The challenge of the Internet explosion
Audun S. Runde · 1993
More atzd more zrsers install network cards wit/z IP addresses in tlzeir PCs or Mats.Tlzese zzsers are 110711 connected to tlze hternet and its resozzrces -often widzout realizing thzzt their machines ?107u can access most Internet resozuces independently of mainframes or gateway nzachines.For tlzose of 11s in zlser szq~port flzis leads to an increasizzgly importazzt support area: Izozu calz we 1zelp these zlsers learn abouf, zcnderstand, and ben@it from tlze power of their Internet connections, azzd what are sonze issues involved in tlzis szlpport task.Tlze speed of the changes in this area adds an additional complexity to this task -tlzose of zds in zzser szzpport rzzust work on stayizzg czcrrent on tlzese chazzges ourselves so that rue can provide zzsers with answers and @dance.ln this paper I present tlze nlajor approaches czurentlz/ used to access the Internet and its resozuces, suclz as electron"ic nzail, telnet, ftp, ~zews, gopher, arclzie, WAlS, and WWW, and 1 suggest some ideas about how support personnel can preparefor and deliver high quality support in thisfast-changingfield.As part of tlzese suggestions I also describe exanzples of microcomputer clients for several of these Internet resozzrces.