MY WORLD: [my
favorite things][writings & musings]
CYBERGRRL WEBSTATION: [planet cybergrrl] [cybergrrl village] [webgrrls] [femina] [womenzone]
- written 1995
Why aren't women dominating the Internet? Women have many of the skills and qualities required for Internet exploration, but what holds women back? And why is the 'Net still a man's domain? I decided to tackle two of the biggest myths about the Internet to prove to women once and for all that there are no good excuses for them to avoid taking the online plunge.
It's too hard...
If you can type (which most women can and many men still can't), you've already tackled one of the hardest parts of going online. Women naturally have a great advantage online over many men, not only in their ability to type and type quickly, but in their ability to communicate. And believe it or not, most of the Internet is based around communication.
Getting started online is easy. To physically get online, you need a computer (386 or higher), a modem (preferably 2400 baud rate or higher), and a phone line (either dedicated or not). I usually recommend that my "newbie" (beginner) clients go with a commercial online service for a while, particularly one that is graphically oriented if they are used to Windows or Mac computer environments.
I suggest America Online as the perfect start to online exploration. You can find free software to install into your computer (like you would install any other software program) in any computer magazine these days.
When you log into America Online, you see a screen made up of many buttons with titles on them that almost explain themselves. There's a Kids section, the Internet Connection (to access the World Wide Web), a great reference section, headline news, communities and interests, and much much more. You get email with your account and that is usually true with all online services.
Once you're comfortable in a commercial online service, you may want to venture into the Internet, the mapless, seemingly borderless world of "cyberspace". Until then, you can still network and make contacts, do extensive research including market research, get answers to your questions in a few hours, and communicate internationally for virtually the cost of a local phone call. Which leads me to...
It's too expensive...
My bill each month for a commercial online service runs from $10 - $45, usually less than a cable television bill and certainly much less than an average phone bill. Your online charge appears monthly on your credit card statement, and it's not billed to your telephone.
I think it's more costly for women not to go online today, especially if they want to stay current and competitive. There is a wealth of information out there waiting to be tapped. When you're online, the world is at your fingertips. Why would you want to watch the world slip through your fingers when you could be holding it in the palm of your hand?
America Online - $9.95/month with 5 hours free; then $2.95/hour (AOL gives you 10 free hours to try them out). 800-827-6364
CompuServe - $8.95 per month for unlimited basic service; $4.80/hr or $9.60/hr for extended services such as job postings and forums (varies with modem speed). 800-848-8199
Prodigy - $9.95 per month with 5 hours free (or $14.95 per month for five hours plus unlimited access to core services) then $2.95/hr. 800-PRODIGY
The Information Superhighway (or Infobahn) - A catchy phrase meaning the Internet and other online resources.
Going online - the act of using your computer, a modem and a phone line to "log into" either a commercial online service, the Internet or the World Wide Web (which is a part of the Internet that supports graphics, sound and video).
Modem - Either an internal or external attachment to your computer that allows you to attach a phone cord to your computer and transmit or receive data through your phone lines. By transmitting data, just think of how a fax machine works and it works similar to that.
bps - bits per second - The speed that your modem transmits data - 1200, 2400, 9600, 14,400 are some of the standard speeds.
The Internet (the 'Net) - A loose network of computers all around the world that are somehow linked so one can access information off of other computers (information that those computers make available). There is no map for the Internet and no real way to draw one.
Commercial Online Services - Companies such as America Online, Compuserve, Prodigy, and Echo make their computers available to their subscribers or members. For a monthly fee (with hourly rates as well), members can "log into" the services computer and explore their online information. *Note: Subscribing to an online service does not mean you are on the Internet. You may have electronic mail capabilities which can go through the Internet, but nothing else on the actual 'Net.