F ive years ago, few people had even heard of the Internet. Today, it is an integral part of the lives of millions, young and old, at home and at work.
Recent estimates put the number of Internet users worldwide at more than 200 million, and project nearly half a billion will be on-line within five years.
If you’re not already among them, you’re missing one of the most significant communications revolutions ever to shake the planet.
The Internet literally places all the information resources of the world at your fingertips. Bonus: You can use the Internet to find and communicate with people who share your interests.
Until you explore the Internet, you can’t begin to comprehend the breadth or depth of all it offers. There’s really not much required. All you need is a system, a connection... and curiosity.
THE BASICS
For most users, the system is synonymous with computer. Any new computer you buy today is Internet-ready. Included in the computer package are...
Internet browser -- such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Modem for connecting to the Internet over a phone line.
E-mail program.
Expect to pay around $1,000 for a new Internet-ready computer.
Minimum requirements in a Microsoft Windows system...
Pentium II processor.
32MB RAM.
CD-ROM drive.
56K modem.
All of Apple’s iMac models are Internet-ready.
Alternative: If you have no real need for a computer but still want access to the Internet, look into WebTV. Cost: Around $100 to $350.
The system/service includes a box you connect to your TV, a remote and optional keyboard. It empowers your TV to bring the World Wide Web to your living room.
Newer still: Internet access without a computer, just a screen -- e.g., the i-opener, an “Internet appliance,” for as little as $199 (plus $21.95 per month service fee).
NO-RISK INTRODUCTION
Most public, college and university libraries have one or more computers connected to the Internet. You can use these to sample how the Internet might benefit you before making any investment.
Before any system can connect with the Internet, it must first connect with a server, which is owned and maintained by an Internet provider.
YOUR CONNECTION
Servers are your gateway to the Internet, and charge a monthly fee for the privilege. You have a couple of choices, but the basic package you get from any Internet service provider (ISP) is about the same. You get...
User name and password (which you make up).
CD-ROM loaded with the required software tools for getting you on the Internet.
E-mail account.
Access to the Internet.
Most providers offer unlimited access, but some impose a surcharge after you’ve exceeded a set number of hours.
Average cost: Around $20 a month (depending on provider and services).
America Online (AOL) is the best known of the commercial on-line services. Others include Compu-Serve and the Microsoft Network.
Well organized, they offer subscribers the company’s unique content, events and services along with the Internet connection.
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
If all you want is access to the Internet and none of the many other options that services such as AOL provide, an Internet service provider may be a better bet than a commercial on-line server. As the name implies, its only service is connecting you with the Internet and providing technical help over the telephone when you have problems.
You’re probably best served by a local ISP familiar with the local operating environment. Check the Yellow Pages under Internet service providers.
Other choices: WebTV (mentioned above) or your local cable company, which may now be an Internet provider.
The cable modem access ISPs provide is considerably faster than basic telephone connections, but costs about twice as much.
The quality of service from ISPs can vary greatly, so carefully consider these points for comparison...
Make sure you can connect by a local call.
Find out how many hours of Internet access the monthly fees allow you.
Ask if there are surcharges in addition to the monthly fee.
Ask about the speed and types of connections the provider’s system supports.
Find out the number of users the ISP can handle at any given time.
Put these questions to the Internet service provider’s customer/tech support line. Polite, informative answers are a good sign.
Caution: Be wary of any ISP whose tech support line is always busy or doesn’t answer calls.
Get recommendations: Your best insight into the provider will come from other users. Ask around and find out how satisfied they are with the service, and what, if any, problems they may have had.
JOINING THE REVOLUTION
Before you can connect to the Internet, you must create an account. The software supplied by your ISP reduces account creation to simply filling in the blanks with basic information about you and your system configuration.
You’ll need to give a “user name,” a password of your choice, the name and possibly a number address of your Internet provider and the addresses of its E-mail and news servers.
This takes only a couple of minutes to complete. If you have any trouble, the provider’s tech support will guide you through the process.
Once your account is established, making the connection to the Internet is as simple as launching your Internet browser or E-mail program -- just click on the provider’s icon.
Once the Internet connection is established, your browser fills the screen with a “home page.” You can change it later, but first time out it’s usually the home page of your ISP or the supplier of your computer or browser.
Helpful: Every location, or site, you’ll find on the World Wide Web has a name: www.whatyouwant.com. If you know a Web site address you want to visit, just type it on the address bar of your browser and hit “enter” on your keyboard.
The best way to understand the way the Web works is simple -- just start exploring.
Learn to use search engines. They can locate whatever you want on-line. (Try www.yahoo.com or, better still, www.excite.com or www.google.com.)
Experiment with a few research projects. Track down information on a medical condition a relative is concerned about or a recipe that you have always wanted to try.
Basic Internet Terms
Browser. A software application that allows you to move about and access information over the Internet’s World Wide Web. The most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
CD-ROM. A form of computer media, similar to a compact disc, that contains large amounts of information, including software applications. In order for this information to be accessed, a CD-ROM disc must be played on a CD-ROM drive or a DVD drive.
Modem. A device that enables one computer to communicate with another, usually over phone lines. An internal modem is built into your computer, while an external modem must be connected to the computer.
Processor. This refers to the central processing unit, the mind of the machine. May be described in terms of speed, like 350 Megahertz (MHz), as well as by a name, such as Pentium III or G4.
RAM. Random Access Memory, the built-in memory a computer uses to run software and perform tasks.
Server. A computer that provides some service -- such as access to information -- to other computers, called clients, linked to it over a network.
Web site. A specific location on the Internet that contains a set of information, including text and graphics. In order to reach a Web site, you must know its Web address (www.nameofsite.com).
Editor's note: Protect your personal information by giving out as little information as possible. Also, make sure a site has a secure ordering page before giving out credit card information.
