Using "MyNet - Anywhere !" in practice

Introduction

[ We recommend to read the introduction at least once when going through this page for the first time - but next time you might want to jump directly to the  start of the description. ]

"MyNet - Anywhere!"  is different to a "bookmark" file and goes far beyond the simple collection of web site addresses (URLs) using a browser. It also does not deal with any technological aspects of the Internet which are fairly irrelevant for most users anyway  [if there is a new browser version available you probably just download and install it, then continue as usual].

Like with all our other tools - it is our aim to allow the user to retrieve the relevant DATA he needs in an easy manner (in this case from the Internet) but also helping him to assemble from this DATA the INFORMATION for further processing or making certain decisions (this is done in our brain - and at the brain level it continues with gaining KNOWLEDGE over time.).

[ We may have a "data" / "information (?)" rich society / economy - but this thing with the "knowledge economy" will take some generations time - a lot of foundations have to be laid first. This has to do with that most people - even politicians - cannot distinguish between: data, information, knowledge, intelligence. ]
 

Some interesting material can be found at the following web sites:

 http://www.7pillars.com/7pppub.html

"Considering the Net as an Intelligence tool" is only one of them. [ 7Pillars Partners is a professional military and intelligence advisory firm. ]

There is also:   http://www.securityfocus.com/  - headquartered in San Mateo, California, a leading provider of security intelligence products and services for business.
 
We have written a major item related to data security in the German language. It is not too hard too follow if you know some basics and the computer jargon in it is the same (it is more than 25 pages and deals with all aspects of data security) - please have a look at it. You will certainly benefit from it (I am working on the English version at the moment).

 datensicherheit.html
 
Another important matter we have to mention:

There is NO direct correlation between the input of IT (information technology - be it hardware, software or internet related) and the overall success of a business - see also the most famous site dealing with these matters:   Paul Strassmann (who probably had the biggest IT budget ever as head of IT at the US Ministry of Defense).

Based on our own experience and monitoring a range of companies in different countries we can only confirm this - IT is a tool like any other tool. Management makes a company (or breaks it).

Sorry folks - esp. in our target group - if someone is telling you that your business will improve when using certain software or worse: hardware - it doesn't work this way !
 

Let's go back to "MyNet - Anywhere !"   .....

"MyNet - Anywhere !" is different (but simple to use)  ...
 

It is often important to share with others the data and information you retrieve from the Internet - therefore we have created "MyNet on a Floppy!" as part of  "MyNet - Anywhere !" allowing you to distribute and to share your data and information. This viewer application is FREELY distributable.

Let's say it so: everything you retrieve from the Internet (URLs, pages, single files etc.) is DATA.

Based on DATA of all sorts we gain INFORMATION - via individual processing of data in our brain -  mostly to prepare and to make decisions of a certain kind. The DATA may be the same - the INFORMATION and the conclusions drawn are often different from person to person.

Through INFORMATION (plus some other factors: like practical experience ...) we gain KNOWLEDGE over time - so it would be more correct to say we live in a "data" or maybe "information" age. This thing in fashion at the moment:  "knowledge economy" might take some generations to develop depending on many other factors. At this stage it is just a buzzword - nothing else.

See also our item:    knowledge.html

Our application is really a practical tool many have been waiting for  ....

OK, what can be done with it - just an example from the TEACHING environment:

It doesn't make much sense for a teacher to surf the net, making notes on paper and then recommend to his students that they visit certain sites for further exploration or to conduct their studies.  There are better ways  ...

What about collecting EVERYTHING from the Internet during surfing that is considered necessary for the intended study purposes - not only URLs, but also entire pages downloaded, single files (documents, images etc.), pre-selecting and listing the pages of interest for the students, making (personal) notes regarding the collected material, creating a "comprehensive" report (with the internal Reportwriter) detailing all the subjects and notes - then put all this in a single .zip file and upload it on a web site for easy download by everyone who is concerned (or give it away on floppy disk, CD ROM etc.)  
 
The time savings alone make this approach worthwhile and save a fortune in financial terms.

This form of "MyNet - Anywhere!" is called "MyNet - on a Floppy".

It is similar to creating a folder structure with a "bookmark" tool - but there are differences:

When you click on the button with the "globe" on it (and then expand the structure with the "Expand All" button or by clicking on the "+" sign in front of CATEGORY) the folder structure will show in each "category" not only the HOME page of a web site but also all pages (belonging to this home page) that you have chosen and allocated.

[ We recommend to use "Expand All" only if you have not too many categories or records on file. Otherwise: open only the category you want to explore by clicking on the "+" sign in front of it - or use the BROWSE facilities available from the INTERNET menu. ]

For any web site (home page) and their allocated pages you can also store an unlimited amount of "individual" objects (files) of all kind (in HTML, documents, images, sounds etc.) belonging to this web site and/or to an individual web page. This is done by clicking on the toolbar button with the graphics symbols on it (chart/slide).

Taking your existing "bookmarks" or "favourites" you can also draw a structure of "categories" you want to implement.
Any category can be modified anytime; also any record can be allocated immediately to any other category !

Depending on the definition of categories in any individual case it is possible that a web site / page could/ should also belong in full or partly (or some details only)  into some other categories (2 or more). Storing a record only once (physically) but allocate it logically to 2 or more categories can be achieved - this is not a problem.

But then we have found that the user could encounter some (practical) problems ( ... we are focussing here on our target group)

Because the category description has to be seen in context with the web sites / pages allocated to it -  it could happen that a web site / page is seen as no longer needed in one category - but still being a valuable resource in another category. If the URL (in: netaddress.tps) would be stored only once in such cases it would be lost for the other category(ies). The whole chain of allocated items to an URL (web pages and individual files) could be totally different if the same URL is used in another context (= category).

Storing the same URL but under another ID is a practical solution to this problem. This is NOT in contradiction to the relational database theory because the other URL has another ID !

The lengthy process to decide about deleting a single instance of web sites / pages in many categories has led us to belief that it is worthwhile for the user to have a clear structure of categories before allocating web sites / pages to them. Also: because "individual files", "web pages" are allocated to "web sites" and they in turn to "categories" it can happen that not all elements in the chain should be removed.

Tip:

If you paste URLs or other texts from a web site into the application always press ENTER at the end of the URL or text to make sure the item is actually stored in the record.

Most people prefer to "click" on the globe and list their web sites / pages with a "title" instead of the URL - this is much more descriptive than relying on something starting with:  "www.xxx  ...." or:  "http://www.xxx....." etc. The asscociation is also much easier - this is the way a human brain works !

How to create "MyNet on a Floppy ?"

 Creating MyNet - on Floppy ! for distribution