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PPPrairienet Is Here!
PPPRAIRIENET IS HERE!
You've heard all the talk about graphical access to the Internet coming
soon to Prairienet. It's finally here and easy to get. And, this service
costs nothing extra to you as Prairienet members, although we would be
happy to take a donation!
WHAT IS PPPRAIRIENET?
If you have friends who have accounts with a local Internet Services
Provider, you probably have noticed that the World Wide Web pages they
look at have pictures and sounds or that they use different programs to
read their mail or read Usenet newsgroups. They are using a type of
connection called Point to Point Protocol, PPP. This connection makes
their computer a part of the Internet, so they run programs on their home
computer that access various componants of the Internet, such as Netscape
to access the World Wide Web, Eudora to access email, or WSFTP to fetch
files on remote computers.
DO I NEED PPPRAIRIENET?
That depends on how you use the internet. PPP is required in order to
view graphics and hear sounds from websites. However, the transfer of
pictures and sounds can be slow, and their presence is not necessary if
you're only interested in the textual content of the site; therefore, if
your primary purpose for "surfing the web" is research, for instance, you
may prefer a text-based browser. If, on the other hand, you crave the
eye candy and funky sounds that most web sites have to offer or if your
favorite web site is unreadible through the text-based browser, you'll
need PPP.
WHAT ABOUT MY CURRENT ACCOUNT?
You can still access Prairienet Classic, even if you are connected
through PPPrairienet. Windows 95 has the program telnet built in to its
software and telnet applications for Windows 3.1 and Macintosh are easy
to get. Simply use telnet to open a connection to 'prairienet.org' and
you can log in the old fashioned way. And you can even use your old
communications software, such as Hyperterminal or Zterm when you're not
using PPPrairienet.
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS
Right now we have instructions for those users who have Windows 95. Soon
we will be able to provide a setup disk for those users who have Windows
3.1 machines. The minimum requirements for Windows 3.1 users are a 386sx
with 8 MB of RAM. Shortly after that we will have instructions for
Macintosh users running System 7 or newer.
Also, Prairienet members are given 8 hours of PPPrairienet access. When
the 8 hours are up, you will not be able to connect using PPPrairienet,
although you still have your two hours per day through Prairienet
Classic. You may ration out these 8 hours over the entire week or blow
them all in a single session; we leave that choice up to you.
HOW DO I GET PPPRAIRIENET?
If you would like us to send you instructions for Windows 95 setup,
either call the Prairienet Hotline at 244-1962, email ms@prairienet.org,
or stop by the Prairienet office between noon and 7 p.m. Monday through
Friday. You can also put your name on the waiting list for Windows 3.1
and Macintosh instructions and we will send you those instructions when
they become available.