TIME TO SURF!!
What is surfing? Surfing the Internet simply means looking at all the various websites that are available.

WHAT IS A CYBER ADDRESS?
Often called a web address, its real name is Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and you key it in the Address box located under the Explorer Toolbar (or in the Location box in Netscape). URLs never contain spaces and must be typed precisely.

Here's what a web address looks like:
http://www.nisd.net/index.html

What does all that mean?

http://	www.nisd.net	index.html
protocol	domain(computer's name)	file name

Protocol - set of rules used to send and receive data
Domain - the server where the information resides
File name - the pathway to the directory where the information is stored on the server

The extension (last three letters) indicate the type of site you are visiting. Some common extensions are:

.org	nonprofit organization--know the organization
.edu	education institution--who authored the particular page
.com	commercial entity--evaluate carefully
.gov	government agency--always reliable information
.mil	military site--reliable
.net	network or Internet Service Provider--know who the provider is

PRACTICE: Surfing

Visit the San Antonio Express-News site. The URL is: www.expressnews.com. Spend a minute or two following links that interest you. (Remember to use the Back and Forward buttons.)

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