 | |||||
|
| |||||
|
If you have a question and can't find the answers here, ask us, and we'll try to help you. Chances are someone else will have the same problem, so if you ask and we have an answer, we'll add it to this page for everyone's benefit.
Understanding the Internet - This site has links to many useful Internet resources, including facts, history, search tools, and netiquette. It also has links to sites where you can get some of the latest network software applications for telnet, ftp, WWW, etc.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation's (Extended) Guide to the Internet - Originally the Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet. An excellent source for all sorts of things, like getting connected to the net, using ftp, sending email, and much, much more. It's searchable too.
The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette - Guidelines for both users and Web publishers to help make the 'net a better place.
Helper Applications - Once your web browser is running, you might need to download some helper applications. Helper apps are used by your browser when you download files of certain types -- for example, if you download an audio file, your browser will play the file once the download is done, assuming you have downloaded a helper app that can play an audio file. You can see a list of some helper apps on the Helper Applications page from Netscape
Making your browser faster - Most web browsers store copies of the web pages you've recently visited on your computer. When you visit one of those pages again, the browser may contact the Web server to see if the stored page has been changed since you last read it. If the stored page is still current, your Web browser will display it's copy of it, saving the transmission time.
Send administrative requests to the correct address - Probably the most common mistake people make with mailing lists is sending requests to subscribe or unsubscribe to the list itself, instead of to the administrative address. This can be frustrating to the list members, and your request may not be taken care of. Please keep this in mind. Generally, the address that subscribe/unsubscribe should be sent to is similar to the mailing list itself, sometimes with a '-request' added to the name of the mailing list. For the Listserv and Majordomo types of automated mailing lists, there is some more information below.
Keep the Subject Field Concise - When you send mail (post) to a mailing list, make sure the subject line clearly states what your post is about. This will help people to find the articles they are most interested in. For example, if you're looking for help from other members of the list, instead of using 'Question' for the subject and then putting your question in the body of the message, use the question itself as the subject, like 'Windows patch editor?' or 'Where to upload patches?'. Putting a question mark in the subject makes it clear that you're asking a question.
Make sure your posts relate to the mailing list - Many mailing lists have a set of guidelines as to what subject matter is permitted. For example, some mailing lists prohibit any 'for sale' ads. Also, some things may be better taken care of via private correspondance rather than through the mailing list. By following any guidelines for a mailing list, and only posting relevant information, you help reduce mail traffic, and avoid upsetting members of the list.
Be mindful of the recipients when replying to a post - Sometimes you will want to reply to the person who posted a message; other times you will want your reply to be read by everyone on the list. Many people often make mistakes with this, and send a reply to the whole list when it's only relevant to the person who originally posted.
Automated mailing lists - LISTSERV and Majodomo - LISTSERVs and Majordomo are two popular ways of automating the administration of a mailing list. A program receives mail sent by you with the appropriate commands in the message body (such as "SUBSCRIBE music-lovers"), and takes the appropriate action. However, since there is no human being on the other end, you must follow very specific instructions for your requests to be handled correctly. If you subscribe to one of these automated mailing lists, you probably receive a message listing the commands to use. If you lose that message, you can refer to these documents with Majordomo Commands and the LISTSERV Reference Card. You can use some of these commands to tailor the mailing list to suit your tastes. For example, many mailing lists are available in digest form, where you receive one message with all posts for that day.
These links have menus broken down by categories. They depend mostly on people submitting information, and are generally done by hand, so they're sometimes easier to use.
These next links are to search engines. Often programs will explore the Web on their own, follow any links they find, and keep a record. The advantage to using these search engine is that you will find more links to search; the disadvantage is that many of these links may be unrelated to the information she's seeking.