ABSTRACT
The Internet is a collection of networks linking computers to computers and serves as a transport vehicle for information. The term “Internet” is not synonymous with the World Wide Web; whereas the Internet is the physical medium used to transport information, the World Wide Web (WWW) is a collection of protocols used to access information. Using the Internet and the WWW it is possible to retrieve documents, view images, animation, and videos, listen to sound files, speak and hear voice, and view a wide variety of programs (UC Berkeley Library, 2004). Originally designed to transmit text and numeric data, the Internet now has a variety of types of information (e.g. travel, health, business, financial) and offers a wide variety of application areas (communication, online support, shopping, bill paying). Furthermore, technical advances such as high-speed transmission as well as affordable computer systems and moderns have made Internet access possible to large numbers of people, many of whom, unlike computer users in the past, do not have technical skills. In fact, use of the Internet has become an integral part of daily life and is increasingly used in most settings including the home.
