Freebies on the Web

If you set up an account with an Internet service provider, you will probably install software, such as a Web browser, an e-mail client, and a newsreader. Many users also install a separate FTP client and Telnet software. All you need, however, is a current version of a Web browser to surf the Web, send and receive e-mail, chat, participate in newsgroup discussions, and more. In fact, you do not necessarily need an account with an ISP or online service to access these features; you can log on to the Web from a computer at a library or your school's computer center, for example. Here are a few of the free services you can access through the Web.

E-Mail

By visiting Web sites like Hotmail, Mail.com, Yahoo!, and others, you can set up a free e-mail account. You must register for the account by creating a user name and password; the service creates a complete e-mail address for you, such as yourname@hotmail.com.

You can send and receive e-mail from these sites, and several offer other useful personalization features. However, some free Web-based e-mail services will store your messages for only a certain amount of time and then automatically delete them. Some will also cancel your account if you do not use it for a given amount of time.

But if you use e-mail regularly and want to access your mail from any browser (without having to log on to your ISP account), Web-based mail is a big time-saver.

Personal Web Pages

Nearly every ISP provides space on its Web servers where clients can create and post personal Web pages. This service is almost always free. As part of the service, ISPs provide online design tools that make it easy to create a personal Web site.

But you do not even need an ISP to get a free Web page. Again, Web sites such as the Microsoft Network, America Online, Yahoo!, and many others provide this kind of service. You simply register for the service, select a URL for your site, and post your Web pages. Free design tools are usually available also.

Chat

It is no longer necessary to log on to an IRC chat channel to participate in a chat room discussion, nor do you have to join an online service like AOL or Prodigy to take advantage of their chat rooms. Now you can access chat in real time through various sources.

Many large Web sites, such as CNN, About.com, Snap, and others, offer Web communities that are basically chat rooms. At these sites, you can register for a user name and a password and choose from dozens of different communities to join. Web-based communities usually conduct chat sessions right in your browser window, although some communities spawn a separate window to contain the chat.

Unit 8. Information Security Protecting Your Online Privacy

Information about our private lives is available to a degree unimaginable just a few years ago. With the Internet's explosion in popularity, people are revealing more about themselves than ever before. Some examples follow:

If you purchase an item over the World Wide Web, you not only provide the seller with your e-mail address but you often include your credit card number. Many e-commerce Web sites also request other personal information, such as telephone numbers and mailing addresses.

Many Web sites that offer special services, such as travel planning, job hunting, or car buying require clients to complete forms that store vast amounts of information about them.

If you post a message to an Internet newsgroup or participate in a chat room discussion, you reveal your e-mail address and interests to anyone who happens to be in the group at that time.

As an online consumer, you leave a trail of information about yourself wherever you go. This trail can be followed by marketers, spammers, hackers, and thieves right back to your PC--or even to your doorstep. There is not a lot you can do after your information has fallen into the wrong hands.

You can take measures, however, to prevent too many people from getting that information, especially if you use the Internet or an online service regularly. Here are some tips that can help:

Avoid Being Added to Mailing Lists. When you fill out a warranty, subscription, or registration form – either on paper or online – make sure it includes an option that prevents your information from being added to a mailing list. If the option is available, check it; if it is not, do not return the form. If there is any doubt, contact the organization and learn its policies regarding mailing lists.

Make Online Purchases Only Through Secure Web Sites. Before you purchase anything over the Internet, make sure that the transaction is secure. You can protect your privacy in two ways. First, if you use a current browser, such as Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape Navigator 5.0, the browser can tell you whether the server is secure. Check your browser's security settings before proceeding with a transaction. Second, check the vendor's Web site to see whether you have the option to switch to a secure server before making the transaction. If this option is available, take it.

Never Assume That Your E-Mail Is Private. Watch what you say, especially when using your company's or school's e-mail system. Never respond to an unsolicited e-mail message, especially if you do not recognize the sender.

Be Careful When Posting to Newsgroups. Many Internet newsgroups and chat rooms are unsupervised. If you post a message to a group, your e-mail address and interests can make you easy prey for spammers and pranksters. Before posting a message to any group, watch the group for a few days to determine whether its users are trustworthy. Try to find out if the group is supervised by a system operator and get that person's address, if possible.

Don't Flame. An online argument can have disastrous results. There are many documented cases of ISPs being shut down by spam as a result of a flame--a critical or insulting message--posted by one of the ISP's users. This practice can result in a loss of online privacy and in your Internet service being cut off by the ISP. Resist the urge to be critical or argumentative online.

E-mail Viruses

Until recently, it was not considered possible to spread viruses within e-mail messages. Because e-mail messages are predominantly text, they could not carry viruses, which require executable code to run.

Newer-generation e-mail programs, however, support e-mail messages in various formats, including HTML. They also support attachments – you can attach a file (such as a DOC, EXE, or other binary file) to a message and send it to a recipient, who can open the file on receiving it. These features of e-mail programs have made them more convenient and useful. However, both features have also opened the door to new types of viruses – e-mail viruses –which can be devastating to anyone who receives them.