Just Starting Out?

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!)

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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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