Q. What is the Internet?

The Internet is like a telephone network for computers. It began at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1969, and reached Europe in 1971. Electronic mail (email) was introduced in 1977, and electronic newsletters (Usenet groups) in 1979.

Q. What is the World Wide Web?

Introduced in 1992, the Web is that part of the Internet that lets you exchange and view pages that look like they've come from a magazine. Pages can include text, pictures and even sounds.

Q. Who owns the internet?

No single company owns or runs the Internet, though lots of people own different parts of it. The computers are owned by companies, organisations, and individuals. 

The interconnections are owned by local and national telecommunications companies, and some parts are run by the government and educational establishment.

Q. Is it a just a passing fad?

The Internet is growing at a phenomenal rate. 

Q. What advantages does the Internet have over conventional media?

It's less expensive because you don't have to print tens of thousands of copies.
You're not restricted to small printing spaces, so even catalogues are affordable.
It costs very little to maintain your Internet pages from month to month.
Around the clock and worldwide coverage is standard.
Colour pictures are available at much lower costs than in a magazine.

Q. So my company will be seen by millions of people?

No. The Web is like the classified ads section of a newspaper. If a person is looking for a car, they just turn to the motoring section. The Internet doesn't have sections as such, but it does have a massive index. We'll make sure you're included in the relevant index.

Q. What kind of literature can I put on the Internet?

Almost anything you can print, you can put on the Internet.
Fliers, catalogues, brochures.
Directions to your office.
Electronic business cards.

Q. How can I get access to the Internet myself?

You need several things to access the Internet yourself:
A computer such as a PC or Mac.
A modem, a device that allows a computer to communicate down a standard telephone line.
Software that lets you look at pages on the World Wide Web (called a Web Browser), and perhaps some software to let you send email.
A subscription to an Internet provider. This is a company that you dial up via your modem, which then connects you to the Internet.
If you want to put your own information on the Web, you may further have to rent disk space, and learn how to prepare documents using the appropriate format.

Q. Can I choose the address of my Web site?

If your company is called Star, the address of your pages would be:   http://www.star.com.au

Q. Can I have as little as one page on the Web for my own personal use.

Yes. No job too small!