Unit 13-3 How to Keep Up

After completing this unit, you will be able to:

• Keep up with the changes that are occurring on the Internet.
• Join listservs that will e-mail you periodic summaries of the latest Internet news.
• Bookmark Web sites that announce and explain changes in technology.
• Peruse catalogs for new products that may interest you.
• Subscribe to free magazines that review and compare the new products.
• Read books that will extend your knowledge of computers, multimedia, and the Internet.

Reading

Read chapter 27 of the Internet Literacy textbook to study the concepts covered by this unit.

Online Activities

In a traditional course, the last chapter of a textbook might be considered "the end." In this course, however, it's only the beginning. For the rest of your life, the Internet will continue to evolve in exciting ways. What you have learned so far is only the beginning. Since so much of your success in life will depend on how well you keep up with the Internet, this final chapter is critically important, because it provides you with ways to use the technology to keep up with what's happening. Here are some specific activities you should consider doing online:

• Your textbook recommends listservs that will send you periodic e-mail messages to keep you up-to-date with what's happening in technology. In addition to the listservs mentioned in chapter 27, check the listserv section of the Interlit Web site for the most recent listserv advice.
• Your textbook tells you how to subscribe to an incredible catalog called the Computer Shopper. It also recommends a few online catalogs. For the most recent information on catalogs, follow the links in the catalog section of the Interlit Web site.
• Chapter 27 lists periodicals that will help keep you up-to-date on the new technology. Several of these periodicals are free. Be sure to apply for your free copy, by following the instructions provided in the text. For links to Web sites that will help keep you updated, follow the links in the Periodicals and Web Sites section of the Interlit Web site.
• Subscribe to all four of the listservs recommended in Table 27-1 of your textbook. As you begin receiving information from the listservs, you will develop a feel for which ones you like best. After a few weeks of comparing the messages you receive, you can unsubscribe from the listservs you no longer want. The author predicts that you will fall in love with the NewsScan listserv. It's the best single resource for keeping up with what's happening on the Internet.
• This may be the last chapter in the Internet Literacy text, but it's only the beginning of your life on the Internet. Live that life fully, and enjoy!