Introduction to the Internet
Carondelet Area Community School

Lesson Two

Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Glossary

Optimizing your Internet Experience

First, if you haven't read Introduction to Downloading, do so now.

If you don't have version 4 or later browser you need to upgrade it!

Netscape Explorer

Listed below are the most popular Directories and Search Engines on the Web. My suggestion is to visit each one without diving into their content just yet. Just look at each first page for a few minutes, scrolling up and down, reading headlines and then going on to the next one. I want you to get a feel for each one, so in the future you can settle in with one and use it more extensively.

Directories: Yahoo Excite Snap Lycos

Search Engines: AltaVista HotBot

Read Research on the Web for an in-depth discussion on finding things on the web. This may seem complex at first, but again, it is something you can come back to.

Downloading some necessary software

The following list of software is what I would consider essential to any who might consider themselves an Internet Surfer. As a beginner, you shouldn't expect to understand or download and use all of these now, but as time goes on you will need these things. This is meant as an introduction and something you can come back to anytime.

1. Download Manager This software that aids you in the download process.
2. WinZip This is a product that compresses or decompresses files. Many things that you download will be compressed.
3. Anti-Virus Software Absolutely essential if you are on the Internet. If you've purchased a new computer recently, you already have an up-to-date version of a good anti-virus, but if your computer is more than a year old, or you bought it from an individual, you should check to see that you have one installed and that it is updated.
4. Uninstallers These are programs that remove unwanted programs and files from your computer. They do it safely. Do not simply delete programs that you don't want. That's not good enough.

Go on to Lesson 3