CD ROM Paradise Collection 4/CD ROM Paradise Collection 4 1995 Nov.iso/dskutil/online19.zip/ONLINE.TXT

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                If you READ or USE this book, then you
                    must pay the registration fee.
                    =>  Details in Appendix 9. <=





                        *********************
                        *  THE ONLINE WORLD *
                        *********************



                      Version 1.9 - January 1995
                   (Version 1.0 released in Aug. 93)
                         ISBN 82-7820-000-9


                          By Odd de Presno
                    4815 Saltrod, Norway (Europe)
              Voice (registrations only): [phone]
               http://login.eunet.no/~presno/index.html
                 Internet mail: [e-mail]
                       and:     [e-mail]
                     Data/BBS:      [phone]
                     FAX:           [phone]



PREFACE
=======
This is the ASCII online distribution of the Online World handbook.   It
deals with practical aspects of using the rapidly growing global on-line
information resource.

The book is distributed in a form designed to be easily accessible with the
maximum range of computers, printer types, and search programs. In this
way, it is compatible with most electronic reading devices for the blind.
Many frills, such as fancy formatting, extraneous characters or tags, have
been omitted to achieve this.

The main subject of the handbook is what you can get out of the global
online resource.

Expect an outline, not a comprehensive list or directory of all available
offerings. We explore selected applications across network and service
boundaries to show how selected needs may be satisfied. In the process, we
give information about how to reach many interesting offerings.

The applications range from entertainment and the bizarre to databases and
special services for professionals and organizations.

You are not expected to live in the United States or in Norway. Focus is on
international offerings available through major services and networks like
the Internet, BITNET, Usenet, FidoNet, CompuServe, Echo, Dialcom, Dow
Jones/News Retrieval, MCI, NewsNet and UUCP. These services can be accessed
from almost anywhere.

Talking about the Internet, we must still assume that many readers are
unable to get full interactive access at an affordable price, and that they
therefore only have access to these offerings by electronic mail.

I wrote The Online World for anybody interested in knowing more about the
"Global Village" of today, they be parents or youth, teachers, students,
business people, social workers, psychologists, young, or old.

You can read it like a novel to get an idea of what is going on. It may be
used as a practical guide book to online databases and news sources, or as
a book of reference. You need not be a computer expert or an experienced
"onliner" to find it useful!

While not a textbook on data communications, it contains information to
help novices get started. For an introduction to telecommunications, read
appendix 2 and 3 before continuing with Chapter 1.

Warning: New online offerings are born every day, while others are closing
down. Most services in this book are probably still around when you read
it, but the text certainly needs to be updated regularly. Therefore, all
feedback is welcomed with thanks!

Please tell me what you like, what you don't, what you think I have missed
-- or have gotten hopelessly wrong. Send to [e-mail] .

This book is not free
---------------------
The book is NOT public domain. It is copyrighted material, and can only be
distributed pursuant to this license.

You are granted a limited read and use license of the book to see if it is
for you. Unregistered use other than to find out if the book meets your
needs is a violation of this license and is forbidden.

If you decide to read or use the book, you must register your copy. See
appendix 9 for details. Registration rates start at around US$ 15.00. Your
contribution will support our research to keep the book current.

Registered users receive a FREE optional copy of The Online World Monitor
newsletter, which is published six times per year. (ISSN: 0805-6315)

The newsletter and the book are companions. While the book describes the
online world as it is, the newsletter tracks changes. It can more freely
focus on selected offerings or phenomena than can be done within the strict
framework of a book.

The Online World Monitor newsletter contains tales about discoveries that
never made it to the book . . . Glimpses of what the heck is going on . . .
Trends . . . Spotlight on important developments around the world. For
details, send electronic mail to [e-mail] with the following
command in the body of your text: GET TOW MONITOR .

To stay current, register for six updates per year.

Note: We do not receive any compensation from vendors of shareware disks.
You must register your copy to have a legal license for use of the book
beyond an evaluation period.

Please give to others
---------------------
Permission is granted to reproduce and distribute the Online World book if:

    (1)  No remuneration of any kind is received in exchange.
         A distribution fee may be charged for the cost of a
         diskette, shipping and handling, if the total (per
         disk) does not exceed US$8.00.
    (2)  Distribution is without ANY modification to the contents
         of all accompanying text files, including the copyright
         notice and this license. All files in this package are to
         be distributed together.
    (3)  No publication of the book or individual articles from the
         book in print is permitted, in any language, without the
         express written consent of the author.

Any other use is prohibited without express, written permission in advance.
This includes bundling of any of the book's chapters or appendixes for your
own distribution,

If archiving this book for use on a BBS or in a library, please include all
files. Use the name ONLINE19, as in ONLINE19.ZIP,  or ONLINE19.LZH. This
will provide consistency for future updates.

Information about where to get the latest version of the book can be
retrieved from TOW, the handbook's mailing list. For information, send
electronic mail to [e-mail] (LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 on BITNET)
containing the command:  GET TOW MASTER

How to read the book
--------------------
You may read the book using any ASCII viewing or text searching program. My
favorites are:

    LIST       -  Shareware MS-DOS file viewing program,

    LOOKFOR    -  Shareware boolean text search program.

Print versions of The Online World
----------------------------------
The Online World handbook is not meant for any specific area of the world.
Local versions are being printed and published in various countries through
local partners. These versions of the book are adapted to local conditions,
and contain many local examples and references.

The following local versions of the book are available:

    English/Canada
    --------------
    "The Online World - How to Profit from the Information Superhighway"
    by Mike Weaver and Odd de Presno. For free information brochure and
    order form, send your postal address to the publisher: Productive
    Publications, P.O.Box 7200, Station A, Toronto, Ontario M5W 1X8,
    Canada. Email: [e-mail] . Fax:[phone].
    To contact coauthor by Email: [e-mail] .
    Price: C$ 39.95 plus shipping and handling. ISBN: 0-920847-89-7.

    You can also order by email to: [e-mail]

    German
    ------
    "ONLINE-world," by Dr. Karl Sarnow and Odd de Presno. 312 pages. ISBN
    3-88229-035-8. Publisher: Verlag Heinz Heise GmbH & Co KB, Helstorfer
    Strasse 7, D-3000 Hannover 61, Germany. Fax: [phone].
    Price: DM 58. Email to Dr. Karl Sarnow: [e-mail] .

    Order by email to: [e-mail]

    Norwegian
    ---------
    "Ut i verden fra egen skjerm," Norwegian text, Dataforlaget A/S,
    1992. 220 pages. Phone: [phone].  Fax: [phone].
    Price: NOK 245.-.  ISBN: 82-90628-67-6.

These local language versions are in the process of being published by
partners in various countries:

    Danish
    ------
    "ONLINE-Bogen, Vol. 1 & 2" by Claus Berg and Odd de Presno.
    One MS DOS disk included in each volume (shareware utilities on #1,
    the latest version of the shareware version of the book on #2).
    ISBN: Vol.1: 87-90129-04-0, Vol.2: 87-90129-05-9
    To be published in Oct.-Nov. 1994. Publisher: Forlaget PC Boeger,
    Roskildevej 378, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark. Fax.: [phone]
    To contact coauthor by Email: Claus Berg <[e-mail]>

    English/Australia
    -----------------
    "The Online World" by John D'Alton and Odd de Presno. Paradox
    Publishing   P.O. Box 423 Annerley 4103 Brisbane Australia. Tel. 07-
    8916834. Fax [phone].  Email: [e-mail].

    Finnish
    -------
    "The Online World: Tiedot valtatiet" by Jarmo Lahti and Odd de Presno.
    Publisher: Suomen Atk-kustannus Oy, Espoo, Finland. Fax: [phone].
    To contact coauthor by email: [e-mail] . Through WWW, look
    up this URL: http://www.otol.fi/infolinja/infoline.html

    Icelandic
    ---------
    "Heimur toelvuneta" (working title) by Lara Stefansdottir, Lars H.
    Andersen and Odd de Presno. To be published in Iceland ultimo
    1994/primo 1995 by Lars H. Andersen, P. O. Box 181, IS-300 Akranes,
    Iceland (tel. [phone], fax [phone]) and Lara Stefansdottir.
    To contact the coauthors in Iceland: [e-mail] and lars@ismennt.

    Spanish/Spain
    -------------
    "El mundo en conexion - Introduccion practica a Internet" by
    Armando Ramos and Odd de Presno. Clerval-Mundo 3. Boix y Morer 9.
    E-28003-Madrid, Spain. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]

Do you want to become a partner?
--------------------------------
If you are interested in becoming the coauthor of a local language version
of the book for your country, please write me at [e-mail] to
discuss the possibility.


Saltrod (Norway), January  29, 1995

          Yours,

      Odd de Presno


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World book's text on paper, disk and in any other electronic
form is (C) copyrighted 1995 by Odd de Presno. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------



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The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
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INDEX
=====

PREFACE

-----------------------
PART 1: AN ONLINE WORLD
-----------------------
1. Going online will make me rich, right?
   Knowledge is Power. A larger personal network will give you a stronger
   punch. The value of information, and of having fun . . . .

2. The online world
   The structure and content of the online offerings. About
   Bulletin Board systems, mailing lists, conferencing systems,
   and online databases. About packet data services, and network
   services like FidoNet, i-Com, Infonet, Internet, and others.
   A constantly changing environment.


3. Using online services
   Short introduction. How to use menus, and how to navigate like
   an expert. Tailoring online services to your interests and needs.

--------------------
PART 2: APPLICATIONS
--------------------
4. Hobbies, games, and fun
   About computer programs, online adventure games, threatening viruses,
   planning holidays and travel, collecting coins and stamps, genealogy,
   music, shopping and other leisure activities.

5. Home, education, and work
   Tips for house owners, for those more concerned about money, about
   education and the exchange of knowledge, electronic conferences.
   Building a personal network. Job hunting by modem, and about
   working from home.

6. Your personal healthnet
   About support for diseases like AIDS, cancer, and kidney diseases.
   Forums for people with physical or mental disabilities, like
   hearing impairments, learning disabilities, vision impairment,
   mobility problems.

7. Electronic mail, telex, and fax
   How to communicate globally at a ridiculously low cost, with
   notes about how to address electronic mail.

8. Free expert assistance
   How to get free advice about your computer, software, profession,
   and many other things.

9. Your electronic daily news
   Read national and global news before getting it through the
   traditional media. Get those interesting background facts.
   Read special interest news that the media never bother to print.

10. Looking for a needle in a bottle of hay
    Searching databases. 'Clipping' news. Locating interesting books
    and articles. Monitoring the online offerings, and sources about
    sources.

11. Getting an edge over your competitor
    Using the networks to manage projects. Monitor competitors,
    prospects, suppliers, markets, technologies, and trends in
    Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Central and South America,
    Europe, North America, and xUSSR.
    Marketing and sales by modem.

-----------------------
PART 3: WORKING SMARTER
-----------------------
12. Practical tips
    about how to get more out of your online time.

13. Cheaper and better communications
    Using packet data services or competing data
    transport services like Tymnet Outdial, Infonet,
    Internet, PC Pursuit, and others.

14. Keep what you find.
    Build your local personal database. Strategies for
    locating interesting information. What separates good
    from bad information?

15. You pay little for a lot!
    Figuring out costs.

16. Automatic communication
    Get a lead on your competitors.
    Avoid duplication of effort.
    Reduce costs.
    Reduce boring repetitive work.
    No need to remember the "tricks" of communications anymore.

17. Gazing into the future.
    Thoughts about things to come.

-----------------------------------------------
Appendices:
-----------------------------------------------
1. List of selected online services
2. Getting started.
   About your personal computer, modem and
   communications program.
3. Your first online trip
   Typical pitfalls and simple solutions.
   Down and uploading.
4. Frequently used terms
5. Books and articles for further reading
6. Important Internet tools & pointers
7. List of services offering access to Internet
8. About the author
9. Registering your copy of this book
-----------------------------------------------



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PART 1: AN ONLINE WORLD

Chapter 1: Going online will make me rich, right?
=================================================

There are so many sources of information and services out there, and each
of them has to be searched or used separately. Therefore, half the battle
is figuring out where to look.

Information is abundant, even overwhelming. At risk of drowning in that
vast sea, anyone navigating the online world needs to know what is
available, and how to find and use it.

Getting there takes time, but the potential rewards are interesting:

- Knowledge is power.
- The value of critical information is increasing,
- A large personal network gives you a punch.

You will also discover that using the online resource can be quite fun and
entertaining. After all, there is more to life than business and work.

Knowledge is Power
------------------
My wife has a rare and dangerous kidney disease. One day her doctor joined
us on an online research session to look for experiences and advice in
other countries.

We sat down in my office in Norway. I turned on my personal computer and
started a communications program.

After some keystrokes, we could hear the attached modem dial the number of
CompuServe, a North American information utility. (A modem is a piece of
equipment that converts computer signals to and from sound codes, so that
data can be sent by phone.)

It took just a few seconds to make the connection. A greeting scrolled over
our screen, followed by a menu of available choices.

    For an introduction to practical telecommunications, check out
    appendix 2 and 3. Appendix 1 lists major services mentioned in
    this book.

We selected "Health," and "Database for Rare diseases" from a new menu.
Here, we found the address of a foundation for "cysts in kidneys," which is
the name of her disease. My wife made contact. Since then, she has since
received regular reports of research results and experiences gained in the
field.

We sent a request for help to an electronic forum for doctors. This
resulted in several useful pointers. We searched a magazine database for
medical articles containing the word "kidney." Paper copies of the most
interesting finds arrived by mail a few days later. My wife gave them to
her hospital doctor as background reading.

Kenya Saikawa is paralyzed. He communicates with his PC and modem using
light key strokes and Morse code. Online communications allow Kenya to be
in regular contact with people outside the walls of his Tokyo hospital.

We met online in a "Handicap Club" on a computer center called TWICS in
Tokyo. He was there to exchange experiences with others with disabilities.
I called in by modem from Norway. Geographical distance is no problem in
the online world.

CompuServe's Cancer Forum has a similar function. "It's a blessing that I
can visit here 24 hours a day," one visitor said. "When I'm unable to sleep
at night, I often sit down by the PC to read and write messages to others."

The forum works like a family. The file library is full of information
about cancer. Members can go in there and pick up whatever they want to
read.

Dave Hughes from Old Colorado Springs, Colorado in the United States has
had a long career as a professional soldier. He has fought in places like
the Yalue river in Korea and Vietnam's jungle. When he retired, he became a
political online force.

"I'm using the new tools of the individual mind to change the world," he
says. Native American Indians are among those, who have benefited from
Dave's energy and knowledge. He has helped them show their culture to the
outside world in a graphical form.

Vladimir Makarenkov from the Crimea in the Ukraine is manager in a company
called VINKO. In early 1993, he distributed an offer of partnership with
foreign companies through the E-EUROPE mailing list on BITNET/Internet.
VINKO is into aluminium processing. He wrote:

"From our own production we can offer some one metals and aniline dye for
cotton, viscose, wool, silk, leather. We are interested in deliveries of
chemical production (gamma acid, H-acid) and not quickly deteriorating
foods (food concentrates, canned food etc.)."

George Pavlov is Planning and Reporting manager with an American computer
manufacturer. Daily, he logs on to online services to monitor industry
product announcements and daily news from several electronic sources. It
helps him stay ahead of rapid technological developments.

Chairman Bill Gates of Microsoft says messaging is his most important
application personally. He spends as much as five times more time in
electronic mail as in spreadsheets or word processing, and claims that
"it's probably the most mission-critical application for Microsoft in
terms of running the company."

IBM relies on the Internet to give OS/2 users and developers around the
world a way to retrieve documentation, technical interface specifications,
fixes and upgrades.

Semafor A/S in Arendal, Norway, produces modems and telecommunications
equipment. They operate an electronic bulletin board for customers, users
and prospects. Anybody can call in to get information about products and
offerings. If in need of help, they can leave a message to Semafor A/S day
and night. A response will be waiting for them, when they call back.

Eduardo Salom heads Software Plus SA in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He
discovered the online world in 1988, and uses it to find information that
can help his company develop industrial applications.

The Norwegian civil engineer Kai Oestreng regularly calls specialized
online computer clubs to discuss his computational needs, fetch programs
and monitor developments.

Mary Lou Rebelo was born in southern Brazil. Today, she is married to a
Japanese and lives in Tokyo. She teaches Portuguese and works as a
translator. The modem enables her to keep in touch with others around the
world, who are interested in Portuguese and Spanish language and culture.

Sheena Macleod teaches in a primary school in Lusaka, Zambia. She
integrates the online world in her teaching to motivate her students. Her
classes are involved in international projects with schools all over the
globe.

In August 1991, the "Old Stalinists" made a coup d'etat in the Soviet
Union. The news media were silenced, but they forgot the  country's many
bulletin boards. Early one morning, a foreign caller picked up the
following messages from a Moscow BBS:


  From:    Valery Koulkov
  To:      All                                    Msg #560, 00:42am
  20-Aug-91
  Subject: Moscow, August 19, 23:00

  Some news from the square news RSFSR white building, 23:00. Local
  inhabitants are very welcome for the people guarding 'white
  building', they carry food and some garments to the square.
  Approx. 8 tanks stand by the house under the RSFSR flags! There is
  an information that 'white house' is surrounded by the soldiers
  from Vysshee Desantnoye uchilische from Ryazan. The people are not
  so desperate than some hours ago. There are more and more people.


  From:    Stas Stas
  To:      Alexey Zabrodin                        Msg #562, 02:53pm
  20-Aug-91
  Subject: Russia In Agency news

  I have sent two files RIA4.txt & ria5.txt
  It's msgs of Russia Information Agency
  Spread it as much as you can!!!


  From:    Andrew Brown
  To:      All                                    Msg #563, 06:31pm
  20-Aug-91
  Subject: What's happening?

  I am a journalist on the London Daily newspaper *The Independent*,
  and I am trying to discover whether this technology, like fax
  machines, is being used for independent communication now that the
  censors have clamped down on everything else.

  Can people describe what is happening, and what they see?
  Something similar was done on Compuserve during the Gulf War, by
  subscribers who where in Israel and were able to describe Scud
  missile attacks without censorship.

  Andrew Brown


  Select: 564
  From:    Valery Koulkov
  To:      All                                    Msg #564, 00:52am
  21-Aug-91
  Subject: Moscow events

  There is shooting near the American embassy and RSFSR state
  building. Informer said (by phone) that he saw several victims
  (shot and killed under the tanks. there is fire near the RSFSR
  building. Moscow, August 21, 1:15 am

Telecommunications played a role in this historic event. While CNN
televised the coup, it was not the images, but the words of men like
Yeltsin that held sway for Russian citizens.

Within hours of Yeltsin's statement in defiance of the coup leaders,
handbills reproducing his statement papered the walls of the Moscow metro
and Leningrad houses.

Another one: On Friday, Feb. 26 1993 at 12:18 p.m., a bomb exploded in the
World Trade Center in New York City, U.S.A. Four minutes later, the Dow
Jones News Service flashed this headline: "NYC Fire Dept. Says Fire At 3
World Trade Center."

You can!
--------
Online communication is not just for the privileged or those with a special
interest in computers. It is for you, me, everybody.

There is much to learn in the "online land," and the medium is fascinating.
It makes learning fun. You can learn about your hobbies, your profession,
life in other countries, languages, other people's views about whatever,
and more. Often, you will find reports about experiences and know-how that
it is hard or impractical to get in other ways.

Some go online to learn how to do things better. Teachers want to give
their students a better and more motivating learning environment.
Architects, engineers and companies want increased competitiveness and
sales. They seek timely information about competitors, technologies and
tools, partners and trends.

You can take a Masters Degree in Business Administration while sitting in
front of your computer at home. You can join online seminars arranged by
local or foreign educational institutes. You can even study at night, when
the rest of your family has calmed down.

Some build their own educational programs supported by databases, online
forums and associations of various kinds.

You may feel helpless in hospital, or when visiting your doctor. Knowledge
about your disease will make you better equipped to handle the situation.

The online resource is just keystrokes away, and knowledge is power.

To get this power, you must know what you can get from the online world.
This book is filled with examples of what are available, and practical tips
about how to use the many offerings.

A large personal network gives strength
---------------------------------------
Most of us belong to one or several networks. They consist of persons that
we can call on when we need help. Your network may be private, like your
family. You may be member of associations, or part of a group of people
with common interests within a company or organization.

The modem allows you to be part of more personal networks than you can
possibly cope with in the "real world." Besides, it's easier to develop
personal networks in the online world.

We have used words like "clubs" and "associations." By this we mean groups
of people interested in helping You and in participating in what You happen
to be interested in. That is what networking is all about.

Today's communications technology lets us participate in networks in other
countries at a very low cost. Many describe it as participation "beyond
time and space."

Write a message and send it to a person in your network. It arrives in
his/her "mailbox" within minutes (sometimes seconds) and stays there until
the recipient wants to read it.

This built-in ability to send messages to other people's electronic
mailboxes reduces the power that time and geographical distances have over
our lives.

A friend in a remote country gets out of bed nine hours after you, but keeps
going well into what, for you, is the next morning. No problem. You can
send letters when you are awake and receive replies when you are asleep.

You can pick up and read your friend's messages the next day or when you
feel like doing it. That is how two people as far apart as Arendal, Norway
and Beijing, China could be involved in the development of this book.

Sometimes "real time" discussions are important. Consider the following
example. CompuServe has a Diabetes Forum. You can call there any time, day
or night, seven days a week. Whenever you feel like it. You will always
find someone to chat with who understands and shares your problems.

Hours of real-time chatting may be expensive, but you are free to decide
your level of involvement. If you think that $10 spent on a chat session is
enough, then just stop there.

What is the point?
-----------------
Thousands of commercial and noncommercial online services offer over 5,000
online databases. These infobases are repositories of electronic
information. They contain full-text and reference books, magazines,
newspapers, radio and TV shows, reports, and more.

In 1992, BiblioData (USA) found that around 4,000 titles (i.e., magazines,
newspapers, etc.) were available online in full-text. You will find
information about almost anything in the online world.

The world has over 100,000 public bulletin board systems (1993). Most are
small information centers, running on personal computers using a simple
computer program and modems. People call in to read messages and
information, retrieve free software, or just to have a good time.

Most BBSes are free. Some charge a small annual fee. The largest board has
213 telephone lines, seven gigabytes of storage for letters, conferences,
computer programs, and more (1993).

Mind you, 7 gigabytes is a lot. It is equivalent to more than 7,000,000,000
characters, or a whopping 12,000 copies of this book!

The entrepreneur sees the online world as a new, profitable playground.
Many have made it their profession to search for information for others,
and they earn a good living doing so.

Others advertise and sell products and services by modem. Some set up their
own services to sell knowledge and know-how, be it of aqua culture, wine
production, marketing, or about the petroleum offshore market.

In business, it pays to be one step ahead of the competition. Early warnings
of customers' needs, competitors' moves, and emerging opportunities can be
turned into fortunes. This can reduce potential losses and help develop
businesses in more profitable directions.

Turn this to your advantage. Build your own early warning system that
monitors online information sources and networks.

Have fun
--------
The online world has an abundance of joke clubs, dramatic adventure games
with multiple players, and large archives filled with computer game
software. You can transfer these programs to your personal computer and be
ready to play in minutes.

Others may feel more entertained when things get "interesting." Surely,
those calling Moscow in August 1991 for news about the coup must have had a
strange sensation in the stomach.

Some online users react quickly when dramatic events occur. They go online
to read news directly from the wires, from Associated Press, TASS, Reuters,
Xinhua Press, Kyodo News and others.

Usually, online news comes directly to you from the journalists' keyboards.
Often, you heard it here first.

Others prefer to socialize. They meet in online "meeting places" to debate
everything from Africa and the administration of kindergartens to poetry,
LISP programming, and compressed video for multimedia applications.

It has been claimed that increased use of online networking in a country
can effect social changes within politics, economics, communication and
science. It can support democratic tendencies, the transition to a market
economy, the formation and support of businesses, the spreading of
interpersonal and mass communication, the forging of invisible colleges
among scientists, and breaking-up of traditional and closed information
systems developed in some societies.

The Star-Ledger (USA, 1/13/94 p. 41) wrote that with communications playing
a greater role in economic development, experts are warning of the creation
of a new technological underclass. They think that communities deprived of
computers and telecommunications will end in poverty.

No matter whether your application is useful or just a pastime, online
services queue up to help give your life a better content.

Some people fear that language might be a problem, and in particular if
English is not their first language. Don't worry. There are many other
languages used in the online world. Besides, you are in the driver's seat.
If something is hard to understand, just log off to study the difficult
text. Take your time. Nobody is watching.

Will your being member of the online world make you rich? Probably not. On
the other hand, it provides the means to help you achieve such a goal, no
matter how you define the word "rich."

Go for it!



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The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
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Chapter 2: The online world
===========================

This chapter is about the structure and contents of the online world. You
will read about Bulletin Board systems, discussion lists, conferencing
systems, online databases, packet data services, and network services like
FidoNet, i-Com, Infonet, and the Internet.

From papyrus to bits and bytes
------------------------------
Around 1500 B.C., the world's first library was established in Tell el
Amaran, Egypt. Eight hundred years later, the first public library opened
in Athens, Greece.

It took another two thousand years for the first stored program computer to
be invented (Wilkes, Cambridge, England), and it was not until 1954 that
the first online search service was launched by the Naval Ordinance Test
Station, in Michigan, U.S.A.

Six years later, MEDLARS, a full-text bibliographic database containing
references to medical literature was launched. Now, things started to roll
faster:

    1972: DIALOG (U.S.A.) opened their Educational Resources Information
          Center and National Technical Information Service databases for
          online searching. (Appendix 1 contains information about the
          major online services referred to in this book.)

    1974: Dow Jones News/Retrieval (U.S.A.) launched a financial
          information service for stock brokers.

    1978: The first bulletin board was put into operation in Chicago.

    1979: CompuServe (U.S.A.) launched a service for home users.

    1993: The number of countries reachable by electronic mail through
          the Internet is around 137.

The online world was born in the United States. Little happened in the rest
of the world until the late 1980s. American companies and users may still
appear to be dominating, but they are no longer alone.

Today, we can use tens of thousands of public databases. They are available
from millions of online systems ("host computers") all over the world.

With so many online services, and a large variety of access methods, it is
difficult to find our way through the maze of offerings. Telecommunications
has therefore often been presented as one of the more difficult things to
learn to do on a computer.

The good news is that it was never all that terribly difficult and its
getting easier all the time.

It may help to have a picture in your mind of the various parts of this
"online world" before we embark on the applications.  The book therefore
starts with an analogy. Think of it as a "map" of the online world.

The structure and contents of the online world
----------------------------------------------
The online world can be visualized as a cake with multiple layers. The
information sources are the bottom layer, and you, the user, the marzipan
figure on the top. The online world contains the following tiers:

   (1) Database producers and information providers
   (2) Online service companies
   (3) Gateways and networks
   (4) The service offerings
   (5) The user interface
   (6) The data transport services
   (7) The User.

If you are a novice, it may seem complex at this time but none of the
levels are difficult. It often helps to visualize what level you are
dealing with at any given time.  Let us consider them in more detail.

1. Database producers and information providers.
------------------------------------------------
I have a bulletin board system in Norway (at [phone]). It runs on a
small personal computer, and offers shareware and public domain software.

Anybody can call this BBS and have programs transferred to their personal
computers by modem (see appendix 2 for how to do this).

When you call it to "download" (retrieve) a free program, do not expect to
find one made by me. I do not write programs. All available programs have
been written by others.

When you call KR Data-Star in Switzerland, or CompuServe in the U.S. to
read news, you may find some stories written by these companies. Most of
their news, however, has been written by others.

The Associated Press, an American news agency, let online services like
KR Dialog, CompuServe, Nexis and NewsNet 'resell' their news to their
users.

My BBS (the "Saltrod Horror Show"), KR Data-Star, KR Dialog, CompuServe,
Nexis, and NewsNet are online services. We call those who have provided the
news and information on these services for information providers or
database producers.

The information providers sell the right to distribute news. What you pay
to an online service to read news may be imbedded in its standard access
rates. Some services will ask you to pay a surcharge when reading news.

CompuServe subscribers pay a membership fee of US$8.95 per month for
unlimited use of a variety of services (Standard Pricing Plan, March 1994).
The services in this options include The Associate Press Online News
(Hourly News Summaries, Sports, Entertainment, Business, News, This Day In
History), UK News Clips, and Deutsche Presse-Agentur Kurznachrichtendienst.

CompuServe pays Associated Press part of what they earn whenever you read
their news. There is no surcharge for reading AP news on this service.

Others charge more. To read Mid-East Business Digest through NewsNet, you
had to pay a surcharge of US$72.00 per hour at 2400 bps in 1993. To scan
newsletter headlines and conduct keyword searches, you first had to pay a
basic connect charge of US$90.00 per hour at this speed. The total cost for
reading Mid-East Business Digest amounted to US$162.00 per hour. (Prices
were reduced in late 1994.)

CompuServe's database service, IQuest, lets you search NewsNet through a
gateway to find and read the same articles. Here, reading will only set you
back US$21.50/hour (provided the articles are among the first hits in your
search. 1993).

Information providers may have subcontractors. Ziff-Davis' Computer
Database Plus, a database with full-text articles from magazines like
Datamation and Wall Street Computer Review, depends on them.

Datamation pays journalists to write the articles. Ziff-Davis pays
Datamation for the right to distribute the articles to CompuServe's
subscribers. CompuServe pays Ziff-Davis part of what you pay when reading
the text.

Some information providers also distribute information through grassroots
bulletin boards. The Newsbytes News Network, Boardwatch Magazine, and the
USA Today newsletter services are two examples.

The bottom line is that rates for reading the same article may differ
considerably depending on what online service you are using. If you are a
regular reader, shop around for the best price.

2. Online services
------------------
The term "online services" refers to the services that are provided by
computer systems, large or small, to owners of personal computers with
modems.

The services may include access to electronic mail, online shopping malls,
discussion forums, hardware and software vendor support, access to
libraries of programs and data, games and entertainment, financial data,
stock market quotes, research capabilities, or simply access to other
service providers as with many Internet hosts.

You do not always need a phone and a modem to "log on." Some services can
be accessed through leased phone lines, amateur radio, or other methods.

Appendix 1 contains a list of major services mentioned in this book, with
addresses, phone numbers, and a short description.

CompuServe (U.S.A.), Twics (Japan), and Orbit (England) are commercial.
They charge you for using their services.

Some online services are priced like magazines and newspapers with a flat
subscription rate for basic services. You can use this part of a service as
much as you like within a given period. CompuServe, GEnie, BIX, America
Online, Delphi, and many for-pay BBSes offer such pricing options.

Other online services charge for 'connect time'. They have a rate per hour
or minute.

MCI Mail uses "no cure, no pay." You only pay to send or read mail. To
check for unread letters in your mailbox is free.

There are all kinds of creative pricing schemes. Some have different rates
for access during the day, night and weekends. Others charge users living
far away less, while others again charge the remote user more than ordinary
subscribers.

Still, most online services are free. This is particularly true for the
over hundred thousand bulletin board systems of the world. The owners of
these services often regard them as a hobby, a public service, a necessary
marketing expense, or do it for other reasons.

The cost of setting up and operating a BBS is low. Consequently, the BBS
systems are as varied as the people who run them. Each BBS has its own
character.

My BBS is also free. I consider it an online appendix to this book and the
articles I write.

Some large, international service providers on the Internet, BITNET, and
UUCP are free. They address research and educational institutions and are
partly financed by public funds.

Some users fear that using online services will increase their telephone
costs dramatically, and especially when using services in other countries.
This is often unjustified. Read in chapter 13 and 15 about how to keep your
communications costs down.

3. Gateways and networks
------------------------
CompuServe users select the Computer Database Plus from a menu. This
prompts CompuServe to dial another service provider and lets you use this,
as if you were still using CompuServe. You hardly notice the difference.
You are using Computer Database Plus through a gateway.

When you search the IQuest databases, you will get a similar welcome
message:

      One moment please...

      Connected to 19EASYN

            Welcome to IQuest

      (c) 1991 Telebase Systems, Inc.
         U.S. Patent No. 4,774,655

Through another gateway, CompuServe connects you to the online service
Telebase Systems, Inc. Telebase lets you go through other gateways to
search in databases located on services like BRS, MEDLINE and NewsNet.

While searching, you may get progress reports like these:

            Dialing BRS
            Connect BRS
            Scanning .... Please wait
            Dialing Medline
            Connect Medline
            Scanning .... Please wait

All the time, your modem is connected to CompuServe. You are mentally using
CompuServe and not other online services. Technically, you are going
through various gateways to reach the information libraries. You pay
CompuServe for the privilege. They, in turn, pay a fee to the others.

You can read The New York Times on Down Jones News/Retrieval through
gateways from MCI Mail and GEnie.

Accessing information through a gateway is often simpler than logging on to
several online systems. Calling several systems often costs more, and takes
more time.

Users of BBSes connected to RelayNet or FidoNet can join in global
discussions. Participants in other countries also call their favorite local
systems. To the individual user, it looks as if they all use the same
bulletin board system.

The networks that tie these boards together regularly send new discussion
items to the other participating boards. Write "This is not correct!" in a
distributed conference on a Norwegian FidoNet BBS, and others may soon read
your line on San Bernardino BBS in Colton (California), Wonderland Board in
Macau or the HighTech BBS in Sidney (Australia).

KIDLINK is a global project for children between 10 - 15 years of age. It
allows kids to discuss through a system of electronic mail.

Part of the dialog takes place by the children sending email to a recipient
called KIDCAFE. A message to 'the cafe' goes through the international
networks to a host computer in North Dakota (U.S.A.). There, a computer
program called LISTSERV distributes copies of the message to names on an
electronic address list. (Conferences administered by a LISTSERV are called
'discussion lists'.)

SciLink in Toronto is one recipient. Messages forwarded from North Dakota
are made available for users there as entries in a 'local' conference
called KIDCAFE. A user in Toronto can read a message, as if it had been
entered locally. If she wants to reply, her answer is sent back to the
LISTSERV for redistribution to the world.

Western Michigan University (U.S.A.) is also a recipient. Here, another
LISTSERV program is in charge of forwarding the mail to yet another list of
(local) addresses. We call it a 'mail exploder'.

This mailing exploder has been set up by local administrators to reduce
costs as the individual user does not have to receive his own copies of
messages all the way from North Dakota. One Michigan recipient may be a
local area network that further spreads the messages.

This is how the online world got started. Two systems were interconnected
for exchange of electronic mail. Then, another system was added, and
another, until it developed into a large network of computer systems.

Some network systems are connected by leased telephone lines. Other
networks, like FidoNet, depend mainly on dial-up using regular voice-grade
telephone service. Each BBS dial regularly to other computers in the
network to send or receive mail and files. They may do it once per day,
twice per day, or whatever.

Then someone got the idea of interconnecting networks. FidoNet was
connected to the UUCP network, which was connected to the Internet, which
in turn was connected to the Bergen By Byte BBS in Norway, CompuServe,
SciLink, MCI Mail, and various local area networks for exchange of email
and other offerings.

Today, the online world is a global web of networks. The world is 'cabled'.
You, I, and all the other modem users stand to benefit enormously.

4. The services
---------------
The most popular online services are electronic mail, chat, file transfers,
conferences and discussion forums, news, reading of online journals and
grassroots publications, database searching, and entertainment.

The online world has a large number of niches, things that people are
interested in and have fun doing.

Electronic mail
---------------
is not just like paper mail. Email is faster, easier to edit and use in
other applications.

Your mail may be private, or public. It can be 'broadcasted' to many by a
mailing list. The principle is the same on all systems.

Typically, an email message is sent to your mailbox in the following form:

    To:  Odd de Presno
    Subject: Happy Birthday
    Text: I wish you well on your birthday. -Ole

The sending mail system automatically adds your name (i.e., the sender's
return email address), the creation date, and forwards it to the recipient.
If the recipient's mailbox is on another system, the message is routed
through one or several networks to reach its destination.

When the message gets to the receiver's mail system, it is stored in her
"mailbox" until she logs on and chooses to read it. Besides reading the
message, she can print it, save it to a disk, forward it to someone else,
or send a reply.

Depending on the mail system, if the reply option is chosen, the address is
automatically supplied from the original mail piece and you have the option
of including all or parts of the original message.

Several email services offer forwarding to fax, telex or ordinary postal
service delivery. Some offer forwarding to paging services. With these,
when new mail arrives in your mailbox, a message with text like 'MAIL from
[e-mail]' will be displayed on your beeper's small screen.

By the turn of the century, it probably will be difficult to tell the
difference between fax messages and email. The services will automatically
convert incoming faxes to computer-readable text and pictures, so that you
can use them in word processing and other computer applications.

Automatic language translation is another trend. You will soon be able to
send a message in English, and have it automatically translated into
Spanish for Spanish-reading recipients, or into other languages. Conference
systems with automatic translation are already being used in Japan (English
to/from Japanese).

One day we may also have a global email address directory where you can
ask, "What is the address of Nobuo Hasumi in Japan?" and have it supplied.
This will be nice since email addresses are more volatile than normal (snail
mail) addresses.  Since they currently reside on many different networks
and systems and the sharing of email between systems is still fairly young,
this has yet to be set up.

'Chat'
------
Email has one important disadvantage. It may take time for it to be picked
up and read by the recipient. The alternative is real-time conferencing, a
form of direct keyboard-to-keyboard dialog between users. We call it
'chat'.

Most large systems let you chat with many users simultaneously. Even small
bulletin boards usually have a chat feature.

Chat is set up in several ways. On some systems, you see each character on
the screen as it is entered by your dialog partners. Other systems send
entries line by line, that is, whenever you press ENTER or RETURN. Here, it
may be difficult to know whether the other person is waiting for you to
type, or if he is actively entering new words.

You will find regular chat conferences in CompuServe's forums. Often, they
invite a person to give a keynote speech before opening 'the floor' for
questions and answers. Many a famous person has been featured in such
'meetings'.

In May 1991, KIDLINK arranged a full-day chat between kids from all over
the world. Line, a 12-year old Norwegian girl, started the day talking with
Japanese kids at the Nishimachi and Kanto International School in Tokyo.
When her computer was switched off late that night, she was having an
intense exchange with children in North America.

The chats took place on various online services and networks, including
Internet Relay Chat (IRC), BITNET's Relay Chat, Cleveland Free-Net
(U.S.A.), TWICS in Tokyo, the global network Tymnet, and the Education
Forum on CompuServe.

The discussions had no moderator. This made the encounters chaotic at
times. The kids enjoyed it, though! One-line messages shot back and forth
over the continents conveying intense simultaneous conversations,
occasionally disrupted by exclamations and requests for technical help.

Speed is a problem when chatting. It takes a lot of time as most users are
slow typists.

If an individual message spans more than one line, there is always a risk
that it will be divided by lines coming from others. It takes practice to
understand what goes on.

Users of SciLink (Canada) use a method they call 'semi-sync chat'. The
trick is to use ordinary batch-mode conferences for chatting. Instead of
calling up, reading and sending mail and then log out, they stay online
waiting for new messages to arrive.

This approach allows the entry of multiple-line messages without the risk
of them being broken up by other messages. The flow of the discussion is
often better, and each person's entries easier to understand.

File transfers
--------------
The availability of free software on bulletin boards brought the online
world out of the closet. Today, you can also retrieve books and articles,
technical reports, graphics pictures, files of digitized music, weather
reports, and much more.

Millions of files are transferred to and from the online services each day.
File transfers typically represent over 75 percent of the bulletin boards'
utilization time. Downloading free or inexpensive software is still the
most popular service.

In February 1994, users downloaded 105 megabytes' worth of public domain
and shareware programs from of my BBS (which has only one phone line).
Add to this the megabytes being downloaded from hundreds of thousands of
other bulletin boards. The number is staggering.

    If you want to download software, check out appendix 3 for
    additional information.

Downloading is simple. Just dial an online service, order transfer of a
given file, select a file transfer protocol (like XMODEM), and the file
comes to you through the phone line.

Services on the Internet offer file transfer through gateways using a
command called FTP (File Transfer Protocol). It works like this:

    Say your mailbox host is an Ultrix system with an interactive
    connection to the Internet. You access it using a dial-up modem.
    Today, you dial up to download free programs from a large archive
    in the United States.
        After having connected to the Ultrix system, you enter
    'ftp OAK.Oakland.Edu' to connect to a computer in Michigan.
        A few seconds later, the remote host asks for your logon
    id. You enter 'anonymous', and supply your email address as
    the password. This gives you access.
        You use the cd command (change directory) to navigate to
    the desired library catalog on the remote hard disk. You locate
    the desired file, and use a GET command to transfer the file
    to your personal file area on your local Ultrix system.
        When done, you logout from the remote computer and are
    returned to the Ultrix service. Finally, you transfer the file
   from the Ultrix to your personal computer using traditional
    methods (like XMODEM).

This file transfer involves the use of 8-bit binary code.

Note that some mail systems only use a 7-bit binary code, and that being
able to send Internet mail is no guarantee for access to the ftp command.
If ftp is unavailable, check if you can have files sent by email using a
technique called UUENCODEing. Here, the file is converted before transfer
into a format that can be sent as ordinary mail (into a seven bits, even
character code).

When the file arrives in your mailbox, you 'read' it as an ordinary message
and store the codes in a work file on your disk. Finally, you decode the
file using a special utility program (often called UUDECODE). Read more
about this in Chapter 12.

Conferences and discussions
---------------------------
Online conferences have many things in common with traditional face-to-face
conferences and discussions. The main difference is that the participants
do not physically meet in the same room. They 'arrive' by modem and discuss
using electronic messages.

There are conferences about nearly every conceivable topic, from How to
start your own company, Brainstorming, Architectural design, Investments,
The Future of Education, to AIDS, The Baltic States, Psychology, and
Cartoons.

Instead of calling these discussions "online conferences," some services
use terms like echos, discussion or mailing lists, clubs, newsgroups, round
tables, SIGs (Special Interest Groups), and forums. They use other terms in
an attempt to make their offerings more attractive and exclusive.

Others refer to "conferences" by using the name of the software used to
administer the discussions, like LISTSERV, PortaCom, News, Usenet, Caucus,
or PARTIcipate.

On the bottom line, we're still talking email. However, while private mail
is usually read by one recipient only, 'conference mail' may be read by
thousands of people from the whole world.

All of them can talk and discuss SIMULTANEOUSLY. It is almost impossible
for one individual to dominate. The number of active participants can
therefore be far larger than in 'face-to-face' conferences.

The conferencing software automatically records all that is said. Every
character. Each participant can decide what to read and when. He may even
use the messages in other applications later. Opinions and information can
easily be selected and pasted into reports or new responses.

Some conferences are public and open for anybody. Others are for a closed
group (of registered) participants.

Conferences are normally structured by topic and influenced by the
participants' behavior. If the topic is limited, like in "The football
match between Mexico and Uruguay," it may start with an introduction
followed by comments, questions, and answers like pearls on a thread. After
some time the conference is 'finished'. Other conferences go on
indefinitely.

    The content and the quality of the discussion are what separates
    one online conference from others.

How a conference develops, depends in part on the features of the software
used by the online service. However, this is much less important than the
kind of people you meet there and their willingness to contribute. Still,
let's take look at some differences in features.

Messages in the IBM Hardware Forum on CompuServe are divided into 11
sections. Section 2 is called Printers' utilities. If you have problems
with an old Epson FX-80 printer, send requests for help to "All" (=to
everybody) and store it in this section.

CompuServe's subscribers call in from all over the place to join the forum.
Some are there to show off competence (read: to sell their expertise).
Others visit to find solutions to a problem, or simply to mingle or learn.

    A conference with many users increases your chances of meeting others
    who are compatible and have relevant skills. As always, the quality of
    the people is the first requirement of a good conference.

On CompuServe, professional 'Sysops' (system operators) moderate the
discussion. They get up to 15 percent of what you pay CompuServe for using
their forums. To them, being a sysop is a profession. They expend
considerable time trying to make the forum a lively and interesting place.

The Printers/utilities section is not just about Epson FX-80. Its members
have hundreds of different printers, each with their own set of user
problems. Let's use this to explain differences between some conferencing
systems.

Each message in CompuServe's forums contains the sender's name (his local
email address), subject, date, and the text itself. We call this the
'bulletin board model'. Messages posted on Usenet, Internet and BITNET
mailing lists, and most bulletin boards have a similar structure.

On CompuServe, systems, a message typically looks like this:

   #: 24988 S10/Portable Desktops
       22-Jul-91  10:05:38
   Sb: #T5200 425meg HDD
   Fm: Gordon Norman 72356,370
   To: Menno Aartsen 72611,2066 (X)

   Menno-

   Can you share the HD specs on that 425'er...random access time,
   transfer rate, MTBF, etc.?

   Gordon

The problem with this message is that it may not be of interest to you.
Each day, thousands of messages OUTSIDE your areas of interest are being
posted. You do NOT want to read all these messages.

The good news is that most services that use the bulletin board model
allow selective reading of messages. You can select all messages containing
a given word or text string in the subject title ('Sb:' above). You can
read threads of messages from a given message number (replies, and replies
to replies). You can read all messages to/from a given person, from a given
message number, and from a given date. There are many options.

The PARTIcipate conferencing software functions diametrically opposite to
CompuServe's forum software with its bulletin board style. PARTI is used on
TWICS (Japan), and several systems in the United States.

PARTI lets the user log on using an alias. For example, she can use the
identity 'BATMAN'. You may never get to know the true name of the other
person. On the other hand, this allows people to talk about controversial
topics, with which they may not want to have their names associated.

Anyone can start a conference. The conference can be public, private or a
combination. Combination conferences allow public review of the messages in
the conference, but restrict the number of people who can contribute to the
discussion.

To start a new conference, simply enter 'write'. PARTI will prompt you with
"Enter the text of your note, then type .send or .open to transmit." You
can enter the welcome text for your new conference, like I did in this
example:

    "This conference is based on a series of articles about
    shareware and public domain programs for MSDOS computers, which
    I wrote for publication in England.
    Since the editor cheated me and they never reached the printing
    press, I've decided to make them available online instead of
    letting them rot on my hard disk. Join to read, discuss or
    (hopefully) enjoy! "

The conference was presented to the other users of TWICS like this:

    "MSDOS TIPS" by ODD DE PRESNO, Feb. 23, 1990 at 11:57 about
    GOOD PD AND SHAREWARE PROGRAMS (7 notes)

Few systems of the bulletin board model let users start new conferences at
will. New topics must be stored in a given structure. The administrators
(sysops) of the services manage the evolution of the 'conference room'.
Periodically, old messages may be deleted to make room for new.

On PARTI, all participants read all notes. Selective reading must be done
in other ways (by searching conference contents).

These two conferencing models seem to attract different types of
discussions. PARTI has given birth to more discussions on topics like these
(from PARTI on The Point, January 1992):

  "HELLO BEEP" by THE SHADOW on Sept. 17, 1991 at 19:20, about
  BEEP'S ADVENTURES IN JAPAN, AND THE LIKE (840 characters and 22
  notes).

  "MEMORIES" by LOU on Dec. 21, 1991 at 12:31, about .......I
  REMEMBER WHEN...... (423 characters and 1 notes).

  "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOTO" by PONDER on Jan. 2, 1992 at 14:34, about
  AND I BET HE THOUGHT I FORGOT. (86 characters and 15 notes).

  "PUERTO RICO" by PACKER on Jan. 18, 1992 at 20:47, about PARA
  DISCUTIR ASUNTOS PUERTORIQUENA (166 characters and 9 notes).

Systems using the bulletin board model rarely have conferences like
"MEMORIES." In PARTI, one-note conferences are allowed to stay. In the
bulletin board environment, they soon disappear.

In larger PARTI conferences, the notes can be read like a book. Often, side
discussions appear like 'branches' on a 'tree'. Join and read them, if you
want to, or just pass.

The bulletin board model systems and PARTIcipate are at two extremes of the
spectrum of conference systems. Toward the BBS model, there are systems
like Usenet, FidoNet Echo, RBBS-PC, and PortaCom. Toward the PARTI side,
there are systems like Caucus.

On Norwegian bulletin boards the primary language is Norwegian. In France,
expect French. Local systems usually depend on messages in the local
language.

Services catering to a larger geographical area may have a different
policy. English is the most common language for international discussions.
Spanish possibly number two.

The global web of connections between computers enables us to discuss with
people living in other parts of the world, as if they were living next
door.

Things Take Time!
-----------------
How long does it take a message to get from Hyougo in Japan to Saltrod in
Norway? To Dominique Christian in Paris?

Sometimes, mail travels from mailbox service to mailbox service in seconds.
This is usually the case with messages from my mailbox in Norway to Dan
Wheeler in Ohio (U.S.A.) and Mike Burleigh in London.

Messages that must go through many gateways may take more time. How long it
takes, depends on the degree of automation in the mail systems involved,
and how these systems have been connected to the global matrix of networks.

Speed is high if the computers are interconnected with fixed, high-capacity
lines. This is not so for mail from Oslo to Dominique in Paris. Although
the distance is not great, mail is routed through a system in London and is
forwarded only once a day through a dial-up connection. It usually takes at
least one day to reach the destination.

News
----
Most large news agencies have online counterparts. You can often read their
news online before it appears in print. This is the case with news from
sources like NTB, Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Kyodo News Report
(Japan), Reuters, Xinhua English Language News Service (China) and TASS.
Some news is only made available in electronic form.

News may be read in several ways, depending on what online service you use:

    * From a list of headlines. Enter a story's number to receive its full
text. The news may be divided into groups, like Sports, International news,
Business, and Entertainment.

    * Some services let you hook directly into a news agency's 'feed line'
to get news as it is being made available. At 11.02, 11.04, 11.15, etc.

    * News may be 'clipped' and stored in your mailbox twenty-four hours a
day, seven days a week. Clipping services search articles for occurrences
of your personal keyword phrases while you are offline. In this way, you can
monitor new products, companies, people, events, and countries, even when
you are not online.

NewsFlash is NewsNet's electronic clipping service, a powerful resource
that lets you monitor NewsNet's newsletters for topics of interest.

The Executive News Service on CompuServe let you search for words in story
headlines, or in the first three lines of text. ENS searches through 8,000
stories/day from the Washington Post, ITAR/TASS, Associated Press, Xinhua
News Agency, United Press International, Reuters Financial News Wire, and
others.

Newspapers used to receive news through the wires before the online user.
This built-in delay has now been removed on many services. Industry and
professional news is usually available online long before it appears in
print or even on television.

Databases
---------
Some years ago, most databases were bibliographic. They just contained
references to articles, books and other written or electronic sources of
information. The typical search result looked like this:

  0019201     02-88-68
    TRIMETHOPRIM-SULFAMETHOXAZOLE  in  CYST  Fluid  from  Autosomal
    Dominant POLYCYSTIC KIDNEYS.
    Elzinga L.W.; et al. W.M.  Bennett, Dept. of Med., Oregon Hlth.
    Sci. Univ., 3101 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland,
    OR 97201.

  Kid. Int.   32:  884-888.  Dec.  1987

  Subfile:  Internal  Medicine;  Family Practice;  Nephrology;
  Infectious Disease; Clinical Pharmacology; Highlights of General
  Medicine

You had to take the reference to a library to read a printed copy of the
article. Some services did let you to order a copy while online, to be sent
you by mail from a copying service.

Full-text searching is now the rule. When you find an article of interest,
you can have the full text displayed on your screen at once (often without
accompanying pictures and tables, though). The search commands have also
become simpler and more powerful.

Just for fun
------------
Many online services focus on your leisure time. They offer reviews and
news about movies, video, music, and sport. There are forums for stamp and
coin collectors, travel maniacs, passionate cooks, wine tasters, and other
special interest groups. Besides, many services are entertaining in
themselves.

Large, complex adventure games, where hundreds of users can play
simultaneously, are popular choices. Some people sit glued to the computer
screen for hours.

Others prefer 'Chat', a keyboard-to-keyboard contact-phone type of
simultaneous conversation between from two and up to hundreds of persons.
It works like a combination of a social activity and a role-
playing/strategy/fantasy/skill-improving game.

Shopping is the online equivalent of the traditional mail order business.
The difference is that you can buy while browsing. Some commercial services
distribute colorful catalogues to users to support sales. Some distribute
pictures of the merchandise by modem.

You can buy anything from racer fitness equipment and diamonds to cars.
Enter your credit card number and the Chevrolet is yours. The online mail
order business is becoming increasingly global.

Level 5: The user interface
---------------------------
Part of the character of all online service providers is the way they
interact with the user.  The term "user interface" refers to how the online
service is presented to you, that is, in what form text, pictures and sound
appear on your computer.

Most online services offer the first three of these four levels. Some offer
more:

    1. Menus for novices. The user can select (navigate) by
       pressing a figure or a letter.
    2. Short menus or lists of commands for the intermediate user.
       The user knows some about how the service works, and just
       wants a short reminder to help navigate.
    3. A short prompt (often just a character, like a "%"), which
       tells the expert user where he is in the system right now.
       Those knowing the service inside out, do not need reminders
       about what word or command to enter at this point.
    4. Some services offer automatic access without any menus or
       visible prompts at all. Everything happens in a two-way
       stream of unintelligent data. The only menus that the user
       sees, are those belonging to the program running on his
       personal computer.

Some services emphasize colors, graphics and sound. They may require that
users have certain hardware or special add-on cards in their communications
computer. Often, a special communications program is also needed.

Other services use methods for presenting colors and graphics already built
into their users' computers (and programs).

Colors, graphics and sound are highly desirable in some applications, like
online games and weather forecasts. Even where it is not important, there
will always be many wanting it.

To the professional on a fact-gathering mission, these features may give
slower data transfer and problems when saving text to disk for later use.
Therefore, some prefer ASCII text with no extras.

Sports cars are nice, but for delivering furniture they're seldom any good.
The same applies to user interfaces. No one is best for all applications.

Level 6: The data transporters
------------------------------
When the host computer for an online service is far away, the user often
faces the challenges of:

    1. Noise on the line, which may result in unreadable text,
       errors in the received material, or inability to  maintain
       a desired transmission speed level.
    2. Expensive long distance calls (especially if using a low-
       speed modem).

There are many alternatives to direct long distance calling. Some offers
better quality data transfers and lower costs.

The Internet is a global network serving maybe hundreds of millions of
mailboxes. It provides very cost-efficient mail exchange with private and
public networks throughout the world. If your local mailbox computer is
directly connected to the net, you can use it to connect (often free) to
remote service providers in other countries.

The regional packet data services used to be a popular option. In
Scandinavia, the offerings of the local PTTs are called Datapak. Similar
services are offered in most countries, often by a national telephone
monopoly.

Competitively priced alternatives exist in many countries. For example,
Infonet, TRI-P, and i-Com has competed successfully with former monopolies
for transport of data to and from North America.

IXI is a packet data network operated by European Research centers. DASnet
offers transport of mail between mail systems that have no direct
connection with each others. (More about this in Chapter 13.)

The packet data services, however, are quickly loosing ground to remote
computing through the Internet and direct calls using cheap high-speed
modems.

Level 7: The user
-----------------
This is you, your computer and communications equipment. Turn the page to
the next chapter and read about how to use the online services.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3: Using online services
================================

The user interface refers to what you get on your computer screen and how,
when you call an online service. It includes menus and help screens, and
various options to tailor the service to your personal preferences.

Internet's World Wide Web
-------------------------
This very popular service is built to be used by a computer running under
Windows, but it can also be accessed by non-graphics programs (like Lynx),
and by electronic mail.

A World Wide Web page can look like anything. It can be a text, like the
one you read now, with some words highlighted in a special way. You can
"click" on these words with your mouse to jump off to another track.

Example: If the term "World Wide Web" in the paragraph above had been
highlighted, and you clicked on this word, then you would have received
a text defining this service. Many people think this method is easier than
having to page forward to appendix 6 for a definition.

Some World Wide Web services have links imbedded in pictures or other
graphics. These pointers are impossible to see unless you use a Windows
program to access the service. Still, they work in the same way. Click on
the pointers to get to the other tracks, which may be text, video, sound, a
picture, or whatever.

Navigating by menus
-------------------
Many online services have menus to make them easier for novices to use.  A
typical menu looks like this:

    R)ead messages
    Q)uick search available messages
    W)rite messages
    C)omments to Sysop
    D)ownload programs
    ?) for help
    G)oodbye. This is enough!

Enter a letter (or ?) to select a function. Enter R to read messages. There
is hardly any need to read the documentation to use this service.

Internet's Gopher services use this type of menus:

                              Online Book

 -->  1.  * HEY! ShareWare Ahead: contribution to Odd de Presno REQUEST...
      2.  About The Online World - Odd de Presno/
      3.  Registration Information for Use of this Book.
      4.  What's new in this edition.
      5.  THE ONLINE WORLD MONITOR.
      6.  The Online Book By Odd de Presno.
      7.  The Online Book By Odd de Presno (compressed) <Bin>
      8.  The Online Book By Odd de Presno (zip) <Bin>
      9.  The Online Book by Chapter/
      10. SEARCH Online Book <?>

 Press ? for Help, q to Quit, u to go up a menu                    Page: 1/1


CompuServe greets European users with this menu:

      CompuServe Europe         EUROPE

      COMPUSERVE EUROPE MAIN MENU

       1 About CompuServe
       2 What's New
       3 Member Assistance
       4 Electronic Mail
       5 Personal Computer Support
       6 Company Information
       7 Logon Instructions (Europe)
       8 CompuServe Information Service (U.S.)

Enter '8' to get another menu:

      CompuServe                   TOP

       1 Member Assistance (FREE)
       2 Find a Topic (FREE)
       3 Communications/Bulletin Bds.
       4 News/Weather/Sports
       5 Travel
       6 The Electronic MALL/Shopping
       7 Money Matters/Markets
       8 Entertainment/Games
       9 Hobbies/Lifestyles/Education
      10 Reference
      11 Computers/Technology
      12 Business/Other Interests

You can "go" to Associated Press' newswires or the section for home-
schooling in the Education Forum by entering numbers listed in menus. The
service is like a tree with menus by every set of branches.

A code in the upper right-hand corner of each screen tells you exactly
where you are. The last menu has the code 'TOP' meaning that this menu is
at the 'top of the tree'.

By each CompuServe system prompt, the command GO followed by a destination
code will take you directly to a desired location. Enter GO IBMHW to go
directly to the IBM Hardware Forum.

The GO command will save you time and money. Similar codes and commands are
used on several other online services.

On many systems, the first menu encountered when logging on is a list of
announcements and new offerings. The following is from GEnie, General
Electric's Consumer Information Service (U.S.A.):

       GEnie Announcements (FREE)

 1. July 1991 GEnie Billing Completed.  To review yours, type:....*BILL
 2. Hot Summer Nights continues to SIZZLE.........................*HSN
 3. NEW...Quality Product and Amazing Value in....................SOFTCLUB
 4. LAST CHANCE---Blue GEnie Sweatshirts..........................*ORDER
 5. Color hypermedia in Apple II world. HyperStudio RTC in........A2
 6. Meet the Product Manager, FREE RTC............................SFRT
 7. "Future of Online Gaming" RTC with GEnie Game Designers in....MPGRT
 8. A Revolutionary Credit Service - TRW CREDENTIALS..............TRWCREDIT
 9. 900 Numbers: Ripoff or Good Business Sense - RTC 8/11 9PM.....RADIO
10. Air Warrior Convention set for Sept.26-29. in Washington......AIR
11. SEARS Fall/Winter Catalog On-line NOW.........................SEARS
12. How to Sell your CRAFTS for Profit............................HOSB
13. Stellar Warrior Campaign starts with a FREE weekend...........WARRIOR
14. Followup Investment RTC with Mickey Friedman in...............REAL ESTATE
15. Federation II, the adult space fantasy........................FED

Enter #, <H>elp, or <CR> to continue?

At the 'Enter #' prompt, enter '7' to go directly to the "Future of Online
Gaming" conference (RTC=Round Table Conference). Enter H for Help, or press
RETURN to get to the systems' main menu.

You can "go" to selected services by entering a videotext page number code
or a number (selected from the menu). Type 'mail' to get to your mailbox,
'backgammon' to play, or 'SEARS' to visit the online version of this North
American shoppers' paradise.

'Mail' has page number 200. Enter 'm 200' to go there directly. To go to
NewsBytes' technical news reports by subject, select "5" from menu page
number 316.

GEnie even has a faster way. Like some other services, it let you stack
commands. Instead of issuing one command, and then wait for the system to
respond before issuing the next command, stacking allows you to put all
commands on one line. The command "m 316;5" will take you directly to
choice 5 from the menu on page 316 without displaying intermediate menus.

Many online services use the same template. They have commands like GO
SERVICE-NAME, JOIN SERVICE-NAME (or just J), DELTA SERVICE-NAME, or just
the code or name of the offering as in 'mail' and 'sears' above.

Entering H or ? (for help) usually give you assistance. Few services are
fussy about whether you use lower or capital letters in commands.

On some services, and especially if a selection requires just a letter or a
number, you do not even have to press return to make it happen. This method
is used on many bulletin boards.

Some codes are standard. This is particularly the case with ?, H, or Help
for more information.

Test drive
----------
Several commercial systems let you try the service for free or at lower
rates. You can check what is out there without paying for the exploratory
connect time, and get some free training in how to use the service.

CompuServe's Practice Forum (GO PRACTICE) does not carry any connect
charges, but applicable communication surcharges are still in effect. They
also have a free 'Guided Tour'.

Free trials are particularly useful before a search in an expensive
database. Use DialIndex on KR Dialog. Orbit has DBIN (The database Index),
and KR Data-Star has CROS. They are master indexes to the databases on the
system. First, select a general subject area, then enter your search terms.
The systems will respond with lists of databases and hit counts.

Note: You must go to the 'real' databases for results. You cannot retrieve
actual information during a test drive.

Selecting an expert level
-------------------------
Most services regard all new users as novices. The software designers
assume that users do not want (or are unable) to read lengthy explanations.
They think that most users prefer navigation by going from menu to menu.

Commercial services may support this view for financial reasons, and
especially when charging for access by the minute. (Some of them let you
read their help screens for free, though.)

Menus are important when browsing new offerings, or accessing services that
we seldom use. Frequent users of a service, however, quickly learn how to
do things. Menus may soon begin to annoy rather than please. Reading them
costs money, and it slows our communications down.

We do not need menus when accessing online services in fully automated
mode. Your communications program remembers exactly what to do, and does
all the typing for you.

There is no point in paying extra for having menus. You'll not read them
anyway. The objective is to access the service at maximum speed and the
lowest possible cost.

Most online services can be tailored to your personal needs and
preferences. Many let you choose between:

    * Full menus
    * Short menus
    * A prompt line with a list of the most often used
      commands,
    * a prompt character or word (see "prompt" in appendix 4
      for examples). Prompts can be used by automatic
      communication script files to trigger the next action.

If concerned about costs, note that you can use expert mode without being a
true expert. Just print the menus, and keep them by your keyboard while
moving around.

Some users draw 'road maps' of the services to navigate more quickly.
Others automate the process using automatic communications scripts.

Tailoring your services
-----------------------
The need to tailor the online service's prompts and menus differs
considerably from user to user, as they use all kinds of computers for
communication.

Some screens are large. Other screens can only display a few lines of text
at a time. One user of my BBS even used a Hewlett Packard pocket calculator
with a tiny, tiny screen.

Many online services allow you to tailor the way information is sent to
you.

If you are satisfied with how things are, skip the next couple of pages and
read from "Connecting the first time." If curious of your options, read on
for a brief technical overview.

Besides a selection of various types of menus, you can usually also set the
following preferences:

    * What menu is to be the first, when you access the service?
    * The first menu is to be a tailored menu containing your
      favorite offerings, and nothing else.
    * Colors, graphics, or no colors/graphics.
    * Preferred file transfer protocol (to avoid a question each
      time you want to transfer a file).
    * Desired terminal emulator, like TTY, VT-100 or VT-52.
    * CAPITAL LETTERS or Mixed Case.
    * The ASCII character code to use for the DELETE function.
    * How many spaces to insert when expanding TABs in your mail.
    * Number of lines per screen (for example, 24 on an IBM PC, or
      eight on a TRS-80 Model 100. Whether scrolling is to pause
      after each screenful or not.)
    * Number of characters per line (for example, 80 lines on a PC,
      or 40 on a TRS-80 Model 100.
    * If the linefeed character is to be sent or not.
    * If blank lines are to be sent.
    * Whether the service is to check when you log on to see if
      you are using special software (as in 'Inquire for VIDTEX' on
      CompuServe).
    * The use of 'echo'. Is the service to return the characters
      that you enter on your keyboard?
    * Use of delay when sending line feeds. (Useful if capturing
      text to a dumb printing terminal. If text scrolls too fast
      for the printer, you risk losing some of it.)
    * Choice of prompt character, or prompt text string. This is
      useful when communicating by script files. On CompuServe, I
      have asked the system to add the BackSpace character (ASCII
      character number 8) to the end of all forum prompts. Since
      this character is rarely found in messages or other texts,
      I can safely let scripts depend on this prompt character for
      unattended communication.

Displaying information on the screen
------------------------------------
An 'A' is not an 'A' no matter what service you use. If you call Tocolo BBS
in Japan (Tel.: [phone] bps, 8,N,1.) with a non-Japanese MS-
DOS computer, chances are that the welcome text will look like this:

  *--------------------------------------------------------------*
  *  D0:[ BBS    (<^/9] 7.8)                                     *
  *   62>] =3     ---> 3  (@^2K.3 03-205-9315)                   *
  *   3]V3 <^6]   ---> 24 <^6] 6D^3 C=D A-3                      *
  *                    (Wed 9:00-17:00 J R]C I @R 5T=P C^=)      *
  *--------------------------------------------------------------*

You'll need a Japanese ROM (Read-Only Memory) in your computer, a special
graphics program, or a Japanese language operating system  to have the
Kanji characters displayed properly on your screen.

The characters that you see on your computer's screen are based on a code.
The computer finds the characters to display from a table built into your
system's hardware or software.

Most personal computers can be preset to use various tables depending on
your needs. When communicating in English, you may want it to show Latin
characters. When writing in Japanese, you may want it to display Kanji
characters.

Those writing in Norwegian, often want to use the special Scandinavian
characters ¢¥æÆåÅ. If the first two of these Nordic characters read like
the symbols for Yen and Cent, you are not set up for Scandinavian
characters. If your system is set up correctly, they should look like an
'o' and an 'O' overwritten by a '/'.

The code telling your computer what to display, may also contain
information about where to put characters and what colors to use.

Thus, an online service may order your computer to display a given
character in column 10 on line 2, and to print it in blinking red color. If
you are not set up correctly, these codes may show as garbage on your screen
rather than as a colorful character in a given position.

If you call a service set to display text in VT-52 format, and your
communications program is set accordingly, then you should be OK. VT-52 is
a setup that makes a program or a service 'behave' like a DEC VT-52
terminal.

Being able to view VT-52 coded text on your screen, does not guarantee that
you can capture this 'picture' to a file on your disk. Your communications
program may need special features to do that. If these features are
missing, you are in for a surprise. The text in your capture file may look
like in this example (it came on a single, long line on my computer):


--------------------------------------------------------------------
*H*J*Y"4   Innhold*Y%>                              *Y&4Emneoversikt
1   Brukerprofil    6*Y)4Stikkord A-]       2   Bruker-          *Y*4
veiledning      7*Y,4Informasjons-                           *Y-
4leverand|rer A-]   3   Teledatanytt*Y.W    8*Y04Personlig indeks
4*Y2H                    *Y34Meldingstjenesten  5   Avslutte
9*Y64   ]pningsside *00#                     *Y 4TELEDATA
880823-1538*Y74                               NTA01-00a*Y74     *Y74*Y74
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The character '*' in this example refers to the ESCape character (ASCII
number 27). ESC is used to tell your computer that what follows is a VT-52
display command.

The codes following the ESC say where text is to be printed on your screen
(from line number x and column number y).

If your communications program cannot save VT-52 coded text in a readable
way, you'll need auxiliary programs to remove or convert the codes. Some
communication programs let you take snapshots of the screen, and store the
result in a file. This usually gives good results, but it may be a
cumbersome approach.

Prestel (British Telecom, England) belongs to a group of online services
called videotex (or viewdata). Minitel (in France and the U.S.), and
Prodigy (U.S.A.) are also in this group. They believe that beautiful color
graphics, large characters, and menus give them a competitive advantage.

CompuServe is often called a videotex service because of its emphasis on
menus. However, most call it 'ASCII videotex' as it is not depending on
special display formats. Their philosophy is that 'plain text' is required
to attract many users across hardware platforms.

The viewdata services use graphical display standards with names like
Prestel, CEPT, Captain (Character and Pattern Telephone Access Information
Network System, in Japan), Telidon (Canada), Minitel, Teletel (France), GIF
(the Graphics Interchange Format), Viewdata, and NAPLPS (The North American
Presentation Level Protocol Syntax).

You often need special terminal machines to use some viewdata services. On
other services, you must use special software plus an emulator card in your
computer.

Many MS-DOS based bulletin boards let you set access defaults to colors and
graphics. Most of them use ANSI graphics in welcome texts and menus. Users
must set their programs to ANSI (or ANSI BBS) to take advantage.

Capture these welcome texts and menus to a file on your hard disk, and view
them with an editor. They are filled with ANSI escape codes, and thus hard
to read (and search). The good news is that conference and forum mail only
rarely contain such codes.

Many users routinely keep captured online information on their hard disks
for later reference. If this is your intention, make sure that text is sent
to you in plain ASCII, or TTY mode.

    TTY sends one line at a time, and only uses the codes TAB,
    BackSpace, Carriage Return and LineFeed during the transfer.
    The rest is 'plain text'.

Most online services offer TTY format. You can use the setting almost
everywhere. Even the videotex service Prestel offers an option called 'TTY
Teletype'.

If 'TTY' or 'ASCII' is not on your online services' list of options, try
'Others' or 'Other computers'. These settings usually identify your
computer as unable to handle 'standard' colors, sound and graphics.

Viewdata pages may provide "selling pictures," but the screens often have a
low contents of information compared with TTY-based services. They are
therefore not my favorite services for news in full-text.

In other applications, like games, colorful graphics are a definite
advantage.

Connecting the first time
-------------------------
If you have unlimited financial resources, go ahead and call up services
all over the world. Learning by doing is exciting.

If resources are limited and the service is expensive, start by reading
user information manual. Go online to capture key menus and help texts.
Print them out on paper for further study before going online again for a
'real' visit.

I always hurry slowly during my first visits to a new commercial online
service. I call up, quickly capture information about how to use it, and
disconnect. It may take days to study the material. My objective is to find
what the service offers to plan how to use it most efficiently.

The first important command to look up is the logoff command. There is
nothing more frustrating than to get an error message after submitting BYE.
If lost, try "quit," "exit," "logoff," "off" and "G" in the hope of finding
the correct command. These are the most usual variations. You should also
try ? or HELP.

If you really can't figure out how to get off a system, just hang up on it.
Be careful, though. Some systems will continue to charge for a period, even
after you have disconnected by hanging up.

One of the first things that I do, is set my options to expert status,
though I am obviously an amateur at this stage.

Often, I also start automating the process during my first visits. I write
script files for automatic access and quick navigation to key offerings.
Another good strategy is to look for automated offline readers or systems
(see Chapter 16 for details).

Others prefer paper and pencil. They write a list of required commands on a
piece of paper, like this:

    Call 0165
    At CONNECT:                   ENTER @SP ENTER
    At the NUI prompt:            Nxxxxxppppp-a170041
    At Enter 'dix' and <Enter>:   dix
    At -- More --:                ENTER
    At Your name:                 Odd de Presno
    At Password:                  hemmelig
    At What do you want to do:
    - when no unread mail         goodbye
    - when mail to read           ENTER

Put the list by your keyboard before calling the service. Follow it
carefully. After a while you may remember the procedure, and can throw away
your notes.

    Good luck!



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PART 2: APPLICATIONS


            "Imagination is more important than knowledge"
                             - Albert Einstein


This part of the book is the core of the matter. We want to give you an
idea of what is out there.

The bad news is that the online world has too much. We have been forced to
make a selection. So, if there are important pointers that you feel have
been left out, please drop me a line. Maybe it can be included in a future
release of the book.

While references to offerings with terms like "on CompuServe," and "on
TWICS" may be easily understood, you may not be used to our terms referring
to resources on the Internet. These include the following:

    anonymous ftp
    gopher
    telnet
    RFC, FYI, FAQ
    archie
    WWW
    WAIS

Do not despair. Explanation is given in appendix 6. You can also search the
book for additional information.

For now, please note our usage of the following type of pointers:

    * Pointer: http://host.name/directory/file.name
      This is an Internet World Wide Web address. Read under WWW in
      appendix 6 for more, including how to get the text from WWW pages
      by electronic mail! Also, do not forget to read about Lynx. . . .

    * Pointer: ftp://host.name/directory/file.name
      This is an Internet anonymous FTP address given in a form that can
      be used directly by World Wide Web browser programs. You can also
      use the contents of this address in other ways, for example, for
      retrieval by email, or using Internet's ftp command. Read about
      'anonymous FTP' and 'FTP by email' in Chapter 12 and Appendix 6.

    * Pointer: gopher://cc1.kuleuven.ac.be/11/faqs/
      This is an Internet Gopher address given in a form that can be
      used directly by World Wide Web browser programs. You can also
      use the contents of this address in other ways, for example, for
      retrieval by email, or by using Internet's gopher command. Read
      under Gopher in appendix 6 for more.

Chapter 4: Hobby, games and fun
===============================

  * Programs, game and fun
    Online adventure games. The virus threat.
  * Hobbies. Holiday travelling. Collecting stamps or coins.
    Roots, music, and online shopping.

Online services have one thing in common with newspapers, magazines and
books. What they offer, varies from provider to provider.

The next chapters will focus on the contents of the offerings. Appendix 1
has details about how to access the major service providers.

Small online services often have interesting offerings in specialized
areas, and especially when they are based on local phenomena or events.
They tend to be more personal. They often present their 'wares' in a local
language, and offer very large collections of free software.

The large online services have hundreds of thousands of users. The activity
is often high. They usually attract interesting (and competent)
participants to their conferences and forums, have more programs available
for download and more news sources and databases to search. In short, they
generally give you a wider choice.

We will focus on the large international services. These are available from
anywhere without too much effort, and using them comes surprisingly cheap.
Therefore, please remember that this book just covers the top of the
iceberg. Cheaper services may be found elsewhere, and they may even be
better tuned to your particular areas of interest.

Locating game software
----------------------
The fastest, easiest and cheapest method is to call an online service to
download game programs. You will find an overwhelming number of programs
for all types of microcomputers.

Many games are free. We call them "Public Domain" or "Freeware" programs.
Others are distributed free. You do not have to pay to get and try them
out. If you want to use them, however, the copyright owner expects you to
pay a fee. We call them "shareware" or "user supported" programs.

When the game program has been transferred to your personal computer, you
can play without worries about communications costs, or the busy signal on
your phone line.

My favorite game is shareware. The name is Arachnid. It is an MS Windows
solitaire game (patience) made by SP Services, P.O. Box 456, Southampton,
SO9 7XG, England. The desired registration fee is UKP 15.00 (English
pounds). You can download the program from my board as WINCARD.EXE. The
file is 106 kilobytes large.

WINCARD.EXE is a special distribution file, which contains three games and
all supporting files. The EXE extension may fool you into thinking that it
is a program, and in a way it is. The file is a self-extract file, meaning
that you just enter "WINCARD" on an MS-DOS computer to extract the game
files from the "package."

Games are usually distributed in such distribution files. All files used by
a game (or several games) are put into one file by special software, and
compressed in size. This makes retrieval of programs easier and cheaper.
You do not have to download many related files individually. The transfer
takes less time. (Read in appendix 3 about how to extract programs from
distribution files.)

You will find some of the largest collections of games on the North
American services CompuServe and EXEC-PC BBS. You will also find large
collections on the Internet. Asia's possibly largest anonymous ftp
archives are at ftp://NCTUCCCA.edu.tw/ .

  | If you only have email access to the Internet, read this:      |
  |                                                                |
  | TRICKLE is a large collection of public domain and shareware   |
  | programs for MS-DOS, CPM, and other computers. For information |
  | about how to use TRICKLE, send a message through Internet to   |
  |                                                                |
  |         [e-mail]                                 |
  |                                                                |
  | In the TEXT of the message write                               |
  |                                                                |
  |         GET PDGET HELP                                         |
  |                                                                |
  | An information file will be sent to your electronic mailbox.   |
  | (Read the chapter about electronic mail, and about The SimTel  |
  | Software Repository in Appendix 6, more information.)          |
  |                                                                |
  | If TRICKLE is not enough, try Archie. It is a distributed      |
  | index to all the files available by anonymous ftp on the       |
  | Internet. The Archie database maintains a list of roughly 1.5  |
  | million files containing 100 Gigabytes of information  (that   |
  | is, 100,000,000,000 bytes) available from over 800 anonymous   |
  | FTP archive sites (1993).                                      |
  |     You can search the database by email to find where files   |
  | are located. Some Archie systems maintain a list of libraries  |
  | all over the world, while others concentrate on a more limited |
  | geographical area.                                             |
  |     Once Archie has told you where desired programs and files  |
  | are located, you can retrieve them by telnet, anonymous FTP,   |
  | FTPmail, and WWW. Read "File transfers through the Internet"   |
  | in chapter 12 for details.                                     |
  |     For information on how to use Archie, send email to one of |
  | these addresses (see appendix 6 for more):                     |
  |                                                                |
  |     [e-mail]         (Canada)                       |
  |     [e-mail]  (Australia)                    |
  |                                                                |
  | Put the word HELP in the body of your mail.                    |
  |                                                                |
  | Getting programs by email is a three-step process:             |
  |                                                                |
  | [1] Use Archie to find file names and where they are stored,   |
  | [2] Send a message to [e-mail] to have them      |
  |     retrieved and forwarded to you by email, and               |
  | [3] Use a utility program to convert the file to a useful      |
  |     format. (See "Binary files transferred as text codes"      |
  |     in Chapter 12.)                                            |
  |                                                                |
  | Check out JVArcServ for an Archie-alike service on FidoNet.    |
  |                                                                |
  | Also, check out the FAQ file on PC GAMES, "Guide To The Gaming |
  | World" (see "FAQ" in appendix 6).                              |

Chances are that online services in your area also have many programs to
offer. Most free bulletin boards have more software than you'll ever get
around to try.

Usually, there is a natural specialization between boards. Those using the
Unix operating system, have the largest number of programs for such
machines. Those running on MS-DOS computers, have more programs for such
computers.

Some games are trite and bad. Others are brilliant. There are ladder games,
racer car driving, flight control, war, subsea games, electronic versions
of traditional games like Backgammon, Yatzy, chess and bridge, educational
games for geography, mathematics and history, puzzles, fractal programs
that draw beautiful pictures on your screen, psychological tests, text-
based adventure games, and more. There is something for everybody.

If you want to get rich in a hurry, go for programs that increase your
chances of winning horse race bets, or other "real world" money winning
games.

If you are into beautiful girls, fill your hard disk with picture files in
GIF, PCX or other graphics formats. (Sorry ladies, there are not many
pictures of naked boys around.) There is an abundance of shareware
programs that will display the pictures on your computer screen.

Keen users of the more popular games often want to swap tricks and discuss
experiences: Super Nintendo players regularly meet on the SNES mailing
list. To join, send your subscription request to:

   [e-mail]

Yes, this is an Internet email address. We will talk more about addressing
email in Chapter 7. For now, let us concentrate on what is out there.

For chess, try the Chess Discussion List ([e-mail]), unless
you are looking for Chinese Chess (on [e-mail]). To play or
watch real-time chess with human opponents, telnet aragorn.andrew.cmu.edu
5000 (or 128.2.35.185 5000). To use telnet, interactive access to the
Internet is required. Type 'help' when you get to the chess area. Real-time
Chinese chess is on telnet hippolytos.ud.chalmers.se 5555 .

CompuServe has a Chess forum (GO CHESSFORUM) with message sections called:
Chess Basics, Theory & Analysis, News Wire, Hardware/Software, Casual
Games, Electronic Knights, Oriental/Variants, Tourneys (Open), USCF Rated
Games, Team Play, and Time Out.

Usenet excels when it comes to games. Here are some newsgroups:

  rec.gambling            Articles on games of chance & betting.
  rec.games.board         Discussion and hints on board games.
  rec.games.board.ce      The Cosmic Encounter board game.
  rec.games.bridge        Hobbyists interested in bridge.
  rec.games.chess         Chess & computer chess.
  rec.games.design        Discussion of game design related issues.
  rec.games.empire        Discussion and hints about Empire.
  rec.games.frp           Discussion about Role Playing games.
  rec.games.go            Discussion about Go.
  rec.games.hack          Discussion, hints, etc. about the Hack game.
  rec.games.misc          Games and computer games.
  rec.games.moria         Comments, hints, and info about the Moria game.
  rec.games.mud           Various aspects of multi-users computer games.
  rec.games.pbm           Discussion about Play by Mail games.
  rec.games.pinball       Discussing pinball-related issues.
  rec.games.programmer    Discussion of adventure game programming.
  rec.games.rogue         Discussion and hints about Rogue.
  rec.games.trivia        Discussion about trivia.
  rec.games.video         Discussion about video games.
  rec.games.video.arcade  Discussions about coin-operated video games.

With so much going on, it is difficult to stay current on new programs
and new versions of old ones. Consider subscribing to the MS-DOS Archive
Additions (one-way) information service. Internet MS-DOS archive managers
use it to announce new additions to their collections.

To subscribe, send a message to [e-mail] with this
command in the body of the message:

      subscribe msdos-ann

These announcements are also posted to the Usenet newsgroup called
comp.archives.msdos.announce .

  | It is probably easier for you to relate to references like     |
  | "rec.games.video on Usenet," than to [e-mail].   |
  | References to BITNET mailing lists are made in various ways    |
  | throughout the book, just as it is online. This is the basic   |
  | rule:                                                          |
  |                                                                |
  | On BITNET, mailing lists are usually 'managed' by a program    |
  | called LISTSERV. This program handles subscription requests,   |
  | requests for files, and more. When you see a reference like    |
  | [e-mail], then this means that you must send     |
  | your subscription request to the LISTSERV at the INDYCMS       |
  | computer on BITNET (address: [e-mail]). Mail    |
  | to the XIANGQI forum, however, must be sent to the address     |
  | [e-mail] to be forwarded to the other members.   |
  |                                                                |
  | For more about BITNET, check out appendix 1. You may also find |
  | it useful to read about email addresses in Chapter 7, and about|
  | LISTSERV in appendix 4.                                        |
  |                                                                |
  | Note: In cases where a BITNET mailing list has dual addresses, |
  | we will usually give the Internet address in this book. If you |
  | are on BITNET, and using these addresses are difficult or      |
  | impossible, ask your local postmaster for help.                |

Computer viruses
----------------
Few online users ever live to see or experience a computer virus, but they
do exist. So, read this:

A virus is a small, hidden computer program that can cause the loss or
alteration of programs or data, and can  compromise their confidentiality.
It can spread from program to program, and from system to system, without
direct human intervention.

The chance of your computer being infected is small, but you are never safe.
Therefore, download a program for virus detection and identification, like
VIRUSSCAN from McAfee Associates, 4423 Cheeney Street, Santa Clara, CA
95054-0253, U.S.A. They also have virus disinfection programs (for MS-DOS
computers).

For more about viruses, subscribe to [e-mail]. CompuServe has the
Mac New Users Forum (with a Virus Clinic section), the McAfee Virus Help
Forum, the Symantec AntiVirus Forum, and more. FidoNet has a VIRUS echo.
ILINK has VIRUS-I. Usenet has bit.listserv.valert-l (Virus Alert List), and
comp.virus .

The good news is that most large providers of computer programs now have
sophisticated virus scanning programs integrated into their services.

Online games
------------
Why not investigate online adventure games? There are many alternatives.
Prestel (England) offers TRASH, an environmental multi-user game with a
futuristic theme and full of humor. Up to 64 persons can play
simultaneously.

  " ...Callers play out the role of pandimensional refuse disposal
  officers, whose primary aim in life is to clean up the multiverse, as the
  Trash environment is called."

  "With a diverse range of 'psionic powers', which vary from the nasty
  (pyrokinesis) to the gentle (faith healing), at their command, Trash
  players roam across dimensions and universes, completing various tasks."

Bulletin boards throughout the world invite to role playing games. Some
have graphics, music and sound effects. Dungeons & Dragons is a popular
choice.

On EXEC-PC, play Startrek. Select an identity and "play it out" according
to its character. If a real aficionado, check out rec.arts.startrek.info on
Usenet, or the mailing list [e-mail] (send your mail to
[e-mail] to subscribe).

Advanced players swap tricks on [e-mail]. On many BBSes, MUD
is a most popular game.

  | Multi-User Dungeons (MUD) is a structured and user-modifiable |
  | online environment, which allows users not only to interact   |
  | with each other, but to do role-playing, build and furnish    |
  | living areas and interaction areas, extend and create the     |
  | interactive "space" and the rules for using that space.       |
  |                                                               |
  | As programmers create new types of MUDs, new names appear.    |
  | These include TinyMud, DUM, MOO, MUCK, MUG, and many others.  |
  | There is a MOO at 155.31.1.1 8888 , which allows 'guests' to  |
  | look around (this is a telnet address).                       |
  |                                                               |
  | For more, retrieve the MUD Frequently Asked Question texts    |
  | from gopher://cc1.kuleuven.ac.be/11/faqs/ (there are several  |
  | of them!).                                                    |
  |                                                               |
  | Also, check out this: http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~lwl/muds.html |

Popular choices on CompuServe are strategy games like The Island of Kesmai
and Megawars. One game can last for weeks at a time. On CIX (England), many
prefer the multi-user dungeon game DiscWorld.

If you prefer sport fantasies in the armchair, try GEnie's Rotisserie
League Baseball. Decide what team player to be, and join in a match of
American baseball. GemStone used to be most popular game on GEnie.

Nintendo offers online games through the Famicom Networks in Japan and the
U.S. Your PC must have a special graphics card to play games like GO and
Shogi, a Japanese game of chess.

Chat
----
Chat, or "keyboard talking," is a popular attraction, and in particular on
the large online services.

Your first attempt will probably be a strange experience. Your monitor
will look like an unfolding screenplay, with you speaking one of the
several parts.

When many people talk simultaneously in chat, incoherent sentences seem to
fly over your computer screen. It takes some training to be able to read
what each of them is saying.

CompuServe's Citizen Band Simulator (GO CB) is an electronic version of the
hams' short-wave radio. It has 72 CB Simulator channels. You can chat with
anonymous members, have fun and find new keypals.

On EXEC-PC's Chat and Entertainment System, up to 64 users can talk
simultaneously. GEnie calls their chat service Livewire CB. On BIX, look
for CBIX.

Some users are serious about chatting. Several large companies are heavy
users, and it also has educational applications. Although this kind of
talking is a slow process, it has advantages. It is easy to document the
discussion. People from places geographically far apart can meet and talk
at a low cost.

Some online services charge less for chats than for other services.

My hobby
--------
There are online forums for most hobbies: collection of stamps and coins,
genealogy, music, holiday travels, skiing, purchase of consumer
electronics, video, filming, and more.

The people you meet in these "clubs" share your interests. They come there
to exchange information and experiences, to listen, swap stamps or coins,
participate in club auctions, and exploit favorable group discounts when
buying things for their hobby.

The main attraction is the open messages that people write to each other.
Many clubs also have libraries filled with special software, like database
programs for collectors, and information files.

Coins (on [e-mail]) is where you can discuss Numismatics,
the study of coins, American and International.  Paper currency is also a
welcome topic, but trading is not allowed. To subscribe, send a message to
[e-mail] .

The SKI-L mailing list on [e-mail] is about all topics
relating to skiing except water skiing.  Topics may include alpine and/or
Nordic skiing, competitions, etc.

Music
-----
ILINK, an international exchange of conferences between bulletin boards,
has a forum for country music lovers. It presents itself in these words:

     COUNTRY MUSIC
     Country & Western music including bluegrass and other related
     forms.  Discussion of artists, techniques, instruments &
     musicians.  Host: John Stewart

Usenet has rec.music.country.western, rec.music.indian.classic,
rec.music.indian.misc, alt.music.enya, and over forty other music groups
(1993).

FidoNet has 60S_70S_PROGROCK "about the progressive rock music of the 60's
and 70's," gospel music (in CHR_GSPL_MUSIC), a club for selling and buying
between musicians (MUSICIAN'S_SERVICES), and the MUSIC_COMP_101 echo for
aspiring composers.

CompuServe has many forums. Check out the Music/MIDI sections in the Amiga
and Atari ST Arts forums. The latter is a full Music/MIDI forum.

MIDI is discussed on several bulletin boards, including in conferences
distributed by RelayNet.

CompuServe's Coin/Stamp/Collectibles Forum has sections for collectors of
stamps and covers, coins and currency, sports cards, books and media,
autographs, sports memorabilia, music, dolls and figurines, and more.

CompuServe's RockNet forum has this structure:

       Available message sections:      Available file libraries:
        0 General/Misc.                    0 General Misc
        1 Rock Music                       1 Rock Music
        2 Rock Radio                       2 Rock Radio
        3 Reviews/LK                       3 Reviews
        4 Q&A/Help                         4 Q&A/Help
        5 Rock Film & Video                5 Rock Film & Video
        6 RockLetters                      6 RockLetters
        7 Trends                           7 Trends
        8 Heavy Metal                      8 Heavy Metal
        9 Old Wave                         9 Old Wave
       10 New Music                       10 New Music
       11 CD Hotline                      11 Compact Discs
       12 Green, Village                  12 Graphics/Programs

You can tailor your RockNet visits to your personal interests. If you are
into Heavy Metal, limit your readings of messages to those in section 8,
and possibly 3 and 7.

The Music and Performing Arts Forum (GO MUSICARTS) is another interesting
place on CompuServe. Converse with fellow music fans about on topics like
classical, jazz/blues, Big Band, country/folk and religious music, ballet,
dance, drama and more.

Classical music forums can be found on most larger services. Try CLASSM-L
on [e-mail].

For jazz, try the ILINK conference JAZZ, rec.music.bluenote on Usenet,
MILES on [e-mail] (about Miles Davis), or BLUES-L at
[e-mail] . Another jazz oriented list, SATURN on
[e-mail], is for discussing the free-jazz big band leader, Sun
Ra.

Write [e-mail] for subscription to a David Bowie mailing list.
Put 'Bowie Subscription' in your subject. Subscribe to the Elton John
mailing list by email to [e-mail] .

Network-Audio-Bits is an electronic magazine with reviews and information
about rock, pop, new age, jazz, funk, folk music and other genres. (Write
[e-mail] to receive.)

The Music Newsletter offers reviews and interviews. Subscribe by email to
[e-mail] using the command "SUBSCRIBE UPNEWS Your-full-name".

  | On BITNET mailing lists, you subscribe by using the command  |
  | "SUB <mailing-list-name> Your-full-name" in the body of your |
  | email. Replace "Your-full-name" with your real name.         |
  |                                                              |
  | There are also mailing lists on Unix workstations, PCs, and  |
  | microVaxen. These may require that you write the subscribe   |
  | command in full (SUBSCRIBE), or use other commands.          |

To get the "Musical List of Lists," an overview of music oriented mailing
lists, send email to [e-mail] .

If interested in Australian Top Singles & Albums Charts, write to
[e-mail] . Write to [e-mail] if
interested in New Zealand bands.

Medieval & Renaissance Music is available from [e-mail]. To
subscribe, send "join med-and-ren-music [your name]". For Middle-Eastern
Music, send to [e-mail] .

ETHMUS-L is a closed, moderated list for folks with a professional interest
in ethnomusicology. Send your subscription request to [e-mail]
or to ETHMUS-L@UMDD .

GRIND (write [e-mail]) focuses on discussions about grindcore,
death metal, and heavy thrash music. PRIMUS is about the funk/rock band
Primus (write to [e-mail]).

SOCO-L on [e-mail] is about topics related to Southern
Rock Music. Write to [e-mail] to join
the Rolling Stones mailing list. - Frank Sinatra is on the SINTRA mailing
list on [e-mail]

KLARINET (on [e-mail]) is a network for news, information,
research and teaching items of interest, and other related information for
clarinet players, teachers, students, and enthusiasts.

HARP-L (on [e-mail]) is for Harmonica playing and theory.

"Backstreets" on UUCP is for those who love the music of Bruce Springsteen
([e-mail]). For Pink Floyd and his music, check out
"Eclipse" ([e-mail]). If a fan of Jimi Hendrix,
join "hey-joe" ([e-mail]).

Write to [e-mail] to join a discussion on brass
band music.

"J-Pop" ([e-mail] via UUCP) has discussions
about Japanese pop/rock of today.

Paul Harris invites to the RMUSIC-L mailing list using these words:

   RMUSIC-L is on the air...Join us for exciting and intelligent
   discussions on the music industry...Concert and
   AlbumReviews...Trivia...  Lyrics and Artists from 1935 to the
   present (earlier if the discussion warrants it)...  All types of
   Music for all types of People.  It is ouRMUSIC-L.>

To join this mailing list, send the command: SUB RMUSIC-L Your-Full-Name to
[e-mail] .

Next, you want to buy music, preferably at a low price. "The Compact Disc
Connection" is one option. This online store offers more than 80,000 CD
records (1993) at attractive prices, has an easy-to-search database,
accepts Mastercard/VISA, and ships all over the world.

Access by telnet cdconnection.com (or 199.35.15.2). Search for artist
"Bjork" to order the Icelandic artist's "Debut" CD, or "Venus as a boy,"
and charge it to your VISA or MasterCard. My wife bought Albinoni, Vivaldi,
and Pachelbel classical music played by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
(By the way, Bjork is on the WWW address: http://www.centrum.is/bjork/)

Send mail to [e-mail] with 'help' in the Subject.
Information about how to join a mailing list for those wanting to buy,
sell, and trade CDs, LPs, and tapes will be returned to you.

Tablature/chords for guitar is available from several archives. Try these
two sources:

    ftp://unix.hensa.ac.uk/pub/uunet/doc/music/guitar/
    ftp://ftp.uni-stuttgart.de/pub/misc/guitar/

There are several Lyric/Music Servers. Even though the guide text is in
German, do not hesitate to check up

    http://www.leo.org/cgi-bin/leo-dls/pub/rec/music/

If you're into music, you'll probably understand most of it anyway. If you
need English, try

    http://vivarin.pc.cc.cmu.edu/lyrics.html


Wine and food
-------------
Some people would rather fill their stomachs than their ears. They call up
CompuServe for the Cooks Online forum (for gourmets), and the Wine and Beer
Forum (for their throats). The latter even has its own "smoking" section,
called "Cigars/Pipes."

BITNET has the mailing list "Eat" (EAT-L@VTVM2), a club for FoodLore/Recipe
Exchange. On J-FOOD-L (J-FOOD-L@JPNKNU10 on BITNET) the topic is Japanese
food and culture.

For an abundance of recipes, try this file archive:

    ftp://gatekeeper.dec.com/pub/recipes/

If your interest is more academic, subscribe to FOODWINE (on
[e-mail]) - "For those seriously interested in the
academic study of food and its accompaniments in the 1990's, including a
variety of disciplines, such as marketing, communications, hospitality,
consumer affairs, hotel and catering management."

OZWINE on [e-mail] is for the discussion of Australian
and New Zealand wines. To subscribe, send the following command in the body
of your email letter to [e-mail]: subscribe ozwine .

For information about South African wines, connect through the World Wide
Web to http://www.cs.wits.ac.za/~ian/WineFAQ.html.

Usenet has rec.food.cooking, rec.food.recipes, rec.food.restaurants,
rec.food.drink, and rec.food.veg for vegetarians. On FidoNet, pursue
INTERCOOK for words of wisdom on International Cooking.

On ILINK and RelayNet, join CUISINE. That is where we found the following
recipe for Mexican Meatloaf:

        2 lb Ground Beef
        1 ea Bell Pepper, Diced
   10 1/2 oz Cream Chicken Soup
       10 oz Cheddar Cheese
        4 oz Green Chilies, Diced
        1 ea Onion, Chopped
        8 oz Taco Sauce
        1 pk Tortillas
        4 oz Mushrooms (fresh optional)
        2 ea Jalapenó's (to taste)

  1. Brown ground beef and drain.
  2. Mix onions, green peppers, mushrooms, green CHILIES, taco
     sauce, jalapenó's and cream chicken soup into skillet with
     ground beef.
  3. Simmer until vegetables are soft.
  4. Shred cheddar cheese.
  5. In crock pot or dish, layer meat mixture, cheese, and
     tortillas; heat until cheese melts.

Bon apetit!

Outdoor life
------------
CompuServe's Great Outdoors SIG is for those preferring nature for the
computer screen. Its sections are called:

  General/Photography, Scouting, Power Boating, TROUT UNLIMITED,
  Fishing, Hunting, Cycling, AUDUBON/Birding, Canoe/Kayak/Raft,
  Camp/Hike/Walk/RV, Snow Sports/Climb, OWAA, CIS/Computers,
  Firearms, NRA, Environmnt/Wildlife, OUTDOOR LIFE mag.

If you dream of visiting Alaska to hunt, fish and explore the wilderness by
canoe, then this is the place. Add the Outdoor Cooking section of the Cooks
Online Forum to make it perfect.

Scandinavian bulletin boards on the MIX network exchange the "JAKT_FRILUFT"
conference. ILINK offers OUTDOORS, which focuses on outdoor hobbies.

As usual, Usenet has a lot. These are some examples:

  rec.aviation        Aviation rules, means, and methods.
  rec.backcountry     Activities in the Great Outdoors.
  rec.bicycles        Bicycles, related products and laws.
  rec.birds           Hobbyists interested in bird watching.
  rec.boats           Hobbyists interested in boating.
  rec.boats.paddle    Talk about any boats with oars, paddles, etc.
  rec.climbing        Climbing techniques, competition
                      announcements, etc.

Scouts participate in SCOUTER on FidoNet (International SCOUTING
Conference) and SCOUTS-L (SCOUTS-L@NDSUVM1) on BITNET. Golfers meet in
GOLF-L (on [e-mail]).

Photo enthusiasts track down PHOTO-L. To join, send your subscription
request to [e-mail] (SUB PHOTO-L Your-Full-Name).

CompuServe has a Photography Forum, and its SCUBA Forum has a section for
underwater photography. There is "Photography" on EXEC-PC and The Well,
PHOTO on RelayNet, PHOTOSIG on ILINK and rec.photo on Usenet.

If you are into 3-d (stereo) photography, enroll in "3d" on UUCP:


    Contact: [e-mail] (Tom Neff)
    Purpose: Discussion of 3-D (stereo) photography. General info,
    hints, experiences, equipment, techniques, and stereo
    "happenings."  Anyone interested is welcome to join.

There are clubs for all popular outdoor hobbies.


    | "Contact [e-mail]" above means that you must |
    | write a message to this Internet email address with a         |
    | subscription request, or to receive further information       |
    | about how to join. This mailing list does not have automatic  |
    | subscriptions.                                                |

Roots
-----
With networking capabilities, researchers can exchange information, tips
and family records - something that hasn't always been so easy. In the days
before personal computers and data networking, performing the necessary
record research in far-flung libraries, courthouses and cemeteries could
take a lifetime. Sometimes logistical barriers prevented the proper
research from ever being carried out.

Now a genealogy buff in Toronto or Wien can ask a favor of a comrade in
Buenos Aires or Sidney to look up a record or two, check out a graveyard or
provide some missing bit of information about local history and family
names. Sometimes these networking hobbyists discover that they are related!

[e-mail] and soc.roots on Usenet are all about genealogy.
Here, you will get tips about tools and techniques. You can exchange
information about ancestors, and find new friends and partners for joint
research.

CompuServe has The Genealogy Forum. One message section is called Overseas
Ancestry. Remember to check out the Family History Library, a newsletter
bringing news from the library for genealogical research in Salt Lake City,
U.S.A. (stored in Library 10.)

The North American bulletin boards ROOTS-BBS (San Francisco) and THE FAMILY
ROOTS (Oklahoma) are connected to FidoNet.

GEnie has the Genealogy Knowledgebase. FidoNet has

     GENDATA               Genealogy Database
     GENEALOGY:_WGW        Who's Got What (WGW) Database
     GENSOFT               Genealogy software
     SE_GENEALOGY          South Eastern US Genealogy Conference

Since FidoNet has links all over the world, these conferences can give
contacts in countries that you might otherwise have problems in reaching.
On the Internet, check out this URL:

     gopher://vienna.hh.lib.umich.edu:70/11/libraries/Genealogy

On most of these services, you'll find interesting genealogy programs and
files with practical hints about how to write a book about your family.

Him and Her
-----------
Members of the female sex have their favorite meeting places, like
Cleopatra on Bergen By Byte. Men do not have admission.

Usenet has alt.feminism and soc.feminism. Those with limited access to
Usenet, may subscribe to "feminism-digest." Send email to feminism-
[e-mail] to get on the mailing list.

To join the mailing list "feminists," write Patricia Collins on
[e-mail] . She presents the forum's purpose in this way:

    The feminist mailing list is intended to provide a forum
    for discussion of issues of interest to women, in a friendly
    atmosphere. The basic tenets of feminism and the day-to-day
    experiences of women do not have to be explained or defended.
    Men and women can join, but everyone requesting to be added to
    the mailing list MUST provide the moderator with: (1) a full
    name; (2) a complete UUCP path to a well-known host or a fully
    specified Internet address; (3) the correspondent's gender (for
    records and statistics only).  NO exceptions.

ILINK has Women and Feminism. Mailing lists include [e-mail],
and [e-mail] (feminism and science and technology). Check
out this Web site: http://www.clark.net/pub/s-gray/feminist.html. Meet the
"other side" on [e-mail] ([e-mail]).

While we're at it, let's move on to other topics associated with the term
sex:

Bisexuals have "sappho" on UUCP. Contact [e-mail]. On
BITNET, there are BIFEM-L (BIFEM-L@BROWNVM), BISEXU-L (BISEXU-L@BROWNVM)
and others.

Spanish speaking users can subscribe to ARENAL (Lista de discussion para
hispanos/as que desean acabar con la homofobia). Subscribe by email to
[e-mail] .

Usenet has lots of it: soc.motss, alt.politics.homosexuality, alt.sex,
alt.sex.bestiality, alt.sex.bondage, alt.sex.pictures.d, alt.sex.motss,
clari.news.group.gays, alt.sex.pictures, clari.feature.kinsey (Sex Q&A and
Advice from Kinsey Institute), clari.news.law.crime.sex and clari.news.sex.

Conferences called "SEXUALITY" are alive on FidoNet and The Well.
CompuServe has a Human Sexuality Adult Forum and a Human Sexuality Open
Forum. [e-mail] is a Sexual Assault Activist List.

Finally, there are a large number of pictures of nudes in all possible and
impossible positions. Most of them are childish, some are decidedly
pornographic, a few are beautiful and erotic.

The online services' policies vary about what kind of pictures and picture
programs to make available. The larger the service, the more conservative
they tend to be.

Programs for hobbyists
----------------------
It is no rule that a service need to have a conference about a hobby, to
have interesting programs available for downloading. Programs float around
from service to service much easier than conference items. Still, the best
programs for a given hobby are normally found on services where hobbyists
meet to discuss.

You will find:

    Chess and bridge programs,
    Morse code training programs for ham amateurs,
    Astrology programs,
    Database systems for keeping track of music cassettes or
      records, video cassettes, books, stamps, coins, etc.
    Information systems for wine lovers,
    Recipe programs (tell me what you've got, and I'll tell
      you what you can make), and much more.

Online shopping
---------------
You can buy almost anything online: video cameras, books, music, Bonsai
plants, golf equipment, canned cakes from Gimmee Jimmy's Cookies, Levi's
trousers, computer equipment, a four-door Nissan Pathfinder SE-V6 car, and
air tickets for Mexico.

Shoppers who let their modem do the "walking" are already a few steps ahead
of people still stuck shopping the old-fashioned way. Experienced online
shoppers know that you can tap a world of stores without ever leaving your
keyboard, and that you can browse and buy with very little effort.

Some services present their wares "for your information only." It is like
reading newspaper ads. You must contact the seller to buy. Other services
have large online supermarkets with many stores, and you can by while you
visit.

CompuServe subscribers get a monthly magazine by mail. "Go Mall Shoppers'
Guide" is a regular insert with color photos and descriptions of selected
products. Type GO MALL, order a product, enter your credit card number, and
have it sent you by mail.

AutoPages of Internet is a service for dealers and individual sellers of
exotic and classic automobiles and motorcycles. They are on the World Wide
Web at: http://www.clark.net/pub/networx/autopage/autopage.html . Nice
full-color photographs!

What if used goods are good enough? ILINK, the international conference
exchange system, has GARAGESALE. Here, you can buy and sell for hobby or
home: Photo, video, audio, sound/music and midi equipment, and all kinds of
other domestic items. ILINK also has a BUY-SELL conference.

HAM-SALE on the FidoNet is for ham amateurs wanting to swap, by or sell.
The American computer magazine PC Week is operating a Buyer's Forum on
CompuServe.

UUCP's "muscle-cars" is where "muscle car" enthusiasts offer advice, share
problems and solutions, discuss technical issues, racing, buying or selling
parts, cars, or services, or just discuss cars and swap stories with each
other. (Contact: [e-mail]).

Other options include "BMW" (Write: [e-mail]), "british-
cars" (Write: [e-mail]), "italian-cars" (Write:
[e-mail]), and "Z-cars" (the topic is Z-cars
from Datsun/Nissan. Write: rsiatl!z-car-request).

Vintage VW (at [e-mail]) is about Vintage Volkswagens.
This includes the Beetle, Bus (Types II and II/IV), Ghia, Squareback,
Kubelwagen (Thing), bajas, buggies, Schwimmwagen, rails and any VW (air-
cooled) powered vehicle including aircraft.

Beginners, gurus, mechanics and non-mechanics, restorers and daily drivers
are welcomed. The discussion is about how-to stuff, parts availability,
mechanical questions, show dates, swap meets, club addresses, favorite
stories, etc. To subscribe, send a message to [e-mail] .

Porsche lovers meet at porschephiles. Email [e-mail]
for information, or to join.

Lincoln-Mercury has a 24-hour "Electronic Car Showroom" on the Electronic
Newsstand, an electronic magazine subscription service. It is available by
gopher or telnet to gopher.netsys.com . The Worldwide Car Network forum,
which has a searchable database of cars for sale,  is also on CompuServe.

The NEWSBYTES newsletter brings regular reports of used computers prices
from The Boston Computer Exchange (BOCO). The newsletter is available
through GEnie, ZiffNet on CompuServe, NewsNet, KR Dialog, and others.

ZiffNet offers the Computer Directory, an online encyclopedia with data
on more than 75,000 hardware and software products sold in North America
(1993). The database is updated monthly.

Planning your vacation
----------------------
So get ready for your vacation. The more planning, the more fun and value.
A simple equation.

Normally, your first step will be to select a destination, be it next door,
or in a remote country. You may want to start with an idea about how far
your money can take you.

Several international services, including CompuServe and Dow Jones
News/Retrieval, offer OAG (The Official Airline Guide) and Eaasy Sabre (the
American Airlines reservation system).

Worldscan/Travel shopper is on CompuServe and Delphi. CompuServe's Travel
Forum administers a member travel discount program. Download HOTEL.SAV in
Library 0 for information about lower rates on hotel room and car-rental
rates.

PCTravel can be reached through the Internet by telnet to pctravel.com, or
by World Wide Web access to http://www.nando.net/pctravel.html.

Some services let you book hotel rooms and rent cars online. Travelshopper
has a built-in hotel guide, searchable by city around the world. OAG has a
database of over 40,000 hotels worldwide (1992). It includes the AA Rated
European Hotels & Restaurants menu, which covers trips from Andorra to
Yugoslavia. Accu-Weather provides three-day weather forecasts for 450
cities worldwide, updated hourly.

Travel agents are also operative through the Internet. One of them is at
[e-mail] . PCTravel can be reached through the Internet by
telnet to pctravel.com, or by World Wide Web access to
http://www.nando.net/pctravel.html.

Televerket's Datatorg in Norway offers air tickets and hotel reservations
through SMART LINK, a self-serve system operated by the Norwegian travel
agencies. Entertainment and travel are also popular on Prestel. Most
British tour operators have an "office" there.

Search for additional background information using CompuServe's Magazine
Database Plus, if you do not mind paying a wee surcharge. Look up places to
stay in the ABC Worldwide Hotel Listing.

On America Online, you can research National Geographic and National
Geographic Traveler Magazines online. You can look up your destination in
the electronic Compton's Encyclopedia.

If you are responsible for your company's business travels, check out these
two newsletters on NewsNet: BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS, and TOUR & TRAVEL NEWS.
(You can search NewsNet's newsletters through CompuServe's IQuest, KR
Dialog, and others).

NewsNet has searchable newsletters focusing on the conditions in particular
countries or parts of the world (news, travel and political risk analysis,
political stability, etc.).

You must check out the Rec.Travel Library, the possibly most comprehensive
travel and tourism information source on the Internet. They try to maintain
specific information on destinations around the world, as well as general
travel tips. The library is on

   http://www.digimark.net/rec-travel/

The U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION texts are also interesting.
They are at gopher.stolaf.edu, port 70. If using a Web browser, try

        gopher://gopher.stolaf.edu:70/00/Internet%20Resources/US-
        State-Department-Travel-Advisories/Current-Advisories/

Note: Enter the URL address as one long line!

Their December 16, 1994 bulletin for travellers to Nigeria said:

 "The onset of the holiday season and the continuation of bad economic
 conditions in Nigeria increase the incidence of automobile checkpoints by
 persons wearing police or military uniforms.  Many of these checkpoints
 are not sanctioned by the government, but are improvised, usually in
 darkness, by bands of police, soldiers, or bandits posing as or operating
 with police or soldiers.  The purpose of these unauthorized checkpoints
 generally is to extort cash.  The best defense against unauthorized
 checkpoint shakedowns is to avoid night travel, and act cautiously at all
 times.  Checkpoint personnel should be considered armed and could be
 dangerous."

The Central Intelligence Agency-produced World Factbook provides facts
on geography, people, government, economy, communications and defense of
countries around the world. The full text of the book is available by
gopher wiretap.spies.com / electronic books / cia world factbook, or
directly from the source at http://www.ic.gov. You can search it on

   http://www.research.att.com/cgi-wald/dbaccess/411

There is more. Have you ever arrived home feeling as though you had been on
a whirlwind tour of too-touristy sites? A tour bus approach may be the only
way to get it "all in" during a couple of day's time, but who said you had
to see it all anyway?

The best way to learn about the place you want to visit is to have a local
guide or a fellow traveler familiar with the territory. Someone who can
direct you to the sights that bus passes and tourbooks overlook. Therefore,
check out the online conferences and their file libraries also.

The TRAVEL-L forum ([e-mail]) is for those interested in
tourism. ILINK and The Well have conferences under the name TRAVEL.

If you want to learn more about indigenous, native, or aboriginal people,
culture, and issues, check out the conferences and pointers at

   ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/amcgee/indigenous/my_indigenous_related_lists/

For African, African-American, African-Caribbean or African-Latin people,
culture, and issues, check out

   ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/amcgee/african/my_african_related_lists/

Consult the Travel Forum on CompuServe for information about SERVAS, a
global guest/host network linking people in 99 countries who want to share
their homes and lives. No money is exchanged, and the average stay is two
days for SERVAS guests.

For foreign language assistance, check out the Human-Languages Page on WWW:
http://www.willamette.edu/~tjones/Language-Page.html . It contains German-
to-English (and vice-versa) dictionary, "Travelers Japanese" lessons, an
introduction to the Slovene alphabet, a source of Russian and Eastern-
European languages and literature, and more.

Many conferences and information sources concentrate on particular parts of
the world. Here are some of them. You may want to supplement with some of
the sources listed in Chapter 11, and the news providers in Chapter 9.

Africa
------
Send mail to [e-mail] for a list of Internet/Bitnet
mailing lists that focus on African, African-American, African-Caribbean or
African-Latin issues, and a list of African information sites.

The African Studies Program at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) is a
particularly rich offering of African news and information.  (On the URL:
http://www.african.upenn.edu/African_Studies/)

AFRICA-L is the Pan-Africa Forum discussion list (subscription requests
for AFRICA-L should be sent to [e-mail]).

ALGNEWS (on [e-mail]) is the French language Algeria News
List. TUNISNET (on [e-mail]) is The Tunisia Network.

For EGYPT-NET, the Egypt Discussion and News forum, write egypt-net-
[e-mail]. Egypt's Regional Information & Communication
Network has a gopher on gopher://ritsec.com.eg/1. It offers country
profiles for Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia, and information
about economy, geography, communication, research, government, people.

While visiting, take a look at Collection of Arabic and Islamic
manuscripts, Treasures of the Egyptian Museum, and Tut the King.

For information on Ethiopia, check out http://rs6.loc.gov/et_00_00.html.
This extensive country study report has the following sections: History,
The Society and its Environment, The Economy, Government and Politics,
National Security,

Subscribe to "the Ethiopians' E-mail group" by mail to Ethiolist-
[e-mail]. Put "join EthioForum" in the body of your mail.

On Usenet, check out

  soc.culture.african     Discussions about Africa & things African.
  soc.culture.maghreb     North African society and culture.
  soc.culture.nigeria     About Nigeria
  soc.culture.arabic      Technological & cultural issues, *not* politics.
  soc.culture.somalia     News from Somalia.
  soc.culture.berber

There are many South African newsgroups under the za hierarchy, like:

  za.ads.lifts          Want a lift from Bulawayo to Cape Town via Durbs?
  za.archives           Who's got what, where... and how...
  za.culture.xhosa      For discussions of Xhosa language and culture.
                        (Ingxoxo ngolwini, amasiko nezithete zakwaXhosa.)
  za.events             Conferences, events and happenings nationally
  za.humour             Humour/jokes/fun
  za.misc               General chat, comments, announcements etc
  za.net.misc           Miscellaneous ramblings on networking in ZA
  za.sport              Finer points of jukskei or the Comrades marathon

The za hierarchy is also distributed outside South Africa. Check out
http://www.ru.ac.za/usenet.html for information on how to get a newsfeed.

You may also find things of interest in soc.culture.misc (discussion about
other cultures), and soc.culture.native (Aboriginal people around the
world.) Also, it may useful to search or monitor Usenet more broadly for
African country specific information using The Stanford Netnews Filtering
service (see Chapter 11).

If you plan a safari in Zimbabwe, Zambia, or Botswana, point your Web
browser at http://www.aztec.co.za/exinet/wildways.html.

The Cape Town page is on http://www.aztec.co.za/aztec/capetown.html, and
for more South African tourism information, check out this Web address:
http://www.africa.com/captour/.

The African National Congress (ANC) gopher (gopher://wn.apc.org/11/anc/)
has information about South African history, policy documents, and press
statements. A summary of South African demographics by region is on
http://www.aztec.co.za/exinet/sa_regn.html.

The South Africa FAQ (http://www.cs.wits.ac.za/FAQ.html) has country
specific information on Abyssinia, Eritrea, Malawi, and Ethiopia. The
Abyssinia FAQ has information on Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and
Somaliland.

CompuServe's Travel Forum has an Africa/Middle East section.

For more, check out CERN's DataSources library on the Web address:
http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/DataSources/WWW/Africa.html.

Asia and The Pacific
--------------------
Sushi, geishas, green tea, bullet trains, and sumo wrestlers. If this is
your first visit to Japan, consider learning about the territory through
TWICS in Tokyo. It presents itself like this:

  "Japan is an island nation, full of communities in villages,
  towns, and cities squeezed in between the mountains and the sea,
  with ports of various sizes and shapes through which communication
  flows between communities.

  Our own online community is organized in the same terms, an
  island community "BEEJIMA" (Bee Island), with our village
  ("MURA"), a port ("MINATO"), and our very own volcanic mountain
  ("YAMA").

  In the village, there is a village office ("YAKUBA"), a community
  meeting place ("YORIAI"), a high-tech corner ("AKIHABARA") named
  after the famous electronics district in Tokyo, a health center
  ("EMEDICA"), a place to hang around and read things ("HON YA"), a
  school ("GAKKOU"), and a market ("ICHIBA"). The port has holding
  areas and leads to other parts of Japan ("NIPPON") and the world
  ("SEKAI").  The mountain has a hot springs ("ONSEN") recreational
  area, and a lively outdoor bath ("IN THE OFURO") which has become
  the social center of our island.

Add to this soc.culture.japan on Usenet, the BITNET discussion list
JAPAN@NDSUVM1, the Japan Forum on CompuServe, "JAPAN" on RelayNet,
GEnie's Japan RoundTable, and a visit by gopher to gan.ncc.go.jp.

If you are very determined, try [e-mail], a forum for
discussion of the Japanese language. (The mailing list is crossposted to
the sci.lang.japan newsgroup on Usenet.)

For ideas about what to see in Maharashtra, India, gopher to the National
Centre for Software Technology in Bombay (gopher soochak.ncst.ernet.in).

The soc.culture hierarchy on Usenet has area codes like afghanistan, asian,
arabic, asean, australian, bangladesh, china, filipino, hongkong, indian,
indian.info, indian.telugu (The culture of the Telugu people of India),
indonesia, israel, iranian, jewish, korean, laos, lebanon, malaysia, nepal,
new-zealand, pakistan, singapore, sri-lanka, taiwan, thai, turkish, and
vietnamese.

The alt.culture.karnataka newsgroups covers culture and language of the
Indian state of Karnataka, bit.listserv.india-d hosts the India Interest
Group, and alt.taiwan.republic is a variant of soc.culture.taiwan, only
different.

The purpose of the Tehran Archive (http://tehran.Stanford.Edu) is to
distribute materials related to Iran and to Persian culture. The TIBET-L
mailing list is for discussion on issues relating to Tibet and the Tibetan
people. Subscribe by email to [e-mail] .

If your destination in in the Middle East, you may find the quarterly
MIDDLE EAST RESOURCES newsletter interesting. It is published by the Arab
World And Islamic Resources and School Services (AWAIR) for Social Studies
Educators. Write [e-mail] for information.

CompuServe's Travel Forum has the Oceania, and Asia sections. Its
International Forum has a Japan/Asia message section, and there is also a
Pacific Forum.

Central and South America
-------------------------
In "argentina," you can learn how to make empanadas while sharpening up
your Spanish before an upcoming visit to Buenos Aires. (Contact: argentina-
[e-mail]).

Then there is CHILE-L (at [e-mail]), or FOLLAC, a mailing
list about 'Folklore Latino, Latinoamericano y Caribeno'. Write Emily
Socolov at [e-mail] to join.

To brush up your Portuguese, consider joining BRAS-NET, a Brazilian mailing
list/network. Send the subscription request to [e-mail]
For general information about other Brazilian interest groups, write
[e-mail] .

On Usenet, check out

  soc.culture.latin-america       Topics about Latin-America.
  soc.culture.argentina   All about life in Argentina.
  soc.culture.brazil      Talking about the people and country of Brazil.
  soc.culture.chile       All about Chile and its people.
  soc.culture.mexican     Discussion of Mexico's society.
  soc.culture.peru        All about the people of Peru.
  soc.culture.uruguay     Discussions of Uruguay for those at home and abroad.
  soc.culture.venezuela   Discussion of topics related to Venezuela.

CompuServe's Travel Forum has sections called Mexico/Central America,
Caribbean, and South America.

Europe
------
Usenet has

  alt.culture.austrian    You'll find more Austrians in soc.culture.austria.
  soc.culture.austria     Austria and its people.
  soc.culture.french      French culture, history, and related discussions.
  soc.culture.netherlands People from the Netherlands and Belgium.
  soc.culture.portuguese  Discussion of the people of Portugal.
  soc.culture.spain       Spain and the Spanish.
  alt.comedy.british      Discussion of British comedy in a variety of media.
  alt.fan.british-accent  "Oooh, he just sounds soooo cool!  *Giggle*"
  alt.politics.british    Politics and a real Queen, too.

The soc.culture hierarchy has area codes like british, celtic, europe,
german, greek, italian, magyar, nordic, polish, soviet, and yugoslavia.

CompuServe has a European Forum. Its message sections include the European
Question, an Italian message Section, a French Section, a Nordic Section,
and the Spanish Section. The International Forum has the Europe/UK/EEC
message Section.

If you are off to London, check out the UK Travel section in CompuServe's
UK Computing Forum. Its library contains files with tips about affordable
hotels, British road signs, and a list of London theatre shows with ticket-
buying tips. Enter GO AF for Air France flight, hotel room and car rental
information. GO to The Central Press Features for reviews of the top 20
shows in London.

Also, visit Travel Britain Online, a database of festivals, concerts,
theater and sporting events, London-only events, a listing of London pubs
and clubs, and the latest news from the British Tourist Authority.

The British Eurodollar car rental company is on the World Wide Web at URL:
http://www.eurodollar.co.uk. Timetables to German railway stations and many
other European cities are on http://www.mcs.net/~dsdawdy/cyberoad.html.

GEnie has a Deutschland RoundTable providing for interaction with users
from this country. CompuServe has a Europe forum, and its Travel Forum has
a Europe section. If your destination is Germany, practice Deutsch in the
Deutsches Forum (GO GERNET). For information of how to learn French over
the Internet, write Bruno Oudet at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C.,
USA ([e-mail]).

Check out the Web address http://www.mi.cnr.it:80/WOI/ for Windows on
Italy: Information about Italy: cities and regions, daily news by ANSA
(National Agency of Associated Press), cultural tidbits, tourist
information, and more.

The THRACE mailing list (on [e-mail]) is a forum for
discussions of Greek West Thracian (A Province in Greece) Turkish Minority
issues.

[e-mail] is focusing on the Baltic states, and the latest
weather forecast for Europe is on http://shamrock.csc.fi/wmap.html.

North America
-------------
CompuServe let you read reviews of theater performances, books, movies and
restaurants, opera, symphonies, ballets, dance, museums and art galleries.
They have information about airline schedules and prices, hotels and the
latest ski weather forecast.

The soc.culture hierarchy on Usenet has numerous interesting newsgroups,
including soc.culture.canada.

CompuServe's Travel Forum has sections called United States, Canada, and
Hawaii. There are also a California Forum, a Florida Forum, West Coast
Travel, and the Zagat Restaurant Guide.

For a North American music events calendar, point your Web browser at
http://www.automatrix.com/concerts/.

In addition to this, you will find an abundance of information on travels
in the United States on most major networks.

xUSSR
-----
Usenet has

  soc.culture.bulgaria            Discussing Bulgarian society.
  soc.culture.bosna-herzgvna      The independent state of Bosnia and
                                  Herzegovina.
  soc.culture.croatia             The lives of people of Croatia.
  soc.culture.romanian            Discussion of Romanian and Moldavian people.
  soc.culture.yugoslavia          Discussions of Yugoslavia and its people.
  soc.culture.czecho-slovak       Bohemian, Slovak, Moravian and Silesian life.
  soc.culture.soviet              Topics relating to Russian or Soviet
                                  culture.
  alt.culture.tuva                Topics related to the Republic of Tuva,
                                  South Siberia.


Politics
--------
Many of these conferences and forums are filled to the brim with political
discussions. For information about the United Nations, subscribe to UN (on
[e-mail]).
   Amnesty International is on http://www.traveller.com/~hrweb/ai/ai.html,
and Greenpeace International on http://www.greenpeace.org/.
   You will find information about politics in South African on
gopher://gopher.ru.ac.za/11/South%20African%20Politics.
   The Usenet crowd is a talkative bunch. Here is a selection:

  alt.india.progressive   Progressive politics in the Indian sub-continent.
  alt.politics.british    Politics and a real Queen, too.
  alt.politics.clinton    Discussing Slick Willie & Co.
  alt.politics.correct    A Neil Bush fan club.
  alt.politics.datahighway      Electronic interstate infrastructure.
  alt.politics.drinking-age     Regarding age restrictions for alcohol use.
  alt.politics.economics  War == Poverty, & other discussions.
  alt.politics.elections  All about the process of electing leaders.
  alt.politics.greens     Green party politics & activities worldwide.
  alt.politics.homosexuality    As the name implies
  alt.politics.libertarian      The libertarian ideology.
  alt.politics.org.batf   Politics of the U.S. firearms regulation agency.
  alt.politics.org.misc   Political organizations.
  alt.politics.perot      Discussion of the non-candidate.
  alt.politics.radical-left     Who remains after the radicals left?
  alt.politics.reform     Political reform.
  alt.politics.sex        Not a good idea to mix them.
  alt.politics.socialism.trotsky  Trotskyite socialism discussions.
  alt.politics.usa.constitution   U.S. Constitutional politics.
  alt.politics.usa.misc   Miscellaneous USA politics.
  alt.politics.usa.republican   Discussions of the USA Republican Party.
  alt.religion.sexuality        The politics of sexuality and religion.
  info.firearms.politics  Political firearms discussions
                          (also on [e-mail]).
  relcom.politics         Political discussions.
  soc.culture.arabic      Technological & cultural issues, *not* politics.
  soc.culture.burma       Politics, culture, news, discussion about Burma.
  soc.culture.jewish      Jewish culture & religion.
  soc.culture.palestine   Palestinian people, culture and politics.
  soc.culture.polish      Polish culture, Polish past, and Polish politics.
  soc.politics            Political problems, systems, solutions.
  talk.politics.animals   The use and/or abuse of animals.
  talk.politics.china     Discussion of political issues related to China.
  talk.politics.crypto    The relation between cryptography and government.
  talk.politics.drugs     The politics of drug issues.
  talk.politics.guns      The politics of firearm ownership and (mis)use.
  talk.politics.medicine  The politics and ethics involved with health care.
  talk.politics.mideast   Discussion & debate over Middle Eastern events.
  talk.politics.misc      Political discussions and ravings of all kinds.
  talk.politics.soviet    Discussion of Soviet politics, domestic and
                          foreign.
  talk.politics.space     Non-technical issues affecting space exploration.
  talk.politics.theory    Theory of politics and political systems.
  talk.politics.tibet     The politics of Tibet and the Tibetan people.
  za.politics           Politics in Southern Africa

Clarinet's commercial newsgroups include:

  clari.canada.politics   Political and election items.
  clari.news.politics     Politicians & politics.
  clari.news.politics.people    Politicians & Political Personalities.
  clari.news.religion     Religious politics, issues, religious news
  clari.news.usa.gov.politics   Party politics and electioneering
  clari.tw.health.aids    HIV and AIDS research, politics

Mix this with a visit to The CCTA Government Information Service (UK) Web
server (http://www.open.gov.uk/), and the Wired Whitehall 1999 page (at
http://www.mps.ohio-state.edu/cgi-bin/hpp?ww.html). The latter an abridged
version of Kable's inquiry into the future of UK government and information
systems. It has many interesting links, like to Budget 94/5, The Labour
Party, Netherlandic Government Information, Finnish Government Page, and
related resources on other continents.

The White House is at http://www.whitehouse.gov/, The Tasmanian Government
Web Server at http://info.dpac.tas.gov.au/, The Japanese Government Gopher
at gopher://gan.ncc.go.jp/11/JAPAN, The Laos Government server at
http://ftp.nectec.or.th/pub/mirrors/laos/bane_lao/government/ , and
Iceland's Althingi at http://www.althingi.is. The latter offers all
speeches, and documents on Althingi, its participants and offices. Alas,
the language is Icelandic.

Also, take a look at the leads in Chapter 9 and 11.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5: Home, education and work
===================================

House, garden and finances
--------------------------
FidoNet has a long list of interesting conferences:

    HOME-N-GRDN           Home and Garden Questions
    HOMEAUT               Home Automation
    HOMESCHL              Homeschooling support
    HOME_IMP              Improvements around the house.
    HOME_OFFICE           Home Office
    HOME_REPAIR           Home Repair and Remodelling
    ZYMURGY               Beer Homebrewing

The EXEC-PC BBS has "Home Repair," NewsNet The FUTUREHOME TECHNOLOGY NEWS
newsletter, and ILINK the HOMEGARDEN conference. On the Well, check out
"Homeowners."

The newsgroup misc.consumers.house on Usenet is where you can discuss
anything related to owning and maintaining a house. To join the "Antiques"
conference, send email to [e-mail] .

Ziff-Davis' Magazine Database Plus lets you search and read full-text
articles from the Good Housekeeping Magazine. You'll find it on CompuServe
and other services.

CompuServe also has the Gardening Forum. It is operated by the National
Gardening Association (U.S.A.).

Several software libraries offer shareware and public domain programs to
help you plan and maintain your house.

There are also personal inventory programs (to help you keep track of
belongings), and programs to help you plan allocation of the space in your
home. . .

Other programs will help you prepare tax return forms, plan next year's
taxes, calculate interests and down-payments on your loans, and do double-
entry money-management (personal book-keeping and checkbook balancing).

To succeed as a private investor, the experts say, you must have a strategy
that is appropriate to your unique circumstances, resources for keeping up
to date on investment options, and tools for managing the process of
investing. It sure is an information-intensive activity and a constant
learning process that requires the up-to-date, exhaustive, and anecdotal
information that online services are perfectly suited to meet.

Join CompuServe's Investors Forum to learn how to play the stock and money
markets, and other moneymaking 'instruments'. Discuss investment techniques
with others, read reports about economical trends, and retrieve useful
programs to use on your personal computer.

RelayNet offers an international conference called INVESTOR. Usenet has
misc.invest , Dow Jones News/Retrieval a LOT, and be sure to check out the
Investext service (on NewsNet and others).

House is also home. To bring more "life" into your life, you may consider
adopting a child. For information and experiences, check out ADOPTION on
FidoNet, or subscribe to a UUCP conference of the same name. For access,
write [e-mail] . The National Issues Forum on CompuServe
has a message section called "Adoption Today."

Then there is television. Addicted TV-viewers may follow alt.tv.twin-peaks
or alt.tv.muppets on Usenet, which also has many other offerings in the
alt.tv hierarchy of newsgroups.

"Mystery" on FidoNet and UUCP is for those preferring mystery novels by the
fire place in their living room. Check out Chapter 10 for more on books.

Le WebLouvre features online exhibits at the world-famous art museum in
Paris, France. When we "visited," they offered French medieval art, a
collection of well-known paintings from famous artists, and a tour around
Paris, the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Elysees. Point your WWW browser at

    URL: http://mistral.enst.fr/

Many of the pictures are large. The Cry by Norwegian painter and printmaker
Edvard Munch was 110 KB in size, so if you have a dial-up connection to the
Internet, it will take a while.

You will even find offerings for "the perfect house wife." Personally, I
can think of no better pastime than origami, the traditional Japanese art
of folding paper. (Contact: [e-mail] on UUCP).

Oh, I almost forgot: The BONSAI conference is on [e-mail].
Bonsai is the Oriental Art of miniaturizing trees and plants into forms
that mimic nature. This conference is for the discussion of the art and
craft of Bonsai and related art forms. On Usenet, try rec.arts.bonsai .
A FAQ on Bonsai is also available through the nets.

Education, teaching and the exchange of knowledge
-------------------------------------------------
Use of modem is opening new worlds of opportunities for students, teachers,
and institutions alike at all levels. The list of conferences, forums,
clubs, and services focusing on education -  in its broadest meaning of the
word - is long.

There are online courses, workshops, and seminars for students of all ages,
databases to help you select a school for yourself or your kids, and all
kinds of discussion forums for educators.

Usenet, BITNET, Internet, and UUCP have long traditions in education. There
are offerings for teachers within all subject areas, from finance and
accounting, through history, languages and geography to technical subjects
on all levels.

There are two guides listing forums of interest to Educators at

    ftp://nic.umass.edu/pub/ednet/educatrs.lst
    ftp://nic.umass.edu/pub/ednet/edusenet.gde

The Internet Resource Directory for Educators is available at

    ftp://tcet.unt.edu/pub/telecomputing-info/IRD/

File names: IRD-telnet-sites.txt, IRD-ftp-archives.txt, IRD-listservs.txt,
and IRD-infusion-ideas.txt.

KIDSPHERE (subscribe by email to [e-mail]) is a discussion
forum for teachers of students from the age of kindergarten through high
school and higher. A spin-off of KIDSPHERE is another list called KIDS,
which exists for children to post messages to other children.

This is a selection of other BITNET discussion forums to suggest the span
of topics:


    CHEMED-L (CHEMED-L@UWF)      Chemistry Education Discussion
    CHRONICL (CHRONICL@USCVM)    On-Line Chronicle of Higher Ed
    CIVIL-L  (CIVIL-L@UNBVM1)    Civil Engineering Research & Ed.
    COMLAW-L (COMLAW-L@UALTAVM)  Computers and Legal Education
    DRUGABUS (DRUGABUS@UMAB)     Drug Abuse Education Information
    JOURNET  (JOURNET@QUCDN)     Discussion List for Journalism Ed
    MEDIA-L  (MEDIA-L@BINGVMB)   Media in Education
    MULTI-L  (MULTI-L@BARILVM)   Language and Education in Multi-
                                 Lingual Settings
    MUSIC-ED (MUSIC-ED@UMINN1)   MUSIC-ED Music Education
    PANET-L  (PANET-L@YALEVM)    Medical Education and Health Info
    TAG-L    (TAG-L@NDSUVM1)     TAG-L Talented and Gifted Ed
    WORLD-L  ([e-mail])
                                 Non-Eurocentric World History

Here are some Usenet conferences:

    comp.edu        Computer science education
    sci.edu         The science of education
    comp.ai.edu     Applications of Artificial Intelligence to
                    Education

You will find many similar offerings on the commercial services and free
bulletin boards.

K12Net is a decentralized network for schools on FidoNet and Usenet. Write
[e-mail] for information.

FidoNet also has

     A_THEIST     A_Theism Education and Enlightenment
     HIGH_ED      Education, Post Secondary
     HISTORY      International History
     MAC_GAMES    Macintosh Entertainment & Education

CompuServe has 12 forums focusing on education. These include the Education
Forum, Disabilities Forum, Computer Training Forum, Education Research
Forum, Science/Math Educational Forum, Foreign Language Forum, LOGO and
Students Forum.

Ken and Carrie Loss-Cutler coordinates the section for Home/Alternative
Education in CompuServe's Education Forum. They educate their two children
at home instead of sending them to a public school.

The home-ed mailing list is for discussion on all aspects of home
education. Contact: [e-mail] .

Many online services (including schools and universities) offer students
accredited courses by modem. Connected Education at the New School for
Social Research in the United States is one example. Ask in CompuServe's
Education Forum for more information. The University of Phoenix (U.S.A.)
offers accredited degrees, master's and bachelor's in business and
management through courses conducted online. (GO UP on CompuServe.)

CompuServe's occupational oriented forums include Communications Industry
Forum, Legal SIG, Environmental Forum, Industrial Hygiene Forum, Firenet
(for volunteer fire brigades), AAMSI Medical Forum, ASCMD Forum, HealthNet,
OP-Net Forum, the MICRO MD Network, Aviation SIG, CB Society, and CEMSIG
(computers and electronics).

Bergen By Byte has the Norwegian language conference Schools, a forum for
validated users only.

  | There are many private conferences in the online world. All  |
  | conferences referred to in this book are open for anybody to |
  | join, unless explicitly told to be private.                  |

RelayNet has EDUCATION. NewsNet offers the newsletters EDUCATION DAILY, and
the HELLER REPORT ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.

The EDUPAGE newsletter is a twice-weekly summary of news items on
information technology, provided by a consortium of colleges and
universities "seeking to transform education through the use of information
technology." Compact and informative. I like it.

Subscribe by email to [e-mail] . Use the following text: SUB
EDUPAGE yourfirstname yourlastname. Back issues of Edupage are available at
http://educom.edu . For information about Spanish and Portuguese translated
versions, write [e-mail] . You can also get it through WWW.
URL: http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/edupage/

INFOBITS (at [e-mail]) is a monthly service reporting from
several information and instruction technology sources.

Here are some gophers:

    Canada's SchoolNet  - gopher.schoolnet.carleton.ca
    U.S. Department of Education - gopher.ed.gov
    AskERIC Educational Resources Information Center - ericir.syr.edu
    (also on URL: http://ericir.syr.edu)

Language learning
-----------------
CompuServe's Foreign Language Forum has the following sections Latin/Greek,
Spanish/Portuguese, French, German/Germanic, Slavic/E. European, English,
East Asian, Esperanto, Potpourri/Polyglot, FL Education, Translators,
Computers/CAI-CALL, The Directory, Others, Jobs/Careers, New Uploads and
Using the Forum.

Here are some special language conferences and services are available
through the Internet:

    ARABIC-L            Arabic
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail]

    BASQUE-L            Basque, Spanish, French, and English
    Dissemination and exchange of information on Basque culture.
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail] .

    CAUSERIE            French
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail]

    For more in French, why not check out these North African gophers: The
    Algerian Centre de Recherches sur l'Information Scientifique et
    Technique on gopher://dsan.cerist.dz/1, and The Tunisian RNRT Gopher on
    gopher://gopher.rnrt.tn/1. RNRT is the Reseau National de la Recherche
    et de la Technologie of Tunisia.

    CHINESE
    Email to [e-mail]

    DISC-NORDIC         Scandinavian
    Write to: [e-mail]

    GAELIC-L            Irish, Scottish, and Manx Gaelic.
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail] .

    LANGIT              Italian
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail]

    BTW-L               Italian
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail]. This is a "distribution-only"
    mailing-list for ByTheWIRE, a biweekly newsletter written entirely in
    ITALIAN that covers topics related to the global Internet. You can also
    read it on the Web address http://www.inet.it/btw/home.html.

    UN INDICE suddiviso per soggetto dello spazio Web italiano.  Italian
    On http://www.mi.cnr.it/IGST

    NIHONGO             Japanese
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail]

    RUSSIAN
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail]

    SWAHILI-L           The African language Kiswahili (Swahili).
    Write [e-mail] to get onto the mailing list.

    TAMIL-L             Tamil
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail]

    WELSH-L             Welsh (also Breton, Cornish)
    Subscribe by email to [e-mail] .

The WWW Human-Languages Page offers dictionaries (like "English-German
Dictionary"), tutorials (like "Let's Learn Arabic," and "Travelers'
Japanese Tutorial"), literature, and other references and  resources. URL:
http://www.willamette.edu/~tjones/Language-Page.html

A tutorial programme of various languages exists on

    http://merlion.singnet.com.sg/~melange/melange.html

You can actually hear native pronunciations for words, sentences and
conversations from basic to advanced levels.

Learning online
---------------
takes different forms in different programs. In some, students simply read
lecture notes and readings, and interact with their professors via email.
In others, especially at the graduate level, the exchange of comments among
students is the highlight of the learning experience.

Unlike students in face-to-face classes, online students usually have ample
time to review "class discussion" and ponder their contribution before
entering it. The result is often a high quality of interaction.

Example: KIDLINK
----------------
Many parents and teachers regard the online world as a learning opportunity
for their kids. Some of them turn to KIDLINK, a global service for children
between 10 - 15 years of age. The service is operated by a grassroots
network of volunteers.

The objective is to get as many children as possible involved in a global
dialog. To help the kids build a global personal network.

Participation is free. Before joining the discussion, however, each child
must respond to the following four questions:

    1. Who am I?
    2. What do I want to be when I grow up?
    3. How do I want the world to be better when I grow up?
    4. What can I do Now to make this come true?

The kids can write in any language. Most answers are sent through the
Internet to an online database. Anyone with an email connection to the
Internet can search this database at will.

Once they have submitted their responses, they are invited to 'meet' the
others in several KIDCAFE forums. There, they can discuss anything from pop
music to how it is to live in other countries. The cafes are split up by
language. There are KIDCAFEs in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, and
Scandinavian.

KIDLINK grew from an idea in 1990 to over 30,000 participating children in
66 countries by December 1994.

Schools all over the globe integrate KIDLINK with their classes in
languages, geography, other cultures, history, environment, art, etc. For
more information, send mail to [e-mail] with the following
command in the TEXT of your message:

    GET KIDLINK GENERAL

Also, check out http://kids.duq.edu:70/0/kidlink-general.html on the WWW,
or gopher://kids.duq.edu:70/1.

Parenthood
----------
The misc.kids newsgroup is for parents, soon-to-be parents, and others
interested in children. They discuss issues about pregnancy and child
rearing, solicit advice from others on many parenting concerns, and seek
and provide support and encouragement with respect to raising kids. A FAQ
is regularly posted here. Check out the Kids FAQ on

    http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/

The alt.parents-teens newsgroup is for parent-teenager relationships. The
commercial clari.news.children brings stories related to children and
parenting.

RIME has a PARENTS conference. TWINS is a mailing lists for issues related
to twins, triplets, etc. Send email to [e-mail] with
"Twins Subscription" in your mail's subject line. In the text, ask to be
added to the list.

CompuServe's Education Forum as a Child Dev/Parenting section. The Issues
Forum has a Parent Connection section, and the Seniors Forum a
"Grandparenting" section.

Your personal network
---------------------
Network is a word with many meanings. It can be a system set up to
transport data from one computer to another. It can be an online service
with many conferences, and a friendly connection between people (like in
"old boys' network"). Here, we use it in the latter meaning of the word.

We use our personal networks more than most of us think of. We have a chain
of people that we call on to ask for advice, help, and invite to
participate in projects or parties. When they ask us for assistance, we
lend a hand.

The online world has some interesting characteristics. One is that most
participants in online conferences already have received so much help from
others that they feel obliged to pay back. They do this by helping others.

Those who help, know that helping others will be rewarded. The reward,
however, may not come from the persons that they help. The contributions
help maintain and develop the online world as one giant personal network.

A typical example: In CompuServe's Toshiba Forum, I read an open message
from a user who had bought a 425 megabyte hard disk for his laptop computer.
I also wanted one, but before placing an order, I wrote to check if he was
still satisfied with the unit.

The happy user did more than reply. He told about other vendors and offered
to help return my computer after the upgrade. He made it clear that he had
no financial interest in the companies selling the upgrade. By the way, we
had never been in touch with each others before that date.

The online world is full of such examples. The list of what people do to
help others is indeed very long.

In most conferences and forums you'll get help. Just like that. There is
always someone prepared to help.

Still, it is wise to invest to increase the odds of getting quality help
when you really need it. This is what to consider:

Your best long range strategy is to be visually present in conferences that
matter to you. 'Being visually present' means that you should contribute in
discussions and help others as much as you can. You see, p o s i t i v e
contributors get a lot more friends and a disproportional amount of help
from others.

For example, you may contribute by telling others about your interesting
finds in the online world. Keep that up over a stream of weeks or months,
and you may find that others start sending you things, quite unprovoked.

Helping others is what it takes to build a personal network. One day you
may need it. It will give you an incredible advantage! I have seen people
get jobs, partners and clients through such contacts. The online world is
full of opportunities.

Watch your words
----------------
Written communications are deprived of the body language and tone of voice
that convey so much in face-to-face meetings and even in telephone
conversations. Therefore, it makes sense to work harder to build in humor,
sarcasm, or disagreement to avoid that your words come across as stupidity,
rudeness, or aggressiveness.

One way of defusing misunderstanding is to include cues as to your
emotional state. One technique is to use keyboard symbols like :-). We call
them emoticons (Emotional icons. Pictorial representations of the emotions
of the moment).

What :-) means? Tilt your head to the left and look again. Yes, it is a
smiling face.

Here are some other examples to challenge your imagination: ;-) (Winking
Smiley), :-( (Sad), 8-) (User wears glasses), :-o (Shocked or surprised),
and :-> (Hey, hey).

A bracketed <g> is shorthand for grin, and <g,d&r> means grinning, ducking,
and running. Some people prefer to write their emotional state in full
text, like in these two examples: *grin* and *evil smile*.

Do not misunderstand. You still should not allow yourself to write the most
appallingly insulting things to other people, and then try to shrug it off
with a <smile>.

Watch your words. They are so easy to store on a hard disk.

Religion and philosophy
-----------------------
On CompuServe's Religion Forum (GO RELIGION) you can get into serious
discussion about topics ranging from Christianity, Judaism, Eastern
Religions, Islam, Interfaith Dialog, Limbo, Pagan/Occult, to Religion and
Science, Liturgical Churches, Mormonism, Ethics and Values, and more. You
may also want to check out the New Age Forum.

Usenet offers

  soc.culture.jewish      Jewish culture & religion.
  soc.religion.christian  Christianity and related topics.
  soc.religion.eastern    Discussions of Eastern religions.
  soc.religion.islam      Discussions of the Islamic faith.
  talk.religion.misc      Religious, ethical, & moral implications.
  talk.religion.newage    Esoteric and minority religions &
                          philosophies.
  alt.pagan               Discussions about paganism & religion.
  alt.religion.computers  People who believe computing is
                          "real life."
  clari.news.religion     Religion, religious leaders,
                          televangelists.

BITNET/Internet has The Islamic Information & News Net on MUSLIMS
(available through [e-mail]). ISLAM-L (on
[e-mail]) is a non-sectarian forum for discussion,
debate, and the exchange of information by students and scholars of the
history of Islam.

The Islamic Computer Resource Guide of the American Arab Scientific Society
documents bulletin board systems, software, FTP archives, and network
resources such as online academic conferences and newsgroups related to
Islamic topics. At: ftp://cs-ftp.bu.edu/amass/home.html .

For a reading list on Judaism, telnet VMS.HUJI.AC.IL. Login as JEWISHNET.

BUDDHA-L (on [e-mail]) provides a means for those
interested in Buddhist Studies to exchange information and views.  BUDDHIST
(on [e-mail]) is for non-academic discussions.

BAPTIST ([e-mail]) is the Open Baptist Discussion List.
THEOLOGY (contact [e-mail]) is a mailing list
dedicated to the intellectual discussion of religion. In its self-
presentation, it says:

    Intellectual is stressed as opposed to the "personal," the
    inspirational, or evangelistic.  This does not mean one cannot
    evangelize, but rather that participants should persuade rather
    than brow-beat or attack those they disagree with.  Arguments
    are inevitable, but they ultimately should resolve into mutual
    understanding or at least a truce.

BELIEF-L (on [e-mail]) is where personal ideologies can be
discussed, examined, and analyzed.  The Pagan forum (write to: pagan-
[e-mail]) is for discussing the religions and
philosophies of paganism.

The [e-mail] discussion list is where you debate the
philosophy of communication. [e-mail] is the Philosophy
Discussion Forum.

Several sacred texts and primary texts of religious interest are available
by anonymous FTP or LISTSERV. The Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Koran
(also spelled Quran) are available many places, and in a variety of file
formats.

M.H. Shakir's full text translation of the Koran (the Holy Qur'an) are at

    gopher://cs1.presby.edu/11/religion/

Here, you will also find the full text of the Bible (King James Version),
the Book of Mormon, and a "Search the Bible" feature.

A short file of quotes from the Koran is available from LISTSERV@asuacad .
File name: PAKISTAN AL_QURAN.

You will find an interesting collection of Sanskrit texts in

    ftp://ftp.bcc.ac.uk/pub/users/ucgadkw/indology/

Use Archie (see Appendix 6) to find other religious texts available through
the Internet. On FidoNet, check out JVArcServ.

Job-hunting by modem
--------------------
Unemployment is a global problem, and losing a job is usually a bad
experience. If this should ever happen to you, consider checking out the
BITNET discussion list LAIDOFF@ARIZVM1 - "So, you've been laidoff?"

Maybe you already have a job, but are constantly searching for something
better.

There are many forums and conferences devoted to job-hunting. FidoNet has
the JOBS conference, for those with plenty of time, and JOBS-NOW (Job &
Employment offerings/listings) for those who cannot wait.

On Bergen By Byte, it is called 'Job_market', and on ILINK CAREER. In many
countries there are local bulletin boards operated by public employment
agencies.

On Televerket's Datatorg (Norway), you can browse jobs from the following
menu (translated):


            VACANT JOBS

           Select desired profession         Number
           01 Technical, natural sciences    ( 182)
           02 Education, etc.                ( 601)
           03 Media,art                      (  58)
           04 Medicine, health care, etc.    ( 951)
           05 Social care                    ( 307)
           06 Adm.,management, organization  ( 348)
           07 Finance,computers              ( 100)
           08 Secretarial, office work       ( 138)
           09 Sale,purchasing, advertising   ( 576)
           10 Agriculture,forestry,fishing   (  56)
           11 Oil and gas, mining            (  38)
           12 Transport,communication        (  68)
           13 Workshop,fine mechanics,electro( 126)
           14 craft,building and construction(  93)
           15 Industry,ware-house,mechan.    (  68)
           16 Hotel,restaurant,domestic work ( 133)
           17 Service,surveillance,safety    ( 170)

If your potential employers have an email address, you can send dozens of
job resumes - while reading the newspaper!

WORK-AT-HOME on FidoNet is for those planning to start their own business
("Take this job and shove it! I'll work at home!") GEnie has the Home
Office Small Business forum (HOSB).

CompuServe's Working-From-Home Forum is moderated by online gurus Paul and
Sarah Edwards. Here, home-based business people gather informally to offer
contacts and political clout. The file library contains back issues of the
"Making It on Your Own" electronic magazine. The IDEAS.BIZ file in Library
2 is a list of 101 home-based businesses you can operate with the aid of a
computer.

Home based business opportunities may exist within areas such as desktop
publishing, desktop video, high-tech equipment repair, import and export
management, and professional practice management. Learn from others in
forums or conferences on related topics.

For some, the biggest challenges of being out of work is losing that day-
to-day contact with the people in their industry. The online world is an
excellent way to stay in touch. Whatever your industry, there are places
online to hang out, learn the latest developments and stay connected.

Being a member of an online forum does not mean that you are overtly
looking for a job - an activity that your current employer may not
appreciate. By being there, however, you have put yourself out there to be
discovered. The discovered candidate is always more interesting than one
who sends in his resume along with 300 other applicants' resumes.

The good news is that many organizations are also having problems finding
qualified candidates for their vacant positions, and that some of them are
turning to the online world for help. This is what one of them did (from an
online announcement):

        Because it is difficult to locate qualified candidates for
   positions in special libraries and information centers, and to
   assist special librarians and information specialists to locate
   positions, the student chapter of the Special Libraries
   Association at Indiana University has formed a LISTSERV, SLAJOB,
   in connection with the Indiana Center for Database Systems.
        The LISTSERV, which is available on both the Internet and
   Bitnet, will help special libraries and information centers in
   the sciences, industry, the arts and within public and academic
   libraries to have a central location for announcing special
   library and information science positions.
        The LISTSERV is available to individuals or organizations
   that have an Internet or Bitnet network connection.  For those
   on the network, subscribe by sending an email message to:

   [e-mail] or [e-mail] .

   Leave the subject line blank and then type the following in the
   message of the text:

   subscribe SLAJOB [firstname]  [lastname]

The Israelis have the CJI mailing list, Computer Jobs in Israel. Send mail
to [e-mail] with the usual "SUB CJI Your-Full-
Name" in the text of your message. You will get monthly updated lists of
open computer jobs in Israel.

When you get tired of hunting for a job, lean back and relax with HUMOR at
[e-mail]. It distributes humor of all types, topics and
tastes.  To subscribe, send the following command to the LISTSERV:

   SUB HUMOR [firstname]  [lastname]

Enjoy!



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 6: Your personal HealthNet
==================================

Health is a concern in most families. Where a family member or a friend is
suffering from cancer, AIDS, a serious disability, or a rare disease,
finding help is imperative.

Fortunately, there are many sources of information for those who want to
know more.

First, you should check out the online world's health-related clubs and
forums. In these, you can meet others with a given disease or problem 24
hours a day. Those who cannot sleep at night, are free to log in any time
to "talk" with others.

The members of these forums often feel part of a community. As in
communities everywhere, people share both the good times and the not-so-
good times. Many online communities have pulled together during crises,
sharing the grief caused by the death of a fellow forum member, a loved one
of a member or, occasionally, a celebrity.

While the social aspect of joining a forum is important, it may be equally
important to learn about other people's experiences with alternative
treatment methods, doctors, medicines, and to get practical advice.

Here are some examples to illustrate the width of the offering:

AIDS
----
Some start with "The Fog City Online Information Service" in San Francisco,
the world's largest bulletin board of AIDS information. The cost of using
this BBS from afar may be reduced considerably by using i-Com or similar
data transportation services (see chapter 13).

CompuServe has a Human Sexuality Forum, and a MEDSig with associated file
libraries. Its surcharged ZiffNet database offers full-text articles about
health topics (Health Database Plus). On the Well, enter "g aids".

Health Database Plus is called The Health Periodicals Database on BRS and
KR Dialog. It gathers information from over 240 journals targeted at either
the lay person or the health professional.

NewsNet has the "AIDS Weekly" newsletter. Their "AIDS Therapies" is a
directory, updated monthly, with descriptions of standard and experimental
treatments for AIDS, along with a guide to treatments for the opportunistic
infections (OI) of AIDS. It incorporates all existing and potential new
AIDS treatments in one place.

On BITNET, check out "AIDS/HIV News" (AIDSNEWS on [e-mail])
and the AIDS mailing list (on the same LISTSERV).

Usenet has newsgroups like sci.med.aids (AIDS: treatment, pathology/biology
of HIV, prevention), bionet.molbio.hiv, clari.tw.health.aids (AIDS stories,
research, political issues), and bit.listserv.aidsnews.

If you do not have access to Usenet, send a message to aids-
[e-mail] to receive articles from AIDSNEWS, statistics and news
summaries.

[e-mail] is another source of AIDS statistics.
Send an email to [e-mail] for text from a clearinghouse of
information, and discussion about alternative treatment methods, political
implications, and more.

HIVNET is a network for HIV and AIDS information and discussion primarily
based in Europe. They cooperate with AEGIS (U.S.A.), which reaches to other
continents. Gopher to gopher.hivnet.org , or ftp to ftp.hivnet.org for
information. To subscribe to a mailing list for new files, send mail to
[e-mail].

Their conferences are on FidoNet, but email delivery to individuals is
also available:

Fido area       List name               Source  Description
---------       ---------               ------  -----------
AIDS.DATA                               AEGIS   Read-only - data postings
AIDS.DIALOGUE   hiv-aids-dialogue       AEGIS   Discussion area
AIDS.DRUGS                              AEGIS   Read-only - NLM Drug desc.
AIDS.SPIRITUAL  hiv-aids-spiritual      AEGIS   Spiritual discussion
AIDS.TRIALS                             AEGIS   Read-only - NLM Drug trials
AIDS.WOMEN      hiv-aids-women          AEGIS   Discussion of women's issues
AIDS.NL         hiv-aids-nl             HIVNET  Dutch language discussion and
                                                data
AIDS.FR         hiv-aids-fr             HIVNET  French language discussion and
                                                data
HIVNET.GER      hiv-aids-de             HIVNET  German language discussion and
                                                data
HIVNEWS.GER     hiv-aids-denews         HIVNET  Read-only - German language
                                                data
AIDS/ARC        hiv-aids-arc            FIDONET Discussion - from Fidonet
                                                backbone
AIDS-HIV        hiv-aids-hiv            FIDONET Discussion - from Fidonet
                                                backbone
INTERNET        hiv-internet            HIVNET  Discussion and announcements
                                                about the lists and gateway

Send subscription requests to [e-mail]. Send
questions to [e-mail] .

Telnet to debra.dgbt.doc.ca (or telnet 142.92.36.15) for interactive AIDS
documentation (simulated conversation). Login: chat .

There also exists a FAQ document about AIDS (see appendix 6).

Example: Kidney disease
-----------------------
In chapter 1, I told you that my wife has a rare disease called Polycystic
Kidneys. Let me provide more details about what happened during the "online
health trip" to CompuServe with her doctor:

The command "GO HEALTH" gave us the following menu:

    1 HealthNet
    2 Human Sexuality
    3 Consumer Health
    4 NORD Services/Rare Disease
       Database
    5 PaperChase (MEDLINE)
    6 Information USA/Health
    7 Handicapped User's Database
    8 Disabilities Forum
    9 Aids Information
   10 Cancer Forum

Another menu, listing available "PROFESSIONAL FORUMS," had choices like
AAMSI Medical Forum and Health Forum. We also searched several medical
databases.

Menu selection five gave us The National Library of Medicine's database
(MEDLINE), which is full of references to biomedical literature.

This database had more than five million references to articles from 4.000
magazines from 1966 and up to the time of our search (1991). In 1994, it
had grown to seven million references. Easy navigation by menus. Easy to
search.

Those with no medical training may find it difficult to understand the
information retrieved from MEDLINE. If this is the case with you, consider
using databases of consumer health information, such as HealthNet or Health
Database Plus on CompuServe.

The AAMSI Medical Forum (MedSIG) is sponsored by The American Association
for Medical Systems and Informatics (AAMSI). It is for professionals within
health care, people within associated technical fields, and ordinary
CompuServe users. Its members meet to find, develop and swap information.

MedSIG has a library with programs and information files. This is an
example of what you can find there:

    ATLAS.ARC          21-Sep-88 30161

    Keywords: STEREOTAXIC STEREOTACTIC STEREOTAXIS ATLAS THALAMOTOMY
    MAP FUNCTIONAL GIF

    This contains several of the most useful stereotaxic maps from
    the Schaltenbrand and Wahren Atlas in GIF format.  If you can
    get GIF into your CAD or drawing program, you can scale the maps
    to fit your individualized patient's AC-PC distance, thereby
    generating a customized map for your patient.

CompuServe offers many programs for reading GIF files, and converting GIF
files to other graphical formats.

Through IQuest, we searched medical databases. Simple menus helped define
relevant search terms. When done, IQuest searched selected databases for
us, and presented the selected articles on our local computer screen.

We used the "SmartScan" search mode in the "Medical research" area. IQuest
searched several databases with a minimum of manual intervention.

First, it reported that the following databases would be included in the
search:

BRS databases:
  Ageline - Contains  references to and abstracts of materials on
    aging and the elderly.  Covers psychological, medical, economic,
    and political concerns.
  AIDS Database -  Includes critically selected articles covering
    all aspects of AIDS, (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), and
    AIDS-related research.
  AIDS Knowledge Base - Provides an online textbook of the most
    current information on AIDS available from San Francisco General
    Hospital.
  Combined Health Information Database  -  For professionals,
    patients, and the general public, CHID contains references to a
    variety of materials on arthritis, diabetes, health education,
    digestive diseases, and high blood pressure. Provides abstracts.
  Embase - Includes extensive abstracts of articles related to
    biomedicine from medical journals worldwide. About 40% of the
    references are online only.
  Rehabdata  -  Covers articles, books, reports, and audiovisual
    materials dealing with the rehabilitation of the physically and
    mentally handicapped.  References only.
  Sport Database - Indexes publications dealing with sports,
    including training, medicine, education, and history. Drawn
    mostly from English and French with technical articles from
    other languages.

KR Dialog databases:
  BioBusiness - Deals with the business aspects of biotechnology and
    biomedical research. Draws from BIOSIS and MANAGEMENT CONTENTS.
  BIOSIS    Previews  -  Provides international coverage of all
    aspects of biological science.
  Cancerlit  - Monitors articles from journals and other technical
    publications dealing with all aspects of cancer research
    throughout the world.  Includes abstracts.
  Clinical Abstracts - Covers human clinical study articles of major
    importance selected from leading medical journals. Includes all
    aspects of clinical medicine.  Corresponds to Abstracts in
    Internal Medicine. Abstracts available.
  Life Sciences Collection - Abstracts technical literature in the
    life sciences from journals and other scientific publications
    worldwide.
  Medline (1966 - to date)  - Indexes articles from medical journals
    published worldwide. Corresponds to Index Medicus, International
    Nursing Index and Index to Dental Literature. Includes abstracts
    in roughly 40% of the records.
  SciSearch  -  Monitors worldwide literature across a wide range of
    scientific and technological disciplines.  Produced by the
    Institute for Scientific Information (ISI).

Next, we entered our search term: "LIVER AND CYST/". The search word
"CYST/" signified that "cyst" should match any words starting with these
four characters.

While searching, IQuest gave the following progress report:

  Scanning BRS databases.

  Accessing Network...........Completed.
  Accessing Database Host.....Completed.
  Logging on..................Completed.
  Logging on (second step)....Completed.
  Selecting Databases.........Completed.

  Each period equals one line
  of scanned data.  This may take
  several minutes................................

It reported in the same way while "Scanning Dialog databases."

When the search results were presented, we quickly browsed the article
abstracts, ordered two articles to be sent us by mail, and typed BYE.

CompuServe reported "Off at 09:12 EST 17-Nov-88 Connect time = 0:35." The
two articles arrived Norway by mail a few weeks later.

The trip, including visits in medical forums, took 35 minutes. The cost,
including local telephone and network charges, was US$95. Of this total
cost, the extra cost of searching through IQuest amounted to US$54.00.
We all felt that the costs were well justified.

  | A note about the costs: The online tour was done manually,  |
  | using full menus. We discussed our search strategy while    |
  | connected, which is more expensive than logging off to plan |
  | the next moves. Also, note that the extra cost of searching |
  | IQuest ($54) was not time dependent.                        |
  |                                                             |
  | The cost of doing an equivalent search today may well be    |
  | lower.                                                      |


Since then, I have promised to donate one of my kidneys to her when the
time comes. This prompted me (in 1993) to join a mailing list for "Organ
transplant recipients and anyone else interested in the issues" (TRNSPLNT
on [e-mail]).

Alcohol
-------
Has your life been affected by someone else's drinking? The Al-Anon &
Alateen WWW Server is offered by a world-wide organization for the families
and friends of alcoholics. Alateen is for teenagers.

If you are concerned about someone else's drinking, or were raised in an
alcoholic home, this may be for you. It offers a self-help recovery program
for families and friends of  alcoholics whether or not the alcoholic seeks
help or even recognizes the existence of a drinking problem. The resource
is on the address: http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~al-anon/

[e-mail] is a discussion list for Alcohol and Drug Studies.

Cancer
------
FidoNet has the CARCINOMA forum (Cancer Survivors). BITNET has the
discussion lists CANCER-L@WVNVM and CLAN (Cancer Liaison and Action Network
on CLAN@FRMOP11). CompuServe has a Cancer Forum. NewsNet offers the
CANCER RESEARCHER WEEKLY newsletter.

In September 1992, a member from Brazil posted the following message on
CANCER-L:

  "A close friend was just diagnosed with acute leukemia of a type
  called calapositive pre-B linphoplastic. It is supposedly an
  early diagnosis since he is not anemic. We are very shocked but
  he is reacting quite bravely and all he wants is to have access
  to literature on his condition. Are there any new genetic
  engineering developments effectively clinically available? What
  is the present state of knowledge regarding this specific form of
  leukemia?

  He was diagnosed three hours ago, is 48 yrs old, and will start
  chemotherapy tomorrow. He was informed that chemotherapy is quite
  effective in this type of leukemia. But we wonder if there isn't
  a possibility to use gene therapy.

  Any help will be greatly appreciated. - Dora."

Dora had several helpful replies. The following came from a member living
in the United States:

  "In response to the request for information on treatment for
  leukemia, I recommend that you access CancerNet, the National
  Cancer Institute's mail server on the Internet which provides
  current information on treatment for leukemia. To request the
  Contents List and Instructions, send a mail message to

   [e-mail] (Internet address)
   cancernet%icicb.nci.nih.gov@nihcu ( BITNET)

  Leave the subject line blank, and in the body of the mail
  message, enter "HELP."  When you receive the Contents list,
  request the statement for Adult Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
  (cn-101024).

  There are also News and General Information items, under the
  Heading PDQ Database Information in the Contents List which
  provide information on centers which have access to Physician
  Data Query, NCI's database of cancer treatment information which
  includes clinical trials information for leukemia. - Cheryl."

CancerNet is the U.S. National Cancer Institute's international information
center. It offers a quick and easy way of obtaining recommended treatment
guidelines from the National Cancer Institute's Physician Data Query
system.  To access the service, send email to:

    [e-mail]

Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the mail message, enter HELP
to receive instructions and the current contents list. Replace HELP with
SPANISH for  Spanish language help text.

The files are also available from biomed.nus.sg (Singapore), and by email
from [e-mail] . For information about how to use the
mailgopher, send the word HELP.

The CancerNet information can also be accessed by gopher gopher.nih.gov and
gopher biomed.nus.sg .

The National Cancer Center in Tokyo (Japan) has a gopher at
gopher.ncc.go.jp. The World Health Organization (WHO) is at gopher.who.ch.

In the CompuServe Cancer Forum's Library 1, retrieve the book "Fighting
Cancer" by Annette and Richard Bloch (File name: FCBOOK.EXE).

BREAST-CANCER on [e-mail] is an open discussion list
for any issue relating to breast cancer. For physicians, patients, family,
and friends of patients. NYSERNet's Breast Cancer Information Clearinghouse
has a WWW information server at http://nysernet.org/breast/Default.html.

World Health Organization (WHO), International Union Against Cancer (UICC)
is on gopher://gopher_uicc.who.ch/1 and present information in English and
French.

OncoLink on gopher cancer.med.upenn.edu, or http://cancer.med.upenn.edu/
is another great resource with an abundance of information, and links to
other resources on cancer. You can WAIS search the library.

The German Cancer Research Center, Department Histodiagnostic &
Pathomorphological Documentation is on

   http://iris02a.inet.dkfz-heidelberg.de/

Text is in German and English.

Disabilities
------------
Online conferences give equal access to all persons. Everybody is treated
the same way, regardless if they sit in a wheel chair, have a hearing
impairment, stutter, cannot speak clearly, have difficulties in thinking or
acting quickly, or just have a different looks.

You need not worry about typing errors. Those who read them will never know
whether it is because you never learned how to write on a computer, or if it
is because you have difficulties in controlling your movements.

You alone decide if others are to know about your personal disability. If
you want it to be a secret, then it will remain a secret.

Nobody can possibly know that you are mute and lame from the neck and down,
that computer communication is your main gate into the outer world, and
that you are writing messages with a stick attached to your forehead.
Therefore, joining the online world has changed the lives of many people
with disabilities.

Computer communications have opened a new world for those who are forced to
stay at home, or thinks that it is too difficult to travel. Those who can
easily drive their car to the library, often have difficulties in
understanding the significance of this.

Usenet has alt.education.disabled and misc.handicap. It covers all areas of
disabilities, technical, medical, educational, legal, etc. UUCP has the
handicap forum. It is presented in the following words:

    Contact: [e-mail]
    Purpose:  The Handicap Digest provides an information/discussion
    exchange for issues dealing with the physically/mentally
    handicapped.  Topics include, but are not limited to: medical,
    education, legal, technological aids and the handicapped in
    society.

CompuServe's Disabilities Forum has sections called: General Interest,
Develop. Disabilities, Emotional Disturbances, Hearing Impairments,
Learning Disabilities, Vision Impairments, Mobility Impaired,
Rights/Legislation, Education/Employment and Family Life/Leisure.

The AUTISM mailing list on [e-mail] is devoted to the
developmentally disabled, their teachers, and those interested in this
area. [e-mail] is a mailing list discussing "Speech
disorders."

The [e-mail] list focuses on "Computer Use by and for the
Blind." BLINDFAM on [e-mail] is for blind people and their
families. Sighted people are welcome to take part if any member of their
family has a visual impairment. GW-INFO on [e-mail] features
discussions relating to products from GW Micro that allow computer access
by the blind and learning disabled.  They also carry products to assist the
mobility impaired.

DEAF-L on [e-mail] is the "Deaf Discussion List," and
[e-mail] the "Deaf-Blind Discussion List." DEAF is a weekly
Deaf Magazine. Write to [e-mail] to subscribe using the
command SUB DEAF firstname lastname.

STUT-HLP (on [e-mail]) is a support forum for people who stutter
and their families.

On [e-mail], they focus on Technology for the handicapped.
[e-mail] discusses research on low back pain disability.

The Handicap Digest is an email only digest of articles relating to all
types of issues affecting the handicapped. The articles are taken from the
Usenet newsgroup, the Handicap News (misc.handicap), and various FidoNet
conferences such as ABLED, BlinkTalk  SilentTalk, Chronic Pain, Spinal
Injury, Rare Conditions, and others. Subscribe by email to

    [e-mail]

There is a large archive full of disability-related files and programs at

    ftp://handicap.shel.isc-br.com/

    | Note: This service can be used through FTPMail. See chapter 12 |
    | about how to do this.                                          |

ADVOCACY on [e-mail] is a discussion list dedicated to
addressing the issues of people with disabilities in bettering their lives
and protecting their rights.

Getting old
-----------
BITNET has the "BIOSCI Ageing Bulletin Board" on AGEING@IRLEARN . Usenet
has bionet.molbio.ageing, while CompuServe's Issues Forum has a message
section called "Seniors."

Ageline on KR Dialog is a database produced by the American Association of
Retired Persons. It does an excellent job covering research about older
persons, particularly on consumer issues and health care, by summarizing
journal articles and the contents of other published reports.

While our "face-to-face" world sometimes makes it difficult for older
people to participate in discussions between young people, this is not the
situation in the online world. All people are treated the same way. It is
impossible for others to know your age, unless someone tells them.

Getting fertile
---------------
The Atlanta Reproductive Health Centre (USA) is set to help you learn more
about women's health issues such as infertility and endometriosis. An
online book for couples describing infertility treatment is included. A
photo gallery illustrates various problems that result in pelvic pain and
infertility. Various surgical treatments are shown. Text and graphics
explore the latest in high-tech fertility options. Web address:
http://www.mindspring.com/~mperloe/homepage.html

Holistic Healing and Health
---------------------------
HOLISTIC on [e-mail] is dedicated to "providing information
and discussion on holistic concepts and methods of living which provide a
natural way of dealing with the challenges of life." Here are some topics
dealt with in this forum:

      Various Dimensions of Holistic Healing and Health
      States of Consciousness
      Meditation and the role it plays in spiritual/physical health
      The impact of a healthy diet - including Herbs and Vitamins
      Bodywork - such as Rolfing, Trager bodywork, Reichian, etc.
      Acupuncture/pressure
      Hypnosis and Biofeedback
      Visualizations and Affirmations
      Spiritual Healing - Psychic healing methods
      Bioenergetics
      The holistic connection between mind and body
      Honest discussion of topics relevant to personal/spiritual
      growth - And anything else within context for the betterment
      of the world.

The following message is typical:

From:    Helen
Subject: Re: Asthma and Sinus Problems
To:      Multiple recipients of list HOLISTIC

  My condolences to fellow people allergic to cats.  Cats and
  strawberries are two of the most allergenic substances.
  Behavorial changes have proven to be EVERYTHING to me.  The
  techniques I've employed have helped many others.  First, try
  sleeping at a 45 degree angle.  This usually requires piling up
  pillows. The elevation of the head facilitates drainage from the
  sinuses.  When the situation gets really bad, I've slept sitting
  up on a couch or arm chair propped up by numerous pillows and
  cushions.  This technique can take some getting used to, but, it
  works like a charm and is kinder to your system than drug
  therapy.
    Second, try "ephedra" tea.  This is an herb found in Chinese
  herb shops.  Ask the herbalist how to prepare it.
    I highly recommend the book "Natural Health, Natural Medicine"
  by Andrew Weil, M.D. of U of A Med School in Tucson. See pages
  253-256 for more information on asthma.
     Fourth, stay hydrated.  This means not only drinking PLENTY of
  fluids, but humidifying the house (that is if you are not also
  allergic to molds).
     Basic behavorial techniques are important....diet, exercise,
  etc. etc, ...but this is the holistic network...I'm preaching to
  the choir...

     Finally, take heart!  Being allergic to cats is not well
  received by cat lovers...often we're cat lovers ourselves.
  Depending on the breed of cat, there is a good chance you will
  eventually habituate to those you are around over the long term.
  Good luck, the advice about sleeping with your head significantly
  elevated is the best I have ever given out to fellow sinus
  problem sufferers. It really works!!

  Helen.

HomeoNet, a service of the Institute of Global Communications (IGC), is for
those interested in homeopathic medicine. CompuServe has the Holistic
Health Forum.

List of health information resources
------------------------------------
The Bitnet/Internet online list of health science resources is available by
email from:  [e-mail] . Send the following command:

  GET MEDICAL RSCRS

This will give a long list of BITNET, Internet, and Usenet forums, data
archives, electronic newsletters and journals devoted to health science.

Here are some examples from the list that may be of interest to people not
working in the health profession:

    * [e-mail] - Behavioral and Emotional Disorders in
      Children,
    * [e-mail] is the "Open Discussion forum for DIABETIC
      patient counseling,"
    * [e-mail] (or [e-mail] through the
      Internet) is a forum for information exchange and discussions on
      all aspects related to diseases, disorders, and chemicals that
      cause diarrhoea in humans and animals,
    * [e-mail] - Support and Discussion of Weight Loss
    * [e-mail] - Drug Abuse Education Information and Research,
    * [e-mail] - Marital/family & relational communication.
    * [e-mail] - Wellness, Exercise, Diet, for exchanging
      ideas, tips and any type of information about wellness, exercise,
      and diet.
    * [e-mail] - Vegetarian Discussion.
    * HERB at [e-mail] - Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
      discussion. You can search earlier messages using standard LISTSERV
      methods (see Chapter 7). This database of previous messages contains
      a wealth of interesting information.
    * [e-mail] - Multiple Sclerosis Discussion and Support.
    * [e-mail] - Dental Amalgam Fillings and chronic
      mercury poisoning.
    * [e-mail] - Exercise and Sports Psychology.
    * talk.abortion on Usenet.

These mailing lists often save all messages in log files, and let you
search these files for topics of interest. Thus, they are both living
discussion forums and interesting searchable databases!

Mednews is a weekly electronic newsletter. Its columns bring regular medical
news summaries from USA Today, Center for Disease Control MMWR, weekly AIDS
Statistics from CDC, and more. Send the following command to
[e-mail] to subscribe:

     SUB MEDNEWS Your-first-name Your-last-name

The World Health Organization provides access to world health statistics,
WHO press releases, full text of selected WHO publications and more through
gopher gopher.who.ch .

Smoking
-------
The SMOKE-FREE mailing list is a support forum for people recovering from
addiction to cigarettes.  It is for anybody with an interest in quitting
smoking or in helping others quit. To subscribe, send email mail to
[e-mail] . Command: "subscribe smoke-free your name".

The RIME network (RelayNet) has a NO-SMOKING conference.

(Avoid Usenet's alt.smokers - about "Puffing on tobacco," and "pipes," at
[e-mail].)

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has a gopher at
gopher.nhlbi.nih.gov .

Red Cross and Red Crescent
--------------------------
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has a
presence on the following Web address: http://www.ifrc.org/

Computers and health
--------------------
Oh, yes! Almost forgot. The Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) Network
Newsletter is for people who suffer from keyboard related injuries.  It
comes out every two months, direct to your email address. Subscribe by
email to [e-mail] . Put the command "subscribe rsi" in the
text of your message.

If you have even the slightest pain in your arm or shoulder that could be
related to your use of a computer, get on that list. Personally, I lingered
too long, and it took me over nine months to be reasonably well again. Act
now!



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7: Electronic mail, telex, and fax
==========================================

Electronic mail is one of the most popular online services. People living
thousands of miles apart can exchange messages and documents very quickly.

The Boardwatch Magazine (U.S.A.) believes that new callers are coming
online for their first time at a rate of close to 10,000 per day (January
1993). Others believe that you can reach around 200 million mailboxes
through the Internet (January 1994).

The annual rate of increase in the number of messages is over 30% and
increasing.

If a given email service charges you US$30 per hour, it will cost you a
meager US$0.075 to send one typewritten letter (size A-4, or around 2,200
characters). See chapter 15 for a breakdown of this cost.

If you live in Norway, and send the letter by ordinary mail to a recipient
in Norway, postage alone is US$0.52 (1994). The cost is seven times higher
than when using email.

To send the same letter from Norway to the United States by ordinary mail
will cost 11 times more than email. The letter takes several days to reach
the destination, while email messages arrive almost instantly.

Often, you can send email messages to several recipients in one operation,
and without paying extra for the pleasure. Compare with what it costs to
send to several parties using fax!

You do not have to buy envelopes and stamps, fold the sheet, put it into
the envelope, and bring it to a mailbox. Just let the computer call your
favorite email service to send the letter.

The recipient does not have to sit by the computer waiting for your mail.
It will be automatically stored in his electronic mailbox. He can read it
when he has time.

The recipient can print it locally. It will be a perfect document, no
different to one typed locally. He can make corrections or comments, and
email it onwards to a third party. In this way several people can work
jointly on a report. There is never any need for you to re-type the text
from scratch.

When you receive several messages, you can very quickly create replies to
them one at the time at your keyboard, and then send them in one go. No
need to feed five different pieces of paper into a fax machine or envelopes
for five different people.

Where you can find a telephone, you can also read mail. In most countries,
communicating by email is easy and economical.

The simple but miraculous thing about email is that you can easily and
exactly quote the point to which you are replying. It is truly a revolution
in communication.

  | Some online services have a limit on the size of your mailbox.  |
  | If you receive a lot of mail, you must regularly read and make  |
  | room for new. If your mailbox is full, new mail may be rejected |
  | without warning.   You may never know that a person tried to    |
  | reach you. Select a service that has room for all your mail!    |

How to send email?
-------------------
This is what it normally takes for a CompuServe user to send me a message:

    Type GO MAIL to get to the "post office," and then COMPOSE.
         "Start writing," says CompuServe. Type your message
    manually, or send a file (text or binary). Type /EXIT when
    done.
         "To whom?" asks CompuServe. You enter: "Odd de Presno
    75755,1327," or just my mailbox number (75755,1327).
         CompuServe asks you to enter Subject. You type: "Hello,
    my friend!" Your message has been sent.
         A few seconds later, the message will arrive in my
    mailbox. If I am online to CompuServe at the moment, I will
    probably read it right away. If not, it will stay there until I
    get around to fetch it.

We used the term "normally takes to send" above. Please note that many
users never ever TYPE these commands! They use various types of automatic
software to handle the mechanics of sending and receiving mail (see Chapter
16).

Other systems require different commands to send email. Ulrik at the
University of Oslo (Norway) is a Unix system. So is The Well in San
Francisco. On such systems, mail is normally sent using these commands:

    Type "mail [e-mail]". When the computer asks for
    "Subject:," enter "Hello, my friend!"
         Type your message, or send a pre-prepared text. When done,
    enter a period (.) in the beginning of a line. Ulrik will reply
    with "Cc:" to allow you to 'carbon copy' the message to other people.
    If you do not want that, press ENTER and the message is on its way.
         While working on this book, I had to go to Japan. A simple
    command let me redirect all incoming mail to my CompuServe mailbox.
    As a result, I was able to read and reply to all mail by calling
    local CompuServe access numbers throughout Japan.

Though the commands for sending email differ between systems, the principle
is the same. All systems will ask you for an address, and the text of your
message. On some, the address is a code, on others a name (like ODD DE
PRESNO).

Most systems will ask for a Subject title. Many will let you send copies of
your mail to other recipients (Cc:).

Some services let you send binary files as email. Binary files contain
codes based on the binary numeration system. Such codes are used in
computer programs, graphics pictures, compressed spreadsheets, word
processed text files, and sound files.

Email to Fax and back
---------------------
Many online services let you send your messages to millions of fax
machines, as telex (to over 1.8 million telex machines), and as ordinary
paper mail. We have tested this successfully on CompuServe, MCI Mail and
other services.

On CompuServe, replace "Odd de Presno 75755,1327" with "FAX:  [phone]".
My fax number is [phone].

On MCI Mail type "CREATE:". MCI asks for "To:," and you type "Odd de Presno
(Fax)." MCI asks for "Country:". You enter "Norway". By "RECIPIENT FAX NO"
enter "37027111" (the code for international calls). The country code for
Norway, 01147, is added automatically. By "Options?," press ENTER. When MCI
Mail asks for more recipients, press ENTER. Type your message, and have it
sent.

Some commercial services let you send faxes worldwide from the Internet.
Examples: FAXiNET (Email: [e-mail] . Also handles inbound addresses),
Liberty Net (Email: [e-mail] . Has a two-way FAX
gateway), and InterFax (Email: [e-mail]).

The FAQ "How can I send a fax from the Internet?" is posted regularly to
alt.internet.services, alt.online-service, alt.bbs.internet, alt.answers
and news.answers on Usenet. To get the most recent version, send an email
to [e-mail] with the following command in your Subject line: send
fax-faq .

There is also an experiment in "remote printing" in which many sites
cooperatively provide "remote printing" access to the international
telephone network. For information, send mail to [e-mail] .
The service also has a mailing list. To join, send your request to tpc-
[e-mail] .

Email to Telex
--------------
To send a telex, you'll need the recipient's telex number, an answerback
code, and the code of the recipient's country. If the message is meant for
telex number 871161147, answerback ZETO, and country Russia (country code
871), enter "TLX:871161147 ZETO" when sending from CompuServe.

Postal delivery of email
------------------------
By entering "POSTAL," CompuServe will send your mail to a business
associate in California or Brazil as a professional laser-printed letter.
It will take you through the process of filling out the various address
lines. The letter may well arrive faster than through ordinary mail. You
can also send for paper delivery through MCI Mail, and some other services.

When the recipient is using another mailbox system
--------------------------------------------------
When the recipient is using your mailbox service, writing addresses is
simple. Not so when your email has to be forwarded to mailboxes on other
online services through the Internet, X.400, or similar.

A typical inter-system email address consists of a user name, a mailbox
system code, and sometimes also routing information. The problem is that
there is no universal addressing format. Finding out how to write a given
address may be surprisingly difficult.

Some services are not set up for exchange of email with other services.
This is the case with my bulletin board, the Saltrod Horror Show. To send
mail to a user of my system, you must call it directly and enter it there.
This BBS is not connected to the outside world for exchange of mail.

If your favorite system lets you send mail to other services, make a note
about the following:

    * You need to know the exact address of your recipient, and
      whether he is using this mailbox regularly. Many users have
      mailboxes that they use rarely or never. For example, do not
      try to send mail to my mailbox on Dow Jones News/Retrieval.
      I only use the service sporadically.

      Think of the easiest way for a recipient to respond before
      sending a message to him or her.

    * You may need to know how to rewrite the recipient's address
      to fit your system. For example, you may have to use a domain
      address to send through Internet, and a different form when
      sending through an X.400 network. (More about this later.)

    * The recipient's mailbox system may not be on a network that
      has an email exchange agreement with your system's network(s).
      Sometimes, you may have to use a commercial email relay service
      to get your mail across (see chapter 9). Example: Users of the
      Internet can send messages to recipients on the Dialcom network
      through the DASnet relay service.

    * You may need to know how to route a message through other systems
      to arrive at its destination. For example, for mail from the Ulrik
      computer in Oslo to get to Dominique Christian on the Difer system
      in Paris (France), it must be routed through a center in London.

    * While it may be easy to enclose binary files when sending to
      someone on your system, this may be impossible when sending
      across mailbox system boundaries.

    * While it may be possible to send text containing embedded control
      codes and special language characters to users of your system,
      they may disappear when sent to people elsewhere. Your safest bet
      is to send your text as standard 7-bit ASCII text (see appendix 4).
      It is the lowest common denominator between computers, software,
      networks, and users.

      Example: A user in Norway tried to send the Norwegian language
      line: "Jeg bor på Karls¢y i Troms, Norge." The text was stored
      using Windows Latin1. The receiver got: "Jeg bor pe Kalsxy i
      Troms, Norge." Another user received the word "på" as "p=E5."

      If you are using WordPerfect or Word for Windows on an MS-DOS
      computer, consider storing your text as DOS text before sending.

Internet
--------
is a very large computer network that has grown out of ARPANET, MILNET, and
other American networks for research and education. This core network has
gateways for electronic mail to a long list of other systems. When we
include these systems and their connections, we call it the Matrix, or
WorldNet (see Appendix 1 for more).

If you are on the Matrix, you can send email to users on networks like
EUnet, JANET, Uninett, BITNET, UUCP, CompuServe, MCI Mail, EcoNet,
PeaceNet, ConflicNet, GreenNet, Web, Pegasus, AppleLink, Alternex, Nicarao,
UUNET, FredsNaetet, PSI, Usenet, FidoNet and many others. You can send to
people using Bergen By Byte in Norway, TWICS in Tokyo, and Colnet in Buenos
Aires.

When people talk about this phenomenon, they often refer to it as "Internet
mail," even if they are just using the Internet as kind of an advanced
telephone exchange.

Let us take a closer look at the art of addressing mail through the
Internet and the Matrix.

Domain name addressing
----------------------
On the Internet, the general form of a person's email address is:

    [e-mail]

My main, international Internet mailbox address is:

    [e-mail]

Read the address from left to right. First, the local name of the mailbox
(my name abbreviated). Next, the name of the mailbox system or another
identification code (here EXTERN, to show that I have no affiliation with
the University), the name of the institution or company (here UIO or
"Universitetet i Oslo"), and finally the country (NO for Norway).

People have sent mail to my mailbox from New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Guatemala,
Peru, India, China, Greece, Iceland, and Armenia using this address.

Some of them had to send their mail through a gateway to the Internet, and
the address sometimes had to be changed accordingly:

Users of AppleLink use [e-mail]@INTERNET# . Those on JANET use
[e-mail]. On SprintMail, use ("RFC-822":
<opresno(a)extern.uio.no>, SITE:INTERNET) . CompuServe subscribers use
INTERNET:[e-mail] .

The core of these address formats is "[e-mail]," in one way or
the other.

We call the core addressing format a Domain Naming System. "EXTERN.UIO.NO"
is a domain. The domain may also contain reference to the name of a company
or an organization, like in twics.co.jp, compuserve.com, or IGC.ORG. The
CO, COM, and ORG codes identify TWICS, CompuServe and IGC as companies or
organizations.

To send mail from the Internet to my CompuServe mailbox, use:

    [e-mail]

Normally (except on AppleLink), a domain address can only contain one @-
character. When an address has to be extended with gateway routing
information, replace all @-characters to the LEFT in the address by %-
characters. Here is an example:

BITNET uses a different addressing method (USER@SYSTEM). Let's assume that
you are subscribed to the club for lovers of Japanese food (J-FOOD-
[e-mail], see chapter 6). You have a mailbox on the Internet, and
want to send a recipe to the other subscribers using the address J-FOOD-L.

On some Internet systems, you can simply use the address: J-FOOD-
[e-mail] , and the mailbox system will handle the routing for you.

However, if this method doesn't work, you can use different gateways into
BITNET depending on where you live. The preferred method is to route
through a gateway near to you. If living in North America, you may route
through CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU by composing this address:

    [e-mail]

The rightmost @ in this address is maintained. The one to the LEFT has been
replaced with a %. The term ".BITNET" tells the gateway machine where to
forward the message.

The following will happen: First, the message will be sent to system CUNYVM
at the EDUcation site CUNY. CUNYVM investigates the address, and discovers
that the message is for BITNET. It cuts off all text to the right of
"JPNKNU10," and replaces the % with an @. The message is forwarded to the
mailbox J-FOOD-L on the BITNET system JPNKNU10 at the Kinki University in
Japan.

Bang addressing
---------------
"Bang" is American for "exclamation point" (!). The UUCP network uses it
in their variation of the domain addressing scheme.

Example: User Jill Small on Econet in San Francisco used to have the
address pyramid!cdp!jsmall . Read this address from right to left. The name
of her mailbox is to the right. The name of the organization is in the
middle. "Pyramid" is the name of the network.

   | Note: The ! character has a special function on Unix computers.  |
   | You may have to type the address as pyramid\!cdp\!jsmall to      |
   | avoid unwanted error messages. The \ character tells Unix to     |
   | regard the next character as a character, and not as a system    |
   | command. You can also precede other problematic characters with  |
   | \ in case of problems.                                           |

Some email systems can use bang addresses directly. If your system is
unable to handle them, then you must send these messages through a gateway.
The American host UUNET is a frequently used gateway. If routing through
UUNET, you may write the address like this:

    pyramid!cdp![e-mail]

If your system refuses to accept exclamation points in addresses, try
converting the address into a standard Internet address. Write the address
elements in the Internet sequence (left to right). Replace the exclamation
points with %-s, like this:

    [e-mail]

This method works most of the time. If it works, use this addressing form.
Bang paths may fail if an intermediate site in the path happens to be down.
(Most UUCP sites are registering Internet domain names now. This helps
alleviate the problem of path failures.)

Some messages must be routed through many gateways to reach their
destination. This is the longest address that I have used:

   hpda!hplabs!hpscdc!hp-lsd.cos.hp.com!oldcolo![e-mail]

It used to be the address of a user in Colorado, U.S.A.. Today, he can be
reached using a much shorter address.

If you are on UUCP/EUnet, you may use the following address to send
email to Odd de Presno:

   extern.uio.no!opresno.

Addressing international electronic mail sometimes looks like black magic.
To learn more, read some of the books listed in appendix 5.

Another source is the conference INFONETS (General network forum). Here,
the Internet postmasters discuss their addressing problems. Activity is
high, and you will learn a lot about the noble art of addressing. (This is
not the place to ask for Olav Janssen's Norwegian email address, though.
This question should be sent to a Norwegian postmaster.)

You can subscribe to Infonets by sending the following mail:

    To: [e-mail]
    Subject: (You can write anything here. It will be ignored.)
    TEXT:  SUB INFONETS Your-first-name Your-last-name

If your mailbox is on another network, alter the address to route your
subscription correctly to this LISTSERV.

  | Hint: You can search the database of old INFONETS messages by |
  | email to [e-mail]. See "Directories of services  |
  | and subscribers" below for information about how to search    |
  | LISTSERV databases.                                           |

While the global matrix of networks grows rapidly, it is still behind in
some lesser-developed nations and poorer parts of developed nations. If
interested in these parts of the world, check out GNET, a library and a
journal for documents about the efforts to extend the network to lesser-
developed nations (ftp://dhvx20.csudh.edu/global_net/).

To subscribe to a conference discussing these documents, send a request to
[e-mail].

cc:Mail gateways
----------------
Many Local Area Networks have been connected to the global Matrix of
networks. CompuServe offers a cc:Mail gateway. Lotus cc:Mail is a PC Lan
based email system used in corporate, government and other organizations.

When sending from CompuServe Mail to a cc:Mail user through this gateway, a
typical address may look like this:

    >mhs:pt-support@performa

To send to this user from the Internet through CompuServe's MHS gateway,
write the address like this:

    [e-mail]

Other vendors of LAN gateways use different addressing methods.

X.400 addressing
----------------
X.400 is a standard for electronic mail developed by ITU-TSS. It is used on
large networks like AT&T Mail, MCI Mail, Sprintnet, GE Information System,
Dialcom, and Western Union, and on public and private networks throughout
the world.

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) uses X.400 as a transport mechanism for
coordination of electronic part ordering, stock control and payment. X.400
is used to connect EDI systems between companies and suppliers.

The X.400 addressing syntax is very different from domain addressing. To
send a message from an X.400 mailbox to my address ([e-mail]),
you may have to write it like this:

   (C:NO,ADMD:uninett,PRMD:uninett,O:uio,OU:extern,S:opresno)

Alas, it's not so standard as the domain addressing schemes. On other X.400
networks, the address must be written in one of the following formats - or
in yet other ways:

   (C:US,A:Telemail,P:Internet,"RFC-822":<opresno(a)extern.uio.no>)

   ("RFC-822": <opresno(a)extern.uio.no>, SITE:INTERNET)

   '(C:USA,A:TELEMAIL,P:INTERNET,"RFC-822":<opresno<a>extern.uio.no>) DEL'

   (site: INTERNET,ID: <opresno<a>extern.uio.no>)

   "RFC-822=opresno(a)extern.uio.no @ GATEWAY]INTERNET/TELEMAIL/US"

   S=opresno/OU=extern/ORG=UIO/P=uninett/C=no

To send from the Internet to a mailbox I once had on a Norwegian X.400 host
(Telemax), I had to use this address:

   /I=D/G=ODD/S=PRESNO/O=KUD.DATASEKR/@PCMAX.telemax.no

To send from the Internet to Telemail in the US, I have used this:

   /PN=TELEMAIL.T.SUPPORT/O=TELENET.MAIL/ADMD=TELEMAIL/C=US/@sprint.com

If must route your message through gateways, then complexity increases. One
Norwegian UUCP user had to use the following address to get through to me:

  nuug!extern.uio.no!"pcmax.telemax.no!/I=D/G=ODD/S=PRESNO/O=KUD.DATASEKR/"

To send from an X.400 system to my CompuServe mailbox, I have used the
following address elements:

       Country = US
       ADMD = CompuServe
       PRMD = CSMail
       DDA = 75755.1327

The addressing methods used on X.400 systems vary. Example: Some use the
code C:USA rather than the ISO country code C:US. MCI Mail uses C:NORWAY,
C:USA, and C:SWEDEN.

Here are some important X.400 codes:

    C       the ISO country code (on most services)
    ADMD    domain code for public system (abbreviation A)
    PRMD    domain code for connected private system
            (abbreviation P)
    O       organization name
    OU      organization unit
    S       surname (last name)
    G       given name (first name)
    I       initials (in the name)
    DDA     domain-defined attributes, keywords defined and
            used by the individual systems to specify mailboxes
            (user name, list, station, user code, etc.), direct
            delivery devices (attention name, telex addresses,
            facsimile, etc.)
    PN      personal name
    (a)     the character @ cannot be used when routing messages
            from X.400 to Internet. Try (a) instead.
    (p)     the character % cannot be used when routing messages
            from X.400 to Internet. Try (p) instead.
    (b)     the character ! (used in "bang" addresses).
    (q)     the character " used in email addresses.
    RFC-822 this code tells X.400 that an Internet domain address
            follows. Does not work on all X.400 systems.

The space character (ascii 032) is a special challenge. Some services let
you replace it with an '_' character. If the X.400 gateway supports MIME,
you may be able to use the hexadecimal code (=20) as specified in RFC1341
(see "quoted-printable"). If you do, remember to replace the '=' character
with =3D, as in '/S=3DPRESNO' (instead of '/S=PRESNO').

Returned mail
-------------
When an email address is incorrect in some way (the system's name is wrong,
the domain doesn't exist, whatever), the mail system will bounce (route)
the message back to the sender. This will also happen if the receiver's
mailbox is full.

The returned message will include the reason for the bounce.

The most common error is addressing mail to a non-existent account name or
network address. I have seen many users trying to send mail to
[e-mail] using [e-mail]. When this address is
written with lower case letters, it is so easy to think that it is an l
rather than the number 1.

Let us construct an error when sending to [e-mail]. Send a
mail to "[e-mail]".

This address is wrong. Below, you will find the full text of the bounced
message. It contains much technical information, and most lines have no
interest. Also, the message is much larger than the original message, which
contained three lines only.

When browsing the bounced message, note that it has three distinct parts:
(1) The mailer header of the bounced message itself (here, the 13 first
lines), (2) The text of the error report (from line 14 until the line
"Original message follows:"), and (3) the mailer header and text of your
original message (as received by computer reporting the error):

  From [e-mail] Fri Dec 18 12:54:03 1992
  Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
  Received: from vm1.NoDak.edu by pat.uio.no with SMTP (PP)
    id <[e-mail]>; Fri, 18 Dec 1992 12:53:54 +0100
  Received: from NDSUVM1.BITNET by VM1.NoDak.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
    with BSMTP id 9295; Fri, 18 Dec 92 05:53:27 CST
  Received: from NDSUVM1.BITNET by NDSUVM1.BITNET (Mailer R2.07)
    with BSMTP id 3309; Fri, 18 Dec 92 05:53:26 CST
  Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 05:53:26 CST
  From: Network Mailer <[e-mail]>
  To: [e-mail]
  Subject: mail delivery error
  Status: R

  Batch SMTP transaction log follows:

  220 NDSUVM1.BITNET Columbia MAILER R2.07 BSMTP service ready.
  050 HELO NDSUVM1
  250 NDSUVM1.BITNET Hello NDSUVM1
  050 MAIL FROM:<[e-mail]>
  250 <[e-mail]>... sender OK.
  050 RCPT TO:<pistserv@NDSUVM1>
  250 <pistserv@NDSUVM1>... recipient OK.
  050 DATA
  354 Start mail input.  End with <crlf>.<crlf>
  554-Mail not delivered to some or all recipients:
  554 No such local user: PISTSERV
  050 QUIT
  221 NDSUVM1.BITNET Columbia MAILER BSMTP service done.

  Original message follows:

  Received: from NDSUVM1 by NDSUVM1.BITNET (Mailer R2.07) with BSMTP id 3308;
   Fri, 18 Dec 92 05:53:25 CST
  Received: from pat.uio.no by VM1.NoDak.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with TCP;
     Fri, 18 Dec 92 05:53:23 CST
  Received: from ulrik.uio.no by pat.uio.no with local-SMTP (PP)
            id <[e-mail]>; Fri, 18 Dec 1992 12:53:24 +0100
  Received: by ulrik.uio.no ; Fri, 18 Dec 1992 12:53:18 +0100
  Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 12:53:18 +0100
  From: [e-mail]
  Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
  To: [e-mail]
  Subject: test

  index kidlink

The first part of the bounced message is usually of no interest. Hidden in
the second part, you will find the following interesting line:

  554 No such local user: PISTSERV

Ah, a typo!

If your original message was long, you are likely to be pleased by having
the complete text returned in the third part of the bounced message. This
may allow you to get away with a quick cut and paste, before resending to
the corrected address.

The text and codes used in bounced messages vary depending on what type of
mailbox system you are using, and the type of system that is bouncing your
mail.

Above, [e-mail] returned the full text of my bounced mail. Some
systems just send the beginning of your original text, while others (in
particular some X.400 systems) just send a short note telling the reason
for the bounce.

  | Note: When you fail to understand why a message is being  |
  | bounced, contact your local postmaster for help. Send him |
  | a copy of the complete text of the bounced message up to  |
  | and including the line "Subject:" at the bottom.          |
  |    You do not have to send him the text of your original  |
  | message!                                                  |

Returned due to error in contents
---------------------------------
When you write a message to a real person, you are usually free to format
the text any way you want. However, not so when the recipient is a computer
program, like a LISTSERV, Gophermail, a World Wide Web by email server, and
so forth.

Example: This book is being updated regularly. Information about where to
find the electronic version can be retrieved by sending an email to
[e-mail] . Put the command "GET TOW WHERE" in the body of
your mail.

Type in this command starting in your mail's line 1, column 1, If the text
starts with something else, chances are that you will get an error message
rather than the requested information.

Many users access the Internet through gateways from a company's internal
mail system, and some of these mailers insist on adding extra information
to the text, like in this Swedish example:

  Microsoft Mail v3.0 IPM.Microsoft Mail.Note
  Fr}n: Johan Svensson
  Till: TOW
  Ang}ende:  Message headers
  Datum: 1994-07-23 19:39
  Prioritet:
  Brev-ID: FE0257B9
  Konversation-ID: FE0257B9

If the mail system's administrator is unable or unwilling to let you send
Internet mail without such extra headers, then you have problems. To get
around it, check if it is possible to send your message as a file.

Replying to an Internet message
-------------------------------
On the Internet, electronic messages have a common structure that is common
across the network. On some systems, you can reply by using a reply
command. If this feature is not available, use the sender's address as
given in the mail header.

The bounced message contained two mail headers: the header of my original
message (in part three), and the header of the bounced message (in part
one).

The 'good' reply address is laid out in the 'From:' header. Thus, this
message contains the following two 'good' addresses:

  From: Network Mailer <[e-mail]>
  From: [e-mail]

The Network Mailer located the second address line in my original message,
and used this address when sending the bounced message.

  | Note: there is no point in sending a message back to             |
  | [e-mail] since this is the address of an automatic   |
  | mail handling program. Write to [e-mail] to talk |
  | to a "real person" at this computer center.                      |

The exact order of a message's header may vary from system to system, but
it will always contain the vital 'From:' line.

  | Note: Exercise caution when replying to a message sent by a      |
  | mailing list. If you wish to respond to the author only, make    |
  | sure that the only address you are replying to is that person's. |
  | Do not send it to the entire list!                               |

How do I know that my message is received?
------------------------------------------
On some networks, it is outright impossible. On others, you can send your
mail so that an automatic acknowledgement will be returned, when your mail
has been received.

On the Internet, users can often have their mailer add the Return-Receipt-
To:<sender's email address> line to the mail headers.

   | Replace "sender's email address" with your real address.        |

Some mailers allow users to automate this. The final MTA (message transfer
agent) will then send a "received" receipt to the specified address.

Directories of subscribers and services
---------------------------------------
There is no complete global directory of available electronic addresses.
On many systems, however, you can search lists of local users. Also, see
Netfind in appendix 6 for information about how to find users on the
Internet.

  | Often, the best method is to call the recipient to get his |
  | or her email address.                                      |

Sometimes, the information given you by the recipient is not enough. Maybe
the address needs an extension for the message to be routed through
gateways to the destination.

Another typical problem is that the syntax of the address is wrong. Perhaps
you made a mistake, when you wrote it down (KIDCAFE became KIDSCAFE).

The return address in the received messages' mailer headers may be wrong.
It may use a syntax that is illegal on your email system, or it may suggest
a routing that is unknown to your system. When trying to send mail to this
address, the Mailer-Daemon complains: "This is a non-existent address."

Again, the first person to contact for help is your local postmaster. On
most Internet hosts this is simple. If you have a mailbox on the ULRIK
computer at the University of Oslo, send a request for help to
[e-mail] . If you are on COLNET in Buenos Aires, send to
[e-mail] .

POSTMASTER is also the address to turn to on BITNET. Users of FidoNet or
RelayNet, should write to SYSOP.

It may not be that simple to locate the postmaster on UUCP. The postmaster
ID may exist on some systems, but often he's just a name or a user code.

You can get the email address of known Internet systems by sending a
message to [e-mail] . In the subject of the message, write
the command WHOIS host-machine-name. Do not write anything in the text
(will be ignored). You will get a report of the desired mailbox computer,
and the address of the local postmaster.  Example:

    To:       [e-mail]
    Subject:  WHOIS AERO.ORG
    Text:

Sometimes, you just do not know the name of a recipient's mailbox computer.
When this is the case, start at the "top of the pyramid."

Say your desired recipient lives in Germany. The ISO country code for
Germany is DE (read in appendix 6 about these codes). Send the message

    To:       [e-mail]
    Subject:  WHOIS DOMAIN DE
    Text:

This will give you the email addresses of the main postmasters for this
country. Most postmasters are willing to help, but most of them are very
busy people. It may take days before they get around to respond to your
inquiry.

There are over 100 other "whois-servers" in more than 15 countries. The
systems whois.nic.ad.jp and whois.ripe.net cover Japan and Europe. The rest
of them provide information about local users. (A list is available on
ftp://sipb.mit.edu/pub/whois/whois-servers.list .)

If your recipient is on UUCP, try [e-mail] . To locate the
postmaster of the mailbox system "amanpt1," use the following format (write
nothing in the text):

    To:       [e-mail]
    Subject:  amanpt1
    Text:

BITNET provides information about connected systems through many sources.
Scandinavian users use [e-mail] in Finland. Try a LISTSERV
on a host closer to where you live. For example, North American users may
use [e-mail], which is a host in North Dakota.   Japanese
users should write to the host [e-mail].

When retrieving for BITNET host information mail, your search must be done
in two steps. Your commands are NOT to be entered on the Subject line.
Enter all commands in the TEXT field (text on the Subject line will be
ignored). Example:

    You want information about the BITNET computer FINHUTC (called
    a "node in the network"). Your first message should have the
    following text:


      // job echo=no
      database search dd=rules
      //rules dd *
      search * in bitearn where node = FINHUTC
      index

    LISTSERV sends you the following report:

      > search * in bitearn where node = FINHUTC
      --> Database BITEARN, 1 hit.

      > index
      Ref# Conn  Nodeid   Site name
      ---- ----  ------   ---------
      0910 85/11 FINHUTC  Helsinki University of Technology, Finland

    Send a new search message to the LISTSERV containing the same
    commands as above. Add one line in which you ask for database
    record number 0910 (given in the column Ref#).
    Like this:

      // job echo=no
      database search dd=rules
      //rules dd *
      search * in bitearn where node = FINHUTC
      index
      print 0910

    LISTSERV will return a report filled with information.
    Here is part of it:

      Node: FINHUTC
      Country: FI
      Internet: FINHUTC.hut.fi
      Net: EARN
      Nodedesc: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
      P_hsalmine: Harri Salminen;LK-HS@FINHUTC;[phone]
      P_pautio: Petri Autio;POSTMAST@FINHUTC;[phone]
      P_vvoutila: Vuokko Voutilainen;OPR@FINHUTC;[phone]
      Routtab: RSCS (NETSERV,POSTMAST@FINHUTC)

For more information about searching BITNET databases, send this message to
your favorite LISTSERV, or use the address below:

    To:       [e-mail]
    Subject:  nothing
    TEXT:     GET LISTDB MEMO

The Usenet address database on [e-mail] is another fine
source of information. To query the database, put the following in the body
of your email:

    send usenet-addresses/[name searching for]

The "name" should be one or more space-separated words for which you want
to search. Since the search is "fuzzy" (i.e., all the words you specify do
not have to match), you should list all words you think might appear in the
address, including first and last name, possible username, and possible
components of the host name. The case and order of the words you list are
ignored. (Send the command "send usenet-addresses/help" to this address for
more information.)

Example: send usenet-addresses/odd de presno

The usenet-addresses database is also accessible via WAIS on rtfm.mit.edu
(on port 210).

X.400 systems are developing an address directory according to ITU-TSS
standard X.500. The plan is to connect several directories. The developers
hope that routing of X.400 messages may eventually be done automatically
without the user needing to know the identity of the recipient's mailbox
computer.

X.500 address directories will certainly help X.400 users. The problem is
that most email is still carried by other types of systems, and that X.500
has no concern for mail transported through "foreign systems." For example,
do not expect an X.500 directory to help you find email addresses of
CompuServe users.

Dialcom
-------
is a commercial, global online service, which have many nodes in Africa and
Latin America. To send mail from Dialcom to the Internet you must use
commercial gateway-services like DASnet (see appendix 1).

To send mail from one Dialcom system to another, use the syntax
6007:EWP002. This address points to mailbox EWP002 on system number 6007.

To send mail from Internet to Dialcom user YNP079 on system 10001, use the
following address when sending through DASnet:

    [e-mail]

Note: Only registered users with DASnet can use this method.

FidoNet
-------
Users of this global network can send and receive mail to/from the
Internet. For example, a FidoNet user may use the following method to send
to my Internet address:

    Send the message to user UUCP at 1:105/42. The first line of
    the TEXT of the message should contain:

      To: [e-mail]

    Add a blank line after the address before entering the text
    of your message.

FidoNet addresses are composed by three or four numbers;

        zone:net/node
        or
        zone:net/node.point

The FidoNet address 1:105/42 has three elements. "1:" tells that the
recipient lives in Zone number 1 (North America). 105/42 refers to Node
number 42, which receives mail through Net number 105. This node has an
automatic gateway to the Internet.

Another example: Jan Stozek is sysop of "Home of PCQ" in Warsaw, Poland.
The Node number of his BBS is 10. He receives mail through Net number 480.
Poland is a country in Europe, Zone number 2. The address to his system is:
2:480/10. His user name is Jan Stozek.

You can send an Internet message to anyone in FidoNet by using the
following template:

 <firstname>.<lastname>@p<point>.f<node>.n<net>.z<zone>.fidonet.org

Where <firstname> is the person's first name
      <lastname>  is the person's last name

To send a message from the Internet to Jan, use this address:

    [e-mail]

One final example: Ola Garstad in Oslo has the FidoNet address 2:502/15.
Use the address [e-mail] , when sending mail to
him through the Internet.

An updated list of global FidoNet nodes can be retrieved from most
connected BBS systems. (More in appendix 1.)

For more information
--------------------
get "The Inter-Network Mail Guide." It describes how to send mail between
electronic mail systems like AppleLink, BITNET, BIX, CompuServe, Connect-
USA, EasyNet, Envoy, FidoNet, GeoNet, Internet, MCI, MFENET, NasaMail,
PeaceNet, Sinet, Span, SprintMail, and more.

Send a message to [e-mail] (or [e-mail]). In
the TEXT of the message enter:

    GET NETWORK GUIDE

The list is posted monthly to the Usenet newsgroups comp.mail.misc and
news.newusers.questions. It is also available by anonymous ftp as

    ftp://ftp.csd.uwm.edu/pub/internetwork-mail-guide .

The "Frequently Asked Questions: How to find people's E-mail addresses"
document is regularly posted to the Usenet group news.answers. (Read under
FAQ in appendix 6 about how to retrieve it.)

The document "Accessing The Internet By E-Mail" is available from
[e-mail] . Put the following command in the body of
your text to retrieve:  GET INTERNET BY-EMAIL NETTRAIN F=MAIL



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 8: Free expert assistance
=================================

This may sound too good to be true. Many computer experts are ready to help
YOU without asking a dollar in return. The same is the case with experts in
other areas.

You have an impossible decision to make. A lawyer has a dotted line that
requires your signature, or a surgeon has a dotted line in mind for your
upper abdomen. You're not comfortable with the fine print or the diagnosis
and wonder if a second opinion is in order. Just ask, and get help.

If you have problems with your communications program, post a message on a
bulletin board. Do the same thing if you want to sell equipment. Learn from
other people's experiences with computers or software that you plan to buy.

You will get a reply - if the subject or you attract interest. In the
process, you'll get new friends, and be able to follow the development in a
dynamic marketplace.

The following message from CompuServe is typical:


  16-Nov-91  15:16:14
  Sb: Back & Forth software
  Fm: Joan Healy
  To: John Nelson

  Changed my mind about GrandView:

  1. Learning curve like Mt. Everest.  Give me intuitive or give me
     death.
  2. Lack of patience with "  ".
  3. Lack of time.
  4. It may be unsuited for what I wanted (outlining a book). Since
     becoming a born-again Galaxian, I've started using that for the
     outline, and I'm happy.  There's nothing like a  decision and a
     permanent bonding and lifelong commitment to make a woman
     happy. Remember that, you louts. :-)

Many users prefer open conference messages to private email for their
technical discussions. This gives "the group" a chance to read, comment,
provide additional facts, and return with new questions.

The reactions to one simple question may be overwhelming, but most of the
time the contributions are useful and educational. Since the discussion is
public, regard it as your personal online university. Offer opinions when
you have something to contribute, or keep silent.

In most conferences, some members are critical to "lurkers." A "lurker" is
someone who read without ever contributing. Don't let them get to you. Do
not feel bad about being silent. Most other members are there only to watch
and learn as well.

If you consider buying a newly released computer program, tune in to the
section of your favorite online service that deals with products from this
manufacturer. Count messages with complaints of the new program before
buying.

When you have received your new program, return to read other users'
experiences and to pick up practical advice. It will never hurt to offer
your own two cents' worth in the process.

  | Visit online services that have many users who know more than   |
  | most. There, you will usually get faster and better replies to  |
  | your questions. It is far cheaper to ask than to search.        |

Start with bulletin boards. If you have never visited a BBS, call one in
your neighborhood to get a feel for what this is. Most of them can be
accessed free. Usually, their only requirement is that you answer some
self-presentation questions before being granted full access to their
system.

Most bulletin boards offer conferencing and archives filled with shareware
and public domain software. Many also have files or bulletins listing
telephone numbers of other boards in your country or area.

The trick is to find know-how. The larger the online service, the more
skilled people are likely to "meet" there regularly. Therefore, if local
bulletin boards fail to satisfy your needs, visit the large commercial
services. CompuServe and EXEC-PC are two services in the top league. BIX is
another good source of information for professional computer specialists.

One exception: When you need contact with ONE particular person, who knows
YOUR problem in detail, go where he uses to go.

Examples: If you need top advice about the communications program GALINK,
call Mike's BBS in Oslo (at [phone]). If you buy modems from Semafor
A/S, the best place for expert advice is Semaforum BBS (tel. [phone]-
11710). If you have a Novell local area network, visit the Novell forums on
CompuServe.

For users of MS-DOS computers
-----------------------------
I visit the following CompuServe forums regularly:

    IBM Communication - about communication software for MS-DOS
        computers.
    IBM Hardware - about new IBM compatibles, expansion cards,
        displays, hard disks, IBM PS/2, software for performance
        evaluation, printers, etc.
    IBM Systems/Utilities - about DOS, utilities, shells, file
        utilities, and much more. A large software library.
    IBM Applications - about all kind of applications. The forum
        has a large file library full of shareware and public
        domain software.

Many CompuServe forums are operated or sponsored by software and hardware
vendors, like:

Adobe Systems Inc., Aldus Corp., Ashton-Tate Corp., Autodesk Inc., Borland
International, Broderbund Software Inc., Buttonware Inc., Cadkey Inc.,
Crosstalk Communications, Customs Technologies, Enable Software, Datastorm
Technologies Inc., Microsoft Systems, Nantucket Corp., Lotus Development
Corp., Novell Inc., Peter Norton Computing, Quarterdeck Office Systems,
Quicksoft, Sun Microsystems (TOPS Division), Symantec Corp., Toshiba,
Turbopower Software, and WordPerfect Corp.

CompuServe has hundreds of other forums with associated libraries of files
and programs.

FidoNet has the PC_TECH and PCUG conferences, and a long list of product
specific echos like QUICKBBS, PCTOOLS, ZMODEM, DESQVIEW and WINDOWS.SHAREW
.
BITNET has CLIPPER (CLIPPER@BRUFPB), I-IBMPC (I-IBMPC@UIUCVMD), PC-L (PC-
L@UFRJ), and the abstract service INFO-IBMPC (IBMPC-L@BNANDP11). On EXEC-
PC, look under MS-DOS systems. Usenet has many offerings including the
following:

  comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc    Discussion about IBM personal computers.
  comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest  The IBM PC, PC-XT, and PC-AT. (Moderated)
  comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware        XT/AT/EISA hardware, any vendor.
  comp.sys.ibm.pc.rt      Topics related to IBM's RT computer.
  comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware       Microchannel hardware, any vendor.

For help with Lotus 1-2-3, there are two CompuServe forums. There is a
LOTUS conference on RelayNet.  For Ami Pro support, visit CompuServe's LDC
Word Processing Forum.

WordPerfect Corp. has a support forum on CompuServe. WORDPERF is the
offering on RelayNet. On ILINK, visit WORDPERFECT. On the Internet, your
email questions to [e-mail] . They also have a BBS on the
Internet address http://www.wordperfect.com .

For owners of Amiga computers
-----------------------------
FidoNet has a long list of conferences for Amiga users:

   AMIGA              Amiga International Echo
   AMIGAGAMES         Amiga Gaming
   AMIGA_COMMS        Amiga Communications Software and Hardware
   AMIGA_DESKTOP      Amiga Desktop Publishing
   AMIGA_INFO         AMIGA_INFO
   AMIGA_LC           Amiga Lattice/SASC C Echo
   AMIGA_NET_DEV      Amiga Network Developers.
   AMIGA_PDREVIEW     Amiga PD Reviews & Requests
   AMIGA_PERFECT      Amiga Word Perfect & Word Processing
   AMIGA_PROG         Amiga Programmer's International Conference
   AMIGA_SYSOP        Amiga SysOp's Discussion/ADS Echo
   AMIGA_UG           Amiga User's Groups
   AMIGA_VIDEO        Amiga Video and Animation

EXEC-PC has the Amiga Hardware and Amiga Software conferences, and a large
library with shareware and public domain files. ILINK has the AMIGA
conference.

Usenet's com.sys.amiga hierarchy has entries like advocacy, announce
applications, audio, datacomm, emulations, games, graphics, hardware,
introduction, marketplace, multimedia, misc, programmer, reviews and more.

Abstracts of comp.sys.amiga conferences are available through several
BITNET mailing lists, like AMIGAHAR@DEARN, AMIGA-D@NDSUVM1, and AMIGA-
S@NDSUVM1.

Most online services have "Find this File" commands. The most powerful ones
are often found on free bulletin boards.

On CompuServe, type GO AMIGA to get to CBMNET and get the following welcome
menu:


   Amiga Forums
    1 Amiga Arts Forum
    2 Amiga Tech Forum
    3 Amiga User's Forum
    4 Amiga Vendor Forum
    5 Amiga File Finder

   Commodore Forums
    6 Commodore Arts and Games
    7 Commodore Applications Forum
    8 Commodore Service Forum
    9 Commodore Newsletter

A while ago, we visited CBMNET to find a communications program. From the
menu above, selection five took us to The Amiga File Finder service, and
this menu:

   File Finder AMIGA

    1 About File Finder
    2 Instructions For Searching
    3 How to Locate Keywords

    4 Access File Finder

    5 Your Comments About File Finder

Choice four lets us search for files using keywords, file creation dates,
forum names, file types, file name extension, file name or author. Our
choice was searching by keywords. The result was a long list of
alternatives:

   Enter Search Term: comm

   Amiga File Finder

    1 AMIGATECH/C Programming  COMSRC.ARC
    2 AMIGATECH/C Programming  PMDSRC.LZH
    3 AMIGATECH/C Programming  PNTSRC.LZH
    4 AMIGAUSER/Communications  BBSIND.LZH
    5 AMIGAUSER/Communications  INTOUC.ARC
    etc.

By entering numbers, we asked for short descriptions of file number 4
through 13. Here is one of them:

   Filename : INTOUC.ARC  Forum: AMIGAUSER
   Lib: Communications  Lib #: 5
   Submitter: [76702,337]   24-Mar-89
   Size: 51200   Accesses: 157

   This is a modified Comm1.34.  It supports both VT100 and ANSI.
   The VT100 emulation is based on Dave Wecker's VT100 program.
   There is automatic dialer, split screen that is configurable,
   phone book, and other nice features.

This is what we were looking for. First, enter GO AMIGAUSER to get to the
forum. Enter "DL 5" to get to Downloading Library number 5. INTOUCH.ARC was
retrieved using the CompuServe Quick B transfer protocol. This protocol is
usually the most efficient choice on this service.

  | CompuServe has several File Finder services. These include    |
  | IBMFF (MS-DOS computers), MACFF (Macintosh), GRAPHFF (for     |
  | Graphics), ATARIFF (Atari computers), AMIGAFF.  Use the GO    |
  | command to access, as in GO IBMFF .                           |

There are also active Amiga forums on BIX, GEnie, and CIX (England).

Apple users
-----------
FidoNet has an APPLE conference. BITNET has APPLE2-L (APPLE2-L@BROWNVM).
CompuServe has Apple II Programmers Forum, Apple II Users Forum, Apple II
Vendor Forum, Mac Community Clubhouse Forum, Mac Developers Forum, Mac
Fun/Entertainment Forum, Mac Hypertext Forum, Mac New Users/Help Forum, Mac
System 7.0 Forum, Mac System Software Forum, MacUser Forum and MacWEEK
Forum.

Similar services are found on many other online services. You will also
find conferences devoted to support of popular commercial software for
Apple computers.

Other computers
---------------
There are so many types of computers: Atari computers, the TRS-80 series
and others from Tandy, DEC computers, mainframes from IBM, Hewlett-Packard
computers, CP/M machines, users of LDOS/TRSDOS or OS9, Apricot, Z88,
Timex/Sinclair, Archimedes, Psion, and Armstrad.

Even so, there is a high probability that you can find online support for
almost all of them. This is so even if the vendor is out of business long
ago. CompuServe is a good place to start.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9: Your electronic daily news
=====================================

   Read national and global news before they are announced by the
   traditional media. Get those interesting background facts. Read
   special interest news stories that seldom appear in print.

Sure, you read newspapers, watch TV, and listen to radio, but did you know
how limited their stories are?

Traditional news media just give you a small part of the news. Their
editors are not concerned about YOUR particular interests. They serve a
large group of readers, viewers or listeners with different interests in
mind.

Go online and discover the difference. Online news has an enormous width
and depth. Besides "popular" news, you will find stories that few editors
bother to print. This may give you better insight in current developments,
and in as much details as you can take.

Most commercial online services offer news. The majority of their stories
come from large news agencies and newspapers. You can often read and search
articles from magazines, newsletters and other special publications.

The online users' ability to search today and yesterday's news makes these
offerings particularly useful.

The cost of reading a given news item varies by online service. What will
set you back 20 cents on one service, may cost two dollars on another.

It may be many times more expensive (or cheap) to read the same article
from the same news provider on another online service. So, professional
online users compare prices.

National news
-------------
In Norway, we can read local language news from print media like Dagens
Naeringsliv, Aftenposten, Kapital, and news wires from NTB and other local
sources. Similarly, local language news is available online in most
countries.

The cost of reading local news on national online services are usually more
expensive than on major global online services. As competition among global
news providers increases, this is bound to change.

International news
------------------
A while ago, a well-known Norwegian industrialist visited my office. I
showed off online searching in NewsNet newsletters, and stumbled over a
story about his company.

"Incredible!" he said. "We have not even announced this to our Norwegian
employees yet."

Sometimes, American online services give news from other countries earlier
than you can get it on online services from within these countries. Besides,
you may prefer the stories to be in English.

Sure, most Norwegians prefer to read news in Norwegian. The Japanese want
it in their language, and the French in French. If they can get the news
earlier than their competitors, however, most are willing to read English.

Few master many languages. Unless you live in a country where they talk
Arabic, Chinese or French, chances are that you cannot read news in these
languages. English, however, is a popular second choice in many countries,
and it has become the unofficial Esperanto language of the online world.

Reading news translated from another language has its risks. Translators
often make mistakes. One common reason is time pressure, another inadequate
knowledge of the source language. Their cultural background may prevent
them from writing an unbiased shorter version of the source text.

The risk of inaccuracies increases when a story, for example initially
translated from Spanish into English, are being translated into a third
language.

Avoid news that has been translated more than once. If not, you may
experience something like this:

    On September 19, 1991, Norwegian TV brought news from Moscow.
    They told that Russian president Boris Yeltsin had a heart
    attack.

    The online report from Associated Press, which arrived 7.5
    hours earlier, talked about "a minor heart attack" with the
    following additional explanation: "In Russian, the phrase
    'heart attack' has a broader meaning than in English. It is
    commonly used to refer to a range of ailments from chest pains
    to actual heart failure."

Still, expect your "personal online daily newspaper" capable of giving you
the news faster and more correctly than traditional print media. Some news
is only available in electronic form.

Seven minutes in 1991
---------------------
On September 19, I called CompuServe to read news and gather information
about online news sources.

According to my log, I connected through Infonet in Oslo (see Chapter 13).
The total cost for seven minutes was US$6.00, which included the cost of a
long distance call to Oslo. (Today, using CompuServe's Standard Pricing
Plan, it would have cost much less.)

I read some stories, while they scrolled over the screen. All was captured
to a file on my hard disk for later study. The size of this file grew to
32.000 characters, or almost 15 single-spaced typewritten pages (A-4 size).
If I had spent less time reviewing the lists of available stories, seven
minutes would have given a larger file.

Right after having logged on, a menu of stories appeared on my screen. The
headline read "News from CompuServe."

The two first items caught my attention, and I requested the text. One had
20 lines about an easier method of finding files in the forum libraries,
the other ten lines about writing addresses for international fax messages.

The command GO APV gave me Associated Press News Wires. You will find many
similar short-cut tricks in the online services' user manuals. This command
produced the following menu:

    AP Online                  APV-1

     1 Latest News-Updated Hourly
     2 Weather
     3 Sports
     4 National
     5 Washington
     6 World
     7 Political
     8 Entertainment
     9 Business News
    10 Wall Street
    11 Dow Jones Average
    12 Feature News
    13 Today in History

I entered "9" for business news, and got this list of stories:

    AP Online

    1 Women, Minority Businesses Lag
    2 Child World Accuses Toys R Us
    3 UPI May Cancel Worker Benefits
    4 Drilling Plan Worries Florida
    5 UK Stocks Dip, Tokyo's Higher
    6 Dollar Higher, Gold Up
    7 Farm Exports Seen Declining
    8 Supermarket Coupons Big Bucks
    9 Cattlemen Tout Supply, Prices
    0 Tokyo Stocks, Dollar Higher

    MORE !

The screen stopped scrolling by "MORE !" Pressing ENTER gave a new list.
None of them were of any interest.

Pressing M (for previous menu) returned me to the "APV-1" menu. On
CompuServe, such videotext page numbers are given in the upper right corner
of each menu display. I selected "World" for global news, which gave:


    AP Online

    6 Two Killed In Nagorno Karabakh
    7 Yugoslavia Fighting Rages On
    8 Storm Kills Five In Japan
    9 Afghan Rebels Going To Moscow?
    0 19 Killed in Guatemala Quakes

    MORE !8

Oh, a storm in Japan! Interesting. I was due to leave for Japan soon, and
entered 8 at the MORE ! prompt to read. A screenful of text was mine in a
few seconds.

"This is for later study," I thought, pressed M to return to the menu, and
then ENTER to get the next listing:


    AP Online

    1 Bomblets Kill American Troops?
    2 No Movement On Hostage Release
    3 Baker Plans Return To Syria
    4 Baker, King Hussein To Confer
    5 Madame Chiang Leaving Taiwan?
    6 Baker Leaves Syria for Jordan
    7 Klaus Barbie Hospitalized
    8 Iraq Denounces U.S. Threat
    9 Yelstin Said Resting At Home
    0 SS Auschwitz Guard Found Dead

    MORE !

Here, I used another trick gleaned from the user manual. Entering "5,6,9"
gave me three articles in one batch with no pauses between them. Five
screenfulls. If I had read the menu more carefully, I might also have
selected story 0. It looked like an interesting item.

"This is enough the Associated Press," I thought,  and typed G NEWS for an
overview of all available news sources ("G NEWS" is an abbreviation for "GO
NEWS," or "GO to the main NEWS menu"):


    News/Weather/Sports         NEWS

     1 Executive News Service ($)
     2 NewsGrid
     3 Associated Press Online
     4 Weather
     5 Sports
     6 The Business Wire
     7 Newspaper Library
     8 UK News/Sports
     9 Entertainment News/Info
    10 Online Today Daily Edition
    11 Soviet Crisis

First, a quick glance at 6, which presented itself in these words:
"Throughout the day The Business Wire makes available press releases, news
stories, and other information from the world of business.  Information on
hundreds of different companies is transmitted daily to The Business Wire's
subscribers."

Then choice 7: "This database contains selected full-text stories from 48
newspapers from across the United States. Classified ads are NOT included
in the full-text of each paper."

Their list of newspapers included Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune and San
Francisco Chronicle. The latter is known for its many inside stories from
Silicon Valley.

Choice 8 gave news from England. There, I selected UK News Clips, and
received the following menu of news reports:

  U.K. News Clips

   93 stories selected

   1 RTw  09/19 0818  YUGOSLAV AIR FORCE HITS CROATIAN COMMUNICATIONS
   2 RTw  09/19 0755  CROATIA BATTLES CONTINUE AS EC PONDERS PEACE FORCE
   3 RTw  09/19 0753  ARAB PAPERS SAY MOSCOW WANTS MIDEAST PARLEY DELAYED
   4 RTw  09/19 0749  DOLLAR STANDS STILL, SHARES DRIFT LOWER IN ...
   5 RTw  09/19 0729  EARNINGS GLOOM REVERSES LONDON STOCKS' EARLY GAINS
   6 RTw  09/19 0716  SOVIETS NEED 14.7 BILLION DOLLARS FOOD AID, EC SAYS
   7 RTw  09/19 0707  IRA SAYS IT KILLED TIMBER YARD WORKER IN BELFAST DOCKS
   8 RTw  09/19 0706  BRITISH CONSERVATIVE CHIEF PLAYS DOWN TALK OF ...
   9 RTw  09/19 0630  FINANCE RATES
  10 RTw  09/19 0603  REUTER WORLD NEWS SCHEDULE AT 1000 GMT THURSDAY ...

The numbers in column four signify the release times of the stories. The
articles are fed continuously from the news wires.

Next stop was the UK Newspaper Library. Here, you can search in full-text
stories from The Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Financial Times, The Guardian,
UK News. The latter offers selected articles from The Daily & Sunday
Telegraph, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times/Sunday Times, Today,
The Independent, Lloyd's List and The Observer.

In 1991, the rate for searching the UK Newspaper Library was US$6.00 for up
to ten hits. For another US$6.00, I could get a menu with an additional ten
stories. The rate was US$6.00 to read the full text of selected stories.
These rates were added to CompuServe's normal access rates.

  | For more about "clipping" of news, check out Chapter 11. This |
  | Chapter is also contains pointers to business related news.   |

The news service "Soviet Crisis" was my final destination. It was just a
few weeks after the attempted coup in Moscow, and I was eager for reports.

OTC NewsAlert had the following interesting story:

   OTC  09/19 0750  FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE SOVDATA DAILINE IS LAUNCHED

The selection gave three screens with information about a new online
service. Briefly, this is what it said:

   "The SovData DiaLine service includes an on-line library of more
   than 250 Soviet newspapers, business and economic periodicals,
   profiles of more than 2,500 Soviet firms and key executives that
   do business with the West, legislative reports and other
   information."

It also said that part of the database was available through LEXIS/NEXIS,
and that it would be made available through like KR Data-Star, FT Profile,
Reuters, Westlaw, and GBI. Undoubtedly, the name has changed by now.

Finally, a fresh story about the fate of the KGB. I read another fifty
lines, entered OFF (for "goodbye CompuServe"), and received the following
verdict:

    Thank you for using CompuServe!

    Off at 09:03 EDT 19-Sep-91
    Connect time = 0:07

Seven minutes. Fifteen typed pages of text. US$6.00. Not bad!

An overwhelming choice
----------------------
I assume that your "daily online newspaper" will contain other stories. If
you are into computers, you may well start with Online Today, CompuServe's
daily newspaper. It has short, informative news stories about the computer
industry.

NewsBytes is another interesting source for computer news. It offers global
headline news from its bureaus around the world. The articles are sorted in
sections with names like IBM, UNIX, Government, Telecom, Trends, Business,
Apple, Personal Computers, DOS, Windows, Pen, Networks, General, Education,
Health, Online, Broadcast, Legal, Personal Digital Assistant, Chips, Super
Computers. A favorite!

NewsBytes is also available through Genie, ZiffNet on CompuServe, America
Online, Applelink, Prodigy, BIX, NewsNet, KR Dialog, in the newsgroup
clari.nb on Usenet, and various BBS systems around the world.

NewsNet has a long list of newsletters that you can read or search online.
Back issues are also available. The offerings include Catholic News
Service, CD Computing News, Computer Reseller News, Electronic Materials
Technology News, Electronic Trade & Transport News, Electronic World News,
High Tech Ceramics News, Online Product News.

For general news, start with major newswires, like Associated Press, Agence
France-Presse, Xinhua, Reuters, and the like. They are available on many
commercial services including NewsNet, CompuServe, and KR Dialog.

Clarinet is an electronic publishing network service on the Internet that
provides commercial news and information, including live UPI wire service
news. On Usenet, ClariNet gateways newsgroups like:

     clari.news.top.world    Top international news stories.
     clari.news.trends       Surveys and trends.
     clari.news.urgent       Major breaking stories of the day.
     clari.biz.commodity     Commodity news and price reports.
     clari.feature           Feature columns and products
     clari.biz.economy       Economic news and indicators
     clari.biz.top           Top business news
     clari.books             Books & publishing.
     clari.briefs            Regular news summaries.
     clari.bulletin          Major breaking stories of the week.
     clari.consumer          Consumer news, car reviews etc.
     clari.demonstration     Demonstrations around the world.
     clari.disaster          Major problems, accidents & natural disasters.
     clari.economy           General economic news.
     clari.entertain         Entertainment industry news & features.
     clari.fighting          Clashes around the world.

A feed of ClariNet news is available for a fee and execution of a license.
(Write [e-mail] for information. URL:   http://www.clarinet.com/)

News is more than news
----------------------
After some time, your definition of the notion "news" may change. Since so
many conferences are also interesting sources, they should also be a part
of your news gathering strategy. Check in regularly to read what members
say about what they have seen, done, heard, or discovered.

Professional news reporters have also discovered this. Online conferences
are popular hunting grounds for writers of the traditional press.

FidoNet has many conferences with specialized news contents, including:

      ANEWS                 News of the US and World
      BBNS                  BBS News Service
      BIONEWS               Environmental News

Many CompuServe forums have news sections. If you are into Hot News and
Rumors about Amiga Computers, read messages in section 3 of the Amiga Tech
Forum.

Consumer Electronics Forum has the section "New Products/News." The
Journalist Forum has "Fast Breaking News!" The Motor Sports Forum has
"Racing News/Notes." The Online Today Forum has "In the News."

Below, we have therefore combined the traditional news providers with
conferences to provide some interesting sources sorted by part of the
world:

Africa
------
NewsNet has Africa News On-Line, about political, economic and cultural
developments. BITNET's TSSNEWS (on [e-mail]) brings news of
the Tunisian Scientific Society.

Usenet has

  clari.world.africa.south_africa
                          News from South Africa.
  clari.world.africa      News from other African countries.
  clari.world.mideast     Also covers news on Egypt.
  clari.news.hot.somalia  News from Somalia.

PeaceNet's World News Service offers six digests on Africa, covering
different regions of the continent, with coverage from the Inter Press
Service (IPS):

  Africa - General Overview of the Entire Continent
  Southern Africa - Kalahari, Cape and Islands
  West Africa - Niger Basin
  West Central Africa - Congo-Logone
  North Africa - Maghreb and Niles
  Eastern Africa News - Rift Valley and Red Sea

IPS' writers are all local people covering the areas in which they live,
and their articles appear three days after copyright. Other sources include
the Pacific News Service, the United Nation Information Centre, Third World
Network Features, PeaceNet and EcoNet.

For a list of digests (including other regions and worldwide coverage of
specific issues), prices and instructions about getting a free one month
trial subscription, write to [e-mail] .

Somalia News Update is irregularly published out of Sweden. Email to:
[e-mail] .Subject: Somalia request. Body: Ask nicely.

The Weekly Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg, South Africa) offers news by
email. Write [e-mail] for subscription information, or
look it up on the Web (http://www.is.co.za/services/wmail/). A one year
subscription costs $100.

The North Africa/Europe MeteoSat weather picture is updated half-hourly
(ftp://unicorn.nott.ac.uk/pub/sat-images/D2.JPG).

Japan
-----
Nikkei (on FP Profile) has an English language service with news articles
from Nikkei and other Japanese newspapers.

Usenet has clari.world.asia.japan (News of Japan). Also, see PeaceNet's
World News Service above.

Middle East
-----------
The Middle East News Network publishes daily news, analysis and comments
from 19 countries in the Middle East produced by Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish
and Persian press. You can read these news through Reuters (e.g., on
NewsGrid/CompuServe), Down Jones News/Retrieval, and Information Access.

Usenet has

  clari.world.mideast     News from the Middle East. Includes Lebanon,
                          Jordan, Syria, Cyprus, Kuwait, Afghanistan.
  clari.world.mideast.arabia  Saudi Arabia and the other nations of
                              the Arabian Peninsula (Qatar, the United
                              Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, and Bahrain).
  clari.world.mideast.iran    News of Iran
  clari.world.mideast.iraq    News of Iraq
  clari.world.mideast.israel  News of Israel
  clari.world.mideast.turkey  News of Turkey

Other countries in Asia and the Pacific
---------------------------------------
For Asian News Publications on the Internet gopher to gopher.cic.net .

NewsNet has the Xinhua English Language News Service (China), Asian
Economic News, Asian Political News,

PeaceNet's World News Service has a Southeast Asia digest. It includes
coverage from the Inter Press Service (IPS) on Vietnam, Thailand, Hong
Kong, Japan, Cambodia, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, The People's Republic of
China, Malaysia and the region as a whole. (Email: [e-mail])

The BERITA-L list (on [e-mail]) carries news (only) about
Malaysia, Singapore, Islam, and of other ASEAN countries when of interest
to Malaysians or Singaporeans. Since the topics are somewhat unrelated, MY,
SG and IS topics have been set up so that subscribers can avoid
uninteresting postings (selective reading).

Some mailing lists bring a steady flow of news from various sources.
SEASIA-L@MSU - The Southeast Asia Discussion List - is one example. The
list is "designed to facilitate communication between researchers,
scholars, students, teachers, and others interested in Southeast Asian
studies with an emphasis on current events."

SEASIA-L defines Southeast Asia loosely as Burma/Myanmar across to Hong
Kong and down through Australia and New Zealand. Regularly, it brings full-
text news stories from Inter Press Service, regional news agencies, and
newspapers/radio. Some examples:

On Jul. 30, 1992, a full-text story from IPS:  "PHILIPPINES: RAMOS URGES
REPEAL OF ANTI-COMMUNIST LAW." On Aug. 13, 1992, full-text story from The
New Straits Times (Singapore): "Schoolgirls involved in flesh trade, says
Farid." On Aug. 31, "ANTI-VIETNAMESE FORCE TURNS UP IN CAMBODIA" (Reuter).

SEASIA-L also brings "underground" reports like "The Burma Focus," a
bimonthly newsletter published by the All Burma Students' Democratic Front.

FidoNet has PACIFIC_NEWS, and there are mailing lists like

  CHINA-NN   on [e-mail]   China News Digest (Global News)
  INDIA-L    on [e-mail]  The India News Network
  PAKISTAN   on [e-mail]   Pakistan News Service

Usenet has

  clari.world.asia.india  News of India.
  alt.india.progressive   Progressive politics in the Indian sub-continent.
  soc.culture.bangladesh  Issues & discussion about Bangladesh.

  clari.world.asia.south  News of South Asia, including Pakistan,
                          Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan,
                          Nepal, and Myanmar.
  misc.news.southasia     News from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, etc.
  bit.listserv.pakistan   Pakistan News Service.
  bit.listserv.pns-l      Pakistan News Service Discussions.

  clari.world.asia.china  News of China
  talk.politics.china     Discussion of political issues related to China.
  clari.world.asia.hong_kong   News of Hong Kong.

  clari.world.asia.koreas News of North and South Korea.

  alt.culture.indonesia   Indonesian culture, news, etc.
  bit.listserv.seasia-l   Southeast Asia Discussion List.
  clari.world.asia.southeast  News of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam,
                          Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia,
                          Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines.

  clari.world.asia.central   News of the Asian former Soviet republics:
                          Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia,
                          Kirghizistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tadzhikistan.

  clari.world.oceania     News of the Pacific Islands and Papua New Guinea
  clari.world.oceania.australia      News of Australia
  clari.world.oceania.new_zealand    News of New Zealand

A list of Australian mailing lists is available on gopher.gu.edu.au .
Select: Directory Services \ Ozlists .

Request subscription to a Bangladesh News Digest by sending an email to
[e-mail] .

Central and South America
-------------------------
PeaceNet's World News Service has a Latin America and the Caribbean digest
with coverage from IPS. The America Latina digest is the Spanish language
equivalent. The digests feature regular news from sources like La Agencia
Latinoamericana de Informacio'n (ALAI), Third World Network's Revista del
Sur, and Tercer Mundo Econo'mico. (Email: [e-mail])

Usenet has

  clari.world.americas    News on the Americas, usually outside the USA
                          and Canada
  clari.world.americas.caribbean  News of the island nations of the
                          Caribbean, including Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican
                          Republic, and Jamaica.
  clari.world.americas.mexico     News of Mexico.
  clari.world.americas.central    News of Central America: Panama,
                          Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
                          Guatemala, and Belize.
  clari.world.americas.south      News of South America.

A selection of current news articles about and concerning Peru from
foreign newspapers and magazines is distributed by [e-mail] .
Subscribe by sending the command "add you-email-address noticias". The news
is mainly in English with only a few in French and Spanish.

Sample news items are available under the "Acerca del Peru/" choice on
gopher.rcp.net.pe . Here, there are also news summaries in Spanish from
the Peruvian press.

News from Cuba, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa is available daily
from Radio Havana, Cuba. (Email: [e-mail])

FidoNet has

      EL_SALVADOR           Analysis and News About El Salvador
      NICANET               Analysis and News About Nicaragua
      PANAMA                Analysis and News About Panama

The ECUADOR mailing list brings news from Ecuador. Daily news bulletins
from "Diario Hoy" are posted to the list. Send [e-mail] your
subscription request.

Europe
------
NewsNet has Agence France-Presse International news. KR Data-Star has
Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany), Il Sole 24 Ore, and L'Impresa (Italy),
Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland), News From France, Northern Ireland News
Service.

Dow Jones News/Retrieval offers full text from Wall Street Journal Europe,
Agence France-Presse, the Paris-based International Herald Tribune, the
Guardian, and others from the United Kingdom.

Need newspapers in other languages than English? Nexis carries Le Monde (in
French), Suddeutsche Zeitung (in German), and La Stampa (in Italian). They
have The Agence France Presse wire service in French.

GBI (tel: [phone]) has an extensive full text coverage of the
German press. The offerings include the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and tageszeitung from Berlin.

The Web page on http://www.cs.vu.nl/~gerben/news.html is like a switchboard
of European daily news and weather with links to Radio Amsterdam, Deutsche
Welle, Der Spiegel, L'Unione Sarda (Italy), RTI (Ireland), Baltic News
Service, The Vogon News Service and The Electronic Telegraph in United
Kingdom, Bulgarian news, Croatian Radio News, Danske nyheder (Denmark),
Gazeta Wyborcza on-line (Poland), and others.

The Dutch language Internet newspaper InterNetKrant brings news from the
Netherlands at gopher ohrid.cca.vu.nl . News about Flanders and Belgium in
Dutch is available from Rijksuniversiteit Gent. For information about how
to subscribe, send an empty mail message to [e-mail], with the
word HELP in the subject line.

You may also want to try the News, Magazines & Information Servers page at

    http://utwpue.wb.utwente.nl/~fjodor/news.html

Der Spiegel (Germany) is at: http://spiegel.nda.net/nda/spiegel

Usenet has

  clari.news.europe             News related to Europe.
  clari.world.europe.benelux    News of Belgium, the Netherlands, and
                                Luxembourg.
  clari.world.europe.alpine     News of Austria, Switzerland, and
                                Liechtenstein
  clari.world.europe.france     News of France and Monaco.
  clari.world.europe.germany    News of Germany.
  clari.world.europe.greece     News of Greece.
  clari.world.europe.iberia     News of Spain, Portugal, and Andorra.
  clari.world.europe.ireland    News of the Republic of Ireland.
  clari.world.europe.italy      News of Italy and San Marino.
  clari.world.europe.uk         News of the United Kingdom.
  clari.world.europe.northern   News of Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
                                Finland, and Iceland.
  clari.world.europe.union      News about the European Union: the European
                                bureaucracy, the European Parliament, and
                                other EU institutions.

The HELLENIC NEWS database brings daily news in audio format (in Greek).
URL: gopher://alpha.servicenet.ariadne-t.gr:70/1

On the IR-POL mailing list on [e-mail] members discuss
current Irish politics.

FROGNET - The French Way
 ------------------------
If you know French, check out FROGNET. This French language service brings
daily news from Agence France Press, and often has added excerpts from the
French dailies.

FROG is distributed by the services of the French embassy in Washington. It
covers world affairs, European and French items, assembled, naturally, from
a French point of view.

The service is free. To subscribe, send a message through the Internet to
[e-mail] . It should contain your answers to the following
electronic application form. Replace the %s with your inputs (This is
French, right?):

     NOM:   %
     PRENOM:  %
     NAISSANCE:../../..%
     ARRIVEE:../../..%
     DEPART:../../..%
     EMAIL:    %
     ECOLE D'ORIGINE:  %
     QUALITE:  %
     ADRESSE DE RECHERCHE:   %
     PAYS:   %
     STATE:     %
     UNIVERSITE:   %
     RECHERCHE:   %
     MOTSCLES:   %
     DOMAINE:  %

Complicated? OK, here is some instructions in "French ASCII":

   * Pour les dates veuillez utiliser le format Francais
     (DD/MM/YY). Arrivee: c'est la date d'arrivee dans le pays
     ou vous etes actuellement.
   * QUALITE: Etes vous VSN, PHD, MASTER, INGENIEUR, POST-DOC ...?
   * ECOLE D'ORIGINE: Diplome obtenu en France
   * PAYS: US, Australie ....
   * STATE: pour les US en 2 lettres (NY, TX, CA)
   * UNIVERSITE: actuelle ou societe
   * RECHERCHE: Soyez explicite !
   * MOTSCLES: (ex: Neuronaux, polymeres, TVHD...)
   * DOMAINE: En 3 lettres confere nomenclature ci-dessous


Nomenclature de la National Science Foundation.

   AGR   AGRICULTURE
   BIO   BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
   HES   HEALTH SCIENCES
   ENG   ENGINEERING
   CIS   COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SC.
   MAT   MATHEMATICS
   PHY   PHYSICAL SCIENCES
   AST   Astronomy
   ATM   Atmospheric & Meteorological Sciences
   CHE   Chemistry
   GEO   Geological Sciences
   PHS   Physics
   OPH   Other Physical Sciences
   PSY   PSYCHOLOGY
   SOS   SOCIAL SCIENCES
   HUM   HUMANITIES
   HIS   History
   LET   Letters
   FLL   Foreign Languages & Literature
   OHU   Other Humanities
   EDU   EDUCATION
   EDG   Education General
   TED   Teacher Education
   TEF   Teaching fields
   PRF   PROFESSIONAL FIELDS
   BUS   Business & Management
   COM   Communications
   PFO   Other Professional Fields
   OTH   OTHER FIELDS

For news from France, you can also gopher to gopher.tc.umn.edu . Look in
the "News" directory: "French Language Press Review." French news summaries
from the French language press is on gopher.msu.edu .

Most countries have several local language news services. In Norway,
Statens Datasentral lets you search stories from the NTB news agency.
Aftenposten, a major newspaper, offers full-text stories from their A-TEKST
database, from Dagens Naeringsliv (DNX), and the Kapital magazine.

The NORWAVES mailing list distributes digested news from Norway ( English).
Subscribe by email to [e-mail] using the command "SUBSCRIBE NORWAVES
Your Name".

North America
-------------
There's an abundance of online news sources covering North America. We are
therefor just including a few pointers here.

Usenet has

  clari.news.top          Top US news stories.
  clari.canada.general    Short items on Canadian News stories.
  clari.canada.gov        Government related news (all levels).
  clari.canada.law        Crimes, the courts and the law.
  clari.canada.newscast   Regular newscast for Canadians.
  clari.canada.politics   Political and election items.
  clari.canada.trouble    Mishaps, accidents and serious problems.
  clari.news.canada       News related to Canada.

Check out the URL http://www.cs.vu.nl/~gerben/news.html for more.

xUSSR
-----
DJNR offers full text from Soviet Press Digest, Moscow News, and others.

PeaceNet's World News Service offers an Eastern Europe (including Russia
and the CIS) digest with coverage from the Inter Press Service (IPS). For
information, contact [e-mail] .

Latest news from the former Soviet Union, East-Central and South-Eastern
Europe is available as a Daily Digest from the Open Media Research
Institute (OMRI). Send mail to [e-mail] using the
following command:

      SUBSCRIBE OMRI-L Your_name Your_last_name

Several Russian newspapers, including Commersant Daily, Nega, and press
services like Postfactum and Interfax, have digests or complete editions
available for Relcom network subscribers, usually for a nominal fee.

INCO (Moscow), in cooperation with the East-West Project, Institute of
Central/East European and Russian Area Studies, Carleton University
(Canada), publish the ANALYTICA MOSCOW: Politica Weekly Press Summary
newsletter. The January 7-13, 1995 was about 30 Kb, and had the following
contents:

     1.  Government of National Revival formed in Chechnya
     2.  Chechnya War
     3.  Political Institutions
     4.  Political Figures
     5.  Foreign Relations
     6.  Dossier:
          a) Background of newly-appointed Minister of Justice,
             Valentin Kovalev
          b) The State Committee on the Military-technical Policy of the
             Russian Federation

Contact: [e-mail] .

Usenet has

  clari.news.hot.east_europe      News from Eastern Europe.
  clari.world.europe.balkans      News of the former Yugoslavia, Romania,
                                  and Bulgaria
  alt.current-events.bosnia       The strife of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
  soc.culture.bosna-herzgvna
  alt.news.macedonia              News of Macedonia in the Balkan Region.

  clari.world.europe.central      News of Poland, the Czech Republic,
                                  Slovakia, and Hungary.

  clari.world.europe.cis          News of Belarus, Ukraine, Latvia,
                                  Lithuania, and Estonia
  clari.local.georgia             Local news.
  clari.local.georgia.briefs      Local news Briefs.
  alt.current-events.ukraine      Current and fast paced Ukrainian events.

  clari.world.europe.russia       News of Russia.
  relcom.bbs.list                 Lists of Russian-language BBSes.
  talk.politics.soviet            Discussion of Soviet politics, domestic
                                  and foreign.

Daily English-language news from Croatia (ex-Yugoslavia), including
bulletins and flashes, is available from the Croatian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs at gopher://smile.srce.hr/11/eng/po-temama/news.

UUCP has a service which brings regular news bulletins from Poland (Contact:
[e-mail]).

BosNet distributes information relevant to the events in/about Republic of
Bosnia-Hercegovina. Daily posting typically consists of newsbriefs compiled
from reports by UPI, RFE/RL, NYT, Reuter, as well as other sources, such
as: LA, SF, Chicago dailies; WP, WSJ, The Economist, White House, New
Republic, Boston Globe, various Ministry Reports, FPB, etc. Send mail to
[e-mail] . In the body of the message type

       SUBSCRIBE BOSNEWS Your_name Your_last_name

CET-ONLINE (on [e-mail]) is a free daily English language news
service produced by Central Europe Today. It features political, economic
and business news as well as feature stories that chronicle the living and
working environment in Central Europe. Subscribe by email to CET-ONLINE-
[e-mail] by putting the command SUBSCRIBE in the body of your mail.

Behind the news
---------------
In an effort to garner new subscribers and retain current readers, magazine
publishers turn to online services to create an ancillary electronic
version of their print product.

Their readers are being transformed from passive recipients of information
into active participants in publishing.

You can "talk" to BYTE's writers on BIX, and with PC Magazine's writers
through ZiffNet on CompuServe. Their forums function as expert sources.
Here, you will often learn about products and trends sometimes before the
magazines hit the newsstand.

InfoWorld, a publication of the Internet Data Group (USA), runs their
InfoWorld OnLine service on CompuServe. Enter GO INF for the following
menu:

InfoWorld On-Line      INFOWORLD

WELCOME TO INFOWORLD
 1 About InfoWorld Online
 2 Read Current Week's News -  1/13/92
 3 Read Prior Week's News   -  1/06/92
 4 Download Current Week's Reviews,
    Comparisons and Test Drives ($)
 5 Download Prior Week's Reviews,
    Comparisons and Test Drives ($)
 6 Searching Help
 7 Search Review/Comparisons/
    Impressions/Test Drives
 8 Comments to InfoWorld

The magazine highlights comprehensive computer product comparisons and
reports. You can browse this or previous weeks' comparisons and reviews, or
search the entire collection. You can search by company name, product,
software and hardware category.

The full text of Infoworld is also on the Internet as part of an Internet-
based shopping service called the Internet Shopping Network. Check out the
Web address: http://shop.internet.net

Britain's two best-selling PC magazines share the PC Plus/PC Answers Online
forum on CompuServe (GO PCPLUS).

PC Magazine, another American magazine, has several forums on CompuServe.
They also operate a bulletin board. People from AI Expert Magazine can be
encountered in the AI Expert Forum. Dr. Dobb's Journal is in the Dr. Dobb's
Journal Forum.

The Entrepreneur's Small Business Forum (CompuServe) is managed by
representatives from the Live Sound! magazine (U.S.A.). The publication is
devoted to the MIDI sound field, occupies section and library 9 of the MIDI
B Vendor Forum.

Time magazine has a forum on America Online. There, readers can discuss
with magazine reporters and editors, and even read the text of entire
issues of Time electronically before it is available on newsstands. Time
Warner's book authors and editors are on CompuServe. On the Web, full text
articles from Time, Vibe, and Entertainment Weekly magazines are on URL:
http://www.timeinc.com .

The Online World handbook, the one you are reading just now, also has a forum.
For information about how to join, send email to [e-mail] (or
LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 on BITNET). In the text of your message, write the command
GET TOW MASTER .



-------------------------------------------------------The Online World
handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware -------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10: Looking for a needle in a bottle of hay
===================================================

There is little doubt that the databases of the online world contain nearly
everything needed to complete a major research project, fuel an
information-needy business, or just help get the school homework done.

Online research is faster, provides more depth and is cross-referenced to
help researchers locate obscure resources. It makes you an "instant expert"
on a subject matter. The main problem is learning how to get a confident
grip on the searching process.

Prepare by clipping
-------------------
Experienced users regularly clip news from online services, and store
selected parts of it on their personal computers' hard disks. They use
powerful tools to search their data, and know how to use the information in
other applications. (More about the art of clipping in the next chapter.)

Regular clipping of news is highly recommended. It is often quicker and
easier to search your own databases than to do it online.

Since your data is a subset of previous searches, your stories are likely
to have a high degree of relevancy.

There are many powerful programs for personal computers that let you search
your personal data for information. Read Chapter 14 for some pointers.

While secondary research can never replace primary information gathering,
it often satisfies most information needs related to any task or project.
Besides, it points in the direction of primary sources from where more in-
depth information may be elicited.

When your personal database fails to deliver
--------------------------------------------
Regular "clipping" can help you build a powerful personal database, but it
will never satisfy all your information needs. Occasionally, you must go
online for additional facts.

When this happens, you may feel like Don Quixote, as he was looking "for a
needle in a bottle of hay." The large number of online offerings is
bewildering. To be successful, you must have a sound search strategy.

Your first task is to locate useful SOURCES of information. The next, to
decide how best to find that specific piece of information online. You must
PLAN your search.

Although one source of information, like an online database, is supposed to
cover your area of interest, it may still be unable to give you what you
want. Let me explain with an example:

    You're tracking a company called IBM (International Business
    Machines). Your first inclination is to visit forums and clubs
    concerned with products delivered by this company. There, you
    plan to search message bases and file libraries.

    What is likely to happen, is that the search term IBM gives so
    many hits that you almost drown. To find anything of interest
    in these forums, your search terms must be very specific.

    General news providers, like Associated Press, may be a better
    alternative. Usually, they just publish one or two stories on
    IBM per week. Don't expect to learn about details that are not
    of interest to the general public.

    AP's stories may be too general for you. Maybe you'll be more
    content with industry insiders' expert views, as provided by
    the NewsNet newsletters OUTLOOK ON IBM, or THE REPORT ON IBM.

The level of details in a given story depends in part on the news
providers' readers, and the nature of the source. The amount of "noise"
(the level of irrelevancy) also varies. In most public forums, expect to
wade through many uninteresting messages before finding things of interest.

We suggest the following strategy:

    Step 1: Locate sources that provide relevant information,

    Step 2: Check if the information from these sources is at a
            satisfactory level of details, and that the volume
            is acceptable (not too much, nor too little).

    Step 3: Study the service's search commands and procedures,
            PLAN, and then SEARCH.

Start by asking others!
-----------------------
Step 1 is not an easy one. Start by asking other online people for advice.
This may be the fastest way to interesting sources.

If looking for information about agriculture and fisheries, visit
conferences about related topics. Ask members there what they are using.

If you want information about computers or electronics, ask in such
conferences.

  | When you do not know where to start your search, ask others! |
  | Their know-how is usually the quickest way to the sources.  |

If this doesn't help, check out GEnie's Home Office/Small Business
RoundTable, a hangout of online searchers. Visit CompuServe's Working From
Home Forum, which has a section for information professionals (#4), and the
section for new librarians in the Journalism Forum.

Patent searchers are a very specialized group. They discuss common problems
on KR Dialog's DialMail. Their bulletin board is named PIUG.

Buy user manuals
----------------
Some online services send free user information manuals to their users.
Others charge extra for them. If they do, buy! They're worth their weight
in gold.

The user manuals from KR Dialog, Dow Jones News/Retrieval and CompuServe
make good reading. The last two also publish monthly magazines full of
search tips, information about new sources, user experiences, and more.
KR Dialog distributes the monthly newsletter Chronolog.

NewsNet customers periodically receive a printed listing of available
newsletters by subject area, and a presentation of their information
providers. The NewsNet Action Letter (monthly) is also distributed by mail.

On some services, you can retrieve the help texts in electronic form. Doing
that is not a bad idea. It is often quicker to search a help file on your
disk, than to browse through a book.

Monitor the offerings
---------------------
Professional information searchers monitor the activity in the online
world. They search databases for information about new sources of
information, and regularly read about new services.

On most online services, you can search databases of available offerings,
and a section with advertisements about their own 'superiorities'. Keep an
eye on what is being posted there.

NewsNet lets you read and search the following newsletters:  Worldwide
Videotex Update, Worldwide Databases (#PB44), Online Newsletter, The Online
Newsletter, the Information and Database Publishing Report, and The Online
Libraries and Microcomputers.

They can also be read and searched on KR Dialog and KR Data-Star, as part
of the Information Access PTS Newsletter Database. Information Access is a
full-text database with many specialized newsletters for business and
industry.

On CompuServe, you can get to Information Access through the IQuest gateway
to NewsNet. It is also available on NEXIS.

The European Common Market
--------------------------
Many services bring news and information from the European Common Market.
The Common Market's free database service,  I'M-Europe (Information Market
Europe), is a good place to start.

Their Web server (http://www.echo.lu/)has been set up on the initiative of
Directorate-General XIII of the EC.

This free service brings information about the European Union, European
Community Programmes related to the Information Market, and Information
Market Policy ACTions (IMPACT) Programme.

It has the Bangemann Report on Europe and the information society, the
Maastricht Treaty, and the White paper on growth, competitiveness and
employment.

There are links to the European Commission Host Organization (ECHO), and
the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS). ECHO
offers free of charge access to over 20 online databases in all Community
languages.

More sources about sources
--------------------------
[e-mail] and NETMONTH (from [e-mail]) distribute
regular notices about new discussion lists (conferences). Subscribe to NEW-
LIST by email to [e-mail]. Use the following command:

    SUB NEW-LIST Your-first-name Your-last-name

The "Internet-Accessible Library Catalogs and Databases" report is
available from [e-mail] (or [e-mail]). Put the
following command in the TEXT of your message to retrieve:

     GET LIBRARY PACKAGE

The Online Access Publishing Group Inc. (Chicago) sells "The Online Access
Guide." Annual subscription for this printed manual costs US$18.95 (six
issues - 1992).

The LINK-UP magazine is another interesting source. If living in North
America, contact Learned Information Inc., 143 Old Mariton Pike, Medford,
NJ 08055-8707, U.S.A.. If living elsewhere, contact Learned Information
(Europe) Ltd., Woodside, Hinskey Hill, Oxford OX1 5AU, England, if you live
outside North America. Tel.: [phone].  Price: US$25.00 for six
issues/year (1993). An online version is available through ZiffNet's
Business Database Plus on CompuServe.

Two monthly magazines, Information World Review (price: GBP 30/year) and
FULLTEXT SOURCES ONLINE from BiblioData Inc. in the United States, is also
available through Learned Information. (BiblioData, P.O. Box 61, Needham
Heights, MA 02194, U.S.A.) Check out Learned Information's Learned InfoNet
on gopher info.learned.co.uk, and http://info.learned.co.uk/ on WWW.

FULLTEXT SOURCES ONLINE publishes their listing of full-text databases
twice per year. The price is GBP 50 GBP per booklet or GBP 90 per year.

The newsletter SCANNET TODAY (c/o Helsinki University of Techn. Library,
Otnaesvaegen 9, SF-02150 ESBO, Finland) presents news of Scandinavian
databases by country. Subscription is free.

The Gale Directory of Databases from Gale Research is available both in
print and online through KR Dialog, and others. It contains information
about 5183 online databases, 2204 information producers, and 818 database
hosts or information services (1993). Write to Gale Research Company, 645
Griswold, Detroit, MI 48226, U.S.A., or Gale Research Int. Ltd, P.O. Box
699, North Way, Andover, Hampshire, England SP10 5YE.

The mailing list [e-mail] serves network information
service providers and end users with announcements of new tools and
resources available over the Internet. Send your subscription to
[e-mail] .

The latest version of the free newsletter "IN, AROUND AND ONLINE" is
available on the WWW: http://www.clark.net/pub/robert/current.html . You
can subscribe to have it delivered weekly to your Internet mailbox. Send
mail to [e-mail]. In the BODY of your mail enter: SUBSCRIBE
ONLINE-L [Your Full Name] .

Many electronic journals and newsletters are available through the
Internet, covering fields from literature to molecular biology. For a
complete list, send a message to [e-mail] with the
following commands in the BODY of your text:

    GET EJOURNL1 DIRECTRY
    GET EJOURNL2 DIRECTRY

The Clearinghouse for Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides offers
more than 140 topical guides to Internet information resources available to
the broader Internet via anonymous ftp, Gopher, and the World Wide Web.
Covering a diverse range of topics (from Theatre to Chemistry to
Midwifery), these guides are WAIS-indexed for full-text searching. Access
on this Web address: http://http2.sils.umich.edu/~lou/chhome.html .

You'll find another interesting site with many guides on the WWW address:
http://www.brandonu.ca/~ennsnr/Resources/guides.html

Practical hints about online searching
--------------------------------------
We cannot give a simple, universal recipe valid for all online services.
What is the best approach on one service, may be useless on others.

Most services offer full online documentation of their search commands. You
can read the help text on screen while connected, or retrieve it for later
study.

Make a note about the following general tricks:

    In conferences and forums:
    --------------------------
    Many services have commands for selective reading of messages.
    For example, on CompuServe you can limit your search to given
    sections. You can also select messages to be read based on
    text strings in the subject titles. The command

            rs;s;CIS Access from Japan;62928

    displays all messages with the text "CIS Access from Japan"
    in their subject titles starting with message number 62928.

    Online searching often starts by selecting databases. The
    next step is to enter search words (or text strings), and
    a valid time frame (as in "between 1/1/90 and 1/1/91").

    The following sample search terms are used on NewsNet:

    VIDEO*                  search for all words starting with
                            VIDEO. "*" is a wild-card character
                            referring to any ending of the word.
                            VIDEO* matches words like VIDEOTEXT
                            and VIDEOCONFERENCE.

    SONY AND VIDEO          The word SONY and the word VIDEO. Both
                            words must be present in the document
                            to give a match.

    SONY WITHIN/10 VIDEO    Both words must be present in the text,
                            but they must not be farther apart than
                            ten words. (Proximity operators)

    IBM OR APPLE            Either one word OR the other.

    Many services let you reuse your search terms in new search
    commands. This can save you time and money, if there are too
    many hits. For example: if IBM OR APPLE gives 1,000 hits,
    limit the search by adding "FROM JANUARY 1st.," or by adding
    the search word "NOTEBOOK*".

    In file libraries
    -----------------
    The commands used to find files are similar to those used in
    traditional databases. Often, you can limit the search by
    library, date, file name, or file extension. You can search for
    text strings in the description of the contents of a file, or
    use key words.

    Example: You're visiting a bulletin board based on the BBS
    program RBBS-PC. You want a program that can show GIF graphics
    picture files.  Such files are typically described like this:

 VUIMG31.EXE     103105  07-15-91 GIF*/TIFF/PCX Picture Viewer/Printer

    From left to right: file name, size in bytes, date available,
    and a 40 character description.

    You can search the file descriptions for the string "gif". You
    do this by entering the term "s gif all". This will probably
    give you a list of files. Some will have the letters GIF in
    the file name. Others will have them in the description field.

The most common reason for lack of success is spelling errors. Make sure
that you have that terminology term or person's name right.

Furthermore, names are not spelled the same way in all countries, and those
who produce texts also make spelling errors. For example, the name of the
composer Tchaikowsky is supposedly spelled in 36 different ways on the
nets. 'Ciaikovsky' is one of them.

Using ANDs and ORs
------------------
Boolean searching may seem confusing at first, unless you already
understand the logic. There are three Boolean operators that searchers use
to combine search terms: AND, OR, and NOT.

Use the Boolean operator AND to retrieve smaller amounts of information.
Use AND when multiple words must be present in your search results
(MERCEDES AND VOLVO AND CITROEN AND PRICES).

Use OR to express related concepts or synonyms for your search term (FRUIT
OR APPLES OR PEARS OR BANANAS OR PEACHES).

Be careful when using the NOT operator. It gets rid of any record in a
database that contains the word that you've "notted" out. For example,
searching for "IBM NOT APPLE" drops records containing the sentence, "IBM
and Apple are computer giants." The record will be dropped, even if this is
the only mention of Apple in an article, and though it is solely about IBM.

Use NOT to drop sets of hits that you have already seen. Use NOT to exclude
records with multiple meanings, like "CHIPS Not POTATO" (if you are looking
for chips rather than snack foods).

Often, it pays to start with a "quick-and-dirty" search by throwing in
words you think will do the trick. Then look at the first five or 10
records, but look only at the headline and the indexing. This will show you
what terms are used by indexers to describe your idea and the potential for
confusion with other ideas.

Use proximity operators to search multiword terms. If searching for "market
share," you want the two words within so many words of another. The order
of the words, however, doesn't matter. You can accept both "market share"
and "share of the market."

Relevance ranking, and more
---------------------------
Some claim that boolean searches only will find between 20 - 25 percent of
the relevant information. The problem is that you have to know the terms to
search on before you begin. Many people don't know these terms and cannot
guess them.

There is much activity in the online world to supply better "search
engines." Watch for keywords like natural language searching, relevance
ranking, and concept searching.

Relevance ranking provides somewhat the same results as AND searching.
Simultaneously, it offers the benefits of OR searching as all the terms
mentioned do not have to be present.

Note: The information available in English may be just a small fraction of
that available in a country's national language. When English sources fail
to meet the need at hand, consider the services of a skilled bilingual
searcher.

Searching by email
------------------
MCI Mail and MCI Fax have a program called Information Advantage, under
which online services and newsletters can deliver search results and other
information over the online services. KR Dialog, Dun & Bradstreet, NewsNet,
and Individual Inc. have signed up for the program.

You can request a search by direct email to say KR Dialog. The search
results will be returned to you via MCI Mail or MCI Fax.

With Dun & Bradstreet, you call them for a credit report and they send it
to you. With History Associates, you send them a message via MCI Mail, and
they report to you.

Using BITNET discussion lists through Internet
----------------------------------------------
To get a directory of Internet/BITNET mailing lists, send the following
email message:

    To:  [e-mail]
    Subject: (keep this blank)
    Text:
    LIST GLOBAL

You will receive a LONG list of available sources of information. A recent
copy had over two thousand lines of text. Each mailing list is described
with one line. All these mailing lists can be used by email through the
Internet. Here is a random selection:

Network-wide ID  Full address      List title
---------------  ------------      ----------
AESRG-L          AESRG-L@UMCVMB    Applied Expert Systems Research Group List
AGRIC-L          AGRIC-L@UGA       Agriculture Discussion
AIDSNEWS         AIDSNEWS@EB0UB011 AIDS/HIV News
ANIME-L          ANIME-L@VTVM1     Japanese animedia and other animation news.
BANYAN           BANYAN-L@AKRONVM  Banyan Networks Discussion List
BRIDGE           BRIDGE@NDSUVM1    Bridge Communication products
CHEM-L           CHEM-L@UOGUELPH   Chemistry discussion
EJCREC           EJCREC@RPITSVM    Electronic Journal of Communication
FAMCOMM          FAMCOMM@RPITSVM   Marital/family & relational communication
SOVNET-L         SOVNET-L@INDYCMS  USSR electronic communication list

The column "Network-wide ID" contains the names of the mailing lists. "Full
address" contains their BITNET email addresses. "List title" is a short
textual description of each conference.

Keep the list on your hard disk. This makes it easier to find sources of
information, when you need them.

Subscribing to mailing lists
----------------------------
Each line in the list above refers to a mailing list, also often called
'discussion list'. They work like online conferences or message sections on
bulletin boards, but technically they are different. (Read about KIDLINK in
Chapter 2 for background information.)

All BITNET mailing lists are controlled by a program called LISTSERV on the
host computer given in column two above (for example @UMCVMB). They offer
"conferencing" with the following important functions:

    * All "discussion items" (i.e., electronic messages sent to the
      lists' email address) are distributed to all subscribers.
    * All messages are automatically stored in notebook archives.
      You can search these log files, and you can have them sent
      to you as electronic mail.
    * Files can be stored in the lists' associated file libraries
      for distribution to subscribers on demand.

Where to send a subscription request, depends on where you are
communicating from relative to the host running the LISTSERV. If this host
is your nearest BITNET LISTSERV, then send the request to the address in
column two by replacing the list name by LISTSERV.

    Example:
    AESRG-L@UMCVMB is administered by LISTSERV@UMCVMB. Subscribe
    (or signoff) by email to [e-mail] .

If there is a LISTSERV closer to where you live, then you should subscribe
to the nearby system rather than to the remote. This helps keep the total
costs of the international network down.

    Example:
    You live in Norway. The nearest LISTSERV is at FINHUTC. To
    subscribe to AESRG-L@UMCVMB, send to [e-mail] .

Use the addresses in column two when sending messages to the other members
of the discussion lists, but do NOT send your subscription requests to this
address!! If you do, it will be forwarded to all members of the mailing
list. Chances are that nothing will happen, and everybody will see how
sloppy you are.

So, you subscribe by sending a command to a LISTSERV. The method is similar
to what we did when subscribing to Infonets in Chapter 7. If your name is
Jens Jensen, and you want to subscribe to SOVNET-L, send this message
through the Internet (if NDSUM1 is your nearest LISTSERV host):

    To:  [e-mail]
    Subject: (You can write anything here. Will be ignored.)
    Text: SUB SOVNET-L Jens Jensen

When your subscription has been registered, you will receive a
confirmation. From this date, all messages sent to the list will be
forwarded to your mailbox. (Send "SIGNOFF SOVNET-L" to this address, when
you have had enough.)

Some lists will forward each message to you upon receipt. Others will send
a periodic digest (weekly, monthly, etc.).

To send a message to SOVNET-L, send to the BITNET address in column two
above. Send to

    [e-mail]

Review the following example. Most BITNET lists will accept these commands.

Example: Subscription to the China list
---------------------------------------
CHINA-NN is listed like this in the List of Lists:

    CHINA-NN   CHINA-NN@ASUACAD  China News Digest (Global News)

Scandinavians may subscribe to CHINA-NN by Internet mail to
[e-mail] . North American users may send their mail to
[e-mail] .

If your name is Winston Hansen, write the following command in the TEXT of
the message

    SUB CHINA-NN Winston Hansen

When you want to leave CHINA-NN, send a cancellation message like this:

    To: [e-mail]
    Subject: (nothing here)
    SIGNOFF CHINA-NN

NOTE: Send the cancellation command to the address you used, when
subscribing! If you subscribed through LISTSERV@FINHUTC, sending the
SIGNOFF command to LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 will get you nowhere. Send to
LISTSERV@FINHUTC.

Never send the SIGNOFF command to the discussion list itself! Always send
to the LISTSERV.

Monitoring the action
---------------------
THINKNET is an online magazine forum dedicated to "thoughtfulness in the
cybertime environment." It brings reviews of significant and thought-
provoking exchanges within our new electronic nation.

This electronic publication is free. If you are interested in philosophy,
subscribe by sending a message through Internet to [e-mail] .
Write the following in the TEXT of the message:

SEND THINKNET TO Your-Full-Name AT UserId@Your-Internet-Email-Address

    Example:
    If your email address is [e-mail] and your name
    Odd de Presno, use the following command:

      SEND THINKNET TO Odd de Presno AT [e-mail]

THINKNET is also available through the Philosophy conference on The Well,
and on GEnie in the Philosophy category under the Religion and Ethics
Bulletin Board. (Hard copy versions can be bought through THINKNET, PO BOX
8383, Orange CA 92664-8383, U.S.A.).

If you are on The Well, read the topic "News from Around Well Conferences"
to learn about developments.

These are some mailing lists that may help you locate sources of interest:

 NETSCOUT    (NETSCOUT@VMTECMEX) The BITnet/Internet scouts.
             Subscribe by email to [e-mail]
             with the following in the TEXT of your message
               SUB NETSCOUT yourfirstname yourlastname

             This is where you can discuss and exchange information
             about servers, FTP sites, Filelists, lists, tools, and
             any related aspects.

 HELP-NET    (HELP-NET@TEMPLEVM) BITNET/CREN/INTERNET Help Resource.
             Send email to [e-mail] with the text
              SUB HELP-NET yourfirstname yourlastname

             The list's main purpose is to help solve user problems
             with utilities and software related to the Internet
             and BITNET networks. The library contains several good
             help files for novice networkers. A great place for
             new Internet users!

The Usenet resource
-------------------
Some Usenet information articles are being posted regularly. These texts
tend to be useful for both novice and experienced users, and usually fall
into one of these categories:

    1. How-to articles explaining the basics and fine points of network
       usage, standards, etc. Examples: "How to Read Chinese Text on
       Usenet," and "How to find more information about blues and jazz."

    2. Introductory notes about one or more newsgroups, covering policies
       for submissions to that group, usage, etc. Common questions and
       answers pertinent to a newsgroup(s).

    3. Indexes of archives, or pointers to archives for various groups.
       Periodic newsletters, calendars, pointers to publications.
       Examples: "PostScript interpreters and utilities index," "Index to
       the rec.radio.amateur.* Supplemental Archives," and "FidoNet
       Newsletter."

    4. Statistical information and reports about Usenet; tables of Usenet
       hosts, links, etc.

    5. Miscellany, including small useful sources, "fun" lists, and more.

For a list of periodic postings, finger [e-mail] . The
list was 321,600 bytes long in June 1994. Here is a sample entry from this
list:

 Newsgroups: comp.speech,comp.answers,news.answers
 Subject: comp.speech FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
 From: [e-mail] (Andrew Hunt)
 Frequency: monthly
 Archive-name: comp-speech-faq
 Summary: Useful information about Speech Technology

Several archives of USENET periodic informational postings exist. Check out

    http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/

for an alphabetic list of all Usenet FAQs found in the the news.answers
newsgroup."  Many of the FAQs in this list are presented in the same format
as they appear in the newsgroup, while others have been further processed
and split into additional documents. Click on individual FAQs to read.

Other sources available through the Internet
--------------------------------------------
The Interest Groups List of Lists is available by electronic mail. See
under 'List of Lists' in appendix 6 for retrieval instructions.

You can search the List of Lists by email. Say you are looking for a mailing
list related to Robotics. To find out, send a message to
[e-mail] containing the following commands:

   //ListSrch JOB   Echo=No
   Database Search DD=Rules
   //Rules DD *
   search robotics in lists
   index
   search robotics in intgroup
   index
   search robotics in new-list
   index

Replace the search word 'robotics' with whatever else you may be looking
for.

A directory of scholarly electronic conferences is maintained by Diane K.
Kovacs ([e-mail]). instructions are available by sending the
message

   get acadlist readme

to [e-mail] (or [e-mail]).

The Usenet list of newsgroups and mailing lists is available on hosts that
run Usenet News or NetNews servers and/or clients in the newsgroups
news.announce.newusers and news.lists.

The members of news.newusers.questions, alt.internet.help,
alt.internet.access.wanted, and alt.internet.new-users readily accept your
help requests.

Alt.internet.services focuses on information about services available on
the Internet. It is for people with Internet accounts who want to explore
beyond their local computers, to take advantage of the wealth of
information and services on the net.

Services for discussion include:

    * things you can telnet to (weather, library catalogs,
      databases, and more),
    * things you can FTP (like pictures, sounds, programs, data)
    * clients/servers (like MUDs, IRC, Archie)

Every second week, a list of Internet services called the "Special Internet
Connections list" is posted to this newsgroup. It includes everything from
where to retrieve pictures from space by FTP, how to find agricultural
information, public UNIX, online directories and books, you name it.

Dartmouth maintains a merged list of the LISTSERV lists on BITNET and the
Interest Group lists on the Internet. Each mailing list is represented by
one line. To obtain this list, send a message to [e-mail] .
Enter the following command in the text of the message:

   INDEX SIGLISTS

InterNIC Information Service maintains an announcement-only service at
[e-mail] called net-happenings. It distributes
announcements about tools, conferences, calls for papers, news items, new
mailing lists, electronic newsletters like EDUPAGE, and more. Send a
message with the word "help" in the body of the text for subscription
information.

The full net-happenings archives can be searched (WAIS) and retrieved on
gopher is.internic.net . Select Search the InfoGuide (and elsewhere). You
can also reach it on the WWW using these URLs:

    http://www.internic.net/htbin/search-net-happenings
    http://www-iub.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/nethaps/index.html
    http://www.mid.net:80/NET/

Another great service is Lycos at the Carnegie Mellon University Center for
Machine Translation. It lets you find information in hundreds of thousands
of WWW, Gopher, and ftp files on the Internet:

    URL: http://fuzine.mt.cs.cmu.edu/mlm/lycos-home.html

webNews is an archive of USENET News articles about the Web:

    URL: gopher://twinbrook.cis.uab.edu/hwebNews.80

PROJECT DA-CLOD is yet another database of information on the World Wide
Web, a categorized database of hyperlinks maintained in a hierarchic
manner:

    URL: http://schiller.wustl.edu/DCLDOC/daclod.html

The Galaxy service offers: Search Galaxy Pages, Find Galaxy Entries, Search
the World-wide Web, Search Gopher Space, Find Gopher Jewels Entries, Search
Hytelnet Services (includes traditional ``top-down'' interface), and has
pointers to searchable indexes and databases at many other sites. Point
your WWW browser to

    URL: http://galaxy.einet.net/search.html

The InterNIC Scout Report on [e-mail] is a weekly summary
of highlights of new resource announcements and other news that occurred on
the Internet during the previous week. To subscribe, send email to the
majordomo containing the command "subscribe scout-report". To access the
hypertext version, point your WWW client to: http://www.internic.net .
Gopher users can point to:  is.internic.net and choose Information Services
from the top directory.

InterNIC's automated mail service is at [e-mail]. It allows
access to documents and files via email. To use it, send email to the
Mailserv with the word "HELP" in the subject field of your mail.

Scott Yanoff publishes a selected list of interesting Internet resources,
which is updated twice a month. At

    ftp://ftp.csd.uwm.edu/pub/inet.services.txt

It is also on gopher csd4.csd.uwm.edu . Select Remote Information Servers /
Special Internet Connections. Finally, you can get it by email from
[e-mail] .


John December's "internet-cmc" list is another useful source. It contains
pointers to information describing the Internet, computer networks, and
issues related to computer-mediated communication. It lists Internet texts
for new users, comprehensive Internet guides, and specialized and technical
information. At ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-cmc.html .

The Global Network Navigator (GNN) is a "news service" about the resources
and people on the Internet. URL: http://nearnet.gnn.com .  For information,
send email to [e-mail] .

On the Internet, the number of public network information (NIR) and access
catalogue services (OPAC) is increasing rapidly. For example, in November
1993, new registered Gopher Servers were about 100 per month. There is also
a large number of new WWW, WAIS and CWIS services.

The NewNIR-L mailing list is a place where full descriptions of such new
services are posted. Send your subscription commands to
[e-mail] .

  | Free vs. commercial sources: On a commercial online service, |
  | profit motive provides continuous pressure to keep data      |
  | plentiful and approachable. On the Internet, the information |
  | you find is there often only because of someone's good will. |
  | Therefore, beware of outdated information.                   |

How to get more out of your magazine subscriptions
--------------------------------------------------
PC Magazine (U.S.A.) is one of those magazines that arrives here by mail.
We butcher them, whenever we find something of interest. The "corpses" are
dumped in a high pile on the floor.

To retrieve a story in this pile is difficult and time consuming, unless
the title is printed on the cover.

Luckily, there are shortcuts. Logon to PC MagNet on CompuServe. Type GO
PCMAG to get the following menu:


   PC MagNet

    1 Download a PC Magazine Utility
    2 PC Magazine Utilities/Tips Forum
    3 PC Magazine Editorial Forum
    4 PC Magazine Programming Forum
    5 PC Magazine After Hours Forum
    6 PC Magazine Product Reviews Index
    7 Free! - Take a Survey
    8 Submissions to PC Magazine
    9 Letters to the Editor
   10 Subscribe to PC Magazine

Choice six lets you search for stories. Once you have a list with
page/issue references, turning the pages gets much easier.

PC Magazine is owned by the media giant Ziff-Davis. PC MagNet is a part of
ZiffNet on CompuServe. So is Computer Database Plus, which lets you search
through more than 250,000 articles from over 200 popular newspapers and
magazines. The oldest articles are from early 1987. The database is also
available on CD-ROM, but the discs cover only one year at a time.

CDP contains full-text from around 50 magazines, like Personal Computing,
Electronic News, MacWeek and Electronic Business. Stories from the other
magazines are available in abstracted form only.

To search the database, CDP, you pay an extra US$24.00 per hour. In
addition, you pay US$1.00 per abstract and US$1.50 per full-text article
(1992). These fees are added to your normal CompuServe access rates.

ZiffNet also offers Magazine Database Plus, a database with stories from
over 130 magazines (1994) covering science, business, sport, people,
personal finance, family, art and handicraft, cooking, education,
environment, travel, politics, consumer opinions, and reviews of books and
films.

The magazines include: Administrative Management, Aging, Changing Times,
The Atlantic, Canadian Business, Datamation, Cosmopolitan, Dun's Business
Month, The Economist, The Futurist, High Technology Business, Journal of
Small Business Management, Management Today, The Nation, The New Republic,
Online, Playboy, Inc., Popular Science, Research & Development, Sales &
Marketing Management, Scientific American, Technology Review, UN Chronicle,
UNESCO Courier, U.S. News & World Report, and World Press Review.

In the next chapter, we will present another ZiffNet magazine database: the
Business Database Plus.

Magazine Index (MI), from Information Access Company (U.S.A.), is another
source worth looking at. It covers over 500 consumer and general-interest
periodicals as diverse as Special Libraries and Sky & Telescope, Motor
Trend and Modern Maturity, Reader's Digest and Rolling Stone. Many titles
go as far back as 1959.

Although most of the database consists of brief citations, MI also contains
the complete text of selected stories from a long list of periodicals. It
is available through KR Dialog, CompuServe, BRS, KR Data-Star, Dow Jones
News/Retrieval, Nexis, and others.

What to do if you have so many references to a given magazine that you want
to check it out? Try the Electronic Newsstand. It is available by gopher or
telnet to gopher.netsys.com . You can read a magazine's table of contents
and one article for free. Over 165 magazines are represented (1994). If you
like, you can subscribe to any of the magazines by email.

Failing access to the gopher or telnet command, send a blank email to
[e-mail], and the top level menu with a brief set of
instructions will be returned to you. Send the word 'help' for more
information.

Finding that book
-----------------
Over 270 libraries around the world are accessible by the Internet telnet
command. Some of them can also be accessed by Internet mail. This is the
case with BIBSYS, a database operated by the Norwegian universities'
libraries.

I am into transcendental meditation. I'm therefore constantly looking for
books on narrow topics like "mantra." To search BIBSYS for titles of
interest, I sent mail to [e-mail] . The search word was
entered in the subject title of the message. By return email, I got the
following report:

    Date:         Fri, 21 Jul 93 13:54:18 NOR
    From: [e-mail]
    Subject:      Searching BIBSYS

    Search request   : MANTRA
    Database-id      : BIBSYS
    Search result    : 5 hits.

The following is one of the references that I forwarded to my local library
for processing:

    Forfatter : Gonda, J.
    Tittel    : Mantra interpretation in the Satapatha-Brahmana
                / by J. Gonda.
    Trykt     : Leiden : E.J. Brill, 1988.
    Sidetall  : X, 285 s.
    I serie   : (Orientalia Rheno-traiectina ; 32)
    ISBN      : 90-04-08776-1
    1  - UHF  90ka03324 - UHF/INDO Rh III b Gon

The British Library is on gopher portico.bl.uk .

CompuServe has a section for book collectors in the Coin/Stamp/Collectibles
Forum, and a Weekly Book Chat section in the ScienceFiction & Fantasy
Forum. In the Electronic Mall, you can buy books directly from Ballantine
Books, Penguin Books, Small Computer Book Club, The McGraw-Hill Book
Company, Time-Life Books and Walden Computer Books.

On the Internet, Roswell Computer Books Ltd.'s online book store (Canada)
has a database of over 7,000 titles (1993). Gopher to nstn.ns.ca, select
"Other Gophers in Nova Scotia," "Roswell Electronic Computer Bookstore."
Email requests can be sent to [e-mail] .

The MasterMind Mall offers over 800,000 books in the book store. Telnet to
mastermind.com (or 198.206.132.7), login: shop. You can search the book
inventory by title, author, or by hundreds of subject matter codes.

Book Stacks Unlimited, Inc. (U.S.A.) has an online catalog with over
260,000 titles (1993). Internet access: telnet books.com . Search books by
title or author, select from a menu, order, enter your credit card number,
and have it sent to you by mail.

There is another collection of book catalogs from several publishers on
gopher gopher.infor.com .

Quanta is the  electronically distributed journal of Science Fiction and
Fantasy.  Request to be added to the mailing list by email to
[e-mail] .

For more on science fiction, check out the [e-mail] mailing
list. Also, a public copy of William Gibson's self-destructing electronic
book "Agrippa" can be retrieved from:

    ftp://bush.cs.tamu.edu//pub/misc/erich/agrippa

You may also want to browse a copy of a parody, at

    ftp://bush.cs.tamu.edu//pub/misc/erich/agr1ppa

The Book Review Digest (GO BOOKREVIEW) is CompuServe's database of
bibliographical references and abstracts of reviews (since 1983). You can
search by title, author, and keywords found in the text of book reviews.
CompuServe also offers book reviews through Magazine Database Plus.

"Books in print" is a North American bibliographic reference database. It
is available on BRS and CompuServe.

South African Bibliographic and Information Network has a gopher service at
info2.sabinet.co.za.

FidoNet has COMICS (The Comic Book Echo), BITNET the list Rare Book and
Special Collections Catalogers (NOTRBCAT@INDYCMS). NewsNet has the COMPUTER
BOOK REVIEW newsletter and on The Well you'll find the "Computer Books"
conference. OCLC's WorldCat is a reference database covering books and
materials in libraries worldwide.

Bookworms may appreciate the BITNET discussion list DOROTHYL
([e-mail]), and especially if they like Agatha Christie,
Josephine Tey and Dorothy L. Sayers. Then there is the Mark Twain forum (at
[e-mail]), the J.R.R. Tolkien books, readers list (at
[e-mail]), and the mailing list for Bizarre, disturbing, and
offensive short stories (at [e-mail]).

The Internet Poetry Archive is available through the World Wide Web. The
URL is http://sunsite.unc.edu/dykki/poetry/home.html . It brings selected
poems from several contemporary poets in different languages, including
text, photo of poet, voice of poet reading the poem, select bibliography,
and brief biographical note.

On Usenet, they have alt.books.reviews, k12.library, alt.books.technical,
rec.arts.books, and misc. books.technical, and more.

You will also find full electronic versions of books. This book is one
example. Many texts are courtesy of Project Gutenberg, whose goal is to
develop a library of 10,000 public  domain electronic texts by the year
2000.

Since books are often quite large, they are bulky for email transfer.  If
you have direct Internet access, use anonymous ftp instead.

Many books are available through the /pub/almanac/etext directory at
oes.orst.edu. For more about how to use the Almanac information server,
send the following command by email to [e-mail]:

        send guide

For a list of books, add the line

        send gutenberg catalog

Among the offerings, you'll find The Complete Sherlock Holmes Mysteries,
Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee, Tarzan, Frankenstein, The Unabridged
Works of Shakespeare, Aesop's Fables, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The
Holy Bible, The Love Teachings of Kama Sutra, The Holy Koran, The Oedipus
Trilogy (Sophocles), Peter Pan, Roget's Thesaurus (1911), and The World
Factbook (CIA).

If quite impossible to locate a given book, try the Rare Books and Special
Collections Forum at [e-mail]. The ANTIQUARIA mailing list "is
expressly for rare book dealers to exchange information and books among
each other and to meet with individuals and institutions looking for
specific books." To subscribe, send email to [e-mail] containing
the command: SUBSCRIBE ANTIQUARIA firstname lastname .

If you are into Very Rare Books, visit the Vatican Library, one of the
world's oldest and most tightly restricted libraries. Founded in the mid-
1400s, the library houses over 150,000 manuscripts and a million printed
books, including 80,000 books published during the first fifty years of the
printing press.

Digital images of several full printed volumes, manuscripts, and artworks
are gradually being made available through the Internet. 200 of its most
precious manuscripts, books, and maps -- many of which played a key role in
the humanist recovery of the classical heritage of Greece and Rome, is
available at ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/exhibit.images/vatican.exhibit/ .

Books in other languages
------------------------
On the Internet, there are a rapidly growing number of library online
public-access catalogs (OPACs) from all over the world. Some provide users
with access to additional resources, such as periodical indexes of
specialized databases. More than 270 library catalogs are online (1992).

An up-to-date directory of libraries that are interactively accessible
through Internet can be had at

     gopher://libgopher.cis.yale.edu:7000/11/Libraries

The CASLIN Czech and Slovak Library Information Network is at telnet
beta.nkp.cz . Login: aluser . Use your Internet address as password. It
contains over 30.000 sample records of Czech books from between 1983 and
1993 (1994). The code used for national characters is ISO 8859-2 (also
called ISO Latin-2).

Non-Chinese speaking people will probably classify Chinese poems as 'rare'.
Many of them are impossible to read, unless your computer can handle the
special characters, and you know their meaning.

Still interested? If yes, subscribe to [e-mail] . Be prepared to
use your Big5 and GuoBiao utilities.

Searching dictionaries and encyclopedias
----------------------------------------
Project Gutenberg has an old (but good) English language thesaurus
available online.

Commercial services, like CompuServe, GEnie, and Dow Jones News/Retrieval,
let you search and read encyclopedias like Grolier's Academic American
in full text. These works are regularly updated, and can therefore be a
good choice if you are looking for more current information than available
in printed versions, or if you use an encyclopedia infrequently.

On CompuServe, you can browse The American Heritage Dictionary. This is
from a recent KR Dialog:

             THE AMERICAN HERITAGE
        DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
                Third Edition
                Copyright 1992
    Houghton Mifflin Company.  All rights reserved.

     1 Introduction
     2 Users Guide

     3 Search Dictionary

    !3

    Search term: grassroot
    CompuServe

    grassroots
    ========================================
    grass*roots

    plural noun (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
    (1) People or society at a local level rather than at the center of major
    political activity. Often used with the. (2) The groundwork or source of
    something.

    noun attributive.
    (1) Often used to modify another noun: a grassroots movement; a grassroots
    constituency.

On the Internet, these works are often only available for closed groups, or
for those willing to pay. The Encyclopaedia Britannica is available for a
fee. The subscription form is available through WWW on http://www.eb.com .

You can search Webster by email to [e-mail] using the following
type of command in the subject line:

    #webster [word to search for]

Example: The subject line "#webster parenthood" gave the following response:

    par.ent.hood \'par-*nt-.hu.d, 'per-\ n : the position, function, or
        standing of a parent

For some time, though, the "information-for-free" enthusiasts have been
working on an alternative, the Internet Encyclopedia, or Interpedia. The
idea is for volunteers to cooperatively write the new encyclopedia, put it
in the public domain, and make it available on the Internet.

Unlike any printed encyclopedia, the Interpedia could be kept completely
up-to-date.  It could include hypertext links to ongoing discussions, and
perhaps evolve into a general interface to all resources and activities on
the Internet.

For more information, subscribe to the Interpedia mailing list by sending a
message to [e-mail] . The body of your message
must contain the word 'subscribe' and your e-mail address, as follows:
subscribe [e-mail]



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 11: Getting an edge over your competitor
================================================


    We must be willing to risk change to keep apace with rapid
    change.

    The key is moderation and balance, supported by sufficient
    information to allow meaningful feedback.

    Going online requires adaption by management and staff in
    developing the necessary skills and vision.

This chapter starts with how to use the networks to manage projects. Next,
we will show you how to monitor competitors, prospects, suppliers, markets,
technologies, and trends. It winds down with marketing and sales by modem.

Project coordination
--------------------
Several services offer rental of private online conference areas to
businesses. Corporations are discovering that such conferencing is
efficient when coordinating a group of people, who are geographically far
apart from each other.

Online conferences are also useful when team members are constantly on the
move and hard together face-to-face.

Some claim that people are more candid and meetings more efficient when
they communicate online. They favor online discussions for brainstorming
and productivity tasks, even when individuals and facilities are available
for face-to-face meetings.

Many international companies use such services regularly. The applications
range from tight coordination with suppliers and subcontractors, to
development of company strategies, and new organizational structures.

Renting an online conference room has advantages over doing it in-house:
The company does not have to buy software, hardware, expensive
communications equipment. It does not need to hire people to operate and
maintain the conferencing system. The more international the business, the
better is the external alternative.

For ideas about how to set up and operate a coordination conference, study
how volunteer organizations do it. One place to check out is KIDPLAN, one
of several coordination conferences used by KIDLINK (see Chapters 2 and 5).

KIDPLAN is usually most active during April and May each year. This is when
their annual projects are being closed down, and new projects are started.
Read the KR Dialog between coordinators to get an idea of how the medium is
being used.

Old conference messages are stored in notebook files. You can have the full
coordination KR Dialog for a given month sent you by email. Send all
requests for notebook files to

    [e-mail]

Getting notebook files is a two-step process. In your first message to the
LISTSERV, ask for a list of available files. Do this by using the following
command in your email:

    INDEX KIDPLAN

The LISTSERV will return a list. The following part is of particular
interest:

101/2/  KIDPLAN  LOG9105B   ALL OWN V      80  2397 91/05/14
    23:40:22 Started on Wed, 8 May 91 00:11:09 CDT
102/2/  KIDPLAN  LOG9105C   ALL OWN V      80  3141 91/05/21
    20:44:16 Started on Wed, 15 May 91 01:24:51 CDT
104/2/  KIDPLAN  LOG9105D   ALL OWN V      80  2685 91/05/28
    22:34:31 Started on Wed, 22 May 91 17:01:21 +0200

Do not worry about the details. You are only interested in file names, and
dates. The file LOG9105B contains all messages from 8 May 1991 until 15
May.

If you want all these three files, send a message to the LISTSERV with the
following commands:

    GET KIDPLAN LOG9105B
    GET KIDPLAN LOG9105C
    GET KIDPLAN LOG9105D

The notebook files will be forwarded to your mailbox.

Note: Some mailbox services have restrictions on the size of incoming mail.
This may prevent you from receiving large notebook files. If this happens,
contact your local postmaster for help.

Some email systems are unable to forward your return-address correctly to
LISTSERV. If you suspect that this is the reason for lack of success, try
the following commands:

    GIVE KIDPLAN LOG9105B TO Your-Correct-Return-Address
    GIVE KIDPLAN LOG9105C TO Your-Correct-Return-Address
    GIVE KIDPLAN LOG9105D TO Your-Correct-Return-Address

Making it work
--------------
Making online conferences and task force meetings work, can be a challenge.
Most of the dialog is based on the written word. The flow of information
can be substantial, and this may cause an information overload for some
participants.

To overcome this, consider appointing a moderator-organizer for your online
conference. This person:

  Adds value by setting agendas; summarizing points; getting
  the discussion(s) back on track; moving on to the next
  point; mediating debate; maintaining address and member
  lists; acting as general sparkplug/motivator to keep things
  flowing by making sure that contributions are acknowledged,
  relevant points are noted, new members are welcomed, silent
  "Read-Only Members" are encouraged to participate, and the
  general atmosphere is kept appropriate to the goals of the
  conference/task force meeting.

Great online conferences do not just happen. Those set to get the meeting
fired up and keep the discussion rolling must work hard on it.

The meeting's organization may depend on the number of participants, where
they come from, the exclusivity of the forum, and the goal of the meeting.

In large meetings, with free access for outsiders, the best strategy may be
to appoint a Moderator-Editor. This person

  filters contributions, gathers new information, summarizes
  scattered contributions, does background research.

Filtering may be desirable when conferences are open to customers and
media. Its main purpose, however, is to help participants cope with the
absolute flow of information.

A conference can have an educational purpose. You can bring in someone who
can add value by bringing experience and expertise to the group.

You also need someone to do the dirty jobs everyone expects to be done -
but never notices until they are not. This person keeps the show running by
serving as a benevolent tyrant, sheriff, judge, mediator, general
scapegoat, and by playing a role in setting the general policy and
atmosphere of the meeting.

Now, back to the 'normal' applications of the online resource.

Monitoring what others do
-------------------------
Peter Drucker says (Forbes ASAP 8/29/94, p. 104):

  "Most CEOs still believe that it's the chief information officer's job
   to identify the information he requires. This is, of course, a
   fallacy. The information officer is a toolmaker; the CEO is the tool
   user.

   ... the information you need -- the really important information --
   you cannot truly get from your information system. Your information
   system gives you inside information. But there are no results inside
   a business."

At the heart of any profit-making company is sales. No matter how wonderful
the technology or how dedicated the manufacturing staff, without sales, the
company fails. To sell products and services, you need sources for
identifying potential buyers. With a little ingenuity, you can probably
create your own list of targeted sales leads, simply using your modem.

How would cosmetics sell in Japan? What about sneakers in Mexico? In the
age of the global business community, questions about expanding product
services beyond national borders abound.

It is safe to claim that the best business opportunities are outside your
company, in the external world.

Companies need to monitor customers and markets, find technologies to help
develop and build products, research new business actions, find new
subcontractors and suppliers, people to hire, and persons to influence to
boost sales.

In this marketing age, where sales calls cost hundreds of dollars and
business-to-business marketers use the telephone or the mails to reach
prospects, maintaining complete and accurate market lists is important.

There are many other questions: What are our most important customers and
their key people doing? What new products are they promoting? Who are their
partners? What else may influence their willingness to buy from us?

What prices are our major suppliers offering other buyers? Should we get
other sources for supplies? What major contracts have they received
recently? Will these influence their ability to serve our needs?

What new technologies are available now and how are they being used by
others?

Threats are the reverse side of opportunities. What are our competitors
doing? What products and services have they launched recently? Are they
successful? What are our competitors' weaknesses and strengths? What
relationships do they maintain with our most important customers? How is
their customer support functioning, and what methods are they using in
their quality assurance?

Are new trade regulations being introduced in important foreign markets?

Each company has its own priorities when it comes to watching the external
environment. The information needs differ depending on what products and
services are being offered, the technological level of the company, the
markets that it addresses, and more.

Needs and priorities also differ by department and person, for example
depending on whether a user is the president, a marketing manager, product
manager, sales man, or has a position in finance or production.

Remember your priorities when online. You cannot possibly capture and
digest all information that is out there. Your basic problem is to find the
right information in the right form at the right time.

Companies should consider appointing an online manager. Select and empower
a central manager to oversee the process for going online. A "make-things-
happen" person, who can also be a contact point for upper management.

Monitoring your own business
----------------------------
What kind of news about your company is being published? What do others
say about your products and services? What kind of exposure do your new
product announcements get in the media?

Build your own, local 'database'
--------------------------------
It does not take much effort to check one hundred different topics from
multiple online sources on a daily basis. The computer will do it for you.

You do not have to read all stories as carefully as you would with printed
material. Most experienced users just read what is important now, and save
selected parts of the retrieved texts on local disks for later reference.

We handle printed material differently. Most of us make notes in the
margins, underline, use colors, cut out pages and put into folders. These
tricks are important, as it is so hard to find information in a pile of
papers.

Not so with electronic information. With the right tools, you can locate
information on your computer's disk in seconds.

In seven seconds, I just searched the equivalent of 2000 pages of printed
text for all occurrences of the combined search words 'SONY' and 'CD-ROM'!

The search tool was a simple shareware program called LOOKFOR (see Chapter
14). It searched through 4.2 megabytes on an 80486-based notebook computer.
If you use an indexing program, the search may be completed even faster.

During a typical work day, my personal "databases" usually give me more
direct value than what I have on paper, or can get online.

My disks contain megabytes of texts retrieved from various online services,
- but only what I have decided to keep. Consequently, my personal databases
contain more relevant information per kilobyte than the online databases
that I am using. Searching the data on my disk often gives enough good hits
to keep me from going online for more.

  | You will often get better results when searching your own subset |
  | of selected online databases,  than  when you go  online to find |
  | information. It is usually easier and faster.                    |

On the other hand, your in-house database will never be fully up-to-date.
Too many things happen every day.

Also, the search terms used for your daily intake of news will never cover
all future needs. Occasionally, you have to go online to get additional
information for a project, a report, a plan.

Updating your database means going online regularly to find supplementary
information.

  | Regular monitoring gives the highest returns, and is required |
  | to get an edge over your competitors.                         |

For beginners, the best strategy is often to start with the general, and
gradually dig deeper into industry specific details. Let us review some
good hunting grounds for information, and explain how to use them.

Clipping the news
-----------------
Several online services offer 'clipping services'. They select the news
that you want - 24 hours a day - from a continuous stream of stories from
newspapers, magazines, news agencies and newsletters.

You select stories by giving the online service a set of search terms. The
hits are sent to your electronic mailbox, for you to read at will.

Several services make news available immediately, when they have been
received by satellite. The delay previously used to protect the interests
of print media is disappearing. Online services usually deliver news sooner
than print media, radio and television.

'Clipping' gives an enormous advantage. Few important details escape your
attention, even if you are unable to go online daily. The stories will stay
in your mailbox until you have read them.

'Clipping' on CompuServe
------------------------
CompuServe's Executive News Service (ENS) monitors more than 8,000 stories
daily. They use sources like Deutsche Press-Agentur (Germany), Kyodo News
Service (Japan), ITAR/TASS (Russia), Xinhua News Agency (China), Pacific
Rim News Service, The Washington Post, OTC News-Alert, Reuters Financial
News Wire, Associated Press, UPI, Reuters World Report, IDG PR Service,
Inter Press Service (IPS), Middle East News Network, European Community
Report, and Dow Jones News Service.

One of them, Reuters, has 1,200 journalists in 120 bureaus all over the
world. They write company news reports about revenues, profits, dividends,
purchases of other companies, changes in management, and other important
items for judging a company's results. They write regular opinions about
Industry, Governments, Economics, Leading indicators, and Commerce.

Reuters also offers full-text stories from Financial Times and other
leading European newspapers. Its Textline is a database with general and
business news from some 2,000 publications in Western and Eastern Europe,
North and South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It includes
Reuters' own news services, and translated abstracts of stories from some
17 languages. The database reaches back more than 10 years and is updated
at around one million articles per year. (Textline is also available on
Nexis, KR Data-Star, Clarinet, and KR Dialog.)

The IDG PR Service distributes high-tech related news gathered by the
staffs of IDG's magazines.  The InterPress Service covers Third World
countries. The Middle East News Network integrates the contents of 28
information sources covering this region of Asia.

The Executive News Service lets you define up to three 'clipping folders'.
Supply up to seven 'key phrases' that define your interests. These key
phrases will be used for searching stories as they are sent. Hits will be
'clipped' and held in a folder for you to review at your convenience.

Each folder can hold 500 stories. When creating a clipping folder, you set
an expiration date and specify how many days a clipped story is to be held
(maximum 14 days).

To browse the contents of a folder, select it from the menu. Stories can be
listed by headlines or leads. Select those you want to read, forward to
others as email, or copy to another folder. Delete those that you do not
need.

Defining key phrases is simple. The important thing is not to get too much,
nor too little. General phrases will give many unwanted stories while too
narrow phrases will cause you to miss pertinent stories. Let me illustrate
with an example:

    The phrase APPLE COMPUTERS will only clip stories that have the
    words APPLE and COMPUTERS next to each other. This may be too
    narrow. Specifying just APPLE or just COMPUTERS would be too
    broad. Entering APPLE + COMPUTERS is a better phrase since the
    words can appear anywhere in the story, and not necessarily
    next to each other.

ENS carries an hourly surcharge of US$15/hour over base connect rates.

Clipping on NewsNet
-------------------
NewsNet greets users with this opening screen:

                          -----------------
                          - N E W S N E T -
                          -----------------
                  W O R K I N G   K N O W L E D G E

   ***New--Electromagnetic Field Litigation Reporter (EY86) tracks
   developments in every important legal action involving
   electromagnetic radiation from power lines, cellular phones,
   VTDs, and radar and microwave equipment.

   ***The title of HH15 has been changed to Cancer Researcher
   Weekly. This service was formerly entitled Cancer Weekly.

   ***Important work in the blood field throughout the world is
   covered by Blood Week (HH44), including research, literature,
   and upcoming events.

   ***TB Weekly (HH45) is an internationally-focused newsletter
   that concentrates on tuberculosis-related news and research,
   including business developments.


   New Services on NewsNet:

   TB Weekly (HH45)
   Blood Weekly (HH44)
   Electromagnetic Field Litigation Reporter (EY86)
   Chapter 11 Update (FI82)
   Tobacco Industry Litigation Reporter (HH48)
   Trade and Development Opportunities (GT50)

For details on new services, enter READ PB99# or HELP followed by the
service code.

NewsFlash, NewsNet's clipping service, will automatically search all new
editions of newsletters selected for monitoring. The hits are sent to your
mailbox. They are retained there for up to ten weeks besides the current
week.

Your selection of newsletters can be extended to include news stories from
United Press International (UPI), Reuters News Reports, Associated Press,
Business Wire, PR Newswire, and others.

For some time, I clipped newsletters in the telecommunications group using
the keywords  'Victoria' (an American communication project) and 'KDD' (the
Japanese telecom giant). When I called NewsFlash to check, it typically
reported:


                    NEWSFLASH NOTIFICATION
****************************************************************
   4 Total Newsflash hits. Use STOP to stop and delete all.
  New Hits =   4    Saved Items =   0

TE01      7/17/89     ==     VICTORIA               ==       Headline #1
  COOKE SELLS CABLE HOLDINGS TO 6-MEMBER GROUP FOR NEARLY $1.6 BILLION
    Jack Cooke's cable systems will be sold to 6-member consortium

TE11      7/17/89     ==     VICTORIA               ==       Headline #2
  BOCs' PROGRESS TOWARD INTELLIGENT NETWORK ARCHITECTURE INTERTWINED
WITH DIFFICULT INTERNETWORKING NEGOTIATIONS, PENDING DECREE COURT

EC89      7/18/89     ==     KDD                    ==       Headline #3
  KDD OPENS NY/LONDON OFFICES
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 JUL 14 (NB) -- Kokusai Denshin Denwa (KDD),

EC89      8/22/89     ==     KDD                    ==       Headline #4
  FOREIGNERS CAN BUY INTO KDD
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 AUG 17 -- The Japanese government is planning

Enter Headline numbers or ALL to read, MORE, AGAIN, SAVE, STOP, or HELP
-->

NewsNet's databases grow by more than 400 stories per day. Your search
profiles may contain an almost unlimited number of subjects. Delivery of
hits is concurrent. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Other clipping services
-----------------------
Sprintmail's clipping service (U.S.A.) scans stories from more than 15
international newswires. FT Profile's E-mail Alert searches daily on that
particular day's issue of the Financial Times.

Dow Jones News/Retrieval has NewsScan (//CLIP). It can deliver by fax or
email to a mailbox on another online service.

Financial Times' thirty international business reports - grouped within
four primary industry segments - are available through //CLIP. So is
Intelligence Reports, which cover more than 100 countries. They monitor
news stories from these countries' own media.

GEnie's QuikNews Express is a personalized news clipping service that is
integrated with the Quik-Comm System email service.

The Stanford Netnews Filtering Service is a personalized netnews delivery
service (Usenet). You subscribe by submitting keywords that describe your
interests. Netnews articles (from newsgroups available to the Stanford news
host) that match your profiles (based on content, no matter which
newsgroups they fall into) will be sent you periodically via email.

The following top level newsgroups are covered (1994):  DU, ca, general,
ont, trial, air, can, gnu, out.going, triangle, alt, ieee, rec, tx, atl,
comp, in.coming, sci, ucb, aus, control, info, scruz, uk, ba, csd, junk,
soc, vmsnet, bionet, ee, misc, su, za, bit, fj, ne, talk, biz, fl, news,
test.

You can access the service from Mosaic: http://woodstock.stanford.edu:2000

For instructions on the email interface, send a message with the word
"help" in the message body to [e-mail] .

The search profiles are like queries in WAIS, i.e., plain English text (no
boolean AND, OR, NOTs). After you receive useful articles, you can feed
them back to the service to improve your profile. You can also adjust the
frequency of delivery, the volume of articles, and the length of
subscription.

One interesting application of the netnews service is to find which
newsgroups may or may not be covering a subject area. When you have found
the names, subscribe to those for direct inquiries, postings of queries, to
converse with experts, etc.

Clarinet, a commercial news service available through Usenet, also has a
clipping program. Sites can use software filters to display only messages
that include certain keywords, and can subscribe to subsets of the wire
service offerings. Users' newsreaders can do some individualized filtering
as well.

The San Jose Mercury News (California, USA) offers a low-cost news clipping
and screening service called NewsHound. The service is available on America
Online, and the Internet. For a modest monthly fee, relevance ranked
articles are delivered to users' mailboxes filtered from sources like the
New York Times News Service, the Knight-Ridder Tribune News Service, the
Knight-Ridder Tribune Business Wire, the Associated Press, Scripps-Howard
News Service, PR Newswire, Business Wire, and the Kyodo News Service of
Japan. Email: [e-mail].

Filtering may also be used when retrieving news through QMail gateways on
BBSes. For example, I use the 1stReader program for communications with a
Norwegian PCBoard BBS that carries hundreds of newsgroups and mailing lists
from Usenet, Internet, BITNET, and other networks. By having 1stReader
upload a list of  keywords through the BBS' QMail door, all new messages
containing these words or phrases from given conferences will be
selectively retrieved, compressed, and downloaded. A powerful feature!

There are clipping offerings on Prodigy, and a host of other services.

CARL (Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries, U.S.A.) offers a table of
contents alert service. Users with an "UnCover profile" may create a list
of journal titles in which they are interested.  When the next issue of any
of those titles is entered into UnCover, the table of contents will
automatically be emailed to them.  Ordering an article is as easy as
replying to the email message. Receiving the table of contents is free,
while you'll have to pay a service charge to receive selected articles. For
more information, email [e-mail] .

When clipping is impossible
---------------------------
Many services do not offer clipping. On these, you can use various methods
of regular, selective reading.

Many conferencing systems let you select messages to read by keywords.

BIX Keyword Indexer lets you search public conferences after a key word
or phrase and reports hits. Then it offers you to review (or retrieve)
messages of interest.

CompuServe's forums have efficient 'read selective' and 'quick scan'
commands. Another trick is to limit your reading to specific message
sections.

The high forum message volume is a special problem on this service. Old
messages are regularly deleted to make room for new ones. (Often called
"scroll rate.") Some popular forums do not keep messages for more than a
couple of days before letting them go. You must visit often to get all new
information.

Many bulletin boards can be told to store unread messages about given
topics in a compressed transportation file. This file can then be retrieved
at high speed. Special communication programs (often called offline
readers) and commands are available to automate this completely.

Powerful scripts and offline reader programs (see Chapter 12) can do
automatic selection of news stories based on the occurrence of keywords
(e.g., a company name) in headlines or the messages' text.

Subscription services
---------------------
It is useful to dig, dig, and dig for occurrences of the same search words,
but digging is not enough. Unless you periodically scan "the horizon," you
risk missing new trends, viewpoints and other important information.

It can be difficult to find good sources of information that suits your
needs. One trick is to watch the reports from your clipping services. Over
time, you may discover that some sources bring more interesting stories
than others. Take a closer look at these. Consider browsing their full
index of stories regularly.

If your company plans exportation to countries in Asia, check out MARKET:
ASIA PACIFIC on NewsNet. The newsletter is published monthly by W-Two
Publications, Ltd., 202 The Commons, Suite 401, Ithaca, NY  14850, U.S.A.
(phone: [phone]). Annual print subscription rate: US$279.

The index itself may be a barometer of what goes on. Here is an example.
Note the number of Words/Lines. Do these numbers tell a story?

   July 1, 1993

   Head #  Headline                                             Words /Lines
   ------  ---------------------------------------------------- ------------
       1)  THE PHILIPPINES IS AT A TURG POINT                      616/78
       2)  CHINA AND KOREA WILL LEAD REGIONAL ECONOMIC BOOM        315/41
       3)  ASIAN COMPENSATION IS STILL LOW, BUT RISING QUICKLY     303/38
       4)  CONSUMER GOODS WON'T BE ALL THE CHINESE BUY             221/29
       5)  WOMEN BEAR THE BRUNT OF CAMBODIA'S TROUBLES             284/34
       6)  TAIWAN MAKES A MOVE TOWARD THE CASHLESS SOCIETY         243/29
       7)  TIPS ON MANAGING CULTURAL HARMONY IN ASIA               264/37
       8)  TAIWANESE BECOME MORE DISCERNING, HARDER TO REACH       217/27
       9)  DIRECT MARKETING HEADED FOR GROWTH IN SINGAPORE         205/27
      10)  TOURISM IN MALAYSIA WILL GROW                           610/76
      11)  CHONGQING: FUTURE POWERHOUSE                          2708/342

It is a good idea to visit NewsNet to gather intelligence. Review indexes of
potentially interesting newsletters. Save them on your hard disk for future
references. You never know when they may be of use.

The newsletters within computers and electronics bring forecasts of market
trends, evaluation of hardware and software, prices, information about IBM
and other leading companies. You will find stories about technological
developments of modems, robots, lasers, video players, graphics, and
communications software.

The Management section contains experts' evaluation of the economic climate
with forecasts, information about foreign producers for importers, tips and
experiences on personal efficiency, management of smaller companies, and
office automation.

Other sections are Advertising and Marketing, Aerospace and Aviation,
Automotive, Biotechnology, Building and Construction, Chemical, Corporate
Communications, Defense, Entertainment and Leisure, Education, Environment,
Energy, Finance and Accounting, Food and Beverage, General Business,
Insurance, Investment, Health and Hospitals, Law, Management,
Manufacturing, Medicine, Office, Publishing and Broadcasting, Real Estate,
Research and Development, Social Sciences, Telecommunications, Travel and
Tourism, Transport and Shipping.

Several newsletters focus on specific geographical areas, like:

   * THE EXPORTER (Published by Trade Data Reports.  Monthly
     reports on the business of exporting. Functionally divided
     into operations, markets, training resources, and world
     trade information.)

   * SALES PROSPECTOR (Monthly prospect research reports for sales
     representatives and business people interested in commercial,
     and institutional expansion and relocation activity. Grouped
     by geographic area in the United States and Canada.)

Other newsletters focus on technology intelligence:

    Advanced Manufacturing Technology
    ---------------------------------
    Reports on desktop manufacturing, computer graphics, flexible
    automation, computer-integrated manufacturing, and other
    technological advances that help increase productivity.

    High Tech Materials Alert
    -------------------------
    Reports on significant developments in high-performance
    materials, including alloys, metallic whiskers, ceramic and
    graphite fibers, and more. Concentrates on their fabrication,
    industrial applications, and potential markets.

    Futuretech
    ----------
    Provides briefings on focused, strategic technologies that
    have been judged capable of making an impact on broad
    industrial fronts. Includes forecasts of marketable products
    and services resulting from the uncovered technology and its
    potential impact on industry segments.

Advanced Coating & Surface Technology, Electronic Materials Technology
News, Flame Retardancy News, High Tech Ceramics News, Innovator's Digest,
Technology Access Report, Inside R&D, Japan Science Scan, New Technology
Week, Optical Materials & Engineering News, Performance Materials, Surface
Modification Technology News, Genetic Technology News, Battery & Ev
Technology, and much more.

Newsletters on CompuServe
-------------------------
Many newsletters are being made available through forums' file libraries on
CompuServe. Consequently, they are a little harder to locate. Some examples
(1993):

    Abacus Online - Quarterly newsletter on executive computing.
    (In the Lotus Spreadsheet forum, Library 3.)

    Communique - The quarterly newsletter of the International
    Association of Business Communicators U.K. Chapter. (PR and
    Marketing Forum, Library 8.)

Hint: To find newsletters in the IBM PC oriented forums, enter GO IBMFF to
search. Select "Keyword" as search criteria, and enter "newsletter". Add
further keywords to narrow the search to your areas of interest. CompuServe
also has other file find services.

Databases and forums with an international orientation
------------------------------------------------------
Information Access provides reference databases to businesses. You can
search 10 databases with full-text stories, abstracts, and indexes from
international magazines.

PROMPT (Overview of Markets and Technology) is the largest of them. It
provides international coverage of companies, markets and technologies in
all industries.

The other databases cover areas like Aerospace and Defense, Advertising and
Marketing, New Product Announcements, Industry Forecasts and Time Series.

The Information Access' databases are available through online services
like KR Dialog, Data Star, Financial Times Profile (England), Nikkei in
Japan and on the Thomson Financial Networks. They are regularly published
on CD-ROM.

Users of KR Data-Star, NEXIS, and Reuters have access to international
political and economic coverage from the British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC). Split into five regional parts across over 140 countries, Summary of
World Broadcasts comprises a daily political document, with coverage of
legislation, policy, labor issues and foreign relations. The Weekly
Economic Report covers topics such as energy, agriculture, and transport.

ZiffNet offers the Business Database Plus through CompuServe. You can
search in full-text stories from around 550 North American and
international publications for industry and commerce (1993).

The articles are about sales and marketing ideas, product news, industry
trends and analyses, and provide company profiles in areas such as
agriculture, manufacturing, retailing, telecommunications, and trade. This
is a partial list of the database's magazines:

    Agribusiness Worldwide, Air Cargo World, Beverage World, Beverage World
    Periscope Edition, Business Perspectives, CCI-Canmaking & Canning
    International, CD-ROM Librarian, Chain Store Age - General Merchandise
    Trends, Coal & Synfuels Technology, Communication World, Communications
    Daily, Communications International, Consultant, Cosmetic World News,
    Dairy Industries International, Direct Marketing, Financial Market
    Trends, Financial World, Food Engineering International, Forest
    Industries, Gas World, Graphic Arts Monthly, The Printing Industry,
    High Technology Business,  International Trade Forum, Investment
    International, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of
    Marketing Research, Medical World News, OECD Economic Outlook, The Oil
    and Gas Journal, Oilweek, Petroleum Economist, Plastics World,
    Purchasing World, Restaurant-Hotel Design International, Seafood
    International, Supermarket Business Magazine, Training: the Magazine of
    Human Resources Development, World Economic Outlook, World Oil.

The International Reports financial newsletter may be read and searched on
NewsNet, Information Access, and LEXIS/NEXIS.

NewsNet also has the Weekly International Market Alert.

Use CompuServe's Consumer Report to spot trends in the consumer markets for
appliances, automobiles, electronics/cameras, home. EventLine (IQuest,
CompuServe) monitors international conferences, exhibitions, and
congresses. The Boomer Report concentrates on the habits of the "the baby-
boom generation."

CompuServe's Global Crisis Forum has message sections covering the xUUSR,
The Balkans, Baltic Republics, The Old East Bloc, The Middle East, Bosnia,
Somalia, Iraq, and Worldwide Business.

The IPE mailing list is for the discussion of international political
economy. Topics include NAFTA, regional trading blocs, trade regimes,
international debt, long cycles, historical world systems, EEC, currency
and market crises, democracy and governance in Latin and South America,
Africa and Asia, commodity negotiations. To subscribe, send the command
"Sub IPE" to: [e-mail] .

CitiBank Global Report on CompuServe provides detailed information on
worldwide economic issues, real-time foreign-exchange, fixed-income rates,
country profiles, company profiles, and activity on the international bond
markets.

The Business Dateline contains news from more than 150 regional business
publications in the United States and Canada. If you have a niche market,
chances are that the Predicast newsletters cover it (Dow Jones).

The ABI/Inform business database (UMI/Data Courier) contains abstracts and
full-text articles from 1,000 business magazines and trade journals (1994).
Includes the World Bank Research Observer.

Market research reports from Frost & Sullivan are available through Data-
Star. It produces over 250 market reports each year, in 20 industrial
sectors. These reports cover results of face-to-face interviews with
manufacturers, buyers and trade association executives, supplemented by a
search and summary of secondary sources.

Internet users can access hundreds of sources of current government
information from around the world -- Census data, Supreme Court decisions,
world health statistics, company financial reports, weather forecasts,
United Nations information, daily U.S. White House press briefings and much
more. A list of sources is available on

    gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/11/inetdirsstacks

For global demography and population information, point your WWW browser to
the following page on the Australian National University server (Coombs
Computing Unit):

  URL: http://coombs.anu.edu.au/ResFacilities/DemographyPage.html

If you're into accounting, check out gopher anet.scu.edu.au . It brings
news and information for accountants around the world.

"Business Sources on the Net" (BSN) is an information guide organized by
subject. Each section is a separate file. It offers pointers to sources for
economics, national statistics, economic trends, corporate finance and
banking, human resources and personnel management, management science,
accounting, and more. Available via

    ftp://ksuvxa.kent.edu/library/
    gopher://refmac.kent.edu:70

InterBEX (Business Exchange) provides Internet users with free, selective
business information related to various industries, products, professional
services, and financial markets. Access is free to all Internet users and
information consumers. Delivery by email. Information providers can have
product and informational e-text distributed through InterBEX on
individually negotiated terms. Email: [e-mail] .

The Research Libraries Group, Inc. (U.S.A.) offers access to a large
bibliographic database with over 22 million titles. The special-interest
databases in this collection include the Avery Index to Architectural
Periodicals, Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals, History of Science and
Technology, and World Law Index: Index to Hispanic Legislation. For more
information, write Brian Keyes ([e-mail]).

The Company Corporation is an on-line incorporation service. Gopher to
server1.service.com .

On Usenet, check out the biz and clari.biz hierarchies of newsgroups for
leads (biz = business postings). Many ClariNews groups cover the business
and financial world, including these:

    clari.biz.earnings  Reports on businesses' earnings, profits, losses
                        and dividends (mainly North America).
    clari.biz.economy.world   Covers economic news, including inflation,
                        unemployment and other economic news.
    clari.biz.industry.agriculture   The agriculture, fishing and forestry
                        industries.
    clari.biz.market.report.asia   Daily reports from Asian stock markets.
    clari.biz.market.report.europe   Daily reports from European stock
                        markets.
    clari.biz.world_trade   News about international trade: GATT, free
                        trade and trade disputes.

International Business Practices is full text of a U.S. Department of
Commerce reference work that provides overviews of import regulations, free
trade zones, foreign investment policy, intellectual property rights, tax
laws and more in 117 countries. Gopher to umslvma.umsl.edu . Select: the
library / government information.

"The Legal List" is a consolidated list of all of the law-related resources
available on the Internet and elsewhere. At

    ftp://ftp.midnight.com/pub/LegalList/legallist.txt

United Nations (UN) has a gopher at gopher.undp.org . It carries UN DPI
Press Releases, General Assembly, Security Council and ECOSOC resolutions,
and more. People with access to Internet email only can use United Nation's
gophermail gateway. Send a message to [e-mail] for instructions.
(Note: The message's subject and contents are ignored.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has a gopher at gopher.who.ch . For
more information on international organizations, point your gopher at
consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select Information about Gopher / Other gophers
and Information Servers / International Organizations.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): gopher hqfaus01.unicef.org

Usenet has clari.world.organizations with news of The United Nations, the
Organization of American States, the Council on Security and Cooperation in
Europe, and other major international organizations.

For a general resource that contains information about dealing with money in
many countries, check out this URL on the WWW:

  http://www.ora.com/cgi-bin/ora/currency .

It also contains "This week's currency rates (one US dollar equals)."

  | You should also take a look at the continent related pointers |
  | listed in Chapter 4 and 9!                                    |

Africa
------
NewsNet has several interesting newsletters

   Africa Intelligence Report
   Africa News On-Line
    - political, economic and cultural developments
   Country Risk Guides: Sub-Saharan Africa
   Country Risk Guides: Mid-East & North Africa
   Investext: African Region
   Monthly Regional Bulletin - Southern Africa,
   PRS-Forecasts: Mid-East & North Africa
   PRS-Forecasts: Sub-Saharan Africa
   Southern Africa Business Intelligence

Usenet has bit.tech.africana (Information Technology and Africa). This
newsgroup is also on the AFRICANA mailing list. Subscribe by email to
[e-mail] .

The SUDAN-L mailing list (on [e-mail]) is where you
will find information and sources of information about Sudan.

The Information Bank on African Development Studies (IBADS) is a mailing
service provided by the Africa Technical Department at the World Bank.  Its
objective is to disseminate information about development studies on Sub-
Saharan Africa.

IBADS offers an index and a list of abstracts of studies undertaken by the
Africa Technical Department at the World Bank.  It will eventually be
expanded to include full-text reports, and development studies undertaken
by other units in the World Bank and other development, academic, and
research organizations worldwide. Subscribe by sending the following
command

  Subscribe IBADS First-Name Last-Name

to [e-mail] . On separate lines, add information about
specialty, organization, address, and subject of interest. For more
information, write to [e-mail] .

For leads in South Africa, start with ExiNet. This South African trade
information resource (http://www.aztec.co.za/exinet/exinet.html) has
information on South African Exporters, South African Trade Fairs and
Exhibitions, Travel and Tourism, South African Publications, South African
Property, and South African Demographics: A Regional Summary.

ExiNet boasts a database of over 70,000 South African companies. Mail to
[e-mail] for information.

Other South African sources on the Web includes: The Africa Commercial home
page in Cape Town (http://www.africa.com/), and Compustat on the URL:
http://www.os2.iaccess.za/.

The Fourth World Documentation Project is on gopher fir.cic.net . Select:
Politics / Fourth.World . African Census data is available from the gopher
at lexis.pop.upenn.edu , and South African politics on gopher2.ru.ac.za .

CompuServe's International Trade Forum has the Africa/Middle East message
section.

For more sources on Africa, gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select
Information about Gopher / Other gophers and Information Servers / Africa.
Also, check out gopher gopher.cnuce.cnr.it  port 1680 . The Internetworking
Company of Southern Africa (TICSA) has a gopher at ticsa.com .

Japan
-----
The JAPAN mailing list (on LISTSERV@PUCC) is a forum for the discussion of
Japanese business, industry, and economic systems. The AJBS-L mailing list
(at the same LISTSERV) is for people interested in the Japanese economy and
business systems.

The QUALITY mailing list (on [e-mail]) is for Total
Quality Management (TQM) in Manufacturing & Service Industries. The topics
for discussion include JIT, ISO 9000, Deming and JIS (the latter two are
Japanese Quality Standards). Check out the mailing list's archive for files
of interest.

Orbit has an English language database of Japanese technology. It contains
abstracts of articles, patents and standards from more than 500 Japanese
magazines. Reuters offers the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan's best-selling daily
newspaper. Tradstat (KR Data-Star/KR Dialog) offers Japanese import and
export statistics.

Dow Jones News/Retrieval brings full-text stories from the Japan Economic
Newswire (Kyodo News International), which covers Japanese company,
industry and financial markets; government, defence and science news. (On
KR Dialog as File 612.)

Dow Jones also brings full-text stories from over 70 other international
publications including New Era Japan, New Food Products in Japan, New
Materials Japan, and PDS's Japan Auto Industry Survey, Power Asia.

Business Database Plus (CompuServe) has IDC Japan Report, Inc., Japan
Economic Newswire, and Kyodo. CompuServe's Japan Forum has a Business &
Industry section, and more. You may also find information about Japan in
the International Forum.

NewsNet has the following newsletters and services:

   Comline Japan Daily: Biotechnology
   Comline Japan Daily: Computers
   Comline Japan Daily: Electronics
   Comline Japan Daily: Industry Automation
   Comline Japan Daily: Telecommunications
   Comline Japan Daily: Transportation
   Daily Japan Digest (business briefings)
   Japan Computer Industry Scan
   Japan Consumer Electronics Scan
   Japan Economic Institute (JEI) Report
   Japan Energy Scan
   Japan Policy and Politics
   Japan Semiconductor Scan
   Japan Science Scan
   Japan Transportation Scan
   Japan Weekly Monitor
   Japanese Telecommunications Scan
   Jiji Press Ticker Service
   Kyodo News Service
   New Era: Japan
   Tokyo Financial Wire

Comline's industry news covers several hundred Japanese journals and
newspapers. It is also available in Predicast's Newsletter Database.

For science and technology, consider the JICST-E file on STN.

The Investext database has English language profiles of thousands of
Japanese companies sourced from Teikou, Japan's largest business credit
agency.

Usenet has comp.research.japan about The nature of research in Japan.
(Moderated).

Kompass Online has information about Japanese companies. NEXIS, KR Dialog,
NiftyServe, PC-VAN, NewsNet, and G-Search have the Teikoku Databank, which
contains directory and income information about over one million Japanese
firms (1994).

Also, see CERN's WWW Virtual Library, and gopher gan.ncc.go.jp

For more sources on Japan, gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select
Information about Gopher / Other gophers and Information Servers / Asia.


Middle East
-----------
The Jerusalem Institute for Western Defence provides a monthly newsletter
with research of the Arab press. It has unedited quotes from around the
Arab world. Write [e-mail] to subscribe (Command:
sub arab-press Firstname Lastname). Here is one example:

   SAUDI ARABIA

   Al-Sherook,  United Arab Emirates, 25 March 1993;
   Al-Iqtisa'adia, London, 16 March 1993.
   Summary of two reports on Saudi oil resources.

   Saudi Arabia's oil revenues grew from $24 billion in 1989 to $40
   billion in 1992. They are expected to rise further in 1993. Saudi
   economic growth appears to be assured for the next few years.
   Saudi authorities reported a discovery of oil in the area of Medin,
   west of Tabuk. The extent and quality of this oil field will be
   investigated.

       Note: This area is relatively close to the Red Sea and much closer
       to Israel than the main oil deposits of the Gulf. A major oil
       discovery here could lead to the transfer of additional military
       forces to this area.

Business Database Plus (CompuServe) has Israel Business, MEED Middle East
Economic Digest, Middle East Agribusiness.

NewsNet has the following newsletters and services:

   Mid-East Business Digest
   Middle East Intelligence Report

Kompass Online has information about companies in Israel. KR Data-Star has
the Jerusalem Post Electronic Edition, and Dun & Bradstreet Israel.

Telnet to vms.huji.ac.il and login as mop for access to WAIS information
about Israeli companies' R&D projects.

Write [e-mail] to subscribe to the MOP-flash mailing list.
It brings announcements from MOP - Israel Industry R&D Information System.
The announcements include new items added to MOP's gopher; new mailing
lists established; updates on descriptions of R&D Projects (Advanced
Technologies from Israel); new bilateral projects being carried out by
MATIMOP (The Israeli Industry Center for Research and Development).

The Israeli Industry Center for Research and Development has a gopher at
gopher.matimop.org.il  70 . The Israel Information Service gopher is at
gopher israel-info.gov.il (some documents are in French and Spanish). You
can also get information about Israel by email to [e-mail]

CompuServe's International Trade Forum has an Africa/Middle East section.

For more sources on Middle East, gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select
Information about Gopher / Other gophers and Information Servers / Middle
East.

Other countries in Asia and the Pacific
---------------------------------------
KR Dialog's ASIA-PACIFIC DATABASE covers business and economics in Asia and
the Pacific. It contains over 80,000 references from newspapers, magazines
and other sources in North America and international.

The Asia-Pacific Dun's Market Identifiers on KR Dialog is a directory
listing of about 250,000 business establishments in 40 Asian and Pacific
Rim countries.

Dow Jones/News Retrieval has the Asian Wall Street Journal. Reuters'
Textline on KR Dialog provides good business and general coverage of the
region.

CHINA IMPORT/EXPORT NEWS is a weekly newsletter of international business
information regarding import/export to/from China and the Pacific Rim. The
newsletter is distributed by the mailing list CHINA-LINK. Subscribe by
email to [e-mail] .

For details about how to subscribe to the China News Digest, send the word
INFO to [e-mail] . On the Web, they're at http://www.cnd.org/

For business news from China, weekdays, check out Daily China Headline
News. Send the command SUB HEADLINE to [e-mail] to subscribe.
Here is a sample news item:

        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  Ref. No: 94061501
  Newsgroup: General News and news in other industries
 Category: Marketing, Investment
    Title: Automobile plastics mart bode well
     Date: Wednesday, June 15, 1994
 Keywords: Auto plastic;Market analysis

      It is estimated that one domestic made automobile use plastics about
    40-45kg. China will turn out 2 million automobiles by the year of 2000.
    This year, the automobile plastic requirement is 28,000 ton. Comparing
    the production, the auto plastic will be undersupplied.

        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For General Information about the service, mail to [e-mail] .
KR Dialog has Chinese Patent Abstracts in English.

A WWW service for the Chinese community exists at http://www.edu.tw/ . Most of
the local texts support Chinese BIG5 only. You can also telnet to WWW.edu.tw
and login as www . After login, if you do not know how to read Chinese BIG5,
select 'READ THIS DOCUMENT' <A HREF="http://www.edu.tw/readbig5.html"> to
browse.

NewsNet has the following newsletters and services:

   Asian Aviation News
   Asian Economic News
   Asian Political News
   AsiaPacific Space Report
   China Intelligence Report
   Country Risk Guide: Asia & The Pacific
   India Business Intelligence
   Inter Press Service International (IPS) provides regular updates on
      the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and ASEAN.
   Investext: Asian Region
   Power Asia
   PRS Forecasts: Asia & The Pacific
   Telenews Asia
   Vietnam Market Watch
   Xinhua English Language News Service

The ELC file on LEXIS/NEXIS contains financial and marketing information on
some 9,000 Southeast Asian corporations (1993). Kompass Online has
information about companies in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Israel, India,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and
Taiwan.

To join CORMOSEA (Committee on Research Materials on Southeast Asia), send
a subscription request to Kent Mulliner <[e-mail]>.

The Asian Information Service at offers news monitoring, document
translation and delivery, and more.  They have a large database on China
offering China-related information in a variety of formats. Send email to
[e-mail] for information.

The ABI/Inform business database (UMI/Data Courier) contains abstracts and
full-text articles from the Asia Pacific Journal of Management, and
Business Korea.

CompuServe has the Australian/New Zealand Company Library, the Asia/OZ/NZ
and the Africa/Middle East sections of the International Trade Forum. Also,
check out the Australian Associated Press Online newswire service.

Textile Asia and Bisnis Indonesia are in the Globalbase database. This
source offers around 350 trade journals, newspapers, and business magazines
spanning 40 countries (1993). On KR Data-Star (Label EBUS), KR Dialog (File
583), FT Profile (Label INF), and others. It has 87 Asian publications
(1994). The coverage includes The Australian, Japan Times, Asia Computer
Weekly, Asia Money & Finance, South China Morning Post, Korea Economic
Weekly.

Nikkei (on FP Profile) has the Straits Times, Business Times, the Far East
Economic Review, the Bangkok Post.

Dun & Bradstreet has hard-to-find company information on developing markets
such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Tradstat has import and export statistics on Hong Kong and Taiwan.

For more sources on Asia, gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select
Information about Gopher / Other gophers and Information Servers / Asia.
Other selections include Middle East, and Pacific.

The Asian Studies area of the CERN's international directory of networked
research and educational resources (WWW Virtual Library) can be accessed
via the following URL: http://coombs.anu.edu.au/WWWVL-AsianStudies.html .
It tracks information and research resources (ftp, gopher, wais, www)  for
Burma, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia,
Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, and
Vietnam.

The information is also available on gopher coombs.anu.edu.au .

A pointer to Asia Pacific Information Servers is found on this WWW address:

    http://www.singnet.com.sg/APwww.html

If these do not fully satisfy your needs, try with a request for advice on
the [e-mail] mailing list.

Central and South America
-------------------------
NewsNet has these newsletters

   Brazil Service
   Country Risk Guide: THE AMERICAS
   Environment Watch: Latin America
   Investext: Latin American Region
   Latin America Intelligence Report
   Latin America Opportunity Report
   Latin American Telecom Report
   Market: Latin America
   Mexico Service.
   Mexico Trade and Law Reporter
   PRS Forecasts: South America

Dow Jones has Mexico Service, InterAmerican Opportunities, and Latin
America Opportunity Report.

The Latin America Related Information Service is on gopher lanic.utexas.edu
70 . You can also reach it by email to [e-mail] , by telnet
to lanic.utexas.edu (login: lanic), and WWW to http://lanic.utexas.edu/ .

For South American census data, gopher to lexis.pop.upenn.edu . Tradstat
has import and export data on Brazil and Argentina.

The Latin American Data Base (LADB) has SourceMex (weekly about Mexico's
changing economic environment), Chronicle of Latin American Affairs (weekly
reports on trade policy, privatization, monetary policy, and macro-economic
figures), and NOTISUR - Latin American Political Affairs (Weekly). This
database is available by telnet to ladb.unm.edu (user name and password
required), and through KR Dialog, NewsNet, Dow Jones News/Retrieval, and
BRS.

There is a Caribbean Economy mailing list on [e-mail] .

Argentina's top-level domain gopher is at gopher.ar .

RNP - Rede Nacional de Pesquisa (National Research Network) in Brazil has
a WWW server at http://www.rnp.br/ with links to most ftp, gopher and WWW
servers in Brazil. Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial offers
Brazilian patents data on URL: http://www.ftpt.br/cgi-bin/bdtnet/inpi .

CompuServe's International Trade Forum has a South & Central America
message section.

For more sources on South America, gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select
Information about Gopher / Other gophers and Information Servers / South
America.

The European Common Market and Central Europe
---------------------------------------------
The full text of the Maastricht Treaty on European Union is available
through gopher gopher.sunet.se / subject tree / politics . This gopher acts
in some sense as a European root gopher server, and keeps a list of all
gopher servers in Europe.

The European Home Page for WWW is on http://s700.uminho.pt/europa.html .

NewsNet, and others, offer Dun & Bradstreet European Marketing Online. It
contains company profiles of around two million European companies.

NewsNet also has the following newsletters and services

   Agence France-Presse International news
   Aviation Europe
   Coal UK
   Country Risk Guide: Europe
   EC Energy Monthly
   Environment Watch: Western Europe
   European Community: Business Forecast
   European Energy Report
   European Media Business & Finance
   European Savings Market
   European Venture Capital Journal
   Financial Times Full Text
   German Business Scope
   INVESTEXT/European Region
   Market: Europe
   News From France
   North Sea Letter
   North Sea Rig Forecast
   Northern Ireland News Service
   Opportunities Briefing: Central Europe
   Power Europe
   PRS Forecasts: Western Europe
   Today's Financial Times
   The Week In Germany
   West Europe Intelligence Report

The UK Company Library on CompuServe has financial information about more
than 1.2 million British companies from sources like Extel Cards, ICC
British Co. Directory and Kompass UK. For up-to-the-minute news from
England, GO PAO for the Press Association Online's wires. The latest UK
news is available from the PA News Wire.

ZiffNet's Business Database Plus on CompuServe has Market Research Europe.

The ELC file on LEXIS/NEXIS contains financial and marketing information
on some from 45,000 European corporations (1993). NEXIS also has La Vie
Francaise, a French-language weekly magazine on business and investments.
La Stampa, the third largest newspaper in Italy, is available in full text.
While the language is Italian, indexing by subject and type is provided in
English as well.

Tradstat (on KR Data-Star/KR Dialog) has import and export trade statistics
on all major European countries collected by European national statistical
agencies and international bodies.

KR Data-Star is strong on information of Europe:

  European Community: Tenders Electronic Daily, a database of European
  Community contract offers. Its Textline is an excellent source of
  information about European companies. CELEX (European Community Law).
  European Chemical News. Dun & Bradstreet European Marketing File.
  DRT European Business Reports. Business Opportunities in Europe. ABC
  EUROPE: European Export Industry. Euromonitor Market Reports. Euromonitor
  Market Direction. Spicers Centre for Europe - European Community Law.
  Spearhead - UK Analysis of EC Law.

  Austria: Creditreform -  Austrian Companies. Hoppenstedt - Austria.
  KREDITSCHUTZVERBAND - Austrian Companies.

  Benelux: the Belgian newspaper De Financieel Ekonomische Tijd (in
  Flemish), INFOTRADE - Belgian Company Financial Data, Hoppenstedt -
  Benelux.

  France: The FRFF/FREFF files hold balance sheets of over 335,000 French
  companies (1994). Telefirm - French Companies Register. French Companies
  - Full Financial Data. Firmimport/Firmexport - French Importers/Exporters.
  Le Monde. SCRL French Companies Financial Profiles.

  Germany: German Business & Industry Directory, German Business
  Opportunities, Aerzte Zeitung Online, BDI German Industry, Biotechnology
  Information. Creditreform - German Companies. German Buyers' Guide.
  EcoRegister - German Company Registrations. EcoNovo - German Companies in
  Bundesanzeiger. German Business Statistics. German Company Financial
  Data. FINF-TEXT - German Company News. Hoppenstedt - Germany.
  ManagementInfo Wirtschaft. Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Wer Gehoert zu Wem - Who
  Belongs to Whom. Who Supplies What? (Germany & Austria). ZVEI
  Electro/Electronics Buyers' Guide.

  Italy: Il Sole 24 Ore, L'Impresa, and Il Mundo Economica in Italian.
  Italian Company Profiles - Financial. MAST - Market Structure and Trends
  in Italy. Sistema Ditte Operanti con l'Estero. La Stampa.

  Switzerland: In its Swiss News Agency wire service, you have a choice of
  French or German. Credit Suisse Information on the Swiss economy. Swiss
  Educational Documentation. Neue Zuercher Zeitung. Serials in Swiss
  Libraries. Swiss Newswire. Societe Generale de Banque - Banking.
  Schweizer Handelszeitung. ELSA Swiss Sportwire. Dun & Bradstreet Swiss
  Companies Dun & Bradstreet. Swiss Companies Full Financial Data.

  Scandinavia: Trademarks and applications for Denmark, Norway, Sweden and
  Finland.

  United Kingdom: Key British Enterprises Financial Performance. ICC Full-
  text UK Company Reports ICC Directory of UK Companies ICC UK Financial
  Datasheets. JordanWatch - UK Companies. Pharm-line - UK Pharmacy. British
  Trademarks. UK Importers.

For economics, check out the gopher at netec.mcc.ac.uk. Select Economics
to get access to BibEc (bibliography of working research papers), and WoPEc
(a collection of working papers).

On Dow Jones News/Retrieval, you can search full text articles from Wall
Street Journal Europe, Agence France-Presse, the Paris-based International
Herald Tribune, the Guardian, and others from the United Kingdom.

Country reports, Financial Focus, Political focus, and International
Economic Outlook from the Union Bank of Switzerland, and more can be found
in the Quest Economics Database (QED) on KR Data-Star, FT PROFILE, and
Genios.

Investext offers a series of bulletins authored by Europe Information
Service (EIS): European Report (biweekly), Tech Report (Monthly), Transport
Europe (monthly), Europe Environment (bimonthly), European Energy
(bimonthly), European Social Policy (monthly), and Multinational Service
(monthly).

Investext is available through KR Data-Star, Lexis/Nexis, KR Dialog, Dow
Jones News/Retrieval, NewsNet, and others. It has compiled more than
500,000 analyses of 21,000 companies in 54 industries, developed by nearly
300 of the world's leading brokerage houses, investment banks, and
consulting firms.

The German Company Library (on CompuServe) offers information about some
48,000 German companies from databases like Credit Reform and Hoppenstedt's
Directory of German Companies. Its European Company Library contains
information about over two million companies in the area.

LEXIS/NEXIS brings news and background information about companies and the
different countries in Europe. Their Worldwide Companies database contains
company profiles, balance sheets, income statements, and other financial
data on the largest companies in 40 countries.

Nexis also has Hoppenstedt German Trade Associations directory, four more
newsletters from the Europe Information Service: Europe Energy, Europe
Environment, Transport Europe and European Insight, a weekly brief on
European Community-related happenings.

GBI offers more than 100 databases and two million documents on companies,
markets and business literature (1994).

LEXIS/NEXIS has databases with information about English and French law,
and other law material from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland and
North America.

Their Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory has information on over 700,000
lawyers and law firms worldwide. The directory can be used for referrals,
selection of associate counsel, and evaluation of competitive counsel.

Check out KOMPASS EUROPE when planning exports to the EEC. Its database
contains details about companies in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, United
Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Norway. (On
KR Dialog) Try GENIOS for more on Germany.

ILINK has the EEC-I conference (Discussion about the European Common
Market). Profile offers full-text searches (and a clipping service) in
stories from Financial Times. The database is being updated daily at 00:01.

Those exporting to the EEC need to master German, French, Italian, and
Spanish besides having a working knowledge of English.

Conversation is the easy part. The problem is writing, and especially when
the task is to translate technical expressions to the languages used within
the Common Market.

For help, check out ECHO's Eurodicautom online dictionary. It translates
official and technical words or abbreviations from one of the European
languages into several target languages. You can choose between English,
French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, and Portuguese.

Try the Web address:

    http://www.uni-frankfurt.de/~felix/eurodictautom.html

for an experimental gateway with the option of telnet to the real thing
(echo.lu).

Start by selecting a source language for simultaneous translation. The
translation is word-for-word, but may be put in the correct context if
required.

The European Commission's CORDIS database (Community Research and
Development Information Service is on the URL http://www.echo.lu/.

CORDIS contains all Community information related to Research and
Technological Development programmes: the European Strategic Programme for
Research and Development in Information Technology, Advanced Communications
Technologies and Services, Telematic Systems, Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises Action Programme, Commercial Electronic Data Interchange,
Statistical Information Framework Programme, Information Market Policy
Actions, Libraries, Advanced Informatics in Medicine, Research and
development in Advanced Communications technologies in Europe, European
Technologies Network, and more.

CONCISE (COsine Network's Central Information Service for Europe) is a pan-
European information service to the COSINE scientific and industrial
research community. COSINE (Cooperation for Open Systems Interconnection
Networking in Europe) is part of the European Common Market's Eureka
project.

CONCISE brings information about the COSINE project, networks, conferences,
networking products, special interest groups, projects databases,
directories, email services and other networked services in Europe. It is
intended for researchers in all fields, from astronomers through linguists
and market researchers to zoologists.

CONCISE is accessible by email through the Internet, by FTP, and
interactively (telnet) over the European academic and research networks,
over public data networks and over telephone links. (See ECHO in appendix 1
for more information.)

The EC's DANTE project is on URL: http://www.dante.net/.

The WISE Information Board on R&D Activities in the European Union
(http://www.igd.fhg.de/wise/) is is searchable through ICE's Web server
(http://icib.igd.fhg.de/~neuss/w4-main.html).

The mailing list [e-mail] is dedicated to discussion of the
European Community, and is open to all interested persons. Subscribe by
email to a LISTSERV close to where you live, or to [e-mail].

Business Database Plus has Agra Europe, Belgium: Economic and Commercial
Information, British Plastics & Rubber, British Telecom World, The
Economist, Erdol und Kohle, Erdgas, Petrochemie: Hydrocarbon Technology,
EuroBusiness, Euromoney, Europe 2000, European Cosmetic Markets, European
Rubber Journal, Report on the Austrian Economy, Royal Bank of Scotland
Review, swissBusiness.

Data from the Vienna Stock market (Austria) is available by telnet to
fiivs01.tu-graz.ac.at (login as "BOURSE"). The language is German.

The International Trade Forum on CompuServe has a European Community
section. CompuServe also has the Associated Press France en Ligne wire
service.

Globalbase has Nouvel Economiste among its many offerings. Questel offers
access to 250,000 logos and images of French trademarks (1993), and
patent information from several European countries. Their Web URL is:

   http://www.questel.orbit.com/patents/

KR Dialog, Orbit, and STN are also great sources for patents data.

Users of cc:Mail throughout Europe can receive business news from First!
for cc:Mail (tel: [phone]) directly into their mail system. The
service scans some 12,000 stories daily before automatically providing
customers with those relevant to their needs. Agence Presse France is among
the sources.

For more sources on Europe, gopher gopher.sunet.se . Select "#Information
about gopher/," and get directly connected to Austria, Belgium, France,
Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain,
Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Scandinavia
-----------
Before meeting with people from Norsk Hydro, go online to get recent news
about the company (Chapter 9). It will only take a couple of minutes. What
you find may be important for the success of your meeting.

If you know the names of your most important competitors, use their names
as keywords for information about recent contracts, joint venture
agreements, products (and their features), and other important information.

KOMPASS ONLINE offers information about over 180,000 companies and 34,000
products in Scandinavia, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, and Great Britain.
The information is presented in the local language of the different
countries.

KOMPASS is used by easy menus. You can search by

    * company name
    * product or service (optionally using an industry
      classification code for companies or products)
    * number of employees, type of business, postal number,
      telephone area code, export area, year of incorporation,
      bank affiliation.

The database is available through Affaersdata (Sweden). New users pay a one
time fee of around US$85. Searching costs around US$3.00 per minute.

Affaersdata in Sweden also offers the Swedish-language service "Export-
Nytt," which brings short news stories about export/import from all over
the world. Information providers are the Swedish Export Council, the
Norwegian Export Council, and the Suomen Ulkomaankauppaliitto in Finland.

The TYR database on the Finnish service VIEXPO (tel.: [phone])
offers information about 2,500 companies in the Vaasa and Oulu regions with
addresses, phone numbers, contact persons, main products, revenues, and SIC
industry classification codes.

CompuServe's International Trade Forum has the NonEEC Europe & CIS section.
Business Database Plus has The Finnish Trade Review.

For more on Scandinavia, gopher gopher.sunet.se . Select "#Information
about gopher/," and browse the entries for Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Norway, and Sweden.

North America
-------------
There are so many sources focusing on North America, and we have already
mentioned several. This section is therefore kept intentionally short.

NewsNet has a wealth of information, including noted publications such as
Standard & Poor's Daily News, Business Week and Knight-Ridder/Tribune
Business News.

Usenet has

  clari.canada.biz        Canadian Business Summaries.
  clari.world.americas.canada.business
  misc.invest.canada      Investing in Canadian financial markets.

  clari.biz.market.amex   American Stock Exchange reports & news.

As of February 1994, there were more than 100 selections in the listing of
publicly accessible  U.S. Government Gophers and U.S. Government supported
or related gophers. Gopher to peg.cwis.uci.edu port 7000 , and select peg /
gophers/ gov.

The White House is at http://www.whitehouse.gov, the subject index of on-
line government information at http://www.fedworld.gov/#usgovt, and The
Government Information Locator Service at
    http://info.er.usgs.gov/gils/index.html

The National Technical Information Service provides access to more than 100
U.S. Government operated bulletin boards and online systems:

    http://www.fedworld.gov

The EDS Shadow Patent Office's email patent search service is on
[e-mail]. Send the word "help" in the body of your text for
instructions. SPO is also on http://www.spo.eds.com/patent.html

Free listings of patents are available from [e-mail] .

Statistics Canada is the country's national statistical agency. Its Gopher
is at talon.statcan.ca port=70  (142.206.64.2). Kompass Canada is also an
interesting source.

The [e-mail] mailing list is for commercial real
estate professionals involved in sales, acquisitions, management and
development of commercial property.  Receive and send property for sale,
ask/answer questions, send Press Releases, receive editorial material and
do general "networking." To subscribe, send email and your Internet address
to [e-mail] .

Information on NAFTA is available from numerous sites, including gopher
wiretap.spies.com (under North American Free Trade Agreement).

For more sources on North America, gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select
Information about Gopher / Other gophers and Information Servers / North
America.

xUSSR
-----
Glasnost in the former Soviet Union produced a long list of new online
information sources, including:

    The Soviet Press Digest (stories from over 100 newspapers),
    The BizEkon Reports (financial news from 150 business and
        financial magazines),
    SovLegisLine (law),
    BizEdon Directory (detailed information about over 2,500
        companies that want to do business with foreign companies),
    Who's Who in the Soviet Union and
    The Soviet Public Association Directory.

Some of these may have changed their names now. Contact LEXIS/NEXIS, KR
Data-Star, FT Profile and Reuters for more information.

DJNR offers full text from BizEkon News, and others. Through DATATIMES, you
can research  English-language versions of The Budapest Sun and the Prague
Post.

E-EUROPE is an electronic communications network for doing business in
Eastern Europe countries, including CIS. Its purpose is to help these
countries in their transition to market economies. It links business
persons in Western Europe-Asia-North America with those in Eastern Europe.

Subscription is free and for anyone. To subscribe to E-EUROPE, send email
[e-mail] (or a LISTSERV closer to you) with the body the
message containing this line

    SUB E-EUROPE YourFirstName YourLastName

E-EUROPE has a service offering distribution of faxes by anonymous ftp. It
also offers International Marketing Insights (IMI) for several countries in
this region, including Russia, Hungary, Czech, Germany, Estonia, Poland,
Bulgaria, and Lithuania.

The IMI reports important developments that have implications for traders
and investors. Typically brief and to-the-point, they are prepared by
American Embassies and Consulates.

The reports cover a wide range of subjects, such as new laws, policies and
procedures, new trade regulations, changing dynamics in the marketplace,
recent statements by influential parties and emerging trade opportunities.

For a list of E-EUROPE IMI offerings, send the following commands to
[e-mail]:

    GET E-EUROPE IMI

IMI update notices are not posted to E-EUROPE, but you can subscribe to
updates to these files.

Telnet to ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu  and login as ex-ussr to access a database
of xUSSR-related files.

There is a Russia-American World Wide Web Server at the URL locator:
http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/friends/home.html . If you do not have a WWW
browser, telnet to solar.rtd.utk.edu . At the login: prompt, enter friends.
Send a subscription request to [e-mail] to join a related
moderated mailing list called FRIENDS.

The EKONOMIKA mailing list on [e-mail] is about Czech economy.
The language is primarily Czech, but English is accepted too.

The Financial Izvestia weekly, the joint publication of London Financial
Times and Moscow-based Izvestia, is available by email. The complete feed
includes the full text of all articles published in the Russian language
newspaper, and financial and statistical tables on the commodities and
financial markets. Write Legpromsyrie at [e-mail] for
information.

NewsNet has the following newsletters:

   Baltic Business Report
   Czech Republic Business & Investment News
   East Europe Intelligence Report
   East Europe & Former Soviet Telecom Report
   East European Business Law
   East European Energy Report
   East European Insurance
   East European Markets
   Eastern European Energy Report
   Eastern Europe Finance
   Federal News Service Kremlin Transcripts
   Finance East Europe
   Poland Business Report
   PRS Forecasts: Eastern Europe
   Russia Express Executive Briefing
   Russia Express Contracts
   Russia/CIS Intelligence Report

Business Database Plus has Soviet Aerospace & Technology. KR Data-Star has
the Baltic News Service.

CompuServe's International Trade Forum has a NonEEC Europe & CIS message
section.

For more information on this area, gopher gopher.sunet.se . Select
"#Information about gopher/," and browse the entries for Croatia, Czech
Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Also, gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu . Select Information about Gopher /
Other gophers and Information Servers / Russia .

How to monitor your competitors
-------------------------------
Sales managers need to know what competitors are doing. Lacking this
knowledge, it is risky to maneuver in the market.

Start by making a strategy for online market intelligence. Here are some
practical hints:

(1) Select online services that offer clipping of stories and
    information based on your search words or phrases. Examples:
    NewsFlash on NewsNet, //TRACK on Dow Jones News/Retrieval, The
    Executive News Service on CompuServe. Use these services for
    automatic monitoring of stock quotes and business news.

(2) Read what investment analysts and advisors write about your
    competitors. Most markets are well covered by databases and
    other sources of information.

(3) Read what competitors write about themselves. Their press
    releases are available from online databases in several
    countries.

(4) Compare your competitors with your own company and industry.
    Items: stock prices, profits, revenue, etc.

(5) Regularly monitor companies and their particular products.

(6) Watch trend reports about your industry. Search for patterns and
    possible niches.

(7) Save what you find on your hard disk for future references.

Can you get everything through the online media? Of course not!

Do not expect to find production data, production formulas, detailed
outlines of a company's pension plan, or the number of personal computers
in a company. Such information rarely finds its way to public databases.

Intelligence by fax
-------------------
Financial Times' Profile has Fax Alert. Predefine your interests using
search words. Stories will be cut and sent to your personal fax number
whenever they appear. Price depends on the number of characters
transmitted.

Other online services offer similar services.

The Bulletin Board as a sales tool
----------------------------------
Many companies - large and small - use bulletin board systems as a
marketing instrument. Here is an example:

The San Francisco-based Compact Disk Exchange (Tel.: [phone])
offers a database of used CD records. Members can call in to buy at very
low prices. They can sell old CDs through the board or buy from other
members. (1992)

Many companies set up bulletin board systems to provide technical support
to customers. McAfee Associates, Inc. in California is one example. They
offer technical information, help, upgrade software, list of agents,
technical bulletins with lists of products, and new products through
agents' support BBSes all over the world. For example, when in Port of
Spain, Trinidad & Tobago call the Opus Networx BBS at [phone].

Setting up a professional BBS is not very expensive. You can easily have 32
people online to the same conference simultaneously on a standard 80386-
based PC, running Xenix and Caucus conferencing software. This is what the
Washington Information Service Corp. in U.S.A. did. There is an abundance
of software to choose from.

To keep in touch with customers all over the world, Microsoft, Toshiba,
Quarterdeck, Digital Research, Tandy, Novell and hundreds of others rent
public support forum space on CompuServe. Others run their own BBSes or
rent space on regional bulletin boards.

Microsoft's Knowledge base, a database collection of case-study examples,
tips, updates and related articles about Microsoft products, is available
on the Web as http://www.microsoft.com/ , and by gopher to
gopher.microsoft.com .

Marketing and sales by modem
----------------------------
The Americans have a gift for this. You meet them in online forums all over
the world, in person or through agents, and especially in computer oriented
conferences and clubs.

Their main strategy is reference selling. Make key customers happy, and
make sure they tell others.

In Chapter 5, I told you what happened when a member wrote about his
upgrade to a 425 megabytes hard disk in CompuServe's Toshiba forum. It made
me place my order with his preferred seller.

One common sales strategy is to be constantly present in relevant
conferences, and spend a generous amount of time helping others. This takes
time. By proving competence and willingness to help, you build a positive
personal profile. This profile is the key to business, information about
competitors and other benefits.

To drop quickly into a conference to post an "advertisement," is a waste of
time. The message may be read by some, but chances are that you will be
criticized (in public) for having "polluted their environment" with a
commercial message. On the Internet, it is considered inappropriate to send
out unsolicited information.

Besides, the volume of information in the best conferences for your
marketing effort is probably too great to make traditional advertisements
worthwhile.

When you send out commercial information, preface it with a concise summary,
which can be followed-up with more detail if requested. Also, make sure that
the information provided is of significant value.

One interesting source for further information is the INET-MARKETING
mailing list on [e-mail]. A hypertext searchable archive of
earlier posts is available on the Web at URL:

   URL http://galaxy.einet.net/hypermail/inet-marketing/

You can also get them on ftp://ftp.einet.net/pub/INET-MARKETING/.

Where to send press releases in a global economy? Subscribe to the media
list service to get updates to those sacred email addresses . Send email to
[e-mail] containing the text "subscribe medialist".

International trade
-------------------
Check out the International Trade Forum on CompuServe. Message areas and
libraries are divided into geographical parts of the world, as well as
topic of general interest. Separate message sections are set up for traders
to network and make contacts that may lead to deals.

The International Trade Network is on the IntlTrade mailing list. It is for
advertisements of exports, imports, services, and direct investments. Trade
advertisements may be posted gratis by anyone, and are relayed worldwide by
email to subscribers in a daily digest. For information, send email to
[e-mail] with the following in the body of the text (leave
the subject blank):

     INFO INTLTRADE

Management
----------
The Management Archive is a free electronic forum for business management
ideas and information of all kinds. Complete details are available by e-
mail message to "[e-mail]," with "Subject: archive"
and a one-line message: GET MA-INFO

Electronic mail
---------------
Here is a list of other useful applications of electronic mail:

    * to quickly distribute lists of important prospects to your
      sales force,
    * to avoid lengthy telephone conversations,
    * to receive order information faster and more efficiently than
      by traditional mail or fax (and from a larger geographical area),
    * to distribute quickly reports and memos to key people all
      over the world,
    * to send new prices and product announcements to customers,
    * to exchange spread sheets and analyses between users of
      personal computers.

If this isn't enough, ask for information from the International Business
Network at [e-mail] (70724,311 on CompuServe).



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PART 3: WORKING SMARTER

In some countries, the costs of communication are outrageously high, in
others almost free. In some places, it is rare to experience noise on the
telephone line, while it may be almost impossible even to connect at 2400
bits/s in other countries.

Whatever your local situation, I hope that you will benefit from the hints
given in this part of the book.

Chapter 12: Practical tips
==========================

- Quick transfers with a minimum of errors
- Rescuing lost files
- Copyright and other legal matters
- Unwritten laws about personal conduct
- Privacy
- Fax services weigh less than your printer
- File transfers through the Internet
- Getting off that mailing list
- Using email gateways to Internet resources

Speed and safety
----------------
Read about MNP, ITU-TSS V.42, and V.42bis in appendix 2. These are popular
methods for automatic error correction and compression of data. Compression
gives faster transfers of data.

To use them, your modem must have these features built-in. They must also
be enabled in the modem of the service that you are calling.

Compression is particularly helpful when sending or receiving text, for
example news stories and messages in conferences. They ensure faster
transfers.

They are not of much help when transferring precompressed texts and
programs. They may even make file transfers with protocols like ZMODEM,
Kermit, and XMODEM impossible. If this happens, temporarily turn off the
MNP and V.24/V42bis settings in your modem (more about this in appendix 2).

Some online services let users retrieve conference messages using a special
get or grab function. This function often comes in two versions:

    * Grab to display: New messages and conference items are received in an
uninterrupted stream without stops between items. Retrieval of text can
happen at maximum speed.

    * Grab to compressed file: New messages and conference items are
selected, automatically compressed and stored in a file. This file is then
transferred using ZMODEM or similar protocols.

Some services offer unattended online work with a variation of the "get
compressed file" method. Read about 'offline readers' in chapter 16 for
more about this.

The more advanced your software is, the more time it will take to learn how
to use it. The rewards are lower telephone costs, faster transfers, and
less time spent doing technical online work.

Recommended.

Different needs, different solutions
------------------------------------
Frank Burns of the American online service MetaNet is spokesperson for the
strategy SCAN - FOCUS - ACT.

On your first visits to a new online service, you SCAN to get an overview
of what is being offered and find out how to use it most efficiently. Notes
are made of interesting bulletins, databases, conferences, messages, news
services, public domain and shareware programs, games, and more.

Capture all of it to disk. Don't study it until disconnected from the
service. Evaluate the material to prepare for your next moves: FOCUS and
ACT.

As you learn about offerings, users and applications, your use of the
service changes. What was interesting on your first visits, lose to new
discoveries. Some applications may stay as 'regular online functions', like
when you decide to read a given news report each Monday morning.

Here are some other hints:

    * Find out what you do NOT have to know and have enough self-
confidence immediately to discard irrelevant material. Walk quickly through
the information. Select what you need now, store other interesting items on
your hard disk, clip references, and drop the remainder of your capture
file.

    * Learn when and how to use people, computers, libraries and other
resources. Prepare well before going online. Note that the online resource
may not necessarily be the quickest way to the goal. If you want the name
of Michael Jackson's latest album, you may get a faster answer by calling a
local music shop. . . .

    * Make an outline of how to search the service before going online. If
required, start by going online to collect help menus and lists of search
commands (unless you already have the printed user information manual).
Study the instructions carefully, plan your visit, and then call back.

Often, it may be useful to do trial searches in online data, which you have
previously captured to your hard disk. Do this to check if your use of
search words is sensible.

Who knows, you may even have what you are searching for right there.
Besides, it is imperative that you use the correct search terms to find
what you are looking for.

Write your search strategy on a piece of paper. If you know how to write
macros for your communications program, consider writing some for your
planned search commands. - Few people can type 240 characters per second.
Using macros may save you time, frustration and money.

    * It may be wise to do your search in two steps. On your first visit:
Get a LIST of selected headlines or references, and then log off the
service.

Study your finds, and plan the next step. Then call back to get full-text
of the most promising stories.

This strategy is often better than just 'hanging online' while thinking.
When you feel the pressure of the taximeter, it is easy to make costly
mistakes.

    * Novices should always go the easiest way. Don't be shy. Ask SOS
Assistance services for help, if available. Invest in special communication
programs with built in automatic online searching features. They are
designed to make your work easier.

    * Limit your search and avoid general and broad search terms. It is
often wise to start with a search word that is so 'narrow' that it is
unlikely to find articles outside your area of interest. Your goal is not
to find many stories. You want the right ones.

    | You should periodically go back to the SCAN phase, and not |
    | concentrate on FOCUS and ACT alone.                        |

When everything fails
---------------------
Data communications is simple - when you master it. Occasionally, however,
you WILL lose data. You may even experience the worst of all: losing unread
private email on your hard disk.

A while ago, this happened to a friend. She logged on to her mailbox
service using the communications program Procomm.

After capturing all her mail, she tried to send a message. For some reason,
the computer just froze. It was impossible to close the capture file. She
had to switch the power OFF/ON to continue. All retrieved mail was
obviously lost.

The other day, I had a similar experience. After having written a long and
difficult letter, something went wrong. The outfile was inexplicably
closed. The resulting file size was 0 bytes.

Both problems were solved by the MS-DOS program CHKDSK run with the /F
option. If you ever get this problem, and have an MS-DOS computer, try it.
It may save your day.

Copyright notices and legal stuff
---------------------------------
Most commercial online services protect their offerings with copyright
notices. This is especially so for database information and news.

Some vendors make you accept in writing not to store captured data on a
local media (like diskettes or hard disks). Others (like Prodigy in the
U.S.) force clients to use communication software that makes it impossible
to store incoming data to disk.

The reason is simple. Information providers want to protect their income.

In most countries, you can quote from what others have written. You can cut
pieces out of a whole and use in your own writing. What you cannot do,
however, is copy news raw to resell to others. If an online service
discovers you doing that, expect a law suit.

Read copyright notices to learn about the limitations on your usage of data
that you receive.

Unwritten laws about personal conduct
-------------------------------------
Some services let their users be anonymous. This is the case on many chat
services. If you want to pose as Donald Duck or Jack the Ripper, just do
that.

Many free BBS systems let you register for full access to the service
during your first visit. It is possible to use any name. Don't do that. Use
your true name, unless asked to do otherwise. It's impolite and
unrespectful of the other members to participate in online discussions
using a false identity.

Being helpful is an important aspect of the online world. The people you
meet 'there' use of their time to help you and others. Often free. The
atmosphere is one of gratitude, and a positive attitude toward all members.

If you use rude words in public, expect your mailbox to fill with angry
messages from others. Those who respond carefully to personal attacks, will
never regret it. Don't say things online that you would not have said in
person.

REMEMBER: Words written in a moment of anger or frustration may be stored
on at least one hard disk. Your 'sins' may stay there for a long time - to
resurface when you least want it to.

Here are some guidelines (often called 'online netiquette'):

    * If mail to a person doesn't make it through, avoid posting
      the message to a conference. Keep private messages private.

    * It is considered extremely bad taste to post private mail
      from someone else on public conferences, unless they give
      you explicit permission to redistribute it.

    * Many users end their messages with some lines about how
      to get in touch with them  (their email address, phone
      number, address, etc.). Limit your personal "signature"
      to maximum four lines.

      Hint: Do not include a signature when sending commands
      to TRICKLE, or other email based services. It can confuse
      the servers.

    * Do not send test messages to a public conference, unless
      they are set up to serve this purpose.

    * If someone requests that readers reply by private email,
      do that. Do not send to the conference, where the request
      appeared.

    * When replying to a message in a public conference, many
      users 'quote' the original message prefixed by '>' or
      another special character, as in

         You wrote:
         >I strongly believe it was wrong to attack
         >Fidel Castro in this way!

     When you quote another person, edit out whatever isn't
     directly applicable to your reply. By including the entire
     message, you'll only annoy those reading it.

   * Note that if you USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, people will
     think you are shouting.

For more on "netiquette," join the mailing list of the same name. In the
owner's own word, it is

   devoted to network etiquette, the informal set of rules, civilities, and
   social graces that have evolved in cyberspace, the do's and don'ts of
   online behavior. What are the rules? How have they evolved? How can
   responsible net.citizens avoid breaches of Netiquette? How should we
   respond to the breaches of others? Is flaming an art and if so, how can
   it be mastered? What's being said about Netiquette on the net and in the
   media?

To subscribe, send email to [e-mail] with the
following command in the subject field:

   subscribe Firstname Lastname

For a copy of the "Core Rules of Netiquette" document, send an email to the
same address with the following text in the subject field:

    archive send core

Finally, smile with me about the following story: According to Time
magazine (7/19/93, p. 58), three women who corresponded with Mr. X over the
network discovered his duplicity and went public on the network. The
incident sparked a lively debate over electronic etiquette (and ruined Mr.
Casanova's chances for further romance).

Fax services weigh less than your computer's printer
----------------------------------------------------
Many online services let you send electronic mail as fax messages. This is
an interesting feature when in that far away place without a printer. Send
the draft contract or other texts to your hotel's fax machine or to your
client's office to get a printout on paper.

Privacy
-------
The level of online privacy differs by network, service, and application.
Whatever these services may claim, always expect that someone, somewhere,
can watch, even record.

All mailbox services have at least one person authorized to access your
personal mail box in case of an emergency. Most of the time they not have a
right to read it without your permission, but they can.

In some countries, mailbox services may let outsiders (like the police)
routinely read your private email to check for 'illegal' contents. In this
respect, email is not safer than ordinary mail.

The good news is that most 'inspectors' and 'sysops' are good, honest
people. On the other hand, it is useful to know your situation.

It is not safe to send sensitive information (like credit card details) by
private electronic mail. True, the probability that an outsider should get
hold of and take advantage of such information is small, but it definitely
is not 100 percent safe.

    Encrypt your email to protect sensitive information. Encryption
    also establishes the identity of the sender of a message, a most
    useful attribute when financial transactions are involved.

Always assume that someone is recording all that is being said in online
conferences, chats, and other interactive social gatherings. In chats,
anyone using a personal computer as a terminal can log the conversation, or
use screen dump just to capture 'interesting parts'.

Many PC users can scroll back the screen. They can wait and decide whether
to save the conversation in a file until after the conversation has taken
place. With these capabilities widely available, users of chats and talk
should always assume that their conversations are being recorded.

Do not say indiscreet things in small, informal discussions. It  may be
recorded and reposted under embarrassing circumstances.

The program PGP has become the de facto international Internet standard for
public key encryption.

For more on privacy, check out [e-mail]. The files RFC 1113
through 1115 are about 'Privacy enhancements for Internet electronic mail'
(see appendix 6 for how to get them).

Usenet has alt.privacy (Privacy issues in cyberspace), alt.security.pgp,
and comp.society.privacy (Effects of technology on privacy). ILINK has the
ENCRYPT conference.

The mailing list [e-mail] is about RSA public-key cryptography
for use in Internet Privacy-Enhanced Mail (PEM). (Write to rsaref-users-
[e-mail])

File transfers through the Internet
-----------------------------------
The Internet is a term used of a network interconnecting hundreds of
thousands of computer centers around the world. These centers use different
types of hardware and software, and different methods of file transfer.

What method to use for file transfers depends on the source host and the
type of mailbox computer that you are using. The transfer usually takes
place in two steps:

    1. Transferring files from a remote data center to your local
       mailbox host.

    2. Transfer from your local mailbox host to your personal
       computer.

Transfer to your local mailbox host
-----------------------------------
We will explain the most commonly used method for those who only have access
to file transfer by email. This method can be used by everybody.

Transferring plain text files is easy. Files with imbedded word processor
control codes will often have to be treated as binary files. More about
this later.

To transfer a text to another user, just send it as an ordinary electronic
message.

Getting text files from a library on a remote computer is a special case.
Often, they can be had by sending a retrieval command (like GET) by email
to the remote center. After a while, the file will be sent to your mailbox
by email. You can read it like you read other mail.

Example: The file MSDOS1 can be retrieved from the KIDART directory on a
computer center in North Dakota, U.S.A. It explains how to retrieve binary
art files from the KIDLINK project's file libraries.

To get the file, send a message to the center's mail forwarding 'agent' at
[e-mail]. Use the following command syntax in your text:

    GET <directory name> <file name>

To get the MSDOS1 file, write the following command in the TEXT of your
message:

    GET KIDART MSDOS1

Note that the command has to be put in the body of the mail and not in the
subject field. The file will arrive in your mailbox after a while.

Also, note that lists of available files are usually available by using an
"INDEX <directory name>" command. To get a list of files in the KIDART
directory, add the command "INDEX KIDART" in your message above.

Non-LISTSERV libraries may use other retrieval commands. Often, you can get
information of what commands to use by sending the word HELP to a mailing
service (in the Subject area or in the body of the text).

Transferring binary files
-------------------------
The easiest way of transferring binary files across the Internet is by
using a World Wide Web browser like Netscape, Mosaic or others. You just
give the program a file location address (URL), like

    ftp://ftp.eunet.no/pub/text/online.txt.Z

This address will give you the most current version of this book in Unix
Z compress format. (Remove the trailing ".Z" to retrieve the ascii text
version.)

Users with a direct connection to the Internet usually also have access to
the FTP command (File Transfer Protocol). If they do, they often prefer FTP
for transfers of binary files like computer programs, pictures, sound, and
compressed text files.

The bad news is that the FTP command is not available to all users of
Internet mail. These must use "FTP by mail," or other tricks to transfer
files. More about this in a moment.

The FTP command gives access to a special file transfer service. It works
in the following way:

    1. Logon to your local email host and enter 'FTP remote-center-code'.
Example: 'ftp 134.129.111.1'.

This command will connect you to the center in North Dakota mentioned
above. Here, you will be prompted for user name and password. Enter
'anonymous' as user name, and use your real name or email address as
password.

This way of logging on to retrieve files is called "transfers by anonymous
ftp." You can use this method on many hosts on the Internet.

    2. When connected to the remote center, you can request transfer of the
desired file to your mailbox. Before doing that, you may have to navigate
to a given file catalog (cd directory), and tell the host that the transfer
is to be binary (bin). Finally, initiate the transfer by entering a "GET
file name" command.

    3. The file will be transferred to your local mailbox computer at high
speed. When the transfer is done, you logoff from the remote center to "get
back" to your mailbox computer's prompt line.

Now, you can transfer the file to your personal computer using
communications protocols like Kermit, XMODEM, ZMODEM or whatever else is
available.

Binary files transferred as text codes
--------------------------------------
If you do not have access to FTP, you must use ordinary email for your
binary transfers.

Usually, email through the Internet can only contain legal character codes
(ASCII characters between number 32 - 126). Most systems cannot transfer
graphics or program files directly, since these files normally contain
binary codes (which are outside this ASCII character range).

The solution is to convert binary files to text codes using a utility
program called UUENCODE. The encoded file can be sent by ordinary email, as
in this example:


  From [e-mail] Fri Aug 16 16:32:37 1991
  Date:     Fri, 16 Aug 1991 09:31:34 CDT
  To: [e-mail]
  Subject:  Part 1/1 SIMTEL20.INF PD:<MSDOS.STARTER>

  The file PD:<MSDOS.STARTER>SIMTEL20.INF  has been uuencoded before
  being sent. After combining the 1 parts with the mail headers
  removed, you must run the file through a decode program.
  ------------ Part 1 of 1 ------------
  begin 600 SIMTEL20.INF
  M6T9I;&4Z(%-)351%3#(P+DE.1B`@("`@("`@("`@("`@("`@("!,87-T(')E
  M=FES960Z($IU;F4@,C@L(#$Y.3%=#0H-"B`@(%M.;W1E.B!$=64@=&\@9&ES
  M:6P-"AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:
  M&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:
  6&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&@(Z
  `
  end
  -------- End of part 1 of 1 ---------

When you receive a message with uuencoded text, download it to your
personal computer's hard disk. Use an editor to cut out the codes and paste
them to an empty work file. Using the example above, the first line in your
work file should contain:

  begin 600 SIMTEL20.INF

The last line should contain
  end

Now, use a utility program called UUDECODE to convert the file back to its
binary form (or whatever).

More information about uuencoding and uudecoding is given in the MSDOS1
file mentioned above (for MS-DOS computers). It has a detailed explanation,
BASIC source code for making the program UUDECODE.COM, and a DEBUG script
for those preferring that.

Versions of UUDECODE are also available for other types of computers.

Transfer of pictures
--------------------
Denis Pchelkin in Protvino (Russia) is 11 years old, has two cats and one
dog, and has contributed beautiful computer graphics art to the KIDLINK
project (1992).

The file ART019 in the KIDART catalog of the North Dakota center contains
one of his creations. It is a UUENCODEd picture in GIF graphics format.

You can retrieve Denis' creation by sending a GET command to
[e-mail] . Put the following command in the TEXT of your
message:

    GET KIDART ART019

The LISTSERVer will return a message filled with strange uu-codes. We
assume that you have already retrieved the MSDOS1 file, and that you have a
version of the conversion program. Your next step is uudecoding:

Read the message into an editor or a viewing program. Cut and paste the
codes to a work file. Keep the original as backup. Use the UUDECODE.COM
program to convert ART019 into a GIF formatted file.

Now, view the picture with your favorite graphics program. (You can also
use shareware GIF-viewers like PICEM, VUIMG, and VPIC for MS-DOS computers.
These programs are available from CompuServe's IBM forums and other
services.)

Sending binary files in uuencoded form has weaknesses. One is the lack of
automatic error correction when sending/receiving e-mail. Noise on the line
can easily distort the picture.

File size is another problem. UUENCODEing typically increases file sizes by
almost one third. Some mailbox systems restrict the length of individual
messages that you can receive, and the file may just be too big.

If the uuencoded file gets too big, some services can (or will by default)
split it up in parts and then sent separately.

Tons of uuencoded public domain and shareware programs are available for
retrieval by ordinary email.

FTP by email
-------------
While some services accept commands like GET KIDART ART019 by email, this
is not so with the many so-called FTP libraries. Many of them can only be
accessed by FTP.

Services exist that will do FTP transfers by email for those not having
access to the FTP command. The most popular is at DEC Corporate Research in
the U.S.

For more information, write a message to one of these addresses:

    [e-mail]                  (U.S.A.)
         ...!decwrl!ftpmail                 (for UUCP sites)
    [e-mail]
    BITFTP@PUCC                             (BITNET only)
    [e-mail]                   (Australia)
    [e-mail]              (European users only)
    [e-mail], or [e-mail]
    [e-mail]
    [e-mail]
    [e-mail]

In the TEXT of your message, put the word "HELP" for information.

These services will fetch the desired file from the FTP library, uuencode it
for email transfer and possibly split large files into several messages,
thus helping you around local restrictions on the size of incoming mail
messages.

Using FTP by email can be nice even for those with full Internet access, as
some FTP servers are heavily loaded and interactive response can be very
sluggish.  It makes sense not to waste time and connect charges in these
cases.

Note that FTP mail servers tend to be quite busy. Your reply may not arrive
for several hours, or days, depending on when and where you send your
request.  Also, some large files may be split into smaller pieces and
returned to you as multiple messages, and binary files may be uuencoded by
the sender.

Getting off that mailing list
-----------------------------
A while ago, you subscribed to that mailing list. Now you cannot get off
it. You have tried SIGNOFF, UNSUBSCRIBE, and other likely commands, only to
receive "Bad command" messages in return.

If it is a LISTSERV mailing list, and the list you want to get off is
called TOW (at [e-mail]), use the command SIGNOFF <list name>
as in "SIGNOFF TOW". Put the command in the body of your mail, and send it
to the LISTSERV.

    Note: Never send signoff commands to the mailing list itself, unless
    you want all its members to learn about your ignorance.

The SIGNOFF command is not a global command that works with all types of
mailing list. If it doesn't work, try UNSUBSCRIBE <list name>. If that also
fails, try the HELP or INFO. You may try putting the words both on the
subject line and in the body of the mail.

Sometimes signing off from a list fails because your email address has
changed since you subscribed.

Example: Right now I am trying to get off a list. When I subscribed, it was
made either from a mailbox with the address [e-mail], or from
[e-mail]. These addresses are now [e-mail] and
[e-mail]. When I try to signoff, I am told that neither address can
be removed from the mailing list.

The solution is to write to the administrator of the list, or to the
postmaster of the host where the mailing list program is running.

On many LISTSERV mailing list you can send the command "REVIEW <list name>"
for a list of subscribers (example: REVIEW TOW sent to the LISTSERV address
above). This list usually contains the address of the administrator.

In some cases, usage of the REVIEW command is blocked. Then inspect the
mailer header of messages from the mailing list. For example, if it says

  From: [e-mail],

then you have the address of the host computer. Replace "listserv" by
"postmaster" in attempt to reach a live person prepared to help.

Using email gateways to Internet resources
------------------------------------------
Some people use FTPMAIL because it is the only way that they can get these
files. Another good reason is to save time.

For most users, time is an important consideration. There is connect time
(may cost you money), the number of minutes it will take to get a task
done (calendar time), and the number of minutes and hours that you must
"work" to complete a desired task.

If you must complete a task by 11:55, then a direct connection to the
remote source may be the only answer. Interactive methods like the World
Wide Web, Gopher, anonymous ftp, and telnet will probably be your choices.

However, as the number of people using the Internet grows, response time
tends to slow. If you are unlucky, that important file from somewhere may
snail toward you at a speed less than 1200 bits per second. Just to sign on
to a remote telnet site can take minutes. You may have to wait what feels
seems like a small eternity for the next WWW page or gopher menu to show
up.

If calendar time is of no concern, read on. Batch processing of your online
work can save you much waiting time.

We have already mentioned FTPmail, the batch alternative to ftp transfers
of files. Archie can be used by email. GopherMail lets you browse Gopher
menus by email (see appendix 6). Sure, it may take days to get the desired
information, but you will not waste time waiting in front of your display.

WAIS searches can also be done by email. To try it out, use GopherMail to
retrieve the main menu from [e-mail]. The choice labelled "Other
Gopher and Information Servers" will have an entry for "WAIS Based
Information." Once you have located a data base of interest, specify the
search words in the Subject of your reply to GopherMail.

Being able to batch search what others say on specialized matters is an
exciting possibility. Searching LISTSERV log files, and archives of other
mailing list systems, has already been discussed (Chapter 7 and 10).

Usenet by email
---------------
Many newsgroups are connected to mailing lists that you can subscribe to
by email. Articles submitted to the newsgroup through these mailing lists
will often pass through a moderator, who reviews the submissions before
posting them.

In some cases, articles are stored in log files that may be searched. In
other cases, you can have selected newsgroup articles sent to you by email.

  | Some mailing lists will not let you search unless you are a |
  | subscriber to the given list. However, you may not have the |
  | capacity to, nor be interested in, reading all the postings.|
  | You just want those items containing your specific keywords.|
  |     For example, I want to track references to this book.   |
  | The search term "Online World" is likely to give too many   |
  | false hits. Regular searches for the word "Presno" is a     |
  | better search strategy.                                     |
  |     The trick is to adjust your subscription, so that you   |
  | will receive no mail. You can achieve this by sending an    |
  | to the LISTSERV in question containing this command:        |
  |     SET <list name> NOMAIL                                  |
  | Now, search whenever you like.                              |

For a list of newsgroups with associated mailing lists, send mail to
[e-mail] containing the line: GET NETGATE GATELIST

You can also write to [e-mail] . Send a message containing
the command "//NNHELP" for instructions. Add "//NEWSGROUPS" for a current
list of available newsgroups.

A list of recent postings to a particular newsgroup can be obtained by
sending email to [e-mail] (and possibly also other GopherMail
servers).

Example: For a list of recent postings to the alt.winsock newsgroup, put
the following contents in your mail:

------------------- start of message ---------------------------------
    x 1.  alt.winsock/

You may edit the following two numbers to set the maximum sizes after which
GopherMail should send output as multiple email messages:

Split=27K bytes/message <- For text, bin, HQX messages (0 = No split)
Menu=100 items/message <- For menus and query responses (0 = No split)

#
Name=alt.winsock
Numb=1
Type=1
Port=4320
Path=news group alt.winsock
Host=saturn.wwc.edu
------------------- end of message -----------------------------------

Replace "alt.winsock" with the name of the particular newsgroup that you
want to read. GopherMail will mail you a typical gopher menu from which you
can select individual postings to read.

Note: While this method is useful, it also has flaws. In several cases,
some messages have only been delivered in part to my mailbox.

Personally, I find it more efficient to use the WWW by email service (see
below). Use the following commands:

  send news:alt.winsock            (returns a list of recent postings)
  deep news:alt.winsock            (returns the list AND the postings)

The first command (send) will give you a list like this:

                          Newsgroup alt.winsock,  Articles 26012-26031

   (Earlier articles[1]...) Articles in alt.winsock
   "Program wanted" - Leslie Mark Styles[2]
   "[HELP] twinsock (makefile vs Makefile)" - Scott Ehrlich[3]

   *** References from this document ***
   [orig] news:alt.winsock
   [1] news:alt.winsock/25992-26011
   [2] news:[e-mail]
   [3] news:3d04qm$[e-mail]

Now, if you want article [3], just send a mail back to the LISTSERV with
the following command in the body of your mail

   send news:3d04qm$[e-mail]

Many documents that appear periodically in newsgroups are available for
retrieval over the net. Read under FAQ in appendix 6 about how to retrieve.

Several gophers, like gopher.vub.ac.be, offers UseNet news article search.
By editing a template GopherMail message, batch searching becomes easy and
efficient.

The Stanford Netnews Filtering Service (see Chapter 11 for more details)
lets you search for recent Usenet articles that are already in the local
database on this host. For example, to search for articles related to
"information filtering," send an email message to [e-mail]
containing the following command in the TEXT of your mail:

     search information filtering

There is a companion service at [e-mail] for filtering computer
science technical reports. A search server is also available at URL

     http://elib.stanford.edu/

You can also use WAIS by email. Several newsgroups are available for
searching. See appendix 6 for usage details.

The World Wide Web by email
---------------------------
You can request WWW pages by sending email to [e-mail] . Put
your retrieval commands in the BODY of the mail, like this

   send <URL>

The term URL is explained in appendix 6. The following sample command will
give you my personal WWW page:

   send http://www.eunet.no/~presno/presno.html

An interactive WWW user can "click" on marked hypertext words, or mark them
in other ways to view associated pages with information. The WWWmail user
must do this by resubmitting URL codes found in the received pages to
[e-mail] .

You can also search databases through WWWmail. Lycos (see chapter 10) is an
interesting place to search for information in WWW, Gopher, and ftp files.

The trick is to first locate the URL of the page where searches are usually
done. In the case of Lycos, a user will typically start with its home page:

   http://fuzine.mt.cs.cmu.edu/mlm/lycos-home.html

Using the hypertext references in the result, you probably can find the URL
of the WWW page from which a desired database is searched. The search
command can then be composed by this:

   send <URL>?<keyword>+<keyword>

Let me explain these codes with an example. I live in a small town called
Arendal in Norway. You can search for occurrences of this word by sending
the following command to the LISTSERV (note: the URL may have changed since
my test!):

   send http://lycos.cs.cmu.edu/cgi-bin/pursuit?arendal

You can extend the search argument by adding my last name. Like this:

   send http://lycos.cs.cmu.edu/cgi-bin/pursuit?arendal+presno

Words of warning:

* If the requested document is too large, the WWWmail service will only
  send you the first 5,000 lines.

* If the service is unable to connect to the requested WWW server, you will
  receive an error message without much explanation. The reason may be a
  spelling error on your part, but also that the network connection between
  the LISTSERV and the requested server was "bad" at the moment. Therefore,
  check your spelling and try again.

Send the word "help" to [e-mail] for more information.

There is a similar offering on [e-mail] . Send the word HELP
to this address for instructions.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13: Cheaper and better communication
============================================

    Packet data services and data transportation
    services like Tymnet Outdial, Infonet, Internet,
    and PC Pursuit may help keep costs down.
    About reducing the cost of using mailing lists.

Many users access online services by calling them directly. A lot pay extra
for long distance calls to other cities and countries, even when this means
inferior transmission quality (like when noise characters degrade the
data).

Others investigate other routings for their data. One option is the packet
data networks. Most countries have Public Data Networks (PDNs) operated by
local telecommunications authorities. These services are often cheaper than
direct calls for some applications, but more expensive for others.

Before using a packet data network, you'll need to establish a "Network
User Identification" (NUI) with the PDN carrier. You must also know the
Network User Address (NUA) of the hosts that you want to access.

In Scandinavia, the local PDNs are called Datapak. In China, it is called
CNPAC (or CHINAPAC). They can be accessed by direct local calls or through
leased lines. To personal users, direct calls are least expensive. A leased
line may be cost efficient when the daily volume is high, like in a
company.

When you communicate with online services through a PDN, the latter will
split your data and bundle it in standard envelopes or 'packets'.

Each packet is marked with a code and sent out into the data stream. Based
on this code, the packet is routed from computer center to computer center
until it reaches its final destination. There, the information will be
reassembled into its original form before being handed over to a user or
online service.

It is almost like traveling by train. The price per packet or traveler is
lower than what it costs to rent the whole train for your trip.

National telecommunications monopolies were the first to offer packet data
services. Their rates were moderately lower than for long distance calls,
but it was hard to find the relationship between real costs and prices.
This is still the situation in many countries.

Throughout the world, efforts to privatize nationwide phone networks
continue. In many countries, this has given us some interesting competitors
offering attractive rates for similar services.

Their rates differ considerably from country to country, as does the
quality of transmissions. The advantage of using packet data also varies
considerably, by application and by country. The best routing for retrieval
of online news may be impossibly expensive for chats or complex online
jobs.

We can offer no hard rules of thumb, except this:

         Compare rates regularly!

What is cheapest?
-----------------
Some networks charge by the hour, while others charge by volume (number of
characters transferred per minute).

When volume is low, your best bet is to use network services with a low
price per minute and high prices for volume.

When volume is high, you may be better off using those charging by the
minute.

To estimate costs reliably, you'll need statistics. Since your usage
probably differs from what others do, start accumulating experience data
now. Like this:

    On services only charging for connect time
    ------------------------------------------
    Capture trip information to a log file. Register the following
    information:
    * number of minutes connected
    * modem speed
    * number of characters transmitted.
    Some communication programs can do this automatically for you.

    On services charging for time and volume
    ----------------------------------------
    Log the following information:
    * number of minutes connected
    * modem speed
    * number of segments or packets (measurements of volume)

You need this to estimate the average volume of data transferred by minute.
Here are some general experiences and hints:

Long streams of data without stops are cheaper through services that only
charge by the minute. Retrieving software is a typical high volume
application.

Trips that include navigation from conference to conference, with a little
bit of up- and downloading here and there, make the average transfer speed
fall dramatically. It's like driving through a big city at 150 kilometers
per hour. Red lights will reduce the average speed considerably.

The actual transferred volume of text per minute will differ from place to
place (geographically), and often also from call to call. It depends on
factors like:

    * How fast you can enter commands and how much time you spend
      staring at the display before pressing keys,
    * How long it takes for an online service to react to your
      commands. For example, the response time on CompuServe at
      04:00 GMT on a Friday morning (it is evening in the U.S.) is
      much worse than at 10:30 GMT on a Sunday morning. Then, most
      users are asleep.
    * The load on your packet data network while you use the
      service (or the amount of noise and retransmission, when
      calling direct),
    * The type of modem you are using (speed, level of MNP),
    * The number of commands you (or your scripts) have to enter
      during your online visit. An increase in the number of
      commands, reduces the average transfer speed.
    * The amount of transfer overhead for color and screen handling
      (like, VT-100 codes) that is transferred with your text.
    * Your use of menus and help texts while online, or whether
      you come as "expert" with a minimum of prompts.

It's impossible to calculate the practical effects of these items. You will
just have to bear them in mind when estimating typical jobs, measuring
speeds, calculating costs, and comparing networks.

Finding the optimal network for our needs, will take time, but is well
worth the effort. I think the figures may surprise you.

The network services in this chapter will often give you better quality
transfers than a direct call. On the other hand, calling direct may give
more characters transferred per minute. The average speed often drops
dramatically when using a packet data service.

Using national packet data services
-----------------------------------
Most commercial online services can be reached through national PDNs, but
you may have problems finding the correct NUA (Network User Address) to get
there. Few PDNs have a directory of available "electronic telephone
numbers" for you to consult.

The Norwegian PDN, Datapak, used to be my only alternative for access to
foreign online services, and I thought that the cost was acceptable. Not so
anymore.

My applications require that data be pumped back and forth at maximum
speed. On network services charging by a combination of volume and time, 80
percent of my costs are typically for volume, while 20 percent is for
connect time.

When I log out after a successful visit to CompuServe through Datapak, the
two services give me similar reports:

  Thank you for using CompuServe!

  Off at 10:11 EST 24-Nov-87
  Connect time = 0:15

  CLR PAD  (00) 00:00:14:55 537 75

The last line comes from Datapak. It tells that I have received 537
segments and sent 75.

The "Segment" is Datapak's volume measure. A segment contains up to sixty-
four characters and/or carriage returns. The price is calculated
accordingly.

At today's prices, however, Datapak is no longer my cheapest alternative
calling CompuServe for chats. It is cheaper to use telnet.

I use Datapak when connecting to TWICS in Tokyo, as the only alternative
today is direct calls at a prohibitive cost. Once i-Com (see below) starts
offering outdial to Japan, I expect this service to be substantially
cheaper.

The slower your modem speed, the more attractive is Datapak compared with
direct calls.

To get access to a national PDN, you must have a user identification and a
password. (Getting temporary access to PDN services while traveling abroad
is often hard and expensive.)

  | Note: If you have access to a national PDN, but need        |
  | information about PDNs in other countries, try Hostess, the |
  | Global Network Service's information service from British   |
  | Telecom in England. The NUA is 02342 1920101013 (02342 is   |
  | the Data Network Identifier Code section of the address.)   |
  | User name or password is not required to use this service.  |

Outdial through PC Pursuit
--------------------------
Sprintnet (formerly GTE Telenet) lets American users call bulletin boards
in North America at lower rates through their PC Pursuit service.

They pay a modest subscription to call a local number for access to PC
Pursuit. Once connected, they can enter an electronic phone-number to
connect to a so-called 'outdial modem' in another city.

Once connected to the outdial modem, they can give it dialing commands and
have it call any local number. This way, they can use PC Pursuit to call an
online service in the area, or the private modem of a friend.

We call PC Pursuit an Outdial service. Such services normally offer lower
rates for access to remote bulletin boards than what it costs to call by
long distance. Besides, they reduce the chances for noise on the line.

Outdial through i-Com
---------------------
i-Com offers outdial to North American online services by reselling
capacity from Tymnet's network (owned by British Telecommunications PLC).

In the United States, Galaxy Telecomm Corp. offers a similar service under
the name Starlink. Outdial to numbers in Japan and Europe is planned.

i-Com markets its services to users in Europe and Japan, and have local
access in Brussels, Paris, Lyon, Milano, the Hague, Eindhoven, Zurich,
Geneva, London, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leeds,
Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Madrid, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and more.

The basic fee for access to the service is US$25.00 per hour (1992). You
do not pay volume charges. The monthly subscription fee is US$8.00. You can
pay using VISA or MasterCard/Eurocard.

In Norway, I have used i-Com to connect to The Well in San Francisco,
MetaNet in Virginia, EXEC-PC in Wisconsin, and SciLink in Toronto, Canada.
At the time, i-Com was cheaper than direct calls and Datapak for access to
these services.

While an ID on your local PDN is only valid in your area or country, your
i-Com ID can be used all over the world including several cities in North
America. Once your plane has landed in Milano, you can dial the local i-Com
node to connect to your favorite service.

i-Com also has a bulletin board (US$13.00/hour). These are some of its
services:

    * Search a database to find BBS numbers in a given area of
      interest, or to locate outdial numbers in a given city or
      area code.
    * Conferences about how to use North American bulletin boards.
    * Retrieval of shareware and public domain software.
    * Online shopping of American goods at American prices.

Cheaper access to CompuServe
----------------------------
Wherever CompuServe has local access points, you will probably be better
off using these. You do not have to sign any special agreements. Your
CompuServe ID is all you need. Payment for using these services will appear
on your CompuServe bill.

If you have access to Internet's telnet command, then this is an option
well worth checking out.

CompuServe has special deals with a list of network services, like InfoNet
Europe (formerly Computer Sciences Corp.), Istel, FALNET, FENICS,
CompuPass, LATA Networks, Tymnet/Sprintnet. Enter the command GO LOG on
CompuServe to get access information, and GO RATES for rates.

I have been using CompuPass from Japan, CompuServe's own network in the
United States, Istel, InfoNet, and PDN services in Europe.

When at home, I usually use the InfoNet's 14,400 bps node in Oslo, Norway.
Datapak is never considered. It is too expensive. CompuServe's Stockholm
node is my backup.

  | Whenever CompuServe opens a new node in your vicinity, or     |
  | upgrades the modem speed on one of their nodes, look at the   |
  | effects on your total costs.                                  |
  |                                                               |
  | Use software for automatic access and navigation (like TAPCIS,|
  | OzCIS, or ATO). They give higher volume per minute and make   |
  | your accesses even more cost efficient.                       |

Before leaving for a business trip, visit CompuServe to find local access
numbers in your destination cities. The list of countries includes
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong,
Italy, Japan, Mexico, Holland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
and England.

You can also access CompuServe through i-Com and other outdial services.

IXI - a European alternative to PDN
-----------------------------------
IXI is an X.25 data network for European academic, industrial and
governmental research centers. It is sponsored by the EEC under the ESRIN
project, and is operated by the Dutch PTT.

IXI interconnects national research networks, many national public data
networks and several specialized international networks. It works like a
national PDN service, but uses its own Network User Addresses. Echo, STN,
DIMDI, KR Data-Star and other database vendors can be accessed through IXI.

The service is not available to most users having email access through the
Internet.

Using DASnet to cross network boundaries
----------------------------------------
DA Systems forwards electronic mail and files (also binary files) across
mailbox system boundaries for customers. They can send your mail to several
large in-house systems, information networks, and over 60 commercial
mailbox systems in 30 countries.

These are some systems on their list (1993): ABA/net, Alternex (Brazil),
ATT Mail, BIX, BITNET, CESAC (Italy), CIGnet, ComNet (Switzerland),
CONNECT, Dialcom, Deutsche Mailbox, Dialcom, Envoy 100, EIES, EasyLink,
Euromail (Germany), FredsNaetet (Sweden), Galaxy, GeoNet (hosts in Germany,
England, U.S.A.), GreenNet, INET, INFOTAP (Luxembourg), Mailbox Benelux,
MCI Mail, MercanMail (Asia), MBK Mediabox (Germany), MetaNet, Nicarao
(Nicaragua), NWI, OTC PeaceNet/EcoNet, Pegasus (Australia), PINET, Portal,
PsychNet, San Francisco/Moscow Teleport, Telexphone (France), TeleRede
(Portugal), Telehaus Nordhorn (Germany), Telemail, TEXTEL (the Caribbean),
TWICS (Japan), UNISON, UUCP, Web (Canada), The WELL, Internet.

This list may suggest lack of connectivity between networks that do have
connections. For example, Internet email may easily be sent to ATT Mail,
Alternex, BIX, BITNET, FredsNaetet, GeoNet, GreenNet, and many others on
this list. Connectivity changes constantly. Check to see if you really need
it, as this service is far from free.

DASnet also lets you send email as telex, fax and by ordinary mail. They
charge you by the number of characters transferred, and the destination
address. (Contact Anna B. Lange, DA Systems, Inc., U.S.A. Tel.: [phone]-
7434, or write her at [e-mail]).

FidoNet - grassroots playground
-------------------------------
FidoNet is an amateur network consisting of tens of thousands of bulletin
boards all over the world. The network is "loosely coupled," meaning that
most of the participating boards are not always connected. They call each
others at regular intervals to exchange mail, often in the middle of the
night when the rates are low. (See appendix 1)

RelayNet
--------
is another global network of bulletin boards. It offers exchange of email
between systems. Messages and conference items entered on one system will
automatically be copied to other participating boards. Your costs for
"talking" with others in other parts of the world are very small.

Other grassroots networks
-------------------------
It doesn't take much to set up a bulletin board service, and it is as easy
to connect BBS systems to each other in a dial-up network for regular
exchanges of email, files and conferences.

All over the world, grassroots networks keep popping up with names like
ILINK, AmNet, Suedd MB-Verbund, Starmail, MagicNet, A-NET, MausNet,
Zerberus-Netz, SMBX-NET, BASA-NETZ, you name it.

Many boards offer access to more than one grassroots network, and also to
the Internet. Thus, the ability to send global email is extended to new
users every day.

Other services
--------------
The PDN Connect-USA competes with Starlink in North America. (Connect-USA
Communications, Inc., 2625 Pennsylvania NE Suite 225, Albuquerque, New
Mexico. 505-881-6988 (voice), 505-881-2756 (FAX), 505-881-6964 (BBS). )

Global Access is a similar service reselling time on the Sprintnet network
in North America.

Reducing the cost of using mailing lists
----------------------------------------
The problem of subscribing to mailing lists is that all discussion items
come to you in individual messages. Each message comes with its own mailer
header, and this information is generally completely useless. (Read
"Returned mail" in Chapter 7 for details.)

Newer versions of the BITNET LISTSERV software provide commands that solve
this problem:

    SET <list name> DIGEST
    ----------------------
    This command is sent to a LISTSERV to make all daily messages
    come to you in one, single message. Example: Say you've joined
    [e-mail], which usually has a large number of
    messages each day. Send the following command to the LISTSERV:

    SET KIDCAFE DIGEST

    It will typically reduce the number of lines received from this
    mailing list by around 50 percent.


    SET <list name> INDEX
    ---------------------
    This command is sent to a LISTSERV to get a daily list of
    messages, like in this example from KIDCAFE:

    Index Date  Size Poster and subject
    ----- ----  ---- ------------------
    22839 06/22   26 From:    David Chalmers
                              <[e-mail]>
                     Subject: Conor Dublin Ireland

    Based on this list, you can use the LISTSERV's search commands
    to retrieve individual messages of interest. These commands are
    similar to those used for searching in chapter 7.

    For more about searching mailing lists' message bases, send a
    message to [e-mail] with the following command in
    the text of your mail:

    GET KIDLINK TIPS

    Some LISTSERVs offers simplified search commands and macros
    to make retrieval of individual messages simpler.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 14: Keep what you find
==============================


    Little is gained by being skillful at
    locating and accumulating information,
    and then becoming drowned
                  in an avalanche of data
    that one cannot manage       - or use.

This chapter starts with how to build a personal database on your own hard
disk. We continue by investigating strategies for finding interesting
information on your disk, before winding down with some words about what
separates good information from bad.

Search and throw away
---------------------
To novices, everything is difficult. During the first online trips, they
may feel as if moving to the other side of the globe to start over: They
need new newspapers, magazines, information sources, and services.

Trial and error are required to find online gold mines. As you get more
experience, focus tends to shift from getting information to digesting.

Getting the data gets 'into your fingers', and doesn't bother much anymore.
The number of retrieved lines increases. The only bad news is that your
reading speed remains at the same old level.

In our time, people tend to talk more than they listen, and you usually
find more information than knowledge. Therefore, say NO to irrelevant
information. It is seldom worth keeping.

There is generally no good reason to learn things that you really do not
need to know. Practice "selective ignorance."

Regularly evaluate your online sources critically, and discard those
costing you more than they are worth. Concentrate on those giving the best
returns.

Adjust the frequency with which you visit selected services to match their
usefulness. What used to be daily visits, may have to be downgraded to once
per week or month. Consider replacing daily news monitoring by clipping
services.

Plan 'overview' and 'details' with different frequencies. 'Overview' refers
to online trips to get an impression of what generally goes on. An example:

My script system is set for automatic visits to the CompuServe Toshiba
forum. Whenever I visit, it 'digs out' unread messages based on key words
on the item's subject line.

During 1991, it searched for these strings: '5100', T2000', and '425'.
Once, This gave the following message to read:

     #: 29550 S6/Hi-Power Notebooks
         05-Oct-91  17:27:30
     Sb: #T2000SX Recharger
     Fm: Steve Kitahata 75166,1741
     To: All

     I tried to order the battery recharger for my T2000SX from Jade
     Computer last weekend.  The sales rep said it would take about
     a week, so I called today to check up on it.  He told me that I
     could only buy the recharger with the car adapter as a bundled
     set for $260.  They had both advertised in their flyer as
     separate items, which they should be.  Has anyone heard of
     this?

     Does anyone know of any sources that have the battery recharger
     available?  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanx.

     -- Steve

My script found the search word "T2000" in the subject line's text (Sb:
#T2000SX Recharger), and subsequently selected the message.

Once per month, the same system "scans the horizon" to give me an idea of
what is going on. This is done by requesting a list of subjects being
discussed. Here is part of one such list:

     29555:  DOS 5 Upgrade
             6 replies

     29540:  TDOS Upgrade questions
             3 replies

     29585:  Toshiba DOS 5.0 ships!
             1 reply

     29586:  DOS 5.0 Upgrade Solution

     29580:  ToshibaDOS=bad business
             8 replies

     29581:  DOS 5 / Stacker
             1 reply

Reading the list, allows me to see if new and interesting topics are up for
discussion. If I use Stacker and want contact with other users, I can
request message number 29581 and the subsequent reply (1 reply). That
should give me some email addresses.

  | Several advanced communication programs and offline readers    |
  | have built-in quick scan features. For example, TAPCIS does    |
  | this just fine in CompuServe forums.                           |
  |                                                                |
  | When retrieving conference messages from bulletin boards using |
  | 1stReader at high speed, like 9600 bps or above, then the cost |
  | of downloading all new items may be insignificant. Therefore,  |
  | you might just as well do it.                                  |
  |                                                                |
  | Later, when reading the captured mail, 1stReader lets you      |
  | select messages to read from a list of subjects. You can save  |
  | what you want to keep, and delete the rest.                    |

By regular scanning subject headers you reduce the risk of missing
important trends, for example because authors were using other terms on the
subject line than expected.

Scanning also lets us discover if the discussion is heading off in other,
interesting directions.

After a while, you'll have a set of sources, persons, and tools that will
provide you with what you need. This is your personal infrastructure of
electronic information. Now, you must maintain and cultivate it.

Store incoming information
--------------------------
Chances are that you will retrieve more information than you can read.
Sometimes it takes weeks for me to get up to date with my own readings.

If you visit several online services, consider storing the data in files
with different names. Use part of the file name to show the source of this
information.

If visiting a service regularly, consider using the date as part of the
file names. This will make it easier to select, read and search them in a
useful sequence.

  | Example: Say you are regularly visiting TWICS in Tokyo. What    |
  | you download on November 10, you may store in a file named      |
  |                                                                 |
  |           TW1110.TMP                                            |
  |                                                                 |
  | My scripts do this automatically. On some services, they also   |
  | split retrieved data into URGENT and MAY BE READ LATER files.   |
  | Private mail from TWICS is stored in NB1110.TMP. By storing     |
  | private mail separately, it is easier to see if somebody wants  |
  | a quick reply.                                                  |

All file names in this example have the extension .TMP (temporary). This
signifies that these files are unread.

When I read them, and select parts for permanent storage on my hard disk, I
use different names. Often, I use the year, or a month/year code in the
file name extension. For example, the file DIALOG.93 contains information
from KR DIALOG collected during 1993.

Post-processing the data
-------------------------
The data capture is completed, and the retrieved data is stored on the hard
disk in more or several files. Your next task is to

    * Read the received texts,
    * Cut and paste selected parts to archive or work files,
    * Prepare responses to your electronic mail. This may include
      quoting part of the incoming messages in your replies.
    * Finally, delete all temporary files.

Many advanced programs have these features built in. If not, you may use
your favorite word processor, or something else. There are many
alternatives.

LIST is my favorite MS-DOS shareware file viewer program. It can be
downloaded from most bulletin boards. Using LIST, it is difficult to
destroy your precious retrieved data while reading, cutting and pasting.

  | MORE ABOUT LIST:                                                |
  | Assume that all input data is stored in the disk catalog C:\IN  |
  | and that you are using the file name convention suggested above.|
  | Type LIST and press ENTER. A list of file names will appear on  |
  | your screen. Press S to sort the list, and then D to have them  |
  | sorted by creation date. The newest files are at the bottom of  |
  | the list.                                                       |
  |     Move the cursor (using the Arrow keys) to the input file    |
  | that you want to read and press ENTER. Scroll up and down in    |
  | the file by pressing the PgUp/PgDn or the arrow keys.           |
  |     Let's assume that you are reading TW1110.TMP right now.     |
  | On your screen is a piece of information that you want to       |
  | keep for future reference. Mark the text with ALT-M commands    |
  | (keep the ALT key pressed down, while pressing M), and then     |
  | ALT-D. LIST will ask you for a file name. You enter TWICS.93,   |
  | and the text is appended to what is already there.              |
  |     This method allows you quickly to mark and append parts     |
  | of your input file to various archive files. Press ESC to       |
  | return to the file list when through, then press D. LIST asks   |
  | if you really want to delete the file. Press Y, and TW1110.TMP  |
  | is gone.                                                        |
  |     LIST lets you find information stored in your archives      |
  | (string search). What you find can be marked and copied to a    |
  | work file. It can also be set to invoke an editor or a word     |
  | processor for the selected file.                                |

Reuse of data on your hard disk
-------------------------------
Over time your personal archives will grow in size. You begin to experience
the benefits of having all this information on your hard disk.

Yesterday's news is today's history, and may be used in many interesting
ways.

One business executive regularly monitors key technologies, customers,
competitors, and suppliers. He does it by tapping sources like KOMPASS,
Associated Press, and Reuters. Interesting bits of information are
regularly stored on his disk.

Tomorrow, there is an important meeting with a major customer. First, a
quick search through the personal customer database to be reminded of
important events since the last meeting. An unfamiliar person is also going
to be present. Maybe there is some background information, for example
about a recent promotion.

Then, a quick check on major competitors. Maybe they are up to something
that he needs to know about.

With efficient tools for searching your hard disk, finding information
takes only a few seconds. If you are still left with open questions, go
online to complement.

On MS-DOS computers, you can search the files with WordPerfect, LIST, the
DOS utility FIND, and a long list of other programs. I prefer programs that
let me search for more than one word at the time, like in HYDRO AND
PETROCHEMICAL AND CONTRACT, or EXXON OR MOBIL.

  | MY FAVORITE: My favorite search utility is LOOKFOR. It can     |
  | be downloaded from many bulletin boards. The MS-DOS program    |
  | is small, fast, and is superior for searches in DOS text files.|
  | Store your finds in work files, or print them out on paper.    |
  | LOOKFOR is not an indexing program. It is ready to search      |
  | anywhere, anytime.                                             |

Discipline and organization is required to get the most out of your file
archives. You must decide what to do with each piece of information: Should
it be printed out and be read in front of the fireplace this evening, or
should it be circulated? Should it be stored on your hard disk, or be
refined before storage?

Use standard file names that are easy to remember. If you don't, risk
having to view files to find out what they contain.

It may take longer to find a piece of information in a casual file on a
large disk, than look up a piece of information on paper in your inbox.
Therefore, finish handling your capture file while you read it on your
screen:

Send the pieces to their final destination. Make immediate transfers to
your TO-DO files. Give the original file a name that makes it easier to
move later. Have a procedure that prevents duplication of effort.

Desinformation, deception and errors
------------------------------------
Always use several sources of information. Some people write to lead you
astray.  The online world exposed some interesting incidents that came out
of the former Soviet Union before the attempted coup in 1991.

Desinformation hurts everybody and comes from all sides. Even professional
news agencies, like Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse,
regularly stumble.

Most news is written by journalists reporting what they have seen, read or
heard. Their interpretation of the situation may be wrong. Supplement
online news with what knowledgeable people say (by email or in
conferences), when knowing the facts is important.

Another point: Errors will occasionally be discovered and reported by the
news sources, but always after the fact. Always store these reports in your
archives, and make it a rule to search to the end when looking for
something. Otherwise, you may never discover these corrections.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 15: You pay little for a lot!
=====================================


Calculating costs
-----------------
Those living in Norway may read up to twenty-six pages of news from
Associated Press in the United States and Financial Times (England) for
less than US$0.38.

The trick is to dial long distance to a 9600 bps node in Sweden when the
telephone company and CompuServe's non-prime time rates are in effect.

At 9600 bps, you may transfer text at up to 960 characters per second. One
page of text (size A-4) holds around 2200 characters. A typical news story
is one to two pages of text.

  | Users watching the 'taximeter' can use online services at a  |
  | very low cost. For many, global communication is almost free.|

Reading exactly the same news through another network or service, may cost
you 300 percent more. Through yet another online service, the cost may
double again.

A full issue of the NewsBytes newsletter is around 150,000 characters, or
68 pages of text. Retrieving it from a local BBS typically costs me around
29 cents. Retrieving the full text from CompuServe would cost me over 500
percent more.

Using NewsNet for the job, at 2400 bps through Datapak, would increase my
current cost by more than US$30.00.

The time of day may be important. Some services have different rates for
access during the day, the evening, and the weekend.

Use your calculator often.

When you pay by the minute
--------------------------
When using bulletin boards, phone charges are often the only cost items.
Some boards require a subscription fee for full access to the system.
Still, it is easy to calculate the costs of your calls. Divide the
subscription fee by an estimated number of calls, and add to the cost of
using the phone.

The same applies to users of CompuServe. Their total cost is simply the sum
of all connect charges, any network charges (to CompuServe and others),
part of the basic subscription fee, and local phone rates (for direct
dialing to the service, or to reach the network's node).

Where a service uses a monthly subscription rate, add part of this to the
time charges. Distribute the rate using an estimated number of online hours
per month.

    Example:
    You pay US$30/hour to access a service during prime time. Your
    modem speed is 240 cps.

    Theoretically, if the data flows without pauses at system
    prompts, you can transfer 392 pages of text in one hour.
    Even when you deduct some characters due to stops in the
    transfer, the resulting transferred volume remains respectable.

    To transfer one page of text takes around nine seconds (2200
    characters divided by the speed, which is 2400 bps, or about
    240 characters per second). The cost is nine cents.

    A given binary file (a program) is 23552 bytes large. Using the
    XMODEM protocol, you can transfer it in about four minutes and
    thirteen seconds. The cost is US$2.10. To find the cost when
    paying by the minute is simple. Just calculate the cost per
    minute or second, and multiply by the estimated connect time.

    On many services, it will take a minute or two before you can
    start to receive text or files. Disconnecting also takes a few
    seconds. Add this to the connect time when calculating costs.

Pauses and delays in the transfer can be caused by you or others, and may
have a dramatic impact. It is particularly important to take this into
account when comparing alternatives using different networks.

    Example: Transfers to TWICS via Datapak at 9600 bps rarely
    gave me higher effective speeds than 100 cps. The reason was
    that the connection between the Japanese telcom network and
    TWICS went through a 1200 bps gateway.

    A high speed connection to your data transporter's network does
    not guarantee a high speed connection to the remote computer.

    I used to go through Datapak at 9600 bps to a computer center
    in Oslo. There, I was connected through a local area network to
    the host computer. The effective speed was rarely higher than
    4800 bps. Calling direct gave twice the speed.

Try to measure the effective transfer speed before selecting a routing for
your data. Transfer the same amount of text through various networks.

If future transfers are likely to take place at a given time of day, test
at that time. If your planned application is retrieval of programs,
retrieve programs. If you want to read news, then read news from the
services that you want to compare.

When a network service charging for volume (like Datapak) will also be part
of a comparison, measuring volume is particularly important. Do not assume
that you know the answer in advance.

  | NOTE: Always calculate the cost based on a fixed volume, like |
  | for the transfer of 1000 characters. This is particularly     |
  | important when you need to use different transfer speeds to   |
  | access competing services.                                    |

Network load varies considerably throughout the day depending on the number
of simultaneous users, and their applications. This also applies to online
services. The load is normally lowest, when most users are asleep, and
during weekends. When the load is low, you get more done per minute.

Planning and self-discipline pays off
-------------------------------------
The actual cost of using a given set of services depends a lot on your
self-discipline, the tools you use, and on how well prepared you are:

    * If accessing manually, use "quick" commands rather than menus
      to move at maximum speed to desired sources of information.

    * Do not set your services to be used with colors, sound, or
      special methods for displaying graphics, unless you have no
      choice, or are willing to pay the extra cost. They increase
      the volume of transferred text, and lower effective speed.

    * Get the information and disconnect. It is expensive - and
      usually unnecessary - to read captured text while online.
      Log off to read. Call back for more to read, disconnect, and
      then call back again.

    * Learn how to write your mail offline, and send the letters
      "in a batch" to your mailbox. Your messages will often have
      fewer typing errors, be better thought out, and the cost
      will be considerably lower.

    * Consider automating your communication (see Chapter 16).
      I use Bergen By Byte this way. A while ago, it gave me the
      following progress report: "Time on: 17 hrs 43 min, today 0
      hrs 0 min, total 827 times." In average, I spend around 1.3
      minutes per call. Yesterday, I was connected for 2:48
      minutes. The result was 106 kilobytes' worth of conference
      mail.

Modem speed and cost
--------------------
2400 bps is a sensible modem speed for some applications, and used to be a
good starting point for new onliners. The benefits of using a faster modem
may be marginal under the following conditions:

    * When your network does not offer higher speeds.
    * When navigating your favorite service considerably reduces the
      effective speed, and you access the service manually.
    * When you pay considerably more for access at higher speed.
    * When the relative price of a faster modem in your country
      is prohibitive.

On the other hand, a modem doing 14400 bps or more, will give you six times
faster communication. If doing things faster is more important than keeping
costs down, then this is a wise investment. This is the case for me. Besides,
often it is definitely cheaper.

    | If you plan to use graphical services like Internet's World Wide Web,
    | then anything slower than 14.400 bits/s will be too slow. You can
    | technically do things with a slower speed, but it is frustrating.

Your applications have a considerable impact on your costs. If you mainly
use your modem for retrieval of programs and large data files from bulletin
boards - and do not have to pay extra for volume - then higher modem speeds
will immediately give reduced costs.

A slower speed modem may also stop you from getting what you want. For
example, there are several shareware programs on my board that users of
2400 bps modems are unable to download within their allotted 30 minutes per
day.

When you pay for volume
-----------------------
Some network services, like Datapak in Norway, have high rates for volume,
and very low rates for connect time. When using such services, automatic
communication becomes less useful. Rather than connecting, getting a piece
of information, disconnecting, and then going back for more, you may find
it cost efficient to review menus and results while online.

When paying for volume, the online service's menus become luxury items.
Using quick commands for navigating is cheaper.

Your comparisons will never be accurate when comparing with services
charging for connect time. It is particularly difficult when the measure of
volume is 'packets' rather than 'number of characters transferred'.

Datapak and many other PDN services reports your sessions like this:

       CLR PAD  (00) 00:00:14:55 537 75

These numbers say that you have been connected to a service for 14 minutes
and 55 seconds, that 537 data 'packets' have been received, and that 75
have been sent. Use these figures to calculate the cost of the call.

  | One data 'packet' or segment contains up to 64 characters.     |
  | Think of it as a measure of the number of lines. Each line can |
  | have a maximum of 64 characters. If you send the character A   |
  | and a carriage return, then this also counts as a segment.     |
  |                                                                |
  | Consequently, it is hard to use the Datapak record to estimate |
  | the real number of characters transferred. All we know is that |
  | 537 + 75 segments were transferred, and that 612 segments may  |
  | contain up to 39,168 characters.                               |

When calculating the cost of a direct call, just the number of minutes
counts. Use the time reported by the online service, and not your stop
watch. CompuServe gives this type of report:

       Thank you for using CompuServe!

       Off at 10:11 EST 24-Nov-92
       Connect time = 0:15

If the size of your log file was 15 KB after the first test, and 11 KB
after the second, then just adjust the latter to compare (Actual
Cost/11*15). It is easy to compare services that only charge by the minute.

More practical hints
--------------------
It is more expensive to call a service daily "to check the news," than to
call it once per week to retrieve the same stories.

Navigating by menus is more expensive than going directly to a source, or
going there by stacking commands (i.e., combining quick commands into one).

Many services let you read selective items in conferences by entering a
search string. On my BBS, the following command

    r extended 100+ c

lets you read all messages containing the search string 'extended' in the
text starting with message number 100.

If you forget the "c" parameter, the flow will stop after each message.
This will reduce the average effective speed. Always use "nonstop" commands
when reading stories, conference items, and other texts.
    Now, read the next chapter.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 16: Automatic communication
===================================

Automatic data communication as a development strategy.

    To get a lead on your competitors.
    To avoid duplication of effort.
    To reduce costs.
    To reduce boring and repetitive work.
    To avoid having to remember technical details.

Automatic communication is both for professionals and amateurs. First,
because it keeps the costs down. Second, because it lets you do the job
faster and safer.

We all have different needs
---------------------------
Automation will never be the same for everybody. Our needs are too
different.

Some get excited when a program can dial a bulletin board, retrieve a
program, and then disconnect without them having to touch the keyboard.

Some want an "answering machine" that can respond to and forward email when
he or she is away from the office.

Others want a communications system that can tap selected news sources,
search databases, and do post-processing on the retrieved material.

For most professionals, doing things manually takes too much time. Time is
better spent reading, digesting, and using, rather than on stupid technical
retrieval work. Computers can do that.

To others again, automation is a question of being able to use the online
resource at all. If it takes 60 seconds to get a piece of information, it
may be possible to get before running for the next meeting.

If it takes 15 minutes, however, there may not be enough time. If you also
need to read a help text to find out how to do it, you may not even
consider it. The mind is full of other things right now.

  | When using a system for automatic communication, you do not |
  | have to learn and remember online commands. The system will |
  | do it for you.                                              |

The minimum solution
--------------------
Automatic data communication in its simplest form entails the following:

    * One keystroke to get the communications program to dial a
      number, and send user name/password when the online service
      requests this information.

    * Macro commands (like in a word processor) for navigating
      through an online service, searching, and to send complex
      commands by pressing one key.

Most communication programs have a macro language or a script language. You
will probably never regret time spent on learning how to use these
features. At a minimum, you should be able to have your system log on to a
service automatically.

Autologon spares you the task of remembering your user name and password.
Besides, most people are only able to use the keyboard at a low speed. They
easily get frustrated by having to correct typing errors.

Auto-logon with Procomm
-----------------------
Procomm is one of many popular communications programs. It has not been
selected here because we think it is the best of its kind. It is just
convenient. Many other programs have similar script systems.

A Procomm script file is a text file, which can contain a list of commands
for dialing and navigating on an online service.

When writing a script for auto-logon, your first step is to list the
commands that you believe required. Enter them in a text file (as DOS or
ASCII text).

In such scripts, you can test for the occurrence of a small piece of
information that the online service is supposed to send at a given time
(like the question "Password?").

When this information is found, Procomm can be set to send the proper
response or command (here, your secret password).

Scripts can be tied to your favorite online services through Procomm's
dialing directory. Press a key to start the appropriate script file for
access to a service.

The following is a simple PROCOMM script file. It can be used to access my
bulletin board in Norway. It assumes that your name is Jens Mikkelsen, and
that the secret password is FOXCROOK4. You'll have to change this before
testing.

   ;
   ;Script file for auto-logon to SHS
   ;
   WAITFOR "our FIRST Name? "
   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "Jens^M"
   WAITFOR "our  LAST Name? "
   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "Mikkelsen^M"
   WAITFOR "ots will echo)? "
   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "foxcrook4^M"
   WAITFOR "^JMore (Y),N,NS? "
   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "n^M"
   WAITFOR "^JMore (Y),N,NS? "
   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "n^M"
   WAITFOR "R] to Continue? "
   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "^M"

It is not difficult. You probably understand a lot already. Here is the
explanation:

    * the ";" character at the beginning of a line identifies it as
      a comment line. Procomm is to ignore it. We use such lines
      for notes.

    * WAITFOR "our FIRST Name? "
      has Procomm wait for the text string "our FIRST NAME?" from
      my BBS. It is a part of the question "What is your first
      name?"

    * PAUSE 1
      halts the execution of the script file for one second.

    * TRANSMIT "Jens^M"
      sends the name "Jens" followed by a RETURN (the code ^M in
      Procomm).

    * WAITFOR "our  LAST Name? "
      makes Procomm wait for the question "What is your LAST Name?"

The script continues like this. In WAITFOR commands, we use part of the
text that is displayed on our screen once the scrolling stops.

Make sure that the search term is unique. It must not appear elsewhere in
the text coming from the host computer. If it does, your name and password
may be sent too early.

You can call the script HORROR.CMD, and attach it to the entry for my board
in your Procomm phone directory. When you call it the next time, Procomm
will execute the commands in the file and "turn the keyboard over to you"
when done.

Macros
------
Above, we used a script to log on automatically to a service. When Procomm
gives us access to the keyboard again, we must continue manually.

What we want to do online varies. Sometimes, we want to read new messages
in conferences. In other cases, the purpose is to check new programs in the
file library. If we find programs of interest, we may want to download
them.

Shorthand macros can help you do this faster and safer. For example, one
macro can take you quickly to a conference for new messages. You can make
Procomm start this macro whenever you press ALT-0 (keep the ALT key down,
then press 0).

You can have the macro key ALT-1 send other commands when in the file
archives.

When I started using MS-DOS computers for data communications, PC-TALK
became my favorite program. It has many of the same macro capabilities that
Procomm has.

With PC-TALK, I did autologon to NewsNet. Macro number one sent commands
that gave me the contents of various newsletters. Macro #2 picked up the
contents in another group. Macro #3 picked up stories from my mailbox, and
macro #4 logged me off the service. My mission was completed by pressing
four or five keys.

Automating the full task
------------------------
It's a long way from automated logon scripts and the use of macros to
automating the whole task. The major difference is that with full
automation, you do not have to look at the screen while the script is
working. You can do other things. Sometimes, you may not even be present
when the job is being done.

On a typical morning, I go directly from bed to my office to switch my
communications computer on.

While I visit the bathroom, my communications program calls three online
services, retrieve and send information.

When the script has disconnected from the first service, which is my
bulletin board, it analyzes the received data. I want an alphabetic list of
visitors since my last visit, a sorted list of downloaded programs, and
names of those calling in at 9600 bps or higher.

Sometimes, the unexpected happen. There may be noise on the line, or a
sudden disconnect. Usually, my script can solve this without manual
intervention. It is therefore allowed to work unattended most of the time.

When I get to my office after breakfast, it is all done. My communications
program is set for reading and responding to today's email. I can sit down,
and immediately get to work.

After having written all my replies, I say "send" to my system. For me,
it's time for another cup of coffee. I am not needed by the keyboard while
my mail is being sent.

This is what an automatic communications system can do. My scripts also
help plan and prepare online visits, and ease my work by postprocessing
results.

  | When your communication is fully automated, you need not  |
  | read incoming data while it scrolls over your screen, and |
  | then again after logging off the service. You do it only  |
  | once.                                                     |

How to get it? Here are some alternatives:

Alternative 1: Write your own system
------------------------------------
You can write procedures for powerful script-driven programs like ProYam
(from Omen Technology) and Crosstalk MK IV.

I started writing scripts for ProYam over seven years ago. The system is
constantly expanded to include new services, refined to include more
functions, and enhanced to become more robust.

The scripts make my system work like an autopilot. It calls online
services, navigates, retrieves and sends data.

Postprocessing includes automatic reformatting of retrieved data, transfers
to various internal databases, statistics, usage logs, and calculation of
transfer costs.

Such scripts can do quite complex operations online. For example, it can

    - Buy and sell stock when today's quotes are over/under
      given limits,
    - Select news stories and other types of information based
      on information found in menus or titles.

Script writing is not for everybody. It is complicated, and takes a lot of
time. Therefore, it is only for the specially interested.

On the other hand, those going for it seldom regret. Tailor-made
communication scripts give a wonderful flexibility. The software does not
cost much, but again, it takes a lot of time!

  | Do not use large and complex script files before you know the  |
  | online service well. The scripts let you do things quicker and |
  | safer, but there is always a possibility for unexpected        |
  | problems.                                                      |
  |                                                                |
  | Test your scripts for a long time to make them robust by       |
  | "training" them to handle the unexpected. Leave them to work   |
  | unattended when you are reasonably certain that they can do    |
  | the job. - It may take months to get to that point.            |
  |                                                                |
  | Build a timeout feature into your scripts, so that they do not |
  | just hang there waiting for you after an encounter with fate.  |

Alternative 2: Use scripts made by others
-----------------------------------------
Some script authors generously let others use their creations. Earle
Robinson of CompuServe's European Forum, share his ProYam scripts for
automatic usage of CompuServe with others. They are available from the IBM
Communication Forum library.

Enter GO XTALK on CompuServe to find advanced script files for Crosstalk
Mk.4.

ZCOMM and ProYam scripts for visiting my board automatically can be freely
downloaded there. They split access up into these three phases:

    Phase 1: Menu driven offline preparation.
    Phase 2: Automatic logon, navigation through the system, and
             automatic disconnection.
    Phase 3: Automatic offline postprocessing.

You will find scripts for other programs on many online services.

Alternative 3: Special software
-------------------------------
Several online services sell communication programs with built-in functions
that provides you with automation. They can have offline functions for
reading and responding to mail. The degree of automation varies.

There are also many programs written by third parties. Most programs assume
that you use 'expert' as your default operating mode on the online service.

TapCIS, NavCIS, Autosig (ATO), OzCIS, CISOP, CompuServe Navigator (for
Macintosh), CSNav/Win, AutoPilot (for Amiga), ARCTIC (for Acorn
Archimedes), and QuickCIS (for Atari) are popular choices on CompuServe.
TapCIS is my personal favorite. (CIM does not offer much automation!)

Journalist is an interesting program that creates a personalized newspaper
view of CompuServe for Windows users. It automatically logs on to retrieve
the information necessary to fill the frames in your document, and formats
it according to your specifications. (Email: [e-mail])

Aladdin is for GEnie. It automates your use of RoundTables (conferences),
file areas, and mail. KR Dialog users turn to Dialog-Link.

Nexis News Plus (for Nexis, US$50) has pull-down menus and detailed
selection of commands. This MS-DOS program helps users set up detailed
search commands before logging on to the LEXIS/NEXIS. Your search results
will be downloaded automatically.

Personal Bibliographics Software, Inc. (Ann Arbor, Mich, U.S.A. Tel.: +1-
313-996-1580) sells Pro-Search to KR Dialog and BRS users (for Macintosh
and MS-DOS).

Pro-Search will lead you through menus to find information on both
services. It translates your plain English search commands into the cryptic
search language used by the services. It logs on automatically, connects to
these services, finds your information, and shows you the hits.

Alternative 4: Offline readers
------------------------------
The alternatives above have one important weakness. Noise on the line can
prevent the "robot" from doing the job. All it takes is for noise to give a
prompt another content than is expected by your program or script (as in
"En@er a number:" instead of "Enter a number:").

You can avoid noise problems by using grab or get commands (see Chapter
12), and by making the online service use its minimum prompts ('expert
mode') . Still, this does not give full protection.

The best is to let the online service do the navigation.  Think of it as
logging on to run a batch file on the remote computer. Combine this with
automatic transfers of your commands, transmitted in of one stream of data
with automatic error correction (in the software and in the modem), and you
have a very robust system.

The program logs on to the service. Then the service takes over. It
registers your user identity, checks your user profile for personal
interests, retrieves and packs all messages, news and files into one
compressed file, and sends it to you at high speed.

Your outgoing messages, search commands, commands to join or leave
conferences, and more, are transferred to the remote computer in a similar
packet (compressed file).

When received by the remote computer, it unpacks the transfer file and
distributes messages and commands to various services following your
instructions.

Your "physical" contact with the service is when your modem is
disconnected. The help menus that you read belong to your program, and not
the online service. You read and respond to mail in a reading module (ref.
the term "offline reader").

Some offline readers give the caller access to more tools than is available
on the online service itself. They may have spelling checkers, multimedia
support, let you use your favorite editor or word processor, and offer
various storage, search, and printing options.

They may let you sort incoming conference mail by "threads," and permit you
to place obnoxious writers on a "kill" list.

Using offline readers is probably the easiest, cheapest, and safest way of
using online services. You even risk writing more concise and thoughtful
messages. The "readers" are popular among bulletin board users, and some
commercial services are also starting to accommodate them.

There are many offline reader programs. The most advanced take over
completely upon logon, and manage transfers of commands and compressed
information files to and from the host. (Example: Binkley Term on FidoNet)

Global Link is an offline reader for EcoNet. Bergen By Byte offers the
BBS/CS Mail Grabber/Reader, a script system used with the communications
program Telix and the service's "auto-get" function.

NUPOP (MS-DOS), Eudora for Windows (Windows and Macintosh), and WinQVT/Net
(Windows) are offline readers for use when calling Unix hosts.

The most popular systems on the PCBoard based Thunderball Cave BBS are
Offline Express, Megareader, Session Manager, Rose Reader and EZReader.
Freddie is a reader for Macintosh.

These readers are used with scripts written for various communication
programs. Some of them have built in communications (and script) modules.

EZReader from Thumper Technologies (P.O. Box 471346, Tulsa, OK 74147-1346,
U.S.A.) lets users retrieve mail from several online systems using transfer
formats such as QWK, PCBoard capture files, ProDoor ZIPM files, XRS, MCI
Mail, and others. Cost: US$49 (1992).

1stReader from Sparkware (Post Office Box 386, Hendersonville, Tennessee
37077, U.S.A.) is my personal favorite for accessing Qmail based online
systems.

  | Note: Some offline readers contain all the features required    |
  | for fully automated communications. Some bulletin boards allow  |
  | up- and downloading to start right after CONNECT.               |
  |     Off-Line Xpress, an offline mail reader for QWK (Qwikmail)  |
  | packets, does not contain a communications module. It just does |
  | pre- and postprocessing of mail packets.                        |
  |     You can use the Off-Line Xpress as one element in a larger  |
  | automated system. For example, a system for access to PCBoard   |
  | bulletin boards may consist of Off-Line Xpress software, PKZIP  |
  | and PKUNZIP (popular shareware programs to compress/decompress  |
  | mail packets), the QMODEM communications program, and a script  |
  | to navigate to/from the QWK packet send and receive area on the |
  | BBS.                                                            |
  |     1stReader (version 1.11) contains a powerful script based   |
  | communications module. It lets you compose replies, set search  |
  | commands, subscriptions to services, add and drop conferences,  |
  | and enter download commands offline.                            |

Automatic automation
--------------------
We have explained how to write scripts with Procomm. However, there are
simpler and quicker ways. Many communication programs can make scripts
automatically using a learning function. It goes like this:

Start the learning function before calling the online service. Then log on,
navigate to the desired services, do what you want to automate, and
disconnect.

The learning feature analyzes the received data and builds a script file
for automatic communication.

If you call again with the new script, it will "drive the same route one
more time."

ZCOMM and ProYam have a learning feature. This is how I made a script for
accessing Semaforum BBS using ZCOMM:

    ZCOMM asked for a phone number. I entered [phone]. It
    asked for speed, and I entered 2400 bps. Next, I had to choose
    one of the following:

      (1) System uses IBM PC (ANSI) line drawing
      (2) 7 bits even parity
      (3) 8 bits no parity

    My choice was 1.
      ZCOMM dialed the number. When the connection was established,
    I entered my name and password, navigated to the message
    section, read new messages, browsed new files in the library,
    and entered G for Goodbye. This was the "tour" that I wanted to
    automate.
      When disconnected, I pressed the F1 key. This prompted the
    learning process based on a record of the online tour. The log
    described everything that had happened in detail, including my
    pauses to think. Now I was prompted by the following question:

      'newscr.t' exists. Append/replace/quit?

    I selected append. Then:

       Do you want this script file as a new entry in your
       telephone directory (y/n)?

    I entered "y," and named it "semaforum."  After a few seconds,
    my new script was ready:

       Your new script is in the file 'newscr.t' !!
       You can append the file to your current script file
       (for example PHODIR.T) or have the commands executed by
       entering:
          call semaforum.newscr.t

    It was time to test the new wonder. I entered

          call semaforum.newscr.t

    at the ZCOMM command line, hit the ENTER key, and off it went.
    ZCOMM called the BBS and repeated everything - at far higher
    speed than I had done it manually. It went on-hook as planned
    when done.

Limitations
-----------
Auto-learn programs can create a script file that let you "drive the same
route." For some applications this is enough. For others, it's just part of
the way. You have to refine the script manually to get what you want.

    Example:
    If you call my bulletin board with an auto-learned script made
    yesterday, chances are that everything works well. If you call
    twice on the same day, however, you are in for a surprise. The
    board greets you differently on your second visit. You will not
    get the menu of available bulletins. It will take you directly
    to the system's main menu. Your script must take this into
    account.

On most online services, many things can happen at each "junction of your
road." At one point in one of my scripts, up to twenty things may happen.
Each event needs its own "routing."

Twenty possible events are an extreme, but three to four possibilities at
each system prompt is not unusual. All of them need to be handled by your
script, if you want it to visit online services unattended while asleep.

It is quicker and simpler to use other people's scripts and programs,
although this might force you to use a different program for each service.

Personally, I prefer offline readers on services where such are able to do
the job. On other services, I usually depend on my own tailor-made scripts.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 17: Gazing into the future
==================================

Thoughts about things to come.

Newspaper of the future
---------------------------
Some years ago, Nicholas Negroponte of Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, said that today's newspapers are old-fashioned and soon to be
replaced by electronic "ultra personal" newspapers.

"If the purpose is to sell news," he said, then it must be completely wrong
to sell newspapers. Personally, I think that it is a dreadful way of
receiving the news."

MIT's Media Laboratory developed a new type of electronic newspaper. Daily,
it delivered personalized news to each researcher. The newspaper was
"written" by a computer that searched through the news services' cables and
other news sources according to each person's interest profile.

The system could present the stories on paper or on screen. It could
convert them to speech, so that the "reader" could listen to the news in
the car or the shower.

In a tailor-made electronic newspaper, personal news makes big headlines.
If you are off for San Francisco tomorrow, the weather forecasts for this
city is front page news. Email from your son will also get a prominent
place.

"What counts in my newspaper is what I consider newsworthy," said
Negroponte.

He claimed that the personal newspaper is a way of getting a grip on the
information explosion. "We cannot do it the old way anymore. We need other
agents that can do prereading for us. In this case, the computer happens to
be our agent."

The technology is already here. Anyone can design similar papers using
powerful communication programs with extensive script features. I have
tried.

Testing the concept
-------------------
My test edition of The Saltrod Daily News did not convert news to sound. It
did not look like a newspaper page on my screen. Not because it was
impossible. I simply did not feel the 'extras' worth the effort.

My personal interest profile was taken care of by my scripts. If I wanted
news, the "news processor" went to work and "printed" a new edition. On
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, I got an "extended edition."

This is a section from my first edition:

    "Front page," Thursday, November 21.
    Under the headline News From Tokyo, the following items:

     TOSHIBA TO MARKET INEXPENSIVE PORTABLE WORD PROCESSOR
     TOHOKU UNIVERSITY CONSTRUCTING SEMICONDUCTOR RESEARCH LAB
     MEITEC, U.S. FIRM TO JOINTLY MARKET COMPUTER PRINTER INFO
     TOSHIBA TO SUPPLY OFFICE EQUIPMENT TO OLIVETTI
     NISSAN DEVELOPS PAINT INSPECTION ROBOT
     MADE-TO-ORDER POCKET COMPUTER FROM CASIO

    These articles were captured from Kyoto News Service through
    Down Jones/News Retrieval.

    The column with news from the United States had stories from
    NEWSBYTES newsletters:

     * DAY ONE COMDEX.
     * IBM'S PRE ANNOUNCEMENT OF "CLAMSHELL"
     * AT&T TO JUMP IN SOONER WITH LAPTOP COMPUTER
     * COMMODORE THIRD CONSECUTIVE QUARTERLY LOSS
     * 2 ZENITH UNVEILS TOUCH-SCREEN
     * HP's EARNINGS DROP

    Hot News From England came from several sources, including
    Financial Times, and Reuters (in CompuServe's UK News).
    Headlines read:

     * THE CHRISTMAS SELLING WAR
     * BIG MACS GOING CHEAP TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

    "Page 2" was dedicated to technology intelligence. "Page 3"
    had stories about telecommunications, mainly collected from
    NewsNet's newsletters. "Page 4" had stories about personal
    computer applications.

As the cost of communicating and using online services continues to
decrease, many people will be able to do the same.

Is this where we are heading?

Contrast this with the newspapers "self-defence" tactics. Some test WWW
or ISDN deliveries of full-page images combined with text in an attempt to
give their electronic paper the look and feel of print.

To get an idea of what they are up to, join the ONLINE-NEWS mailing list.
Write [e-mail] . Put the following command in your email:

    subscribe online-news

Other move to dynamic new formats (distinctive from their hard copy
counterparts), creating a new and unique interactive medium. Check out the
pointers under WWW in appendix 6 for more.

Some complain that it is too difficult to read news on a computer screen.
Maybe so, but pay attention to what is happening in notebook computers.
This paragraph was written on a small PC by the fireplace in my living
room. The computer is hardly any larger or heavier than a book.

(Sources for monitoring notebook trends: NEWSBYTES' IBM and Apple reports,
CompuServe's Online Today, and IBM Hardware Forum.)

Electronic news by radio
------------------------
If costs were of no concern, then your applications of the online world
would probably change considerably. Pay attention, as we are moving fast in
that direction.

Radio is one of the supporting technologies. It is used to deliver Usenet
newsgroup to bulletin boards (example: PageSat Inc. of Palo Alto, U.S.A.)
Also, consider this:

Businesses need a constant flow of news to remain competitive. Desktop Data
Inc. (tel. [phone]) markets a real-time news service called
NewsEDGE in the United States and Europe. They call it "live news
processing." Annual subscriptions start at US$20,000 for ten users (1993).

NewsEDGE continuously collects news from more than 100 news wires,
including sources like PR Newswire, Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News,
Dow Jones News Service, Dow Jones Professional Investor Report and Reuters
Financial News.

The stories are "packaged" and immediately feed to customers' personal
computers and workstations by FM, satellite, or X.25 broadcast:

    * All news stories are integrated in a live news stream all day
      long,

    * The NewsEdge software manages the simultaneous receipt of
      news from multiple services, and alerts users to stories that
      match their individual interest profiles. It also maintains a
      full-text database of the most recent 250,000 stories on the
      user's server for quick searching.

In the meantime, traditional newspapers are searching for new ways to keep
readers. For example, The Washington Post (U.S.A.) plans an electronic
version with interactive ads, allowing subscribers to check mortgage rates
at a bank, make restaurant reservations or buy tickets for sports events.
It also plans to reproduce the Post's front page, "complete with graphics
that move and photographs that come alive as a videotape excerpt with
sound." (October 1993)

Packet radio
------------
A global amateur radio network allows users to modem around the world, and
even in outer space. Its users never get a telephone bill.

There are over 700 packet radio based bulletin boards (PBBS). They are
interconnected by short wave radio, VHF, UHF, and satellite links.
Technology aside, they look and feel just like standard bulletin boards.

Once you have the equipment, can afford the electricity to power it up, and
the time it takes to get a radio amateur license, communication itself is
free.

Packet radio equipment sells in the United States for less than US$ 750.
This will give you a radio (VHR tranceiver), antenna, cable for connecting
the antenna to the radio, and a controller (TNC - Terminal Node
Controller).

Most PBBS systems are connected to a network of packet radio based boards.
Many amateurs use 1200 bps, but speeds of up to 56,000 bps are being used
on higher frequencies (the 420-450 MHz band in the United States).

Hams are working on real-time digitized voice communications, still-frame
(and even moving) graphics, and live multiplayer games. In some countries,
there are also gateways available to terrestrial public and commercial
networks, such as CompuServe, Internet, and Usenet.

Packet radio is demonstrated as a feasible technology for wireless
extension of the Internet.

Radio and satellites are being used to help countries in the Third World.
Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA), a private, nonprofit
organization, is one of those concerned with technology transfers in
humanitarian assistance to these countries.

VITA's portable packet radio system was used for global email after a
volcanic eruption in the Philippines in 1991. Today, the emphasis is on
Africa.

VITA's "space mailbox" passes over each single point of the earth twice
every 25 hours at an altitude of 800 kilometers. When the satellite is over
a ground station, the station sends files and messages for storage in the
satellite's computer memory and receives incoming mail. The cost of ground
station operation is based on solar energy batteries, and therefore
relatively cheap.

To learn more about VITA's projects, subscribe to their mailing list by
email to [e-mail]. Use the command SUB DEVEL-L <First-name
Last-name>.

For more general information about packet radio, check out HamNet on
CompuServe, and especially its library 9. Retrieve the file 'packet_radio'
(Packet radio in earth and space environments for relief and development)
from GNET's archive (see chapter 7).

ILINK has an HAMRADIO conference. There is a packet radio mailing list at
[e-mail] (write PACKET-RADIO-REQUEST@@WSMR-
SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL to subscribe).

Usenet has rec.radio.amateur.packet (Discussion about packet radio setups),
and various other rec.radio conferences. A "Common questions and answers
about Packet Radio" text is regularly posted to this newsgroup.

There is HAM_TECH on FidoNet, and Ham Radio under Science on EXEC-PC.

The American Radio Relay League (AARL) operates an Internet information
service called the ARRL Information Server. To learn how to use it, send
email to [e-mail] with the word HELP in the body of the text. Also,
check out ftp://oak.oakland.edu/SimTel/msdos/hamradio/ .

The WWW server for Amateur Radio on http://www.acs.ncsu.edu:80/HamRadio
will give you easy access to the Frequently Asked Questions and more.
There's another one at http://buarc.bradley.edu/ .

Cable TV
--------
Expect Cable TV networks to grow in importance as electronic high-ways, to
offer gateways into the Internet and others, and to get interconnected not
unlike the Internet itself.

Example: Continental Cablevision Inc. (U.S.A.) lets customers plug PCs and
a special modem directly into its cable lines to link up with the Internet.
The cable link bypasses local phone hookups and provides the capability to
download whole books and other information at speeds up to 10 million bits
per second.

The Global Telephone
--------------------
Watch the American company Motorola closely. Their Iridium project aims at
covering the world with telephone services provided from a large number of
satellites. Expect them to compete aggressively with local telephone
services.

The new system will allow people to communicate by telephone anywhere on
earth - whether on land, at sea or in the air - via portable cellular radio
telephones operating as part of a satellite-based system. Callers using the
new system will not need to know the location of the person (or online
service) being called. They will simply dial the number to be connected.

Current plans (1993) estimate that the Iridium system will be operational
by 1998.

Microsoft is planning a network of 840 low-orbit satellites covering 95
percent of the earth's surface by the year 2001. The idea is that we will
be able to access information from almost anywhere - provided we have
software and services from Microsoft, of course.

For more, check out SATNEWS on [e-mail], a bi-weekly news
digest of international satellite, television, radio and media news
produced by M2 Communications Ltd. M2 also provides PitchLink, a cuttings
and research service.

Business Database Plus on CompuServe has Satellite Communications and
Satellite News. NewsNet has the Mobile Satellite News, Satellite News,
Satellite Week, and Mobile Satellite Reports newsletters.

The Rime network has SATELLITE (Discussions of satellite equipment). The
biz.pagesat newsgroup on Usenet is "For discussion of the Pagesat Satellite
Usenet Newsfeed."

Electronic mail on the move
---------------------------
For some time, we have been witnessing a battle between giants. On one
side, the national telephone companies have been pushing X.400 backed by
ITU-TSS, and software companies like Lotus, Novell, and Microsoft.

On the other side, CompuServe, Dialcom, MCI Mail, GEISCO, Sprint, and
others have been fighting their wars.

Nobody really thought much about the Internet, until suddenly, it was there
for everybody. The incident has changed the global email scene
fundamentally.

One thing seems reasonably certain: that the Internet will grow. In late
1992, the president of the Internet Society (Reston, Va., U.S.A.) made the
following prediction:

    ".. by the year 2000 the Internet will consist of some 100
    million hosts, 3 million networks, and 1 billion users (close
    to the current population of the People's Republic of China).
    Much of this growth will certainly come from commercial
    traffic."

We, the users, are the winners. Most online services now understand that
global exchange of email is a requirement, and that they must connect to
the Internet.

Meanwhile, wild things are taking place in the grassroots arena:

    * Thousands of new bulletin boards are being connected to
      grassroots networks like FidoNet (which in turn is connected
      to the Internet for exchange of mail).

    * Thousands of bulletin boards are being hooked directly into
      the Internet (and Usenet) offering such access to users at
      stunning rates.

    * The BBSes are bringing email up to a new level by letting
      us use offline readers, and other types of powerful mail
      handling software.

Email will never be the same.

Add to this new services under development at BellSouth (USA), which will
include the capability to retrieve email messages by telephone for
networkers who find themselves on the road without a laptop and modem. The
email will be electronically read to them by a computer. (1993)

The commercials go Internet
---------------------------
New databases and information services appear on the Internet every day.
Most are free. World Wide Web, hypertext, and distributed text-searching
systems (like WAIS) make it easier than ever to find information.

While this puts pressure on the old commercial services, it also creates
new opportunities. Some have already opened shop on the Internet itself.
Others focus on making it easier for users to connect directly from the
global matrix of networks.

Corporate EasyNet is offered by Telebase Systems, a known reseller of
KR Dialog and other professional and business database information to
individual consumers through services like I-QUEST on CompuServe.

The Telebase offering is a top-level subject-oriented menu system.
Subscribers use it interactively with a gopher client program or World Wide
Web browser pointing at gopher.telebase.com.

Pricing depends on the database being searched. It offers databases with
primarily business information from well known sources, such as Standard &
Poor's, Dun & Bradstreet, TRW Business Credit, magazines, newspapers, etc.

For information, email [e-mail], or connect to the gopher address
above. Fax: [phone]. Voice: [phone]. Credit cards accepted.

Dun & Bradstreet has set up shop on the Web (http://www.dbisna.com/).
Elsevier Science, the scientific communications branch of Reed Elsevier, is
http://www.elsevier.nl/. We have referred to the NewsHound news
clipping and screening service in Chapter 11.

Dow Jones in collaboration with WAIS Inc. offers DowVision on the Internet.
This news service filters full-text articles from sources, such as Dow
Jones International News Service, Dow Jones News Service, Japan Economic
Newswire, Canada Newswire, Business Wire, PR Newswire, Investext Abstracts,
Professional Investor Report, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York
Times News Service (current day only). URL:http://dowvision.wais.net/.

Cheaper and better communications
---------------------------------
During Christmas 1987, a guru said that once the 9600 bps V.32 modems fell
below the US$1,200 level, they would create a new standard. Today, such
modems can be bought at prices lower than US$200. In many countries, 14,400
bits/s modems are already the preferred choice.

Also, expect new developments within data compression to have a further
impact on the costs of global communications.

CD-ROM supported communications
-------------------------------
CompuServe is planning to let users with CD-ROM-equipped computers receive
regularly updated online information enhanced by audio and video components
held on disc (September 1993).

Expect new and innovative ways of presenting offerings in the electronic
shopping area. CompuServe is also talking about an interactive magazine,
and multimedia extensions to some databases and forums.

Wild dreams get real
--------------------
In the future, we will be able to do several things simultaneously on the
same telephone line. This is what the promised land of ISDN (Integrated
Service Digital Networks) is supposed to give us.

Some users already have this capability. They write and talk on the same
line using pictures, music, video, fax, voice and data.

The most important factor, however, is increased transmission speed, and
here, ISDN is not alone. Fast 28,800 bits/modems with compression are
already starting to give us access to "a new world" of opportunities.

Here are some key words indicating what is waiting for us:

    * Chats, with the option of having pictures of the people we are
      talking to up on our local screen (for example in  a window, each
      time he or she is saying something).  Eventually, we may get the
      pictures in 3-D.

      A program called Internet VoiceChat was released in May 1994 allowing
      users to conduct live voice conversations over the Internet using
      their PC's. . . (Email: [e-mail] for information.)

      microWonders Inc. (Toronto, Canada) is promoting Internet Global
      Phone (IGP),a free Windows program that provides two-way voice
      communications over Internet connections. The program will run on any
      PC equipped with a SoundBlaster compatible sound card, speakers, and
      a microphone. The compression technology (GSM) makes real-time voice
      connections practical over any common modem-based Internet connection
      from 14.400 bits/s up. - The software can be obtained by email at
      [e-mail] , or from

          ftp://ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de//pub/local/kbs/tubmik/gsm/

      WIT (WWW Interactive Talk) was released in June 1994. Try this URL:
      http://http3.brunel.ac.uk:10000/wit .

    * Database searches in text and pictures, with displays of  both.

    * Electronic transfers of video/movies over a telephone line (fractal
      image compression technology may give us another  online revolution).
      Imagine dances filmed by ethnologists  at the Smithsonian Institution
      in Washington, D.C., or an  educational film about the laps in
      northern Norway from  an information provider called the Norwegian
      Broadcasting  Corp.

      The "Internet Talk Radio" have delivered radio programs by anonymous
      ftp for quite some time (http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/radio/radio.html
      and ftp://juggler.lanl.gov/pub/ITR/itr_archives.html)

      In the spring of 1994, CompuServe teamed up with film studios Walt
      Disney Pictures, Warner Bros., MCA/Universal, and others to deliver
      full-motion video clips (trailers) from new motion pictures to PC and
      Macintosh users.

      Paramount Pictures has a Web site dedicated to the motion picture
      Star Trek Generations. It offers a galaxy of unique Star Trek
      elements for retrieval, including pictures, sounds and a preview of
      the movie, in addition to behind-the-scenes information. On the URL:
      http://generations.viacom.com/

    * Online amusement parks with group plays, creative offerings (drawing,
      painting, building of 3-D electronic sculptures),  shopping (with
      "live" people presenting merchandise and  good pictures of the
      offerings, test drives, etc.), casino  (with real prizes), theater
      with live performance, online  "dressing rooms" (submit a 2-D picture
      of yourself, and  play with your looks), online car driving schools
      (drive a  car through Tokyo or New York, or go on safari).

      The ImagiNation Network has been playing around with these ideas  for
      quite some time.

    * Your favorite books, old as new, available for on-screen  reading or
      searching in full text. Remember, many libraries  have no room to
      store all the new books that they receive.  Also, wear and tear tend
      to destroy books after some time.

      Many books are already available online, including this one.

    * Instant access to hundreds of thousands of 'data cottages'.  These
      are computers in private homes of people around the  world set up for
      remote access. With the technical advances  in the art of
      transferring pictures, some of these may grow  to become tiny online
      "television stations."

These wild ideas are already here, but it will take time before they are
generally available. New networks need to be in place. New and more
powerful communications equipment has to be provided.

Farther down the road, we can see the contours of speech-based electronic
conferences with automatic translation to and from the participants'
languages. Entries will be stored as text in a form that allows for
advanced online searching. We may have a choice between the following:

    * To use voice when entering messages, rather than entering
      them through the keyboard. The ability to mix speech, text,
      sound and pictures (single frames or live pictures).

    * Messages are delivered to you by voice, as text or as a
      combination of these (like in a lecture with visual aids).

    * Text and voice can be converted to a basic text, which then
      may be converted to other languages, and forwarded to its
      destination as text or voice.

Pointer: CompuServe's multilingual machine translation of its MacCIM Help
Forum messages. Forum messages may be entered in English and automatically
posted in German or French to users in those countries, as well, German and
French language messages may be translated and posted in English.

New players on the horizon
--------------------------
Sony (Japan) is in the process of launching an Internet-based service
providing data from its music, movie and electronic publishing companies.
In the future, users will be able to watch music video clips, and hear
brief sound samples from current and upcoming projects.

Microsoft is launching The Microsoft Network (MSN) as a part of their new
release of Windows (the Windows 95 operating system). The company is
creating relationships with long distance carriers to provide local access
numbers in over 35 countries. The service will be localized in 20
languages. Expect the initiative to bring hordes of new users online.

Olivetti (Italy) wants to build a leading position in the global
telecommunications and multimedia market in Europe. Italian Online is their
Italian venture. In the United Kingdom they work with a partner calling
themselves UK Online.

Ziff Davis Interactive embarked on launching the Interchange Online Network
in the U.S.A., and then sold it to AT&T (December 1994). Onboard with
Interchange are The Washington Post, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Cowles
Business Media, as well as several well-known computer magazines.

One world
---------
Within the Internet, the idea of "the network as one, large computer" has
already given birth to many special services, like gopher and WAIS.
Potentially, we will be able to find and retrieve information from anywhere
on the global grid of connected systems.

Bulletin boards have commenced to offer grassroots features modeled after
telnet and ftp. These alternatives may even end up being better and more
productive than the interactive commands offered "inside" the Internet.

The global integration of online services will continue at full speed, and
in different ways.

Rates
-----
The Internet is putting a price on the commercial service rates. There is a
trend away from charging by the minute or hour. Many services convert to
subscription prices, a fixed price by the month, quarter or year.

Example: In late 1994, Data Times decided to abolish both connect-time and
information unit pricing. Instead, users were to pay a fixed fee per month
plus fees for any information retrieved. There were no charges for browsing
headlines or sources.

Other services, among them some major database services, move toward a
scheme where users only pay for what they get (no cure, no pay). MCI Mail
was one of the first. There, you only pay when you send or read mail. On
CompuServe's IQuest, you pay a fixed price for a fixed set of search
results.

The Internet is a special case, as anyone who buys Internet can likewise
sell Internet. Many services are still writing goofy and generally
unenforceable contracts, making irrational pricing and service decisions.
Expect this to change, and the cost of getting an Internet connection to
dive toward cost.

Cheaper transfers of data
-------------------------
Privatization of the national telephone monopolies has given us more
alternatives. This will continue. Possible scenarios:

    * Major companies selling extra capacity from their own
      internal networks,

    * Telecommunications companies exporting their services at
      extra low prices,

    * Other pricing schemes (like a fixed amount per month with
      unlimited usage),

    * New technology (direct transmitting satellites, FM, etc.)

So far, data transporters have been receiving a disproportionate share of
the total costs. For example, the rate for accessing CompuServe from Norway
through InfoNet is US$8.00, while using the service itself costs US$12.80
at 2400 bps (the Alternative Pricing Plan, 3/1994).

Increased global competition in data transportation is quickly changing
this picture, supported by general access to the Internet. Prices will most
likely continue their dramatic way toward zero.

Powerful new search tools
-------------------------
As the sheer quantity of information expands, the development of adequate
finding tools is gaining momentum. Our major problem is how to find and use
what we have access to. This is especially true on the Internet.

Expect future personal information agents, called "knowbots," which will
scan databases all over the online world for specific information at a
user's bidding. This will make personal knowledge of where you need to go
redundant.

Some "knowbots" will be built into your local communications software,
while others will be external service offerings. Some will exploit the
hypertext concept, universal data linking, massive cross-indexing of
information, dynamic customization of your interactions to the various
services, and more.

Artificial intelligence will increase the value of searches, as they can be
based on your personal searching history since your first day as a user.

Your personal information agents will make automatic decisions about what
is important and what is not in a query. When you get information back, it
will not just be in the normal chronological order. It will be ranked by
what seems to be closest to your query.

Sources for future studies
--------------------------
It seems appropriate to end this chapter with some online services focusing
on the future:

Newsbytes has a section called Trends. The topic is computers and
communications. ECHO has the free database Trend, the online edition of the
Trend Monitor magazine. It contains short stories about the development
within electronics and computers (log on to ECHO using the password TREND).

Usenet has the newsgroup clari.news.trends (Surveys and trends). Why not
complement what you find here by monitoring trends in associated areas
(like music), to follow the development from different perspectives? The
music forum RockNet on CompuServe has a section called Trends.

CompuServe's Education Forum has the section Future Talk. What educators
think about the future of online services (and education) is always
interesting. The Well, based just outside Silicon Valley in the United
States, has The Future conference.

UUCP has info-futures. Its purpose is "to provide a speculative forum for
analyzing current and likely events in technology as they will affect our
near future in computing and related areas." (Contact: info-futures-
[e-mail] for subscription.)

Usenet has comp.society.futures about "Events in technology affecting
future computing."

It is tempting to add a list of conferences dedicated to science fiction,
but I'll leave that pleasure to you.

    Have a nice trip!



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix 1: List of selected online services
============================================

To make a list of online services is difficult. Services come and go.
Addresses and access numbers are constantly changed. Only one thing is
certain. Some of the details below will be outdated, when you read this.

Advantis
--------
A communications industry joint venture between Sears, Roebuck and Co and
IBM initially focusing on network design, transmission and support services
(including X.25, SNA, ISDN, TCP/IP, and EDI).

Established in December 1992, Advantis inherited over one million customers
from Sears' Technology Services and IBM's Information Network. The IBM
Information Network was IBM's commercial value-added data network offering
worldwide email and data transfer services.

To send mail from the Internet to a user of Advantis IBMmail (also called
IMX or Mail Exchange), address your message to their userid at ibmmail.com.
The email address contains a two-letter country code (like FR for France),
and a three-letter user identity. You need to know their userid (IEA in
IBMmail terminology) in advance.

An IBMmail user can find how to address to Internet by sending mail to
INFORM at IBMmail with /GET INET in the body of the text.

The IBM Mail Exchange Directory has address book details of subscribers.
For information, send email to [e-mail] with the word HELP in the
text. Also, try the gopher at gopher.advantis.com .

See the IBM Global Network.

Affaersdata i Stockholm AB
-------------------------
P.O. Box 3188, S-103 63 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: + 46 8 736 59 19.

America Online
--------------
has the CNN Newsroom (Turner Educational Services), The Washington Post,
the National Geographic magazine, PC World and Macworld. AOL has tailor-
made graphical user interfaces for Apple, Macintosh, and PC compatible
computers. It had 1,500,000 users in December 1994. Sending and receiving
Internet mail is possible.

Contact: America Online, 8619 Westwood Center Dr., Vienna, VA 22182-2285,
USA. Phone: [phone].  Email: [e-mail]

APC
---
The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is a worldwide
partnership of member networks for peace and environmental users with host
computers in several countries around the world. See appendix 7 for more
information.

The APC nets have full Internet access (except FTP).

While all these services are fee based, they bring a wealth of information
on environmental preservation, peace (including Greenpeace Press Releases),
human rights, grant-making foundations, Third World Resources, United
Nations Information Service, Pesticide Information Service, and more.

For information about APC, write to [e-mail] , or APC
International Secretariat, Rua Vincente de Souza, 29, 22251-070 Rio de
Janeiro, BRASIL. Fax: [phone]. gopher://gopher.igc.apc.org:70/11

For information about the PeaceNet World News Service, which delivers news
digests directly to your email box, send a request to [e-mail].


ASCII Net
---------
Japanese PC network for hobbyists. This online service has around 85,000
users (1993). Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Full Internet
connectivity being planned (1993).

AT&T Mail
---------
AT&T Mail Customer Assistance Center, 5000 Hadley Road, South Plainsfield,
NJ 07080, U.S.A. Email: [e-mail] .

Bergen By Byte
--------------
Norwegian online service with conferences and many files. Modem tel.: +47
55 324447. PDN (Datapak) address: 0 2422 450134. Telnet: oscar.bbb.no
(192.124.156.38).

English-language interface available. Annual subscription rates. Online
registration. Limited free usage.

Big Sky Telegraph
-----------------
is an online community for educators, business people etc. living in rural
areas in North America. Address: 710 South Atlantic, Dillon, Montana 59725,
U.S.A. Email: [e-mail]

BITNET
------
"Because It's Time NETwork" started in 1981 as a small network for IBM
computers in New York, U.S.A. Today, BITNET encompasses 3,284 host
computers by academic and research institutions all over the world. It has
around 243,016 users (source: Matrix News 1993)

All connected hosts form a worldwide network using the NJE (Network Job
Entry) protocols and with a single list of nodes. There is no single
worldwide BITNET administration. Several national or regional bodies
administer the network.

The European part of BITNET is called EARN (European Academic Research
Network), while the Canadian is called NetNorth. In Japan the name is
AsiaNet. BITNET also has connections to South America. Other parts of the
network have names like CAREN, ANSP, SCARNET, CEARN, GULFNET, HARNET,
ECUANET, and RUNCOL.

Normally, a BITNET email address looks like this:

         NOTRBCAT@INDYCMS

The part to the left of the @-character is the users' mailbox code. The
part to the right is the code of the mailbox computer. It is common for
Internet users to refer to BITNET addresses like this:
[e-mail] .

To send email from the Internet to BITNET, it has to be sent through
special gateway computers. On many systems, this is taken care of
automatically. You type [e-mail], and your mailbox system
does the rest.

On some systems, the user must give routing information in the BITNET
address. For example, North American mail to BITNET can be sent through the
gateway center CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU . To make mail to NOTRBCAT go through this
gateway, its mail address must be changed as follows:

         [e-mail]

Explanation: The @ in the initial address is replaced with % . Then add the
gateway routing: "[e-mail]".

If you must use a gateway in your address, always select one close to where
you live. Ask your local postmaster for the correct addressing in your
case.

BITNET has many conferences. We call them discussion lists or mailing
lists. The lists are usually administered by a computer program called
LISTSERV. The dialog is based on redistribution of ordinary email by
mailing lists. Consequently, it is simple for users of other networks to
participate in BITNET conferences.

BIX
---
is operated as a joint venture between General Videotex Corp. and the North
American computer magazine BYTE (McGraw-Hill). To some extent, it mirrors
what you can read on paper. BIX offers global Internet email, telnet and
ftp, multiple conferences. In 1992, the service had about 50,000 members.

The NUA address is 0310600157878. On Internet, telnet x25.bix.com . At the
Username: prompt, enter BIX as a user name. At the second Username: prompt,
enter NEW if you do not already have an account on the service.

Send email to BIX members as [e-mail].

You can sign up for the service, and play during your first visit to the
service. Read BYTE for more information, or write to General Videotex
Corporation, 1030 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Phone: +1-
617-354-4137. Email: [e-mail]

BRS
---
Bibliographic Retrieval Services is owned by CD Plus. BRS/After Dark is a
service for PC users. It can be accessed during evenings and weekends at
attractive rates.

BRS contains about 120 databases within research, business, news, and
science. The service's strengths are medicine and health.

Membership in BRS costs US$80 per year, plus hourly database usage charges.
It is also available through CompuServe (at a different price).

Contact in Europe: BRS Information Technologies, Achilles House, Western
Avenue, London W3 OUA, England. Tel. [phone].

CD Plus
-------
owns BRS Online, which in turn owns BRS Online, BRS Colleague, BRS After
Dark, and BRS Morning Search. The latter focuses on medical information.
These services were previously owned by InfoPro. The services have been
renamed to CDP Online and CDP Colleague. Voice: [phone].

CGNET
-----
is a network interconnecting a group of international research
organizations. Besides email, CGNET provides news clipping services,
airline reservation information, and database search. (See Dialcom)

Contact: CGNET Services International, 1024 Hamilton Court, Menlo Park,
California  94025,  USA. Telephone: [phone]. Fax:  [phone]
Telex: 4900005788 (CGN UI) .

CIX (England)
-------------
British online-service available by telnet, through PDN services and by
direct dial. Telnet cix.compulink.co.uk.

Compulink Information eXchange Ltd. claims to be Europe's largest
conferencing system. Sign-up fee (1993): GBP 25.00. Monthly minimum: GBP
6.25. Off-peak connect rate GBP 2.40. Peak rate is 3.60 per hour.

The service has full Internet access, and email exchange with CompuServe
and Dialcom. CIX has many conferences, ISDN access, Usenet News, telnet and
ftp.

Contact: The Compulink Information Exchange Ltd., The Sanctuary Oakhill
Grove, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6DU, England. Tel.: [phone]. Fax: +44-
81-390-6561. NUA: 2342 1330 0310. Data: [phone]/[phone].
Email: [e-mail] .

CIX (USA)
---------
The Commercial Internet eXchange is a North American association of
commercial Internet providers in which they agree to carry each others'
packets of mail, and more.

Clarinet
--------
A supplier of wire services to Internet users. A commercial network
publishing service providing information and news in some 300 newsgroups
(1994) by subject matter through Usenet. The Newsgroups for Clarinet begin
clari...

See Chapter 9 for more information. Single-user (individual) prices
available. Associated Press, Reuters, NewsBytes, and other sources.

Clarinet Communications Corp., 124 King St. North, Waterloo, Ontario N2J
2X8, Canada. Email: [e-mail] . http://www.clarinet.com

CompuServe
----------
has over 2.5 million users (October 94) all over the world, over 1,500
databases, 600 forums, 500 newspapers, online shopping from more than 100
shops and entertainment. It's like a large electronic supermarket.

You can access the service though local access numbers in over 100
countries, through Packet Switching Services, and outdial services. The
international NUA address is 0313299999997.

A list of available forums can be retrieved from the IBM Communication
Forum. Participation in forums is normally free (no extra charge).

The IQuest database service gives access to more than 800 publications,
databases, and indexes within business, public affairs, research, news,
etc. Bibliographic and full-text searches.

Some IQuest databases are physically residing on other online services,
like NewsNet, KR Dialog, BRS, and Vu/Text (U.S.A.), KR Data-Star
(Switzerland), DataSolve (England. It has TASS in the World Reporter
database), and Questel (France). Sometimes, it is cheaper to use these
services on CompuServe, than by a call to these services directly.

Knowledge Index offers over 120 of KR Dialog's more popular full-text and
bibliographic databases, the full text of 33 major newspapers, scientific
abstracts, reference sources, and more within 27 subject sections (1993).

The connect charge for CompuServe's Alternative Pricing Plan is
US$12.80/hour at 1200 and 2400 bps. 9600 bps costs US$22.80/hour. Monthly
subscription US$2.50. Using the Executive News Service (clipping service)
costs an extra US$15/hour.

An optional flat-rate pricing plan (the Standard Pricing plan) is available
for US$8.95 per month. It gives unlimited access to over 30 basic services,
including CompuServe mail, The Electronic Mall, news, weather and sports,
member support services, reference and travel services.

Hourly rates for Standard Pricing Plan members using extended services go
from US$6/hour for 300 bits/s to US$16/hour for 9600 bits/s access. (Feb.
93)

In addition, there are network charges. These differ a lot by country. For
example, access through European CompuServe nodes has no communication
surcharges during non-prime time (19:00-8:00 local time).

CompuServe can be accessed by telnet to compuserve.com . There are no
communications surcharges for accessing CompuServe via the Internet (March,
1994).

The service offers Usenet newsgroups (GO USENET). Outbound FTP across the
Internet link is available for users having newer versions of the
CompuServe Information Manager software (GO INTERNET). Outbound telnet,
gopher, and WWW is due soon.

CompuServe Information Services Inc., POB 20212, 5000 Arlington Centre
Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43220, U.S.A. Voice: [phone]. Email:
[e-mail] . URL: http://www.compuserve.com .

In Europe, call voice: [phone], fax: [phone] or write to
CompuServe, Jahnstrasse 2, D-8025 Unterhaching b., Munich, Germany. To
contact CompuServe Africa, call  [phone] in South Africa, or
([phone] for everywhere else.

Cosine
------
COSINE (Cooperation for Open Systems Interconnection Networking in Europe)
is a European Common Market "Eureka" project. It works to establish a
communications network infrastructure for scientific and industrial
research institutes all over Europe.

IXI is the international packet data network on which the COSINE project is
based. It is available Europe-wide providing links of up to 64 Kbit/s,
carries non commercial traffic for the research communities, and provides
links to several public data networks.

The CONCISE online information service is a focal point for information of
interest to European researchers. It has lists of sources of information.

Internet users can access CONCISE through Telnet. Connect either to
concise.ixi.ch (130.59.2.16) or concise.funet.fi (128.214.6.181). Login:
concise, password: concise.

For help, send email to [e-mail] with the following
command in the body of the text:

     start
     help cug-email

CRS Online (Canada Remote Systems)
----------------------------------
With a network of just over 200 computers, CRS Online is one of the largest
BBSs in North America (1994).  It has a software library of more than 30
gigabytes of programs and files, and over 6000 public forums and discussion
areas.

CRS Online provides several news and information services, including the
United Press International and Reuters news wires, North American stock
exchange results, the twice-weekly edition of Newsbytes, and other
publications.

Tel.:  [phone] (Toronto), 1-800-563-2529 (in Canada), (416)-213-6038
(FAX), and [phone] (Modem)  CRS Online, 12 Steinway Blvd. Unit 24,
Etobicoke, ON  M9W 6M5.

DASnet
------
forwards mail between systems that do not have any email exchange
agreements. See description in Chapter 13. Contact: DA Systems, Inc., 1503
E. Campbell Ave., Campbell, CA  95008, U.S.A.

KR Data-Star
------------
is a leading European-based online service that is owned by Knight-Ridder
Information, Inc.

It offers over 400 databases (1994) from a broad scope of disciplines. In
addition to a global coverage of automotive industry data, detailed
import/export trade statistics, and specialized pharmaceutical, biomedical,
and health care information, KR Data-Star's strength is its collection of
European information, newspapers and newswires.

SciSearch is a database with references to over nine million stories from
4500 newspapers and magazines. KR Data-Star is strong on pharmaceutical,
chemical, biotechnology, and automotive industries.

Other databases: Current Patents Fast Alert, Flightline (with stories about
air transport), The Turing Institute Database on artificial intelligence,
Information Access (international market data), parts of SovData, Who Owns
Whom, Telefirm - Directory of French Companies, etc..

Access through Internet: telnet to rserve.rs.ch  [192.82.124.4] and login
as rserve , and follow standard login procedure.

Contact: Knight-Ridder Information, Inc., 2440 El Camino Real, Mountain
View, CA 94040, U.S.A. WWW URL: http://www.rs.ch/www/rs/datastar.html .

Delphi
------
offers full access to Internet. Write to: General Videotex Corp., 1030
Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Around 120.000 subscribers
(1994). Email: [e-mail] .

The service was purchased by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Ltd. (September
1993), and will be renamed Delphi Internet Services.

Dialcom
-------
is owned by British Telecom and is a network of data centers in many
countries. Dialcom is selling its services through many agents (like
EsiStreet for the music industry, and CGNet for agricultural research).

Some selected services: The Official Airline Guide, news (Financial Times
Profile, Newsbytes, AP, UPI, and Reuters), mail (Dialcom400), fax services
and several conference type offerings (like Campus 2000 for the education
market).

Most Dialcom users are unable to exchange mail with the Internet (DASnet is
a commercial alternative), but mail can be sent to users of SprintMail, IBM
Mail, AT&Ts Easylink, MCI Mail, Compania Telefonica Nacional de Espana, and
other X.400 systems.

Contact: Dialcom, 6120 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD 20852, U.S.A. The
British service Telecom-Gold is a subsidiary of Dialcom UK. In North
America, contact BT North America at tel.: [phone]. In Europe,
contact British Telecom.

CGNET can be reached through the Internet. Send a message to
[e-mail] for more information.

KR Dialog Information Services
------------------------------
is owned by Knight-Ridder Information, Inc., and has more than 450
databases online (1994), covering almost every discipline. Besides offering
significant science and technology databases, KR Dialog boasts a large
online collection of full-text sources, including 3,000 journals,
newsletters, reports, newspapers, plus a large collection of intellectual
property files covering patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Their list of sources includes the San Francisco Chronicle in full-text,
Newsbytes, Information Access, the Japan Technology database, most major
global news wires, Trademarkscan, USA Today, Teikoku Databank from Japan.

KR Dialog has gateways to other services, like CompuServe and iNet, making
the databases available to a larger market. Many databases are also
available on CD-ROM. The service had 155,000 users at the end of 1993
according to SIMBA Information.

Contact: Kight-Ridder Information, Inc., 2440 El Camino Real, Mountain
View, CA 94040, U.S.A.

On the World Wide Web, connect to http://www.dialog.com . You can also
telnet to DIALOG.COM (192.132.3.254, US$ 3/hour in 1992).

DIMDI
-----
Postfach 42 05 80, D-5000 Koeln 41, Germany. Tel: [phone].

Dow Jones News/Retrieval
------------------------
DJN/R covers more than 1800 key business and financial information sources
(1994). This includes a mix of newspapers, newswires, market reports, and
company financials.

It is the sole online distributor of The Wall Street Journal (with articles
from the international editions), Barron's, Dow Jones and Telerate's
newswires in full-text, PR Newswire, other newspapers in full-text,
clipping service, online charting for investors, and gateways to services
like MCI Mail, Info Globe (Globe and Mail in Canada).

Their Dow Jones Text Library is a vast searchable database that includes
all of Dow Jones's publications plus 1,400 general and trade publications,
major newspapers (like Washington Post), and magazines (such as Fortune and
U.S. News & World Report).

Use //GUIDE for names of all publications and newswires, description of
databases and general services.

DJN/R had 205,000 users at the end of 1993, up 3.5% from the previous year
(source: SIMBA Information).

You can telnet to djnr.dowjones.com . At the WHAT SERVICE PLEASE prompt,
enter DJNR and press ENTER. An ENTER PASSWORD prompt will appear. Here,
enter your normal DJNS account password. It is also accessible through a
gateway from MCI Mail.

DowVision on the Internet is at http://dowvision.wais.net/. It includes the
full text of key sources, such as Dow Jones International News Service, and
Canada Newswire.

Address: Dow Jones & Co., P.O. Box 300, Princeton, N.J. 08543-0300, U.S.A.
Voice: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

Dun & Bradstreet Information Services
-------------------------------------
WWW URL: http://www.dbisna.com

ECHO
----
European Commission Host Organization is accessible via CONCISE. Telnet
either to  concise.ixi.ch (130.59.2.16) or concise.funet.fi
(128.214.6.181). Login: concise, password: concise. The NUA address is
0270448112. You can also telnet to echo.lu . Login as echotest or echo.
URL: http://www.echo.lu/

ECHO's I'M GUIDE is a free database providing information about online
services within the European Common Market. It includes CD-ROMs, databases
and databanks, database producers, gateways, host organizations, PTT
contact points, and information brokers in Europe.

ECHO's other databases are classified under the headings Research and
development, Language industry, Industry and economy.

For information contact: ECHO Customer Service, BP 2373, L-1023 Luxembourg.
Tel.: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

eWorld
------
An online service for Macintosh computers that includes eWorld for
Macintosh and NewtonMail, a messaging service for Newton.

Initially launched in Canada and the UK. Australia, New Zealand, and Hong
Kong were scheduled to be added late 1994. 65,000 users in late 1994
(source: The Information & Interactive Services Report, U.S.A.).

eWorld, Apple Computer, Inc., 20525 Mariani Avenue, Curpetino, California
95014, USA. Tel.: [phone].

Exec-PC Network BBS
-------------------
is based in Milwaukee (Wisconsin, U.S.A.). In January, 1995, it had over
300 incoming phone lines, and more than 650,000 files available for
downloading (including the complete selection from PC-SIG California).
Large conferencing board.

The service focuses on owners of IBM compatible computers (MS/PC-DOS,
Windows, OS/2, Windows, Unix), Apple Macintosh, Amiga and Atari ST through
over 200 conferences.

You can access EXEC-PC through i-Com's outdial service, Global Access, PC-
Pursuit, Connect-USA, and by direct dialing. Annual subscription costs
US$75.00 (1993). You can sign on while online. Unregistered users get
thirty minutes per day free.

Contact: Exec-PC BBS, 2105 South 170th, New Berlin, WI 53151, USA. On the
Web: http://www.execpc.com/ . Telnet: execpc.com .

FidoNet
-------
was founded in 1984 for automatic transfers of files from one place to the
other at night, when the telephone rates are low. FidoNet is one of the
most widespread networks in the world. It consists mainly of personal
computers (IBM/Amiga/Macintosh...).

FidoNet systems exchange documents by using a modem and calling another
FidoNet system.  Communication can be either direct to the destination
system (calling long distance) or by routing a message to a local system.

Each computer connected to FidoNet is called a node. There are nodes in
around 70 countries. In June 1993, the net had 24,800 nodes throughout the
world (source: FidoNet nodelist). The number of nodes is growing at about
40 percent per year.

Most nodes are operated by volunteers, and access is free. FidoNet is
believed to have over 1.56 million users (1992).

Conferences (called ECHOs or Echomail) are exchanged between interested
nodes, and may thus have thousands of readers. The selection of echomail
conferences on a given FidoNet board can be as unique as the rest of the
system. A typical FidoNet Echomail conference gets 50 to 100 messages each
day. Any connected BBS may carry 50, 100, or more echomail conferences.

NetMail is the term for storing and delivering mail. FidoNet users can
send and receive mail through the Internet.

The list of member bulletin boards is called the Nodelist. It can be
retrieved from most boards. Each node has one line on this list, like in
this example:

   ,10,Home_of_PCQ,Warszawa,Jan_Stozek,48-22-410374,9600,V32,MNP,XA

The commas are field separators. The first field (empty in this example)
starts a zone, region, local net, Host, or denotes a private space (with
the keyword Pvt).

The second field (10) is the node number, and the third field (Home_of_PCQ)
is the name for the node.

The fourth field (Warszawa) is a geographical notation, and the fifth field
(Jan_Stozek) is the name of the owner. The sixth field is a telephone
contact number, and the other fields contain various technical information
used in making connections.

FidoNet has six major geographical zones: (1) North America, (2) Europe,
etc.,  (3) Oceania, (4) America Latina, (5) Africa, (6) Asia.

For information, contact the International FidoNet Association (IFNA), P.O.
Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141, U.S.A., or [e-mail] .

The FIDO subdirectory in the MSDOS directory on SimTel (on the Internet)
contains extensive information, including explanation of FidoNet, guide for
its nodes, gateways between FidoNet and Internet, and various programs and
utilities. (See TRICKLE in Chapter 4 for how to get these files.)

You may also gopher to cosn.org . Select Networking Information/Reference/The
BIG DUMMY'S GUIDE TO FIDONET.

FT Profile
----------
has full-text articles from Financial Times in London, from several
European databases (like the Hoppenstedt database with more than 46,000
German companies), and the Japanese database Nikkei.

Profile is available through Telecom-Gold, and can also be accessed through
other online services. Clipping service. CD-ROM.

Contact FT Profile at tel.: [phone].

GEnie
-----
General Electric Network for Information Exchange is owned by a joint
venture between GE and Ameritech . GEnie gives access to many databases and
other information services. It has gateways to KR Dialog, Dow Jones, and
claimed around 400,000 users (1993). Reuters estimated around 100,000 users
in mid-1994. Others say less than 220,000.

The basic rate is US$4.95/month plus connect charges. The surcharge is
US$18/hour between 08:00 and 18:00, and US$6.00/hour for some services,
like email, downloading of software, "chat," conferences, and multi-user
games. Access to Internet email is available as a surcharged add-on
service. (Addressing format: [e-mail])

"Phase I" of GEnie's Internet Access Service plan is to offer file transfer
protocol (FTP), UseNet newsgroups, outbound Telnet service, Gopher service,
and Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) in December, 1994.

For information call [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Mail: GE
Information Services, 401 N. Washington St., Rockville, MD 20850, U.S.A.

Note that Usenet has an alt.online-service.genie newsgroup.

GE Information Service Co. (GEIS)
---------------------------------
Online service operated by General Electric. Available in over 32
countries. GEIS' QUIK-COMM service integrates multinational business
communications for public and private mail systems. Its services include
Telex Access; and QUIK-COMM to FAX, which allows users to send messages
from their workstations to fax machines throughout the world. Contact: tel.
[phone]

GENIOS
------
German online service (tel.: [phone]). Offers information from
Novosti (Moscow), data about companies in the former DDR, the Hoppenstedt
business directories, and more.

GlasNet
-------
is an international computer network that provides low-cost
telecommunications to nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations throughout
the countries of the former Soviet Union. Email, fax, telex, public
conferences.

For nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations, basic GlasNet service fees
are 350 rubles/month after a one-time registration fee of 1000 rubles.
This does not include faxes or telexes. (1992)

Write to: GlasNet, Ulitsa Sadovaya-Chernograizskaya, dom 4, Komnata 16,
Third Floor, 107078 Moscow, Russia. Tel: [phone]. Email:
[e-mail] . Gopher at glas.apc.org .

Global Access
-------------
is a North American outdial service (see Chapter 13) owned by G-A
Technologies, Inc. It has an information BBS at [phone].

IASNET
------
The Institute for Automated Systems Network was the first public switched
network in the xUSSR. Its main goal is to provide a wide range of network
services to the scientific community in the xUSSR, including access to
online databases, a catalog of foreign databases, and conferencing
(ADONIS).

IBM Global Network
------------------
was announced in July 1994 as a worldwide value-added network (VAN). It
incorporates the Advantis network, offers network access in nearly 100
countries around the globe, connects to 5,500 customer networks, and
has 1.9 million individual users worldwide (1994).

Its IBM Internet Connection gives users access to the full range of
Internet services (World Wide Web, Gopher, FTP, Newsgroups, Telnet and E-
mail), and OS/2 Warp provides an easy-to-use graphical interface for the
user.

For information:

Asia Pacific: IBM Japan, Ltd., IBM Global Network, 19-21, Nihonbashi
Hakozaki-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103, Japan.

Europe/Middle East/Africa: IBM Global Network, IBM Eurocoordination SA,
Dept 8625, Tour Descartes, 92066 Paris La Defense, France.

United States/Latin America: Advantis, P. O. Box 30021, Tampa, FL 33630,
USA. (Voice: 1-800-455-5056). Email: [e-mail]

On the World Wide Web, connect to http://www.ibm.net/ibmnet.html

i-Com
-----
offers outdial services to North America (ref. Chapter 13). Contact: i-Com,
4 Rue de Geneve B33, 1140 Brussels, Belgium. Tel.: [phone]. Fax: +32
2215 8999. Modem: [phone].

ILINK (Interlink)
-----------------
is a network for exchange of conferences between bulletin boards in U.S.A.,
Canada, Scotland, England, Norway, France, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden,
and other countries.

Infonet
-------
is a privately owned vendor of packet data services with local operations
in over 50 countries, and access from more than 135 countries. Contact:
Infonet Services Corp., 2100 East Grand Ave., El Segundo, CA 90245, U.S.A.

Internet
--------
started as ARPANET, but is now a large group of more than 23,000
interconnected networks (1994) in over 83 countries all over the world
supporting mail, news, remote login, file transfer, and many other
services. All participating hosts are using the protocol TCP/IP.

There are other major wide area networks, such as the BITNET and DECnet
networks that are not based on the TCP/IP protocols and are thus not part
of the Internet.  However, it is possible to communicate between them and
the Internet via electronic mail because of mail gateways that act as
"translators" between the different network protocols involved.

In February 1994, the Internet offered email and other gateways to 146
countries.

There are over 3.8 million reachable host machines (October 1994).
The figure in October 1993 was 2.1 million. (Source: Mark Lottor. Ref:
gopher://ds1.internic.net:70/00/rfc/rfc1296.txt).

The number of users was estimated to 20 - 30 million users in July 1994
(Source: The Internet Society). In January 1994, The Internet Number FAQ
estimated over 16 million people. This number about doubles each year. Over
one million people are said to exchange email messages daily.

As of August, 1991, more than half the registered networks on Internet were
commercial.

In addition, private enterprise networks have an estimated 1,410,000 hosts
using TCP/IP (Source: The Internet Demographic Survey, January 1994.) These
offer mail exchange with the Internet, but not services such as Telnet or
FTP to most parts of the Internet, and are estimated to have some 7.5
million users.

Many commercial companies now offer full Internet services. Among these are
Alternet (operated by UUNET. Email: [e-mail]) and PCI
(operated by Performance Systems, Inc.). The UK Internet Consortium offers
similar services in Great Britain.

Internet gives users access to the ftp and telnet commands. Ftp gives them
interactive access to remote computers for transferring files. Telnet gives
access to a remote service for interactive dialog. (Read in appendix 6
about important Internet tools etc.) You can telnet several bulletin boards
through Internet. Here is a sample:

 Name                       Login as       Description
 ----                       ----------     -----------
 CONRAD.APPSTATE.EDU        info           World news collected by
                                           monitoring short wave
                                           broadcasts from BBS and
                                           other global sources.
 ATL.CALSTATE.EDU           LEWISNTS       Electronic newspapers and
                                           the Art World.
 TOLSUN.OULU.FI             BOX            Finnish service. English
                                           available as an option.

One important feature of the Internet is that no one is in charge. Much of
its direction comes from a group of volunteers called the Internet Society,
which is run more like a council of elders than a business (Email:
isoc@isoc@org).   The Internet is essentially a voluntary association.
Somehow it all works.

Similarly, no one organization collects fees from Internet users or
networks. Each individual user and service pays its own way. There are
rarely any additional charges for sending and receiving electronic mail
(even when sending to other networks), retrieving files, or reading Usenet
Newsgroups. . .

For more on the Internet, check out the sources listed at the end of
appendix 6.

Internet and The Matrix
-----------------------
The Matrix is also called "WorldNet." It includes all the networks in
Internet, and in addition a long list of networks that can send electronic
mail to each other (though they may not be based on the TCP/IP protocol).
Think of it as a larger network using the Internet as a telephone exchange.

The Matrix includes Internet, BITNET, DECnet, Minitel (France), Usenet,
UUCP, PeaceNet, IGC, EARN, Uninett, FidoNet, CompuServe, Alternex (Brazil),
ATT Mail, FredsNaetet (Sweden), AppleLink, GeoNet (hosts in Germany,
England, U.S.A.), GreenNet, MCI Mail, MetaNet, Nicarao (Nicaragua), OTC
PeaceNet/EcoNet, Pegasus (Australia), BIX, Portal, PsychNet, Telemail,
TWICS (Japan), Web (Canada), The WELL, CARINET, DASnet, Janet (England),
X.400, SprintMail, and many more.

These peripheral networks create a larger Matrix Internet that reaches 154
countries (June 1994), and provide many millions of people with lowest
common denominator email connectivity. Some believe that it is possible to
reach over 200 million mailboxes by email through the Matrix (1993).

Istel
-----
A privately owned vendor of packet data services, who has operator-owned
nodes in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Holland, Spain,
Sweden, England. Contact: AT&T Istel. Tel.: [phone] (in England).

Kompass Online
--------------
Kompass is a British-based publisher of corporate directories with
affiliates all over the world. The directories are available on KR Dialog,
LEXIS/NEXIS, and others. More details in Chapter 11.

MCI Mail
--------
Send mail to any valid facsimile, telex, postal or courier address
worldwide, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Full-service Internet
access provider.

MCI Mail, Box 1001, 1900 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20036, U.S.A.
Email: [e-mail] .

Internet users have to register with MCI Mail to use the service. To
register or to request additional information, send an e-mail to:

    [e-mail]

and type "help" as the message text. Internet users have full access to MCI
Mail services, including: electronic message transfer to letterhead and use
of signature graphics; image transmission via fax; alternate addressing
when sending a fax; and automatic retry for fax and telex.

LEXIS/NEXIS
-----------------
Formerly Mead Data Central. Owned by Reed Elsevier plc. Lexis is a legal
database service, while Nexis focuses on news.

Contact: LEXIS/NEXIS, International House, 1, St. Katharine's Way, London
E1 9UN, England. In the US, contact LEXIS/NEXIS, P.O. Box 933, Dayton, Ohio
45401.

TELNET lexis.meaddata.com or 192.73.216.20 or 192.73.216.21 . Terminal type
= vt100a. Note: If characters do not echo back, set your terminal to
"local" echo.

MetaNet
-------
Contact: Metasystems Design Group, 2000 North 15th Street, Suite 103,
Arlington, VA 22201, U.S.A. Tel.: [phone]. Telnet or gopher to
tmn.com . WWW: http://www.tmn.com/

MIX
---
A Scandinavian bulletin board network exchanging conferences. For
information, call Mike's BBS in Norway at the following numbers: +47-22-
416588, [phone] and [phone].

Minitel
-------
French videotex service, which is being marketed all over the world. It is
based on a special graphics display format (Teletel), has over 13,000
services, and appears like a large French online hypermarche with more than
seven million users (1992).

Access to the French Minitel network is available via the Infonet
international packet data network on a host-paid and chargeable account
basis.

Mnematics
---------
Mnematics, 722 Main Street Sparkill, NY 10976-0019, U.S.A. Tel.: +1-914-
359-4546.

NEC PC-VAN
----------
is Japan's largest online service. It has about 660,000 registered users
(February 1994). Your communications system must be able to display Japanese
characters to use the service. PC-VAN has gateways to GEnie, KR Dialog and
Internet.

Netnews
-------
See Usenet.

NewsBytes
---------
Information: [e-mail]

NewsNet
-------
The world's online leading vendor of full-text business and professional
newsletters. Offers access to over 800 industry-specific newsletters and
trade publications within 35 industry classification groups (1994). It has
over 20 worldwide newswires, and live gateway access to Dun & Bradstreet
business reports, TRW Business Profiles, and more.

You can read individual newsletter issues, and search back issues or
individual newsletters or publications within an industry classification.
NewsNet's clipping service is called NewsFlash. Enter PRICES at the main
command prompt for an alphabetic listing of all available services.

Contact: NewsNet, 945 Haverford Rd., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, U.S.A. Access
in 97 countries is possible through CompuServe's network.

NIFTY-Serve
-----------
is Japan's number 2 online service. It had 760,000 subscribers, 179 access
points in Japan and 1,414 overseas, offers 363 forums, 1,150 databases, and
ties up to major overseas networks including CompuServe, PC-VAN, JALNET,
and others (October 1994).

Your communications system must be able to display Japanese characters to
use the service. Internet mail is available as of February 1, 1994. Offers
NewsBytes in Japanese.

Nifty-Serve is jointly operated by Fujitsu and Nissho Iwai Trading in a
licensing agreement with CompuServe. Mail: NIFTY Corporation, Omori
Bellport A, Minami Oi 6-26-1, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140 Japan.

NWI
---
Networking and World Information, Inc. One time subscription fee: US$20
(US$5 is given to charity. US$15 is returned to the user as free time).
Non-prime time access costs US$10.70/hour at 300 to 2400 bps. Otherwise,
the rate is US$23.50. The service is available through PDN and outdial
services. (1992)

Contact: NWI, 333 East River Drive, Commerce Center One, East Hartford, CT
06108, U.S.A. Tel.: [phone].

CompuServe users can access NWI's PARTICIPATE conferences through a
gateway.

OCLC
----
Online Computer Library Center, Inc. is a nonprofit computer library
service and research organization whose computer network and products link
more than 15,000 libraries in 47 countries and territories. It serves all
types of libraries, including public, academic, special, corporate, law,
and medical libraries. Contact: OCLC, 6565 Fratz Rd., Dublin, OH, U.S.A.
Tel.: [phone].

Pergamon Financial Data Services
--------------------------------
See Orbit.

Polarnet
--------
A Scandinavian distributed conferencing system available through many
boards.

Prestel
-------
is owned by British Telecom. It is a videotex service based on a special
graphics display format. The service is also available as "TTY Teletype."
NUA address: 02341 10020020.

Prodigy
-------
is a North American videotex service owned  by IBM and Sears. You must have
a special communications program to use the service. Reuter claimed that
the service had 1.2 million subscribers in October 1994. Others say over 2
million.

Email from the Internet to Prodigy users: send to "[e-mail]," where
"XXXX" is the user's Prodigy service ID.

Contact: Prodigy Services Co., 445 Hamilton Ave., White Plains, NY 10601,
U.S.A. Tel.: [phone]. Email (through Internet): [e-mail] .

Questel/Orbit
-------------
A Member of the France Telecom Group. Address: Le Capitole 55, avenue des
Champs Pierreux, F-92029 Nanterre, France. Offices in Washington, Paris,
London and Sydney.

Specialized in patent, trademark, scientific, chemical, business and news
information. URL:  http://www.questel.orbit.com/patents/oqovw.html .
Telnet orbit.com .

RelayNet
--------
Also called PcRelay-Net. An international network for exchange of email and
conferences between more than 8,500 bulletin boards. The Relaynet
International Message Exchange (RIME) consists of some 1,000 systems
(1992).

Relcom
------
means 'Russian Electronic Communications.'  This company provides email,
other network services, a gateway to Internet, and access to Usenet.

In early 1992, RELCOM had regional nodes in 25 cities of the xUSSR
connecting over 1,000 organizations or 30,000 users.  It now has 200,000
users (2/1994). RELCOM has a gateway to IASNET.

Saltrod Horror Show
-------------------
Odd de Presno's BBS. Tel.: [phone].

The ImagiNation Network
-----------------------
(formerly The Sierra Network, or TSN) is one of the best things out there
for online games. Estimated number of subscribers: 509,000 (1994). Contact:
The Sierra Network, P.O. Box 485, Coarsegold, CA 93614, U.S.A.

SIGnet
------
Global BBS network with over 2500 nodes around the world (1993).

SprintMail
----------
is a large, commercial vendor of email services. It has local nodes serving
customers in 108 countries through its SprintNet network (1991).

Sprint offers extensive Internet interconnection service worldwide. It
extends the TCP/IP service to commercial customers under the name
SprintLink.

Internet mail to the SprintMail user identity 'T.Germain' can be sent to
[e-mail] , or [e-mail].

For information, contact SprintMail, 12490 Sunrise Valley Dr., Reston, VA
22096, U.S.A. WWW: http://www.sprintlink.net/

STN International
-----------------
Postfach 2465, D-7500 Karlsruhe 1, Germany.


SuperNET
--------
is an international network for exchange of conferences and mail between
SuperBBS bulletin board systems. Contact: SuperNet World Host through
FidoNet at 2:203/310 ([phone]) Lennart Odeberg.

TCN
---
is a Dialcom network. Internet email to TCN is only possible if either the
sender or recipient has registered with DASnet. The  email address would
be: [e-mail] (where xxx is the TCN number).

Tocolo BBS
----------
Bulletin board for people with disabilities in Japan, or with
"shintaishougaisha," which is the Japanese term. Call: [phone]. 1200
bps, 8,N,1. Your communications system must be able to display Japanese
characters to use the service.

TRI-P
-----
International outdial service. Contact: INTEC America, Inc., 1270 Avenue of
the Americas, Suite 2315, New York, NY 10020, U.S.A. In Japan, contact
Intec at 2-6-10 Sarugaku-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101.  Fax: [phone].

TWICS BeeLINE
-------------
English-language Japanese online service with PARTIcipate, Caucus and
Usenet netnews. Half the users are Japanese. Others connect from U.S.A.,
England, Canada, Germany, France, South Africa, and Scandinavia.

The NUA address is: 4406 20000524. Direct call to [phone]
(14,4KB/s), or [phone] (9600 bps). At CONNECT, press ENTER a few
times. Wait about a second between keystrokes to get to the registration
prompt.

New users can sign on as GUEST for information. You can also write
[e-mail], or send mail to TWICS/IEC, 1-21 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-
ku, Tokyo 160, JAPAN.

Foreign users have free access (1992).

UMI/Data Courier
----------------
620 South Street, Louisville, KY 40202, U.S.A.

Unison
------
North American conferencing service using PARTIcipate software. NUA
address: 031105130023000. Password: US$35.00. Monthly subscription:
US$6.25. Non-prime time access: US$12.00/hour. Prime time access:
US$19.00/hour. Enter SIGNUP when online the first time and follow the
prompts. (1991)

UUCP
----
UUCP (UNIX to UNIX Copy) is a protocol, a set of files and a set of
commands to copy files from one UNIX computer to another.     This copying
procedure is the core of the UUCP network, a loose association of systems
all communicating with the UUCP protocol.

UNIX computers can participate in the UUCP network (using leased line or
dial-up) through any other UNIX host. The network now also has many MS-DOS
and other hosts, and consisted of 16,300 hosts in January 1993 (source:
UUCP map) serving more than 489,000 users.

The UUCP network is based on two systems connecting to each other at
specific intervals, and executing any work scheduled for either of them.
For example, the system Oregano calls the system Basil once every two
hours. If there's mail waiting for Oregano, Basil will send it at that
time. Likewise, Oregano will at that time send any mail waiting for Basil.

There are databases with connectivity information (UUCP maps), and programs
(pathalias) that will help you decide the correct routing of messages.
However, many UUCP hosts are not registered in the UUCP map.

EUNET is a UUCP based network in Europe. JUNET is an equivalent network in
Japan.  There are many gateway machines that exchange mail between UUCP and
the Internet. Among these, UUNET.UU.NET is among the most frequently used
(Email: [e-mail]).

Usenet
------
Usenet, Netnews, or just "News" are common terms for a large many-to-many
conferencing (only) system distributed through UUCP, Internet, FidoNet, and
BITNET. The European portion of Usenet is called EUNET (European Unix NET).

This grassroots driven "network" has grown out of the global university and
research domains. It is a service rather than a real network. It is not an
organization, and has no central authority.

Usenet's newsgroups are carried by over 69,000 host computers in five
continents, and has over 1,991,000 users (source: Brian Reid, 1993). Many
of these hosts have access to the Internet.

Many bulletin board systems import newsgroups, and make them available to
their users. It is therefore estimated that Usenet reaches 6 million people
worldwide (1993).

The local administrator of each individual node in the network decides what
newsgroups to receive and make available to its users. Few systems offer
access to all of them.

NetNews is organized in groups of 'conferences'.  Each of these
classifications is organized into groups and subgroups according to topic.
As of June 1, 1993, there were 4500 newsgroups and 2500 regional
newsgroups. Several sites are carrying over 2600 topics. On a typical day
in December 1993, 43,000 Usenet articles were posted.

The groups distributed worldwide are divided into seven broad
classifications:

"comp"  Topics of interest to both computer professionals and
        hobbyists, including topics in computer science, software
        source, and information on hardware and software systems.

"sci"   Discussions marked by special and usually practical
        knowledge, relating to research in or application of the
        established sciences.

"misc"  Groups addressing themes not easily classified under any
        of the other headings or which incorporate themes from
        multiple categories.

"soc"   Groups primarily addressing social issues and
        socializing.

"talk"  Groups largely debate-oriented and tending to feature
        long discussions without resolution and without
        appreciable amounts of generally useful information.

"news"  Groups concerned with the news network and software
        themselves.

"rec"   Groups oriented toward hobbies and recreational
        activities.

Also available are many "alternative" hierarchies, like:

"alt"   True anarchy; anything and everything can and does
        appear. Subjects include sex, and privacy.

"biz"   Business-related groups

"clari" Newsgroups gatewayed from commercial news services and
        other 'official' sources. (Requires payment of a fee and
        execution of a licence. More information by email to
        [e-mail]).

Most Netnews hosts offer both global and local conferences. Many newsgroups
can be read through bulletin boards, commercial online services, or through
gateways from connected hosts (like from some BITNET hosts).

A full list of available groups and conferences is normally available from
hosts offering Netnews, and on NETNEWS servers. All users should subscribe
to news.announce.important .

A News Mail Server allows users to post to Usenet news via email. Note that
none of these support all existing newsgroups. Example: Send your mail to
[news-group-name]@cs.utexas.edu . Replace [news-group-name] with the name
of the desired newsgroup, as in mail [e-mail] .

Other News Mail Servers:

  [news-group-name]@news.demon.co.uk
  [news.group.name.usenet]@decwrl.dec.com
  [news.group.name]@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca
  [news.group.name]@nic.funet.fi

The FAQ "What is Usenet?" is regularly posted to the following newsgroups:
news.announce.newusers, news.admin.misc, news.answers . A FAQ called "How
to get access to NetNews (UseNet), or more access" is available by email to
[e-mail]. Put the following text in the body of your mail:

   mail
   open
   mode ascii
   get /documents/Internet/MaasInfo/HowNN

Check out http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/usenet/top.html

Vu/Text
-------
325 Chestnut St., Suite 1300, Philadelphia, PA 19106, U.S.A.

The Well
--------
The Whole Earth Lectronic Link is a commercial online service based in
Sausalito (U.S.A.). It has its own conferencing culture, and is an
interesting starting point for those wanting to "study" what makes the area
around Silicon Valley so dynamic.

The Well has 200 hosted conferences, public and private, about 8,000
members (January 1994), and is available in a variety of ways. The service
has full Internet access, and can be reached by telnet to well.sf.ca.us (or
192.132.30.2).

Modem tel.: [phone] at 1200 bps or [phone] at 2400 bps. You
can subscribe online. Rates: US$ 20/month plus US$ 2/hour (invoiced by the
minute online - 1992). Email: [e-mail]

ZiffNet
-------
markets its services through CompuServe (ZiffNet and ZiffNet/Mac), Prodigy,
and its own online service in the U.S.A. Their offerings include the Ziff
Buyer's Market, the ZiffNet/Mac Buyer's Guide, Computer Database Plus,
Magazine Database Plus, NewsBytes, and the Cobb Group Online. Estimated
number of users: 230,000 (1994).

Contact: Ziff Communications Company, 25 First Street, Cambridge, MA 02141,
U.S.A. Tel.: [phone].



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix 2:

Short takes about how to get started
====================================

* a computer
* modem and a communications program

You must have a computer
------------------------
It is not important what kind of computer you have, though you may find out
that it is an advantage to have a popular one. The most common type of
microcomputer today is called MS-DOS computers (or IBM PC compatibles or
IBM clones).

Your computer should have enough memory for communication. This is rarely a
problem.

Your computer does not have to be very powerful and super fast, unless you
want ultra fast transfers, use a slow communications program, or a complex
system of script files. If this is the case, you'll know to appreciate
speed and power.

You do not need a hard disk. Many do without. Not having one, however,
means more work, and less room for storage of all the nice things that you
may want to retrieve by modem.

Personally, I want as much hard disk space as I can possibly get. When you
have read the book, I guess you'll understand why.

Others may want to delay the purchase of a hard disk until they can spare
the money. If you can afford it, however, do it! It is a decision that
you'll never regret.

You must have a modem
---------------------
Some computers are always connected to a network. If this is your
situation, then you probably have what you need already. The rest of us
need a modem.

A modem is a small piece of equipment that is translating the internal,
electrical signals of the computer to sound codes. These codes can be sent
over an ordinary telephone line. You may think of it as a type of Morse
alphabet.

The recipient of data also needs a modem. In his case, the sound codes will
have to be translated back into their original form as digital codes. When
this is done, he can view text and pictures on the screen, and use the
received data in other applications.

You can buy modems on an expansion card for installation in your computer,
or in a separate box. Often, a modem has already been built into the
computer, when you buy it.

Whether to buy an internal or an external modem is a question of needs:

A portable computer with an internal modem is easier to bring on travels
than an external modem with a modem cable and a power adapter.

An external modem can serve several computers. Some of them are so compact
that they fit besides your toothbrush in the toilet bag.

An internal modem blocks one of your serial ports.

External modems
---------------
The options are many. The modems differ on speed, features, prices - and
whether they are approved for usage in your country.

Some of them are connected to the phone line by cable. Others are connected
to the handset (to the talk and listen part) by two rubber cups. We call
such modems acoustic modems (or acoustic couplers).

Acoustic modems are useful where connecting other modems to the telephone
is difficult. The bad news is that you'll get more noise on the line.
Acoustic modems can therefore not be recommended for use in other cases.

Asynchronous or synchronous modems?
-----------------------------------
Formerly, data communication was done by sending job commands to a
mainframe computer, and having the result returned in one batch. The modems
were called synchronous. Such modems (and computers) are still in use in
some large corporations.

Most of today's online services are based on an interactive dialog between
the user and the remote computer. The user enters a command, for example a
letter or a number in a menu, and the result is returned almost
immediately. The modems used for such work are called asynchronous (See
"Explanation of some words and terms" in appendix 4).

Unless you know that you must have a synchronous modem, buy an asynchronous
one.

Choice of speed
---------------
Speed is measured in many ways. One method is to use baud. Another is to
use characters per second (cps) or bits per second (bps).

Bps is a measure of how many data bits that can be transferred over a data
channel in one second. (Each byte is split up into bits before transfer
during serial communication.)

The relationship between baud and bits per second is complex, and often
misused. Bits per second is unambiguous. In this book, we will use it as
bps.

We can estimate the number of characters per second by dividing the number
of bps by ten. For example. 1200 bps is roughly 120 cps.

In 1987, 300, 1200 and 2400 bps asynchronous modems were the standard in
many countries. Around 1990, the growth in 9600 bps modems and modem with
faster speeds gained momentum.

Modem user manuals often give transfer speed by referring to some
international classification codes. Here are some ITU-TSS codes with
explanation:

V.21       0-300 bps        Still used by a small group. Cannot
           full duplex      communicate with the American Bell
                            103 standard.

V.22       1200 bps         Partly compatible with the American
           full duplex      Bell 212a standard. Sometimes it
                            works, sometimes it fails.

V.22bis    2400 bps         Used all over the world. Very
           full duplex      common.

V.23       600 &  1200      Rare protocol. Used mainly in Europe.
           bps w/75         Half duplex.
           bps return ch.

V.26ter    2400 bps         Used mainly in France
           full duplex

V.27ter    2400/4800 bps    Used in Group III fax
           half duplex

V.29       4800, 7200 and   Used in gr. III fax and in some (Ame-
           9600 bps         rican) modems. Do not buy V.29 if you
           half duplex      want a 9600 bps modem.

V.32       4800/9600 bps    Current standard for 9600 bps modems
           full duplex

V.32bis    4800/7200/9600,  Full duplex with faster interrogation.
           12000/14400 bps

V.Fast                      Proprietary protocols supporting speeds
also known as               to 28,800 bps for uncompressed (raw) data
V.32terbo  28800 bps        transmission rates over regular dial-
V.FC                        up, voice-grade lines. Using V.42bis
                            data compression, up to 86,400 bps
                            may be achievable. Some claim throughput
                            of up to 115.2 kbps with V.42bis compression.
                            Incompatibility between brands.

V.34       28800 bps        A standard high speed protocol approved by
                            ITU-TSS (1994).

V.34bis    32 Kbit/sec      Possible future standard.

V.42                        Error correction protocol (an appendix
                            yields compatibility w/MNP gr. 2,3 and
                            4 (see MNP below). For V.22, V.22bis,
                            V.26ter and V.32.

V.42bis                     Data compression for V.42 modems.
                            Meant to replace MNP and LAP. Text can
                            be transferred three times faster than
                            with MNP, i.e., in up to 38400 bps
                            using a 9600 bps modem. Very common.

When you consider buying a modem with higher speed, remember that going
from 1200 bps to 2400 is a 50 percent increase, while going from 1200 to
9600 bps gives 800 percent!

On the other hand, if you currently have 9600 bits/s, going to 14.400 will
only give you 50 percent.

MNP error correction and compression
------------------------------------
The Microcom Networking Protocol (MNP) is a U.S. industry standard for
modem-to-modem communication with automatic error correction and
compression.

Automatic error correction is useful when there is noise on the telephone
line. MNP splits the stream of data up into blocks before transmission.
They are checked by the other modem upon receipt. If the contents are
correct, an acknowledge message is sent back to the sending modem. If there
has been an error in the transmission, the sending modem is asked to
retransmit.

When using compression, files are being preprocessed before transmission to
decrease their size. The result is that the modem has to send fewer bytes,
and the effect is higher speed.

MNP Level 3 and up send data between two modems synchronously rather than
asynchronously. Since sending a start and stop bit with each transferred
byte is no longer required, the effect is higher speed.

MNP-4 or higher have automatic adjustment of block length when there is
noise on the line. If the line is good, longer blocks are sent. The block
size is decreased if the line is bad causing many retransmissions.

MNP-5 has data compression. This gives a further increase in transfer speed
by from 10 to 80 percent depending on the type of data sent. MNP-7 is
capable of a three-to-one compression ratio.

Both users must have their modems set for MNP to use it.

The speed of the computer's COMM port
-------------------------------------
Installing a super fast modem does not guarantee an increase in the
effective transfer speed. The serial port of your computer may be a
limiting factor.

Owners of older MS-DOS computers often have UARTs (serial port processors)
in the Intel 8250 or National 16450 series. With these in the computer, it
is difficult to achieve speeds above 9600 bps without losing data.

Take this into account when investing in a modem.

MNP and efficiency
------------------
I call my bulletin board daily. My personal computer is set to communicate
with a V.32 modem at 19,000 bps. The modem sends data to the telephone line
at 9600 bps, which is this modem's maximum line speed.

Data is received by the remote computer's V.32 modem at 9600 bps, and
forwarded to bulletin board at 19200 bps.

Why these differences in speed?

MNP level 5 compresses data in the modem before transfer, and gives error-
free transfer to and from the bulletin board at higher speed than by using
9600 bps all the way through.

The compression effectiveness differs by the type of data. When sending
text, the effective transfer speed may double. Speed will increase further
if the text contains long sequences of similar characters.

Text is typically compressed by up to 63 percent. This means that a 2400
bps modem using MNP-5 may obtain an effective speed of around the double
when transferring such data.

File transfers using MNP
------------------------
Files are often compressed and stored in libraries before transfer. Online
services do this because compressed files take less space on their hard
disks. Also, it is easier for users to keep track of files sent in a
library file.

You rarely get speed advantages when transferring precompressed files using
MNP or V.42bis. With some modems, you must turn MNP and V.42bis compression
off before retrieval of compressed files.

Dumb or intelligent modem?
--------------------------
Some modems are operated with switches or buttons on a panel. They do not
react to commands from your computer. We call them dumb.

You must dial numbers manually, and press a key on the modem, when you hear
the tone from a remote modem. Only when the modem is connected to the
remote modem, can you ask your communications program to take over.

We call those modems 'intelligent' that can react to commands from your
computer. Most of them react to commands according to the Hayes standard.

Buy intelligent, Hayes-compatible modems - even when other standards may
seem better. Most of today's communication programs are designed to be used
by such modems.

    Note: Buy modems that use the Hayes extended command set.

When a popular communications program, like Crosstalk, tells the modem to
"dial a number" or "go on hook," then the Hayes-compatible modem will do
just that.

When you press ALT-H in Procomm, the modem will disconnect from the remote
modem.

If you press ALT-D followed by the number "2," the program will locate the
number to an online service in your telephone directory, and dial that
number.

When the connection with the remote modem has been established, your modem
will report back to you with a message like CONNECT 2400. This tells that a
connection has been set up at 2400 bps.

If I select "k" from a menu provided by my communications program's command
scripts, then my system will retrieve today's business news from Tokyo and
put them up on my screen.

In the process, my system tells the modem to do several things, including
"call a number," "speed 2400 bps," "redial if busy," "go on-hook when
done." The only thing that I have to do, is press "k". The communications
program and the modem will do the rest.

Automatic communication is impossible without an intelligent modem.

The Hayes standard
------------------
The U.S. company Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. pioneered command-
driven modems. Their Smartmodem became a success, and "Hayes compatibility"
a standard for intelligent modems.

Today, it is as unimportant to buy a Hayes modem to get access to Hayes
commands, as to buy an IBM PC to run PC software.

Automatic dialing (autodial) was one of Smartmodem's important features.
The modem could call a number and prepare for data communication, once a
connection had been set up. If the line was busy, it could wait a while and
then redial. The operator could work with other things while waiting for
the equipment to be ready for communication.

The modem had automatic answer (autoanswer), i.e., when someone called in,
the modem could take the phone off hook and set up a connection with a
remote modem. The modem enabled a connected PC to act as an electronic
answering machine.

Hayes-compatible modems can report call progress to the local screen using
short numeric codes or words like CONNECT, CONNECT 1200, CONNECT 2400, NO
CARRIER, NO DIALTONE, BUSY, NO ANSWER, RING etc.

There can be small differences between such modems. The message DIALTONE on
one modem may be DIAL TONE on another. Most of the main progress messages,
however, are the same across brands.

The old Smartmodem had switches used to configure the modem. Most modern
Hayes-compatible modems come without switches and have more commands than
their ancestor.

Today's Hayes-compatible modems have a core of common commands, the "real"
Hayes-commands, and several unstandardized additional commands. Here is an
example:

A standard on the move
----------------------
On the Quattro SB2422 modem, 2400 bps speed without automatic speed
detection is set by the command "AT&I1". The equivalent command on
Semafor's UniMod 4161 is "AT+C0".

Automatic detection of speed is a feature that lets the modem discover the
speed of the remote modem to set its own speed at the same level. (Other
modems may use different commands to set this.)

When I want Procomm to call a bulletin board, it first sends a sequence of
Hayes commands to the Semafor modem. The purpose is to "configure" the
modem before calling. It sends the following:

      AT S0=0 +C0 S7=40 S9=4 &D2

The cryptic codes have the following meaning:

   AT              "Attention modem. Commands following.."
   S0=0            No automatic answer
   +C0             No automatic speed detection (fixed speed)
   S7=40           Wait 40 seconds for an answer tone from the
                   remote modem.
   S9=4            Wait 4/10 seconds for detection of carrier
   &D2             Go on-hook if the DTR signal is being changed.

If this command is sent to the Quattro modem, it will reply with "ERROR."
The code "+C0" must be replaced with an "&I1". The rest of the commands are
the same. (Note: when a modem responds with "ERROR," it has usually
rejected all commands sent to it!)

This setup is held in the modem's memory when Procomm sends its dialing
command: ATDT4737031378. AT stands for ATtention, as above. DT stands for
Dial Tone. Here, it is used to dial the number 4737031378 using tone
signaling (rather than pulse dialing).

The modem cable
---------------
If you have an external modem, you must connect your computer to the modem
with a cable. Some modems are sold without a cable.

This cable may be called a serial cable, a modem cable, a RS232C cable, or
something else. Make sure that you buy the correct cable for your system.

Make sure that the connectors at each end of the cable are correct. If a
male connector (with pins) is required in one end and a female (with holes)
in the other, do not buy a cable with two male connectors.

Some connectors have 9 pins/holes, while others have 25 or 8-pin round
plugs (Apple computers). Use a shielded cable to ensure minimal
interference with radio and television reception.

At this point, some discover that there is no place on the PC to attach the
cable. Look for a serial port at the rear of your machine, labeled MODEM,
COMMUNICATIONS, SERIAL, or with a phone symbol.

If you find no suitable connector, you may have to install an asynchronous
communication port in the box.

Connecting your equipment to earth
----------------------------------
Secure your computer and modem against thunderstorms and other electrical
problems. Securing the electric outlet in the wall is not enough. Problems
can also enter through the telephone line.

Thunderstorms have sent electrical pulses through the telephone line
destroying four modems, three PC-fax cards, one mother board, and at least
one asynchronous communication port.

To prevent this from happening to you, disconnect electrical and telephone
cables from your equipment during thunderstorms.

The communications program
--------------------------
A powerful communications program is half the job. In my case it's the
whole job. Most of my work is done automatically.

The communications program will help you with the mechanical transportation
of data in both directions. It lets you store incoming information for
later use and reduces the risks of errors.

Here are some items to consider when shopping communications program:

    * Seriously consider buying automatic programs ('robots') for access to
individual online services, even if that means having to use several
programs for different applications. (Read chapter 16 for more details.)

    * Menus and help texts are important for novices, and in environments
with "less motivated personnel." Advanced users may find it boring.

    * Ability to transfer data without errors. The program should have
transfer protocols like XMODEM, Kermit, XMODEM/CRC, YMODEM and ZMODEM. The
XMODEM protocol is the most commonly used. You need these protocols if you
want to transfer compiled computer programs (e.g., .COM and .EXE files).
They are also used when transferring compressed files, graphics and music
files.

    * Does it let you tailor it to your taste/needs? Some programs let you
attach batches of commands to function keys and keystroke combinations. For
example, by having your computer call your favorite online service by
pressing the F1 key.

    * Does it let you "scroll back" information having disappeared out of
your screen? This may be useful when you want to respond while online to an
electronic mail message. The sender's address and name, which you need to
respond, have scrolled off the screen. If you cannot review the "lost"
information, you may have to disconnect and call back later to send your
mail.

Connecting to the online service
--------------------------------
The first couple of times, most people think that it is very difficult.
Soon it becomes a simple routine.

On some computers, you just press a key, and that's it. On others, you have
to call and press, and watch, while things are happening. Cheap is often a
synonym for more work.

If you have a dumb modem connected to your personal computer, these are the
typical steps that you must take:

    (1) Start your communications program and set it up, e.g., with
       2400 bps, 8 bits word length, 1 stop bit, no parity. (This
       is the most common setup.) Then set the program to "online."
    (2) Call the number (e.g., [phone])
    (3) When you hear the tone from the remote modem in the phone,
       press DATA to get the modems to connect to each other
       (i.e., to start to "handshake").
    (4) A front panel indicator may tell you when the connection
       has been set up. You can start transferring data.

With an MS-DOS computer, an automatic modem and a powerful program preset
for the job, the steps may be as follows:

    (1) Start the program and display the telephone directory.
       Select a service from the list by pressing a number.
    (2) The modem will call automatically to the service. When
       CONNECT has been established, your user identification and
       password are sent at the prompts for such information. When
       this is done, you are free to take control.

With an MS-DOS computer, TAPCIS, and an intelligent modem, you start by
selecting forums and services to access on CompuServe. Enter 'o' to upload
and download programs, or 'n' to have it fetch new message headers and
messages.

TAPCIS will dial the number, do the job, and tell you when it's done.
Meanwhile, you can go out to look at the moon, or sing a song.

Getting started with Procomm
----------------------------
Procomm is cheap and a popular communications program for MS-DOS computers.
We will use it here, though there are many better and cheaper alternatives.

The program is simple for novices, can automate the work for advanced users
and be run on almost any MS-DOS computer. Here are some of its features:

Press ALT-F10 for a pull-down window text listing features and commands.
Press ALT+D to call a number, update the telephone directory, or select a
script file for autologon to a service.

Procomm can emulate (pretend to be) different terminal types, like IBM 3101
and DEC VT-100/VT-52. Most services covered in this book may be well served
with the setting ANSI.BBS.

It let you use both dumb and intelligent Hayes-compatible modems. If you
have the latter, select numbers from the telephone directory for autologon.
If the number is busy, Procomm can call back until you can get through.

You can define macros to automate your work. You can have one keystroke
send your user identification, another for your password, and a third key
to send a sequence of commands. Macros make your communication faster and
safer.

You can write script files to automate the online work further. You can
transfer text files and binary files using automatic error
detection/correction protocols, like XMODEM, YMODEM, Telink and Kermit, at
speeds from 300 to 19200 bps. Adding external protocols like ZMODEM is
relatively simple.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix 3:

Online with the world
=====================

- Practical data communication
- Your first trip online
- Typical pitfalls and simple solutions
- Receiving (downloading) letters, text and programs
- Sending (uploading) letters, text and programs

Practical data communication
----------------------------
The first thing novices want to know is how to set up the modem and
computer for communication. This may take more time than expected and often
seems complex for the uninitiated. You can save yourself much sweat and
frustration by asking others for help.

To set up your equipment for communication is a one time job. Once done, you
can almost forget what you did and why.

There are so many different modems, computers and programs out there. We
just cannot give practical advice on the use of all of them in one short
appendix. Instead, we will use one example. Your job is to "translate" the
text into a terminology that fits your tools.

Once your system is set up for communication, your first job will be to
find what keys to press to get the job done. How you use your
communications program may vary considerably from our example. In general,
however, it will be the same for most people doing manual communication.
Once online, the environment is the same for all users.

If you plan to use automatic communications as explained in chapter 16,
this chapter may not be that important. Your program will do the job for
you. Still, take a few minutes and browse through the text. It may enable
you to handle unexpected problems better.

Our example assumes that you have an MS-DOS computer. Not because this is
the best microcomputer in the world, but because there are more of them
than anything else. We assume that you have an external, intelligent Hayes-
compatible modem and the communications program Procomm (version 2.4.2).

In this example, your modem is tested by calling my bulletin board at +47
370 31378. Not because this is the best board in the world, but because I
have full control over how it looks and feels for those using it.

Assembling the equipment
------------------------
You have the modem, the cable (to connect your modem with the computer), a
phone cable (to connect your modem with the phone or the wall jack), and a
communications program.

Check that the modem's power switch is off. Place the modem by the
computer, and plug the power supply cord (or the power adapter cord) into
the AC wall socket. Switch on the modem.

    Do NOT use 115-volt equipment in 250-volt sockets!

Connect modem and computer using the modem cable. There may be several
optional sockets on the computer. These are usually marked RS-232, COMMS,
MODEM, or just nothing. The connector may be of a flat 25-pins, 9 pins, or
a round 8-pins type. Use communication port number 1, 2, or whatever else
is available for this purpose.

If you have several options, and the socket for communication port number 1
seems free, use this. If not, try one of the others.

Next, connect the modem to the telephone line. If in luck, the modem came
with a phone cable that works with your setup. If so, it is simple:

    1. Disconnect the phone cable from the telephone. Insert the modular
plug into the right jack on the modem. This jack is often marked with the
word LINE, with a drawing of a modular wall jack, or another understandable
icon.

    2. You may be able to connect the phone to the modem using the phone
cord that came with the modem. This may allow you to use the phone for
voice, when the line is not busy with communication. (You may have to make
changes in this cord to make it work with the connected phone.)

This concludes the technical assembly of your equipment. Next step is to
install the communications program. When this is done, we will check it
out.

Installing the program
----------------------
Let us assume that you have received Procomm on a diskette, and that it is
set up with its default configuration. PROCOMM.EXE is the program. The
other files have no importance here.

Enter Procomm and press ENTER. Our first task is to prepare it for
communication:

If you are using a monochrome display, use the command

    PROCOMM /B

The program will greet you by a welcome text. At the bottom of the screen,
the message "CREATING SYSTEM FILES" may appear (if these have not been
created yet), followed by a message from the creators of the program.

Press ENTER when you have read the text. The screen will be blanked, and a
text line will appear at the bottom.

Now is the time to test if the technical installation has been successful.

The dial tone
-------------
Lift the receiver from the phone and check if you can hear the dial tone.
If you can, turn the pages to "Does the computer have contact with the
modem?"

If you hear nothing, there are several possible causes:

    * The phone is not working. This is easily checked. Disconnect it from
the modem, and connect it to the wall (using the original cable!). If you
get a dial tone now, then the phone is in order.

    * The cable between the modem and the wall jack may be broken, or
wrongly configured. To check this, we must first check the connection
between the modem and the computer.

Once we know that the connection between the modem and the computer is in
order, we can use the modem to check our phone cable.

    * The cable between the modem and the phone may be in disorder. For
example, the modular phone connector may have a cabling that differs from
what is assumed in your country. If there is no dial tone, then the cable
between the modem and the telephone must be repaired, or replaced.

Does your computer have contact with the modem?
-----------------------------------------------
When you first use Procomm, it is preset for communication at 300 bps, use
of port 1 and ANSI-BBS. (The control line at the bottom of your screen
should read: ALT-F10 HELP, ANSI-BBS, HDX, 300 N81, LOG CLOSED, PRT OFF, CR
and CR.)

    * If your modem is unable to communicate at 300 bps, you must change the
setup. Press ALT-P (keep the ALT key down while pressing P) to get the menu
LINE SETTINGS. Choice 9 gives 2400 bps with 8 bits word length, no parity
and one stop bit. This is a common setting. Select 24 "Save changes" to
make the setting permanent.

    * If you know that your modem is not connected to the computer's port
number 1, then change this from the same menu. Choice 21 gives COM2, and
choice 22 gives COM3.

If you do not know what communication port the modem has been connected to,
you have to find out by testing. Do this by entering (i.e., sending to the
modem) the characters AT. Now, the modem is supposed to respond with an OK
(or with the number "0," if the modem is set to reply with numeric codes).

If you get an "OK" or a "0" on your display, continue reading from "Does
the modem have contact with the phone line?"

If you can see "AT" on your screen while you enter it, you have contact
with the modem. This is true even if it does not send any confirmation. The
modem may have been instructed not to confirm. If you see the AT
characters, read from "Does the modem have contact with the phone line?"

If there is no contact between the modem and the computer, the screen will
remain blank at all times. Your problem may be the cable, your choice of
modem port, or the modem setup.

First, check if the modem is switched on (the power switch), and that the
plugs are firmly in the jacks.

Then let's check the modem. It may have been set not to respond to your
commands. Let's try to change that. Enter the following command, and press
ENTER:

    ATQ0E1V1

This should make your modem: give result codes on your screen (Q0), show
the characters that you enter (E1), and use OK instead of the numerical
result code 0 (V1).

If you still get no OK, the reason may still be in the modem. I have seen
modems get "indigestion problems" when too many commands are given to them.

Try give a command to return it to its factory setting. This command is not
the same on all Hayes-compatible modems. On most of them, you can use one
of the following: AT&F, ATF or ATZ (on some modems ATZ is used to reset to
the stored configuration). Locate the correct command to use in the modem's
user manual. Then, try ATQ0E1V1 again.

If you are still without success, check your choice of modem port. If there
are several communication connectors at the back of your computer, test
these. If this doesn't help, connect the modem cable to the most probable
jack.

Now, test the communication port for a response from the modem using
another communications program setting. Press ALT-P, select another port
(choice 20 - 23), press ESC and try "AT" again (or ATQ0E1V1). If there is
still no reaction, test the computer's other communications connectors.


    If you have a mouse connected to your computers, make sure
    that it is not using the same port as your communications
    program.

    Problems with the communications port are often caused by other
    equipment. Remove all extra equipment (like a PC-fax card or a
    mouse), and all associated software (often represented by a
    line starting with "DRIVER=" in CONFIG.SYS, or a resident
    program driving a mouse). Remove all resident programs from
    memory before testing.

If you are still at the same unfortunate stage, chances are that the
problem is either in the cable or the modem. If you know others who are
into data communication, visit them for help. Bring your cable and your
modem to have them tested in an environment where things work. It is easier
to isolate a problem by testing your units in sequence on your helper's
system.

First, the cable. Connect it between his computer and his modem. Test the
connection to his modem with your cable as the only foreign element. If the
test is successful, your cable is OK.

Next, the modem. If the test is successful, your modem is in order. The
most probable cause of your problems is your computer's communications
port.

    In communications, many parts have to work together. You may
    have problems with more than one of them at the same time. The
    rule is to test step by step to eliminate possible problems.

If you get no reply from your modem, when it is connected to your friend's
computer, chances are that it needs to be repaired. Call the seller for
help.

A last refuge is to buy an extra communications card for your computer . .


Does your modem have contact with the phone line?
-------------------------------------------------
You have contact between your computer and modem. The modem answers "OK" as
assumed. We now have to test if there is contact with the phone line. That
is easy.

Enter the following command and press ENTER:

    ATQ0E1V1

When the modem answers OK, enter the dialing command:

    ATDT37031378

The modem will try to call 37031378, the number to my BBS. (You may have to
prefix the number with an international code, and the country code for
Norway. If international calls require the prefix 009, enter ATDT009-47-
37031378).

Your modem will wait for CONNECT a preset number of seconds (rarely longer
than 60 seconds).

If your modem does not detect the dial tone (within the preset waiting
time), it will give you the following error message

    NO DIALTONE

All other messages (except ERROR) declare that the modem did detect the
dial tone. If it did, continue reading from "Configuring your program."

NO DIALTONE
-----------
The most probable causes of NO DIALTONE are that your phone cable is not
connected, that it has been damaged, or that it is the wrong cable for the
job.

The latter cause is common in many countries. For example, a cable made for
a telephone network in the United States, may not work in Norway. A cable
made for connection to a switchboard, may not work when connected to a
domestic phone line.

A standard, domestic American phone cable contains four lines. Two of these
(line number 1 and 4) carry sounds. The others are not being used. A
standard Norwegian domestic cable is set up in the same way, but here line
number 1 and 3 carry sound.

Changing the configuration of such cables is often simple. Just cut the
cable in two, and put the lines together correctly. This is typically
required when your modem assumes that you use it in North America, while
you are in a country with different cabling.

Configuring your program
------------------------
The modem answers. The dial tone is being detected. Procomm is installed on
your hard disk. Now, check if the program has been correctly configured.

Press ALT-S to get the Setup Menu. Select 1, Modem setup, from this menu.

Choice 1, Modem init string, is a general setup command. This command will
be sent to the modem each time you start Procomm. You are free to make is
as long and powerful as you want. Our purpose now, however, is to check if
it works.

    Most modems do not react if one element in your setup command
    is wrong. They respond with ERROR (or the numeric code), and
    disregard the rest.

Procomm's standard Modem init string has the following commands:

    ATE0 S7=60 S11=55 V1 X1 S0=0!

These work well with most modems, provided the speed is legal.

Go back to the blank screen (using ESC). Test the init command by entering
it manually. (Do not enter the "!" character. This is Procomm's code for
ENTER.)

If the modem reacts with ERROR, check with the modem manual to find out
what is wrong. (Check if the values S7=60 and S11=55 are not too high.)

If you have to change the init command, go back to the Modem init string
menu choice. Enter the correct commands. Remember to add the "!" at the
end.

Press ESC to get to the main configuration menu and select 2, TERMINAL
SETUP.  Check if Terminal emulation is ANSI-BBS. Change choice 2, Duplex,
to FULL. The other factory settings are NONE, CR, CR, DEST, BS, OFF, ON,
350, OFF.

Return to the SETUP MENU (press ESC). Press "s" to save the setup to disk.
Your setting has now been stored, and Procomm is ready to be used.

Dialing
-------
Now, test your setup by calling your favorite online service. We will show
how to log on to my bulletin board.

You can call manually by entering ATDT followed by the phone number. The
most practical method, however, is to use the built-in phone directory.

Press ALT-D to get to the phone directory. Press "R" to revise the list,
and enter Saltrod Horror Show somewhere on the list. I have it as number 2.
Answer the questions like this:


    Name: Saltrod Horror Show
    Number: 009-47-370-31378
    Baud: 9600
    Parity: N
    Databits: 8
    Stop Bits: 1
    Echo On? N
    Command file: (press ENTER, meaning that you do not want to
                   use a script file at this point)

Baud can be anything from 300 bps to 9600 bps. It's up to you, and depends
on your modem's capabilities.

When done, enter "2" and press ENTER. The modem will dial the number (that
you have as item 2 on the list), and try to connect.

If the number is busy, you will get a warning. You can now leave Procomm
(ALT+X), or set it for redialing (ALT+R). When set for redialing, Procomm
will call back until a connection has been made. When CONNECT is received
from your modem, Procomm announces the fact with a beep in the computer's
loudspeaker.

Text will start scrolling over your screen. First, a short welcome text
pops up. Your interactive dialog with the bulletin board can start.

The first question is "What is your First Name?" Enter your first name.
Then, "What is your Last Name?"  Enter your last name.

Your dialog with the remote computer will continue like this. The board
will ask you questions, and you will enter your answers.

What may go wrong?
------------------
A setting that works beautifully when calling one bulletin board, may be a
disaster when calling another service. Here are some typical problems:

When dialing through a switchboard (PBX).
-----------------------------------------
Remember to add 9 or 0 for a city line, when dialing out from a PBX. If you
forget, you'll get nowhere.

Use the following command (assuming that you must enter 0 to get a city
line, and use tone signaling):

    ATDT0W4737031378

If you must use 9 for a city line and pulse dialing, use the following
command

    ATDP9W4737031378

Register your standard dialing command in Procomm's MODEM SETUP. Enter
ALT+S and then select 1, Modem Setup. Choice 2, Dialing command. The
default entry is ATDT. Replace this with ATDT0W, ATDP9W or whatever makes
dialing work for you.

No answer from the remote computer
----------------------------------
Your computer has to "talk the same language" as the remote host. If the
parameters of your communications program have been set incorrectly, it may
be impossible to set up a connection with the service.

Sometimes, you get CONNECT, but your screen only gives you strange,
unintelligible 'noise' characters. The reason may be CONNECT at an
incompatible speed, a service's use of special codes for displaying text
(including special language characters), or that the service requires use
of a special communications program or method (as when a service starts by
interrogating for the use of an offline reader).

Many online services require that you use certain settings. Most services,
however, may be reached when using the following:

    Speed: 2400 bps
    8 bits word length, no parity, one stop bit

Some services (notably some Unix hosts) demand 7 bits, even parity, one
stop bit.

Sorry, no luck!
---------------
Try again, just in case. The remote computer may have had a temporary
problem, when you called. The PTT may have given you a particularly noisy
telephone line on this attempt.

If this doesn't help, recheck each point in the communications process. It
is so easy to do something wrong.

If nothing helps, read the service's user information manuals. Only rarely
will you be able to blame the communications program (unless you have made
it yourself), or the equipment. Most errors are caused by finger trouble
and misunderstandings.

Testing the Saltrod Horror Show
-------------------------------
First time visitors often experience problems, and in particular if this is
their first time online using a Hayes-compatible modem.

Here are some typical problems with suggested solutions:

    * Disable Guard Tones from the modem when dialing. If it has this
feature, you can often turn it off. Put the required command in your Modem
init string.

    * Don't press ENTER to "wake" my system. The software will
automatically detect your speed and adjust accordingly. The same applies
for many services. On some, you are just asking for problems by not waiting
patiently (often the case when the remote software starts by checking if
you use an offline reader).

    * My BBS accepts from 300 to 9600 bps asynchronous, full duplex
communication. You may not succeed with 1200 bps half duplex, Bell 300 bps
or 1200 bps.

    * Start with your communications program set for 8 bits word length, no
parity and one stop bit. Try 7 bits, even parity if there is too much noise
on the line (you cannot retrieve programs using this setting, though).

    * When your modem is set at a low transfer speed, it may not wait long
enough for carrier from my modem. Most modems let you set this waiting time
longer by giving a value to a S-register. (Read in your modem's manual
about how to do this).

Partial success
---------------
Some bulletin boards offer colors and music. If your equipment is set up
correctly, you can receive the welcome text in full color graphics
accompanied by a melody in your computer's speaker.

If it is not, chances are that you will get many strange codes on your
screen, and an ugly feeling that something is wrong.

There are two ways out of this problem:

    1. Ask the bulletin board to send text only (select U for Utilities,
and then G for Graphics to change setting),

    2. Set your computer for colors and graphics. This feature is only
available for callers with an MS-DOS computers. You may need to add the
line DEVICE=ANSI.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS.

Finally, you must have a communications program that allows you to display
colors on your screen. Procomm set with ANSI-BBS does that.

Downloading programs
--------------------
We call the transfer of programs and files from a remote computer for
downloading. It means "transfer of data to your computer AND storage of the
data (down) on YOUR local disk."

You are downloading, when you call my board to retrieve a program.

When you, overwhelmed by gratitude, send one of your favorite programs TO
my bulletin board, then we call it uploading.

Data can be many things. It may be news from the Washington Post, a digital
picture, an executable program, a pile of invoices, a piece of music, a
voice file, an animated sequence of pictures and music, or compressed
library files.

Downloading "plain text" (also called "plain ASCII" or "DOS text" on MS-DOS
machines) is relatively easy. Such text usually only contains characters
between number 32 (space character) and 126 (the ~ character) in the ASCII
table.

Characters with lower numbers have special functions (like the control
characters ESCape and CTRL+C). These may not even be displayed on your
screen. Characters with higher numbers are used for graphics, special
national characters, and other applications.

Special transfer methods are often required, when your data contains text
with characters outside ASCII number 32 through 126. Read under "Protocol
transfers" below for more information about how to do this.

Downloading text
----------------
Most communication programs require that you begin by opening a file. They
ask you to enter a file name. From this point and onwards all incoming text
will be stored in this file until you say stop.

Communication programs do this in different ways. Some let incoming data
flow through a temporary storage area using the principle first in, first
out. When you open a file, it starts storing data from the beginning of the
temporary storage area, though this text may have scrolled off your screen
some time ago.

Most communication programs start storing data from NOW. Procomm works this
way. You start downloading of text by pressing the PgDn key. A window will
appear on your screen giving you a choice between various methods. Select
ASCII.

In another window, you are asked to enter a file name. When done, storage
of incoming data starts. You stop the process by pressing the ESC key.

Procomm has another method called "file logging." You start this by
pressing ALT-F1. Procomm requests the file name, and the storage process
starts. (Read under "Strip" about the difference between these methods.)

    If you forget to tell Procomm to store incoming data, then
    you will most probably lose this data for ever.

    Do not waste time and money by forgetting to store what you
    receive!

The term "append"
-----------------
When downloading text - or anything - it is important to know whether you
are appending information to an existing file, or overwriting it (i.e.,
destroying the old text).

Most communication programs complain with an audible signal, when you try
to overwrite an existing file. They will ask you if you really want to
delete it, or append the current data.

The term "strip"
----------------
The purpose of 'strip' is to remove something from incoming data or to
change it on the fly.

When you use ASCII downloading with Procomm, ALL incoming data are being
stored. This includes so-called ESCape sequences. If you use File Logging,
all control characters (except the line feed and new page characters) are
being removed (filtered).

If you download text from a computer that uses other ASCII characters for
linefeed and return, save time by having the communications program convert
them on the fly to their correct form for your computer.

You define strip procedures through Procomm's SetUp menu (ALT-S). You can
also request automatic conversion of characters to graphics values, or
local language variants.

National characters
-------------------
Special national characters cause problems in many countries. One reason is
that they are represented by different internal codes on various hardware
platforms, and that some networks are unable to transmit 8-bits data.

Some systems represent these special characters by a 7-bit code, others by
an 8-bit code. Some depend on the computer having an internal national
language ROM, or that it uses a special (resident) conversion program.

What gives good results on an MS-DOS computer, may give rubbish on a
Macintosh, Amiga, Atari, or a PC using MS Windows.

Many communication programs have features that can help you solve at least
some these problems. They let you make translation tables for automatic
conversion of special incoming and outgoing characters.

If you call a Scandinavian online service using 7 bits even parity, many
transfer the national special characters using the ASCII code equivalents
of number 91, 92, 93, 123, 124, and 125. Similar, more or less formal
standards are in place in other countries.

Protocol transfers
------------------
If your purpose is to transfer digitized pictures, a computer program, a
batch of invoices, a piece of music or an animated sequence of pictures,
it's important that each character (bit) arrives correctly. We achieve this
by using protocol transfers.

These files often contain control or binary characters. You cannot transfer
binary files without the use of special methods.

It is easy to understand why we need protocol transfers when retrieving
plain text as tables of numbers, statistics, and financial reports.
Transfer errors may have fatal consequences.

Protocol transfers are also required when transferring word processor text
files having imbedded control codes (like text made with WordPerfect), and
compressed files.

Here is an example:

Downloading public domain software
----------------------------------
First, you need the names and features of the programs that can be
downloaded from a service. On most bulletin boards, you must enter a
command to navigate to the File Library. Here, they normally greet you with
a menu listing available commands.

    Try H (for Help!) or ? when you are stuck.

Public domain and shareware programs are stored in subdirectories on my
bulletin board. The directories have numerical names. Utility programs for
MS-DOS computers are stored in directory 10. Games are stored in directory
17.

Enter L for a list of available directories (other bulletin boards may use
different commands). Enter "L 17" to list the files in directory 17. This
will give file names, lengths in characters (to help you estimate download
time), creation dates, and a short description of each file.

You can search for files of interest. When looking for programs that can
help you get more out of a printer, you may search using keywords like
"printer."

Some programs are made available in text form. This is the case with older
BASIC programs. (The file name extensions .BAS, .ASC or .TXT suggest that
the files contain plain text.)  You can download these files using ASCII.

Most programs are stored in their executable form, or as one executable
file among several in a compressed transfer file (a library of files). On
my board, most of these files have the file name extension .EXE or .COM.

What transfer protocol to use, depends on what is available in your
communications program.

The protocol transfer method explained
--------------------------------------
The protocol transfer algorithms use methods to check the transfer with
automatic error correction. In principle, they work like this:

The sending program calculates a check sum based on the contents of the
file. The receiving program does the same calculation and compares the
result with the senders' check sum. If the figures match, the transfer was
successful. If not, all or part of the file will be retransmitted.

These are some popular protocols:

XMODEM
------
has automatic error detection and correction. Most modern programs have
this feature. XMODEM exists in programs for MS-DOS computers, CP/M
computers, Apple, TRS-80 Model 100, etc. It is the most commonly used
transfer protocol.

XMODEM assumes 8-bit settings in your communications program. The file to
be sent is split up into 128 bit sized blocks (or "packets") before
transfer. The sender calculates the check sum and adds a check sum bit at
the end of each packet. (Packing, sending and checking is done
automatically by the software.)

The receiving program calculates its own check sum and compares with the
sender's. If an error is detected, XMODEM will request retransmission of
the last block.

XMODEM is reasonably good when there is little noise on the telephone line
is low. When the line is bad, however, there is always a chance that the
transfer will stop. You cannot use XMODEM on computer networks that use
ASCII flow control or ESCape codes.

The transfer commands must be given to both computers. You can only
transfer one file per command.

XMODEM's "packet size" (block length) is short. This has an impact on
transfer speed, and especially when downloading from timesharing systems,
packet switched networks, via satellites, and when using buffered (error
correcting) modems.

The control method (8-bit check sum) and unprotected transactions give a
low level of safety against errors in the transmission. The transferred
file may contain 127 bytes with noise characters (at the end). The creation
date of the file is lost in the transfer.

These weaknesses have given us better methods. Here are some of them:

XMODEM/CRC
----------
CRC is an abbreviation for Cyclical Redundancy Check. The method guarantees
99.9969 percent free transfer. It still has the other weaknesses of
ordinary XMODEM transfers.

YMODEM Batch
------------
is faster than XMODEM and gives a high level of safety in the transfers.
When used with some programs, YMODEM can transfer the files' creation
time/date. You can transfer updated documents. This will replace documents
with an older creation date. Only one party must enter the file name.
YMODEM takes care of the rest.

Kermit
------
is used on many computer platforms, and especially where they use a
terminal emulation mode (like VT-100) which makes the use of XMODEM
impossible. Kermit is one of the few asynchronous error correction
protocols that functions well when exchanging files having half duplex IBM
front-end machines.

Kermit can transfer more than one file at the time.

Super-Kermit
------------
is also called Kermit with Sliding Windows. It can transfer many packets
before stopping to check the transfer. The protocol is much faster than
XMODEM.

ZMODEM
------
is currently the fastest transfer protocol for many applications. All
transactions are protected with a 16-bit or 32-bit CRC. ZMODEM is immune
against most error conditions that prevent traditional protocols to achieve
correct transfer.

ZMODEM transfers the creation date of the file and its exact contents. The
file name is read once, and all transfer commands may be given by the
sending program.

Decompression of files
----------------------
If a file has name extensions like ZIP, LZH, ARC, PAK, LQR, LBR, ZOO, ARJ,
or QQQ, you are facing a compressed file. We use such files to achieve
faster transfers.

Files having the extension .EXE or .COM may be compressed files that have
been converted into a self-extract format. To retrieve the files from a
self-extract compressed file, just enter the file's name.

To decompress files that have not been made self-extract, you need a
utility program. These programs have many names and are available through
most bulletin boards, and widely through the Internet. Most, if not all,
decompression files may be found on ftp://ftp.cso.uiuc.edu/pc/ . The ftp
site Oak.Oakland.Edu also has many.

Transfer problems
-----------------
Most transfer problems are caused by the communication programs and their
(lack of) features.

Some Procomm users have problems with the Kermit protocol. Tip: use 8 bit
world length and no parity in your program setup. 7 bits and even parity
does not always work (on version 2.4.2).

Uploading
---------
The transfer of data "the other way," i.e., from your disk to a remote
computer, requires that you start by making some decisions. Is the file to
be sent as plain ASCII? Should I compress it in a distribution file to
reduce transfer time, and make it easier to handle for the recipient?

If you are transferring a text file containing special national characters,
then these may have to be converted to another format.

If your text contains blank lines (like blank lines between paragraphs),
you may have to insert a space character at the start of all such lines.
Some systems interpret a blank line as a signal telling that transmission
is done. The invisible space character prevents this.

Some hosts have limitations on line length. They may require that lines be
shorter than 80 characters. If you send lines that are too long, the result
may be fatal.

Sending electronic mail
-----------------------
If you send your mail too fast, some online services tend to get digestion
problems. You must be very accurate with the format of your message. It has
to agree with the host machine's rules about line length, and maximum
number of lines per message.

Let's assume that you want to send the following message to an electronic
mailbox:

    To: Datatid
    cc: Anne-Tove Vestfossen
    Sj: Merry Christmas!
    Text: Thanks for the box with herring. The taste was
    formidable. etc .. etc... etc...
    Greetings, Odd

If this is all you have to say, doing it manually may be as fast as doing
it automatically. However, if the line containing "etc .. etc .." is two
full pages of text, you may feel differently. Then, the best may be to
upload a prewritten letter.

Many Procomm users prefer to split the job in two. They enter the first
four lines manually, and upload the body of the text (when the remote
computer is ready to receive).

Press PgUp to get a menu of various uploading protocols. Select ASCII for
transfer of plain text. Procomm will ask for the name of the file, which
contains your letter. Enter the name, and the file will be sent.

Slow down with "pacing"
-----------------------
Sometimes, the PgUp method is just what you need. On other days, strange
things may stop you in the middle of your transfer. One typical reason is
that Procomm is sending it too fast for the recipient.

"Pacing" is a method used to slow the speed of the transfer to a level that
the recipient can handle.

Procomm lets you set a tiny pause after each line sent. Another technique
is to ask the program to wait for a given character (a "Go-character"),
before allowing it to send the next line. For example: the character ":" is
often used in the prompts for the next line on bulletin boards.

Protocol transfers may be easier
--------------------------------
You may find it easier to use a transfer protocol. With Procomm, press the
PgUp key, and the program will ask for a protocol. Select Kermit or
something else. The program will ask for a file name, you enter it, and off
it goes. You will have no problems with blank lines, or lines that are too
long.

At times, even this will fail. The most common reasons are:

    * The recipient requires that Procomm be set for 8-bits word length, no
parity, 1 stop bit, when using this protocol, but you have it set
differently.

    * You think that the recipient's version of YMODEM is the same that you
have. Wrong! Total failure.

Do the following to upload the file TEST.TXT to my bulletin board using
XMODEM:

    1. Navigate to the file area. Tell SHS what you want by using
       the following command:
              u;test.txt;x
    2. Press PgUp, select XMODEM, enter a file name (TEST.TXT), and
       the transfer will start. (If you are too slow, SHS may be
       tired of waiting for your commands . . .)
    3. When the transfer is completed, my board will ask for a
       short description of the file. Enter it, and you are done.

Enter G (for Goodbye), and disconnect.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix 4:

Explanation of some frequently used terms
=========================================

We have included some terms that are commonly used in the online world.

Acronym
-------
A worded formed from the initial letters of each of the successive parts or
major parts of a compound term. Examples: BTW (by the way), FYI (for your
information), IMHO (in my humble opinion).

Address
-------
The string of characters that you must give an electronic mail program to
direct a message to a particular person.

The term "Internet address" often refers to an assigned number, which
identifies a host on this network.

aftp
----
Abbreviation for Anonymous FTP. See appendix 6.

ANON-FTP
--------
See Anonymous FTP in appendix 6.

ANSI
----
(1) ANSI is an organization that sets standards.

(2) 'ANSI graphics' (ref. the term ANSI-BBS) is a set of cursor control
codes that originated on the VT100 terminal. Many online services use these
codes to help improve the sending of characters to communication programs.
It uses the escape character, followed by other characters, to move the
cursor on the screen, change color, and more.

ASCII
-----
The American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standard seven-
bit code created to achieve compatibility between various types of data
processing equipment.  ASCII, pronounced "ask-key," is the common code for
microcomputer equipment.

The Standard ASCII Character Set consists of 128 decimal numbers ranging
from zero through 127 assigned to letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and
the most common special characters.

The Extended ASCII Character Set also consists of 128 decimal numbers and
ranges from 128 through 255 representing additional special, mathematical,
graphic, and foreign characters.

ASCII download
--------------
Retrieval of plain ASCII text (without special codes). Normally, it takes
place without automatic error correction, but it is typically managed by
XON/XOFF flow control.

Asynchronous transfer
---------------------
Serial communication between two computers. When signals are sent to a
computer at irregular intervals, they are described as asynchronous. Data
is sent at irregular intervals by preceding each character with a start bit
and following it with a stop bit.

Asynchronous transmission allows a character to be sent at random after the
preceding character has been sent, without regard to any timing device.
Consequently, in case of line noise, the modem can find out right away
where the next byte should start.

Autodial
--------
When a modem dials a telephone number automatically. Autodial may be
started by the user entering the number manually, or the number may be sent
automatically by the communications program (for example after having been
selected from a phone register).

Baud
----
A unit of measurement that shows the number of discrete signal elements,
such as bits, that can be sent per second.

Bits per second (bps) is the number of binary digits sent in one second.
There is a difference between bps and baud rate, and the two are often
confused.  For example, a device such as a modem said to send at 2400 baud
is not correct. It actually sends 2400 bits per second.

Both baud rate and bps refer to the rate at which the bits within a single
frame are sent. The gaps between the frames can be of variable length.
Accordingly, neither baud rate nor bps refer accurately to the rate at
which information is actually being transferred.

Backbone
--------
Internet's data flows on high-speed lines called backbone lines.

BBS
---
Bulletin Board or Bulletin Board System. See Bulletin Board.

Bell
----
Standard frequencies used in older modems made in the United States. The
standard for 300 bps is called Bell 103. The standard for 1200 bps full
duplex is called Bell 212A. Modems using these standards are normally
unable to communicate with ITU-TSS standard modems at these speeds.

Big5
----
Coding scheme developed in Taiwan for using Chinese on computers. There are
different varieties of Big5 codes, the most common being ET Big5 (the code
used by the Taiwanese program ETen, pronounced Yi3tian1) and HKU Big5 (the
code used for programs developed at Hong Kong University).

ET Big5 files must be read with the ETen operating system. Check out the
Archie server at telnet archie.TWNIC.NET , login: archie ,to locate
software and get more information.

Binary
------
The base 2 number system in which only the digits 1 and 0 are used is
called the binary system. The binary system lets us express any number, if
we have enough bits, as a combination of 1's and 0's. Also used to express
conditions like on/off, true/false, yes/no.

Binhex
------
Macintosh software and documents (other than text files) are often
"encoded" into text files for transmission over the network.  A common
standard for such encoding is referred to as BinHex. You can usually tell
that a file contains a BinHex encoded Mac file by the fact that the file
name ends in ".hqx".

BinHex5.0 format is a MacBinary format, while BinHex 4.0 files are
Macintosh ASCII format.

To keep transmission times short, the BinHexed files are often "compressed"
using a utility like StuffIt. To reconstitute the Mac application or
document you may need to "un-StuffIt."  The freeware program, StuffIt
Expander, will BinHex and unstuff most Mac files.

Uncompression programs are available from archives on the Internet.
Examples: xbin23.zip (DOS), mcvert (Unix), and binhex (VM/CMS).

Bits
----
Bit is an abbreviation for Binary digIT. Computer words and data are made-
up of bits, the smallest unit of information.

A bit can be either zero or one, represented in a circuit by an off or on
state, respectively.  The bits are set on or off to store data, or to form
a code that in turn sends instructions to the computer's central processing
unit.

Bits per second (bps)
---------------------
Bits per second (bps) is the number of binary digits sent in one second. It
refers to the rate at which the bits within a single frame are sent
('frame' is another term for 'packet'). The gaps between frames can be of
variable length.  Accordingly, bps does not refer to the rate at which
information is actually being transferred.

We usually estimate the amount of characters transferred per second (cps)
by dividing the number of bps by 10. Example: 2400 bps transfers around 240
characters per second.

Boolean
-------
Search algorithm built on the algebraic theories of the English
mathematician George Booles. Boolean algorithms are used in online
databases to help narrow down the number of hits using the words AND, OR,
and NOT.

Bounce
------
The return of a piece of mail because of an error in its delivery.

Bps
---
Abbreviation for bits per second. See above.

Browse
------
To view and possibly edit a file of data on screen similar to handling text
in a word processing document.

Bulletin board
--------------
A computer, often a microcomputer, set up to receive calls and work as an
online service. The BBSes let users communicate with each other through
message bases, and exchange files. They and may also offer other services
(like news, database searches, and online shopping).

Carrier
-------
The tone that the modem sends over a phone line before any data is sent on
it. This tone has a fixed frequency and a fixed amplitude. It is then
modified to indicate data.

Character
---------
Here used about a letter, a number or another typographical symbol or code.

CCITT
-----
The Consultative Committee for International Telephony and Telegraphy. Was
an international consultative committee, organized by the United Nations.
Now replaced by ITU-TSS. See ITU (below).

COM port
--------
A COM port (or communication port) is a communications channel or pathway
over which data is transferred between remote computing devices.

MS-DOS computers may have as many as four COM ports, COM1, COM2, COM3, and
COM4.  These are serial ports most often used with a modem to set up a
communications channel over telephone lines. They can also be used to send
data to a serial printer, or to connect a serial mouse.

Compress
--------
(1) To compact data to save space.

(2) Common compression function on the Internet. Depending on the
distribution of data in a file it can be reduced in size by 25% to 70% by
compressing it.

COMPRESS files are often, but not always, noted with the file extension .Z.
Data archive and compression processes can be combined to form files like
filename.tar.z (see TAR below).

If you download a file with a file type indicating that it is compressed,
you will need a program to expand it before you can use it. Check out the
ftp://Oak.Oakland.Edu/SimTel/msdos/compress/ library. Look for files
starting with 'comp' (as in COMP430D.EXE) to find programs that can expand
.Z-files.

For more about ARC, ARJ, LZH, ZIP, ZOO, LBR-compressed and archived files,
retrieve ftp://Oak.Oakland.Edu/SimTel/msdos/starter/00-files.doc .

Compression
-----------
See decompression.

Conference
----------
Also called SIG (Special Interest Group), Forum, RoundTable, Echo. A
conference is an area on a bulletin board or online service set up as a
mini board. Most conferences have separate message bases and often also
file libraries and bulletins. Conferences are focused on topics, like
politics, games, multimedia and product support.

Connect time
------------
A term used for the hours, minutes, and seconds that a user is connected to
an online service. On several commercial services, users have to pay for
connect time.

CPS
---
Characters per second. See Bits per second.

Data
----
Information of any kind, including binary, decimal or hexadecimal numbers,
integer numbers, text strings, etc.

Database
--------
A database is a highly structured file (or set of files) that tries to
provide all the information assigned to a particular subject and to allow
programs to access only items they need.

Online services offer databases that users can search to find full-text or
bibliographic references to desired topics.

DCE/DTE
-------
Data Communications Equipment/Data Terminal Equipment. Equipment connected
to an RS232 connector must be either a DCE (like a modem or a printer) or a
DTE (computer or terminal). The term defines the types of equipment that
will "talk" and "listen."

DECnet
------
Digital Equipment Corporation network. A networking protocol for DEC
computers and network devices.

Decompression
-------------
Files available from online archives are often compressed to save space,
and reduce retrieval time.

A FAQ about how to decompress 'anything' is regularly posted to the
comp.compression newsgroup.

Default
-------
When a value, parameter, attribute, or option is assigned by a
communications program, modem, or online system unless something else is
specified, it is called the default.

For example, communication programs often have prespecified values for baud
rate, bit size and parity that are used unless alternative values are
given.  These prespecified values are called the defaults.

Some services give users a choice between two or more options. If a
selection is not made by the user, then a selection is automatically
assigned, by default.

Demos
-----
are entertaining data versions of music videos. They are short graphic
animations set to music that typically run for five or six minutes. Also
known as Intros.

Check out the Usenet newsgroup comp.sys.ibm.pc.demos , and these pointers:

    http://www.mofile.fi/demog/demo2.html
    http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/~smiley/nirvana/demos.html
    http://www.cs.msu.su/~gong/demoscene/demolinks.html

Discussion list
---------------
See Mailing list.

Domain Name System (DNS)
------------------------
Email addressing system used in networks such as Internet and BITNET. The
Internet DNS consists of a hierarchical sequence of names, from the most
specific to the most general (left to right), separated by dots, for
example nic.ddn.mil.

Doors
-----
A service offered by many bulletin boards to allow the user to leave the
(remote) main software system to use one or several independent programs,
like games and databases.

Downloading
-----------
The transfer of data from an online service and "down" to your computers'
disk.

DTR
---
Data Terminal Ready is a circuit which, when ON, tells the modem that your
computer is ready to communicate. Most modems are unable to tell your
computer that a connection has been set up with a remote computer before
this circuit has been switched off. If your computer turns this signal OFF,
while it is in a dialog with a remote computer, the modem will normally
disconnect.

Duplex
------
Describes how you see text entered by the keyboard. When the setting is
HALF DUPLEX, all characters entered on your computer for transfer to an
online service (or your modem) will be displayed. In addition, you will
normally receive an echo from the online service (or modem). The result
will often 'bbee lliikkee tthhiiss'.

When using the setting FULL DUPLEX, typed characters will not be shown.
What you see, are characters echoed back to you from the online service
and/or your modem.

ECHO
----
(1) When data is being sent, the receiving device often resends the
information back so the sending device can be sure it was received
correctly.

(2) Term used on FidoNet for this network's system of exchanging
conferences (parallel conferencing).

Email
-----
Abbreviation for Electronic Mail.

File server
-----------
A file server is a device that "serves" files to everyone on a network. It
allows everyone on the network to get files in a single place, on one
computer. Typically, it is a combination computer, data management
software, and large capacity hard disk drive.

File transfer
-------------
The copying of a file from one computer to another over a computer network.

Firewall
--------
A method used by several organizations connected to the Internet. Its
purpose is to protect users from the "unsecure" network, and disallow
unwanted logins or file transfers from the Internet. An Internet site will
be denied a connection if an attempt is made to login to the firewall
server.

The users behind a firewall, however, can get to servers on the Internet.
A user of such a network can use WWW, Gopher, FTP, and TELNET, but cannot
supply resources through these protocols to people outside the company.

Flame
-----
A "flame" is a conference message sent by someone who generally disagrees
so violently that they are willing to sink to personal attacks. Flames can
be extremely annoying, and can get the writer banished from several
conference networks.

Fractal
--------
A mathematical algorithm from which an image can be created. A fractal
formula generates a fractal picture composed of an image based on a basic
pattern. An outgrowth of chaos mathematics, it is being used for
compressing and decompressing high quality images. Generally, a fractally
compressed image has an extremely small file size.

Freeware
--------
A program, text, or file in which the author still holds the copyright but
allows the item to be used and distributed free of charge.

Full duplex
-----------
The term full-duplex means the transmission of data in two directions
simultaneously as from a terminal to a computer or from the computer to the
terminal. Full-duplex is simultaneous two-way communication.

Full-text database
------------------
A database containing the full text of an article, a chapter in a book, or
a book. The contents are not limited to abstracted information (indexes,
bibliographic information).

Gateway
-------
Here, we use the term gateway about an interconnection between two (or
more) online services, set up to allow a user of one service to use the
other service's offerings through the first service's user interface.

The term also has other meanings:

A gateway provides an interconnection between two networks with different
communications protocols. Gateways operate at the 4th through 7th layer of
the OSI model. For example, a PAD (a packet assembler/disassembler) is a
device used to interface non-X.25 devices to an X.25 network.  The PAD
serves as a gateway. Protocol converters are gateways between networks.

The gateway, provided by an adapter card in a workstation, enables the
network to perform as if it were a mainframe terminal connected directly to
the mainframe.

GNU
---
"Gnu's Not UNIX."  A UNIX-compatible operating system developed by the Free
Software Foundation.

GuoBiao
-------
Coding scheme for using Chinese on computers developed in mainland China.
For more information, send email to [e-mail] with one of the
following commands in the text of your mail:
    GET PC HELP                   (for PC users)
    GET MAC HELP                  (Macintosh users)
    GET CXTERM HELP               (X Windows users)

Half duplex
-----------
The term half-duplex means the transmission of data in either direction but
only one direction at a time.

Ham
---
Amateur radio.

Handle
------
An alias used on a bulletin board or online service instead of your real
name. Often used in chats.

Header
------
(1) In an email message, the part that precedes the body of a message and
contains, among other things, the message originator, date and time.

(2) On a packet switched network, the portion of a package, preceding the
actual data, containing source and destination addresses, and error
checking and other fields.

Host
----
A term for host computer, remote computer or online service. Here, we use
it about a timesharing computer, a BBS system, or a central computer that
controls a network and delivers online services.

HTML
----
The HyperText Markup Language used to compose WWW pages. The HTML FAQ is at

  URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~ec/www/html_faq.html

(Also, see "WWW" in appendix 6).

HTTP
----
Hypertext Transfer Protocol. Hypertext is text with pointers to other
text. Thus, hypertext is a term used of linking related information.

Many information providers on the Internet run programs that you can obtain
hypertext from. Examples: WWW, Mosaic.

You use a special HTTP browser program to access the information. Example:
Xmosaic.

Hypermedia
----------
is a medium with pointers to other media (a superset of hypertext). Often
used in connection with the World Wide Web on Internet. Here, the term
means that browsers might not display a text file, but might display images
or sound or animations.

Information utility
-------------------
A term often used about online services (not unlike the term power
utility).

Internet
--------
See appendix 1.

Internet number
---------------
See IP Address

IP (Internet Protocol)
----------------------
The Internet standard protocol that provides a common layer over dissimilar
networks, used to move packets between host computers and through gateways
if necessary.

For more information, send a message to [e-mail] with the
following text in the subject title: RFC 791 .

IP Address
----------
Every machine on the Internet has a unique address, called its Internet
number or IP address. Usually, this address is represented by four numbers
joined by periods ('.'), like 129.133.10.10.

The first two or three pieces represent the network that the system is on,
called its subnet. For example, all of the computers for Wesleyan
University in the U.S.A. are in the subnet 129.133, while the number in the
previous paragraph represents a full address to one of the university's
computers.

If you want the IP address of a site, send email to [e-mail]
or [e-mail] . In the TEXT of your mail write 'help' for usage
information. You can also use it to get a UUCP node's map entry.

ISDN
----
An emerging technology being offered by many telephone carriers of the
world. ISDN combines voice and digital network services in a single medium,
making it possible to offer customers digital data services as well as
voice connections through a single "wire." The standards that define ISDN
are specified by ITU-TSS.

ISO
---
The International Organization for Standardization. A voluntary, nontreaty
organization responsible for creating international standards in many
areas, including computers and communications. Its members are the national
standards organizations of the 89 member countries, including ANSI for the
U.S.

ISO is coordinator of the main Internet networking standards that are in
use today.

[e-mail] is a mailing list focusing on the ISO protocol stack.

ITU
---
The International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations treaty
organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Membership includes Telephone,
governmental Post, and Telegraph Authorities, scientific and trade
associations, and private companies.

ITU consists of three "sectors": the Radiocommunication Sector, the
Telecommunication Standardization Sector (TSS), and the Development Sector.
(The CCITT Plenary Assembly is now the World Telecommunication
Standardization Conference.)

ITU-TSS sets international communications recommendations. These are often
adopted as standards. It also develops interface, modem, and data network
recommendations.

The X.25 protocol for access to packet-switched networks was originally a
recommendation of CCITT. The CCITT recommendations are now formally known
with an ITU designator; e.g., CCITT Rec. Q.931 will now be ITU-T-Q.931.

A wide range of ITU documents is available through The Teledoc database of
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU):

   * ITU documents
   * lists of contributions (substantive input/proposals)
     to ITU study groups
   * lists of ITU reports and Recommendations (i.e., standards)
   * summaries of ITU new or revised Recommendations
   * ITU meeting schedules and other information concerning Study
     Groups structures and activities.

For information, write to [e-mail]. The database is at
[e-mail] . Gopher to info.itu.ch , or, write to ITU Information
Services Dept., Place des Nations. CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland.

ITU-TSS
-------
The Standards Sector of The International Telecommunication Union (see ITU
above).

JIS
---
A Japanese industry standard code for presenting the Japanese character set
Kanji on computers. JIS defines special ranges of user-defined characters.
Only the most popular ones are included.

The newer Shift JIS standard sets aside certain character codes to signal
the start of a two-character sequence. Together, these define a single
Kanji metacharacter.

There are many oddities to be found in handling Kanji over the network.
Sending JIS-encoded messages through the Internet is done using a 7-bit
code, called "OLD JIS" (standardized on JUNET). Unfortunately, it
incorporates the ESC character, which some systems will filter out. This
problem can be overcome by using UUENCODing.

Some services, like APICNET in Tokyo, converts outgoing Kanji messages
automatically to 7-bit format.

KIDLINK, the global project for children 10 - 15 years of age, operates two
Japanese language mailing lists. KIDLEADJ is for teachers/coordinators, and
KIDCAFEJ for children only. For a copy of their "How to send/receive Kanji
text" help file, send a message to [e-mail] with the
following command in the body of the mail: GET KIDLINK KANJI

Also, check out "Electronic handling of Japanese text," by Ken Lunde
([e-mail]) in ftp://ftp.monash.edu.au/pub/nihongo/japan.inf .
You will find the nihongo directory interesting.

JPEG
----
Standardized compression method for full-color and gray-scale images.  JPEG
is designed to handle "real-world" scenes, for example scanned photographs.
Cartoons, line drawings, and other non-realistic images are not JPEG's
strong suit. On that sort of material you may get poor image quality and/or
little compression.

JVArcServ
---------
Archive server for FidoNet modelled after Archie for the Internet. It
maintains file lists from FidoNet systems throughout its area and will do
searches on these file lists based on netmail requests made to it by remote
systems.

JVArcServ lets you search through file listings for the program you are
looking for. It will send you an email message back telling you the BBS
name, phone number, and file section of all the systems in the network that
match the given criteria.

KB
--
Kilobyte. A unit of data storage size that represents 1024 characters of
information.

Kbits
-----
1,000 bits.

Kermit
------
Protocol designed for transferring files between microcomputers and
mainframe computers developed by Catchings at Columbia University.

There are both public domain, and copyrighted Kermit programs. Some of
these programs are complete programs in themselves offering the
communication functions needed for the particular machine on which they are
running.

The complete Kermit protocol manual and the source code for various
versions are available from:

     Kermit Distribution, [phone]
     Columbia University Center for Computing Activities
     612 West 115 Street,  New York, NY 10025

KOI-8
-----
Coding scheme for Russian (Cyrillic). Cyrillic fonts and keyboard maps are
available from [e-mail] and several other sources. Check out

    gopher://infomeister.osc.edu:74/11/russian/doc
    http://www.pitt.edu/~cjp/rssoft.html
    http://www.free.net/Docs/cyrillic/notes.en.html

To learn more about KOI-8, Russian TeX and Cyrillic text processors, you
can also join the RUSTEX-L mailing list on [e-mail] .

RFC 1489 is about "Registration of a Cyrillic Character Set."

LAN
---
Local Area Network. A data network intended to serve an area of only a few
square kilometers or less.

LAP-M
-----
Link Access Procedure for Modems is a ITU-TSS standard for modem modulation
and error control. It is the primary basis for the ITU-TSS V.42 protocol.

Library
-------
is used on online services about a collection of related databases (that
you may search in) or files (that may be retrieved).

List
----
File-viewing program for MS-DOS computers (see chapter 14). Registration:
US$37 to Buerg Software, 139 White Oak Circle, Petaluma, CA  94952, U.S.A.
(1993).

LISTPROC
--------
is an automated mailing list distribution system similar to the LISTSERV
program (see below). To subscribe to a LISTPROC list, send an email
containing the following type of command in the body of your mail

   SUBSCRIBE <list name> Your name

LISTSERV
--------
An automated mailing list distribution system enabling online discussions of
technical and nontechnical issues conducted by electronic mail throughout
the Internet. The LISTSERV program was originally designed for the
BITNET/EARN networks.

Similar lists are available on the Internet. Some of them are using the Unix
readnews or rn facility, and Anastasios Kotsikonas's list server.

All BITNET mailing lists can be used by email through the Internet. Several
BITNET hosts also have Internet addresses. Example: [e-mail]
can also be reached as [e-mail] . When dual addresses are
given, Internet users should use the Internet address, while BITNET users
should use the BITNET address.

Usually, you subscribe to a LISTSERV mailing list by using the command

    SUBSCRIBE <list name> <your name>

Example: If your name is Oleg Moskwa, and the list name is KIDLINK, send an
email to the LISTSERV address above with the following command in the body
of your text:

    SUBSCRIBE KIDLINK Oleg Moskwa

Usually, you can get off a LISTSERV mailing list by using the command
SIGNOFF <list name>, as in

    SIGNOFF KIDLINK

for the example above. Note: All subscription commands must be sent to the
LISTSERV address, and not to the mailing list itself. If you send it to the
mailing list, it will be distributed to all subscribers, and nothing may
happen.

LOOKFOR
-------
Fast and flexible shareware program for boolean searches in text files.
Registration: US$15 plus postage to David L. Trafton, 6309 Stoneham Rd.,
Bethesda, Md. 20817, U.S.A.

Lurking
-------
No active participation by a subscriber to a mailing list, a conference, or
Usenet newsgroup. A person who is lurking is just listening to the
discussion.

Mail Gateway
------------
A machine that connects to two or more electronic mail systems (including
dissimilar mail systems) and transfers messages among them.

Mailing list
------------
A possibly moderated discussion group on the Internet, distributed via
email from a central computer maintaining the list of people involved in
the discussion. Anyone can send a message to a single mailing list address.
The message is "reflected" to everyone on the list of addresses. The
members of that list can respond, and the responses are reflected, forming
a discussion group.
    (See LISTSERVers)

Think of mailing lists as magazines - you subscribe and unsubscribe as your
needs and interests change.

Mail path
---------
A series of machine names used to direct electronic mail from one user to
the other.

Mail server
-----------
A software program that distributes files or information in response to
requests sent by email.

Megabit (Mb)
------------
2^2 bits of information. Usually used to express a data transfer rate, as
in, 1 megabit/second (= 1Mbps).

MHS
---
(1) Message handling Service. Electronic mail software from Action
Technologies licensed by Novell for its Netware operating systems. Provides
message routing and store and forward capabilities. MHS has gateways into
PROFS, and X.400 message systems. It has been augmented with a directory
naming service and binary attachments.

(2) Message Handling System. The standard defined by ITU-TSS as X.400 and
by ISO as Message-Oriented Text Interchange Standard (MOTIS). MHS is the
X.400 family of services and protocols that provides the functions for
global email transfer among local mail systems.

MNP
---
Microcom Networking Protocol. A proprietary standard of error control and
data compression.

Modem
-----
An acronym for MOdulator-DEModulator.  It is a device that converts digital
data from a computer or terminal into analog data that can be sent over
telephone lines.  On the receiving end, it converts the analog data back to
digital data.

Most modern modems can handle the dialing and answering of a telephone call
and generate the speed of the data transmission, measured in bits per
second, or baud rates. The telephone industry sometimes refers to a modem
as a dataset.

Moderator
---------
A person, or a small group of people, who manage moderated mailing lists
and newsgroups. Moderators are responsible for deciding which email
submissions are passed on to list.

MUD
---
Multiple User Dimension, Multiple User Dungeon, or Multiple User Dialogue.
A a computer program which users can log into and explore. Each user takes
control of a computerized persona/avatar/incarnation/character. You can
walk around, chat with other characters, explore dangerous monster-infested
areas, solve puzzles, and even create your very own rooms, descriptions and
items.

For information, retrieve the various MUD FAQs from this directory

    ftp://ftp.math.okstate.edu/pub/muds/misc/mud-faq/

No>m
----
The No>m Standard Code for Information Interchange (NSCII) is a 16-bit
character encoding standard used in Vietnam. No>m has been the writing
system, based on ideographic (Chinese) characters, in use since the tenth
century for the spoken Vietnamese language.

A version of the NSCII code table in the form of a Macintosh HyperCard Stack
is available as ftp://unicode.org/pub/Mapping_Tables/EastAsia_maps/ .


NAPLPS
------
North American Presentation-Level Protocol Syntax.  A text and graphics
data transmission format for sending large amounts of information between
computers.

It was designed for the encoding of alphanumeric, alpha-mosaic, alpha-
geometric and alpha-photographic constructs. The standard is resolution
independent and device independent, and can easily accommodate
international character sets, bit-mapped images in color, animation and
sound.

NAPLPS was originally developed for videotext and teletext systems through
the Canadian Standards Association (CSA-T500-1983.  It was later enhanced
by AT&T, and in 1983 became an ANSI standard (ANSI-X3.110-1983).

Some videotext systems, including Prodigy (U.S.A.), are based on NAPLPS. On
CompuServe, NAPLPS has been replaced with a newer protocol called GIF,
Graphics Interchange Format.

Netiquette
----------
A pun on "etiquette" referring to proper behavior on a network.

Netnews
-------
See: Usenet.

Network
-------
A data communications system that interconnects computer systems at various
sites.

Newsgroup
---------
Term used for online conferences on Usenet. See appendix 1 for more.

NIC
---
Network Information Center. An organization that provides users with
information about services provided by the Internet network.

NREN
----
The National Research and Education Network. A proposed computer network to
be built in the U.S.A.

NUA
---
Network User Address. The network address in a packet data network. The
electronic number that is sent to the network to connect to an online
service. Also, called X.121 address.

NUI
---
Network User Identification. The user name/password that you use to get
access to (and use) a commercial packet switched network.

Offline
-------
has the opposite meaning of "Online" (see below). It signifies that your
computer is not in direct communication with a remote online service.

Offline Reader
--------------
A computer program making the handling of mail and files from online
services easier (and cheaper). Some also provides automatic mail and file
transfers.

Typically, you first connect to an online service (often a BBS) to capture
new mail in a compressed file (typically through a "QMail door program.")
Many offline mail reader programs are idle while this goes on, while others
can do communications as well.

When disconnected from the service, the offline reader works as a
combination message database and message editor. It gives you the feeling
of still being connected to the online service, while actually being
completely disconnected.

When you have read and replied to all messages offline, the offline reader
creates a compressed "packet" containing any replies entered. Some also let
you prepare packets containing commands to join or leave conferences,
subscribe to or signoff from special services, and download files.

Then, you dial back to the BBS to upload (send) the packet, either using
the offline reader's communications module, or another communications
program.

Readers are available for MS-DOS, MS-Windows, Macintosh, Amiga, Atari ST,
Unix, and CP/M computers. The programs may be downloaded from many BBSes,
and commercial services.

Online
------
In this book, it signifies the act of being in direct communication with a
remote computer's central processing unit.

An online database is a file of information that can be directly accessed
by the user.

OSI
---
Open System Interconnection. A set of protocols designed to be an
international standard method for connecting unlike computers and networks.

A FAQ, Introductory information about OSI, is posted each month to the
comp.protocols.iso, comp.answers, and news.answers newsgroups.

Outernet
--------
Term used about a network that is not directly connected to the Internet,
but can exchange email with networks directly linked to the Internet.
Examples: CompuServe, Prodigy.

OZCIS
-----
DOS-based program that automates access to CompuServe using an elaborate
array of menus. Free for personal use. Contact: Ozarks West Software, 14150
Gleneagle Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921, U.S.A.

Packet
------
(1) A group of bits sent by a modem that comprise a byte of information.

(2) A group of bytes sent by a file transfer protocol.

Packet data networks
--------------------
Also called Packet Switching Networks (PDN). Value added networks offering
long distance computer communications. They let users access a remote
computer, by dialing a local node, or access point.

The packet data networks use high speed digital links, which can be land
lines or satellite communications, to transmit data from one computer to
another using packets of data.  They use synchronous communications,
usually with the X.25 protocol.  The routes are continually optimized, and
successive packets of the same message need not necessarily follow the same
path.

Packet radio
------------
is a method of communications by radio in which digital information
prepared on a computer is converted to short, swift audio bursts
("packets") by a "terminal node controller" or "packet controller," and
transmitted through a radio to another location where a similar station
delivers it error-free to the receiving computer. It can transmit text as
well as binary files.

Packet switching
----------------
Sending data in packets through a network to some remote location. The data
to be sent is subdivided into individual packets of data, each having a
unique identification and carrying its destination address. This allows
each packet to go by a different route. The packet ID lets the data be
reassembled in proper sequence.

PC
--
Personal computer.

PDN
---
See Packet data networks.

Postmaster
----------
On the Internet, the person responsible for handling electronic mail
problems, answering queries about users, and other related work at a site.

Prompt
------
Several times during interactive dialogs with online services, the flow of
data stops while the host computer waits for commands from the user. At
this point, the service often presents the user with a reminder, a cue, a
prompt. These are some typical prompts:

    ?
    !
    WHAT NOW?
    (Read) next letter -
    ulrik 1>
    System News - 5000>
    Enter #, <H>elp, or <CR> to continue?
    Action ==> (Inbox)
    Command:
    Enter command or <RETURN>
    -->

Protocol
--------
A formal description of message formats and the rules two computers must
follow to exchange messages. Protocols can describe low-level details of
machine-to-machine interface (e.g., the order in which bits and bytes are
sent across the wire), or high-level exchanges between allocation programs
(e.g., the way in which two programs transfer a file across the Internet).

ProYam
------
Powerful script-driven communications program. US$139 + $5 for postage from
Omen Technology Inc., 17505-V NW Sauvie Island Rd, Portland, Oregon 97231,
U.S.A. (VISA and Eurocard - 1992)

PSS
---
British Telecom's Packet Switch Stream, an X.25 packet data network.

PTT
---
Postal Telegraph and Telephone. A telephone service provider, often a
monopoly, in a particular country.

Public domain
-------------
Free from copyrights or patents, these programs, texts or files may be used
by the public without compensation to the creators.

Qalam
-----
is an Arabic-Latin-Arabic transliteration system between Arabic script
languages and the Latin script embodied in the ASCII character set.  The
Qalam system is designed to transliterate Arabic script languages for
computer mediated communication by individuals literate in those languages.

Check out the file

   ftp://cs-ftp.bu.edu/amass/Arabic/qalam.text


QWK
---
Qwikmail. A common offline message file format for bulletin boards offering
mail through a QMail Door. The .QWK door and file format has been used to
develop entire BBS networks (example: ILINK.)

There are QWK-format mail readers for Apple, Amiga, Atari, C64/C128,
CoCo/OS9, CP/M, Macintosh, MS-DOS, OS/2, Unix, Windows and Windows NT. A
list of QWK-related products is available at

     ftp://Oak.Oakland.Edu//SimTel/msdos/offline

Look for a file called Oak.Oakland.Edu as QWKPyymm.ZIP. The list is also
available by gopher to gopher.panix.com (listed on the main menu).

See "offline reader."

RIP
---
Remote Imaging Protocol. Also called RIPscrip. A graphics protocol for
bulletin boards designed as an efficient way of delivering graphics to
online services.

Script files
------------
A set of commands that enable a communications program to execute a given
set of tasks automatically (macro commands).

Server
------
A provider of resources (e.g., file servers and name servers).

Shareware
---------
Copyrighted programs, texts, or other types of application files sold on a
try-before-you-buy basis. If you continue using the item past a certain
evaluation period, you must pay the author a designated "registration fee."
Also often referred to as "user-supported."

SIG
---
Special Interest Group.

SNA
---
System Network Architecture. An IBM product.

Snail mail
----------
A pejorative term referring to the national postal service in different
countries.

String search
-------------
A method for searching a database. Works like the search function in a
common word processor program.

On online services, your commands will often search the full document
(including the title, subtitles, keywords, and the full text). Sometimes,
string searches just return a line or a few lines around the hit. In other
cases, they return the full screen or the full document.

CWIS
----
Campus Wide Information Services.

Sysop
-----
Common name used on bulletin boards for System Operator. This is the person
in charge of maintenance and helping users.

System
------
Generic name for a computer with connected equipment or for an online
service or bulletin board.

T1
--
A term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit a DS-1 formatted
digital signal at 1.544 megabits per second.

T3
--
A term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit a DS-3 formatted
digital signal at 44.746 megabits per second.

Talk
----
A command on the Internet, which may remind of IRC, but is a single link
between two parties only.

TAR
------------
.TAR or .tar is a file name extension used by a Unix utility for archiving
files, often used in conjunction with "compress."  The resulting files can
contain both files and directories, and generally includes the subdirectory
structure needed to restore the files.

For a collection of utilities to extract on DOS machines, check out

 include ExTAR, and TAR4DOS. You will
find a collection of such utilities on ftp.uu.net . Look in the
systems/ibmpc/msdos/simtel20/filutl directory.

ftp://ftp.uu.net/systems/ibmpc/msdos/simtel20/filutl

TAPCIS
------
A program for automatic access to CompuServe. It lets callers read and
respond to personal email and forum message threads offline, and download
files. Contact: Support Group, Inc., Lake Technology Park, McHenry, MD
21541, U.S.A.  Also: TAPCIS Forum. Internet mail: [e-mail].
On CompuServe: 74020,10. Registration: US$ 79.00.

TCP/IP
------
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Communications protocols
that internetwork dissimilar systems connected to the Internet. TCP/IP
supports services such as remote login (telnet), file transfer (FTP), and
mail (SMTP).

A FAQ is available:

  http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/ibmpc-tcp-ip/faq.html

Terminal emulator
-----------------
A program that allows a computer to emulate a terminal. The workstation
appears as a given type of terminal to the remote host.

TTY
---
Abbreviation for TELETYPE, a special type of writing terminal
(electrical/mechanical). Also, known as 'dumb terminal'.

TTY mode
--------
This is when a communications program emulates a TTY machine, which only
involves printing characters and recognizing the linefeed, carriage return
and backspace characters.

Unicode
-------
A 16 bit standard system for encoding characters of all the world's
languages. The first 128 codes of Unicode are identical to ASCII. The
system uses two bytes for each character rather than one, and is able to
handle 65,536 character combinations rather than ASCII's just 256.

Unicode can house the alphabets of most of the world's languages, including
a complete complement of Chinese, Korean and Japanese specific characters.
ISO defines a four-byte character set for world alphabets, but uses Unicode
as a subset.

For information, browse ftp://unicode.org/pub/Mapping_Tables/ .

Unix
----
An operating system that supports multi-user and multitasking operations.
A list of recommended books and documents on UNIX and related areas is
regularly posted to the misc.books.technical newsgroup.

Uploading
---------
The act of transferring data from your computer's disk (up) to an online
service and storage there.

Usenet
------
A global bulletin board, of sorts, in which millions of people exchange
public information on every conceivable topic. For more information, see
appendix 1.

UUCP
----
See appendix 1.

Virus
-----
A computer virus is a small computer program created by a computer-literate
vandal with the purpose of destroying data or even applications programs in
other people's computers.

VRML
----
Virtual Reality  Markup Language.

WAN
---
Wide Area Network.

The 'whatis' database
---------------------
Archie (see appendix 6) also permits access to the whatis description
database. It contains the names and brief synopses of over 3,500 public
domain software packages, datasets and informational documents located on
the Internet.

WYSIWYG
-------
What You See is What You Get.

X.25
----
A ITU-TSS standard communications protocol used internationally in packet
data networks. It provides error-checked communication between packet data
networks and their users or other networks.

Rather than sending a stream of bits like a modem, an X.25 router sends
packets of data.  There are different packet sizes and types. Each packet
contains data to be transmitted, information about the packet's origin,
destination, size, and its place in the order of the packets sent.  There
are clear packets that perform the equivalent of hanging-up the phone.
There are reset, restart, and diagnostic packets.  On the receiving end,
the packet assembler/ disassembler (PAD) in the router translates the
packets back into a readable format.

X.400
-----
The ITU-TSS and ISO standard for electronic mail.

X.500
-----
The ITU-TSS and ISO standard for electronic directory services.

.Z
--
See Compress.


More information
----------------
Irving Kind's Glossary of Computer Oriented Abbreviations and Acronyms is
available via Gopher  at cronkite.ocis.temple.edu. (You may need to rummage
around a bit to find it, though).

This glossary is also available as

    ftp://ftp.temple.edu/pub/info/help-net/babel95a.txt

To get it by email, send to [e-mail] . In the  body of the
message, type SEND BABEL95A TXT

The FYI document "Internet Users' Glossary" (RFC-1392) is a comprehensive
glossary concentrating mostly on terms specific to the Internet:

    ftp://nic.merit.edu/documents/fyi/fyi_18.txt



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix 5:

Books, articles, newsletters, etc. for further reading
======================================================

Internet - books published in 1994
----------------------------------
"The Complete Cyberspace Reference and Directory," by Gilbert Held. Van
Nostrand Reinhold, 1994. US$29.95. 765 pages.

"Official Internet Yellow Pages," by Christine Maxwell and Czeslaw (Chet)
Jan Grycz. New Riders Publishing, 1994. US$29.95, ISBN: 1-56205-306-X.

"The Online World - How to Profit from the Information Superhighway" by Mike
Weaver and Odd de Presno. Productive Publications (Canada) 1994. C$ 39.95.

"Way of the Ferret - Finding Educational Resources on the Internet."
US$24.95. ISBN: 1-56484-055-7.

"ONLINE-world," by Dr. Karl Sarnow and Odd de Presno. Publisher: Verlag
Heinz Heise GmbH & Co KB, Helstorfer Strasse 7, D-3000 Hannover 61,
Germany. Fax: [phone]. Email to Dr. Karl Sarnow:
[e-mail] .

"The Internet Connection: System Connectivity and Configuration" by
John S. Quarterman and Carl-Mitchell Smoot. Addison-Wesley Publishing
Company, 1994. 271 pp. ISBN 0-201-54237-4 .

"The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog," by Ed Krol. 1994. Published
by O'Reilly and Associates, Inc., 103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol,
CA 95472, U.S.A.. 450 pages, US$24.95. ISBN: 1-56592-063-5. Email questions
to [e-mail] or uunet!ora!nuts .

"Zen and the Art of the Internet: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition" by
Brendan P. Kehoe, Prentice-Hall Series in Innovative Technology, 1994.
ISBN 013-121492-6.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Internet," by by Peter Kent. Alpha Books
[div. Prentice-Hall], 1994, 386pp.

"The Internet Guide For New Users," Daniel P Dern, ISBN 0-07-016511-4,
$27.95, 1994. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA. 1993. 570 pp.

"Das Internet, -Weltweit vernetzt-" by Peter Klau. p. 320, IWT-Verlag GmbH,
Vaterstetten, Germany, January 1994. DM 59.00, ISBN 3-88322-467-7. (German)

"In acht Sekunden um die Welt," by Gunther Maier and Andreas Wildberger.
Addison Wesley. (German) Email: [e-mail] .

"The 1994 Internet White Pages" by Seth Goodin and James S. McBride. IDG
Books Worldwide, Inc., 1994, 812pp. ISBN: 1-56884-300-3.

"The Internet Yellow Pages," by Harley Hahn and Rick Stout. Osborne McGraw-
Hill, 1994. 447pp. ISBN: 0-07-882023-5.

"The Internet Directory" by Eric Braun. Fawcett Columbine, 1994, 704 pp.
ISBN 0-449-90898-4.

"The Online User's Encyclopedia: Bulletin Boards and Beyond" by Bernard
Aboba (1994, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-62214-9). 832 pages. US$32.95.
Information on the book, including sample chapters and reviews, on the
WWW at ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/mailcom/internaut/index.html .

"Canadian Internet Handbook," by Jim Carroll and Rick Broadhead. $16.95,
paperback, 415 pages ISBN 0-13-304395-9 . Prentice Hall Canada, 416-293-
3621. 1994.

"Using the Internet: Special Edition," by W. Tolhurst, Mary Ann Pike, Keith
A. Blanco, and John R. Harris. Que Corp., 1994.  1188 pp.  ISBN 1-56529-
353-6, $39.95.

"The Internet Resource Quick Reference," by William A. Tolhurst. Que Quick
Reference Series. Indianapolis, IN: Que Corp., 1994.

"Hands-on Internet: A PC User's Guide." by David Sachs & Henry Stair. P T R
Prentice Hall, 1994. 274 pp. ISBN 013-056392-7.

"A DOS User's Guide to the Internet: Email, Netnews and File Transfer with
UUCP." by James Gardner. Prentice Hall, 1994. 308 pp. ISBN 013-106873-3.

"The Internet Unleashed." Sams Publishing. (ISBN 0-672-30466-X. 1994).
$44.95 1,380 pp., 1 HD disk.

"The PC Internet Tour Guide: Cruising the Internet the Easy Way," by Michael
Fraase. Ventana Press, 1994.  ISBN 1-56604-084-1, US$24.95.

"The Windows Internet Tour Guide: Cruising the Internet the Easy Way," by
Michael Fraase. Ventana Press, 1994. 344 pp.  ISBN 1-56604-081-7, US$24.95.

"The Internet Roadmap," by Bennet Falk, SYBEX, 1994. 263 pp. US$12.99.
(ISBN 0-7821-1365-6)

"The Internet Complete Reference" by Harley Hahn & Rick Stout. Osborne
McGraw-Hill, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17294-0701. ISBN 0-07-881980-6. 818 p.,
US$29.95. 1994.

"The Instant Internet Guide," by Brent Heslop and David Angell.  Addison-
Wesley, 1994.  209 pp.  ISBN 0-201-62707-8, US$14.95.

"Internet: Instant Reference," by Paul E. Hoffman. SYBEX, 1994.  317 pp.
ISBN 0-7821-1512-8, US$12.99.

Internet - newsletters/magazines
--------------------------------
"3W - A global networking newsletter." Bi-monthly. For prices and
information, contact "[e-mail]"

"Journal of Information Networking" (Great Britain). For info, send email
to [e-mail] .

"Matrix News," a newsletter about cross-network issues. Networks frequently
mentioned include USENET, UUCP, FidoNet, BITNET, the Internet, and
conferencing systems like the WELL and CompuServe. Matrix News is about all
computer networks worldwide that exchange electronic mail. Online
subscription: US$25 for twelve monthly issues, or US$15 for students.
Paper subscriptions: US$30 for twelve monthly issues, or US$20 for
students; for overseas postage, add US$10 (1992).  Contact: Matrix News,
Building 2 Suite 300, 1120 South Capitol of Texas Highway, Austin, TX
78746, U.S.A.  Email: [e-mail] . WWW: http://www.tic.com/mids

"Information Highways." Magazine. Annual subscription: $98.00CDN.
Information Highways, 162 Joicey Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M5M 2V2, Canada.
Fax: [phone].

"Internet World magazine," Meckler Corporation, 11 Ferry Lane West,
Westport, CT 06880, U.S.A. ([e-mail])

"The Internet Business Journal," 1-60 Springfield Road, Ottawa, CANADA, K1M
1C7. Fax: [phone]. Publisher: Michael Strangelove
<[e-mail]>.

"The Internet Magazine," 60 Springfield Road, Suite 1, Ottawa, Ontario,
CANADA, K1M 1C7. Tel: [phone]. Publisher: Michael Strangelove
<[e-mail]>.

"Online Access," magazine, Chicago Fine Print. Subscription is US$19.80 for
8 issues. E-mail: 70324,[e-mail] .

Internet Business Report. CMP Publications (Network Computing,
Communications Week, etc.). Newsletter for corporate strategists interested
in the Internet as a channel for information products and services, or as a
means of extending support for current operations. Monthly in an 8-page
hardcopy format. For a complimentary sample issue, send email to
[e-mail] . Specify "free copy" in the subject line. They have a free
technology information service at http://techweb.cmp.com/techweb.

Wired. ISSN 1058-1028. 544 2nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, U.S.A.
A trendy, glossy magazine frequently highlighting electronic networking.

Bulletin Board systems and networks
-----------------------------------
BoardWatch Magazine, 8500 West Bowles Ave. Suite 210 Littleton, CO 80123,
USA. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail] . Telnet
boardwatch.com for BBS. WWW: http://www.boardwatch.com/ .

"Using Computer Bulletin Boards," by John V. Hedtke. 1990. MIS Press.

"BMUG Guide to Bulletin Boards and Beyond," by Bernard Aboba (1992).
Quantum Books, 4 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, U.S.A. Email:
[e-mail] . (BMUG = Berkeley Macintosh User's Group)

"The BBS Construction Kit," by David Wolfe. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1994.
US$27.95. 373 pages.

America Online
--------------
"The Official America Online for Windows Membership Kit & Tour Guide," by
Tom Lichty, Ventana Press, 1994, US$34.95. 382 pages.

Apple eWorld
------------
"eWorld: The Official Guide for Macintosh Users," by Cary Lu and John
Milligan. Hayden Books, 1994. US$29.95. 325 pages. Comes with a two-disk set
of connection software for the Mac. Fax: [phone].

CompuServe
----------
"CompuServe Companion: Finding Newspapers and Magazines Online" by Glenn S.
Orenstein and Ruth M. Orenstein, BiblioData, 1994, 198 pages. US$ 29.95.

"CompuServe from A to Z," by Charles Bowen, Bantam Computer Books, 1991.
US$24.95. Paperback, 520 pages.

GEnie
-----
"Glossbrenner's Master Guide to GEnie," Alfred Glossbrenner,
Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 1991, US$39.95, paperback, 616 pages.

General
-------
"Get On-Line!: The Communications Software Companion," by Lamont Wood. John
Wiley & Sons, 1993. 336 p, US$24.95.

"Modem USA," by Lynne Motley, Alium Press, 1994. US$24.95. 401 pages.

Various
-------
"Find It Online!" by Robert I. Berkman, Windcrest/McGraw-Hill, 1994.
US$19.95. 378 pages.

"Exploring the World of Online Services," by Rosalind Resnick. Sybex, 1993.
321 pages. US$ 17.95, paperback.

"EcoLinking: Everyone's Guide to Online Environmental Information," by Don
Rittner. Peachpit Press, 1992, US$18.95, paperback, 352 pages, appendices,
index.

"Online Information Hunting," by Nahum Goldman, TAB Books, Inc., 1992,
US$19.95, paperback, 236 pages.

"SysLaw: The Legal Guide for Online Service Providers" by Lance Rose, Esq.,
and Jonathan Wallace, Esq. Sold by PC Information Group, 1126 East
Broadway, Winona, MN 55987, U.S.A.  US$34.95 plus $3.00 shipping.

"The Information Broker's Handbook," by Sue Rugge and Alfred Glossbrenner,
Windcrest/McGraw-Hill.

"Dvorak's Guide to PC Telecommunications," John Dvorak and Nick Anis (1992,
1128 pages, US$39.95). Second edition. Windcrest/McGraw-Hill.

Articles
--------
The following articles are available by email from LISTSERV@UHUPVM1
(BITNET) or [e-mail] (Internet). In the TEXT of your
message, write the GET command shown after the article's citation below:

  Bailey, Charles W., Jr.  "Electronic Publishing on Networks: A
  Selective Bibliography of Recent Works."  The Public-Access
  Computer Systems Review 3, no. 2 (1992): 13-20.  GET BAILEY PRV3N2
  F=MAIL.

  Harnad, Stevan.  "Post-Gutenberg Galaxy: The Fourth Revolution in
  the Means of Production of Knowledge."  The Public-Access Computer
  Systems Review 2, no. 1 (1991): 39-53.  GET HARNAD PRV2N1 F=MAIL.

  Halbert, Martin.  "Public-Access Computer Systems and the
  Internet."  The Public-Access Computer Systems Review 1, no. 2
  (1990): 71-80.  GET HALBERT PRV1N2 F=MAIL.

  Arms, Caroline R.  Review of Library Resources on the Internet:
  Strategies for Selection and Use, by Laine Farley, ed.  In The
  Public-Access Computer Systems Review 3, no. 2 (1992): 29-34. GET
  ARMS PRV3N2 F=MAIL.

  Barron, Billy.  Review of Zen and the Art of the Internet: A
  Beginner's Guide to the Internet, by Brendan P. Kehoe.  In The
  Public-Access Computer Systems Review 3, no. 1 (1992): 57-59. GET
  BARRON PRV3N1 F=MAIL.

  Cook, Dave.  Review of The User's Directory of Computer Networks,
  by Tracy L. LaQuey, ed.  In The Public-Access Computer Systems
  Review  2, no. 1 (1991): 177-181.  GET COOK PRV2N1 F=MAIL.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix 6:

Important Internet tools & pointers
===================================

Anonymous FTP
-------------
The procedure of connecting to a remote computer, as an anonymous or guest
user, to transfer files back to your computer. Usually, you are asked to
logon using the identity "anonymous," and to use your email address as a
password. (See FTP below for more information.)

Archie
------
An electronic directory service for locating information throughout the
Internet. You can use Archie to locate files on anonymous ftp archive
sites, other online directories and resource listings. It is useful for
finding free software, and in particular if looking for a specific file.

Archie offers access to the "whatis" description database. This database
contains descriptions that include the name and a brief synopsis of the
large number of public domain software, datasets and informational
documents located on the Internet.

This book emphasizes email access to Archie. You can also reach archie
servers by telnet to one of the following addresses:

    archie.au               139.130.4.6     Australian server
    archie.mcgill.ca        132.206.44.21   Canada
    archie.doc.ic.ac.uk     146.169.11.3    England
    archie.funet.fi                         Finland
    archie.th-darmstadt.de  130.83.128.111  Germany
    archie.cs.huji.ac.il    132.65.6.15     Israel
    archie.kuis.kyoto-u.ac.jp 130.54.20.1   Japan
    archie.sogang.ac.kr     163.239.1.11    Korea
    archie.nz               130.195.9.4     New Zealand
    archie.luth.se                          Sweden
    archie.ncu.edu.tw       140.115.19.24   Taiwan
    archie.rutgers.edu      128.6.18.15     U.S.A.

Archie is also available by gopher. Example: gopher.tamu.edu
(URL: gopher://gopher.tamu.edu:70/11/.dir/archie.dir)

Archie Mail Servers
-------------------
An email-based file transfer facility offered by some systems connected to
the Internet. Try send mail to archie@<insert one of the addresses above
here> with the word "help" in the subject. Example: [e-mail] .

Bandwidth
---------
means the amount of frequencies a device can handle. The amount of bandwidth
a channel is capable of carrying tells you what kinds of communications can
be carried on it. In computer-mediated communications, bandwidth is often
used when talking about conference users' capacity for reading, digesting
and responding to conference items.

Cello
-----
is a multipurpose WorldWideWeb (WWW) browser that permits you to retrieve
information from the Internet in an easy-to-use, simplified hypermedia
environment.  Cello supports WWW, FTP, Gopher, CSO, Telnet and Usenet News,
as well as WAIS and a variety of other protocols (eg. TechInfo, HyTelnet)
through external gateways.

Cello runs in the Microsoft Windows environment, and can be used over low-
speed dialup SLIP, pseudo-SLIP, and PPP connections. To run Cello, you also
need to have a Winsock package installed.

The system is available on ftp://ftp.law.cornell.edu/pub/LII/Cello/ .
Take the file cello.zip. You may also want one or more of the
graphics/Postscript viewers/sound players to be found in that directory.


Eudora
------
is a popular email system for MS-DOS and Macintosh computers that requires
a WinSock v1.1 compliant TCP/IP stack. Free versions are widely available
throughout the net. Write [e-mail] for information about
a commercial version.

FAQ
---
"Frequently Asked Questions" are information files about services on the
Internet, and a wide range of other topics. They are useful pointers to not
only resources but also a fairly reliable source of answers that have been
tested by real users.

FAQs can be found all over the Internet.  The most common place to find FAQs
are in USENET newsgroups.  Many newsgroups have a FAQ specific to the
subject of the newsgroup.  It is also common, in some newsgroups, to have a
number of FAQs on different, pertinent subjects.

A list of FAQ documents is posted every four to six weeks to the Usenet
newsgroup news.announce.newusers. By August 1994, there were over 1960
different FAQ documents.

Browse the FAQs on these Web addresses:

    http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/
    gopher://cc1.kuleuven.ac.be/11/faqs/

or retrieve them by email from these services using CERN's WWW service (see
under WWW below). You can search (and read) Usenet FAQS on URL:

    gopher://sjuvm.stjohns.edu:70/11/network

Many FAQs are also available via a Veronica search of gopher space.
Unfortunately, some gopher maintainers do not update their collection of
FAQs on a regular basis.

All FAQs are also available by email from [e-mail] (or
LISTSERV@BLEKUL11 on BITNET). For an index of available FAQs, put the
command GET NETFAQS FILELIST in the body of your mail.

Note: You may find The Stanford Netnews Filtering Service (Chapter 11) a
clever way of keeping track of important Usenet FAQs. For example, you may
try the search term "australia/oz-net-faq" to keep track of the "Network
Access in Australia FAQ."

Finger
------
A program that returns information about registered users on a host that is
directly connected to the Internet via TCP/IP. You cannot use finger to
find user addresses on BITNET or UUCP, or any other networks gatewayed to
the TCP/IP Internet.

Finger may be useful before initiating chats (known on the Internet as
"talk"), to check your assumption of a person's email address, to learn
more about a person, or to get other kinds of information.

To use finger via telnet, enter the command telnet <site> 79
Example: telnet csd4.csd.uwm.edu 79 (where <site> is the place you are
fingering.  Once connected, type the username.

For finger by email, write <[e-mail]> with Subject: #finger
[e-mail] . My address, [e-mail], is at a site.domain
called ulrik.uio.no. In this case, use #finger [e-mail] .

There are some inventive applications, where finger is being used as a
general information system. For example, finger [e-mail] for
information about how to search some databases by finger. Finger to
[e-mail] for weekly U.S. TV ratings according to the
Nielsen rating system, and to [e-mail] for 24-hour solar x-ray
flare activity reports.

For the Finger FAQ, send email to [e-mail] containing the
following: send usenet/news.answers/signature_finger_faq . On the WWW:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/signature_finger_faq/faq.html

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
----------------------------
A program on the Internet for sending and receiving files to and from a
remote computer to your local host. FTP lets you connect to many remote
computers, as an anonymous or guest user, to transfer files back to your
computer.

FTP only lets you list file directories on foreign systems, get or retrieve
files. You cannot browse menus, send email, or search databases.

The easiest way is to use ftp with a World Wide Web browser program like
Mosaic. In this case, you just give the program a command line like this:

   ftp://ftp.digex.net/pub/access/hecker/internet/slip-ppp.txt

The codes after the "//" show first the host name, then the directory, and
finally the file name of the desired file.

Many users do it by typing ftp at their system prompt, login on the remote
system, and then ask for the file they want to receive. It transfers to
their local host machine. (For more on this, read under "Internet" in
appendix 1.)

In the latter case, unless their computer is directly connected to the
Internet, the retrieved file will then have to be transferred from their
host machine to their personal computer.

Where ftp or WWW is not available, you may also use FTPMAIL (chapter 12).

For ftp via Gopher, try

Type=1
Name=Popular FTP Sites via Gopher
Path=1/FTP Searches/Popular FTP Sites via Gopher
Host=gopher.tc.umn.edu
Port=70
URL: gopher://gopher.tc.umn.edu:70/11/FTP Searches/Popular FTP Sites via Gopher

There is a "FTP Frequently Asked Questions" with interesting background
information (see FAQ above).

FSP
---
File Service Protocol.

FYI
---
"For Your Information." On the Internet, a subseries of RFCs that are not
technical standards or descriptions of protocols.

Online FYI copies are available in the ftp://nic.ddn.mil/fyi directory.

FYIs may also be requested by email to [e-mail] with a subject
line of "FYI ##" for text versions or a subject line of "FYI ##.PS" for
PostScript versions.

To obtain a list of available documents (the FYI index), the subject line
of your message should read "FYI index."

Also, check out the sites carrying RFCs (see below).

Gopher
------
A global information service. It works from a top-level subject-oriented
menu system that accesses other information services across the Internet.
You can be viewing a color photograph  of an  ancient Chinese vase stored
on a computer in Taiwan, and, on a moment's notice, "be" in the UK,
retrieving names and dates from a historical database. Gopher combines a
finding and fetching capability in one tool.

Gopher gets information from certain locations on the Internet to which it
is connected, and brings the information to your computer. It can get
information via other Gophers at other locations connected to yet other
hosts. The Telneting or file transfer protocols are transparent to the
user.

To access gopher services, you run a browser program. The browser reads
documents, and can fetch documents and files from other sources. There are
services that let you fetch gopher information by electronic mail (see
Gophermail below).

"Common Questions and Answers about the Internet Gopher" are posted to the
Usenet newsgroups comp.infosystems.gopher, comp.answers, and news.answers
every two weeks. (See FAQ above.)

The Online World handbook's support forum files are on gopher cosn.org.
Select Networking Information / Reference / The Online World.

On the Internet, you will often see pointers to Gopher sources given like
this:

  Type=1
  Name=  United States GOVERNMENT Gophers
  Path=1/gopher.welcome/peg/GOPHERS/gov
  Host=peg.cwis.uci.edu
  Port=7000
  URL: gopher://peg.cwis.uci.edu:7000/11/gopher.welcome/peg/GOPHERS/gov

If you are not using a communications program that can use this information
directly, then try to deduct the information from URL line. Here, it
translates into 'gopher peg.cwis.uci.edu 7000' , select peg / gophers/ gov.

If the gopher command is not available on your system, then you may telnet
to the gopher site, and login as 'gopher' to access.

Gopher consultant.micro.umn.edu for more information. To follow gopher
developments, subscribe by mail to [e-mail]
(SUB Your-Full-Name).

If in an exploratory mood, gopher cwis.usc.edu . The choices include: How
to use Gopher (free course), Guides to Internet Resources, Gophers by
Subject, Gophers by Location, Gophers by Keyword Search (Veronica), Wide
Area Information Server (WAIS) databases, and more.

The Gopher Jewels list of gopher sites by category is available from

    ftp://ftp.einet.net/pub/

Most selections are in North America. There is also a mailing list called
GOPHERJEWELS-TALK. To subscribe, send email to [e-mail]
containing the following command

    SUBSCRIBE GOPHERJEWELS-TALK firstname lastname

Gopher gopher.tc.umn.edu to search Popular FTP Sites via Gopher. The
gophers of the world, sorted by country, are at

 URL: gopher://liberty.uc.wlu.edu/11/gophers/other

Read about Veronica below.

Gophermail
----------
lets you use Gopher by electronic mail. Messages containing menus and
gopher link information are mailed to you in response to your requests. You
reply to these messages and indicate which menu items you want.  It lets
you use Gopher without requiring a direct "live" Internet network
connection.

Send a message to one of the following addresses for more information:

    [e-mail]              (in Japan)
    [e-mail]              (in Japan)
    [e-mail]         (in USA)
    [e-mail]              (in Sweden)
    [e-mail]     (Israel)
    [e-mail]               (Europe)

Just send a blank message, and a help screen will be returned to you.

GopherMail's options include:

  - Requesting the Gopher menu for a specific host name,
  - Message splitting after a certain file size (for those with a size
    limit on email messages),
  - Re-using links to selected gopher menus by saving them in a local
    "Bookmarks" file.

Binary and Sound Files are sent as uuencoded files.

To perform a search, select that menu item with an "x" and supply your
search words in the Subject: of your next reply.  Note that your search
criteria can be a single word or a boolean expression such as:

        computers and (macintosh or ms-dos)

Hytelnet
--------
(1) An Internet service offering access to many other services, including
university and library catalogues around the world. Prefers VT-100
emulation. (telnet herald.usask.ca. Login: hytelnet)

Read: ftp://ftp.usask.ca/pub/hytelnet/README

(2) A memory resident utility (MS-DOS) that provides instant information on
Internet-accessible library catalogues, Free-Nets, Campus Wide Information
Servers, Gophers, WAIS, and much more.

[e-mail] is a mailing list for announcements of new versions.

International Standard Top-level Country codes
----------------------------------------------
Top-level country codes derived from the International Standards
Organization's international standard ISO 3166. For a current list,
retrieve the FAQ: International E-mail. It is regularly posted to these
Usenet newsgroups: comp.mail.misc, comp.mail.uucp, news.newusers.questions
alt.internet.services, alt.answers, comp.answers, and news.answers.

You may also retrieve it via E-mail as follows:

  mail [e-mail]
  Subject: anything
  open
  [mime]
  get pub/faq/mail/country-codes
  quit

(where [ ] = optional)

IRC
---
Internet Relay Chat is a multi-user, multi-channel chatting network. It
allows people all over the world to talk to one another in real-time.

Each IRC user has a nickname they use.  All communication with another user
is either by nickname or by the channel that they or you are on.  It
requires that you use a service that has a direct connection to Internet.

A FAQ file, "IRC Frequently Asked Questions," is posted to the alt.irc
newsgroup every second week.

More information about IRC is available by anonymous FTP to cs.bu.edu.
Retrieve the /irc/support/tutorial* files. You may also want to take a look
at this short tutorial:

    ftp://cs-ftp.bu.edu/irc/support/IRCprimer1.1.txt

Here are some sample IRC hosts:

    telnet sci.dixie.edu 6677
    telnet caen.fr.eu.undernet.org 6677
    telnet obelix.wu-wien.ac.at 6996
           (also on port 6677, 7766, and 6969)
    telnet irc.tuzvo.sk 6668
    telnet irc.nsysu.edu.tw (Login: irc)

ITR
---
Internet Talk Radio. For general information (a FAQ) about the Internet
Multicasting Service radio programs, send email to [e-mail]. For a
listing of some distribution sites, send mail to [e-mail] .

A list of archive sites that make the Internet Talk Radio sound files
accessible via anonymous FTP is irregularly posted to the following
newsgroups: alt.internet.talk-radio, alt.radio.internet, alt.answers,
news.answers. They may also be obtained from

    ftp://juggler.lanl.gov/pub/ITR/itr_archives.html

To access Internet Talk Radio in World Wide Web (WWW):

    http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/radio/radio.html

To access Internet Talk Radio via Gopher, point your gopher at:

        Name=MegaGopher
        Type=1
        Port=70
        Path=
        Host=megasun.bch.umontreal.ca

and select Internet Resources/Internet Radio/Broadcasts/Broadcasts via ftp
archives/.

Jughead
-------
An interactive Internet service that gets menu information from various
gopher servers. It is a database of Gopher links, and an acronym for
Jonzy's Universal Gopher Hierarchy Excavation And Display.

Jughead accepts word searches and the search result can be used to access
menus on on many remote Gophers.

More information is available as

    ftp://ftp.cc.utah.edu/pub/gopher/GopherTools/jughead/jughead.ReadMe

Knowbot
-------
Experimental directory services using intelligent computer programs that
automate the search and gathering of data from distributed databases. The
concept behind the Knowbot is that it is supposed to be a Knowledge Robot -
- something that goes hunting for information on the Internet.

To reach a Knowbot: telnet CNRI.Reston.va.us port 70 . Also, try email to
[e-mail] . Send 'help' for instructions.

Linux
-----
Free Unix operation system clone for 80386/80486 computers. The "Linux
Documents Explained for Newbies" document is regularly posted to the
comp.os.linux newsgroup. Dig into this file library for more information:

    ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/

Start with the current version of the Linux FAQ.

Linux has all the features you would expect in a modern fully-fledged Unix,
including true multitasking, virtual memory, shared libraries, demand
loading, shared copy-on-write executables, proper memory management and
TCP/IP networking.

It supports a wide  range  of  software,  including  X Windows,  Emacs,
TCP/IP networking (including SLIP), the works.

List of Lists
-------------
The Interest Groups List of Lists is a directory of conferences available
as:

    ftp://sri.com/netinfo/interest-groups

Note that as of March 1994, the file was around 1,400,000 bytes in size.

You can also get it by email from [e-mail] . Write the following
command in the TEXT of the message:

    Send netinfo/interest-groups

Lynx
----
Text-only World Wide Web browser for any VT100 (ASCII) emulating terminal
program using full screen, arrow keys, highlighting, etc. Fast naviagion of
cross-linked hypertext documents (minus multimedia) over a low-speed dial-
up connection.

Many Unix hosts offer Lynx for dial-up use. Just set your communications
software to vt-100, logon, and type "lynx" to see if it is available. If
not, telnet to ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu . At the login: prompt, enter www and
press return to access a Lynx browser. Online help is available.

A copy of the program, including a release for MS-DOS computers, can be
retrieved from

    ftp://FTP2.cc.ukans.edu//pub/lynx/

MAILBASE
--------
A program functioning like a LISTSERV. For more information about the
Mailbase at Newcastle University (England), send email to
[e-mail] containing the following commands:

    help                     (for a general help file)
    send mailbase user-guide (for a User Guide)
    lists                    (for a list of available forums)

This mailbase managed 403 mailing lists in July 1993.

Majordomo
---------
is another program that organizes mailing lists. Commands for subscribing
and unsubscribing are similar to those used with a LISTSERV except that the
name is not given at the end of the subscription line. Further, rather than
sending e-mail to LISTSERV at the site that houses the list, it should be
sent to [e-mail].

For a list of mailing lists served by this Majordomo server, send the
command 'lists' in the body of your email message. Add the command 'help'
on the next line for a short help file.

MIME
----
The Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions is a specification that offers a
way to interchange text in languages with different character sets, and
multi-media email among many different computer systems that use Internet
mail standards.

MIME lets you create and read email messages containing these things:

    - character sets other than ASCII
    - enriched text (text with markup commands like <bold> to make
      it more readable)
    - images
    - sounds
    - other messages (reliably encapsulated)
    - tar files
    - PostScript
    - FTPable file pointers
    - other stuff

MIME supports several pre-defined types of non-textual message contents,
such as 8-bit 8000Hz-sampled mu-LAW audio, GIF image files, and PostScript
programs. It also permits you to define your own types of message parts.

For details, check out FAQ 475, the newsgroup comp.mail.mime, and a RFC-
1341 and 1523.

Note: When a MIME message is received by someone on a host without MIME
installed, it may be encoded in a binary format (BASE64) and impossible
to read. If you have this problem, try the small free utility that is
available through the TOW archive. Send GET TOW MASTER (as explained in
the preface of the book) for retrieval instructions and file name.

NCSA Mosaic
-----------
gives point-and-click access to the World Wide Web over a SLIP or TCP/IP
connection to the Internet. Mosaic will not work through simple Internet
gateways unless you are using pseudo-SLIP software. A direct Internet
connection, or a dedicated high-speed phone line is required.

The system runs on X Windows, the Macintosh, and Microsoft Windows, and has
integrated transparent access to other Internet services, ranging from FTP
to WAIS to Gopher.

Mosaic can display hypertext and hypermedia documents in a variety of fonts
and styles. It has support for sounds, movies, international characters,

Mosaic can be retrieved from ftp://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/ . The MS Windows
version is in the /PC/Mosaic directory. The Macintosh version is in the
/Mac/Mosaic directory.

Netfind
-------
Internet directory services that allow users to get information about
individuals. Search by name and organization/location. For more
information, send email to [e-mail] with the following
text in the body of your mail "GET NETFIND HELP".

Here are some Netfind user lookup hosts:

    telnet netfind.oc.com                   U.S.A.
    telnet netfind.anu.edu.au               Australia
    telnet netfind.if.usp.br                Brazil
    telnet malloco.ing.puc.cl               Chile
    telnet nic.nm.kr                        Korea
    telnet lincoln.technet.sg               Singapore
    telnet monolith.cc.ic.ac.uk             England

NNTP server
-----------
Usenet netnews are being distributed globally through local servers, called
NNTP servers. You should use a local server. if available, for higher speed.
Reading programs, like WinVN and Netscape, require that you put the address
of a NNTP server in the configuration file. Netscape example:

NNTP_Server=nntp-oslo.uninett.no

Ping
----
A program to test a network connection on the Internet. May be used to
check if a connection to another host is available, when your email seems
not to reach a receiver.

Ping sends a message (an ICMP echo request packet) to a specified host, and
waits for a response. It reports success or failure and statistics about
its operation.

To use ping by email, write <[e-mail]> with Subject: #ping
<machine> . This command will ping the machine 10 times and send you the
result.

PPP
---
Point-to-Point Protocol. A serial communications protocol for connecting to
the Internet by direct or dial-up lines. PPP systems can receive and
transfer files without having to use the intermediate host as a transfer
and rest stop.

A FAQ is posted to the comp.protocols.ppp, news.answers, and comp.answers
on a weekly basis. It should be read by anybody interested in connecting to
Internet via serial lines.

Pseudo-Slip
-----------
enables individual dial-up users of Unix "shell" accounts to use programs
that ordinarily require a direct SLIP connection to the Internet. You can
use applications like Mosaic and Eudora if your shell account is set up
with pseudo-SLIP software.

Oslonett A/S (Norway) distributes the Remsock pseudo-SLIP system. Send mail
to [e-mail] with "info remsock" on the subject line for
information. Shareware. Registration US$15.00 (1994).

Cyberspace Development, Inc. (USA) sells The Internet Adapter (TIA). Send
email to [e-mail] for information, or connect via telnet,
FTP, or gopher to marketplace.com, or by WWW to http://marketplace.com/.
Price (1994): US$25.00.

RFC
---
The Internet's Request for Comments document series. Working notes of the
Internet research and development community. A document in this series may
be on essentially any topic related to computer communication, and may be
anything from a meeting report to the specification of a standard.

Information about new RFCs is regularly sent to the RFC-DIST notification
mailing list. Requests to be added to this list should be sent to RFC-
[e-mail].

Note: Once a document is assigned an RFC number and published, that RFC is
never revised or re-issued with the same number.  There is never a question
of having the most recent version of a particular RFC. It is therefore
important to verify that you have the most recent RFC on a given topic!

Details on how to obtain RFCs via FTP or EMAIL may be obtained by sending
an EMAIL message to [e-mail] with the message body help:
ways_to_get_rfcs.  For example:

        To: [e-mail]
        Subject: getting rfcs

        help: ways_to_get_rfcs

SimTel Software Repository
--------------------------
maintains a giant collection of public domain software, shareware,
documentation and mail archives under the following top-level headings:
Ada, CPM, CPMUG, HZ100, MACINTOSH, MISC, MSDOS, PC-BLUE, SIGM, UNIX-C,
ZSYS.

All files are accessible by anonymous ftp to OAK.Oakland.Edu (n Rochester,
Michigan, U.S.A.), by gopher to Gopher.Oakland.Edu (just select from the
gopher menu to retrieve), from several mirror sites around the world, or by
e-mail through the BITNET/EARN file servers, and various FTP-mail servers
(see Chapter 12). World Wide Web (WWW) and Mosaic users can connect to the
URL http://www.acs.oakland.edu .

For information by email, send a message to [e-mail] with
the command 'GET PDGET HELP' in the first line of your text.

For a current list of available MS-DOS files, retrieve the file simlist.zip
in the /SimTel/msdos/filedocs directory at Oak.Oakland.Edu . Also, consider
subscribing to MSDOS-Ann (see Chapter 4).

SLIP
----
Serial Line Internet Protocol. A method for connecting to the Internet.
SLIP systems can receive and transfer IP packets over a serial link, such
as a dial-up or private telephone line.

IP (the Internet Protocol) is the most important of the protocols on which
the Internet is based. It allows a packet to traverse multiple networks on
the way to its final destination.

The help file "Personal Internet Access Using SLIP or PPP: How You Use It,
How It Works" is available at

  URL: ftp://ftp.digex.net/pub/access/hecker/internet/slip-ppp.txt

See "Pseudo-SLIP" above.

Telnet
------
A program on the Internet that allows logins to another computer to run
programs there. Telnet allows a user at one site to interact with a remote
system at another site as if the user's terminal was connected directly to
the remote computer.

With telnet, you can browse menus, read text files, use gopher services,
and search online databases. Sometimes, you can join live, interactive
games and chat with other callers. Usually, you cannot download files or
list file directories.

To telnet a remote computer, you must know its name. This can be in words,
like "VM1.NODAK.EDU," or a numeric address, like "134.129.111.1". Some
services require that you connect to a specific "port" on the remote
system. Enter the port number, if there is one, after the Internet address.

To access the remote computer, you need a legal user name and password. A
list of SPECIAL INTERNET CONNECTIONS, with public user names and passwords,
is available by email to [e-mail]. You can also get it as
ftp://ftp.csd.uwm.edu/pub/inet.services.txt , and via alt.internet.services
on Usenet.

Note: If you get a return message saying that the host was unknown or
unavailable, first check if your address syntax was correct. If it is, try
later. Also, your telnet address may have changed.

Accessing commercial services like CompuServe via telnet gives you the
convenience and time savings of not having to log off and on as you move
from one host system to another. There is normally no real time cost
advantage, unless your location is closer to an Internet node than any of
these services' regular access point.

Telnet is not available to users who have email only access to the
Internet.

TRICKLE
-------
Servers on the Internet offering the SimTel shareware and public domain
files by email (uuencoded). These servers include:

          [e-mail]    (Turkey)
          [e-mail]   (Israel)
          [e-mail]   (Italy)
          [e-mail]  (Germany)
          [e-mail]  (Austria)
          [e-mail]   (Colombia)

For more information and a current list of all TRICKLE servers, send a
message to one of these addresses with the command "/HELP" in the body of
your text.

URL (Universal Resource Locater)
--------------------------------
A URL is the address of any multimedia resource on the WWW. A URL may point
to an HTML file (a WWW page file), a GIF image, an MPEG movie, an AU sound
file and so on. Thus, it is a standardized identification of network
resources that is integrated into WWW pages. URLs identify the type and
location of network and local resources.

Many users with interactive connection to the Internet, use remote network
resources through local programs. These programs are called local clients,
and there are such programs for anonymous ftp, irc, Mosaic, WWW, and more.

The local clients programs often require a terse, machine readable resource
addressing format, called "Universal Resource Locater" (URL). It is a draft
standard for specifying an object on the Internet, such as a file or
newsgroup.

Example using WWW: The URL format resource address is

   http://web2.xerox.com/digitrad

This tells us:

   the tool: http (see appendix 4)
   the host: web2.xerox.com
   the path: digitrad

The first part of the URL, before the colon, specifies the access method.
The part of the URL after the colon is interpreted specific to the access
method. In general, two slashes after the colon indicate a machine name
(machine:port is also valid).


A Gopher example: URL uses the following

   gopher://nutmeg.ukc.ac.uk/archive/uunet/archive/doc/obi
        /USG/Health.Care.Security.Plan/report/forward.txt

The URL tells us:

  the tool: gopher
  the host: nutmeg.ukc.ac.uk
  the path: archive/uunet/archive/doc/obi/USG
            /Health.Care.Security.Plan/report
  the file: forward.txt

A ftp example, showing site, directory, and file name:

  ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-cmc.html

A telnet example:

  telnet://database.carl.org/

A newsgroup example:

  news:alt.bbs

A file example, showing site, directory, and file name:

  file://localhost/mysub/mypage.html

Veronica
--------
A service on the Internet. Maintains an index of titles of gopher items,
and provides keyword searches of those titles. The result of a search is a
set of gopher-type data items, which is returned to the user as a gopher
menu. The user can access any of these data items by selecting from the
returned menu.

Example: gopher nysernet.org . Select 'Search the Internet' from the main
menu. Select Veronica alternatives from the next.

A FAQ is available from gopher veronica.scs.unr.edu, in the veronica
directory.

Veronica is also available by email (using GopherMail. See above).

WAIS (Wide Area Information Servers)
------------------------------------
is a distributed text-searching system. It is a kind of indexed online
search tool to locate items based on what they contain - usually keyword
text searches. It is a powerful tool for concurrent searches of large
databases and/or newsgroups on the Internet. First, WAIS lets you search
for appropriate databases, and then for information within them.

If Gopher is like looking in the contents of a book to determine what
chapters to read, then WAIS may be said to be like looking at a book's
index to find a particular subject or topic to read about.

Example: Telnet QUAKE.THINK.COM (or Telnet 192.31.181.1). Login as "wais".
Telnet info.funet.fi (or 128.214.6.100).  Login: info . Another option is
telnet to sunsite.unc.edu and login as swais .

WAIS can also be searched by mail. For instructions, send email to
[e-mail] with the word 'help' in the body of your mail.

There is a WWW content router for WAIS at

  URL: http://www-psrg.lcs.mit.edu/content-router.html

The content router provides query routing to over 500 WAIS servers (1994).
It is based on content labels which are constructed from WAIS source and
catalog files. The router also provides query refinement that helps a user
formulate meaningful queries. When the user specifies a query term, the
content router suggests other terms that are related to the query.  When
the relevant WAIS servers are chosen, the router searches them in parallel.

A FAQ about WAIS is posted monthly to the comp.infosystems.wais newsgroup.

FreeWAIS
--------
allows uncapitalized Boolean searching with any combination of and/or/not,
but no parenthesis.  With freeWAIS, you _can_ search for "dogs and cats."
It also adds truncation, using "*". This lets you easily search for plurals
and root words, like "advertis*".

For information on free WAIS software contact [e-mail]
Mailing list: [e-mail]
To subscribe send a mail to [e-mail]
Usenet newsgroup: comp.infosystems.wais

VMS
---
Virtual Memory System. A multiuser, multitasking, virtual memory operating
system for the VAX series from Digital Equipment.

Whois
-----
An Internet program that lets users query a database of people and other
Internet entities, such as domains, networks, and hosts, kept at the NIC
(see appendix 4).

For example, Whois lets you scan through a registry of researchers in the
network field to find an Internet address, if you have only the last name
or part of it. It will give you the person's company name, address, phone
number, and email address. It had around 70,000 listings in December 1992.

You can access Whois by email to [e-mail] . Put the word
HELP in the subject field of your mail for instruction.

To access the WHOIS, telnet to rs.internic.net. When greeted by the host,
type "WHOIS" and press RETURN. It also has a gopher service at the same
address.

Winsock
-------
The Windows Socket standard. A method for providing TCP/IP network services
to Windows applications (such as a gopher client). Requires a direct
connection to the Internet, or access to a SLIP, pseudo-SLIP, or PPP
server. With Winsock, you can run several applications that make use of the
Internet at the same time.

For information, check out the newsgroup comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc and
alt.winsock . There is a well-established Windows Sockets discussion list
on [e-mail]. To subscribe, leave the subject blank, and
include the following command in the body: subscribe winsock.

Also, check out http://sunsite.unc.edu/winsock .

The FAQ "Windows and TCP/IP for Internet access" contains a list of some
shareware and public domain software that can be used with Windows to
access services on the Internet. This FAQ is regularly being posted to
alt.winsock .

The Winsock Application FAQ can be retrieved by email to [e-mail],
Subject: FAQ. It is also on URL: http://www.lcs.com/faqhtml.html

WWW (World Wide Web)
--------------------
A global information service, much like Gopher, that provides top level
access down to various documents, lists, databases, and services. This
includes resources such as WAIS, FTP, and Gopher.

Instead of menus, WWW uses a hypertext interface with cross links between
subjects. You "click on" highlighted words to jump off onto another track.
Documents can be, and often are, linked to other documents by completely
different authors -- much like footnoting, but you can get the referenced
document instantly!

To access the Web, you run a browser program. The browser reads documents,
and can fetch documents and files from other sources.

You can also retrieve pages by electronic mail to [e-mail] .
Put the word "help" in the body of your mail for retrieval instructions.
(Mostly for retrieval of text. It cannot deliver pages containing graphics,
sound, etc. reliably.)

A Frequently Asked Questions file about WWW is available by sending the
command GET WWW FAQ to [e-mail] . Updates are regularly
posted to the Usenet newsgroups news.answers, comp.infosystems.www,
comp.infosystems.gopher, comp.infosystems.wais and alt.hypertext . You can
also get it at

   URL: http://sunsite.unc.edu/boutell/faq/www_faq.html

Examples: telnet www.njit.edu or telnet 128.235.163.2 (U.S.A.), telnet
info.cern.ch or telnet 128.141.201.74 (Switzerland), telnet vms.huji.ac.il
or telnet 128.139.4.3 (Israel), and telnet ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu (USA).
Login: www .

To search for WWW information pages in the WebCrawler database, point your
browser at http://webcrawler.cs.washington.edu/WebCrawler/WebQuery.html .

WWW to http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/mkgray/comprehensive.html for a long
HTTP site list sorted by domain (geographical area of the world). A list of
all registered HTTP servers by country is on

  URL: http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/DataSources/WWW/Servers.html

The Digital Tradition folk song database is available through a WWW server
that allows users to search for and display songs interactively using any
of several freely available WWW clients. The server can even provide audio
of the song tunes for some systems.

This WWW server is located at: http://web2.xerox.com/digitrad. To find out
about more, access the above WWW server or email [e-mail]
(Dick Greenhaus).

The Australian National University's WWW server at http://rubens.anu.edu.au
offers Art-History-related images. In January 1994, it held 2,800 images
with associated short records dealing with the history of printmaking from
the 15th century to the end of the 19th century, and a few on the classical
architecture of the Mediterranean.

For information on WWW browsers, telnet to info.cern.ch .

We have seen references to World Wide Web services written like this:

  Mosaic (WWW): http://lanic.utexas.edu/

Note that Mosaic is not the only browser program that will let you use WWW.
Lynx is an attractive alternative for dial-up users (see above).

For information about the popularity of the World Wide Web, point your
browser at http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/mkgray/wow-its-big.html . There
is a list of mailing lists and Usenet News groups related to WWW on
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ucs/WWW/WWW_mailing_lists.html .

The unofficial newspaper of the World Wide Web is at

   URL: http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Software/Mosaic/Docs/whats-new.html

It carries announcements of new servers on the Web and also of new Web-
related tools.

A WWW Development page is available through the The WWW Virtual Library.
Topics ranges from how to develop WWW pages, to setting up servers, to the
evolution of the WWW. URL: http://www.charm.net/~web/Vlib.html

For more information
--------------------
You may start with "Answers to Commonly Asked New Internet User Questions,"
which is available by email from [e-mail] . Put the following
command in your message's SUBJECT heading:

    RFC 1325

"FYI: Internet User's Glossary" can be retrieved by electronic mail from
[e-mail] . Put the following command in the Subject of your mail:
RFC 1392 . There is also a "Internet Services Frequently Asked Questions
and Answers" (see FAQ above).

"FYI: What is the Internet?" is available by anonymous FTP as

    ftp://nic.merit.edu/documents/fyi/fyi_20.txt

John December publishes the "Internet-tools list." It contains information
about a number of network tools and information resources (such as Archie,
Gopher, Netfind, WWW and so on.) You can retrieve it by anonymous ftp as

    ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-tools.html

A collection of Internet tools and resources is available on the URL:

    http://www.hip.com/franklin/franklin.html

This WWW page combines comprehensive tools documents, and links to software
collections for Mac, PC, and UNIX.

"Where to Start" for New Internet Users is an annotated listing of Internet
guidebooks and other materials. Retrieve by sending the following one-line
command in an email to [e-mail]:

    GET NEWUSERS FAQ NETTRAIN F=MAIL



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Online World handbook by Odd de Presno <[e-mail]> * Shareware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix 7:

LIST OF SERVICES OFFERING ACCESS TO INTERNET
============================================

Ordinary users cannot normally connect directly to the Internet. They must
hook their computers to "host" computers on corporate or institutional
networks which are part of the Internet, or to a commercial company which
has purchased an expensive Internet connection, and re-sells access to the
Internet through that connection.

The key question is to locate access providers that serve your area and
supply the required services, and support at the right price.

Information about access providers is available in this file directory:

    ftp://ftp.isoc.org//isoc/faq/

Start with the file ftp://ftp.isoc.org//isoc/faq/how-do-I-connect.txt .

On the WWW, try the following URL for another catalog of Internet Access
Providers around the world: http://www.netusa.net/ISP . This catalog is
indexed by area code/country code.

If you want it cheap, check out if there's a Free-Net offering in your
area. Try: http://www.usask.ca/~scottp/free.html on the Web for more.

The following is a list of some providers by country offering general
access to the Internet. These services provide access to any individual,
provided that he or she is willing to pay an (often) modest subscription
fee.

In many countries, there are organizations selling Internet access to the
business community at high prices. The added value provided by these seldom
justifies their higher price. They will therefore not be listed at all, if
I can help it.

The organizations listed deliver one of the following three levels of access:

  [1] Full interactive access. You can use all Internet commands including
      ftp, telnet, and gopher.

  [2] Exchange of electronic mail. Local access to selected Newsgroups,
      BITNET and Internet mailing lists. Limited or no access to
      interactive commands.

  [3] Exchange of electronic mail only. No access to interactive commands.

Important: Several key Internet commands are available by email. Examples:
ftp, archie, gopher, veronica. Level 2 and 3 access may therefore be good
enough for many users. You may even find such access to be more productive
for your applications, because of the waiting times often experienced when
using the Internet interactively.

Many countries are missing from this list. The objective is to gradually
expand it with a handful services in all countries of the world. It is not
intended to be complete. A few inexpensive, efficient and reliable
offerings in each country will do.

If you know of a service that should be listed, please send information to
for consideration to: [e-mail]

The offerings are sorted by part of world:

  Africa
  Asia-Pacific Rim
  Former Soviet Republics
  Latin America
  North America
  Western and Central Europe

Note: Unless "full access to the Internet" is given, a service will most
likely only offer access level 2 or 3.

Note also that some access providers cover many countries. Information about
these are listed under:

  CompuServe
  Association for Progressive Communications Member Networks


AFRICA
******

A directory of Internet access in Africa is regularly posted to the
alt.internet.access.wanted, and alt.internet.services newsgroups. URL:
http://www.tagsys.com/Providers/index.html

South Africa
------------
Durban: Dataverters BBS - 3 lines [phone]. Full Internet access.
Email: [e-mail]

Johannesburg: Digitec Online BBS - 10 lines [phone]. Full Internet
access. Email: [e-mail]

Johannesburg: Netline Flagship BBS - 6 lines [phone]. Full Internet
access. Email: [e-mail]

There is a list of South African BBSes on [e-mail] . For
monthly updates, send an email with the following command in the body of
your mail:  SUB ROBLIST Your-Name


ASIA - PACIFIC RIM
******************

Australia
---------
A Network Access in Australia FAQ is regularly posted to the following
newsgroups: aus.net.access, alt.internet.access.wanted, aus.net.mail,
aus.net.aarnet, aus.comms, soc.culture.australian, aus.computers,
alt.answers, soc.answers, news.answers. You can also find it on many
FTP sites that archive FAQs. Example:
  Host:      archie.au.
  File name: Network_Access_in_Australia_FAQ
  Directory: /usenet/FAQs/alt.internet.access.wanted

Hong Kong
---------
Hong Kong Supernet. Full Internet access. Email: [e-mail].
gopher to:   Hk.Super.Net

Hong Kong Internet and Gateway Services. Full Internet access. Email:
[e-mail].

India
-----
New Dehli: INDIALINK DELHI. Tel: [phone] or 461-1745

Japan
-----
Tokyo: APICNET.  Voice: 03-5423-0571. Fax: [phone] . Email
access to the Internet. Contact: [e-mail] (Yoko Kaneko)

Tokyo: TWICS. Modem: 03-3351-8244 (8N1). Log in as guest for more
information. Voice: 03-3351-5977. Email: [e-mail]


FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS
***********************

A directory of Internet access in ex-USSR is regularly posted to the
alt.internet.access.wanted, and alt.internet.services newsgroups. URL:
http://www.tagsys.com/Providers/index.html.

LATIN AMERICA
*************
Argentina
---------
Buenos Aires: SatLink Uucp/Internet Gateway offers V.32bis and Turbo-PEP
access. Email: [e-mail], or call [phone]. Offline reader:
Waffle.

Brasil
------
Rio de Janeiro: Hot-Line BBS. 8 lines. For information, write Charles Miranda
at [e-mail]. Voice [phone].

Sao Paulo: Mandic BBS. Modem phone: [phone]. Speeds from 300 to 16800
bits/s. 10 lines. Write to [e-mail] ( Aleksandar
Mandic) for information. PCBoard BBS. Various offline readers. US$10/month.

NORTH AMERICA
*************
United States
-------------

Delphi. Full access. Write to: General Videotex Corp., 1030 Massachusetts
Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

WESTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE
**************************

A Directory of Internet access in Western Europe is available on URL:
http://www.tagsys.com/Providers/index.html. The list is also posted to
the alt.internet.access.wanted, and alt.internet.services newsgroups.

Finland
-------
CLINET. Modem: 90-455 8331, 90-455 8778, 90-455 8688. Unix. login: new.
InterNet 193.64.6.33 (clinet.fi)

JYBOX, Modem: 941-211 562.  Waffle. Internet email

VAASA FREEPORT BBS. Modem: 961-324 8490, 961-317 0972, 961-317 0974.
FreePort. Internet news and mail.

Finland Free-Net. Voice: 358-0-4514007

A list of Finnish BBSes is regularly uploaded to the following directory

    ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/bbs/

File name: fiyymmdd.zip (yy=year, mm=month,dd=day number).


France
------
FranceNet. Voice: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]
Oleane Network. Voice: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]. WWW:
http://www.oleane.net/.

Germany
-------
Berlin: Grossraum Berlin. Voice: 030/834 68 90. Email: in-berlin-
[e-mail] . DM 20/month (1993). Full Internet access.

Hamburg: Grossraum Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein. Voice: 040/2790975, Email:
[e-mail] .  UUCP access (email only).

Frankfurt am Main: Region Rhein/Main. Voice: 069/39048413, Email:
[e-mail] . DM 12/month for full Internet access.

Munich: Grossraum M"unchen. Voice: 089/298934. Email: [e-mail].

Note: A longer list is available by email from [e-mail] using
the command GET TOW GERMANY .

Ireland
-------
Dublin: IEunet Ltd.  Voice: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]

Galway: Ireland On-Line. Tel: [phone]. Email: [e-mail] .

Cork: Access Technology Ireland. Voice: [phone]. Email:[e-mail]

The Netherlands
---------------
Amsterdam: Hacktic. Email: [e-mail]. From Dfl 25,-/Month for 15 hr
access. Voice: [phone]. Modem: [phone]. Full Internet access.

Amsterdam: Simplex. Modem: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]

Utrecht: KnoWare. Macintosh oriented, provides full internet access via
Appletalk Remote Access. Tel. [phone], Email: [e-mail] .

Nijmegen: Antenna. Tel: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

Norway
------
Oslo: Oslonett A/S. Voice: ([phone]. Email: [e-mail] .
Full access to Internet.

Oslo: Thunderball Cave BBS. Modem: ([phone]. News. Email:
[e-mail] .

Oslo: PowerTech Information Systems A/S. Voice: ([phone]. Email:
[e-mail] .  Full interactive access to Internet.

Bergen: Bergen By Byte. Voice: (+047) 55 57 01 57. Email: [e-mail].

Haugesund: Euronet. Voice: ([phone]. Modem: ([phone] . News
and various mailing lists. Email: [e-mail] .

Trondheim: Interlink as. Voice: ([phone]. Email:
[e-mail]

United Kingdom
--------------
Compulink Information eXchange Ltd. Sign-up fee (1993): GBP 25.00. Monthly
minimum: GBP 6.25. Off-peak connect rate GBP 2.40. Peak rate is 3.60 per hour.
full Internet access. Contact: The Compulink Information Exchange Ltd., The
Sanctuary Oakhill Grove, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6DU, England. Voice: +44-81-390-
8446. Fax: [phone]. NUA: 2342 1330 0310. Data: [phone]/+44-81-
390-1244. Email: [e-mail] .

Demon Internet Ltd. Email: [e-mail] (voice: 081 349-0063). Full
internet connection for Ten pounds per month (US$15), with $0 per hour
connect charge. You'll get a permanent Internet node number assigned to
you, and can make your PC an actual Internet node while dialed in, using
Point to Point Protocol (PPP) and low-cost shareware TCP/IP software. This
allows you to FTP directly to/from your hard disk, and run various types of
GUI clients, etc. (1993)

EUnet GB. Email: [e-mail]. Fax [phone].
Voice: [phone].

Others working in several European countries: Pipex ([e-mail]).

A list of Internet access providers in the UK is posted monthly to the
uk.net, uk.telecom, and uk.misc newsgroups.

Travelling in Europe
--------------------
EUnet Traveller is for people travelling in European countries, who need to
telnet their home computers. Offers access through local dial-up nodes in
several countries, including Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark,
Germany, Finland, France, England, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Italy, and
Holland.

For information, access http://traveller.EU.net/ via the World Wide Web.

You can sign up for the service by telnet to Traveller.EU.net . Log in as
'new' after having browsed the information. Keep the number of your credit
card handy.

EUnet Limited, Kruislaan 409, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, Holland. Voice: +31 20 592
5109 . Fax: [phone] . E-mail [e-mail] .

COMPUSERVE
**********
CompuServe has local nodes in a very large number of countries around the
world. Type GO PHONES to get phone numbers in your destination cities.

The service is a great resource for the global traveller. If your mail
normally goes to a Unix mailbox, use the .forward file to redirect it to
CompuServe before leaving home.

If you are in a country with no local access, or in a place where you have
to make an expensive long distance call to a slow node, consider calling
direct to CompuServe's own nodes in the United States at high speed.

Example: I have done this successfully in Lagos, Nigeria, and was able to
connect successfully at 14,400 bits/s with compression. This was much
cheaper and better than calling nearby South Africa at 2400 bits/s through
an Infonet network node (1994).

Association for Progressive Communications Member Networks
**********************************************************

System    Email Support Address          Areas Served
------    ---------------------          ------------
Angonet   <[e-mail]>    Angola
Wamani    <[e-mail]>         Argentina
Pegasus   <[e-mail]>          Australia/Pacific Islands/SE Asia
Alpin     <[e-mail]>     Austria
ZamirNet  <[e-mail]>      Bosnia/Croatia/Yugoslavia
AlterNex  <[e-mail]>           Brasil/South America
Web       <[e-mail]>          Canada/Cuba
Nicarao   <[e-mail]>      Central America/Nicaragua/Panama
ColNodo   <[e-mail]>      Colombia
Ecuanex   <[e-mail]>     Ecuador
ComLink   <[e-mail]>  Germany/Austria/Zagreb/Turkey/N.Italy
Laneta    <[e-mail]>       Mexico
Antenna   <[e-mail]>           Netherlands
PlaNet    <[e-mail]>       New Zealand
GlasNet   <[e-mail]>         Russia/CIS
Histria   <[e-mail]>      Slovenija
SANGOnet  <[e-mail]>           Southern Africa
NordNet   <[e-mail]>           The Nordic/Baltic
GreenNet  <[e-mail]>           UK/Europe/Africa/Asia/Middle East
Gluk      <[e-mail]>         Ukraine
IGC       <[e-mail]>          United States/China/Japan
Chasque   <[e-mail]>        Uruguay/Paraguay

For more information on the APC, send an email message to:

  APC Automated Information <[e-mail]>

or check out
  Gopher: <gopher://gopher.igc.apc.org:70/1>
  WWW: <http://www.igc.apc.org/>



---------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information:

[1] Several lists of international BBSes are available through the
Internet. Use Lycos to locate.

[2] The FYI document "Network Service Providers Around the World" is a huge
lists of Internet, email, and X.400 service providers around the world. The
list is designed to help people and organizations FIND the providers. Each
entry is confirmed by the service provider.  Queries for updates are sent
to each service provider quarterly.

Gopher gopher.psg.com port 70 . Select Networking Computers \ Connectivity
\ Providers of Networking Services around the World \ Network Service
Providers Around the World.

To get on an email distribution list, mail [e-mail] .

[3] "Network Service Providers in Latin America and Caribe" is a Spanish
language text available on gopher.rcp.net.pe port 70 .



Appendix 8:

About the author
================

                   WHO IS ODD DE PRESNO?

Odd de Presno (born 1944) lives in Arendal, a small town in southern
Norway, with his computers and modems. He has written twelve books, and
has participated in several book projects with other authors in various
countries.

Half of his books focus on various aspects of the Online World. The rest
are about practical applications of MS-DOS based personal computers.
Published in Norway and England. His book "The Online World" is distributed
globally as shareware.

Over 700 of his articles have been published in management and technical
magazines in Scandinavia, England, Japan, and the U.S. Publisher of The
Online World Monitor newsletter (on the Internet).

Writer. International public speaker. Consultant. Operates an English-
language BBS online service in Norway (since 1985).

Area of special expertise: applications of the global sources of online
information, computer conferencing, global electronic mail, automation of
information retrieval, personal computer applications.

Founder and Project Director of KIDLINK, an international non-profit
organization promoting a global dialog among the youth of the world. Since
its start in 1990, KIDLINK has involved over 30,000 kids between 10 - 15
years of age living in over 66 countries. (1)

Educational background includes a Diploma Degree in Business from
Bedriftsoekonomisk Institutt (Norway, 1968).

He founded the software company Data Logic A/S (Norway) in 1967 and was
president for five years. Sales manager Control Data Corp. seven years (in
charge of CYBERNET/Norway, an international online service). Marketing
manager IKO Software Service A/S, two years. Currently running his own
business.

Member of the Computer Press Association (U.S.A.) since 1983, and NFF
(Norway). Listed in Marquis' "Who's Who in the World" from 1991.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) For information about KIDLINK, send email to [e-mail] (or
LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 on BITNET). The text of your mail should contain the
command "GET KIDLINK GENERAL". You can also read it through the KIDLINK
Gopher. Access command: gopher kids.ccit.duq.edu 70 .
---------------------------------------------------------------------------



Appendix 9:

        Registering Your Copy of The Online World Handbook
        ==================================================

Your registration will give you FREE optional copies of The Online World
Monitor newsletter (ISSN: 0805-6315), so that  you can  monitor changes.
It will also support further research, and production of updates.

For more information about the  newsletter, send an electronic mail to
[e-mail]. Put the command GET TOW MONITOR in the text of
your mail.

You can register your current copy of the book, or sign up for six updates
of the book during one year. The latter will give you free optional copies
of all the newsletters published during your registration period.

Registration details are given below.

==============================================================================

    Send to:

    Odd de Presno
    4815 Saltrod
    Norway (Europe)                         Fax: [phone]


    Please add me as a supporter of the Online World book:

    Name    ______________________________________________________________

    Company ______________________________________________________________

    Address ______________________________________________________________

            ______________________________________________________________

    City    ________________________________State _______ Zip ____________

    Country ________________________________

    Email address  ______________________________________________________


    Please mark off your selections with (x) below:


    Basic Registration for individuals
    ----------------------------------
    Covers one version of the book, and includes one optional copy of
    The Online World Monitor newsletter (see below).


    (  ) NOK 105.00   For payment by credit card.
                      (around US$15.00)

    (  ) NOK 140.00   For all other methods of payment.
                      (or, in US currency: $20.00)

    Option (for Basic Registration)
    -------------------------------
    (  ) NOK  21.00   Add to have a copy of the most recent version of the
                      book sent you on diskette. Only with registration!
                      (Around US$3.00)

    (  ) NOK  10.00   Add to ship to an address in Norway.

                   (  ) 3.5" disk 720KB MS-DOS (  ) 3.5" disk 1.44MB MS-DOS
                   (  ) 3.5" disk 1.44MB Macintosh


    Registration of Six Updates with shipping - for individuals
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Six updates of the book will be sent you by mail during the next
    12 months. Includes one year's subscription to The Online World Monitor
    newsletter (see below).


    (  ) NOK 560.00   For all methods of payment. Includes shipping and
                      handling. (Around US$80.00)


    Registration of Six Updates without shipping - for individuals
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    The reader retrieves all new updates by modem. Six updates during
    12 months. Includes one year's subscription to The Online World Monitor
    newsletter (see below).

    (  ) NOK 485.00   For payment by credit card. (Around US$69.00)
    (  ) NOK 532.00   For all other methods of payment. (Around US$76.00)
    (  ) NOK 450.00   Norwegian residents: For payment in NOK (all
                      methods of payment).

    The Online World Monitor newsletter
    -----------------------------------
    (  ) As a registered reader, I want the optional newsletter to be sent
         to my electronic mailbox as specified above.

    Registration for businesses
    ---------------------------
    Includes six updates during the next 12 months, and gives the right to
    unlimited redistribution within the corporation or agency.

    (  ) Non Profit, Small Government Agency, or Corporation (revenues
         less than $10 million a year).
         NOK 1.200 (around US$170.00)

    (  ) Corporate Site License, or Cabinet Level Agency.
         NOK 3.500 (around US$ 500)

    (  ) Add to receive the updates on MS-DOS/Macintosh diskettes.
         NOK 84.00 (around US$ 12.00)


    Discounts for schools and public libraries
    ------------------------------------------
    Special rates available for schools and public libraries. For details,
    send a message to [e-mail] (BITNET users can send it to
    LISTSERV@NDSUVM1). In the text of the message, use the command:

    GET TOW SCHOOLS
    GET TOW LIBRARY

    (  ) Please identify what type of discount you are taking advantage of:

         Ref: ______________

         Description: ____________________________________________________

                      ____________________________________________________



    Amount  ____________________ Date   _______________

    (  )  Check or money order payable to Odd de Presno in U.S. funds enclosed
    (  )  Bank transfer to 6311.05.27189, Kredittkassen 4800 Arendal, Norway
    (  )  SWIFT to 6311.05.27189 at XIANNOKK (Christiania Bank, Norway).
    (  )  VISA    (  )  MasterCard    ( ) American Express


    Credit card number __________________________________ Exp date _______

    Note: You should not send your credit card number by email, unless
          the data is sent in PGP encrypted form. For information about
          how to do this, read the instruction at the end of this
          appendix. If PGP is not available, use fax, or ordinary mail.

    Note: All credit card orders given in US$ will be converted to NOK
          using the current exchange rate. My local card companies require
          that charges be made in Norwegian currency. Then, the amount will
          be converted to your local currency by your card operator at
          their exchange rate prevailing at the time of transaction.

  If you already have an evaluation copy of the book, where did you get it?

  ________________________________________________  Version number: ____



  Comments or suggestions for improvement of The Online World __________

  ______________________________________________________________________

  ______________________________________________________________________

  ______________________________________________________________________



    Date ___________________

    Signature _________________________________


  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │  T H A N K   Y O U   F O R   S U P P O R T I N G   S H A R E W A R E  │
  └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘


How to send your registration using PGP encryption
--------------------------------------------------

To use this method, you must have a copy of the freeware program PGP
(Pretty Good Privacy) by Philip Zimmermann. It is available for MS-DOS,
VAX/VMS, Unix, and other computers.

Various versions of this program can be retrieved from online services all
over the world. If you have access to the Internet, use Archie to locate a
recent version. I am currently using version 2.3a.

Version 2.3a is available by anonymous ftp from ftp.eunet.no . The file name
is pgp23a.zip . You will find it in the /pub/msdos/misc/ directory. URL:

    ftp://ftp.eunet.no/pub/msdos/misc/pgp23a.zip

A newer version (2.6) is available from ftp.sunet.se. The file name is
pgp26.zip, and you'll find it in the /pub/pc/security directory. URL:

    ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pc/security/pgp26.zip

Follow these steps to encrypt your registration form (you may be able
to do this _without_ reading the documentation):

Step 1
------
Store your completed registration form on your disk using the file name
ORDER.FRM.

Cut out the text below, and store it using the file name ONLINE.ASC.

*-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: 2.3a

mQBNAi0jCjcAAAECAKBK1u0JZHZSEh50P3TdgSApuZCEWQh2Nsxw1pYrC4bgy/md
bAN3UFrkgwShtnpPIjm+GcXFBiKpZ5kDuT9T9x0ABRG0FW9wcmVzbm9AZXh0ZXJu
LnVpby5ubw==
=AXgT
*-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

Remove the asterisk ()* character at the beginning of the first and last
lines of the PGP Public Key before adding it to your keyring. For example,
the line

   *-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

should be changed to

   -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

Do the same with the last line.

Step 2
------
Add ONLINE.ASC to your public keyring using the command:

  pgp -ka online.asc

Step 3
------
Encrypt ORDER.FRM using the command

  pgp -ea order.frm [e-mail]

The resulting file will be called ORDER.ASC.

Step 4
------
Send ORDER.ASC by email to [e-mail] , or [e-mail] .


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