UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 15, Page 7
December 16, 1993
TechTalk
Your guide to the Internet

     Hesitant to take a trip alone on that high-speed, electronic
information highway known as the Internet?
     The ongoing, three-phase Internet Awareness Initiative (IAI) has been
designed to assist you explore and navigate the Internet, according to
Janet de Vry, program  coordinator.
     "We want members of the University community to feel confident about
new technology so they can use it in the best ways possible," she said.
     "What we hear a lot from new users is that they aren't sure how the
technology applies to them or how to use it the first time. So, our goal
for this initiative is to send people out on the Internet with a guide to
support them while they discover the ways that they can use it," she
explained.
     The first phase of the initiative is the rebroadcast of the "Explore
Internet" interactive teleconference, hosted by authorities in Internet
technology. This taped version of an initial live telecast from Dec. 2
provides background information about what the Internet is, ways to connect
to the network and the types of information that can be accessed on it. The
program will be aired from 1:30-3:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 10, in Studio B of
Newark Hall.
     Phase II will begin in the new year with an Internet fair,
"U-Discover! the Global Community- Exploring the Internet," scheduled from
10 a.m.- 3 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 12, at the Harrington Commons computing
site. The drop-in fair is open to the entire University community, but the
emphasis will be for faculty and administrators.
     At the fair, experienced staff will demonstrate the different tools
available to explore the Internet, including Gopher, veronica and ftp, as
well as the different kinds of information that can be accessed.
     Later in January, a series of hands-on, exploratory, problem-oriented
classes are planned to reinforce Internet concepts and tools to be
demonstrated at the fair.
     Phase III, which is targeted at students, will begin in February when
staff-led, hands-on Gopher demonstrations are planned in the Ewing Room of
the Student Center. With the help of student assistants, the demonstrations
will focus on using Gopher to find student-oriented Internet information.
     In addition, to ensure accessibility for students, approximately 30
student-led Gopher demonstrations are planned for March and April in the
residence halls.
     Ongoing "road construction" continues to expand the ways in which this
electronic highway can be entered and the areas it can go. Gopher is one
example of a user-friendly access tool to the Internet.
     "The faster the Internet grows and the easier it becomes to use, the
more it will become part of our lives," de Vry said.
     For more information, call her at 831-6714 or send e-mail to
janet@brahms.