      *****************************************************************
      *                                                                 *
    ***  S p e c i a l   F i r s t   A n n i v e r s a r y   I s s u e  ***
   *  *                                                                 *  *
   *   *****************************************************************   *
   *                                                                       *
   *  *      *                   *     *                          *        *
   *  **     *                   **   **                          *        *
   *  * *    *             *     * * * *          *          *    *        *
   *  *  *   *   *****  *******  *  *  *   *****  ******  ******* ******   *
   *  *   *  *  *     *    *     *     *  *     * *     *    *    *     *  *
   *  *    * *  *******    *     *     *  *     * *     *    *    *     *  *
   *  *     **  *          *     *     *  *     * *     *    *    *     *  *
   *  *      *   ******    *     *     *   *****  *     *    *    *     *  *
   *  *                                                                 *  *
   *  *             The guide to BITNET servers and services            *  *
   *  *                                                                 *  *
   *  *  Volume 2  Number 1                                  July 1987  *  *
   *  *                                                                 *  *
   *   *****************************************************************   *
   *  *                                                                 *  *
   *  *  Editor:                           Chris Condon  CONDON@YALEVM  *  *
   *  *  Assistant Editor:                 Steve Sutter  SUTTER@YALEVM  *  *
   *  *  NetMonth Staff Supervisor:        Gary Moss       MOSS@YALEVM  *  *
   *  *                                                                 *  *
   *   *****************************************************************   *
   *  *     ***                          ******     ************     ****  *
   *  **     ***     **************     *******     **********     ******  *
   *  ****     **                       *******     *******     *********  *
   *  *****     ***     ***********     *******     ******     **********  *
   *  ******     ****                  *******     ******     ***********  *
   *  *******     ****     ******     ********     ******     ***********  *
   *  *******     ****                *******     *******     ***********  *
   *  ******     ******     ******     *****     *********     **********  *
   *  *****     ********                ****     **********     *********  *
   *  ****     ********     *******     *****     **********     ********  *
   *  ****     *******                   ****     ***********     *******  *
   *  *****     *******     ********     ****     ************     ******  *
   *  ******     *******                 ****     ************     ******  *
   *  *******     *******     ******     *****     ***********     ******  *
   *  ********     *******              ******     **********     *******  *
   *  *********     *****     ****     ********     ********     ********  *
   *  *********     *****              *********     *******     ********  *
   *  *********     ******     ****     *********     *******     *******  *
   *  ********     ********              **********     ******     ******  *
   *  *******     **********     ****     **********     ******     *****  *
   *  ******     ************               ********     *******     ****  *
   *  *****     ************     *********     ******     ******     ****  *
   *  ****     ************                      ****     *****     *****  *
   *   *****************************************************************   *
   *                                                                       *
    ***********************************************************************
1


   *************************************************************************
  * Contents                                                                *
  ***************************************************************************

  Inside This Issue ....................................................... 1
  Bitnotes ................................................................ 2
  Scuttlebut .............................................................. 3
  Policies ............................................................... 29

  FIRST ANNIVERSARY SECTION__________________________________________________

  The Best and Worst ...................................................... 5
  Lives, Deaths, and Rebirths ............................................. 7
  The Best of Bitnotes .................................................... 9
  A Day in BITNET: The Game .............................................. 15
  NetMonth Printing for VAX .............................................. 16
  NetMonth Index for Volume 1 ............................................ 18
  Second Annual File Server Quick Reference Guide ........................ 22

  SERVERS AND SERVICES_______________________________________________________

  LNAME: A Replacement for NAMES ......................................... 23
  New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 26

  NetMonth is a  network service  publication  distributed free  of charge to
  students and professionals in BITNET and other networks.  This magazine and
  it's  companion  file, BITNET SERVERS, are  the work  of the  Yale Computer
  Center  BITNET  Services  Library  (BITLIB) staff.  The  BITLIB  is a local
  online help  facility designed to  inform  Yale network  users  about  what
  services are available  to them  through BITNET, and  provide  instructions
  and  utilities  for their  proper use.  In publishing  NetMonth  the BITLIB
  staff  members hope  to share the  fruits of their  labor with institutions
  outside of Yale in  order to promote a productive  and enjoyable networking
  environment for everyone.

  BITNET SERVERS is BITNET's most  complete  and  up-to-date  list of servers
  and services.  It is sent to  NetMonth  subscribers at the same time as the
  magazine.  BITNET SERVERS is dependent  on your support to remain accurate.
  If you know of servers and  services  not  listed  in BITNET SERVERS, or of
  those listed in the file that  are no longer available, please  contact the
  NetMonth staff at BITLIB@YALEVMX.

  For information  on  subscribing  to NetMonth  and  BITNET SERVERS, see the
  "Policies" section on the last pages of this issue. Within "Policies" there
  are also instructions for  submitting  articles,  sending  Letters  to  the
  Editor, and printing this file.

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

  A publication of the Bitnet Services Library          "Because We're Here."
1



     *      *                   *     *                          *
     **     *                   **   **                          *
     * *    *             *     * * * *          *          *    *
     *  *   *   *****  *******  *  *  *   *****  ******  ******* ******
     *   *  *  *     *    *     *     *  *     * *     *    *    *     *
     *    * *  *******    *     *     *  *     * *     *    *    *     *
     *     **  *          *     *     *  *     * *     *    *    *     *
     *      *   ******    *     *     *   *****  *     *    *    *     *
     *                                                                 *
     *             The guide to BITNET servers and services            *
     *                                                                 *
      *****************************************************************

     A publication of the Bitnet Services Library  "Because We're Here."


   *************************************************************************
  * Inside This Issue                                                       *
  ***************************************************************************

  We have  made some  additions to our  usual features this month in order to
  celebrate a special occasion:  the  first anniversary  of NetMonth.  (Well,
  WE think  it's  special).  You  will find  all the  the usual  features and
  article in their usual places, but inside the Anniversary Section  we  will
  also indulge ourselves in a look at the year past:

  * The Best and Worst of  July 1986 - July 1987:   (Actually, a whole gaggle
  of "ests").  Some of  us deserve  praise  while some  of us  deserve  to be
  laughed at.  Everybody gets their just deserts.

  * Births,  Deaths, and Rebirths:  The servers  and services  come  and  go.
  Here are the ones that came and went.

  * The Best of Bitnotes:  A few memorable  moments with Ol' What's-His-Name.

  * A Day in BITNET: The Game:  Two to two  thousand  can  play!   You'll  be
  mesmerized for minutes as you try to survive the perils of  flaming forums,
  crashing systems, and UUCP.  Much  cheaper  and  faster than  the real-life
  version, and you can play it at home!  (Some assembly required.)

  * NetMonth Printing for VAX:  Those of you in the  Digital  world  can  now
  print NetMonth with page breaks, as long as you have a pascal compiler.

  * NetMonth Index for Volume 1:  Finally... you asked for it, you've got it.

  * Second Annual File Server Quick Reference Guide:  How to get indeces  and
  files from the BITNET file servers in one page!
1

                                                                       Page 2


   *************************************************************************
  * Bitnotes                                                       Issue 12 *
  ***************************************************************************

         "The problem with the inevitable is that it always happens."


  Ho-hum...

  It seems that the  only constant in the great,  cosmic  scheme of things is
  Change.   Another year has  gone by and it seems as if  the world of BITNET
  has been flipped  around and turned topsy-turvy so many  times that exiting
  new revelations have almost become old hat.   The network has changed,  the
  servers have changed, the views have changed... WE have changed.

  Turn back your mental clock,  if you will,  to July of 1986.   Did you know
  what a List  server was?   Did you  know who ran BITNET?    (Did you care?)
  What did you think about the future of Relay?  Did you know what a NetMonth
  was?  (And what the heck was a BITLIB?)

  These questions  (and their answers)  have  become part of the  legends and
  lore of our network.    Just as some of us may recall  the original CHAT or
  the first issue of VM/COM,  next year we will look back at the times before
  LISTSERV and membership fees,  and it will seem like so many eons ago.   Do
  you  remember a  time before  Relay?   Do  you  recall what  it felt  like?
  Everything  has changed,   and yet  I can't  quite figure  out when  BITNET
  stopped being like it was THEN and became what it is NOW.

  Lest we forget:

  One year ago, the new,  networked LISTSERV was born.   The creation of Eric
  Thomas and a great improvement on the original BITNIC design,  this type of
  server  has spread  faster than  I care  to  figure out.    This helped  to
  popularize the ARPANET-type forum (a la LIAISON, SF-LOVERS, INFONETS, etc.)
  and  no less  than quadupled  the utility  of BITNET  for the  non-Computer
  Science user.   One might  say that it was the Most  Significant Service of
  1986-1987.

  Meanwhile, what was certainly the Most Significant Service of 1985-1986 did
  not grow up to  expectations.   Relay growth has slowed to  almost a crawl,
  while service has actually been cut off from other areas.  This has nothing
  to do  with the quality of  the service or  the people running it  (a great
  bunch of people),   it is the stubborness  of those at many/most  nodes who
  fail   to  see   the   true  potential   of   Relay  for   non-recreational
  communications.   Perhaps that was a failure  on both the local and network
  level to  promote that kind of  use.   Perhaps we  have to kick a  few more
  people into seeing the light.   Perhaps hindsight is always 20/20.
1

                                                                       Page 3


  On yet another front, flame after flame appeared as people debated over the
  suddenly important question  of who was going  to run BITNET after  the IBM
  grant supporting the  Network Information Center ran out.    Many felt that
  the BITNIC had not lived up to expectations and should be replaced.  Others
  (perhaps less vocal and intense in their opinions)  felt that the job being
  done was a job well done.   Hovering above these two camps was the question
  of membership fees and how the  network should support itself.   Eventually
  the quiet  pro-BITNIC camp prevailed,  but  not until after the  BITNIC had
  suffered some  serious public-relations scars.    To be fair,   the Network
  Information Center  has done it's fair  share of both wonderful  and stupid
  things.   The coming year will reveal which type of actions are the norm.

  Somwewhere in the middle of all  this NetMonth hit the virtual news-stands.
  At the time  it had a subscription  list numbering about 250  people,  left
  over from  the weekly Bitlist  readers.   Now there  are over 1000  of you.
  There isn't much to say about  this magazine without sounding conceited (we
  are, after all, a bit biased).   However, we like to think that the work we
  have done has helped to make the network a better place to work and play.

  You may  have figured out over  the the past few  years that we are  not in
  this for the money (there isn't any),   nor are we providing these services
  out of the goodness of our hearts.    Frankly,  we are having fun.    In my
  first months here there was a new discovery awaiting me each time I powered
  up a terminal  and explored the network.    Each day brought new  ideas and
  meetings with interesting people from around the world and across the state
  line.   I'm happy to say that even today  when I log on there is still that
  slight sense  of adventure,   that feeling  of anticipation...   "What will
  happen today?"

  Some things never change.


                           Chris Condon@YaleVMX


   *************************************************************************
  * Scuttlebut                                                              *
  ***************************************************************************

  * We have  had a number of  reports that the server  ARCHIVE-REQUEST at the
  SIMTEL20 Arpanet node is no longer available.   Here is the official report
  from Frank J. Wancho:

  "Several changes to the Archive Server have been made in the past few weeks
  to improve service for replies sent through intermediate hosts.  One of the
  requested changes was  to reduce the size  of the messages by  half so that
  these messages don't hog the  single-stream mail channels,  particularly on
1

                                                                       Page 4


  BITNET, for extended periods of time,  and thus give other mail a chance to
  get through in a timely manner.

  "Unfortunately,  this  has resulted in the  SIMTEL20 mail queue  to rapidly
  grow way beyond  all expectations:  the Server was now  generating twice as
  many  messages  and our  dedicated  mailer  for  this  service now  had  to
  establish twice as many connections for  the same number of replies.   That
  mailer could not keep up with the the queue,  and for the second time in as
  many weeks,  we have had to shutdown the Server because we were running out
  of disk space.

  "Because the disk space is at a premium for our regular users,  and because
  the resources required by both the Server and the mailer have now reached a
  point well beyond the capabilities of our present system configuration, the
  Server has been shut down until further notice and for an indefinite period
  of time.    New requests  will be  returned unanswered,   and both  present
  requests and replies will be flushed.

  "In the meantime, we are examining other possibilities to provide access to
  our collections.    Because the great majority  of requests have  come from
  BITNET users,   we are  looking for  one or  more BITNET  hosts willing  to
  provide  the disk  space and  BITSERV facilities  for  one or  more of  our
  collections of public domain software."

  * New LISTSERVS:  Thanks to Jim Jones for telling us about his installation
  of a LISTSERV at JHUVM.   Meanwhile, we noticed another one in our own back
  yard... YALEVM.

  * From Bitnews, "INFO@BITNIC Goes Local":  All messages sent to INFO@BITNIC
  from  users  at  institutions  with appointed  INFOREPs  will  receive  the
  following message:

         *************************************************************

         The BITNET Network Information Center  has received  the mail
         you  sent  to INFO@BITNIC.   One of our  goals is  to provide
         quality  services to  network users.  In order to provide you
         with these services  in a more timely  and efficient  manner,
         your message was forwarded to the BITNET Information Services
         Representative  (INFOREP)  for  your  node.   If   you   have
         additional questions or comments, please see your INFOREP.

         INFOREP:
         BITNET Address:
         Telephone:
                               BITNET Network Information Center Staff

         *************************************************************
1

                                                                       Page 5


  As is stated here,   our goal is to find the most  efficient way to provide
  quality services for all BITNET users.  A major part of our plan to provide
  quality  is  to   distribute  information  services  through   the  INFOREP
  structure.  Consequently, the BITNIC has developed software that forwards a
  copy  of  the  message  you  send  to  INFO@BITNIC  to  your  local  BITNET
  Information  Services  Representative,  as  well  as  informs you  of  your
  INFOREP's name,  userid,  and telephone number.   INFO@BITNIC messages sent
  from  nodes without  INFOREPs  will be  accepted  by  INFO@BITNIC until  an
  INFOREP is appointed.

  The BITNIC has  compiled lists of appointed  BITNET Representatives,  their
  BITNET addresses,  and the institutions they represent.   The lists,  which
  will be updated periodically, are available on NICSERVE@BITNIC as:

           BIRREP  LIST - BITNET Institutional Representatives
           TECHREP LIST - BITNET Technical Representatives
           INFOREP LIST - BITNET Information Services Representatives


  First Anniversary Section *************************************************


   *************************************************************************
  * The Best and Worst of the Year Past                                     *
  ***************************************************************************

  * Worst  Unfunny Joke:    The explanation  that a  certain European  Relay-
  imitator was a "top-secret project of the Soviet Union."

  * Silliest NetMonth cover:  April 1987 ("An elephant... is mushy.")

  * Smallest  problem causing the  Biggest problem:    RSCS incompatibilities
  between PSUVM  and OHSTVMA,   causing the  most notorious  and long-running
  network load problem to date.

  * Best party disguised as a conference:  NetCon Spring '87, New Orleans

  * Best conference disguised as a party:  NetCon Spring '87, New Orleans

  * The Bursting Mailbox Award goes to:  Rich Zellich, maintainer of List-of-
  Lists.

  * Funniest Imitation of a Public Speaker:   Chris Condon,  at NetCon Spring
  '87

  * The "Grace Under Pressure" Award goes to:   Judy Molka and Bette Kindman-
  Koffler, who get to answer any complaints about BITNIC.
1

  First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 6


  *  Most Tiresome  Trend in  which  we have  openly participated:    Network
  surveys.

  * Most Significant New Server:  LISTSERV, of course...

  * The Instant  Insanity Award,  or "Why  am I Doing This?"  goes to:   Jeff
  Kell, the father of Relay.

  * Biggest,  Nastiest Argument:   The fight over who should run BITNET,  and
  how much they should charge.

  * Best Idea with the Longest Gestation Period:  The local InfoRep concept.

  * Do people actually use this? (Time Warp Dept.)  BITSERVE@CUNYVM

  * Do people actually understand how to use this?  DATABASE@BITNIC

  * Best Server with an Identity Crisis:  LISTSERV (Am I a list server?  Am I
  a file server?  Am I both?)

  * Most Original Name for  a file server:   SERVER@TAMCBA,  SERVER@UOGUELPH,
  SERVER@SUZEUS.

  * Funniest Name for a Corporation:  BITNET, Inc.

  * Best Idea to Take Hold, sort of:  Local interface programs for servers, a
  la PSYCHNET and EASYCOM/COMSERVE.

  * The "They love it when you beg" award goes to:   Michele Robinson,  who's
  pleas for VM/COM articles fall on deaf ears.

  * Most Mythical Server:  The GRANDiose Server System

  * Silliest command you can send to a server:   SEND RAW (from the Simtel-20
  Archives).  Runner up:  WEATHER (from SERVER@SUZEUS).  Anybody want to know
  the forecast for Albany?

  * The "Here  Today,  Gone Tomorrow" Award goes  to:   SERVER@SUZEUS,  which
  lasted less than a month.


  ****    **********    **************    **************    ******    *******
  *****    *********                     ****************    *****    *******
  *****    **********    ***********    ***************    ********    ******
  ******    **********                  **************    ***********    ****
  *****    *************    *********    ************    **************    **

1

  First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 7


   *************************************************************************
  * Births, Deaths, and Rebirths                                            *
  ***************************************************************************

  While we at the NetMonth  offices make  an effort to  address the issues of
  the day, we have  tried not to  forget  our basic  mission:  To inform  you
  about  the  latest  developments  in servers  and  services.  As  mentioned
  earlier, change  is  the  norm  rather  than the  exception  in BITNET.  To
  demonstrate  this point  we have  constructed  this  article, charting  the
  births, deaths, and rebirths of servers and services in the past year.

  Allow us a few observations:

  1.  The file  server is a relatively stable sort of service.  While several
      have been  shut down  or changed  names  (or locations), the  number of
      file servers hasn't  risen  or fallen  dramatically  (unless  you count
      LISTSERV).

  2.  The electronic  magazine has  limited appeal to those who wish to offer
      services to the network.  That  is my only  explanation  for  why  more
      were  not  offered.   Perhaps  we  should  make  it  seem  a  bit  more
      glamourous...  Maybe not.  Less competition that way.

  3.  A file  server  at node X  has a  good  chance  of being replaced by a
      LISTSERV subserver if a LISTSERV is installed.  However,  the server's
      identity and knowledge of it's existence tend to get muddled.


  Deaths                         Births
  --------------------------  +  --------------------------------------------
                              ]
  RELAY     @ NCSUVM          ]
  LFCNET    @ ICNUCEVM        ]
  SERVER    @ UOGUELPH        ]
  DPMA      @ UNF             ]
  SERVER    @ SUZEUS          ]
  The Unlicensed Zone         ]
  CLUB Magazine               ]
                              ]  DPMA      @ UNF
                              ]  DPMA      @ UWF
                              ]  SERVER    @ SUZEUS
                              ]  TCSSERVE  @ TCSVM
                              ]  UTCSERVE  @ UTCVM
                              ]  CYBSERV   @ ACADIA
                              ]  COMSERVE  @ RPICICGE
                              ]  UBSERVE   @ UBVMSC
                              ]  NETSERV   @ EB0UB011

1

  First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 8


  Deaths                         Births
  --------------------------  +  --------------------------------------------
                              ]
                              ]  NETSERV   @ NORUNIT
                              ]  NETSERV   @ TAUNIVM
                              ]  NETSERV   @ TCSVM
                              ]  NETSERV   @ UKACRL
                              ]  CCUC      @ UMCVMB
                              ]  VMNAMES   @ UREGINA1
                              ]  CYBSERV   @ ACADIA
                              ]  TeXMaG
                              ]  Hewlett Packard Public Networking Newsletter
                              ]  The Unlicensed Zone
                              ]  The VAX Toolbox
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ AKRONVM     LISTSERV  @ EB0UB011
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ BITNIC      LISTSERV  @ FINHUTC
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ BNANDP11    LISTSERV  @ VTVM1
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ BYUADMIN    LISTSERV  @ IRISHVM
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ CANADA01    LISTSERV  @ MAINE
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ CEARN       LISTSERV  @ MARIST
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ CLVM        LISTSERV  @ NCSUVM
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ CMUCCVMA    LISTSERV  @ NDSUVM1
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ CUNYVM      LISTSERV  @ OREGON1
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ DEARN       LISTSERV  @ RICE
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ DB0TUI11    LISTSERV  @ RITVM
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ RUTVM1      LISTSERV  @ UGA
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ SUVM        LISTSERV  @ UIUCVMD
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ TAMCBA      LISTSERV  @ UOTTTAWA
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ TAMVM1      LISTSERV  @ UREGINA1
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ TAUNIVM     LISTSERV  @ UTORONTO
                              ]  LISTSERV  @ UCF1VM      NEWSERV   @ UNCVM1
                              ]  RELAY     @ BLEKUL11    RELAY     @ TAUNIVM
                              ]  RELAY     @ BNANDP10    RELAY     @ UALTAVM
                              ]  RELAY     @ EB0UB011    RELAY     @ UCSVM
                              ]  RELAY     @ GITVM1      RELAY     @ UTCVM
                              ]  RELAY     @ TAMVM1


  Deaths                         Reborn as... (or replaced by...)
  --------------------------  +  --------------------------------------------
  LOOKUP    @ RITVAXA/B/C/D   ]  INFO      @ RITVAXD
  MACSERVE  @ BITNIC          ]  MACSERVE  @ PUCC
  NETSERV   @ EARNET          ]  NETSERV   @ ICNUCEVM
  CANSERVE  @ CANADA01        ]  NETSERV   @ CANADA01
  SILMARIL  @ FINHUTC         ]  LISTSERV  @ FINHUTC (and SILMARIL subserver)
  TCSSERVE  @ TCSVM           ]  LISTSERV  @ TCSVM   (and TCSSERVE subserver)
  UTCSERVE  @ UTCVM           ]  LISTSERV  @ UTCVM   (and UTCSERVE subserver)
  Bitlist                     ]  NetMonth

1

  First Anniversary Section ****************************************** Page 9


   *************************************************************************
  * The Best of Bitnotes... a Trip through Memory Lane                      *
  ***************************************************************************

  as Unbiasedly Chosen by the Editor (*ahem*)


  * July 1986

  So here is NetMonth.  I will  hopefully produce a magazine of the standards
  you were used to in  Bitlist (whatever they were).


  * August 1986

  Ignorance  is bliss, or so they say.  That may not be applicable to BITNET,
  for here  ignorance  usually  spells  Trouble  (yes,  with a  capital 'T').
  Ignorance may  be as harmless  as not  knowing  how to use a file server or
  as harmful as requesting 125 files  from a  file  server within  the course
  of three minutes. Certainly, this  is not bliss.  Not for  the poor guy who
  doesn't know  what is  going on, or  for  the  person  wondering  why it is
  taking so long for those 125 files to arrive.

  Discipline  begins at home, or  so they say.  Likewise, education on how to
  use  BITNET  servers and services begins  at the home node.  I have gotten
  some mail about  this, requests  for tips and information.  And  while I am
  not  a node administrator by any means, I might be  able to  get away  with
  listing  these suggestions.

  1. When in doubt, don't.

     Allegedly  common sense will tell you it  will require a lot more effort
     to fix something you have  done wrong than it will to do it right in the
     first place.  If you don't understand how  to use a server  or  service,
     ask somebody who does, or refer to the local documentation.  Which leads
     to:

  2. Keep documentation on how to use the servers and services at your node.

     Keep it in a  really obvious place too, and  update it  frequently.  One
     helpfile about  CSNEWS on a public  disk  is a lot  safer than ten users
     with copies of their own (and  a lot more  efficient  to  boot!).  Store
     some explanations  on what each type of server  does (i.e What is a file
     server? What does  it do? How do  you use it?)  You might even go as far
     as printing a local BITNET users guide  (although  it would  have  to be
     pretty general with the way things change).

1

  First Anniversary Section ***************************************** Page 10


  3. Have a BITNET user consultant at your node.

     There  is not much  sense in  the blind  leading the  blind, so  this is
     particularly helpful.  You might  want  to make this  person responsible
     for keeping  the documentation updated.

  4. Develop some usage guidelines, and stick to them.

     Yes, there may be some bad apples at your node. Have some sort of policy
     to deal  with these people.  On  the other hand, some people just  don't
     know any better, so post some guidelines on what is acceptable  and what
     isn't.  You'd be surprised  what some may  do unless you tell  them they
     shouldn't.   I think  (my opinion  only) that  a policy  that deals with
     individual abuses will have a greater affect on those-who-would-be-bad.


  * September 1986

  The BITNET Charter:  This  will  probobly  be subject  to a lot  of  change
  before  the year  is  out.  There  are a few  provisions  missing yet (like
  requiring  the Executive  Committee to print the minutes of it's  meetings,
  which it does anyway) but  those changes are probobly being  written as you
  read  this.   Most  of  all  there  has  been  a lot  of  debate  over  the
  possibility of  annual BITNET membership fees (for the node,  not the user)
  which  hasn't been entirely settled.  Stay tuned for the final solution.


  * October 1986

  Every  week or so I get a mail message from some new BITNET user or another
  requesting that I send him BITNET USERHELP or BITNET SERVERS or even a back
  of NetMonth.   I don't mind  this, and gladly send them what they need, but
  some of those requests are strangely rude:

  SENDME BITNET USERHELP

  Oh, so you want that file, Huh?  Couldn't  you even say  "please"?  Then it
  dawns on me that this  poor person  must think  that I am a  file server of
  some sort.  I send them the file they requested and a brief note explaining
  that I am  indeed human  and would  appreciate  being addressed as  such in
  the future, thank you.  All of this is in good fun and I am not offended in
  any way.  However...

  Aren't we rude to our servers?

  We don't  even say "thank you",  let  alone  "please"  for  those  valuable
  services they offer.  We just  DEMAND that they respond to our COMMANDS and

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 11


  they meekly OBEY.  Brutal, no?  Therefore, I suggest a new server protocol,
  one where requests replace commands.  For example:

  TELL CSNEWS AT MAINE PLEASE SENDME BITNET USERHELP

  FROM MAINE(CSNEWS): The file BITNET USERHELP is being sent to you.

  TELL CSNEWS AT MAINE THANK YOU

  FROM MAINE(CSNEWS): You are quite welcome.

  Of course, that sort of thing could get out of hand...

  TELL CSNEWS AT MAINE PLEASE SENDME BITNAUTS LIST

  FROM MAINE(CSNEWS): Say pretty please with sugar on it.


  * November 1986

  Now, Jeff is  very kind  not to  suggest  that  these  old-style  chats  be
  squashed, considering that these servers undermine all of the  work that he
  and and many others put  into Relay over  the course  of more  than a year.
  Needless to say,  I will  not be  listing these  Relay-impostors in  BITNET
  SERVERS.

  Therefore... if you hear  of one of these  old-style Chat  machines running
  at a  nearby  node,  ignore  it.  Better  yet,  bring it  to the  attention
  of an  operator or  system administrator at that node.  You  will be  doing
  yourself, your friends, and the BITNET community a big favor.

  * December 1986 / January 1987

  Network Gurus...

  Every BITNET site  should have someone  who can  answer questions about the
  network.  Every year  a whole slew of bright, young, old, and inexperienced
  (or  simply  uninformed)  people  arrive at  universities  everywhere  with
  questions  to challenge  the most  informed  networker.  Unfortunately, not
  every  node  has  an  informed  networker,  at  least  not in  an  official
  capacity.  Many a time  the brunt  of the  question  answering  falls  upon
  INFO@BITNIC.

  This,  at first, does  not seem to be  a bad  state of affairs.  After all,
  when everyone asks Judy Molka and  Company a  question they  are guaranteed
  a consistent  (and correct)  answer.  The  problem  arises  when  EVERYBODY
  begins asking INFO a lot of  questions, everybody  also has to  wait a long

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 12


  time for  the  answers.  Eventually the  question-queue  grows larger  than
  can be dealt with realisticly.

  BITNIC has  made the  decision  to  decentralize  information  dispersal by
  finding an  informed  networker for  each  site,  and  allowing  only  that
  that person  to request  information  from INFO.  The  average user will be
  able to ask the local network guru questions and have them answered quickly
  AND correctly. The guru will probobly have BITNIC-supplied standard answers
  to  common questions (or perhaps  he should know the answers, anyway) while
  he forwards  the real tough  ones to Judy.  (Who will undoubtedlty have the
  answer, or know who to ask).

  There is more to this (see the article  in this issue:  The Decentalization
  of  INFO), but  that  is the  basic premise.  It strikes  me as a perfectly
  intelligent idea, the RIGHT idea  for times.  Hindsight  tells us that this
  should  have  been  done  a long  time  ago.  My experience with managing a
  local online BITNET help facility tells me that it will work.

  A  suggestion  for  those  new  network  gurus:  Put  any  and  all  useful
  information  on BITNET in  a place  on your  mainframe  where everybody can
  read it.  Online help files are the second place  people  will look  to for
  answers.  If they don't  find  satisfaction  there they  will  come to YOU.
  In other words, answer their questions before they ask them.

  On, yes.  The FIRST  place  people  look  to for  answers  are  friends and
  experienced  networkers.  It is  your job  to make  it possible  to answer,
  "The information  you need  is  probobly  on  the  INFO-BITNET  disk,"  (or
  whatever  you decide  to call it).  I believe  that BITNIC plans to provide
  some automated  online facilities  to assist you,  but I get the impression
  that initially you will fend for yourselves somehow.

  * Note:  Two issues later  we offered the  Bitnet Services Library files to
  to the BITNET community.


  * February 1987

  A small celebration is in order.  The NetMonth/BITNET SERVERS  mailing list
  has  reached  (actually, exceeded)  the  500-subscriber milestone.  This is
  a significant number, not only because it  is so  large,  but because there
  are  now twice  as many  readers  as  there  were  when the  first issue of
  NetMonth hit the newstands only  eight months ago.   The reaction  from the
  staff ranged from astonishment to extreme glee.

  A file server is a file server, unless of course, it is also a name server.
  Then it is niether, or both.  Many of  our file  servers  have taken on the
  duties of name  servers, notably NETSERV.  The  name "file server"  doesn't

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 13


  exactly do it justice, and "name server" doesn't  even  come close. Somehow
  we get by and list it separately under both categories.  This sort of thing
  is so commonplace that we don't even notice anything odd about it.


  * April 1987

  The Bitnet Services Library (BITLIB)  is  an online help facility providing
  Yale VM users with information on  file servers,  name servers,  electronic
  magazines,  and other  services.   It includes specific   usage information
  for each server,  explanations  of basic concepts (such as "What  is a file
  server?")  and a  set of useful EXECs  to  make life  with  BITNET  easier.
  All documentation  has been tailored to the VM environment.

  * May 1987

  It was not an easy easy speech to write...

  ...but it was simple to deliver.  I'm ahead  of myself again.  Let me start
  from the beginning:  I was invited to speak at NetCon.

  What is a NetCon?   A convention, of sorts, for the people of BITNET.   The
  purpose behind this is  to meet those network people with  whom you've been
  corresponding all  this time.    ("Oh...  so THAT'S  what you  look like!")
  Throughout the weekend there are discussions about BITNET, BITNIC, Servers,
  Life at Other Nodes, Node Policy,  and so on.   These talks aren't planned,
  they just happen.   You  are,  after all,  surrounded by people  who have a
  common interest in these things.

  Of course, this was New Orleans, and there was also plenty of fun.

  Per usual, I digress... As I said the speech was easy to deliver.  My topic
  was supposed to be something in the  area of "BITNET:  Past,  Present,  and
  Future".   Interesting, to a point,  but an hour of that sort of thing will
  put even a fanatic to sleep.   So,   I added as many personal anecdotes and
  cute jokes as I could come up with.   Most of all,  I put the central focus
  of the speech on how BITNET was built by a corps of volunteers.

  I delivered the speech...  and people smiled, and they laughed at the right
  times... and something occurred to me:  These people CARED.   Really.   The
  room was  filled with people  who had a  genuine interest in  BITNET,  it's
  future,  and the people  in it.   It was a room filled  with people who had
  gotten something out of BITNET... be it friendship, knowledge, whatever.

  Now comes the time to give something back.

  "There  are only  so many  Jeff Kells,"  I said,   "and only  so many  Eric

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 14


  Thomases."  (People who  have made enormous voluntary  contributions to the
  network).   Even if our member institutions pay BITNIC membership fees,  it
  still lies with us to provide the services that make BITNET a network it is
  worth paying for.   Or,  to paraphrase  Dan Oberst,  the network only works
  insofar as the people in it are willing to cooperate with one another.

  Many  of the  people at  NetCon have  made their  contributions to  BITNET.
  Their time and effort  have helped to make the network  grow.   Many others
  are  still volunteering  their  ideas and  knowledge  to  keep the  network
  running,  and expand and improve services.    Still others have yet to make
  their contributions.

  I didn't only talk about the Past, Present, and Future of BITNET.   I spent
  a weekend with them.


  * June 1987

  Sometimes I  think that  you are  all crazy.

  That's OK,   I am  too.   Oh,   we're nowhere near the  fashionable padded-
  wall and straitjacket  set,  but  we have our  moments.    How  many of  us
  spend a  day working in front  of the Cathode  Ray  Tube,    only  to  find
  ourselves  at the  keyboard  of a  PC when we  get home?    Here it  is,  a
  glorious,  sunny,  Saturday  and I am typing  my mind  away.    I could  be
  getting a TAN for once.

  Crazy.

  *****    ******************    **********    *************    *************
  ******    ******************    *********                       ***********
  ******    *******************    ********    *****************    *********
  *******    ******************    ********                           *******
  ********    ****************    *********    ********************    ******
  *******    ****************    ***********                            *****
  *******    **************    *************    *********************    ****
  ********    ***********    ****************                            ****
  *********    *********    ******************    ******************    *****
  **********    *******    *******************                        *******
  **********    ******    ********************    ***************    ********
  ***********    *****    ********************                      *********
  **********    ********    *******************    *************    *********
  **********    **********    ******************                    *********
  *********    ************    ******************    **********    **********
  ********    ************    *********************               ***********
  ********    *************    *********************    *****    ************

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 15


   *************************************************************************
  * A Day in BITNET:  The Game                                              *
  ***************************************************************************

  +---------------+   +-----------------------------------------------------+
  ] * * * * * * * ]   ]               .                   .                 ]
  ] *           * ]   ]    Latest     . Node table is out .  Subscribe to   ]
  ] *    The    * ]   ]   issue of    .  of date.  Can't  . a mailing list  ]
  ] *   Start   * ]   ]   NetMonth    .  reach new nodes. .  relevant  to   ]
  ] *     ]     * ]   ]   arrives!    .       - 7         .  your  thesis.  ]
  ] *     v     * ]   ]    + 10       .                   .     + 12        ]
  ] * * * * * * * ]   ]               +-------------------+                 ]
  ] . . . . . . . ]   ] . . . . . . . ]                   ] . . . . . . . . ]
  ]               ]   ]               ]   +---------------+                 ]
  ]  The  system  ]   ]     The       ]   ]               .     BITLIB      ]
  ]   *crashed*   ]   ]    Links      ]   ] Sixty flames  .  installed at   ]
  ]  last night!  ]   ]     are       ]   ] from LIAISON  .      your       ]
  ]  All  reader  ]   ]     up.       ]   ]  fill  your   .      node.      ]
  ]  files lost!  ]   ]     + 5       ]   ]   mailbox.    .      + 14       ]
  ]    - 10       ]   ]               ]   ]    - 15       .                 ]
  ]               ]   ]               ]   ]               +-----------------+
  ] . . . . . . . ]   ] . . . . . . . ]   ] . . . . . . . ]
  ]               +---+               ]   ]               +-----------------+
  ]    A Relay      .     ARPANET     ]   ]               .                 ]
  ]     opens       .     gateway     ]   ] You  write an .   You have to   ]
  ]    at your      .       is        ]   ]  article for  .   figure  out   ]
  ]     node.       .      down.      ]   ]    VM/COM.    .   how to send   ]
  ]    + 10         .      - 6        ]   ]     + 12      .  mail to UUCP!  ]
  ]                 .                 ]   ]               .      - 15       ]
  +-----------------------------------+   +---------------+                 ]
                                                          ] . . . . . . . . ]
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *     +---------------+                 ]
  *    A Day in BITNET:  The Game     *   ]               .  Spend 3 hours  ]
  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   ]    Request    .  in  scholarly  ]
                                          ]  CHAT package .    discourse    ]
  Two to two thousand  can  play!  Each   ]     from      .    on Relay.    ]
  player takes a turn throwing  a  six-   ]    NETSERV.   .      + 15       ]
  sided  die  and  moving a  game-piece   ]      + 6      .                 ]
  (not included) the  number  of spaces   ]               +-----------------+
  indicated.  The player then  adds  or   ]. . . . . . . .]
  subtracts the  number  of  points  on   ]               +-----------------+
  the  space  to  his/her  total.   The   ]               . * * * * * * * * ]
  player  with  the  most  points  when   ]   The links   . *             * ]
  The End is reached wins!                ]   are down.   . *     The     * ]
  -------------------------------------   ]     - 9       . *     End     * ]
       The Bitnet Services Library        ]               . *             * ]
          "Because We're Here"            ]               . * * * * * * * * ]
        (Batteries not included.)         +---------------------------------+

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 16


   *************************************************************************
  * NetMonth Printing for VAX                                               *
  ***************************************************************************

  Fred Condo of  Claremont Graduate School has written this PASCAL program to
  allow VAX users to print  NetMonth.  In the past readers who were not on an
  IBM VM system had to change all those little 1's in column 1 into form-feed
  symbols.  This program  eliminates  that annoying  task  and  does  the job
  automatically...


  Program EmagProc(Input,Output);

  type
          String = varyingÃ•255Ã¥ of char;
  var
          inFile, outFile: TEXT;
          theLine: String;
          inFileName, outFileName: String;

  function midstr(src: string; startpos,howmany: integer): string;

    var
      pos: integer;
      tmpval: string;
      srclen, maxlen: integer;

    begin
      srclen := length(src);
      if srclen = 0 then
        tmpval := ''
      else
        begin
          if srclen < howmany then
            maxlen := srclen
          else
            maxlen := howmany;
          tmpval := '';
          for pos := 1 to maxlen do
            tmpval := tmpval + srcÃ•pos + startpos - 1Ã¥
        end;
      midstr := tmpval
    end; {MIDSTR}


  function instr(startpos: integer; source, substr: string): integer;

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 17


    var
      pos, tmpfunc: integer;
      found: Boolean;

    begin
      pos := startpos - 1;
      found := false;
      while (pos <= length(source) - length(substr)) and (not found) do
        begin
          pos := pos + 1;
          found := (substr = midstr(source,pos,length(substr)))
      end; {WHILE}
      if found then
        tmpfunc := pos
      else
        tmpfunc := 0;
      instr := tmpfunc
    end; {INSTR}


  function string_equal(a,b: string): Boolean;

    begin
      if length(a)  length(b) then
        string_equal := FALSE
      else
        string_equal := (a=b)
    end; {STRING_EQUAL}


  procedure openfiles(var a,b: text; var inspec, outspec: string);
    begin
      write('Source file: '); readln(inspec);
      write('Target file: '); readln(outspec);
      open(a,inspec,history:=old);
      reset(a);
      open(b,outspec,history:=new);
      rewrite(b)
    end; {OPENFILES}


  procedure closefiles(var a,b: text);
    begin
      close(a);
      close(b,disposition := save)
    end; {CLOSEFILES}

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 18


  begin
          OpenFiles(inFile, outFile, inFileName, outFileName);
          While NOT EOF(inFile) DO
            begin
              readln(inFile, theLine);
              if (midstr(theLine,1,1) = '1') then
                page(outFile)
              ELSE
                writeln(outFile,theLine)
            END;
          CloseFiles(inFile,outFile)
  end.


   *************************************************************************
  * NetMonth Index for Volume 1                                             *
  ***************************************************************************


  Volume 1 Number 1                                                 July 1986

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  The Psychnet Services ................................................... 1
  New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 1
  The Revised List Processor .............................................. 1
  You Are Here ............................................................ 1
  /Links .................................................................. 1
  File Server Quick Reference Guide ....................................... 1
  Letters ................................................................. 1


  Volume 1 Number 2                                               August 1986

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Instant Insanity by Jeff Kell ........................................... 3
  Relay Growth ............................................................ 6
  New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 7
  The VAX Toolbox ......................................................... 7
  /Links .................................................................. 8
  The NETSERV User Directory Services ..................................... 8
  New List Servers ....................................................... 10
  Spotlight Server: UTCSERVE@UTCVM ....................................... 12
  Feedback ............................................................... 13
  Policies ............................................................... 14

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 19


  Volume 1 Number 3                                            September 1986

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  The Proposed BITNET Charter ............................................. 2
  Announcing COMSERVE ..................................................... 4
  New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 7
  The Hewlett Packard Public Networking Newsletter ........................ 9
  CYBSERV ................................................................ 10
  Coming Soon: GRAND ..................................................... 11
  More New LITSERVs ...................................................... 11
  The RELAY Rules ........................................................ 13
  Feedback ............................................................... 16
  NetMonth Policies ...................................................... 17


  Volume 1  Number 4                                             October 1986

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Publishing an Electronic Magazine by David A. Liscomb ................... 2
  New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 4
  The DPMA Servers by Thomas Henderson .................................... 6
  Your Questions Answered by the BITNET Executive Committee ............... 9
  New List Servers ....................................................... 13
  Spotlight Server: NDCSNEWS@NDSUVM1 ..................................... 13
  Feedback ............................................................... 15


  Volume 1  Number 5                                            November 1986

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Announcing TexMaG ....................................................... 3
  The New File Server UBSERVE@UBVMSA ...................................... 4
  More Questions Answered ................................................. 4
  The Unlicensed Zone ..................................................... 8
  Relay and Compuserve CB Chat User Survey ................................ 9
  New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 11
  Feedback ............................................................... 14

  *********    *********    ******************    ******************    *****
  **********    *******    *******************                        *******
  **********    ******    ********************    ***************    ********
  ***********    *****    ********************                      *********
  **********    ********    *******************    *************    *********
  **********    **********    ******************                    *********
  *********    ************    ******************    **********    **********
  ********    ************    *********************               ***********
  ********    *************    *********************    *****    ************

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 20


  Volume 1 Number 6 & 7                          December 1986 - January 1987

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Scuttlebut .............................................................. 3
  New Mailing Lists ....................................................... 4
  The Decentralization of INFO ............................................ 6
  Two New UH-INFO Subservers .............................................. 8
  The BITNET Executive Committee .......................................... 9
  COMSERVE's Name Server Functions ....................................... 10
  Plan for Implementation of BITNET Membership Fees ...................... 11
  Spotilight Server: BITSERVE@CUNYVM ..................................... 12
  Feedback ............................................................... 16
  NetMonth Policies ...................................................... 20


  Volume 1 Number 8                                             February 1987

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  The NetMonth Reader Survey .............................................. 2
  The Simtel20 Archives ................................................... 6
  Listserv's File Server Functions ....................................... 10
  Odd Parity ............................................................. 15
  The Ethics of Computer Conferencing .................................... 16
  Electronic Chain Letters ............................................... 17
  New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 18
  The CSNET Information Server ........................................... 19
  The United States Data Defense Network - Network Information Server .... 21
  The Color and Vision Network ........................................... 22
  Feedback ............................................................... 23
  Policies ............................................................... 26


  Volume 1 Number 9                                                March 1987

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Scuttlebut .............................................................. 1
  Netcon - Spring 1987 .................................................... 3
  Global Teachers' Network ................................................ 4
  Network Load ............................................................ 5
  To NIC or not to NIC? ................................................... 9
  NetMonth Reader Survey Results ......................................... 14
  A New File Server: SERVER@SUZEUS ....................................... 16
  A New Name Server: VMNAMES@UREGINA1 .................................... 18
  New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 20
  MACSERVE Moves to PUCC ................................................. 22
  Feedback ............................................................... 23
  Policies ............................................................... 24

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 21


  Volume 1 Number 10                                               April 1987

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Scuttlebut .............................................................. 2
  The PSUVM/OHSTVMA Link .................................................. 4
  Global Students Network ................................................. 5
  Mail Manners ............................................................ 7
  The BITNET Domains Task Force Report .................................... 8
  Spotlight Server:  DATABASE@BITNIC ..................................... 13
  New Mailing Lists ...................................................... 15
  Feedback ............................................................... 16
  Policies ............................................................... 17


  Volume 1 Number 11                                                 May 1987

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Scuttlebut .............................................................. 2
  The BITNIC Prepares to Relocate ......................................... 4
  The Undergraduate in BITNET ............................................. 5
  Spotlight Server:  VMNAMES@WEIZMANN ..................................... 9
  Feedback ............................................................... 12
  Policies ............................................................... 12


  Volume 1 Number 12 (Network Tools Issue)                          June 1987

  Bitnotes ................................................................ 1
  Scuttlebut .............................................................. 2
  LOOK .................................................................... 4
  CROSSNET ................................................................ 5
  MAILMERGER .............................................................. 5
  BITSEND ................................................................. 4
  BITRCV .................................................................. 5
  CHAT .................................................................... 5
  GONE .................................................................... 9
  BITLIB .................................................................. 5
  Feedback ............................................................... 12
  Policies ............................................................... 12

  *********    *********    ******************    ******************    *****
  **********               *******************                        *******
  **********    ******    ********************    ***************    ********
  ***********             ********************                      *********
  **********    ********    *******************    *************    *********

1

  First Anniversary Section                                           Page 22


   *************************************************************************
  * Second Annual File Server Quick Reference Guide                         *
  ***************************************************************************

  Userid    @ Node       Send a list of files     Send a file
  --------  - --------   ------------------------ ---------------------------
  BITSERVE  @ CUNYVM   - SEARCHF I INDEX          SENDME fn ft

  COMSERVE  @ RPICICGE - DIRECTORY     SENDME fn ft
                         Ease-of-use is greatly improved when using the
                         EASYCOM server interface program.

  CSNEWS    @ MAINE    - DIRECTORY FROM     SENDME fn ft Ã•FROM Ã¥
                         where  is CSNEWS, FACBB, PCSHARE, PCFORUM,
                         CAPSTAN, COMDISK, AMIGA, AMIGA_C, CSBB or EMAGS.

  DATABASE  @ BITNIC   - LIST                     it varies

  KERMSRV   @ CUVMA    - DIR Ã•fn ftÃ¥              SEND fn ft

  KERMSRV   @ UOFT02   - DIR                      SEND fn.ext

  LISTSERV  @ various  - INDEX         SENDME fn ft
                          may vary from server to server.  If no
                         subserver is specified the main directory is sent.

  MACSERVE  @ PUCC     - DIR                      GET fn ft

  NDCSNEWS  @ NDSUVM1  - SENDME NDCSNEWS FILES    SENDME fn ft

  NETSERV   @ various  - SENDME  FILELIST     SENDME fn ft
                         where  is NETSERV, NETWORKS, PROGRAMS, COUNTRY,
                         NETINIT, or NODEINFO.

  NICSERVE  @ BITNIC   - INDEX                    SENDME fn ft , GET fn ft

  NYSHARE   @ WEIZMANN - LISTPACK                 SENDME fn ft

  SERVER    @ TAMCBA   - DIR , SENDME             SENDME fn ft

  UH-INFO   @ UHUPVM1  -  INDEX         SENDME fn ft
                         where  is PSYCHNET, ATARINET, EDUCATE,
                         INFOSERV or BUGNET.  Psychnet users can use the
                         server interface program of the same name.

  VMBBOARD  @ WEIZMANN - SEARCH SINCE mm/dd/yy    GET entry_number

1
                                                                      Page 23


   *************************************************************************
  * LNAME: A replacement for NAMES                                          *
  ***************************************************************************

  by Alain Fontaine                                           FNTA80@BUCLLN11


  LNAME is  a replacement  for the  NAMES  command which allows   NAMES files
  to be updated/examined on a fullscreen terminal.   It is not avaialble from
  any server,  but you may request a copy from the author at FNTA80@BUCLLN11.
  It is already used at some 60 sites.

  Syntax:

  +----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
  ]          ]                                                           ]
  ] LNAME    ]     >            ]
  ]          ]                                                           ]
  +----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

  Where:

  search:   The entry  whos :nick is  'search' will  be displayed upon  entry
  into LNAME instead of an empty panel.

  File:   Allows   specification   of   the NAMES  file  to  be   manipulated
  ('fname' NAMES  *).   If  'fname' is  not  specified   it defaults   to the
  userid as usual.

  Screen:  Allows specification of a screen  definition file ('scname' SCREEN
  *).  If not  specified, will default to 'fname';  if 'fname' did default as
  described  above,    'scname'  defaults  to  NAMES.   If 'scname'  SCREEN *
  cannot  be  found,     NAMES SCREEN *   is  used.   If the latter   is also
  missing, a default screen is set up.

  Notes:

  1) Commands:   The  standard NAMES  subcommands  are supported.   The  main
  differences  are listed below.

      PF5 (Find):  the  Find subcommand  has been  supplemented  by a  Search
      (PF12)  subcommand.   Find looks   for an  entry matching  exactly  the
      current target,  while Search looks for an entry containing the current
      target.   A new   target is set only   if:   1- some   fields have been
      modified  on the screen immediatly  before pressing PF5 (or  PF12); the
      value of  the first modified  field then  becomes  the  new target;  2-
      no  fields have  been modified,  but  the cursor  is on  a field;   the
      value  of this   field then becomes the  new target  (note:  the  first

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                                                                      Page 24


      character position of   the first field of a  screen  is not considered
      part of  that field,   because this  is the home  position;   the first
      field   must thus  be selected   by putting  the cursor  on the  second
      character at least).

      PF9 (Page   n):   new subcommand  to  display  the next  page  for  the
      current entry, if in multipage display mode (see note 4).

      PF11 (Refresh):   new subcommand to  refresh the screen,   taking fresh
      values from the NAMES file for the current entry.

      PF12 (Search):   new subcommand to search  for an entry  containing the
      current target;  for user defined tags, the tag  label or the value may
      be omitted.

      PA2: the 'cursor home' function usually assigned to PF12.

  Commands   entered   on  the   command  line    are   passed  to  CMS   for
  execution,  except  'QQuit',  allowing to  quit LNAME without  updating the
  NAMES file.

  2)  LNAME writes long  records (up to 241 characters)  to   the NAMES file,
  without blank lines in between.  Spanned values are correctly read from the
  file,  but never generated,   so each line of a modified  entry  contains a
  maximum number of complete tags.  Find and  Search may fail to find spanned
  values.

  3) It is  not permitted to delete  (PF10) or to  replace (PF6) an entry  if
  the value of the   primary tag  (:nick)  has been  modified  on the screen.
  If you  really want to  assign a new nickname  to an entry,   the following
  sequence may  be used:     select the entry,    change the nickname  on the
  screen,  PF2,  PF7, PF10.

  4)  Defining a screen:   Each line of  the  screen file is either a command
  line (the first character is ']')  or the  image of one line on the screen.
  If  more screen image lines are given  that  will fit on the screen,  LNAME
  generates a multipage display.  See also below the desciption of the 'Page'
  command.

  Variable fields  may be defined  in a screen  image line by  using vertical
  bars (']')   as field delimiters.   Data defining  the field may  be placed
  between the bars. The syntax for such a definition is:

      >

  If a  'field name' is given,   the  field will  be used to display  the tag
  value having that name  as tag label.  Fields  without a  name (or with the

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                                                                      Page 25


  name '.')  are  paired,  so that the first  field of  each pair  is used to
  display a  (user defined)   tag label  and the  second one  to display  the
  corresponding value.  If the 'field  name' is '+', the  field will be  used

  as a continuation  of  the preceding field.  The  separator used  will be a
  blank,  unless the definition for the parent field contains a  'separator'.
  Attributes may be  defined for each  field  using   XEDIT's  COLOR  syntax.
  A  field  may   be   protected   by specifying   'PROtect'.    Continuation
  fields without  attributes inherit the attributes of the parent field.

  When an entry  is written to the   NAMES file,  the tag labels  are written
  in the  form (upcase/lowcase)  appearing in  the  screen file.   Tag labels
  not defined  in  the screen   file are written in  the form  shown  on  the
  screen.   That means exactly as entered,  except if a 'Deftag' command (see
  below) has specified another form.

  A command line may contain one of the following commands (low/up case):

      Color  zone      :   sets  color  and  other
      attributes for screen zone 'zone'.

      Deftag tag  ...  : the tag label(s) listed  are displayed on the screen
      and written  to the NAMES  file in the  exact form listed.    This only
      works for ags labels not defined in the screen file.

      Header:   If this   command  appears  anywhere in  the  file,   all the
      lines before the first  'Page' command will be repeated on  top of each
      screen.

      Mandatory tag ... : an entry will not be  (re)written to the NAMES file
      if no value has been given for the listed tag(s).

      Page: forces a page break at the line following the command.

      Substitute synonym fulldata:   if 'synonym' does appear as the name  of
      a  field   in  the   screen  file,    'fulldata'   becomes   the  field
      definition (usefull  for giving   long definitions   to short  fields).
      The syntax for 'fulldata' is the same as that for a normal definition.

      Uppval tag  ...  :  the value of the tag(s)  listed will be upcased  on
      the screen and when written to the NAMES file.

  ******    *********    *********    **********    ***********    **********
  *****    ***********    ********    ***********    *********    ***********
  *****    ***********    *******    ************    *********    ***********

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                                                                      Page 26


   *************************************************************************
  * New Mailing Lists                                                       *
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  AIDS TREATMENT NEWS

  AIDS Treatment  News reports  on experimental  and alternative  treatments,
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  BIOTECH@UMDC

  The Biotechnology mailing list is open for:

                     Discussion on any topic of interest
                     Software/hardware issues
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  All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions,
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              Dave Swartz 


  CLU-SW 

  Mailing list for  exchange of CLU software and for  technical discussion of
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  `mail.clu'.

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                                                                      Page 27


  All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions,
  etc., should be sent to .

  Coordinator: Matti Jokinen 


  ENGLISH@CANADA01

  This forum  is primarily for faculty  in English Departments in  Canada who
  are  using mainframes  for  teaching  and research  and  who  may be  using
  microcomputers as well;  secondarily it is for English faculty anywhere who
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  All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions,
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  Coordinator: Marshall Gilliland 


  JNET-L@BITNIC

  A forum for  discussing Jnet running under VAX VMS.    Some possible topics
  include VMSmail,  Interactive Messages (SEND),  file transfers (SEND /FILE,
  RECEIVE), POSTMASTER,  hints about hooks into Jan_Lib:BitLib.OLB.   Related
  topics might include RSCS emulations (non-Jnet),   GMAIL (a VMS utility for
  BITNET-to-Internet communications),  conversion of non-VMS tools (VM,  NOS,
  UNIX, etc.) to VMS, file servers (KERMSERV), list servers, etc.

  Coordinator: INFO@BITNIC


  MD43@CMUCCVMA

  Distribution list for  future releases of XYZZY,  a  "deluxe" Chatting Exec
  created by David Bolen.   Users on the  list will get new releases of XYZZY
  directly as they are made available  to the net.   Subscription requests to
  this list will be forwarded to  the Coordinator,  who will manually process
  the subscription.  Also see the MD44 list.

  To subscribe send this command by interactive message to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA:

  SUBSCRIBE MD43 your_full_name

  or send mail to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA with the  above command as the only above
  command included as the only message body line.

  Coordinator and XYZZY Developer: David Bolen 

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                                                                      Page 28


  MD44@CMUCCVMA

  A forum  for discussion about XYZZY,   a "deluxe" Chatting Exec  created by
  David  Bolen,   XYZZY  problems,  potential  bugs,   features,   questions,
  suggestions etc.  Also see the MD43 list.

  To subscribe send this command by interactive message to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA:

  SUBSCRIBE MD44 your_full_name

  or send mail to LISTSERV@CMUCCVMA with the  above command as the only above
  command included as the only message body line.

  Coordinator and XYZZY Developer: David Bolen 


  SAS-L@MARIST SAS-L@UGA

  A BITNET Listserv discussion group focusing on SAS.

  To subscribe send this command by interactive message to LISTSERV@MARIST:

  SUBSCRIBE SAS-L your_full_name

  or send mail  to LISTSERV@MARIST with the  above command as the  only above
  command  included as  the only  message  body line.    Depending upon  your
  location in BITNET, you may want to substitute the nodename UGA for MARIST.

  Coordinators: June Genis 
                Harold Pritchett 


   *************************************************************************
  * NetMonth Policies                                                       *
  ***************************************************************************

  * Subscribing to NetMonth and BITNET SERVERS:

  VM users can be added to the mailing list by issuing the following command:

      TELL LISTSERV AT MARIST SUBSCRIBE NETMONTH Your_full_name

  VAX/VMS users can subscribe in a similar way:

      SEND LISTSERV@MARIST SUBSCRIBE NETMONTH Your_full_name

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                                                                      Page 29


  If you cannot send messages in this way, you can send the following command
  as the first line of a mail file to LISTSERV@MARIST:

      SUBSCRIBE NETMONTH Your_full_name

  Arpanet users may use this method, but must address the mail to:

      LISTSERV%MARIST.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU

  A subscriber  can delete  him/herself  from  the mailing  list  by  sending
  LISTSERV@MARIST the UNSUBSCRIBE NETMONTH command.

  * Letters to the Editor:  If you have questions  or  comments  about BITNET
  or  NetMonth  that  you  would  like  printed  here,  mail  your l etter to
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  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  A publication of the Bitnet Services Library          "Because We're Here."