NWE Help: Intro: Computing: Internet

The Internet is just a group of computers connected by a set of protocols which allows sharing of information through a network connection. The protocols allow computers of different makes and operating systems to move texts, images, and applications around the world with great speed and ease. Most of the computers at UF, including the NWE, are connected to the Internet through fast fiber optic connections--offering speeds several dozen times faster than the fastest home computing modems.

Some Internet services will be familiar to you, others will not be. Most people have heard of the World Wide Web, email, and Usenet newsgroups. Other services, such as FTP, Gopher, MOO/MUDs, IRC, and finger will be unfamiliar.

The Web is the best place to find information about how the Internet works. The Electronic Freedom Foundation's (Extended) Guide to the Internet is a great start. Yahoo lists over a hundred sites to help you get a handle on how to work on the Internet.

Internet Access Accounts: Over the last few years, competition among Internet Service Providers (ISPs) has grown so intense that the price of a dial-up account has been driven down to below the actual cost of providing the service.

If you find that Gatorlink doesn't provide you with the level of service that you need, you have a choice of several dozen local and national service providers. Most charge between $18 and $24 per month for unlimited dial-up. The List provides a search engine for finding the right ISP for your needs.

A number of high speed Internet service options are available in Gainesville -- cable modem, DSL, and ISDN.