and the most common uses.
2. Describe how to access the Internet. What are providers? Define desktop and
mobile browsers, and discuss URLs, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and mobile
browsers.
3. What are web utilities? Discuss filters, file transfer utilities, and Internet security
suites.
4. Discuss Internet communications, including social networking, blogs, microblogs,
podcasts, wikis, client-based and web-based e-mail, and text and instant messaging.
5. Define search tools, including search services. Discuss search engines and fake
news. Describe how to evaluate the content of a website.
6. Describe electronic commerce, including business-to-consumer, consumer-to-
consumer, and business-to-business e-commerce, and security.
7. Discuss the Internet of Things (IoT). Describe how Fitbit and Apple’s Health App
are examples of how an IoT device can interact with a Web 3.0 application.
8. What is cloud computing? Describe three basic components of cloud computing.

DISCUSSION
Respond to each of the following questions.
 Making IT Work for You: ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT
Review the Making IT Work for You: Online Entertainment on pages 28–29 and then
respond to the following: (a) Do you currently use online entertainment? If so, which
ones? If not, do you plan on using one in the future? Why or why not? (b) What are the
advantages and disadvantages of online entertainment options compared to traditional
sources? Be specific. (c) Compare news feeds to traditional newspapers. Which would
be better for exposing you to new ideas? Which one would be better at challenging your
point of view? Be specific and defend your position.

Privacy: SOCIAL NETWORKING

When a Facebook friend posts a picture, video, or text that includes you, who can view
that post? Review the Privacy box on page 34, and respond to the following: (a) Who
should be responsible for ensuring privacy on social networking sites? Defend your
position. (b) Do you think that most people are aware of their privacy settings on
Facebook? Have you ever checked your settings? Why or why not? (c) Investigate and
then summarize the default security settings for a social networking website such as
Facebook.

Ethics: MONITORING CONTENT

Review the Ethics box on page 27 and then respond to the following: (a) Does Twitter
have an ethical responsibility to monitor content? Defend your position. (b) If you
responded yes to (a), who should have the power to determine or to arbitrate what is and
what is not objectionable? If you responded no to (a), can you think of any situations in
which it would not be appropriate to block or remove content? Be specific and defend
your position.

Environment: DIGITAL NEWS

Review the Environment box on page 34 and then respond to the following: (a) Does
the publisher of your favorite newspaper have a website? If so, does it include the news
and features that you would find in your daily paper? (b) Go to the website of a national
newspaper or magazine that also publishes online. Does it offer a digital subscription?
How does the digital edition differ from the print edition? How does the digital edition
price compare to the print edition price? (c) Do you currently have a digital newspaper
or magazine? If so, what ones do you subscribe to? If not, would you consider switching
to digital subscriptions? Why or why not?
Design Elements: Concept Check icons: Dizzle52/Getty Images; Making IT Work for
You: cifotart/Shutterstock