Browsers_T1.html

Browsing Basics
Netscape Start

[Edited 05/13/04 ADA

The Garlic Press]
(Home and school sites may vary slightly from this documentation)

Web Introduction

Browsing Basics

Netscape

Explorer

Web Browsers
There are two major web browsers, the software to view the World Wide Web. They are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both work in a similar manner. What about Netscape Communicator that I use at C.S.U.B.? What is that? Netscape Communicator is a suite, or group package, of software to use with email, read news groups and web creation. Netscape Communicator has the following two pieces of software inside: Netscape Navigator, version 4.76 (version 7.0 is the new version) browser and Netscape Composer web page creation software. Netscape Communicator can be downloaded free from Netscape. Internet Explorer (version 6.0 is the new version) can be downloaded free from Microsoft.

Browser Specific Functions

Netscape Navigator
Internet Explorer

General Browsing Functions

Web addresses URLs
Useful Sources

Web addresses URLs
URL
One of the most important things to know when using the World Wide Web is the addess, the URL of a web page. You may be assigned web addresses to check out by your instructor at CSUB or you may see an interesting site in a newspaper, TV program, etc. URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. An example of a URL is: http://www.microsoft.com

Com

http://www
This is pretty much equivalent to the "1" for a long distance call. Almost all web pages, there are a few exceptions, have this as the beginning of their web page address. Many browsers now automatically add this to the front of web addresses so you won't necessarily have to type it everytime.

microsoft or chevron or netscape
The specific address/name of a web page

.com
The 'domain', the type of organization for web paeg (see "4" below)

(1) Type in the complete URL, internet address, in the internet location box (called either Location: or Address:) just below the browser tools bar. Netscape Web Address Box

If the URL location box does not appear under the browser tools

Netscape: click the expand tab, , on the left side, bottom of the browser tools or you can also choose Open Location from the File Menu and type in the URL.
Microsoft Explorer: right click anywhere on the menu bar, and make sure "Address Bar is selected".

The URL address in the example above connects to the CSUB home page. Other possible addresses to try (drag and copy these and paste these into the location box):

http://www.csub.edu/Anthropology/

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/adcbin/public/index.asp?partner=accuweather

NOTE: "HTTP://www" is common to most web addresses and is thus often omitted in references to a web address. "HTTP://www" is analogous to "1" for long distance calls, its almost a given.

Three letter extensions for web pages (useful in considering the credibility of a web page):
The two letter international extensions, and the new (but not currently in use) three letter extension, which describe what kind of web page you have found.

Three Letter Extension	Samples	Descriptions
.com	http://www.nabisco.com hhttp://www.encarta.msn.com/shop/default.asp http://www.marines.com (The business of enlistment.)	Commerce or Commercial
.org	http://www.graham-assn.org http://www.cancer.org	Non-Profit Organizations
.edu	http://www.csubak.edu/ http://www.harvard.edu	Education or Schools
.gov	http://www.whitehouse.gov/ http://www.fbi.gov/	Government
.mil	http://www.army.mil http://www.usmc.mil	United States Military
.net	http://www.heat.net http://www.goshen.net/directory	Special Networks
.uk	.de = Deutschland or Germany .uk = United Kingdom or Britain Eg. http://www.bcsd.k12.ca.us	2 Letter Country Extension (Used for countries designation.)
.xxx	http://www.cyberporn.xxx http://www.smut.xxx http://www.dirtymind.xxx	Pornographic Sites purposed for future use. They currently use commerce, ".com", extensions. So far not accepted as a domain since no one wants to define what is XXX material. PROPOSED 04 .mobi (mobile phone sites), .xxx (sexually explicit), .jobs, .tel (internet telephone), .travel), .post
.biz, .info, .name, .pro, .coop, .aero, .museum	Please note that all URLs listed above were checked when this page was created. Also, please check each URL address for the inclusion, or exclusion, of the World Wide Web prefix "http://www".	New domains accepted by ICANN . Names are currently being registered.

(2) Possible Problems:

Some possible reasons for a a web page link or URL not working

Dead link, does not exist anymore. For example, a C.S.U.B. student after he (or she) graduates and their web pages are deleted. You may receive a "Not Found" or a "404" error page.
Change in directory structure or "a change of address." Sometimes the webmaster, the person who created and manages the web page, will tell you the new "forwarding address" by having a "click here" or automatic transfer to the new location. But other times, you are left with no new direction. a "Not Found" or a "404" error page.
Traffic overload, too many people are trying to use the web or to access the same web address at the same time. Just click the "Reload" or "Refresh" icon.
Domain Name Server (D.N.S.) malfunctions. (The dialog box pops up and states: "The Server does not have a DNS entry.") Just click the "Reload" icon.

HTTP://www

For all the above errors, I would first try again, by clicking the Stop (

for Microsoft Internet Explorer

for Netscape) button then the Reload or Refresh button (

for Microsoft Internet Explorer and

for Netscape) . I would check my syntax in the address (URL). If the address looks good and repeated URL variations fail, I would give up for now--I either have an incorrect address, the computer is not currently on line, there is a traffic jam on the internet or at the site of the address.

Return to General Browsing Functions

Useful Sources: URLS and Books for Student WEB users

Web Referencing
Copyright/Fairuse and the web
Information on the Web
Web Search Tools
Amazon.com

Experiment, have fun. There is much gold and much garbage out on the internet! Thanks to Dean DeVrie and David Kosakowski for information used with this document.
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