UNIT 8 INTERNET AND E-MAILING

Structure
8.1 Introduction
Objectives

Internet and E-mailing

8.2 Internet Basics

8.2.1 Key Usages 8.2.2 Internet Connectivity Options 8.2.3 Internet Protocols

8.3 Starting the Internet

8.3.1 Common Terminology 8.3.2 Browser Functions 8.3.3 Net Surfing

8.4 Searching
8.4.1 Google 8.4.2 Yahoo

8.5 E-mailing
8.5.1 Creating an E-mail Account 8.5.2 Checking E-mail 8.5.3 Sending E-mail 8.5.4 E-mail Attachments 8.5.5 Some Tips for E-mailing

8.6 Internet Chat 8.7 Summary 8.8 Answers to SAQs

8.1 INTRODUCTION
This unit familiarizes you with the basics of Internet. It also highlights the key usages that the Internet is put to, the various options available to connect to the Internet, the common terms associated with the Internet and facilities available on the Internet. It also details how you could set up your own e-mail account for sending and receiving mails and use the Internet chat facility to keep in touch with your friends anywhere in the world.

Objectives
After studying this unit, you should be able to identify the key usages of the Internet, understand the various options available for Internet connectivity along with their merits and limitations, identify the Internet protocol used for transmitting and receiving data over the Internet, understand the common terminology used in context with the Internet, use the search facility to search for, virtually, any information available on the Internet, create and use your e-mail account to send and receive messages, and use the Internet chat to communicate with people in other cities and 209

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countries.

8.2 INTERNET BASICS

In the past, computers were stand-alone systems. Transferring information from one computer to another required media like a floppy disk or tape. Resources like the CD-ROM drive and peripherals like printers and scanners could not be shared across computers. Interconnecting the computers or networking came as a welcome solution resulting in a cost-effective way to share equipment across all connected computers thereby helping people work collectively. A network can be as simple as linking two computers or may consist of hundreds and thousands of different types of computers and peripherals, connected directly or indirectly. The Internet is simply a series of computers, linked to one another around the world, communicating almost instantaneously with one another. It comprises tens and thousands of computer networks (a single network may consist of all the computers of an office linked to each other. A larger network may be connecting all the computers within a university premises) communicating with each other like a big net or web! It can be termed as a network of networks. These computer networks are physically linked with one another through telephone, radio, cable lines, satellite, or even fiber optic. The Internet has literally put a world of information at ones fingertips. The Internet is the best thing that could have happened to us. Computer Networks are available in different types : Local Area Network (LAN) LAN connects two or more communication devices (like computers and printers) over a relatively short distance. LANs usually work within an office premises, a factory or a campus where communication devices are connected through a cable, within a distance of 2000 feet. Most LAN networks are shared medium networks, where the workstations shares and waits for its turn to use a resource such as printer, plotter etc. Newer terms like WLAN and Bluetooth Technology are also associated with LAN today. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Wireless local area network provides LAN connectivity within a small geographic area, normally within 150 meters, and is typically used where cabling is either not possible or would be very cumbersome, for instance, you may wish to provide LAN connectivity in an open air restaurant! Bluetooth Technology Bluetooth technology is a wireless medium for sharing information across computers and other electronic devices like mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) etc., using low power radio frequency. Wide Area Network (WAN) WAN networks span larger areas than a single building or a campus. They are long-haul networks covering wide geographical areas and often require multiple communication connections like leased lines, satellites and

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microwave radio links to interconnect various LANs. LANs are usually measured in feet, while WANs are measured in miles. Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) A group of LANs connected through a high-speed, seamless interconnection, within a metropolitan area, is termed as a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). The word metropolitan does not necessarily mean a city but can be any area that is spread out, but is treated as one entity, e.g. a company having its two buildings on the opposite sides of the road. MAN connects users with computer resources in a geographic area that is larger than that covered by a LAN but smaller than the area covered by a WAN. A recent trend includes installations of wireless MANs.

Internet and E-mailing

8.2.1 Key Usages

The key usages that the Internet is put to include: Online Shopping Online shopping is one of the biggest uses of the Net. Internet has helped in removing all barriers of distance and nationality. Logging onto a web portal, you can buy products and services from across the globe and pay for the same using your international credit/debit cards. All without ever having to step away from your office or home computer! Online shopping has evolved from simple purchase and sale transactions to sophisticated online bidding and auctioning. From purchasing of gum chewed by Britney Spears to buying a state-of-art car, can all be done using web portals like eBay.com, Bazee.com, etc. Internet Telephony and Chatting Till a few years ago chatting on the Internet was one of the fastest growing uses of the World Wide Web. In a typical chat session, two or more individuals (from anywhere in the world) would log in to a chat room and converse with each other by typing. The typed message was instantaneously relayed on the computers of the chat room individuals. Because of its ease of use and anonymity, this was a greatly favoured medium among students, businessmen and housewives alike. Some years ago some smart geeks figured out that Internet grid does not care what you send over it. Whether it is data, voice or video its all the same for the Net pipe. So, it is no wonder that you can now call up any phone number in the world through a computer based Internet line at a fraction of a cost of a normal landline call. Improvements in connectivity speed and proliferation of broadband has ensured that the voice and picture quality of Internet telephony is not only as good, but sometimes even better than that of conventional phones. It is just a matter of time when all calls will be local calls! Distance Education Because of its non-intrusive and flexible mechanism, the Internet provides a perfect medium for knowledge sharing and information dissemination. As with other things, Internet has removed the geographical barriers such that a professor delivering a lecture in California can be heard and seen in real-time

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in Hyderabad. Students, especially those who are working, need not now be physically present in a classroom. You can now pursue specialized higher studies in the comfort of your own office or home all you need is a simple desktop and a reliable internet connection. Sharing Music and Books Napster.com pioneered the concept of sharing music between music lovers. Although Napster.com is now no longer a free music site, there are hundreds of other web clones with slight variations, who offer free download of music. The publishing industry has also realized the immense potential of e-books (electronic books). No printing costs, no distribution costs, and no stocking costs! Simply convert your paperback book into an electronic one (most commonly an Adobe Acrobat file) and let web browsers download this by making online payment at considerably reduced rates. Banking The banking industry was the first one to use IT in a major way to automate operations and save costs. It was banks who pioneered the concept of ATMs which made the paradigm shift of outsourcing bank-office work back to the clients. In an ATM, the bank customer himself/herself feeds in his account details instead of a bank clerk, thereby saving the bank considerable time and money. This concept became the cornerstone for the BPO industry especially the ITES (IT Enabled Services). Internet provides the next logical step towards taking the bank to the doorstep of the customer. You can now view your account details, transfer money, make requests for cheque books and drafts, get information on new products and services, all by accessing the banks website. Travel The travel industry has been another major gainer from the Internet boom. Whether it is the hotels, motels or inns, airlines, train companies, taxi or car rental companies all of these have gained tremendously, by offering their services through websites. The customers, on the other hand, have also greatly benefitted because they can now compare rates, make online bookings, avail rock-bottom discounts, make last minute iternary changes, and pay online without having to run around multiple offices. This convenience has not only made travel more comfortable, but because of easy access of information and bookings, expanded the travel market substantially, by reaching out to people who would not have traveled so often otherwise. Bill Payments Thanks to the government sector also for realizing the benefits of IT, it is now possible to make online payments of public utilities like electricity, phones, water etc. by using credit cards as a payment medium. Private sector companies were anyway ahead in the race and so you can virtually buy almost anything on the Net by making online payments.

8.2.2 Internet Connectivity Options

There are various options available to connect to the Internet. The commonly used ones are explained below. Dial-Up 212 Dial-up provides connecting a device to a network using modem over the public telephone network. Dial-up access is really just like a phone

connection, except that instead of two individuals on the two ends you have computer devices. Since the dial-up uses the regular telephone lines, the quality of connection is not always good. In the past, the maximum data transfer rate over a dial-up connection was limited to 56 kbps (56,000 bits per second). Newer technologies are providing better transfer rates. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) ISDN, as the name suggests, is a digital communications line. It allows for transmission of data, voice, video and graphics, at very high speeds, over standard communication lines. ISDN lines can carry large amounts of data, while providing a single common interface to access digital communication services required for varying devices, while keeping it transparent to the end user. Owing to these features, ISDN applications have revolutionized the way businesses communicate. ISDN is not restricted to public telephone networks, but can use packet switched networks, CATV networks, telex etc. Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) A DSL connection is a very high-speed connection that uses the same wires as a regular telephone line. Many local companies, in addition to their regular phone services, also provide Internet services (DSLs). DSLs are, therefore, available in some (not all) areas where regular phone services are available. A DSL connection has a much higher speed of connection than a regular dial-up connection (56 kbps) and the connection can be left open, while you use your phone line for voice calls! The reliability and monthly rates for a DSL connection are comparable to that of the cable network service, but the connection speed is slower. Leased Line An alternative way to connect two computers is through a leased line. It is like a private circuit between the two machines. A leased line can best be understood as a permanent dedicated communication link between two points and is reserved, exclusively for the leased line purchaser. A leased line can be a twisted pair, coax cable, or (more recently) a fibre optic cable. Leased lines have varying data transfer rates, going up to a speed of 1.544 Mbps. Using multiplexing techniques, these transfer rates can be divided between voice and data. Large companies having high Internet usage, usually go in for leased lines since it is a more cost effective solution than the traditional one like ISDN. Cable Internet Services Now-a-day, in addition to the traditional cable services, most of the cable TV companies also provide Internet services. These services come at reasonable monthly rates, are reliable and have high download transmission and upload rates. You could contact your local cable provider to get more information on services provided by them.

Internet and E-mailing

8.2.3 Internet Protocols

Protocol defines a set of rules or code of behaviour. In the context of networking, protocol defines a language of conventions and rules that specify how the data will be packaged, sent and acknowledged. Before we dwell more into the internet protocols, let us first discuss addressing. The Internet consists of a large number of computers connected with each other and hence there is need of a proper addressing system. Each computer within this 213

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network (called a host) must be uniquely identifiable. This is done by attaching a number and a name to it. IP Address The Internet Protocol (IP) address is an unique number that defines the location of your computer, such that it is an identifiable machine within all the computers connected to the Internet. This is a 32-bit number and is divided into four octets. For readability purposes, humans represent these IP addresses in a decimal notation that use periods to separate each octet. For example, the IP address 00001010 00000000 00000000 00000010 in decimal notation separated with periods is represented as 10.0.0.2. Since each byte is 8 bits in length, in each octet in an IP address ranges in value from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 255. Thus, the full range of IP addresses is from 0.0.0.0 through 255.255.255.255 which is total of 4,294,967,296 possible IP addresses. Domain Naming System (DNS) In a network, computers and devices can be grouped together and can be administered as a unit with common rules and procedures, sharing a common name. Such a group is referred to as a Domain. Domain Naming System (or Service), commonly known as the DNS, is an Internet service that translates domain names to or from IP addresses, which is the actual basis of addressing on the Internet. Some examples of domain names include Microsoft.com, Yahoo.com etc. The last three letters of the address provides information about the kind of organization to which the address belongs (Table 8.1). Table 8.1 : Commonly Used Abbreviations in Domain Names
Abbreviation com org net gov edu in What It Represents Commercial organization Non-profit organizations Networking organizations Government agencies Educational institutions Indian organization

Communication Protocol When different computers, peripherals and devices are connected in a network they need to follow a set of standard rules for transmitting and receiving data to avoid data collision. These set of rules and conventions are called Protocols. The Internet uses a set of communication protocols called the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). This protocol enables information to be transferred between dissimilar computers and is, therefore, said to bind the Internet. 214 Technically speaking, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are two distinct network protocols. They are so commonly

used together that TCP/IP has become a standard terminology to refer to either or both of the protocols. TCP When two computers wish to communicate with each other reliably, they establish a connection. This is analogous to making a phone call, say to a friend in California. A connection is established when you dial the number and get a response from the other side. TCP guarantees that when data is sent from one end of the connection, it reaches the other end in the same order. Otherwise, an error is reported. IP Information in a network is transmitted in the form of packets. It is the task of IP to send a packet from one computer to another. It, however, does not verify that the packet actually reaches its destination, or that it reaches error free and in the correct order. Technically, IP corresponds to the Network layer (Layer 3) in the OSI model, whereas TCP corresponds to the Transport layer (Layer 4) in the OSI model (a discussion on the OSI layers is out of scope for this Unit).

Internet and E-mailing

SAQ 1
(a) State TRUE or FALSE (i) (ii) Internet is simply a series of computers linked to one another around the world. LAN connects two or more computers over large areas like across the city.

(iii) Bluetooth technology is a wireless medium using low power radio frequency to share information across devices. (iv) TCP/IP is a set of communication protocols used by the Internet. (b) What are the various connectivity options available to connect to the Internet?

8.3 STARTING THE INTERNET

Before you start using the Internet, it may prove useful to understand some common terminology used in context with the Internet.

8.3.1 Common Terminology

World Wide Web (www) Commonly known as the Web it consists of Internet servers that are connected through hypertext. Related text, organized into units by the user, that can be activated using a link is termed as hypertext. The documents are formatted in a language called HTML (HyperText Markup Language) which supports links to other documents, as well as graphics, audio and video files.

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Such documents are associated with the hyperlink in such a way that when a user clicks on the link, information on that topic is displayed. Thus, hyperlinks allow the user to navigate from one document to another without having to worry about the actual location of the document (which could be the same or another server located miles away). Thus, the World Wide Web has made it possible to share information between disparate users, computers and operating systems. Website The web can be understood as a collection of thousands and millions of information locations connected to each other. Each such location is called a website. A website comprises web pages an electronic page like any other computer document, created using HTML (HyperText Markup Language). Web pages can contain pictures, sound files, videos in addition to text, thus allowing multimedia applications. A website can be created by an individual or an organization and is a virtual location on the web. An Uniform Resource Locator (URL) defines the address of a Website and is used to point to the Websites homepage. The homepage is the first page that is displayed when the website is accessed and serves as a reference point containing pointers or links to additional HTML pages or links to other websites. HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) HTTP can be defined as a protocol (set of rules) for exchanging text, image, sound, video and other multimedia files across the Internet. It typically consists of a HTTP client program at one end, and a HTTP server program on the other. It is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web. Uniform Resource Locator (URL) An URL defines the address of a site on the Internet. It is an abbreviation of Uniform Resource Locator, and states the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. For example : http://msoft.com/index.html ftp://www.freesoft/loadsoft.exe The first part of the address indicates the protocol to be used, and the second part specifies the IP address or the domain name where the resource is located. Above, the first URL specifies a web page to be fetched using the HTTP protocol, while the second URL specifies an executable file to be fetched using the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) protocol.

8.3.2 Browser Functions

Learning a few basic things about browsing the Web, such as how to use the buttons on the Internet Explorer toolbar, will make it fast and easy for you to use the Web. Toolbar (Internet Explorer)

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The row of buttons on top of a web browser is known as the toolbar. It consists of various icons that can be used to execute functions. In fact, most of the options available through the menu bar are also available through the icons in the toolbar. Some commonly used icons are detailed below: Back The back button allows you to navigate to the page you viewed last. Similarly, the forward button on the toolbar navigates to the current page from the previous page. To see a list of the last few pages visited, click on the down arrow button beside the Back and Forward buttons. Stop The stop button can be used to terminate the loading of the current page. This is usually used when you typed the wrong URL by mistake and you want to stop the Web Page from loading or if the webpage takes too long to download. Refresh As the name suggests, the refresh or the reload button is used to load the current webpage again. In other words, it refreshes the contents of the current page by fetching a new copy of it. Search Search allows you to find information on the web. You can find information on the web in a variety of ways : Click the Search button on the toolbar to gain access to a number of search providers. Type a word or phrase in the Search box. Type go, find, or? followed by a word or phrase in the Address bar. Internet Explorer starts a search using its predetermined search provider. After you go to a Web page, you can search for specific text on that page by clicking the Edit menu, and then clicking Find (on this page).

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Favourites Favourites/Bookmarks is used to record addresses of frequently visited websites. Once a website or a web page is added to the favourites list, it can be revisited by simply clicking on the link in the list. This saves the effort of typing the URL, each time the user wishes to visit the same site. As your list of favourite pages grows, you can organize it by creating different folders. For example, you could create a folder named Technology for storing information about sites from where you collect some Technology related information. To organize your favourites into folders : (a) (b) (c) History History is a record of all pages visited in the last few days, hours, or minutes. Clicking on the history button displays a list of all recently visited webpages and/or websites. To revisit any one of them, simply click on the address. Print Print button is used to print contents of the current webpage. Click Organize Favourites on the Favourites menu. Click on Create Folder and press ENTER. Drag the shortcuts in the list to the appropriate folders.

8.3.3 Net Surfing

Net surfing is a term associated with browsing or exploring a network or the World Wide Web to find places of interest, usually without any specific goal in mind. It is analogous to channel surfing with the TVs remote control.

8.4 SEARCHING
You can search for information on virtually any topic on the Internet. This is possible by using websites, that provide a Search engine. One of the most popular search engines is Google. Other commonly used search sites include Yahoo, Rediff, Alta Vista, Hot Bot, AskJeeves, and Khoj.

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8.4.1 Google (www.google.com)

Internet and E-mailing

8.4.2 Yahoo (www.yahoo.com)

Since different search engines use different algorithms, it will give different results for the same search criterion. The user must, therefore, know which search engine is best suited for his/her specific query.

8.5 E-MAILING
E-mailing is one of the most common and popular uses of the Internet. You can send or receive mails from anywhere in the world, that too in a matter of seconds. Through e-mail, you can send and receive any type of file image, video, sound, and, of course, plain text. It is a very versatile and open medium with the advantage of being a low cost one. If you wish to send and receive e-mails, you will need to create an e-mail account for yourself, using a website that offers such services. Various sites provide this facility some charge for it while others dont. Rediff.com is one of the sites that provide for free e-mail services. Other such sites include yahoo.com, hotmail.com, lycos.com and many more. Since we are interested in learning how to use e-mail, let us use services provided by Rediff to do the same. 219

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8.5.1 Creating an E-mail Account

Type the URL http://www.rediff.com in the Internet explorer to visit the Rediff website. The homepage will be displayed as follows :

New User

Since you are a new user at this time, you need to Sign Up as a new user. Click on Sign Up to create yourself as a new user. A new page will be displayed that will allow you to select the kind of account you want Free or paid (these differ in the storage space and additional facilities).

Click here to Create a Free E-mail Account

Once you click on the Sign Up Now button, Rediff displays a registration form and requires you to fill some necessary details like a user ID, password, Name etc. After you register yourself on a website, you become a member and can then simply log into your mail account using the username and password. It is, therefore, very important to remember your username and password because without that you cannot access your e-mail account.

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8.5.2 Checking E-mail

You can access your e-mail at any time by logging into your email. Type the URL http://www.rediff.com in the Internet explorer to visit the Rediff website. Enter your username and password in the home page and click on the Go button to take you to your Inbox.

Username Password Go

Inbox Subject

To read an email, simply click on the subject of the mail. This will display the actual text of the mail for you to read.

Mail Text

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8.5.3 Sending E-mail

To send e-mail, click on Write Mail. The screen that follows would look like this :

Send

Attachments

To In the To box, type the name of the recipient of the form recipient@domain.com. You must enter the correct e-mail ID of the recipient else the message will return to you. Cc CC or Carbon Copy is used to send the message to more than one recipient at the same time. Type in the mail IDs of the additional recipients in this box (you can put more than one mail ID in this box by separating the list with commas). Bcc Bcc stands for Blind Carbon Copy and is used when you wish to send the message to multiple recipients without them being able to see the names of other recipients. All the recipients names will remain hidden. Only you would know the names of members to whom the mail has been sent. Subject The Subject box is used to specify the subject of the mail. The recipient can get a fair idea about the mail contents by looking at the subject. Message Box It is the place provided for typing in your mail message. Once you have typed in your message, simply click on the Send button to send the message to the recipient(s). You will get a message informing you that your mail has been sent.

8.5.4 E-mail Attachments

You can send and receive attachments with mail messages. Attachments are files Browse (of different types like text, sound, video etc.) attached with the mail. Attach Sending Attachments To send an attachment with your mail, click on the Attachments button while writing a new mail. A screen like below is displayed for you to attach the necessary files. 222
Done

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Clicking on the Browse button opens the standard files selection dialog box. It lets you browse through the files on your disk(s) and select the file you want to attach.

Open

Once you locate the file, click on it and then click on the Open button. You can repeat this process if you wish to attach more than one file with your message. Once you are done with the selection of files, click on Attach button to attach the file to your message. Finally, click on the Done button to return to your message. Now when you Send your message, it is sent along with the attachments (files). Opening Attachments If you receive an e-mail with attachment(s), you can view the attached files on-line and/or save these to your disk and view them later. While reading the received mail, clicking on the Go to Attachments button will display the following :

Go to Attachments Download Attachment

Clicking on Download Attachment will display the following screen :

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To view the file without saving it, click on the Open button. The file will open (provided your computer has the associated application installed, e.g. MS Word if the document is a word file, MS Excel in case it is an Excel file and so on) allowing you to view the file contents. Alternatively, you could click on Save to save the file in the desired folder on your disk. You can then view this file(s), whenever you wish, at a later time. A Word of Caution Attachments can prove dangerous to your computer, because these can conceal dangerous viruses or other malicious programs that may destroy the data on your computer. It is, therefore, advisable to scan such files (using anti-virus software) before opening them.

8.5.5 Some Tips for E-mailing

Each day millions of e-mail messages travel over the Internet. Since each of us contributes towards the large volume of such messages and deal with a large number of them on a daily basis, it may be worthwhile keeping the following tips in mind : Arrange your e-mails into different folders (depending on their content). This will organize your mails into different categories, e.g. Travel, Education, Newsletters etc. while leaving only those in your Inbox that require immediate action. Periodically scan your messages to delete the old messages and preserve your e-mail account space. Always write meaningful subject in your mails. You can also set up e-mail filters to avoid cluttering your Inbox. Filters are used to automatically send certain messages (by sender for example) to separate folders. Zip your attachments if they are very big. Scan the attachments received before opening them. Periodically change your password to protect your e-mail account from unauthorized users. Do not forward junk mails or chain letters. Do not forget to log out of your e-mail account.

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8.6 INTERNET CHAT

In the earlier days, the only medium of online communication with people residing in other cities and countries was a long distance call (STD or ISD). With the Internet gaining popularity, options like Internet Telephony, Internet Chat are also becoming the preferred medium of communication. Internet Telephony (or IPT) is characterized by transportation of telephone calls over the Internet. All you need is a microphone, earphone and special software on your PC to talk to anyone on the Internet. This makes the telephonic conversation very cheap and is being widely used amongst the Internet society. Internet Chat (or IRC as it is popularly called) allows you to type in a message, and your friend (anywhere in the world, but logged on to the Net at the same time on the same chat site) would receive it almost instantaneously who can then respond in the same way. Other than the difference of having to type instead of speaking, chatting is almost as good as speaking to another person on the phone. There are various free chat sites that you can use to communicate with other people one of the most popular being Yahoo. You can log on to the free chat site, go to the specific chat room where you have agreed to meet the other person, and start chatting by typing your message. You could go to the Yahoo site by typing the URL http://www.Yahoo.com. Once you have done that, click on Chat from the Yahoo home page.

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Chat

You can now type in your Yahoo ID and Password and then click on Sign in (in case you do not already have a Yahoo account, you can create one by clicking on Sign Up for Yahoo Chat which will let you create a new Yahoo account).

Sign In Sign Up for Yahoo Chat

Once you are logged in you can Enter Chat Room to start chatting. 225

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Enter Chat Room

Clicking on this will take you into a room called Chat Central where you can find many people chatting. You can simply jump in and start chatting. You can also change your chat room by clicking on Change Room to get a list of chat rooms to select from.

Change Room

Type Here and Press the Send Button to Chat

SAQ 2
What is the difference between E-mail and Chat?

8.7 SUMMARY
In this unit, you have studied the key usages of the Internet, the connectivity options available to connect over the Internet, the most common Internet protocol, and the common terminology used in context of the Internet. You have also learnt how to search the Internet using various search engines available. This unit also familiarized you with E-mail and Chat, the two most common uses that the Internet is put to. It details, the steps required to create your own e-mail account, thereby being able to send and receive messages to people anywhere in the world.

8.8 ANSWERS TO SAQs

SAQ 1 (a) 226 (i) True

(ii)

False

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(iii) True (iv) True (b) The various Internet connectivity options include: SAQ 2 E-mail and Chat are popular uses of the Internet. They are both cheap and relatively fast medium for communicating with people anywhere in the world. The main difference between the two is that using e-mail you cannot communicate with people in real time. It requires at least a couple of minutes before reaching the intended person. Chat, on the other hand, is instantaneous. It is as good as speaking to another person over the phone except that you need to type the message instead of speaking. Dial-up Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) Leased Line Cable Internet Services

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