For all those AOL Newbies out there!
America Online (AOL) has recently released AOL for Windows version 3.0. If you're not using 3.0 download it using Keyword: UPDATE. I definitely recommend 3.0 if you're planning to be using the world wide web. I hope this helps and please contact me with corrections to this document or any problems you might be having with AOL questions at jason@critpath.org or hungerfoj@aol.com
Getting onto the Web
Getting onto the web is very easy if you know the address that you're looking for. If you know the URL (Universal Resource Locator) address of the page you would like to view, simply click on GO TO, KEYWORD, and then type in the URL address, beginning with the http://. For example, to access the PFLAG-TALK/TGS-PFLAG web page you would click GO TO, KEYWORD, and then type in http://www.critpath.org/pflag-talk/ and then press enter. It's that simple. There are, however, other ways to access the web through AOL. Here are those other step-by-step instructions. But be forewarned, if you know of the URL address of the page you want to view, the following the above instructions is the EASIEST way.
For 2.5 Users:
1. Click on the globe icon from the menu bar OR click Go To, Keyword and type in INTERNET CONNECTION
2. The next screen gives you the options of either World Wide Web, FTP, Newgroups, or Gopher. Click on the World Wide Web (WWW) icon.
For 3.0 Users:
1. Clicking on the globe icon from the menu bar will automatically put you at the screen with AOL's browser.
2. OR, you can use Go To, Keyword and type INTERNET CONNECTION, as instructed above, OR you can click INTERNET CONNECTION from the main AOL Welcome screen
For all Users:
3. The next screen is the web browser for AOL. It will proceed to automatically load your home page, or if you do not have a home page with AOL, it will proceed to automatically load AOL's main web page. If you do not wish to view AOL's home page, then click the STOP button.
4. Take a look at what's currently on your screen. This screen is called the web browser. AOL's web browser has four main sections. The first section, at the top is the menu bar, it has the following buttons: BACK, RELOAD, FORWARD, HOME, PREFERENCES, STOP. (BACK goes to the previous page you were on; RELOAD reloads the page you are currently on, FORWARD goes ahead one page; HOME returns you to either AOL's main home page or to your own home page if you have one; PREFERENCES allows you to customize certain options for the web browser; STOP stops the downloading of the page). The second section, right below the menu bar, is where the site address is displayed (beginning with http://). The third section is where the web page will be displayed, once downloaded. The fourth section, at the very bottom of the screen can be called the progress section. In this section, to the right, gives you a blue progress bar to show you how much of the page is left to download. To the bottom left tells you how many bytes have been downloaded.
5. If you know what web address you're trying to access, click the mouse cursor into the second section of the web browser (where it currently reads http://www.aol.com). Delete everything except for the http:// (which is what every web page address begins with) you can now type in the web site address you wish to access. For an example, type in "www.critpath.org/pflag-talk" (without the quotes) to access the web page for the PFLAG-TALK and TGS-PFLAG email mailing lists. Press enter to begin the downloading process.
6. Look at the progress section, to the bottom left. It should at first say "Please wait while that site is contacted" and then after a few seconds it should say how many bytes is being received. If, after 30 seconds the progress indicator still says "Please wait..." press STOP and then press RELOAD. Nine times out of ten this solves the problem and the page will proceed to download correctly.
7. Many web pages link to other pages. On AOL links are displayed in blue and the words are underlined. To link to another site, just move your mouse over the blue words and click, and then you are automatically brought to the linked site.
8. If you're not sure of the web site address, the URL, there are many search engines. But that's another story for another handout--along with information on getting to newsgroups and using file transfer protocol (FTP).
Other Ways
In Version 3.0 you can get onto the Internet from the main Welcome screen by clicking on the INTERNET button at the bottom of the Welcome screen. When you click the INTERNET button the next screen gives you the choice of entering the World Wide Web (just enter the address and press enter!) or newgroups or FTP or Gopher. This screen is a very good starting point for those users new to the internet and who are not sure of exactly where to begin.
Or, you can now use Netscape's Navigator instead of AOL's web browser while on AOL. You must first download Netscape (from http://home.netscape.com) or by clicking Go To, Keyword NETSCAPE. Once you have Netscape downloaded, to use it, you must first log on to AOL and then open Netscape's Navigator and go from there surfing the web!
Jason is 21 years old, active on PFLAG-Talk. Jason is the Executive Director of Youth Guardian Services, which provides email-based support services to LGBTQ youth.
Visit the Schools List website http://www.Youth-Guard.org/schools.
Visit the PFLAG-Talk/TGS-PLFAG website http://www.critpath.org/pflag-talk/.
Visit the IWG, sponsors of the Religion List http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/.