by Carl E. Frahme, Ph.D.

Are you sick and tired hearing about the Internet and Web sites? Hopefully not, because you are using the Web to view this page. And thank you very much for doing so!!! However, do you use the Net on a regular basis? Do you fully comprehend the amazing resource it has turned out to be? Do any of us really comprehend that???

Let me tell you a few of the things I have done on the Net lately. Of course, I routinely use E-mail- it's quick and inexpensive. Return messages are a snap. Attachments to E-mail come through like "fresh off the press" literature when printed on my laser printer. My Web page has brought me potential customers from all over the United States and the world. It is a low cost way to advertise worldwide.

It's the business uses that have become so impressive. I can find information on an incredible array of topics quickly, and the depth of information I find is truly staggering. For a fun example, look at my On the Light Side page. I found the stationery supply house that supplies my "spectrum" stationery and other paper items through their Web site. It's a perfect match for my Full Spectrum Consulting theme! I can learn more about potential clients, suppliers, and my or their competitors via Web sites. I can get addresses (E-mail too), phone numbers, and even directions and maps using the many directories available on-line. I buy technical and pleasure books on-line. I have found suppliers for all sorts of equipment for projects I am doing for clients. I located over 50 used vacuum pumps in less than one hour on one excursion. I obtained a huge amount of information on preparing a business plan for a new ceramic artist client who, incidently, found me using the powerful Web search engines. I also found the Web sites of other artists for ideas (hundreds of them!). FCS is developing on-line courses, and I found an on-line workshop on ALN (Asynchronous Learning Networks) for developing courses very helpful. I viewed the sites of universities and critiqued some actual on-line courses. This is "cutting edge" stuff! I obtained an update on health and safety issues related to refractory fiber (one of my specialties). I was asked to critique ads in the Bulletin of the American Ceramic Society, and the Web sites (or lack of them) were helpful to me in contacting some of these advertisers.

And then there are the personal uses. It's an amazing list: topics related to my church; info on travel trailers; a search for personal dental insurance; college searches for and by my son; real estate information and travel information in areas of interest, including discount coupons; information on cremation and scattering of ashes; airline reservations; the names of Greek gods of mythology for my grandson; locating and ordering books, including those out of print; and a lot more!

My Internet hook-up costs $12/month, including E-mail, for 60 hours of time (I seldom use that much). My Web site now costs me $20/month, although it will go up soon when my courses go on-line. It cost $100 to register my www.frahme.com URL for two years. This Web site was done by me on my own computer.

My point is this- the Net is here to stay, it is incredibly useful, and it's only in its infancy. I consider it indispensible!! It's easy to use! It's fun! In fact, one has to have a bit of self-discipline to keep from spending too much time "surfing."

If you are not using this resource, I urge you to start. If your company does not have a Web site, it's truly time to have one. Remember, it's interactive! If you'd like to get started in this direction, give me a call. I can assist.