Begin Here
So, this online stuff is intimidating and confusing hunh? Well, once you give it a try, a real try that lasts a few months, you’ll find you are more skilled than you think.
Let’s figure out where you are so you can get the best information for your purposes. Below are five categories. Figure out which one fits your experience level best and then click away to find help.
Noobs (Newbies or Novices)
Don’t have e-mail.
Never read a blog.
IP wha?
Toe Dipper (Some Knowledge)
Have no MySpace, Facebook or blog.
Not sure if my e-mail sucks or not.
I play addictive games mostly.
Baby Rocker (Moderate Knowledge)
I have a presence online.
I know how to download pics.
I can do links!
Rocker (Adequate Knowledge)
I have a blog and a tracker.
I have never met some of my best friends.
I can post a wicked vid.
Hardcore Rocker (Superior Knowledge)
I write code.
Pwned is so dated.
Bored now.
Okay, that should get you started. Feel free to ask questions in the comments and I will do my best to answer them in a weekly Q & A post.
Eventually, I will have FAQs (frequently asked questions) but for now, we’re just getting started.
NOOBS!
First, slow down. Getting frustrated only makes everything take longer.
Take a deep breath. Get comfortable and look around. Notice the pages you go to including this one. There are links (usually highlighted in some way within an entry most places or in the margins) and other things that may interest you. Exploring is important!
Now, you need and e-mail address. Choose an e-mail service that gives you the benefits you want and is easy enough to understand. Here are two very good e-mail services that offer many options.
Please note that I am giving you suggestions only. If you have better advice that’s great! I’m not paid to endorse or trash anything. These are opinions that I have formed from my own experience on the web and of course do not constitute rules but simple suggestions to make your experience smooth yet filled with potential.
COMMUNICATION
With a gmail account you can access everything Google has to offer. What do they have to offer? Well, they give you plenty of information at their site. Take your time and go there.
When you get to the Google page in the upper left hand portion you will find the links you need to get to gmail and start an account. Once you do that, in the upper right hand corner you will be ale to sign in. If you click the “iGoogle” link next to the sign in one, you can customize your Google page.
For those who work behind 100% filters at work, once you have your iGoogle set up, you can still see a portion of your e-mail screen. While you won’t be able to access the mail, you can see if you have received anything new.
Yahoo: Yahoo Mail : FREE
Like Google, you can access everything Yahoo has to offer. You should check it out
Much like the Google page you have to look to the margins to see where to go. I explain a little further down why I prefer the gmail, but going to each site yourself to see how it feels to you will help you decide. For me, yahoo is too cluttered but you can customize it as well.
There are other e-mail services that are wonderful. Mac mail through Apple is great and if you have a Mac, I suggest exploring it. Also, OPEN SOURCE (Free software!) Ubuntu, for instance, has e-mail. Explore it if you choose. I hear it is the next big thing and quite good.)
The Jist
Go to the place where you feel comfortable.
I have both gmail and yahoo accounts. I prefer the gmail as I said. It is easier to read and the ads do not block the space. In addition, the other services are outstanding. For example, Google has an online word processor ( google docs, very handy for collaborating or for teaching) that you can use to create and store documents online. You can access it from anywhere. Gone are your worries about forgetting a file at home or losing the flash drive. Also, I can use Google Maps to chart my walks and trips and as a user there, I can save those. Those are only two features that I have found helpful. There are more advantages like Google Reader and Analytics.
Yahoo has an online picture album where you can store photos from your computer after you download them from a digital camera. Flickr is the name of that service and it is free. It is a fun application and you can meet others if you choose using it.
But you’re just starting. Go to the place where you feel most at home. The two biggies are powerful search engines. They work to offer the most to their users. Still, it’s good to read about them to know what you are getting into. Some people are concerned about privacy issues. Both Yahoo and Google are generally thought to be safe, but if you want the details, read the user agreement when you sign up. If you do not agree to the terms, you do not have to use that service.
Services to avoid IMO (In My Opinion)
* Those that do not offer every option you want or are too confusing to use.
* Those that are linked to ISPs (Internet Service Providers). These companies change names and go under sometimes and you may not be with the same service provider for long. It’s best to have your e-mail at a place where you can get to it from anywhere.
You do not have to use the accounts provided by your ISP, and frankly, it can be an anchor to do so. If you move or decide to go with another provider you may have to spend hours figuring out a new system. Ugh in the first degree and completely unnecessary.
I have heard from someone who uses Roadrunner, a cable ISP, who is very happy with that mail system. If you feel that you are comfortable using the email from your ISP, do so. But understand that you will only have the extra benefits that ISP chooses to provide. They already have your business, so they may not care to offer all the extras.
* Those that have no benefits other than e-mail. If you are going to get one, you might as well get one that will serve as many purposes as possible. This will save you time if you intend to create things online.
SPEED
Okay, now you may wonder what is the best ISP to choose. Quite simply it is the one that offers high speed access and is the most cost effective for you. This is often different for different areas of the world, country, state and even some cities. And it is changing all the time too. Call your cable company and any phone company that provides high speed access and ask about costs and speeds.
One thing is sure: YOU NEED HIGH SPEED. Without it you will not be able to use the net to your best advantage. Get it. Look at the fee as an investment in your future. The world is at your fingertips with high speed. You are drumming your fingertips waiting for pages to appear without it.
EXPLORING
If you’re here, you used a search engine or you typed in the web address straight to your browser. So you know somethings about exploring already.
Each time you go to a page or hit a link on a page you go to a new place. (You can go back by clicking “back” in your toolbar at the top of your browser screen.) Look around the new places you go. Notice how things are set up. Doing this will give you more information. Often people overlook that there are links to help somewhere on a page. Also, if you need to contact someone at a page that represents a business, usually there is a place to do that. Sometimes it is very tiny and placed at the bottom of a page.
YOUR WEB PRESENCE
There are many options for you to explore and use if you choose. They will be addressed individually. Just click on the links below to take you to each one. But before you do become a presence online, either read this or read something else about how to be discreet.
Click on the categories below to find out more (or click on the categories in the side margin area).
EXPRESSION
RESOURCES
SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE SERVICES
Again, if there is an area that is wanting for basic information, please let me know and/or research it yourself. Drop a line and let us know what you find! We can get the best of this place together.
Security
If you go to many sites you will run across things called “pop ups” they are ads for things and they can be tiresome. You can block these.
HERE is a website that links to several and reviews and rates them.
Many sites also send out programs to “spy” on what your computer does. They are called spyware. These machines do this to find out how to sell things to you (that is a very short definition of what they are and do, but in essence, they are about getting money.). Some can be damaging and others ore innocuous. Either way spyware blocking is a good thing to use.
If you have heard of a computer virus but do not know what it is think of a real virus. It can make your computer sick and can spread itself to other computers too. There are anit-virus services that you can use.
Most anti-virus programs also have a spyware blocker component to them. I will link to a couple, but if you use Windows, click on the help page or go to the Windows sie and see what they have to offer too. (Here is one of Microsoft’s)
McAfee is one. You can buy it online or you can usually find it at stores that sell computers.
Trendmicro is another one. (Did not work with Mozilla Firefox browser when I used it. But it worked very well with Microsoft Explorer.)
HERE is a buying guide for anti virus software.
HERE is a site that reviews several. HERE is another. There are several more. Use a search engine and the term “anti virus software” and you will find plenty of help.
NOTE! Some of these programs do not work with some browsers. If you do not know what those are you can read the link or go to the category on the side margin marked “browsers.”
Using these tools to keep your computer healthy and free from virtual bugs will save you time.
I must put one note. If you are using a Mac. You probably were already told at the store or on the website that you won’t be as prone to viruses. You won’t! That’s great. But if you are set up using wifi (wireless network connection) even with a Mac, your router (the thing that sends the wifi around your house) can be vulnerable. There are anti-virus services to keep that safe too.
Anyone who uses a router can benefit from making sure it is safe as well. HERE is a site that has some information for you.
As with all these categories, using a search engine to find out more about the terms is a good idea. Wikipedia has a bunch of good and easy to understand information about all of these things. I have linked to it in the margin.
FREEBIES!
Working on it.
PREDATORS
The web has an unfair reputation with many for being home to so many predators. News programs make it seem like you can go anywhere online without running into a predator. The danger is real but it is exaggerated too. It is best to be informed.
It is best to understand how to protect yourself and/or those you love. This site: Be Web Aware has good information about how to prevent, detect and protect yourself from predators.
Safe Passage is another award winning site that can help as well.
Cyber Safety in the Classroom is a good place for teachers to visit.
Adults also can fall prey to predators. You don’t hear a lot about it in the news, but sometimes a person can be taken advantage of horribly even if they are experienced.
Some tips for adults:
1. Be wary of people who ask you for money or things.
2. Be very wary of people who ask you to lie for them.
3. Do not give out your personal financial information to any one person. Only do that with a secure transaction for which you will receive a receipt.
4. People misrepresent themselves all the time. Do your research. Get real names and locations and check people out before you give your mind or heart or time to a stranger.
5. The Knight of Kindness has a post for people who feel they are being stalked. If this is a concern for you, read it and you will have some good tips on how to make it stop because often predators do not give up even when you figure them out.
The web is not full of predators but to say they do not exist is irresponsible. Get informed and do not give up your place online due to the fear of predators. You have every right and reason to be here and for the most part, unless you are communicating with someone online, you are safe.
The exception to this are those predators that send notices through emails. Sometimes they look just like pages from places you trust. If any place asks you for credit card information or personal information in an email, contact that place and ask if it is real. Most times if not all, these types of requests are fakes. DO NOT give your information out without doing your homework.
NEWS
Getting your news online is easy and fun. You can get the exact news you want often and most it is better than what your local papers and television has to offer.
It’s better because you can get it “straight from the horses mouth” often. In my area, the local tv news talks about things that they found online. Many times I’ve already found them. More often than not, tv news doesn’t give a complete picture of anything they find online. It’s usually laced with scare tactics and sensationalism. Online there isn’t such a need as if being scared or titillated is what a person wants, there are thousands of places to get that for free online.
When people want news without the gimmicks they come to the web. I will list a few places to find news but here is an interesting concept that could broaden your perspective. If you are interested in an international news item, you can go to that country’s (or another’s) news outlets and read (if you know the language) what is being reported there. This can give you a more well rounded idea of the situation often.
I have linked to the New York Times in the margin. I am told it is a well read online paper as in the real world. They have just opened up their whole site for free. At one time you had to pay extra for certain features and some news outlets still make people do that. So be aware you might not get all the information without paying from some places, but others will likely have it anyway. Keep searching.
Decide the kind of news you want and search for it.
Random sites of varying interest:
CNN You can choose U.S. or International there.
NPR Yes, it’s on the radio but you can find things you missed.
MSNBC This is part of the television station.
Speaking of which, you can search and find your favorite station online.
EdNews Education news.
CNET News Technology news.
BLOOMBERG Stock market news.
I enjoy getting some news from podcasts. As you become more familiar with the net you might want news about the net. Here is a fairly new podcast that is informative:
Some sites have a network of people who find stories from news outlets of all kinds. They choose which ones they like the best by voting on them. This is one that is pretty fun:
Here is one for weird news:
Here is an outlet that covers social networks.
There are so many more places to find news. You can read rulings from the US Supreme Court online.
If there is news about something, you can usually find it online. However, as with all news in the real world, you must consider the sources and use your own mind.
Subscriptions
Working this one yet.
Forums
A forum is a place where more rapid exchanges of ideas can happen. They are places for discussion and resources to find help.They are also referred to as discussion boards.
Forums can develop around personal web sites just as easily as they can around organizations. Each forum you go to will have guidelines for you to read.
People usually have to register in a forum before they can post or comment in it.
All the guidelines about commenting apply to forums as well.
When and if you go to a forum and register the administration of the forum will email you a notice that you have joined and possibly a confirmation link for you to click before you can post any thing.
Forums are great places to get help for the real world or for something you are doing online. For example, I found a forum about my car. If I have a question about my car (i.e. It’s making a funny noise or a blinker has gone out and I don’t have the manual.), I can post the question in the forum and someone will answer if they have help for me.
Each forum is different but many use the same model. Look around and see what tools are available for you. At this stage in the internet, there are forums for almost everything!
Education
New apps (applications: things created for people to use) are being made every day for people to learn. Search for them.
Bzzybee is new. It is an online writing collaboration tool.
Teach the People is very new. Who knows what it will bring? Look into it if you are interested.
I searched the term “collaborative learning online” and came up with many sites. This one has more information than I can describe!
Blackboard is neat service that some professors use to hold class online.
A basic tip that is good for finding out about innovations in education online is to read online. If you’re a real world educator your state board of education has a site online. They will likely have some tips for you and links too. Educator unions and professional organizations all have web sites! They may offer some great information. Or you may find that after searching yourself or taking a tips from someone else online, that you are ahead of them.
Whatever works to get your learning on! Don’t be afraid to ask questions at sites. You’ll have to supply an e-mail if you ever hope to get a response though.
And by all means, if you find something you think will be helpful to someone else, tell them. Tell me here. I will link to it or you (if you like) and tag it with “education” so you can find it easily.
Podcasts
A podcast is an audio or video presentation that can be used like a blog, but more frequently is used to air programs of niche commercial and entertainment interests.
Some video services offer podcasting services as well if you are interested in podcasting.
Podcasts can be very educational. Searching for podcasts is easy. Just use a search engine and you will find many clearing houses for podcasts. If you use iTunes, check out their stuff! iTunes U has educational podcasts that often originate from universities. (iTunes is free and you do not have to have a Mac or an iPod to use it.)
You can subscribe to the ones you find useful. Some teach languages. Some offer the news and others are pure entertainment. There is a podcast for you, just look.
You can subscribe to them and even download them onto an MP3 device to take along with you while exercising or what have you.
Here is a directory of podcast directories. (There are so many directories that this is a neat resource.)
