Despite the importance of theoretical work in the process of grasping the concepts on which the Internet is based, for the "common" user it is the basic skills that he/she learns early on which provide the ground-work for further accumulation of experience. In other words, you have to take the plunge and start practicing your skills until you become comfortable with the NET. You should never be shy of asking questions. The Internet offers you the chance to get into a magical world. If you fail to grasp the ropes, then you will be left out in the cold.

  English is the lingua franca on the Web. This means that if you want to acquire further skills, you must improve your English. Luckily, you can use the NET to do just that.

  The basic skills involved are those that get you started on the NET without assistance. You can use this as a check list before you "graduate". Of course, you will always have need of asking other people on specific points, but the Internet is supposed to give you the answers to most of your inquiries.

1. Accessing commercial Web browsers (Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer, America On-Line).
2. Getting familiar with the functions and tools provided by the various Web browsers.
3. Accessing and using search engines to find information (AltaVista, Excite, LookSmart, Yahoo, Lycos, etc.).
4. Focusing your search. Choosing the right keywords to get reasonable information.
5. Using URLs to access specific pages.
6. Using bookmarks to keep a directory of interesting pages.
7. Processing information. Downloading, saving, editing, and composition of reports.
8. Designing simple databases.
9. Sending and receiving e-mail messages.
10. Saving messages and keeping e-mail files.
11. Finding somebody's e-mail address.

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