As appearing in Q Press, February 1998
Copyright © 1997 by Michael Stewart, All Rights Reserved
Now that the Internet is so popular, eavesdropping on bar conversations while (blatant plug alert!), leafing through the current issue of "Q" leaves you with the impression that everyone is online, or wants to be. These days, it’s easier -- and cheaper -- than ever to get wired to the net and stake out your own claim in queer cyberspace.
Get Connected: Even as few as five years ago, accessing the online world was a pricey proposition, with (for example), America Online charging a monthly fee and $4.95 an hour to be connected. Nowadays, online access is most commonly available under what’s known as an "All You Can Eat" plan, typically for under $20.00 a month.
Your choice of access provider to the Internet relies partly on where you live and partly on what you want. AOL works as a great introduction to the net, insulating newcomers from many of the more complicated aspects of the online world, but can be costly if you’re not in one of its immediate calling areas. If you can survive without the hand-holding, your best bet is to sign up with a regular Internet Service Provider, or ISP. True, you won’t get a catchy sound clip announcing that you’ve received e-mail, but neither will you have to tolerate AOL’s notorious anti-gay censorship. Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and all the outlying regions are served by a host of ISPs, all with different plans, services and costs. Visit each local firm’s website for an overview, and ask your online friends whom they’d recommend. Especially if you don’t live in the downtown area, make sure the access points -- the telephone numbers you must dial in order to be connected -- are local calls for you. Otherwise, you could end up saving money on net access just to hand it over to Ma Bell by the truckload.
Set Up A Homepage: Once you’re connected -- or if you’re already an old hand -- the next step is to establish yourself on the World Wide Web. If you’re on America Online, each of the five screennames that come with your account include 2 megabytes (roughly equivalent to 1,000 typed pages), of webspace just begging to be used. If you access the net through a conventional Internet service provider, your account may or may not include webspace; you’ll have to check. If it doesn’t, no need to worry; there’s more than one spot on the web that’s just giving it away for the asking.
The original Internet "homestead" site is GeoCities (http://www.geocities.com), which offers up to 2 megabytes of webspace at no charge. Prospective webbers (or "homesteaders" as they’re fond of calling them), select addresses in neighborhoods organized by page type. GLBT sites are usually established in the "West Hollywood" neighborhood, but you can choose any that appeal to you if another is more appropriate. Being the original site of its kind, GeoCities has the most people, but check their content guidelines and restrictions carefully before investing too much time and effort. What you might want to do may not be what they would consider appropriate, especially if it’s risqué.
Tripod (http://www.tripod.com), also offers 2 megabytes of webspace gratis, and seems not to frown quite so much on adult-oriented material, such as nude pictures of oneself. Tripod webpages use a different addressing system than do those on GeoCities, relying on your choice of a user name instead of a numerical address.
FortuneCity (http://www.fortunecity.com), a newcomer to the scene based in the United Kingdom, ups the ante by offering a staggering 6 megabytes of free webspace. Similar in nature to GeoCities, homepages are organized by neighborhoods, each with a different theme. FortuneCity’s content guidelines for what’s permissible are a bit more restrictive than either GeoCities or Tripod, but if you need the 6MB of webspace to showcase your collection of aboriginal party favors, you can’t beat the price.
Each of the three sites -- GeoCities, Tripod and FortuneCity -- recognize that not everyone is a computer wizard or is proficient in HTML (short for "HyperText Mark-up Language"), the lingua franca of webpages. Each offers interactive tools to help even the rawest beginner publish a simple homepage with no learning curve required. When your skill level is more advanced, you can skip the hand-holding entirely and publish your own HTML pages with a simple file transfer utility. If you’ve got the time, it may even be worthwhile to establish free homepages on all three services, giving yourself the luxury of experimentation and then keeping only the one you like best.
AOL users have similar features at their disposal. Jump to keyword "myplace" for a complete rundown on what you can and can’t do, and how to do it.
Spread the Word: The most remarkable homepage in the world is pointless if no one visits it. Once you’ve done enough that you’re comfortable having others see your work, begin publicizing it. Start with your friends, who will often catch mistakes you might have missed and who’ll doubtless give you their unvarnished opinions (that’s what friends are for, isn’t it?). Once you’ve passed the hurdle of friends, start submitting your site to the more popular Internet search sites, such as Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com), and AltaVista (http://www.altavista.digital.com). Finally, hit the queer-specific cyberspace outposts: GLWeb’s Rainbow Query (http://www.glweb.com), the GayZoo (http://www.gayzoo.com), and GayStuff.Com (http://www.gaystuff.com), and list yourself.