Paul's Internet for Beginners Blog

If you use Cable or DSL broadband at home, you are a juicy target for hackers! Thousands of nasty juveniles prowl for unprotected systems, waiting for a naive user to leave security openings: guest account, admin logon, ICF service, private folders, and limited accounts... learn how to plug your XP security holes here....

It's frightening just how bad it is, folks. In a shocking video expose, security pro Jacques Erasmus explains and demonstrates how an unprotected XP computer will get assaulted within seconds, and then hijacked as a "zombie" for criminal use. See the frightening video here.

Sorry, students, but typing a keyphrase into Google and copy-pasting a web page link is not legitimate research. True scholars cringe at the millions of lazy students who think that this kind of Googling is the same as true research. If you truly want to make the Internet a formal academic resource, then you need to respect that disciplined work is required. Firstly, you have to spend time filtering out millions of pages of Internet drivel to find a decent source. Secondly, you will likely have to do "Deep Web" scrounging to find periodicals and time-sensitive resources. Thirdly, you need to employ proven theories and protocols for authenticating and citing what you do find. If no one has ever taught you these formal research methods, then click here for a quick primer on proper Internet research.

So, you're participating in an online discussion forum about Barack Obama, and you see two users shouting: "WTT BBF for twenty bucks!" and "LF new BBF, will pay good money". Well, these peculiar acronym expressions stand for "want to trade my 'best buddy forever'" and "looking for new best buddy forever". It is a playful way of saying "Hah, I am angry with my online best friend over this conversation topic". BBF, like many other Internet expressions, is part of online conversation culture. Here are 322 other common Internet expressions explained...

The Internet has a goldmine of medical databases and specialized medical sites that just don't show up on a cursory search in the search engines. Best of all, this information is free. As long as you understand that online medical information is never a substitute for the expertise of a real, live doctor, then these are tremendous informational resources for your initial medical questions.

A competitor to IE and Firefox is being released today for beta download. Google's "Chrome" web browser will be available later this Tuesday afternoon.

• Read more about Google Chrome browser here.
• Download Google Chrome browser beta here.

(image copyrighted by Google)

While it doesn't work in landscape mode, and some bulk functions don't work well, this iPhone software is still very good. If you have an iPhone, or want to get an iPhone, definitely read Heinz Tschabitscher's review of iPhone Email...

Known as "netbooks" or "subnotebooks", these mini-laptops are a worldwide experiment in cheap computers. Originally a push to get computers into developing countries, netbooks are now getting popular in North America. Ranging from $100 to $400, these little computers are good for emailing and simple document work. They're something between PDA's and laptops. Mark Kyrnin tells us more...

"Who will give me tech support in a coffee shop? What security am I responsible for? What security is guaranteed me through a public wireless connection? Do I have to buy something to use the local hotspot?" All these questions and more are answered in this very helpful wireless tutorial...

Cyberbullying is becoming a big problem, especially amongst teens. Through the streams and beams of the Internet, youths are inflicting psychological abuse on each other. It's sad, but true. Christy Matte explains cyberbullying, and how to defend against it... (photo © Maciej Noskowski / Getty Images)