Harley Hahn Quotations

Quotes from
Harley Hahn Teaches the Internet,
Second Edition (1999)

Page 3:: For the rest of your life — and for many years to follow — there will be an Internet and it will always be up. In fact, the Internet is so large and so complex that there is really no way to turn it off.
Page 3:: The Internet provides a safe way for people to gather, and, when people feel safe, they have a natural tendency to share and to help one another.
Page 3:: The Internet is a wonderful system, and in a very real sense, it reflects our biological destiny as a species.
Page 5:: We (the human race) have created a huge, global information network in which computer programs — like trained robots — are constantly running around doing things for us.
Page 7:: Thus, what keeps the Internet running is millions of computers running millions of programs, all talking to each other.
Page 9:: When you use a computer, it is common to talk as if you and the computer form one indivisible unit.
Page 10:: The Internet is a place where how you talk and how you act is much more important than what you look like, where you live, or how much money you have.
Page 12:: No one runs the Net and no one owns the Net, but don't let that bother you. No one owns the sun and the stars, and no one runs the air, the water and the land, but somehow everything works just fine.
Page 13:: As strange as it seems, on the Net, information has a life of its own. If you offer something that is important or useful or interesting or fun, the word will spread and the right people will find you.
Page 13:: The Net helps people find what they want when they want it, and it brings like-minded people together to share and to collaborate.
Page 15:: Just because you read something on the Net doesn't mean you should believe it.
Page 15:: No matter what you believe, there are many, many people in the world who disagree, and a lot of them are on the Net.
Page 15:: Tolerance not only makes you easier to get along with, it can open doors you didn't even know existed.
Page 15:: The Internet is a safe place to explore ideas that are strange to you, and to meet people with different values.
Page 15:: If you give the Net a chance, it will bring out the best in you.
Page 15:: Not everything on the Net is good for you.
Page 19:: When it comes to the Net, just about anything you can think of is out there somewhere.
Page 23:: Human beings love to communicate. We love to talk, argue, share information, complain, gossip, solve problems, tell jokes, spread rumors, ask questions and help one another.
Page 31:: On the Net, you never need to be alone. There is always someone to talk to.
Page 31:: Real life is fine when it's time to balance your checkbook or go to the dentist, but once in a while we can all use a break.
Page 32:: Reality is just a crutch for people who cannot cope with fantasy.
Page 37:: Get the fastest computer you can afford. You will not regret it.
Page 47:: A computer is a tool for your mind, and you deserve the best such tool you can afford.
Page 49:: When you connect to the Net, the most important consideration is the speed of your connection. Faster is better, and a lot faster is a lot better.
Page 55:: Everyone who sells computer connection hardware always misrepresents the speed.
Page 81:: The most important service on the Internet is electronic mail.
Page 110:: In general, whenever you send mail, you should always ask yourself, "What can I do to make the message easy for the other person to understand?"
Page 121:: When someone forwards you [an email] message alerting you to something bad or outrageous, do not forward the message unless you are sure it is true.
Page 121:: Never, ever send [an email] message that would cause you problems or embarrassment if it were to be made public.
Page 124:: Every time you send [an email] message, it does more than convey words from one place to another. The messages you send also represent you to another person.
Page 124:: When you start to use a system that millions of people are already using, it is not a good idea to try to redefine the rules.
Page 125:: On the Internet, people are individuals.
Page 125:: Every person who uses the Internet should have his or her own mail address.
Page 129:: Whenever someone gives you a present, you are obligated to send that person a thank-you note. This is not optional.
Page 130:: On the Net, typing in all caps is considered to be highly emphatic and rarely appropriate, so don't do it unless you really mean to.
Page 131:: On the Net, it is customary to use your name only. Do not use an honorific, such as Dr. or Prof., or a designation, such as M.D. or Ph.D. It will only make you look pretentious.
Page 132:: Whenever you receive a mail message that makes you angry, always force yourself to wait 24 hours before answering the message. No exceptions.
Page 133:: Every message you send is only a few keystrokes away from being forwarded to anyone on the Net. Mail is not private.
Page 140:: There is only one sure way to keep yourself out of the spam lists: do not allow your address to get on a list in the first place.
Page 141:: No one on the Net has a right to demand your mail address for any reason.
Page 145:: If you have a need for encryption, it's probably a psychological one.
Page 148:: At times, you may feel that the Web is overwhelming and the features of your browser are incoherent. If so, I want you to remember a secret that will make your life a lot easier: You don't need to understand everything.
Page 157:: It is much better for your children if their time on the Internet is more like a classroom experience (slow, thoughtful and rewarding) than like a video game (fast, superficial and meaningless).
Page 157:: If your children use the Web, get an ad blocking program.
Page 158:: During times of total confusion, the phone number of a nerd is worth more than all the built-in help facilities in the world.
Page 161:: The Web seems like a place, but it is really a thing.
Page 166:: You can't do any harm by right-clicking.
Page 167:: There is nothing cosmic about the number 404.
Page 187:: Never do business with a company or person over the Web unless their Web site gives their phone number and postal address.
Page 188:: When it comes to sending personal information on the Web, you can assume that the Net itself is safe. However, you do need to confirm that the people who will be receiving the information are trustworthy.
Page 190:: Technology, no matter how sophisticated, is not a substitute for common sense.
Page 198:: The only way you can get a virus on your computer is to run a program that already contains the virus.
Page 201:: Do not forward any type of virus warning to anyone until you have checked it out.
Page 203:: Just because someone in a Web chat room says she is a 15-year-old girl, it doesn't mean she really is a 15-year-old girl.
Page 206:: Realistically, there is no such thing as a computer program or a ratings system that is going to protect your children.
Page 210:: When it comes to searching the Internet, it is far more important to develop your own skills than to use a lot of different search engines.
Page 213:: No matter what you need to know, there are people on the Net who already know it and would be glad to help you.
Page 227:: The Internet has a rhythm, and once you tune into this rhythm, you will almost always be able to find whatever you want, whenever you want it.
Page 227:: Give a man information about a fish, and he will be satisfied for a day. Teach a man how to find information about fish on the Internet, and he can satisfy his needs for a lifetime.
Page 234:: We are shaped by our tools more than we like to admit.
Page 243:: A moment spent reading the instructions can sometimes save you a lot of bother.
Page 251:: If you have never participated in a completely open discussion, it may take you a while to get used to the freedom in Usenet.
Page 272:: You will find more than naked men and women on Usenet.
Page 275:: Most people on Usenet are nice, but there are some idiots.
Page 275:: As you get older, one of the great lessons you learn about life is that it is okay to ignore people you don't like.
Page 298:: Human beings need to connect to one another, and that is why we have built so many tools to communicate using the Net.
Page 302:: Much of the conversation in Web chat rooms is transient and superficial. This not the place for deep conversation or meaningful relationships.
Page 309:: One of the big advantages to talking to someone over the Internet (or over the telephone) is that you do not have to look at each other while you are having a conversation.
Page 319:: Muds are magical places. There is nothing else like them, on or off the Net.
Page 322:: Isn't it amazing that you can sit in front of your computer and, just by clicking your mouse and typing on your keyboard, talk to people all over the world?
Page 322:: The Internet is a part of our mainstream culture, and meeting people on the Net is considered a normal, legitimate way to make friends.
Page 322:: You may hear someone talk about the Internet as if it were different from "real life", but for a great many people, the Net is part of real life.
Page 322:: When you begin to talk on the Net, it is easy to feel confused and overwhelmed.
Page 322:: Not everyone on the Net is polite, and a few people take particular delight in being mean to newcomers.
Page 322:: There are many thousands of people using the Internet to talk right now, and most of them aren't nearly as smart as you.
Page 323:: Remember, people judge you by what they see, and on the Net, all they can see is your words.
Page 323:: When your mind wants to say something, your fingers will figure out what to do.
Page 323:: As you talk on the Net, you are in an environment where people's ideas and personalities matter more than who they are or where they live.
Page 324:: On the Internet, people can present themselves in any way they want, and it is human nature for all of us to dwell on our strengths and downplay our weaknesses.
Page 324:: Talking on the Net is fun, and making friends is certainly rewarding, but you must never forget that there is more to life than the Internet.
Page 324:: You are a human being, so don't forget you need fresh air, exercise, and face-to-face relationships that involve normal responsibilities and obligations.
Page 324:: Go outside. The Net will be there when you get back.
Page 343:: Save your questionable activities for the privacy of your own home.
Page 348:: Share your passion with the world.
Page 364:: There are too many Web sites out there that have nothing to say.
Page 366:: Never, ever use a notice that says your Web site is "under construction".
Page 375:: When the going gets tough, the tough get their own domain names.