Nov 95 Windows Online

BY: Julie R. Blumenfeld

When you're online, a seemingly simple inquiry can set you adrift for hours. You can drive down connect costs if you surf smart. Follow these pointers and you won't get in over your head.

• Plan ahead: When you're searching for specific information, create a plan of attack before you log in. Pick the best sites for searching and don't deviate from the topic at hand.
• Watch the clock: If you're just out for a cruise, give yourself a time limit and stick to it. You know how much time you can afford to spend online each month.
• Get offline: Do as much as you can before you log in. Compose that e-mail before the clock starts ticking. And don't forget about the many offline readers and programs available, such as CSNav for CompuServe, Flash Mail on America Online and E-Mail Connection.
• Mark your place: Most browsers and services let you create hotlists or bookmarks. If an area intrigues you, add it to your personal list by selecting Bookmarks/Add Bookmark. This way, you can get there right away the next time you log in.

• After receiving a long-awaited face-lift, Yahoo is now supplying 10 hourly updated Reuters NewMedia news briefs. n Radio stations are signing up for Xing Technology's StreamWorks. This server software works with existing HTML-based browsers to deliver real-time audio and video.
• Letterman fans can hang with Dave without staying up late. "CBS on AOL" premieres this fall, featuring highlights of the network's programming.
• Grolier Electronic Publishing has launched Grolier's Online (http: //www.grolier.com/). The site features educational content, trivia and product information.

If you're a news addict, the World Wide Web is the place to go for a fix. Browse headlines, check the wire services, search resource directories and even subscribe to an online version of the news.

http: //www1.trib.com/NEWS/APwire.htm

The Trib.com AP Wire site offers both a preselected headline search and a live-wire search by subject.

http: //www.newslink.org/

You'll find more than 1,700 links to newspaper, broadcast and magazine sources at this news resource directory.

http: //www.newspage.com/

The 500 information sources and 25,000 pages on this subscription-based news service from Individual, Inc. are refreshed daily.

http: //www.usatoday.com/

A USA Today online subscription costs $12.95 a month for three hours ($2.50 per additional hour). Sign up, and the company will mail you a browser for $4.95.

http: //nytimesfax.com/

All the news that fits in an eight-page fax in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format is included in this fax edition of The New York Times.

Newbies and netwizards alike will agree that Jumbo is a mammoth site. The archive, at http: //www.jumbo.com/, has more than 21,000 freeware and shareware programs, with full program descriptions and a search function.

If you're a newbie, you'll find that Jumbo is a great place to learn how to download, unzip and install shareware. You'll find walk-through instructions about downloading with different browsers, and a Getting Started Kit containing decompression and anti-virus utilities and easy instructions.

Undecided about subscribing to The Microsoft Network? Well, here's an incentive for you--WinMag.

WINDOWS Magazine will offer a bulletin board, chat room and download area, as well as pointers to our Web site. You'll find us in the publications section of the Computing and Software area.