The Internet - What's That?

Over the last few years, the Internet has grown from a play area for a few enthusiasts to a global network with millions of users, information providers and businesses. The World Wide Web (WWW) in particular has contributed to this massive expansion, since the vast quantities of networked information it provides, complete with graphics and multimedia effects, can be accessed by anyone, even if they have virtually no understanding of systems.

It is important for PSE to collect know-how in this area and to maintain an active presence. The establishment of Siemens' internal network (intranet) handling all kinds of internal information (bulletins, telephone directories, electronic magazines, reference works, QA information, etc.) is an important step towards this end.

Important links to the Siemens intranet:

  • HOMEPAGE OF SIEMENS AG Österreich (company profile of Siemens for people outside the company)
  • Information server of Siemens AG Österreich (internal, for all Siemens staff, e.g. featuring telephone directory, shop, etc.)
  • Welcome to the PSE information server - SIEMENS (information server of the PSE)
  • PSE QM Homepage (central information server in the PSE for quality management)

A few important terms relating to the Internet:

Browser: For "surfing" the Internet, or more precisely the WWW, you will need a browser, a program for displaying the WWW pages and for "navigating" the Net. Well-known browsers include Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer from Microsoft and Web Explorer from IBM.

FAQ: Abbreviation for "Frequently Asked Questions". These are collections of common questions on specific themes complete with answers. FAQs have proven to be a useful tool for clarifying content-related questions quickly.

FTP: Abbreviation for "File Transfer Protocol". FTP is a protocol for transferring files on the Internet.

Homepage: A special page within a web which serves as the entry point of the web and to which the user can return by means of the Home icon. To enter a web, you must specify the "URL" of the homepage.

HTML: The HTML format is the "programming language" used by web pages and is similar to the RTF format.

Internet: The "Information highway" which is currently every bit as jammed as New York or London. The most important services on the Internet include: WWW, e-mail, Telnet and FTP.

Intranet: All webs which can be accessed within a company. Our SEM web is located in the "Siemens intranet". Unless you have special approval to do otherwise, you may only surf the "intranet". Intranets are protected against access from outside by means of "firewalls".

Java: A new feature of the Internet. A programming language similar to C++, where the programs run inside the browser on the local PC. In our own stdSEM web, you will find various Java applets behind a "gift box" icon.

Link: A cross-reference to another web page, or the same web page, but at a different position. Links are generally identified by a special color.

URL: Abbreviation for "Uniform Resource Locator". The URL of a web page indicates its address and consists of protocol type "http://", the computer "xyz.siemens.at" and the file name "/sem/help.htm".

Web: A collection of several web pages which belong together in terms of content and are connected via links. The stdSEM is such a web.

WWW: Abbreviation for "World Wide Web". You are currently in the "Siemens WWW".


Siemens AG Österreich, Program and Systems Engineering PSE
Contact: stdSEM Webmaster
Last modified: 08/27/98 15:41
Copyright © Siemens AG Österreich 1997. All rights reserved.