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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, May 18, 2003
In this Issue:
Special Feature: What Are Worms?
Special Feature: Who Runs the Internet?
Tips and Tricks: A Quick Way to Type a Web Address
Featured Computer Term: CD-ROM
This Week's Topic: Info for Newbies (New Computer or Internet Users)
Question: Internet Cache
Featured Website: Did You Know; Gardening; Long Island
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Using Links
A Link is a reference to a website. In this newsletter you will see links to many worthwhile, informative and fun websites. Here are the instructions on how to use links:
A link will be used one of two ways, depending on your email program.
If you see the link in blue, underlined text, all you have to do is click on it and a window with the Website in it will automatically appear on your screen.
If you see the link in plain text, you can copy and paste it into the address bar on your browser. Highlight the link with your mouse, click Edit up on the menu bar, and then click Copy from the menu that you just opened up. Open your browser (click the Start Button, point to Programs, click on Internet Explorer); click on the address bar. Click Edit up on the menu bar, and then click Paste from the menu that you just opened up. Press the Enter key on the keyboard and this will take you to the Website.
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Special Feature: What Are Worms?
While worms are usually thought of as viruses, technically, they are not.
A worm is a program that enters your computer and then begins to perform a function. Unlike viruses, worms do not need any kind of user intervention or action to begin their activity. Once on a computer, a worm immediately begins its destructive task, and at the same time, looks for connections by which it can replicate and transmit itself to other host computers, which is generally finding an address book and sending itself to other users.
In a contest between viruses and worms, worms win as potentially the more destructive of the two.
Virus protection software will also protect your computer against worms.
Reminder: Don't download anything from anyone you don't know!!
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Special Feature: Who Runs the Internet?
Question: Who runs the Internet? By this, I mean who decided that you need to put http or www before a Web site address and all the other rules and the way things work?
Answer:
Actually, no one runs the Internet. It is just a bunch of servers (computers) all over the world providing information over a standard network protocol. That doesn’t mean that the Internet isn't without guidance from various organizations, government agencies, and committees.
The Technical Side
Much of the work that goes into defining and running the technical end of the Internet is done by a group of organizations coordinated by the Internet Society: Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG), Internet Architecture Board (IAB), Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA) and the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF), and Steering Group (IRSG). (For explanations of these groups, see the Acronym Soup fact sheet.
http://www.cpsr.org/onenet/acronym.html)
Business
The U.S. Government’s role in the Internet has steadily decreased over the last 10 or 15 years, and an assortment of businesses have taken over the tasks previously done by government agencies. The types of business include telecommunications, Internet Service Providers (ISP’s), cable TV companies, hardware and software manufaturers, and Domain Name System (DNS) registrars and registries.
Government
The U.S. Government hasn’t become totally uninvolved; a number of agencies still make decisions and laws regarding the Internet. These include the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Science Foundation (NSF), Federal Networking Council, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Content regulations like the US Communications Decency Act have been attempted and various governments have discussed issues including taxation, copyrights, and encryption. Anti-Spam laws are the current topic of discussion.
Higher Education: Colleges and Universities
These organizations play an enormous role in the development and maintenance of the Internet. Research, digital libraries, and distance education are a few examples of the content that they provide on the Internet.
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Tips and Tricks: Quick Way to Type a Web Address
In the Internet Explorer address bar just type the name of site and then press ctrl + enter. Windows will automatically put the header and tail to it.
For example, type: sharpertrainingsolutions; hold down the ctrl and press enter. It will automatically become http://www.sharpertrainingsolutions.com.
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Today's Computer Term: CD-ROM
A CD-ROM player is a device that can read information from a CD-ROM. A CD-RW, also called a readable writable drive, is a device that can both read information from a CD-ROM and write information to a CD-ROM.
CD-ROM players can be either internal, in which case they fit in a bay and are usually accessed through the front of the tower, or external, where they generally connect to the computer by a cable.
There are a number of features that distinguish CD-ROM drives, the most important of which is probably their speed. CD-ROM players are generally classified as single-speed or some multiple of single-speed. For example, a 4X player access data at four times the speed of a single-speed player.
Two more precise measurements are the drive's access time and data transfer rate. The access time measures how long, on average, it takes the drive to access a particular piece of information. The data transfer rate measures how much data can be read and sent to the computer in a second.
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Today's Topic: Info for Newbies
Do you know someone who just got a new computer or is just getting on the Internet? Do them a favor and forward them a copy of this article -it will probably help them out and save them a lot of headaches.
Rules for Newbies (New Computer or Internet Users)
In no particular order, this list has been compiled over the last year from questions sent in to this newsletter.
* Don't open attachments that you didn't ask for, even if you think you know who's sending them.
* If something asks to install itself on your computer, just say no. If it’s something you really want, call or email your local computer geek and ask how to proceed.
* Sign up for a computer class.
* Do not give out credit card information to anybody through e-mail or an instant messenger, no matter how official it sounds.
* CTRL+Z will usually reverse the last thing you did, no matter where you are or what you're doing.
* If something doesn't easily fit into one of those plugs in the back, don't force it; chances are, it's not supposed to go in there.
* The Internet has an amazing amount of information available at the click of a mouse. You can find answers to any question, information on any subject, purchase any product, and communicate with people all over the world. There are also topics that you might stumble on that you find offensive -don’t let this sour you to the wonderful resource that the Internet is -learn where you Back button is; simply click it if you come across something you don‘t like.
* Memory is not the same thing as a hard drive; memory is also known as RAM, which is where programs and open documents are loaded. The hard drive is where your files sit, waiting for you to put them into memory. Here’s a good analogy: your hard drive is your filing cabinet and your desk drawer -that’s where your files and your tools (like your pen and stapler) are kept. Memory is your desktop -when you want to work on a project, you take a file out of the filing cabinet and a tool out of the desk drawer and put it on the desktop. On the computer, you take a program and a file out of the hard drive and put it in memory.
* There's more than one way to complete a task. If you ask a question of 10 computer geeks, you will more than likely get 10 different answers -and they’ll probably all be right. Don’t let this confuse you -just keep plugging away and eventually you’ll find your own favorite way of doing things.
* Email newsletters like this one are a great, painless and free way to learn more about your computer. Subscribe to them -if you’re not learning anything from a particular one, it’s easy enough to unsubscribe.
* Don’t get mad at the computer when something doesn't work; don't get mad at yourself when something doesn't work. The computer won’t always work the way you want it to; what you’re trying to do won’t always work the way you want it to. That’s the nature of the beast.
* You're probably not going to get hacked; if you're worried, ask your computer geek how to protect yourself.
* Forwarding joke emails is not funny. It may be new to you, but be assured that anyone who’s been using the Internet and email for a while has seen that joke at least several times already.
* The Internet doesn't always move as fast as you'd like it to. Your computer doesn't always move as fast as you'd like it to. That doesn't mean there's something wrong. Be patient.
* Don't respond to special offer emails if you didn't ask for them.
* Keep all of your saved files, word processing documents, spreadsheets, emails, pictures, etc. in the My Documents folder. Whenever a program asks you to save something somewhere, save it in there. This way, you’ll always know where to look when you’re trying to find something.
* Don't believe everything you read in an email. There are a lot of hoaxes out there. Remember an expression that is way older than the Internet: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
* There's more on your computer than email and Solitaire. Look around, try things -you’ll be amazed at all you can do!
* You won't need to upgrade everything tomorrow; your system will not be obsolete until it can't do something you need it to do.
* Your computer can hold mountains of programs, files, emails and whatever else you want to save. You don’t need to erase files yet.
* Remember, you cannot kick off the next world war by pressing the wrong key.
* Have fun! If you take this activity too seriously, you won't want to play with the computer too often and you’ll miss out on a lot.
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Question: Internet Cache
What is Internet cache? I’ve heard that term several times.
Answer:
Internet cache is an area of your computer's memory or hard drive that remembers web pages you've viewed recently.
Next time you return to a web page you've already visited, notice how it loads much more quickly than it did the first time. That's because your computer remembered the information and saved a copy for you. Pages are only stored in cache temporarily; when you close your browser, the cache is cleared out.
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Today's Featured Websites:
Note: if you're not sure how to use the following links to websites, take a look at the instructions on using links at the beginning of this newsletter.
Did You Know
For interesting facts and information on just about anything you can imagine, take a look at didyouknow.cd (note: not com!). An information aficionado can get lost in these pages for hours.
http://www.didyouknow.cd
Gardening
Botanical.com
This site's a great source for all things botanical - herbal remedies and alternative medicine, culinary and gardening information, and more.
http://www.botanical.com
P. Allen Smith, Gardener
P. Allen Smith is a television host and professional garden designer. This
site has lots of up-to-date info that will suit just about any gardener.
http://www.pallensmith.com
Memorial Day Weekend
Next weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. Find things to do on Long Island at this website:
http://www.longisland.com
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