If you are not already on-line, and you feel a bit intimidated by it all, this article could be your starting-point. Already-experienced surfers will find some helpful hints too.
Do you have an internet connection? Do you surf the web? Do you read the newsgroups? Do you correspond via e-mail? Do you shop on the internet? Do you use it for scholarly work?
USE OF THE INTERNET IS GROWING at a fantastic rate and you are missing a great deal if you are not connected. It is quite easy to get an internet connection, if you have a home computer of course. You are connected automatically if you have an account on the SGI at the University. If not, you can get one from a commercial service provider. Here is a list of the well-known internet service providers: Compuserve, America on Line, IBM's Advantis, Microsoft and Microage and others in Windsor.
WHEN YOU LOG IN TO THE SGI at the University you can use the internet without further ado. Send and receive mail using "pine" or "elm", run Gopher, FTP, Archie and so on. Your internet address will be userid@uwindsor.ca. The Computer Services department can give you directions on how to use these facilities and their Help Desk will help you solve your problems. If you have a ppp connection at the University these programmes will be on your computer and files that you download will be downloaded to your home computer.
If you have a Compuserve account, Compuserve will provide you with the latert version of WinCim, a windows programme that connects you directly to a "node" (you choose the telephone number) and from a menu you can connect to the internet.
If you have a WARP OS/2 the bonus pack has all the software you need. You can connect directly to Advantis or another service provider. I do have some experience with WARP OS/2 and will be willing to help you if needed. The Help Desk at the University's Computing Services can also provide expert help with the OS/2 and the Mac operating systems. They helped me!
IF YOU RUN WINDOWS 95 you can log on to the Microsoft Network directly. To use another provider, the Help Desk at the University can help. I have no experience with Windows 95. THE MOST POPULAR PROGRAM is a web browser. This is like Gopher with graphics. Netscape is the most popular browser and runs on Windows. The IBM Web Explorer that runs on OS/2 is also excellent.
A web browser needs the address of the "page" (called Url) which you enter in the programme. When it finds the site corresponding to the URL you will be able to view the topics listed. Often this will take you to other sites with more information. For example, if you log onto the CBC page you will be able to go to different topics such as TV listings, radio and TV news, etc.
Do you want to search the LCBO winelist, try http://www.vintages.com/ . For CBC offerings try http://www.radio.cbc.ca/. See photographs and get information on the Hubble Space Telescope? Try http://www.stsci.edu/EPA/Latest.html.This only scratches the surface. Next time I will say something about the Newsgroups.
UNSURE IF YOU'VE PAID YOUR DUES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR? The following list was provided to The Newsletter by the Association's Secretary-Treasurer, William Libby. His records show these names as paid-up members as of 3 February 1996. If your name is not on the list, please send you cheque to him. If your records do not agree, better check with Bill Libby, at 944-5127. Surnames only; not all alphabetical: Basic, Benedict, Birch, Callaghan, Chandler, Chatterjee, Cowan, Duggal, Engelhart, Fallenbuchl, Fracas, Galasso, Goerzen, Habib, Hackett, Huschilt, Kovacs, La Gaipa, Laba, Libby, McGarvey, McNamara, Pazik, Phillips, Purushotham, Shklov, Smith (Cormac), Taylor, Vincent, Wearne, Whitehurst, Blair, Brownlie, Cervin, Chee, Colborne, Fantazzi, Fehr, Gertz, Hartt, Hedgecock, Kennedy, Krause, Kroon, Long, Magee, Molloy, Moore, Morrow, Mouratides, Murrah, Nease, Nolan, O'Meara, Ogata, Powley, Rapp‚, Reif. Rosenbaum, Sabina, Sonnenfeld, Zin.