Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!agate!ucbvax!SHSU.BITNET!bed_gdg From: bed_gdg@SHSU.BITNET ("George D. Greenwade") Newsgroups: comp.text.tex Subject: What is INFO-TeX? A brief explanation Message-ID: <00944da7.ab3a9f00.15834@SHSU.BITNET> Date: 27 Feb 91 16:38:21 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: INFO-TeX@SHSU.BITNET Lines: 60 On Wed, 27 Feb 1991 09:37:04 CST, Piet van Oostrum asks: > What is INFO-TeX? Is it a mailing list that mirrors comp.text.tex? INFO-TeX@SHSU.BITNET is a BITNET/Internet list for the discussion of TeX-related issues. Subscription to INFO-TeX is open to anyone, as are its archives and file collections. At present it is not a "true" mirror of comp.text.tex. Presently, we are linked to the USENET newsgroup comp.text.tex with post-only capability; eventually, we will have a dual linkage so that posts to comp.text.tex appear on INFO-TeX, as well (this is not as trivial a project/problem as it sounds!). The purpose of INFO-TeX and comp.text.tex are virtually parallel -- to have an interactive exchange of ideas, questions, comments, and topics regarding TeX and its ancillaries (LaTeX/AMSTeX/BibTeX/drivers/styles/etc., etc., ad nauseum). As with comp.text.tex, it differs from periodicals such as TeXhax and UKTeX as it is not digested, nor should there be any significant lag time between a post and a response. The dual (or mirror) link which will eventually be in place will allow BITNET/Internet users without USENET capability to fully interact with USENET-exclusive users and vice versa (as well as those with news reading capability from comp.text.tex without newsgroup posting capability -- my understanding is that there are more than a few sites out there which meet this description). Ultimately (hopefully by year end), this means that one will need only read comp.text.tex or be subscribed to INFO-TeX, but not both, as our dual gatewaying capability should be seamless (i.e., no repeated postings). Presently, we are successfully porting in excess of 99% of INFO-TeX's traffic to comp.text.tex (a few still never make it through the gateway to comp.text.tex). From looking at the traffic reports from FILESERV, it is apparent that over half of the users of our file server are not INFO-TeX subscribers -- from that, I can only infer that INFO-TeX has at least a marginal beneficial impact servicing the readers of comp.text.tex. In fact, to reach the broadest possible audience for your TeX-related posting, the most efficient address presently in place is INFO-TeX@SHSU.BITNET as you hit both BITNET/Internet subscribers of INFO-TeX *and* the readers of USENET's comp.text.tex newsgroup. A very significant benefit of posting via INFO-TeX is the fact that INFO-TeX is an "archived" list. I have been searching for nearly a year and have been unable to locate a site with comprehensive (actually, any) comp.text.tex archives (if anyone knows of one, please let me know). Once we have the dual link in place, SHSU will house the archives for INFO-TeX/comp.text.tex; until then, all we have the capability to support is INFO-TeX. If you should have any questions, comments, or suggestions as to how we can better service the wide audience of TeX users out there, please respond to me privately at any of the addresses below. Regards, George %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% George D. Greenwade, Ph.D. Bitnet: BED_GDG@SHSU Department of Economics and Business Analysis THEnet: SHSU::BED_GDG P. O. Box 2118 Voice: (409) 294-1266 Sam Houston State University FAX: (409) 294-3612 Huntsville, TX 77341 Internet: bed_gdg%shsu.decnet@relay.the.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%