billy@vaxb.acs.unt.edu (02/22/91)
Hi,
The latest version of "UNT's Accessing On-line Bibliographic Databases" handout
is now complete. It now contains 168 library systems covering 220 sites.
Credit for most of the new information goes to Dana Noonan, Metro State
University (for all the UK info) and Peter Scott, University of Saskatchewan.
Included at the end of this letter is the answer to some questions that have
popped up on numerous occasions. Further discussion should take place on
preferably the PACS-L or LIB_HYTELNET mailing lists.
================================================================================
Billy Barron Bitnet : BILLY@UNTVAX
VAX/Unix Systems Manager THENET : NTVAX::BILLY
University of North Texas Internet : billy@vaxb.acs.unt.edu
SPAN : UTSPAN::UTADNX::NTVAX::BILLY
================================================================================
Some commonly asked questions:
How do I acquire the files?
The files are available on vaxb.acs.unt.edu (129.120.1.4) via anonymous FTP.
The files are:
LIBRARIES.TXT - ASCII version
LIBRARIES.PS - Postscript version
LIBRARIES.WP5 - WordPrefect 5.1 source (transfer in binary mode)
LIBRARIES.ADR - Numeric IP addresses of Internet libraries
LIBRARIES.CONTACTS - Contacts for some of the Internet libraries
NETWORKS.HLP - VMS help file source for a wide area networks help topic,
which includes a section on library systems.
BITNET only users should use the BITFTP service to acquire the files. I do not
personally know how to use BITFTP. However, it is definitely not accessed by
sending mail to BITFTP@UNTVAX. As an absolute last resort, the files may be
requested via email (note: some networks such as UUCP may file size limits that
may prohibit the transfer of these documents through electronic mail).
Why is there UNT's guide and the Art St. George/Ron Larsen guide?
Art St. George and I have some differences of opinion in the area of formatting
and what should be included in an Internet library guide. Though I could just
use the St. George guide, I need to format the information into a easy to use
for novice computer users for my on-campus users. It is not much harder to
provide it to the Internet at large and also gather my own information. Joe
St. Sauver, the author of the VAXbook, on PACS-L put forth a rather good
argument for the case that two guides are actually a benefical thing.
By the way, I think Art St. George's claim of FIRST, BEST, and MOST
AUTHORITATIVE is incorrect. If anybody deserves FIRST, it is Joe St. Sauver.
MOST AUTHORITATIVE is without a doubt the Internet Resources Guide. BEST is a
matter of opinion. I will not make any claims about my guide besides that many
people find it useful.
Are there some other useful sources of information?
1. HYTELNET - A Hypertext database for MS-DOS systems on Internet Resources
including Library systems. Available via anonymous FTP on
WUARCHIVE.WUSTL.EDU, WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL, or VAXB.ACS.UNT.EDU.
Written by Peter Scott, University of Saskatchewan. A new version
should be released in the near future.
2. LIBTEL - A TELNET front-end for VMS and Unix system to access Library
Systems. Available via anonymous FTP on VAXB.ACS.UNT.EDU. Written
by D. Mahone.
Where do I send updates?
Send all new information, updates, and deletions to BILLY@VAXB.ACS.UNT.EDU
(more details on first page of guide). If you are using a TELNET/TN3270 package
not listed in the appendix, please send me the information on it. Also, if you
have instructions for a library software package not yet described, please
send them to me and give me at least one example where it is in use. Sorry
about the Appendices on some library software that are not yet completed. I
will complete as time permits.
Why don't you use a smaller font size to save paper?
To keep 80 characters or less per line is the major reason. Also, a smaller
font will not save that much paper (I've looked at it).
I have problems printing the PostScript file.
I'm pretty clueless on this one. I have printed the PS file from a PC to an
Apple Laserwriter II without a problem.billy@vaxb.acs.unt.edu (05/31/91)
Hi,
Another release of the "UNT's Accessing On-line Bibliographic Databases"
handout is now complete. The count is now around 200 Internet library systems.
Included at the end of this letter is the answer to some questions that have
popped up on numerous occasions. Further discussion should take place on
the PACS-L or LIB_HYTELNET mailing lists.
================================================================================
Billy Barron Bitnet : BILLY@UNTVAX
VAX/Unix Systems Manager THENET : NTVAX::BILLY
University of North Texas Internet : billy@vaxb.acs.unt.edu
SPAN : UTSPAN::UTADNX::NTVAX::BILLY
================================================================================
Some commonly asked questions:
How do I acquire the files?
The files are available on vaxb.acs.unt.edu (129.120.1.4) via anonymous FTP
in the library directory. The files are:
LIBRARIES.TXT - ASCII version
LIBRARIES.PS - Postscript version
LIBRARIES.WP5 - WordPerfect 5.1 source (transfer in binary mode)
LIBRARIES.ADR - Numeric IP addresses of Internet libraries
LIBRARIES.CONTACTS - Contacts for some of the Internet libraries
NETWORKS.HLP - VMS help file source for a wide area networks help topic,
which includes a section on library systems.
Detailed Description by Roy Tennant (rtennant@library.berkeley.edu) [edited
by Billy Barron]:
Please note that these instructions are only for Internet sites. Users
with access only to BITNET should send a mail message to BITFTP@PUCC
with HELP at the first and only line of the message. The response will
give you instructions on using the Princeton BITFTP server, which
provides a mail interface to the FTP portion of the TCP/IP protocol
suite.
TO RETRIEVE:
At your system prompt, enter: ftp vaxb.acs.unt.edu
or ftp 129.120.1.4
When you receive the Name prompt, enter: anonymous
When you receive the password prompt, enter your Internet address.
When you are at the ftp> prompt, enter: binary
At the next ftp> prompt, enter: cd library
Then enter: get FILENAME
As an absolute last resort, the files may be requested via email (note: some
networks such as UUCP may file size limits that may prohibit the transfer of
these documents through electronic mail).
Why is there UNT's guide and the Art St. George/Ron Larsen guide?
Art St. George and I have some differences of opinion in the area of formatting
and what should be included in an Internet library guide. Though I could just
use the St. George guide, I need to format the information into an easy to use
form for novice computer users for my on-campus users. It is not much harder to
provide it to the Internet at large and also gather my own information. Joe
St. Sauver, the author of the VAXbook, on PACS-L put forth a rather good
argument for the case that two guides are actually a benefical thing.
Where do I send updates?
Send all new information, updates, and deletions to BILLY@UNT.EDU
(more details on first page of guide). If you are using a TELNET/TN3270 package
not listed in the appendix, please send me the information on it. Also, if you
have instructions for a library software package not yet described, please
send them to me and give me at least one example where it is in use. Sorry
about the Appendices on some library software that are not yet completed. I
will complete as time permits.
I have problems printing the PostScript file.
I found a problem at my end that was causing 75% of these problems. I have not
yet resolved what is causing other people difficulty. The evidence right now
is pointing to the fact that *some* FTP packages are stripping out CRs when
they are not supposed to (WIN/TCP on VMS is an example of this).
The text version is all on one line. How can I fix that?
The following is the combination of a couple of mail messages from
Scott Robinson, CMU (she@opel.ece.emu.edu). Thanks, Scott!
The problem is probably due to the fact that the UNIX ftp(1) (at least the
one under Ultrix) strips Carriage Return charaters during file transfers. Use
the 'cr' command to toggle carriage-return stripping. With stripping off,
you will have the necessary delimiter. Then use tr(1) or your favorite
editor to convert your Carriage Returns into the appropriate character.
I used the following to convert files I retrieved (and later renamed to get
rid of the ';#' stuff.)
#!/bin/sh
for i in README libraries.adr libraries.contacts libraries.ps libraries.txt networks.hlp
do
mv $i foo
tr -d '\015' < foo > $i
done