Transcript No Slide Title - Roger C. Brook Home Page

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”
you
server
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
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•
•
•
•
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 Model L400c
Purchase Price
Processor
Chassis
Memory
Cache
Hard Drive
Monitor
Graphics
CD-ROM/DVD
Sound
Speakers
56k Capable4 Modem
Software
Operating System
Keyboard
Mouse
Warranty
$859
(July 29, 1999)
Intel® Celeron™ Processor at 400MHz
Micro Tower
64MB 100MHz SDRAM
128KB Integrated L2
4.3GB1 Ultra ATA
15" (13.8" viewable) 800F Monitor
Intel 3D AGP Graphics
40X Max Variable CD-ROM Drive
SoundBlaster 64V PCI Sound Card
harman/kardon HK-195 Speakers
FREE 3Com® USRobotics V.90PCI WinModem
Microsoft® Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic;
McAfee VirusScan 4.02
Microsoft Windows® 98, Second Edition
QuietKey® Keyboard
Logitech First Mouse+Wheel (PS/2v)
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, web
world ...
Email Addresses
[email protected]
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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
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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
:-|
Frowning
:|
:)
(:
:(
;)
#)
8O
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
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
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•
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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?