1. E-mail.
YOU WILL NEED TWO EMAIL ACCOUNTS FOR THIS COURSE. Here's why:
Like typewriters and ballpoint pens, computers sometimes fail. This is true of electronic mail "servers" as well. So, you need a "back-up" email address on a different email server, in case your primary email server fails some day.
Fortunately, free email is everywhere these days, mainly on the WorldWide Web. Here is a link to a long list of free email servers. Many students use Hotmail, or NetScape mail, or Altavista mail. But there are many. Take your pick.
You can use your ISP at home and an MSU email account; or, your ISP (or MSU account) and a Web-based account; or two different web-based accounts.
You MUST use the MSU 'mail' account as the primary email account for this course. Your second email account is for emergency use, only if the MSU mail server breaks down (rare).
Make sure you do not have two accounts from the same provider: not two AOL accounts (in case AOL crashes), or two Hotmail accounts (in case Hotmail crashes), etc.
I do not recommend AOL. AOL often rejects incoming mail from Montclair State University servers. I cannot be responsible for what AOL does.
My advice to you is this: Use an MSU mail account and one web-based email account for this course. If you have AOL, don't use it for this course.
1. How to set up a free MSU email account
Here are directions for setting up an MSU email account for yourself. There is also a link to these directions on our course's Home Page.
NOTE: To use your MSU email, go to http://webmail.montclair.edu
2. Internet Access at Home.
MSU-ISP
You can get FREE Internet access as a student through MSU!
You'd be crazy not to get it. You're paying for it, after all.
If you have a computer with a modem and a phone line attached to it, you can use the Internet from home. This is a great help, since you can get to all the course pages -- syllabus, schedule, homework assignments -- and also email your homework assignments to me and to your group, from home.
Internet-ready computers can be bought for as little as $300. $400 is a very common price, which will include word processing software and a Web browser. $400 is about the cost of a portable electric typewriter in pre-computer days, and far less than the cost of an office-model electric typewriter in pre-computer days.
3. Streaming Audio
I will assign you at least several lectures and presentations on "streaming audio." Go here for the web page that explains this in more detail. This is very important, and we'll be using it right away -- the first week of class. So make sure to get this set up immediately.
http://chss.montclair.edu/english/furr/internet.html | furrg@mail.montclair.edu | last modified 17 Jan 02