Assignment #1

Reflection

The first three chapters of the text by Robbins focuses on the evolution of the internet, the basic functions and purposes of the internet and how the internet is changing the way we live in our society. After reading these chapters, I discovered many interesting findings about the internet. These are some of the highlights I have found from the readings.

- There are now many different methods to access internet, including computers, gaming consoles (Xbox, Playstation), tablets and smartphones. About 15 years ago, the only way to use the internet was from a computer, but now, with the advent of new technologies, the methods of using the internet has greatly expended. This means that web developers now need to create different versions of their website, such as a small-screen or compact version for smartphones, a regular version for laptops and desktops, a touch version for tablets and big screen version for consoles.

- There are many technical terms that every web developer must understand when creating successful websites. Some of the terms include: html (HyperText MarkUp Language), http (HyperText Transfer Protocol), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), IP address, URL (Uniform Resource Locator), and ftp (File Transfer Protocol.

- Providing the best experience of visiting a web site by using proper text and style when making webpages, and creating working links to other pages on the web are important.

From the readings, I learned a number of new things about the importance of internet. While I am familiar with many of the internet terms, because I have been using the internet since the 8^th grade, many things do change overtime, meaning that I need to learn new aspects, in order to keep up with internet technology.

Questions

1.    What does http stand for? Do you need to type http when visiting a web page?

Answer: http stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol or Web Mode. You do not have type http when visiting a web site because just about every web browser today are automatically programmed to accept http sites.

2.    Why is it so important for web browsers to follow the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) guidelines?

Answer: W3C guidelines are standards set for HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Following all the W3C guidelines will ensure that the browser will work with all web standards (99% of all browsers are W3C compliant) and prevent incompatibilities and issues with certain web sites.