Using Web Browsers

1. Click on the "Home" button in your browser.

a. What is the title and URL of the web page you are defaulted to?
The title is my mason login to blackboard. The URL is mymasonportal.gmu.edu.

b. Why did this appear? How can you change this default setting so that another web page automatically loads when you launch the web browser?
It appears because that is the default. To change your homepage using Firefox you click on the three lines on the far right, on the drop down menu you click on 'Options' then a window pops up and you go to the 'General' tab, click 'Restore to Default' and enter the desired web page.

2. Can you change the appearance of web pages within your browser (e.g., the font face and size)? If so, how? Why would you want to?
Yes, you can change the appearance of a webpage to an extend. If you want the font size to be larger you click 'Ctrl' and '+' this should make the website larger in font. It's good to do this when you have a presentation and need the audience to view the document.

3. What's the default search engine associated with your web browser? How do you get to it?
The default browser on Firefox is Google. It is available near the URL address line.

Searching the Web

4. Head to Google (http://www.google.com)
a. In the search box, type in
learning to make web pages
and click on the "Search" button. How many matches did you get?
Visit a couple of the sites in the search results list.
Can you estimate how many of the searches actually relate to learning to make web pages?
When I searched 'learning to make web pages' there were 153,000,000 matches.
I estimate only the first several sites pertain to the search.

b. Return to the front page of Google. In the search box, type in
"learning to make web pages"
(with quotation marks) and click on the "Search" button. How many matches did you get?
Link to a couple of the sites in the search results list.
Can you estimate how many of the searches actually relate to learning to make web pages?
When I entered "learning to make web pages" there are 9,530 matches.
With the quotation marks more websites pertain to the search.

Repeat the same tasks for the following websites:
For www.bing.com with 'learning to make web pages' there are 53,000,000 matches. For www.yahoo.com with 'learning to make web pages' there are 57,900,000 matches. With in quotations there are 22,900 matches. For www.ask.com with learning to make web pages there was not a precise number for matches that I saw,
but there were pages exceeding 10 at the bottom. With quotations there was not a precise number
for matches that I saw, but there were only pages exceeding 6 at the bottom. For www.kartoo.com with learning to make web pages the page took a while to
load and when it finally did there was a More results button that did not show
any links or indication of websites or matches, but went to a button that said Lesser results.
In quotations it did the same thing.

5. Are the number of hits consistent across search engines?
If not, what do you think accounts for the differences?
After looking at each of the above search engines, in what cases would you use a search engine
that is not your current default (most likely Google)?

The website matches were somewhat consistent up to Yahoo, and then Ask and Kartoo were very different.
I think what accounts for the difference are how the web pages were developed. In certain cases I would use
Ask for more questions starting with ‘who, what, when, where, how,’ and example is what is gluten.

6. Take a look at Wolfram Alpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com/). Is this a search engine? If not, what would you call it? If you decide that it is, list the reasons that you would classify it as a search engine.
Wolfram Alpha is not a search engine in the sense that it will give multiple links to a subject or phrase
you search. Instead it is a computational knowledge engine, meaning it has topics already that you can
explore like Mathematics, Words & Linguistics, and Data Input. The website and its collected information
are limited to knowledge on thing that is established, known and public—only facts with no opinions.
I would consider it an innovative algorithmic computation system.

Using Metasearch Sites

7. Head to Dogpile.
a. What is the main difference between a metasite and a regular search site?
The main difference a metasite and a regular search is that a metasite uses several other search engines
to support the search for matches; whereas, a regular search is using one search engine that gives
information on the search.

b) Do a search for learning to make web pages. How many matches did you get?
How are the matches organized?

Searching learning to make web pages brought me to a list of relevant sites.

c. Visit a couple of the sites in the search results list.
Can you estimate how many of the searches actually relate to learning to make web pages?

Page Tutor
2 Create a Website

I estimate at least a third of these websites are related or relevant to learning how to make web pages.

8. Next, head to Mamma (http://www.mamma.com).
a. Do a search for learning to make web pages.
How many matches did you get? How are the matches organized?

It did not show the amount of matches. Before the matches there are ads and the web results underneath.
The matches are organized by relevancy after the ads.

b. How do the matches on Mamma differ from the matches you found in search 7?

The matches differ because the web results are directly on top verses being mid page like Dogpile.
The ads are the first thing you see on Mamma.

Finding Multimedia Elements

9. Either head to one of the search sites we've already used or head to one we haven't yet
used and explore the front page of the site.
a. Is there a way to search specifically for multimedia?

I am using Google. Yes, at the top of the web page there is button for YouTube
.
b. If yes, what specific elements can you search for? What are your options?
(If not, try another site!)

On Google, I can search Images, Maps, YouTube, News, Gmail and a More
(which includes Books, Shopping, Finance, etc.)

c. Do a search for a specific element (e.g., your favorite song, a picture of Britney Spears).
How many matches do you get?

When I search picture of Kevin Spacey I receive 640,000 under Images.

d. Are there any warnings, disclaimers, or other information provided about using the results
of your multimedia searches embedded in the search interface?

Using Google, there are no disclaimers or the multimedia search being embedded in the search interface.

Web Hosting Sites

10. Finally, do a search for web hosting sites. You'll want to explore cost, features, and the
benefits of using a hosting service. Create a separate section in your module1.html web page and provide
a bit of data that describes the web hosting site you would most likely choose if you needed to host a website.

Cost:$19.95 per month for WordPress hosting which includes:

If I needed a hosting site I would use DreamHost and chose the WordPress Hosting.
I would chose this hosting site and this type because it appears to be affordable, includes an automatic
WordPress installation with, automatic core updates, accessibility to use any theme or plugin,
and 24/7 Word Press support. DreamHost lives up to a user’s expectations by taking care of the technical
aspects like speed, an optimized web server and automatic backing up my data. With everything being
automatic it gives me the idea I can managed my web page and the hosting site will take care of the
technical maintance that usually worries users. Also, the features are excellent and appealing making
me believer my web page will gives visitors a reason to come back.