What is this class about?
- It will provide you with a basic understanding of how the Internet functions
- You will learn a lot how to use the Firefox web browser
- You will learn how to protect yourself when on-line from malicious people and programs
- We want to show you how to efficiently do research on the Internet
- We will introduce you to the amazing world of the Internet - we will go to informative, funny and suspicious web sites as well as show you a number of goodies on the web
- Please ask immediately if I use words you don't understand.
History of the Internet
In 1962 U.S. Air Force commissioned a study on how to maintain its command and control over its missiles and bombers, after a nuclear attack from any point in the US.
In 1968 4 computers in 4 universities were connected.
Only around 1990 the Internet started to evolve into the present form and became available to the broader public.
Why the Internet?
As we approached a new millennium, the Internet is revolutionizing our society, our economy and our technological systems. No one knows for certain how far, or in what direction, the Internet will evolve. But no one should underestimate its importance.
Over the past century and a half, important technological developments have created a global environment that is drawing the people of the world closer and closer together. During the industrial revolution, we learned to put motors to work to magnify human and animal muscle power. In the new Information Age, we are learning to magnify brainpower by putting the power of computation wherever we need it, and to provide information services on a global basis. Computer resources are infinitely flexible tools; networked together, they allow us to generate, exchange, share and manipulate information in an uncountable number of ways. The Internet, as an integrating force, has melded the technology of communications and computing to provide instant connectivity and global information services to all its users at very low cost.
In the next couple of years the Internet will become the one indispensable source for information, news, training and communication. Not being able to use this source will be of the same level of disadvantage than being illiterate. The browser will be THE tool to access it and the better you know your browser the faster, safer and precise you can retrieve what you are looking for. Not being comfortable with the Internet means to be an easy target for manipulation by malicious people.
Who is the Internet?
- Internet Service Providers (example BSNL, Airtel etc.)
- Universities
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
- Governments
- Commercial Enterprises
- and YOU!
What services does the Internet provide?
- The World Wide Web - Retrieve web sites for information , shopping, training, education, entertainment
- Instant Messaging (IM, chat!)
- File sharing - software, books, music or documents either from servers or private people (peer-to-peer)
- Streaming media - radio, video, TV
- Voice telephony (VoIP) - Internet telephony
- Collaboration - Wikipedia, video and telephone conferencing, On-line document editing ...
- Remote access - access any computer in the world from any place
Some numbers
Presently around the world 1.5 billion people have Internet access, 21.9 % of the total population.
In Europe 384 million people have Internet access which represents 48 % of the population.
In China 253 million people have Internet access which represents 19 % of the population.
In India 60 million people have Internet access which represents 5.4% of the population.
If you live presently in India and you have access to the Internet you are in a privileged position!
Source and further information: Internet stats
How do I access the Internet?
To access the Internet you need a computer, a connection to the Internet (Dial-up modem or a DSL line or a direct connection) and different software applications that help you to interact with other computers and users. The most important one is your Internet browser. Common browsers are Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer and Safari.
What is a browser and how does it work?
A browser is a software that enables you to see the content of the Internet (i.e. a web page). When you want to see a web page you enter an address (URL Uniform Resource Locator) into your browser's address bar or you click on a link.
Examples:
http://wiki.bluelightav.org/display/BLUE/Blue+Light+Wiki+Home
Your browser goes with this address into the Internet, turns it into a number and finds the location (server) where this page is stored. It then requests a copy of this pages and shows it to you "at home" on your screen. This process takes a few seconds only, even if the website is stored in the US, Australia or Moscow!
Here an example which route a web page takes from the server to your computer:
Open a terminal (Go to Applications/Accessories/Terminal), maximise it and type in the following command:
tracepath www........ (type here any address i.e. www.auroville.org.in
.
Press enter and watch what happens...
tracepath www.mos.ru
www.mos.ru (212.11.146.116), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
1 www.aurovillenetwork.in (192.168.3.1) 10.495 ms 16.095 ms 20.943 ms
2 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 33.172 ms 39.660 ms 58.341 ms
3 192.168.1.254 (192.168.1.254) 105.706 ms 107.736 ms 111.233 ms
4 ABTS-TN-Static-001.0.165.122.airtelbroadband.in (122.165.0.1) 172.202 ms 197.481 ms 200.682 ms
5 ras-Chn-165.227.95.61.airtelbroadband.in (61.95.227.165) 201.535 ms 205.697 ms 207.820 ms
6 61.95.240.129 (61.95.240.129) 239.809 ms 223.344 ms 138.781 ms
7 125.21.167.70 (125.21.167.70) 142.882 ms 145.084 ms 149.534 ms
8 so-4-0-2.edge1.LosAngeles1.Level3.net (4.78.196.25) 384.127 ms 388.404 ms 390.965 ms
9 vlan79.csw2.LosAngeles1.Level3.net (4.68.20.126) 392.652 ms vlan99.csw4.LosAngeles1.Level3.net (4.68.20.254) 522.003 ms vlan89.csw3.LosAngeles1.Level3.net (4.68.20.190) 513.665 ms
10 ae-63-63.ebr3.LosAngeles1.Level3.net (4.69.137.33) 527.158 ms 530.681 ms 534.000 ms
11 ae-4.ebr4.Washington1.Level3.net (4.69.132.82) 557.305 ms 560.647 ms 563.001 ms
12 ae-94-94.csw4.Washington1.Level3.net (4.69.134.190) 467.368 ms 469.527 ms ae-84-84.csw3.Washington1.Level3.net (4.69.134.186) 505.832 ms
13 ae-72-72.ebr2.Washington1.Level3.net (4.69.134.149) 494.661 ms 499.054 ms 501.271 ms
14 ae-42.ebr2.Paris1.Level3.net (4.69.137.53) 535.028 ms ae-41.ebr2.Paris1.Level3.net (4.69.137.49) 522.100 ms 431.750 ms
15 ae-2.ebr1.Frankfurt1.Level3.net (4.69.132.142) 447.955 ms 455.897 ms 456.672 ms
16 ae-1-100.ebr2.Frankfurt1.Level3.net (4.69.132.126) 458.294 ms 477.506 ms 480.210 ms
17 ae-2.ebr1.Dusseldorf1.Level3.net (4.69.132.137) 447.301 ms 460.165 ms 462.162 ms
18 ae-1-100.ebr2.Dusseldorf1.Level3.net (4.69.132.130) 516.364 ms 539.134 ms 539.267 ms
19 ae-1-5.bar1.Stockholm1.Level3.net (4.69.140.197) 483.250 ms 547.088 ms 549.882 ms
20 rt741-001.stk.retn.net (213.242.110.18) 601.561 ms 605.539 ms 609.062 ms
21 ae1-5.RT.V10.MSK.RU.retn.net (87.245.233.29) 645.303 ms 682.689 ms 685.340 ms
22 * * *
23 * * *
What is Mozilla Firefox and why do we recommend this browser?
Information about the Mozilla Foundation
Mozilla Foundation is a public benefit, not-for-profit organization devoted to enriching people's lives by preserving choice and innovation on the Internet (as opposed to being motivated by profits, shareholder value, usage of proprietary technology, etc.)
Mozilla is a global, grassroots effort - Mozilla's products are a result of a collaboration between employees, volunteers, universities, foundations and corporate partners. Firefox was created by an international movement of hundreds of thousands of people from wildly different backgrounds, all seeking to develop the world's best browser.
Open source means a better browser for the 120 million regular Firefox users. The process is open to anyone and everyone in order to encourage the innovation and development of exciting new technologies that will keep pushing the web forward and making it a better place for all.
- High level of security
- Cross-platform Open Source web browser - it runs on Windows, Linux and Mac
- Cutting-edge software written by people to help you improve your Internet experience
- Packed with lots of features
- Fully Customizable
- A passionate community
- 100% organic software - Firefox is good for you: it stands for openness, innovation and freedom on the Internet.
We will explore this much more in detail in the coming weeks.
How do I get Firefox?
You can download Firefox from the Internet from the Firefox website.. Download it onto your Desktop and double-click it. Follow the installation instructions. Firefox will ask you to import your Favorites from Internet Explorer. It wants to know whether Firefox should be your default browser.
What is your default browser?
Should you face problems please call the Blue Light office 2622500 and we will assist you in the installation.
Information
In Blue Light you will work in Linux, particularly in Ubuntu. Don't worry, the differences will be minor between our set-up and yours at home. Now open Firefox.
What is what?
- Bookmarks Toolbar (Personal address bar)
The personal address bar gives quick access to your most commonly used bookmarks - What is a bookmark? - Home page (start-up page)
This is the page that opens automatically every time you open Firefox. - Location bar (Internet address bar)
In the address bar you see the address of the present web page. This address is also called URL (Uniform Resource Locator). - Integrated Web Search
Searching the Web is a breeze with the search box inline, just to the right of your location bar. Use the web engine of your choice to search by typing directly into the box. The width is adjustable so you can make it bigger if you need more space. - Status bar
The status bar gives you information about what Firefox is doing. It is a good idea to pay attention to it while browsing.
You want to load the Auroville Intranet web page. Type in http://auroville.org.in into the address bar.
Is there some other way to get to the Intranet? If so which one?
Browse a bit around and watch the status bar. What do you see?
Search in the integrated search bar with google for the keywords open source auroville
Search in the integrated search bar in the wikipedia for URL
Search in the integrated search bar in Ask.com for Who invented the wheel?
Further information to this topic go to Wikipedia
Show how to send the homework
Try to avoid doing the homework in the last minute but rather do them in time and email them to bluelight.training@gmx.com. Please do not use the bluelight@auroville.org.in address.
This gives us time to look into what you did and give you some feedback. It is a requirement to do the homework to be able to follow the classes.
You find all lessons and homework here
You might want to take the time and go once more through the lesson to recall what you learned.
You can copy and paste the questions into an email and answer them. In case you don't know the answer you could try to paste the question into google.co.in or the wiki
Install Firefox on your computer
How do I set my 'home page'? (Tip: look under the Tools-menu in Windows or under Edit in Linux)
Why will the Internet be important in the near future?
What is a URL?
What is the default browser?
How do you save an interesting link? Check the Bookmarks menu in Firefox ...
Get familiar with Booksmarks Toolbar (The personal address bar), Location bar, Integrated Web Search and the Status bar
See this 2 links below. Hoover with your mouse pointer (the arrow you move by moving your mouse) over the link (don't click) and see what information you get in the status bar (in the left bottom corner of Firefox)
Read the blue box above about the Mozilla Foundation.
Read at least once the glossary below.
Glossary:
- phishing
In the field of computer security, phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as user names, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites (Youtube, Facebook, Myspace), auction sites (eBay), online banks (PayPal), or IT Administrators (Yahoo, ISPs, corporations) are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting. Phishing is typically carried out by e-mail or instant messaging, and it often directs users to enter details at a fake website whose URL and look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one. Even when using SSL (??) with strong cryptography for server authentication it is practically impossible to detect that the website is fake. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to fool users, and exploits the poor usability of current web security technologies. Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, public awareness, and technical security measures. - virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. The term "virus" is also commonly used, albeit erroneously, to refer to many different types of malware and adware programs. The original virus may modify the copies, or the copies may modify themselves, as occurs in a metamorphic virus. A virus can only spread from one computer to another when its host is taken to the uninfected computer, for instance by a user sending it over a network or the Internet, or by carrying it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, or USB drive. Meanwhile viruses can spread to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer. - worm
A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program. It uses a network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computer terminals on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause harm to the network, if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer. - trojan horse
In the context of computing and software, a Trojan horse, also known as a trojan, is malware that appears to perform a desirable function but in fact performs undisclosed malicious functions. Therefore, a computer worm or virus may be a Trojan horse. The term is derived from the classical story of the Trojan Horse. - spyware
Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without the user's informed consent.
While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user's behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habits, or sites that have been visited but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software, redirecting Web browser activity, accessing websites blindly that will cause more harmful viruses, or diverting advertising revenue to a third party. Spyware can even change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and loss of Internet or other programs. In an attempt to increase the understanding of spyware, a more formal classification of its included software types is captured under the term privacy-invasive software. - cookie
HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies, tracking cookies or just cookies, are parcels of text sent by a server to a Web client (usually a browser) and then sent back unchanged by the client each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used for authenticating, session tracking (state maintenance), and maintaining specific information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. - pop-up
Pop-up ads or popups are a form of online advertising on the World Wide Web intended to attract web traffic or capture email addresses. It works when certain web sites open a new web browser window to display advertisements. The pop-up window containing an advertisement is usually generated by JavaScript, but can be generated by other means as well. - Java
Java is a programming language originally developed by Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia