Network News 10 (June 23, 1993) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/nnews/nnews-10 Document: Network News - #10 List: nnews from listserv@ndsuvm1.bitnet or listserv@vm1.nodak.edu Archive: via listserv or ftp from vm1.nodak.edu in nnews directory Date: June 23, 1993 Comments: noonan@msus1.msus.edu Copyright: 1993 Dana Noonan Permission granted to redistribute the unmodified version of this newsletter provided no fee is charged for it. =============================================================================== N N N N EEEEE W W SSSSS NN N NN N E W W S N N N N N N EEE W W W SSSSS N NN N NN E WW WW S N N N N EEEEE W W SSSSS =============================================================================== an update to libraries and information resources on the Internet sponsored by Metronet =============================================================================== Number 10 NETWORK-NEWS June 1993 TABLE OF CONTENTS: A Guide to Internet/Bitnet Update A Guide to Internet/Bitnet - Online Version New Online Catalogs Other New Services Check the FAQs Down the Gopher Hole Recommended Reading Going Up North.. Corrections and Additions New on MetroLine ================================= A GUIDE TO INTERNET/BITNET UPDATE ================================= Part 1 of the guide is in the process of being revised but the working draft is available on the listserv or via ftp. The list of selected listservs has been updated and most of the telnet connections have been checked. I have also added new free-net and public education network sites. A new file on the archive is TIPS NNEWS which contains two two-page tipsheets for mail and listservs that I use in my workshops. =========================================== A Guide to Internet/Bitnet - Online Version =========================================== VAX users may be interested in the interactive version of the guide. I have written a small DCL procedure make it easier to use the guide while online. The DCL program offers the following services: 1. The entire guide and all the newsletters can be searched by keyword; 2. The program makes connections to library catalogs and other Internet services; 3. The program transfers the guide and newsletter files from the FTP archive; 4. Information about favorite libraries can be copied to guide4.nnews; 4. Additional sites can be added to guide4.nnews; 5. The guide program can be called from mail, ftp, and news by typing "spawn @guide"; The DCL program is GUIDECOM.NNEWS in the archive. Rename the file GUIDE.COM and start it up by typing @guide. =================== NEW ONLINE CATALOGS =================== There are lots of new library connections on the network - both online catalogs and library gophers. Noteworthy are the new opacs in Eastern Europe, Italy, Chile, and Singapore. Over 600 online catalogs are available. See GUIDE2.NNEWS or GUIDE3.NNEWS for more details. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, DULUTH Telnet lib.d.umn.edu Logon: libpub Logoff: from first menu - hit E(nd) If you want regular updates about new Internet services and online catalogs, subscribe to HYTEL-L@KENTVM. This list distributes new additions to Peter Scott's Hytelnet system. ================== OTHER NEW SERVICES ================== ACRONYMS: The Irish have always had a way with words, and the email based Acronym Server at the University of Cork proves it. Send an email message with just the word "help" to freetext@iruccvax.ucc.ie to get information about this intriguing service. BOOKSTORE: University of California, San Diego, Bookstore is online and a real pleasure to use. The service includes information on both stock and on-order items. It also carries the New York Times best seller lists. Telnet ucsdbkst.ucsd.edu (132.239.83.66) and follow the on-screen prompts. ============== CHECK THE FAQS ============== Even if you don't have direct access to Usenet, you might find the collection FAQs in the news.answers archive of interest. The FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions files) are updated regularly and cover a wide range of topics. They are useful pointers to not only electronic resources but also a fairly reliable source of answers that have been tested by real users. Start by getting a copy of the ftplist and the usenet-faq or primer via anonymous FTP. FTP rtfm.mit.edu or ftp 18.70.0.226 Type login anonymous Type your email address or guest Type cd pub/usenet/news.answers FAQs are also available via email. Send an email message with the words "help" and "index" on separate lines to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu to get the necessary details. Many FAQs are also available via a Veronica search of gopher space. Unfortunately, some gopher maintainers don't update their collection of FAQs on a regular basis. A recent sampling of new and updated FAQs found: A Biologist's Guide to Internet Resources alt.cd-rom FAQ FAQ: Audio File Formats FAQ: Pyrotechnics FAQ: Typing Injuries Fractal FAQ Hungarian Electronic Resources misc.books.technical FAQ Rec.Bicycles FAQ rec.pets.cats FAQ rec.photo FAQ and Answers Robin Hood Booklist (rec.arts.books) So You Want To Be A UNIX Wizard? Sources of Meteorological Data Note: Many of the FAQs are rather lengthy files, so be sure that you have the space for them on your system. ==================== DOWN THE GOPHER HOLE ==================== Recently I tried to map gopher space by creating several typologies based on origin, function, and subject. The task was far more challenging than I expected it to be because many gophers don't fit neat cubbyholes. What follows is based on current gopher servers in the United States (for the most part). I didn't attempt to classify every gopher but to identify the variety of types available. What follows is an imperfect gopher typology with examples: BY ORIGIN Educational Institutions Universities/Colleges Academic Departments Cornell Law School Scientist on Disk (Johns Hopkins Department of the History of Science) Campus Wide Information Systems Too many to mention Extension Services Minnesota Extension Service Supercomputer Centers Ohio State Supercomputer Center University Libraries UC Santa Barbara University Museums UC Berkeley, Museum of Paleontology Womens Centers University of Minnesota Womens Center Community Colleges Alamo Community College District School Districts Iron County School District Bloomfield Hills School District Model High School Consortia MECCA (Memphis Education Computer Connectivity Alliance) Educational service providers TIES: Technology & Infor Education Services (Minnesota) Government International United Nations United National Development Programme (UNDP) World Health Organization (WHO) US Federal AskEric (Dept. of Education) various Nasa gopher/bulletin boards US State Dept. of Information Resources (Texas) Utah State Legislature Various Extension Service Gophers Wisconsin Interlibrary Services Commercial Enterprises Computer Companies Novell Netwire Archives Publishers Periodical Academe This Week (Chronicle of Higher Education) Book O'Reilly and Associates Public Access Providers MSEN Inc. Other Organizations Coalitions Coalition for Networked Information Community Computing Systems COIN (Columbia, MO Online Information Network) Free-nets National Capitol Freenet Gopher Server Libraries Academic and Other Libraries Go M-Link Interlibrary Services Wisconsin Interlibrary Services Hospitals Austin Hospital (Australia) Professional Organizations American Mathematical Society American Physiological Society Research and Development Organizations Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) Zoos/Gardens Australian National Botanic Gardens BY FUNCTION Bookstores McMaster University Bookstore Cross-overs BBS Cross-overs Federal Information Exchange (FEDIX) FTP Cross-overs Info MAC archives Databases Tropical Data Base (Brazil) Electronic Journals Journal of Extension Electronic Archives Internet Wiretap Jobs / Career Information Academic Position Network The Online Career Center (at MSEN) Miscellaneous The Commonplace Book Multi-User-Domains (MUDs) Nemesis Gopher Server (Germany) Multimedia Oliver Network Information Centers InterNIC: Internet network information center Merit Network Phenomena UFONet - UFO and Alien Information Publication Archive/Support Journal of Statistics Education Information Services BY SUBJECT Social Sciences General Coombsquest (Australia) Disability Cornucopia of Disability Information Economics Washington University, Economics Gopher Education Educom Law Cornell Law School Literacy Literacy Research Center/University of Pennsylvania Science & Mathematics Note: The Science-Mathematics area is particularly well-served in gopher-space. Agriculture Soy-Bean Data Astronomy UCO/Lick Gopher Information Biology BioInformatics (Australian National University) Computer Science Center for Scientific Computing (Finland) Earth Science / Environment Bedford Institute of Oceanography EcoGopher (University of Virginia) Oklahoma Geological Survey Observatory Mathematics Euromath gopher server Medicine Anesthesiology Gopher Physics Physics Resources Space NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Statistics Chance (Dartmouth) Journal of Statistics Education Information Service Humanities - not much to report Other Architecture University of Michigan ArchiGopher Aviation Information rec.aviation.gopher Regional Studies University of Texas, Austin, Latin American Network Information Center While the list of registered gophers (accessible from the original at the University of Minnesota) may be enough to satisfy most folks, much more extensive tours of gopher-space can be launched from the gopher at Washington and Lee University. Both systems were used to create this typology. ================================== BULLETIN BOARDS ON AND OFF THE NET ================================== The easiest way to get a handle on network accessible bulletin boards is to send a message to bbslist@aug3.augsburg.edu with no subject and no body. You will be sent three files: Not Another List?!?!?!?!!! (5/3/93/) Yanoff's Special Internet Connections (current issue) Zamfield's Wonderfully Incomplete, Complete BBS List The first has the most complete list of current BBS connections; the last is getting dated. Yanoff's frequently updated list is a popular source of network information. Internet accessible bulletin boards include rather staid academic or professional organization systems, free-ranging electronic coffee-houses, and cross-overs from the off-net dial-up systems. One of the best is sponsored by the University of Oklahoma - OUBBS. It has the usual message areas, files, etc., but it is the information section that impresses me. The system has searchable White House and Internet Information Databases that are easy to use. OUBBS also carries BoardWatch Magazine and U.S.A. Today. Dial-up: (405) 325-6128 Telnet: oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu (or 129.15.3.10) FTP: oubbsftp.telecom.uoknor.edu For an extensive list of dial-up BBSs (not Internet accessible) in the United States, see the Broadcasting/Journalism BBS List. This list is updated regularly and tracks a variety of topical bulletin boards. Send the following email message to the listserv@ulkyvm.bitnet (listserv@ulkyvm.louisville.edu): get media bbslist f=mail The latest file is dated May 1993. =================== RECOMMENDED READING =================== EDUPAGE offers a superb weekly summary of information technology items. To subscribe directly, send request to edupage@educom.edu. Metronet has obtained permission to re-distribute EDUPAGE via fax and MetroLine for people in the Twin Cities. If you would like to be put on the fax list, drop me a note. THE COMPUTISTS' COMMUNIQUE published by Dr. Kenneth I. Laws (laws@ai.sri.com) is a news service focusing on AI/IS/CS topics. Laws covers industry news, government involvement, academic and other job openings, new products, and networking. This electronic publication isn't free but if you are interested in these AI/IS/CS it's well worth the cost of a subscription. FYI ON WHAT IS THE INTERNET? by E. Krol and E. Hoffman. FYI 20 RFC 1462 Contains a modified chapter from Ed. Krol's "The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog" covering the development of the net. Copies are available from: Email: mail-server@nisc.sri.com message: send rfc1462.txt FTP: ftp ds.internic.net cd rfc/ get rfc1462 JEWISHNET: GLOBAL JEWISH NETWORKING is an extensive list of special interest lists compiled by Dov Winer (viner@bguvm.bgu.ac.il). It is available on the Ben Gurion University Gopher. The QUICK SEARCH GUIDE for the Library of Congress LOCIS system is now available in ASCII and MAC Word format via FTP from seq1.loc.gov in the pub/LC-On.line directory. A version for Word Perfect is supposed to be available but wasn't in the directory when I looked for it. If you plan to print the guide get the versions for the wordprocessor and save the time reformatting the file. The ASCII version does not fit an 80 character screen and will need to be reformatted for online reference. The guide is a bit wordy but useful. =============== IN SEARCH OF... =============== Most of the following comments are addressed to folks within easy reach of the Twin Cities: Computer Books: Half-Price Books - 50% off remainders - very good selection Highland Village, Computer City - 30% off books and %10 or 20% off mags - Edina Barnes & Noble - good selection of mags - even current Meckler mags Cheapo-software: Computer Station - mix of new and used software and hardware good prices on consumer cd-roms from Quanta and Chestnut but most Chestnut titles will disappoint you great place to unload used software/equipment on consignment 54th & Nicollet in Minneapolis Computer City - close to mail order prices ================= GOING UP NORTH... ================= While the hardiest Minnesota natives head north during winter, most of us wait for our other season. For the email dependent among us, going up north presents a real challenge. Long-distance connections are expensive for calls within state boundaries. Some may find that calling a new internet service provider in Oregon may be the cheapest way to check their email in the Twin Cities. Del Mar Communications offers free internet accounts, but you don't have to have an account to use the service. Just call 10228-1-503-520-2222 to signup for an account or to immediately telnet or rlogin to another service. Del Mar does require use of AT&T long distance service. If you already subscribe to Reach Out America, your hourly cost will be $7.50 or less. For more information, send a note to support@speedway.com. ========================= CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS ========================= March 1993 issue had a number of typos and just plain goofs - my apologies. The correct spelling is Quarterman not Quartermain. Bob Gale can spell - I can't proofread! Apologies for multiple copies of the newsletter - another goof. ================ NEW ON METROLINE ================ The MetroLine BBS is now available via the Internet for folks in greater Minnesota. If you would like a copy of the instructions, drop me a note. An updated version of the Metro State Online Catalog Tipsheet is available from the Metronet office. It now includes nine local systems. =============================================================================== Please do NOT reply directly to the list or this newsletter. Send corrections and/or comments to: Dana Noonan Metronet (612) 825-9312 (612) 224-4801 (612) 224-4827 (fax) noonan@msus1.msus.edu metronet@vz.cis.umn.edu Library User Network BBS (612) 772-7635 Metroline BBS (612) 224-8086 =============================================================================== Metronet >--< linking Twin Cities area libraries and media centers