Simply put, the World Wide Web is a way to share resources with many people at the same time, even if some of those resources are located at opposite ends of the world. If you think of it as a research paper that lets each footnote take you right to the original source, then you've got the basic idea.
It's Not Just For Scientists Anymore
What began as a research tool has blossomed into something unexpected and much more fun. With the introduction of Mosaic and other graphical web browsers, the web has become a communications tool for a much wider audience.
Web pages can include text information, pictures, sounds, video, FTP links for downloading software, and much more. You can create living documents that are updated weekly, daily, or even hourly to give web surfers a different experience every time they visit your pages. As the technology develops, even more amazing applications will be possible.
Understanding URLs
The URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is the address on the web that you are visiting. If someone gives you the address to their web page, they may say it's at www.serotek.com
More About You And Your Browser
It's good to keep in mind that the web doesn't look the same to everyone. Some people use Netscape, Internet Explorer, Mosaic or other browsers that support
Sometimes, you'll encounter a web page that will behave oddly. It may look funny, or give you an alert message. Some pages will even crash your web browser. Don't assume that you did something wrong; it could be that the page is coded to offer features that your browser doesn't support. Many web designers use features that only work for the Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer browser, or for a certain operating system, etc. There is nothing wrong with your computer. Just get your browser going again and you might want to shy away from sites that crash you!
A Very, Very Brief History Of The Web
Even though the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, CERN, can be credited for laying the foundation of the Web, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, NCSA, developed many of the tools that made the Web usable to mere mortals.
If you find yourself scratching your head over some obscure internet word you heard, browse the Glossary of Internet Terms.
You can also learn about how the Internet got started.