Keep your information superhighway. I'll sail on the electronic ocean, thank you. Need crew for the Wednesday night club race? Post an electronic mail message and you could fill the boat in minutes. Look up a design review online, check the electronic classified ads for the price and availability, then join an electronic discussion and ask for opinions from other sailors. It's all possible now, and the possibilities for the future are mind boggling.
The explosive growth of online services is making it easy and affordable to take advantage of high-tech communications once available only to students and university students. Growing numbers of sailors are using their computers to access a wealth of information online.
To join the online fleet, you will need a personal computer equipped with a modem. A modem is a device that lets your computer connect with worldwide networks of computers over an ordinary phone line. Next, you must choose an online service. Two with extensive resources for sailors are CompuServ and America Online (AOL). Others that may be useful are AT&T, Bellsouth, Verizon and etc. Each service provides a network of local phone numbers, so you do not have to pay long-distance charges to connect. Most offer an introductory membership that includes several hours of free time to explore the service.
Using a computer and a modem to connect to an online service be a little daunting. But remember, once you are connected, there are literally millions of online users who will be happy to guide you through the sometimes confusing world of cyberspace.
The explosive growth of online services is making it easy and affordable to take advantage of high-tech communications once available only to students and university students. Growing numbers of sailors are using their computers to access a wealth of information online.
To join the online fleet, you will need a personal computer equipped with a modem. A modem is a device that lets your computer connect with worldwide networks of computers over an ordinary phone line. Next, you must choose an online service. Two with extensive resources for sailors are CompuServ and America Online (AOL). Others that may be useful are AT&T, Bellsouth, Verizon and etc. Each service provides a network of local phone numbers, so you do not have to pay long-distance charges to connect. Most offer an introductory membership that includes several hours of free time to explore the service.
Using a computer and a modem to connect to an online service be a little daunting. But remember, once you are connected, there are literally millions of online users who will be happy to guide you through the sometimes confusing world of cyberspace.
