Welcome to The HelpCafe

 

A "Taste"
of the Internet.

What is the Internet?

  • The Internet is a network of networks. It consists of over 40,000 autonomous networks. When you connect to the Internet, your computer becomes part of this world-wide network of computers.

  • No single organization controls the Internet. The Internet is a cooperative effort of many organizations and individuals. The technology that makes the network work is based on internationally agreed upon standards, but the content of the Internet that makes it a place to visit, linger and study is up to the people who use it.

  • The Internet is continually re-invented by the individuals and organizations who use it. Government agencies, international corporations, non-profit organizations, universities and research labs all use the Internet, but so do second graders, freelance writers, business consultants, and retired engineers. Each contributes to the growth of the Internet and influences its future development.

What does the Internet offer you?

  • On the Internet, you can exchange electronic mail with family, friends and colleagues around the world. Perhaps the easiest to understand and most useful service on the Internet is e-mail! It's so easy to use and the response time is so fast we are becoming a nation of letter writers again.

  • You can participate in public and private discussion groups. No matter what your business, hobby, or need for information is - there's a group of folks on the Internet eager to talk to you about it. If a discussion group on the topic doesn't already exist, you can start one yourself.

  • You can search thousands of free databases any time of day or night. Connect to library catalogs and government databases when you need them, examine discussion group archives, or search the Net itself for any topic you want.

  • You can transfer text, program, and multi-media files from hundreds of archives. Government agencies, publishers, schools, and non-profit organizations offer free newsletters,reports, and even complete books to Internet users. Both public domain and shareware programs are available for downloading. You can search archives of masterpieces, clip art and icons or sample sound bytes from recent cds and historic moments. Imagine being able to visit the Louvre, tour Hawaii, or listen to Florence Nightengale. You can do it all on the Net!

Sample the Internet

Although learning to use the Internet for research, business or pleasure takes a considerable investment of time and energy, it can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. To get a taste of what the Net has to offer come along on our whirlwind Internet tour.

The links below will give you a taste of the Internet. If you bite off more than you can chew, just keep hitting your back button until you come back to a friendly page, like the HelpCafe. In fact, if you want, you can "bookmark" this page so you can always get back to it easily. Just go to the very top of your screen, click on the Bookmark menu, and select Add Bookmark. Then, if you get lost, you can click on the Bookmark menu and select the line that will say "HelpCafe - A Taste of the Internet." Happy surfing.

A Day on the Internet

Please Note: These pages will open in a new browser window.

  • Amazon.com - Tired of looking at text on your computer screen? Buy a book online!
  • Barnes & Nobel.com - Buy books and music online.
  • Daily Dilbert - Daily comic online, plus contests and clubs to join.
  • Dave's Top 10 - If you missed Letterman last night...
  • FedEx & UPS - Track your package.
  • Internet Mall - Shop from the comfort of your own home.
  • Microsoft - For system up-grades and other information visit the home of Microsoft.
  • Travelocity - Book every aspect of your next vacation, from plane tickets to rental cars.
  • USA Today - Get your daily news a whole new way.

Remember, this is only a small sampling of the huge smorgasboard of information and entertainment on the Net. There's way too much to digest in one day; we hope this has whetted your appetite for finding your own delicious websites.