Getting Started on the Web > 2: About Hyperlinks

You already know that you can point at a hyperlink and click the mouse button once to jump to a new page. Use the left mouse button if you have a two or three button mouse. Usually the link will change color as you click on it.

2A: Types of Links

You will encounter three different types of hyperlinks on the Web. Some are easy to recognize, while others require more effort to find.

1. Text: The most common hyperlink is a word or phrase (usually it is underlined). This link is a different color than the ordinary text on the page. Often, but not always, text links are blue.

2. Graphic: A graphic image or picture may sometimes be used as a hyperlink.

   This image may be surrounded by a border that is the same color as other hyperlinks on the page. Click on an image once to activate the link.

3. Imagemap: a graphic image or picture called an imagemap can contain many embedded links. Different parts of the image are mapped to various URLs. The illustration below shows an example from the U.S. Department of Labor site. Clicking on a state displays a page with data about that location.
   

   If you click on part of an imagemap that has no associated link, generally nothing happens.

2B: Recognizing Links

Since links do not always display underlining or borders, you must look for other clues.

As you pass your mouse's pointer over a hyperlink:

1. The pointer changes to a new shape, usually from an arrow to a pointing finger.
   

2. The URL displays in the status bar at the bottom of the browser window.

Back | Top | Next