Hotel Reception

The Internet - Some Basics

A Web document, called a Web page, is typically made up of text and images, like a page in a book, but unlike a book, web pages are not intended to be read sequentially.  They are designed to be explored through a maze of cross-referenced links.  A collection of related web pages is called a Web site, with the main entry page to the site being called the home page.

The best way to navigate and view Web pages is with a Web browser - such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.  These browsers allow you to explore sites by clicking on hot links - words or pictures that act as buttons - which take you to other pages and sites.  Hot text is typically, but not always, underlined and displayed in a different colour than standard text on the page, and the mouse pointer usually turns into a 'hand' when it passes over hot links.

Most browsers include tools for keeping a personal list of sites worth revisiting, these are called bookmarks or favourites. 

Look at the top of this page to see your browser toolbars and visit the BBC Webwise site for more information on Internet basics.  The Webwise site contains an enormous amount of useful information about all aspects of the Internet - explore it and complete the interactive quizzes.