Frequently Asked Questions About the Internet

How do I get connected?
The minimum requirements are a computer and a modem. If you have a PC, it should have a 486 or Pentium processor, if you have a Macintosh, it should be a PowerPC or have a high-end 68O00 processor. Your modem should communicate at 14.4 Kbps or faster to minimize delays in viewing Web pages. Once you have the necessary hardware, you sign on with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), a commercial on-line service or a freenet

What is an Internet Service Provider (ISP)?
An ISP provides direct access from your home or office to the Internet through phone lines, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) or special dedicated Internet connections. Most ISPs provide popular software, including Netscape Navigator (a Web browser) and Eudora (for email). With an ISP, however, you are free to use any other available Internet software package. Many ISPs also give users their own Web space to publish their own information.

What is a commercial on-line service?
Commercial on-line services are designed to provide relatively limited information in an easy-to-use format. Commercial services offer their own news, research resources and discussion forums, which only their members can use. They also provide access to the Internet's vast resources. Because these systems provide proprietary content and point and click software rather than just Internet access, they generally cost more than ISPs.

What is a freenet?
A freenet is essentially a free ISP established to provide access for the community. The principle behind a freenet is similar to that of a public library, allowing everyone access to the Internet, regardless of their ability to pay.

What software will I need?
If you have a PC running Windows 3.1, you will need Winsock software, which should be provided by your ISP. If you have Windows 95/98, you can use the built-in dial-up networking feature. If you have a Macintosh, you will need Mac TCP and Config PPP or Open Transport. These are built-in to the Macintosh OS, but users of older systems may have to obtain this software from their ISP. Once connected, you will need a Web browser, an emall program and software for Usenet newsgroups, file transfers (FTP) and Telnet. These should also be provided by your ISP.

What is a firewall?
A firewall is a combination of hardware and software that separates a Local Area Network (LAN) into two or more parts for security purposes. Users accessing the network from outside the LAN can only reach information on the outside of the firewall, while local users can access any information.

What is a URL?
A URL (uniform resource locator) is the tool used to identify sites on the Internet. Web sites begin with the prefix "http://" and FTP and Gopher sites begin with "ftp://" and "gopher://" respectively. The next set of letters refers to a server: "www" for example. The domain name follows the server and indicates who the site belongs to ("adobe", for example), and an extension identifies a business' site (".com"), a school's site (".edu"), a nonprofit site (".org") and so on.

What is the World Wide Web?
The World Wide Web is a collection of pages that can be published by anyone and viewed by millions of Internet users. Web pages can include text, graphics, sound, files and programs. The Web is the most popular method of distributing information on the Internet

What is a home page?
A home page is the opening page of a website. Think of it as the cover and table of contents of a book combined into one electronic page.

What is email?
Email (electronic mail) messages are usually text messages sent from one person to another via computer. Email transmission is almost instantaneous. Email can be sent to a large number of addresses simultaneously by employing a mailing list. Email addresses are not comprehensively organized, but there are several Email address search sites on the Web, including Four 11 Directory Services (http://www.four11.com/). Internet Address Finder (http://www.iaf net/) and WhoWhere? (http://www.whowhere.com).

What are newsgroups?
A newsgroup is a discussion group on the Internet that anyone can join. reading and posting articles in a worldwide forum. There are currently over 30,000 groups discussing almost any imaginable topic.

What are "flames" and "flame wars"?
A flame is an electronic insult often directed at the author of a controversial or offensive statement made in Usenet, a portion of the Internet reserved for communication among people with similar interests. Flames can be sent either through email to the author or posted in a Usenet newsgroup. A flame war results when the author of the original article, or a supporter, responds to flamers and flamers retort, creating a cycle of arguing that consumes bandwidth. Many newsgroup have moderators who try to prevent flame wars and block out extraneous material.

What is "netiquette"?
Netiquette refers to rules of good behavior in Internet communication. The cardinal rule, of course, is to be considerate of other people, even though you may never have to face them. Advertising in a newsgroup through email is a fairly common faux pas. These unsolicited ads would create enormous clutter if they weren't so strongly discouraged (their senders may be effectively ostracized if users choose to block out messages from offenders). A website is the most appropriate place to advertise because those who are interested can come to you. Typing your comments completely in capital letters ("shouting") is another Internet taboo. Experienced Internet user recommend that people who are unsure of their grasp of netiquette observe the communications of others before leaping in, a practice known as "lurking".

What are FAQs?
FAQ is the acronym for frequently asked questions, of which this page is an example. A wide range of FAQs are available on-line. Sometimes they're related to newsgroup mailing list topics, and there are multitude of FAQs for Internet-related products and for general Internet questions.

Adapted from content provided by Flintridge Consulting.