Everything You Need To Know About The Internet In May, 1994
Back in 1994, the Internet was the next big thing in technology, but so unfamiliar that we had to begin by explaining what it was: “…the world’s largest computer network and the nearest thing to a working prototype of the information superhighway.” And in May of that year, computer-book publisher Ziff-Davis Press released How to Use the Internet. Among the things which the book covered:
• E-mail: “Never forget that electronic mail is like a postcard. Many people can read it easily without your ever knowing it. In other words, do not say anything in an e-mail message which you would not say in public.”
• Finding people to communicate with: “…telephone a good friend who has electronic mail and exchange e-mail addresses with him or her.”
• Joining mailing lists: “Although it is polite to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to a human, do not include these words in the messages you send to a listserv. They may confuse the machine.”
• Online etiquette: “Flaming is generally frowned upon because it generates lots of articles that very few people want to read and wastes Usenet resources.”
• “Surfing” the Internet: “Surfing the Internet is a lot like channel surfing on your cable television. You have no idea what is on or even what you want to watch.”
• Searching the Internet: “If a particular search yields a null result set, check carefully for typing errors in your search text. The computer will not correct your spelling, and transposed letters can be difficult to spot.”
