# Mosaic and the World Wide Web

Though there are many ways to find and use information on the Internet, Mosaic is unique in that it is designed to work with the World Wide Web (WWW).

Like other Internet components, the WWW is an information-sharing system that allows files to be stored on and retrieved from servers along the network. Unlike other Internet components, the WWW uses the powerful information technology called hypermedia.

On the WWW, hypermedia works as follows: Every document has a unique address, much like a telephone number, called a Uniform Resource Locator (or URL). WWW documents can contain hyperlinks that point to the URLs of other files. The URL of the file you are reading, for example, is in the URL field above this window.

The beauty of Mosaic, however, is that it allows you to explore the WWW interactively by simply clicking on hyperlinks. For example, a file on British literature can link the word "Shakespeare" to a document listing the writer's work by title. Each title in that document could, in turn, be linked to a complete work.

Exploring is the best way to become acquainted with the WWW. To start your journey, a list of suggested starting points is available.

Help Contents | Index