Computer and Internet Basics

Learning to use a computer & surf the Internet can be quite scary! Hopefully this site can calm some of your fears ...

First let me assure you that you CAN NOT hurt the Internet ... nothing you do will permanently change a web page! I know that sounds like a funny thing to start off with but when looking back to my first experiences I remember how scared I was to touch anything!

I didn't know how a webpage was created let alone understand how it got where it was. The first time I accidentally highlighted a word I was in a panic thinking "Now I've done it!! I've ruined the page!!" - not realizing I hadn't done anything to it at all.

Go ahead, laugh, but remember this was in the late 80's, I didn't know a single person that could answer questions about the "World Wide Web". I was so green I didn't even know how to see an entire page! I didn't know about the slider bar on the right hand side that would move the page down so I could read the rest of it, I just thought the person who made the page hadn't finished it.

( On this page the slider bar is purple so you can find it easier! look ..... )

I didn't know if I clicked the little arrows at the top or bottom I could move the page either way, and I surely didn't know if I clicked and held down the left mouse button on the little bar I could "scroll" faster just by moving my mouse up or down.

Back then I didn't really know how to "surf" the web. I thought there were just so many places I could go. I didn't realize there were actually thousands (in those days) of sites waiting for me to find them. Now we have MILLIONS in the US alone! Use a Search engine? Ahhh ... don't think we had any!

I was really surprised when I found out I could go to sites that weren't even in the United States! I was afraid to try because I thought I'd be charged long-distance on my phone bill. (Like going to www.Canada.com) One of the first things I did learn (by accident) was that when I saw blue underlined words (like above) I could left click it to go to a different page or site! These are called "links".

Pictures? Pictures on a web site? No, not really. There were some but mostly on the "big fancy sites" where there were full time professonal programmers working. Home pages tended to be simple text with maybe a colored box or 2. Oh they did have a "graphic" now and then, but nothing compared to today! Turns out a graphic (picture) could also be a link - how cool! You'd know it was one because your little arrow thingy (cursor) would turn into a hand when you moved over it .. click on it and away you'd go.

Now I'm not going to try to tell you everything you need to know about how to use the Internet because there much smarter people than I am that have already put tons of information on the web. I've rounded up some links for you and put little tidbits of information on my pages to help make using your computer and the Internet easier and more productive.

The buttons below will open different "pages" on my site - you can't get lost, each of my pages have a "RETURN HOME" button to bring you back here where you started from - any outside "link" you click will open a NEW browser window. If you close that window my site will still be there. XP users may have to hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard to allow this to happen.

I've tucked little "Did you know" tidbits in green on some of the pages. Have fun and come back soon!

[Did you know that "links" open different Internet sites or different "pages" on a site? They are usually blue and underlined like this. But - don't be fooled .. they can also be different colored text or a picture too! A "link" will turn your pointer into a "clicking finger" instead of an arrow - so if you don't know what to do, just run the pointer over the page until it changes.]

COMPUTER "HOW TO'S" This page has links that help answer questions like: Where can I find tutorials on WINDOWS 95, WINDOWS 98, Windows ME and XP?

USING THE INTERNET Find out about INTERNET EXPLORER or NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR and OUTLOOK EXPRESS. What do all these strange terms like URL, HTTP and HTML mean? What is a "VIRUS" - is it dangerous? [Click HERE to see if you're at risk!] The joys of E-MAIL! How do you DOWNLOAD?

SEARCH ENGINES This Internet topic deserves it's own category! Find out what a search engine is and how it works. Which "SEARCH ENGINE" should you use and where can you find it?

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Looking for help with something in particular? Try searching MY site here!

Type in a word or words in the box below... remember, this only searches this site.

Here's a quick list of SEARCH ENGINES that search out on the WWW. [World Wide Web]

RESEARCH? I call it fun! Talk about making your work easier or finding useful facts to stun your friends - these sites are tops! Why take out those dusty books when you can have the newest information available today? These sites are cool as well as helpful! There's also sites here that help you find information that you didn't even know you needed!

WEB PUBLISHING Do you want your own web site on the Internet? Want to be a Webmaster or Webmistress - or even be the Master of your own domain? Check out these sites to help you get started!

COMPUTER TIPS Learning to use the computer can be frustrating because of how long it takes to learn the little tips and tricks to make it easier. I've put together some tips that may help with some of your computer problems ... Besides, I have fun puting new ones up when I get the time!

You may find a tip that'll make a difference!

You won't have a "RETURN HOME" at the bottom of the page, you'll have to click on at the bottom to return here.

NEWS Want up to the minute news? Use these sites to keep informed.

WEATHER Whether it's LOCAL, NATIONAL or GLOBAL find out the weather conditions with the help of these super links!

NET-ERTAINMENT!! Computers and the Internet aren't all work! Here's links that are just for fun!