                  *    *               *    *
                 **   * ***** *****   **   ** ***** *   * ***** *   *
                * *  *  *       *    * *  * * *   * **  *   *   *   *
               *  * *   ***     *   *  * *  * *   * * * *   *   *****
              *   **    *       *  *   **   * *   * *  **   *   *   *
             *    *     *****   * *    *    * ***** *   *   *   *   *
            *                                                       *
           *     A monthly guide to BITNET servers and services     *
          ***********************************************************

Volume 1 Number 1  -  July 1986             Editor: Chris Condon BITLIB@YALEVMX

          Contents:                                          Bitnotes
                                                The Psychnet Services
                                                    New Mailing Lists
                                           The Revised List Processor
                                                         You Are Here
                                                               /Links
                                    File Server Quick Reference Guide
                                                              Letters

          A complete  list of servers and  services is available from
          any  NETSERV file server as the  file named BITNET SERVERS.
          News, article submissions, additions to the list of servers
          and services, requests to be added to the mailing list, and
          letters should be  sent to  BITLIB@YALEVMX.  Subscribers to
          NetMonth are  also sent the file BITNET SERVERS each month.

  *****************************************************************************
 * Bitnotes                                                           Issue 1 *
*******************************************************************************

Welcome to NetMonth.

This magazine, along  with the file BITNET SERVERS, replaces the old, faithful,
Bitlist.  Old?  It was hardly  more than a year young.  It had a large, growing
circulation, a  fair amount of  usefulness,  and an inkling  of respectability.
More  important (to  me at least) it taught  me much  about  writing, teaching,
responsibility, ego(!), and (yes) BITNET.  It put me in a spot I never expected
to find myself in:  one where  people  actually  listened to what I had to say.
Not that  what I had  to say was particularly earth-shattering, intelligent, or
funny as I  intended it to be,  but they (you)  listend.  Bitlist has been good
to me.  Why am I replacing it?

Well, a lot  of the time there wasn't  enough news to  justify  mailing out the
magazine  every week.  I  mailed out  the entire  list of  servers and services
every  week, come rain,  shine, or national  holiday.  It  wasn't necessary.  I
also  had to face  some serious facts of life:  I work full time in the summer,
and a  large portion of that time is spent in front of a Cathode Ray Tube.  So,
of course, in my spare  time I head down  to the Computer Center to spend a few
more hours in  front of a terminal!  I am  coming up on my senior year and some
pretty  tough classes and would like  to hang on to my 3.03 GPA. (Last semester
I earned a 3.71, which  tells you something about the PREVIOUS semesters.)  You
get the picture.

So here is NetMonth.  I will  hopefully produce a magazine of the standards you
were used to in  Bitlist (whatever they were).  This  might even  become almost
as good as VM/COM.  (Stop dreaming, kid.  They have a staff of 3+ and you  have
a staff of 1.)   Which  brings  me to  another  point.  Like  VM/COM I  will be
accepting  articles for  publication.  My only  requirements  are that  they be
informative, interesting, and deal with BITNET services.  Oh, they  should also
be in  the 80-column  format  you  are reading now.   Since I am  Editor, staff
writer,  photographer, art director,  and janitor for  this magazine, I reserve
the right to refuse article submissions.  However, if you think you can live up
to that pressure, send your articles to BITLIB@YALEVMX.

Remember, you are the  reporters.  Just like Bitlist, this magazine will depend
on YOU for news, hot tips, and information.  I will also have a Letters column,
provided that you send me letters.  I am open to commentary on BITNET, servers,
problems,  questions, etc.  All  that I ask is that you specify that the letter
is for  NetMonth Letters Column in the "Subject:" header.  Those should also be
mailed to BITLIB@YALEVMX.

As a matter  of fact, everything should be mailed to BITLIB@YALEVMX:  The news,
articles, letters, requests, to be  added to the mailing list, and all that fun
stuff.  Just like Bitlist.  Only better.

                                  Virtually;

                                       Chris
                                       
                                       BITLIB@YALEVMX


  *****************************************************************************
 * The Psychnet Services                                                      *
*******************************************************************************

                                 PP      II
                                   P    I
                                    P  I
                                     SS
                                     SS
                                   PSIPSI (tm)

         "Serving psychology worldwide through electronic mail"

Multiple choice question:

Q: Psychnet is a

          a. Newsletter, keeping the psychology community informed.
          b. Mailing list, keeping the psychology community informed.
          c. File server - a Subserver of the file server UH-INFO@UHUPVM1.
          d. All of the above.

A: If  you  picked 'd',  you got it right.  Once  a week,  all  members  of the
Psychnet  mailing  list are  sent  the latest  Psychnet Newsletter and an index
of  files  available from the  file server.  Send  the file server the PSYCHNET
HELP command for information on how to use it. For those who aren't comfortable
with  networking,  EXEC and COM files  have been  written to  make it virtually
painless (pun intended).

The  initial purpose  of Psychnet is distribution of academic papers in advance
of the 1986 APA convention.  Other purposes include developing as the needs and
interests of Psychnet users (and the profession) become known.

If  you have  a question  or comment  you  wish distributed  to members  of the
mailing list, you  may send it to  userid EPSYNET@UHUPVM1 and  it will be  sent
out,  usually as a  part  of  "The Readers Write"  page of  the  next  Psychnet
Newsletter.

All  requests to be added to or deleted from the mailing list, or to have files
distributed should be sent to:

            Robert C. Morecock, Psychnet Editor, EPSYNET@UHUPVM1

For  more information  on how to use the Psychnet file server, send the command
PSYCHNET HELP to the file server UH-INFO@UHUPVM1.


  *****************************************************************************
 * New Mailing Lists                                                          *
*******************************************************************************

INFO-TMODEM@SIMTEL20.ARPA
BUG-TMODEM@SIMTEL20.ARPA

   The  INFO-TMODEM list is a means for the maintainer of the TMODEM program to
   send notices  to users of  TMODEM.  Users  of TMODEM  send bug  reports  and
   feature requests to BUG-TMODEM@SIMTEL20.

   TMODEM is a new TOPS-20 implementation of the Christensen Protocol, with all
   the latest features, such as:

      o  wildcard file transfers in the style of MODEM7
         (YMODEM batch is coming)
      o  the YMODEM implementation of the K option with a new algorithm
         to return to K mode after falling back to "normal" mode
      o  extensive built-in HELP for all commands and options.

   TMODEM is  an amalgamation  of the  old  TOPS-20  MODEM  program, originally
   written by  Bill  Westfield while  he was at SRI  and now at Stanford, major
   pieces of the  TOPS-20 TELNET program, currently maintained by Mark Crispin,
   and some pieces of code stolen from TTLINK and KERMIT-20 by Frank da Cruz at
   Columbia University.

   All requests to  be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions,
   etc., should be sent to INFO-TMODEM-REQUEST@SIMTEL20.ARPA.

   Coordinator: Frank J. Wancho 


For more information  on these  and other  mailing  lists and  digests, request
the files ARPANET SIGLIST1  and ARPANET  SIGLIST2 from any NETSERV file server.
The  list is maintained by  Rich Zellich.  Please note that addition to many of
these  mailing  lists will  result  in LARGE  amounts of  mail arriving in your
electronic  mailbox.  It is  strongly  suggested  that  you  make  sure you are
really  interested in a  particular  digest  before  you  request it.  Also, be
sure to  send a  note to the  moderator of the list when  you change userids or
your  account expires.  Please  send  additions and corrections  for the digest
list to ZELLICH@SRI-NIC.ARPA.


  *****************************************************************************
 * The Revised List Processor (LISTSERV@FRECP11) by Eric Thomas               *
*******************************************************************************

LISTSERV@FRECP11 is  the prototype  distribution  list  server which  is  being
developed at the Ecole Centrale de Paris.  It offers the following improvements
over the current LISTSERV code:

      - Mail is  no longer sent from  the list processor userid  (LISTSERV). It
        now comes  directly from  the distribution  list userid  itself, which,
        apart from being much more logical and "intuitive" for the average end-
        user, offers  the important advantage  of not messing  the MAIL/RECEIVE
        packages any longer and allowing you to define a different NOTEBOOK for
        *each* list! Which  was *a bit* of  a pain when all mail  came from the
        LISTSERV userid regardless of the  mailing list. For example, mail sent
        to  "TEST-L@FRECP11"  will  be  sent  out  from  "TEST-L@FRECP11",  not
        "LISTSERV@FRECP11".

      - IBM NOTE headers, both SHORT and LONG format, are fully supported. Note
        that the only fields that are  recognized in a NOTE header are "Date:",
        "From:", "To:", "cc:" and "Subject:" (and  they must be in that order).

      - Irrelevant information is stripped off  the outgoing mail header. Every
        effort has been made to reduce the size of the mail header.

      - The "Acknowledge-To:" keyword, if present, is suppressed.

      - Whenever several users at  the same VM node appear in  a list, they are
        grouped together and only a single mail file is sent to that node (pro-
        vided that there  is a mailer at that node).  This should significantly
        reduce the  number of outgoing  mail files  for large lists.  Note that
        this does not apply to users of  the local node, who do NOT get grouped
        together.

      - You do not get a copy of the mail you just sent to the list. You DO get
        an acknowledgement, though (very short mail file).

      - Normal (non-mail) files  can be sent to  the list. To send a  file to a
        list, all you have to do is to SPOOL your virtual PUNCH FORM REDIST and
        send the desired file to the list userid, in the desired format. Multi-
        ple files (DISK and CARD format) are supported.
        Example:

        SPOOL PUNCH FORM REDIST
        SENDFILE RELAY REXX TO RELAY-L at FRECP11

        The file  will then be  re-sent to all  recipients of the  list (except
        yourself) in the format you specified,  with DIST = list-name and FORM=
        QUREDIST (this will toggle the "quiet file transfer" feature). The file
        class will be left unchanged.

        *** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
        The reason  why the file must  be sent with  form = REDIST is  to avoid
        "oopses". For this reason you should  make sure that your virtual punch
        is spooled back to STANDARD or QUIET after sending a file.

      - The LISTSERVs  can now be  linked as peers rather  than hierarchically.
        You don't  have to  mail to  the highest  LISTSERV in  the hierarchical
        order to make sure  that your mail will be sent  to all the recipients.

      Enhanced list control:

      - Apart from  the postmaster(s),  who have  sovereign authority  over all
        lists, an  owner (or list of  co-owners) can be defined  for each list,
        who will be able to maintain the list without any intervention from the
        postmaster(s).

      - Under the  supervision of the  list owner(s),  users can be  allowed to
        automatically subscribe to  a list by issuing a  "SUBSCRIBE" command to
        the server. They are then automatically added to the list and the owner
        receives a notification note. This option can be enabled or disabled on
        a list basis. If it is disabled, a request-for-addition mail is automa-
        tically sent  to the  list owner(s) whenever  a "SUBSCRIBE"  command is
        received.

      - Similarly, users can sign off a list at any time by issuing a "SIGNOFF"
        command to the server. Notification is then sent to the owner(s).

      - Provision has been made to allow the  list owner to add or remove users
        from a  list without having  to fetch it from  the server, edit  it and
        send it back.  Those are the "ADD" and  "DELete" commands. Notification
        is automatically sent to the newly added/dismissed users.

      - Several keywords  control who  can review the  list, who  can mail/send
        files to  it, etc. Owners can  protect their lists from  UREP hijacking
        with a password.


AVAILABLE COMMANDS (non-privileged users):

Send these  commands to  LISTSERV@FRECP11 with your local interactive messaging
command (i.e TELL, SEND/REMOTE).

List      

        Get a description of all lists. The default option is "Short", and will
        send you  a brief description of  each list (via messages).  The "Long"
        and "Detailed" options are synonyms and will send you the "header" por-
        tion of each list (via file).

Info

        Sends you a file much like this article

Help

        Sends you brief description of the most useful commands.

SUBscribe listname your_full_name
SIGNUP

        Use this command to subcribe to a list. You will be automatically added
        to it unless the list owner has  disabled this option, in which case he
        will be sent  a request-for-addition note. If you  have misspelled your
        name when issuing this command in the  first place, you will be able to
        correct it by  re-issuing it without having to first  sign off from the
        list. Note that in that case no notification is sent to the list owner.

SIGNOFF   listname
UNSubscribe

        This is  the counterpart of  the SUBSCRIBE  command. Note that  you can
        remove yourself  from any  list you  have been added  to, unless  it is
        specially protected by  a password; whether you have  subscribed to the
        list yourself or you have been added  to it by the owner is irrelevant.

REView    listname

        Sends you the  (formatted) contents of a list. Private  lists cannot be
        reviewed by users who do not appear on it.

Comments and complaints should be sent to Eric Thomas 

        Please avoid generating  too much traffic on this server.  FRECP11 is a
        dead-end node and cannot afford to unduly load the network.

Editors Note:   The following lists are currently run on LISTSERV@FRHECP11:

AGGIE-L   -  The fightin' Texas Aggies' list!!!
CHAT      -  Distribution list for the Chat code
INF       -  Option Informatique Generale
RSCSMODS  -  The RSCS modifications list
LSTSRV-L  -  Distribution list for the Revised LISTSERV code
QUIET-L   -  "Quiet file transfer" information list

The new list  server LISTSERV@CLVM is uses the same code, and runs these lists:

ERC-L     -  List of ERC staff (including Administrative Computing)
LASER-L   -  Laser Printers Aquisitions list
SYSTEM-L  -  Systems Information Mailing list
RSCSMODS  -  RSCS Modifications
TERMITE   -  TERMITE discussion/distribution List

More  detailed information  on these  mailing lists  can be obtained by sending
both list servers the LIST L  command.


  *****************************************************************************
 * You Are Here                                                               *
*******************************************************************************

Are you lost?  Not  quite sure of  where you stand in the Big Picture?  There's
help for you!  Paul Kunz of  SLACVM maintains  a map of  BITNET sites  and  how
they are  connected  to each  other.  In  addition, the map lists the date that
each  site was  connected  to the network.  It  does not list individual nodes,
but the  name of  the institution  instead.  For example, University of Florida
has two  nodes, but it is  listed as one site.  The map also shows the location
of  internet gateways.  If your  node does not  already have  this  map in it's
network  documentation, you  can get a  copy from any NETSERV file server.  The
map is named BITNET TOPOLOGY.  Below is a small sample:

            +                                      +
 *--------*  \             *--------*   *--------*  \             *--------*
 ]IllTech ]   \            ]Loyola  ]   ]NFlorida]   \            ]UFlorida]
 *----(1)-*\   \          /*----(1)-*   *----(1)-*\   \          /*----(2)-*
            \   \        /                         \   \        /
 * - - - -*  \*--------*/  *--------*   *--------*  \*--------*/  *--------*
 ]NorIllUn]   ]UIChicgo]---]IllEdCon]   ]WestFla ]---]FlaNERDC]---]UnCFla  ]
 * - -(1)-*  /*----(4)-*\  *----(1)-*   *----(1)-*  /*----(2)-*\  *----(2)-*
     ]      /     ]      \                         /     ]      \
 *--------*/  *--------*  \             *--------*/  *--------*  \*--------*
 ]Argonne ]---]FermiLab]   \            ]FlaState]   ]FlaSERD ]   ]CFlaRDC ]
 *---(12)-*   *---(12)-*    \           *----(5)-*   *----(1)-*   *----(2)-*
     ]          /            \
 *--------*   to      to   *--------*   * - - - -*   *--------*   *--------*
 ]UChicago]   Colmba  Uni  ]UIUrbana]---]S Ill U ]   ]NewMexSt]---]UTxElPso]
 *----(3)-*   Univ    Nebr *---(10)-*   * - -(1)-*   *----(3)-*   *----(2)-*
     ]                   \     ]                         ]
 *--------*   * - - - -*  \*--------*   *--------*   *--------*   *--------*
 ]NotrDame]   ]Okla U  ]---]Missouri]---]WshngtnU]   ]TxTechU ]   ]UTxArlg ]
 *----(3)-*   * - -(1)-*   *---(11)-*   *----(5)-*   *----(1)-*  /*----(1)-*
     ]                         ]                         ]      /
 *--------*   *--------*   *--------*   *--------*   *--------*/  *--------*
 ]Purdue  ]   ]LouisaSt]---]Rice    ]---]UTxCancr]   ]UTxDalls]---]NTxStUn ]
 *----(1)-*   *----(3)-*   *----(4)-*   *----(2)-*   *----(1)-*\  *----(3)-*
     ]            ]            ]                         ]      \
 *--------*   *--------*   *--------*   *--------*   *--------*  \*--------*
 ]Ind/PurU]   ]Tulane  ]   ]Houston ]---]TexasA&M]---]UTxAustn]   ]SMethUn ]
 *----(2)-*   *----(1)-*   *----(4)-*   *---(21)-*  /*----(4)-*   *----(1)-*
     ]            ]                                /     ]
 *--------*   *--------*                *--------*/  *--------*   * - - - -*
 ]Indiana ]   ]NOrleans]                ]UTxHSC  ]   ]UTxSAntn]---]MontryIT]
 *----(2)-*   *----(1)-*                *----(1)-*   *----(2)-*   * - -(1)-*


  *****************************************************************************
 * /Links                                                                     *
*******************************************************************************

Thanks to Jeff Kell and Christian Schaeke for their news about  two new Relays:

RELAY     @ BLEKUL11   -   Katholieke Universiteit, Belgium
RELAY     @ BNANSP10   -   Facultes Universaires N.D de la Paix

Don't ask me  to translate.  My non-English is very poor (as many of you know).

This  brings the Relay count up  to 36.  Hmmmmmm.  Any guesses  as to  how many
weeks it will be before there are 100?


  *****************************************************************************
 * File Server Quick Reference Guide                                          *
*******************************************************************************

Userid    @ Node       Send a list of files        Send a file
--------  - --------   --------------------------- ----------------------------
BITSERVE  @ CUNYVM   - SEARCHF I INDEX             SENDME fn ft
CANSERVE  @ CANADA01 - LIST                        SENDME fn ft
CSNEWS    @ MAINE    - SENDME CSNEWS FILES         SENDME fn ft Ã•FROM Ã¥
KERMSRV   @ CUVMA    - DIR Ã•fn ftÃ¥                 SEND fn ft
KERMSRV   @ UOFT02   - DIR                         SEND fn.ext
LFCNET    @ ICNUCEVM - /CMSLISTING fn ft           /SEND fn ft , /GET fn ft
MACSERVE  @ BITNIC   - DIR                         GET fn ft
NDCSNEWS  @ NDSUVM1  - SENDME NDCSNEWS FILES       SENDME fn ft
NICSERVE  @ BITNIC   - INDEX                       SENDME fn ft , GET fn ft
NYSHARE   @ WEIZMANN - LISTPACK                    SENDME fn ft
SERVER    @ TAMCBA   - DIR , SENDME                SENDME fn ft
SERVER    @ UOGUELPH - LIST                        SENDME fn ft
SILMARIL  @ FINHUTC  - DIR Ã•fn ftÃ¥                 GET fn ft
TCSSERVE  @ TCSVM    - DIR                         SENDME fn ft
UH-INFO   @ UHUPVM1
 ACSNET   Subserver  - ACSNET INDEXF               ACSNET SENDME fn ft
 PSYCHNET Subserver  - PSYCHNET INDEXF             PSYCHNET SENDME fn ft
VMBBOARD  @ WEIZMANN - SEARCH SINCE mm/dd/yy       GET entry_number

Conventions used in this guide:

The commands  listed here  to receive  a list of  files will  result  in a file
being sent  to you.  Some of  the servers  have alternate commands where a list
of  files is sent as a message.  The parameters fn ft refer to the filename and
filetype of a  file.  All parameters in brackets Ã•Ã¥ are optional.  All of these
servers  will send you more  information  on valid commands  in response to the
HELP command.


  *****************************************************************************
 * Letters to NetMonth                                                        *
*******************************************************************************

Since  this is  the first  issue of NetMonth,  there are  no letters  to print.
However, this gives me the opportunity to sneak in my letter printing policies:

If  you have questions or comments about BITNET or NetMonth that you would like
printed here,  mail your  letter to BITLIB@YALEVMX.  Make sure that you specify
in the "Subject:" header or somewhere in the letter that it is for the NetMonth
letters  column.  This  doesn't mean  that your  letter will be printed, but it
helps.

Article Submissions:  The only requirements for NetMonth articles are that they
be informative,  interesting, and deal with BITNET services.  They  should also
be in  the 80-column  format  you  are reading now.   Submitting an  article is
not a guarantee that it will be printed.  The Editor will attempt to inform you
if any chanages are made to your writing. Send your articles to BITLIB@YALEVMX.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FuzzyBytes Electronic Publishing                          "Because We're Here."