Riding the Internet    \|/    by Greg Law
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Internet access: standard login vs. SLIP accounts"

                        FINDING YOUR "ON RAMP"

   Although the Clinton administration likes to call it the "Information 
Superhighway," the Internet is not quite like an interstate highway in 
that there are no well-placed signs instructing you which off-ramps to 
take to reach specific destinations. There are vast resources of 
information available if you know where to look, but it can be like trying 
to find the proverbial needle in the haystack. This is where you'll find 
The Internet Yellow Pages (Osborne/McGraw Hill, ISBN 0-07-882023-5) an 
invaluable reference. Another invaluable reference for wading through the 
Internet is The Internet Complete Reference (Osborne/McGraw Hill, ISBN 0-
07881980-6).

   Of course knowing where to find information and how to use the Internet 
isn't of much use unless you have an account on a system that provides 
Internet services. The system I primarily use is Delphi, although I have 
recently obtained a direct-access account with a local Internet service 
provider. There are differences between the two accounts that you may want 
to take into consideration when deciding which route you want to take.

   A standard login account is by far the easiest to configure and is the 
type of setup I generally recommend to new Internet users. With this type 
of account all you need is a computer, a modem, a phone line and 
communications software that supports DEC VT100 or VT102 terminal 
emulation. Popular packages such as Procomm Plus and Crosstalk work very 
well.

   The other type of account requires you to install and configure network 
software that supports TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet 
Protocol) and either SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) or PPP (Point-
to-Point Protocol).

   The advantage with the login account is that all you have to do is call 
your Internet service provider via modem and either select items from a 
menu or enter commands at a prompt to navigate your way through the 
Internet. A disadvantage is that everything you do is on the host 
computer. For example, if you want to transfer a file from an Internet 
host, you must first use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to transfer the file 
from the host to your Internet service provider. Finally, you use a 
protocol such as Xmodem, Ymodem or Zmodem to transfer the file to your 
computer. By the same token any mail you receive is stored on your 
Internet service provider's computer, so you must log in to send or 
receive mail.

   The advantage with a SLIP account is that you get direct access to the 
Internet from your local computer. If you use FTP to transfer a file from 
an Internet host, it is transferred directly to your computer. You can 
also send and receive mail on your own computer. A disadvantage with the 
SLIP account is that it can be difficult to install and to configure.

   Some Internet service providers include a preconfigured package so you 
can easily be up and running with a SLIP account via high-speed modem 
(14.4Kbps modems are highly recommended for SLIP accounts). The package I 
received from the local Internet service provider includes Trumpet 
WinSock, PC Eudora (electronic mail), Finger, FTP, Hampson's Gopher, 
Internet Relay Chat, NCSA Mosaic, Net News Transfer Protocol, and Telnet. 
All of these are shareware applications available from various FTP sites 
on the Internet.

   If you are considering a SLIP account, you might also consider getting 
The Windows Internet Tour Guide (Ventana Press, ISBN 1-56604-081-7), which 
includes a trial version of NetManage's Chameleon.

   Next month we'll start a tour of the Internet and discuss in-depth some 
of the terms I mentioned this month.

                                  -=*=-

               Computers are Greg Law's hobby as well as his
            vocation, and he enjoys programming on all types. 
            In addition to his duties on PC-Link (username 
            PC GREG), he can be contacted on Delphi, username 
            GREGL, or via the Internet at gregl @delphi.com.

-=--------------        -=*=-     -=*=-     -=*=-        --------------=-
