CLICK & DOUBLE CLICK: IT'S BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIME: LET'S LEARN ABOUT THE INTERNET (COLUMN 50)

Ta da ... drum roll please ... the A-team is back.

Joni is back from her vacation. Peggy survived her first week back to work after maternity leave. Things are returning to normal.

We're both gearing up for the start of another school year, which turned our thoughts to learning.

The Southeast Missourian web staff plans to offer more Internet training classes in September. Please e-mail us with suggestions for the best day of the week or specific topics you would like covered. We'd like to begin offering classes on a monthly basis.

We are also considering offering one-day institutes for businesses interested in providing Internet training for employees. If you have suggestions, please let us know.

In the meantime, if you are already connected to the Internet you can find lots of help online.

Peggy: Kim Komando offers a komputer klinic online. Computer with a "k." Oh, please don't do it. You can find her at

www.komando.com

Joni: Beware: everything possible at this site starts with a "k." This woman has a radio show and claims to make computers easy.

Peggy: Kim offers tips and tricks for hardware and software ranging from basic to advanced. There are a lot of different categories including "use protection after you have kids." Good advice.

Joni: We learned something about capturing screen shots, helpful if you are trying to explain to someone what went wrong in a particular program. You know, she looks far too happy to be working on computers all day.

Peggy: I don't think she's happy. I think she looks a little dazed. You can find answers to common komputer questions. She's about to drive me krazy with all those k's.

Joni: She really addresses some tough questions, like How to find Beanie Babies. She must be a parent.

Peggy: Kim writes a syndicated weekly newspaper column for the Los Angeles Times, which can be read online. This week is about recording your own CD-roms.

Joni: She also has a bunch of "kool" sites and a bunch of "kategories."

Peggy: I've had enough misspelled words. The home for today's cyberfolks, the world's non-technical majority

www.folksonline

Joni: This site really reaches out to net newcomers, stay-at-home moms, small business owners, kids, working folks.

Peggy: The have more than 100 personal stories and web tours from folks who have visited the site. A web tour is a list of favorite sites of the visitors.

Joni: I think it's incredibly interesting to find out what regular people think. This one guy has a favorite site, 101 uses for AOL discs.

Peggy: I have many of those discs. I'll have to check it out. The folks at Folksonline are trying to show people how the net can bring more fun, time and possibilities into our daily routine. A co-founder said they are also using it to make significant changes in lives.

Joni: They have community forums, genealogy discoveries and success stories, tips on expediting projects and exploring the world.

Peggy: They have suggested sites for your first day on the Internet, including

www.learnthenet.com

Joni: Welcome to your human face to Cyberspace. They offer information in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch. This is a website dedicated to helping you save time and money while roaming through Cyberspace.

Peggy: They have information like "What is html?" or "My browser keeps crashing, what should I do?"

Joni: One question asks: "Is it safe to use my credit card on the Internet?" They say it's as safe as using a telephone or fax machine. Your rights are the same online as in real life if your card is used fraudulently. You are liable only for the first $50.

Peggy: Most of the information is provided through articles written on the different topics and it's searchable.

Joni: For more basic information, check out the web site of the Sun Harold newspaper in Charlotte Harbor, Fla. It has been named the top online newspaper by several organizations. One of its many popular aspects of the site is Internet 101.

www.sunline.net/Internet101.htm

Joni: Here you find stuff like basic Internet terms and net tips. One of the best things I like is that the site contains real specific information on downloading and using programs like Shockwave, for Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and Macintosh.

Peggy: Under Macintosh, they give information to tune up your machine. You can find information about chat, about installing Internet Explorer and other Internet programs.

Joni: They start from very, very basic information and go from there. What underlined text means on the Internet (It means it is a link.) How can you tell if something is a link? (Your cursor turns into a hand.) They have also compiled a list of over 1,000 links. As you can tell, these guys have been at it a while. Be patient with us. We're working on it.

E-mail us at clicksemissourian.com

See you in Cyberspace.

Joni Adams and Peggy Scott are members of the Southeast Missourian online staff.