COMPUTING

Internet Directory: HLC Internet Inc., an Irvine on-line communications company, has begun a directory service for the Internet, the global network linking millions of computers.

Computer users with a modem can search an on-line database to help them locate “home pages,” on-screen advertisements, photographs and text posted on the graphics-driven portion of the Internet, the World Wide Web.

The directory is being run under the name of Digital Equipment Corp., a Maynard, Mass., company. Digital bought the rights to the directory and provides the computers that store data for the directory, HLC executives said.

HLC, which was formed a year ago, provides access to the Internet for 2,000 businesses and individual customers.

Users with access to the World Wide Web can reach the company’s directory at its Internet address, “https://www.index.org.”