Course Content
1. Internet and web browser
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1.1
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1.2
2. How to search for engines to obtain information, data, and contents
3. Browser extensions
4. How to search for daily information
5. Other utilities for daily life
6. Viruses and how to contrast them
Our computers can always be exposed to many threats. Among them, we remember viruses, malware.
7. Pragmatic info to prevent phising
8. Conclusion
During this module, we have gained a clear understanding of the Internet world and how to move inside it. We give you a set of practical instruments and resources to travel in the digital world, managing a complex system of digital data and information. However, we’ll let remind you that as in every place you will struggle with any risk or problem. For this, using the suggestions of the present module you will better know and act the digital world to optimize your productivity and your awareness in daily business life.
1.2 Web Browser
What is an Internet Browser (Web browser)? In information technology, the web browser – also known simply as “browser” is a particular software that allows you to browse the Web, download or upload resources such as pages, images, videos, music, and other types of digital content, intercepting them using an appropriate URL. Each existing resource on the Web usually has one or more suitable links.
The web browser is a program that can be installed on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) and that allows you to browse, scroll and interact with a site.
Source: https://pixabay.com/it/vectors/browser-internet-tab-nuova-scheda-1666995/
Whenever you type the URL of the site you want to visit in the address bar of the browser, the browser will take care of retrieving all the contents of the page and displaying them graphically.
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HTTPS_and_padlock_in_website_address_bar.jpg
Since the contents of the page can come from different sites (a video could come from Vimeo and a piece of music from Youtube, etc) the browser can understand where all the elements are and intercept them instantly.
Currently, there are many different browsers, the most popular for desktop PCs today are Chrome, Opera, Edge (ex-Internet Explorer), Safari, Mozilla, etc.
In the figure below you can see (focused on the percentages) which are the most used ones.
Source: https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share
Let’s analyze the most important features of some of them.
– Google Chrome: speed in starting and viewing web pages. It supports the installation of extensions, which allow you to expand its functionality, and applications that create quick links on the browser home page to web applications and games. It can sync pre, history, and extensions across multiple PCs and systems.
– Safari is the default browser of Apple operating systems and has always been synonymous with simplicity and speed. In the most recent versions, it has introduced many useful features, such as the list of pages to “read later” and the simplified reading function that eliminates unnecessary graphics from the sites visited. Syncs with iPhone and iPad.
– Microsoft Edge (new name for Internet Explorer) is the default browser included in all major versions of Windows, but the problem is that there are still no extensions to match those for Firefox and Chrome
– Firefox: its strong point is the support of the open-source community and the availability of many advanced extensions that allow each user to create a customized browser, according to their needs.
– Opera: it was the first to introduce tabbed browsing, previews of the sites visited on the home page, but unfortunately, it didn’t get the success it deserved.
Activity 20 min
Choose and install one of these browsers and visit the official sites listed below. Figure out which one you like the best.
Chrome: https://www.google.it/intl/it/chrome/browser-tools/
Safari: https://www.apple.com/it/safari/
Edge: https://www.microsoft.com/it-it/edge/features
Firefox: https://www.mozilla.org/it/firefox/
Opera: https://www.opera.com/it