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In addition to questions about space science and astronomy, the editor receives questions about the Internet, the World Wide Web and other technology stuff. Here are answers to some recent questions. |
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What is "beta" software?
A "beta" version of software is still being tested by its publisher. Most companies do not offer technical support for their betas, but they want to hear about bugs in the software. This ensures that the developer can fix the software in time for the final public release. Download and use "beta" software with care!
An icon or drawing or picture on a Web page might offer linkage to another page. To find out if it's a link, place your mouse pointer over the graphic image. If the pointer turns into a pointing hand, you're on a link.
We frequently come across Web pages which open with large multimedia files. If you don't want to wait for the sound or animation, click on your browser's Stop button after the Web page text has completed downloading. However, keep in mind that if you return to the page later, the animation and sound download will resume.
If you download an application from a Web page address, or if you find a Web page address in the software's documentation, save the address. Technical support, periodic updates and even special offers for new and different software often are found on such web pages.
When you're connected via modem to the Internet, you could be using several different types of connections at the same time. For instance, you might be running commections for the Web, e-mail, FTP, Telnet, etc. For that reason, closing your browser or e-mail software won't end your Internet session. When you're finished, you have to make sure you disconnect your connection to the Internet by commanding your modem to hang up.
If you're searching the Web for any specific phrase – such as the name of a song or the title of a book – put the phrase in quotes when you type it into the search engine. The search engine then will look only for the entire phrase within the quotes.
Sure! Write the text of your message in any word-processing application such as Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, SimpleText, Notepad or WordPad. When you're happy with the completed text, use the Copy and Paste functions found in the word-processor's menubar Edit area to copy the message content to your computer's clipboard. Exit the word processor and open your e-mail software. Connect to the Internet. Open a new message and paste your message content from the clipboard into the blank message area. Send it!
PS: Why not send us an e-mail message at editor@spacetoday.org ?
A Newsgroup is part of Usenet, also known as network news or netnews. Usenet is a gigantic, global, bulletin-board system. Usenet is neither E-Mail nor World Wide Web, but it is distributed worldwide via the Internet. Within Usenet, there are more than 10,000 Newsgroups. Each Newsgroup offers a discussion of a specific topic.
Usenet Newsgroup names consist of parts connected by dots (periods). An example is rec.food.chocolate. The first word rec is the hierarchy to which the Newsgroup belongs. It indicates the general subject area. Here are some of the most-widely-read subjects:
Some Newsgroup Subjects alt alternative topics, from strange to stupid comp all about computers misc discussions that don't fit anywhere else news everything about the Usenet itself rec recreational, sports, hobbies, the arts, fun sci all about the sciences soc social groups, social interests, socializing talk political and other arguments
Regional and organizational topics also exist. For example, ny is New York, oh is Ohio, ne is New England, and ba is the San Francisco Bay area. Big organizations and universities sometimes have Newsgroups. An example is mit for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A lot of folks use that famous old Web search engine Yahoo! and the fabulous new Google search engine. What we call "hits" on a web page, sometimes also called "page views," provide an indication of the traffic on these gigantic web sites. The biggies are said to average more than 50 million hits a day.
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