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ONLINE.INF
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1992-02-09
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OnLine Services Information
CompuServe (800)-848-8199
CompuServe has grown into a collection of nearly 15,000
services in a single service. With over 600,000 subscribers,
CompuServe is the largest "full service" information service.
CompuServe is organized as a text-driven service. You can
call CompuServe with any terminal program and use it through
menus or a command-driven interface. CompuServe also offers
a program called the CompuServe Information Manager (CIM),
which creates a mouse-driven windowed menu environment for
accessing CompuServe. CIM only works with CompuServe and is
available for $24.95. The price includes a $15 on-line time
credit. The current PC version of CIM is either 2.01 or
1.35.1 and both can be ordered online.
CompuServe basic -(non prime)- rates are $6.30 an hour at
300 bps, $12.80 an hour at 1200 or 2400 bps, and $22.80 an
hour at 9600 bps through CompuServe's own network. There is
also a monthly minimum fee of $2.00. There are additional
charges for access through other networks. Various optional
service plans are available, and gateways and certain other
services have surcharges. CompuServe also has a NEW basic
membership plan for $7.95 per month. The plan allows unlimited
access to a selection of basic services, while allowing complete
access to all other services at current rates.
The least expensive time to use CompuServe is from 7 p.m.
until 8 a.m. local time, plus ALL day on weekends and CompuServe
Holidays. This is referred to as "non-prime" time. The cost
for "prime" time, 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., weekdays ONLY, is higher.
Additional information: CompuServe Information Manager: The
Complete Sourcebook
by Charles Bowen & David Peyton
GEnie (800)-638-9636
GEnie is similar in structure and content to CompuServe but
is a smaller service, with about 250,000 subscribers. What
CompuServe calls a SIG, GEnie calls a Roundtable, but the
combination of message areas and file libraries provide the
same content. GEnie has an active on-line games section, a
CB-style chat section, an on-line encyclopedia, news, weather,
airline reservations sections and so much more.
GEnie is organized as a text-driven service. You can call
GEnie with any terminal program and use it through menus or a
command-driven interface. If you need help navigating the GEnie
service, you can download Aladdin, a FREE software package from
GEnie. Although Aladdin is not as easy to use as the CompuServe
Information Manager, it greatly simplifies many of GEnie's
features.
You can set up Aladdin to call the service automatically and
go directly to the areas you want. Aladdin also can retrieve
messages and download files according to your specifications,
saving you a great deal of time.
The PC version of Aladdin can be downloaded from the Aladdin
Support Roundtable - pg. 110. The files are #197 - GEnie PC
Aladdin ver. 1.50 and #77 - PC Aladdin User Manual. Also, the
User Manual can be order by going to pg. 730 (ORDER) and asking
that a copy of the 150 page printed and bound manual be sent to
you for only $8.95.
GEnie offers 300/1200/2400 baud access through its own national
network of direct-dial local numbers. It also has an increasing
number of 9600-bps and V.32 nodes, and even some V.42 nodes.
For just $4.95 a month, you can have unlimited nonprime-time use
of E-mail, news, and other selected services - over 100 services
are included within this "GEnie*Basic Service Plan. GEnie charges
$0.10 a minute ($6.00 per hour) for 300/1200/2400 baud access
during nonprime-time for services that aren't included in the
flat-rate plan (including most RoundTable software libraries
and realtime conferencing). The GEnie*Basic Service Plan is
not available for 9600-bps users.
The prime-time rate is $18.00 per hour with a surcharge for
9600-bps access. Certain products, such as GEnie gateway to
Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service, cost extra.
The least expensive time to use GEnie is from 6 p.m. until 8 a.m.
local time, plus ALL day on weekends and GEnie Holidays. This is
referred to as "non-prime" time. The cost for "prime" time, 8 a.m.
until 6 p.m., weekdays ONLY, is higher.
Additional information: Glossbrenner's Master Guide to GEnie
by Alfred Glossbrenner
includes Aladdin Software, ver: 1.40
ONLINE.INF Feb. 1992
Copyright 1992, Richard Martin - All rights reserved