The Online World, Odd de Presno [simple ebook reader txt] 📗

online resource. Expect an outline, not a comprehensive list or directory of all available offerings. This book explores selected applications across network and service boundaries, to show how these needs may be satisfied. In the process, it gives access information for a large number of specific online offerings. The applications range from entertainment and the bizarre to databases and special services for professionals and organizations. You are not expected to live in the United States or in Norway. Emphasis is on major international offerings available through services and networks like the Internet, BITNET, CompuServe, Echo, FidoNet, Usenet, Dialcom, Dow Jones/News Retrieval, MCI, NewsNet and UUCP. These services can be accessed from almost anywhere. Talking about the Internet, we do not expect that it will be easy for you to get full access. We assume that most people can get access to this network by electronic mail only. I wrote The Online World for parents and youth, teachers, students, business people, social workers, psychologists, young, old, for anybody interested in knowing a bit more about our current "Global Village." You can read it like a novel, to get an idea of what is going on. It can be used as a practical guide book to online data bases and news sources, or as a book of reference. You need not be a computer expert or an experienced "onliner" to find it useful. While not being a textbook on data communications, it contains much information to help novices get started. For an introduction to telecommunications, check out appendix 2 and 3 before continuing with Chapter 1. Before you start, one word of warning. New online offerings are born each day, while others are being closed down. Chances are that most services in this book will still be around when you read it, but I will need to update the text regularly. Therefore, all feedback is welcomed with thanks. Please do also tell me what you like, what you don't, and what you feel I may have missed -- or have gotten hopelessly wrong. Send by electronic mail to me at opresno@extern.uio.no .

This book is not free

The Online World book is NOT public domain. It is copyrighted work and may be distributed only pursuant to this license.

You are granted a limited read and use license of the book to see if it is for you. Any unregistered use other than to determine if the book meets your needs is a violation of this license and is forbidden. If you like the book, please become a registered reader. Your contribution will support further research and development of the text. The important benefit of registering is that you will receive the latest version of the book on diskette (MS-DOS only). This will allow you to have current information on your hard disk that you can search whenever you want to. The online world is dynamic. Services and offerings come and go. So read appendix 8 to find out how to stay updated.

The registered shareware version of The Online World including shipping and handling is

NOK 105.00 for payment by credit card (around US$ 15.00) US$ 20.00 for all other types of payment (check or SWIFT bank transfer)

As an alternative, you can also register for six updates of the book during one year. The updates will be mailed you on computer diskette:

US$60.00 for all types of payment

The special rates for organizations to make the text available to employees etc. over a network are explained in appendix 8.

Please note: As I do not receive any renumeration from vendors of shareware disks, you must register your copy to have a legal license for use of the book beyond an evaluation period.

Please give to others

Permission is with this granted to reproduce and distribute the Online World book so long as:

(1) No remuneration of any kind is received in exchange. A distribution fee may be charged for the cost of a diskette, shipping and handling, as long as the total (per disk) does not exceed US$8.00. (2) Distribution is without ANY modification to the contents of all accompanying text files, including the copyright notice and this license. All of the files in this package are to be distributed together. (3) No publication of the book or individual articles from the book in print is permitted, in any language, without the express written consent of the author.

If archiving this book for BBS use or library use, please include all files and use the name ONLINE10, for example, ONLINE10.ZIP, or ONLINE10.LZH. This will provide consistency for future updates.

No copy of this book may be distributed without including a copy of this license. Any other use, including bundling of any of the book's chapters or appendixes for your own distribution, is prohibited without express, written permission in advance from the author.

The Online World book is regularly being updated. Information about where to get the latest version of the book can be retrieved from TOW, a mailing list set up to support the project. For information, send electronic mail to LISTSERV@vm1.nodak.edu (LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 on BITNET) containing the command "GET TOW MASTER".

How to read the book

You may read the book using any ASCII viewing or text searching program. My private favorites are:

LIST - Shareware MS-DOS file viewing program, LOOKFOR - Shareware boolean text search program.

Print versions of The Online World

The Online World does not cover any specific area of the world. Local versions will be printed and published in several countries through joint venture partners. These versions of the book will be adapted to local conditions, and contain many local examples and references.

The following local version of the book is available:

"Ut i verden fra egen skjerm," Norwegian text, Dataforlaget A/S, 1992. 220 pages. Phone: +47 22 63 61 62. Fax: +47 22 63 60 09. Price: NOK 245,-. ISBN: 82-90628-67-6.

Local language versions of the book are due be published soon by partners in Denmark and Germany. For information, please contact:

Claus Berg (Denmark) at Claus_Berg@SKOLE-KOM.UNI-C.DK Publisher: Teknisk Forlag A/S, Skelbaekgade 4, 1780 Kbh.V., Denmark. Fax: +45 31 21 09 83. Dr. Karl Sarnow (Germany) at karl@dadoka.h.ni.schule.de Publisher: Verlag Heintz Heise GmbH & Co KB, Helstorfer Strasse 7, D-3000 Hannover 61, Germany. Fax: +49-511-53 52-129.

Do you want to be a partner?

If you are interested in becoming the author of a local language version of the book in your country, please write me at opresno@extern.uio.no to discuss the possibility of a joint- venture.

Saltrod (Norway), September 1, 1993

Yours, Odd de Presno

The Online World book's text on paper, disk and in any other electronic form is (C) copyrighted 1993 by Odd de Presno. All rights reserved worldwide.

INDEX

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PREFACE

Going online will make me rich, right? Knowledge is Power. A larger personal network gives you a stronger punch. The value of information, and of having a great time. . .

The online world The structure and content of the online offerings. About Bulletin Board systems, discussion lists, conferencing systems, and online data bases. About packet data services, and network services like FidoNet, i-Com, Infonet, Internet, and others. A constantly changing environment.

How to use online services Short introduction. How to use menus, and how to navigate like an expert. Tailoring online services to your interests and needs.

Hobbies, games, and fun About computer programs, online adventure games, threatening viruses, planning holidays, collecting coins and stamps, genealogy, music, shopping and other leisure activities.

Home, education, and work Tips for house owners, for those more concerned about money, about education and the exchange of knowledge, electronic conferences. Building a personal network. Job hunting by modem, and about working from home.

Your personal healthnet About support for diseases like AIDS, cancer, and kidney diseases. Forums for people with physical or mental disabilities, like hearing impairments, learning disabilities, vision impairment, mobility problems.

Electronic mail, telex, and fax How to communicate globally at a ridiculously low cost, with notes about how to address your global electronic mail.

Free expert assistance How to get free advice about your computer, software and other things.

Your electronic daily news Read national and global news before getting it through the traditional media. Get those interesting background facts. Read special interest news that the media never bother to print.

Looking for a needle in a bottle of hay

Notes about searching data bases. How to locate interesting

books and articles.

Getting an edge over your competitor

Using the networks to manage projects. Monitor competitors,

prospects, suppliers, markets, technologies, and trends.

Marketing and sales by modem.

Practical tips

How to get more out of the time spent online.

Cheaper and better communications

Using packet data services or competing data

transport services like Tymnet Outdial, Infonet,

Internet, PC Pursuit, and others.

Keep what you find.

Build your local personal data base. Strategies for

locating interesting information. What separates good

from bad information.

You pay little for a lot!

How to figure out costs.

Automatic communication

Get a lead on your competitors.

Avoid duplication of effort.

Reduce costs.

Reduce boring repetitive work.

No need to remember all the "tricks" of communications

anymore.

Gazing into the future.

Thoughts about things to come.

Appendices:

List of selected online services 2. How to get started About your personal computer, modem and communications program. 3. Your first online trip Getting started. Typical pitfalls and simple solutions. Down- and uploading. 4. Explanation of some frequently used terms 5. Books and articles for further reading 6. International standard country codes 7. About the author 8. How to register

Chapter 1: Going online will make me rich, right?

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The number of services is enormous. It takes