Now you can use an ftpmail server to request "uudecode.bas" (if you have
BASIC available) or "uudecode.c" (if you have a C compiler) from the
ftp.clarkson.edu site.
GOPHER BY E-MAIL ---------------- Gopher is an excellent tool for exploring the Internet and is the best way to find a resource if you know what you want, but not where to find it. A gopher system is menu-based, and provides a user-friendly "front-end" to Internet resources, searches and information retrieval. Without a tool like Gopher, you'd have to wander aimlessly through the Internet jungles and swamps to find the treasures you seek. Gopher "knows where things are" and guides you to the good stuff. Gopher takes the rough edges off of the Internet by automating remote logins, hiding the sometimes-cryptic command sequences, and offers powerful search capabilities as well. And of course you can use Gopher by e-mail! Although not every item on every menu will be accessible by "gopher mail", you'll still find plenty of interesting things using this technique. Down to brass tacks... let's send e-mail to one of these addresses: gophermail@calvin.edu (USA) gopher@earn.net (France) gopher@dsv.su.se (Sweden) gomail@ncc.go.jp (Japan) Leave the Subject blank, enter HELP in the body of the note, and let it rip. You'll soon receive by e-mail the text of the main menu at the gophermail site you selected. (You can optionally specify the address of a known gopher site on the Subject line to get the main menu for that site instead.) To proceed to a selection on the returned menu just e-mail the whole text of the note (from the menu downwards) back to the gopher server, placing an "x" next to the items(s) you want to explore. You'll then receive the next level of the gopher menu by e-mail. Some menu choices lead to other menus, some lead to text files, and some lead to searches. 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: document and (historical or government) Each of the results (the "hits") of your search will be displayed as an entry on yet another gopher menu! Note: You needn't actually return the entire gopher menu and all the routing info that follows it each time you reply to the gophermail server. If you want to minimize the size of your query, you can strip out the "menu" portion at the top and include only the portion below that pertains to the menu selection you want. The example that follows shows how to select one specific item from a gopher menu: ------- begin gophermail message (do not include this line) Split=0 bytes/message - For text, bin, HQX messages (0 = No split) Menu=0 items/message - For menus and query responses (0 = No split) # Name=EE Telecommunication Overview Type=0 Port=70 Path=0/.d-f/eetel.info Host=nceet.snre.umich.edu ------- end gophermail message (do not include this line) f this message looks like nonsense to you, here's a human translation: Connect to PORT 70 of the HOST (computer) at "nceet.snre.umich.edu", retrieve the FILE "eetel.info" (whose NAME is "EE Telecommunication Overview") and send it to me in ONE PIECE, regardless of its size. Note: Sometimes gophermail requests return a blank menu or message. This is most likely because the server failed to connect to the host from which you were trying to get your information. Send your request again later and it'll probably work. VERONICA BY E-MAIL ------------------ Speaking of searches, this is a good time to mention Veronica. Just as Archie proiides a searchable index of FTP sites, Veronica provides this function for "gopherspace". Veronica will ask you what you want to look for (your search words) and then display another menu listing all the gopher menu items that match your search. In typical gopher fashion, you can then select one of these items and "go-pher it"! To try Veronica by e-mail, retrieve the main menu from a gophermail server using the method just described. Then try the choice labelled "Other Gopher and Information Servers". This menu will have an entry for Veronica. You'll have to select one (or more) Veronica servers to handle your query, specifying the search words in the Subject of your reply. Here's another example of where using e-mail servers can save time and money. Often the Veronica servers are very busy and tell you to "try again later". So select 2 or 3 servers, and chances are one of them will be able to handle your request the first time around. A Gophermail Shortcut: ---------------------- The path to some resources, files or databases can be a bit tedious, requiring several e-mail messages to the gophermail server. But here's the good news... If you've done it once, you can re-use any of the e-mail messages previously sent in, changing it to suit your current needs. As an example, here's a clipping from the Veronica menu you would get by following the previous instructions. You can send these lines to any gophermail server to run a Veronica search. Split=64K bytes/message <- For text, bin, HQX messages (0 = No split) =========================================================================== BBS: Channel 1(R) Communications [ATI V.42bis Date: 02-28-95 (01:44) Number: 827823 From: Refer#: NONE To: SHLOMOH SHERMAN Recvd: NO (PVT) Subj: mail-server: "send usenet Conf: (700) email --------------------------------------------------------------------------- @FROM :mail-server@BLOOM-PICAYUNE.MIT.EDU @SUBJECT:mail-server: "send usenet/news.answers/internet-services/acc · (Continued from last message) HELP-NET@VM.TEMPLE.EDU FINGER BY E-MAIL ---------------- "Finger" is a utility that returns information about another user. Usually it's just boring stuff like last logon, etc., but sometimes people put fun or useful information in their finger replies. To try out finger, send e-mail with Subject: FINGER jtchern@headcrash.berkeley.edu. To: infobot@infomania.com You'll receive some current sports standings! (The general form is FINGER user@site.) Just for kicks, try finger using a combination of gopher and WWW. Send the command: send gopher://<site>:79/0<user> to the WWWmail server mentioned earlier. "DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE" BY E-MAIL -------------------------------- "Whois" is a service that queries a database of Internet names and addresses. If you're looking for someone or youwant to know where a particular computer is located, send e-mail with Subject: whois <name> To: mailserv@internic.net Try substituting "mit.edu" or the last name of someone you know in place of "<name>" and see what comes back! Another alternative name looker-upper is a database at MIT which keeps tabs on everyone who has posted a message on Usenet. Send e-mail with a blank subject to "mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu" and include this command ONLY in the note body: send usenet-addresses/<name> Specify as much information as you can about the person (lastnae, firstname, userid, site, etc.) to limit the amount of informationtthat is returned to you. Here's a sample query to find the address of someone you think may be at Harvard University: send usenet-addresses/Jane Doe Harvard A FEW NET-GOODIES ----------------- Here are some other interesting things you can do by e-mail. (Some of them are accessible only by e-mail!) * WEBSTER BY E-MAIL Don't have your dictionary handy? Send e-mail to infobot@infomania.com again, but this time make the subject WEBSTER TEST and you'll get a definition of the word "test" in reply. * ALMANAC, WEATHER & THE SWEDISH CHEF Infomania offers a bunch of other services by e-mail! Almanac (daily updates), Weather, CD Music Catalog, etc. Send e-mail to infobot@infomania.com with subject HELP for full details. * THE ELECTRONIC NEWSSTAND The Electronic Newsstand collects articles, editorials, and tables of contents from over 165 magazines and provides them to the Internet. To get instructions on e-mail access, send a blank message to gophermail@enews.com * U.S. CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE Find out if your congressman has an electronic address! Just send mail to the address congress@hr.house.gov and you'll get a listing of congressional e-mail addresses. You can also contact the President (president@whitehouse.gov) or Vice President (vice.president@whitehouse.gov), but don't expect a reply by e-mail. Messages sent to these addresses get printed out and handled just like regular paper correspondence! * USENET SEARCHES A new service at Stanford University makes it possible to search USENET newsgroups for postings that contain keywords of interest to you. You can even "subscribe" and receive a daily list of newsgroup postings that match your search criteria. Send mail to netnews@db.stanford.edu with blank subject and HELP in the body of note for full details. * MOVIE INFO To learn how to get tons of info on movies, actors, directors, etc. Send mail to movie@ibmpcug.co.uk with blank subject and HELP in the body of note for full details. * STOCK MARKET REPORT Send e-mail with subject STOCK MARKET QUOTES to martin.wong@eng.sun.com and you'll receive a rather lengthy stock market report (every day until you ask Martin to stop sending them)! Please note that this is not an automated server, so be sure to include a word of appreciation for this useful service. * STOCK MARKET QUOTES If you want to get a current quote for just 1 or 2 stocks, you can use the QuoteCom service. They offer this free service along with other fee based services. For details, send e-mail to "services@quote.com" with a subject of HELP. * ANONYMOUS E-MAIL The "anon server" provides a front for sending mail messages and posting to Usenet newsgroups anonymously, should th need ever arise. To get complete instructions, send e-mail to: help@anon.penet.fi (English version) german@anon.penet.fi or deutsch@anon.penet.fi (German version) italian@anon.penet.fi or italiano@anon.penet.fi (Italian version) * NET JOURNALS LISTING I highly recommend "The Internet Press - A guide to electronic journals about the Internet". To get it, send e-mail with Subject: send ipress to savetz@rahul.net. Be sure to check out Scout Report & Netsurfer Digest! SCOUT REPORT: Forget building campfires. Scout Report is a weekly featuring new resource announcements. News reports about the net were promised but are pretty lean. Put out by gods at InterNIC. E-MAIL - To: majordomo@is.internic.net Subject: Ignored Body: Subscribe scout-report SUGGESTED READING ----------------- There are lots of good books and guides to help you get started on the Internet, and here are some that I recommend. The first few are free (FTPmail commands listed below), and the others can be found in most bookstores that carry computer-related books. "Zen and the Art of the Internet", by Brendan Kehoe open ftp.std.com cd obi/Internet/zen-1.0 get zen10.txt "There's Gold in them thar Networks", by Jerry Martin open nic.ddn.mil
