Intro to Computers

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Online 101
A Guide To Understanding 'Net-Speak


Are you still looking for the on-ramp to the Information Superhighway? Do you wonder what the heck an Information Superhighway is? Do you get flustered and testy when people you know start spouting off about dot-com this and www-that? You�re probably not alone.

Al Gore lays claim to coining the phrase �Information Superhighway� in the early 1990s, referring to a worldwide network that would make massive amounts of information available to everyone. The Internet was already in place at the time, but was not nearly as widely used as it is today. However, his idea of a global super-network fit the Internet like a glove; especially with the explosion of use that took place as the World Wide Web grew from about 500 sites at the outset of 1994 to nearly 10,000 by 1995.

The Internet has become a modern fact of life. In August of last year, the number of Internet users in the United States was about 31 million (according to Find/VSP). As of this last May, approximately 62.3 million Americans had Internet access and 44 million of them were deemed regular users (Mediamark Research Inc.). And yet, historically speaking, this is still a very new technology. Internet veterans often forget that the majority of people are still not online, and that those who are getting started have a lot to learn.

If you have some questions about some of the terms you�ve heard being batted around at the office (or at the dinner table), read on. The next few pages contain some very basic explanations that we hope will clear up some of the mystery of life online. Once you are off to a comfortable start, look for more detailed descriptions of the discussed terms elsewhere in this publication.

What is the Internet?

The Internet is essentially one big, loosely connected network that links smaller networks and individual computers all over the world using modems (see next question), phone lines, and satellite links. The Internet gives people the ability to communicate with other connected computer users through electronic mail (E-mail) and real-time chat. Real-time chat can be achieved by way of IRC (Internet Relay Chat), �talk� utilities, or chat rooms on Bulletin Board Systems (BBSes) or the major online services. It also provides easy access to a wealth of information and entertainment, as well as a fairly large amount of useless garbage.

Everyone is welcome in the Internet�s global community, as long as their computers run the communications standard TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). This universal standard allows different types of computers to communicate with each other, regardless of their make, model, or operating system. (Even PCs and Macintoshes get along on the �Net.)

In order for information to travel on the Internet, a computer has to break down a single message into smaller chunks of data called packets and send those packets through a modem and down the phone lines. These packets move independently from one line to another, one network to another, until they reach their final destination, where another computer gathers them all together and reassembles them into the original message. The beauty of the way the Internet works as a communication tool is that even if one or more phone lines become unavailable, or a number of individual networks go down, the data packets always can find another route�through different lines, networks, and computers�to their final destination. Consequently, it would be very hard to shut down the entire Internet.

That�s why the �Net came into existence in the first place. In 1969, the U.S. Department of Defense decided to try connecting several major computing centers together in a networked fashion. The Defense Department reasoned that this would permit communications to continue across the United States, even if a natural disaster or armed conflict destroyed parts of the network. From these humble beginnings, the �Net was born.

What is a modem?

The term �modem� comes from the words MOdulator/DEModulator, which actually describes how this essential piece of hardware acts as your computer�s link to the rest of the world. Connected to your computer either internally or externally, a modem transforms (modulates) the digital signals your computer generates into analog signals that can travel across regular phone lines and into the modems of other computers. When a modem receives a signal, it must reverse the original process and transform the analog signal back (demodulate it) into a digital one the computer can use.

One of the most important attributes of a modem is the speed at which it can transmit and receive signals. A fast modem lets you cruise across the Internet and its famous offspring the World Wide Web in no time. You can move from site to site more quickly and download more efficiently, spending less time waiting while online. (Downloading is when you transfer a file from a site on the Internet to your computer�s hard drive.) A modem�s speed is measured in bits per second (bps). Bits are tiny pieces of data.

Many of the modems used today can send at a speed of 31,200bps and receive at about 55,600bps (although FCC regulations limit receiving speeds to 53,000bps). These are often called 56K modems, and compared even to last year�s 28.8Kbps and 33.6Kbps modems, they are pretty fast. Unfortunately, however, your modem�s performance is limited by the age and quality of telephone lines where you are connected; this can cause brand-new 56K modems in neighborhoods with old phone lines to perform at lesser speeds than 33.6Kbps modems in areas with newer, fiber-optic lines.

There are three �body styles� for modems: internal, external, and PC Card. All three types of modems perform the same way and have the same capabilities. Most modems for desktop computer systems are either internal modems (circuit boards located inside your computer) or external modems (separate devices that are attached to computers by cables, but remain outside of the computer case). If your workspace is already as full as you want it to be, you�ll probably want an internal modem. If you have the space for an external modem, which is about the size of a portable CD player or smaller, it is far easier to install and doesn�t require opening your computer. External modems might cost a little more, but the price difference between internal and external modems with the same features is usually less than $25. Also, external modems can be repaired without disassembling your computer.

Although portable computers also can use these types of modems, many of the newer laptop systems use PC Card modems, which plug into a PC Card slot in the laptop. The same slot also can be used for other PC Cards containing memory or other features such as local-area network (LAN) connections. (Some desktop systems also have PC Card slots and can use this type of modem.) If you have a PC Card slot on your computer, whether it�s a desktop or a laptop, a PC Card modem is a good choice. Installation is easy, and it takes up almost no room.

What is the World Wide Web?

The Internet contains many different parts, with the most famous being the World Wide Web. It got its start when Dr. Tim Berners-Lee created a program on which to record his academic conclusions. The program let him cross-reference research papers by using a single highlighted word, known as a hyperlink, as a gateway to an attached document that substantiated or supported that particular claim. Users with a Web browser can enjoy the graphical interfaces on the Web that are considerably more user-friendly than the text-only sites found throughout much of the Internet. By pointing the cursor and clicking the mouse, users can visit individual Web sites that contain everything from text and images to sound, animation, and video.

It seems everybody has their own Web site these days. From universities to movie studios, advertising agencies to potato chip manufacturers, scientists to the average Joe�they�re all on there. If you want information, useful or not, presented in a visually pleasing way, you want the Web.

The Web also gives users the ability to jump from site to site by simply clicking highlighted sections of text, called hyperlinks, that appear in most sites. For example, if you�re reading an online magazine�s review of a current movie, you might notice the director�s name highlighted in blue within the body of the text. That means the person who created this page has created a link for you. If you click the name, you�ll jump to a related story about the film�s director. Hyperlinks make navigating the Web a truly interactive experience.

What is a Web browser?

Web browsers are the Internet equivalent of a magic carpet that can take you anywhere you want to go. As word processors display text documents stored on your hard drive, Web browsers display information from pages stored on other computers connected to the �Net. The intuitive, point-and-click nature of these programs makes them very easy to use, and they�ve had a great deal to do with the popularization of the Internet.

Like an encyclopedia, the Web doesn�t have a true �beginning� where readers are supposed to start each session. What page you open to on the Web is up to you. Unfortunately, the Web isn�t arranged in anything remotely close to alphabetical order like most encyclopedias. Opening the Web to a random page could turn up pictures of famous artwork or pictures of someone�s fish. The Web does offer search engines, although these don�t always work that well. Moving from one Web page to another in this milieu is simple. One way is to type a Web site�s address in the form of a URL, or Universal Resource Locator. That�s the �http://� jargon we see so often today. The other is to use the mouse to click hyperlinks, which are special text on Web pages that automatically can send the browser scurrying off to load a different page.

If it turns out you really like a site, most browsers will let you mark it in memory, so you can return at the click of a button. Other prominent capabilities of most browsers include access to E-mail and newsgroups and the ability to help you download files.

Another handy utility of most browsers is that they can keep track of where you have been during your Internet trek. By simply clicking the Back button, or your browser�s equivalent, you can retrace your route and return to sites you�ve already visited. The major Web browsers also offer direct access to a list of search services, which can help you find what you�re looking for.

Hyperlinks make using Web browsers a snap; there�s almost nothing to it. But deciding which browser to use is a bit more complicated. It�s safe to say the vast majority of �Net users favor one of three different programs: Mosaic, Netscape Navigator, or Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Mosaic. Mosaic began the Web wars in 1993 with the first graphical Web browser. Developed by students and faculty at the University of Illinois� National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the program revolutionized the then text-only domains of the Internet.

Since those first breakthrough years, however, Mosaic has faded from the major browser picture. After the fairly recent release of version 3.0 for Windows 95 (Win95) and NT, Mosaic developers announced they would move on to other projects and cease any further development of their browser.

Those who used the Web in its earlier days share a certain reverence for the Mosaic name, but serious �Netizens of today are likely to look to Netscape or Microsoft.

Netscape. A Georgia Institute of Technology survey in April of 1997 indicated that Navigator held 81% of the market, and Netscape�s own claims in January of 1998 pointed to a market share of 67%, a marked slip for the communications software company. Even though Internet Explorer has eroded Netscape�s dominance in the browser market over the last year, the majority of Internet users still choose to Navigate rather than to Explore.

Netscape Navigator comes in different flavors these days depending upon what you�re looking for from a browser. The Netscape Communicator package includes the latest browser, along with tools for E-mail and newsgroups for a price of about $59 in retail stores. However, in an effort to stem the tide of users converting to Explorer, Netscape has made the standard edition of Communicator and the stand-alone version of Navigator available to download for free at their Web site (does not include tech support).

With an ever-expanding list of features, Netscape commands the browser market, and it�s easy to see why. Navigator runs on almost every operating system out there, and nothing except Internet Explorer even comes close in the feature race.

Internet Explorer. Netscape enthusiasts might cry foul, but the unbiased observer must admit Microsoft�s Internet Explorer is a great browser. Recent versions have helped it become competitive on many platforms, rather than just Win95.

Today�s Explorer is a great leap forward from previous versions. Its latest version, 4.0, includes cutting-edge features such as better integration with the operating system and push technology that delivers customized online information. After a quick childhood, Internet Explorer has grown up into a program that goes head-to-head with Netscape. The best thing about both Netscape and Internet Explorer, however, is that they�re available as free downloads for personal use, so you can try one out and decide whether you like it.

Explorer does have a clear advantage where Windows 98 (Win98) is concerned, however; the operating system comes with the browser pre-installed and fully integrated. Users can still install and use Navigator if they choose to, but the ease of using a browser which is a seemingly natural extension of Windows may appeal to those of us who prefer the path of least resistance.

What is a search engine?

The Internet is a big place. There are millions of places to visit, and that number is increasing everyday. The thought of trying to find a single topic or site in this vast sea of information can be a little daunting. But it pays to tackle the task. The Internet�s size means any information you want is probably out there; the real skill is knowing where to find it. Fortunately, you don�t have to wade through every site out there to find what you want because several companies are willing to do it for you. And they�ll do it for free.

Yes, in the wild and woolly world of Internet commerce, a growing number of young, enterprising entrepreneurs (as well as old, established companies) have started Internet-based companies called search engines or search services. These companies do all the legwork for you, using complex programs to keep track of the ever-changing array of information that exists on the Internet. Then they let you peruse the information they�ve gathered to find the sites you�re after.

For example, if you wanted to see what types of sites the Internet had to offer on Mark Twain, you might visit the Yahoo! site (at http://www.yahoo.com). Once you�re there, you simply type mark twain in the search window, and away you go. Yahoo! was one of the first, and is still one of the most popular, search sites because of its simple interface and friendly demeanor.

Your request for sites about Mark Twain should bring back a list of possible sites. If they�re not exactly what you were looking for, you might try to narrow your search parameters; most search engines make it easy to do.

Each search engine�s automated program conducts searches in its own way, and this appears to be an area of much debate among the various companies, with each contending that theirs is the only way to go. In the end, it probably doesn�t really matter exactly how each service gathers its information, as long as it�s correct and comprehensive and you can find what you�re looking for when you use it.

The best thing about the high level of competition among the search engines is that it drives these companies to work toward better and more comprehensive services. Many have added FTP (file-transfer protocol) sites, Usenet newsgroups, electronic mail (E-mail) addresses, and direct access to news stories, stock quotes, and daily sports scores. In addition, others have taken the extra step of actually examining the Web site information they�ve gathered (instead of just tossing it into the database) and breaking it down into subject-oriented directories.

If you�re having difficulty with a search or if you just want to find an interesting topic, most search engines now offer these directories for you to browse through. In a directory, you can pick a general topic and work your way down to a specific site. For example, you could pick the general category of health, then pick the subcategory hospitals, and finally pick out a particular hospital�s Web site. Directories are very easy to use and can lead to some great discoveries. Some search engines even provide reviews and ratings of Web sites.

It�s usually pretty easy to find a search engine (more are popping up every day), and most Web browsers offer their own list at the start page or through a button on the browser. The two major Web browsers in use today, Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer, make it easy to find a good search service. If you�re using Navigator, simply click the Internet Search button located under the URL field. Netscape�s search page allows direct access to five of the Internet�s most popular search engines. It also offers links to a number of lesser-known, and more topic-specific, services. If Explorer is your browser of choice, just left-click the Search icon (the one with the magnifying glass). Explorer�s search page contains six big-time search engines from which to choose.

Here are the addresses for some of the most popular search engines:



�AltaVista (http://www.altavista.digital.com)

�Excite (http://www.excite.com)

�Infoseek (http://guide.infoseek.com)

�Lycos (http://www.lycos.com)

�Magellan (http://www.mckinley.com)

�Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com)



These search engine sites work for free, but beware: Most sell space to advertisers who want to sell you something! At the very least, you�ll see the ad while you wait for your search results. At best, advertisers hope you�ll actually click the ad and jump to their site, where they can peddle their wares on their own turf.

What is a URL?

URL stands for universal resource locator, which is a fancy way of saying �Internet address.� URLs are those longs strings of text that are popping up in everything from newspaper articles to television commercials, asking you to visit a certain Web site. URLs usually start with �http://,� have several letters, numbers, and punctuation marks in the middle; and include a three-letter suffix such as �.edu� or �.com� at the end. Foreign Internet sites sometimes have two-letter suffixes at the end which indicate the country where the site resides, such as �.uk� for sites in the United Kingdom, or �.fr� for sites in France. The rapid growth of the Internet has prompted developers to plan for new suffixes to come, some of which may even contain four letters.

Most URLs look like a pile of gibberish, but actually, each combination of letters and punctuation marks plays a very specific role in directing a Web browser to the correct location. By typing a complete URL into the appropriate window of a Web browser, you can jump instantly to a new site on the Internet. Just like a real-life address, it�s very important to make sure you include everything when you enter a URL; otherwise, it�s likely you�ll end up somewhere unexpected.

What is E-mail?

Electronic mail (E-mail) is a letter or document composed, mailed, received, and read through computers. Most E-mail reaches its destination by traveling on the Internet, although office networks and commercial online services also provide E-mail services to their users. It works like this: You compose an E-mail message on your computer, and send it through the phone lines to computers that process it and send it to the address you named. The recipient of your message opens it on his or her computer, reads it, and can send a reply message to you.

E-mail lets people use written communication (which many prefer) in a timely manner. It combines the qualities traditionally attributed to a letter or document sent through the postal service, with the speed, efficiency, and dependability of placing a phone call. And it usually costs less than either one. You can take your time and find exactly the right words. You can store your E-mail in a folder for future reference. And people like to receive E-mail, just as they like to find a letter in their �real� mailbox.

Most Web browsers have some type of E-mail program, and there are dozens more to choose from on the market and on the Internet. E-mail is the single-most popular use for the �Net, and in the future, almost everybody will probably have two addresses, one where they receive their �real� mail and one where they receive their E-mail.

To send and receive E-mail, you need a computer with the correct communications software, a modem (a device that allows a computer to communicate with other computers through telephone lines) and access to one of the following: a commercial online service (such as America Online [AOL], the largest service with 13 million members); an Internet service provider (ISP); or a specialty mail service, such as Juno. Some people also may be able to send E-mail through a local-area network (LAN), which is a group of connected office computers.

When you begin your search for an E-mail service, weigh each service�s features, their connection availability (is it a local call with a connection speed to match your modem?), and�of course�cost. Although a service such as Juno is free, there are still costs involved. Another consideration may be whether the service comes with a ready-to-use mail program.

Most commercial online services or specialty mail services have a built-in E-mail system. Some ISPs also will offer a simple E-mail program with their service, or you might find one online for free or your computer may already have a program installed. (For example, Win95 has Microsoft Exchange.)

Regardless of which mail program you have, most work about the same and contain the same general features. All mail programs will have something that resembles an inbox, where incoming mail is stored until it can be read; an outbox, where E-mail messages that have been sent are stored; and a wastebasket, where deleted E-mail messages are stored until you exit the program. Most programs also will let you create your own folders where you can place important messages you want to save.

Like their other basic features, most E-mail programs are fairly similar when it comes to composing, sending, and receiving E-mail messages.

A word about E-mail messages themselves is in order. There is an art to composing good E-mail, and it has to do with keeping messages conversational but brief and to the point. One way to keep a message short is to include at least part of the original message when sending an E-mail reply. That way you don�t have to spend time explaining which E-mail message you are replying to, and senders get a brief reminder of what they said in their original message.

Be sure to follow basic E-mail style rules. Typing in all capital letters means you�re shouting at your readers. All lowercase letters means you�re mumbling.

Another important thing to remember about E-mail is that it�s not a particularly secure means of communication. Since E-mail can be monitored, don�t use it to tell explicit jokes, poke fun at people, or pass on private information.

What is the difference between the Internet and commercial online services? Which is better?

Both the Internet and commercial online services (again, the largest is America Online, followed by CompuServe) provide users with access to a huge amount of information as well as the ability to send and receive E-mail and to hold discussions with others in real time. Most online companies also offer their own gateways to the Internet. The main difference between the Internet and the commercial online services is that no single person or company owns the Internet, so there is nobody in charge of the content.

Since nobody owns the Internet, you don�t have to pay anybody to use it. You do, however, have to pay to connect to it. This is where Internet service providers (ISPs) come into play. They provide the link between your computer and the rest of the �Net. An ISP, however, has absolutely no control over the content of the Internet.

Companies own and operate the commercial services. They work to create content, monitor activity, and provide services that users can�t or won�t find on the Internet. Because an online service can control the content within its own boundaries�at least to some extent�it can keep out sites subscribers might find displeasing. Commercial services also offer monitored chat rooms, where people can have real-time discussions under the watchful eye of the company�s censors. If people in a chat room get out of line and use forbidden words or phrases, the company can remove them from the service.

As to which method is better, it�s really a matter of preference. Access to the Internet through most ISPs is cheaper than subscribing to an online service, and it�s usually a bit faster. But the Internet is a much more raw environment than what you�ll find on the online services. For the extra cash, an online company provides specialty content and services, as well as the guarantee of a more orderly, and purified, online universe.

What is a PPP connection?

Point-to-Point Protocol is a method for connecting your computer directly to the Internet. A fully connected machine lets you experience all the vibrant graphics, animation, sounds, and video available on the World Wide Web.

In the early days, the only way to connect your computer to the Internet was through an ISP�s computer. When you did it this way, in what was called a shell account, the best you could hope for was plain old, boring text. Essentially, all your computer was doing was acting as a terminal, with the actual commands running through the ISP�s computer. But now, using a PPP connection, you can bypass that second computer and link directly to the Internet. This lets you take full advantage of what is available online.

Win95 has built-in software for installing a PPP connection on your computer.

What is IRC?

Until about a century ago, our conversations were limited to hearing distance. Thanks to the telephone, we now can communicate across the planet, for a price. And now, thanks to computers, we can have a group discussion with almost anybody, anywhere for nearly free by using the Internet.

IRC, which stands for Internet Relay Chat, is a virtual area where people gather to use their computers and modems to chat in real time. According to answers found in the IRC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) online, this addictive form of correspondence was created by Jarkko Oikarinen in Finland in 1988. It has been used in more than 60 countries since its conception. IRC allows for real-time conversations over the Internet. Because of this unique quality, IRC has been used for live coverage of world events, including the Gulf War and the Oklahoma City bombing, where people at the locale of interest report what is happening there to the rest of the users.

To take part in this worldwide gabfest, users first must obtain an IRC program called a client. One of the most popular of these clients is mIRC, a shareware program developed by Khaled Mardam-Bey. The newest version (5.02) is available from the mIRC home page at http://www.mirc.co.uk. (It comes in both a 16-bit Windows 3.x version and a 32-bit version for Win95 and NT.) This home page is a great source for answering your FAQs about IRC and how to use the mIRC program.

After installing the client, it should be easy for the user log on to a server that connects in turn to another server where they can find the IRC�s individual channels.

Selecting a channel from the thousands that exist can be the most difficult part of IRC. You have a range of topics from which to choose, including everything from music groups to literature to politics. Once you join a channel, you can communicate with the other people there by simply typing what you want to say. Your statements zoom around the world in an instant, and your international conversation has begun. Remember to be polite in conversations. Don�t type in all caps (it�s considered yelling), watch your grammar, and observe what others are saying before jumping in with your opinion.

What is a newsgroup?

If you�re looking for a place to obsess about your favorite topics�from hobbies to television shows to personal habits�along with people that share your interests, a newsgroup is the place for you. Newsgroups are essentially bulletin boards where people can read and post messages about the topics of their choice. When you post a message to a newsgroup, everyone who visits that newsgroup can read your comments and respond if they want to. Usenet is the cyberplace where users can find a collection of thousands of different newsgroups.

If you have one of the major Web browsers, accessing these newsgroups is as easy as clicking the Newsgroups button and following the instructions to set it all up. This amounts to connecting to an appropriate server and choosing which you�re interested in. Once you�re in, mind your manners and remember: Whatever you type may be read by a large number of people.

What is FTP?

File-transfer protocol is a way to transfer computer files over the Internet. FTP sites house programs that are available as shareware (meaning you pay a registration fee to use them) or as freeware (which costs nothing, but the programs remain copyrighted).

In the past, you needed an FTP client (software) to access FTP sites. Using a client involved learning various commands as well as dealing with site administrators. Today, you can access most FTP sites with your average Web browser, and it�ll handle the details. All you have to do is go to one of these sites and download the software to your hard drive. It�s as easy as that.

With the improved ease of downloading files from the Internet, a commercially viable use for FTP files has arisen. Many software companies have recently begun to offer demonstration versions of the software they have for sale. It works this way: You visit a company�s Web site, and it lets you download a partial version of its program. For example, you only would get one or two levels of a 10-level scenario if you were downloading a game. If you were downloading a product such as flowcharting software, the demonstration program might leave out the spelling program or some other important feature. You use the downloaded program and then decide whether you want to buy the full version.

This process works for both sides. Users can decide before they buy if they want or need a program. The software designers, on the other hand, win in that they don�t have to deal with unsatisfied customers who return programs that didn�t do what they wanted.

What is HTML?

Hypertext Markup Language is the language of the Word Wide Web. You can use HTML to create the instructions that tell a Web browser and your computer how to display a Web page.

You can add HTML tags to plain text files to create things such as headlines and other page elements. One of the most important elements of HTML is the fact that any browser, on any computer, can read and interpret it.

Since HTML works on any plain text file, all you really need to create your own Web page is a place to do it (through your ISP) and a working knowledge of the major HTML tags. You also can use an HTML editor to help make the process more simple. Many are available for free on the Web.

What is uploading?

One of the most interesting aspects of the Internet is the incredible amount of diversity you can find there. One of the main reasons for this great diversity is the fact that anyone with access to the Internet can make their own contributions, through the process of uploading. This occurs when you take files from your computer and copy them onto another computer where users can access them from the Internet.

Of course, some people�s idea of a worthwhile contribution is different from others. While some strive to bring information, enlightenment, or entertainment to people through their writings and images, others feel they�ve done their part by making dirty pictures and obscene commentary available to all.

While people can add material of questionable taste to the Internet mix, uploading commercial software is absolutely forbidden. Offering a $500 word processing program for free (unless you created it and own the copyright) on the Internet is illegal and can lead to some nasty repercussions, including disdain from your fellow �Netizens. So don�t do it.  

Sources for online statistics boxes: Inter Commerce Corp., NUA Internet Surveys, Internet.com, NOP Research Group, IDC Research, Asia Biz Tech, Mediamark Research Inc., Simmons, Lou Harris and Baruch College, American Electronics Assoc., Net-Smart Research, Intelliquest, and Wired News.


How Many People Are Online?


  The 62 million Americans with Internet access as of May 1998 account for 30% of the country�s population of people 16 years of age and older.

  In the 10 months from August 1997 to May 1998, the number of regular Internet users grew by nearly 30%.

  As of March 1998, research indicated that worldwide there were 68.69 million people using the World Wide Web alone (see �What is the World Wide Web� for its relation to the entire Internet). Estimates placed the number of Web users around the globe by the end of 1998 at 97.25 million, and by the year 2002 at 319.79 million.


Why Do People Go Online?


  About 60% of users say World Wide Web use is their primary reason for going online; almost 26% say their foremost reason for going online is to use E-mail.

 Around 46% of users say that they mainly use the Web for research, about 24% say that entertainment is their main use for the Web.

 Size matters. 37% of users say that their favorite feature of the Internet is the size of the network, about 17% say that their favorite feature is the quality of the information obtained there.




Where Do People Go Online?


 The United States has 44 million regular Internet users, which is more than the next 10 surveyed countries combined, which include (in descending order based on number of people online); Japan, Germany, The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Korea, The Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden.

 According to the China National Network Information Center, China passed the one million mark for Internet users as of June 19, 1998.

  Russia is reported to have had only 600,000 Internet users as of late last year, but the number of those online is said to double each year.

  New York is the United States� leading city in numbers of registered Internet domain names (hosting 9.5% of the country�s domains), followed by Washington, DC (7.2%), Los Angeles (6.9%), San Francisco (3.6%), and Boston (3.4%).




Who Goes Online?


 In a recent Internet demographics survey of more than 10,000 respondants, 42.4% were between the ages of 22-30 years of age. About a year ago, the largest age group online was 35-44 (34%).

  About 71% of online users are male. That�s up one percent from a year ago.

  Just over 47% of Internet users have at least a Bachelors Degree, and nearly 35% more are currently attending college.

  Almost 39% of internet users surveyed have jobs in or related to the PC/Computer industry.




How Often Do People Go Online?


  About 51% of Internet users go online every day.

  More than 25% of Internet users subscribing to commerical online services are online one hour or more per day.

  A January 1998 survey showed that regular Internet users spend 60% more time surfing the Web than they do watching TV.




Miscellaneous Facts


  Study results early in June 1998 revealed that the percentage of teenagers online has gone from 43% in 1996 to almost 65% at present, an increase of 50%.

  The percentage of whites, blacks, and hispanics online is in direct proportion with the entire US population, according to research published in May 1998.

  In April of 1998, the average salary for Web professionals ranged between $39,500 and $120,100.

  According to a survey in November of 1998, women will make up 60% of the online community by the year 2005.




Hooking Up To An IRC Channel


Internet Relay Chat is a like an international CB system or conference call, only on your computer. If your ISP supports this type of service, you can tap into a host IRC server with a client program. The server is a central place where you join in discussions with other users who are hooked into the same chat server. (That chat server is connected to a network of similar servers.)

You pick a handle and choose a public channel, or topic, to connect to, ask to join a private one, or create one of your own. Then you will begin to see conversations fly between users in real time. Enter a message; it�s passed to other users on the channel, and they can reply to it in seconds.  



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