The World Wide Web is a collection of clients and servers called browsers and Web sites
Web servers provide access to a collection of files containing hyperlinked information
- primary service is to send text files, images, digitized video
- can also provide customized services through the form/CGI script interface
Browsers provide an easy graphical interface for users to request information. The client machine also provides viewers for a standard set of image and video formats.
The interface is kept very simple to run on all networks and most machines.
May also use CGI interface to access other services
Viewer displays file based on format
Server returns file with text, image or video
(may also send requests for CGI service)