On-Line Services and the Internet

Basically, a filmed orientation lecture--replete with low-tech drawing board and marker pen--in which a presenter speaks to (and answers questions from) a group of Internet neophytes, On-Line Services and the Internet is a no-frills production that nevertheless gets the main job done. After outlining the basic functions that the Internet offers (FTP, Telnet, e-mail, and access to the WWW), the program contrasts and compares costs and benefits of using on-line services such as America Online, CompuServe, or Prodigy vs. local ISP's (Internet Service Providers). In addition, the video looks at some of the more popular web browsers, including Netscape Navigator and Mosaic, and a few of the more popular search engines found on the web, such as WebCrawler and Yahoo. While there's a definite lack of eye-popping graphic candy here (the program does throw in a few WWW screens), and the presenter says "folks" enough to make you feel as if you've accidentally stumbled onto a used car lot, the information is straight up, the main question (whether you should choose an on-line service or an ISP) is a good one, and the questions posed by the seminar audience are exactly the kinds of queries that newbies have. Recommended, with some technical reservations. [Note: the accompanying disk, which includes some old 1994 DOS programs, can be safely tossed.] Aud: P. (R. Pitman)