High Speed DSL Now Available in Gainesville, Fla.
You asked for it! And the Atlantic.Net team is excited to announce the launch of High Speed DSL Internet Access, now available to customers in the Gainesville, Fla. area. For just $24.95 a month, you can enjoy speeds up to 2.3 Mbps — that's 70 times faster than dial-up! Accounts include 10 e-mail addresses, 15 MB of personal Web space, the SpamScope junk e-mail filter, Webmail, 24/7 tech support, and the Surf portal. AAA members enjoy a discounted rate of only $23.95 monthly.

If you live in Gainesville and want to find out if High Speed DSL Internet Access is available to you, visit us online or call toll-free at (877) GO-ATLANTIC. That's (877) 462-8526 or (352) 375-2912 in Gainesville, Fla. Atlantic.Net plans to offer High Speed DSL access in other areas in the future. Stay tuned for details!



A Suite Deal on Local & Long Distance Services
Here’s some refreshing news! Did you know Florida residents* now have a better choice about the company that provides their local and long distance? Atlantic.Net has teamed up with Atlantic.Net Broadband to give you the freedom to choose a plan that fits your lifestyle, along with the flexibility to combine your local, long distance, and dial-up services on one bill! Atlantic.Net Broadband offers competitive rates and friendly customer service representatives, and you’ll enjoy popular add-on features such as caller ID and call waiting! Plus, the more you choose, the more you’ll save! Phone service plans range from $29.95 to $57.95, depending on the package you select and your service area.

Choose from:
• SuiteDial — combines local and long distance services
• SuiteConnect — combines local, long distance, and Internet services
• Create-A-Suite — allows you to choose your own services and package them at discounted rates

So what are you waiting for? Switching is FREE and you can even keep your phone number! Contact Atlantic.Net Broadband at (800) 250-3443 or (352) 224-0150 in Gainesville, Fla., or check out www.anbroadband.net for a complete listing of availability and pricing.

*Service may not be available in all areas of Florida. Please check www.anbroadband.net for availability and pricing in your area.



Downloading Do's: Keep Your Computer Safe
Any software you download contains executable files that help the programs install and run. Usually this process runs smoothly, but sometimes these executables are laced with viruses or other dangerous material that could severely damage your computer. That's why you should take these precautions before downloading files from the Internet.

• Do know who the file is from. If you're downloading a file through e-mail, make sure you know the sender. Also, visit Surf's Account Tools page to learn about current viruses that are floating around on the Internet. Some of these viruses send e-mails from people you know without their knowledge. If you aren't sure that a file is safe, contact your friend and confirm that it is.
• Do make sure that you have a virus detector on your computer. Programs like VirusScan Home 8.0 or Norton AntiVirus scan your computer for bugs. If the programs find anything on your computer from a download, they will fix it. You can also take advantage of free computer scanners like HouseCall.
• Do be aware of the many viruses posing as money-making programs, and the many hoaxes posing as viruses. Just as there are pranksters who love to send viruses, there are others who enjoy scaring folks by making up viruses. To find out if an e-mail or attachment you received falls under either of these categories, visit F-Secure.
• Do avoid spam by either blocking it using SpamScope or by being careful about to whom you give your e-mail address. Each time you fill out a form online, think twice before giving out your personal e-mail address. If you see an option to refuse to receive "news" or other e-mails, use it. But be aware that the best way to avoid spam overload is to not give out your e-mail address in the first place.

Written by Laurie Mascia



Surfin' Safari: Beat the Holiday Shopping Rush
If you're like me, you'll do anything to avoid those shopping crowds between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Well this year, while everyone else is at the mall, pushing and shoving their ways to potential holiday gifts, you can avoid the rush, sit back, and relax while purchasing yours online. Check out these stores where smart Santas shop!

• Amazon.com — Buy anything from books to movies to clothing, or even kitchenware, on this popular site that features FREE shipping on orders over $25. If you can't find it at Amazon.com, you'll be hard-pressed to find it anywhere.

• Overstock.com — Save up to 80 percent on everything here, including shipping. This Web site has the lowest prices on overstocked merchandise, and often has specials on shipping as well.

• DiscoveryChannelStore.com — From toys to telescopes to Trading Spaces merchandise, from health to home accents, from Crocodile Hunter to cool electronics, you'll find gifts for everyone on your list here.

• PETsMART.com — When you're hanging up those stockings by the fire, don't forget to fill the ones for Fifi and Rover. Find all the products your pets are wishing for at PETsMART.com.

• Expedia.com — She may only find empty boxes under the tree, but those cruise tickets in her stocking will turn that frown upside down in seconds.

• Hickory Farms — What's a holiday without a gift from Hickory Farms? You'll find unique gifts ideas for those hard-to-shop-for folks on your list right here.

• Personal Creations — There's nothing quite like a gift that's been personalized just for you, now is there?

• UncommonGoods — It's where Santa goes to shop for those uncommonly good people on his list.

And don't forget, your favorite store may just have its very own Web site. Just look for it on your favorite search engine.


Written by Laurie Mascia



Surfer Dude Answers Your Questions
He's the PC professor, the gigabyte guru, the ruler of ROM. He's Surfer Dude!

Q: I'm fairly new to using a computer. I have Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. I would like to put My Favorites as one of the programs to click on after the start menu. I haven't figured out a way to do it and was wondering how? — jjmatt
A: Dude, Windows XP is an awesome operating system because it's so customizable! Try these steps to add features to your Start Menu:
1. First, let's find out if you're in the standard view that comes with XP, or if you're in Classic view. Just click on the Start Menu. If you see an option that says Control Panel, you're in standard view. If you see an option that says Settings, you're in Classic view and need to click on Settings and choose Control Panel.
2. After reaching the Control Panel, you'll want to choose Taskbar and Start Menu.
3. When the properties window comes up, click on the Start Menu tab at the top.
4. On this page, you'll either see a bullet next to Start Menu or Classic Start Menu. If the bullet is next to Start Menu, click on the Customize button. On the next page, click on the Advanced tab at the top, then put a checkmark next to Favorites menu and click OK. If the bullet is next to Classic Start Menu, click on the Customize button, then put a checkmark next to Display Favorites and click OK.
5. Now when you click on your Start button, you'll have an option that says Favorites.

Q: How do I copy a Web address from an e-mail message and paste into my browser? — June
A: Dudette, all you gotta do is highlight the address by holding down the left mouse button as you move over the words, then right-click and choose Copy. Next, open your browser and remove everything in the address bar. Right-click in the address bar and choose Paste. All done!

Off to wax my board, mon! — SD

Got a Question?
If you're stumped by a technical conundrum, just Ask the Surfer Dude, and we'll share the answers in future issues.


Simple Service
Tired of juggling 20 pots on the stove every Thanksgiving? Well now you can simplify serving that feast using your roaster oven and the Rival BR-200 Roaster Oven Buffet Server from Amazon.com. You'll find more great fall bargains at The Surf Shop.

Tech Tip: Protect Your Personal Information
You're getting strange charges on your bank account. Mailing lists you never signed up for are spamming you. You didn't order that Cuisinart! Who you gonna call?!

No, not Ghostbusters. You're not calling anyone because you're going to prevent this from happening instead. Here's a list of the best ways to keep your identity and information secure when you're online:

• Don't use passwords that are easy to guess! Yes, we know it's easier to remember your password if it's your dog's name, but it's easy for others to figure out, too.
• Use alphanumeric passwords. Combinations of letters and numbers are harder to crack.
• Look for "https" on the Web site address. This is a sign of a site that uses a secure server to encrypt any transactions.
• Don't fill out surveys and requests for personal information. This information is often sold to other companies. In extreme cases, you could be signing up for items or services without evening knowing it!
• Don't shop online unless you read the site's security policy and agree with it. You can usually call in your order if you don't feel comfortable.
• Delete your cookies. These store your personal information for the site that created it.
• E-mail is not secure! Do not send any personal information via e-mail for any reason.

OK, so maybe you didn't know these things and now you're in a jam .... What do you do now?

• Immediately talk to your credit card companies so you don't have to pay any fraudulent charges.
• Check your credit rating with the three major companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, so you can see who is asking for your information!


Written by Denise Cole

Got a question for Atlantic.Net's Technical Support team? E-mail us at support@atlantic.net.





How the Internet Can Help You Find Employees
You've placed ads in every local newspaper looking for a qualified employee to replace the valuable righthand guy or gal who's read your every thought for the last five years. You've combed the ads in trade publications and even tried going through an employment agency ... all to no avail. Well, there's still a valuable resource you've left untapped ... it's called the Internet.

Sure, using the Internet may seem a little heavy-handed when you're looking for someone to fill an entry-level position like that of a grocery bagger or a restaurant server, but when you're looking to fill a higher level position, especially one that requires a college degree, then searching online may just save you twelve trips to the paper shredder to cut up those resumes you receive from unqualified applicants.

If you're looking to fill an extremely specialized position, like that of a CFO or CPA, you might use Google's search capabilities to find a specialized site to advertise your job opening, like CFO.com or jobsinthemoney.com.

If you're looking to fill a mid-level position, you might want to try sites like monster.com, careerbuilder.com, hotjobs.com, or FlipDog.com. Sure, you'll pay a fee, but these sites offer you many benefits like:
• Reporting up front when applications don't meet your requirements, saving you valuable resume reading time.
• Keeping your company's identity confidential by making potential applicants respond directly to them, thus saving you time fielding phone calls.
• Searchable resume databases.
• Articles filled with valuable tips for you.
• Automatic e-mail responses sent to applicants for you.






Mail
Atlantic.Net
2815 NW 13th Street, Suite 201
Gainesville, FL 32609

Phone
For sales, service, or support, please call:
• Toll-Free: (877) GO-ATLANTIC
(That's 1-877-462-8526)
• In Gainesville, FL: (352) 375-2912

E-mail
• Business Sales
• Residential Billing Inquiries
• Commercial Billing Inquiries
• Technical Support
• Feedback

Web
• Atlantic.Net http://www.atlantic.net
• Surf portal for members http://surf.atlantic.net
• Atlantic.Net Webmail http://webmail.atlantic.net
• SpamScope junk mail filter http://www.spamscope.com

Other Contact Information

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