Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!pacbell.com!ucsd!usc!cs.utexas.edu!yale!ox.com!ox.com!emv From: emv@ox.com (Ed Vielmetti) Newsgroups: comp.sources.wanted Subject: Archivists BOF at Usenix, Thurs p.m. (was Re: Time to stop posting) Message-ID: Date: 19 Jan 91 20:38:07 GMT References: <1991Jan19.030119.9665@wdl1.wdl.loral.com> Sender: usenet@ox.com (Usenet News Administrator) Organization: OTA Limited Partnership, Ann Arbor MI. Lines: 34 In-Reply-To: andy@spl28.spl.fac.com's message of 19 Jan 91 03:01:19 GMT In article <1991Jan19.030119.9665@wdl1.wdl.loral.com> andy@spl28.spl.fac.com (Andy Purshottam) writes: Given the avail of the wonderful archie snarfing database, is it appropriate that people no longer ask for locations of known named programs, and given avail of bitftp, stop asking for such to be mailed to them? I would suggest a "frequently asked questions" type posting to clue people in on how to find resources on the internet even without direct internet access. this would include - regional & local archive sites - how to use "archie" for searching remote FTP sites - other searching & database tools in use or under development - general purpose mail-to-ftp gateways like "bitftp" and others - direct-dial access to major uucp archives - resources available in bulk by tape or cd-rom - how to be a responsible net.citizen & not piss off upstream sites etc. as needed. The last point has to be appropriately stressed; producers and consumers of these services have to be prepared to meter out access & use to not strain the low-speed links and cause the wrath of irate postmasters. There will be an "archivists BOF" at Usenix on Thursday pm. to discuss some of these issues, as well as to talk about things of interest to people who run anonymous FTP sites and mail-based servers. The question "how can I find the j. random blurfl package by anonymous FTP" will not be answered. --Ed Edward Vielmetti moderator, comp.archives emv@ox.com