Issue 1.1 March 1995

Bandwidth
by Don Rittner

During the last ten years, a relatively quiet communications revolution has
been taking place around the world. If you own a personal computer, and a
modem, you can become part of this revolution with little effort! The
Mesh-Inside Cyberspace will show you how! The Mesh is your monthly guide to
the fascinating world of online communications.
 The mass media calls it the Information Superhighway (ugh!). Some call it
the Infobahn (worse!). Academics call it the Internet (they named it). The
online community calls it Cyberspace. 
 Those in the know call it The Mesh! No matter what it's called you better
become part of it, or you will feel as isolated as an Afghanistan sheep
herder. Once you are connected to this vast electronic network, you will have
access to millions of people, and billions of pieces of information, all
accessible instantly at the click of a button.
 Each month The Mesh will bring you features, columns, tutorials, and stories
on how to connect to this vast cyberterritory that surrounds the planet. Our
writers will:

 * show you how to get online easily without breaking your bank account; 
 * explore all the online services and show you their best, and worse,
features;
 * show you how to search and find any kind of information; 
 * describe what is hot and not so hot out there in Cyberspace; 
 * teach you how to use all the neat tools of the Net;
 * bring you reviews of software/hardware relating to the online world; and,
 * much more!

All this for free!
 This first issue of The Mesh provides a little for everyone. Learn how to
search for a job online. Like magazines? There  are hundreds of electronic
versions, called Zines, and they are free for the asking. They can be
delivered right to your electronic  mailbox. Learn how to scrap your local
newspaper for international and national news- get your news online 24 hours
a day! Each month attorney Jonathan Rosenoer will provide you with  the
latest legal issues as they relate to Cyberspace -- and there are many. The
husband and wife team of David and Jacqui Kramer will review the commercial
online services, as well as provide tutorials on using the Internet. Madam V
will explore the romantic side of The Mesh. Environmentalists can link up by
reading my monthly EcoLinking column. Learn how to do more than just send
letters with an email account. Yes, Cyberspace is alive and well in the
Capital District too, and we will bring you those local stories. Each issue
of The Mesh will be jam-packed with useful information.
 Cyberspace is a two-way street. We want your feedback. Contact us
electronically, of course. There is a special Mesh area on NEWSLINK, the
area' s leading news and information bulletin board service. You may compose
online letters to the 
editor and also participate in discussions about any of the contents in The
Mesh. Call the BBS at 374-6618, 6444, or 3513. You may use any communications
program to log on (communication settings are: VT100 emulation; 8 data bits,
no parity, and one stop bit). NEWSLINK uses graphical-based BBS software, so
be sure to download the graphical user interface (GUI) if you are a Mac or
Windows user. This will give you a beautiful, and easy to use, point and
click interface. The board is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may
contact all the staff of The Mesh on NEWSLINK.
 Finally, please support our advertisers. They pay the bills.  Be sure to
tell them you saw their ads in The Mesh.
 Until next month, see you online!!