ECOLOG-L".
11. Where can I get more information about LISTSERV?
--------------------------------------------------
Like most 'E-mail answering programs', LISTSERV responds to the simple
request:
HELP
That should get you started on your search for knowledge. For example,
you will find out that a LISTSERV users manual can be obtained by
sending the request "SEND LISTSERV MEMO". This file provides a detailed
description of most of the LISTSERV command language. There are other
documentation files. Use the command "SEND LISTSERV FILELIST" to see
what is available. You will also find more FILELISTs, which are like
subdirectories. For example, ECOLOG-L FILELIST is a subdirectory of
LISTSERV FILELIST. All files available from LISTSERV are listed in
FILELIST's, and the filenames have the form FILENAME FILETYPE (with a
space in between). This is a feature of the IBM VM/CMS system on which
LISTSERV is implemented.
TSERV, which can be used to search the archives for
keywords.
A LISTSERV Overview and General User Command Summary (aka LISTSERV Users
Guide) is available electronically from:
LISTSERV@EARNCC.BITNET
in plain text and Postscript format.
To get the LISTSERV Overview and General User Command Summary, send
the command:
GET LSVGUIDE MEMO (plain text)
GET LSVGUIDE PS (Postscript)
12. Who are the 'list owners', or 'moderators', and what do they do?
------------------------------------------------------------------
Although LISTSERV is reasonably intelligent, it cannot handle every
problem. For this reason, ECOLOG-L has a 'list owner'. If LISTSERV does
not know what to do, it sends a message to the list owner. If E-mail to a
subscriber 'bounces' because of networking or other problems, the error
message is also forwarded to the list owner. This is not a trivial job:
every posting usually generates between 5 and 10 error messages, but
sometimes the number can reach 300/day. When error messages from one
subscriber are persistent, the list owner usually tries to find out what
happened, and contact the responsible postmasters to correct the problem.
If no solution is found, the subscriber's subscription is usually
cancelled. After that, no ECOLOG-L mail will go to that subscriber. If
you suspect this has happened to you, send the command "query ECOLOG-L" to
LISTSERV. If you receive no reply, this means you are unable to receive
mail from LISTSERV, and you should ask your system administrator to fix
that.
The list owner also acts as a 'moderator' of the bulletin board when
necessary. As mentioned in section 4, postings to the list are not
restricted or censored. The listowner is more like a 'watchdog', becoming
active when the situation warrants it.
These tasks are currently the responsibility of David Inouye (originator of
the list) at the University of Maryland (where the listserver is located).
13. How can I find the E-mail address of ...?
----------------------------------------------
If the person you wish to contact is working in ecology, there is some
chance that he or she subscribes to ECOLOG-L. You can then find the E-mail
address in the list of subscribers (see section 5).
For finding other people, Internet has a nice facility that is accessible
using TELNET. Bitnet subscribers cannot access this. You can TELNET to
Internet node bruno.cs.colorado.edu, using username 'netfind' (or
redmont.cis.uab.edu, or netfind.oc.com). You then automatically enter a
program that can do a keyword search for persons all over the world. If
you are in Europe, or more important, are looking for someone in Europe,
you may get faster response from the 'netfind' server at sun.uakom.cs
(Czech and Slovak Federal Republic). Netfind will inform you about
alternative sites on other continents.
This useful resource is also available via, for example, the Colorado State
University Gopher Server (the hierarchy is as follows):
USA
Colorado
Colorado State University (Fort Collins)
Off-campus Information & Services
Phone Bks - On-Line Phone Books at Other Institutions
14. What is Usenet/NETNEWS, and how do I use it?
--------------------------------------------
Usenet is a 'news service' available on the Internet. How to connect depends
on your computer system. On UNIX systems, many people use the programs 'rn'
(readnews) or 'tin'. Ask your local computer experts about it. You may also
want to see the material on Usenet in Una Smith's "A Biologist's Guide to
Internet Resources" (see below).
15. How to get A Biologist's Guide to Internet Resources
-----------------------------------------------------
The current version of the free 40-page Guide can be obtained over the
Internet via Usenet, gopher, anonymous FTP and e-mail:
How to Get
A Biologist's Guide to Internet Resources
The free, 40-page Guide contains an overview and lists of free Internet
resources such as: scientific discussion groups, including newsgroups
and mailing lists; research newsletters, directories, and bibliographies;
the major biological data and software archives; tools for finding and
retrieving information; answers to some frequently asked questions; and
a bibliography of useful books and Internet documents.
The Guide is available in several versions. The most recent complete release
is Version 1.7, dated November 1993. It is available as a plain ASCII file
for easy retrieval and printing of the entire document, as a menu for reading
online (via both gopher and WWW), and in an attractive PostScript format (for
laser printing). There is a French translation. The most recent release
(about mailing lists only) is Version 1.8a, dated December 1994: this amends
but does not supercede Version 1.7.
The Guide is available on the Internet, and can be obtained via gopher,
anonymous FTP, and e-mail.
-*- Gopher: Go to sunsite.unc.edu, and choose this sequence of menu items:
Worlds of SunSITE -- by Subject
Ecology and Evolution
A Biologist's Guide...
Or, from any gopher offering other biology gophers by subject, look
for the menu item "Ecology and Evolution". Here is the direct link
information:
Name=A Biologist's Guide (in a choice of formats)
Type=1
Path=1/../.pub/academic/biology/ecology+evolution/bioguide
Host=sunsite.unc.edu
Port=70
Sunsite.unc.edu offers public telnet access to their gopher client
(and Wais and hypertext clients as well!), if you don't have your own.
Telnet to sunsite.unc.edu and read the instructions before the login
prompt.
-*- Anonymous FTP: Connect to sunsite.unc.edu. Give the username "anonymous"
and your e-mail address as the password. Use the "cd" command to go to
the directory
pub/academic/biology/ecology+evolution/bioguide
and use "get bioguide.faq" to copy the ASCII version of the Guide to
your computer. Use "get bioguide.ps" for the PostScript version, or
see the README file for more information.
-*- E-mail: Send the text:
open
cd pub/academic/biology/ecology+evolution/bioguide
get bioguide.faq
get README
quit
to:
ftpmail@sunsite.unc.edu
You will receive the Guide in several parts: save each part separately,
use a text editor to delete the e-mail headers and trailers of each,
and merge them. You will also receive the README file from the same
directory as the Guide, and a help file for using the ftpmail service.
Use "quit" to prevent the ftpmail server from trying to interpret your
signature as an instruction. For help using the ftpmail server, use
"help" (you will be sent e-mail containing many helpful tips).
-*- Usenet: When they come out, new versions of the Guide are posted to
several Usenet newsgroups. Look in sci.bio.
16. What are Gopher, Archie, WAIS, WWW, etc?
------------------------------------------
These programs are interactive tools for accessing information through the
Internet. An incredible amount of information has already been made
accessible, and more will follow. More information about these tools can
be obtained by sending
GET NETTOOLS MEMO
to LISTSERV@EARNCC.BITNET. Gopher is user-friendly and menu-driven;
documentation is not really necessary. If you just type 'gopher', you
start at your local 'gopher hole', from where you can dig 'tunnels' to
all other gophers in the world. The menus explain everything. You
can also start directly at a remote gopher. Examples:
gopher hearn.nic.surfnet.nl
or
gopher merlot.welch.jhu.edu
This connects you to a gopher at Johns Hopkins University, with
(mostly) information about computational biology and very interesting
connections to other gopher servers at NIH, NSF etc.
17. Summary of Listserv commands.
-----------------------------
REMEMBER TO SEND COMMANDS TO LISTSERV@UMDD.UMD.EDU
Command String Action See Section #
------------------------- ---------
Sub ECOLOG-L Jane Doe subscribes to the list 3
Signoff ECOLOG-L ends subscription to the list 3
Unsubscribe ECOLOG-L ends subscription to the list 3
Review ECOLOG-L receive list of subscribers by address 6
Review ECOLOG-L (by name receive list of subscribers by name 6
Set ECOLOG-L Index receive only index of messages 3
Set ECOLOG-L Digest receive daily groups of messages 3
Set ECOLOG-L nomail turns mail off 8
Set ECOLOG-L mail turns mail on or replaces digest option 8
Set ECOLOG-L repro receive copies of postings you send
Set ECOLOG-L norepro suppress copies of postings you send
Get ECOLOG-L log9311A get weekly archive from 1st week Nov 93 9
Query ECOLOG-L display your current option settings
18. How to contact House of Representatives
----------------------------------------
This is the initial posting from the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology of the U.S. House of Representatives, chaired by the
Honorable George Brown of California. We have agreed to serve as
the "beta" testers for House Committees trying to learn how to use
the Internet. We posted this message to some of the USENET
newsgroups that discuss topics relevant to our jurisdiction over
Federal civilian research and development activities to:
(1) Increase the number of people who know we do have
Internet access;
(2) Indicate how we can be reached on the net; and
(3) Start learning how to take advantage of this information
system in our daily activities.
Getting the Congress to use Internet has been discussed in a few
threads on various USENET newsgroups of late. Some of you may be
familiar with the E-Mail Pilot Project established by the Committee
on House Administration, chaired by the Honorable Charlie Rose of
North Carolina. Those Members of the House currently maintaining
an electronic mailbox for constituent communications may be found
by e-mailing "congress@hr.house.gov with the text "HELP" or "INFO"
in the message body. You will receive an automated response with
the necessary instructions.
Also, the text of legislation introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives during the current Congress is now available on a
W.A.I.S server located at the House Information Systems data
center. The server may be accessed from the directory at
quake.think.com or using the following information:
Server: diamond
Port: 210
Database Name: USHOUSE_house_bill_text_103rd
It can also be found on gopher.house.gov in:
Congressional Information/Legislative Resources
The database contains the text of House bills beginning with
October 1993 and is updated daily.
What follows now is the message you will automatically receive in
response to messages sent to housesst@hr.house.gov, the Committee's
Internet address. It describes items like the Committee's gopher
server, which you can also find at gopher.house.gov.
[Send a message to that address to get the response]
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