The Whole Internet

The Whole Internet: The Next Generationa book for a new generation of Internet users. There are more applications, more exciting information, and more problems to deal with, ranging from mere annoyances to outright theft. So we've written a book that illuminates how you can use the Internet effectively in today's environment. We'll explain how to deal with everyday problems like unsolicited email and security alerts. We'll also tell you how to take advantage of new services on the Web. Such services, like those for buying and selling goods, trading stock, and even playing games, have really become applications unto themselves, and deserve the fullest explanation that we can provide. How do you play the new audio files that are all around the net? How do you sell the antique furniture your grandmother left you? How do you prevent others from stealing your credit card information? How do you protect yourself from computer viruses? How do you write and publish your own web pages? How do you use the Internet to cut down your long distance phone bills?

You will also find a next generation catalog of Internet resources. It's obviously not an exhaustive list, which could never be assembled in one book. But it's a wide-ranging selection of sites that we found interesting, useful, or just plain fun. We've focused on "meta-sites": that is, sites that provide extensive lists of related resources.

We don't need to convince you that the Internet is a valuable resource--whether you're a corporate attorney or a gourmet chef, you already know. But you may not know how to make the Internet work for you. If you need to catch up with the many changes that have taken place in the last few years--if you'd like to try some of the next generation tools that are now available--The Whole Internet: The Next Generation is a book you have to read.

Table of contents

Preface

Chapter ONE. What You Will Learn
     What This Book Is About
     History
     What's Allowed on the Internet?
     How the Internet Works

Chapter TWO. Email and News
     When Is Internet Communication Useful?
     An Email Primer
     Choosing a Communications (Mostly Email) Package
     Composing Messages: A Netiquette Primer
     Handling Incoming Messages
     Configuration Tips for Users
     When Email Gets Returned
     Email on the PalmPilot
     Mailing Lists
     Usenet

Chapter THREE. Conquering Email
     Conquering Common Email Problems
     Using Filters
     Mailer Configuration
     Handling File Attachments
     Traveling with Email
     Free Accounts
     Other Internet Communications Tools
     Spam Busting

Chapter FOUR. World Wide Web Browsing
     A Browsing Primer
     Document Management
     Security
     Plug-Ins
     Speeding Things Up
     Alternative Browsers
     PalmPilot Browsing

Chapter FIVE. Privacy and Security
     Privacy
     What Information About Me Exists on the Net?
     Children and Privacy
     Protecting Yourself
     Software for Increased Privacy
     World Wide Web Browsing
     Fighting CyberCrime

Chapter SIX. Buying and Selling
     The Basics of Buying Merchandise Online
     Safe Shopping
     Buying Products
     Books, Music, and the Amazonian Revolution
     Food
     Computer Equipment
     Big Ticket Items
     General Shopping
     Buying from Individuals
     Selling
     The Future

Chapter SEVEN. Banking and Personal Finance
     Internet Banking
     Online Investing
     Filing Your Taxes
     Student Loans
     Digital Cash

Chapter EIGHT. Online Games
     The History and Culture of Internet Gaming
     World Wide Web Games
     Internet (Non-Web) Games

Chapter NINE. Creating Web Pages
     Web Publishing Basics
     Getting Started
     Creating a Page of Your Own
     Specialized Text: Tables and Lists
     Specialized Images and Links
     Creating Graphics
     HTML Coding: Don't Be Afraid
     Publishing to the World Wide Web

Chapter TEN. Esoteric and Emerging Technologies
     Interactive Communications
     Streaming
     High-Quality Audio with MP3
     Push Technologies
     Futures

Chapter ELEVEN. Connection Strategies
     The Ground Rules
     Gathering Baseline Information
     The Battle Plan
     Talking to Operations Personnel
     Upgrading Your Connection
     Home Internetworking
     Non-Ethernet Solutions

Chapter Twelve. Searching and Finding
     Searching for Geniuses
     Finding People
     Finding Places
     Archaic Search Technologies

Chapter thirteen. Downloading and Installing Files
     Downloading Files with a Web Browser
     File Transfer Protocol Is Your Friend
     Installing Files

Chapter fourteen. Resource Catalog: Best of the Web

Chapter fifteen. Commercial and Financial Resources
     Buying Stuff
     Commercial Resources
     Selling Stuff
     Brokerage Companies

Appendix: The Previous Generation

About the authors

Kiersten Conner-Sax is a freelance writer, focusing on computer and film topics. Her short story, "Spinning," appeared in the Lowell Pearl; she has also written a screenplay, entitled "Putt Putt." Her film reviews have appeared in the Boston Phoenix and at NewEnglandFilm.com. Kiersten grew up in California and attended college in New York City. In 1996, she further reduced her marketable skills with a master's degree in creative writing from Emerson College. She currently lives in Manhattan with her husband, Adam, and their dog, Mugsy.

Raised in the Chicago area, Ed Krol went to the University of Illinois, got a degree in computer science, and never left. In 1985 Krol became part of a networking group at the University of Illinois where he became the network manager at the time the National Center for Supercomputer Applications was formed. It was there that he managed the installation of the original NSFnet. During the same period, he also wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Internet because he had so much trouble getting information and was sick of telling the same story to everyone.

In 1989 Krol opted to leave the fast lane and returned to pastoral life on campus, where he remains to this day assistant director for Network Information Services, Computing and Communications Service Office, University of Illinois, Urbana. He also writes a monthly column for Network World.

He has a wife and daughter (who is in the Hacker's Dictionary as the toddler responsible for "Mollyguards"). In his spare time Krol is a pilot and plays hockey.