Computer Fundamentals

Shambhunath Institue of Engineering & Technology

Unit-6
WWW and Web Browsers

Web Browser-
The web browser is an application software to explore www (World Wide Web). It provides an
interface between the server and the client and it requests to the server for web documents and
services. It works as a compiler to render HTML which is used to design a webpage. Whenever we
search for anything on the internet, the browser loads a web page written in HTML, including text,
links, images, and other items such as style sheets and JavaScript functions. Google Chrome,
Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari are examples of web browsers.

History of the Web Browsers-

The first web browser World Wide Web was invented in the year of 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee. Later, it
becomes Nexus. In the year of 1993, a new browser Mosaic was invented by Mark Andreessen and
their team. It was the first browser to display text and images at a time on the device screen. He also
invents another browser Netscape in 1994. Next year Microsoft launched a web browser Internet
Explorer which was already installed in the Windows operating system. After this many browsers
were invented with various features like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, etc. For more
detail refer this article: History of Web Browsers

How does a Web Browser Work?

A web browser helps us find information anywhere on the internet. It is installed on the client
computer and requests information from the web server such a type of working model is called a
client-server model.

Client-server model
The browser receives information through HTTP protocol. In which transmission of data is defined.
When the browser received data from the server, it is rendered in HTML to user-readable form and,
information is displayed on the device screen.

Internet Explorer (IE)-

Internet Explorer (IE) is a web browser developed by Microsoft. First released in 1995 as part of the
add-on package Plus! for Windows 95, it became a essential part of the Microsoft family of operating
systems. For many years, Internet Explorer was the dominant browser in terms of usage, mainly
because it was the default browser on Windows machines, the most widely used desktop operating
system.
Internet Explorer became popular because it was bundled with the Windows operating system, which
had a dominant market share. Its integration with Windows and features like ActiveX controls gave it
an edge over competitors.
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Features of Internet Explorer-

Here are some of the most important features of the IE Web browser –
1. User Interface: Internet Explorer had a simple and familiar interface. It included a menu bar,
navigation buttons (like back, forward, refresh, and stop), an address bar where you could type
the URL of a website, and a favorites bar where shortcuts to frequently visited sites could be
stored. This made navigating the web straightforward and user-friendly.
2. Favorites and Bookmarks: This feature allowed users to save their favorite websites in a
dedicated folder called “Favorites.” You could easily organize these bookmarks into folders,
making it simpler to manage and access sites you visited often.
3. Security Features: Internet Explorer included several built-in security features to protect users
from malicious websites and downloads. These features included a pop-up blocker to stop
unwanted advertisements, a phishing filter to warn against suspicious websites, and settings to
manage privacy and security levels. Over the years, Microsoft added more advanced features
like Smart-screen Filter, which helped detect and block malicious websites and downloads
before they could cause harm.
4. Compatibility with Windows: As a Microsoft product, Internet Explorer was deeply integrated
with the Windows operating system. This meant that it could leverage various Windows features,
like updating through Windows Update and offering support for ActiveX controls. ActiveX
allowed developers to create interactive content, but it also posed security risks, which were
addressed in later versions of IE and Windows.
5. Browsing History: Internet Explorer kept a detailed record of all the websites you visited, which
could be accessed through the history menu. This was useful for returning to a previously visited
site without remembering the exact URL. Users could also clear their browsing history for
privacy reasons.
6. Add-ons and Extensions: Although not as extensive as those available for browsers like Firefox
or Chrome, Internet Explorer supported add-ons and extensions. These could enhance the
browser’s functionality, such as adding toolbars, ad blockers, and other utilities that extended
what you could do with IE.

Programming Languages Internet Explorer Support

Internet Explorer supported a variety of programming languages and technologies for web
development throughout its lifespan. Here are some of the main ones:
1. HTML (HyperText Markup Language): This is the foundational language for creating web pages.
Internet Explorer supported various versions of HTML, evolving its support as the standard developed
over time.
2. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): CSS is used for styling web pages. Internet Explorer’s support for CSS
improved over its versions, although earlier versions were known for having issues with CSS
compliance, which sometimes led to inconsistencies in how pages appeared compared to other
browsers.
3. JavaScript: This is a scripting language used to create dynamic content on websites, such as
interactive forms, animations, and other user interactions. Internet Explorer included support for
JavaScript, but its implementation was often different from other browsers, which could lead to
compatibility issues.
4. Vb Script: A scripting language similar to JavaScript but based on Visual Basic, Vb Script was
supported primarily by Internet Explorer. It was used mainly in enterprise environments within
intranets or on Windows-based web applications. Over time, its use declined in favor of more
universally supported scripts like JavaScript.
5. XML (eXtensible Markup Language): Internet Explorer supported XML, a tool used for data storage
and transport. IE included features to parse XML data and transform it using XSLT (eXtensible
Stylesheet Language Transformations).
6. XHTML (eXtensible HyperText Markup Language): This is a stricter version of HTML, which follows
XML formatting rules. Internet Explorer supported XHTML, allowing developers to write cleaner and
more error-free code.
7. ActiveX: While not a programming language, ActiveX is a framework for defining reusable software
components in a programming language like C++ or Visual Basic. It allowed Internet Explorer to host
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applications and interact with the Windows operating system more deeply. ActiveX was powerful but
also posed significant security risks, which led to its decline.
8. AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML): Internet Explorer supported AJAX, a technique for
creating fast and dynamic web pages. AJAX allows web pages to be updated asynchronously by
exchanging small amounts of data with the server behind the scenes. This means it is possible to
update parts of a web page without reloading the whole page.
9. JScript: Microsoft’s implementation of the ECMAScript standard, which is the standardized version
of JavaScript. JScript was developed by Microsoft and supported in Internet Explorer alongside
JavaScript, offering some proprietary features not found in standard JavaScript.

Mozilla Firefox Browser-

Mozilla Firefox Browser is an open-source and free web browser. It is one of the most popular web
browsers in the world, with over 200 million dynamic clients. Firefox is known for its speed, security,
and security highlights. The Firefox browser is built on a modular architecture, meaning it’s composed
of independent components that work together to provide a seamless browsing experience.
Table of Content

Advantages of Firefox Architecture

1. Flexibility: Allows for easier development and integration of new features.
2. Stability: Isolates potential issues within individual components to prevent them from affecting
the entire browser.
3. Security: Enhances security by minimizing the attack surface for vulnerabilities.

Types of components in the Firefox architecture

There are two main types of components in the Firefox architecture:
1. Content Processes: Responsible for rendering web pages, executing JavaScript code, and
handling media playback. Each web page has its dedicated content process for isolation and
performance.
2. Chrome Processes: Handle the user interface, browser settings, and other background
tasks. These processes are shared across all web pages for efficiency.

Firefox Browser Architecture

The Firefox browser architecture is a complex system designed for efficiency, security, and stability.
It’s built around a multi-process architecture, where different components run in separate processes
to prevent crashes and improve performance. Here’s a breakdown of the key components:

Architecture of Firefox Browser

1. Main Process:
This process is responsible for managing the overall browser functionality, including:
 User interface elements like the address bar, menus, and tabs.
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 Add-ons and extensions.
 The main browser window.
It also acts as a central hub for communication between other processes.
2. Content Processes:
Each open web page runs in its separate process, isolated from other web pages and the main process.
This isolation helps to prevent crashes and security vulnerabilities from spreading to other parts of
the browser.
Each content process contains:
The Gecko rendering engine is responsible for parsing and rendering web pages.
The JavaScript engine executes JavaScript code within web pages.
The WebAssembly engine, which executes WebAssembly code.
3. Other Processes:
Additional processes handle specific tasks, such as:
Plugins (like Flash or PDF viewers)
Network requests
Graphics and video rendering
GPU acceleration
4. Communication between processes:
Processes communicate with each other through a mechanism called Inter-process Communication
(IPC).
This allows them to exchange data and information without directly accessing each other’s
memory, further enhancing security.
5. XPCOM (Cross-Platform Component Object Model):
XPCOM is a component technology that facilitates communication between different parts of the
browser, regardless of their programming language (C++ or JavaScript).
It allows for a more modular and flexible architecture, making the browser easier to develop and
extend.

What is Surfing in Computer-

Surfing in computing is a term used to describe the activity of browsing or navigating through various
web pages and websites on the Internet, in the same way TV viewers would quickly flip from channel
to channel searching for programs that interest them most. In computing, software tools exist that
allow individual users to access massive amounts of data stored in remote systems and transform
them into usable, understandable forms. This is what is known as surfing.

Types of Surfing-
Following are the various types of surfing with descriptions:
1. Casual Surfing: Searching the internet aimlessly, doing so for fun or to rest oneself. This can
involve following up on current affairs, viewing clips, or looking through friends’ posts on
Facebook.
2. Informational Surfing: When users talk about navigating specific details or asking queries, this
further shows us that we usually employ search engines to locate articles, guides, essays, as well
as pieces of information.
3. Focused Surfing: Purposeful online activities such as shopping online, making travel
arrangements, and finishing a professional task make it easy to move around the internet.
4. Social Surfing: Using such social media platforms as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
You get to see what other people have posted, then post your own, and finally comment on
their posts.

Tools and Techniques for Surfing-

To make web surfing more efficient users often utilize various tools and techniques:
1. Bookmarks: Bookmarking saves favorite or frequently visited websites so you can access them
easily.
2. Tabs: Tabs open multiple web pages in one browser window, which allows one to easily switch
between different sites.
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3. Extensions and Add-ons: Add-ons and extensions are tools that customize browser behavior like
preventing advertisements from showing up on your screen, remembering your passwords
securely, or enhancing productivity levels while surfing online or offline.
4. RSS Feeds: Automatically getting the latest posts from favorite websites is another great
advantage of RSS feeds.

What is URL (Uniform Resource Locator)-

A URL or Uniform Resource Locator is a Unique identifier that is contained by all the resources
available on the internet. It can help to locate a particular resource due to its uniqueness. It is also
known as the web address. A URL consists of different parts like protocol, domain name, etc. The
users can access the URLs by simply typing them inside the address bar or by clicking any button or
link web page.

Example URL:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/

Structure of a URL-
A URL starts with a protocol followed by the name of the resource that has to be accessed. URL uses
the protocols as the primary access medium to access the domain or subdomain specified after that
wherever the resource is located. It uses multiple protocols like HTTP (Hypertext Transfer
Protocol), HTTPS Protocol (Secured HTTP), mail to for emails, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) for files,
and TELNET to access remote computers. Mostly the protocol names are specified using the colons
and the double forward slashes, but the mail to protocol is specified using the colons only.

Different Parts of a URL-

A URL consists of multiple parts that can helps you to visit a particular page on the internet. Every part
of a URL has its own importance. Let us discuss about the different parts of a URL.

Reference URL:

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/array-data-structure/?ref=home-articlecards#what-is-array
1. The protocol or scheme:
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A URL starts with a protocol that is used to access the resource on the internet. The resource is
accessed through the Domain Name System or DNS. There are multiple protocols available to use
like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, mail to, TELNET etc. The protocol used in the above URL is https.
2. Domain or Host Name:
It is the reference or name of the page that you are going to access on the internet. In this case, the
domain name is: www.geeksforgeeks.org.
3. Port Name:
It is defined just after the domain name by using the colons between itself and the domain name.
Generally, it is not visible in the URL. The domain name and the port name combinely can be known
as Authority. The default port for web services is port80 (:80).
4. Path:
It refers to the path or location of a particular file or page stored on the web server to access the
content of it. The path used here is: array-data-structure.
5. Query:
A query mainly found in the dynamic pages. It consists of a question mark(?) followed by the
parameters. In above URL query is: ?.
6. Parameters:
These are the pieces of information inside a query string of URL. Multiple parameters can be passed
to a URL by using the ampersand(&) symbol to separate them. The query parameter in above URL
is: ref=home-articlecards.
7. Fragments:
The fragments appear at the end of a URL starts with a Hashtag(#) symbol. These are the internal
page references that refers to a specific section within the page. The fragment in the above URL
is: #what-is-array.

What are Search engines?

Search engines are programs that allow users to search and retrieve information from the vast
amount of content available on the internet. They use algorithms to index and rank web pages based
on relevance to a user’s query, providing a list of results for users to explore. Popular search engines
include Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
For example: a student wants to learn C++ language so he searches the “C++ tutorial
GeeksforGeeks” in the search engine. So the student gets a list of links that contain the tutorial links
of GeeksforGeeks or we can say that a search engine is an internet-based software program whose
main task is to collect a large amount of data or information about what is on the internet, then
categorize the data or information and then help user to find the required information from the
categorized information. Google, Yahoo, and Bing are the most popular Search Engines.

Usage of Search Engine-

Search engines have so many usages and some of them are:
 Searching for information: People use a search engine to search for any kind of information
present on the internet. For example, Rohit wants to buy a mobile phone but he does not know
which one is the best mobile phone. So he searches “best mobile phones in 2021” in the search
engine and gets the list of best mobile phones along with their features, reviews, and prices.
 Searching images and videos: Search engines are also used to search images and videos. There
are so many videos and images available on the internet in different categories like plants,
animals, flowers, etc., you can search them according to your need.
 Searching location: Search engines are also used to find locations. For example, Seema is on a
Goa trip but she doesn’t know the location of Palolem beach. So she searches “Palolem beach”
on the search engine and then the search engine gives the best route to reach Palolem beach.
 Searching people: Search engines are also used to find people on the internet around the world.
 Shopping: Search engines are also used for shopping. Search engines optimize the pages to meet
the needs of the user and give the lists of all the websites that contain the specified product
according to the best price, reviews, free shipping, etc.
 Entertainment: Search engines are also used for entertainment purposes. It is used to search
videos, movies, games, movie trailers, reviews of movies, social networking sites, etc. For
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example, Rohan wants to watch a movie named “Ram”, then he searches this movie on a search
engine and the search engine returns a list of links (of the websites) that contain the Ram movie.
 Education: Search engines are also used for education. With the help of search engines, people
can learn anything they wanted to learn like cooking, programming languages, home decorations,
etc. It is like an open school where you can learn anything for free.

Moving around the Web from one site to another is ref

erred as the browsing-
 The internet has enormous amounts of websites to offer. The end users can easily move around
from one website to the another website, according to the own choice.
 This action of moving through different websites on the internet, is popularly known as the
browsing.
 From this browsing term, the Internet applications are named as internet browsers.

The 5 best ways to print and save web pages on

Windows-
There are ways to improve your printing and saving experience in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other
modern browsers running on Windows.

Modern-day websites aren’t usually built for printing. Whether you want to print a web page on
paper, save it as a PDF, or capture a clean screenshot for archival purposes, it’s often harder than it
should be. Plus, so much junk — advertisements, pop-ups, navigation elements, and more — can
get in the way of a nicely printed document.

But printing and saving web pages is still critical. Whether you’re dealing with an online receipt, a
confirmation page, important research, or critical business documents, you often want to keep
your own copy of a web page — just in case.

Windows web printing path #1: Print to PDF

On Windows and in other operating systems, all modern browsers have built-in PDF-printing
features. Just select the “Print” option in your browser’s menu and choose “Save as PDF” or “Save
to PDF” as your printer device.

You’ll be able to save the PDF file to a document anywhere you like. Simple. Perhaps you want to
save it to cloud storage rather than printing it on the office printer.

On modern versions of Windows, you can also print to PDF from any application. Windows 10 and
Windows 11 include a built-in “PDF printer.” Start printing in nearly any application and choose
the “Microsoft Print to PDF” printer device to use it.
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Windows web printing path #2: Reader Mode

If you’re printing a document and there are ads, images, and other unnecessary elements getting in the
way, try Reader Mode. This applies to any type of printing — whether you’re printing on paper or
printing to PDF.

Reader Mode is easy to activate if you’re using Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Brave, or many other
browsers (such as Safari in macOS). Just click the document-shaped button that appears at the right side
of your web browser’s address bar while reading an online article.

Google Chrome makes this a little harder. Chrome only offers a “Reading mode” that appears as a sidebar
— and you can’t print from there. You’ll need a browser extension to do so; the Reader View extension
for Chrome is a good option.
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Once you’ve activated Reader Mode in your browser, you can print normally. Right-click the page and select
“Print,” or choose “Print” from your browser’s menu. You’ll be printing the simplified view shown in Reader
Mode, and it will be much cleaner.
If you’re using the Reader View extension for Chrome, be sure to click the “Print” button at the left side of
the reading mode page to get the cleanest possible printout with no buttons in the way.

Windows web printing path #3: Print just part of a page

Modern browsers let you print just part of a web page, too. To do so, select some text and other
elements on the web page with your mouse. Then, right-click your selection and, within the Windows
context menu for your browser, select “Print” or “Print selection.”

Your browser will then show you a print preview containing just the parts of the page you selected.

Other options in the Windows Print dialog are also useful. For example, you can often save a lot of paper
— or get a smaller PDF file with fewer unnecessary pages — by selecting just the pages you want to print
in the print dialog. The print preview will help you determine which ones you need to print.

Windows web printing path #4: Save a screenshot

Printing to PDF is fine — especially once you’ve cleaned things up first with Reader Mode. But many
pages will look weird once you print them as a PDF. You might want to save a copy of the web page that
looks just like it does in your browser.

You can do this by using normal screenshot tools like the Snipping Tool built into Windows —
press Windows+Shift+S or Print Screen to launch it. But that’s not ideal, because you can only capture
what you see on your screen at that exact moment.

Instead, consider creating a full-page screenshot that captures the entire page — even parts that you
have to scroll to see. This is easy if you’re Mozilla Firefox or Edge. Just right-click a page and select the
“Screenshot” option in the context menu, then select the “Full Page” option. You’ll get a PNG image file
with everything visible on the page.

Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox have powerful full-page screenshot tools built in. Google buries a
similar feature in Chrome.

Chris Hoffman, IDG

In Chrome, you’ll need a browser extension — unless you want to dig into the developer console, where
Google buried this feature. GoFullPage is a good extension that will capture a full-page screenshot.
Note: this will create an image of the web page, so links won’t be clickable. On the other hand, if you
create a PDF from a web page, you will have clickable links. There’s a place for both. In fact, if you’re
saving a particularly important web page for later, you might even want to create both a screenshot and
a PDF.

Windows web printing path #5: Clip to OneNote

If you’re creating a digital copy of a web page as a PDF file or screenshot, you’ll need to organize and
archive it. A better solution might be clipping it to a note-taking app you already use.

Microsoft OneNote is one of the best note-taking applications for Windows PCs — and other platforms,
too. With OneNote, you can install the OneNote Web Clipper extension and clip either full web pages or
sections of them to OneNote, storing them alongside your notes in a way that best fits your organization
style. (This extension is available for Chrome, Edge, Brave, and other Chromium-based browsers.
Unfortunately, Microsoft no longer offers it for Firefox.)

These aren’t bookmarks: You’ll have the full text of the web page, so you can search it, and you’ll have
your own copy in case you can no longer access the web page in the future.

You can also just copy-paste parts of a web page directly to OneNote or another note-taking application
you use.
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What is downloading?
Downloading is the transmission of a file or data from one computer to another over a network, usually
from a larger server to a user device. Download can refer to the general transfer of data or to transferring
a specific file. It can also be called to download, DL or D/L.

All internet use requires downloading data. While browsing websites or using apps, the computer or
mobile device is downloading data. This data could be the text, images or videos used on the pages or
apps that users visit. Most of this data is only kept for long enough for it to be used once and then
removed from the device.

When users want to keep the data on their device, they download the data to it. This could be a file,
document or app that they want to keep permanently. When they download it, users make a copy of the
data from what is on the central computer, called the server.

In general use, the word download is used for both the process of copying the data and for the resulting
file. Download is also mostly used in the context of copying data from a larger central server. While not a
hard-and-fast rule, if the data is moving between two peer client devices or between two pieces of local
data storage, such as from a compact disc to a hard disk drive, it would be called transferring data and
not downloading.

Taking data or a file from a client device and copying it to a server is called an upload.

Chatting on Internet-
Chatting refers to the kind of communication done with the help of the internet which present
live transmission of text messages from sender to receiver. Online chatting can be termed as
the point-to-point, one sender-to-one receiver, or one sender-to-many receiver. It also features
voice, video, and also web conferencing services. Chatting can be done as a chat-based as well
as video-based (using webcams). Chatting nowadays has evolved uniquely. In today’s world, we
have a lot of applications and websites which are widely used across the world. Chatting over
the internet has made it a lot easier to have a conversation with anyone. People from any
corner of the world are now able to contact the person on the other edge.
Following are the most common type of chatting:
 Instant Messaging: It is the most common way of chatting. It is text-based
communication. It happens between two people or groups of people.
 Internet Relay Chat: It is known as IRC. It is also a text-based chat. It is not owned by
any company and to use IRC we need a client program. Using IRC we can participate in
discussion channels or can communicate with only two partners or users.
 ICQ: It is known as I seek you. It is the most useful communication program. Using ICQ
we can send files, URLs, and more. It is just like instant messaging but allows you to
enter into the chat room and can chat with multiple people at a time.
 Voice Chatting: We can chat not only with text but also with sounds as well. It is known
as voice chatting. Voice chatting can be used with the internet just as a phone call.
Internet voice call is free and unlimited, it only needs a good internet connection.
 Video chatting: Video chatting is also a kind of chatting which is also done with the help
of the internet and it also requires a webcam as it is a face to face chatting. Internet
speed required by video chatting is higher as compared to text and video chatting. And
a good quality camera too.