BMUG PD-ROM BV3/BMUG PD-ROM Version BV3 (CDRM1097900).iso/Telecom/BBS List's/Alt Interne Services

Text File | 1992-12-10 | 39KB | 803 lines

Summary: This posting lists frequently asked questions and answers about
        Internet services. It should be read by anyone wishing to post
        to the newsgroup "alt.internet.services".
Archive-name: internet-services/faq
Last-Modified: 1993/6/24
Version: 0.9

INTERNET SERVICES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Version 0.9 - 24 June, 1993

*** COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This document is Copyright 1993 by Kevin M. Savetz. All rights reserved.
Permission for non-commercial distribution is hereby granted, provided
that this file is distributed intact, including this copyright notice
and the version information above. Permission for commercial
distribution may be obtained from the editor. SHARE THIS INFORMATION
FREELY AND IN GOOD FAITH. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THIS
DOCUMENT.

*** CHANGES IN THIS VERSION:
0.1: Added info on how to get this FAQ via mail-server
2.1: Added info on e-mailing to PC-Link, QLINK.
     Updated info of message size limits to AOL.
2.2: Added info on connecting to Nexis/Lexis, PC-Link, QLINK
2.3: Added customer service info on PC-Link
2.5: Widener's name resolver verified working
2.9: Added "How do I access the Library of Congress?"

*** HOW AM I DRIVING?
This document is new and in transition. If you notice that a frequently
asked question is missing, please send it (and the answer!) to the
editor for inclusion in this article.

Text in [square brackets] indicates unanswered questions and problems in
this document. If you know the answer or have a comment, e-mail the
editor. Please help me out and send it answers to some unanswered
questions - for this FAQ, the best answers are _brief_ ones followed by
information on where to go for more detailed information.

[What questions should be here but aren't?]
[1. What are mailing lists? What is a listserver, etc?]
[2. How do I access the Federal Register? What is it?]
[3. How big is the Internet?]
[Does anyone want to do any of these?]

*** TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 0: THE BASICS
0.1: What is the purpose of this document?
0.2: What is alt.internet.services?
0.3: I'm new to the Internet. Where do I start?

SECTION 1: WHAT IS...?
1.1: What is Telnet?
1.2: What is anonymous FTP?
1.3: What is Usenet?
1.4: What is finger?
1.5: What is IRC?
1.6: What is Alex/Archie/Gopher/Hytelnet/Netfind/Prospero/
             Veronica/WAIS/WHOIS/WWW/X.500?
1.7: What is MUD/MUSH/MOO/MUCK/DUM/MUSE, etc.?

SECTION 2: HOW DO I...?
2.1: How do I send mail from the Internet to another network?
2.2: How do I access other systems from the Internet?
2.3: How do I contact a service provider?
2.4: How do I find out someone's e-mail address?
2.5: How do I get a name resolved?
2.6: How do I send e-mail to the White House?
2.7: How do I access an online encyclopedia?
2.8: How do I get stock market information?
2.9: How do I access the Library of Congress?

SECTION 3: I NEED INFORMATION ABOUT...
3.1: Where can I get Internet access in my area?
3.2: Is there a list of all the Internet services?
3.3: I need a BBS (on the Internet or in my area)!
3.4: What's a good book to read for more information about the Internet?
3.5: How do I get information about the Internet online?

SECTION 0: THE BASICS
*** 0.1: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT?
The Internet Services Frequently Asked Questions and Answers List (FAQ)
is intended to help reduce the number of often asked questions that
appear on the newsgroup "alt.internet.services". It helps users with
questions by providing instant access to their answers; it helps other
readers of the newsgroup, who will have to read fewer of the questions
they see over and over again; it helps everyone by (hopefully) reducing
bandwidth.

This document should help you find answers to frequently asked
questions. Usually, the answers are already available on the Net in one
or more detailed documents. In these cases, this document will tell the
reader where to find the information in question. Thus, when possible,
this document will only point you to another document - that one may
have the information you need, or it may point you somewhere else. (This
may seem annoying at first, but offers multiple benefits. First, it
reduces duplicated work. Second, it increases your chances of finding
the most current, reliable information. Most importantly, it shows _how_
to find the information you need rather than simply giving you answers.
"Teach a man to fish...")

This FAQ is purely a volunteer effort. Although every effort has been
made to insure that answers are as accurate as possible, no guarantee is
implied or intended. The editor and contributors have developed this FAQ
as a service to Usenet. We hope you find it useful.

Please send your corrections, questions, and comments to the editor,
Kevin Savetz, at "[e-mail]" (Internet) or "savetz" (America
Online.) Please indicate what version of this document you are referring
to.

This file is posted weekly to the newsgroup "alt.internet.services"
(on the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th of each month) and posted twice monthly
to "news.answers" and "alt.answers" (on the 5th and 19th.) It is also
available via anonymous FTP:
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services/faq

This means to use FTP to open a connection to "rtfm.mit.edu", login as
"anonymous", and use your e-mail address as the password. Then, "cd" to
the directory "/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services" and get the
file "faq". This notation is used when appropriate throughout this
document. [If I did it right, users of WWW (I think) should be able to
point-and-shoot to get listed documents. Someone tell me if it works!]

If you do not have FTP access, you can obtain it via email by sending an
email message to "[e-mail]" with a line in the body of
the message reading "send usenet/news.answers/internet-services/faq". A
program at that address will read your mail, process your request, and
reply with mail containing the FAQ.

*** 0.2: WHAT IS ALT.INTERNET.SERVICES?
The following is excerpted from Scott McMahn's ([e-mail])
"Welcome to alt.internet.services" charter. [Where on the Net is the
full charter available?]

The newsgroup "alt.internet.services" was created to handle information
about services available on the Internet, for people who have Internet
accounts and want to explore beyond their local computers, to take
advantage of the wealth of information and services on the net.

Services for discussion include:
* things you can telnet to (weather, databases, library catalogs...)
* things you can FTP (pictures, sounds, programs, data...)
* clients/servers (like MUDs, IRC, Archie...)

"alt.internet.services" isn't for:
* discussion of utility programs like telnet, FTP, mail, and uudecode.
* basic new user questions.
* pleas for Internet access. (Use alt.internet.access.wanted for this.)

This is *NOT* alt.internet.general.questions, alt.internet.help,
or alt.internet.new-users. Before asking a question here:
* Ask someone locally! Try the guy siting next to you, your
  professor, or the system administrator. 9 times out of 10 you
  won't have to post your question.
* Read the Usenet groups "news.newusers.questions" and
  "news.announce.newusers".
* Look through your .newsrc file for a more appropriate group. Questions
  about mail can go to "comp.mail.misc". Questions about access can go
  to "alt.internet.access.wanted". And so on. alt.internet.services is
  *not* some kind of default group to go to if you can't find any
  others.
* Ask yourself: Is this question about a service I can access through
  the Internet? If so, post.

*** 0.3: I'M NEW TO THE INTERNET. WHERE DO I START?
Welcome to the wonderful world of the Internet. Although this document
may answer some of your basic questions, the Usenet newsgroup
"alt.internet.services" isn't the place for questions like "How do I use
telnet on my system?" or "How do I send electronic mail?" If you have
access to the Usenet, read the newsgroups "news.newusers.questions" and
"news.answers". If you have access to FTP, get copies of the
introduction to the Internet documents mentioned at the end of this
file. If you have access to users around you, ask them to show you the
basics.

For a comprehensive overview of what the Internet is, how it works and
the future of the Internet, read "FYI: What is the Internet?" (This file
is available via anonymous FTP, and is listed in the final section of
this document.)

Section 1: What is...
---------------------
*** 1.1: WHAT IS TELNET?
Telnet is a program that allows you to login to another computer to run
software there. Typically, you login either to access a "shell" command
environment or some other utility, like a weather server or game. To
telnet to a computer, you need to know it's name. This can either be in
words, like "steer.sdsu.edu" or as a numeric address, like
"130.191.1.11". Some services require you to connect to a specific
"port" on the remote computer. Type the port number, if there is one,
after the Internet address. (For example, "telnet nri.reston.va.us
185".) For more information, anonymous FTP to
ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/network.service.guides
ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/how.to.telnet.guide

*** 1.2: WHAT IS ANONYMOUS FTP?
FTP stands for file transfer protocol. FTP allows you to copy files from
a remote computer to your local host. Thousands of sites provide
anonymous FTP service, allowing you to download everything from online
books, to satellite pictures of the weather, to public-domain utilities
and games for your personal computer.

Unless your computer is directly connected to the Internet (that is, if
you are connected through an intermediary remote host) software for use
on your home computer needs to be FTPed to your local host, then
downloaded to your PC using Xmodem, Zmodem, Kermit or some other system
-- a two-step process.)

There is an FTP primer (and lots of other good information) in the
"alt.bbs.internet" FAQ, which is posted periodically on
"alt.bbs.internet" and "news.answers".

The following files are available on the Net to teach the basics of FTP.
If you don't know how to use FTP to receive them, try asking someone
else at your site.
For more information, use anonymous FTP to get
ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/network.service.guides/how.to.ftp.guide

The document "FYI: Searching for Treasure" (listed at the end of this
file) lists some of the best FTP sites to find Macintosh, IBM, UNIX,
virus-related and other software.

*** 1.3: WHAT IS USENET?
The Usenet is a global bulletin board, of sorts, in which millions of
people exchange public information on every conceivable topic. For more,
FTP to:
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/what-is-usenet/part1.Z
The file is also posted regularly to the Usenet newsgroup
"news.answers.newusers".

*** 1.4: WHAT IS FINGER?
Finger is a program that returns information about a registered user on
a computer. Typing "finger" alone will show the users logged into the
system you are using. "finger @host.domain.foo" will show you who's
currently using some other computer. Certain computers have variations
on finger support, where "finger ron" will show info on ron at your
site, and "finger [e-mail]" will show you all the Rons
with accounts on a certain computer at MIT. Note that some finger
programs don't take arguments, some will accept only a userid (the exact
login name of a user,) and still others will search using a first or
last name. If your system has manual pages installed, type "man finger"
for more information. If your system has Internet access but not finger,
there are several freely distributable versions, including GNU finger
and BSD finger.

*** 1.5: WHAT IS IRC?
IRC is the Internet Relay Chat, a service where users can "talk" via
typing to people around the world. See Scott Yanoff's "Internet
Services" list for public IRC servers, or find out if your own system
has the server installed. There are newsgroups specifically devoted to
IRC, including:
alt.irc                 Internet Relay Chat material.
alt.irc.bot             Discussion of creating irc bots.
alt.irc.ircii           Discussion of the IRC II client program.
alt.irc.recovery        For those recovering from IRC addiction.
alt.irc.corruption      Is nowhere safe?
alt.irc.corruption.log.log.log  Discussions of corrupted loggers.
alt.irc.sleaze          Internet Relay Chat flamage.
alt.irc.sleaze.mark     More Internet Relay Chat flamage.

For more information, anonymous FTP to:
cs.bu.edu:/irc/support/tutorial*

*** 1.6: WHAT IS ALEX/ARCHIE/GOPHER/HYTELNET/NETFIND/PROSPERO/VERONICA/
         WAIS/WHOIS/WWW/X.500?
These are all part of a new generation of network information resources.
For complete information, check John December's "internet-tools" list,
available via anonymous FTP to
ftp.rpi.edu:/pub/communications/internet-tools
That document will point you to detailed information about each of these
services.

Scott Yanoff's "Internet Services List" list will tell you how to access
these services. Most feature on-line help and information.

*** 1.7: WHAT IS MUD/MUSH/MOO/MUCK/DUM/MUSE (etc.)?
These are multi-user, text based, virtual reality games. According to
the MUD FAQ: "A MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) is a computer program which
users can log into and explore. Each user takes control of a
computerized persona/avatar/incarnation/character. You can walk around,
chat with other characters, explore dangerous monster-infested areas,
solve puzzles, and even create your very own rooms, descriptions and
items." There are an astounding number of variations on the MUD theme.
Please see rec.games.mud for more information about them -- there are
several very good FAQ postings there that detail MUDs, MUD clients and
servers, and offer a complete, current MUD-list.

The most recent versions of the MUD FAQs are archived as:
ftp.math.okstate.edu:/pub/muds/misc/mud-faq/*
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/alt.mud/*
[rec.games.mud]:_FAQ_#2_3:_MUD_Clients_and_Servers
[rec.games.mud]:_FAQ_#3_3:_RWHO_and__mudwho_
[rec.games.mud]:_FAQ_#1_3:_MUDs_and_MUDding

A few of the newsgroups out there related to muds:
rec.games.mud.announce  Informational articles about MUDs. (Moderated)
rec.games.mud.diku      All about DikuMuds.
rec.games.mud.lp        Discussions of LPMUD
rec.games.mud.misc      Various aspects of multiuser computer games.
rec.games.mud.tiny      Discussion of Tiny muds, IE MUSH, MUSE and MOO
alt.mud.bsx             BSX VR system.
alt.mud.german          For German-speaking MUD-er's.
rec.games.mud.admin     Administrative issues of multiuser dungeons.

SECTION 2: HOW DO I...?
*** 2.1: HOW DO I SEND ELECTRONIC MAIL FROM THE INTERNET TO ANOTHER
NETWORK?
To learn the basics of e-mail on the Internet, FTP to:
ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/network.service.guides/how.to.email.guide

In the best of worlds, our "global village" of electronic mail would be
linked by one main street. Alas, it is actually composed of hundreds of
small networks linked using "gateways." One main street is the Internet,
but jutting off of it are dozens of side roads leading to other
networks. It's always simplest to send mail to a recipient on the same
online service as yourself - say, from your America Online account to
another - but sometimes you may need to send mail to someone who doesn't
have an account on the system you use. While it's usually possible to
mail from one network to another, you need to know the right route to
navigate. In order to send any mail, you need to know the online service
your recipient uses, and her name (or username) on that service.

For a more complete listing of how to send mail from any random network
to any other random network, read the "Inter-Network Mail Guide" edited
by Scott Yanoff (formerly edited by John J. Chew.) It also tells how to
mail from networks other than the Internet - which is beyond the scope
of this document. You can fetch this guide by anonymous FTP in either:
FTP.MsState.Edu:/pub/docs/internetwork-mail-guide
ariel.unm.edu:/library/network.guide

AMERICA ONLINE: "[e-mail]" Use all lower case and remove spaces. For
example, "[e-mail]". Mail to America Online users can't be too
long - it is limited to 27Kb if the recipient is a Mac/Windows/Apple II
user, or 8Kb if s/he uses the DOS-based PC/AOL software. Funky
characters are replaced with spaces: use printable ASCII only.

APPLELINK: "[e-mail]"

AT&T MAIL: "[e-mail]"

BITNET: "[e-mail]" (Note that the bitnet hostname is not
necessarily the same as the Internet host name.) If this fails, try
directing your mail through a gateway such as "cunyvm.cuny.edu",
"pucc.princeton.edu", or "wuvmd.wustl.edu". The address would be as
follows: "[e-mail]" (or cunyvm or wuvmd).
This should help those with SMTP servers that are not quite up to date.

BIX: "[e-mail]"

BMUG: "[e-mail]"

COMPUSERVE: "[e-mail]". Use the numeric CompuServe
identification number, but use a period instead of a comma to separate
the number sets. For example, to send mail to CompuServe user 17770,101
- mail to "[e-mail]".

CONNECT: "[e-mail]"

DELPHI: "[e-mail]"

FIDONET: "[e-mail]". To send
mail to a FidoNet user, you not only need the name, but the exact
FidoNet address s/he uses. FidoNet addresses are broken down into zones,
net, nodes, and points. To send to John Doe, who uses point 1 of node 2,
which is in net 3 of zone 4 - you would send your mail to
"[e-mail]".

GENIE: "[e-mail]" where "user" is their mail address. If a
user tells you their mail address is "xyz12345" or something similar, it
isn't. It usually looks like "A.BEEBER42" where A is their first
initial, BEEBER is their last name, and 42 is a number distinguishing
them from all other A.BEEBER's. As of July 1, 1993, GEnie's fees for
sending and receiving Internet email to the Internet will be removed and
all customers will have access to the gateway without need to sign up
for it. Until July 1, only users who have requested Internet mail can
send and receive it.

INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS (IGC, or "PEACENET"): "[e-mail]"

INTERNET: send mail to "user@domain", where user is the recipient's
login name, and domain is the full name and location of the computer
where s/he receives e-mail. Examples are "[e-mail]" and
"[e-mail]".

MCI MAIL: send your mail to "[e-mail]". "User" can be a numeric
identification, or first and last names separated with an underline.
(E.g. "[e-mail]" or "[e-mail]".)

WELL: "[e-mail]"

PANIX: "[e-mail]"

PC LINK: "[e-mail]". Incoming mail is limited to 27K. (There is no
pclink.com domain. All mail to the America Online, Inc. owned systems
goes to aol.com.)

PRODIGY: Prodigy has been promising network mail for months, but hasn't
delivered it yet. So currently, Prodigy users are cut off from mail to
the outside world. Perhaps by the end of the year, Prodigy users will be
able to send and receive mail to and from other networks. They do have a
network server, prodigy.com, but it doesn't do anything useful.

QLINK: Q-Link, a Commodore 64/128-based service offered by America
Online, Inc., is not on the Internet for technical reasons.

*** 2.2: HOW DO I ACCESS OTHER SYSTEMS FROM THE INTERNET?
AMERICA ONLINE: You can't use AOL from the Internet due to the special
graphics software.

BIX: telnet "x25.bix.com". At the "username" prompt, enter "bix".

COMPUSERVE: CompuServe is accessible from the Internet through the Merit
system, but it is quite expensive. CompuServe does not distinguish
logins from MERIT from other SprintNet logins. Merit is a service local
to Michigan residents so all connections will be Eastern Standard Time
regardless of where in the world you access Merit from. Pricing for
using Merit: From 7PM - 8AM EST: $1.70/hour. From 8AM - 7PM EST:
$11.70/hour. These prices are in addition to your normal CompuServe
prices. The billing is all be handled by CompuServe. For further info
about this service, contact : CompuServe (1-800-848-8199), SprintNet (1-
800-877-5045), or Merit, Inc.: (1-313-764-9430).

DELPHI: telnet delphi.com

DIALOG: telnet dialog.com

GENIE: They don't provide for logging in from the Internet, citing
"security issues."

INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATION (IGC, or "PEACENET"): telnet igc.org

MCI MAIL: Cannot be accessed via the Internet. The only way users can
currently access MCI mail is by dialing in via SprintNet/Tymnet or MCI
Mail's own numbers. A tech support rep said that letting people check
their MCI mail accounts from Internet isn't a high priority for now.

NEXIS/LEXIS: telnet lexis.meaddata.com or telnet 192.73.216.20 or telnet
192.73.216.21. terminal type = .vt100a If characters do not echo back,
set your terminal to "local" echo or "half duplex." You can also connect
through Merit.

PANIX: telnet panix.com

PC LINK: Can't be accessed due to the special graphics software.

PRODIGY: Can't be accessed due to the special graphics software.

QLINK: Q-Link, a Commodore 64/128-based service offered by America
Online, Inc., is not on the Internet for technical reasons.

WELL: telnet well.sf.ca.us

*** 2.3: HOW DO I CONTACT A SERVICE PROVIDER?
AMERICA ONLINE: [phone] voice
CONNECT: [phone] voice
COMPUSERVE: [phone] voice
DELPHI: [phone] voice
DIALOG: [phone] voice
DOW JONES NEWS/RETRIEVAL: [phone] voice
GENIE: [phone] voice
INSTITUTE FOR GLOCAL COMMUNICATIONS: [phone] voice
NEXIS/LEXIS: [phone] voice. Government Customers: 513-865-7223
MCI MAIL: [phone] voice
PANIX: [phone] voice. E-mail: [e-mail]
PC-LINK [phone] voice.
PRODIGY: New account information [phone] voice
         Membership services     [phone] voice
WELL: [phone]) voice. E-mail: [e-mail]

*** 2.4: HOW DO I FIND OUT SOMEONE'S E-MAIL ADDRESS?
With so many computer systems and users in the world, it is impossible
to keep a complete "white pages" of the Internet. The problem is
compounded because people come and go from the net all the time.
(Students are notorious for this.) Storing and updating that much
information would be an impossible, daunting task.

But, it's not impossible to find people on the net. Programs exist that,
given some amount of information about your associate, can help you
track down his or her e-mail address. These tools include Netfind,
X.500, rtfm's usenet-addresses search, and WHOIS. The more information
you know about your associate - name, place of business or school, and
so on - the better your chances are.

For a very complete answer to this question, read: "FAQ: How to find
people's E-mail addresses", available from [e-mail] by
sending "send usenet/news.answers/finding-addresses". This document is
posted regularly to the Usenet group "news.answers".

There is another long document specifically for finding college
students' e-mail addresses. It is also posted to "news.answers". It's
available by anonymous FTP on "a.gp.cs.cmu.edub" as:
/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/mkant/Public/Email/college-email-1.text
/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/mkant/Public/Email/college-email-2.text
/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/mkant/Public/Email/college-email-3.text

*** 2.5: HOW DO I GET A NAME RESOLVED?
There should be a name resolver on your system. On UNIX, look for a
program called "nslookup". Failing that, send an electronic message to
"[e-mail]". In the body of the message, include a line
like "site foo.bar.baz", where foo.bar.baz is the name of the site in
question. You'll receive a mail message with the IP (Internet Protocol)
address for the site.

*** 2.6: HOW DO I SEND E-MAIL TO THE WHITE HOUSE?
The official Party Line: "The White House e-mail system is under
construction. This is a new project and suffers from all of the problems
common to a startup operation. The Communications office is currently
working on defining what this system will do, as well as trying to come
up with equipment and staffing to make sure that it works. E-mail
messages are currently being printed out and responses are being sent
out via US Mail.

"Nobody wants this new venture to work more than the staff that has
devoted so many hours to getting it up and running. But much time and
effort will be required before the system is truly interactive. In the
mean time, they will need a little patience from the electronic
community. If you send a message to the White House, please include a US
Post office address for replies."

On the Internet, send to any one of:
[e-mail] or [e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

*** 2.7: HOW DO I ACCESS AN ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA?
The following is courtesy of Thomas Dowling ([e-mail]):
There are indeed encyclopedias on the net, but they all (all that I can
find, anyway) are closed systems which require a password or some other
form of user authentication. The reason for this is about what you'd
expect: the companies that make encyclopedias are in business to stay in
business, and you don't stay in business by giving away your product.

So when an institution installs an online encyclopedia, they usually
sign a license agreement limiting online use to that institution's
members; for universities, that's usually currently enrolled students,
staff, and faculty. For public libraries, that's usually library card
holders. Check if you think your own institution's encyclopedia is
available to the net at large; some institutions enforce their license
agreements in ways that are fairly transparent to their users.

If you can't find an online encyclopedia that's available to you, try
the following:
    Ask your own library to make sure they don't have one.
    Use the encyclopedias on CompuServe, Prodigy, AOL, etc.
    Use a (gasp!) regular, hardbound encyclopedia.

*** 2.8: HOW DO I GET STOCK MARKET INFORMATION?
Scott Yanoff's "Internet Services" list tells you how, but this question
comes up so often its worth mentioning here. If you use a terminal with
VT100, ANSI, or some other full-screen terminal emulation, "telnet
rahul.net" and log on as "guest". Request the full-screen guest menu;
request system information; request the market report. Note that this
system, a2i Communications, sells full UNIX accounts with Internet
access - the stock service is a feature for guests and paying users, and
isn't guaranteed to be reliable.

People keep asking where to find historical stock information. As far as
I know, this isn't available on the Net.

*** 2.9: HOW DO I ACCESS THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS?
Telnet to "locis.loc.gov". You'll see a menu that will connect you to
the Library of Congress, Federal Legislation, Copyright Information,
Foreign Law and other info.

SECTION 3: I NEED INFORMATION ABOUT...
*** 3.1: WHERE CAN I GET INTERNET ACCESS IN MY AREA?
Check out PDIAL, a list of public access service providers offering
dialup access to Internet connections. PDIAL lists both free and pay
services all around the world. The PDIAL list is posted semi-regularly
to alt.internet.access.wanted, alt.bbs.lists, ba.internet, and
news.answers.

To receive PDIAL via e-mail, send mail with a subject line of
"Send PDIAL" to "[e-mail]". To receive future
editions as they are published, send email with the subject
"Subscribe PDIAL" to the same address. The most recent PDIAL is also
available by sending mail with a message body of
"send usenet/news.answers/pdial" to "[e-mail]". To get
PDIAL via FTP:
ftp.netcom.com:/pub/info-deli/public-access/pdial
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/alt.internet.access.wanted/P_D_I_A_L_(P)

For more information about service providers and getting on the
Internet, read "FYI: Searching for Treasure" (FTP info at the end of
this document.)

Another list of service providers, and tips on getting Internet access,
is provided in the "alt.bbs.internet" FAQ, available via FTP as
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/inet-bbs-faq.Z

If you are a college student or faculty, check with your campus computer
center to learn about the online facilities available to you. Many
schools offer free accounts to students and staff.

Next, turn to the Usenet community for assistance. Find out if there is
a local newsgroup for your area or state. For instance, Columbus, Ohio
users can check on the "oh.general" and "cmh.general" newsgroups. Many
other areas have regional newsgroups. Ask the locals questions about the
area - who better to know the answers?

If all else fails, post your plea on the Usenet newsgroup
"alt.internet.access.wanted". Note that such requests aren't looked
kindly upon if posted elsewhere.

*** 3.3: I NEED A BBS (ON THE INTERNET OR IN MY AREA)!
This is covered extensively in the "alt.bbs.internet" FAQ, available on
the Usenet group "alt.bbs.internet" or via FTP as
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/inet-bbs-faq.Z

Also look for information on the Usenet newsgroups
"alt.internet.access.wanted" and "alt.internet.services". Get the PDIAL
list, mentioned at the end of this document. Also available is NIXPUB, a
regularly posted listing of freely accessible UNIX systems. [Where is
NIXPUB available?] Also, for BBS information for your area code or
specific interest, FTP to:
wuarchive.wustl.edu:/mirrors/msdos/bbslists

*** 3.4: IS THERE A LIST OF ALL INTERNET SERVICES?
No. There are just too many computers and too many services for anyone
to accurately maintain a complete list. However, Scott Yanoff edits a
great list of Internet services: the "Special Internet Connections List"
is updated monthly and is posted periodically to alt.internet.services
and elsewhere. His list is a comprehensive as any list could ever be. It
includes everything from where to FTP pictures from space, how to find
agricultural information, public UNIX, online books and dictionaries,
you name it. Check this list before posting the question "Where can I
get <whatever> online?" - chances are, it's in there. Finger
"[e-mail]" to find ways to receive this list.

There's also John December's "internet-cmc" list, which serves as a
pointer to a slew of resources. Its purpose is to list pointers to
information describing the Internet, computer networks, and issues
related to computer-mediated communication. It points to Internet
documents for new users, comprehensive Internet guides, as well as
specialized and technical information (for instance, Internet growth
studies, maps, and statistics.) It also lists electronic journals and
tons of other good things. (FTP info at the end of this document.)

Also, check out the Internet Resource Guide: this is an excellent guide
to major resources available on the network. Includes chapters on
Computational Resources, Library Catalogs, Archives, White Pages,
Networks, Network Information Centers, and Miscellaneous. (FTP info at
the end of this document.)

*** 3.5: WHAT'S A GOOD BOOK TO READ FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
INTERNET?
"The Internet Companion, A Beginner's Guide To Global Networking" by
Tracy LaQuey with Jeanne C. Ryer (Addison-Wesley Publishing.) The
Companion includes a detailed history of the Internet, a discussion on
"netiquette" (network etiquette), and how to find resources on the net.

"Internet: Getting Started." Franklin F. Kuo, Series Editor. SRI
Internet Information Services. Published by PTR Prentice Hall, New
Jersey. ISBN: 0-13-327933-2. Paperback, 360 pages. Explains how to join
the Internet, the various types of Internet access, and procedures for
obtaining a unique IP address and domain name. An extensive list of
Internet access providers of all types is provided. Information
regarding access for countries outside of the United States is included
as well. Finally, the guide explains many concepts essential to the
Internet, such as the Domain Name System, IP addressing, Internet
protocols, and electronic mail. This is the comprehensive overview of
what the Internet is and how to become a part of it.

"Internet: Mailing Lists 1993 Edition." Franklin F. Kuo, Series Editor.
SRI Internet Information Services. Published by PTR Prentice Hall, New
Jersey. ISBN: 0-13-327941-3. Copyright 1993. Paperback, 356 pages. (Note
that a current "list of lists" is also available online, both via Usenet
and FTP. See the next section.)

"The Internet Passport: NorthWestNet's Guide to Our World Online". This
is published by NorthWestNet and the Nortwest Academic Computing
Consortium, Inc. It is 516 pages and covers everything from net
etiquette to supercomputers; very comprehensive. It costs $39.95 but
schools and not-for-profit organizations can buy it for $19.95 plus
shipping. NorthWestNet, 15400 SE 30th Place, Suite 202, Bellevue, WA
98007. [phone].

"The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog" by Ed Krol (published by
O'Reilly & Associates.) ISBN: 1-56592-025-2. 400 pages. $24.95 US. This
book covers the basic utilities used to access the network and then
guides users through the Internet's "databases of databases" to access
the millions of files and thousands of archives available. It includes a
resource index that covers a broad selection of approximately 300
important resources available on the Internet.

"Zen & the Art of Internet" by Brendan Kehoe. Published by Prentice
Hall. ISBN: 0-13-010778-6. 112 pages. $22.00 US. This guide should give
you a reference to consult if you're curious about what can be done with
the Internet. It also presents the fundamental topics that are all too
often assumed and considered trivial by many network users. It covers
the basic utilities and information reaching other networks. An earlier,
much less comprehensive version is available via FTP; see below.

In August, McGraw-Hill will release "The Internet Guide for New Users,"
by Daniel P Dern. Along with the obligatory topics such as telnet, FTP,
and Archie, the book suggests how to get an Internet account and teaches
enough UNIX to survive on the net.

*** 3.4: HOW DO I GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE INTERNET ONLINE?
Once you have an account, several good texts are available via FTP:

"FYI: New Internet User Questions" (RFC-1325) is FTPable as:
nic.merit.edu:/documents/fyi/fyi_04.txt

"FYI: Experienced Internet User Questions" (RFC-1207) is FTPable as:
nic.merit.edu:/documents/fyi/fyi_07.txt
This file is dated February 1991, and some of the information may be out
of date. Many of the Q&As are of a technical nature. Covers the Domain
Name System, SLIP & PPP, network management, routing and the like.

"FYI: Searching for Treasure" is FTPable as:
nic.merit.edu:/documents/fyi/fyi_10.txt
This document (dated January 1993) presents some of the "gold nuggets"
of information and file repositories on the network. Very useful.

"FYI: Internet Users' Glossary" (RFC-1392) is FTPable as:
nic.merit.edu:/documents/fyi/fyi_18.txt
This is a comprehensive glossary concentrating mostly on terms specific
to the Internet.

"FYI: What is the Internet?" is FTPable as:
nic.merit.edu:/documents/fyi/fyi_20.txt
This comprehensive paper covers the Internet's definition, history,
administration, protocols, financing, and current issues such as growth,
commercialization, and privatization. (May 1993.)

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Internet" (RFC-1118) will interest users
who are more into the technical bits of the Internet. This document,
also written by Ed Krol, explains how Internet addresses work and
discusses issues such as trust and carrying capacity of the Internet. It
is pretty much out of date, but people keep asking for it. The "Guide,"
as well as other useful texts for new users, is available at
wuarchive.wustl.edu:/mirrors/EFF/internet-info/*

"Internet Basics" is available by FTP as:
nnsc.nsf.net:/nsfnet/internet-basics.eric-digest

"Internet-cmc list", by John December, is a pointer to a slew of
resources. Its purpose is to list pointers to information describing the
Internet, computer networks, and issues related to computer-mediated
communication. It points to Internet documents for new users,
comprehensive Internet guides, as well as specialized and technical
information (for instance, Internet growth studies, maps, and
statistics.) It also lists electronic journals and tons of other good
things. It is available via anonymous FTP as:
ftp.rpi.edu:/pub/communications/internet.cmc

"The Internet Companion" a beginner's guide to the net, is available by
FTP. This is part 1 of the Tracy LaQuey book mentioned in the previous
section.
world.std.com:/OBS/The.Internet.Companion

Internet Resource Guide is an excellent guide to major resources
available on the network. Includes chapters on Computational Resources,
Library Catalogs, Archives, White Pages, Networks, Network Information
Centers, and Miscellaneous.
nnsc.nsf.net:/resource-guide/resource-guide.txt.tar.Z
nnsc.nsf.net:/resource-guide/resource-guide.ps.tar.Z

"internet-tools list", by John December, contains information about a
variety of network tools and information resources (such as Archie,
Gopher, Netfind, WWW and so on.) It is available at:
ftp.rpi.edu:/pub/communications/internet-tools

"List of Lists". For a list of some of the currently available
electronic mail mailing lists, FTP to:
nisc.sri.com:/netinfo/interest-groups
To be notified of future additions to the list, send mail to interest-
[e-mail].

PDIAL, a list of public access service providers offering dialup access
to Internet connections. PDIAL is posted semi-regularly to
alt.internet.access.wanted, alt.bbs.lists, and news.answers. To receive
PDIAL via e-mail, send mail with a subject line of "Send PDIAL" to
"[e-mail]". To get it, FTP to either:
ftp.netcom.com:/pub/info-deli/public-access/pdial
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/alt.internet.access.wanted/P_D_I_A_L_(P)

"Special Internet Connections List", edited by Scott Yanoff, is updated
monthly and is posted periodically to alt.internet.services and
elsewhere. It includes everything from where to FTP pictures from space,
how to find agricultural information, public UNIX, online books and
dictionaries, you name it. Check this list before posting the question
"Where can I get <whatever> online?" - chances are, it's in there.
Finger "[e-mail]" to find ways to receive this list.

"Surfing the Internet" is available as:
nysernet.org:/pub/guides/surfing.2.0.2.txt

"Zen and the Art of Internet" is the first edition of Kehoe's Book,
detailed above. The book is much longer, updated and improved over this
online version. It is available as:
world.std.com:/obi/Internet/zen-1.0/zen-1.0.txt.Z
ftp.uu.net:/doc/internet/zen-1.0.txt.Z

If you have Usenet access, read some of the many newsgroups for new
users and frequently asked questions: "news.answers", "comp.answers" and
"news.newusers.questions".

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