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

or satellite communications, to transmit data from one computer to another using packets of data. They use synchronous communications, usually with the X.25 protocol. The routes are continually optimized, and successive packets of the same message need not necessarily follow the same path.

Packet switching

Sending data in packets through a network to some remote location. The data to be sent is subdivided into individual packets of data, each having a unique identification and carrying its destination address. This allows each packet to go by a different route. The packet ID lets the data be reassembled in proper sequence.

PC

Personal computer.

PDN

See Packet data networks.

Postmaster

On the Internet, the person responsible for handling electronic mail problems, answering queries about users, and other related work at a site.

Prompt

Several times during interactive dialogs with online services, the flow of data stops while the host computer waits for commands from the user. At this point, the service often presents the user with a reminder, a cue, a prompt. These are some typical prompts:

? ! WHAT NOW? (Read) next letter - ulrik 1> System News - 5000> Enter #, <H>elp, or <CR> to continue? Action ==> (Inbox) Command: Enter command or <RETURN> -->

Protocol

A formal description of message formats and the rules two computers must follow to exchange messages. Protocols can describe low-level details of machine-to-machine interface (e.g., the order in which bits and bytes are sent across the wire), or high-level exchanges between allocation programs (e.g., the way in which two programs transfer a file across the Internet).

ProYam

Powerful script-driven communications program. US$139 + $5 for postage from Omen Technology Inc., 17505-V NW Sauvie Island Rd, Portland, Oregon 97231, U.S.A. (VISA and Eurocard - 1992)

PSS

British Telecom's Packet Switch Stream, an X.25 packet data network.

PTT

Postal Telegraph and Telephone. A telephone service provider, often a monopoly, in a particular country.

QWK

Qwikmail. A common offline message file format for bulletin boards offering mail through a QMail Door. The .QWK door and file format has been used to develop entire BBS networks (example: ILINK.)

See "offline reader."

RFC

The Internet's Request for Comments document series. Working notes of the Internet research and development community.

Script files

A set of commands that enable a communications program to execute a given set of tasks automatically (macro commands).

Server

A provider of resources (e.g., file servers and name servers).

SIG

Special Interest Group.

Snail mail

A pejorative term referring to the national postal service in different countries.

String search

A method for searching a database. Works like the search function in a common word processor program.

On online services, your commands will often search the full document (including the title, subtitles, keywords, and the full text). Sometimes, string searches just return a line or a few lines around the hit. In other cases, they return the full screen or the full document.

Sysop

Common name used on bulletin boards for System Operator. This is the person in charge of maintenance and helping users.

System

Generic name for a computer with connected equipment or for an online service or bulletin board.

Talk

A command on the Internet, which may remind of IRC, but is a single link between two parties only.

TAPCIS

A program for automatic access to CompuServe. It lets callers read and respond to personal email and forum message threads offline, and download files. Contact: Support Group, Inc., Lake Technology Park, McHenry, MD 21541, U.S.A. Also: TAPCIS Forum. Internet mail: 74020.10@compuserve.com. On CompuServe: 74020,10. Registration: US$

79.00.

TCP/IP

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Set of communications protocols that internetwork dissimilar systems connected to the Internet. TCP/IP supports services such as remote login (telnet), file transfer (FTP), and mail (SMTP).

Telnet

A program on the Internet that allows logins to another computer to run software there. Telnet allows a user at one site to interact with a remote system at another site as if the user's terminal was connected directly to the remote computer.

With telnet, you can browse menus, read text files, use gopher services, and search online databases. Sometimes, you can join live, interactive games and chat with other callers. Usually, you cannot download files or list file directories. Telnet is not available to users who have email only access to the Internet. To telnet a remote computer, you must know its name. This can either be in words, like "vm1.nodak.edu", or a numeric address, like "134.129.111.1". Some services require that you connect to a specific "port" on the remote system. Enter the port number, if there is one, after the Internet address. For a list of SPECIAL INTERNET CONNECTIONS, send email to bbslist@aug3.augsburg.edu. You can also get it by ftp or gopher to csd4.csd.uwm.edu, and through alt.internet.services on Usenet.

Terminal emulator

A program that allows a computer to emulate a terminal. The workstation appears as a given type of terminal to the remote host.

TRICKLE

Servers on the Internet offering the SIMTEL20 shareware and public domain files by email (uuencoded). These servers include:

TRICKLE@TREARN.BITNET (Turkey) TRICKLE@BBRNSF11.BITNET (Belgium) TRICKLE@TAUNIVM.BITNET (Israel) TRICKLE@IMIPOLI.BITNET (Italy) TRICKLE@DB0FUB11.BITNET (Germany) TRICKLE@AWIWUW11.BITNET (Austria) TRICKLE@UNALCOL.BITNET (Colombia)

For more information and a list of TRICKLE servers, send a message to one of these addresses with the command "/HELP" in the body of your text.

TTY

Abbreviation for TELETYPE, a special type of writing terminal (electrical/mechanical). Also, known as 'dumb terminal'.

TTY mode

This is when a communications program emulates a TTY machine, which only involves printing characters and recognizing the linefeed, carriage return and backspace characters.

Unix

An operating system that supports multi-user and multitasking operations.

Uploading

The act of transferring data from your computer's disk (up) to an online service and storage there.

Usenet

A global bulletin board, of sorts, in which millions of people exchange public information on every conceivable topic. For more information, see appendix 1.

UUCP

See appendix 1.

Veronica

A service on the Internet. Maintains an index of gopher items, and provides keyword searches of those titles. The result of a search is a set of gopher-type data items, which is returned to the user as a gopher menu. The user can access any of these data items by selecting from the returned menu.

WAIS (Wide Area Information Servers)

A kind of indexed online search tool to locate items based on what they contain - usually keyword text searches. It is a powerful tool for concurrent searches of large databases and/or newsgroups on the Internet.

Example: Telnet QUAKE.THINK.COM (or Telnet 192.31.181.1). Login as "wais".

WAN

Wide Area Network.

The 'whatis' database

Archie (see above) also permits access to the whatis description database. It contains the names and brief synopses of over 3,500 public domain software packages, datasets and informational documents located on the Internet.

Whois

An Internet program that lets users query a database of people and other Internet entities, such as domains, networks, and hosts, kept at the NIC (see above).

For example, Whois lets you scan through a registry of researchers in the network field to find an Internet address, if you have only the last name or part of it. It will give you the person's company name, address, phone number, and email address. It had around 70,000 listings in December 1992. To access the WHOIS, telnet to rs.internic.net. When greeted by the host, type "WHOIS" and press RETURN. It also has a gopher service (type "gopher" go access, instead of "wais").

WWW (World Wide Web)

is much like Gopher in that it provides top level access down to other services on the Internet. WWW uses a hypertext interface with cross links between things. You can use highlighted words to jump off onto another track.

WYSIWYG

What You See is What You Get.

X.25

A CCITT standard communications protocol used internationally in packet data networks. It provides error-checked communication between packet data networks and their users or other networks.

Rather than sending a stream of bits like a modem, an X.25 router sends packets of data. There are different packet sizes and types. Each packet contains data to be transmitted, information about the packet's origin, destination, size, and its place in the order of the packets sent. There are clear packets that perform the equivalent of hanging-up the phone. There are reset, restart, and diagnostic packets. On the receiving end, the packet assembler/ disassembler (PAD) in the router translates the packets back into a readable format.

X.400

The CCITT and ISO standard for electronic mail.

X.500

The CCITT and ISO standard for electronic directory services.

Appendix 5:

Books, articles, newsletters, etc. for further reading

======================================================

Internet

"The Matrix: Computer Networks and Conferencing Systems Worldwide," John S. Quarterman, Digital Press, Bedford, MA, 719 pages, 1990. (Internet address: mids@tic.com. Gopher service at gopher.tic.com.)

"Matrix News," a newsletter about cross-network issues. Networks frequently mentioned include USENET, UUCP, FidoNet, BITNET, the Internet, and conferencing systems like the WELL and CompuServe. Matrix News is about all computer networks worldwide that exchange electronic mail. Online subscription: US$25 for twelve monthly issues, or US$15 for students. Paper subscriptions: US$30 for twelve monthly issues, or US$20 for students; for overseas postage, add US$10

(1992).

Contact: Matrix News, Building 2 Suite 300, 1120 South Capitol of Texas Highway, Austin, TX 78746, U.S.A. Email: mids@tic.com .

"!%@:: A Directory of Electronic Mail Addressing and Networks," by Donnalyn Frey and Rick Adams (O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 632 Petaluma Avenue, Sebastopol, CA 95472, U.S.A.). 408 pages, US26.95. Write to nuts@ora.com for ordering information.

"The User's Directory of Computer Networks" by Tracy L. LaQuey (Ed.), University of Texas, Digital Press, 12 Crosby Drive, Bedford, MA 01730, U.S.A. 630 pages, 1990.

"Zen and the Art of the Internet: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition" by Brendan P. Kehoe, Prentice-Hall Series in Innovative Technology, 1993. 112 pages, ISBN 0-13-010778-6, US$22.00.

"The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog," by Ed Krol. 1992. Published by O'Reilly and Associates, Inc., 103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol, CA 95472, U.S.A.. 400 pages, US$24.95. ISBN 1- 56592-025-2. Email questions to nuts@ora.com or uunet!ora!nuts .

"A Guide to Electronic Mail Networks and Addressing," by Donnalyn Frey and Rick Adams. 1989. O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol, CA 95472, U.S.A. Email address: nuts@ora.com .

"Managing UUCP and the Internet." Published by O'Reilly and Associates, Inc., 103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol, CA 95472, U.S.A. Email address: nuts@ora.com .

"The Internet Companion: A Beginner's Guide to Global Networking" by Tracy LaQuey, with Jeanne C. Ryer. Addison-Wesley, 1992, $10.95, p. 196, ISBN 0-201-62224-6. Order