Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet

ADY, S

ip to the local software store to find a better program. You can spend several hundred dollars on a communications program, but unless you have very specialized needs, this will be a waste of money, as there are a host of excellent programs available for around $100 or less. Among the basic features you want to look for are a choice of different "protocols" (more on them in a bit) for transferring files to and from the Net and the ability to write "script" or "command" files that let you automate such steps as logging into a host system. When you buy a modem and the software, ask the dealer how to install and use them. Try out the software if you can. If the dealer can't help you, find another dealer. You'll not only save yourself a lot of frustration, you'll also have practiced the prime Internet directive: "Ask. People Know." To fully take advantage of the Net, you must spend a few minutes going over the manuals or documentation that comes with your software. There are a few things you should pay special attention to: uploading and downloading; screen capturing (sometimes called "screen dumping"); logging; how to change protocols; and terminal emulation. It is also essential to know how to convert a file created with your word processing program into "ASCII" or "text" format, which will let you share your thoughts with others across the Net. Uploading is the process of sending a file from your computer to a system on the Net. Downloading is retrieving a file from somewhere on the Net to your computer. In general, things in cyberspace go "up" to the Net and come "down" to you. Chances are your software will come with a choice of several "protocols" to use for these transfers. These protocols are systems designed to ensure that line noise or static does not cause errors that could ruin whatever information you are trying to transfer. Essentially, when using a protocol, you are transferring a file in a series of pieces. After each piece is sent or received, your computer and the Net system compare it. If the two pieces don't match exactly, they transfer it again, until they agree that the information they both have is identical. If, after several tries, the information just doesn't make it across, you'll either get an error message or your screen will freeze. In that case, try it again. If, after five tries, you are still stymied, something is wrong with a) the file; b) the telephone line; c) the system you're connected to; or d) your o

2

h writing a message, it gets zapped out to its destination. Some sites are run by for-profit companies; others by non-profit organizations. Some of these public-access, or host, systems, are free of charge. Others charge a monthly or yearly fee for unlimited access. And a few charge by the hour. Systems that charge for access will usually let you sign up online with a credit card. Some also let you set up a billing system. But cost should be only one consideration in choosing a host system, especially if you live in an area with more than one provider. Most systems let you look around before you sign up. What is the range of each of their services? How easy is each to use? What kind of support or help can you get from the system administrators? The last two questions are particularly important because many systems provide no user interface at all; when you connect, you are dumped right into the Unix operating system

CCESS INTERN

of gibberish on your screen, or you'll be asked to log in. If you see gibberish, chances are you have to change your software's parameters (to 7-1

e to T

ess UNIX f

if you do not

gi

ing you to do something. Since

e

user name." This is not your full name, but a one-word name you want to use while online. It can be any combination of letters or numbers, all in lower case. Many people use their first initial and last name (for example, "jdoe"); their first name and the first letter of their last name (for example, "johnd"); or their initials ("jxd"). Others use a nickname. You might want to think about this for a second, because this user name will become part of your electronic-mail address (see chapter 2 for more on that). The one exception are the various Free-Net systems, a

ything from computer software to historical documents to song lyrics). Y

eather reports and other information services, as well as live, on

ces that may be

er; a program that can search do

databases and services by making selections on a menu. You'll also be

ator that lets you have live keyboar

ted; otherwise assume that when you connect, you'll be dumped right into Unix (a.k.a. MS-DOS with a college degree). Several of these sites are available nationwide through national data networks such as the CompuServe Packet

AB

ber for modem number. $35 setup; $

AS

ices, (907) 789-1314; has local dial-in service in sev

BE

as: guest. $10 setup fee; $25 for 20 hours a month plus $6.2

IZ

(602) 721-5887. $25 a

(602) 7

; (602) 321-9600 (Tucson). Log on as: guest. $20 a month.

SH CO

ires completion of a written form. Users can "link" to other Free-Net systems

IFO

8. For information or local numbers, call the voice number. $60 a year

61 (2400 bps); (408) 973-8091 (9600/14,400 bps). $19

' CERF. See un

ternet, (714) 539-5726; (310) 527-7358. $15 signup

al N' CERF. See

N' CERF. See u

N' CERF See u

ix. Local conferences on environmental/peace issues. Log on as: new

numbers in San Diego, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pasadena and Irvine. For more information, call voice (800) 876

on as: help. $15 set-up fee, monthly fee of $10 to

Station, (619) 634-1

gn-up fee; $15 a month

ys, call voice number

h and $3 an hour. Vo

es of Usenet postings. Log on as: guest. $15 startup fee and then $17.50 a month for unlimited use if you agree to a

on as: guest. $20 a month; $45 fo

tem. New users get a written manual. More than 200 WELL-only conferences. Log on as: newuser. $15 a month plus $2 an hour. Access through the nationwide CompuServe P

LO

al calendar listings and ski and stock reports. Users can choose between menus or Unix. Log o

nications, (719) 632- 4111. Log on as: ne

vices requires completion of a written form. Users can "link" to

l-in numbers available in several Colorado cities. For dial-in numbers, call the number below. $3

LA

-1881. $20 setup fee; $25 a month for fu

OR

cess requires completion of a registration form. Can "link" to

OR

303) 758-0101. See

for informat

LI

nus. Log on as: visitor. Free for Illinois reside

three months of unlimited access; $30 for three months

nd other services. There are also Peoria Free-Net public-access terminals in numerous area libraries, other government buildings and senior-citizen centers. Con

RY

0-0462; (714) 377-9784. Log on as: new. $20 setup f

596- 1626; (301) 854-0446. Log on as: guest. $23 a month,

ACHU

-0331. To log on, follow on-line prompts. $20 s

and other text files. Log on as: new. $5 a month plus $2 an hour or $20 for 20 hours a month. Availa

og on as: new. $10 for 10 hours a month; $1

gn-up (includes first two hours); $9.95 a month (includes five

CH

l voice number for d

; $20 a month. Voi

al numbers, call voice number below. $35 a month plus one-time $40 sign-up fee. Ad

HAMP

s call voice line below. $5 a month mininum plus variable ho

JE

481. Log on as: new. $20 setup fee; $25 a m

W

us. Log on as: newuser. $40 setup fee; $19 a

onferencing software. Log on as: newuser. $19.95 ($13.

es. Log on as: guest. $10 setup fee for non-credit

Offers graphical interface for Windows for $90. Log on as: guest. $20 a month and $

Log on as: newuser. $12 a month or

H CA

net Access, (704) 347

25 a month. Voice

for local modem numbers in various North Carolina cities. $3

H

s, historical documents, many local conferences. Full access (including access to

o Cleveland Free-Net. Full access (including access to e-

16) 481-9436. Unix or

. Voice: (2

tems Programming, (51

ur. Voice: (5

ty Free-Net, (216)

Free-Net. Users can

additional services.

res completion of a wri

(216) 3

nk" to the larger Cleveland Free-Net for additional services. Full access (i

e Cleveland system for services not found locally. Full access (includi

TA

3 or (613) 564-3600. Free, but requires complet

al dial-in numbers. $20 startup fee; $25 for 20 h

83. Both Unix and menus. $40 a year fo

EG

(503) 293-2059 (9600 bps or higher). Log o

) 220-1016 (9600 and higher). Log on as: new. $10 a

SYLV

for 10 hours a month, 60 cents for each

EB

, (514) 931-7178 (9600 bps); (514) 931-2333 (

E IS

tion to Usenet, has conferences from the Fidonet and RIME

r six months or $200 a year. Educational rate of $75

E

(512) 459-4391. Log on as: new. $

fo or signup. $10 to $35 setup fee, depending on service; $10 to $45

13) 480-2686. $21.65 a mon

RG

8 (Norfolk); (804) 886-0662 (Peninsula). $10 startup

INGT

al dial-in numbers. Caucus conferencing, menus. $

sword of visitor. A Free-Net system (see under Clevela

der Baltimore, MD fo

rkn

NGTON

etween menus and Unix. Log on as: new. $10 setup fee

peeds), (206) 362-6731 (9600/14.4K bps). $10

ED K

343 4848. 12.50 setup fee; 10 a month o

TOWN HAS NO

deliver Net access to users across the country: Delphi, based in Cambridge, Mass., is a consumer-oriented network much like CompuServe or America Online - only it now offers subscribers access to Internet services. Delphi charges: $3 a month for Internet access, in addition to standard charges. These are $10 a month for four hours of off-peak (non-working hours) access a month and $4 an hour for each additional hour or $20 for 20 hours of access a month and $1.80 an hour for each additional hour. For more information, call (800) 695-4005. BIX (the Byte Information Exchange) offers FTP, Telnet and e-mail access to the Internet as part of their basic service. Owned by the same company as Delphi, it also offers 20 hours of access a month for $20. For more information, call (800

ET OR

to exchange electronic mail, or e-mail. In itself, e-mail was something of a revolution, offering the ability to send detailed letters at the speed of a phone call. As this system, known as ARPANet, grew, some enterprising college students (and one in high school) developed a way to use it to conduct online conferences. These started as science-oriented discussions, but they soon branched out into virtually every other field, as people recognized the power of being able to "talk" to hundreds, or even thousands, of people around the country. In the 1970s, ARPA helped support the development of rules, or protocols, for transferring data between different types of computer networks. These "internet" (from "internetworking") protocols made it possible to develop the worldwide Net we have today that links all sorts of computers across national boundaries. By the close of the 1970s, links developed between ARPANet and counterparts in other countries. The world was now tied together in a computer web. In the 1980s, this network of networks, which became known collectively as the Internet, expanded at a phenomenal rate. Hundreds, then thousands, of colleges, research companies and government agencies began to connect their computers to this worldwide Net. Some enterprising hobbyists and companies unwilling to pay the high costs of Internet access (or unable to meet stringent govern

OW IT

o the network. But thousands of connected computers can also make it difficult to navigate the Net and find what you want - especially as different computers may have different commands for plumbing their resources. It is only recently that Net users have begun to develop the sorts of navigational tools and "maps" that will let neophytes get around without getting lost. Nobody really knows how many computers and networks actually make up this Net. Some estimates say there are now as many as 5,000 networks connecting nearly 2 million computers and more than 15 million people around the world. Whatever the actual numbers, however, it is clear they are only increasing. The Net is more than just a technological marvel. It is human communication at its most fundamental level. The pace may be a little quicker when the messages race around the world in a few seconds, but it's not much different from a large and interesting party. You'll see things in cyberspace that will make you laugh; you'll see things that will anger you. You'll read silly little snippets and new ideas that make you think. You'll make new friends and meet people you wish would just go away. Major network providers continue to work on ways to make it easier for users of one network to communicate with those of another. Work is underway on a system for providing a universal "white pages" in which you could look up somebody's electronic-mail address, f

t break

more than once. But the Net and your computer are hardier than you think, so relax. You can no more break the Net than you can the phone system. If something goes wrong, try again. If nothing at all happens, you can always disconnect. If worse comes to worse, you can

THINGS

speaker (on Hayes-compatible modems, you can usually do this by typing ATM1 in your communications software's "terminal mode"). If the phone just rings and rings, the public-access site could be down for maintenance or due to a crash or some other problem. If you get a "connect" message, but nothing else, try hitting enter or escape a c

8

iously does you little good if you currently have no access, but which can prove invaluable should you move or want to find a new system. Look for his "PDIAL" file in the alt.bbs.lists or news.answers newsgroups in Usenet (for information on accessing Usenet, see Chapter 3). Steven Levy's book, "Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution," (Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1984). describes the early culture and ethos that ultimat