A storage medium is encoded with a server program readable by a computer or computational user interface and launchable by the computer or computational user interface from the storage medium or from another storage medium to which it has been copied or from both. The server program does not require any manipulation of any storage medium from which it is launched. A method for accessing an information resource includes obtaining a static storage medium encoded with a stand-alone server program. The server program is linkable to an information resource residing at least in part on the Internet. The server program is launched from the static storage medium. The web browser is launched. A request for data to be obtained from the information resource residing on the Internet is sent using the web browser. A response to the request is constructed using the server program.