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In this report, we will
tell you about some of the popular on-line services
available. The services act as a "Super BBS" that allows
you to exchange
messages and information, chat among users, participate in several
conferences, shop on-line for just about anything (the computer
version of
"Home Shopping Club"), as well as make airline reservations
and do several
other things.
On-line Information Service Advantages
There are several things that on-line information
services all have in common
with each other.
* Large Database of files for downloading
* Extensive mail files for downloading
* Numerous conferences, forums, and discussions available
* One information database, AT LEAST!
* Several games available for one player
or multiple players.
* A wide variety of user-friendly services
Many of these features can be found on-line
at no charge. Since they charge
access fees, you might be wondering why anyone would pay for access
to an
on-line information service when they can call local BBSes for free.
Well,
the reason should be obvious. To put it simply, it is because they
are BIG!
There are literally tens of thousands of people around the world
who tap
into an on-line service.
You can find information on just about
anything that you are interested in.
What? You like studying the life cycle of fish that live on the
bottom of
the ocean? Well, you probably can find information about that topic
some
where on an on-line information service. Interested in the latest
political
nonsense? Yes, you can find information about politics. Just a general
question about what is available on-line? You can find it all on
on-line
information services.
Many of the on-line information services
will offer a continuous chat
conference known as "CB" or "Citizen's Band"
conference. It works much
like CB Radio operates. You talk to people by typing on the computer.
There are hundreds of on-line games that
you can play either by yourself
or you can play against another user. The advantage of on-line games
is
that you can play against someone else who is on-line at the same
time.
You don't have to make a play, and then wait a week for the next
person
to log on and then play. You can play an entire game in just a few
minutes
or an hour, however long it takes to play a complete game.
You might play a game where you get into
a WWII airplane and do battle
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against the Nazis, (all the other players are the Nazis, or vice
versa).
You might play a game where you and all of your teammates are in
a dungeon,
and you will use your own knowledge and expertise to navigate the
team
through the dungeon without being killed. This will be an exciting
game
to play because each player has different ideas, so the game will
be
different each time you play.
Even though these are all common on most
on-line information services, most
of them offer databases for specific information to users.
You may also use on-line information services
to do your shopping. Many
companies offer items for sale in a service area usually called
something
like: "The Electronic Mall," "The Mall," or
"Electronic Shoppers Club"
(ESC). You shop by selecting an item that you want and selecting
the
quantity, and then they bill you and send you the product.
Several of the on-line services offer what
is called "Check-Free Transaction
Processing" from the CheckFree Processing Center. This allows
you to pay
your bills electronically by debiting your checking account and
crediting
the payee's account. This makes it so you don't have to write and
mail
a check, and it takes care of a lot of paperwork you would otherwise
have
to do. This service also provides you with updated registers showing
your
account status.
Many software companies are offering on-line
help for users, as well as
customer support. You can find conferences available that will talk
about
almost any Microsoft product. These conferences are almost always
moderated
by a person representing the software company being discussed.
In general, these on-line information services
are a good place to go for
help on a specific matter or topic; or to get involved in a quick
game of
chess or checkers, etc.; or to pick up on a good buy in the "mall".
