The Internet is a network of computers all over the world that are connected by phone lines. It was originally created by the U.S. military to assure safe and secure communications in the event of a war. Their are an estimated 40 million users and experts estimate it is growing at a rate of over one million users per month. Many experts believe that there will be over 500 million online by the year 2010.

The World Wide Web was created by Tim Berners-Lee, and became publicly available in 1993. His idea was to make information on the Internet accessible through a simple interface on any kind of computer anywhere on a network. The World Wide Web, combined with an interface known as a "browser," presents information with the look and feel of a Windows or Macintosh program. The World Wide Web is only one section of the Internet. This is by far the best new business marketing tool since the television and telephone were invented. Many business experts are urging businesses to get online or perish. While that may be a bit extreme, we do believe that businesses with a presence on the Internet will have a distinct competitive advantage over those that do not.

ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. They are the people who provide you with a dialup number to access the Internet. There are literally thousands of ISPs, from small, locally owned and operated to large national companies like CompuServe, America Online and AT&T WorldNet.

The Internet is used by businesses, individuals, educators and students. Eventually, virtually everyone will use the Internet. According to one survey, 55% of the users are male, 65% of the users are 18 to 44 years old and 67% of the Internet users make over $70,000 a year. 90% of the world's top companies have a web site.

Internet addresses are assigned by the InterNIC . InterNIC was established in 1993 as a collaborative project between AT&T, General Atomics and Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI). NSI, located in Herndon, Virginia, manages the Registration Services Project. They receive funding from the National Science Foundation to provide registration services for the Internet community via telephone, electronic mail, and U.S. postal mail. Registration Services works closely with domain administrators, network coordinators, Internet service providers (ISP's), and various users. Registration Services is responsible for assigning Internet addresses for all users on the Internet. For instance, if you wanted mycompany.com (known as a domain name) as your address (http://www.mycompany.com), you would have to check with InterNIC to see if it was available. Then, you have to apply to register that domain name. We will do that for you if you want your own domain name.

With a website, you can significantly increase exposure of your business, potentially to millions of Internet users. The Internet can be used to improve customer service and communications using email. It can eliminate or greatly reduce the cost of printing, postage and phone calls. Businesses can generate sales leads using on-line forms instead of traditional forms of prospecting. E-commerce is another tool, selling products and services, including accepting payment, using color graphics, photos, and on-line catalogs. Businesses can test new ideas and announce new products via email and on-line feedback. The Internet can also be used to conduct surveys and gathering information electronically.

InterNIC is an independent organization responsible for holding the registration and routing of Internet domain names. Without these people it would be virtually impossible to maintain sanity on the Internet. The Domain Name registration fee is $70 for the first two years and $35/year thereafter. The InterNIC will send you an invoice via email between 3 weeks to 1-1/2 months after the domain is registered.

Domain names are a rapidly diminishing commodity. They are allotted on a first-come first-serve basis. There can only be one "yourcompany.com" on the Internet, so make sure you register your organization quickly before it is gone for good. The longer you wait, the less likely you will be able to get your specialized name.

A Subdomain is the Internet address (URL) of a website that is located in a subdirectory of a registered domain. For example, this newsletter is a subdomain of USASTAR.COM. (www.usastar.com/newsletter). Websites established as subdomains do not need to register and pay fees associated with InterNIC (see the InterNIC explanation above).

Internet domain names have become a vital part of corporate identity. In the 21st Century, your domain name will be as important as your logo or brand name to your presence in a global marketplace. Domain Names are also versatile. Even if you are just considering using the Internet and World Wide Web for your business, it's highly recommended that you register your domain name as soon as possible. Once registered, you will own the domain name and no one else in the world will be able to get it. No matter who you end up deciding to host you website, you will be the owner of the Domain Name and only you be able to use it. Your domain name follows you no matter where you go.

Yes. In fact, many programs are available to help you create your own home page or web site. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. To develop an effective web site you must have at least a basic understanding of HTML, the language in which the pages must be written for the Internet. Additionally, you must consider the design, flow and structure of the site. And where will you put it when it is done? Doing it yourself may save you a little money up front, when you consider the time you would spend doing it yourself, and the importance of a well-designed site, you can see that your money would be well spent letting us do it for you. We want you to succeed!

This is probably the single most important question you can ask. Simply placing your site on the World Wide Web will not bring people to your site. Unlike a retail store, people do not just "drive by" and stop in. On the Internet, you must have a way to get people to your site. This can be accomplished several ways. 1) Make sure you put your Internet address on everything your company puts out. This newsletter will give you ideas. 2) Register your address with search engines on the Internet. Search engines are on-line software programs that help users find information on the World Wide Web. There are literally hundreds of search engines available. We offer free registration with some of our web site packages, and paid services for more in-depth coverage. By registering with the search engines, your address is included in the database that is searched when a user is looking for a particular topic or item. 3) Promote your web site through various Internet and non-Internet vehicles and services. Visit this newsletter often, as we discuss ways to "get the word out".

E-Commerce is short for "electronic commerce". Simply put, it's the buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet. It can be as basic as a simple e-mail order or as complex as a purchase incorporating your credit card, electronic withdrawal of funds and deposit into a merchants account.

Similar to a real world shopping cart, you stroll through an online website and, when you see a product you like, simply add it to your shopping cart with a click. When you're finished, you go to the "check-out" and pay for your items. Click here for more information on shopping carts.

The bare minimum is a single page website, hosted as a subdomain (a subdirectory of our domain). Your website URL (address) would be something like... www.usastar.com/yourcompany . Here's an example single page website: Fleetwood RV Park

Basically, you'll need three things... A website, a domain name and a hosting service. You can have as small a website as a single page. Because you require your own domain , you will need to register and secure that domain name through InterNIC . In addition, you'll need to purchase a place to host your pages (domain hosting).

We can give your existing website a fresh new look, or build you a completely new one. In most cases, you can even keep your existing hosting service... E-mail us describing your specific needs.