Screen shot, buttons not active.
Introduction to the Internet
For those who print this page, it is available online at http://sunnyalberta.com
and click on the link "Introduction to Internet"
The Internet becomes different things to different users. It might be the e-mail connection with a family member posted or living on the other side of the globe, or even in Vegreville. Internet might be a source of entertainment and companionship through a chat line. Internet is the largest assembly of information the world has ever seen. Yes, some of the information is untrue, even libelous and slanderous.
Whatever your preferred use of the Internet is, you most likely use a GUI (Graphic User Interface) pronounced "gooey"; which is a software program between you and the Internet. The most common of these Internet Browsers are: Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape which began life as Mosaic.
Before we had these easy to use browsers, we used arcane DOS or UNIX commands beginning with "ATDT", just to wake up the MODEM (Modulate Demodulate) device to convert computer code into the shrill squawking noise that passes over common telephone wires.
Now we simply double click on an Icon to dial our ISP (Internet Service Provider), unless we are already connected to the Internet through a server such as used in the schools and colleges and larger companies. In some areas, we have Internet service through the local cable vision company. Your computer is connected through a special cable modem instead of through a phone line modem.
Cable modems deliver Internet at blazing speed compared with our slothful 5K per second delivery through a 56K modem. Once addicted to cable, you will never be enticed back to telephone delivery unless the phone company provides a much faster ADSL service, which works well, if within 5 miles of the central distribution point. The advantage of ADSL, is that you are always on line, so there is no waiting time as your computer dials up (Dial-Up Service). The disadvantage of being online full time, is that you need to install a firewall software program to prevent hackers from viewing or altering your computer files.
Wireless internet connections are available in many Southern Alberta areas since the Provincial Government installed high speed fiber optic backbones to connect town and cities.
Internet browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape and Opera, are common software programs that allow us to navigate through the internet by selecting choices, "Poking Buttons".
Screen shot, buttons not active. |
|
After connecting to the Internet, you click on your favourite browser which immediately begins downloading whichever Webpage has been designated as your Home page. You can always return to that page by clicking on the <HOME> button. In Explorer, under <TOOLS> <Internet Options>, you can key in your preferred home webpage. In Netscape Communicator, go to <EDIT> <Preferences> to set your <HOME> webpage. If you installed your Internet communication package with a CD provided by TELUS, they have set the TELUS page as home page.
Both Explorer and Netscape are available over the Internet as
free downloads. Be prepared for a long download time which varies according to
Internet traffic. Early morning is much faster than later in the day when kids
get home from school. Sunday evening is particularly slow. After downloading the
program(s), they will painlessly self install and preserve your mail address
book in the new version.
Microsoft.com
Netscape.com
There are many similarities in the look and feel of the two major browsers. Each has a back button to take you to a previous page. There is an <Address> or <Location> text box to enter the URL (Universal Resource Locator) website address that you wish to view. These addresses are found on business cards, advertisements, billboards, letterheads, television, and radio and easiest of all, they are hot links from other websites. Hot links are pictures or underlined text on websites which cause your navigation icon to change form, usually from an arrow to a pointing hand. One click takes you to the next website.
There is a <HOME> button to take you back to where you first started, so no need to get hopelessly lost of the Internet. That's enough information to start you off on a surfing expedition.
If you have access to the Internet, but don't have an e-mail
account, you can register for a free account by going to...
Hotmail.com, or through Google, or Yahoo to
mention a few.
Many chat programs are available to allow you to key messages or use voice transmission over the internet.
Newsgroups can be accessed through your Internet service provider. There are tens of thousands of these groups under special interest headings. When you subscribe to a group, you will receive only the messages posted to that group, not all groups. The better newsgroups are moderated, so unacceptable topics may be stripped out by the moderator. Most are free wheeling and if deemed to be irksome, can be unsubscribed and you will no longer get messages.
Listserves also provide a system of broadcasting your message to other members. These are privately set up and not available over the vast Newsgroup listings.
| Up to the minute news can be viewed from a variety of news services.
These are easily found through downloadable software programs such as
RealPlayer . |
 |
Through your browser, you can access a variety of search engines. Yahoo was one of the first GUI search engines, but has been challenged by a variety of others such as Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, InfoSeek, GoToCom, and a host of others.
E-mail is one of the most common uses of Internet. Whether you use Internet Explorer mail, Outlook Mail, Netscape Messenger, Eudora, Pegasus or a host of other less known programs, they are easy to use. Both Explorer and Netscape have excellent mail utilities included in the web browser that you download for free.
No matter which browser you choose to surf the internet, or which mail utility you choose for your e-mail, the more you use it, the better you will learn its particular characteristics and features.
Within the browser, you can save your Bookmarks, or Favourite sites with a couple of clicks. This enables you to return to the site by clicking on the address instead of typing the long URL address in the location text box.
You can change the view of the website by selecting smaller or larger text, by turning pictures on or off. The newer browsers support various bells and whistles that give us movies, sound clips, animations etc. Usually when you access a site that has a file you cannot read, you will be invited to download a Plug-In, that will interpret the file and display or play it on your computer.
Sound clips were notoriously large and slow to download. The newer sound compression method is known as MP3 which is capable of compressing a sound clip to about one tenth the size of a CD sound file with very little loss in fidelity.
| WinAmp is a free player downloadable from the Internet
that allows you to play these sound files. There are also MP3 rippers which
are programs that take normal CD files and convert them to MP3 files for
easy sending over the Internet. There are also solid state MP3 players that
plug into your computer so you can copy and carry the latest song with you. WinAmp MP3 player |
 |
Multimedia rich websites will become the standard when we have better connection access through ISDN or cable modems. Until then we generally content ourselves with fast downloading economical sites with pictures and sounds optimised for the web.
The Internet is a fast paced changing place that brings new wonders every hour. Either we embrace change as the only constant, or we will be left behind in the digital dust of the Internet highway.
Resources
Dogpile Search Engine
Pincher Creek Echo
Chatlines
Hotmail login
Maps
Microsoft.com
Microsoft News
WinAmp MP3 player
EBAY auction
Amazon.com
Back Audio Writing Graphics Advertising
© 2001 Wayne Hawthorne
Rainy
Day
Digital
Email Wayne Hawthorne
Webmaster
