I might break the Internet
On the ancient maps of the world was the warning about Boston: "Here there be the dragons."
Many of us felt that way before leaping into cyberspace. It's important to understand that much of the anxiety comes not just from a lack of knowledge but from a surplus of press coverage.
The Internet sparks Carl Sagan-like descriptions: millions of people sending billions of messages through machines connected by an incomprehensible system of modems and nodes and computers and servers . . . It can be overwhelming.
Consider the typical fears of beginners -- called "newbies" by those who have used the Internet for more than a week:
I'll crash the Internet. The Internet was designed to survive nuclear war, and it withstood the Kobe quake. There is no way you can bring the system down.
I'll get lost. Since you connect to locations from Volusia County to Moscow, you may push the wrong button and end up at the Web site at the end of the Internet. Most programs track where you've been (in Netscape, your history can be discovered by right clicking the mouse when the pointer is over the "back" button or you can keep clicking the "back" button. You can follow the list or just click the "home" icon. Try it with the locations in this paragraph:
I'll be overwhelmed. There is so much information that you can easily get diverted, so your search for information on the Small Business Administration leads you to bad jokes about musicians. Before you go online, think about what you want to find, develop a list of sites where you may find information and focus on the task.
Or, set aside some time for cruising to see what's out there.
I'll do something wrong and embarrass myself. If you send mail to newsgroups or mailing lists, yes, you will probably do something mildly humiliating. Follow our Netiquette suggestions. Netizens have short memories unless you keep making the same mistake.
I'll download a virus. It's unlikely, but before downloading a file, do make sure that you have a virus protection program. There's no virus known that you can get by connecting to a server if you do not download.
A virus cannot be downloaded in a text file. However a virus can be attached to an email file that is not in the form of a text file. It's a good idea to send all email messages as plain text.
It is possible to get a virus from the Internet, but by taking the proper precuations, it's highly unlikely.
I won't have time or money for all this. The Internet can be time-consuming and costly, but e-mail can be quicker and cheaper than faxing or playing telephone tag, especially with long distance or international calls, and finding information online can be easier than a trip to the library. Decide in advance how much money and time you want to invest, and stick to it.
I just don't understand it. You don't need to understand computers or programming or how the medium works. Just take that giant leap and enjoy; there are plenty of pointers out there, and, in reality, very, very few monsters.
