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BOOT CAMP 057
BACK TO BASICS 1, GETTING ON THE NET
Ignore the hype and jargon, the Internet is simply a very
useful thing to have, moreover it's fun, informative and very easy to use. If
you haven't yet seen what it can do and still need convincing ask anyone who
has been using it for more than a couple of weeks for a demonstration. You
probably won't have to look very far there are over 8 million Internet users in
the UK right now, with tens of thousands more signing up each week. So where do
you begin?
Doubtless one day you will be able to 'surf' the net from
the comfort of your armchair, on your living room TV, via a cheap black box.
However, for the moment the only sensible option -- if you want to do the job
properly -- is to have a PC and a telephone line. (It is possible to use a
mobile phone but it is painfully slow and horrendously expensive).
The PC doesn't need to be anything special, virtually any
model made within the last five years will do but fairly recent multimedia
models, (Windows IBM PC/compatible or Mac) are easiest to use. The PC will need
to be connected to or fitted with a device called a modem (more or less
standard these days), that allows it to communicate over the telephone network,
and you will need to sign up with an Internet Service Provider or ISP.
An ISP is a company that provides you with a gateway onto
the Internet via their 'server' computer. The ISP will supply you with an
E-mail address and mailbox, where messages sent to you are stored; these days
many ISPs also throw in several megabytes of space on their server computer for
personal web sites. Some ISPs, known as 'Content Providers', maintain their own
extensive web sites, usually for the exclusive use of their customers. They're
packed with extra services (news, sports, travel, shopping, on-line banking
etc), and they may act as hosts to newsgroups and so-called 'communities'.
These are specialised Internet sites where like-minded users can meet and
exchange ideas.
Once you have the PC and a telephone it need cost only a few
pennies a day to use the Internet, depending on your choice of ISP. One expense
you can't avoid is the cost of the telephone call whilst you are on line.
However, most ISPs use local numbers or a special lines charged at local rates,
costing from a penny or so a minute off-peak and at weekends. That stays the
same even if the Internet site you are connected to is 200 hundred yards down
the road or on the other side of the world, the same applies to sending and
receiving E-mail messages.
Internet access software or 'Browsers' are normally supplied
free, you may already have one or more installed on your PC, they are also
widely distributed on magazine cover-mount CD-ROMs otherwise one will be sent
to you when you contact the ISP. A few service providers impose a one-off
set-up charge and most still require a monthly subscription, however that has
started to change. At least half a dozen ISPs now offer a completely free
service and there are more in the pipeline. They make their money from
advertising or they receive a slice of the income from the BT lines used by
their customers. In some cases they may also charge heavily for technical
support (up to £1 a minute) and you will probably end up with advertising
banners and logos appearing on your computer screen. Another recent innovation
is pay-as-you-go and light user schemes, that have low or zero start up costs
but charge a penny or two on top of the cost of the call or provide a number of
'free' hours or minutes each month. The follow-on charge -- when you've used up
your allocation of free time -- can be up to £2.50 an hour! The traditional
subscription-based ISPs typically charge between £10 and £15 per month, but
that's usually for unlimited access and free 24-hour technical support.
Free Internet access is a new idea and the market is still
coming to terms with the concept. Initial fears that free ISPs might fail, be
unable to cope with the demand or offer a second class service have proved
largely unfounded but it remains a consideration, particularly if you require a
reliable Internet connection for business or commercial use. The longer
established broad-based companies and specialist providers may also offer more
overseas connections or 'points of presence' that you can dial up when you are
abroad, to collect your E-mail.
With so many ISPs to choose from it can be very difficult
(there are almost 300 of them in the UK…) but there's nothing to stop you
playing the field before you make up your mind. Most of the well-known,
pay-to-use ISPs offer no-obligation 30-day free trials. They will ask you to
give them your credit card details so remember to cancel well before the trial
period expires if you do not intend to go on using it. Most Internet access
software is supplied on CD-ROM, installation is normally quite straightforward,
pop in the disc and follow the instructions. Occasionally something goes wrong
so if you are a complete novice have a knowledgeable friend on hand and it's a
good idea to have an 'uninstaller' program on your PC (CleanSweep, Uninstaller
etc.). Only try one service at a time -- some access software can disagree with
other programs -- so remember to thoroughly erase unused programs.
To sum up, free ISPs are an attractive proposition for home
users requiring no-frills E-mail and heavy-duty web access. You will probably
have to put up with some advertising and technical help can be expensive or
difficult to find. If you need stability plus the comfort of free around the
clock assistance then subscription-based ISPs are still worth trying. Pay as
you go ISPs and light user schemes offer a simple no-strings service -- they're
fine for sending and receiving E-mail but could work out quite expensive for
prolonged web use. Next week we'll take a close look at your PC's 'window' on
the Internet, the Browser.
Next week -- all about browsers
JARGON FILTER
MAILBOX
Storage space on an ISP's server computer where incoming
E-mail messages are stored prior to them being downloaded and read on your PC
MODEM
MOdulator/DEModulator, a device that converts digital
signals coming from your PC into audible tones that can be sent via a
conventional telephone line
SERVER
Fast, powerful computers with vast storage capacity, used to
communicate and share data with other computers connected to local or large-scale
networks
TOP TIP
Keyboard shortcuts are always very popular so here's another
selection, this time for Windows Explorer. Pressing F4 displays the full
contents of the Address/location panel, F5 refreshes the windows, updating any
changes you may have made and F6 switches the focus between the various window
'panes'.
Ctrl + A selects everything in the right hand window, Ctrl +
Z undoes the last action and the Backspace key steps back through the parent
directory tree. The asterisk key on the numeric keypad expands all of the
directory branches whilst the '-' and '+' numeric keys collapse and expand the
tree.
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