Internet and the World Wide Web: A primer for practitioners

Computer-supported high speed digital communication networks are increasingly influencing the retrieval and exchange of scientific and medical information. Of the many Internet-based communication resources, the World Wide Web has emerged as the single most powerful medium for collecting, updating, referencing, and disseminating knowledge. Its uses and benefits in clinical medicine, medical research, medical education, and patient education are already manifold, and more medicine-related sites are in the offing. This article introduces the internet and describes what the World Wide Web is, how to get connected to the Web, where to find medicine-related Web sites, and how to develop Web-based resources.