Subject: Internet Draft to Revise FYI 4 (fwd)

From: April Marine <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 15:48:42 -0800 (PST)

Hi all,

We got caught in a format snafu, so this draft may not come out as an ID
before the meeting.  However, we wanted you to be able to review it and
give final comments at the USWG mtg in Minn (or in email in the same time
period).

Pls take a look at it.

thanks!
April and Ray

============================

Attached is an internet draft to revise FYI 4.  This is the
product of the User Services Working Group.  The suggested title
for this document is: draft-ietf-uswg-fyi4-01.txt.  

============================

INTERNET-DRAFT                                              R. Plzak
draft-ietf-uswg-fyi4-01.txt                                     SAIC
                                                          A.T. Wells
                                                           UWisc-Mad
                                                             E. Krol
                                                             Univ IL
                                                       February 1999

                      FYI on Questions and Answers
          Answers to Commonly AskedNew Internet User Questions

Status of this Memo

   This document is an Internet-Draft.  Internet-Drafts are working
   documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas,
   and its working groups.  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet- Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

   To view the entire list of current Internet-Drafts, please check the
   "1id-abstracts.txt" listing contained in the Internet-Drafts Shadow
   Directories on ftp.is.co.za (Africa), ftp.nordu.net (Northern
   Europe), ftp.nis.garr.it (Southern Europe), munnari.oz.au (Pacific
   Rim), ftp.ietf.org (US East Coast), or ftp.isi.edu (US West Coast).

   "Copyright(C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved."

Abstract

   This memo provides an overview to the new Internet User.  The
   intended audience is the common Internet user of today, thus it
   attempts to provide a more consumer oriented approach to the Internet
   rather than going into any depth about a topic.  Unlike its
   predecessors, this edition seeks to answer the general questions that
   an unsophisticated consumer would ask as opposed to the more pointed
   questions of the more a technically sophisticated Internet user.
   Users desiring a more in-depth discussion are directed to FYI 7 that
   deals with intermediate and advanced Q/A topics.  A conscious effort
   has been made to keep this memo brief but at the same time provide
   the new user with enough information to generally understand the
   Internet.

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1. Acknowledgements

   The following people deserve thanks for their help and contributions
   to this FYI Q/A:  Chris Burke (Motorola), John Curran (BBN Planet),
   Albert Lunde (NWU), and April Marine (NASA).

2. Questions About the Internet

2.1. What is the Internet?

   People use computers to do a variety of things.  By connecting these
   computers together they engage in activities that allow them to do a
   variety of things, such as exchange ideas and information. A
   connected group of computers is known as a network.  Some computers
   are connected directly to the network while others (primarily ones in
   homes) are connected via a telephone line and a communication device
   known as a modem.  By connecting networks together with specialized
   computers known as routers, people on one network can engage in
   activities with people on other networks. This INTER-connected group
   of NETworks is known as the INTERNET.

2.2. What Can I do on the Internet?

   There are a large variety of activities that users can do on the
   Internet.  These activities include surfing, searching, sending mail,
   transfering programs and documents, chatting, and playing games.

   Surfing is one of the most popular Internet activities. To surf, a
   user needs a program known as a web browser.  The web browser enables
   the user to connect to a location that contains information.  Many
   locations contain links to other sites that contain related
   information.  These links are usually identified by underlined text
   that is of a different color from the rest of the text in an article.
   By clicking on one of these links the user is then connected to that
   information.  This information may be at the same location or may be
   at a different location.  This new information may, in turn, have
   links to other information.  So just like a footnote or reference in
   a print publication, links can be used to find related or non-related
   information.

   Searching involves using a special program known as a seach engine.
   There are several of these engines that are located at various search
   sites.  The popular web browsers have location information about
   these search sites.  Searching is similar to using a card catalog in
   a library.  Just as a person would look up a topic in a card catalog
   and find one or more references to that topic with library location
   information, a search engine provides the user with a list of sites
   that may contain relevant information.  This list is actually a set

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   of links to these sites so that all the user has to do is click on
   the link to go to the location.  Just as different library card
   catalogs will contain different reference cards, different search
   engines will provide different reference lists.

   E-mail is another very popular activity.  It is very similar to
   sending letters through the post office or notes and memos around the
   office.  It is used to exchange messages between two or more people.
   Because email can be misunderstood or abused, users should be
   familiar with email netiquette and junk email also known as spam.  By
   the same token uses should take care that they aren't the source of
   junk mail.  See FYI 28 [ ] for more information on netiquette and RFC
   nnnn and RFC nnnn [ ] for more informatino about electronic junk
   mail.  Many people also participate in mailing lists.  For more
   information about this see FYI 7 [ ].

   Programs and documents are transferred in several ways.  The most
   common way this is done between individual users is to attach the
   program or document to an e-mail message.  Programs and documents are
   usually transferred from sites to users using the save feature of a
   web browser or the file transfer protocol (FTP).  This enables users
   to obtain a variety of programs, documents, audio files, and video
   files.  For more detailed information about this topic see FYI 7 [ ].

   Another activity is known aschat.  It takes place between one or more
   persons who are on the Internet. Chatting is very similar to going to
   a party.  Just as people congregate in small groups and discuss
   things, chatters meet in chat rooms to discuss a topic.  Chat rooms
   are generally sponsored or operated by an organization that has an
   interest in the topic area.  For example, an online news organization
   would have a chat room for chatters to discuss current events.  To
   chat one person writes a message which can be read, as it is being
   written, by the others who can respond to it in turn.  First time
   chatters should be aware that just as at a party some people never
   say anything so there may be people in the room who are just
   listening.  Also just like a party some people may portray themselves
   to be someone different than who they really are.  Lastly, remember
   that chatters come and go to chat rooms the same way people move
   about groups at a party.

   Some people use the Internet to play games. These games can be role
   playing games, action/adventure games, or online versions of old
   standbys like chess.  Some games require the user to purchase a copy
   of the game and install it on their computer, while others are played
   by going to a game site.  Just like other forms of game playing,
   Internet game playing can be challenging, entertaining, and an
   enjoyable social experience.  Don't be afraid to have fun.

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   Other popular activities include electronic shopping, banking, and
   investing.  Many retailers describe and display pictures of their
   products on the Internet enabling people to buy on line.  Shopping
   also includes purchasing services such as an airline ticket or
   ordering groceries.  Many banks allow people to transfer funds, check
   available funds, pay bills and other such activities while on the
   Internet with an account number and ID. Lastly, many people invest
   while on the Internet in everything from stocks and bonds to real
   estate.  One word of caution, if you are using a credit card check to
   see if there are security features in place to protect your credit
   card information.  Reputable sites should tell you how they are
   protecting your information. If you are in doubt about how your
   information will be protected, don't use your credit card at that
   site.

2.3. How Does the Internet Work?

   Each of the activities described in paragraph 2.2 requires an
   exchange of information.  At each end there is a computer program
   known as an application which is being used to perform the activity
   whether it is surfing, chatting, mailing, etc.  These ends are known
   as end users.  Just as people have street addresses, end users have
   Internet addresses.  End users take turns sending and receiving
   information.  When an end user is sending information it is known as
   the source and when it is receiving information it is known as the
   destination.  Between the source and destination are those
   specialized computers at network inter-connection points known as
   routers.

   In an exchange of information the following occurs:

     *  The source finds the address of the destination.

     *  The source contacts the destination and says "hello".

     *  The destination responds back with a "hello" of its own.

     *  The source tells the destination that it has information to
     send.

     *  The destination tells the source that it is ready to receive the
     information.

     *  The source breaks the information into small pieces called
     packets and sends each packet on its way to the destination.

     *  The routers guide each packet to the destination.

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     *  The destination takes the packets and puts them back together to
     form the information.

     *  The destination tells the source that it has received the
     information and asks the source if it has anything more to send.

     *  If the source says no the destination will say "good bye" unless
     it has something to send back.  If it does it will break the
     information into packets and send them.

     *  Once both end users are done "talking" they say both say "good
     bye".

   For more details about how the Internet works see FYI 7 [ ].

2.4  Who Runs the Internet?

   To get access to the Internet organizations and individuals buy the
   service the same way that they  buy telepone service.  They go to a
   company that provides the service.  Internet service is provided by
   an Internet Service Provider (ISP).  The Internet is operated as a
   cooperative effort among the ISPs, software companies, volunteer
   organizations, and a few facilities that tie the whole thing
   together.  The ISPs and software companies are completely independent
   and most of them compete with each other.  The ISPs agree to connect
   to each other and transmit information following an established set
   of rules (protocols).  The software companies agree to manufacture
   programs (such as email or web browsers) that also follow protocols.
   These protocols are developed by a group of volunteers known as the
   Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).  Most of the members of the
   IETF work for the ISPs, software companies, and other organizations
   that have an interest in the Internet.  The IETF meets regularly to
   discuss how the Internet is running and how to standardize new
   services.  There are other organizations that keep things straight.
   Some assign Intenet addresses in much the same manner as telphone
   numbers are assigned while others keep track of names used by
   Internet users and groups.

2.5. Are There Any Rules of Behavior?

   In general common sense, courtesy, and decency govern good Internet
   behavior. There is no single formal rulebook that governs behavior on
   the Internet. The RFCs mentioned in paragraph 2.2 are good guides.
   Many activities such as game sites, chat rooms, or e-mail lists may
   have rules of their own.  What may be acceptable behavior in one chat
   room may be totally out of bounds in another.  It never hurts to
   check the water temperature before jumping in the pool.  Users should
   use the same precautions before joining in an activity.

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   E-mail can lead to misunderstandings between people.  Users should
   remember that the reader only has the text to determine what is being
   said.  Other conversation cues such as "tone of voice" and body
   signals like winking are not present in the text.  Because of this,
   users of the Internet have developed cues to put in the text.  Text
   techniques such as capitalization and symbols known as emoticons
   (also called "smilies") are used.  Additionally, acronyms have
   evolved over time (for example FYI - For More Information).  More
   information about this can be found by searching.  Use keywords like
   "netiquette", "emoticon", or "email" with your search engine to find
   more information.

   Users should also be aware that their particular programs such as
   word processors or e-mail might produce documents and messages that
   are not readable by everyone.  You should make sure that the intended
   recipient can read what you are sending them.  If, in doubt, send
   only text-based files.

3. Security Considerations

   The question "is the Internet secure?" can be a confusing one for a
   new user, who will hear many assurances that it is secure and many
   scary stories saying it is not secure.  There are a few basic rules
   of thumb to remember that will address most concerns.

   First, users should make it a rule never to share their account
   passwords with anyone.  Learning a password is the easiest way for
   someone to break into a system.  Possibly a user may think that their
   files are not that interesting to anyone, but someone may be able to
   get a foothold from one innocuous account to other places in the same
   computer system.  Many good security practices for users can be found
   in the users Security Handbook [ ].

   Second, understand that there are means for people to track the
   information a user sends via email, the files one downloads, and the
   sites visited on the web.  People with legitimate system priviledges
   have access to information that a user may prefer to keep private.
   No responsible site administrator or network engineer will violate
   users' privacy out of personal curiousity; however, people with
   legitimate system or network priviledges have access to information
   about users.  If someone less legitimate gains such priviledges,
   possibly by attaining illegal access to a system, they also will have
   access to this information.  This situation is not a problem for most
   people, but it should be understood that things like email sent a
   year ago or a log of users web pages browsed may still exist in some
   system's backup archive tape and can be easily resurrected and
   published widely.

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   Third, before giving personal information over the Internet, such as
   filling in a form on a Web page, users should realize that there is
   no assurance of confidentiality or privacy.   It could be compared to
   faxing such information to a party that you've never dealt with
   before.  While many organizations on the Internet are responsible
   with information received via the web and email, this cannot always
   be determined in advance.

4.  References

   REFERENCES WILL BE INSERTED HERE.

5.  Authors' Address

   Raymond Plzak
   SAIC
   1710 Goodridge Drive
   McLean, Virginia 22102

   Phone: (703) 821-6535

   EMail: [email-masked]

   Amy Tracy Wells
   Internet Scout Project
   University of Wisconsin-Madison
   Computer Sciences Department
   1210 W. Dayton St.
   Madison, WI 53706

   Phone: (608)263-2611

   Email:  [email-masked]

   Ed Krol
   University of Illinois
   1120 DCL     1304 Springfield
   Urbana IL   61801

   Phone (217)333-7886

   Email: [email-masked]

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6. "Full Copyright Statement".

   "Copyright (C) The Internet Society (date).  All Rights Reserved.

   This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to others,
   and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it or assist in its
   implmentation may be prepared, copied, published and distributed, in whole or
   in part, without restriction of any kind, provided that the above copyright
   notice and this paragraph are included on all such copies and derivative
   works.  However, this document itself may not be modified in any way, such as
   by removing the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or
   other Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of developing
   Internet standards in which case the procedures for copyrights defined in the
   Internet Standards process must be followed, or as required to translate it
   into languages other than English.

    The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be revoked
   by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.

    This document and the information contained herein is provided on an "AS IS"
   basis and THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE
   DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
   ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY
   RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
   PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

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