David Radin: Preparing your PC for the future

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David Radin: Preparing your PC for the future

Thursday, April 06, 2000

Q: What are the must-have items to take best advantage of the burgeoning Web?

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A: During the next few years, you'll see a radical increase in the amount of multimedia on the Web, both in terms of new content available and the way current content is presented. The need for better browser software and Internet connections will increase as Web operators enhance their sites. As I write this (from Spring Internet World in Los Angeles), Netscape is announcing Navigator 6.0, a new version that will bring us yet another step toward convergence of the computer desktop and traditional TV activities. Similarly, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5 has been integrating the desktop with multimedia since its introduction, and more is on the way.

Today you can get away with a standard dial-up connection although you're already likely to be frustrated by long download times for many of the graphics, sounds and multimedia experiences that already exist. Tomorrow, you'll see even more elaborate multimedia content which will require broadband -- fast, high-capacity pipes to carry data to and from the Internet. Currently, the technologies of choice for broadband are via television cables and digital subscriber line, or DSL. The former connection is available in many areas from your local cable company; the latter, a way to tweak your normal phone line to carry loads of data, is available in some areas from local phone companies, Internet service providers, and independent DSL providers. Not only do these technologies allow access to elaborate multimedia sites; they also are connected to the Internet 24/7, eliminating the need for dialing up every time you want to go on the Web.

From a hardware standpoint, you'll absolutely want a sound card and speakers. At home, this will allow you to take advantage of entertainment and news. At the office, you'll find more work-related audio and video at your disposal.

Configuring your hardware for multimedia satisfies only half your need. You need to go beyond your basic browser in functionality. The rich media that is starting to become available will require additional software and much of it is free. In fact, it is almost impossible these days to use the Web without key browser plug-ins and accessory software.

Printing, for instance, has become easier and more reliable because of a file format called PDF. Unlike HTML, the standard mark-up language of the World Wide Web, PDF files provide printer output that looks just like the original document. Companies post printable documents on their Web sites in PDF format. You read them with a freely available software package called Adobe Acrobat Reader. It's a simple point and click that can be accomplished only if you have Acrobat Reader pre-installed on your system.

Similarly, many companies are streaming their content to you in video or audio formats. The two most popular products to access streaming media are RealPlayer and Windows Media Player. Other popular technologies that you might want to consider are Macromedia Flash, MP3 and Beatnik Player.

MP3 and Beatnik are multimedia formats that greatly compress data. Typically MP3 audio or video files are downloaded from the Net and used with specialized MP3 software or standalone hardware devices. These standalone devices act like tape players except without any moving parts. Beatnik audio files are flexible audio files with which you can interact, allowing you to, for instance, create your own mix of favorite songs.

Flash, from Macromedia, has caught on as the preferred method of animating a Web site. Flash animations (which can contain photos, moving videos and audio) are used to add dimension to a Web site to make them stand out from the crowd. Originally used for entertaining animations, Flash is now being put to productive use in RealPlayer videos, and as extremely functional animated tool bars that make navigating sites a breeze.

Q: How can I connect to more than one Internet service provider?

A: To connect to any ISP, you need to create a Dial-Up Adapter for that ISP. To use two, you'll need to create two distinct Dial-Up Adapters. In Windows 98, open My Computer from your desktop, then double-click on [Dial-Up Networking], then double-click on [Make New Connection]. Give your new connection a name (usually the name of your ISP -- anything that will distinguish it from the other ISP account). If you have more than one modem, select the proper modem to use. (If you have only one modem, Windows should select it automatically.) Click on [Next]. Type the area code and number of the phone into which you need to dial for the new ISP. Click on [Next] again. Click [Finish].

David Radin is host of the nationally syndicated radio show Internet Insider, a local version of which is aired on KDKA AM 1020 on Saturdays at noon.