The metaphor that is used to understand how information is stored on the server is something like a filing cabinet. The filing cabinet (server) holds directories, folders and files. A directory is a folder that contains other folders and files. A folder contains files. A file can be many different types of digital information, such as an HTML document, an image, a sound recording, or a movie.

Computers are very literal machines. In order for them to access something for you, they need to be told EXACTLY where it is. This means that the location or address of a file must be precise in all of the links on your HTML pages. This address within a link is called a path name. For example, the path name for the "page.html" document in the illustration above would be "/directory/foldertwo/page.html."

Okay! You've had your introduction to HTML, and now it's time to set out on your own. But don't worry. There are free tutorials, guides, and other resources available on the web.