How Do I Get Started Using the Internet / World Wide Web ?

Presentation for Montcalm Potato Research Field DayAugust 12, 1999

What is the Internet / Web ?A collection of computers that communicate

with each other in a “common language”

Once you are “on the internet” you can:• read available information• send / receive email• ask / answer question on a newsgroup• have “realtime” chats via the keyboard • have “realtime” video communications• order products

youserver

Deciding to Get Connected

• Choosing an ISP ( Internet Service Provider )

• Examples of Potato Related Information

• Finding and Identifying Good Information

Today we hope to help you think about how you might use internet services

• What Computer Stuff Do I Need?

What Computer Hardware?• Necessary

– internal components

– external peripherals

• Nice, if affordable

Internal Computer Hardware

• CPU – 486 or better; Intel Pentium, Pentium II, Celeron; Cyrix M II, 5x86, Media GX, 6x86 MX

• memory – 32Mb or more; 64Mb recommended (memory is currently cheap); 128K cache or more

• graphic interface – 4 Mb memory minimum

• disk storage – several gigabytes (4 Gb seems to be the low end of new machines); 3-1/2” floppy

• CDRom drive – for loading software

• modem – 56K bps v.90PCI data or data/fax ( depending on line quality, transmission speed may be less )

External Computer Hardware• monitor – 15" or larger; 0.28" or smaller dot

pitch

• keyboard – 101 key, “natural”

• screen pointer – mouse, track-ball, joystick

• printer – dot-matrix, ink jet, laser

• telephone line ( not a PBX line )

Nice, But Not Necessary

• sound card and speakers• microphone• network card ( unless you have an office

network )

• DVD ( digital video disk ) replaces CDRom

Dell Dimension L ModelL400c

Purchase Price $859 (July 29, 1999)Processor Intel® Celeron™ Processor at 400MHz Chassis Micro Tower Memory 64MB 100MHz SDRAM Cache 128KB Integrated L2 Hard Drive 4.3GB1 Ultra ATA Monitor 15" (13.8" viewable) 800F Monitor Graphics Intel 3D AGP Graphics CD-ROM/DVD 40X Max Variable CD-ROM Drive Sound SoundBlaster 64V PCI Sound Card Speakers harman/kardon HK-195 Speakers 56k Capable4 Modem FREE 3Com® USRobotics V.90PCI WinModemSoftware Microsoft® Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic;

McAfee VirusScan 4.02Operating System Microsoft Windows® 98, Second EditionKeyboard QuietKey® Keyboard Mouse Logitech First Mouse+Wheel (PS/2v) Warranty 3 Year Limited Warranty

Service 1 Year Next-Business-Day At-Home Service

Making the Computer Speak Internet• Computer operating

system– Windows 95 / 98

• Web browser– Internet Explorer– Netscape

• Application software– Adobe reader– Readplayer

• Email software

Hi, webworld ...

Email Addresses

you@ISP.domain.country• you - your email name • ISP - your Internet Service Provider• domain - com, org, net, edu, gov, mil• country - not used for US addresses;

generally a 2-letter designator

brook@msue.msu.edurunwater@yahoo.comrbrook@agstorageinfo.com

Making Email Effective

• use a name and return address • use a subject line • do NOT use only uppercase use bullets

instead of long paragraphs• put blank line between paragraphs• if relying to a message, use parts of

original• use spell cheeck (if available)• email is sent immediately; think twice

before sending something offensive

Emoticons

Full Version Abbreviated:‑) Happy :)(‑: Left Handed (::‑( Sad :(;‑) Winky ;)#‑) Oh, what a night! #)8‑O Yelling/Shocked 8O:‑| Frowning :|

Choosing an Internet Service Provider ( ISP )

Don SmuckerMontcalm Co. Extension

Examples of Potato Related Internet Resources

Brendan NiemiraBotany & Plant Pathology

Finding and Identifying Good Information

It’s on the web,therefore its ...

Effective Web Searching

• Search Guides – divide information in categories; provide a thumb-nail review of a site; useful for “popular” inquiries; examples: Yahoo, Infoseek, potato.msu.edu

• Search Engines – look at sites to find words or phrases; useful for specific inquires not indexed by a search guide; examples Altavista, Webcrawler, AskJeeves

http://www.yahoo.com

http://www.altavista.com

http://www.askjeeves.com http://www.ask.com

Better Inquiries with Search Engines

• use “quotation marks“ for specific phrases– using Roger Brook finds 592,050 web pages

– using “Roger Brook” finds 88 web pages

– using “Roger C. Brook” finds 10 web pages

• use + (plus) and - (minus) signs – “James Bond” +”Sean Connery” -“Pierce

Bosnan” -“Roger Moore” (9556 hits)

• use capital letters if you want a specific word / phrase capitalization

Critically Evaluating Web Resources

• Scope - purpose, relevance

• Authority - who, organization

• Accuracy - spelling, sources, links

• Objectivity - advertising, bias

• Currency - dates, links

• Design/presentation

Will the Internet / World Wide Web Make / Save You Money?