AP0003: Basics for Internet Access

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 2.0, 3.0, 3.01, 3.02 for Windows 95
• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02a for Windows 3.1

SUMMARY

The "Basics for Internet Access" (AP0003) Application Note contains information to help you get started accessing the Internet.

You can obtain this Application Note from the following sources:

• http://www.microsoft.com/kb/articles/q152/4/20.htm
• Microsoft FastTips Technical Library
• Microsoft Technical Support

    Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
                    AP0003: BASICS FOR INTERNET ACCESS

                                                   Revision Date: 8/96
                                                      No Disk Included

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 Copyright (C) 1996 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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 Microsoft Corporation.

THE TEXT OF AP0003

Welcome! The Internet is a valuable resource for gathering information about a wide range of topics, including Microsoft products and Technical Support.

You need three things to get started on the World Wide Web:

• A modem for your computer.
• An Internet service provider.
• A Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Internet service provider: An Internet service provider (ISP), sometimes referred to as an Internet access provider, allows you access the Internet using your modem. To locate an ISP in your area, check with your local computer store, friends, co-workers, magazines, newspapers, or a local computer newspaper.

ISPs can offer rates that charge by the hour, or a flat rate charged by the month. Make sure you can access your ISP with a local telephone call. If not, you may find yourself paying expensive long-distance telephone charges. If you live in an isolated or rural area, consider subscribing to an ISP that offers nation-wide toll-free access.

Windows 95 includes a way to access to the Internet with MSN, The Microsoft Network. To sign up for MSN, double-click the MSN icon on your desktop. If you do not see the MSN icon on your desktop, you can install it by using the following steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.

3. On the Windows Setup tab, click The Microsoft Network check box to select it, and then click Apply.

4. Click OK. If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.

• As part of the Microsoft Internet Starter Kit, available at your local computer store.
• If you can already connect to the Internet, you can download Internet Explorer from:

        http://www.microsoft.com/ie/download
  

• You can download Internet Explorer from MSN.

1. Click Start, and then click Help.

2. On the Index tab, in the "Type the first few letters of the word you're looking for" box, type "Internet" (without the quotations), and then click Display.

3. In the Topics Found dialog box, click the appropriate topic, and then click Display.

Terms You May Encounter

Home page: A hypertext document that is intended as the primary starting point for exploring the World Wide Web. The contents of a particular home page depend upon its author and its intended use.

HTML: HTML is an acronym for Hypertext Markup Language. It is the standard way to mark text documents for publishing on the World Wide Web.

Hypertext link: A text or image link to an information resource that is usually activated by clicking the text or image itself. Hypertext links are usually underlined and are usually a different color than the rest of the Web document text.

One way to identify whether an item is a hypertext link is to place the mouse pointer over the graphic or text. If the mouse pointer changes, it is a hypertext link. When you click the hypertext link, you see a different Web document or another part of the current document.

Internet: A global network of computers that no one person or entity owns and controls. Basically, the Internet consists of many computers hooked together. Sometimes referred to as the "Net."

Start page: The Web document you first see when you start your browser.

Web address: Each Web page has a unique address, referred to as a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

Examples of URLs:

• http://www.microsoft.com/
• http://www.msn.com/

Web server: A program that makes Web documents on a Web site available to those using a Web browser.

Web site: A location containing one or more Web documents.

World Wide Web (WWW): The World Wide Web is a collection of online documents housed on Internet servers around the world. Web documents are written or coded in HTML. To access these documents, you have to use a Web browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, or Mosaic).