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NetMonth, June 1989
******** **************************************************
* * *
* * The independent guide to BITNET *
* * *
* * June, 1989 *
* * *
* * Volume 3, Number 10 *
******** * *
* *
*** * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
* ** * *
* *
* * How 'bout them toad suckers, *
* * ain't they bwag? *
****** * Settin' thar suckin them *
* * green toady-frogs. *
* * *
* Suckin' them hop-toads, *
******** * Suckin' them chunkers, *
* * Suckin' them leapy types, *
* * Suckin' them clunkers. *
* * *
* * Lookit them toad-suckers, *
* * ain't they snappy? *
******** * Suckin' them bog frogs *
* sure makes 'em happy. *
*** * *
* * * There's hugger-mugger toad-suckers *
* * * way down south, *
* * * Stickin' them sucky-toads *
*** * in they mouth. *
* *
****** * How to be a toad-sucker, *
* * no way to duck it, *
* * Git yerself a toad, rare, ripe, *
* * and suck it! *
**** * *
* -- A Folk Chant from the Ozarks *
* * *
* * *
****** * *
* * *
* * *
* *
******** * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
**** **************************************************
1
* * ****** ******* * * ***** * * ******* * *
** * * * ** ** * * ** * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * ***** * * * * * * * * * * *******
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* ** * * * * * * * ** * * *
* * ****** * * * ***** * * * * *
* * * *
*********************** *******************************
Editor: Christopher Condon CONDON @ YALEVM
********************* Contents - Issue 31 *********************
*********
* *** * EDITORIAL PAGE____________________________________
* *** *
* *** * Bitnotes ....................................... 1
*** *** Save UMNEWS! ................................... 3
* *** * Mythology of the Internet Virus ................ 5
* *** *
* *** *
*********
*********
* *** * FEATURES__________________________________________
* *** *
* **** * Information on ONEnet .......................... 7
* ***** * Announcing VMSSERV ............................ 11
* ****** * Enhancements to the TeX Archive Server ........ 14
* *** *** *
* *** ****
*********
*********
* * DEPARTMENTS_______________________________________
* *****
* *** * Headlines ..................................... 16
* *** * New Mailing Lists ............................. 18
* *** * Helpdesk ...................................... 23
***** * Feedback ...................................... 25
* * NetMonth Policies ............................. 27
*********
****************** 4791 Subscribers Worldwide ******************
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*********
* *** * Bitnotes
* *** *
* *** * by Christopher Condon
*** ***
* *** * Yale University
* *** *
* *** * CONDON@YALEVM
*********
In a Rome laundry:
Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend
the afternoon having a good time.
from "Anguished English"
by Richard Lederer
Well, after a rainy week the sun is shining again and I find
myself in the Yale Computer Center. Why does the weather
improve when I decide to spend a day working on NetMonth?
No matter. Welcome to NetMonth for June. What happened to
NetMonth for May and the new format? Let's just say that the
people (and my schedule) have spoken. To coin a phrase, "If
it's a little bit broke, you can live with it."
So, I promise to continue to produce NetMonth in it's
traditional format on a regular basis for as long as humanly
possible. Enough said.
***
Not counting mail delivery errors, I got almost 250 letters
(email) last week. I have a lot to catch up on. I suppose
that I should also handle the 50 or so left over from the week
before. Most of these (thank goodness) are letter from mailing
lists to which I subscribe. I can browse over them or log them
away to delete unread at a later date.
Luckily, the mail system we use lets me view the Subject: lines
of all my mail items before I actually read anything. If I'm
lucky I can cut my reading time in half by trashing the items
in which I have no interest.
Does everyone treat their mail this way? I think that I
actually read maybe 25% of my mail, and actually reply to 5%
(if that). It's a shame that we can't have mailing lists with
filters to keep away mail in which we have no interest (or
rather, scan for the items in which we DO). Nahhhh...
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Of course, there are still a few people out there under the
impression that my userid is a server. Oh, the joys of one
line mail messages that say HELP or SEND BITNET USERHELP.
Depending on my mood I have several options:
1. Just send them the information they want.
2. Send then the information they want, along with my typical
explanation that after years of study, the medical community
has finally concluded that I am, in fact, human, and they would
appreciate my being addressed as such, thank you.
3. Ignore them. They'll figure it out eventually.
4. Send them the explanation in option 2, only give them
instructions on how they can get the information themselves.
5. Get their phone number and call them, offering any kind of
assistance possible. After all, a plea for help is a plea for
help. This is an especially attractive option if the letter is
from a young woman with a cute name at a local University.
This hasn't happened yet, but I'm waiting.
Speaking of mail, let's hear it for the fact that Bitnews will
now only post items that have something to do with BITNET.
Amazing concept. I was getting tired of announcements about
Supercomputing Symposiums in Italy.
Mail, mail, mail... well, at least I don't get bills over the
network (yet).
Virtually,
Chris Condon@YALEVM
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*********
* *** * Save UMNEWS!
* *** *
* *** * by Andrew T. Robinson
*** ***
* *** * University of Maine
* *** *
* *** * ANDY@MAINE
*********
As you may or may not know, the funding for the UMNEWS project
will be exhausted on 1 July 1989. The search for continued
funding has been unsuccessful, and unless more funding is
found, the UMNEWS server will be shutdown permanently on or
about that date.
My purpose in sending you this note is to encourage you to use
your "voice" to appeal the fate of UMNEWS to the University of
Maine administration.
UMNEWS has been a BITNET institution (under various names, such
as VMNEWS and CSNEWS) since August 1984. According to a recent
survey performed by a person in Germany, out of 101 BITNET
information servers, UMNEWS processes 100 times as many
requests as any of the other servers. We have an active user
base--over any 120-day period--of between 6000 and 8000 people.
This success is not a fluke. It is a result of the fact that
UMNEWS has always been more responsive to the BITNET user
community than any other server system.
The University of Maine administration needs to be made aware
that UMNEWS is worth funding. At the current time, I think
most of the administrators who *are* aware of UMNEWS feel that
it is a novelty, but not worth spending the money necessary to
retain the motivated people who have developed and worked with
it.
If we could get enough letters of support, the administration
might see things differently. Unfortunately, even with
thousands of users it is difficult to get even 1% to respond to
a letter drive. We need more than 1%. We need every UMNEWS
user to write a letter to the University of Maine
administration, telling them that UMNEWS is a worthwhile
service and deserves funding.
Don't be apathetic. Don't just purge this mail and go on to
the next one. WRITE, today. It might take 30 minutes to write
an intelligent, articulate letter that might change the fate of
the UMNEWS server. The address to write to is:
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Dale W. Lick
President's Office
University of Maine
Orono, ME USA 04469
If you do choose to write, please send electronic mail to
ANDY@MAINE so we can keep track of how many letters have been
sent.
I really do not relish sending this "letter drive" sort of
thing to you. I know how often I get junk mail asking me to
save one thing or another that I really don't care about. But
I'm hoping that most of the people who will receive this letter
will not consider it junk mail. I hope you take the time to
write now, because we have less than five weeks before UMNEWS
is shut down -- and then it will be too late.
* Ed. Note: Andy Robinson is the Computer Information Services
Manager of the University of Maine Computer Science Department.
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*********
* *** * Mythology of the Internet Virus
* *** *
* *** * by Ivars Balkits
*** ***
* *** * University of California - Davis
* *** *
* *** * ISBALKITS@UCDAVIS
*********
Mythology of the Internet Virus
In regard to the BITNET/CSNET Joint Statement on Internet Virus
mentioned in Netmonth 3:9, I share the shock at public comments
about the event that seemed to praise the perpetrator of this
costly crime:
* Robert Tappan Morris, Jr., alleged author of the virus, was
compared (by friend Paul Graham, computer scientist at Harvard)
to Mathias Rust, the West German who flew his light plane
through Soviet defenses into Moscow's Red Square a year or so
ago.
* SRI International security expert Paul Neumann called Morris
a "folk hero" for bringing to national attention the
vulnerability of its computers.
* Morris, Sr., chief scientist at the National Computer
Security Center in Bethesda, MD., called his son's alleged
action "the work of a bored graduate student."
That this may have been the expression of post-adolescent
rebellion cannot be taken into consideration in judging this
criminal act. Nor should the fact that his father is national
computer security expert (likely with powerful central
connections). Nor should the fact that his act alerted
computer security experts to weaknesses in the system (we
really don't need those reminders, just more people working on
that problem). Nor should any comment comparing the Internet
virus author to Davy Crockett, Paul Bunyan, whatever, go
unchallenged.
Likewise, we should be aware and protest whenever any virus
writer is depicted as a technical wizard, a Doctor Frankenstein
whose 'genius' gives us a secret thrill, whose lawlessness
challenges us. We should make it clear in letters to editors
of local and national newspapers (and other media) that
emotionally-atrophied individuals who have lost touch with a
common ethic and common sense deserve no praise.
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Once we begin demystifying the criminal hacker, we stop
contributing to the myth that these persons are 'special.'
Instead of killing their viruses, we do better to concentrate
on killing their desire to become famous or infamous, as the
case may be.
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*********
* *** * Information on ONEnet
* *** *
* **** * from the NETINFO Filelist
* ***** *
* ****** * Network Information Center
* *** *** *
* *** **** LISTSERV@BITNIC
*********
* BITNET-CSNET Merger Timetable
(Note that events have overtaken the timetable in some cases.)
MARCH 1989:
1. UCAR President appoints five (5) people to serve as board
members of ONEnet until the first official election.
APRIL 5/6 TT MEETING:
1. Update on the process to select the official name for
ONEnet (to be called ONEnet until an official name is
selected).
2. Review latest draft of bylaws and agree before requesting
review by an attorney.
3. Recommendations for a legal firm.
4. Outline of policy manual and time table to complete.
5. Quote for officers and directors insurance.
6. Options for state of incorporation.
7. Discussion of managerial organization.
8. Draft agenda for first ONEnet board meeting.
9. Transition plan and budget (to Jan 90).
10. Outline of business plan and budget for FY 90 (Jan 90-
June 90) and FY 91 (July 90 - June 91).
11. Agenda for this meeting sent over network prior to
meeting.
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APRIL/MAY:
1. Review of bylaws by attorney.
JUNE TT MEETING:
1. Agree on new name to recommend to ONEnet board.
2. Finalize agenda for first ONEnet board meeting.
3. Acceptance of bylaws as revised by attorney and approve
recommendation to ONEnet board.
4. Agree on he managerial function for recommendation to the
ONEnet board.
5. Review draft Articles of Incorporation.
6. Review draft of business plan and budget for FY 90 and FY
91.
JUNE BITNET BOARD MEETING:
1. Approval, in concept, of ONEnet bylaws.
2. BITNET Board appoints five (5) people to serve as board
members of ONEnet until the first official election.
JUNE ONENET BOARD MEETING:
TT presentations and recommendations:
1. New name for ONEnet.
2. Officers and directors insurance.
3. Bylaws.
4. Prime contractor.
5. Transition plan to Jan 90.
6. Business strategy plan for FY 90 & 91.
7. Draft Articles of Incorporation.
8. Legal firm.
9. Filing for tax-exempt status.
Board actions to include:
1. Election of officers.
2. Appointment of long-term committee for development
of hardware/software/services.
3. Action on TT recommendations (above).
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JULY UCAR BOARD MEETING:
1. Approval, in concept, of ONEnet bylaws.
JULY:
1. Filing for incorporation in state selected by the ONEnet
board.
2. Filing with IRS for non-profit status.
SEPTEMBER ONENET BOARD MEETING:
1. Approval to implement the merger.
SEPTEMBER BITNET BOARD MEETING:
1. Approval to implement the merger.
OCTOBER UCAR BOARD MEETING:
1. Approval to implement the merger.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER:
1. Assignment of contracts and licenses of CSNET and BITNET.
JANUARY 1990:
1. Transfer of all assets and liabilities of CSNET and BITnet
to ONEnet, except for a small amount of cash to be maintained
by UCAR and BITnet to insure that all obligations are met. The
unused cash will be transferred to ONEnet by March 1990.
* BITNET-CSNET Estimated Costs of Transition
CONSULTANTS' FEES (GFA)
Initial report $35,762
BITNET summary (cost not shared) $4,693
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MEETINGS, estimated at $1,000 per person travelling for no
other reason; includes travel, lodging, food, meeting room
December '88 at BBN and ...
January '89 in SF 17,000
February '89 in Palo Alto 7,000
April '89 5,000
June-July Board & 1 other 20,000
LEGAL FEES
Bylaws, Incorporation, Tax-exempt 6,000
TRANSFER OF ASSETS 2,000
(Need BITNET & CSNET audits -- paid from their individual
assets, not included as separate transition costs).
NOTE: Staff time is folded into existing expenses of the
individual networks
--------- ----------
SHARED COSTS $92,762
BITNET-Only Cost $4,693
* Rather than printer the entire draft of the ONEnet bylaws, I
will print an excerpt here and you can decide if you want to
wallow in the legalese. The entire file is available from
LISTSERV@BITNIC if you send it the command SENDME ONENET
BYLAWS.
The better parts: "ONEnet is a not-for-profit membership
corporation chartered by its Member institutions to provide
national and international data-communication and related
services in support of teaching, research, development, and
related collaborative activities of the academic community and
of the government and industrial research communities. The
primary purpose of ONEnet is to provide computer-based
communication among scholars and researchers throughout the
world."
The not-so-great parts: "In the appropriate cases, the
singular shall be deemed to include the plural, the plural the
singular, the feminine gender the masculine, and the masculine
gender the feminine, as the sense of their use shall herein
require."
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*********
* *** * Announcing VMSSERV
* *** *
* **** * by Joe Meadows
* ***** *
* ****** * Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
* *** *** *
* *** **** JOE@FHCRCVAX
*********
VMSSERV@FHCRCVAX is a file server at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center storing many files and utilities of interest to
users of Digital VAX systems. The user communicates with
VMSSERV using a small vocabulary of commands. These commands
can be sent to VMSSERV either as interactive messages or as
electronic mail. Commands sent via mail are included in the
body of the memo, not in the Subject: line. A memo may
contain more than one command as long as there is only one
command per line.
* Commands
VMSSERV currently understands the following commands which
may be abbreviated to the upper case portion in this list:
DIRectory Õfile-specå Return a list of files available
GET Õfile-specå Synonym for SENDME
HELP Return a list of valid commands
INDex Õfile-specå Return a FILELIST
SENdme Õfile-specå Return a file
STATUS Return status information
VMSdump Õfile-specå Return a file in VMSDUMP format.
PUNch Õfile-specå Return a file in IBM Punch format
? Synonym for HELP
Please note that VMSDUMP and PUNCH within the body of a mail
message will not send the file in VMSDUMP or PUNCH format, the
file will be mailed back.
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* Transferring Binary Files
You can transfer binary files (.EXE, .TSK, .SAV) to a remote
system only if you are running Jnet V2 or later system.
These files must be transferred with the VMSDUMP command.
VMSDUMP is recommended for all requests from Jnet nodes as it
protects you from any non-standard character set conversion.
* VMS File Specifications
Filenames on DEC systems use a DOT ('.') to separate the
filename from the filetype. For example,
SEND FILE PACKAGE Is INCORRECT
SEND FILE.PACKAGE Is CORRECT
* Large Files
Files larger than 200 blocks will not be sent until after 20:00
PST
* $PACKAGE files
Files with the type of .$PACKAGE simply contain a list of files
that belong together (i.e. part of acomplete package). If you
request the file Utility.PACKAGE, the file Utility.$PACKAGE
will be read, and all the files it describes will be sent to
you. Note that there is not really a file called
Utility.PACKAGE, however that is what you should request! For
example, part of a DIR listing includes something like:
HEADERS.$PACKAGE
HEADERS.1_OF_2
HEADERS.2_OF_2
If you request HEADERS.PACKAGE, the file HEADERS.$PACKAGE will
be read (which simply contains the names of the HEADER.n_OF_n
files), and the two files HEADERS.n_OF_n will be sent to you.
* Some of the more interesting $PACKAGEs:
BITNET: This package contains two short programs. GRAB is an
example program that captures broadcast messages and simply
outputs them to a file pointed to by the logical SYS$OUTPUT.
LPUNCH is a program that converts files in listserv punch
format. It accepts a list of wildcarded filenames, and converts
the files that are in lpunch format.
HEADERS: This contains various headers used by the utilities.
These files were all made with UNSDL, so if you have UNSDL, you
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don't really need this. Note that the other utilities look for
these header files via the logical name UTIL$HEADER.
FILE: This is a utility which allows you to display and or
change header information about a file. It is most usefull when
you have somehow transferred a file from a non-VAX/VMS system
to a VAX/VMS system (or vice versa), and you need to change
characteristics of the file, such as changing the record size,
or putting fortran carriage control back on a file. This
utility does not create a new version of a file, it changes the
information stored in the file header, making it quite fast. A
good knowledge of RMS is usefull (necessary) when using this
tool. Requires headers from HEADERS.
FIND: This allows you to search very quickly through the file
system for files based on a wide variety of criteria. By
mapping the index file into memory it performs The Fastest
searches of any utility like it. Basically you can search based
on any attribute found in the file header (creation date,
amount of fragmentation, logical block numbers, whatever),
given a minimum and maximum value. You can perform AND or OR
searches on multiple criteria. You can also control what
information will be displayed about the file. Requires headers
from HEADERS.
MENU: This is a simple single column or free flow menu
program. It has quite a few nice features, including hidden
commands, ability to force commands, ability to add new
internal commands, plus many others.
SD: This is a simple SET DEFAULT. One feature this has that
most others don't is the ability to specify a wildcarded
filespec and it will find the file and move to the directory
where the (first matching) filespec is found.
STATUS: This is a fancy cluster/network wide SHOW USERS type
of program. You can specify what you want to see, and how you
want to see it. It can display any GETJPI item, several GETSYI
items, plus several other things. You can select which
processes you want displayed. It is also very easily modified.
If you do make modifications, I would be happy to try and add
them to this distribution in the future. Requires headers from
HEADERS.
VERB: This is a utility to make it possible to modify (or
simply look at) command definitions.
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*********
* *** * Enhancements to the TeX Archive Server
* *** *
* **** * by Michael DeCorte
* ***** *
* ****** * Clarkson University
* *** *** *
* *** **** MRD@SUN.SOE.CLARKSON.EDU
*********
The archive server here at Clarkson has undergone a lot of
changes in the past few months. It is finally stable but still
changing. Briefly, most of the files that are stored at Score
are now also at Clarkson and updated very often. Also
everything that was in the latex-style depository has been
classified into more appropriate groups. Below is a list of all
of the groups and a brief description of each.
amstex The AMSTeX macros that are at score
amstex-style contributed style files for AMSTeX
bibtex The .web, documentation and styles from
Leslie Lamport that are at score
bibtex-style contributed style files for BibTeX version
0.99
bibtex-style-0.98 contributed style files for BibTeX version
0.98
cm-fonts The .mf sources for the cm fonts that are at
score
lamport style files and .mf files by Leslie Lamport
that are at score
latex-style contributed style files for LaTeX
tex-doc manuals and documentation on TeX and MF that
are at score
tex-fonts contributed mf fonts
tex-inputs the .tex files needed to build TeX that are
at score
tex-programs contributed useful program for TeX
tex-sources The .web files for TeX that are at score
tex-style contributed style files for TeX
tex-test .web files to test TeX that are at score
texhax Collection of TeXhax's by Pierre MacKay
(Malcolm Brown)
texmag Collection of TeXMaG's by Don Hosek
tugboat files from TugBoat that are at score
uktex Collection of UKTeX's by Peter Abbott
Instead of listing all of the files that are being stored I
encourage you to get an Index as it changes frequently and the
Index of Indexes itself changes often enough.
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To retrieve files or help documentation send mail to ARCHIVE-
SERVER@SUN.SOE.CLARKSON.EDU with the body of the mail message
containing the command help or index or send. The send command
must be followed by latex-style (or the appropriate group) and
then the files you want.
To: archive-server@sun.soe.clarkson.edu
Subject:
path user@host.UUCP
send latex-style Readme Index
send latex-style resume.sty
There is one limitation that you must be aware of, the archive-
server will not send files more than 100k. That means that you
can not request large files such as tex.web and that if you
request a large number of files in one message it may be
rejected because the sum is greater than 100k.
* Editors note: Thanks to Don Hosek for sending this article
along.
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*********
* * Headlines
* *****
* *** * edited by Christopher Condon
* *** *
* *** * Yale University
***** *
* * Send your headlines to BITLIB@YALEVM.
*********
* Due to copyright problems, they Lyrics server is no longer
available. Thanks to Penny Ward for this update.
* A KERMIT Filelist: LISTSERV at HEARN stores a copy of all
the files from KERMSRV@CUVMA. On every sunday morning obsolete
or changed files are replaced by the new versions. Users in
Europe should use this server in order to relief
intercontinental traffic. Commands should be send to
LISTSERV@HEARN. For a list of files, send the command INDEX
KERMIT.
* The Alaskan Oil Spill: The University of Alaska Computer
Network has set up a special account so that the volunteers
working to help clean up the Prince William Sound oil spill can
receive electronic messages of thanks. Mail sent to
THANKS@ALASKA is sent to the volunteers, and is reportedly
helping keep their spirits up amidst the muck. Feel free to
post this up in your labs, to other lists or wherever. THANKS
is handled by a part-time instructor at Prince William Sound
Community College. None of the people there are employed by the
oil companies; they are doing this for free. So, DO NOT flame
THANKS about the situation. (Jonathan Clemens, University of
Alaska Southeast) Thanks to Sylvia Jacyno for forwarding this
note.
* JBH Online becomes Online-L: JBH Online (ISSN 0896-8241) is
a digest of selected English-language news and information from
outside the USA monitored by shortwave radio in South Bend,
Indiana (41 40'33"N, 86 15'01"W). It occasionally includes
supplemental specialized information from other sources as
well.
Mailed directly to reader/subscribers from its inception in
November 1987 until February 1989, JBH Online is now
distributed as Online-L through the ListServ utilities at
various institutions listed below.
To subscribe, send the following command to LISTSERV@IRLEARN
via mail or message: SUB ONLINE-L you_full_name.
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* BITNIC Staff Changes (from Jim Conklin): The BITNET Network
Information Center is undergoing major staff changes as a
result of its move from Princeton, New Jersey to Washington,
D.C. The first of these changes occurred on April 28, as we
bid a fond adieu to Elizabeth Kilcoyne, Isabel Sellers, and Pat
Noeth. Their dedication and enthusiasm have been vital to the
BITNIC's monthly preparation of the node information required
for routing-table generation and for updating the many
reference files maintained by the BITNIC; also to distribution
of materials to prospective and new BITNET members, maintenance
and improvement of BITNET documentation, and answering the
thousands of questions received each month by the BITNIC. We
wish Elizabeth, Isabel and Pat the very best as they move to
new opportunities.
In the D.C. office, we are fortunate to have located two very
highly qualified people to fill the first positions there.
Amanda Spiegel joined BITNIC in February, as its Executive
Assistant, responsible for most of the office management and
operational aspects of BITNIC. She has been organizing the
office, including its budgetary and financial activities and
its Director. She has also been leaning the monthly procedures
for handling node data, routing-table generation, file updates,
and message distribution. Amanda comes to the BITNIC with
academic, BITNET, and computer experience gained in the Cornell
Department of Astronomy, and supplemented by office management
experience with law firms in Baltimore and D.C.
Responsibility for BITNIC software development and support will
be assumed by Michael Hrybyk, who has accepted the position of
Senior Programmer-Analyst and Network Consultant effective May
15. Prior to his present position with a D.C. consulting firm,
Michael had been the BITNET Technical Representative at Johns
Hopkins University where he managed both the academic computing
services and the local-area network. In addition to his
knowledge of BITNET, Michael is experienced in VM/CMS, VMS, and
Unix, in the SMTP and RFC822 mail protocols, and in TCP/IP.
While at Johns Hopkins, he modified UREP and mmdf to run on
AT&T System V Unix systems.
We are still in the process of selecting the less senior staff
for the new D.C. BITNIC office. We are confident that the time
and care spent in selecting such top-notch staff as Amanda and
Michael will prove to be best for BITNET and all of you who use
it.
Thanks in advance for your help and understanding during the
transition.
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*********
* * New Mailing Lists
* *****
* *** * from NEW-LIST
* *** *
* *** * North Dakota State University
***** *
* * Send list announcements to NEW-LIST@NDSUVM1
*********
Each of the lists described here is maintained on a LISTSERV
machine unless otherwise noted. To subscribe to one of these
lists you would send the following command to the the
appropriate server via mail or message.
SUBSCRIBE listname Your_full_name
For example, if your name is Kristen Shaw and you want to
subscribe to a list described as "DIAPERS@YALEVM" you would
send the following command to LISTSERV@YALEVM:
SUBSCRIBE DAIPERS Kristen Shaw
To make contributions to the list you would send mail to
DIAPERS@YALEVM. Please note that this is just and example and
to my knowledge there are no mailing lists about diapers
(although you never know).
*****
GAELIC-L @ IRLEARN
An open, multi-disciplinary discussion list set up to
facilitate exchange of news, views, information in Irish/Scots
Gaelic.
Ta/ se/ fosgailte do achan duine teachtaireacht a chur isteach
chuig an liosta, ach i/ a bheith i nGaeilge na hE/ireann no/ i
nGai\dhlig na hAlban. Ni/ ga/ imni/ a bheith ort ma/ ta/ do
chuid Gaeilge lapach. Cuirfear fa/ilte roimh do
theachtaireacht cibe/ ar bith.
APL-L @ UNB
This list is intended for a discussion of the APL language, its
implementation, application and use. Contributions on teaching
APL are particularly welcome.
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CANDLE-L @ UA1VM
A forum for the discussion of Candle products. Topics could
include installation, performance monitoring, or any other
subject related to the use of Candle products on VM or MVS.
These products include OMEGAMON, EPILOG, AF/REMOTE,
CL/CONFERENCE 1000, CL/GATEWAY, CL/MENU, CL/SUPERSESSION and
any other future products.
SWAPS-L @ TECMTYVM
New foreign debt restructuring in indebted countries such as
Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Philipines, etc. is changing its
philosophy. Different instruments have been proposed, ranging
from debt-to-equity swaps, to exit bonds, etc. The topic has
been discussed and some countries, such as Mexico, have been
negotiating new conditions and criticizing debt-to-equity
swaps. This discussion list will include opinions and
proposals from members of the group.
FUSION @ NDSUVM1
The Fusion list is a BITNET/NetNorth/EARN Redistribution list
for the "alt.fusion" group of usenet news and the
fusion@zorch.uucp mailing list. The list is for discussion of
nuclear fusion. It is relayed from the original list.
Submissions to the Fusion list should be sent to
fusion@zorch.uucp (fusion%zorch@uunet.uu.net).
NAC @ NDSUVM1
The "NAC" list is a BITNET/NetNorth/EARN Redistribution list
for the "News.Announce.Conferences" group of Usenet News. The
group is used to post calls for papers and conference
announcements. Contributions should be submitted to news-
announce-conferences@mcmi.uucp.
EMUSIC-L @ AUVM EMUSIC-D @ AUVM
EMUSIC is a complementary pair of lists, EMUSIC-L and EMUSIC-D,
both devoted to the discussion of Electronic Music. The intent
of the lists is to provide as open a forum as possible, while
allowing the subscriber to actively choose the degree of
participation, based on particular interests in any attendant
sub-topic.
The list EMUSIC-L is organized as an open conversation, with
all input immediately distributed to the subscribers.
Discussions on this list change rapidly, can be brief or long-
winded, and range from aesthetics to technology.
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The list EMUSIC-D is a digest, and tends more toward a question
and answer format. At times, if a topic seems to be likely to
spin off from the main threads of discussion, the editor will
recommend that it be transferred to the conversational list.
In no case is dual subscription necessary. All input to
EMUSIC-D is passed directly to EMUSIC-L, and relevant
information generated there is edited into the digest. Both
lists are actively monitored and moderated.
BIOSPH-L @ UBVM
This list replaces the now defunct list OZONE@ICNUCEVM. The
new name reflects better the topics discussed. Anything
relating to the BioSphere, pollution, CO-2 effect, ecology,
habitats, climate etc etc can be discussed. Basically anything
that exerts an influence of some kind or another on the
BioSphere.
ANU-NEWS @ NDSUVM1
A discussion for administrators and users of the ANU-NEWS
software for VAX/VMS systems. ANU-NEWS is a software system
that allows VMS systems to act as Usenet nodes. Topics include
bugs, fixes, integrating lists from other networks, and
discussion of new features. Although the list is primarily for
communication among ANU-NEWS administrators, users are also
welcome.
OS-2 @ BLEKUL11
The purpose of the hereafter presented discussion forum is to
gain information on, extend the knowledge about, and increase
the insight in the fundamentals of The IBM/Microsoft OS/2
Operating System for Personal Computers.
To avoid noise, to keep this list interesting, OS-2 will be
moderated by editors, with messages from participants being
blocked in newsletters. Seperate parts for answers on previous
questions and new unanswered questions will be achieved through
editing. The only language supported will be english.
ALLMUSIC @ AUVM
This list is dedicated to the discussion of all forms of music,
in all its aspects. Its founding is based on the understanding
that most people who listen to and enjoy music do so from a
variety of standpoints, and that a general, unlimited forum is
desirable for both the integration and expansion of musical
ideas, techniques, and understanding. Therefore, all topics
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having to do with music are welcome, including but not limited
to: composition, performance, recording; research, critique,
inquiry, advocacy; instrument design, ethnomusicology,
psychacoustics, orchestration; jazz, classical, funk,
plainchant; and anything else you can think of. If a topic is
running that you have something to say about, or to question,
jump in. If you have something entirely different in mind,
start up another thread. Music is universal. With the advent
of electronic communication, so are we.
EDTECH @ OHSTVMA
This list was conceived to bring together students, faculty,
and "interested others" in the field of Educational Technology
to share ideas and information, to explore articles, books, and
presentations you've found interesting. To share information
about course offerings and Educational Technology graduate
program requirements, notable educational hardware and
software, current dissertations, and research projects in
Educational Technology.
YACHT-L @ GREARN
A new list has been created at GREARN. Its the YACHT-L, the
Yachting, Sailing, Design and amateur BoatBuilding list. This
list offers to the pepole that are interested in the above
subjects a way to communicate. Discussions about, new yachts,
designs, construction techniques, races etc are welcome.
BRS-L @ USCVM
BRS/Search is a full-text retrieval system which runs on
platforms including MS-DOS, XENIX, BSD 4.3 and AT&T System V
UNIX, IBM VM/CMS and MVS/CICS, and Data General MV series
machines.
LITERARY @ UCF1VM
LITERARY is a list for any lover of literature. Discussions
will include favorite authors, favorite works, literary styles,
criticisms, etc. (in fact, basically anything you can think of
regarding literature, unless postings become too numerous).
Postings from scholars as well as interested parties are
welcome.
BIOMED-L @ NDSUVM1
BIOMED-L is a discussion list on the topic of BIOMEDICAL
ETHICS. Since the field of medicine and medical technology are
rapidly changing and the field is so broad, it is difficult to
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have clearly delineated rules as to what should and should not
be discussed, but possible topics, for starters, might include:
Paternalism Fetal Cell Transplant
The Right to Die AIDS
Suicide Patient Autonomy
Abortion Drug Legalization
Euthanasia Respirator Withdrawal
Transplants Allocation of scarce resources
and many, many others too numerous to list here. The
discussions may be ethical, philosophical, religious,
political, social or even, in some cases, personal. Open
discussion, disagreement and dissent is encouraged. Open
flames are most certainly *not*.
AMNESTY @ JHUVM
This list distributes Amnesty International's urgent action
appeals, usually one per month. They are 1 or 2-page summaries
of a specific case of human rights abuse, such as a small group
of people who have been arrested wihtout reason, or are being
held secretly, or tortured, etc. They give the prisoners'
names, why they were arrested, who to write to, and what they
suggest you say.
Amnesty International is concerned with human rights, not just
amnesty. Sometimes they ask members to write letters
requesting not freedom, but better or more just treatment.
You don't have to be a member of or endorse Amnesty
International to receive this list. Additional discussion or
info from other organizations may be distributed.
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*********
* * Helpdesk - a question and answer column
* *****
* *** * feeble attempts at answers by Christopher Condon
* *** *
* *** * Yale University
***** *
* * Send your questions to BITLIB@YALEVM
*********
*Q* I read your article in the March issue of the APA
newsletter on computer use with great interest as I am a new
user of BITNET. Thanks for the explanation of the node names in
some addresses--this was a mystery to me! Perhaps you can
answer a question: our VM system has a NAMES command in which I
can store addresses of my correspondents. But the space for the
node only allows for seven characters and I can't figure out
how to put in longer addresses to other gateways. Is this
possible or do I just have to type them? - Mort Winston
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