MacInsanity Internet Information

The Internet is a worldwide computer netowrk that facilitates the exchange of Electronic Mail (E-Mail) and Publice Discussion Groups (NewsGroups).

All users on MacInsanity have access to the Internet through the 'insane' subsystem.

This subsystem is running under a piece of software called Waffle; which facilitates a 'good' internet native environment.

To access the internet subsystem, choose 'I' from the Main Menu, and then select 'A', you will be then prompted for your userid, if you have not already created one, type 'NEW' to create your own userid, here is the 'brief' instructions - in another file is the full 'Waffle User Documentation)

Rules and Regulations of the MacInsanity InterNet SubSystem

Mail sent or recived to/from and user outside the domain 'apana.org.au'
should not contain any binaries of files greater than 10 kilobytes in 
total.

Access to this part of the BBS, like access to any part of the BBS is
a privledge, not a right, and can be revoked at any time at the 
discretion of the System Operators.

No abusive or obsene messages should be posted in any newsgroup. 
 (A good rule of thumb is not to post any message that you would not
  allow your mother to see!)

No FTPmail or subscription to any Mailing list without authorisation
from the System Operator is allowed.

No User should have more than one account without permission from
the system operator.

All users have been given a limited amunt of hard drive space on my
hard disk.  Users should keep no more than 500 kilobytes in this
space, or risk having it deleted, and this privledge removed.

I (Stuart Marburg) reserve the right to alter, create of delete any of
these rules and regulations at any time.

Your acceptance of these rules is demonstrated when you type 'NEW' at
the Waffle login prompt, and create yourself a new account.

Using Waffle on MacInsanity BBS

When you initally set waffle running, you will be asked to type in your
userid or type 'NEW' (create an account).

This account is totally different from your account on the 'Main BBS'
This userid forms your internet address.  Thus if your userid was 'fred'
your internet address is:

fred@insane.apana.org.au

One logged in, at any time you can see what menu options are availabe by
typing a '?' at the prompt.

Posting Internet EMail

Your address is your userid with '@insane.apana.org.au' appended to it.

After you are 'validated'  you will be able to post internet EMail.
(for instant validation - page the system operator).

Type 'MAIL' and the address that you want to send EMail to.  Thus if I wanted 
to send EMail to myself at uni I would type:

MAIL s924662@otto.bf.rmit.oz.au
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^---+
                                                     |

                                          The Receivers Address.

Next, just type in the message, and follow the messages editors instructions
on how to save etc.

Reading Internet EMail

When you initally login, it will display if you have any new EMail messages.

To read these messages, type 'MAIL' by itself, and you will be propted with a list of messages (old and new) that you have received.  To read message '1' for example, just type in '1'  after reading the message, you can decide if you want to reply, delete etc the message.

Reading 'News' on MacInsanity BBS

When you logon, you will automatically be put in the first group on the BBS system.  To change groups (after getting a list of Group names) just type in the full name of the group.  Thus if I am in group 'ALT.ALIENS' and want to change to the group 'ALT.PARTY' all I would have to do is type at the prompt 'alt.party' and I would enter the group.

Type 'News' at the prompt and you will be able to see a list of newsgroups
thhat we have online.

Posting/Replying to News

If when reading a message, and you want to post a message in the newgroup type 'POST' and you will be asked for a subject etc.  Internet News does NOT retain who the message was addressed to, thus after posting a message, and looking for a reply, you should keep an eye on that subject when reading it!

To reply to a message, and quote part of the previous message, type 'Follow' instead of Post

Offline Mail Reader

This allows you to download a copy of the messages on the BBS for you to
read whilst offline, then next time you logon, upload the replies/new
messages.

To use the reader from 'Waffle' follow these instructions.

Pick what newsgroups that you want to read and 'join or subscribe' to them
to do this type 'JOIN' at the prompt, and add or delete groups.

After doing this, type 'READER' and you will enter the reader.

This will pack up all messages that you have not already read in ZIP 
format and then send the packet to you.

Instructions for the Offline Mail reader can be downloaded/viewed
whilst connected to the Waffle System.

Then with your Offline Mail Reader (called 'Freddie' on the Mac) just
dearchive the mail packet (using 'UNzip' on the mac - also available on the
BBS and this CDRom) and open up the Reader and open the packet - Easy.