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FAQ's
Other Internet Miscellany
- What is the Internet?
The Internet is a huge, international network made of smaller networks. There are millions of computers on the Internet, with the estimated number of users at over 330 million. Universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses are all part of the Internet.
All of the computers on the Internet use a common protocol (TCP/IP) to communicate with one another. This allows computers running different operating systems to all be part of the network. Most of the machines on the Internet use the Unix operating system, but you will see DOS and Macintosh machines, machines running VMS, and others, too.
These networks offer all sorts of information and act as a communications medium.
- What is FTP?
FTP stands for "File Transfer Protocol." A protocol is a language computers use to talk to one another. FTP is a protocol computers use to move a file from one computer to another over the Internet.
The computer on the other end of the connection may be anything from a Cray to a PC, located anywhere from Portland to Finland, Thailand, or New Zealand. As far as you are concerned, it makes no difference where the other computer is located or what type of machine it is, because on the Internet, they're all connected.
The name of a UNIX program for transferring files from one computer to another is "ftp." Another UNIX program for doing this is "ncftp". For UNIX users, we recommend ncftp over ftp. (Note: when you see FTP in capital letters, we're referring to the process; when you see ftp in lower case letters we're referring to the UNIX program.)
Ws_ftp is a Windows FTP program, and Fetch is a Macintosh FTP program used to move files from one person's computer to another.
People also use the term "FTP" in a general sense as well. When someone says "I am going to FTP the file from another site" what they mean is that they are going to use a program that uses the File Transfer Protocol to get a file from another computer to their own.
- About IRC
IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. It is a utility that lets you communicate in a conversational "real time" manner over the Internet. With IRC you can participate in conversations on hundreds of different topics. Each topic has its own "channel," like on a CB radio. A channel can contain two people or dozens of people.
Topics of discussion on IRC are varied. Technical and political discussions are popular, especially when major world events are in progress. IRC is also a way to expand your horizons, as people from many countries and cultures are on 24 hours a day. Most conversations are in English, but there are always channels in German, Japanese, French, Finnish and occasionally other languages.
Keep in mind that there are literally thousands of channels (#'s), and tens of thousands of users on at any given point. IRC is meant to be informative and fun.
- What is Shareware?
Shareware is software that is distributed freely so you can try it before you pay for it. Shareware is not freeware, or public domain software. This means it is not free; you are expected to send the shareware fee to the author.
The author of a shareware program retains the rights to the program, but allows it to be distributed for free. If you like a shareware product and continue to use it after a trial period, you must send the shareware fee to the program's author. Often they send you a manual, a free update, or other information.
The idea of shareware is based on an honor system. Registering and paying for shareware encourages people to continue creating it. Given that shareware products are almost always cheaper than comparable commercial software, it is in everyone's best interest to support the shareware concept.
A great shareware site is http://www.tucows.com.
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