Getting Online: A Basic Guide to the Internet

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If you're reading this, chances are you're pretty much up to speed on how to use that mysterious contraption known as the internet. However, you may know someone who would benefit from a crash course in internet basics - maybe you have a mother-in-law who is intimidated by technology. Maybe your child is getting old enough to be introduced to cyber space (though, in most cases, your child could probably teach you a thing or two about computers). Maybe you yourself need to bone up on the basics. Whatever the case, a guide to the internet can be a handy tool indeed.

Though it is an entity that is used by millions of people, no one actually owns the internet. It is comprised of a connection of networks that are monitored, updated, and generally maintained in many ways, by many individuals and organizations, but there is no one public organization tasked with regulating the content or the rules of the entire internet. Most countries have their own policies on the sort of material that is legal to upload, view, or download.

The first thing you need to know about the internet is that you won't be able to get to it unless your computer is hooked up to a modem or broadband connection that allows you to get online. With a modem, digital signals from your computer are translated to analog and transmitted through phone lines, on the other end of which is another modem that will translate the signals back to digital format. Modem speeds are measured in bits per second, and the faster the modem, the better the internet experience. However, modems are nowhere near as fast as a broadband connection, and are not often used by serious web surfers.

Broadband connections are available in several forms:

• Cable
• Satellite
• DSL
• Wireless

Cable and satellite are both available through your television subscription plan, and satellite is a good (but expensive) option for people who live in areas where other types of broadband aren't available. DSL, which stands for Digital Subscriber Line, uses the telephone line and a digital modem. Wireless internet, or WiFi, uses radio waves to access the internet via a wireless router and PC card in the computer. Though WiFi is becoming more popular in homes, it is mainly used to connect to the internet in public places using a laptop computer. Areas in a city that allow Wifi access are known as "hotspots."

The World Wide Web is the official name of the system of internet servers that allows users to access all the features of the internet, such as email and forums, on one interface by bringing the various features into a single system, so the user doesn't have to learn commands for each different protocol. The Web is the most-used component of the internet, and is often referred to just as "the internet." The internet is actually a separate entity, but is not utilized beyond basic Web use by most computer users.

The hypertext-based protocol used for the World Wide Web is HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). HyperText is a document that has links to other documents. Links are usually seen on the Web as either a full web address or a linked word that is bold, underlined, or in some way highlighted. When the user clicks on the link, the browser takes them to that web page. Web hypertext is created with HyperText Markup Language, known as HTML. HTML "tags" are placed in the text to format the document for appearance (such as fonts, boldfacing, and italics) and to create links. Programming languages such as Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Cold Fusion and XML further extend the capabilities of the Web, which is ever-changing and constantly being developed.

So many people connect their computers to the internet every day that there is no way to gauge exactly how many computers are connected. The computers communicate with each other via Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). A user's computer, known as a local client, is given files and internet services via a remote server. Services provided include:

• Email
• Information resources
• Social interaction resources
• File transfer capability
• Interactive collaboration opportunities
• Real-time broadcasting
• News
• Shopping
• Games
• Video and audio downloads

One important aspect of online interaction is the etiquette, or, as it's known, "netiquette." There are certain behavioral guidelines that should be followed when interacting with people on the Web, and most of them are pretty simple:

• Don't post anything online you would consider private. Remember that postings in forums and message boards are considered public, and have the potential to be posted in other places or spread around to other sites.
• Don't post messages or send emails written in all capital letters. Typing in all caps is considered the equivalent of "shouting" online, and could give the wrong impression and irritate many people.
• When posting on a forum or commenting on a thread, stick to the topic and don't advertise your business, website, community, or other venture. This is akin to spamming, and most users do not take kindly to it.
• If you have questions about a specific site or forum, read any posted FAQs before emailing or posting your question so as to avoid being repetitive to community regulars.
• Learn your community before posting to make sure it's a group with which you want to be associated. Follow the postings for a few weeks and read the backlogs to get a feel for the place, and make yourself known by commenting on threads before posting your own thread. This is called "lurking" and is an accepted way to become part of an online community.
• Try to steer clear of online fights, which are known as "flame wars." Don't attack or anger someone unless you're prepared to take some heat, and if you do argue, it is very important to have your facts in order and data to back up your argument.
• Yes, there is a phenomenon of writing in abbreviations such as LOL (laughing out loud) or ROFL (rolling on floor laughing), and OMG (oh my god/gosh), or shortening words, e.g. "ur" for "your," but they're generally used only by a younger crowd, and are known to irritate most users. Especially users (of which there are many) who take seriously the rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If you're over age 15, it's better to stick to plain English.
• The internet is rife with inside jokes. If you see strange references or things that don't make sense, try using a search engine to find the origin of the reference before asking about it or using it yourself. Wikipedia, at www.wikipedia.org, or similar sites can be good resources for some of the more commonly seen internet slang like O RLY? and W00t!

The internet has made it possible for users all over the world to befriend each other, share interests and information, and expand their social horizons from the comfort of their computer desks. There is plenty of information available to help you get your online life started, such as Connecting to the Internet: A Buyer's Guide, by Susan Estrada and The Internet for Dummies, by John R. Levine, Carol Baroudi, and Margaret Levine Young. Don't let the stubborn computer or a fear of the unknown prevent you from becoming part of the World Wide Web - get online and get started.

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