Essential Tips for the Web

Set a home page - don't find yourself typing in URLs all the time.
Keep a bookmarks/favourites/hotlist of sites you will return to.
Use two or more copies of the browser at once - read one page while another loads.
(Opera is particularly good for this)
Search naively first using more than one word, get clever if the results are not satisfactory
Run a text/word-processor as well as the browser to copy some things into
Interact  - the web is not television, use the reply features to ask questions or comment.
If you find nothing about what you are searching for - write it up yourself as a page
Useful websites are those which add material frequently




Getting Connected 1.2

Essential Tips for Comms

E-mail

Use the address book (varies from program to program)
Use the Delete key - this should wear out before any of the other keys
Reply - Use the reply button on the program
Quote - enough of the original to let the reader remember what they were discussing, but not the whole message.  Make sure some of your reply is visible on the first part of the message, if replying point by point then put each point below a quoted portion to which you are replying.
RTFM - there are instructive postings when you join lists, there is a manual for all e-mail systems even if it is all in the on-line help.  Read some of it.

FAQ - frequently asked questions and one hopes the frequent answers are usually collected together into a page either sent when one joins a list or in the manual or on the web page.  Everyone should be kind to newbies but newbies should read the FAQ.

If in doubt ask - comms is complex, struggling and losing is likely to inconnvenience other people as well as yourself, ask if you are stuck.  Preferably by e-mail<g>

<g> or :)  - lean your head to the left.  Smileys are useful <g> = grin


Getting Connected 1.3

The LMC Wants You Connected Because

There will be savings in the cost to you of distributing information and answering questions.
Discussion groups, bulletin boards and websites allow an informed debate which has not proved possible with paper media.
You will be able to access information the LMC holds for you, without being buried beneath a flood of information somebody else may want but you do not.
Coordination of GPs and practices through modern communications allows them to avoid manipulation carried out through secrecy and disinformation.  
Electronic communications offer thechance to reduce your workload and do your work more efficiently (see BMJ leader and paper March 1998)

Adrian Midgley
Originally published in GP I think.  1996