introduction
very basic information
what is important, and what doesn't matter
the basic page
HEAD and BODY
HTML Tags
META Tags
backgrounds - colors
backgrounds - images
pictures
links
pictures as links
email links
tables part 1
tables part 2
lining things up
frames part 1
frames part 2
frames part 3
what tools to use
putting it all together
making search engines love you
viewing your page as you work
making your page pay for itself
page counters
resources
how do they do that?
being sure it's right before you go public
my links
my sponsors
What NOT to do
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What's the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web?
Simple, understandable explanations and definitions of WWW, World Wide Web, Internet, Website, Domain, HTML, Browser, and more.
The Internet
The Internet is a huge number of computers all over the world, all connected by wires to all the others.
Lets start by imagining a huge library, full to the brim with shelves full of books. This library will represent the Internet.
Each of the bookshelves will represent a computer. Some are huge, some are small, but all are in the same library (connected to each other).
On each bookshelf sits one or more books. Some shelves have hundreds of books, others may have just one or two. These books will represent Domains.
Some of the books may have only one page, others may have many chapters with many pages in each chapter. Let's let each chapter or single page represent a Website.
In the library is a very helpful librarian. If you want to find a certain page in a certain book, the librarian will direct you to the right place.
Each book (domain) has its own individual name. It could be HugeCompany.com or MeAndBill.org or SomeSchool.edu - The librarian keeps a record of each name, and what shelf the book with that name is on.
The World Wide Web
Now that you know what the Internet is, lets see what the WWW (World Wide Web) is:
Lets suppose you are reading one of the books in this library, and it refers to another book. For example, it might say, "for more information on this subject see MyFriendsBook.com/information/details.html" - This tells you to ask the librarian where to find "MyFriendsBook.com" and then go to the book, find the chapter titled "information" and in that chapter find a page called "details.html". This reference to another book is called a "link."
Compare this kind of connection between these two books to the actual wire between the computers. Both are genuine connections, but they are very different. One connection is made of physical wire, and the other is made of instructions.
If every book in the library has links (as described above) to other books, then you can imagine an invisible web of connections between them. This invisible, intangible web is the World
Wide Web. So the World Wide Web is a part of the Internet, but it is not the same as the Internet.
What is a Browser?
The two most common browsers are Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. They are programs that are run on your computer, that communicate with the "librarian" to find the page in the book you are interested in, and show it to you. When you find a link on the page you are looking at, it is the job of your browser program to go back to the librarian and find out where the new page is, get it and show it to you.
What is HTML?
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the language that web pages are written in. Browsers know how to read HTML and use the HTML information to find out what they should show on your computer screen. If you want to have your own web site you will need to write your pages in HTML, either by learning the code or getting a program that will write it for you.
What is Hypertext?
Hypertext is text you can click on to go somewhere else. It's also called a link. When you are reading a web page and come to a bit of text that is a different color (usually blue) and underlined, that is your clue that the text is Hypertext, and if you click on the text you will be asking your browser program to take you to a different page.
Your own Domain
Any book (domain) name that hasn't already been registered is available for you to register. It costs $35 a year to own your own book (domain) name. Once you have your domain name you will have to arrange to have your book (domain) put on a bookshelf. You will have to rent space on a bookshelf ("host" computer) . Prices for this range from around $10 a month and up.
Your own Website on someone else's Domain
Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) probably offers free website space for your use. You can have your chapter in their book. If your ISP doesn't offer this service, there are other companies that will offer it to you, free or for a low cost. They do this to get you to come to their site and see the advertisements. Every time you come to make changes to your site you will see more of their ads. This is a good deal for someone who wants to have a personal website.
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