Date sent:        Sat, 27 Apr 96 20:32:31 -0700

                     How to Surf the Internet

     The term "Internet," or "The Net" as it is commonly in known in the computer
business,  is best described as an assortment of over one thousand computer networks
with each using a common set of technical transfers to create a worldwide
communications medium.  The Internet is changing, most profoundly, the way people
conduct research and will in the near future be the chief source of mass information.  No
longer will a student have to rely on the local library to finish a research essay - anybody
with a computer, a modem, and an Internet Service Provider can find a wealth of information
on the Net.  Anybody with a disease or illness and who has access to the Internet can obtain
the vital information they are in need of.  And, most importantly, businesses are
flourishing at this present day because of the great potential the Internet holds.

     First of all, for a person to even consider doing research on the Internet privately
they must own a computer.  A computer that is fast, reliable, and one that has a great deal
of memory is greatly beneficial. A person also needs a modem (a device that transmits data
from a network on the Internet  to the user's computer).  A modem's quality and speed are
measured as something called a baud rate (how fast the modem transmits data in bits and
kilobits - similar to grams and kilograms).  A kilobit is a term simply used to describe the
speed of a modem.  For example, if somebody was to go out and purchase a 2400 baud modem,
they would be buying a modem that transmits data 2400 kilobits per second which is
definitely not the speed of a modem you want if your thinking of getting onto the Internet. 
The speeds of modems then double in the amount of kilobits that can be transmitted per
second going from 4800 baud to 9600 baud and so on eventually getting up to 28800 baud
(which is the fastest modem on the market right now).  To surf the Internet successfully, a
person will have to own a 9600 baud or higher, and with recent advancements the Internet has
offered, the recommended speed is a 14400 kilobytes per second modem.  A modem ranges in
price, depending on the type of modem you want, the speed you need, and if it is an external
or internal type, modems range from as low as $20 to as high as $300.  If a person is
unequipped with a computer most local libraries and nonprofit organizations provide Internet
access where research can be done freely.  Having Internet access in libraries is extremely
beneficial for citizens who do not have access to the Internet  as it gives them a chance to
survey the vast amount of information available on the Net.  And it is absolutely true the
Internet is evolving as the greatest tool for searching and retrieving information on any
particular subject.
     Searching for information on The Internet using libraries and other nonprofit
organizations can be a bit uncomfortable.  For those people who already own a computer
and a  modem, and are ready to take hold of the highway of information the Internet
provides, they might want to consider getting a commercial account with an Internet
Service Provider or ISP  (a company or organization that charges a monthly a fee and
provides people with basic Internet services).  Choosing your ISP may be the most difficult
thing you must decide when trying to get on the Net.  You must choose a service that has a
local dial-in number so you do not end up with monstrous long distance charges. You must
also choose an ISP that is reliable, fast, and has a good technical support team who are
there when you're in trouble or have a problem.  Typically, most ISP's charge around $25 to
$30 per month and they allocate approximately 90 hours per month for you to use the service.
 You must be aware that even though there are some ISP's who charge only $10 to $15 per
month for unlimited access, they may not meet up to your expectations; so it would be
advisable to spend the extra $15 or $20 per month to get the best possible service.  No
matter how a person gets connected to The Internet, they will always be able to search for
information about any topic that enters their minds.  And it is the Internet that is
changing the traditional methods of how people research specific topics.  The tools that
simplify the research processes make the Internet another invaluable method of obtaining
information.
     Most people who already know how to surf the Internet properly have no trouble
finding information quickly and logically.  However, for new people who are just starting to
use the Net, the process can be quite troublesome.  Some of the tools used for searching the
Internet include Electronic Mail or E-mail which is a Messaging system that allows you to
send documents, reports, and facsimiles to users on the Internet.  Every user on the
Internet has their own E-mail address and can send messages to anyone as long as they know
another person's E-mail address.    One easy way of obtaining information about any topic is
to join a mailing list where mail sent directly to one user will cause the information to be
distributed to all members of that particular list.  Mailing Lists are a fun and an easy way
of gaining the important information a person may  find on the Net.  This also shows another
way of how useful the Internet is and can be.
     Another way a person can gain information through Electronic Mail is by people
exchange messages publicly over the Net and these messages are sorted into different
areas called News groups or often referred to as Usenet News.  There are currently over
13,000 news groups for which any user with access to the Net can use.  People send and
receive messages about what kind of topic the news group is devoted to and is an excellent
way of gaining information quickly and easily.  Usenet news is also a way to receive up to
the minute information about timely topics.
     A further tool for exploring The Internet is a tool called gopher which is perhaps the
most popular non-graphic way of searching the Internet.  It provides interconnected links
between files on different computers around the Net.  Gopher provides access to an enormous
amount of text files, documents, games, reference files, software utilities, and much more. 
Gopher is menu-oriented making it fun and easy to search for information because the only
thing the user has to do is point and click.
     The World Wide Web is a lot like gopher in that the only difference is that it uses a
mixture of text and graphics to display a wide assortment of information.  The Web is one of
the most effective methods to provide information because of its visual impact and
multimedia foundation.  Many search tools are available on the Web to help the user more
easily search for materials that are of interest to him or her.
     There are some users who fret about having an information overload.  They see
themselves surfing a sea of random facts, information of varying quality, humour and
entertainment references, people and places.  The on-line world contains chaos as does
the real world.  Although some say the Internet World contains too much information for
people to make sense of,  there is tremendous proof people will find their place on the
Internet with plenty of help. And everybody will grow up to make sense of the information
available just as millions of users already do.
