Network Working Group J. Max
Request for Comments: 2150 W. Stickle
FYI: 31 Rainfarm
Category: Informational October 1997
Humanities and Arts: Sharing Center Stage on the Internet
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this
memo is unlimited.
Abstract
This document is designed primarily for individuals who have limited
knowledge of, or eXPerience with, the Internet.
The purpose of this document is to provide members of the Arts and
Humanities communities with an introdUCtion to the Internet as a
valuable tool, resource, and medium for the creation, presentation,
and preservation of Arts and Humanities-based content.
The intended audience is practicing artists, scholars, related
professionals, and others whose knowledge, expertise and support is
important to ensuring that the Arts and Humanities are well-placed in
the global information infrastructure.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction............................................... 3
1.1 Definition of Arts and Humanities......................... 3
2. What does the Internet mean to the "Artist?"............... 4
2.1 Access to the Global Community............................ 5
2.2 Sharing Your Work and Collaborating with Others........... 6
2.3 Freely Available Software, and Other Information.......... 8
3. What is the Internet?...................................... 8
3.1 What is the World Wide Web?............................... 9
4. How does the Internet Work?................................ 10
4.1 Internet Addresses........................................ 11
4.1.1 Computer Addresses and Hostnames......................... 12
4.1.2 Addresses of People on the Internet...................... 12
4.1.3 Information Addresses, Locators, URLs.................... 13
4.2 How Does the World Wide Web Work?......................... 14
4.3 Other, Higher Level Protocols on the Internet............. 15
5. Forums..................................................... 16
5.1 Message Based Communications.............................. 16
5.1.1 Electronic Mail - email.................................. 17
5.1.2 Newsgroups............................................... 17
5.1.3 Electronic Bulletin Board System - BBS .................. 18
5.2 Real-Time Communications.................................. 19
5.2.1 Chat - IRC............................................... 19
5.2.2 Multicasting............................................. 20
5.2.3 MUD - Multi-User Dungeon................................. 20
5.2.4 Audio/Video Conferencing................................. 21
5.3 Archives.................................................. 22
5.3.1 Searching................................................ 22
6. Accessing the Internet..................................... 25
6.1 Internet Service Providers................................ 26
6.2 Computer Hardware and Software Tools...................... 26
6.3 Multimedia................................................ 31
7. Creating Content........................................... 32
7.1 Getting Help.............................................. 33
7.2 About File Formats........................................ 34
7.3 Creating Text and Hypertext Documents..................... 35
7.4 Creating Graphic and Moving Images........................ 35
7.4.1 Bitmap Image Formats..................................... 36
7.4.2 Vector Image Formats..................................... 37
7.4.3 Video Formats............................................ 37
7.5 Creating Music and Sound Files............................ 38
7.6 Content Design Issues..................................... 40
7.7 Publicizing Your Work..................................... 41
8. Issues and Challenges...................................... 42
8.1 Security Issues........................................... 43
8.2 Viruses................................................... 44
8.3 The Standard Disclaimer................................... 44
8.4 Copyrights and Intellectual Property Issues............... 45
8.4.1 Copyright................................................ 45
8.4.2 Trademark................................................ 46
8.4.3 Privacy.................................................. 47
8.4.4 Seek Professional Advice................................. 47
8.5 Conducting Business over the Internet..................... 47
8.6 Netiquette................................................ 48
9. Glossary................................................... 49
10. Resources, References, etc................................. 51
10.1 RFCs and Internet-Drafts.................................. 51
10.2 Internet Documents........................................ 52
10.3 Other Sources............................................. 53
10.4 Freely Available Web Browser Software..................... 54
10.5 The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority................... 54
11. Security Considerations.................................... 55
11.1 Formulate a security policy............................... 55
11.1.1 Talk to your Internet Service Provider................... 56
11.1.2 Make sure your systems are up to date.................... 56
11.1.3 Use the tools available.................................. 56
12. Acknowledgments............................................ 57
13. Authors" Addresses......................................... 57
Appendix A. Internet Projects of Interest to the
Arts and Humanities Communities..................... 58
Appendix B. Starting Points; A brief list of related sites...... 60
Appendix C. Examples for using the RFCserver RFC-INFO@ISI.EDU.. 62
1. Introduction
This document has been structured to provide information about, and
examples of, the wide range of functions and capabilities available
on the Internet today. It is intended to illustrate the potential of
current networking technologies for personal and cultural growth.
Some basic functions of the Internet are described, along with their
applications and forums for building online communities of interest,
such as the World Wide Web, Email, and Network News.
This is followed by discussion and examples of hardware and software
being used to support the creation and presentation of artistic and
literary works, along with examples of how Arts and Humanities
content is being represented, stored, and retrieved on the Internet.
In addition to illustrating the great potential of the Internet, this
document provides a brief introduction to the issues and challenges
that affect the development and presentation of Arts and Humanities
content online, such as privacy and property rights.
Included is a brief Glossary, and a number of Appedices which provide
pointers to other sources of information about the Internet.
1.1 Definitions of Arts and Humanities
For purposes of this document the term "Arts" includes, but is not
limited to, dance, design arts, folk arts, literary arts, media and
film arts, music, theater, and visual arts.
The term "Humanities" includes, but is not limited to, the study of
the following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics;
literature; history; jurisprudence philosophy; archaeology;
comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of
the arts; those ASPects of social sciences which have humanistic
content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application
of the humanities to the human environment.
For purposes of simplicity this document will use the Word "Artist"
to mean both Artist and Humanist: "all practitioners who work in the
fields of the visual, performance, and literary arts, as well as
museum curators, librarians, and others who are involved in the
research, restoration, and presentation of that which comprises our
cultural heritage."
2. What does the Internet mean to the Artist?
The Internet is exerting a profound influence on our society. Even
now in its infancy, the effects of the Internet can be easily seen in
popular media as well as in the way we do business. But the most
dramatic influences are in the children who are now growing up with
the net. Many parents are aware of the influence television has over
their children. With the advent of WEB-TV, the Internet has begun to
assimilate Television, transforming it into something more powerful.
This coming integration of information, communication and
entertainment will play a major role in teaching and shaping the
minds of those who live and grow up with it.
Because of this power, it is critical that the best parts of human
culture are represented on the Internet. If we raise the Internet
right, it will return the favor by nurturing a generation that may
well grow up wiser than ourselves.
This is where artists are needed. Because the net is primarily built
and run by Scientists and Engineers who are creatures of mind, it is
the heart and soul of the Internet that is weak. Artists are the
heart and soul of human culture, and must bring the fruits of their
efforts to the net to give the net culture, and future generations
their essence of humanity.
If that does not convince you, we will also introduce you to some of
the many tools artists may use to exploit the net for their own
personal gain. As the online culture becomes a more balanced
representation of humanity, the net will become an essential tool for
collaboration, communication, and distribution of art and humanities
content. The day is coming where those who are not on the net will
be greatly handicapped in the expression and distribution of their
works.
The net is the new frontier for the growth of humanity. Can you
afford not to be involved?
2.1 Access to the Global Community
In the past, artist"s audiences and collaborators were limited to the
people around them. Improvements in transportation and communication
have allowed these associations to expand, but even today few members
of the artistic community have gone global. The Internet changes all
this by allowing anyone access to a global community.
A great many arts institutions and organizations have now established
sites on the World Wide Web and a significant number of online
discussion groups focus on the arts and humanities. Consortiums of
museums and libraries are now using networking technologies to
support research and projects involving more effective ways to
collect, store, and disseminate objects of antiquity and other non-
textual primary sources, as well as textual sources.
Sites are also created by individuals and for institutions,
organizations, and businesses for reasons ranging from commerce to
simple self-expression. The Internet connects hundreds of countries,
thousands of cities, and countless groups and individuals around the
globe.
On the Internet today you can find information on topics ranging from
art and music to guns and ammunition; among which are astronomy,
news, astrology, agriculture, acupuncture, botany, biology, zoology,
food, psychology, medicine, space exploration, genetics, media,
chemistry, microbreweries, aeronautics, scuba diving, meteorology,
neurology, artificial intelligence, mathematics, literature, wine
tasting, law, painting, photography, dance, history, social sciences,
politics, crafts, clothing, economics, genealogy, pets, sports,
languages, dictionaries, encyclopedias, technical manuals, schools,
shops, entertainment, furniture, flowers, software, hardware,
computers and the Internet, just to name a few. Whatever your work
requires, whatever your whim desires, you can find it on the net.
People all around the world will be looking for what they want on the
net, and if you have what they want, then through the magic of the
Internet, you are their next door neighbor.
With access to the Internet, the world is at your fingertips. Bring
your questions on health, the environment, government, and religion,
and look though volumes of documentation on your concerns, or discuss
your questions with others electronically. Once you get used to it,
you will even be downloading more information and tools to assist you
further.
The Internet provides a forum in which diverse cultures can merge,
and allows people to visit faraway places from the privacy and safety
of their own computer. The Internet explorer will also find that
many sites are multilingual.
Once you have the basic tools for using the Internet you will begin
to understand how easy, helpful, informative, and exciting it can be.
With a few quick strokes you have accessed a great library, museum,
or gallery, toured a faraway city, or looked up an old friend. You
might find an out of print book you have always wanted, then either
read it on your computer screen, or print it out on your printer. If
you do not have a printer, simply save it to your floppy disk and
bring that to a printshop or friend with a printer. It really is
that easy.
You could spend the afternoon at the Smithsonian, or the Louvre
without ever leaving your chair. For a more athletic adventure, you
could put your computer in front of your treadmill, and jog through
the online Olympics site.
When you are ready, you can explore deeper. Follow other links to
smaller sites, lesser known writers, artists, poets, and thinkers,
and discover the emerging world they are creating. With the proper
tools you can even view moving pictures, and listen to music and
other audio.
Perhaps you would like to locate a rare album, or debate one
musicians merit over anothers. Perhaps you prefer to discuss and
compare the works of others with producers, collectors, gallery
owners or other professionals in your field, or related fields. You
might want to find out who"s hot and why. You could also find out
where, and when shows, showings, benefits, conferences, releases,
signings, and performances are taking place, or announce your own.
They say that for every artist, there is a critic, and you could meet
one, or be one, on the Internet.
2.2 Sharing Your Work and Collaborating with Others
Artists often want to share their work with other artists so that
they can get peer comments and recognition. The Internet is a great
place to explore new ideas with other artists as well.
Perhaps you are a painter who has developed a method for keeping
acrylics moist during long sessions, or a photographer who has
discovered a new lighting technique. You could make the information
available over the Internet to enlighten others, or to get their
feedback.
Perhaps you"ve had difficulty in some aspect of your work, and you"d
like to talk to others who have had similar experiences to find out
how they solved them.
There are many types of content that artists can share. Including:
- text: stories, poetry, historic accounts, transcripts, etc.
- images of their visual work: paintings, photographs,
sculpture, etc.
- images of themselves: photographs, self-portraits, etc.
- sound files of their audio works or voice presentations of
their works: books on tape, speeches, tutorials, music, etc.
- moving pictures: video arts, performance arts, etc.
- a description of their art process and works of art
- resumes and biographical data
- contact information in the form of electronic mail address,
postal mail address, phone, etc. Electronic mail is most
popular because it allows people to respond spontaneously.
After you"ve met some of the global critics, and compared your work
with others, you may feel so bold as to share your work with others.
Perhaps emailing a manuscript to a publisher, or putting up scans of
your art will entice a buyer. Perhaps it will entice a critic to say
wonderful things about your work.
Perhaps putting your work on the Internet will bring fortune and
fame, or perhaps it will encourage others to put their work up.
Increasing the cultural content of the Internet will have profound
results in all areas of the Arts.
There are many ways of collaborating over the Internet. As mentioned
in previous sections it is easy to see how to communicate and
exchange work with other artists from anywhere in the world. In
addition, there are art and literature projects which explore the
Internet by aSKINg people to submit their feelings, thoughts, and
ideas through the Internet. Some of these projects will allow
interested people to come to them, others may be distributed in
various ways to actively seek out people interested in participation.
There are also games which are played over the Internet, by players
all over the planet. These types of games, which are described in
greater detail in Section 5, can be both entertaining and
educational. Some games offer players the opportunity to alter the
environment, so that ideas and information contained in the game
evolve over time into a jointly constructed experience.
2.3 Freely Available Software, and Other Information
There is a world of useful software available to you via the
Internet. Known as Shareware, Public Domain, or Freely Copyable, you
can find many software programs you may download and use on your own
machine, often completely free, occasionally for a small and/or
optional fee which helps the author to afford to create more software
for general use. There are also libraries, stores, and news groups
you can peruse in search of just the tool or information you want.
As you explore the Internet, you will begin to find information that
is beyond your reach without the right tools for viewing, listening,
etc. For example, someone may have put up a sound file using a
format which cannot be recognized by the software you have installed.
In these cases, that person will often have included a pointer to the
exact tool necessary to recognize their format, or convert the
format, and you can download, install, and use this tool right away.
More information on file formats is provided throughout the document.
Using the basic tools acquired to access the Internet, you can begin
to add to your collection software tools, both for accessing the
information already on the Internet, and for creating your own
content. After reading this document you will have the tools
necessary to find and use this information.
Appendix B provides a list of Internet sites, where communication
about the arts, and freely copyable software tools and art, among
other things, can be found.
There are many people both like, and unlike, yourself with whom you
can meet, communicate, and share ideas. Some like to just talk, you
can listen if you like. Others like to just listen, so you and
others can talk.
There are also many forms that communication can take, from private
electronic mail, to group video conferencing, to moderated
newsgroups, to public bulletin boards. See Section 5 for additional
information on Electronic Forums.
3. What is the Internet?
As new users, the first question that probably comes to mind is:
"What is the Internet?" A good answer is: "People, computers and
information electronically linked around the world by a common
protocol for communicating with each other."
The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) was founded in the late
1960s. Among its many projects, ARPA created a network of computers
called the ARPANET. As other networks were created, most were
connected to the ARPANET, and the resulting network that
interconnected many networks was named, "The Internet". At last
count, this "Information Superhighway" connects several million
computers and over 40 million users from all over the world.
The Internet should not be confused with America OnLine (AOL),
CompuServe, Prodigy, and other type service providers, which may use
their own, often proprietary protocols and are sites unto themselves
but may also have connections to the Internet. The Internet should
also not be confused with the World Wide Web which is the topic of
the next section.
3.1 What is the World Wide Web?
The World Wide Web, generally referred to as simply, The Web, is
comprised of a subset of the computers on the Internet.
You can visualize the World Wide Web as a giant magazine stand with a
vast web of strings connecting various words pictures and ideas.
Like a magazine rack, you may quickly select a chosen magazine, or
you may browse, following the strings from magazine to magazine.
More formally, the Web is vast multimedia "document" distributed
among a large number of the computers on the Internet.
There is no central hierarchy that organizes the Web. Instead, the
information is distributed among many "Web Sites" created and used by
the many people on the Internet. Each Web Site is much like a
magazine in that it has a Cover Page, called the Home Page, and other
pages of related information that can be connected in whatever way
the author wishes. This "document" is in a format called "hypertext"
which allows information in the web to be linked by words or pictures
viewed on the computer.
The Web is broken up into a large set of pages, called "Web Pages",
of information connected by hypertext "links" which let you click on
a highlighted word or picture to call up a page of related
information. This is what differentiates hyper-text from "normal"
text. In "normal" text, each idea, sentence or paragraph is
connected in a sequence or "train of thought", from beginning to end.
In hypertext however, tracks of ideas branch out through "Links", so
that each idea may be connected to many different "trains of
thought". This ability to follow an idea to many different
destinations allows you to read hypertext documents in a way more
naturally resembling human thought.
For example, you might create a "Cool Music" Web Page and place it on
a "Web Server", which is any computer somewhere on the Internet
running the software needed to provide access to the resident Web
Pages. Anyone on the Internet could then use a piece of software
called a "Web Browser" to ask the Web Server to view your Home Page.
This Home Page could be a striking artwork featuring a list of your
favorite albums and a few labeled buttons. While your music plays
from their speakers they might choose to click on any album that
catches their eye, or go to lists of information sorted by Artist,
Label, or Genre. Once they get to the page for a particular album,
they might see the artwork, a song list, and other links to follow.
Clicking on a song might pull up the song lyrics, or perhaps even
download the song. Or they could follow a link you provided from
your page to the HomePage of the artists record company, or to a
magazine interview of the band. If the information is out there,
your page could link to it.
At last check there were hundreds of thousands of web sites, home
pages, and hosts on the Web. The contents of those sites are almost
as varied. Some pages are personal pages containing photos of family
members, lists of hobbies, or the sharing of collections such as song
lyrics. Some pages are strictly business, selling everything from
abalone to zymoscopes. Still other pages provide services such as
information searches, and weather reports.
Human culture is based on communication, and the widespread
availability of information and the thought-like constructions of
hypertext are the most powerful new ideas in communication since the
invention of writing. A glance back at history will easily show how
written language has shaped our societies. These results are only a
foreshadowing of the things to come.
4. How Does the Internet Work?
While it is not necessary to understand how the Internet works in
order to use it, a brief technical overview will introduce you to
some concepts and terms that will be used in the sections ahead.
As we go into more detail here, we are assuming that you, the reader,
have at least a passing familiarity with computers. Section 6.2
provides more information on computer hardware and software.
On one level, networks are built out of wires, phone lines, and other
pieces of hardware, and the Internet is indeed built of all these
things. The essence of the Internet however is built out of an idea
called the Internet Protocol.
There are many different kinds of computers. Most of them work by
encoding information into ones and zeroes, which they can manipulate
at incredible speeds. Unfortunately, there are many different ways
of encoding information. Computers that use different methods can be
said to speak different languages. In order for computers to talk to
each other there must be a thing called a "Communication Protocol"
that provides a set of procedures for talking and a common language
to use.
The Internet Protocol, or IP, is the Communication Protocol that all
computers on the Internet must use and understand. It allows
computers to find each other, and to send packages, or "packets", of
information back and forth. Much like the Postal service reads your
country code, city code, etc., but not the contents of your letter,
the Internet Protocol does not care what is inside most of these
packets of information. This is a great thing because it means that
other, higher level protocols may transmit any possible kind of
information simply by stuffing it into a packet and handing it off to
the software responsible for speaking IP.
Another important protocol upon which the Internet is built is the
Transmission Control Protocol, or TCP. IP by itself provides a way
of sending a message to another computer, but no guarantee that it
will get through. Since reliable communication is a necessity, the
TCP protocol was invented which uses IP to send packets and
guarantees their delivery by requiring the receiver to acknowledge
the information received. TCP and IP form the heart of a group of
protocols aptly named the TCP/IP protocol suite. This suite of
protocols provides most of the functionality of the Internet.
We will be mentioning these protocols throughout the rest of the
document. Information on IP and other Internet Protocols can be
oBTained through the resources referenced in Section 10.
4.1 Internet Addresses
There are many things we would like to be able to find on the net,
including people, information, and the computers themselves. An
important part of IP and other protocols is the way they label things
so that the computers can find and identify them. The U.S. Post
Office finds people by their Postal Address, which is just a label
containing information about who you are, and where you live.
Likewise, the various protocols of the Internet have given computers,
people, and information, addresses which can be used to find them.
The following sections will describe several different kinds of
addresses.
4.1.1 Computer Addresses and Hostnames
When speaking IP, computers locate each other using a thing called
their IP Address. Each computer on the Internet must have a unique
IP Address. Some programs allow or require you to use the IP Address
directly, if so, it will appear as four groups of numbers separated
by dots. (i.e., 123.123.123.123) Most of the time though, you will
not need to worry about the actual IP Address number, because all
computers have a "Host Name" to which the number is mapped.
A computers hostname also comes in parts, separated by dots. The
first part is the name of the machine, and the second part is the
name of the "domain" in which that computer is registered.
For example, if I had a machine named "foo" registered in the
commercial domain known as "com", my machine"s hostname would be
"foo.com". When speaking out loud, this machine"s address would be
spoken as "foo dot com".
A domain is just an abstract category to which machines and networks
may be registered into in order to organize them. Domains are
organized in a hierarchy of top level domains and their subdomains.
Top Level Domains include,
.edu for educational institutions
.gov for government sites
.com for commercial companies
.org for other organizations
.net for network infrastructure sites
.us for sites in the United States
.ca for sites in Canada
.nl for sites in the Netherlands
.jp for sites in Japan
to name a few. Domain names may be further subdivided by inserting
one or more subdomain names before the top level domain, still
separating everything with dots. For example, "law.harvard.edu", for
the Law School at Harvard University, and "la.ca.us" for computers in
Los Angeles, California in the United States.
More information about the Domain Naming System can be found in the
documents referenced in Section 10.
4.1.2 Addresses of People on the Internet
Every human being has a given name, or full name with which we
address them. When you begin to use a computer, you will be
introduced to your "username". Your username, sometimes called your
user i.d., may be your initials, your last name and first initial,
your nickname, a number, or anything else that is just normal letter
or number characters. (Your username usually cannot contain
"special" characters such as "&", or "%".) Sometimes you get to
choose your own username, and sometimes your service provider or
system administrator will choose one for you.
Your username is used when you connect to other computers, and to
identify you in electronic mail. Your electronic mail, or Email
Address, will consist of your username followed by the symbol "@",
followed by your computers hostname.
So, for Joe Cool, who has the username "jcool", and gets his Internet
service from Dirigible Online, his email address might be
"jcool@dirigible.com". When spoken out loud, the "@" symbol is
pronounced simply "at" so this would typically be spoken as "jcool at
dirigible dot com".
Email is moved around on the Internet using the Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol, SMTP, over IP. Information on SMTP can be found in the
documents listed in Section 10.
4.1.3 Information Addresses, Uniform Resource Locators, or URLs.
In order to retrieve information from the Internet, you need to be
able to find it and know how to ask for it. This is the job of the
Uniform Resource Locator, or URL which functions as an address for
information. Every file or document intended to be accessible
through the Internet has a URL.
URLs (or simplified versions of them) are now appearing frequently in
TV, billboard, and magazine advertising as a company"s Internet
Address; basically the hostname of their web site.
In previous sections we"ve identified IP Addresses, hostnames and
email addresses; a URL contains more information. Not only does it
tell you what the information is, and where to find it, it also tells
you precisely which protocol you need to use to retrieve it.
A URL is a machine readable, and hence somewhat cryptic, text string,
in a form such as "http://www.something.com/location/filename.ext".
This string can be broken down into the following pieces.
http is the name of the communications protocol which can be used
to access the information. In this case, it identifies the
HyperText Transfer Protocol, which is used in the World Wide
Web, and will be described later. Other protocols are
described in Section 4.3.
: separates the protocol from the hostname
// indicates that what is to follow is the hostname
www.something.com is the hostname of the computer on which the
document resides. In this case, the "www" indicates that
it is a machine named for the fact that it is running a
World Wide Web server. "something.com" is the domain in
which that server is registered. Typically the "something"
part is the name of the organization running the server.
/ separates the hostname from Directory on the machine in
which the information resides.
location is the location of the information on the machine
something.com.
filename is the first part of the file name of the information you
are retrieving.
. a dot separates the filename from its extension
ext the extension, or file "type" actually says a great deal
about the file, how to handle it, and how to present it.
The URLs you see will usually be simpler than this. The people at
something.com assume you are going to use a modern web browser to
access the information, so they may leave off the protocol
information, "http://", because this is probably your web browsers
default protocol. Also, if they configure their server to have a
default homepage to display, they can leave off everything after the
hostname part of the URL. This puts it into the form that is most
commonly seen, www.something.com.
URLs can specify any file and most protocols. In this example, the
URL is using the protocol for moving HyperText, the HyperText
Transfer Protocol, HTTP, over IP. More information on HyperText and
HTTP can be found in the next section, and in the Resources section.
4.2 How Does the World Wide Web Work?
Web pages are computer files written in a format called Html, the
HyperText Markup Language. HTML is the protocol for putting specific
strings of letters and symbols (such as parentheses) into an ordinary
text document which can specify that words link to other pages, or be
viewed in a particular type font, or display images, or many other
things when viewed with the appropriate software. The appropriate
software would generally be a web browser. More information about
software tools is provided in Section 6.2.
HTML is simple enough that most people can learn to use it, but rich
enough in possibility that there will always be a thriving community
of people making web pages for others.
Links within a hypertext documented are implemented using references
to the URL of the information to be linked to.
In order to download information from distant places in the web, your
computer will typically be using a protocol called HTTP, the
HyperText Transfer Protocol. HTTP was designed to allow web browser
software to connect to web server software on other machines and
request the transmission of a web page in the form of an HTML
document and any associated images, audio, video, etc. The latest
version of the HTTP can actually tell what type of browser is
connecting and the server is now able to better customize its default
homepage to its audience.
More information on HTML, HTTP, and hypertext can be found in Section
7.3, and through the references listed in the Resources section.
4.3 Other Higher Level Protocols on the Internet.
There are many other higher level protocols built on top of IP.
We"ve provide examples throughout the document, but we"ll mention a
few here to make you more familiar with them.
telnet: a protocol for providing remote terminal service. Telnet
software allows you to log in to remote computers across the
net by giving you a virtual terminal on that computer.
FTP: the File Transfer Protocol. FTP allows diverse machines to
send simple files back and forth. FTP is usually used by
archive sites to allow multiple users to download files
simultaneously.
smtp: the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The SMTP specification
allows electronic mail to be sent, stored, and forwarded,
around the Internet. SMTP does not specify how a mail
"reader" operates, just the transmission of email.
nntp: the Network News Transfer Protocol. NNTP specifies how
Internet News is passed, stored and forwarded around the
Internet.
gopher: the Gopher protocol creates linkages, much like the web,
which is called, "gopherspace". The specification allows
a gopher server to serve files in a text rather than graphic
format.
Many other protocols function on the Internet, and are specified in
technical documents, such as are referenced in the Resources section.
5. Forums
Websters defines a forum as "A public meeting place for open
discussion." In the world that could be a park or an auditorium. In
the Internet, a forum will be electronic, but it may still feel like
a roomful of people.
Many forums exist on the Internet. There are interactive forums
where you can share information in real-time and carry on discussions
with others. There are message-based forums where you send or
receive a message and others involved in that forum can respond
later, and there are archived forums where information is stored, and
may be retrieved by anyone but modified only by its owner.
While we have attempted to list and describe a few of the more
popular forums, we have not created an exhaustive, complete, or up-
to-the-minute list here. You can find information on forums, lists
and sites in many magazines and books today.
5.1 Message-based Communications
In Message-based communication, a message is sent by one user, and
can be received by one or many. For example, you might send a dinner
invitation to an individual, a couple, or a group. In the same way,
you send electronic messages to individuals or groups. Just like a
postal service for physical mail, there are electronic mail servers
for electronic mail. Just like you have a physical address to which
your physical mail is sent, there is an electronic mail address to
which your electronic mail is sent.
Message-based Communications includes electronic mail, newsgroups,
and bulletin boards.
5.1.1 Email
Electronic mail, called EMAIL, is a system whereby a computer user
can exchange messages with other computer users, or groups of users
via a communications network. This can be the Internet, or a smaller
internal office network.
Typical use of email consists of downloading messages as received
from a mailbox or mail server, then reading and replying to them
solely electronically using a mail program which behaves much like a
word processor for the most part. The user can send mail to, or
receive mail from, any other user with Internet access. Electronic
mail is much like paper mail, in that it is sent, delivered, and
contains information. That information is usually textual, but new
innovations allow for graphics, and even sound to sent in email.
Email is superior to paper mail in that it can arrive at its
destination within minutes of being sent, and it can be replied to,
appended to, forwarded, formatted, saved, or deleted just as quickly.
Some sites on the Internet run a type of file server which can
respond with a file automatically, for those who have email but not
web or ftp access.
An email address consists of a username, and the address of the
machine to which the mail should be delivered for that user.
Reviewing Section 4.1.2, email addresses take the form
"username"@"site"."domain" For example, if your name is Joe Cool and
you get your Internet service from Dirigible Online, where you login
as "jcool", your email address might be "jcool@dirigible.com".
You will usually get your Email address from your System
Administrator, in a work or school environment, or from your Internet
Service Provider. Section 6 provides more information on Internet
Service Providers.
5.1.2 Newsgroups
Someday everyone will be able to get their news electronically,
saving paper, money, time, and the environment.
A Newsgroup is an electronic bulletin board system created originally
by the Unix community and which is accessible via the Internet.
Usenet News forms a discussion forum accessible by millions of users
in almost every country in the world. Usenet News consists of
thousands of topics arranged in a hierarchical form. Major topics
include "comp" for computer topics, "rec" for recreational topics,
"soc" for social topics, "sci" for science topics, and there are many
others we will not list here. Within the major topics are subtopics,
such as "rec.music" for general music content, and
"rec.music.classical" for classical music, or "sci.med.physics" for
discussions relating to the physics of medical science.
If you have access to newsgroups, it would be wise to read any
postings on the newsgroup "news.announce.newusers" first. This
newsgroup provides detailed information on newsgroups, such as
finding the right place to post, and information on newsgroup writing
style.
Local newsgroups are those that are accessible through your
organization or company which contain news that is relevant only to
your organization. For example, NASA"s Goddard Space Flight Center,
GSFC, has many internal newsgroups that are of interest only to GSFC
employees and none of the other NASA centers. Therefore, newsgroups
have been formed to provide internal information to NASA GSFC
employees only and no one else. Some examples are: gsfc.carpool,
gsfc.dialup or gsfc.220.civil.servants.
Another example of a local newsgroup is news that is posted regarding
your community or the vicinity in which you live. For example, if
you lived in the Washington D.C. area some of the local newsgroups
might be: dc.biking, dc.jobs or dc.smithsonian.
Many newsreaders are available, and many web browsers now also
support news. The URL to use for a newsgroup will have the protocol
news: followed by the group name, as in news:dc.smithsonian. A
domain address is not necessary, as the browser would be configured
to know which host you will get news from.
5.1.3 Electronic Bulletin Board System - BBS
An Electronic Bulletin Board System, or BBS, consists of a computer,
and associated software, typically providing electronic messaging
services, archives of files, and any other services or activities of
interest to the bulletin board systems" operator.
Typically a BBS user must dial into the BBS via their modem and
telephone line, and select from a hierarchy of lists, files,
subdirectories, or other data maintained by the operator. Once
connected, the user can often send messages to other BBS users within
the system.
Although BBSs have traditionally been the domain of hobbyists, an
increasing number of BBSs are connected directly to the Internet, and
many BBSs are currently operated by government, educational,
research, and commercial institutions.
BBSs usually advertise their services in the backs of magazines and
newspapers and by word of mouth. Many companies now offer a BBS via
which their customers can retrieve their latest technical support
documents and product literature.
5.2 Real-Time Communications
The communications methods described in Section 5.1 involve delays
between when you send a message and when you receive a response, with
the result that both parties are not involved simultaneously. The
net can also be used to communicate in "Real-Time" by making the sure
the delays are short enough that both parties can be involved
simultaneously in a "conversation".
Typically this is done in a text based format where each user has two
special regions on their screen: One that they type in, and another
that the other users type is displayed in. The delay between when
one user types and the other sees it on their screen is called "net-
lag" and usually ranges from "too short to be aware of" to about 30
seconds. Lag can occur due to network congestion or a variety of
bottlenecks including link speed, processor speed, and typing speed.
Although it is still rather expensive, it is also possible to use
both audio and video in "Real-Time". However the reasons for it"s
expense are temporary, and you should expect to see more and more of
this in the future.
Forums which communicate in real-time are the Internet Relay Chat
(IRC), the Multi-User Dungeon (MUD), Audio-Video Conferencing (AVC),
and WhiteBoard Systems (WBS).
5.2.1 IRC - Internet Relay Chat, WebChat
Internet Relay Chat, or IRC, provides a text-based mechanism for
communication with multiple participants. IRC is an interactive
forum set up in virtual rooms that you can move between, and where
others can virtually "hang out". Chat rooms can be used to discuss
common ideas or topics, or as part of a collaborative process. The
connection method used will be specific to each IRC site. IRC sites
can be found using search tools, as outlined in Section 5.3.1.
Web chat is like IRC but it is done via a web browser, and it is not
a text only forum. Section 6.2 provides more information on web
browser software.
Many webchat sites require the user to register before being able to
participate in the activity. If any additional software is needed
based on your particular software and PC configuration the site will
point you in the right direction so you can download the necessary
software.
Some sites will provide you with chat etiquette guidelines. Please
be sure to read the directions before you participate in the chat
session.
Once you begin to chat you may find that there are some abbreviations
used with which you are not familiar. These abbreviations are for
various actions or phrases. Some very common ones are: by the way
(btw), in my humble/honest opinion (imho), and ta ta for now (ttfn).
Appendix B provides a few Chat sites to start you off.
5.2.2 Multicasting
Multicasting is a technical term that means that you can send pieces
of data, called "packets", to multiple sites simultaneously. How big
a packet is depends on the protocols involved and it may range from a
few bytes to a few thousand. The usual way of moving information
around the Internet is by using unicast protocols, which send packets
to one site at a time.
You can think of multicasting as the Internet"s version of
broadcasting. A site that multicasts information is similar in many
ways to a television station that broadcasts its signal. The signal
originates from one source, but it can reach everyone in the
station"s signal area. The signal takes up some of the finite
available bandwidth, and anyone who has the right equipment can tune
it in. The information passes on by those who don"t want to catch the
signal or don"t have the right equipment.
5.2.3 MUD - Multi-User Dungeon
A MUD is an interactive game environment where both real other
players and virtual other players exist and with whom you can
communicate to share ideas or solve puzzles, etc.
The word "Dungeon" refers to the setting of many of the original
games of this sort, in which you, our hero, must escape from a
dungeon-like environment where evil goblins, demons, and other "bad-
guys" are wandering around ready to kill you. Generally the goal, in
order to win the game, is to find and retrieve some treasure, or
reach some hidden place, and find the way out.
MUDs have applications in education, as for problem solving and
leadership skills, as well as in building teamwork to share ideas and
to enhance creativity. Having a virtual world in which people from
diverse backgrounds and cultures can come, again and again, to work
on a common project, allows ideas to accrue and cultures to grow over
time.
For more information on MUDs, and other collaborative environments,
explore the references in the appendices.
5.2.4 Audio Video Conferencing
Audio Video Conferencing has many applications in the arts as well as
in business. Using the Internet, teachers can reach students who
cannot get to their schools, doctors can give medical consultations
from around the world, and artists can perform in front an audience
they would never have otherwise.
CU-SeeMe is a freeware desktop videoconferencing software tool. CU-
SeeMe allows Macintosh and Windows users with an Internet connection
and a desktop camera (some go for as little as $100) to see, hear and
speak with other CU-SeeMe users across the world. This program was
developed at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, USA and is
freely available.
CU-SeeMe allows the user to have a one-to-one communication. It is
also possible to have a one-to-many or many-to-many communication by
installing a reflector on another machine running the appropriate
software. The reflector software must be installed on a Unix
machine. The software can be obtained from Cornell University"s CU-
SeeMe page listed in Appendix B.
Whiteboard systems also enhance audio visual conferencing. A
Whiteboard, which is analogous to a chalkboard, is physically quite
similar. Using a write-on wipe-off style of whiteboard, which has
been electronically enhanced, allows people on the Internet to share
text, drawings, and other graphic information which is being written
in real-time.
Software exists which allows connections between two sites, or
hundreds, over the Internet, the Web, or your telephone.
5.3 Archives
Archive is defined in Webster"s New World Dictionary as:
n. 1 a) a place where public records, documents, etc. are kept b) a
place where material having documentary interest, as private papers,
institutional records, memorabilia, or photographs, is kept.
Archives on the Internet are pretty much the exact same thing. The
motivation and much of the content is the same, but the media changes
(from paper files, to electronic files), and as such allows for a
much greater diversity of content.
Archives on the Internet also allow many people access to their files
simultaneously, and from all over the world. Many archives on the
Internet still reside on Anonymous FTP Servers, which allow users to
log in without a user i.d. or password. When connecting to these
servers the protocol used is "ftp" the File Transfer Protocol, as
mentioned previously in Section 4.3.
Any and all information that people want to make available on the
Internet can be. This means there is a truly vast amount of
information out there, with more being added every day. In fact
there is so much information that it is sometimes difficult and
confusing to find the information you want. This is the topic of our
next section.
Some anonymous ftp sites are provided in Appendix B.
5.3.1 Searching
One of the great challenges facing the Internet is how to organize
the vast amounts of information in ways that allow most people to
find what they want. In theory, there may be a "perfect"
organization, but in practice, we will never achieve it. This means
that finding the information you want on the net may require some
skill on your part. Fortunately there are many tools and strategies
that may be helpful.
One of the all time great ideas for finding the information you want
is a thing called a search engine. A search engine is a computer
program usually living on a remote computer that spends its time
downloading information from other computers and building an index of
what lives where. This behavior has given them the nickname of Web
Crawlers. What this means to you, is that you can call up the Search
Engine"s home page, and enter in a subject, name, title, or random
string pattern, which is then used to search the engines index for
stuff out on the net that seems related. This can lead to both a
large volume of information, and some rather startling discoveries of
information from unsuspected sources.
Some of the available Searchers and Indices on the Internet include:
Yahoo - Index of WWW sites, with search capabilities
http://www.yahoo.com/
DejaNews - USENET (news groups) search engine
http://www.dejanews.com/
WebCrawler - http://query.webcrawler.com/
Lycos - http://www.lycos.com/
AltaVista - WWW and USENET search engine
http://www.altavista.digital.com/
Magellan - Index of reviewed and rated Internet sites, with
search capabilities
http://www.mckinley.com/
Yahoo, for example, has a high-level category called "Arts", which
has a multitude of subcategories below it, most of which have further
subdivision, each of which can contain lists of lists.
For example, to find information on Modern Dance, from a starting
point of http://www.yahoo.com/, you can follow the links to
http://www.yahoo.com/Recreation/Dance/Modern/Groups or simply type
"Modern Dance" into the search field and choose from a list of
selections returned.
On a typical attempt on March 25, 1997, Yahoo returned 4 major
categories of Modern Dance, and offered 82 other links to related
pages around the web. Statistics, however, can be changing by the
moment.
There are many other Searchers and Indices on the Internet, and a
good way to find them, is to do a search for them in one of the
services above, or others you encounter in your travels. The
resources in Appendix B may also be helpful.
After experimenting with the available search engines, it quickly
becomes clear that searching on a broad category can result in too
much information. For example, a recent search at AltaVista for the
subject "Rembrandt" matched over 8500 individual items, including
information on the famous artist (Rembrandt von Rijn (1606-1669)),
His Self-Portrait, a hotel in Thailand (Rembrandt Hotel and Plaza,
Bangkok), and a pizza restaurant in California. (The URLs for these
sites are listed under Rembrandt in Appendix B.)
To be more particular in what you find, all of the available search
engines allow you to do compound searches, in which multiple keywords
are used, possibly in combination with Boolean logic operators such
as AND, OR, and NOT. For example, to focus in on Rembrandt the
artist, at the exclusion of pizza cafes, try the following advanced
search in Magellan:
Rembrandt AND artist AND portrait NOT pizza
Note that the method of entering search items differs slightly from
service to service. When trying a new service, check the available
help topic before searching. And as with any new skill, practice,
practice, practice!
Test of search scope:
Lycos: rembrandt. 1837 relevant documents
Lycos: rembrandt and artist and portrait 6 relevant documents
Yahoo: rembrandt 2 Category and 39 site matches
Yahoo: rembrandt and artist 2 Category and 11 site matches
AltaVista: rembrandt about "10000" documents
AltaVista: rembrandt +artist +museum about "100" documents
WebCrawler: rembrandt. 347 matching "rembrandt"
WebCrawler: rembrandt and artist and portrait 21 matching documents
Magellan: rembrandt 666 results
Magellan: rembrandt and artist and portrait 39379 results
You will notice, in the above statistics, that the numbers for
Magellan are quite different from the others. This is because
different search engines may function differently. When you do a
this+that search on Magellan, it looks for all instances of This AND
all instances of That rather than the standard response of Only
documents which contain both This AND That. On almost all the sites
I have explored, there is an explanation of how the search process
works on that site. You should read that explanation if you are
having trouble or need further information.
You will also begin to see patterns in the way people name, or file,
their information, which will help you find more information. Some
may list their links to ART, while others list their links to
PAINTINGS. Also many people put links to related pages in their
pages, so one page you find that does not have what you are looking
for, may have a pointer to another page that does have what you are
looking for. Searching is an iterative process, keep going from one
search key to another, and continue down multiple levels to see what
is out there. Its known as Exploring, or Surfing the Net, and it is
a major part of the joy of the Internet.
6. Accessing the Internet
Having decided to explore the Internet, you will need some tools and
information to get you started.
Accessing the Internet in terms of simply receiving, downloading, and
viewing files, uses most of the same tools (software and hardware)
needed to create files and make them available on the Internet.
Sections 6 and 7 overlap a great deal in the areas of basic hardware
and software.
The Internet can be accessed in many comfortable ways: at school, at
home, at work, and even at trendy CyberCoffeeHouses. Accessing the
Internet is not synonymous with publishing and displaying on the
Internet, however. You may need different equipment for creating
content, then you need for retrieving content. Section 6 focuses on
the specific needs of those who wish to create content and publish on
the Internet.
If you live near a major metropolitan area you may have already begun
to see advertising for Internet access from your local telephone
company, or cable TV provider. Contact them to get information on
equipment needed, services provided, access restrictions and costs
involved.
Local libraries and schools may now offer both Internet Access, and
instruction on Internet related subjects, including getting
connected. Check the Internet sections of your bookstore and
magazine stands.
Do not be dissuaded if you find limited access. The Internet will
soon be everywhere, but if you do not want to wait, then you might
consider taking matters into your own hands as these enterprising
youths did...
When several students from large universities returned home to
Taos, NM, a few summers ago, they left behind their Internet
connections. Missing their connectivity, they approached the
owner of a local bakery and suggested he start an Internet room
where he could charge people by the hour to use the Internet. The
entrepreneurial baker applied for a government grant and received
a few computers with high speed modems.
You may be able to find a place like this, often called a CyberCafe,
rather than having to create one. Try your local magazine stand for
the latest periodicals, or your public library or bookstore for
pointers to other people who will know more.
Once you have some Internet access, you can find out more about
Cybercafes, InternetCafes, and other physical Internet access points,
by searching as described in Section 5.3.1. and in the newsgroup
alt.cybercafes.
6.1 Internet Service Providers
Being an Internet Service Provider (ISP) these days is pretty easy
and can be financially worthwhile, so there are alot of them, and
they are starting and failing every day. In addition to the
information and pointers you will find in this document, many
organizations exist to help you locate, and choose a service
provider.
As with any service, be sure to get references, and get their
features and terms in writing. Some ISPs provide access only to
their site, others may provide email only, or provide access to the
web but charge by the minute for access. Have some idea of what you
want to do and what the vendor provides before making any deals.
Many Internet Service Providers offer free instruction to get you
started in accessing the Internet as well as creating content. With
the competition of Internet providers, you should be able to find one
or two that offer the instruction you need.
Some organizations exist solely to recommend those who pay them.
Most Internet related magazines these days will contain extensive
advertising by ISPs in your area.
As discussed in Section 4.1, every machine on the Internet needs an
address by which it is accessed. Even machines which are only
browsing need an address to which the browsed information is
returned. This is actually called your IP address. The address is
the number with which your hostname is associated. Usually you will
get your IP address from your work, school, or ISP when you get your
configuration information for your Internet connection. If you were
trying to get an IP Address on your own, you would go to the Internet
Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
More information about IANA, IP addresses, and domain names can be
found in the information referenced in the Resources section.
6.2 Computer Hardware and Software Tools
A basic computer system consists of a box containing a Central
Processor Unit (CPU), main controller (motherboard), and Floppy
Drive. It will also come with a keyboard, and you will need a Hard
Drive, Memory, and a Video Monitor. How much memory, how large a
hard drive, and how fabulous a monitor, will vary with your needs and
experience. To connect to an ISP you will usually also need a modem.
This is simply an overview to familiarize you with some basic terms.
There are many current magazines devoted to computer and Internet
related subjects now available in most bookstores and magazine stands
which provide much better and more timely information on computers,
operating systems, software, and peripherals.
There are m