directorcommentary | jasonbentley.org

Damn, that Mitnick article got me all on this nostalgia trip for those days before broadband, Google, eBay, Mapquest, USB, digital cameras, LiveJournal, mp3, Linux, Netscape, the DMCA, the PATRIOT Act, and the cancellation of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Dig these entries from the Internet Services Frequently Asked Questions and Answers, Version 1.8.1, from April 13, 1994. This is the first document about the Internet that I can ever recall reading.

*** 0.4: WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION IS ON THE INTERNET? (And, WHY ISN'T
THERE AN ENCYCLOPEDIA ON THE INTERNET?)
The type of information you're likely to find on the Internet is free
information, such as government documents, works with expired
copyrights, works that are in the public domain, and works that authors
are making available to the Internet community on an experimental basis.
Conversely, some types of information you are not likely to find on the
Internet, most notably, commercial works which are protected by
copyright law.

For instance, there is no publicly-available Internet encyclopedia.
There are indeed encyclopedias on the net, but they all are closed
systems available only to students at a specific university, or
employees at a certain company. The reason for this is about what you'd
expect: the companies that make encyclopedias are in business to stay in
business, and you don't stay in business by giving away your product.
So, while the Internet does contain a vast array of Good Stuff, it can't
always replace a trip to a decent library. If you can't find an online
encyclopedia that's available to you, try the following:
Ask your own library to make sure they don't have one.
Use the encyclopedias on CompuServe, Prodigy, AOL, etc.
Use a (gasp!) regular encyclopedia, or one on CD-ROM.

*** 1.6: WHAT IS ALEX/ARCHIE/GOPHER/HYTELNET/NETFIND/PROSPERO/VERONICA/
     WAIS/WHOIS/WWW/X.500?
These are all part of a new generation of network information resources.
For complete information, check John December's "internet-tools" list,
available via anonymous FTP to ftp.rpi.edu:/pub/communications/internet-tools
That document will point you to detailed information about each of these
services. EARN publishes an thorough guide on network tools. It contains
information on Gopher, Veronica, WWW, WAIS, Astra, Archie, WHOIS,
Netserv, Trickle, BitFTP, Usenet and listservs. To receive this file,
send e-mail to "listserv@earncc.bitnet" with a message body of "send
nettools memo" or "send nettools ps" (for PostScript format.)
You may also anonymous FTP to:
ds.internic.net:/pub/internet-doc/EARN.nettools.txt

*** 1.7: WHAT IS MUD/MUSH/MOO/MUCK/DUM/MUSE (etc.)?
These are multi-user, text based, virtual reality games. According to
the MUD FAQ: "A MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) is a computer program which
users can log into and explore. Each user takes control of a
computerized persona/avatar/incarnation/character. You can walk around,
chat with other characters, explore dangerous monster-infested areas,
solve puzzles, and even create your very own rooms, descriptions and
items." There are an astounding number of variations on the MUD theme.
Please see rec.games.mud.* for more information about them -- there are
several very good FAQ postings there that detail MUDs, MUD clients and
servers, and offer a complete, current MUD-list.

*** 2.3: HOW DO I CONTACT A SERVICE PROVIDER?
AMERICA ONLINE: (800) 827-6364 voice
BIX: (800) 695-4882 modem, (800) 695-4775 voice.
CONNECT: (408) 973-0110 voice
COMPUSERVE: (800) 848-8990 voice
DELPHI: (800) 695-4005 voice
DIALOG: (800) 334-2564 voice
DOW JONES NEWS/RETRIEVAL: (800) 522-3567 voice
GENIE: (800) 638-9636 voice
INSTITUTE FOR GLOCAL COMMUNICATIONS: (415) 923-0220 voice
NEXIS/LEXIS: (800) 227-9597 voice. Government Customers: 513-865-7223
MCI MAIL: (800) 444-6245 voice
PC-LINK (800) 827-8532 voice.
PRODIGY: New account information (800) 766-3449 voice
     Membership services     (800) 759-8000 voice
WELL: (415) 332-4335) voice. E-mail: support@well.sf.ca.us

*** 2.4: HOW DO I FIND OUT SOMEONE'S E-MAIL ADDRESS?
With so many computer systems and users in the world, it is impossible
to keep a complete "white pages" of the Internet. The problem is
compounded because people come and go from the net all the time.
(Students are notorious for this.) Storing and updating that much
information would be an impossible, daunting task.

Or this, from the archived copy of Zamfield`s Wonderfully Incomplete, Complete Internet BBS List published on September 24, 1992.

Netcom   netcom.netcom.com guest +  at passwd
--  192.100.81.100
--  voice # 408-554-UNIX

--  Contact Robert Hood, Systems/Network Admin at
--  hoodr@netcom.com.

--  Full Unix service.  Money for access.
--  One time registration fee of $15.  No more than
--  50 hours/month online during prime time hours
--  (M-F 10 a.m. to midnight (Pacific time?)).

--  $17.50/month ($19.50 for invoiced billing)
--  (408) 241-9760 (San Jose, CA) and
--  (415) 424-0131 (Palo Alto, CA)
--  (510) 865-9004 (San Fransico/Oakland/Berkeley, CA)
--  (510) 426-6860 (Pleasanton/Fremont, CA)
--  (408) 459-9851 (Santa Cruz, CA)
--  (310) 842-8835 (Los Angeles, CA)

IRC Client  bradenville.andrew.cmu.edu
--  128.2.54.2

--  Internet Relay Chat access.  Not all IRC commands are
--  supported.  IRC is similar to the chat system on
--  Pirate BBS's but much more powerful. IRC has channels,
--  which you join to join a discussion, or you can create
--  your own to discuss whatever you like. These sessions
  are very informal, and topics can stay quickly.

-- Lyric Server  ->FTP<- cs.uwp.edu    
--  these files are available via  
--  anonymous ftp.  This is not  
--  really a telnetable service, but  
--  it is nice to know about so I  
--  included it.

Say what you want about getting older. I say, old school - represent. I'm glad I was there. :-)

This entry was posted by jb, on October 13, 2005. You can leave your response.