1. What is the Internet and why do I need it?
The Internet is a vast collection of data transmission lines which connect computers located at distant sites. It was first established as a method to transmit research data between academic sites, but like the CB radio once did, it has become immensely popular with the public and with industry. The Internet is used as a worldwide resource by universities, companies, organizations, government agencies, and individuals. Soon you will not be able to function efficiently without accessing the Internet in some form. Think of traversing the Internet like your commute to work. You leave your house (i.e. your desktop computer) on a sidestreet which has little traffic, then pass thru an intersection (a node) which connects you to a busy secondary road. Eventually, you pass another larger intersection which is an on-ramp to the freeway (i.e. the so-called information superhighway). The freeway can take you anywhere, state-to-state or country-to-country, as long as you know the "address". The capacity of the freeway is dictated by the bandwidth, or the amount of the spectrum that is dedicated to this type of transmission. You pass through more intersections, secondary roads and sidestreets until you reach your destination (the host). Like the Interstate highway system, you can experience traffic jams, weather conditions, construction and the like. However, unlike the freeway, you can travel to any host computer in the world in a matter of seconds. The potential for the storage and transmission of information is STAGGERING!
The information superhighway is just that - a circular network of high-capacity transmission lines that serves the United States and connects to most other countries. Think of the chaos that would arise if I asked you to visit my home, then told you to go to that brick house in Canton. You would have no idea where to go, other than to head West! The Internet is similar - each computer (host or source) must have a distinct address, a distinct code that is known as an IP address. These are coded by country, city, organization, building, etc. (for example, all Shapero Hall IP addresses begin 141.217.63. The address for the Silicon Graphics computer in Room 503 is 141.217.63.9). Some computers are also name servers, that is, they are associated with a similarly coded name that is location distinct (i.e. the Silicon Graphics computer in Room 503 is wizard.pharm.wayne.edu). These names can give you information (i.e. .com means a private company, .org means a non-profit organization, .edu means a school or university, and some extenders denote the country, like .jp). As you will see later, some computers have also been configured as usenet servers, gopher servers and/or as web servers. In many cases, you will be dealing with Unix or VMS-based miniframe or mainframe computers, so you must assume that commands are case-sensitive (i.e. wayne is not the same as Wayne).
For you newbies (new Internet users), you should be aware thet the 'Net has a set of informal rules called Netiquette. All Netsurfers need to conform to these rules to avoid being flamed (i.e. rudely made aware of one's transgression by another user). There are a wide variety of abbreviations and terms which you will eventually become familiar with, and some you will never understand, although these are infrequent. Most terms and acronyms are simple (e.g. IMHO = in my humble opinion, BTW = by the way, etc.). You will also encounter spams from time to time, which are unwanted, bothersome messages that get broadcast to millions of users. The penalties for spamming are usually severe (i.e. loss of Internet access) but the offenders are seldom caught. Be aware that security is an issue, and that you should take the same precautions transmitting data that you would on the phone (i.e. don't give out credit card numbers or other info that can fall into the wrong hands unless you are sure you know where it is going). And remember, like all fields of human endeavor, there is a lot of good stuff to find, but there is always someone ready to exploit a new system, and there is a bit of worthless stuff out there that wastes bandwidth. However, the vast majority of the material on the Internet is positive and useful.
2. O.K., what do I need to access the Internet?
The answer to this question depends on your situation. You will need a suitable computer (obviously), and the newer and faster the better. It should be capable of running Windows (any version will work, but 3.1 or Windows 95 is best) or the MacIntosh operating system (version 6 or better). Many Internet transmissions are BIG, so you will need at least 8 mB of RAM. Also, many programs used to interface with the Net are memory-hungry, some as big as 2-3 mB. A PC with an 8086 processor, 640K RAM, 20 mB hard drive and a 2400 baud modem is USELESS (except as a paper weight!). If you plan on accessing the Net from home, you will need a fast modem (9600, 14,400 or 28,800 baud) and a SLIP or PPP (point-to-point protocol) connection program. These can be gotten from the Computing Center in the Science Library at WSU. You can also get to the Internet through a service such as America-On-Line or Prodigy, but there is no need to do this if your are a member of the WSU faculty or staff. You will need to configure your computer accordingly (i.e. with Winsock for an IBM or MacTCP for a MacIntosh). If you are configuring a computer for your WSU office, you will need an Ethernet card and cable for your computer, and you will need to get your data jack activated for Internet access. Winsock or MacTCP must be properly installed, but no modem is necessary. This is the fastest and most reliable type of Internet linkup.
There are a variety of programs available for both IBM and MacIntosh which can be used to facilitate your Internet access. Some of these can be purchased commercially, but most of the state-of-the-art programs are available as shareware or freeware (i.e. they don't cost you much if anything at all!). I have yet to purchase a piece of software from a commercial vendor that is necessary for Internet access. Remember, however, that it is illegal to transmit copyrighted software from one location to another without permission or a site license. Some of the most important software packages will be mentioned in the sections below.
3. What is FTP and how do I use it?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, and is an easy way to transfer files from point A to point B. The FTP protocol is different depending on whether the file is text or binary (basically, consider all files to be binary except ASCII text files). An FTP program is needed, as is the address (IP or name) of the computer from which or to which files will flow. If a password is required (which it usually is), you will not be able to gain access unless you know it. Two public domain prograns are available, Fetch (for Mac users) and WS_FTP (for PC users). Both are available from the Wayne State Pharmacy and Allied Health Software Archives. Both programs allow for instantaneous transfer of files from one computer to another through the Net.
4. Electronic mail?
The aspect of the Internet that has had the greatest impact on individual work habits is the ability to send and receive electronic mail. Electronic mail can make your life easier in a variety of ways: it lessens your dependence on the telephone and FedEx, it transfers information anywhere in the world instantaneously, it can be used to transmit documents, pictures, files, etc., and it can be used almost anywhere there is Internet access. Compared to the telephone and courier services, the real cost of E-mail is negligible, and it has immense potential for use in your department.
Wayne State has a system for sending and receiving electronic mail which you know as PROFS. You are most familiar with its internal message system, which transmits messages between users at WSU based on a system of coded ID's (e.g. pwoster@waynest1). However, PROFS is also an Internet mailstop with the name cms.cc.wayne.edu, and mail can be sent out to or received from other sites on the Net using the e-mail section of PROFS. In a nutshell, each person has a username on the mainframe (like pwoster), and the PROFS program allows them to be accessed for messages either locally (pwoster@waynest1) or through the Internet (pwoster@cms.cc.wayne.edu). PROFS has many advantages and services, such as calendars and the like, which you may want to retain. However, for electronic mail, PROFS is arcane and cumbersome, and more importantly, the PROFS system will be discontinued in the Fall.
After the demise of PROFS and MTS, the University will provide a Unix environment for computer services. That means that each user will have a userID that will designate his account and electronic mail address. This is no different from the way PROFS is set up, except that you will interface with it differently. This technology is already available in the College. The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences supports a Unix based nameserver (wizard.pharm.wayne.edu), and each registered user has a distinct logon (e.g.woster) and E-mail address (e.g. woster@wizard.pharm.wayne.edu). Each user has their own mailbox. Wizard, like many servers, supports pop-mail, whereby a program at your terminal can retrieve messages from the server mailbox. For E-mail access, most users have installed a pop-mail program called Eudora, which is available for free on the Internet. Eudora will check the server for mail as often as you like, and will alert you when a message has arrived. It can also be used to manipulate and print messages, and to store them in customized mailboxes. Versions of Eudora are available for Windows and for MacIntosh computers, on-line manuals are available, and these programs can be downloaded by anonymous FTP from the College archive, or from the software developer.
A specialized function of electronic mail is a mail expander called a LISTSERV. LISTSERVs are generally maintained on a Unix or VMS mainframe platform, and are simply a special E-mail address to which messages are sent. Each message received is then sent out to anyone subscribed to the list. Some lists are small (e.g.30 users) and some are large (thousands of users!). Each list has two addresses, one to send commands to (e.g. subscribe, unsubscribe, and a variety of other commands) and one where messages are posted for the list. For almost any subject you can imagine, there is probably a LISTSERV dedicated to that subject. Some LISTSERVs generate a TON of mail, so be sure you know how to UNSUBSCRIBE.
5. What is Usenet?
Usenet is hard to describe. A list of all of the Usenet groups and their associated data is maintained at a central site, and mainframe computers are then designated as Usenet hosts. There are several Usenet servers in the Detroit area. You can then access the host for which you have permission using a program such as Nuntius (for MacIntosh) or Trumpet News Reader (for the PC). Newsreaders are available from the University or from the College archive. The newsreader builds a list of the available newsgroups (there are thousands of these!), and you browse the list, find the groups you want to subscribe to, and then use the newsreader to look over the items. Postings to the group may be text or binary, and are easily downloaded. If you thought there were a lot of topics covered by LISTSERVs, wait until you enter the crazy world of the Usenet!
6. What is the World Wide Web, and how do I gain access to it?
In the distant past of computer technology (e.g. last year) the Gopher concept became quite popular. Simplistically, Gopher is a collection of searchable Internet hosts (essentially a list of lists) on which sites are indexed where files and information are stored. This information can be easily downloaded using a Gopher access program such as TurboGopher. Although this is a powerful tool, the capability for graphic display is limited, and the information is displayed using the file hierarchy of the host computer. The capability for interaction with the user is also fairly limited. This problem was solved by the introduction of the World Wide Web (WWW), which is a similar concept, but has infinitely greater utility. WWW sites are not listed, but are hyperlinked from one page to another based on subject, interest or the whim of the webmaster (administrator). Hyperlinks appear on your display as blue text, and clicking on that text will transfer you to the site it represents. This site may be down the hall or anywhere in the world. In addition, hyperlinks can be made to text, pictures, program applications, FTP processes, etc. The name Web derives from the complex interlinking of hosts into a "spider web" of interrelated sites. It is possible to search on the WWW using a search engine designed for this purpose, and even if you don't find the site you want on the first try, you can usually hyperlink to the site you need quickly and easily. The WWW offers three remarkable features which have made it extremely popular:
1. The ability to hyperlink to other WWW sites.
2. The ability to include in-line graphics.
3. The ability to create an interactive environment for the user.
Assuming you are configured for Internet access as described above, all you need to access the World Wide Web is a web browser such as Mosaic or Netscape. Mosaic and Netscape are available in PC, MacIntosh, VMS and Unix versions, and are distributed as freeware (to academia) from Internet sites (Netscape can also be purchased in a commercial version that includes technical support). Netscape is by far the most popular, and is available from the College archive, or from the software developer. The latest version of Netscape (2.0b6) supports electronic mail, newsgroup access, WWW access and handles FTP transfer as well, so it is quite versatile. You can also attach Netscape to helper programs (picture viewers, sound players, word processors and a myriad of other applications) to handle the different file types that occur on the Web. It is also quite easy to create a list of bookmarks or bookmark files, so that URLs do not have to be retyped. There are a number of other packages available for accessing the Web, and some on-line services such as AOL have their own web browsers.
Documents on the WWW are written in hypertext markup language (HTML), which is a special type of text that dictates how a web page is laid out when accessed by a browser. In order for a web page to appear on the Net, the host computer must have webserver software installed, which reads the HTML code and then transmits the page to the client software (browser) in final form. When an HTML file is written, it is transferred by FTP to a webserver. There is a specific subdirectory for HTML and associated files that are used to complete the page (such as GIF and JPEG picture files, .wav and .au sound files, etc.). Web browsers can access WWW servers for http transfer (hypertext transfer protocol), which transfers pages and their associated binaries, or for FTP transfer, usually with an interface similar to Gopher. Thus, you can access any file (HTML or otherwise) using a Web browser, by opening locations starting with either http:// or ftp://. Gopher sites can also be accessed (gopher://). These locations are known as URLs (Universal Resource Locators). For example, the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions Homepage can be found at the following URL:
Some sites are mirrored, i.e., the page is located at more than one URL. Each time you switch to a new page using a hyperlink, it calls up a new URL and transfers to that webserver.
7. I want to put information on the World Wide Web - how do I do that?
If you have a fairly current word processor such as Microsoft Word (5.1 or later) or Word Perfect (5.0 or later), you have all you need to develop a WWW page! There are also programs available called WWW development tools which will automatically convert word processing documents to HTML documents, and you can find these on the Web (for example, Microsoft distributes a package called Internet Assistant). Once your page is completed, you can ask your system administrator (sysop, eg. yours truly) to upload the file and give you an URL. That's all there is to it! The remainder of this section is a tutorial which will teach you the basics of writing and using HTML.
7a. General stuff:
An HTML file contains the text that is to be presented on the web, and the HTML code (commands) that modify the text for presentation. These pages should be saved in text only format (word processor commands such as bold text, italics, underline, etc. are ignored by the HTML program, as are paragraph marks and spaces in excess of one). HTML files should be saved with a file extender (.htm for PC files or .html for Mac files). Text only files with no file extender appear in Courier type with no special effects. HTML commands can be readily identified, since they appear between greater than and less than symbols
7b. Basic stuff that should be on a WWW page:
The title command tells the web browser what to print on the bar above the program window. Generally, this is a short phrase that reflects the content in a general way. Note that the command is turned on by typing [title], and then turned off by typing [/title]. This is typical HTML format; most commands must be terminated by using a slash. The next command, which is an example of a command that need NOT be turned off, sets the body background color. All colors are denoted by six-letter codes preceded by a # sign. It is also possible to use a GIF (graphical interchange format) picture as a background (provided it is not too garish, since that will obscure the text):
The GIF will be repeated as many times as is necessary to fill the page.
Most Web pages have some sort of link at the bottom which allows the user to return to the main page or previous page with a single click. Omission of this link is poor Netiquette, since it leaves the user hanging and defeats the "web" nature of the link. For example, the HTML text:
produces the entry:
where "WSU Pharmacy and Allied Health Homepage" is a blue hyperlink to the previous URL. The meaning of these HTML commands will be explained below.
Most Web pages have a header, although this is not required. Headers can be used anywhere in the body of the document, and appear as bold text. The correct syntax is [hn] text [/hn], where n is an integer from 1 to 6 that sets the size of the type (6 is smallest). For example:
produces the header:
Since word processing commands are ignored by HTML, it is necessary to designate line breaks and paragraphs in the text. This is done by inserting [br] for a line break or [p] for a paragraph break (includes a space) at the end of the appropriate line. For example:
[h4]Jabberwocky[/h4][p]'Twas brillig and the slithy toves[br]Did gyre and gimble in the wabe[p]All mimsy were the borogoves[br]And the mome wraths outgrabe[p]-Lewis Carroll[p]
Would appear as follows:
'Twas brillig and the slithy toves
All mimsy were the borogoves
-Lewis Carroll
What else goes on a WWW page - that's up to you! It should be clear by now that the possibilities are endless!
7c. Hyperlinks
Hyperlinking is the feature of HTML that gives it its versatility and makes the Web a web. Hyperlinks appear on a Web page as hypertext, wherein the text of interest is bold and blue. Once you have used a hyperlink, it will turn purple, and your browser will cause it to remain that way for a time period that you can designate. This allows you to remember which links you have already followed. The HTML command which creates the hyperlink is called an anchor. An example appears below:
On the page the entry would look like this:
In the example above, the hyperlink causes the browser to go to the College homepage by executing the command "http://wizard.pharm.wayne.edu/pharmahp.html". The command is executed when the user clicks on the words "WSU College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions", which appear in bold blue text. The words "Connect to the" and "Homepage" appear in regular black typeface. Note the syntax which is used to turn the anchor command on and off. Also remember that the HTTP portion of the anchor command is case sensitive, since you will usually be calling up files on a Unix or VMS server. The command for the hyperlink varies depending on the location of the HTML file. If the HTML file is in the same directory on the server as the file that calls it up, the command requires only the file name (e.g. [a href= "pharmahp.html"]. However, if the HTML file being called up in in another directory, or on another computer (as is usually the case), the entire URL must be used, as in the example above.
There are two additional cases which are common uses of the anchor command. In the example below, a GIF is used as the hyperlink initiator, rather than blue text:
producing:
In the example, a small GIF of a Christmas ornament was used as a "button" which, when clicked, sent the user to the HTML file called "techxmas.html". In the second example (below), the hyperlink command is used to "hotlink" the e-mail address of a given user. This is an important feature, since it allows users who access your page the opportunity to communicate with you:
This would appear on your page as:
When your browser is properly configured, clicking on the hypertext "woster@wizard.pharm.wayne.edu" would bring up an e-mail screen, where a message could be typed in and automatically sent to that address. Bear in mind that it is proper Netiquette to provide an e-mail link to your page, especially if you expect that users will want additional information.
7d. Inserting graphics
The ability to insert graphics is one of the most attractive features of HTML, since it gives a WWW page its personality, and as you are aware, a picture speaks a thousand words. However, it is important to remember that large pictures take a long time and a lot of memory to load, and so it is best to keep the number of pictures at a reasonable level. Most web browsers can only read pictures in the GIF format, although some of the new versions can handle JPEG files. The command for loading a picture varies depending on the location of the picture. If the GIF is in the same directory on the server as the file that calls it up, the command requires only the file name:
The picture may also be located on a computer anywhere in the world (but access can be slow, so local is best). To load such a picture, you must designate the URL for the GIF of JPEG:
This would produce the following output on your page:
Within the image src command, filenames are case sensitive, so be careful when typing in this data. Some WWW pages make use of a specialized picture called an image map. Using this technique, defined areas in a large GIF can be selected and used as hyperlinks, so that a single GIF can be used as a list of hyperlinks. There are many public domain programs available on the Web which can be used to create image maps.
7e. Special effects
There are a variety of HTML commands that are used to invoke special effects. These are simple to use, and a few are listed below for your reference. These commands can be used anywhere in the HTML file:
You may also want to place a dividing line called a horizontal rule at various places in your text. This is done by using the [hr] command. The command does not need to be turned off:
You can also modify the size of the horizontal rule by using the "size =" command:
where the larger the number, the thicker the line.
7f. Lists
There are three types of lists that appear in HTML documents that can be very powerful for the presentation of information. These lists are called indented definition lists, ordered lists and bulleted lists. Consider the following list, presented in each of the three formats (the HTML code is on the left, and the appearance of the page is on the right):
[dl]Things I need to make an atom bomb:[p]
[dd]A shoebox
produces:
[ol]Things I need to make an atom bomb:[p]
[li]A shoebox
produces:
[ul]Things I need to make an atom bomb:[p]
[li]A shoebox
produces:
Note that only the definition list is indented. Also, headers and special effects can be used anywhere in the list, as can graphics and hyperlinks. Thus, these lists can be used to create a list of hyperlinks.
There are a variety of other things that can be included on your Web page (forms, comments, sounds, etc.). The best piece of advice I can give is to use the "View Source" function of Netscape when you see a page with an effect that you like. The HTML code will be displayed and can then be printed and/or saved.
8. Hey, Dr. Woster, what are your favorite links?
Why, thank you for asking. Immediately below is a list of some of my favorite WWW sites:
8a. Web development stuff:
Creating Net Sites
8b. Science/Pharmacy Sites sites:
American Chemical Society MedChem
8c. Fun stuff:
Postcards from Marquette, MI
8d. Wayne State University:
The Wayne State University Homepage
Return to the WSU College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Homepage.
At the top of each HTML page, you will find a set of preliminary instructions that are used to set up the page. For example:
Wayne State University
College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions Homepage
Welcome to the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions Homepage!
Jabberwocky
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe
And the mome wraths outgrabe
for a technically correct version of the Night Before Christmas.
[dd]Round-edged scissors
[dd]String
[dd]Construction paper
[dd]10 lbs. of plutonium
[/dl]Things I need to make an atom bomb:
[li]Round-edged scissors
[li]String
[li]Construction paper
[li]10 lbs. of plutonium
[/ol]Things I need to make an atom bomb:
[li]Round-edged scissors
[li]String
[li]Construction paper
[li]10 lbs. of plutonium
[/ul]Things I need to make an atom bomb:
Jon's WWW Development Page
A Beginner's Guide to HTML
University of Texas Software Archive (Mac)
HTML Quick Reference
Eudora Light Download
Netscape Homepage
Lycos Search Engine
NCSA Mosaic Homepage
Internet Audit Bureau
WWW Virtual Library - Journals
The National Institutes of Health
The WWW Virtual Library-Crystallography
The PDB Database at Brookhaven
The WWW Virtual Library - Pharmacy
WWW Virtual Library - Info by Subject
List of Pharmacy-Related Academic Inst.
Searchable Database of 4000 Drug Products
The Scientist on the Internet
The Journal of Biological Chemistry Online
Fisher Scientific
Sigma Chemical
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Christmas Lights at Domino Farms
Index of SunSounds
Web Guitar Resources
The R.M.P.S.S.
WSU Planning and Support Services
WSU Research and Sponsored Programs
The WSU School of Medicine Homepage
The WSU Libraries Homepage
The SouthEnd Student Newspaper
WSU and the City of Detroit