Other Internet Services
EMAIL
There are 2 forms of email:
POP mail services use an email software package such as Outlook Express to send and retrieve mail.
Web-based email services allow you send and retrieve email through aÊweb browser. (In other words, from Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer.)
Many companies now offer free web-based email services.
Unfortunately you will often see banners when using these.
For a list of over 1100 free email services visit emailaddresses.com.
Web Discussion Forums
Web discussion forums are sites designed to facilitate online debate and information exchange. This exchange of information occurs right on the World Wide Web.
There are many forums out there on the World Wide Web, available for most any topic imaginable. That Home Site! has quite a few forums available. You may read other members' postings without joining, but to send a post you must be a paid member. A free forum for teachers can be found at teachers.net For other forums on the topic of your choice simply do a search for your area of interest using a search engine.
Listservs
Listserves are similar to forums, but the discussions take place through emial rather than a site on the WWW.
Messages are sent to a common listserve address and then distributed by the host to every person registered.
As with the forums there are listserves on pratically every topic. One site with a list of listserves is tile.net
Newsgroups
Newsgroups are similar to listerves and discussion forums. The messages are collected on a system called a news server.
Visit google for a list of newsgroups.
Chatrooms
Chatrooms are where users can go to discuss topics in synchronous situations.
Some chatrooms are to discuss specific topics, while others are just to chat, and still others are used in hoped of meeting that special someone!
Chatrooms are available all over the WWW. If interested a good starting point is with most of the major search engine sites. Yahoo, Excite, Lycos...they all have chat rooms available. For now, let's try out a chat room just for teachers teachers.net
Now that you've seen a professional chatroom, let's check out the rooms our students are using. teenchatzone
Instant Messaging
Instant messaging is a service where you can set up a "buddy list" and be made aware when your buddies are signed on.
You can then email a discussion back and forth with just the click of a button rather than going through the process of sending traditional email.
One of the most popular "IM" service providers is AOL. AOL Instant Messagin is available to everyone...even those who do not pay for AOL services.
The software for it must be downloaded. You can find it at AOL's homepage
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