The Interactive Web
![[picture: Cranes - Activity]](/images/crane.gif)
The web is interactive by nature, and it is also very dynamic -- it is constantly changing. Sometimes it can be difficult to find what you're looking for. Sometimes you find something you didn't expect to find. On the other hand, the web can be a very interesting place to learn or exchange ideas with others who share some of the same interests that you may have. In this article, I'll be talking about how to find things on the web, and how to take part in online discussions.
Let's take a quick review of some of the topics that I will be covering in the 'basics' articles:
Table of Contents
- Topics covered in the previous article, WWW Basics:
- Topics covered in this article:
- Topics covered in the next article, Online Security:
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1. How do I search for information or a specific product?
It can be much easier to find a product on the internet than a bit of obscure information. A lot of money is spent trying to help ensure that if you want to buy something online that you'll be able to find it! Even if you do find the information that you're looking for, you need to question it's quality and authenticity, because there is arguably at least as much mis-information on the net as there is accurate information. Let us first examine the issue of finding a product, or finding help or information about a product, then we'll look into finding more obscure information:
Finding a product -
Whether you are simply looking for a product review (be it for a specific product, or a range of products in a specific category) or perhaps looking for a retailer or broker, or even looking to get helpful information about a product you already own or are considering the purchase of, then the internet can provide abundant resources for your needs. Let's look over these issues with the aid of a real-life scenario:
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Retailers (etailers) and Brokers Let's walk through a scenario -- let us assume that you want to purchase an ergonomic mouse for your computer. The first thing you might do is use a search engine with a set of search terms such as: "ergonomic PC mouse". You browse a number of links to get familiar with what is available. Let's say that you're most interested in a specific model, the Evoluent EVOL2 Vertical Mouse, but you want to find out what other people have to say about it before you get too excited about it... so you could try a new search with these terms: "Evoluent Vertical Mouse +review". If you are still genuinely interested in this product, you'd probably want to start to find some prices from different vendors. Well, it's time to head back to your favorite search engine! This time, perhaps a search query of: "Evoluent Vertical Mouse prices" would work out (on Google a technology they refer to as 'stemming' is used, so that in this search they would automatically include the term 'price' if 'prices' were not in the result). Now of course, with certain products or services, you may want to check out the product in-person (the ergonomic mouse would be a good example of a product that it would be wise to try out at a local computer store before deciding to purchase it) or perhaps there are no vendors that sell it online. With the case of the mouse, if you tested one at a store, but found their price considerably higher than the prices you saw online you may want to proceed to determine which etailer you'd prefer to purchase from. I already own it, I want help using it... In this case, your best bet will probably be to look for a website, forum, or group where other people have the same interest and/or product(s). In most cases you'll be able to find people who are knowledgeable and helpful; sometimes you can get the information you need by accessing the site archives and finding where the topic has come up in the past; sometimes you can get a quick answer if you post a message and wait for a reply; sometimes you might find yourself discussing the topic with someone in the same position as you are, but by working together you are able to come to a solution; sometimes you may need to wait days or weeks for a suitable answer; sometimes you may find that the website, forum, or group you're using is simply not active enough or is rarely on-topic, and therefore not of much use. Such public forums can be a hit-or-miss as the quality of the members is highly variable. |
Finding information -
Ahh, the elusive special-interest topic! The first thing to keep in-mind when searching for obscure information on the internet, is that the more obscure the information, the more likely you are to find mis-information. I don't think anybody has yet quantified this principle, so I will now dub it "Spectral's Law - when searching for information on the internet, with greater obscurity comes also greater contention and mis-information". Similar to our previous example (I already own it, I want help using it...) a common way to research an obscure topic is to seek out eclectic groups, forums, and websites that relate to the topic.
I think it's time for another reality check: anybody can publish anything on the internet, weather it's factual, or they only think it's factual, or even if they know it's a load of hog-wash. So, a primary principle in learning more about an obscure topic is to remain skeptical and find multiple sources -- now, of course, just because 5 different sites all agree on something doesn't make it true... four of them might have simply copied the first one. When possible, seek citations and other references that can be verified.
There is a fairly unique website that remains contentious because some people expect too much of it. The bottom-line, is that anybody with an internet-connected computer can register an account and add fallacious information or delete factual information, however there are enough responsible contributors that the majority of the vandals are handled in time. Now, having set the stage and your expectations appropriately, allow me to direct you to the Wikipedia.Org. This is a fascinating site, to say the least. It's a good starting-point for many research projects, but it's really nothing more than a starting-point... as the old saying goes, don't put all your eggs in one basket. As with any other source, you should verify anything you read at the Wikipedia.
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2. What is a forum, and how do I use one?
By necessity I got a little bit long-winded in the previous section, so luckilly these next two topics are a bit less general, and we're almost finished with this section on the "Interactive Web". I've already mentioned internet forums (sometimes also called groups, or operated as mailing lists) so allow me to briefly explain how to find a suitable forum for your current interest:
Let's take for example, the software from Microsoft called Excel. Perhaps it's unfamiliar, but a friend told you it's a good way to track your expenses and make a workable budget (side-note: if you do not have a copy of Excel installed on your computer, there is an Open-Source-Software (i.e. free) spreadsheet application that works on Windows, MacOSX, Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD operating systems, called OpenOffice.Org that is functionally very similar to Excel).
So anyway -- if you want to learn to use Microsoft Excel, you might want to find a forum to discuss the product with other people. While many different web searches will yield results, I went to Google and entered: "+forum +'MS excel'" and it produced a list of 729,000 webpages; not all of these pages would be forums, but there are still more than you'd ever have need to check-out.
Most forums will allow guests to read the archives, but it's rare for them to allow unregistered guests to post new topics or into existing threads. If you find a forum that seems worthwhile, you'll want to find their registration page so that you can have a validated identity there and become a part of the discussions... after all, that's a part of what the interactive web is all about!
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3. What is chat, or instant messaging?
I promised we were almost finished with this article, and now perhaps it's even going to end before you expected it to! The glossary already contains a short description of chat and instant messaging, and by this stage of the articles, you should be fully informed of some ways that you could learn more about it if you find the definition lacking in the specific details that interest you!
Before you get too carried away with your new-found knowledge, however, I strongly encourage you to find some time to read my final Web Basics article pertaining to Online Security so that your travels along the internet superhighway can remain as safe and beneficial as possible.