Muns, 'GENERIC NETWORK RESOURCE REVIEWS', LIBRES v4n02-3 URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/libres/libres-v4n02-3-muns-generic LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal __________________________________________________________________ ISSN 1058-6768 August 28, 1994 Volume 4 Issue 2/3 Quarterly LIBRE4N2 MUNS GENERIC NETWORK RESOURCE REVIEWS by Raleigh C. Muns, MLS WIRED - Telecommunication Presence and Internet Resource WIRED magazine (San Francisco, CA : Wired, USA, c1993- , ISSN: 1059-1028) is simultaneously a commercial publication, Internet resource, and a new breed of telecommunications beast. The publishers of the magazine were apparently too naive to realize that giving away their publication for free on the Internet would be bad business and have been saddled with one of the great publishing success stories of 1994. Though a fascinating business endeavor, those continuing to harness the Internet's anarchic assets need only understand that WIRED's "free" Internet presence is an eminent resource of immediate utility. First, it must be noted that WIRED comes in a number of flavors. Listed at the end of this column you will find access via e-mail, gopher, World Wide Web, and a number of commercial services. Oh, it also comes in that old fashioned paper and ink format. The current issue of WIRED is not released on the Internet until a new issue hits the streets. Except where differences are explicitly noted, it usually doesn't matter which form of WIRED is perused (and THAT is about as loaded a statement as you'll get). The University of California online library catalog, MELVYL (telnet to MELVYL.UCOP.EDU), lists the following subject headings for the print version of WIRED: Internet (Computer network) -- Social aspects -- Periodicals. Telecommunication -- Social aspects -- Periodicals. Computer networks --Social aspects -- Periodicals. Telecommunication -- Periodicals. Computers and civilization -- Periodicals. Computer networks -- Periodicals. MELVYL also lists an alternative title in Chinese, "Ch'uan lien hao," which was on the cover of the premiere issue (volume 1.1, Sep/Oct 1993). As an unintentional practical joke on catalogers, each issue of WIRED sports a different alternative title on the cover, such as May 1994's Vietnamese "Hay noi day", July 1994's Italian "Collegati" and June 1994's Morse Code "--. . --- .-- .. .-. -.." (read GEO WIRED). Slick, flashy, obnoxious, arrogant, naive, interesting, frustrating, irreverant, popular, insightful . . . WIRED reflects the element, cyberspace, that it covers. You're as likely to get an analysis of the investments of Microsoft's "other" billionaire, Paul Allen, as you are to be regaled with the war between the denizens of the Usenet news groups, alt.tasteless and rec.pets.cats (respectively, Paulina Borsook, "The Accidental Zillionaire," August 1994, p.95 and Josh Quittner, "The War Between alt.tasteless and rec.pets.cats," May 1994, p. 46). This combination of culture and business makes me describe WIRED as the bastard progeny of ROLLING STONE and THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. In fact, its wide ranging analysis of business in cyberspace and the changing telecommunications environment makes WIRED, despite it's pleasingly colorful exterior, a solid recommended read for business faculty. One more time: Even though I'm discussing a print publication, this information is available for "free" on the Internet. Yes, and someday I'll stop putting the word "free" in quotes! The language in WIRED does include the "F" word (as well as other colorful and accurate contemporary adjectives). This is noted here, not condemned. Though I wouldn't hesitate to put WIRED in a High School library, others may disagree. Though street language occurs in WIRED, in my opinion it is not overused. Access WIRED in any format and decide for yourself. However, if ROLLING STONE didn't make the cut at your library, neither will WIRED. When using WIRED on the Internet via gopher or World Wide Web client, (e.g., MOSAIC) one can use the crude Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) interface for keyword searching. Search under "Negroponte" to collate the columns of Nicholas Negroponte, MIT's techno-media guru. Negroponte's writings are unique enough alone in their cyberspace insights to recommend accessing WIRED. His columns simultaneously lend grist to Luddite and technophile. Unfortunately with the WAIS interface, you will also retrieve extraneous documents, such as the table of contents for each issue, where Negroponte's name will always be listed. I recommend that those desiring serendipitous browsing of WIRED's articles use a World Wide Web client. For searching back issues, or accessing known columns and departments, the less noisy gopher menus are much cleaner. In all cases, the net-sensitivity of WIRED's contributors almost religiously lead them to include Internet access points, gopher addresses, and e-mail addresses of principals. Letters to the editor ("Rants & Raves") include e-mail addresses. Network access to WIRED gives access to a number of items not available in the print format. A weekly newsletter, HOTWIRED, gives updated information on cyberspace doings. You can subscribe by e-mail or access back issues of HOTWIRED at the same location as back issues of WIRED itself. The gopher and World Wide Web network servers also contain WIRED produced documents not found in the print version. For example, Managing Editor John Battelle's visit to Microsoft is available as a hypertext document in WIRED's Web server ("In Seattle, Everyone Knows You're a Geek," July 29, 1994, http://www.wired.com/Hotwired/microsoft/microsoft.html). WIRED's Internet servers also point to a large number of related resources elsewhere on the Internet, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation gopher (gopher address eff.org). The WIRED Internet presence is a useful tool for starting to understand the gestalt of the Internet (and good luck in succeeding at THAT task). As of July 31, 1994, these are the latest of the myriad ways to get WIRED: e-mail Send an e-mail message with the words GET INDEX to Internet address info-rama@wired.com gopher Point your gopher client at Internet address wired.com World Wide Web Point your World Wide Web client at http://www.wired.com HOTWIRED subscription (weekly newsletter delivered Fridays) Send an e-mail message including the words SUBSCRIBE HOTWIRED to Internet address info-rama@wired.com Usenet Point your Usenet news reader client at news group alt.wired (Note: This does not apparently include articles from WIRED. Alt.wired appears to focus on discussing the issues raised in WIRED, specific articles, and the WIRED Internet presence itself.) America Online Check "News and Finance Internet Center" using keyword "wired" MindVox See WIRED forum in Cyberspace area Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link (The WELL) WIRED conference United States Postal Service Subscriptions to WIRED can be requested by calling 1-800-769- 4733, or e-mail to subscriptions@wired.com. The August, 1994 issue lists the following subscription rates: Newstand Price: US$ 4.95 Individuals: 1 year / 12 issues US$ 39.95 2 years/ 24 issues US$ 71.00 Institutions: 1 year / 12 issues US$ 80.00 2 years/ 24 issues US$143.00 ******************** Raleigh Muns Reference Librarian Thomas Jefferson Library UM-St. Louis SRCMUNS@UMSLVMA.UMSL.EDU Any opinions published are mine alone and are not endorsed by the University of Missouri, its Libraries, or its Administration. ============================================================ _____ Articles and Sections of this issue of _LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal_ may be retrieved via anonymous ftp to cc.curtin.edu.au or via e-mail message addressed to LISTSERV@KENTVM or LISTSERV@KENTVM.KENT.EDU (instructions below) Papers may be submitted at anytime by email or send/file to: Andy Exon, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief, _LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal, EDITORS@KENTVM.KENT.EDU _________________________________ *Copyright Declaration* Copyright of articles published by LIBRES: Library and Information Science Electronic Journal is held by the author of a given article. 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