xcaret@csn.org (Xcaret Research) (05/11/91)
Archive-name: internet/finger/netfind/1991-04-24
Archive: latour.colorado.edu:/pub/RD.Papers/White.Pages.ps.Z [128.138.204.19]
Original-posting-by: xcaret@csn.org (Xcaret Research)
Original-subject: NetFind, whitepages service for the Internet
Reposted-by: emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti, MSEN)
NetFind, from Xcaret Research, Inc., is a whitepages service for the
Internet. Given a person's name and location or organization, NetFind
returns their Internet electronic mail (email) address. NetFind
differs from other whitepages facilities by offering fast and up to
date service from your own machine.
NetFind runs from the UNIX command line. To find John Smith at
Bigstate University, you just type:
% netfind smith bigstate
NetFind returns the email address. Its that simple.
NetFind operates on a Sun3 or Sun4 computer running SunOS 4.0 or
later with access to the Internet. Uses only 4MB of disk space.
Since NetFind runs from the command line, you can use NetFind from
any remote terminal, Mac or PC that accesses a Sun.
NetFind uses a unique method to actively search the Internet for
your target. It does not attempt to keep a database of users across
the Internet; that would be quite large and constantly out of date.
Instead, NetFind uses the natural database of the Internet itself: it
sends multiple parallel requests across the Internet to machines
where it suspects the target may reside. NetFind queries these
machines for the name you provide as well as for leads on other
machines nearby. NetFind in turn searches these discovered
machines and so on down the hierarchy until the address is found or
there are no more machines to search. The whole process is
surprisingly fast, because NetFind sends searches out in parallel.
NetFind uses a reference file for domains and a location index. They
take up about 3MB. The first file is a partial list of Internet
domains. NetFind uses this list to prime its search. The list is by
no means all of the computers it can search. Rather, it will use the
information obtained from querying those machines to further its
search.
The second file is an index of location words. When you say:
% netfind smith bigstate
NetFind looks in this index for "bigstate". Then it resolves the
information it sees with specific machines in the domain file and
begins its search. So, the whole process goes from location word to
index to domain file and then in parallel searches throughout the
Internet.
The name can be either a last name or a username. The location
words are generally geographical or organizational (i.e., switzerland
or sun) and can be combined to narrow the search
(i.e., netfind smith bigstate university ).
NetFind is sold with a single user license for $159. Please call for
educational discounts and site licensing. You may order by phone, e-
mail or postal mail (include P.O. number, check or credit card).
Please specify your domain name, Sun3 or Sun4, and the format
(electronic, floppy, 60MB, or 150MB tape). We don't charge for
floppies, but
cartridge tapes are an additional $30 to cover cost.
Xcaret Research, Inc.
2060 Broadway, Suite 320
Boulder, CO 80302
(800) 736-1285
netfind@xcaret.com
chibacity:jgore%
-- comp.archives file verification
latour.colorado.edu
-rw-r--r-- 1 8737 faculty 96351 Nov 28 01:04 /pub/RD.Papers/White.Pages.ps.Z
found netfind ok
latour.colorado.edu:/pub/RD.Papers/White.Pages.ps.Z