| When I started using the Internet, it was primarily to | | | | instantaneously online with a messenger service like |
| communicate with my boyfriend after I went away | | | | Windows Messenger or AOL Instant Messenger. You |
| to college. Emails were simple text messages and | | | | can see when your friends or family are online and |
| connection speeds were 14K. Twelve years later, | | | | correspond with them by text. This is usually one on |
| that boyfriend is my husband and email is colorful, | | | | one interaction unless you join a chat room with |
| elaborate, and instantaneous.Friends and families who | | | | multiple people. Newer features in the messaging |
| once used to keep in touch infrequently with high | | | | programs including web cams and file sharing.5. Digital |
| long-distance rates and slow postal mail are now | | | | pictures. Did you know that you can upload your |
| getting net savvy and using new modes of | | | | digital pictures online and share your album for free? |
| communication to stay closer than ever. Here are 7 | | | | Find a good digital printing company such as Kodak |
| ways to use the Internet to connect with friends | | | | and you will likely be able to email a link with pictures |
| and family.1. Email. It is almost a no-brainer, but it | | | | to friends and family for their own viewing. |
| needs listed because many people do not use it to its | | | | Depending upon the service, they may even be able |
| potential. If you only have email access at work and | | | | to order their own prints. This saves you from having |
| do not want to use your work account for personal | | | | to figure out how to resize the picture or attach |
| email (a good idea!), try a web-based service like | | | | huge files to your emails.6. Message Boards. Called by |
| Yahoo and Hotmail. Create address books to send | | | | different names such as bulletin boards or chat |
| messages to numerous people at one time. Make | | | | boards, message boards allow you to post messages |
| sure that you understand netiquette (etiquette on | | | | by topic and allow others to respond. These can be |
| the Internet) such as not typing in all capital letters (it | | | | public or private. You can host your own if you have |
| is SCREAMING) and be careful not to forward along | | | | a website, join another website as free members, or |
| spam. Check out any possible hoaxes at 2. Build a | | | | pay for a private board hosted by someone else. |
| family homepage. Use it to post family events and | | | | Depending upon the host, you will have different |
| information such as new baby announcements, | | | | functions such as the ability to add pictures, receive |
| directions to the wedding, and vacation pictures. You | | | | emails when people respond to your posts, or control |
| can get a free homepage through some Internet | | | | membership.7. Start a blog. Short for "web log," this is |
| providers like AOL. Other companies will host your | | | | basically an online diary. Friends and family members |
| page for free if they can advertise with banners on | | | | can keep up with what you are doing on a daily basis. |
| your page. Our first page was a simple page using | | | | It is not as interactive as the other communication |
| Microsoft FrontPage that gave information about our | | | | methods above, but it has its benefits. Specific uses |
| wedding. Our next was a baby announcement with | | | | for this might be a pregnant mom, a new mom, or |
| pictures within hours of our first daughter being born. | | | | someone with health problems. Free blog services are |
| If you don't want to create the page yourself, use a | | | | everywhere these days. In some services, these can |
| quick and easy template like those at Babies Online.3. | | | | also be called "journals."In the 21st Century, |
| Start a message list. Allow friends and family to | | | | communication with family members is becoming |
| choose whether they want to stay connected by | | | | increasingly faster and cheaper. The only question |
| email or web by creating a distribution list such as a | | | | remaining is whether that is a good or a bad |
| Yahoo Group where members need a password to | | | | thing!Tricia Meyer, J.D., has spent more than 10 years |
| join. You can keep the list small by including only | | | | on the Internet helping others save money, connect |
| immediate family or make it large by including your | | | | with friends, and gather information. She is the |
| entire high school graduating class.4. Instant | | | | co-owner of Helping Moms Connect. |
| messaging. Instead of phone calls, talk | | | | |