THE COLUMBUS JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S GUIDE TO THE INTERNET

The following information has been adapted from an article by Gary Mokotoff, "lnternet for Greenhorns," in AVOTAYNU, Fall 1996.

What is the Internet?

The internet is nothing more than a new means by which people can communicate. It requires a computer that is attached to a telephone line and an optional feature, a modem, connected to the computer, which allows the computer to send or receive information over the telephone lines. To send a message using the internet, you compose the message on your computer and then, using special software, have the computer automatically dial a Local access telephone number. The message is received by your internet provider who, within seconds, sends your message anywhere in the world to the person to whom it is addressed.

You will need to find a local access internet provider. The Yellow Pages has a separate listing. Look for an offer that allows unlimited usage for a fixed charge (normally $10-25 per month). As a promotion, many firms offer free usage for a period of time, usually a month. Prodigy, America Online and Compuserve are private internets. Individuals who subscribe receive many services in addition to e-mail (electronic mail) and access to the internet. These include worldwide weather reports, news reports, stock market quotes, an on-line encyclopedia and airline reservation and flight information. Many people access the internet through these providers because of these additional services that are not normally available on the internet.

Possibly, the most remarkable application is the World Wide Web. By connecting to the Web through your internet provider, it is possible to get information as if you are actually at the site where the remote computer is located.

The address of the computer has its own method of identifying itself as a remote computer. It is called HyperText Transfer Protocol, which is technical jargon for "standard method of identifying computer sites." A typical Web address resembles: http://<computer location>/<file or directory within the computer<subfile within the computer>. For example, to access the 11-year index of articles that have appeared in AVOTAYNU, the address is http://www.avotavnu.com/indexsum.html.

To good example of the use of the Web to access a remote computer is accessing the facility at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. If you access the Web through your intemet provider and key in the address http://www.ushmm.org. within seconds - from anywhere in the world - you will be connected to the computer in Washington, DC.

Many libraries and archives provide access to their catalogues through the Web. National telephone directories for many countries including Australia, Canada, France and the United States are on the Web. While commercial firms are using the Web to advertise and sell their products.

Avotaynu Puts Database on Web:

Avotaynu has published its first searchable database on the World Wide Web. The Consolidated Jewish Surname Index (CJSI) identifies more than 200,000 Jewish surnames that appear in more than 23 different databases. These databases combined, include more than one million entries. CJSI can be assessed through the Avotaynu first page, or "home page," at http://www.avotaynu.com. You can also obtain information about how to subscribe to AVOTAYNU; a description of the boob they sell; as well as their microfiche collection and maps by visiting their Web site.

In addition to the information available on microfiche (see the Columbus Jewish Historical Society’s list of 21 indexes), Avotaynu's databases include: ·

World Wide Web: JewishGen.

The nonprofit corporation JewishGen was founded this year by Susan King of Houston, Texas so that all the Jewish genealogists in the world could get together to share information of mutual interest on a not-for-profit basis. More than 100 Jewish genealogists worldwide are participating in making JewishGen grow. They include computer software technicians, volunteers who extract data and compile them into databases, academicians who develop educational programs for Jewish genealogy, volunteer translators and many others. Should you wish to use this service, consider a donation to help defray costs.

The JewishGen site on the Web is located at http://www.jewishgen.org. The topics listed on its first page illustrate the types of information available to anyone’s personal computer when it connects to the JewishGen computer in Houston, Texas, through a local access internet provider: