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Hello everyone,
Introductions should be in order but first let me
say this because I have to - you have received this email because you responded
to a question asked by the Bethel Chamber of Commerce about participating in an
Internet tips series created by Kent On 6 Productions Shopping Networks. If you
feel you have received this email by error, please except my apologies and hit
reply on your email button and type unsubscribe in the "Subject" box.
Now with that out of the way let's get to it. Most
of you know me, some of you don't. For those that don't know me consider
yourselves lucky. (insert smiley face here!) I know most of you and some of you
I don't. To make sure that we all know who is involved and who is not, I will
make visible in the CC box of the email the addresses and names of those
participating. That way it will be much easier for you to get together and
declare mutiny - problem is you have to come to Florida to string me from the
yardarm.
A little about myself. First of all I would like
to say that I can't help myself when it comes to interjecting humor in
everything I do - a real case study for many a good shrink. BUT I am not the
answer to all your Internet problems - aye but before I'm done I may be the
cause.
I am a native Bethelite? although most wouldn't
know it. Bethel is becoming like Florida in that no one is from here. I do not
have all the answers to everything concerning the Internet and web sites. If I
did, I would own Bill Gates. What prompted me to do this "tipping" is
discovering that most people who ought to know at least the simplest of things
about owning a website and negotiating the Internet, in fact know little. I hope
we can resolve some of those shortcomings. I'll be honest and up front. My
business and your business depend on me teaching you how to be better at running
your business through a web site as well.
I began my computer learning back in the early
1970s, yes they had computers then, while in the United States Navy. It was
actually before that but this sounds much more impressive. Since then the
technology moved a heck of a lot faster than a native Mainer who can't talk fast
enough to order beans before they get cold.
In all honesty, the majority that I have learned I
chose the hard route - teaching myself, UGH! I don't want you to do that so I am
going to share my knowledge - no wise cracks here - with you.
Onward and upward they say so let's set a few
ground rules - there are none except:
You should receive about one email a week - I
hope. If you have questions email them to me - I don't mind really! Your
questions will be posted at a site that you have access to and will remain there
so you and others can refer back to it for help.
There are no "stupid" questions - they are all
ignorant and I have a secret message board where I make money sending in "the
dumbest question of the week" (This is a joke too)
Here is the link that will take you to a page on
one of my web sites - no one else has access to this page. Just click here
www.kenton6.com/Tips.htm
This email and all others that I send you will be posted there in the order in
which they happen ie. the very first tip/email will be at the top.
A couple more things. If you get this email,
please just hit reply and send it back so I know you have received it. If you
have a business web site, send me the URL - that would look like this:
http://www.yourdomainname.com
I will take a look at them and this will help me
in directing specific questions in a better manner.
Thank you,
Back to the Top
Tip
#1
Getting the basics out of the Way
Throughout this series, I am going to make certain assumptions as to each of
your vast knowledge of using your computer to get around the Internet and the
understanding of certain basic language and terminology used. Please, if I use a
term or offer information that you are unfamiliar with, email me and I will
direct an answer back to you. If I find that the vast majority is in the same
boat, we can easily back up and regroup.
I should point out something here. We are approaching the Internet from the
perspective of having a business there and we are trying to find the best way to
present our business to potential customers. Although we should not forget how
we ourselves go about using the Internet, our thinking needs to be done in a
different way. Bearing this in mind will help in understanding our approach
through this entire help session. Being on both sides of the Internet presents
some interesting and challenging tasks. The vast majority of users do not know,
nor do they care, how things are put together – they just want what they want
and they want it NOW!!
How it Works – As with most everything involved with the Internet, it can
get very involved and confusing. My goal is to keep it as simple as possible and
still be able to accomplish our goals. A basic understanding should be in order
so that a little later on you can refer back if needed to help understand
certain functions.
Each of us has a PC, or Laptop – all most certainly of varying
makes, models and vintages. Without spending a great deal of time discussing
which computers are best etc., all I’ll say is keep the one you have running
efficiently. I can offer you some tips for that but not in this discussion. Your
computer needs maintenance just like a car so keep it running its best.
To talk with or get stuff off the Internet we need a connection. We can
only connect to the rest of the World Wide Web through what is called an “Internet
Service Provider” or ISP – AOL, Earthlink, GWI, Netzero,
Megalink, Road Runner and Verizon to name just a few. Unfortunately for most of
you, you don’t have many choices for a provider. Bear in mind though, that your
ISP is perhaps the most valuable link that you will have to the Internet
and for those who come and visit your website. All ISPs are not created equal. I
will discuss this further when we get into designing and using your website as
an active tool for running your business.
Now we are sitting at our computer and we have a connection to the rest of the
world. How do we find what we want and more importantly, how does anyone find
us? Having a computer and having a connection isn’t quite enough yet. We need
some kind of software that allows us to email, view other web sites,
listen to music, look at video and to basically go searching for information. I
am talking about a browser.
The vast majority of us use Internet Explorer that is designed by
Microsoft. Why? The biggest reason is because it comes already loaded on our
computers when we buy them. That is what resembling a monopoly can do for you.
There are several others of which I will name a few: Netscape, Mozilla, and
FireFox - a spin-off of Mozilla. They all work well and boil down to individual
preference.
Basically, there are three parts to getting online and being able to do business
– have a PC, find an Internet Service Provider, and have
browser software that allows you to communicate with others. Simple enough?
WEEEEEEELLLLLLLLL, not quite.
I am going to talk briefly on one more aspect of our ability to use the Internet
but later on I will talk much more in depth about “Search Engines”. Many
people confuse a search engine with a browser. They are not the
same things. Remember, the browser is software designed to help you do things
associated with the Internet – like email, view photos, listen to music etc.
Think of a search engine as the Bethel Library – only bigger (I know hard to
believe). The library has many books containing millions and millions of words –
some even make sense. But how do you find the formula for finding the area of a
triangle? Granted if you walked into the Bethel Library and asked the librarian
for the formula, you may not be too successful but I don’t know the librarian’s
mathematical abilities either. But, if her filing system were set up so that she
could look under mathematical formulas and then find all books that include the
formula for finding the area of geometrical shapes, well you would be in luck.
That is how a search engine works. It stores data from several BILLION
web pages. Nearly every page that has the mathematical formula for the area of a
triangle in it will be accessed if you type those search words into a browser’s
search box. Those search words are often referred to as keywords. We will spend
countless hours on this topic alone because search engines are the controlling
monsters of the Internet.
A recap and a look ahead: Recap – Three things to getting hooked up to
the Internet. 1. A computer – doesn’t need to be your own. 2. An ISP or Internet
Service Provider and 3. Browser software like Internet Explorer from Microsoft.
We also talked briefly about search engines.
Looking ahead to next time: Next time we will begin discussing some basic
“do’s and don’ts” of owning and operating a business on the World Wide Web and
further our discussion on the all important topic of search engines – all good
stuff.
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