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Chaos Corner v02 n04
Chaos Corner V02 N04 14Jun92
My apologies for taking so long to get this issue out (last issue was 24
March). Lots of things have gotten accomplished in the meantime ...
including, but not limited to completing the second semester of German,
a trip to Germany and France (along with two presentations at SHARE
Europe); and catching up on my readings of PC Week, Open Systems Today,
and other trade periodicals (along with collecting interesting articles
from Net News for the last 11 weeks. Let's dive in!
Mailbag
First of all, there were the "usual" problems with mailers bouncing the
last issue .. so I will be using a slightly different distribution path
this time (mailing the issue directly from pelican, rather than mailing
it from Cornella to an address list on pelican). I hope that will
shorten the return address enough that the VM mailers will not have a
problem. Will the people at SLAC let Dr. Chaos know if they don't
receive this issue? (;-))
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WAIS and gopher corrections
Bob Blackmun pointed out that some statements Dr. Chaos made in the last
issue about Gopher being related to WAIS (Wide Area Information Service)
were not exactly correct. Bob says, "I'm not sure what you mean by
'related to', but it's my understanding as a user and highly involved
party that Gopher is *not* related to WAIS -- it doesn't use the Z39.50
protocol that is the heart and soul of WAIS." Dr. Chaos admits that Bob
is, of course, correct and points out that the blame lies in my filing
system that tossed items about WAIS, Gopher, and Prospero (the
information gathering and distribution protocol that *is* related to
Gopher) all in the same folder ... and labeled them all WAIS. There is
a gateway between the WAIS world and Gopher, but that's as 'related' as
they get.
--------------------------------------------------
More on time (GMT, CUT, UTC)
Nick Gimbrone points out that the correct "new" name for GMT is not CUT
(Coordinated Universal Time), but rather UTC since the French word order
seems to be the standard in such things. Dr. Chaos points out that the
French word order often works out better; the European Nuclear Research
Center became CERN rather than ENRC ... a definite improvement.
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Chaos Corner feedback
T. V. Raman objects to the chatty style used in preparing these items
and says it gets in the way of finding the useful information. We
pointed out that having an alter ego of Dr. Chaos gave us someone else
to blame for the mistakes! Certainly, finding the information again is
a problem and Dr. Chaos has been planning on using something to index
the articles for some time ... Real Soon Now!
--------------------------------------------------
GeoClock and OS/2; mapping information
Joe Ahlgren of GeoClock fame thanks Dr. Chaos for the mention of
GeoCLock in Chaos Corner (although it is unlikely to be as useful to him
as the subsequent mention he got in PC Week). Joe was quite interested
in the fact that GeoClock runs in a window under OS/2, since it only
runs fullscreen under Windows. Dr. Chaos does point out that
performance suffers a little, but it may simply be that he hasn't found
the right combination under the "DOS Settings" menu. He just read the
on-line help last night to discover that the two problems he had been
having (and the ways around them) were clearly documented.
I was very interested to hear that GeoClock runs in a window under OS/2
2.0. It of course will not run in a window under Windows (what a great
fraud - Windows can only run text mode DOS programs in a window). Is
this a capability that earlier OS/2's had? How does the performance
suffer between small window and DOS or full screen mode?
Joe also has the following to say about the DeLorme street atlas. "It
is the first (and only) commercial mapping program for the PC that is
neither a joke (PC Globe, for example) or impossibly expensive ... It
has a few rough edges (I have the very first release, it may have gotten
better) and really does not use anything in windows that it couldn't do
from plain old DOS. However, it is pretty complete and has less than
the expected number of errors. ... It is not clear what you would use
it for, but it is great fun."
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BITFTP and VAXen
Xiaobo Shao writes that he is having trouble making use of the software
discussed in Chaos Corner because it never seems to work when he
downloads it to his PC from his VAX. Since he fetched the files to his
VAX as files across Bitnet through BITFTP@PUCC, Dr. Chaos suggested he
*carefully* read the information on the problems with transferring
binary files through a VAX that are documented on the BITFTP server.
The first step in getting the info is to send a mail file to BITFTP@PUCC
containing the single word - help.
--------------------------------------------------
Lunar Eclipse
Of course, those of you monitoring newsgroups like sci.astro already
know that tonight (June 14/15) is the night for a partial lunar eclipse.
The show starts slightly before midnight (EDT), reaching it's peak at
0057 (that's EDT again). At peak, 68% of the moon will be in shadow.
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Images of Gaspra Asteroid - several GIF files
There were two photographs of the Gaspra asteroid released at a press
conference last week, and the GIF files are available for anonymous FTP
from ames.arc.nasa.gov (128.102.18.3) in the pub/SPACE/GIF directory.
Look for gaspra2.gif and gaspra3.gif (don't forget to use 'binary'
transfer) for the pictures and corresponding .txt files that give
descriptions. The pictures were taken by the spacecraft Galileo (on its
way to Jupiter) from a distance of 3,300 miles (about 5,300 km). While
you are ftp-ing files from that site, you may want to check out some
GIFs of Mars. Look for file starting with 00*, 05*, 90*, or oly* (and
accompanying .txt files in the same directory. The directory does
contain an INDEX file, but it hasn't been updated for at least 6 months.
--------------------------------------------------
FTP servers with astronomy and space related information
For an up-to-date list of ftp servers with astronomy and space-related
information, use anonymous ftp to nic.funet.fi (yes, it's in Finland)
and fetch the file "pub/astro/general/astroftp.txt". Of course, Dr.
Chaos has a copy he *could* send you but it's much better to be able to
get an updated copy on your own.
MISCELLANEOUS
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Perot Information
For those people interested in learning more about the unannounced US
Presidential candidate, Ross Perot, there are a number of files stored
at ftp.cco.caltech.edu (also cobalt.caltech.edu is valid) in the
directory: /pub/bjmccall/Perot ...including debates that have occurred
on Usenet, biographies (official and unofficial), transcripts of various
interviews, etc. Of course, this does not imply Dr. Chaos supports Mr.
Perot, we're just reporting on where information can be found.
--------------------------------------------------
Area Codes, I Love You, Smiley Dictionary, Dave Barry
Under the random list category, we seem to have a list of the telephone
area codes for the USA and Canada, a list of how to say "I love you" in
over 100 languages, and another list that claims to be The Unofficial
Smiley Dictionary. Also found on a Windows discussion list was a copy
of an article by humorist Dave Barry on computing. If you would like a
copies of either or both or even all three articles, just send mail to
chaos-request@pelican.cit.cornell.edu. (Please specify a valid return
address and let Dr. Chaos know which item you are interested in.)
--------------------------------------------------
Book on writing Global Software
Having seen many complaints on the network about programmers from the
USA who write programs without recognizing there is a global market, the
description of a new book caught our eye. "Information from planning to
programming (with an extensive collection of actual program examples) as
well as on marketing and presentation are given. Design errors and
common pitfalls are pointed out to help readers avoid the same mistakes.
The author also discusses export restrictions and other aspects of the
politics surrounding international distribution. A clear and
understandable explanation of what types of encryption software can and
cannot be legally distributed outside of the United States is an added
bonus to this work." _Global Software_ is written by Dave Taylor,
President, Intuitive Systems, with foreword by John Scully, CEO, Apple
Computer, Inc., published by Springer-Verlag, 332 pp, 25 illustrations,
ISBN 0-387-97706-6 US$34.00. Dr. Chaos would be most interested in any
reviews of the book.
--------------------------------------------------
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Known Galaxy
People on the alt.galactic-guide news group have decided to create the
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Known Galaxy, filled with contributed articles
written in the style of Douglas Adams (author of the Hitchhiker's Guide
series) about anyplace. Dr. Chaos has the format for submissions to the
guide, and you can get a copy of the PC software to look through the
guide from vela.acs.oakland.edu, in the /pub/swbaker directory (look for
guide.zip and remember to use binary transfer).
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NREN
Anyone interested in the roll-out of the new national network in the US
(NREN - National Research and Educational Network ... if we spoke French
it would probably be NERN, which is at least pronounceable) can get
PostScript or ascii copies of the National Science Foundation's interim
Implementation Plan via anonymous ftp from expres.cise.nsf.gov, and
look for file impl.ps in the recompete directory.
--------------------------------------------------
Jargon
Confused by all the jargon in the computer field. Either get the _New
Hacker's Dictionary_ published by MIT Press, or use anonymous ftp to get
the same information found in file /mirrors/msdos/info/jargn299.zip from
wuarchive.wustl.edu (or any other Simtel20 mirror site).
--------------------------------------------------
Mathematics Archive, Earth Sciences, JFK, Internet Access
Interested in the mathematics archive? the location of ftp sites for
information relating to Earth Sciences?, State Department documents
referenced in the movie JFK? and how anyone with a PC can have personal
access to the Internet for $29/month at 9600 baud (less for lower speed
access).... just ask Dr. Chaos for the information he has by sending
mail to chaos-request@pelican.cit.cornell.edu.
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OS/2 General Availability version is here!
It's here! and Dr. Chaos has at long last received his official version
of OS/2 2.0. Now if IBM can only find a way to distribute the updates
so that it will run Windows 3.1 across the network rather than having to
re-ship all those diskettes (and adding to the world-wide high-density
floppy disk shortage), it will be really nice.
--------------------------------------------------
4os2 - a command processor for OS/2
Of course, what every operating system needs are applications and that
infrastructure that makes it possible to use in a friendly fashion. JP
Software has announced the release of version 1.0 of 4OS2, its enhanced
command processor for OS/2 1.2, 1.3, and 2.0. Like their famed 4DOS
program, this program replaces the normal command processor and provides
a host of features (not the least of which is command recall and editing
-- considering how many mistakes Dr. Chaos makes at typing, those
features are vital for him). Get file 4os210.zoo from the
/pub/os2/all/shells directory on hobbes.nmsu.edu or check the /pub/os2
directories on funic.funet.fi (Finland) or sun0.urz.uni-heidelberg.de
(Germany).
--------------------------------------------------
MAC, sounds, and "Make it so!"
Success! The sysop of the neighborhood BBS system, Daniel Quaroni, has
captured the voice of Captain Picard saying "Make it so!" Daniel's BBS
is known as Kender's Pocket and is available at (607)-257-7820. We hope
to be able to announce access to the sound file from the Internet soon
(but the line is busy right now).
--------------------------------------------------
It's rapidly approaching midnight and time to look at the eclipse. Send
Dr. Chaos suggestions you might have for the first anniversary issue ...
as always to chaos-request@pelican.cit.cornell.edu.
Dr. Chaos (I have a Masters Degree ...)
