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The information provided on each of the topics above is by no means complete. For more information please refer to the manuals that came with your computer and software. In addition, don't forget to check the Help menus in each of the software applications you frequently use. They are usually packed with detailed information. |
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navigating this guide Navigating through this guide is simple. You'll notice that we've included a navigation index at the very top and bottom of each page. Text that is underlined is called a hyperlink. Clicking on any of the hyperlinks will take you to the specified page or location on a page. Directly underneath the top index you'll find additional links. Depending on the page you're reading, clicking on them will take you to the specified topic. The Reviews & Resources pages contain hyperlinks in each article, that when clicked, will dial up your modem, and take you to the specified website on the Internet. Some of the pages contain a lot of information. You may have to scroll down a little to view it all. And that's it! It's that simple. If at any time you wish quick access or our company information, just click on our logo at the top of the page. Now click on the underlined link directly below, and see what happens.
connecting to the Net
Oh yes! Make sure your modem is connected to the wall jack. And one more thing; if you only have one telephone line, you won't be able to get on the Net if the telephone is in use. Furthermore, if you're on the Net, no one will be able to call out on the telephone. Anyone calling in will get a busy signal or your answering machine. If you or family members will be on the Net a lot, it might be a good idea to get a second telephone line installed. Other than that, you're ready to go!
troubleshooting basics Most of the time, when you think something terrible has occurred, it's usually something pretty simple to resolve. And to be honest, even more often, there's really nothing wrong with the computer...the problem is usually the operator. Don't feel bad though. We all have to start somewhere! And that's why we've created this special Guide to help you. Whatever the case, try the following troubleshooting tips and advice whenever you think there's problem.
Saftey and Common Sense
Again, check the obvious. The answers are usually simple and only a click away.
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Your Computer They are all attached in one way or another to the motherboard inside your system. The motherboard is a big board made up of collections of circuits, switches and slots. These slots can be for internally connected hardware such as a modem or sound card. These slots can be either EISA or PCI slots and they can hold memory chips, which are called RAM slots. They can also hold your CPU chip, can attach to your hard drive, floppy drive, CD-ROM drive and other drives through connections on the motherboard called IDE slots. One of the special hardware components added to your system is a video card, which connects to your external monitor. It sends signals to your monitor and tells it what to display. How does your computer know and manage what's connected to it? This is were software enters the picture. Software are the programs loaded and saved onto your hard disk. Software programs are essentially a set of rules written if various computer languages. They tell the computer what to do and when to do it. Windows 95/98/NT and MS-DOS are the most common software programs. They area also called Operating Systems (OS). These operating systems are made up of many smaller programs which tell the computer what hardware devices are connected to your system. The operating system also initiates other programs to begin (such as games, word processors and Internet software). The OS allows you to format disks, browse through your hard drive, CD-ROM drive, and surf the Net. When the computer is turned on, certain files within the OS are loaded which initiate the computer, tell the computer what's connected, what software you have and allow them run efficienlty. Without an operating system, your computer is essentially crippled. It is your OS and the various hardware and software programs you are currently running, that allow you to be reading this right now! And there you have the basics about computers. Again, don't forget to visit the Power Tips pages of this guide. You'll find lots of neat tips and tricks that will help you customize and tweak your computer and enhance your productivity.
The Internet Surprisingly, the Internet is decentralized by design. Each Internet computer, called a host, is independent. The owner of each computer can choose what the world will see. To connect your computer to the Internet you will need to find an Internet Service Provider (ISP). You selected us. ISPs sell access to the Internet and provide you with many valuable services such as email accounts, access to newsgroups and the World Wide Web.
An ISP acts like an onramp or an airport. To begin a journey you need to get onto a highway or depart from an airport. There are currently over 10,000 ISPs worldwide that provide departure points for over 100 million people. Just like highways and airports, they can often get conjested with traffic. This may account for slow downloading of webpages and difficulty in accessing some sites.
Nevertheless, the Internet is a wonderful and powerful resource for education, communication, entertainment and certainly for doing business. The Reviews & Resources section of this guide includes some of the best and most intersting sites in the Net. Visit these pages often and find some really great surprises.
email basics Sent messages are stored in electronic mailboxes until the recipient checks his/her mail. To see if you have any mail, you may have to check your electronic mailbox periodically. Many systems alert you when mail is received. After reading your mail, you can store it in a text file, forward it to other users, or delete it. Copies of email messages can easily be printed if you want a paper copy. We offer e-mail services as well as access to the World Wide Web. An email transmission usually takes only a few seconds or minutes to arrive at it's destination. This is a particularly effective way to communicate with a group because you can send a single message or document to multiple recipients at once. To use email you need an email client (software). The most popular and readily available ones are Netscape Messenger, Microsoft Exchange and Outlook and Eudora. Chances are you already have one of them on your system. Each one is slightly different than the other, so you'll have to consult your manuals or the Help file that is included with each one, to get specific guidance. Regardless of which one you use, you'll find three very important fields that should be used before sending a message. The first one is the To: field. This is where you type the recipients email address. The second is the Subject: field, used to type a few words about the topic of the message. Always use this field as a courtesy to the recipient. He/she will be able to quickly see the subject line and assess whether or not the message is urgent. And finally you'll need to use the Message: or Body: field. This is where you type your message. It can be a few sentences or several paragraphs. If your message is very lengthy, it should be sent as an attachment. Check the Help file for more information on how your client handles and sends attachments. When you've entered this information, just click the Send button on the toolbar.
Using email is really that easy! You might want to practise a little by sending yourself a few messages. Just enter the email address that we set assigned you, in the To: field, add the word test as the subject, type a brief message and send it. In a few seconds check your mail and read your message. Try it. Send a friend or colleague a message. Send one to a relative on the other side of the world. It's faster and cheaper than paying for postage!
browser basics The two most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both are graphical browsers that can display graphics as well as text. In addition, most modern browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video. Both browsers will allow you to do the following:
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