What is the world wide web? - Twila Camp

TED-Ed
12 May 201403:55
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video script explains the World Wide Web (WWW) as a vast virtual city where communication is facilitated through web languages and browsers act as translators. The WWW is distinct from the Internet, which is the underlying network that connects computers for information sharing. Web servers are likened to skyscrapers, with web hosts renting space to share information. Websites are accessed via domain names, and their content is written in languages like HTML and JavaScript. The script highlights the significance of hyperlinks, which allow the web to mimic the interconnected thought patterns of our brains. The WWW is unique for its reflection of society and individual minds, connecting people across various boundaries, and is owned by no one, with services provided by ISPs, hosting companies, and registrars.

Takeaways
  • 🌐 The World Wide Web (WWW) is not the same as the Internet; the Internet is the global network that connects computers, while the WWW is an information space accessed via the Internet.
  • 🏢 Web servers are like skyscrapers that store and share information, and websites are like rooms within these skyscrapers.
  • 💼 Web hosts are the entities that own the web servers and rent out space for websites.
  • 📍 A website's address is crucial for navigation, just like a physical address, and it includes a domain name.
  • 🔡 The content on websites is written in web languages such as HTML and JavaScript, which browsers translate into a user-friendly format.
  • 🛠️ Anyone can set up a web server with the right equipment and knowledge.
  • 🌍 The Web is a virtual city where communication happens in web languages, and browsers act as translators.
  • 🏛️ No one owns the Web; it is a shared space where anyone can participate, although services like ISPs and hosting companies provide access and infrastructure.
  • 🔗 Hyperlinks are the key feature of the Web, allowing for non-linear, interconnected access to information, mirroring our brain's thought patterns.
  • 🧠 The Web's structure and content reflect both the wider society and individual minds, connecting people across various boundaries.
  • ⏳ The Web allows for a connection that transcends not just cultural and demographic barriers, but also those of time and space.
Q & A

  • What is the primary difference between the World Wide Web and the Internet?

    -The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet, while the Internet is the global network of computers that connects them to share information. The Web is an application that uses the Internet to function.

  • How does the Internet facilitate communication between computers?

    -The Internet enables communication between computers through a system of interconnected networks, allowing them to make direct calls or exchange data seamlessly.

  • What is a web server and what is its role in the World Wide Web?

    -A web server is a computer that is always connected to the Internet and is specifically designed to store and share information. It is analogous to a skyscraper in the Web's virtual city, where each 'room' can be rented to host a website.

  • Who are web hosts and what do they do?

    -Web hosts are individuals or companies that own web servers and rent out space to individuals or organizations to host their websites. They provide the necessary infrastructure and services for websites to be accessible on the Web.

  • How does a domain name function in the context of a website address?

    -A domain name is the human-readable address of a website, which is used to locate and access it on the Internet. It functions similarly to a real-life address, providing a way to navigate to the desired content.

  • What are web languages and how do they contribute to the content of websites?

    -Web languages, such as HTML and JavaScript, are the programming languages used to create and structure the content of websites. They define the layout, design, and interactive elements that users see and interact with.

  • What role does a web browser play in accessing the World Wide Web?

    -A web browser is a software application that retrieves, presents, and traverses information resources on the World Wide Web. It interprets web languages and translates the code into a graphical interface that users can interact with.

  • Who can set up a web server and what is required to do so?

    -Anyone can set up a web server if they have the right equipment and a bit of technical know-how. It involves acquiring the necessary hardware, software, and understanding of how to configure and maintain the server.

  • Why is the World Wide Web considered a virtual city?

    -The World Wide Web is likened to a virtual city because it is a vast, interconnected network where users can 'move in' by creating websites, and 'communicate' through web languages, with browsers acting as translators.

  • How does the World Wide Web reflect our individual minds and wider society?

    -The Web reflects our individual minds through its hyperlinked structure, which mirrors the interconnected nature of our thoughts and memories. It reflects wider society by providing a platform for diverse content and interactions that represent various cultures, ideas, and perspectives.

  • What is the significance of hyperlinks in the World Wide Web?

    -Hyperlinks are crucial to the Web as they allow for the linking of pages within a website or redirection to other websites, enabling users to explore related information or ideas in a non-linear, interconnected manner that aligns with our natural thought processes.

  • Why is the World Wide Web considered to be owned by everyone and not by any single entity?

    -The World Wide Web is considered to be owned by everyone because it is a decentralized platform where anyone can create content and share information. No single entity has control over the entire Web, although various service providers offer access and support services.

Outlines
00:00
🌐 Understanding the World Wide Web

The paragraph clarifies the common misconception that the World Wide Web is the same as the Internet. It explains that the Internet is a network enabling computers to share information, while the Web is a specific application of the Internet used for accessing information stored on web servers. Web servers are compared to skyscrapers, with each 'room' rented for website hosting. The paragraph also describes the role of web hosts, domain names, and web languages like HTML and JavaScript in creating and accessing websites. It emphasizes the Web's unique structure, which mirrors our interconnected thought patterns through hyperlinks, and its significance as a shared, global resource.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡World Wide Web
The World Wide Web (WWW) is a system of interlinked hypertext documents that are accessed via the Internet. It is a crucial part of the Internet, allowing users to access information in a structured and interconnected way. In the video, it is emphasized that the Web is not the same as the Internet itself, but rather an application that uses the Internet's connectivity to function.
💡Internet
The Internet is a global network of computers that are interconnected to each other, allowing them to share information and communicate. It forms the infrastructure over which the World Wide Web operates. In the context of the video, the Internet is described as the means by which computers connect and share information, which is distinct from the Web's content and structure.
💡Web Server
A web server is a computer system that stores, processes, and provides access to the files that make up the Web. It is always connected to the Internet and is designed to serve web pages to users. In the video, web servers are likened to skyscrapers, each representing a location where websites are hosted and information is stored and shared.
💡Web Host
A web host is a company or individual that provides services for websites to be viewed on the Internet. They rent out space on their web servers to individuals or organizations looking to host their websites. The video mentions that anyone can become a web host with the right equipment and knowledge.
💡Domain Name
A domain name is the human-readable address of a website on the Internet, used to identify a particular web page. It serves as a way to navigate to the correct location of a website, similar to an address in the physical world. In the video, domain names are compared to real-life addresses, providing a means to locate and access websites.
💡Web Languages
Web languages, such as HTML and JavaScript, are the programming languages used to create and design websites. They define the structure and behavior of web pages. The video explains that the information on websites is stored in these languages, and web browsers translate this code into a user-friendly format of words, graphics, and videos.
💡Web Browser
A web browser is a software application used to access, display, and traverse information on the World Wide Web. It serves as an interface between the user and the web, translating web languages into a visual format. The video emphasizes that web browsers act as translators, allowing users to interact with the Web without understanding the underlying code.
💡Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks are a fundamental element of the World Wide Web, allowing users to navigate between different pages or websites by clicking on links. They enable the non-linear, interconnected flow of information, which mirrors the way human thought processes work. The video highlights that hyperlinks are what make the Web special, as they allow for a more natural and intuitive exploration of information.
💡Tim Berners-Lee
Sir Tim Berners-Lee is a British computer scientist, best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web. He is often referred to as the 'father of the Web.' In the video, he is credited with understanding the need for a system that organizes information in a way that reflects the interconnected nature of human thought, which he achieved through the creation of the Web.
💡Information Organization
Information organization refers to the way data is structured and presented to facilitate ease of access and understanding. The video discusses how the Web's structure, through hyperlinks and interconnected pages, mirrors the natural arrangement of human thoughts and memories, making it a more intuitive system for information consumption.
💡Global Connectivity
Global connectivity refers to the ability of people around the world to communicate and share information regardless of their geographic location. The video emphasizes that the Web connects minds across boundaries of ethnicity, gender, age, time, and space, highlighting the Web's role in fostering a global community.
Highlights

The World Wide Web is used by millions of people every day for various purposes like checking the weather, ordering food, chatting with friends, raising funds, sharing news, and starting revolutions.

The World Wide Web is not the Internet, even though the terms are often used interchangeably.

The Internet is simply the way computers connect to each other to share information.

When the Internet first emerged, computers made direct calls to each other.

Today, networks are all around us, allowing computers to communicate seamlessly.

The most common use of the Internet is accessing the World Wide Web.

The Web can be thought of as a bunch of skyscrapers, each representing a web server that is always connected to the Internet and designed to store and share information.

Starting a website involves renting a room in a skyscraper, filling it with information, and linking that information together in an organized way for others to access.

The people who own these skyscrapers and rent space in them are called web hosts.

Anyone can set up a web server with the right equipment and a bit of know-how.

A website address consists of domain names, which is essential for finding the desired website, just like a real-life address.

The information stored in websites is in web languages like HTML and JavaScript.

Web browsers take the code on a website and turn it into words, graphics, and videos, creating a graphic interface for users.

The World Wide Web is like a big virtual city where we communicate in web languages, with browsers acting as translators.

No one owns the Web; it belongs to all of us, and anyone can move in and set up shop.

Companies provide crucial services like Internet access, web hosting, and domain registration, but they do not own the Web.

The Web's special characteristic lies in its name, as it allows us to consume information in a non-linear, interconnected way, mirroring our thought patterns.

Tim Berners-Lee, the father of the World Wide Web, understood the need for a way to organize information that reflects the natural arrangement of our brains.

Hyperlinks are what make the Web special, as they allow linking several pages within a website or redirecting to other websites to expand on information or ideas immediately.

The Web is an integral part of our lives because it reflects both the wider society and our individual minds in content and structure.

The Web connects our minds across all boundaries, including ethnicity, gender, age, time, and space.

Transcripts

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Related Tags
World Wide WebInternet HistoryWeb ServersHyperlinksInformation SharingWeb LanguagesHTMLJavaScriptBrowser InterfaceGlobal ConnectivityTim Berners-LeeDigital RevolutionCyber InfrastructureWeb HostingDomain NamesThought PatternsSocial ReflectionCultural Exchange