Hi fellow surfer,

You probably found this page because you want to learn a little more about the Internet. My job is to help you in that mission.

I try to bring I-Net subjects to you in an interesting way. In most cases, I suffered the pain of having to uncover the information myself. If your frustration in using the Internet gets reduced just a little because of something you read in a column, I have succeeded in my efforts. I have tried almost all of the things I write about myself. I own no stock in any of these companies. No one can pressure me to say good or bad things about what I find on the Net. I try to give the most honest opinion I can. If you disagree with me, no problem. I might include your comments in the updates to the columns. The (name deleted) has exercised *very* little editorial control over the words written here. The ideas and comments expressed in my column are mine and mine alone.

I apologize for lack of a search engine on the site. Perhaps that will change one day. Stay tuned.

Because the Net changes so rapidly, information gets stale quickly. I try to keep up with changes by updating the columns when the information becomes outdated. I am not always successful. When you come across something that is woefully out of date or just plain wrong, please bring it to my attention. I will fix it. Thank you.

I have added Javascript mouseovers/rollovers to many articles. As a result, some of the pages may not view properly on older browsers. I would hope that netsters use Version 4.0 or later of Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator and Opera 3.6 with the Javascript plug-in added. Like many authors on the Net, I expect that surfers should stay close (not necessarily on top) of the cutting edge. However, as explained in [deleted}, It's Over. Internet Explorer 5.5 is now the best browser and should be your first choice in surfing software. BTW, if you do not like the 'expanding circles' and other page transitions - use a Netscape browser to view the pages. The circles are exclusive to Microsoft browsers.

So far, I have kept away from Shockwave pages. I see them now with more regularity. Frankly, I have yet to see a Shockwave page that adds quality content to a website. Perhaps you like Shockwave. I have yet to see any value using it.

The bandwidth on the Net is increasing and most surfers can now handle larger file sizes. Frankly, the future of Internet is broadband access - cable modem and xDSL. About 5 percent of current Internet users have broadband access. The costs are coming down and this opens the Net to a more enjoyable experience. Try free long distance telephone calls using DialPad. Great! However, with the recent spate of cyber attacks on big websites, everyone (especially folks with broadband access) need to install a firewall. ZoneAlarm is now the best one on the market and surprisingly, it is free! Highly recommended.

E-mail still rules the Net. Juno is the BEST product to use in spite of its limitations. I get most (like 80%) of my e-mail through my Juno account because there is VERY little spam. I have not gotten a virus from a file attachment using JUNO. Incidentally, Juno had been strictly enforcing a policy of 64Kb file sizes. They seemed to have changed the policy. I just sent and received a 100K file using the JUNO e-mail account with Earthlink.net. There is probably a file size limitation but I don't know what it is currently.

I hate SPAM. It is very bad for the Internet. I fear that Spamming is slowly becoming a legitimate way of communication. I am fighting it every step of the way. Spam is bad. PERIOD. Don't buy anything from spammers!

One of the very nice things about the Net is that most people are helpful. If you have a problem, I will try to answer questions directly or point you in a direction where someone with the knowledge can come to your rescue.

Since I started writing this column in May 1996, over 1,214,000 pageviews have been downloaded. I am not sure that all of them have been read :-) but my guess is that most people came away with something from the articles.

I am an outspoken supporter of eBay. In too many cases, the press has sensationalized the eBay community in an attempt to sell newspapers and magazines. Sad. In cases where I have stumbled across inaccuracies or misrepresentations, I have attempted in a small way to 'set the record straight' (at least as I have seen and used eBay).

Please let me know if I can be of help. Every attempt is made to make the Internet understandable. Please bookmark my site and stop in when you are looking for some info about the Internet. BTW, I have a small newsletter that goes out to folks who take my classes. If you want to be added to the list, please drop me a note via e-mail.

Thank you, gentle reader, for stopping by.

Bob
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(remember, I answer politely written e-mail.)