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://SUPPORT.MICROSOFT.COM/SUPPORT/KB/ARTICLES/Q152/4/20.asp
- Microsoft Technical Support
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Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
AP0003: BASICS FOR INTERNET ACCESS
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Revision Date: 8/96
No Disk Included
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INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY
ACCOMPANY THIS DOCUMENT (collectively referred to as an Application Note)
IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The user assumes
the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this Application Note.
This Application Note may be copied and distributed subject to the
following conditions: 1) All text must be copied without modification and
all pages must be included; 2) If software is included, all files on the
disk(s) must be copied without modification (the MS-DOS(R) utility
DISKCOPY is appropriate for this purpose); 3) All components of this
Application Note must be distributed together; and 4) This Application
Note may not be distributed for profit.
Copyright (C) 1996 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Microsoft, MS-DOS, and Windows are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
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THE TEXT OF AP0003
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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.
Modem: A modem allows your computer to communicate with other computers
over a standard telephone line.
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.
Web browser: A Web browser is a program that lets you view content on the
World Wide Web. You can obtain Microsoft's Web browser, Microsoft Internet
Explorer, in any one of several ways:
- 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/windows/ie/downloads/default.mspx
- You can download Internet Explorer from MSN.
If Windows 95 is installed on your computer, you can find more information
about the Internet using online Help. To do so, use the following steps:
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.
Microsoft Internet services: Access Microsoft's Frequently Asked
Questions, Knowledge Base, the Download Center, customer-to-customer
newsgroups, and a variety of other technical information on our
World Wide Web site at http://support.microsoft.com/support/. You can
locate Microsoft's home page at http://www.microsoft.com.
Terms You May Encounter
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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 document or Web page: A document created using the Hypertext
Markup Language (HTML).
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).