[comp.misc] March 20th Release of Internet Library Guide

billy@vaxb.acs.unt.edu (03/20/91)

Hi,

Another minor release of the "UNT's Accessing On-line Bibliographic Databases"
handout is now complete.  A few new additions, but mostly corrections 
requested by various people on the network.

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.  
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.

BITNET only users should use the BITFTP service to acquire the files. 
Information on BITFTP can be acquired by sending a mail message with the word
HELP in the body to BITFTP@PUCC.  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.

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, University of New Mexico.

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.


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).