The Internet is The Net's home away from home, as it has become for many millions of others. Instead of going to the library, we research online. We save money on stamps and overnight mail by using e-mail for our personal and business correspondence, and meet with people for live chats rather than spending big bucks on a plane ticket (and for those of us who do have to fly somewhere, the Internet and the commercial online services are ideal resources for flight, hotel, and car rental information).

Even online experts are constantly learning new things from and about the net, and more and more beginners are hopping on the Internet track to work, play, and learn. This month's feature offers a netpourri of information on how to get online, and on just a few of the many ways you can take advantage of this worldwide network once you get there.

Computer advertisements and television commercials are always touting the wonders of plug-and-play Internet connections, so we decided to investigate in-depth a few of these all-in-one computers. How easy are they to set up? Are they really plug-and-play, or are they simply easier to set up now than they were three years ago? Just what good does all that "free"software do for you? Our comparative chart is a great companion on your next computer shopping trip (see pages 21-25).

Moving on, we help you decide whether you should go with a commercial online service such as Prodigy, or pay a local Internet Service Provider for your net connection. We also calculate what a typical month's worth of net usage would be on the major online services. Once you're online, you can find the sites you're interested in by using some of the many search engines out there. Check out our guide to the popular search engines, such as Yahoo! and Lycos, to find the one that's right for you. These services have indexes to millions of web sites, and if one can't help you find a topic that you need, then another probably will have it. But if you want to visit some spectacular sites right away or a list of places to go to get more help, try our recommended "First 10 Places to Visit"and our "Web Resources", respectively. Need some help figuring out what additional pieces of software you'll need to do things like watch videos or hear music on your computer? Our mini Helper Apps tutorial should provide some relief.

So, what can you do with yourself once you're online? It's not just about e-mail anymore. Some of the cool things we use the net for include creating custom newspapers and setting up newswire services to send the news we want to read to a specified e-mail address. Want to stay in touch with the latest Presidential campaign rhetoric? Our compendium of official and non-official sites will make sure you're always in the know.

You can also use the net to track down people who are interested in the same topics you are, or perhaps find a new job or support group.

Do you like music? We offer a list of Web sites where you can get a taste of tunes, as well as software so you can hear the music. Is gaming your thing? There are more and more sites on the Web that let you experience multi-player, real-time gaming. Or is investment more up your alley? We'll show you where to get the best investor tips and advice, so you can play the stock market more profitably. And not only that, we'll offer some tax tip sites, as well.

Before you plan your summer vacation, you'll want to visit the travel planning resources we've put together. Feeling lucky? Maybe you'll win one of the many net contests out there in the nether reaches of cyberspace. And if your head is whirling, leaf over to our Glossary, on page 60.

As you can imagine, there's no way we can cover even a small percentage of what's on the Web in one issue. It's our hope, thought, that if you're not connected, this will help you get online. And if you're already hooked, like we are, you'll find tips and topics that you just might not have traversed upon before.

The BASICS:
Computers Made for the Internet
When Should You Choose a Commercial Online Service
Internet Service Providers
Browser Bonanza
First 10 Web Sites to Visit
Web Resources
Helper Apps

and BEYOND:
Stopping the Presses: Reinventing Newspapers in the Digital Age: pages 34-37
Politicking on the Net
Networking Online
Buying CDs Online
And the Beat Goes On...
Play by Play: Overview of Online Gaming
Playing the Stock Market... Online
Beat the Taxing Times: Secrets and Insider Tips on Besting Uncle Sam
Virtually Traveling
Win Free Stuff Online
Glossary