CTImusic
News

Spring 1995

World Wide Web - An Introduction

Lisa Whistlecroft

What is the World Wide Web?

At its simplest, the World Wide Web (WWW) is a collection of files (or 'pages') of information, distributed amongst computers around the world, all connected via the Internet. Each page is identified and located by means of a unique address, known as a URL, but can be linked by its author to any number of further pages, either on the same machine or on any other machine on the Web.

The medium of Hypertext provides the links between pages, which usually appear as underlined or distinctively coloured parts of the text and can be followed to their destination by a simple click of a mouse. This provides a complex series of pathways through the system, which can be followed in any sequence from page to page and from site to site. Hence the 'Web' of the name.

Pages are not confined to presenting information in the form of text, but may use graphics, sound and moving images. The WWW was conceived as an interactive vehicle for multilateral information exchange, providing both ease of use and uniformity of access to all of its contents. It is your free point of access to the so-called 'Information Superhighway'.

There are two distinct sides to Web usage. Firstly, there are the people who put information on the web and, secondly, the people who read it. Most providers are, of course, also readers. Similarly, operation of the WWW is carried out at two levels. Dedicated computers ('servers') deliver, on request, the pages that the information providers have placed there. Servers are left running most of the time to ensure that the information is always available. Requests come through the second layer of operation: the browser ('client') which is only used when someone wants to obtain information from the Web. Each piece of information needs only to be held and maintained at one site - because this original is read via links from other pages, it can be widely accessible without a requirement for additional copies which would inevitably become out of date.

What does it offer?

The World Wide Web is currently the fastest-growing network of information that has ever been known. There is information out there about absolutely everything - from train timetables and phone directories, through university prospectuses, to museum and art collections and other information accessible hitherto only in university and national libraries. The problems occur as soon as you need to locate something specific. The very webbiness makes it a little like being presented with the unbound pages of a large encyclopaedia - impossible to find the information that you want. Following interesting-looking links at your leisure ('surfing' the Internet) can be tremendous fun but it can also be a great time-waster. Browsers usually allow you to save pointers to pages you may want to visit again and most information providers also assemble collections of useful (or at least related) links to other sites. Needless to say, this can result in readers going round in circles - another reason why the web analogy is so apt!

How do you get to it?

Access to the WWW is possible from any computer which is attached to the 'outside world' - if you can receive electronic mail you should be able to access the Web. You will need appropriate software - principally a browser. The simplest of these can access only textual material - to be able to view still graphics and video and to hear sounds from the Web, you will need more sophisticated software. You may also need some add-on programs ('players' or 'helper applications') - and, of course, you will need computer hardware capable of providing suitable play-back. If you are running a computer which delivers your electronic mail to your desktop, then you should be able to use a Web browser that can handle graphics and sound as well. Currently, the most popular browsers are Mosaic, Netscape and WinWeb or MacWeb. Your best starting strategy is probably to ask your computer centre, or departmental computing enthusiast, what Web access software they recommend and ask them to load it on to your computer for you. You will probably need their help to get the more complex options (like music playback) to work properly too.

Do remember that the Web is still in its infancy - it tends to demand a lot of attention and does not always behave in the way that you might expect or want. Remember also that information may not always be accessible - servers can disappear temporarily without warning and links can be broken if the original provider moves or renames any their source pages. It is considered polite to leave a forwarding link in these circumstances but not all providers do so.

CTI on the Web

The CTI has recently moved into publishing on the Web. CTI Music has its own 'home page' containing information about the Centre and up-to-date copies of some of our lists and directories. We have also tried to compile links to the most relevant music pages - particularly those that themselves contain many music-related links and those with a strong educational bias. We hope eventually to house or link to multimedia teaching materials that students will be able to access and download for themselves, returning their course assignments by integrated electronic mailing systems.

Finally, you will need to know the Internet address of the CTI Music Web home page. It is http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/music/research/CTI.html. We would very much like to know if it contains the sort of information you want - you can send us messages directly from several of our pages and we will do our best to provide what you ask for.

Thanks are due to Gordon Inkster and Steve Benner, both of Lancaster University, who provided many of the words for this introduction - though mostly not in the order in which they now appear!