CJ Purple: BCreek Jaz would like to know: What's a Remote File name?
Netanswers: When you are transferring a file, like with FTP, the "local file name" is the name of the file on your computer. The "remote file name" is the name of the file on the computer you are connected to: the "remote" computer. :)
Netanswers: There are a couple of common image formats used in Web pages: one is called GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), the other is called JPEG (Joint Photographics Experts Group). These are both image file formats: ways for computers to store graphics information. JPEG images are generally better suited for photographic images -- a scanned picture will look better (and probably take up less disk space) in JPEG format than in GIF format. GIF images are better suited for line art -- non-photographic images like logos. GIF images are limited to 256 colors; JPEGs can support millions of colors. Most Web browsers can display both GIFs and JPEG images. Both types of files are relatively small, meaning they won't take long to download.
Netanswers: I use a shareware program on the Mac called GIFConverter to make GIF files. It converts images from other formats to GIF. I am a lousy artist, but I use Color-It! or PhotoShop on the Mac to create graphics for my Web pages. On Windows, there's a great program called Paint Shop Pro (shareware) which will let you create GIF files.
CJ Purple: Kevin, our friend BCreek Jaz must be working very hard on his/her Web page....and would like to know: What form to use when a file has graphics AND text? :-)
Netanswers: You can just put the text you want in the HTML file. At the point that you want a graphic, use the IMG tag. For instance:Hi. My name is Kevin. I have 4 cats and a dog Here is a picture of all of us: 
That's it :) You can mix text and images in any combination that way.
Netanswers: If YOU have a question about HTML press INTERACT -- otherwise I can't hear you :)
Netanswers: I am asked a lot about how to put a "counter" on a Web page -- one of those "1234 people have seen this page" things. It's pretty easy -- There's a document online that gives all the details. To get it, go to keyword ANSWERMAN, then press the "Accessing theInternet via AOL" button. There you'll find lots of answers to common questions about the Internet. Press the "World Wide Web"button, then scroll down to the article about installing a counter. Read it and enjoy.
CJ Purple: Kevin, we have a question from GucciGirl: How do I create my own page?
Netanswers: I have written a document that you may find useful-- it's called the AnswerMan's Guide to Creating a Web Page. Once you read it, you will understand how to make your own Web site! (It's not that hard, but it is a long document.) To get it, go to Keyword: ANSWERMAN, then press the "Accessing the Internet via AOL" button. Press the "World Wide Web" button, then read the article "Guide to Creating a Web Page." I think you'll find it helpful.
Netanswers: Another great resource for advanced HTMLers is the now-defunct WebReview magazine at http://www.webreview.com -- they aren't publishing it anymore, but back issues are available online: there is (was) a great column called that focused on "advanced" cool stuff like making animated GIFs and frames, etc.
Netanswers: Another thing that I get asked a lot is about the very annoying $nbsp tag that has been increasingly common in Web pages. $nbsp means non-breaking space, and it is a new tag from Netscape. Unfortunately, since Netscape does not follow the rules and get these things approved before they start using them, the AOL browser and MS Internet Explorer do not support $nbsp yet. So you see the "$nbsp" tags cluttering Web pages.
CJ Purple: Kevin, we have a question about how to create a page offline if a Web page is online.
Netanswers: The idea is you can create a Web page offline, saving the files to your hard disk--use your text editor and graphics program to do it. You can even preview it all from your hard disk. Then when you are ready to put it on the Web, you upload the files to your space on AOL.
Netanswers: When creating a Web page on my home computer, I usually create a directory, and put all my working documents in there: the HTML file, any images files that I want to add, and so on. Your editor will show you the HTML version of your page, complete with tags. When you want to see what your page will look like on the Web: 1) Save your HTML document to your hard disk. 2) Load your Web browser. You DON'T have to be logged in to do this.3) Pick "Open file" from the FILE menu of the Web browser. On somebrowsers this is called "Open Local." This will let you see a Web page on your hard disk instead of one on the Internet. Point it to your HTML file that you saved earlier. 4) Voila! Your Web page will appear, complete with formatting and graphics. 5) If you don't like what you see, you can switch back to your editor, make changes, save them, switch back to the browser, and "reload" the page to instantly see the results!
CJ Purple: Thank you Kevin! I'm sure we all learned a great deal tonight. :-) But our time is up! :-(
CJ Purple: I must apologize to all those people who sent in questions or comments for which we just didn't have time. You can post any questions you have about the Internet or the World Wide Web on the AnswerMan Message Boards, Keyword: AnswerMan.
Netanswers: Awww. OK :) Well thank you all for coming! Thanks for your help, Purple!
CJ Purple: Good night folks!
OnlineHost: Copyright 1996 America Online, Inc.OnlineHost: Copyright 1996 America Online, Inc.
CJ Lorri: Good Evening ALL. Tonite our topic is Privacy on the Net: Is anyone reading my E-Mail? Joining me on stage Is our own Netanswers and CJ Ellen. Good Evening, Kevin.
Netanswers: Hi Lorri, hi all! So, tonight's topic is Internet privacy. Who is reading your e-mail? What can Internet users learn about you and your personal life? Are your computer files safe from crackers on the Net? Just about everyone who has used the Internet has asked one of those questions. To send in your questions and comments, press "Interact" -- otherwise I can't hear you :)
CJ Lorri: I have a question from Jeff iNH. He asks:
Question: Hi there, Netanswers. I'm using Windows NT and connect to a ISP in the area. I'm curious whether anyone on the Internet is able to access my machine while I'm connected. Thanks!
Netanswers: Good question... Your computer should be secure as long as you are not running any server software (like an FTP server.) As long as you are not running a server, there is no way to for anyone to connect to your system to access it. Now, that would be different if you were dialing in from a UNIX host, which usually come preconfigured with all sorts of servers (telnet, FTP, etc.) But you aren't :)
Netanswers: When you are accessing AOL, you are NOT running any servers. The AOL program is a client that can get information, but there is no way for Internet crackers to see your system when you are on AOL either. The only thing AOL users should be able to find out about you is what you put in your online profile, which you control.
CJ Ellen: Kevin, our next question is from Web Willy:
Question: What about Netscape and the infamous "cookie"? What can that tell others about me? Would you also explain what the "cookie" is?
Netanswers: Sure. Cookies are a feature in the new version of Netscape that lets a Web page store small files of information on your hard
disk. Next time you are at that Web page, it can reread the file and "know" you and your preferences. For instance, if you tell an online catalog that you use a Mac, it can remember that next time you go there and whisk you right to the Mac stuff. Cookies basically let Web pages "remember" you for more than one visit, so are perceived by some as a privacy risk. Webmasters can track viewing patterns, etc. Sort of creepy?
CJ Lorri: Jeff iNH has a follow up question:
Question: Well thank-you Netanswers. That raises the question as to whether your AOL password is accessible when logging on via TCP/IP.
Netanswers: Yes it is. If you log on to AOL THROUGH the Internet, your username and password are sent as "clear text" through the internet. A
cracker with a "packet sniffer" can steal that info. Has it happened? Not that I know of? But it's certainly possible. I sure hope AOL encrypts that info in the next version of the software (hint, hint...) Anyhow, if you access AOL through TCP/IP, change your password often.
CJ Ellen: Kev, I was told by someone not to type my password into the software before I log on. Instead I should type in something irrelevent, and when AOL tells me it's incorrect and asks for the correct one, I type it in then. The theory being a packet sniffer will take the first one sent, but not the second. What do you think about that?
Netanswers: What's the difference? The correct password is still unencrypted. Um, I think that's dubious at best.
CJ Ellen : Same difference? Ok. Thanks.
CJ Ellen: Kev, I have another question from your friend, Web Willy. He wants to know:
Question: How about my e-mail here on AOL? Can anyone read it besides me?
Netanswers: Its POSSIBLE, technically, for the system administrators to read your e-mail, but they do not. It's severly against policy. Now, if the FBI comes a-knockin' with a subpeona to read your e-mail, which has happened, they'll share it. Otherwise, I believe your e-mail is safe. And if the FBI wants you, you have bigger problems :)
CJ Ellen: LOL! Our next question comes from Smokeylady. She wants to know:
Question: What is PGP and what would I use it for?
Netanswers: PGP stands for Pretty Good Privacy. It is a program that uses "public key encryption" to encrypt your e-mail so that no one other than its intended recipient can read it. They need PGP too, to decrypt the message. There are some excellent Web pages with info about PGP, but I don't have their URL's handy. Do a WebCrawler search and you should find one :)
CJ Lorri: I have a question from RichG33671. He asks:
Question: If I send steamy e-mail to someone, can it be intercepted?
Netanswers: If it's to someone on AOL, the answer is no, except for the FBI thing that I explained earlier. Now, if the recipient is on the Internet, the message passes unencrypted over the Net, which is more of a privacy threat. You should think of the e-mail that you send as written on a post card, as opposed to sealed in an envelope. The chances that the government are snooping in your e-mail are, in my opinion, very very very low. (The government can barely afford to do what it is supposed to be doing.)
Netanswers: Any real threat to the privacy of your message comes from system administrators of other Internet hosts. You see, as your message gets from "here" to "there," it may pass through a couple, or a couple dozen, other computers along the way. Anyone with system administration access on any of the intermediate (or destination)computers could potentially read your mail.
Netanswers: Don't worry too much--despite this, I believe that your e-mail is safe. Most system administrators know that reading others' mail is wrong. (And most simply don't have the time to go snooping through strangers' mail.) Still, if you want to be positive that your message is 100% private, encrypt it.
CJ Lorri: Another question from Rich:
Question: What are the chances , if I order something over the Net, that someone might find my CC #, or what I ordered?
Netanswers: In my opinion, about one in a million. I've sent CC#s over the Net, unencrypted, many times. Now, a lot of people think this is a foolish thing to do, after all, all it takes is that packet-sniffing cracker to grab the CC#. But credit card companies limit your liability, and frankly if you're gonna steal credit cards, its a whole lot easier to go down to a restaurant and steal carbons, than to get 'em from the Internet.
CJ Lorri: I have a question from DimndGrl. She asks:
Question: If I put a picture on my home page, how can I make sure no one else will use it?
Netanswers: You can't be sure. Technically, its very easy for someone to steal it from your Web page. But you can give yourself legal protection by placing a copyright statement on your Web page.
CJ Lorri: I have a question from MstrDJ1. He asks:
Question: If I cancel an e-mail account, where does mail to me go? Can it end up with someone else?
Netanswers: Interesting question. When you cancel, your unread incoming e-mail just gets deleted. If you get more e-mail, it just "bounces" back to the sender. AOL does not provide mail forwarding, so you'll have to tell your correspondants your new e-mail address.
CJ Lorri : Another Question about E-Mail from Roimeister.....
Question : How easy is it to decrypt an encrypted e-mail? How good is PGP in particular?
Netanswers: If you mean, how easy is it to decrypt an encrypted e-mail thats NOT meant for you? Hard. How hard depends on the privacy software you used. PGP is considered the best available to the general public. If you use the "best" encryption in PGP, it's effectively impossible to decrypt it if you're not meant to do so.
CJ Lorri: That's very interesting Kevin, and good to know.
Netanswers: Thanks :) Well, I guess we are about out of time and questions. :) If you have more questions about the Internet, go to Keyword: ANSWERMAN and you'll be able to get answers there.
CJ Lorri: Thank you Kevin. I believe we all learned a great deal this evening
Netanswers: Thanks for coming, everyone! See you tomorrow.
OnlineHost: Copyright 1996 America Online, Inc.
to include it. Use the real filename, not graphic.gif :) Netanswers: Does that help? You can also point to graphics at other sites...which isn't useful often, but it's nice to know you can...
Netanswers: Binary mode, BTW, is an FTP option that assures your images will arrive intact. If your FTP program has it, use it. :)
Netanswers: One of my favorite resources for folks creating Web pages is "Off The Net" at http://www.netscape.com/assist/net_sites/off_the_net.html -- it's a monthly (or so) magazine that reviews various cool tools to help you make a great Web page. I try to check it out often, I learn lots of good stuff from it.
CJ Purple: Kevin, our next question comes from JuliePiper:
Question : My site won't show my pixs or 3d graphic. Also, two of my internal links won't work and it's important that they do, also, these links and pictures work via another ISP using Mosaic and Netscape, pls advise.
Netanswers: Hmm. If images don't appear, it may be because your browser has images turned off, or because you have mistyped the IMG tags, or the filenames you specified in the tags don't match the real filenames for the images. Triple-check those things.
Netanswers: Regarding the internal links not working with AOL, that's strange... you should first be sure your CAPS LOCK key is OFF when using the AOL Web browser. And if it is, double-check to make sure the HTML tags are correct in format (no missing <'s or "s, etc.) -- some browsers are much more picky than others.
CJ Purple: Kevin, where should beginners, like me :->, go to learn HTML?
Netanswers: There are several excellent HTML tutorials on the Web itself...
NCSA's beginner's guide to HTML: http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/demoweb/html-primer.html
An Introduction to HTML: http://www.utirc.utoronto.ca/HTMLdocs/NewHTML/htmlindex.html
HTML quick reference guide: http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/lynx_help/HTML_quick.html
Netscape's pointers on creating net sites: http://home.netscape.com/assist/net_sites/index.html -- save that one for last, it can be a little overwhelming...
CJ Purple: Whoa! Talk about stuff to read! :-)
Netanswers: I don't strongly advoocate the need for an HTML editor, but if you want one, you can got a huge list of them from http://www.yahoo.com/Computers/World_Wide_Web/HTML_Editor/
Netanswers: :-) Hey, you asked.
CJ Purple: How much time does it take to learn enough HTML to put out a halfway decent page?
Netanswers: Assuming you have something interesting to say on your Web page :) :), you can learn enough HTML to do it in less than a day. It's pretty darn simple. It can be more complicated when you want to got into tables and frames and other sexy additions. But thebasics are pretty easy.
CJ Purple: Kevin, I *always* have something interesting to say!