Tracing the wires of the World Wide Web for computer and gadget related Government publications.

by Lee Brannon

 

Note: Although most of my link examples are computer or Internet related the sites mentioned contain information on a wide variety of topics covering Cell phones, electronic gadgets and general consumer information

I recently did some checking on the availability of Government publications related to Computer Technology and computer resources. After trolling through website after website on Government publications I had just about given up.  It seems that the Government likes to link every meeting minutes report with everything else.  When you find a Government based website with a publication or resource search you find one of two things.  Either the list is so huge that you can never narrow down the search to the thing that you really want or you find yourself on a standards committee or organizational page that wants you to buy the publication through their printing house. 

Also, there are many misleading pointers out there.  For example, a lot of organizations put the word “American” in their titles.  That combined with the fact that they have a .org website url can mislead you into thinking they are government related.

There are some exceptions and useful material can be found..  Do you remember all those Television ads surrounding the promotion of government publications from Pueblo Colorado?  Ever wondered what happened to them?  There out there and better still there are downloadable .PDF versions and .html versions of the files. I found three computer related publications on the site  http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/results.tpl?id1=11&startat=1&--woSECTIONSdatarq=11&--SECTIONSword=ww 

Note:  The prices are for the ordered “printed” copies.

Internet Auctions: A Guide for Buyers and Sellers. Find out how Internet auctions work, what type of payment options are available, how to protect yourself against fraud, and more. 18 pp. (2004. FTC) 323T. $1.50. A pdf version is available

Is Your Private Information Open to the Public?. Outlines eight practical steps you can take to stay safe online and avoid becoming a victim of fraud, identity theft, or cyber crime. 6 pp. (2007. DHS) 327T. $1.50.

Stop. Think. Click.. Learn how to be OnGuard Online™ by following these important tips to protect your information, your computer, even yourself. 11 pp. (2005. FTC) 324T. $1.50. A pdf version is available

If you follow the link at the bottom of that page you get the following at http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/specpubs.htm#CO

Computers (These booklets are available to view, print or download only. Printed copies are not available. Some of the links will take you to sites not maintained by FCIC.)

Get Net Safe - Offers some easy ways to help keep you, your computer, and your family safer when you go online. (PDF file)

Making the Connection: How to Go Online - Explains how to get online and choose the best Internet service provider.

Online Security & Safety Tips - Outlines three important steps you can take to protect your computer and your personal information, with additional tips and resources to consult for more information.

Shop Safely Online - Is it really safe? Here are the facts about buying over the Internet and how to protect yourself.

Site-Seeing on the Internet - How to navigate the Internet, learn the local customs and lingo, and know what to avoid during your travels.

 

Most of the “pueblo” publications are meant for the novice consumer, but not everything the government offers is at that level. For one thing there are some decent articles related to technology, gadgets and computers at the Federal Trade commission.  Her is a sample on the subject of Identity Theft:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/about-identity-theft.html

And one on the subject of consumer complaint process for Internet based fraud:

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Internet_Fraud.shtml

For those of you a little more technically savvy I did manage to find some Government links that could prove to be useful.  One of the things I found was an e-newsletter service that had several topics under the subject of  Information Technology  Security.  The topics included Cyber Security alerts, Cyber Security Bulletins and Cyber security Tips.  The subscription page can be found in in the USA.gov website at this link http://apps.gsa.gov/CommonSubscriptionService.php

The usa.gav site also has information linked to the Federal Communications Commision on the subjects of Broadband, Cellphones and  Cyber security RSS feeds.  You can find some of the links at http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Science/Communications.shtml

The FCC itself has a directory listing on topics ranging from 900 number billing to Internet protection for children.  The FCC directory can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/information_directory.html

There is also one other source of information the government provides.  The FREE Federal Resources for Education Excellence site at http://free.ed.gov/subjects.cfm?subject_id=134&toplvl=42&res_feature_request=1 has several computer related topics that should be of interest.  Want to see a nice presentation about the NSF National Science Foundation and the birth of the Internet?  Check out this link http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/nsf-net/1960s.jsp

 

General site links:

Pueblo Colorado Publications Consumer related publications and help files from the Federal Citizen Information Center.

FCC Publications  Federal Communications Commision

FTC Publications  Federal Trade Commision

USA . Gov General links to Government sponsored groups and publications.

NFS  National Science Foundation

FREE Federal Reasources for Educational Excellance