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About NCF |
Help | StartPage |
About the National Capital FreenetThe National Capital FreeNet is a large group of people bringing the benefits of the internet to themselves and to the national capital region. Over 100,000 people in the Ottawa region have participated since NCF began in 1992. We'd be happy to have you join us! Seven Things to Know about NCFNCF has standard internet services (internet access, email, newsgroups, web page hosting, etc) and some things not often found elsewhere (eg. unique Spam filtering and text-based FreePort). 1) Getting Connected to NCF's Web Site |
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NCF's main web page is the StartPage, at http://start.ncf.ca. You'll be asked to enter your NCF account ID and password. Of course you can reach NCF from anywhere on the internet. Some ways to get connected to the internet and NCF's web pages and services:
Generally it doesn't matter how you get connected -- all you need is a computer with a web browser to access NCF and most internet services. NCF's computers are here in Canada, at Carleton University. |
Getting a Web BrowserWeb browsers can be downloaded at no cost from their websites: Internet Explorer, FireFox. Or, you can get them on a CDROM from the public library or the NCF office. |
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2) Internet Access Using NCF's High-Speed DSLDSL technology ('Digital Subscriber Line') gives you high-speed internet access over your existing telephone line, always available, without blocking your telephone. It's fast, up to 50 times faster than a dialup connection. Read more about NCF's DSL service here. 3) Internet Access Using NCF's Dial-up Modems |
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NCF has a pool of dial-up modems (yep, one can still get to the internet by dial-up; it's slow but sometimes that's enough):
4) Sending and Receiving EmailNCF provides every member with a personal email address. NCF email addresses are simply a member's account ID (eg., 'ab123') followed by '@ncf.ca', for example, 'ab123@ncf.ca'.
Optionally, you can arrange for an email alias, for example, 'jsmith@ncf.ca'. Information about getting an email alias is available from the StartPage ("Reserve an email alias"). Important: If you already have an email address and don't plan to use your NCF email address, be sure to tell us, using "Change Preferences" at the bottom-right of the StartPage (NCF needs to be able to reach you about your account). Incoming email for you is stored on NCF's computer here in Canada, at Carleton University, until you ask for it. There are two ways to receive email:
We suggest using a mail reader program to read and send email when you are at home, and using NCF WebMail when you are away from home. |
TipSetting up a computer the first time can be tricky. Maybe ask a friend to help; your friend will need information from this web page and your NCF account ID. |
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If you choose to use a mail reader on your computer, consult NCF's Help pages for information to configure your mail reader. 5) Spam Control |
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'Spam' is unsolicited or unwanted email; it's the electronic equivalent of junk mail you get in your mailbox at home. It's mostly advertising from outside Canada, and its content is sometimes offensive. It's mostly an annoyance for people who have published (perhaps inadvertently) their email address; many NCF members do not receive any spam. NCF takes two approaches to control spam: 1) Known sources of spam are blocked, and 2) Tools are provided that put members in control of their mailboxes. Using 'NCF SpamFilter' (developed by NCF), members can completely control what email arrives in their mailbox. Also, NCF provides SpamAssassin, a popular open-source content-analysis spam control program. For people who have a spam problem, the combination of SpamFilter+SpamAssassin works very well. If you start getting spam, check out 'SpamFilter' under 'Tools' on the Startpage. NCF's spam control systems work well, but it still makes sense to be careful with your email address. You can reduce spam by:
Don't take it personally; any spam you receive was probably computer-generated without human involvement and also sent to thousands of other people (even if the spam email you got was addressed only to you and included your name). NCF offers 'disposable email addresses' that you can provide when registering with services that require an email address. For more information, consult NCF's Help pages. |
Cost of SpamA recent study of internet traffic found that about half of all email is spam. Spam raises operating costs by plugging up mail systems, and is a time-consuming nuisance.Customize SpamFilterView or change your spam filter settings from the StartPage by clicking on 'SpamFilter options'. |
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6) Publish a Web Page |
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The internet is a place to share things, and a great way to share is to publish your own web page. Hundreds of NCF members already have web pages. We encourage people to produce web pages; sharing information and perspectives is part of what NCF is about. Publishing a web pages involves two steps:
That's it! Once transferred to NCF, your web pages become visible on the internet. The URL of your page is determined by your NCF account ID; for example, the URL of the web page area for the person with NCF account ID 'ab123' is: http://web.ncf.ca/ab123 (For organizations at NCF, it's http://yourOrg.ncf.ca) To transfer your pages to NCF, the easiest method requiring no set-up is to use NCF's Web File Manager, available from the StartPage as a link in the 'Tools' section. Alternatively, you can use an FTP program. If you use FTP, the 'username' to use with FTP is your NCF account ID with a '-1' ("dash one") appended. For example, FTP information for the person with NCF account ID 'ab123' is summarized below.
(For organizations at NCF, it's different; please consult the Help pages) There is information about creating and publishing web pages in NCF's Help pages. 7) How to get help at NCF |
Members Web PagesMany NCF member web pages are listed in 'Personal Web Pages' from the StartPage. |
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If you have questions regarding NCF services or need help, we suggest the following steps:
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Tip: Find things with SearchThe best way to find things is usually to use a search tool, such as 'Google' on the NCF StartPage. |
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NCF is yours (NCF is governed by its members)NCF is governed and supported by its members. We hope you'll enjoy being an NCF member, and help make our region a better place to live. Welcome to NCF! If I can be of any assistance or if there is something we can do to help, please give me a call at the NCF office, at 613-721-1773 ext 112. --NCF's Executive Director |