Well, relax ... you will be doing just fine in a short time. Just like anything new, it takes a little while to adjust and feel comfortable on this new medium; the internet.
CALLING EVERY WEB PAGE A "HOME PAGE"
There have been so many people get onboard the Internet during the last few years, that this one is getting to be a very common mistake.
A person or entity, can have one or a hundred WEB pages, but only ONE "HOME PAGE."
The home page is the top page from which all other pages, or series of pages, are linked.
Usually, the home page address will end with "/~jdoe/" or sometimes, "/~jdoe/index.html". Most UNIX machines are programed so that both addresses mean the same thing.
Tim Adams is a friend of Janyce and a Wolfe Internet customer.
His HOME PAGE address is: http://www.wolfenet.com/~tadams/ ...
but his Hotlinks WEB PAGE is: http://www.wolfenet.com/~tadams/hotlinks.html
Now a person who has an individual home page, can be listed under a business or university with a home page. For example: If you go to the address;
you will get WOLFENET's home page. However, when you add, "/~tadams/" to that address, you will get Tim Adams home page. The same could be true for someone with a home page on a university computer, both have home pages, but neither has two home pages. We suspect this is where the confusion got started.
NOT INFORMING THEMSELVES BEFORE JUMPING ON THE INTERNET
Before you went out to drive a car, you studied the rules and regulations of the road. If you want other Super Highway drivers to respect you, do the same thing with regard to the Internet. READ EVERYTHING you can and learn the rules of the road.
You can practice your surfing skills by going to a search engine and looking for key-words such as "newbie" and "netiquette." And don't be afraid to ask questions. Everyone on the Internet was a newbie at one time, and the vast majority of "old-timers" won't look down on you for wanting to join their ranks.
CLICK HERE to use the Alta Vista Search Engine in searching for the keyword "newbie."
CLICK HERE to use the Alta Vista Search Engine in searching for the keyword "netiquette."
Use your BACK BUTTON to return to this page after using the above links.
USING ALL UPPERCASE CHARACTERSYou guessed it! ... It is done by using ALL UPPER-CASE LETTERS. When it is done without reason or in ignorance, it is considered the ultimate in Internet rudeness.
So, if you want to offend someone by shouting right in their face, or if you want to show the internet world that you are really mad, then use all UPPERCASE letters.
NOT HAVING THE CORRECT RETURN ADDRESS
This is one that Janyce made when she first started.
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We estimate 5% of e-mail
and newsgroup posts we reply to, bounce. These are nearly always newbies.
The person who set up Janyce's computer when she first got on the Internet, just made a typographical error in the return address of her e-mail program - which is mirrored by her browser (Netscape).
It wasn't until some nice newsgroup moderator figured out the mistake and e-mailed Janyce to let her know.
We urge all newbies, and anyone who is not getting replies, to check your return address at every location it might be. This can include browsers, newsreaders, mail sorters and holders; anywhere your return address could be.
It is not a bad idea for newbies to send a test document to someone else, asking them to help you test your address. If you don't receive your expected reply in a few days, write again and give a physical address or phone number or ask them to post to a local newsgroup, so you can trace down the problem.
Remember, if your return address is bad, you might as well not write or post in the first place.
ADVERTISING ON THE INTERNET
There are a few newsgroups that were created for the sole purpose of advertising. Keep your blatent advertising there.
If you want to advertise elsewhere, then do it in a PASSIVE manner. That is, give the reader the opportunity to NOT view your advertisment. We have several business ventures and WEB pages dedicated to their advertising, but it is always the choice of the viewer to look at them or not. We have links in our signature for both -email and newsgroup postings, but all of it is in a passive manner; the reader has the choice to read them or not.
If you want to be liked and accepted on the Internet, do your advertising in a similar (passive) way.
A NOTE OF CAUTION:
Additionally, we are frequently dealing with people all over the world, of different social status, race, custom, religion, nationality and language.
For the first time in the history of mankind, technology has literally placed the whole world at our finger tips. All of us must put extra effort into our communications with those who are different from us; the rest of the world.
It is absolutely necessary, therefore, to be kind, considerate, tolerant, clear in our message, but most of all - . When you do make that blunder, be quick to apologize to all who were offended or may have seen your error.
If you are polite in all that you do on the Internet, you will have no major problems as others will be forgiving of your Internet mistakes.
If you are recently a surfing newbie, here are some popular web-sites and e-mail addresses that may be of interest to you:
WEB-SITES:
E-MAIL ADDRESSES:
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Janyce.com, Inc.
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