Big Dummy's Guide To The Internet Part 17

ALWAYS PRESS THE ENTER OR RETURN KEY AFTER TYPING YOUR COMMAND.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPTIONS: FIND START - search options HELP QUIT - exit database COMMAND?

Oh, well! Do they have anything that mentions "s.e.x" in the t.i.tle? Try another TI search, but this time just: TI s.e.x. You get:

HU GUIDE: SUMMARY OF SEARCH RESULTS 2086 items retrieved by your search: FIND TI s.e.x ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 s.e.x 2 s.e.x A 823 s.e.xA 827 s.e.xBO 831 s.e.xCE 833 s.e.xDR 834 s.e.xE 879 s.e.xIE 928 s.e.xJA 929 s.e.xLE 930 s.e.xO 965 s.e.xPI 968 s.e.xT 1280 s.e.xUA 2084 s.e.xWA 2085 s.e.xY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPTIONS: INDEX (or I 5 etc) to see list of items HELP START - search options REDO - edit search QUIT - exit database COMMAND?

If you want to get more information on the first line, type 1 and hit enter:

HU INDEX: LIST OF ITEMS RETRIEVED 2086 items retrieved by your search: FIND TI s.e.x ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ s.e.x 1 geddes patrick sir 1854 1932/ 1914 bks

s.e.x A Z 2 goldenson robert m/ 1987 bks

s.e.x ABUSE HYSTERIA SALEM WITCH TRIALS REVISITED 3 gardner richard a/ 1991 bks

s.e.x AETATES MUNDI ENGLISH AND IRISH 4 irish s.e.x aetates mundi/ 1983 bks

s.e.x AFTER SIXTY A GUIDE FOR MEN AND WOMEN FOR THEIR LATER YEARS 5 butler robert n 1927/ 1976 bks

------------------------------------------------------ (CONTINUES) ------------ OPTIONS: DISPLAY 1 (or D 5 etc) to see a record HELP GUIDE MORE - next page START - search options REDO - edit search QUIT - exit database COMMAND?

Most library systems give you a way to log off and return to your host system. On Hollis, hit escape followed by

xx

One particularly interesting system is the one run by the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries, which maintains databases for libraries throughout Colorado, the West and even in Boston.

Telnet pac.carl.org.

Follow the simple log-in instructions. When you get a menu, type 72 (even though that is not listed), which takes you to the Pikes Peak Library District, which serves the city of Colorado Springs.

Several years ago, its librarians realized they could use their database program not just for books but for cataloging city records and community information, as well. Today, if you want to look up munic.i.p.al ordinances or city records, you only have to type in the word you're looking for and you'll get back cites of the relevant laws or decisions.

Carl will also connect you to the University of Hawaii library, which, like the one in Colorado Springs, has more than just bibliographic material online. One of its features is an online Hawaiian almanac that can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Hawaiians, including the number injured in boogie-board accidents each year (seven).

6.3 SOME INTERESTING TELNET SITES

AGRICULTURE

PENPages, run by Pennsylvania State University's College of Agricultural Sciences, provides weekly world weather and crop reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These reports detail everything from the effect of the weather on palm trees in Malaysia to the state of the Ukrainian wheat crop. Reports from Pennsylvania country extension officers offer tips for improving farm life. One database lists Pennsylvania hay distributors by county -- and rates the quality of their hay!

The service lets you search for information two different ways. A menu system gives you quick access to reports that change frequently, such as the weekly crop/weather reports. An index system lets you search through several thousand online doc.u.ments by keyword. At the main menu, you can either browse through an online manual or choose "PENPages," which puts you into the agriculture system.

Telnet: psupen.psu.edu User name: Your 2-letter state code or WORLD

California State University's Advanced Technology Information Network provides similar information as PENPages, only focusing on California crops. It also maintains lists of upcoming California trade shows and carries updates on biotechnology.

Telnet: caticsuf.cati.csufresno.edu Log in: public

You will then be asked to register and will be given a user name and pa.s.sword. Hit "a" at the main menu for agricultural information.

Hit "d" to call up a menu that includes a biweekly biotechnology report.

AIDS

The University of Miami maintains a database of AIDS health providers in southern Florida.

Telnet: callcat.med.miami.edu Log in: library

At the main menu, select P (for "AIDS providers" and you'll be able to search for doctors, hospitals and other providers that care for patients with AIDS. You can also search by speciality.

See also under Conversation and Health.

AMATEUR RADIO:

The National Ham Radio Call-Sign Callbook lets you search for American amateur operators by callsign, city, last name or Zip code. A successful search will give you the ham's name, address, callsign, age, type of license and when he or she got it.

Telnet: callsign.cs.buffalo.edu 2000 or ham.njit.edu 2000.

When you connect, you tell the system how you want to search and what you're looking for. For example, if you want to search for hams by city, you would type

city city name

and hit enter (for example: city Kankakee).

Other search choices are "call" (after which you would type a ham's name), "name," and "zip" (which you would follow with a Zip code). Be careful when searching for hams in a large city; there doesn't seem to be anyway to shut off the list once it starts except by using control-]. Otherwise, when done, type

quit

and hit enter to disconnect.

ANIMALS

See under Health.

CALCULATORS

Hewlett-Packard maintains a free service on which you can seek advice about their line of calculators.

Telnet: hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com No log-in is needed.

CHEMISTRY

The Electronic Periodic Table of the Elements draws the table on your screen and then lets you look up various properties of individual elements.

Telnet: camms2.caos.kun.nl No pa.s.sword needed.

CONGRESS

The Library of Congress Information Service lets you search current and past legislation (dating to 1982).