If you don't own a computer, this column and the Internet are probably far out on the periphery of your world. I think it is still worth your time to check this column each week, because that relationship will change. The resources and capabilities of the Internet will eventually be as necessary and as available as the telephone. For some families, with sons or daughters at college or in the military, it is already a part of their daily lives because of e-mail.
E-mail allows you to send a message to a person anywhere in the world (using their e-mail address). Messages can be exchanged several times a day. It is possible to mail the same message to several people at once. Delivery of a message usually occurs in less than a minute. Parents today can scan a picture of their new baby into their computer, and then e-mail it to friends and family all over the world.
A year ago I had a health problem. I asked for advice on a medical bulletin board (called Medline/ a service on America On-Line) and eight people responded. I got good advice from people who had experienced what I was going through. There are thousands of support groups available to individuals and families who are experiencing just about any kind of problem.
The white pages of the telephone book allow you to connect up to a specific individual or business. There is a site on the Internet called Switchboard which scans all the white pages in the United States for the listing requested. The yellow pages allow you to look for a category of business or service. The Internet allows you to connect with people who share your concerns.
The amount of the information on the Internet defies description. There are over 66 million web pages plus Telnet that connects to data bases in libraries all over the world. The total amount of information available to any person doing research 20 years ago is a grain of sand in comparison to what is available right now though the Internet.
There are 10,000 medically related sites. I checked about the Edwards Aquifer. There are over 1000 pages. Last week I needed information about a chemical used in the workplace. In less than five minutes I printed a Material Safety Data Sheet on the chemical.
I think of the Internet as being like the all knowing wizard in The Wizard of Oz. Whenever you need to know something, just ask. That requires shift in the thought process. It is no longer necessary to go to a library or encyclopedia. Information is located using search engines. Search engines scan through the Internet and in a few seconds, list how many pages contain the information.
The October 28 issue of Newsweek describes a new page called search voyeur (no address given) that lists the type of information being looked for at the present time by search engines. Here is a sampling of subjects that were being searched for when the article was written: (a) summer internships for minorities (b) florists in Columbus Ohio, (c) fish culture (d) funnel cake (e) cable descrambler (f) Dilbert Clips (g) post traumatic distress disorder (h) injection of glucose (i) weather channel (j) Vancouver international film festival (k) Jenny MaCarthy (l) exotic wholesale flowers.
Whatever your interest, it is there, plus nearly every major newspaper in the world has a site on the Internet as well as most magazines. I recently learned of a new search engine called CyberSearch which uses 15 different search engines when searching. (http://cyber411.com/)
Another feature of the Internet which has never been possible before is the ability to interact with events and people anywhere in the world. The U. S. News Oct. 21 cover story is about a new book, 24 Hours in Cyberspace sub titled Paintings on the Walls of the Digital Cave. The subtitle reflects how early we are in the development of cyberspace. 24 Hours in Cyberspace is produced by Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt who have codirected several books that begin with A Day in the Life ( of America, Russia, etc.).
This book will be different in that one can use the Internet go into the pictures and see what is happening right now. For example, a radio collar attached to an elephant in Malaysia is being tracked by satellite and the elephant's position is posted on the Web. (http://www.si.edu/elephant). Archaeologists are excavating a fourthcentury Coptic monastery in Egypt, and the project is online. One can get daily updates from the site, and exchange email with people at the site. (http://www.scriptorium.org/scriptorium)
Sitting in front of a computer, you can interact with activities occurring thousands of miles away. It may be someone sailing around the world or bicycling across the United States. This was never possible before.
Even though the Internet is on the periphery of your life right now, try to keep up to date with what is happening. Events and circumstances may change in your life, and you may see a use for it that hasn't been discovered yet. We have meetings once a month, and you are welcome to visit and learn with us, or call me if you have any questions at 303-3229.
Medline/ a service on America On-Line, medical bulletin board.
http://cyber411.com Search engine Cyber Search which uses 15 different search engines.
http://www.si.edu/elephant Position of elephant in Malaysia, tracked by satellite, from attached radio collar.
http://www.scriptorium.org/scriptorium Daily updates from site of archeological excavation of fourth century Coptic monastery in Egypt.
http://www.switchboard.com/ All the white pages in the United
States.
Gary Tigett
alpha7@concentric.net
Gary Tigett is a member of the Seguin Internet Club. He.................................................
This article and previous articles published in this column are
posted in the Internet at the web site of the Seguin Internet
Club. The links in this article can be accessed directly from
the web site of the club. The address for this article is http://lonestar.texas.net/~weersjt/club/articles/IB961110.htm
To contribute to this column, contact Gloria Rivera, column coordinator. The purpose of the column is to contribute to the Internet literacy of the community.
To offer ideas or join the Seguin Internet Club, whose members
write articles for the Internet Beat column, contact Jerry Weers,
Gloria Rivera or Alton Hierholzer, 303-0818, 303-4764, 303-9260,
weersjt@texas.net, riverag@connecti.com, altonh@connecti.com
Membership is not by invitation, but by Internet interest,
regardless of age, proficiency or provider.