***************************************************************** * * *** S p e c i a l F i r s t A n n i v e r s a r y I s s u e *** * * * * * ***************************************************************** * * * * * * * * * * * ** * ** ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ***** ******* * * * ***** ****** ******* ****** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ******* * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ****** * * * ***** * * * * * * * * * * * * The guide to BITNET servers and services * * * * * * * * Volume 2 Number 1 July 1987 * * * * * * * ***************************************************************** * * * * * * * Editor: Chris Condon CONDON@YALEVM * * * * Assistant Editor: Steve Sutter SUTTER@YALEVM * * * * NetMonth Staff Supervisor: Gary Moss MOSS@YALEVM * * * * * * * ***************************************************************** * * * *** ****** ************ **** * * ** *** ************** ******* ********** ****** * * **** ** ******* ******* ********* * * ***** *** *********** ******* ****** ********** * * ****** **** ******* ****** *********** * * ******* **** ****** ******** ****** *********** * * ******* **** ******* ******* *********** * * ****** ****** ****** ***** ********* ********** * * ***** ******** **** ********** ********* * * **** ******** ******* ***** ********** ******** * * **** ******* **** *********** ******* * * ***** ******* ******** **** ************ ****** * * ****** ******* **** ************ ****** * * ******* ******* ****** ***** *********** ****** * * ******** ******* ****** ********** ******* * * ********* ***** **** ******** ******** ******** * * ********* ***** ********* ******* ******** * * ********* ****** **** ********* ******* ******* * * ******** ******** ********** ****** ****** * * ******* ********** **** ********** ****** ***** * * ****** ************ ******** ******* **** * * ***** ************ ********* ****** ****** **** * * **** ************ **** ***** ***** * * ***************************************************************** * * * *********************************************************************** 1 ************************************************************************* * Contents * *************************************************************************** Inside This Issue ....................................................... 1 Bitnotes ................................................................ 2 Scuttlebut .............................................................. 3 Policies ............................................................... 29 FIRST ANNIVERSARY SECTION__________________________________________________ The Best and Worst ...................................................... 5 Lives, Deaths, and Rebirths ............................................. 7 The Best of Bitnotes .................................................... 9 A Day in BITNET: The Game .............................................. 15 NetMonth Printing for VAX .............................................. 16 NetMonth Index for Volume 1 ............................................ 18 Second Annual File Server Quick Reference Guide ........................ 22 SERVERS AND SERVICES_______________________________________________________ LNAME: A Replacement for NAMES ......................................... 23 New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 26 NetMonth is a network service publication distributed free of charge to students and professionals in BITNET and other networks. This magazine and it's companion file, BITNET SERVERS, are the work of the Yale Computer Center BITNET Services Library (BITLIB) staff. The BITLIB is a local online help facility designed to inform Yale network users about what services are available to them through BITNET, and provide instructions and utilities for their proper use. In publishing NetMonth the BITLIB staff members hope to share the fruits of their labor with institutions outside of Yale in order to promote a productive and enjoyable networking environment for everyone. BITNET SERVERS is BITNET's most complete and up-to-date list of servers and services. It is sent to NetMonth subscribers at the same time as the magazine. BITNET SERVERS is dependent on your support to remain accurate. If you know of servers and services not listed in BITNET SERVERS, or of those listed in the file that are no longer available, please contact the NetMonth staff at BITLIB@YALEVMX. For information on subscribing to NetMonth and BITNET SERVERS, see the "Policies" section on the last pages of this issue. Within "Policies" there are also instructions for submitting articles, sending Letters to the Editor, and printing this file. ----------------------------------------------------- A publication of the Bitnet Services Library "Because We're Here." 1 * * * * * ** * ** ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ***** ******* * * * ***** ****** ******* ****** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ******* * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * ****** * * * ***** * * * * * * * * The guide to BITNET servers and services * * * ***************************************************************** A publication of the Bitnet Services Library "Because We're Here." ************************************************************************* * Inside This Issue * *************************************************************************** We have made some additions to our usual features this month in order to celebrate a special occasion: the first anniversary of NetMonth. (Well, WE think it's special). You will find all the the usual features and article in their usual places, but inside the Anniversary Section we will also indulge ourselves in a look at the year past: * The Best and Worst of July 1986 - July 1987: (Actually, a whole gaggle of "ests"). Some of us deserve praise while some of us deserve to be laughed at. Everybody gets their just deserts. * Births, Deaths, and Rebirths: The servers and services come and go. Here are the ones that came and went. * The Best of Bitnotes: A few memorable moments with Ol' What's-His-Name. * A Day in BITNET: The Game: Two to two thousand can play! You'll be mesmerized for minutes as you try to survive the perils of flaming forums, crashing systems, and UUCP. Much cheaper and faster than the real-life version, and you can play it at home! (Some assembly required.) * NetMonth Printing for VAX: Those of you in the Digital world can now print NetMonth with page breaks, as long as you have a pascal compiler. * NetMonth Index for Volume 1: Finally... you asked for it, you've got it. * Second Annual File Server Quick Reference Guide: How to get indeces and files from the BITNET file servers in one page! 1 Page 2 ************************************************************************* * Bitnotes Issue 12 * *************************************************************************** "The problem with the inevitable is that it always happens." Ho-hum... It seems that the only constant in the great, cosmic scheme of things is Change. Another year has gone by and it seems as if the world of BITNET has been flipped around and turned topsy-turvy so many times that exiting new revelations have almost become old hat. The network has changed, the servers have changed, the views have changed... WE have changed. Turn back your mental clock, if you will, to July of 1986. Did you know what a List server was? Did you know who ran BITNET? (Did you care?) What did you think about the future of Relay? Did you know what a NetMonth was? (And what the heck was a BITLIB?) These questions (and their answers) have become part of the legends and lore of our network. Just as some of us may recall the original CHAT or the first issue of VM/COM, next year we will look back at the times before LISTSERV and membership fees, and it will seem like so many eons ago. Do you remember a time before Relay? Do you recall what it felt like? Everything has changed, and yet I can't quite figure out when BITNET stopped being like it was THEN and became what it is NOW. Lest we forget: One year ago, the new, networked LISTSERV was born. The creation of Eric Thomas and a great improvement on the original BITNIC design, this type of server has spread faster than I care to figure out. This helped to popularize the ARPANET-type forum (a la LIAISON, SF-LOVERS, INFONETS, etc.) and no less than quadupled the utility of BITNET for the non-Computer Science user. One might say that it was the Most Significant Service of 1986-1987. Meanwhile, what was certainly the Most Significant Service of 1985-1986 did not grow up to expectations. Relay growth has slowed to almost a crawl, while service has actually been cut off from other areas. This has nothing to do with the quality of the service or the people running it (a great bunch of people), it is the stubborness of those at many/most nodes who fail to see the true potential of Relay for non-recreational communications. Perhaps that was a failure on both the local and network level to promote that kind of use. Perhaps we have to kick a few more people into seeing the light. Perhaps hindsight is always 20/20. 1 Page 3 On yet another front, flame after flame appeared as people debated over the suddenly important question of who was going to run BITNET after the IBM grant supporting the Network Information Center ran out. Many felt that the BITNIC had not lived up to expectations and should be replaced. Others (perhaps less vocal and intense in their opinions) felt that the job being done was a job well done. Hovering above these two camps was the question of membership fees and how the network should support itself. Eventually the quiet pro-BITNIC camp prevailed, but not until after the BITNIC had suffered some serious public-relations scars. To be fair, the Network Information Center has done it's fair share of both wonderful and stupid things. The coming year will reveal which type of actions are the norm. Somwewhere in the middle of all this NetMonth hit the virtual news-stands. At the time it had a subscription list numbering about 250 people, left over from the weekly Bitlist readers. Now there are over 1000 of you. There isn't much to say about this magazine without sounding conceited (we are, after all, a bit biased). However, we like to think that the work we have done has helped to make the network a better place to work and play. You may have figured out over the the past few years that we are not in this for the money (there isn't any), nor are we providing these services out of the goodness of our hearts. Frankly, we are having fun. In my first months here there was a new discovery awaiting me each time I powered up a terminal and explored the network. Each day brought new ideas and meetings with interesting people from around the world and across the state line. I'm happy to say that even today when I log on there is still that slight sense of adventure, that feeling of anticipation... "What will happen today?" Some things never change. Chris Condon@YaleVMX ************************************************************************* * Scuttlebut * *************************************************************************** * We have had a number of reports that the server ARCHIVE-REQUEST at the SIMTEL20 Arpanet node is no longer available. Here is the official report from Frank J. Wancho: "Several changes to the Archive Server have been made in the past few weeks to improve service for replies sent through intermediate hosts. One of the requested changes was to reduce the size of the messages by half so that these messages don't hog the single-stream mail channels, particularly on 1 Page 4 BITNET, for extended periods of time, and thus give other mail a chance to get through in a timely manner. "Unfortunately, this has resulted in the SIMTEL20 mail queue to rapidly grow way beyond all expectations: the Server was now generating twice as many messages and our dedicated mailer for this service now had to establish twice as many connections for the same number of replies. That mailer could not keep up with the the queue, and for the second time in as many weeks, we have had to shutdown the Server because we were running out of disk space. "Because the disk space is at a premium for our regular users, and because the resources required by both the Server and the mailer have now reached a point well beyond the capabilities of our present system configuration, the Server has been shut down until further notice and for an indefinite period of time. New requests will be returned unanswered, and both present requests and replies will be flushed. "In the meantime, we are examining other possibilities to provide access to our collections. Because the great majority of requests have come from BITNET users, we are looking for one or more BITNET hosts willing to provide the disk space and BITSERV facilities for one or more of our collections of public domain software." * New LISTSERVS: Thanks to Jim Jones for telling us about his installation of a LISTSERV at JHUVM. Meanwhile, we noticed another one in our own back yard... YALEVM. * From Bitnews, "INFO@BITNIC Goes Local": All messages sent to INFO@BITNIC from users at institutions with appointed INFOREPs will receive the following message: ************************************************************* The BITNET Network Information Center has received the mail you sent to INFO@BITNIC. One of our goals is to provide quality services to network users. In order to provide you with these services in a more timely and efficient manner, your message was forwarded to the BITNET Information Services Representative (INFOREP) for your node. If you have additional questions or comments, please see your INFOREP. INFOREP: BITNET Address: Telephone: BITNET Network Information Center Staff ************************************************************* 1 Page 5 As is stated here, our goal is to find the most efficient way to provide quality services for all BITNET users. A major part of our plan to provide quality is to distribute information services through the INFOREP structure. Consequently, the BITNIC has developed software that forwards a copy of the message you send to INFO@BITNIC to your local BITNET Information Services Representative, as well as informs you of your INFOREP's name, userid, and telephone number. INFO@BITNIC messages sent from nodes without INFOREPs will be accepted by INFO@BITNIC until an INFOREP is appointed. The BITNIC has compiled lists of appointed BITNET Representatives, their BITNET addresses, and the institutions they represent. The lists, which will be updated periodically, are available on NICSERVE@BITNIC as: BIRREP LIST - BITNET Institutional Representatives TECHREP LIST - BITNET Technical Representatives INFOREP LIST - BITNET Information Services Representatives First Anniversary Section ************************************************* ************************************************************************* * The Best and Worst of the Year Past * *************************************************************************** * Worst Unfunny Joke: The explanation that a certain European Relay- imitator was a "top-secret project of the Soviet Union." * Silliest NetMonth cover: April 1987 ("An elephant... is mushy.") * Smallest problem causing the Biggest problem: RSCS incompatibilities between PSUVM and OHSTVMA, causing the most notorious and long-running network load problem to date. * Best party disguised as a conference: NetCon Spring '87, New Orleans * Best conference disguised as a party: NetCon Spring '87, New Orleans * The Bursting Mailbox Award goes to: Rich Zellich, maintainer of List-of- Lists. * Funniest Imitation of a Public Speaker: Chris Condon, at NetCon Spring '87 * The "Grace Under Pressure" Award goes to: Judy Molka and Bette Kindman- Koffler, who get to answer any complaints about BITNIC. 1 First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 6 * Most Tiresome Trend in which we have openly participated: Network surveys. * Most Significant New Server: LISTSERV, of course... * The Instant Insanity Award, or "Why am I Doing This?" goes to: Jeff Kell, the father of Relay. * Biggest, Nastiest Argument: The fight over who should run BITNET, and how much they should charge. * Best Idea with the Longest Gestation Period: The local InfoRep concept. * Do people actually use this? (Time Warp Dept.) BITSERVE@CUNYVM * Do people actually understand how to use this? DATABASE@BITNIC * Best Server with an Identity Crisis: LISTSERV (Am I a list server? Am I a file server? Am I both?) * Most Original Name for a file server: SERVER@TAMCBA, SERVER@UOGUELPH, SERVER@SUZEUS. * Funniest Name for a Corporation: BITNET, Inc. * Best Idea to Take Hold, sort of: Local interface programs for servers, a la PSYCHNET and EASYCOM/COMSERVE. * The "They love it when you beg" award goes to: Michele Robinson, who's pleas for VM/COM articles fall on deaf ears. * Most Mythical Server: The GRANDiose Server System * Silliest command you can send to a server: SEND RAW (from the Simtel-20 Archives). Runner up: WEATHER (from SERVER@SUZEUS). Anybody want to know the forecast for Albany? * The "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" Award goes to: SERVER@SUZEUS, which lasted less than a month. **** ********** ************** ************** ****** ******* ***** ********* **************** ***** ******* ***** ********** *********** *************** ******** ****** ****** ********** ************** *********** **** ***** ************* ********* ************ ************** ** 1 First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 7 ************************************************************************* * Births, Deaths, and Rebirths * *************************************************************************** While we at the NetMonth offices make an effort to address the issues of the day, we have tried not to forget our basic mission: To inform you about the latest developments in servers and services. As mentioned earlier, change is the norm rather than the exception in BITNET. To demonstrate this point we have constructed this article, charting the births, deaths, and rebirths of servers and services in the past year. Allow us a few observations: 1. The file server is a relatively stable sort of service. While several have been shut down or changed names (or locations), the number of file servers hasn't risen or fallen dramatically (unless you count LISTSERV). 2. The electronic magazine has limited appeal to those who wish to offer services to the network. That is my only explanation for why more were not offered. Perhaps we should make it seem a bit more glamourous... Maybe not. Less competition that way. 3. A file server at node X has a good chance of being replaced by a LISTSERV subserver if a LISTSERV is installed. However, the server's identity and knowledge of it's existence tend to get muddled. Deaths Births -------------------------- + -------------------------------------------- ] RELAY @ NCSUVM ] LFCNET @ ICNUCEVM ] SERVER @ UOGUELPH ] DPMA @ UNF ] SERVER @ SUZEUS ] The Unlicensed Zone ] CLUB Magazine ] ] DPMA @ UNF ] DPMA @ UWF ] SERVER @ SUZEUS ] TCSSERVE @ TCSVM ] UTCSERVE @ UTCVM ] CYBSERV @ ACADIA ] COMSERVE @ RPICICGE ] UBSERVE @ UBVMSC ] NETSERV @ EB0UB011 1 First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 8 Deaths Births -------------------------- + -------------------------------------------- ] ] NETSERV @ NORUNIT ] NETSERV @ TAUNIVM ] NETSERV @ TCSVM ] NETSERV @ UKACRL ] CCUC @ UMCVMB ] VMNAMES @ UREGINA1 ] CYBSERV @ ACADIA ] TeXMaG ] Hewlett Packard Public Networking Newsletter ] The Unlicensed Zone ] The VAX Toolbox ] LISTSERV @ AKRONVM LISTSERV @ EB0UB011 ] LISTSERV @ BITNIC LISTSERV @ FINHUTC ] LISTSERV @ BNANDP11 LISTSERV @ VTVM1 ] LISTSERV @ BYUADMIN LISTSERV @ IRISHVM ] LISTSERV @ CANADA01 LISTSERV @ MAINE ] LISTSERV @ CEARN LISTSERV @ MARIST ] LISTSERV @ CLVM LISTSERV @ NCSUVM ] LISTSERV @ CMUCCVMA LISTSERV @ NDSUVM1 ] LISTSERV @ CUNYVM LISTSERV @ OREGON1 ] LISTSERV @ DEARN LISTSERV @ RICE ] LISTSERV @ DB0TUI11 LISTSERV @ RITVM ] LISTSERV @ RUTVM1 LISTSERV @ UGA ] LISTSERV @ SUVM LISTSERV @ UIUCVMD ] LISTSERV @ TAMCBA LISTSERV @ UOTTTAWA ] LISTSERV @ TAMVM1 LISTSERV @ UREGINA1 ] LISTSERV @ TAUNIVM LISTSERV @ UTORONTO ] LISTSERV @ UCF1VM NEWSERV @ UNCVM1 ] RELAY @ BLEKUL11 RELAY @ TAUNIVM ] RELAY @ BNANDP10 RELAY @ UALTAVM ] RELAY @ EB0UB011 RELAY @ UCSVM ] RELAY @ GITVM1 RELAY @ UTCVM ] RELAY @ TAMVM1 Deaths Reborn as... (or replaced by...) -------------------------- + -------------------------------------------- LOOKUP @ RITVAXA/B/C/D ] INFO @ RITVAXD MACSERVE @ BITNIC ] MACSERVE @ PUCC NETSERV @ EARNET ] NETSERV @ ICNUCEVM CANSERVE @ CANADA01 ] NETSERV @ CANADA01 SILMARIL @ FINHUTC ] LISTSERV @ FINHUTC (and SILMARIL subserver) TCSSERVE @ TCSVM ] LISTSERV @ TCSVM (and TCSSERVE subserver) UTCSERVE @ UTCVM ] LISTSERV @ UTCVM (and UTCSERVE subserver) Bitlist ] NetMonth 1 First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 9 ************************************************************************* * The Best of Bitnotes... a Trip through Memory Lane * *************************************************************************** as Unbiasedly Chosen by the Editor (*ahem*) * July 1986 So here is NetMonth. I will hopefully produce a magazine of the standards you were used to in Bitlist (whatever they were). * August 1986 Ignorance is bliss, or so they say. That may not be applicable to BITNET, for here ignorance usually spells Trouble (yes, with a capital 'T'). Ignorance may be as harmless as not knowing how to use a file server or as harmful as requesting 125 files from a file server within the course of three minutes. Certainly, this is not bliss. Not for the poor guy who doesn't know what is going on, or for the person wondering why it is taking so long for those 125 files to arrive. Discipline begins at home, or so they say. Likewise, education on how to use BITNET servers and services begins at the home node. I have gotten some mail about this, requests for tips and information. And while I am not a node administrator by any means, I might be able to get away with listing these suggestions. 1. When in doubt, don't. Allegedly common sense will tell you it will require a lot more effort to fix something you have done wrong than it will to do it right in the first place. If you don't understand how to use a server or service, ask somebody who does, or refer to the local documentation. Which leads to: 2. Keep documentation on how to use the servers and services at your node. Keep it in a really obvious place too, and update it frequently. One helpfile about CSNEWS on a public disk is a lot safer than ten users with copies of their own (and a lot more efficient to boot!). Store some explanations on what each type of server does (i.e What is a file server? What does it do? How do you use it?) You might even go as far as printing a local BITNET users guide (although it would have to be pretty general with the way things change). 1 First Anniversary Section ***************************************** Page 10 3. Have a BITNET user consultant at your node. There is not much sense in the blind leading the blind, so this is particularly helpful. You might want to make this person responsible for keeping the documentation updated. 4. Develop some usage guidelines, and stick to them. Yes, there may be some bad apples at your node. Have some sort of policy to deal with these people. On the other hand, some people just don't know any better, so post some guidelines on what is acceptable and what isn't. You'd be surprised what some may do unless you tell them they shouldn't. I think (my opinion only) that a policy that deals with individual abuses will have a greater affect on those-who-would-be-bad. * September 1986 The BITNET Charter: This will probobly be subject to a lot of change before the year is out. There are a few provisions missing yet (like requiring the Executive Committee to print the minutes of it's meetings, which it does anyway) but those changes are probobly being written as you read this. Most of all there has been a lot of debate over the possibility of annual BITNET membership fees (for the node, not the user) which hasn't been entirely settled. Stay tuned for the final solution. * October 1986 Every week or so I get a mail message from some new BITNET user or another requesting that I send him BITNET USERHELP or BITNET SERVERS or even a back of NetMonth. I don't mind this, and gladly send them what they need, but some of those requests are strangely rude: SENDME BITNET USERHELP Oh, so you want that file, Huh? Couldn't you even say "please"? Then it dawns on me that this poor person must think that I am a file server of some sort. I send them the file they requested and a brief note explaining that I am indeed human and would appreciate being addressed as such in the future, thank you. All of this is in good fun and I am not offended in any way. However... Aren't we rude to our servers? We don't even say "thank you", let alone "please" for those valuable services they offer. We just DEMAND that they respond to our COMMANDS and 1 First Anniversary Section Page 11 they meekly OBEY. Brutal, no? Therefore, I suggest a new server protocol, one where requests replace commands. For example: TELL CSNEWS AT MAINE PLEASE SENDME BITNET USERHELP FROM MAINE(CSNEWS): The file BITNET USERHELP is being sent to you. TELL CSNEWS AT MAINE THANK YOU FROM MAINE(CSNEWS): You are quite welcome. Of course, that sort of thing could get out of hand... TELL CSNEWS AT MAINE PLEASE SENDME BITNAUTS LIST FROM MAINE(CSNEWS): Say pretty please with sugar on it. * November 1986 Now, Jeff is very kind not to suggest that these old-style chats be squashed, considering that these servers undermine all of the work that he and and many others put into Relay over the course of more than a year. Needless to say, I will not be listing these Relay-impostors in BITNET SERVERS. Therefore... if you hear of one of these old-style Chat machines running at a nearby node, ignore it. Better yet, bring it to the attention of an operator or system administrator at that node. You will be doing yourself, your friends, and the BITNET community a big favor. * December 1986 / January 1987 Network Gurus... Every BITNET site should have someone who can answer questions about the network. Every year a whole slew of bright, young, old, and inexperienced (or simply uninformed) people arrive at universities everywhere with questions to challenge the most informed networker. Unfortunately, not every node has an informed networker, at least not in an official capacity. Many a time the brunt of the question answering falls upon INFO@BITNIC. This, at first, does not seem to be a bad state of affairs. After all, when everyone asks Judy Molka and Company a question they are guaranteed a consistent (and correct) answer. The problem arises when EVERYBODY begins asking INFO a lot of questions, everybody also has to wait a long 1 First Anniversary Section Page 12 time for the answers. Eventually the question-queue grows larger than can be dealt with realisticly. BITNIC has made the decision to decentralize information dispersal by finding an informed networker for each site, and allowing only that that person to request information from INFO. The average user will be able to ask the local network guru questions and have them answered quickly AND correctly. The guru will probobly have BITNIC-supplied standard answers to common questions (or perhaps he should know the answers, anyway) while he forwards the real tough ones to Judy. (Who will undoubtedlty have the answer, or know who to ask). There is more to this (see the article in this issue: The Decentalization of INFO), but that is the basic premise. It strikes me as a perfectly intelligent idea, the RIGHT idea for times. Hindsight tells us that this should have been done a long time ago. My experience with managing a local online BITNET help facility tells me that it will work. A suggestion for those new network gurus: Put any and all useful information on BITNET in a place on your mainframe where everybody can read it. Online help files are the second place people will look to for answers. If they don't find satisfaction there they will come to YOU. In other words, answer their questions before they ask them. On, yes. The FIRST place people look to for answers are friends and experienced networkers. It is your job to make it possible to answer, "The information you need is probobly on the INFO-BITNET disk," (or whatever you decide to call it). I believe that BITNIC plans to provide some automated online facilities to assist you, but I get the impression that initially you will fend for yourselves somehow. * Note: Two issues later we offered the Bitnet Services Library files to to the BITNET community. * February 1987 A small celebration is in order. The NetMonth/BITNET SERVERS mailing list has reached (actually, exceeded) the 500-subscriber milestone. This is a significant number, not only because it is so large, but because there are now twice as many readers as there were when the first issue of NetMonth hit the newstands only eight months ago. The reaction from the staff ranged from astonishment to extreme glee. A file server is a file server, unless of course, it is also a name server. Then it is niether, or both. Many of our file servers have taken on the duties of name servers, notably NETSERV. The name "file server" doesn't 1 First Anniversary Section Page 13 exactly do it justice, and "name server" doesn't even come close. Somehow we get by and list it separately under both categories. This sort of thing is so commonplace that we don't even notice anything odd about it. * April 1987 The Bitnet Services Library (BITLIB) is an online help facility providing Yale VM users with information on file servers, name servers, electronic magazines, and other services. It includes specific usage information for each server, explanations of basic concepts (such as "What is a file server?") and a set of useful EXECs to make life with BITNET easier. All documentation has been tailored to the VM environment. * May 1987 It was not an easy easy speech to write... ...but it was simple to deliver. I'm ahead of myself again. Let me start from the beginning: I was invited to speak at NetCon. What is a NetCon? A convention, of sorts, for the people of BITNET. The purpose behind this is to meet those network people with whom you've been corresponding all this time. ("Oh... so THAT'S what you look like!") Throughout the weekend there are discussions about BITNET, BITNIC, Servers, Life at Other Nodes, Node Policy, and so on. These talks aren't planned, they just happen. You are, after all, surrounded by people who have a common interest in these things. Of course, this was New Orleans, and there was also plenty of fun. Per usual, I digress... As I said the speech was easy to deliver. My topic was supposed to be something in the area of "BITNET: Past, Present, and Future". Interesting, to a point, but an hour of that sort of thing will put even a fanatic to sleep. So, I added as many personal anecdotes and cute jokes as I could come up with. Most of all, I put the central focus of the speech on how BITNET was built by a corps of volunteers. I delivered the speech... and people smiled, and they laughed at the right times... and something occurred to me: These people CARED. Really. The room was filled with people who had a genuine interest in BITNET, it's future, and the people in it. It was a room filled with people who had gotten something out of BITNET... be it friendship, knowledge, whatever. Now comes the time to give something back. "There are only so many Jeff Kells," I said, "and only so many Eric 1 First Anniversary Section Page 14 Thomases." (People who have made enormous voluntary contributions to the network). Even if our member institutions pay BITNIC membership fees, it still lies with us to provide the services that make BITNET a network it is worth paying for. Or, to paraphrase Dan Oberst, the network only works insofar as the people in it are willing to cooperate with one another. Many of the people at NetCon have made their contributions to BITNET. Their time and effort have helped to make the network grow. Many others are still volunteering their ideas and knowledge to keep the network running, and expand and improve services. Still others have yet to make their contributions. I didn't only talk about the Past, Present, and Future of BITNET. I spent a weekend with them. * June 1987 Sometimes I think that you are all crazy. That's OK, I am too. Oh, we're nowhere near the fashionable padded- wall and straitjacket set, but we have our moments. How many of us spend a day working in front of the Cathode Ray Tube, only to find ourselves at the keyboard of a PC when we get home? Here it is, a glorious, sunny, Saturday and I am typing my mind away. I could be getting a TAN for once. Crazy. ***** ****************** ********** ************* ************* ****** ****************** ********* *********** ****** ******************* ******** ***************** ********* ******* ****************** ******** ******* ******** **************** ********* ******************** ****** ******* **************** *********** ***** ******* ************** ************* ********************* **** ******** *********** **************** **** ********* ********* ****************** ****************** ***** ********** ******* ******************* ******* ********** ****** ******************** *************** ******** *********** ***** ******************** ********* ********** ******** ******************* ************* ********* ********** ********** ****************** ********* ********* ************ ****************** ********** ********** ******** ************ ********************* *********** ******** ************* ********************* ***** ************ 1 First Anniversary Section Page 15 ************************************************************************* * A Day in BITNET: The Game * *************************************************************************** +---------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------+ ] * * * * * * * ] ] . . ] ] * * ] ] Latest . Node table is out . Subscribe to ] ] * The * ] ] issue of . of date. Can't . a mailing list ] ] * Start * ] ] NetMonth . reach new nodes. . relevant to ] ] * ] * ] ] arrives! . - 7 . your thesis. ] ] * v * ] ] + 10 . . + 12 ] ] * * * * * * * ] ] +-------------------+ ] ] . . . . . . . ] ] . . . . . . . ] ] . . . . . . . . ] ] ] ] ] +---------------+ ] ] The system ] ] The ] ] . BITLIB ] ] *crashed* ] ] Links ] ] Sixty flames . installed at ] ] last night! ] ] are ] ] from LIAISON . your ] ] All reader ] ] up. ] ] fill your . node. ] ] files lost! ] ] + 5 ] ] mailbox. . + 14 ] ] - 10 ] ] ] ] - 15 . ] ] ] ] ] ] +-----------------+ ] . . . . . . . ] ] . . . . . . . ] ] . . . . . . . ] ] +---+ ] ] +-----------------+ ] A Relay . ARPANET ] ] . ] ] opens . gateway ] ] You write an . You have to ] ] at your . is ] ] article for . figure out ] ] node. . down. ] ] VM/COM. . how to send ] ] + 10 . - 6 ] ] + 12 . mail to UUCP! ] ] . ] ] . - 15 ] +-----------------------------------+ +---------------+ ] ] . . . . . . . . ] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * +---------------+ ] * A Day in BITNET: The Game * ] . Spend 3 hours ] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ] Request . in scholarly ] ] CHAT package . discourse ] Two to two thousand can play! Each ] from . on Relay. ] player takes a turn throwing a six- ] NETSERV. . + 15 ] sided die and moving a game-piece ] + 6 . ] (not included) the number of spaces ] +-----------------+ indicated. The player then adds or ]. . . . . . . .] subtracts the number of points on ] +-----------------+ the space to his/her total. The ] . * * * * * * * * ] player with the most points when ] The links . * * ] The End is reached wins! ] are down. . * The * ] ------------------------------------- ] - 9 . * End * ] The Bitnet Services Library ] . * * ] "Because We're Here" ] . * * * * * * * * ] (Batteries not included.) +---------------------------------+ 1 First Anniversary Section Page 16 ************************************************************************* * NetMonth Printing for VAX * *************************************************************************** Fred Condo of Claremont Graduate School has written this PASCAL program to allow VAX users to print NetMonth. In the past readers who were not on an IBM VM system had to change all those little 1's in column 1 into form-feed symbols. This program eliminates that annoying task and does the job automatically... Program EmagProc(Input,Output); type String = varyingÕ255å of char; var inFile, outFile: TEXT; theLine: String; inFileName, outFileName: String; function midstr(src: string; startpos,howmany: integer): string; var pos: integer; tmpval: string; srclen, maxlen: integer; begin srclen := length(src); if srclen = 0 then tmpval := '' else begin if srclen < howmany then maxlen := srclen else maxlen := howmany; tmpval := ''; for pos := 1 to maxlen do tmpval := tmpval + srcÕpos + startpos - 1å end; midstr := tmpval end; {MIDSTR} function instr(startpos: integer; source, substr: string): integer; 1 First Anniversary Section Page 17 var pos, tmpfunc: integer; found: Boolean; begin pos := startpos - 1; found := false; while (pos <= length(source) - length(substr)) and (not found) do begin pos := pos + 1; found := (substr = midstr(source,pos,length(substr))) end; {WHILE} if found then tmpfunc := pos else tmpfunc := 0; instr := tmpfunc end; {INSTR} function string_equal(a,b: string): Boolean; begin if length(a) length(b) then string_equal := FALSE else string_equal := (a=b) end; {STRING_EQUAL} procedure openfiles(var a,b: text; var inspec, outspec: string); begin write('Source file: '); readln(inspec); write('Target file: '); readln(outspec); open(a,inspec,history:=old); reset(a); open(b,outspec,history:=new); rewrite(b) end; {OPENFILES} procedure closefiles(var a,b: text); begin close(a); close(b,disposition := save) end; {CLOSEFILES} 1 First Anniversary Section Page 18 begin OpenFiles(inFile, outFile, inFileName, outFileName); While NOT EOF(inFile) DO begin readln(inFile, theLine); if (midstr(theLine,1,1) = '1') then page(outFile) ELSE writeln(outFile,theLine) END; CloseFiles(inFile,outFile) end. ************************************************************************* * NetMonth Index for Volume 1 * *************************************************************************** Volume 1 Number 1 July 1986 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 The Psychnet Services ................................................... 1 New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 1 The Revised List Processor .............................................. 1 You Are Here ............................................................ 1 /Links .................................................................. 1 File Server Quick Reference Guide ....................................... 1 Letters ................................................................. 1 Volume 1 Number 2 August 1986 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Instant Insanity by Jeff Kell ........................................... 3 Relay Growth ............................................................ 6 New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 7 The VAX Toolbox ......................................................... 7 /Links .................................................................. 8 The NETSERV User Directory Services ..................................... 8 New List Servers ....................................................... 10 Spotlight Server: UTCSERVE@UTCVM ....................................... 12 Feedback ............................................................... 13 Policies ............................................................... 14 1 First Anniversary Section Page 19 Volume 1 Number 3 September 1986 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 The Proposed BITNET Charter ............................................. 2 Announcing COMSERVE ..................................................... 4 New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 7 The Hewlett Packard Public Networking Newsletter ........................ 9 CYBSERV ................................................................ 10 Coming Soon: GRAND ..................................................... 11 More New LITSERVs ...................................................... 11 The RELAY Rules ........................................................ 13 Feedback ............................................................... 16 NetMonth Policies ...................................................... 17 Volume 1 Number 4 October 1986 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Publishing an Electronic Magazine by David A. Liscomb ................... 2 New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 4 The DPMA Servers by Thomas Henderson .................................... 6 Your Questions Answered by the BITNET Executive Committee ............... 9 New List Servers ....................................................... 13 Spotlight Server: NDCSNEWS@NDSUVM1 ..................................... 13 Feedback ............................................................... 15 Volume 1 Number 5 November 1986 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Announcing TexMaG ....................................................... 3 The New File Server UBSERVE@UBVMSA ...................................... 4 More Questions Answered ................................................. 4 The Unlicensed Zone ..................................................... 8 Relay and Compuserve CB Chat User Survey ................................ 9 New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 11 Feedback ............................................................... 14 ********* ********* ****************** ****************** ***** ********** ******* ******************* ******* ********** ****** ******************** *************** ******** *********** ***** ******************** ********* ********** ******** ******************* ************* ********* ********** ********** ****************** ********* ********* ************ ****************** ********** ********** ******** ************ ********************* *********** ******** ************* ********************* ***** ************ 1 First Anniversary Section Page 20 Volume 1 Number 6 & 7 December 1986 - January 1987 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Scuttlebut .............................................................. 3 New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 4 The Decentralization of INFO ............................................ 6 Two New UH-INFO Subservers .............................................. 8 The BITNET Executive Committee .......................................... 9 COMSERVE's Name Server Functions ....................................... 10 Plan for Implementation of BITNET Membership Fees ...................... 11 Spotilight Server: BITSERVE@CUNYVM ..................................... 12 Feedback ............................................................... 16 NetMonth Policies ...................................................... 20 Volume 1 Number 8 February 1987 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 The NetMonth Reader Survey .............................................. 2 The Simtel20 Archives ................................................... 6 Listserv's File Server Functions ....................................... 10 Odd Parity ............................................................. 15 The Ethics of Computer Conferencing .................................... 16 Electronic Chain Letters ............................................... 17 New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 18 The CSNET Information Server ........................................... 19 The United States Data Defense Network - Network Information Server .... 21 The Color and Vision Network ........................................... 22 Feedback ............................................................... 23 Policies ............................................................... 26 Volume 1 Number 9 March 1987 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Scuttlebut .............................................................. 1 Netcon - Spring 1987 .................................................... 3 Global Teachers' Network ................................................ 4 Network Load ............................................................ 5 To NIC or not to NIC? ................................................... 9 NetMonth Reader Survey Results ......................................... 14 A New File Server: SERVER@SUZEUS ....................................... 16 A New Name Server: VMNAMES@UREGINA1 .................................... 18 New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 20 MACSERVE Moves to PUCC ................................................. 22 Feedback ............................................................... 23 Policies ............................................................... 24 1 First Anniversary Section Page 21 Volume 1 Number 10 April 1987 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Scuttlebut .............................................................. 2 The PSUVM/OHSTVMA Link .................................................. 4 Global Students Network ................................................. 5 Mail Manners ............................................................ 7 The BITNET Domains Task Force Report .................................... 8 Spotlight Server: DATABASE@BITNIC ..................................... 13 New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 15 Feedback ............................................................... 16 Policies ............................................................... 17 Volume 1 Number 11 May 1987 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Scuttlebut .............................................................. 2 The BITNIC Prepares to Relocate ......................................... 4 The Undergraduate in BITNET ............................................. 5 Spotlight Server: VMNAMES@WEIZMANN ..................................... 9 Feedback ............................................................... 12 Policies ............................................................... 12 Volume 1 Number 12 (Network Tools Issue) June 1987 Bitnotes ................................................................ 1 Scuttlebut .............................................................. 2 LOOK .................................................................... 4 CROSSNET ................................................................ 5 MAILMERGER .............................................................. 5 BITSEND ................................................................. 4 BITRCV .................................................................. 5 CHAT .................................................................... 5 GONE .................................................................... 9 BITLIB .................................................................. 5 Feedback ............................................................... 12 Policies ............................................................... 12 ********* ********* ****************** ****************** ***** ********** ******************* ******* ********** ****** ******************** *************** ******** *********** ******************** ********* ********** ******** ******************* ************* ********* 1 First Anniversary Section Page 22 ************************************************************************* * Second Annual File Server Quick Reference Guide * *************************************************************************** Userid @ Node Send a list of files Send a file -------- - -------- ------------------------ --------------------------- BITSERVE @ CUNYVM - SEARCHF I INDEX SENDME fn ft COMSERVE @ RPICICGE - DIRECTORY SENDME fn ft Ease-of-use is greatly improved when using the EASYCOM server interface program. CSNEWS @ MAINE - DIRECTORY FROM SENDME fn ft ÕFROM å where is CSNEWS, FACBB, PCSHARE, PCFORUM, CAPSTAN, COMDISK, AMIGA, AMIGA_C, CSBB or EMAGS. DATABASE @ BITNIC - LIST it varies KERMSRV @ CUVMA - DIR Õfn ftå SEND fn ft KERMSRV @ UOFT02 - DIR SEND fn.ext LISTSERV @ various - INDEX SENDME fn ft may vary from server to server. If no subserver is specified the main directory is sent. MACSERVE @ PUCC - DIR GET fn ft NDCSNEWS @ NDSUVM1 - SENDME NDCSNEWS FILES SENDME fn ft NETSERV @ various - SENDME FILELIST SENDME fn ft where is NETSERV, NETWORKS, PROGRAMS, COUNTRY, NETINIT, or NODEINFO. NICSERVE @ BITNIC - INDEX SENDME fn ft , GET fn ft NYSHARE @ WEIZMANN - LISTPACK SENDME fn ft SERVER @ TAMCBA - DIR , SENDME SENDME fn ft UH-INFO @ UHUPVM1 - INDEX SENDME fn ft where is PSYCHNET, ATARINET, EDUCATE, INFOSERV or BUGNET. Psychnet users can use the server interface program of the same name. VMBBOARD @ WEIZMANN - SEARCH SINCE mm/dd/yy GET entry_number 1 Page 23 ************************************************************************* * LNAME: A replacement for NAMES * *************************************************************************** by Alain Fontaine FNTA80@BUCLLN11 LNAME is a replacement for the NAMES command which allows NAMES files to be updated/examined on a fullscreen terminal. It is not avaialble from any server, but you may request a copy from the author at FNTA80@BUCLLN11. It is already used at some 60 sites. Syntax: +----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+ ] ] ] ] LNAME ] > ] ] ] ] +----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+ Where: search: The entry whos :nick is 'search' will be displayed upon entry into LNAME instead of an empty panel. File: Allows specification of the NAMES file to be manipulated ('fname' NAMES *). If 'fname' is not specified it defaults to the userid as usual. Screen: Allows specification of a screen definition file ('scname' SCREEN *). If not specified, will default to 'fname'; if 'fname' did default as described above, 'scname' defaults to NAMES. If 'scname' SCREEN * cannot be found, NAMES SCREEN * is used. If the latter is also missing, a default screen is set up. Notes: 1) Commands: The standard NAMES subcommands are supported. The main differences are listed below. PF5 (Find): the Find subcommand has been supplemented by a Search (PF12) subcommand. Find looks for an entry matching exactly the current target, while Search looks for an entry containing the current target. A new target is set only if: 1- some fields have been modified on the screen immediatly before pressing PF5 (or PF12); the value of the first modified field then becomes the new target; 2- no fields have been modified, but the cursor is on a field; the value of this field then becomes the new target (note: the first 1 Page 24 character position of the first field of a screen is not considered part of that field, because this is the home position; the first field must thus be selected by putting the cursor on the second character at least). PF9 (Page n): new subcommand to display the next page for the current entry, if in multipage display mode (see note 4). PF11 (Refresh): new subcommand to refresh the screen, taking fresh values from the NAMES file for the current entry. PF12 (Search): new subcommand to search for an entry containing the current target; for user defined tags, the tag label or the value may be omitted. PA2: the 'cursor home' function usually assigned to PF12. Commands entered on the command line are passed to CMS for execution, except 'QQuit', allowing to quit LNAME without updating the NAMES file. 2) LNAME writes long records (up to 241 characters) to the NAMES file, without blank lines in between. Spanned values are correctly read from the file, but never generated, so each line of a modified entry contains a maximum number of complete tags. Find and Search may fail to find spanned values. 3) It is not permitted to delete (PF10) or to replace (PF6) an entry if the value of the primary tag (:nick) has been modified on the screen. If you really want to assign a new nickname to an entry, the following sequence may be used: select the entry, change the nickname on the screen, PF2, PF7, PF10. 4) Defining a screen: Each line of the screen file is either a command line (the first character is ']') or the image of one line on the screen. If more screen image lines are given that will fit on the screen, LNAME generates a multipage display. See also below the desciption of the 'Page' command. Variable fields may be defined in a screen image line by using vertical bars (']') as field delimiters. Data defining the field may be placed between the bars. The syntax for such a definition is: > If a 'field name' is given, the field will be used to display the tag value having that name as tag label. Fields without a name (or with the 1 Page 25 name '.') are paired, so that the first field of each pair is used to display a (user defined) tag label and the second one to display the corresponding value. If the 'field name' is '+', the field will be used as a continuation of the preceding field. The separator used will be a blank, unless the definition for the parent field contains a 'separator'. Attributes may be defined for each field using XEDIT's COLOR syntax. A field may be protected by specifying 'PROtect'. Continuation fields without attributes inherit the attributes of the parent field. When an entry is written to the NAMES file, the tag labels are written in the form (upcase/lowcase) appearing in the screen file. Tag labels not defined in the screen file are written in the form shown on the screen. That means exactly as entered, except if a 'Deftag' command (see below) has specified another form. A command line may contain one of the following commands (low/up case): Color zone : sets color and other attributes for screen zone 'zone'. Deftag tag ... : the tag label(s) listed are displayed on the screen and written to the NAMES file in the exact form listed. This only works for ags labels not defined in the screen file. Header: If this command appears anywhere in the file, all the lines before the first 'Page' command will be repeated on top of each screen. Mandatory tag ... : an entry will not be (re)written to the NAMES file if no value has been given for the listed tag(s). Page: forces a page break at the line following the command. Substitute synonym fulldata: if 'synonym' does appear as the name of a field in the screen file, 'fulldata' becomes the field definition (usefull for giving long definitions to short fields). The syntax for 'fulldata' is the same as that for a normal definition. Uppval tag ... : the value of the tag(s) listed will be upcased on the screen and when written to the NAMES file. ****** ********* ********* ********** *********** ********** ***** *********** ******** *********** ********* *********** ***** *********** ******* ************ ********* *********** 1 Page 26 ************************************************************************* * New Mailing Lists * *************************************************************************** AIDS TREATMENT NEWS AIDS Treatment News reports on experimental and alternative treatments, especially those available now. It collects information from medical journals, and from interviews with scientists, physicians and other health practitioners, and persons with AIDS or ARC; it does not recommend particular therapies, but seeks to increase the options available. The ethical and public-policy issues around AIDS treatment research will also be examined. All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions, etc., should be sent to the Coordinator. To protect privacy the subscriber list is kept confidential. AIDS Treatment News is also available as a paper newsletter; send mail to the Coordinator for subscription information. Coordinator: John Morgenthaler BIOTECH@UMDC The Biotechnology mailing list is open for: Discussion on any topic of interest Software/hardware issues Announcements Submission of bulletins Exchange of ideas and data Suggestions on usage of the electronic mailing list All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions, etc., should be sent to BIOTECH@UMDC. Moderators: Deba Patnaik Dave Swartz CLU-SW Mailing list for exchange of CLU software and for technical discussion of related topics. This list is identical to the USENET mailing list `mail.clu'. 1 Page 27 All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions, etc., should be sent to . Coordinator: Matti Jokinen ENGLISH@CANADA01 This forum is primarily for faculty in English Departments in Canada who are using mainframes for teaching and research and who may be using microcomputers as well; secondarily it is for English faculty anywhere who have access to BITNET. All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions, etc., should be sent to the Coordinator or the administrator of LISTSERV@CANADA01. Coordinator: Marshall Gilliland JNET-L@BITNIC A forum for discussing Jnet running under VAX VMS. Some possible topics include VMSmail, Interactive Messages (SEND), file transfers (SEND /FILE, RECEIVE), POSTMASTER, hints about hooks into Jan_Lib:BitLib.OLB. Related topics might include RSCS emulations (non-Jnet), GMAIL (a VMS utility for BITNET-to-Internet communications), conversion of non-VMS tools (VM, NOS, UNIX, etc.) to VMS, file servers (KERMSERV), list servers, etc. Coordinator: INFO@BITNIC MD43@CMUCCVMA Distribution list for future releases of XYZZY, a "deluxe" Chatting Exec created by David Bolen. Users on the list will get new releases of XYZZY directly as they are made available to the net. Subscription requests to this list will be forwarded to the Coordinator, who will manually process the subscription. Also see the MD44 list. To subscribe send this command by interactive message to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA: SUBSCRIBE MD43 your_full_name or send mail to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA with the above command as the only above command included as the only message body line. Coordinator and XYZZY Developer: David Bolen 1 Page 28 MD44@CMUCCVMA A forum for discussion about XYZZY, a "deluxe" Chatting Exec created by David Bolen, XYZZY problems, potential bugs, features, questions, suggestions etc. Also see the MD43 list. To subscribe send this command by interactive message to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA: SUBSCRIBE MD44 your_full_name or send mail to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA with the above command as the only above command included as the only message body line. Coordinator and XYZZY Developer: David Bolen SAS-L@MARIST SAS-L@UGA A BITNET Listserv discussion group focusing on SAS. To subscribe send this command by interactive message to LISTSERV@MARIST: SUBSCRIBE SAS-L your_full_name or send mail to LISTSERV@MARIST with the above command as the only above command included as the only message body line. Depending upon your location in BITNET, you may want to substitute the nodename UGA for MARIST. Coordinators: June Genis Harold Pritchett ************************************************************************* * NetMonth Policies * *************************************************************************** * Subscribing to NetMonth and BITNET SERVERS: VM users can be added to the mailing list by issuing the following command: TELL LISTSERV AT MARIST SUBSCRIBE NETMONTH Your_full_name VAX/VMS users can subscribe in a similar way: SEND LISTSERV@MARIST SUBSCRIBE NETMONTH Your_full_name 1 Page 29 If you cannot send messages in this way, you can send the following command as the first line of a mail file to LISTSERV@MARIST: SUBSCRIBE NETMONTH Your_full_name Arpanet users may use this method, but must address the mail to: LISTSERV%MARIST.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU A subscriber can delete him/herself from the mailing list by sending LISTSERV@MARIST the UNSUBSCRIBE NETMONTH command. * Letters to the Editor: If you have questions or comments about BITNET or NetMonth that you would like printed here, mail your l etter 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. This doesn't mean that your letter will be printed, but it helps. * Article Submissions: The only requirements for NetMonth articles are that they be informative, interesting, and deal with BITNET services (or any other good BITNET related topics). The editor will inform you of any changes to your writing and will submit them for your approval, deadlines permitting. Send your articles to BITLIB@YALEVM. * Printing this file: VM users can print this file by first copying it to NETMONTH LISTING and then printing the new file. This will allow page- breaks and other formatting to be understood by your printer. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A publication of the Bitnet Services Library "Because We're Here."