Shirley Lew Richmond Public Library

Communicating was never so complicated

It would be easy, cheap, and fast to connect and communicate with anyone in the world.

Well, it is becoming cheaper, and faster than most of us can type. But easy?

I'm not so sure.

There are a dizzying number of ways to communicate these days. On top of our mail and phone numbers, there is e-mail, instant messaging, chat rooms, usenet newsgroups, and listservs. All of this so we can talk to each other!

To make sense of the bewildering array of technologies, here are some simple definitions and useful Web sites to consult. This is by no means a complete list, but a good starting point for the uninitiated.

E-mail: Stands for "electronic mail" and has revolutionized the way we communicate. It is instantaneous, free, and genuinely easy. Like posted mail, the only requirement is that the sender and recipient have an e-mail address.

For those new to e-mail, start with E-mail 101-Tutorial on the Basics of E-mail site at netforbeginners.about.com/ cs/email/a/email101.htm.

Instant Messaging (IM): If e-mail is like mailing a letter, instant messaging is like having a telephone conversation. Instead of talking, text-based messages are typed and exchanged in real-time through the Internet. A big draw of IM is that you are alerted when friends are online and you can have chat room discussions.

Yahoo! Messenger (http://messenger.yahoo.com), MSN Messenger (http://messenger.msn.com) and ICQ.com (http://web.icq.com) are popular IM services.

Usenet: A worldwide bulletin board messaging system.

Usenet contains thousands of online discussion groups, called newsgroups or forums. Like actual community bulletin boards, newsgroups are a place for anyone to post comments, questions, and FYI notices on every imaginable topic, and receive replies.

Long threads of discussion can result from a single posted message in which valuable information is often exchanged.

To find newsgroups and search previous discussions, see Google Groups at groups.google.com. In no time at all, I found tips for buying biking shorts and restaurant recommendations for Seattle. In the usenet world, just ask and you shall receive!

Listservs: E-mail mailing lists. Listservs are like getting magazines delivered to your home. Subscription is required (usually at no cost) and messages are sent to your e-mail address. Replies to messages are sent to the entire listserv group of subscribers.

Like newsgroups, there are thousands of listservs on many subjects. Universities and professional associations are common hosts of listservs. Information about their mailing lists can be found on their web sites or see CataList at www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html, a catalogue of listservs worldwide.

Communicating may have gotten more complex, but can be deeply rewarding. On the Web, what you say and think matters to someone, somewhere-guaranteed.

This column and its links can be accessed from the Internet version of the Richmond Review, found on the Richmond Public Library's website at www.yourlibrary.ca.