fandomhigh | Internet for Dummies, Wednesday 9/13, 3rd Period

The lab is set up with four computer stations in the middle of the room and desks in the back.

"Last week we talked about what the internet is, and this week we're going to learn how to get to the internet." Abby smiled and turned to a list on the white board behind her. "The main kind of connections we're going to study and try out today are dial-up, cable, DSL, and Wi-Fi."

After explaining each of those in more detail, Abby walked to the stations. "You're going to get a chance to try each of these to see the pros and cons. Each station has a different internet service providers or ISP. They offer varying levels of help, annoyance and in some cases, a lot of shiny CD's mailed to your house. Station one and four will be ones you will have to connect to, station two and three you'll already be connected to the internet. I'd like for you to work alone at the first station ~~for my own sanity~~ and with partners for the other three."

"Feel free to ask myself or Mac any questions." Abby walked back up to the front and pointed to a spot on her desk. "I'd like a written paragraph from you about what you liked and hated. Doesn't have to be long or spelled right, just have it on my desk by the end of class."

[~~Wait for OCD please.~~ OCD up! I'll be playing the part of AOL today, which is why you're working alone on that station. Ping into the thread and then I'll guide you through connecting. I should be on all day give or take time for eating and stuff.]

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That probably sucked for the person running the class.

They certainly couldn't expect Pete to pay, right?

"Great, show me the tentacles."

The screen showed it's default window.

Welcome to AOL. What would you like to do now?

"See the tentacles. I told you that."

Pete refrained from whapping the computer. . . . but only barely.

"Goodbye!" The computer said cheerfully and a window popped up.

You have been disconnected due to inactivity.

"Inactivity? What?" Pete poked at the mouse and the keyboard. "I told you to show me the tentacles, you damned machine!"

Abby was beside the computer quickly. "No poking! No poking! Why are you poking!"

"It did somethin'! And not the somethin' I wanted it to do!"

"That doesn't matter! You need to learn how to ask for help before poking." Abby patted the monitor lovingly. "Anymore poking and you get detention."

"Pokin' seemed to work fine yesterday when I showed Joxer how to get to the internet."

Abby bristled and glared at Pete. "Would you like to ask for help, Mr. Hutter?"

"Just a bunch of buttons and such. Ain't no way no machine is gonna be smarter than a Homo Say-peens."

"Smarter than some, I would say." Abby muttered. "Are you finished with this station, then?"

"Do I have to pay for those 36,000 hours of whatever the hell this is? And why does the computer talk to you if it can't listen back?"

"Did you accept the 36,000 hours in the first place?" Abby asked. "It's a sound file that's pre-recorded. The computer is not actually talking to you."

"Sound file? Prerecorded? What the hell are you talkin' about? I heard it talk to me."

Abby headdesked for a moment and smiled tightly at Pete. "Alright, let's take this one step at a time. I don't appreciate your attitude, Mr. Hutter. If you don't understand something you are free to ask Mac or myself for help. I'd like for you to come to my office later this week and watch a film on computer technology so you can gain a respect for the machines that you deal with in class."

"Secondly, a prerecorded sound file is a piece of music or voice that has been copied into the computer. When you do certain things on the computer, the computer replays that noise."

"That don't make any sense whatsoever." Pete rolled his eyes. "And what is watchin' a layer of scum or oil on top of a liquid going to make this make any more sense?"

"You've never seen a movie?" Abby gaped, shocked out of her annoyance.

"What the hell is a 'movie'?" Pete shook his head. "I'm from 1894. We ain't had . . . them things. Not where I'm from."

Abby grabbed her laptop and plopped it on the desk in front of Pete. "Alright, this is a movie. It's moving pictures."

The first ~~meta'd Harry Potter~~ movie played on her laptop. What can she say? Abby had a thing for the goth potions professor.

Pete stared, his jaw flapping in the wind, as it were.

"How do they fit those people in there? The box is too skinny!"

"Remember how I said the computer copies voices and then you can hear them later?" Abby explained. "It does the same with movies. You have pictures in your time. It's the same idea only we have the ability to make them move."

"Fascinatin'." Pete reached out to poke the screen, but stopped just short, shot Abby a glance, and moved his hand to his lap. "An' you want me to watch one o' these on computers?"

Abby beamed at the non-poking. "Sort of. You'll watch it on my plasma scre-" She stopped and looked at Pete. "My really, really big computer screen. The picture will be very clear."

"Ah. Well, Miss Abby, you are the boss in this here locality."

Re: Station One - AOL ISP

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com - 2006-09-13 19:35 (UTC) - Expand

forgottenpants - 2006-09-13 19:38 (UTC) - Expand