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1990-09-28
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Section 2 -- Introduction
Introduction to CompuServe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
What is CompuServe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
What is a Forum? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Conferencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
CompuServe Electronic Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Other Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
The TAPCIS Difference ($) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
TAPCIS Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Message Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Forum Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Communications Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Other Important Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
TAPCIS(tm) Documentation Copyright (c) 1990 Support Group, Inc.
Phone 800-USA-GROUP, 301-387-4500
========================================================================
Introduction to CompuServe
========================================================================
****> If you are an experienced CompuServe user and already understand how
CompuServe Mail and forums are structured, you can skip this section and
turn to page 2-4.
------------------------------------
What is CompuServe?
The CompuServe Information Service is a communications system with a broad
range of offerings including travel, financial, and news services, research
databases, and more. You communicate with CompuServe through the phone line
using your computer's modem and special software.
CompuServe is organized in a hierarchial structure of "pages." A page can be a
menu, a program, or a gateway. Menus present you with a list of numbered
options. Programs include forums, CompuServe Mail, databases, etc. Gateways
let you go through CompuServe to communicate with third party services like
the Official Airline Guide (OAG), EAASY Sabre, PaperChase Medical, NewsNet,
IQuest, Shoppers Advantage, etc.
Each page has a name or number, and one can move from one part of CompuServe
to another with the "GO" command or by traversing the menus. We'd like to show
you the full diagram of CompuServe pages, but you probably don't have a wall
big enough for the poster. If you have the time and money, you can explore all
the reaches of CompuServe using TAPCIS in the "interactive" mode. For this
manual, we are going to concentrate on the two that TAPCIS was designed to
automate: the forums and electronic mail.
------------------------------------
What is a Forum?
A "forum" is a community that shares a common set of interests. Forums used to
be called "SIGs" for Special Interest Groups. For example, the TAPCIS Forum is
for those of us who use TAPCIS. The WordPerfect Support Group Forum is a forum
for people with an interest in WordPerfect brand products. The CONSULT Forum
is for those with an interest in computer consulting. The Aviation Forum is a
home for people who are flighty (pilots) or full of hot air (balloonists).
A CompuServe forum and a local club have a lot in common. You can ask
questions and get a variety of answers and opinions in return. You can debate,
decide, depict, describe, design, detail, determine, develop, devise, debrief,
debunk, denounce, defend, deliberate, delight, decry, delve, demand, deny, and
demonstrate just to name a few.
The value of the forum comes from those who participate-from the sysops who
manage the forum to callers from around the world who join in the dialogue.
TAPCIS Introduction 2-1
Messages
Participants in the forum can exchange messages publicly. If you ask a
question in the forum, hundreds or even thousands of people can read that
question. Hopefully, at least one of them will have an answer. And when you
have something to share, you can be assured that at least one of the forum
members will benefit from your contribution to the exchange.
Messages are in a "memo" format with date, time, and subject along with the
sender's name and account number. A message can be addressed to an individual,
a sysop, or to All. Messages have a maximum length of around 350 words or 2200
characters each.
Sections
Each forum has a number of message sections (also called subtopics). Up to 18
sections (0 through 17) can be used, although not all forums use that many.
The TAPCIS Forum has 9 public sections where all users can leave messages. It
also has one section (S0/Forum Admin.) for TAPCIS forum sysops and one private
section (S9) for registered users. The other sections are either undefined or
used for special purposes like beta testing. See page 1-4 for a list of some
of the TAPCIS Forum sections and their uses.
Threads
A message and its replies form a message thread. Threading makes it possible
for you to follow a conversation that is taking place in the midst of many
other conversations. The alternative is to read in numerical order, but you
can imagine how confusing it would be to read a message and have to search
through several hundred other messages to find its replies (if any). TAPCIS
takes full advantage of CompuServe's threading capability. It can read all new
messages in thread order or just the subjects and sections you select.
Libraries
Utilities and files can also be shared through the forum libraries
(historically called "data libraries" or DL's). When you contribute a file, it
is called uploading. Taking a copy of a file from a library is called
downloading. Libraries are also broken into categories-just like the message
sections. For example, you can download the current version of TAPCIS from the
TAPCIS Forum Library 1. In the WPSGA Forum, one can find WordPerfect printer
drivers in Library 2. TAPCIS stores a list of section and library names when
you join a forum.
Downloading or uploading requires the use of a protocol to insure that the
transmission between your computer and the CompuServe computer is without
error. The protocol that works best is the CompuServe "B+" protocol which is
the one supported by TAPCIS. B+ can achieve file transfer speeds at close to
100% efficiency compared to much less efficient throughput for XMODEM.
Conferencing
An online conference or CO allows members of the forum to interact directly,
in real- time. In a CO someone "speaks," and their words are "heard" by all
the others in the conference. A conference may be held to allow members to ask
questions of a guest speaker, or it can be a spontaneous chat between a group
of online friends. You may choose to conference often or never.
2-2 Introduction TAPCIS
------------------------------------
CompuServe Electronic Mail
CompuServe Mail is an electronic mail service. In Mail you may send messages
to any other CompuServe subscriber, and you can even upload and download
binary (8-bit) files such as formatted word processing documents. Mail permits
longer messages than the forums (50,000 vs. 2200 characters for ASCII text
messages or up to half a megabyte for binary files).
All CompuServe mail is confidential. You may also request a return receipt or
send the same message to multiple recipients (maximum 10).
Some forums (such as the TAPCIS Forum) do not allow private messages, so Mail
is the only way to reply to a message privately. If TAPCIS detects that a
forum does not allow private messages, it w