Archive-name: internet-services/faq Last-Modified: 1994/4/13 Version: 1.8.1 INTERNET SERVICES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Version 1.8.1 - 13 April, 1994 *** CHANGES IN THIS VERSION: 3.1: fixed error in address for DLIST 2.1: added NVN (National VideoText Network) 2.2: added NVN (National VideoText Network) 2.2: can now telnet to CompuServe! 3.4: updated List of Lists 3.4: updates Surfing the Internet ???: lots of random little fixes 3.6: removed the section 3.6: "What's a good book to read for more information about the Internet?" and created a new periodic posting (see below). *** PARDON OUR DUST Ok, kids. This FAQ is about due for a major overhaul. The Internet changes quickly, making maintenance of this particular FAQ a chore. So, as soon as I finish my book at the end of April (well, give me a week to sleep. As soon as I wake up...) I plan to raze this FAQ list, update it and give it new life. Among my planned changes: removal of info re dead and dying Internet documents, addition of info obout sleek new 'net documents (like the Big Dummy's Guide version 2), info on how to fax from the 'net, better explanations of 'net tools (like Archie/ Gopher/ Netfind/ Veronica/ WAIS/ WHOIS/ WWW...) and lots of other good stuff. This list will revert to its task of being a pointer to pointers rather than an answer source itself. The changes have already started: I have removed the question "What's a good book to read for more information about the Internet?" Quite simply, that question outgrew this FAQ list. I've started a new periodic posting, "The Unofficial Internet Book List", listing lots and lots of 'net books, many with descriptions. It is (or will soon be) available via FTP from: rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services/booklist For further information, or to automatically receive updates of the booklist, send mail to "savetz@rahul.net". *** COPYRIGHT NOTICE This document is Copyright 1993-4 by Kevin M. Savetz. All rights reserved. Permission for non-commercial distribution is hereby granted, provided that this file is distributed intact, including this copyright notice and the version information above. Permission for commercial distribution may be obtained from the editor. SHARE THIS INFORMATION FREELY AND IN GOOD FAITH. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT. *** HOW AM I DRIVING? This document is constantly in transition. If you notice that a frequently asked question is missing, or information herein needs updating, please contact the editor. Text in [square brackets] indicates unanswered questions and problems in this document. If you know the answer or have a comment, e-mail the editor. Please help me out and send it answers to some unanswered questions - for this FAQ, the best answers are _brief_ ones followed by information on where to go for more detailed information. *** TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 0: THE BASICS 0.1: What is the purpose of this document? 0.2: What is alt.internet.services? 0.3: I'm new to the Internet. Where do I start? 0.4: What kind of information is on the Internet? Why isn't there an encyclopedia on the Internet? SECTION 1: WHAT IS...? 1.1: What is Telnet? 1.2: What is anonymous FTP? 1.3: What is Usenet? 1.4: What is finger? 1.5: What is IRC? 1.6: What is Alex/Archie/Gopher/Hytelnet/Netfind/Prospero/ Veronica/WAIS/WHOIS/WWW/X.500? 1.7: What is MUD/MUSH/MOO/MUCK/DUM/MUSE, etc.? SECTION 2: HOW DO I...? 2.1: How do I send mail from the Internet to another network? 2.2: How do I access other systems from the Internet? 2.3: How do I contact a service provider? 2.4: How do I find out someone's e-mail address? 2.5: How do I get a name resolved? 2.6: How do I send e-mail to the White House? 2.7: How do I get stock market information? 2.8: How do I access the Library of Congress? SECTION 3: I NEED INFORMATION ABOUT... 3.1: Where can I get Internet access in my area? 3.2: I need a BBS (on the Internet or in my area)! 3.3: Is there a list of all the Internet services? 3.4: How do I get information about the Internet online? 3.5: Are there any magazines about the Internet? SECTION 0: THE BASICS *** 0.1: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT? The Internet Services Frequently Asked Questions and Answers List (FAQ) is intended to help reduce the number of often asked questions that appear on the newsgroup "alt.internet.services". It helps users with questions by providing instant access to their answers; it helps other readers of the newsgroup, who will have to read fewer of the questions they see over and over again; it helps everyone by (hopefully) reducing bandwidth utilization. This document should help you find answers to frequently asked questions. Usually, the answers are already available on the Net in one or more detailed documents. In these cases, this document will tell the reader where to find the information in question. Thus, when possible, this document will only point you to another document - that one may have the information you need, or it may point you somewhere else. (This may seem annoying at first, but offers multiple benefits. First, it reduces duplicated work. Second, it increases your chances of finding the most current, reliable information. Most importantly, it shows _how_ to find the information you need rather than simply giving you answers. "Teach a man to fish...") This FAQ is purely a volunteer effort. Although every effort has been made to insure that answers are as accurate as possible, no guarantee is implied or intended. The editor and contributors have developed this FAQ as a service to the Internet community. We hope you find it useful. While the editor tries to keep this document current, remember that the Internet is constantly changing, so don't be surprised if you happen across statements which are obsolete. If you do, please send corrections to the editor. Corrections, questions, and comments should be sent to Kevin Savetz at "savetz@rahul.net" (Internet) or "savetz" (America Online). Indicate what version of this document to which you are referring. This file is posted weekly to the newsgroup "alt.internet.services" (on the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th of each month) and posted twice monthly to "alt.online.services", "news.newuser.questions", "news.answers", "alt.answers" (on the 5th and 19th.) It is also available via anonymous FTP: rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services/faq This means to use FTP to open a connection to "rtfm.mit.edu", login as "anonymous", and use your e-mail address as the password. Then, "cd" to the directory "/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services" and get the file "faq". This notation is used when appropriate throughout this document. If you do not have FTP access, you can obtain it via e-mail by sending a message to "mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu" with a line in the body of the message reading "send usenet/news.answers/internet-services/faq". A program at that address will read your mail, process your request, and reply with mail containing the FAQ. You can also receive each new edition of this document via electronic mail. To do so, send e-mail -- To: savetz@rahul.net Subject: subscribe is-faq Body: *** 0.2: WHAT IS ALT.INTERNET.SERVICES? The following is excerpted from Scott McMahn's (mcmahn@cs.unca.edu) "Welcome to alt.internet.services" charter. The newsgroup "alt.internet.services" was created to handle information about services available on the Internet, for people who have Internet accounts and want to explore beyond their local computers, to take advantage of the wealth of information and services on the net. Services for discussion include: * things you can telnet to (weather, databases, library catalogs...) * things you can FTP (pictures, sounds, programs, data...) * clients/servers (like MUDs, IRC, Archie...) "alt.internet.services" isn't for: * discussion of utility programs like telnet, FTP, mail, and uudecode. * basic new user questions. * pleas for Internet access. (Use alt.internet.access.wanted for this.) This is *NOT* alt.internet.access.wanted or alt.internet.new-users. Before asking a question here: * Ask someone locally! Try the guy sitting next to you, your professor, or the system administrator. 9 times out of 10 you won't have to post your question. * Read the Usenet groups "news.newusers.questions" and "news.announce.newusers". * Look through your .newsrc file for a more appropriate group. Questions about mail can go to "comp.mail.misc". Questions about access can go to "alt.internet.access.wanted". And so on. alt.internet.services is *not* some kind of default group to go to if you can't find any others. * Ask yourself: Is this question about a service I can access through the Internet? If so, post. *** 0.3: I'M NEW TO THE INTERNET. WHERE DO I START? Welcome to the wonderful world of the Internet. Although this document may answer some of your basic questions, the Usenet newsgroup "alt.internet.services" isn't the place for questions like "How do I use telnet on my system?" or "How do I send electronic mail?" If you have access to the Usenet, read the newsgroups "news.newusers.questions" and "news.answers". If you have access to FTP, get copies of the introduction to the Internet documents mentioned at the end of this file. If you have access to users around you, ask them to show you the basics. For a comprehensive overview of what the Internet is, how it works and the future of the Internet, read "FYI: What is the Internet?" (This file is available via anonymous FTP, and is listed in the final section of this document.) *** 0.4: WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION IS ON THE INTERNET? (And, WHY ISN'T THERE AN ENCYCLOPEDIA ON THE INTERNET?) The type of information you're likely to find on the Internet is free information, such as government documents, works with expired copyrights, works that are in the public domain, and works that authors are making available to the Internet community on an experimental basis. Conversely, some types of information you are not likely to find on the Internet, most notably, commercial works which are protected by copyright law. For instance, there is no publicly-available Internet encyclopedia. There are indeed encyclopedias on the net, but they all are closed systems available only to students at a specific university, or employees at a certain company. The reason for this is about what you'd expect: the companies that make encyclopedias are in business to stay in business, and you don't stay in business by giving away your product. So, while the Internet does contain a vast array of Good Stuff, it can't always replace a trip to a decent library. If you can't find an online encyclopedia that's available to you, try the following: Ask your own library to make sure they don't have one. Use the encyclopedias on CompuServe, Prodigy, AOL, etc. Use a (gasp!) regular encyclopedia, or one on CD-ROM. Section 1: What is... *** 1.1: WHAT IS TELNET? Telnet is a program that allows you to login to another computer to run software there. Typically, you login either to access a "shell" command environment or some other utility, like a weather server or game. To telnet to a computer, you need to know its name. This can either be in words, like "steer.sdsu.edu" or as a numeric address, like "130.191.1.11". Some services require you to connect to a specific "port" on the remote computer. Type the port number, if there is one, after the Internet address. (For example, "telnet nri.reston.va.us 185".) For more information, anonymous FTP to ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/network.service.guides ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/how.to.telnet.guide *** 1.2: WHAT IS ANONYMOUS FTP? FTP stands for file transfer protocol. FTP allows you to copy files from a remote computer to your local host. Thousands of sites provide anonymous FTP service, allowing you to download everything from online books, to satellite pictures of the weather, to public-domain utilities and games for your personal computer. Unless your computer is directly connected to the Internet (that is, if you are connected through an intermediary remote host) software for use on your home computer needs to be FTPed to your local host, then downloaded to your PC using Xmodem, Zmodem, Kermit or some other system -- a two-step process.) There is an FTP primer (and lots of other good information) in the "alt.bbs.internet" FAQ, which is posted periodically on "alt.bbs.internet" and "news.answers". The following files are available on the Net to teach the basics of FTP. If you don't know how to use FTP to receive them, try asking someone else at your site. For more information, use anonymous FTP to get ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/network.service.guides/how.to.ftp.guide The document "FYI: Searching for Treasure" (listed at the end of this file) lists some of the best FTP sites to find Macintosh, IBM, UNIX and other software. Sites maintaining anti-viral software are also covered. *** 1.3: WHAT IS USENET? The Usenet is a global bulletin board, of sorts, in which millions of people exchange public information on every conceivable topic. For more, FTP to: rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/what-is-usenet/part1.Z The file is also posted regularly to the Usenet newsgroup "news.answers.newusers". *** 1.4: WHAT IS FINGER? Finger is a program that returns information about a registered user on a computer. Typing "finger" alone will show the users logged into the system you are using. "finger @host.domain.foo" may show you who's currently using some other computer. Certain computers have variations on finger support, where "finger ron" will show info on ron at your site, and "finger ron@hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu" will show you all the Rons with accounts on a certain computer at MIT. Note that some finger programs don't take arguments, some will accept only a userid (the exact login name of a user,) and still others will search using a first or last name. If your system has manual pages installed, type "man finger" for more information. If your system has Internet access but not finger, there are several freely distributable versions, including GNU finger and BSD finger. *** 1.5: WHAT IS IRC? IRC is the Internet Relay Chat, a service where users can "talk" via typing to people around the world. See Scott Yanoff's "Internet Services" list for public IRC clients, or find out if your own system has the client installed. There are newsgroups specifically devoted to IRC, including: alt.irc Internet Relay Chat material. alt.irc.bot Discussion of creating IRC bots. alt.irc.ircii Discussion of the IRC II client program. alt.irc.recovery For those recovering from IRC addiction. alt.irc.corruption Is nowhere safe? alt.irc.sleaze Internet Relay Chat flamage. For more information, anonymous FTP to: cs.bu.edu:/irc/support/tutorial* *** 1.6: WHAT IS ALEX/ARCHIE/GOPHER/HYTELNET/NETFIND/PROSPERO/VERONICA/ WAIS/WHOIS/WWW/X.500? These are all part of a new generation of network information resources. For complete information, check John December's "internet-tools" list, available via anonymous FTP to ftp.rpi.edu:/pub/communications/internet-tools That document will point you to detailed information about each of these services. EARN publishes an thorough guide on network tools. It contains information on Gopher, Veronica, WWW, WAIS, Astra, Archie, WHOIS, Netserv, Trickle, BitFTP, Usenet and listservs. To receive this file, send e-mail to "listserv@earncc.bitnet" with a message body of "send nettools memo" or "send nettools ps" (for PostScript format.) You may also anonymous FTP to: ds.internic.net:/pub/internet-doc/EARN.nettools.txt Scott Yanoff's "Internet Services List" list will tell you how to access these services. Most feature on-line help and information. *** 1.7: WHAT IS MUD/MUSH/MOO/MUCK/DUM/MUSE (etc.)? These are multi-user, text based, virtual reality games. According to the MUD FAQ: "A MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) is a computer program which users can log into and explore. Each user takes control of a computerized persona/avatar/incarnation/character. You can walk around, chat with other characters, explore dangerous monster-infested areas, solve puzzles, and even create your very own rooms, descriptions and items." There are an astounding number of variations on the MUD theme. Please see rec.games.mud.* for more information about them -- there are several very good FAQ postings there that detail MUDs, MUD clients and servers, and offer a complete, current MUD-list. The most recent versions of the MUD FAQs are archived as: ftp.math.okstate.edu:/pub/muds/misc/mud-faq/* rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/alt.mud/* [rec.games.mud]:_FAQ_#2_3:_MUD_Clients_and_Servers [rec.games.mud]:_FAQ_#3_3:_RWHO_and__mudwho_ [rec.games.mud]:_FAQ_#1_3:_MUDs_and_MUDding A few of the newsgroups out there related to muds: rec.games.mud.announce Informational articles about MUDs. (Moderated) rec.games.mud.diku All about DikuMuds. rec.games.mud.lp Discussions of LPMUD rec.games.mud.misc Various aspects of multiuser computer games. rec.games.mud.tiny Discussion of Tiny muds, IE MUSH, MUSE and MOO alt.mud.bsx BSX VR system. alt.mud.german For German-speaking MUD-er's. rec.games.mud.admin Administrative issues of multiuser dungeons. SECTION 2: HOW DO I...? *** 2.1: HOW DO I SEND ELECTRONIC MAIL FROM THE INTERNET TO ANOTHER NETWORK? To learn the basics of e-mail on the Internet, FTP to: ftp.sura.net:/pub/nic/network.service.guides/how.to.email.guide In the best of worlds, our "global village" of electronic mail would be linked by one main street. Alas, it is actually composed of hundreds of small networks linked using "gateways." One main street is the Internet, but jutting off of it are dozens of side roads leading to other networks. It's always simplest to send mail to a recipient on the same online service as yourself - say, from your America Online account to another - but sometimes you may need to send mail to someone who doesn't have an account on the system you use. While it's usually possible to mail from one network to another, you need to know the right route to navigate. In order to send any mail, you need to know the online service your recipient uses, and her name (or username) on that service. For a more complete listing of how to send mail from any random network to any other random network, read the "Inter-Network Mail Guide" edited by Scott Yanoff (formerly edited by John J. Chew.) It also tells how to mail from networks other than the Internet - which is beyond the scope of this document. You can fetch this guide by anonymous FTP in: csd4.csd.uwm.edu:/pub/internetwork-mail-guide AMERICA ONLINE: "user@aol.com" Use all lower case and remove spaces. For example, "savetz@aol.com". AOL splits long Internet e-mail messages into chunks under 27K. (In the past the America Online gateway software truncated incoming files at 27K, which put a damper on receiving long text files BinHexed programs.) Users of the DOS-based PC/AOL software are limited to a maximum mail size of 8Kb. For all AOL users, funky characters are replaced with spaces: use printable ASCII only. APPLELINK: "user@applelink.apple.com". AppleLink charges its users 50 cents per message sent to and from the Internet. AT&T MAIL: "user@attmail.com" BITNET: "user@host.BITNET" (Note that the bitnet hostname is not necessarily the same as the Internet host name.) If this fails, try directing your mail through a gateway such as "cunyvm.cuny.edu", "pucc.princeton.edu", or "wuvmd.wustl.edu". The address would be as follows: "user%domain.BITNET@pucc.princeton.edu" (or cunyvm or wuvmd). This should help those with SMTP servers that are not quite up to date. BIX: "user@bix.com" COMPUSERVE: "userid@compuserve.com". Use the numeric CompuServe identification number, but use a period instead of a comma to separate the number sets. For example, to send mail to CompuServe user 17770,101 - mail to "17770.101@compuserve.com". CONNECT: "user@dcjcon.das.net" DELPHI: "user@delphi.com" FIDONET: "firstname.lastname@p#.f#.n#.z#.fidonet.org". To send mail to a FidoNet user, you not only need the name, but the exact FidoNet address s/he uses. FidoNet addresses are broken down into zones, net, nodes, and (optionally) points. For example, the address of one Fido BBS is "1:102/834". The zone is 1, the net is 102, the node is 834. A user's address could include a point as well: "1:102/834.1" - the final 1 is the point. So, to send mail to "John Smith" at Fido address "1:102/834", e-mail to "John.Smith@f834.n102.z1.fidonet.org". To send mail to that user at Fido address "1:102/834.1", e-mail to "John.Smith@p1.f834.n102.z1.fidonet.org". GENIE: "user@genie.geis.com" where "user" is their mail address. If a user tells you their mail address is "xyz12345" or something similar, it isn't. It usually looks like "A.BEEBER42" where A is their first initial, BEEBER is their last name, and 42 is a number distinguishing them from all other A.BEEBER's. INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS (IGC, or "PEACENET"): "user@igc.org" INTERNET: send mail to "user@domain", where user is the recipient's login name, and domain is the full name and location of the computer where s/he receives e-mail. Examples are "savetz@rahul.net" and "an017@cleveland.freenet.edu". MCI MAIL: send your mail to "user@mcimail.com". "User" can be a numeric identification (which is always 7 digits long, or 3 zeroes followed by 7 digits,) their account name (which is one word) or first and last names separated with an underline. (E.g. "1234567@mcimail.com", "123- 4567@mcimail.com", or "John_Edward_Doe@mcimail.com".) NVN (National VideoText Network): user@nvn.com PC LINK: "user@aol.com". Incoming mail is limited to 27K. (There is no pclink.com domain. All mail to the America Online, Inc. owned systems goes to aol.com.) PRODIGY: To address mail to a PRODIGY service member, use "abcd12a@prodigy.com" where "abcd12a" is the member's PRODIGY service ID. If you experience mail delivery problems that may require action by the administrators of this system, write to "admin@prodigy.com". It costs the Prodigy member 10 cents for each 6K of mail, coming and going. All Prodigy members can receive mail from the Internet. In order to send mail, they need to download Prodigy's offline mail reading software, called "Mail Manager". QuantumLink: "Q-Link", a Commodore 64/128-based service offered by America Online, Inc., is not on the Internet for technical reasons. WELL: "user@well.sf.ca.us" WWIVnet: You must have the user number or username of the person you want to send mail to. as well as his/her WWIVnet node number. WWIVnet addressing looks similar to: "1@9010" or: "DAN Q@9010". First replace the "@" with a dash: "1-9010". If you use the username as the recipient, replace the spaces with an underscore: "DAN_Q-9010". Take that address and use it as the account name in one of the following examples: "wwiv!1-9010@tweekco.uucp" or "1-9010%wwiv@tweekco.uucp". Of course, replace "1-9010" with your recipient's address. *** 2.2: HOW DO I ACCESS OTHER SYSTEMS FROM THE INTERNET? AMERICA ONLINE: You can't use AOL from the Internet due to the special graphics software. BIX: telnet "x25.bix.com". At the "username" prompt, enter "bix". COMPUSERVE: CompuServe members can now access CompuServe directly from the Internet. According to CI$, members may access using the CompuServe Information Manager user interface or any general communications software. Telnet access will eliminate the need for a separate modem connection and, for some members, the need to dial long distance to reach CompuServe. CompuServe will provide free online membership sign-up for non-members who access via telnet. Rates for accessing CompuServe through telnet will be the same as dial-up rates via the CompuServe network. DELPHI: telnet delphi.com DIALOG: telnet dialog.com GENIE: telnet hermes.merit.edu, at the "Which host?" prompt, enter "sprintnet-313171". SprintNet communication surcharges will apply. This is not guaranteed to work for file transfers or any other 8-bit transfers due to the nature of the telnet protocol. This is therefore not supported by GEnie. INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATION (IGC, or "PEACENET"): telnet igc.org MCI MAIL: Cannot be accessed via the Internet. The only way users can currently access MCI mail is by dialing in via SprintNet/Tymnet or MCI Mail's own numbers. A tech support rep said that letting people check their MCI mail accounts from Internet isn't a high priority for now. John Levine (johnl@iecc.com) adds, "MCI users can have their mail automatically forwarded from their MCI accounts to their Internet addresses. The usual per-message charge applies, but if you don't get a lot of incoming mail, it's a lot handier than having to dial in all the time." NVN (National VideoText Network): telnet nvn.com NEXIS/LEXIS: telnet lexis.meaddata.com or telnet 192.73.216.20 or telnet 192.73.216.21. terminal type = .vt100a If characters do not echo back, set your terminal to "local" echo or "half duplex." You can also connect through Merit.