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Getting on the Internet with an
ISP
Overview what an ISP is and what they
provide. Locate the following ISPs and learn about their rates and services. Add
facts and info learned to each of the ISPs listed below.
AOL:
AOL offers 5 plans for its customers. The standard plan is $21.95 per
month, but other plans range all the way down to $4.95 per month,
depending on the users number of hours spent on the internet. AOL, as an internet service provider, has a lot to
offer. Allowing access to e-mail, chat rooms, and a search engine, this
provider is a great way to get onto the internet.
AT&T: At
AT&T, the customer get the first month of service free of charge.
After this free month, 3 payment plans are available, the hourly, standard, and
unlimited plans. The cost for unlimited service is $21.95 per month. The
other plans are cheaper, because they are for users who use the internet less
frequently. With AT&T, the customer has access to six e-mail accounts, and
60 MB of space.
Erols: For
a mere $13.95 a month, you have access to unlimited Erols. Also, two other
plans exist, the monthly dialup plan , and the standard dialup plan based on
thirteen months. Speaking from experience, Erols is a great service provider,
offering e-mail, and many other options which make the internet experience
enjoyable, while at a low price.
MSN:
Through this service, the customer must pay MSN membership prices, long distance
prices, and certain access charges. This fee is $21.95 per month for unlimited
access and 12 MB of storage space. Once this is completed, you have access to a
great service provider, allowing you to receive e-mail, talk in chat rooms,
search the web, and personalized web pages.
The Web Browser WAR
Compare and contrast the two most
popular web browsers on the market today, Internet Explore and Netscape
Navigator. Explain features that you like in each browser. Link to the download
pages to obtain each browser. (Microsoft)
Internet Explore 5.0: Although
this software is new to me, I find that it is easy to work with, and makes it
easy to get around the internet. Some nice options this browser has to offer is
its built-in links to media, radio, and free e-mail. Also, many screen options
are located at an easily accessible location, allowing you to personalize your text
font and size. This browser claims to "save you time on the things you do
most often."
Netscape Navigator 4.7:
Personally, I love Netscape, probably because it is
the only program I have used as a browser on my personal computer. I find that
it is extremely easy to get around, and has many beneficial options, such as
e-mail and a web page composer. Also, I find it helpful easily find and store
bookmarks and to get around the net. This browser claims that you will have easy
"access to music, shopping and information gathering." Apparently,
these two internet browsers offer many of the same options, such as e-mail and
easy web access, although Microsoft offers access to music, while Netscape
includes easier access to information.
Popular FTP Software
Locate the two companies and compare
their products and prices.
WS_FTP
by IPswitch :With this program, the user
has the "fastest, most powerful file transfer available. Using this
program, you can download graphics, music, and software. Also, you can connect
to any server, browse and transfer files. The cost for web delivery is
$39.95, and $9.95 for upgrades.
Cute FTP by GlobalScape Inc.:
This program is great if you are a beginner, for it
is easy to work with, and you can transfer files quickly and easily. You can
download digital music and software and "transfer high-volume files."
Cute FTP costs $39.95 to purchase.
Free Web Email
Compare the services and storage of
these free e-mail programs. See if you can find out how much storage in megs
each company will allow.
Yahoo
Mail :This e-mail service is very easy to
use, and has a lot to offer its customer. This service does limit the size of
e-mail coming and going on the server, and has the ability to cancel unused
accounts. This may be true, but the service is extremely easy to use because of
the folders for storage, and spell checker.
HotMail :
This service has many benefits: Access to your mail from anywhere, free additional
accounts, privacy and security, a permanent account, and it is simple to use.
Also, they only allow 2MB of space, and they will remove any messages forcing
the user to exceed this limit.
AOL Mail:
AOL mail is only free if you are a member of their
service. I was not able to find out how much space is available for e-mail, but
I would assume it is around the same amount as the other services, 2MB of space.
This service is extremely easy to use, and is good for people who are beginners
in the world of e-mail.
Search Engines
Perform a search for the same topic at
each of these search engines and compare the results. List the number of returns
and comment on your findings.
Topic searched for: "hawaii
vacation packages" Yahoo:
A total of 43 web pages were found including this phrase. Everything from
affordable vacations to travel guides was found. This search engine was very
helpful.
Lycos:
A total of 3, 317 articles with this phrase were found on this engine. Also,
this site was helpful in that some of the pages which were returned had information
about rental options and air fare.
Alta Vista:
A total of 311 web pages contained information on this subject. Aside from the
information found on other pages, this contained information on sightseeing
tours and cruises around the islands.
Google: This
engine came up with 232 pages. These pages offered information on the usual
findings, such as hotels and packages, but also added the ability to finding
rental cars once on the islands.
Free Web Hosting
Compare the primary free web host by
identifying the amount of storage they will provide.
Geocities:
Here is the information geocities offers:
- Free disk space - 15 megabytes
Homestead:
Here is the information from the homestead page
about storage space:
"Your Homestead Web site is initially allowed
12 megabytes of disk space at no cost. For each person who gets editing rights
to your Homestead Web site, your Homestead Web site will be given an additional
100 kilobytes of disk space, up to a maximum total of 1 megabyte of additional
space."
Tripod: According
to their home page, they give 11
MB of Free Space for each web page.
Professional Web Hosting
Professional web hosting provides a web
site without advertisements being placed on your pages. Compare cost from these
web hosts.
Tabnet
Verio: Here are the
pricing plans for this professional web hosting service taken directly from the
linked web site:
| Basic
- Plan 1 |
Enhanced
- Plan 2 |
Powered
- Plan 3 |
- 40MB
space
- 3000
MB/per mo.
- Microsoft
Frontpage
extensions
- 10
configurable POP3 email accounts
- 24/7
Tech Support
- 20
autoresponders
- and much
more...
|
- 60MB
space
- 4000
MB/per mo.
- Microsoft
Frontpage
extensions
- 20
configurable POP3 email accounts
- 24/7
Tech Support
- MySQL
and mSQL databases
- Real
Audio and RealVideo
- 30
autoresponders
- and much
more...
|
- 100MB
space
- 6000
MB/per mo.
- Microsoft
Frontpage
extensions
- 30
configurable POP3 email accounts
- 24/7
Tech Support
- MySQL
and mSQL databases
- Real
Audio and RealVideo
- 40
autoresponders
- and much
more...
|
$24.95
per
month
$49.95 per
month $99.95
per month
$50.00 setup
$50.00 setup
$50.00 setup
NetYard
Internet Hosting: Here is the possible packages for this company:
|
Power Server
|
Standard Server |
| YourName.com |
YourName.com |
| 25 MB of Web Space |
10 MB of space |
| $24.95/month |
$19.95/month |
Domain Name Registration
Getting your own domain name is easy.
Learn all about it and you explain these two companies. NetworkSolutions.com :After
finding out whether the name is available for use, they walk you through the
registration process. Second, you pick the address you want (.net, .com, .org).
Here are the payment options for your registered name:
| |
Technical information from your ISP or Web hosting service required to
proceed
$70 per address for first 2 years, payable
by credit card |
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No technical information required
Secures Web Address immediately
Includes dot com biz card™ or standard
"under construction" page
Access value-added services and special
promotions from NSI
$119 per address for first 2 years, payable
by credit card |
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All of the above, plus:
Business e-mail (myname@my-own-company.com)
FREE listing in the dot com directory™
$169 per address for first 2 years, payable
by credit card |
When I searched for LisaThomas.com, the
name was already owned by someone else. I did have the option, however, to
purchase LisaThomas.org, or LisaThomas.net. Once I selected which of these names
I would like, the pricing options were given.
Register.com:
Here are the steps to finding a domain
name for your web site:
- Check for domain name availability
- Confirm intention to register
- Log in
- Fill in contact information
- Review the information for accuracy
- Enter payment information and submit your request
When I searched for LisaThomas.com here, the same
results were given, that LisaThomas.org, and LisaThomas.net were still
available. A man from Bronx, NY owns LisaThomas.com, and I will not reveal his
name. If I were to purchase one of the other addresses, I would have to provide
some personal information about myself.
Here is the pricing information from
the web site:
| Top
Level Domains (TLDs) |
Pricing |
Countries
of Origin |
Comments/Restrictions |
| .com |
$70/2
years, $35 each 1 year after as of April 02, 1999 |
N/A |
none |
| .net |
$70/2
years, $35 each 1 year after as of April 02, 1999 |
N/A |
none |
| .org |
$70/2
years, $35 each 1 year after as of April 02, 1999 |
N/A |
Recommended
for non-profit related organizations |
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