Web sites are hosted on a computer known as a server.  Generally, your Internet Service Provider (your phone company or your local cable company) will offer free personal web space as part of your Internet connection.  Many people and most businesses will have their sites located on servers operated by independent web hosting companies who offer (for a fee) more space, technical support and the security encryptions necessary for e-commerce.

These companies will also assist you in registering a domain name (the www.yournamehere.ca or .com), which will make it easier for friends and clients to find you on the Web.  Domain names are allocated in Canada by the Canadian Internet Registration Agency (CIRA) on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Information travels across the Internet and into your computer by means of a set of protocols which are designed to ensure smooth communication by co-ordinating all of the components.  The most important of these is the HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP).  HTTP is an important part of every Web address (URL), and essentially tells the Web server you are contacting how to send the information you are requesting.

Most of the files that make up web pages are formatted as HyperText Markup Language (.html or .htm).  Photos and graphics files are generally formatted as JPEG's or GIF's.  What really makes a web site unique and exciting though are its hypertext links (also known as hyperlinks or hotlinks), the ability of a user to jump almost instantly to a specific area of interest or content.  This content linking (which is what makes it the Web) has given us access to a vast resource library.

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