Chip 1997 July/CHIP797.ISO/workshop/doc/modwsh20.exe/MESSAGE.TXT

Text File | 1995-01-03 | 8.1 KB | 155 lines

          M E S S A G E   B A S E S

          BBSs and online services have message systems that are
          called message bases. They are often organized by topic.
          These topics go by different--and sometimes special--names.
          SIGs are Special Interest Groups. Delphi and CompuServe
          have forums. BIX has conferences. There are also Usenet
          newsgroups. These are often found on the Internet. Many
          of these message bases have similar commands. They often
          have a SCAN or DIRECTORY command to list topic headers.
          Topics can be about anything imaginable--from automobiles
          to scuba diving.

          Message bases use commands like READ or ENTER to read
          messages. Often you are given qualifiers like:

          From              Reads the messages from you

          To                Reads all the messages addressed to you

          or                 you can designate ALL


          Since             Which means to read the messages since
                            a specified date

          Last              Reads messages backwards, starting at
                            the most recent date

          Message bases also have a REPLY or ANSWER command to
          reply to messages. Some have sophisticated search and
          scanning commands to find key topics or search for a
          keyword. They also have a command to enter a message or
          add to a message.

          With a message base, you usually have the option to Kill
          a message which you have sent. This Kill command is used
          to delete the message. This is good to do after a while
          because disk storage space is valuable. Just remember
          this basic truth. No matter how much storage you have,
          you can always use more. Many of the online services give
          you free use of a certain work area size. If you exceed
          their set limits, they then charge you more! Many message
          bases have a special command to read only the messages
          about a particular subject. Related messages have what is
          called a message THREAD. To read only the messages about
          a particular "thread," look for a command like: THREAD,
          FOLLOW, or REFERENCE.


          FIDONET

          FidoNet is a BBS networking message base which was
          started in 1984. It now connects about twenty-five
          thousand BBSs all over the world. The FidoNet system
          identifies BBSs by zone, region, network, individual
          system, and points. A BBS sysop may assign a user a point
          number if that BBS is on the FidoNet network. The region
          number is not used in a FidoNet address.

          You can use Netmail to send e-mail to another person at
          another BBS (who has a FidoNet address). FidoNet also has
          Echomail to send a message that will eventually show up
          on all the other BBSs connected with FidoNet.

          A typical FidoNet address is written as:
          ZONE:NETWORK/NODE. For example, Studio PC BBS (a superb
          BBS in Port Richey, Florida) has a FidoNet address of
          1:3619/1. In the preceding example, the first 1 is the
          zone, 3619 the network, and the last 1 the node. The zone
          (first number) signifies the broad geographic zone where
          the BBS is located. Zone number 1 indicates the U.S or
          Canada. A zone number of 2 represents Europe and Israel.
          If a BBS has a zone number of 3, it signifies that the
          BBS is located in Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, or the
          Pacific Islands). A zone of 4 indicates a South American
          BBS. The second number of a FidoNet BBS address
          represents the network number. A network number usually
          represents a metropolitan area. The last number in a
          Fidonet address is the node number. Each BBS in the
          FidoNet system is given a distinctive node number.

          If the BBS assigned a user a point number, that number would
          be added to the end of the FidoNet address. For example, a
          BBS sysop (system operator) might give an individual a
          point number of 5. Then that individual's FidoNet address
          might look like 1:3619/1.5. Note the extra .5 at the end
          of this example FidoNet address.

          A FidoNet conference is called an Echo and can be about
          almost any topic. The BBS sysop uses Echomail to send
          these messages to other BBSs in the conference. An
          individual can combine Netmail and Echomail to send a
          question about a problem on a particular conference
          (topic).

          For example, I know an individual who had a rattle in his
          Mazda Miata's glove box. The dealer couldn't solve his
          problem, so he joined an automotive Echo on FidoNet and
          asked for help. His message for help went out to
          thousands of BBSs on the FidoNet system, and he got his
          answer quickly. It turned out to be a hose clamp. Another
          person experienced the same problem and sent my friend an
          answer using the FidoNet system.


          BITNET USENET NEWSGROUPS

          BITNET USENET Newsgroups are like forums. These are often
          found on the Internet and some BBSs. They are quite
          varied, perhaps because there are over seven-thousand
          different newsgroups involving millions of people. Usenet
          newsgroups are free, however; often you need to use a
          program called a newsreader to access these newsgroups.
          One of the most popular UNIX newsreaders is called TIN.
          Others go by the name of NN and RN. These newsreaders can
          be quite involved, so it is important to read the
          documentation. More and more BBSs carry Internet USENET
          newsgroups. When you "post" (send) a message to a
          newsgroup, it goes all over the world.

          Let me give you an example of the incredible power of
          these USENET newsgroups. A relative came to visit us. Her
          horse, Hans, has a problem with thin hooves and tends to
          throw his shoes. She told me that someone makes titanium
          horse shoes, which should be lighter, and perhaps better
          suited for her horse. However, she couldn't locate a
          source. She asked if I thought the Internet could help.

          I told her that I had the greatest confidence in the
          Internet. So, I joined one of the seven-thousand
          newsgroups and posted a request for help. This special
          horse related newsgroup is called rec.equestrian. When
          you post to a USENET newsgroup, it goes all over the
          world. Two days later, I received an answer. Someone
          reading the newsgroup from the Delphi online service
          suggested that it would behoove us to contact Montague
          Blacksmith Supply, in Montague, New Jersey. We called
          them and they do indeed have titanium horse shoes! USENET
          newsgroups. What a resource!

          To learn more about Internet USENET newsgroups and how to
          use different newsreaders, I would recommend that you
          obtain a copy of Harley Hahn and Rick Stout's excellent
          book, The Internet Complete Reference, published by
          Osborne McGraw-Hill. The book will also show you how to
          use BITNET listserv mailing lists which are quite
          wonderful. Listservs allow you to subscribe to thousands
          of topics and discussion groups, also free newsletters
          and journals. The listservs automatically e-mail the
          material to your e-mail address.

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