Book Contents

In Part I of this book we introduce you to the Internet and take you through the basics of what you need to get connected. The aim is to familiarise you with the concepts and principals of the Internet and help you minimise the cost in time and money required to competently use the Internet.

Part II takes a much closer look at the more popular Internet applications, including the World Wide Web, search engines, email, newsgroups, chat rooms, mailing lists and the dark horse of online services - electronic commerce.

In Part III we look at some of the more behind-the-scenes issues relating to online services. We consider the main security issues relating to the use of the Internet, offer some pointers for those of you wishing to build your own web site and consider some emerging technologies which may offer greater opportunities for using online services in the not to distant future.

Finally, in Part IV we take you on a quick tour of the web by providing a directory and overview of web sites that are relevant to your farm business.

PART I - THE BIG PICTURE

Chapter 1 Introduction to the Internet

The world of Internet services
A brief history of the Internet
What is the Internet?
Who controls the Internet?
How the Internet works
The Hardware layer
The Communications layer
The Application layer
Why use the Internet?
Other online services

Chapter 2 Getting started

The telecommunications environment
Deciding to get connected
What equipment you will need
A computer
A modem
Your telephone line
Internet software
The Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Understanding pricing
The importance of bandwidth
What to look for in your ISP
Customer support
What information you need from your ISP
Your ISP configuration work sheet

PART II - USING THE INTERNET - THE KILLER APPLICATIONS

Chapter 3 The World Wide Web

What’s on the web?
Navigating the Web
Getting to know your Web browser
Close-up - Netscape Navigator, a quick overview
    Drop down menus
    Toolbar icons
    Quick links
    Personal toolbar
    Configuring Netscape mail
    Configuring Netscape news
    Adding Bookmarks to Netscape
Close-up - Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5

Chapter 4 Searching the Internet

What are search engines?
How do search engines work?
Some popular search engines
Some specialist search engines
Close-up - The AltaVista search engine
More about Web crawlers

Chapter 5 Electronic mail

What is email?
How email works
The email address
Close-up - Setting up an Internet email account using Microsoft Outlook Express 5
What you need to do
Close-up - Composing and sending and email using Microsoft Express 5

Chapter 6 Newsgroups, mailing lists and Internet Relay Chat

Newsgroups
What are newsgroups?
Who owns newsgroups?
How do newsgroups work?
How do I access newsgroups?
Where should I begin?
Close-up - Configuring the Telstra Big Pond news server using Microsoft Outlook Express 5
Mailing lists
Chat
What is Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
How IRC works
Chat clients
Close-up - Configuring and using Microsoft Chat

Chapter 7 Electronic commerce

What is electronic commerce?
Shopping on the Internet
Credit cards and the Internet
Lets go shopping!
Banking online
eCash
Smart cards

PART III - USING THE INTERNET - BEHIND THE SCENES

Chapter 8 Internet Security

The Threats
    Physical security
    Hacking
    Passwords
    Have I been hacked?
    Your ISP account and credit card
    Insecure software
    Java, ActiveX and plug-ins
    Cookies
    Virus scanners
    Potential virus sources
    Downloading software
Privacy issues
Backup - your best bet!
Pornography and other questionable content
Close-up - Disabling file and print sharing on Windows 95/98

Chapter 9 Designing, building and maintaining your own Web page

Site construction
Where do I begin?
What is HTML?
HTML editors
Some WYSIWYG HTML editors
Some HTML code-based editors
Web authoring applications
Images
Ready made images
Image tools (for Windows)
Image tools (for Macintosh)
Putting your site on the Internet
File Transfer Protocol programs
Windows-based FTP programs
Macintosh-based FTP programs
Registering a domain name
Maintaining your site
Promoting your site
Internet promotion

Chapter 10 Emerging technologies

Satellite
Internet TV
Internet over power lines
Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)
IP telephony

PART IV - WHATS OUT THERE? - WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR FARMERS

Introduction

Updates online

Let’s go surfing!
A quick guide to what’s on the Web

Weather
Industry organisations
Research and development
News and commodity information services
Commodity and futures exchanges
Online banking
Goods and services
Shareware sites

Web site reviews

APPENDIX A Index of Web site reviews

APPENDIX B How sites were selected and rated

APPENDIX C Internet Service Providers in rural and regional Australia

APPENDIX D Tips and pointers

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

INDEX

The Australian Farmer’s Guide to the Internet CD