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How Do I Get Started Using the Internet / World Wide Web ?. Presentation for Montcalm Potato Research Field Day August 12, 1999. What is the Internet / Web ?. A collection of computers that communicate with each other in a “common language”. server. you.
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How Do I Get Started Using the Internet / World Wide Web ? Presentation for Montcalm Potato Research Field Day August 12, 1999
What is the Internet / Web ? A collection of computers that communicate with each other in a “common language” server you • 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
Deciding to Get Connected Today we hope to help you think about how you might use internet services • What Computer Stuff Do I Need? • Choosing an ISP ( Internet Service Provider ) • Examples of Potato Related Information • Finding and Identifying Good Information
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) ProcessorIntel® Celeron™ Processor at 400MHz ChassisMicro Tower Memory 64MB 100MHz SDRAM Cache128KB Integrated L2 Hard Drive4.3GB1 Ultra ATA Monitor15" (13.8" viewable) 800F Monitor GraphicsIntel 3D AGP Graphics CD-ROM/DVD40X Max Variable CD-ROM Drive SoundSoundBlaster 64V PCI Sound Card Speakersharman/kardon HK-195 Speakers 56k Capable4 ModemFREE 3Com® USRobotics V.90PCI WinModem SoftwareMicrosoft® Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic; McAfee VirusScan 4.02 Operating SystemMicrosoft Windows® 98, Second Edition KeyboardQuietKey® Keyboard MouseLogitech First Mouse+Wheel (PS/2v) Warranty3 Year Limited Warranty Service1 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, web world ...
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.edu runwater@yahoo.com rbrook@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 Smucker Montcalm Co. Extension
Examples of Potato Related Internet Resources Brendan Niemira Botany & 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
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