on the mark get set we're riding on the internet cyberspace set free hello
virtual reality interactive appetite searching for a website a window to the
world got to get online take a spin now you're in with the techno set you're
going surfing on the internet it's another day in the life of the Jamiesons
maybe a family a little bit like yours except it's not really just another day
today's the day I'm taking my family surfing around the world on the internet
why we'll see dinosaurs order baseball tickets even plan our family's vacation
to Disney World it's cool that's finally installed the internet on our home
computer now I can surf the net anytime I want not just during my one-hour
computer class at school take a spin now you're in with the techno set you're
going surfing on the internet
hi there and welcome to our home as we share with you the basics of the
internet so that your family could take advantage of this exciting new world
like ours has you'll learn how the net can entertain you transport you to far
off locations help your children with their schoolwork and make working at
home easier don't worry there's cool stuff too and it's not just for boys
either why you can even plan a family adventure on the net so join us in the
next half hours we explore the infinite possibilities on the family guide to the
internet we hope you'll enjoy it because we've made this presentation basic and
easy to follow with plenty of helpful hints it's great if you're starting out
on the internet or even just thinking about installing it on your computer or
if you keep hearing about the internet but are totally confused about what it's
all about but before we get started you may want to pause the tape and get a
pencil and paper we'll be covering lots of exciting things and you want to take
notes take a spin now you're in with the techno set you're going surfing on the
internet first let's give our viewers a preview of what they'll be seeing well
in this program we'll be covering what you'll find on the internet surfing the
world wide web the easy way using newsgroups to share information with
people all over the world and email electronic mail plus new high-tech
developments that include online banking buying and selling stocks and shopping
hey email now that's something everyone needs to know about plus how to download
free software and video conferencing will even tell you how to make domestic
and international long-distance phone calls for the price of a local call Wow
think of the money will say and we'll show you some important websites for the
whole family to use well that's exciting stuff I'll bet our home viewers can't
wait to get underway yeah whoa whoa hold on a minute first we have to cover some
of the basics you're going surfing on the internet so Peter why don't you tell
our viewers what you learned at school you know about the history of the
internet okay the internet was started by the US Defense Department back in the
1960s for years the main users of the internet were government agencies
universities folks like that the internet was actually set up as a
communication system between defense agencies scientists and government
contractors that was way back when computers filled whole rooms and the
general public knew very little about them yeah that's true I still remember
when they introduced those little punch cards to register for classes at college
exactly dad and way back in those days the internet was designed as a
non-centralized system for security reasons and this decentralization is
what gives the net its unique democratic operating approach even today then as
the public became more knowledgeable about the internet the government
relinquished its control and the internet became privatized and that's
where the excitement began for all of us okay so if no one owns the internet who
runs it well it's a lot of people really private businesses universities and
others have banded together to make it accessible to everyone you might say
it's the ultimate democratic system it's supported by thousands of computers and
millions of users all over the world so how does it all work that's a hard one
dad you'd better take it okay son without getting too technical the
internet operates through a series of what are called protocols or languages
that computers use to talk with each other the protocol used is called TCP IP
with UNIX as the programming language dad I'm still confused well honey TCP is
the name of a language like the language we speak is English and UNIX is the
programming language like the alphabet makes up words in English now I get it
thank goodness you don't need to know all of this techno speak to get on the
internet it's all been done for you through a new series of user-friendly
programs who okay okay mom so we understand the history of the internet
and that TP stuff that they used to talk to each other let's tell them about the
fun stuff yeah like email and web pages and exactly what you will need to do to
access the internet on your computer take a spin now you're in with the
techno set you're going surfing on the internet okay let's start at the
beginning to access the internet you'll need a computer our family bought a
computer but that doesn't mean that you need to own one you're right you can
jump on the net from a variety of locations like libraries universities a
computer at work even TV at home via the new web TV system just look and you can
probably find a resource nearby but if you're planning to install the net on
your own computer there are certain basics that you'll need the most
important is that you need to have 8 megs of RAM memory as an absolute minimum
16 megs or more are preferred because the system will run faster RAM memory is
like your computer's brain it needs to be big enough to handle all of the
information you can access through the internet and you need a modem to
transfer that data from the information provider the modem links you to the
outside world through your telephone line it's really useful to have a 28.8
modem or faster particularly if you'll be transferring graphic files otherwise
you'll find yourself doing the old hurry up and wait while the files are being
transferred
you're going to fit on the internet so what's next for our viewers I mean after
they've gone to the computer store to get the right equipment now you'll need
to install the software and connect up your modem depending on the internet
vendor you've selected you'll have a different set of steps to go through to
finally get the program installed today they've automated the installation
process but it can still take some patience so first off you need to get an
internet service provider or ISP an internet service provider what's that
that's the company that connects you to the internet through special super high
speed lines and there are a couple of ways to choose a service that connects
you to the internet that's right there are online service companies and there
are ISPs that provide direct service to the internet so what's the difference
between them well online service companies provide content of their own
and they give you more help in navigating around the net direct
internet service providers or ISPs are for those who prefer to do things on
their own they link you directly to the internet but navigating around can be a
little bit more experimental so America online and Compu server online companies
and the AT&T MCI and netcom services would be ISPs right right so let's
review there are two ways to get on the internet either through online service
companies or internet service providers ISPs very good you know but either way
you'll still need to install your internet software and which
installation approach you use will depend on whether you're using an
online service company or a direct ISP if you're using an online service company
you'll be provided an installation disk to get you online and the disks are free
you just call them to get yours the disk will lead you through a series of
screens for the installation of the software you might also need to make
some refinements in your modem settings they'll give you on-screen commands that
will ask you to type in your name address and credit card information so
you can be billed your monthly service charges
you will also be asked to select a passport it's like a PIN number at the
bank it protects you from fraudulent charges on your account with the newer
systems you'll find that a lot of the process has been simplified for you but
you may need to consult the installation booklet or technical assistance if you
have problems and a final word of caution make sure your internet service
provider provides a local phone number this may sound obvious but we had a
friend in Los Angeles that signed up with an ISP in San Francisco they were
having a great time on the internet they got their phone bill you're going
surfing on the internet on the other hand setting up your system for a direct
internet service provider is more complex and installing the internet with
an ISP can sometimes take almost an hour so you'll want to get a book on
manually installing dial-up networking if you need this information that is
unless your internet service provider has developed an automated installation
for their service which more and more of them have if this is the case you simply
follow the instructions that you receive with the program to set it up even though
some of our viewers may not take the time to install the internet right now
let's give them some additional installation tips so when they do
they'll be well prepared good idea and first be sure to set aside enough time
for the installation process and you might recruit a computer savvy friend or
relative to help then you'll want to start with the obvious basics make sure
your computer system itself is up to the task if you've been having other
problems get those fixed first that's true so then what back up your data on
a tape so that if you have any problems you're safe then use a defragmentation
program to make it easier for your system to install the new program and
finally be sure to follow all of the installation information you've received
very closely it's a very good point and actually follow all the instructions
they give you it will save you a lot of time figuring out problems later and now
for a quick review set aside enough time get any other computer problems fixed
back up your data defragment your disk and follow all installation information
okay okay dad so I've got my computer with the correct amount of memory I
hooked up my modem to the phone jack I've installed my ISP or online provider
so what's next you're going to fit on the internet well now it's time to push
the button and get online finally hey just a minute you guys first you'll need
to install your browser the browser is the application that allows you to view
all of the information on the web you forgot to tell them that installing a
browser is simple and often it's free that's true Dasha sometimes you can get
it free from your ISP or a friend can download it for you on a disk and don't
forget mom you can also buy a browser or download one from the internet
you guys are jumping way ahead of yourselves first Peter you might want to
explain what it means to download that's simple it means to transfer a file of
information from a main computer or server to your computer and it's easy to
do too even I know how you simply highlight the link for the information
you want then save it on your disk to install use later you can download
games or anything in the browser's built-in helper applications allow you
to view or play some files right away
so to download a browser you'll want to download it to your location on a hard
drive typically your temp directory so you can install it now you need to
connect your ISP you click on the icon and then choose connect you can hear it
dialing sounds weird huh now it's verifying our secret password and now
we're online finally so Peter minimize that window so we can get it out of our
way now that we're online we need to learn about search engines so that we
can find the information we need a search engine is an application that does
exactly what its name says it will do it searches for information on the net and
you can easily access a search engine from your browser there are hundreds of
specialized search engines to choose from however the most popular ones
automatically appear after you select search the net from your browser menu
then you choose a search engine like Yahoo or Alta Vista and the words for
your topic you want to search for so that the search engine can search the
net for the websites containing information on that topic so let's say
that I wanted to get information about surfing in Hawaii I just type in Hawaii
and surfing and cowabunga up comes a list of all sorts of places that contain
information I want and guess what I'm doing when I'm going through all this
information I know I know you're surfing the net oh so that's what surfing the
net means now let's take a look at how to open web pages directly that is if we
already know their addresses first we type HTTP colon double slash then you
usually type in www that stands for a worldwide web and then put in the
address you're looking for for example in this case we'll type in Netscape and
then finally.com which designates that the address is a commercial organization
once we get to the Netscape site there's a lot of useful information there like
the what's new and what's cool listings that show us the newest sites on the
net and your friends may tell you about particular websites that you become
more internet savvy you'll notice web addresses everywhere television
magazines newspapers oh it appears we have a few possibilities here okay now
let's use a search engine to get on a real net project okay let's say Peter
needs some help with his homework how about that report you're supposed to do
on the history of the United Nations well I can take it from here dad first I
type in the search keywords as they're called then I press the button and whoosh
I've got tons of resources from all over the world
it is so amazing and so fast and now we've got some great web pages with all
sorts of information to choose from so you might select about the UN so that
you could find out about its history right you're right sis and I can't think
of a better example than that to illustrate the power of the internet and
helping our children with their schoolwork doing schoolwork is fun now
me too I surf all over the net getting information for my homework assignments
you're going to fit on the internet so where should we go from here why don't
we show our viewers some of the places they can go just by surfing the net
sounds great let's say you're looking for a review of computer CDs here's a
giant selection to choose from and it's constantly being updated
or if you're feeling a little hungry my flock we can just check out the site for
recipe ideas
there's lots of others too oh I have a better idea honey why don't you take us
out to a restaurant I'll check the restaurant search before we go
or how are your stocks doing right now check them at p.c. quote
no stocks because you've got no job try searching America's job bank and other
employment resources
yeah
how about continuing education from the world's largest extension program at UCLA
need a package shipped in a hurry FedEx is there to help
how about a little online shopping and oh shopping sounds good I can never pass
up a bargain and it's fun for the whole family let's try it out do you have
teenage gamers in the family like we do you'll be interested to know about these
the Yahoo search engine to find hundreds of games and there are lots of other
cool resources for kids on the net
and you can access encyclopedias that don't become outdated and what fun would
be like without MTV CNET is one of the most popular sites on the web and always
has the latest in computer happenings along with information on the CNET
television show
and here's a great find real audio allows you to hear excellent sound
quality in real time on the net you can dial into a lot of great new music and
regular news updates hey Peter what's new in the news the internet has news lines
for all of the popular news resources you can get up to the minute information
from the Los Angeles Times CNN the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal
Wow
hey here's a great one for our next night at the movies I can search hundreds
of movie reviews for free
and how about viewing the online editions of magazines yeah
hey what about television on the net there's NBC and other network links they
have contests and a viewers club
being a certified sports nut a few of my other favorites are here too dad and I
can get current stats and scores all the important sports news
now how about we take the family out to a concert we can buy the tickets online
and if you're interested in politics you and your children can learn the history
of the presidency and the White House you can even write the prayers directly
there's even a special White House tour for kids you can learn about the
legislative process and how to contact your legislators you know this is great
for students I wish I had something like this when I was in school hey we can
start planning our summer vacation on the net
wow what a blast the internet has everything there's so much to learn
you're going to fit on the internet okay Peter let's say our viewers want to
stay in touch with email you know email is still the number one use of the
internet mom but first we'll have to make sure the basics are set up you can
download an email program from an FTP site or set up the email program
provided with your online software it's really easy to use once installed you
follow some of the same steps used to get on the internet first we're gonna
need to connect to our ISP remember that one our internet service provider
there now our computer is connected and we're ready to access our email program
it might be one that's integrated into our browser program or you can download
others free of charge
email is a great way to stay in touch with business clients friends and family
look here's an invitation from your cousin Marie about the surprise party
for Aunt Dottie's 60th birthday oh yeah why don't you RSVP that one right now
yeah Peter tell her we'd love to come is there anything we can do love and kisses
rich and in the kids
email is very cool I email my best friend Janet all the time mom says it's
better than hanging out with her on the phone for hours you're going to fit on
the internet
check these out they're great internet programs that allow you to talk long
distance anywhere in the world for just the price of a local call
one of the most popular is called vocal tech and there are similar products like
microsoft's net meeting too let's try it out hello these products offer a great
new way to share information with people all over the world and all you need to
operate them as a basic sound card it allows your computer to transmit sound
it's usually included in newer computers but if yours is older you may need to
add one and the best part is that you can download free demos of these
products and some come bundled free with web browsers there's even an online
directory information service my favorite is 411 you can look up the
email addresses of your friends business addresses phone numbers even celebrities
oh that sounds like fun
this is a great application this is what we've been hearing about for years it's
low-cost video conferencing from the internet
yeah you can have business conferences without traveling to the meeting stay in
touch with family members even make new electronic friends around the world
wait and you say it's low-cost I heard video conferencing can cost five
thousand dollars or more that's the best part about this application you can get
this whole system with the connectix camera and their video phone software
for only about two hundred and fifty dollars or you can download the popular
see you see me software for free
oh that's great I can see myself now I have my 15 minutes of fame online oh
geez honey you deserve at least 30 you're going surfing on the internet
want to try at-home banking from your computer most major banks have a home
page you can get account information pay bills even apply for a loan in the
comfort of your own home that's what I like easy money well it certainly makes
handling your money easier son that's the trend you know the internet has
moved from information to interaction I like that information interaction have
to write that one down newsgroups are another major area of internet activity
and a great way to meet people with similar interests if you've got a hobby
sewing or crocheting for example or travel every part of the world is there
or cultural subjects you're interested in learning about newsgroups and real
time chat groups are easy to access
you're going surfing on the internet now we all want the Jamiesons to be good
netizens don't we okay so let's make sure that our viewers are all aware of
some netiquette you recall Emily Post don't you don't slurp your soup please
and thank you that sort of thing are you kidding I've got mrs. Nash in school
this year well netiquette is a little bit like that except it applies to our
online manners so we shouldn't spam anyone that's sending junk email to lots
of people you don't know right right hey you're a quick learner otherwise maybe
you'll get flamed that's when you get nasty mail from others sometimes
anonymous users and one way to get flamed for sure is to ask a lot of newbie
questions without first getting the facts that's right rich you sound more
and more like Joe Friday are you becoming a detective well all internet
users need to be detectives of sorts to seek out the answers to their questions
and facts or listings of frequently asked questions are the right place to
look for the information you need in fact there are several specific fact
newsgroup lists just for new users check them out here's another hint don't type
in all caps you look like you're shouting and since we're talking about
do's and don'ts let's put in a word here about keeping the net safe for your
children I'm especially concerned about some of the sites we hear about in the
news rich as well we should be and there are now several software packages that
help parents by restricting the internet news groups and websites that your
children are exposed to it's a little like the v-chip they're putting into TVs
but nothing's perfect so the best way to avoid problems is to go online with your
children yourself like we do and monitor just what they're doing
there are so many exciting things you can do on the internet we can go on and
on I'm sure you could Peter but actually I have a little surprise for you all
we're going to Disney World on our family vacation and I planned it all on
the internet all right in the meantime we hope you've learned a lot today
serves up to see you on the net yeah if I could ever get any time on our
computer on the mark get set we're riding on the internet cyberspace set free hello
virtual reality interactive appetite searching for a website a window to the
world got to get online take a spin now you're in with the techno set you're
going surfing on the internet
you