Just Starting Out?
Get the most from your UltraNet Account and have more fun using
the Internet!
Be comfortable with your computer
- If you need help in sizing, moving and positioning "windows",
take the "Windows Tutorial", found under "Help"
in the Program Manager. Yes, Mac users have a Tutorial
under "Help" as well!
Even experienced computer users can learn a trick or two here.
Know how to switch among your active applications and how to
copy and paste data to create your own documents. Practice these
techniques to simplify your work. You don't have to read or print
everything you see in order to get the information you need into
the format that you want!
- Set your video resolution, to 600 by 800 at 256 colors.
(Most computers are set for 640 by 480 at 16 colors.) Macs have
a screen set up control for this. This will give you much more
screen real-estate on a 14" or 15" monitor and will
help you to be able see the control menus and scroll bars when
you have more than one window open. (More than 256 colors are
not needed for Internet Graphics and may slow down your video
system response.)
Have your Installation Disks and any third party video
driver disks you may have on hand, because this procedure may
require files that were not installed at the time your computer
was originally set up.
- Practice file management techniques, such as creating
directories, arranging your directory structure and expanding,
moving, copying and naming files.
You'll need these techniques in order to obtain and install Internet
Software, like the latest version of NetScape! The Help Screens
found in the Windows File Manager (or Explorer if you are using
Win 95), are all you'll need for this. These help files are often
overlooked and are better than most books!
(You can have tons of fun trying out all of the "Free"
and "ShareWare" software available from the World Wide
Web!)
Get More From the Internet
- If you don't have one already, give yourself a treat
and get a new modem! It just doesn't make any sense to lumber
along at slower speeds and put up with dropped connections when
you can get a quality 28.8 kbps, V.34 modem for less than $200.00.
The V-34 Standard is now stabilized and works great!
(If you are using a 14.4 kbps modem now, you will cut your connect
times in half!)
- Read the News Groups to find Internet related discussions.
Often your questions will be answered by others who are doing
the same things you want to learn to do.
Post questions there. The UltraNet General Newsgroup is
a great place to look for help from others in the UltraNet Community.
(Look around for a few days to see if you can find the topic or
the answers that you are looking for!)
Follow the Ultranet Tech Support Web Pages for links to
new Internet Software and instruction on topics such as getting
your own Home Page up and running. These projects are simple
and fun!
- Practice using the WWW search tools to locate interesting
sources of information. Browse the UltraNet Beginners Area.
Find and read the many FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) lists
there.The Internet is an enormous encyclopedia just waiting for
you and your family to tap into it.
- Keep in mind that using the Internet is not like watching
TV, where there is a signal broadcast to anyone able to receive
it. The Internet is "hard wired" and the wires have
a finite capacity to carry data to all the computers trying to
access it. If you don't get connected to the place you are looking
for, try again in a few minutes. If it's a great Web Site, (like
my home page), chances are that thousands of others are trying
to access it at the same time you are!
- Register any "ShareWare" products that you
use and enjoy. This keeps these guys writing more new stuff for
us to play with!
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