• HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol)
  • HTTP has the distinct advantage over any of the other Internet access methods, in that it is very easy to use. The ease of use associated with HTTP is facilitated by the high quality of the browsers with which we view HTML documents. Browsers such Netscape Navigator 2.0 which we use here at the University of Calgary.
  • HTTP allows people to view the Internet in a very graphical format. These graphics are also facilitated by the viewers.
  • To find an HTML to execute on the HTTP protocol, HTTP uses an addressing scheme refered to as a URL (Universal Resource Locator). A URL is composed of many parts, and does not refer exclusively to HTTP. For example:
    http://www.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~petersen/index.html means [protocol]://[server directory].[server_name] / [directories]/[file.html]
    ftp://ftp.apple.com/ has the same structure as the above BUT it does not do the same thing since "FTP" is the protocol of choice NOT HTTP.
  • HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) is considered a language and used by HTTP to view documents in this format.
  • HTTP provides you with quick, easy and automatic access to ftp, e-mail, search, auto-logon, etc... The browsers and HTML make using these features seamless and simple. They remove the complexity and do all of the work for you. For example, using FTP through HTML is a breeze since you are automagically logged as anonymous and your file dowloaded. For users, who are not familiar with UNIX or how to use FTP this is a god-send.
  • Java is the newest application on the Internet. Java is a programming language which provides web editors with the ability to interact with their users VIA forms, games and animation interactively.
    • Java faces one very large problem: firewalls. Firewalls are pieces of software installed on servers or computers which are using the Internet. The Firewall's job is to stop any and all viruses or hackers from attacking the server or computer where the Firewall resides. Since a Java applet is an executable file, it is automatically labeled a virus by the Firewall and not allowed through to the requesting computer. This means that Java applets will not appear on your screen. Also, generally there is no indication that anything should have appeared on your screen. The Firewall does its job silently, without letting the user know that it is impacting their view of the Internet.