[comp.databases] Where are the databases?

karlc@lll-lcc.llnl.gov (Karl Churchill) (12/07/88)

I'd like to find some public domain / shareware databases of
nutritional values.  E.g., food, calories, carbohydrates, fats, 
cholesterol, ....

I've been looking for such things (though not aggressively) for
some time.  The only dbs of *any kind* I can recall seeing in 
public domain / shareware are 

1.   A small database of movie titles, actors;
2.   An impressive database of "on this day..." called TODAY;
3.   Databases of astronomical values, usually tied to programs
(usually written in BASIC).

Aren't there any databases of e.g.,

1.   Magazine author, title, subject, issue for specific magazines such
  as *National Geographic*, *Smithsonian*, *Science*, *Scientific American*?
2.   Aerobic values / calories for work
3.   Nutritional values (as requested above)
4.   (800) phone numbers
5.   Type, hours, subject, operator, phone of BBS's

I know these things exist commercially, usually on a subscription
basis.  Aren't there any in public domain?  Is anyone interested in
developing an interest group devoted to the exchange of such databases
sans drivers? 

-- Karl.
(These thoughts and questions are my own and, of course, do not in
any way reflect the interests of intentions of my employer or sponsors)