with Lorelle and Brent VanFossen

Introduction to the Internet

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day;
teach him to use the Net
and he won’t bother you for weeks.”
Anonymous

The following articles, tips, and technques will take you step-by-step through the process of understanding how to seach the web, how to search web pages and find the information you want and need, understanding how to work more efficiently on the Internet, and learning about file sharing, shareware, viruses, hoaxes, and more fun and games that can be found on the Internet.

Computer and Internet Tips and Tricks

Basics of Internet and Email Hoaxes

There are a lot of viruses on the Internet and through email today. But the biggest damage is caused by hoaxes and perpetuated by kind and generous people who pass these on thinking they are doing a favor for their friends and family. We have a more extensive article on Hoaxes, Rumor Mills, Chain Letters, and Online Trash, but we feel it is important enough of an issue to mention it here, too.

The two most popular of these early hoaxes were the “Sulfnbk.exe” and “Jdbgmgr.exe” so called viruses. Email is forwarded from helpful friends, usually not strangers, which instructs you to search your computer for these files and if you find them, remove them immediately. You do, and you feel safe. Next time you turn on your computer, however, it might not work right or work at all. These are Microsoft Windows files and they are supposed to be on your computer. The trouble you create trying to find out what happpened can do even more damage. The hoax is on you trusting everything you read, especially when it comes from a friend.

I’ve heard many different hoaxes like boycotting a world famous company for donating money to the Palestinians or a famous designer for anti-semitic comments he never made on a television show he was never on. Or my personal favorite, that Bill Gates is giving away free money. These are all false. With the fear of terrorism, there are many hoaxes coming out about small pox, anthrax, and other biological terror weapons. Before jumping to conclusions and making assumptions, check it out. The following sites will help, as will the main site of your virus software:


Lorelle VanFossen has been designing web pages since 1995 and teaches a variety of computer programs including web page design, preparing photographic images for web pages, and other basic computer and Internet basic skills. She and her husband also teach a variety of nature and travel photography programs internationally.

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