Question:
Is there a document that explains the basics of online computing?

Answer:
No. There is no single document that can explain it all. The world ofonline computing is vast and means different things to differentpeople.

For example, there are private commercial network serviceslike AOL, Prodigy and Compuserve, each of which has its own rules fornavigating and participating. Then there are hundreds, if notthousands, of private bulletin board systems (BBS’s), each of whichare also different. Then there is the Internet — the World Wide Weband newsgroups. How you access these various forms of online computingdepends on the type of provider you are using for your online access,and how you want to participate. Some people prefer to “lurk” (readwhat other people post) or “browse” (passively view Web pages), otherslike to “surf” (more actively navigate the Web) and still others liketo “post” (provide comments and feedback in an online forum).

There are tomes of information that have been written about onlinecomputing, and more recently, about the Internet. Check your locallibrary and browse through some of them to get a better idea of whereyour particular interest might lie. Ask the librarian for some help,you’d be surprised how much they can tell you. And definitely read upon modems, as they are the chief means by which most people accesscyberspace right now.