Toshiba Portégé 650CT User Manual page 169

The Internet and Other Fascinating Places
An online service, such as CompuServe and AOL, is operated by a
governing corporate body. The Internet, on the other hand, is much
more random. No governing body controls who may access its
resources or what information may be published on it. Every user
is free to contribute and participate without restriction. As more
users log on, contributing their own personal styles, the Internet
continues to change. The open, international nature of the Internet
makes it impossible to regulate or control effectively.
Here are some of the things you can do on the Internet:
Send and receive electronic mail (e-mail).
Join a written conversation in progress with one or more other
people.
Shop and do your banking.
Get computer programs and other information files.
Search for information on any topic.
Publish your own articles, books and multimedia works.
Listen to the radio.
Play games with people from around the world.
Watch live concerts and interviews.
Types of Internet Sites
Each network that belongs to the Internet is a "site" on the Inter-
net. There are different types of Internet sites:
Mail servers store and forward electronic mail (e-mail). In
many ways, e-mail is like your regular mail, but it can be much
faster and more convenient.
FTP sites store computer files. You can download files from an
FTP site or upload your files to it. For example, many com-
Part I: Getting To Know Your Computer
Connecting with the World
177