Do you use the World Wide Web; also known by its more common name — the Internet? If you are like many people who live in an industrialized nation, I bet you do. From funny jokes and pictures to connecting with friends and family, the Internet can be used for many things. In fact, did you know that you can buy and sell goods via “virtual stores”? I know: technology is truly amazing.

But have you ever wondered how those pictures get through your phone line and into your computer? If you’re like me, I’m sure you do. That’s why I recently decided to use the Internet for its second most popular use: research. No need for “real” encyclopedias anymore. With the Internet, we’re able to thumb through “virtual” encyclopedias!

What has always confused me is how all those images and words can be displayed. It turns out the answer lies in a “code” called HTML. HTML is an acronym, or abbreviation, formed from the first letters of the term Hyper Text Markup Language. Say that in English, you say. Ha ha, I don’t blame you. “Compu” speak can be hard to understand sometimes. Well, simply stated, HTML is a “language” used to describe the structure of text-based information in a document.

So how does HTML work? Funny you should ask. As it turns out, the answer to unlocking HTML’s “code” is easier than you may imagine. Composed of several important components, HTML uses elements, character-based data types, both character and entity references, and document type declarations to bring the Internet to life.

Consisting of attributes and content, elements can be thought of as the “DNA” of HTML. Each attribute and content must conform to certain restrictions in order for the HTML “code” to be valid. From here, HTML uses character and entity references that allow the programmer to write individual characters via markup rather than literally. At this point, data types are then defined by the HTML.

You’re almost done, right? Wrong! Don’t forget to enable the HTML Document Type Declaration. After all, we need to have machine-readable grammar that specifies permitted and prohibited content that will be in our DTD conforming document.

Now that you know a little bit more about HTML, it is time to learn how HTML is delivered. The two most common forms of HTML delivery are via HTTP servers and electronic mail, or e-mail. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the programming protocol used to transmit HTML data from server to user. The other standard method of HTML delivery is e-mail. However, this HTML delivery method is not without controversy. But that’s a different article.

The World Wide Web, or Internet, can be a useful tool in both business and pleasure. And now that you know a little more about HTML, maybe you can start “writing” your own pages. Who knows, maybe someday your images will “surf” through my phone line.