OSS-IS HELP/INDEX =============================================================== Mon Jun 22 14:20:00 EST 1992 OSS-IS is service which allows you to obtain documents by: o Sending an E-Mail message to it, in which case the server responds by sending you a copy of the docu- ment you request via E-Mail; or o Using Internet standard "anonymous ftp" to interac- tively download documents to your local host comput- er. IMPORTANT NOTE FOR INTERNET USERS: While you are welcome to retrieve any documents here, many of them are directly related only to SSA's internal network and E-Mail system, which is not particularly "standard." The documents relating to our system here may not be of much value. Also, some documents here are regularl USENET postings; you probably have them locally and need not download them from here. Retrieving OSS-IS Documents Via E-Mail ---------- ---------------------------- The first way of retrieving OSS-IS documents is by sending it an E-Mail message. The basic instructions for making E-Mail retrieval via OSS- IS work are: o Address your E-Mail message to: -- info at ~OSS (cc:Mail users) -- info (OSS NetMail users) -- info@ssa.gov (Internet users) o Don't put a Subject line on your message; o As the _only_ text of your message, say: send document ("document" is the name of the OSS-IS document you want to receive--see the OSS-IS index below). OSS-IS is not very smart, and it expects messages that fol- low this rigid format. Messages which don't follow the ex- pected format confuse it and, most likely, will prevent delivery of your requested document That's it. Your requested documents will be sent to your E-Mail mailbox. Retrieving OSS-IS Documents Via Anonymous ftp ---------- ----------------------------------- The second way of retrieving OSS-IS documents is through the use of Internet standard "anonymous ftp." You must have TCP/IP networking software installed on your computer and be on the "Internet" in order to use this method. To obtain OSS-IS documents, ftp to host "Soaf1.ssa.gov". At the login prompt, enter "anonymous" and at the password prompt, enter your system login name. Once you have done so, you will see the ftp "prompt" which is: ftp> At this prompt, enter the following commands: ftp> cd pub <- change to the "public" <- OSS-IS directory ftp> get document <- substitute name of the file <- you want for "document" ftp> bye <- quit ftp and log out (You can, of course, issue more than one "get" command per session.) OSS-IS Index ------------ This is a list of documents avail able from OSS-IS, with descriptive information about each. Documents added to the index since the last issue are marked with an asterisk. Document Name Description ---------- --- ----------- abstracts Abstracts of Social Security Bulletin articles (ZIP file for cc:Mail users) abstract_txt ASCII Version of above (for NetMail users) addresses How to Find Out E-Mail Addresses advmail Advanced OSS NetMail training materials aliases NetMail Aliases Simplify cc:Mail Addressing anonftp List of Internet Sites Allowing "Anonymous ftp" bbs All About SSA News Online, the OSS Bulletin Board bitnet How to Address NetMail to "BITNET" Addresses cc2net How to Address cc:Mail to NetMail Users clangq Frequently Asked Questions About the "C" Programming Language cclist Directory of cc:Mail users w/NetMail-Style Names collegemail How to Find E-Mail addresses at colleges and universities. compuserve How to Address NetMail to "Compuserve" Addresses contacts List of SSA Contacts for Statisti- cal Information cts Discussion of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (a wrist problem experienced by PC users) decode How to Use "uudecode" and "uuencode" dosftpsrc Archives of DOS Software Available for "Anonymous ftp" fastfacts ORS "Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security 1991" (Use compressed type font to print this wide table!) ZIP file for cc:Mail users fastfact_txt ASCII version of above (for NetMail users) fido How to Address NetMail to "FidoNet" Addresses ftptut Brief "tutorial" on Using "ftp" For TCP/IP Network File Transfers fedix Information about the Federal Information Exchange, Inc., FEDIX and MOLIS data bases. Online information on agency research opportunities, research centers, etc. getsource How to Obtain Program Source Code help How to use OSS-IS hhsmail Experimental E-Mail Gateway to DHHS E-Mail Users howto Using the E-Mail Gateway index This document internet How to Address NetMail to "Internet" Addresses inet_services Description of "Special" Services on the Internet libraries Document Describing Internet-Accessible Li- brary Card Catalogs lookup Using OSS-IS to "Look Up" SSA E-Mail Names and SSA Central Office Phone Numbers mcimail How to Address NetMail to MCI Mail Addresses mlists Public Electronic Mailing Lists monthtab Monthly Social Security Benefit Tables (NOTE: UNIX 'tar' archive) *networks Information about Computer Networks worldwide net2cc Sending NetMail to cc:Mail Users net2net Information on Internetwork E-Mail Address- ing newbooks New Acquistions by SSA Library (Updated Monthly) newsgroups List of current USENET "newsgroups" nixpub Public Access UNIX Systems and BBS's *novellq Frequently Asked Questions about Novell NetWare odmindex Sub-index Describing POMS-related Documents Available orsindex Sub-index describing Documents Available from SSA's Office of Research and Statistics (ZIP file for cc:Mail users) orsindex_txt ASCII version of above, (for NetMail users) os2q Frequently Asked Questions about the OS/2 Operating System ossdir Directory of SSA NetMail Users passwords Discussion of UNIX Password Security pcq Frequently Asked Questions About PC's periodpost List of Periodically Posted USENET Documents piaguide_doc Documentation for PIA-Computation Program piapgrm DOS Executables for Computing Social Securi- ty PIA's (zip archive) piasrc Source Code for PIA-Computation Program (zip archive) pi_index List of Available SSA Public Information Materials publist List of Office of ReSearch and Statistics Publications rfc1206 Answers to Commonly Asked New Internet User Questions rfc1207 Answers to Commonly Asked Experienced Internet User Questions rfc1208 Glossary of Networking Terms services Summary of OSS Services Available to SSA Employees tildes Addressing E-Mail to cc:Mail Organizational Names unix.flavors An overview of the various variants of the Unix Operating System unixq Frequently Asked Questions About UNIX unzip "Unzipping" PKZIP Archives Under UNIX/Xenix usenet Brief introduction to the USENET Network usenetq Frequently Asked Questions About USENET viftp Info About Getting Misc. "Tips n'Tricks" About 'vi' Editor weather On-Line Weather Information via the Internet windowsq Frequently Asked Questions About Microsoft Windows xenixq Frequently Asked Questions About SCO Xenix ============================================================== If you send E-Mail requests to OSS-IS and don't get a response within 48 hours, please send E-Mail to "Billy F. Lewis" at ~OSS ("bflewis" in NetMail; "bflewis@ssa.gov" on the Internet), or call Billy at (410) 965-8587 (FTS 625-8587).