1.3  PUBLIC-ACCESS INTERNET PROVIDERS

 
When you have your communications program dial one of these host systems, 
one of two things will happen when you connect.  You'll either see a lot 
of gibberish on your screen, or you'll be asked to log in.  If you see 
gibberish, chances are you have to change your software's parameters (to 
8-1-N or 7-1-E as the case may be).  Hang up (see your modem's manual for 
information on this), make the change and then dial in again. 

When you've connected, chances are you'll see something like this: 
 
               Welcome to THE WORLD
               Public Access UNIX for the '90s
               Login as 'new' if you do not have an account
   
               login: 
 
That last line is a prompt asking you to do something.  Since this is 
your first call, type 
 
                new
 
and hit enter (at least on this particular system; each system has a 
different log-in procedure for newcomers)  Often, when you're asked to type 
something by a host system, you'll be told what to type in quotation 
marks (for example, 'new').  Don't include the quotation marks.  Repeat: 
Don't include the quotation marks. 

what you see next depends on the system, but will generally consist 
of information about its costs and services (you might want to turn on 
your communication software's logging function, to save this 
information).  You'll likely be asked if you want to establish an account 
now or just look around the system.  
 
You'll also likely be asked for your "user name."  This is not your 
full name, but a one-word name you want to use while online.  It can be 
any combination of letters or numbers, all in lower case.  Many people 
use their first initial and last name (for example, "jdoe"); their first 
name and the first letter of their last name (for example, "johnd"); or 
their initials ("jxd").  Others use a nickname.  You might want to think 
about this for a second, because this user name will become part of your 
electronic-mail address (see chapter 2 for more on that).  The main 
exception are the various Free-Net systems, all of which assign you a 
user name consisting of an arbitrary sequence of letters and numbers. 

You are now on the Net.  Look around the system.  See if there are 
any help files for you to read.  If it's a menu-based host system, choose 
different options just to see what happens (and if all you see is a 
simple prompt, try typing 'help' or read on).  Remember: You can't break 
anything.  The more you play, the more comfortable you'll be. 

what follows are lists of public-access Internet sites, which are 
computer systems that offer access to the Net.  The first list is for 
North America; the second  for the rest of the world.  All offer 
international e-mail and Usenet (international conferences).  In 
addition, they offer: 
   
     FTP: File-transfer protocol -- access to hundreds of file 
     libraries (everything from computer software to historical 
     documents to song lyrics).  You'll be able to transfer 
     these files from the Net to your own computer.
 
     Telnet: Access to databases, computerized library card 
     catalogs, weather reports and other information services, 
     as well as live, online games that let you compete with 
     players from around the world. 
 
        Additional services that may be offered include:
 
     Lynx: An easy-to-use interface for the World-Wide Web 
     information resource.

     WAIS:  Wide-area Information Server; a program that 
     can search dozens of databases in one search. 
 
     Gopher:  A program that gives you easy access to dozens 
     of other online databases and services by making 
     selections on a menu. You'll also be able to use these
     to copy text files and some programs to your mailbox.
 
     IRC:  Internet Relay Chat, a CB simulator that lets 
     you have live keyboard chats with people around the 
     world. 

     SLIP/PPP service.  you'll need this if you want to interact with
     the internet directly on your own computer.  will often cost more 
     than standard dial-up service.

However, even on systems that do not provide all these services directly, 
you will be able to use a number of them through telnet (see Chapter 6). 

In the lists that follow, systems that let you access services through 
menus are noted; otherwise assume that when you connect, you'll be dumped 
right into Unix (a.k.a. MS-DOS with a college degree). Several of these 
sites are available nationwide through national data networks such as the 
CompuServe Packet Network and SprintNet. 

Please note that all listed charges are subject to change.  Many sites 
require new or prospective users to log on a particular way on their 
first call; this list provides the name you'll use in such cases.