Get Net Help

        Aside from the "major catastrophe" communications that the
    nets may provide (as with the recent LA 'quake), and aside
    from the entertainment they offer, there is also a great
    opportunity for finding help / instruction / assistance in
    most any area imaginable.

        Before going on with that thought, I should also make note
    of the other side of the equation. You have an equal
    opportunity to contribute your knowledge / expertise /
    opinions to those who are looking for input on subjects with
    which you are familiar. In short, the message nets *ARE*
    communication.

        I have mentioned the wide variety of echo topics
    previously, but maybe a quick listing of some of the more
    "unusual" ones will illustrate how diverse a system the nets
    are. In the interest of space I can only hit a few, but these
    will give you some idea why I think there is something "out
    there" for everyone.

        Just a sampling of the 3,000 to 4,000 conferences
    available on the INTERNET includes everything from ...

        Jetlag to Fractals
        Cryonics to Woodworking
        Puzzles to Pyrotechnics
        Wizards to Textiles
        Neopaganism to Ren & Stimpy
        Magic to Medicine
        Scuba to Roller-Coasters
        and Windows to Doors

        Travel, sports, politics, music, science & technology,
    pets, folklore, and social culture are some of the many topics
    regularly discussed, and an enormous amount of information on
    finding answers to specific questions is there for the
    reading.

        Certainly the INTERNET's USENET messages dwarf all other
    nets, but you may be surprised to find whole nets devoted to
    fairly narrow areas of discussion, and others that cover a
    broad range of topics.

        Most of the "national / international" nets offer any
    number of conferences on any number of topics, while many of
    the "local" nets focus on such topics as medicine,
    photography, witchcraft, Star Trek, fishing, and oodles of
    other subjects.

        Needless to say, computers and software are talked about
    on nearly every net, and provide the opportunity for users to
    contact software writers and hardware makers directly. If you
    have a problem or question regarding anything "computer",
    there is little doubt an answer is just hours away on a net.

        I still marvel at the mind-boggling amount of information
    at our fingertips, and I urge you to take a look for yourself
    at the incredible world of the message networks.  Let us know
    what you find, and if you have any interesting tips, topics,
    or experiences, by all means drop us a note ... ;-)

    Randy Britt
    Contributing Editor