siemsen@skat.usc.edu (Pete Siemsen) (04/27/91)
We're working on a campus-wide information system based on texinfo. I
posted a short message about it to this group and received several
replies asking for more information. This was intended to be a brief
description, but I tend to ramble...
USC has a network that includes Suns, IBM-PCs, Macintoshes, VAXes,
NeXTs, Alliants, an IBM 3090 and God knows what else. USC's
University Computing Services has separate groups supporting these
things, and these groups have produced separate printed and on-line
documentation. So we have Unix man pages, FrameMaker class handouts,
TeX, LaTeX and TeXinfo documents, VAX/VMS HELP files, Microsoft Word
brochures, Scribe stuff, etc.
You won't be surprised to learn that we have problems with redundant
and obsolete information, information in formats that are unfamiliar
to many of us, and dependence on systems that can handle old formats.
About six months ago, we started an effort to bring some order to the
chaos. We call the project USCguide. Attendance at our weekly
meetings has averaged about 7 people, with representatives from the
libraries, user services and technical support.
Our dream is to have a single help system that works on all our
machines, so that a computer novice can walk up to a PC, VAX or Sun,
say "USCguide", and understand the result. The system has to work on
character-cell terminals, X-window systems, Macintoshes and IBM
mainframe terminals (3270s). For users that are frightened of
computers or simply prefer printed output, the same information should
be available in high-quality documents (printed man pages are a prime
example of what's not acceptable).
TeXinfo was the only system that seemed to have the foundation we
need. The info-style on-line browser can be made to work on the
dumbest terminals, and Jordan Hubbard's xinfo program provides
higher-quality access for those with X window systems. Printed
information is high-quality, and we can include PostScript figures
if needed. Conversion from other tree-based systems is possible
(indeed, Nelson Beebe has written a VAX/VMS HELP to TeXinfo convertor).
USCguide works on a development Unix machine, but we haven't filled in
enough content to release it to users. We plan to use the Unix
machine as a network server, and write client programs for each kind
of machine on the net. We think it will work, but there are
some concerns.
There's a learning curve to tackle before a person can edit our files.
TeXinfo is complex, and requires some knowledge of info and TeX. We
have set up directory structures, and added some new texinfo commands.
We have conventions for including a block of text in multiple
printable documents. This means knowing where and how to insert
information isn't trivial. We originally thought that we could let
people add to the system, but now realize that we'll probably have to
accept text and insert it ourselves to be sure it "fits" correctly.
As the system grows, the complexity does too. To help manage the
mess, I wrote a program that exposes the structure of a our main
information tree. It produces a list of nodes, one per line, indented
relative to the menu structure (not the chapter/section structure,
because our main tree encompasses several full documents). The
program is sensitive to a comment convention we've established to mark
each node's state. It outputs TeX, and fonts are used to impart extra
information (like if a node is finished).
The program is only one week old, so there's plenty of room for
improvement. I've appended the current output to the end of this
message. The node structure is very much a working version, and I
include it only to show where we are. Some of the nodes exist purely
to jog our memory about what a user might expect to find.
We have discussed some kind of addition to the info/xinfo interface
that allows free-form searching for words. The simplest idea is a new
command that displays a list of all the nodes containing a given word,
and the user would then go to one of the nodes. Another project on
campus called USCinfo uses a search engine to provide access to the
campus phone directory and the card catalogs of USC's libraries. We
may be able to expliot the search engine's capabilities.
---- dir.tex ------
\vbadness=10000 % to prevent underfull vbox errors
\settabs\+\hskip 35em&\cr
\+\hskip 0pt{\bf About USCguide}&{\it one paragraph only}\cr
\+\hskip 0pt{\bf General Information}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptAccess&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptOffice Access&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptHome Access&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptUser Areas&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptClassrooms Available for Faculty and Staff&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptGetting an Account&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptGetting Help&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptOn-line help&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptOn-line manuals&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptBy operating system&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf VMS on-line help}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf HELP}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Unix on-line help}&{\it Bob}\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf man pages}&{\it Bob}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptMS-DOS on-line help&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptMVS on-line help&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 120ptSOS&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptVM on-line help&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptPublications&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptUSMs&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptUser room handouts&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptVendor-supplied documents&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptClasses&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptHands-on Workshops&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptELM classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptEmacs classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptExcel classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptLotus 1-2-3 classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptMacintosh classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptMicrosoft Word classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptPC classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptStatistics classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 120ptSAS classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 120ptSPSS classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptSun Workstation classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptUSC Mail classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptWord Perfect classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptStaff Training&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptConsulting&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptMailing Lists for consultants&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptMac software&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptpc/clone software&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptHotline&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptHours&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptJob Opportunities&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptRemote&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptsoftware - public domain available from micro consulting&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptPhone Numbers&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptPrinting&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptprinter - choosing on VM&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptprinting on MVS&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptFile Management \& Security&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptFile Backup \& Restoral&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptHardware Support&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptGetting Connected to the Network&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptPC Service Center&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 0ptInformation Resources&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf USCguide}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 48pt{\bf Printing USCguide manuals}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptUSCInfo&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptWhat is USCInfo?&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptData Resources&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptTraining and Documentation&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptUSCInfo Classes&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptUSCInfo Documentation&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptLibrary Locations&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptRemote Use&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptUSCInfo Accounts&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptDatabase Services&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptLibrary Fees and Policies&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptBRS Online&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptDialog&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptDissertation Abstracts&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptERIC Database&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptInspec&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMLA Bibliography&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptUS Gov. Printing Office&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 0pt{\bf Computing Policy and Ethics}&{\it needs intro text}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf General Policies}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf E-Mail Ettiquette}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf Network Ethics}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 0ptAvailable Software&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMail \& News&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMail&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptElectronic Mail&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptBasic Mail&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptNews&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptnewsgroups&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptWord Processors \& Desktop Publishing&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptBy machine&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptBy capability&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptSimple things&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptLarge documents&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptEquations&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptForeign alphabets&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptGraphics \& word processing&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptSoftware Development&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptEditors&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptEmacs editor&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptvi editor&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptEDT editor&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptProgramming Languages&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptStatistics Software&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptNumerical Analysis&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptGames&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptSpreadsheets&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptGraphics&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptImage Scanning&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptDatabase&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptFile Conversion&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 0ptSoftware Documentation&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf BibTeX}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptcmm&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptFORTRAN&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf dvips: (dvips)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf Emacs: (emacs)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptFramemaker&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptFTP&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pton MVSA&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pton the Macs&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pton the PCs&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pton Unix&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pton VM&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pt{\bf on VMS}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptKermit&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf gcc: (gcc)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf gdb: (gdb)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf gnus: (gnus)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf g++: (g-whiz)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptLisp&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf LaTeX: (latex-guide)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf libg++: (libg++)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptLotus 1-2-3&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMacDraw&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMacFrame&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMetafont&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMSWord&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMS-Excel&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptPageMaker&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf Mu: (mu): The MU network access management system}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptPara mode&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptPascal&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptPerl&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptRexx&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptrlogin&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptrn&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf SliTeX}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 24pttelnet&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf TeX}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf Template: (template)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf Termcap: (termcap)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptUSCMail&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf texinfo: (texinfo)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptWord&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf vip: (vip)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf vm: (vm)Top}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptWord Perfect&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptWordStar&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 0ptComputer Systems&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptCPUs&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptAlliant&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptDEC&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptIBM 3090&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptIBM-PC \& compatibles&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMacintosh&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptNeXT&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptSolbourne&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptSun&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pt{\bf VAX}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptOperating Systems&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptUnix&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptUnix Shells&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptBourne shell&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptC shell&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 96ptKorn shell&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptConcentrix&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptSunOS&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptMach&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptMore/BSD&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptUltrix&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMacintosh OS&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptWhat is the Macintosh Desktop?&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptOS/2&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMS-DOS&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMVS&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptISPF&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptJCL&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptVM/CMS&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pt{\bf VAX/VMS}&{\it Pete}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMiscellaneous Peripherals&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptOptical Character Readers&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptPrinters&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptTape Drives&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptWindow Systems&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMotif Window System&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptNeWS window system&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptOpenWindows window system&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptSunTools Window System&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptVWS Window System (obsolete VAX/VMS wondow system)&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptX Window System&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptAthena project&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptSan Diego Supercomputer Center&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 0ptNetworks&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptOn-campus Networks&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptUSCnet&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMicom&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptModem Settings&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptMicrocomputer LANs&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptOff-Campus Networks&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptBITNET&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptBITNET node list&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptInternet&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptCERFnet&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptLos Nettos&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 72ptNSFnet&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptUseNET&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptUUCP&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptNetwork Services&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptFile Transfer&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptRemote Host Access&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptBackup&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptFile Servers&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 0ptCampus Computer Organizations&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptUniversity Computing Services&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48pt{\bf UCS Directory}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 24ptCenter for Scholarly Technology&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptElectronic Publishing Center&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptEduTech Computer Store&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptMicrocomputer Users Group&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 48ptLocal Area Network Special Interest Group&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 0ptMiscellaneous&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24ptGNU&{\it TBD}\cr
\+\hskip 24pt{\bf Networker Online}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 48pt{\bf January/February 1991}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 72pt{\bf Bitnet Services}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf What is BITNET?}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Sending Mail}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Sending Files}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Send-VM/CMS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Send-MVS/TSO}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Send-VMS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Send-UNIX}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Interactive Messages}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Messages-VM/CMS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Messages-VMS/TSO}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Messages-VMS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Messages-UNIX}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Mailing Lists}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Subscribe}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Subscribe-VM}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Subscribe-MVS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Subscribe-VMS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Subscribe-UNIX}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 120pt{\bf Signoff}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Signoff-VM}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Signoff-MVS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Signoff-VMS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 144pt{\bf Signoff-UNIX}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 72pt{\bf IBM Consulting}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf IBM CONS}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf IBM CONS-Services}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf IBM CONS-Contacting}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf IBM Mainframe Classes}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 72pt{\bf Stat Computing}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Using Stat Software}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Stat Packages}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Stat Documentation}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Stat Consulting}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Stat Classes}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf Stat Package Locations}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 72pt{\bf QA-USCInfo}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf USCInfo-Access}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf USCInfo-Logging In}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 96pt{\bf USCInfo-Help}&{\it }\cr
\+\hskip 0pt{\bf Index}&{\it }\cr
\bye
--
Pete Siemsen Pete Siemsen siemsen@usc.edu
University of Southern California 645 Ohio Ave. #302 (213) 740-7391 (w)
1020 West Jefferson Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90814 (213) 433-3059 (h)
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0251