File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

Downloading

• Handout on Downloading Software
• A link to http://www.whatis.com/ and their list of every file format in the world: every file format in the world
• Downloading Fonts: from http://fonts.tom7.com/.
• Downloading graphics--check out About.com's web clipart site: http://webclipart.about.com/internet/design/webclipart/mbody.htm
• A handout on Downloading Images, like Butterflies

Uploading

• Uploading is usually used when publishing Web Pages on the Internet

Computer Viruses

What is a computer virus?

It is a program, designed by a person which has the following characteristics:

• Piggybacks on top of another program so that you will not suspect your computer is being infected.
• Sometimes viruses are harmless, but if not harmless, they might destroy some or all of the following things on an infected computer:
  • Computer files
  • Computer programs
  • The computer's operating system (Win95/Win98)
• Infects other computers, by one of the following means:
  • Piggybacks on top of files that you might share with others via floppy disk.
  • Piggybacks on top of files that you might download from the Internet.
  • Opens up your e-mail program and e-mails each of the contacts you have in your address book, sending an innocent sounding e-mail, and attaching an attachment to that e-mail message which contains the virus. Your friends then assume the attachment is from you and double click on it.
  • Adds an attachment to every e-mail message you send while your computer is infected. Your friends then assume the attachment is from you and double click on it, thus infecting their own computer.

How do you prevent them?

• Norton Utilities - Available for Mac and PCs. Their web site is at http://www.symantec.com/
• McAffee Anti-Virus -- PC Only. Their web site is http://www.mcaffee.com/

Here's an explanation from Whatis.com:
A definition of virus from Whatis.com

Don't forward on e-mail rumors of a virus or other scam without first checking to make sure it is not a hoax. Go to http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html to see a comprehensive list of virus and other hoaxes.

E-mail Attachments

Attachment Tips

NEW: handout on how to send a Yahoo attachment

• Always check with someone *before* sending them an attachment--not all e-mail programs can receive an attachment, and more importantly not all people now how to receive attachments.

• Graphics files in .gif or .jpg format are easy to exhange. If your e-mail program does not automatically display the picture, then open that file directly with your web browser

• Keep the size of the attached file Below 1MB--larger files cause many e-mail programs trouble, not to mention the amount of time the other peson has to sit and wait for that message to download.

• If exchanging Microsoft Word files, be aware that they can contain word Macro viruses. Also, if exchanging Word files with someone that does not have the same version of Word as you, use File--Save As to save the file as a Rich Text Format, .rtf, file. That way, no matter which version of Word they have (and which kind of computer they have) they should be able to read the document you send them. Use the three letter .rtf extension in the file name. Also, RTF files do not carry viruses.

• If you send someone an animated greeting cards, please be aware that these are usually .exe files and they are sent as an attachment to an e-mail message. People who have Mac computers cannot receive these cards. Many people do not know what to do with these cards when they get them. Many of these cards are so large they cause the person receiving them trouble getting their e-mail. Also, any .exe file is a computer program and as such can be infected with a computer virus. Send one to yourself first, scan it using virus software and if you really like it, and it wasn't too large, then consider sending it to some friends.