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Exploring Your Options
An overview of using the Internet
The World Wide Web offers information as text, images,
audio, or video to be referenced from anywhere in the world.
Special programs called Web browsers are specifically
designed to work with HTTP. They make it easier to connect
to a particular network address and send and receive
information.
Internet Service Providers
To connect a computer directly to the Internet, many people
and businesses use an Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP
is a company that has the equipment and the
telecommunication lines necessary to maintain an Internet
connection.
You can connect to the Internet by using a telephone and
modem or through other higher-speed communication
methods such as Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), cable, and
satellite links.
Signing up with an Internet Service Provider
Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer, which is
preinstalled on your system, is automatically configured so
that when you first start it, it guides you through signing up
for a new ISP account, or assists you in setting up your
computer to work with your existing ISP.
Once you have established an ISP account, you can access
the Internet.
Surfing the Internet
Once connected to the Internet, the Web browser displays a
home page, for example, your ISP's home page on the
Internet or your company's Web site home page.
To visit a desired Web site, type in the Web address. The Web
address, or Uniform Resource Locator (URL), is a unique
identifier for that computer system linked to the Internet.
Web addresses can also appear within a Web page's text, and
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