SOFTWARE

Connection Setup Software

VolFirst.net wants your experience on the World Wide Web to be as convenient as it is fun, so we have developed software packages to make setup and connection to VolFirst.net as easy as possible. VolFirst.net software detects and installs all necessary components (TCP/IP, modem, Dial-Up Networking, etc), and installs the settings (phone number, home page, DNS addresses) needed to get up and running. You may order the software on CD-ROM, or download it now using the link below. When prompted, save the file in a directory of your choosing (i.e. C:\My Documents), open the directory in Windows explorer, and double-click the downloaded file to run the connection setup program; follow the onscreen instructions. (Currently, our software packages support Windows 95™, Windows 98™, and Windows 2000™.)


Other Recommended Software

There are several categories of software that are essential for navigating and working on the internet. Aside from the obvious application, the internet browser (which you are using to view this page), you may need any number of other programs for performing various tasks such as sending and receiving e-mail, uploading and downloading files, joining in on internet chat room conversations, etc.

This page provides a listing of recommended applications for use on the internet, and are listed by category. You may scroll down and click on links that take you directly to download pages for specific software, or you may wish to visit the following sites for a wide selection of software:

www.winfiles.com
www.tucows.com
 

Anti-Virus Programs
We place the anti-virus category first in our list because of the great number of viruses already in existence, as well as the large numbers of new viruses being unleashed every day. Computer viruses are programs or scripts that if executed on your computer can cause your computer to exhibit unusual behavior, can cause your computer to lose data, or in worst cases, can render your computer useless requiring a full re-install of the operating system itself. Viruses can be contracted by copying and executing corrupted files from floppy disks or other storage media, or from files downloaded over the internet. We recommend the following anti-virus program:

McAfee VirusScan is a retail anti-virus program that is easy to use and can be set up to scan incoming files and e-mail from the internet.
 

E-mail Programs
E-mail programs are used for sending and receiving electronic mail (e-mail) over the internet. The programs range from basic applications which allow you to send and receive plain text messages, up to specialized applications that allow e-mail filtering and sending attachments with your message such as word processing files or pictures. We recommend one of the following e-mail programs:

Pegasus Mail is a free e-mail program with functionality included that rivals some of the expensive applications on the market. Pegasus Mail was one of the first e-mail clients that allowed for multiple e-mail accounts to be set up in one program.
 
Eudora Light is probably one of the most popular e-mail programs on the internet as it is especially easy to set up, and is also free.
You will need four pieces of information to set up any e-mail client:
  1. Your user name for your e-mail account (provided in your account documentation)
  2. Your e-mail password (provided in your account documentation)
  3. The POP3 server name (volfirst.com)
  4. The SMTP server name (volfirst.com)
     

FTP Programs
FTP programs are named as such because they use FTP (file transfer protocol) to transfer files to and from your computer and a remote computer that allows FTP access. FTP programs are not usually required to download files from the internet (most internet browsers have download capabilities), but are required to upload files from your computer to another such as uploading web page files to your web site server. We recommend the following FTP program:

WS_FTP LE is a free FTP program that is easy to setup and even easier to use.
 

File Compression Programs (Zip/Unzip)
File compression programs (commonly referred to as Zip programs) are used to compress (zip) files, or groups of files, into smaller sizes for faster transfer over the internet, or for copying onto floppy disks. Zip programs also include the ability to uncompress (unzip) files (most files of any size that are available on the internet are provided for download in a zipped format). We recommend the following Zip program:  

WinZip is a shareware (try before you buy) zip program that is easy to setup and even easier to use. It even allows you to distribute your zipped files across multiple floppy disks if the compressed file is still too large for a single floppy.
 

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) Programs
IRC programs are used to "chat" with others over the internet. IRC groups covering most any topic imaginable have been established all across the internet. These groups, or "chat rooms", allow visitors with an IRC chat program to join in on textual conversations. Adult supervision is highly recommended for any children using IRC software as the topics in these "rooms" can be anything the participants wish to pursue. We recommend the following IRC program:

mIRC is a shareware (try before you buy) IRC program that automates transfers and connections, and includes a built-in listing of IRC chat server destinations.