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NetMonth, September 1989
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* * The independent guide to BITNET *
* * *
* * September, 1989 *
* * *
* * Volume 4, Number 2 *
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*********************** *******************************
Editor: Christopher Condon CONDON @ YALEVM
********************* Contents - Issue 33 *********************
*********
* *** * EDITORIAL PAGE____________________________________
* *** *
* *** * Bitnotes ....................................... 1
*** *** CREN Press Release ............................. 4
* *** * Flames To: ..................................... 7
* *** *
* *** *
*********
*********
* *** * FEATURES__________________________________________
* *** *
* **** * The Public-Access Computer Systems Review ...... 8
* ***** * Accessing the Nottingham Info Server ........... 9
* ****** * Using Your FINGER ............................. 11
* *** *** *
* *** ****
*********
*********
* * DEPARTMENTS_______________________________________
* *****
* *** * Headlines ..................................... 13
* *** * New Mailing Lists ............................. 15
* *** * Helpdesk ...................................... 17
***** * Feedback ...................................... 21
* * NetMonth Policies ............................. 23
*********
********************** 5320 Subscribers ************************
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*********
* *** * Bitnotes
* *** *
* *** * by Christopher Condon
*** ***
* *** * Yale University
* *** *
* *** * BITLIB@YALEVM
*********
"Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend
the afternoon having a good time."
-- A sign a Rome laundry
Õfrom "Anguished English" by Richard Ledererå
* A Tourists Guide To BITNET
Are you tired of the same old thing? Bored with the regular
routine, the monotonous job, the chore-filled weekends? Are
you feeling listess and generally unexcited about the world
around you?
Of course you are. What you need is a vacation. Some time to
get away from it all. A change of pace from those expensive
food, wine, and beer fests. Something different to put the
curdle back in your cream.
What's that? No money? No problem!
Yes, you heard right! No airfare, no hotel bills, no snobby
porters, no changing exchange rates. In fact, if you're
reading this, your vacation may have already begun. You have
entered the exciting world of BITNET!
Join us in a whirlwind tour of one of the worlds largest
computer networks, from its research centers set in sumptuous
cathode-ray-green country landscapes to its exquisite cathode-
ray-green ivy-league universities!
SEE... the messages fly past as you engage in startling
intellectual conversations on RELAY!
HEAR... the screams of joy from adjacent terminals as your
friends receive the ever-popular message LINK CUNYVM NOT
CONNECTED.
SMELL... the ozone as your terminal bursts into flames!
(optional)
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EXPERIENCE... the excitement, the joy, the pain, the anguish,
the romance, the mystery, the file queues!
Hop onto our electronic tour bus! Here we go...!
First stop: The local RELAY. Whether you like it or not, this
is the first place people hear about, so it will be the first
place we visit. Hello people!
FROM RELAY: (Gagger) Hello
FROM RELAY: (Doug) Hi
FROM RELAY: (Simka) Hola
FROM RELAY: (AckMaster) Hey-oh
FROM RELAY: (Drool) Welcome.
FROM RELAY: (Annette) Hey!
ÕA few minutes passå So, what's up people?
FROM RELAY: (Gagger) Nothing.
FROM RELAY: (Doug) Not much here.
FROM RELAY: (Simka) *yawn* oh nothing
FROM RELAY: (AckMaster) nuthin' honey
FROM RELAY: (Drool) You mean, like, a topic?
FROM RELAY: (Annette) Hey!
ÕA few more minutes passå Well, I guess we'll be going!
FROM RELAY: (Gagger) OK, bye!
FROM RELAY: (Doug) Later.
FROM RELAY: (Simka) Goodbye.
FROM RELAY: (AckMaster) Seeya
FROM RELAY: (Drool) later, dude.
FROM RELAY: (Annette) Hey!
Well, enough of RELAY! Let's join one of the mailing lists!
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 89 23:52:00 EDT
Reply-To: COBOL Discussion List
Sender: COBOL Discussion List
From: Ted Kord
Subject: COBOL as a Way of Life
To: Whirldwind Tourists
==========================================================
Listen, you slime-eating bucket of scum! I don't care how
much you like C! A lot of great PC applications have been
written in COBOL! Why, only last week I picked up this
neat little card-punching program. Oh, by the way, does
anyone know where I can find a card-punch for a PC?
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Perhaps this was a bad choice. Let's try a different one.
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 89 28:44:00 EDT
Reply-To: Dream Interpreters
Sender: Dream Interpreters
From: Wally West
Subject: help
To: Whirldwind Tourists
==========================================================
help
Hmmm... not our day. I assure you that it's usually more
interesting than this. NetMonth? No, you don't want to look
at that rag... why don't we check out some file servers
instead?
What's that? No more time? But really... Well, let me show
you one last item, it will only take a moment.
Thank you. Now, many people ask how they can find the address
of someone in the network. For example, perhaps there is an
old high-school chum or a famous researcher to whom you want to
drop a note. Well, we have just the tool! Yes, lovely isn't
it? We call it a telephone...
*****
On a more positive note, Craig White is back with another
Flames To: column. If you have complaints about life in BITNET
or you want to gripe about most anything that is network
related, tell Craig.
On the other hand, we are still lacking in the department of
editorials. Many people have been kind enough to write about
some of the new services in the network, but no one seems to be
able to write editorials or letters. Please, send them in!
I'd like to see an opinion other than my own on the Editorial
Page. Thanks in advance!
Virtually,
Chris Condon@YaleVM
Note the next article. If CREN becomes offical, perhaps we
should rename NetMonth: CRENium? CRENdition? CRENola? Send
in your ideas!
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*********
* *** * CREN Press Release
* *** *
* *** * from Jim Conklin
*** ***
* *** * BITNET Network Information Center
* *** *
* *** * CONKLIN@BITNIC
*********
Õfrom Bitnewså
The BITNET-CSNET merger is progressing rapidly, with Bylaw
revisions completed and an initial Board of Trustees proposed.
It will be easiest, it turns out, to proceed by renaming the
BITNET corporation, revising its Bylaws and Certificate of
Incorporation, and electing the proposed initial Board as the
Board of the revised BITNET corporation, which will have the
(proposed) new name: Corporation for Research and Educational
Networking. A press release follows, and more information will
be forthcoming shortly on the list POLICY-L@BITNIC.
****
BITNET/CSNET Announce Merger and Formation of CREN
Washington, DC, August 18, 1989: Two of the nation's leading
academic and research computer networks announced today that
final steps are being taken to merge their organizations. Ira
Fuchs, President of BITNET, and Bernard Galler, Chairman of
CSNET, jointly reported that the two networks, which together
include 600 colleges, universities, government agencies, and
private sector research organizations, will unite to form the
Corporation for Research and Educational Networking, CREN.
Galler, a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer
Science at the University of Michigan, commented: "The aims of
CSNET and BITNET--to support and promote the use of computer
networks on campuses and within research organizations--have
converged over the last several years. We believe that by
bringing these two networks into a single organization, we will
be able to provide better service to our network users and more
effectively participate in the fastchanging national network
environment."
Fuchs, Vice President for Computing and Information Technology
at Princeton University, sees the move as a strengthing factor:
"The need for campus networks and the introduction of new
technology make it necessary to build a common base of network
services using the most progressive technology available. By
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eliminating overlap between our two organizations, we will
become more efficient, and more importantly, we can take a
stronger role in the the formation of the national education
and research network. We can achieve this goal faster and at
lower cost by leveraging the efforts of the two major academic
networking organizations."
The merger of CSNET and BITNET has been studied for more than a
year by a planning group consisting of representatives from
both networks. CSNET currently lists 145 institutional and
corporate members, and BITNET 480 members. Together, the two
networks cover all 50 states and 32 foreign countries,
including Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. Both maintain
gateways to EARN (European Academic Research Network), NetNorth
(Canada), and the National Internet.
The planning group's recommendations to merge were approved by
the BITNET, Inc. Trustees and the Directors of the University
Corporation for Atmospheric Research, operators of CSNET for
the last five years. An information packet on the merger is
being mailed to all members of both networks this week, with a
ballot for BITNET members, who must approve the final legal
steps under the provisions of BITNET By-Laws. In an advisory
vote last winter, BITNET members approved the merger in
principle by more than 90% of those voting.
A gradual transition period is planned to bring together CSNET
and BITNET services. CREN plans to continue use of EDUCOM and
Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) to provide technical and general
management services to its members.
EDUCOM President Kenneth M. King commented, "We are entering a
particularly challenging period in the creation of an advanced
national network infrastructure for research and education.
CREN will play a major role in the future of these computer
networks, which are becoming more and more important to the
conduct of research and the quality of education. EDUCOM is
pleased to have an opportunity to support the services and
activities of CREN. "
Frank Heart, Senior Vice President, BBN Systems and
Technologies Corporation, said, "In keeping with its long
involvement in the development of networking technologies, BBN
is pleased to play a major supporting role in the evolution of
BITNET and CSNET."
The proposed CREN Board includes Fuchs and Galler; Douglas
Bigelow, Wesleyan University, William Curtis, University
Corporation for Atmospheric Research; David Farber, University
of Pennsylvania; Suzanne Johnson, INTEL Corporation; Mark
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Laubach of Hewlett-Packard Corporation; Philip Long, Yale
University; Dennis Ritchie, AT&T Bell Laboratories; Martin
Solomon, University of South Carolina; Douglas Van Houweling,
University of Michigan; and William Yundt, Stanford University.
For more information, contact CREN, Suite 600, 1112 16th Street
NW, Washington, DC, 20036; 202 872-4215.
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*********
* *** * Flames To:
* *** *
* *** * by Craig White
*** ***
* *** * University of Alabama
* *** *
* *** * CWHITE@UA1VM
*********
Hello again,
I hope that everyone's summer break was nice and that things
are going smoothly for you. My work has been keeping me much
too busy since you've last heard from me. More about that
later.
Perhaps there are new readers to Net Month since the last
"Flames To:" appeared here. Just in case, let me say a word or
two about this column. First of all, "Flames To:" is *YOUR*
column much more than it is mine. What I mean by this is that
most of the subject matter in "Flames To:" comes from people in
NetLand who tell me about changes they would like to see in the
network, or network activity or behavior that angers them.
Topics have ranged from "PLEASE send requests to be
added/deleted from lists to the LISTSERV not the list" to "Why
you should avoid speedy replies to a flame." I want to
continue to be your voice, so if you have a topic for a future
"Flames To:" please feel free to send me mail.
Much of my time at work has been dedicated to establishing and
correcting our INTERnet connection. We have also been setting
up a campus wide local area network which also uses the TCP/IP
protocol. Because of this, I have not had as much time to keep
up with the current happenings on BITNET as I would have liked
to. However, the time seems well spent in terms of new
knowledge about the mechanics and politics of networks.
Since I don't have any flames this month, other than to myself
for neglecting my duties as a columnists, the column will be
short this month. Next month, we will be back with real Flames
once again. As always send questions, comments and flames to
CWHITE@UA1VM.
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*********
* *** * The Public-Access Computer Systems Review
* *** *
* **** * by Charles Bailey
* ***** *
* ****** * University of Houston
* *** *** *
* *** **** LIB3@UHUPVM1
*********
ÕThanks to Itzchak Gilboa for forwarding this information.å
An electronic journal, the Public-Access Computer Systems
Review, has been established on the Public-Access Computer
Systems Forum (PACS-L@UHUPVM1). The PACS Review will cover all
computer systems that libraries make available to their
patrons, including CAI and ICAI programs, CD-ROM databases,
expert systems, hypermedia systems, information delivery
systems, local databases, online catalogs, remote end-user
search systems, and other systems. The editorial staff of the
PACS Review are:
Editor: Charles W. Bailey, University of Houston
Editorial Board: Nancy Evans, Carnegie Mellon University
David R. McDonald, University of Michigan
Paul Evan Peters, New York Public Library
Mike Ridley, McMaster University
R. Bruce Miller, University of California,
The PACS Review will contain short articles (1-7 single-spaced
pages), bibliographies, columns, and reviews. If you are
interested in writing an article or contributing other
material, please contact the editor (see below). The PACS
Review will be sent to all members of the PACS Forum. To join
the PACS Forum, send the following command to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1
vis mail or message:
SUBSCRIBE PACS-L Your_full_name
I welcome all relevant contributions to the PACS Review.
Articles that deal with innovative projects in libraries, even
those at an early stage of development, are especially welcome.
Please keep in mind that the focus of the PACS Review is on
public systems that are made available to patrons.
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*********
* *** * Accessing the Nottingham Info Server
* *** *
* **** * by Julian Onions
* ***** *
* ****** * Nottingham University
* *** *** *
* *** **** JPO@CS.NOTT.AC.UK
*********
Nottingham University runs an information server and software
archive. The server will send out files contained in mail
messages, in response to a request contained in a mail message
sent to INFO-SERVER@CS.NOTT.AC.UK.
Requests are of the form:
Request: subject
Topic: topic within that subject
Request: end
As an example suppose you want to be mailed information about
gnuemacs in the subject software. You would send a message of
the form:
Request: catalogue
topic: gnuemacs
request: end
and the gnuemacs information would be mailed back to you. The
key words supported by the information server are: request,
topic and line-limit.
These can be upper or lower case or a mixture. They are
separated from the remainder of the line by tabs, spaces or :
this is optional.
Line-limit is for use by people who have mail systems that can
only deal with small messages. Consider the following request:
line-limit 1000
Request: catalogue
topic: xtrek
topic: gcc
request: end
This would mail out xtrek and gcc information in 1000 line
chunks (Not including message header information). The line
limit must lie between 1000 and 200000000. The default is send
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the file in 1 message. Everything after the "request end" is
ignored.
A complex request could look like this:
line-limit 2000
Request: catalogue
topic: gcc
topic: xtrek
line-limit 3000
Request: sources
topic: software.ms
topic: index
request: end
A list of the "top level" requests can be obtained by sending
the following request to the info-server:
request: index
topic: index
request: end
Within a request subject, an index and also help information
are available. These would be (using software as the subject
example).
request: catalogue
topic: index (or help)
request end
All blank lines are ignored, and the "request end" is optional,
however if it is omitted and there are other lines in the
message an automatic error message will be sent to you.
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*********
* *** * Using Your FINGER
* *** *
* **** * by Christopher Condon
* ***** *
* ****** * Yale University
* *** *** *
* *** **** CONDON@YALEVM
*********
FINGER is a user directory server at Saint Peter's College.
While it contains many features and commands which are useful
to local users (listing of active jobs, etc.) the most
important feature is its ability to give you the usernames of
people at SPCVXA.
There are no commands associated with a name search. You
simply send FINGER@SPCVXA an interactive message (not mail)
with the name for which you are searching. For example, I was
searching for Shirley Jones, so (being lazy) I sent a message
with the text JONES. The reply:
FROM SPCVXA: SPCVXA VAX/VMS, Saturday, 16-Sep-1989 13:59
FROM SPCVXA:
FROM SPCVXA: 0JONES_L - Lila M. Jones
FROM SPCVXA: 2JONES_B - Barbara A. Jones
FROM SPCVXA: 3JONES_J - Jacqueli Jones
FROM SPCVXA: 6JONES_J - Julianne Jones
FROM SPCVXA: 8JONES_S - Shirley Jones
FROM SPCVXA: 9JONES_M - Marcia K. Jones
FROM SPCVXA: Finger command complete
The server also accepts wildcards. Note that when I asked the
server to search for CHRIS* that it searches in both the first
and last name:
FROM SPCVXA: SPCVXA VAX/VMS, Saturday, 16-Sep-1989 14:00
FROM SPCVXA:
FROM SPCVXA: 0CUNNING_C - Christin R. Cunning
FROM SPCVXA: 0GILCHRIST_J - Janet M. Gilchrist
FROM SPCVXA: 1BREEN_C - Christa L. Breen
FROM SPCVXA: 1ECONOMIDE_C - Chris Economides
FROM SPCVXA: 2CHRISTMAN_D - Douglas H. Christmann
FROM SPCVXA: 2HART_C - Chris W. Hart
FROM SPCVXA: CUTRONA_C - Christene Cutrona - Chal.
FROM SPCVXA: Finger command complete
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The FINGER source code is available by sending the command GET
FINGER.PACKAGE to VMSSERV@SPCVXA. A version for PDP-11's
running RSTS/E is available from the same server as file
FINGER11.PACKAGE. There is also a discussion list, I-
FINGER@SPCVXA:
"I-FINGER is a discussion of the Finger program and related
utilities. Finger is a utility which performs username lookup,
WHOIS functions, and system status functions. This list is
hosted on the system where VMS Finger and RSTS/E Finger are
maintained, so initial discussions will probably center around
these versions. However, discussions about any Finger variant
or similar utilities are welcomed.
"Requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems,
questions, etc., should be sent to I-FINREQ@SPCVXA."
ÕThanks to Terry Kennedy for the additional information.å
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*********
* * Headlines - all the news that fits
* *****
* *** * edited by Christopher Condon
* *** *
* *** * Yale University
***** *
* * Send your Headlines to BITLIB@YALEVM.
*********
* Errata: In last month's issue of NetMonth, the description
of how to send mail to BITNET from CompuServe is incorrect.
This was due to a change on CompuServe's part and a missing
character on mine. The corrected examples should read as
follows:
From the CompuServe side, you would use their EasyPlex mail
system to send mail to someone in BITNET or the Internet. For
example, to send me mail at my BITNET id, you would address
it to:
>INTERNET:CONDON%YALEVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Or to one of my Internet ids:
>INTERNET:CONDON@VENUS.YCC.YALE.EDU
Thanks to the many people who told me of the error. In another
mess up, I incorrectly advised people in the Helpdesk column to
send mail to the LSTSRV-M@CEARN when they want to set up a new
mailing list. The correct address is LSTSRV-L@RUTVM1. Thanks
to Eric Thomas for catching that.
* The NutWorks electronic magazine is no longer available.
Apparently it hasn't been availablr for quite some time.
Thanks to Karen O'Quin for telling me.
* CREN Bylaws Õfrom Jim Conklinå: For those who are
interested, the revised Bylaws proposed for the Corporation for
Research and Educational Networking are available from
LISTSERV@BITNIC as CREN BYLAWS. Just send a message or mail
file with any subject and one line of text: SEND CREN BYLAWS
and the bylaws will be sent as a file.
The "Purpose" section of the proposed Bylaws now replicates
that of the present BITNET Bylaws, since the new Bylaws are
designed to carry the BITNET corporate entity forward rather
than to start a new corporation, and counsel suggests that
having the "Purpose" unchanged is wise. Advise of counsel
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(both BITNET and UCAR counsel) has resulted in a number of
other changes to the previously posted Bylaws, though the
intent is consistent.
The proposed Board of Trustees for the revised corporation,
consisting of six members of the present BITNET Board, five
representatives from the present CSNET Executive Committee, and
one representative from UCAR, is listed, with e-mail and postal
addresses and telephone numbers in the file CREN BOARD
available from LISTSERV@BITNIC.
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*********
* * New Mailing Lists
* *****
* *** * edited by Christopher Condon
* *** *
* *** * Yale University
***** *
* * Send your 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).
*****
ECONOMY@TECMTYVM - Economic Problems
The economy and economic problems of Less Developed Countries
(LDCs) have become real laboratories for both the economic
discipline, and economic policy measures. This discussion list
is aimed at analyzing economic problems, theories, policies,
social conditions, political settings, etc., of LDCs and their
relationship with the industrial world.
Any opinions, discussion, questions in this and related areas
are welcomed. This discussion list amplifies a former list
called SWAPS-L, which had a narrower objective: Debt
Restructuring in LDCs. The agenda for the present list is less
structured and broader.
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NOVELL@SUVM - Novell Netware Users
This list is for folks in higher education who use the Novell
Netware (c) Network Operating System (NOS). This list is
especially good for folks in multi-vendor environments. We
focus on questions and helpful hints about hardware, software
and administration of Novell Networks in Higher Ed. Since the
list focuses on support we try to keep *FLAMES* to a minimum
(*FLAMES* can be sent to BIG-LAN@SUVM). This is a user
supported list.
DISSPLA@TAUNIVM - DISSPLA Users and Maintainers
DISSPLA (Display Integrated Software System and Plotting
LAnguage) is a high-level FORTRAN graphics subroutine library
designed for programmers in engineering, science and business.
The list is intended for users and maintainers of DISSPLA.
Topics include programming hints, bugs and fixes,
implementation on various operating systems and I/O devices.
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*********
* * Helpdesk - a Question and Answer Column
* *****
* *** * by Murph Sewall
* *** *
* *** * University of Connecticut
***** *
* * SEWALL@UCONNVM
*********
Have a question? Send it to BITLIB@YALEVM!
*Q* I have heard that one can send mail to India on BITNET.
However, I do not know what nodes are active, and how I can get
through. Could you help me?
*A* ÕMurph Sewallå India is a BIG place. Consequently, the
number of nodes is in the hundreds. Access is via the UUCP
network. The "how can I reach India" question comes up
regularly on the INFO-NETS list.
You can "explore" by getting some of the INFONETS archives and
rummaging through the UUCP nodemaps stored on NETSERV and
LISTSERV. You can send the following commands to their
respective servers:
LISTSERV@BITNIC:
GET INFONETS LOG8905
GET INFONETS LOG8906
GET INFONETS LOG8907
NETSERV@BITNIC:
GET UUCP $HELP
GET UUCP $README
GET UUCP DUINDIA
GET UUCP USAINDIA
If you have a SPECIFIC question about how to get mail to a
SPECIFIC ADDRESS in India; you can email your question to:
info-nets@Think.COM, but please remember that saying "how can I
send mail to India?" is rather like saying "how can I send
email to California?" Even asking how to reach, say "the
University of Bombay" isn't really helpful because you still
need the username of someone who's there. The best way to get
email addresses from an individual you wish to contact is by
telephone or surface mail.
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*Q* I'm fairly new to doing anything but sending mail to other
users on BITNET. However, I am now interested in getting
access to some files that are on various INTERNET servers. Two
questions arise. First, I have been told that the way to get
these is to "FTP" them. What is this FTP? Can I do it on
BITNET. Second and more generally, is there a way to ask a
server at, say, SIMTEL20 on INTERNET to send me files?
*A* ÕChris Condonå FTP is the File Transfer Protocol for the
Internet. Users in the Internet can "sign on" to FTP servers
at various nodes in their network(s) and transfer files. It is
very much like dialing up a bulletin board with a PC and
downloading files. Many BITNET nodes (for example, YALEVM) are
linked to both BITNET and the Internet and can access this
feature.
The SIMTEL20 server will send you files. You can get more
information by sending the server the HELP command. However,
you can get many of the same files by using the /PDGET commands
on LISTSERV@RPIECS.
*Q* Your tip on getting to and from CompuServe was/is
wonderfully timely. How about MCI? Can I send mail to it
also? Or is that asking too much?
*A* ÕChris Condonå You can send mail to MCI by using the
DASNET link. I beleive that this will work for many other
services as well, such as APPLELINK, BIX, etc. The syntax, as
I understand it, looks like this:
To: XB.DAS@STANFORD
Subject: user@MCI
For example, to send mail to my MCI id, your subject would be
CMCONDON@MCI.
*Q* How do I reply to an address of the form:
host!notherhost!yetanotherhost!user@someplace.domain
*A* ÕMurph Sewallå UUCP addresses can be somewhat idosyncratic.
As a general rule it's better to let the gateway "path alias"
software figure it out. When you see an address of:
host3!host2!host1!user@node.domain, the user is at 'host1' and
user@host1.uucp usually is the most appropriate reply path.
Your mailer will 'automagically' convert that to
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user%host.uucp@PSUVAX1 (the UUCP gateway). It's also possible
to use: host3!host2!host1!user@PSUVAX1
UUCP is case sensitive (doesn't understand upper case at all).
PSUVAX1 will convert addresses of the form user@host.uucp to
all lower case, but the other forms are used "as is." If you
send PSUVAX1 nothing but lower case in addresses, you'll avoid
grief on that account.
Generally, those truly messy UUCP addesses get delivered with
list mail that's wandered around USENET. Those addresses
typically are not the most efficient return path (they often
get bounced). UUCP is a hoot, there are few rules which don't
have exceptions. When you have trouble with a specific
address, send a *detailed* query (exactly what address you're
trying to reach) to INFO-NETS@THINK.COM and you'll get help.
Eventually, you'll acquire enough experience to answer
questions yourself.
*Q* I had a question regarding the actual hardware being used
by BITNET. Is all the information sent via existing Ma
Bell/baby bell lines? And, if so, who pays the bill(s)? And
now a pie-in-the-sky query: would it be feasible to use a
telecommunications satellite to send all the data and do away
with links (and down links), or is the cost just too much?
*A* ÕChris Condonå The lines which connect nodes are
"conditioned" leased lines (regular phone lines are too noisy)
available from AT&T and probably the other long distance
companies as well as the local companies. Each university pays
the cost of its link to the network. I suppose that it would
be feasable to use satellites, but it probably *would* be too
expensive to use for everything. Sometimes it just wouldn't
make sense, if the next university is only 20 miles away (In
the northeast this is the rule, not the exception).
*Q* How could we, from Milnet, find the address of someone on
Bitnet?
*A* ÕMurph Sewallå On BITNET you get what we pay for
(practically nothing). NETSERV@BITNIC does have a UDS (User
Directory Service), but it's so poorly
promoted/publicized/attended-to that your ability to identify
folks is slim (I am, last time I checked the ONLY UCONNVM user
in the USA directory, and I don't even work for our Computer
Center). Your best bet is send email to LISTSERV@MARIST:
(subject ignored)
/WHOIS string
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Some LISTSERVs (including MARISTs) keep track of everyone who's
ever subscribed to any list on that server. LISTSERV@MARIST is
the home of one of the largest lists in Christendom (surely the
largest on BITNET) - NETMONTH (with almost 5,400 subscribers
the last time I checked). Sooo... LISTSERV@MARIST should
'know' almost any BITNET user that's learned how to use
LISTSERVs. BUT 1) that's not everyone, and 2) *some* of those
names@nodes are obsolete (/WHOIS lists don't seem to have an
expiration date).
BITNET makes life difficult by not having a consistent
postmaster address (such as POSTMAST). You can identify the
postmaster (or inforep, or SOMEbody) at each BITNET node by
sending email to NETSERV@BITNIC:
(subject ignored)
GET NODENTRY nodename
NETSERV@BITNIC also has BITNET NODELST containing all the
nodenames and minimal info about what/where each is.
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*********
* * Feedback - a letters column
* *****
* *** * edited by Christopher Condon
* *** *
* *** * Yale University
***** *
* * Send your letters to BITLIB@YALEVM.
*********
From: Marcia Miskimen
Subject: BITNET and all that
Hi. I just read this month's NETMONTH, which I only happened
across because I got lucky. Anyhow, I don't know who to
contact, but here goes. I will be leaving the University world
in a few short weeks, and I will really miss having BITNET.
I've only been here a year, but I've learned a lot because of
the lists on BITNET (namely REXXLIST and PROFS-L) and the
people have been always helpful and usually polite, and I even
made some new electronic friends.
I just wanted SOMEONE out there to know that I appreciate that
BITNET is there and that I don't take it for granted.
Happy BITNETting!
From: Pierre Wauters
Subject: Are User Directory Servers useful?
I am a Belgian scientist working in the field of biomedical
sciences and specialized in a technique (you have probably
never heard of) called "flow cytometry".
It is a hot topic in biology and we are many all over the world
working in this particular area to the point that there is a
journal (Cytometry, Alan R. Liss Inc.) dedicated to flow
cytometry, an american organization (SAC: The Society for
Analytical Cytology) having thousands of members and also a
french organization (ACF: Association de Cytometrie en Flux).
The reason I tell you this is that I found quite amazing not to
get a single match for the keyword "cytometry" either from ANY
COUNTRY NETSERV or from BITSERVE@CUNYVM!
There seem to be so many user directory servers that they
become useless since you have to know where the person you're
looking for has registered (if he has). Or am I wrong ?
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Couldn't you discuss this topic in a future netmonth and tell
the people where and how they should register first ?
We should also agree on some sort of standard format for the
entries. Isn't it possible to build a list of basic keywords
the people would choose from. I know, I know . It not so easy !
But I said *basic* . The users would choose one or more
keywords from the list and still add one or more words that
better describe their interest. Let me take one example:
Looking for people sharing my interest in operating systems,
shall I look for *operating* for *system* for *OS* ? Some
people might have just put *VM/CMS*.
* Editor's Response: I agree, this is a problem, and no one
seems to have taken it under their wing. Part of the problem
goes back to privacy laws: Requiring people to register in
servers apparently would cause some legal problems, although
the reasons why are beyond me. It seems that each new user
directory server that comes out reduces the effectiveness of
the others. This is one of those areas where we need either
some leadership from the BITNIC or a "white knight" to write
and promote a distributed user directory server.
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*********
* * NetMonth Policies
* *****
* *** * Everything you ever wanted to know...
* *** *
* *** * ...but were afraid to ask.
***** *
* * BITLIB@YALEVM
*********
NetMonth is a network service publication distributed free of
charge to students and professionals in BITNET and other
networks. This magazine and its companion file, BITNET SERVERS,
are the work of the BITNET Services Library (BSL) staff and
contributors from around the network.
BITNET SERVERS is BITNETs list of servers and services. If you
know of servers not listed in BITNET SERVERS, or if some listed
are no longer available, please contact the NetMonth Editor.
* Subscribing to NetMonth and BITNET SERVERS:
Send the following command to LISTSERV@MARIST by mail or
messgage:
SUBSCRIBE NETMONTH Your_full_name
A subscriber can delete him/herself from the mailing list by
sending LISTSERV@MARIST the command:
UNSUB NETMONTH
Internet users may use these methods, but must address the mail
to LISTSERV@MARIST.BITNET
* Back issues:
BITNET users may get NetMonth back issues from the file server
LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA. For a list of files, send the server the
the command:
INDEX NETMONTH
* Letters to the Editor: If you have questions or comments
about BITNET or NetMonth that you would like to see printed
here, mail your letter to BITLIB@YALEVM. Make sure that you
specify in the "Subject:" header or somewhere in the letter
that it is for the NetMonth letters column.
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* Article Submissions: The only requirements for NetMonth
articles and columns are that they be informative, interesting,
and concern some BITNET-related topic. Send your articles and
to BITLIB@YALEVM.
* Printing this file: VM users can print this file by using
the "( CC" option of the PRINT command. VAX/VMS users should
RECEIVE NetMonth with a format of FORTRAN.
John McMahon of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has
written a program or VAX/VMS users which changes Fortran form
feeds in an issue of NETMONTH to ASCII form feeds. This allows
a user on a VAX/VMS system to RECEIVE a copy of NETMONTH,
reformat it using this procedure, and print it using the
standard VMS PRINT command.
The program is internally documented, and you can get a copy by
sending the following command to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA or MARIST:
SENDME NETMONTH COM
_
__-
__--- The
__----- BITNET
__------- Services
___________ Library "Because We're Here."
***************************************************************
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