ICT NOTES FOR SHS 1

What is Internet?

The Internet is a  network of networks that connects computers worldwide via a huge set of telecommunications links.

A computer network is a system in which computers are connected so that they can share resources such as hardware, software and data.

The World Wide Web(www)

It is a service offered on the Internet. The web consists of millions of web pages hypertext and hypermedia documents. A hypertext document is a document that contains a hyperlink to another document located on the same computer or on another computer in any part of the world.

The Internet and the web(www) are not the same. The Internet is the actual physical network which is made of up of wires, cables and satellites. However, the web is the multimedia interface to the resources available on the Internet. Being connected to Internet(net) is often described as being online.

CHATS
Chat or online chat refers to any kind of communication using the internet but primarily refers to direct one- to-one chat or  text-based group chat.
A chat room is a group of people with common interest communicating with one another interactively in real time.

INTERNET RELAY CHAT(IRC)

This is a real-time conference system that lets you talk with as many people as you like, grouped together on channels by topics using text messages.

INSTANT MESSAGING

This is where a user on the web can contact another user online and type a conversation. e.g Facebook, whatsapp etc.

MULTIMEDIA CHAT

This is where users can communicate with one another with the use of microphone and webcam in any part of the world.

BLOGS

A blog which is the short form of web log is a web site that allows persons or groups to post items on the Internet. The activity of posting is called blogging, and the person who maintains a blog is called the blogger. One of the popular blogs in Ghana is the Ghana World Cup Blog. Other example is aborsco blog which can be accessed on www.aborsco.blogspot.com

DISCUSSION BOARDS

Discussion boards are also called internet forums. An internet forum is a web application that allows users to hold discussions and post user generated content.


SYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION

It is a form of direct communication where all the parties involved are present at the same time and communication is sent and received immediately. e.g chatrooms, instant messaging, video conferencing, telephone conversation etc.

ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION

It is a form of communication where all the parties do not necessarily have to present at the same time. e.g e-mail, buttetin boards, blogs, text messages sent to mobile phones.

HYPERTEXT TRANSFER PROTOCOL(HTTP)

HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web. It defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands.

For example, when you enter a URL in your browser, this actually sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch and transmit the requested Web page.

The other main standard that controls how the World Wide Web works is HTML, which covers how Web pages are formatted and displayed.

ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL)

 They are messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network.

SEARCH ENGINES

Search engines are programs that search documents for specified keywords and return a list of matching documents.

They are used especially for finding particular sites on the World Wide Web. E.g. Google, Bing,Yahoo,Ask.com,AOL.com, Blekko.com etc.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

 It is one of the main protocols in TCP/IP networks. It enables two hosts to establish a connection and exchange streams of data. TCP guarantees delivery of data and also guarantees that packets will be delivered in the same order in which they were sent.

LISTSERV

 It is an application that distributes messages to subscribers on an electronic mailing list. E.g Majordomo.

UNIFORM RESOURCE LOCATOR (URL)

URL is a web address such as http://www.google.com . It provides a direct link to web pages.

A web page is an online document which can be read by a web browser.

A web site is a collection of related web pages.

A portal is a web site which offers a variety of services, including searching capabilities.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to transfer computer files from one host to another host over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet.

 Web browser

 A browser is a software application used to locate, retrieve and display content on the World Wide Web. Examples of web browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Opera.