Module 9 - Web technologies

Module Objectives

 Web technologies are the hardware, software, and protocols that allow the web to exist. Recall that the web, short for World Wide Web, is an Internet service that provides convenient access to information and services through hyperlinks. The emergence of the web in the early 1990s transformed the Internet from an information and communications tool accessible only to researchers and academics into what it is today: a primary source of information, communication, and entertainment for billions. 

Before the invention of the web, the Internet was a complicated system that was navigated primarily from a command prompt, requiring commands that needed to be learned and memorized and accessing only a limited set of documents and services. Because of its ingenious and easy-ˇto-ˇuse design, the web has become the primary tool for accessing information and services of all kinds.

Required Reading

Module-9.pdf

In much the same way that Internet protocols define the format of data as it is transmitted from sender to receiver, the web has established standards that define how users access and interact with the content they choose. It is important to remember that the current standards in use across the web, such as URLs, HTML, CSS, and RSS, to name just a few, are not the only methods of handling content and media on the internet, nor even necessarily the best, but as they are widely agreed upon, they are the most efficient means of reaching the widest audience possible.

One of the advantages of the web is that the wide variety of tools available for building websites can also be used for more general applications, such as those that have traditionally be purchased and installed on a user’s local machine. By building on top of the infrastructure of the Internet and the many available tools, much of the work we associate with single-ˇuser computing can be moved off the

desktop and into the cloud.

 Web resources are many and varied, assisting individuals, businesses, and organizations with all facets of life, including education, news and information sharing, communication, travel, commerce, employment, and entertainment.

Consider the many ways web resources support people in their personal and professional lives. Many web users spend a majority of their online time on Facebook, discovering interesting information about their friends (see figure). While Facebook may be the most popular web resource, there are millions of others in several categories that are useful in many ways. Knowing more about these resources helps us to make the best use of our online time to lead more efficient, effective, and fulfilling lives.

Online Discussion Forum

1. What was the main point of this module?
2. What was the most surprising concept that you encountered during the module?
3. Respond to at least 3 of your colleagues, see what you have in common.

This work, “Module 9 - Web Technologies", is a derivative of "Introduction to Computing Reading & Learning Objectives” by OpenNow from Cengage, used under   CC BY. "Module 9 – Web Technologies" is licensed under CC BY by Carlos Julien.