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handout.txt

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  • handout.txt 9.91 KiB
                   Introduction to BULLETIN on the Vax
                                                      2/88 AW
    
    PUBLISHED BY THE DREW UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC COMPUTER CENTER. MAY BE
    COPIED WITH WRITING CREDIT GIVEN TO DREW UNIVERSITY.
    
    BULLETIN was written for the Public Domain by Mark London at MIT.
    
         The BULLETIN utility permits a user to create messages for
    reading by other users.  Users may be notified upon logging on
    that new messages have been added, and what the topic of the
    messages are.  Actual reading of the messages is optional.  (See
    the command SET READNEW for info on automatic reading.)  Messages
    are automatically deleted when their expiration data has passed.
         The program runs like VAX mail.  The different interest
    groups or BULLETIN boards are implemented in the form of
    'Folders', just like a filing cabinet.  A Folder contain various
    messages on the same general topic.  A message is a piece of text
    written by a user or staff person and added to a particular
    folder.  All users are not permitted to submit messages to all
    folders.
    
         A message consists of an expiration date, a subject line
    and the text of the message.  BULLETIN will prompt the user for
    these things when a message is being added.
    
         Several different folders are currently defined to
    BULLETIN.  The General Folders will be used by Computer Center
    Staff to post messages of general interest concerning the VAX to
    the user community.  If something is of an important nature, it
    will be posted in the General folder as a 'System' message.
    This is a special message type.  It will be displayed to each
    user  as they log in the first time after that message was
    posted.  This will be done automatically by BULLETIN on login.
    Once a particular system message has been displayed, it will not
    be displayed for that user on subsequent logins.
    
    Folders
    
         Different folders have been created to contain messages on
    different topics.  Folders may be public, semi-private, or
    private.  The majority of the folders will be public.  However a
    few will be semi-private, which will mean that all users may
    read messages in the folder but not all will be able to post to
    it.  Currently, there are several folders defined:
    
    GENERAL -- system messages
    
    PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS -- Can be used by anyone to post messages
    of interest to the public
    
    On Beta:
    AIDE STATION -- Private folder for Computer Center Employees
    
    In addition on Alpha there are folders that receive electronic
    magazines, such as:
    NETMONTH --  The monthly magazine of BITNET information.
    RISKS -- Identifying the risks involved in using computers.
    INFOIBMPC -- Information about the IBM personal computers.
    INFOVAX -- Information on the Digital VAX.
    PROGRAMMING_JOURNALS-Includes MINIX, UNIX and C, Modula-2 and
    Prolog journals
    watch for new ones being added.
    
    Using BULLETIN
    
         BULLETIN is invoked by type the command 'BULLETIN' (or BULL,
    for short) at the '$' prompt.  BULLETIN will display its prompt
    'BULLETIN>'. Help is available from DCL command level ($) or from
    within the BULLETIN program itself by typing the word 'HELP'.  To
    leave the BULLETIN program, type 'EXIT'.
    
    To see what is there
    
         In order to see message and folders, on can use the
    'Directory' command. Upon entering BULLETIN, the user is place
    in the General folder.  If the user wishes to see which folders
    exist, the directory/folders command is used. for example:
    typing:
    
         BULLETIN> directory/folders
    
    will make a display like:
    
          Folder                       Owner
         *GENERAL                      SYSTEM
         *PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS         BBEYER
          NETMONTH                     BITNET
         *VAX_SIG                      BBEYER
    
    An asterisk (*) next to the folder name indicates you have unread
    messages in that folder.
    
    The command 'DIRECTORY/FOLDERS/DESCRIBE' would list all available
    folders, along with a brief description of each.
    
         To switch from one folder to another folder, the user may
    execute the 'SELECT' command.  For example, the following
    command would show what a user would do to switch to the folder
    called PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS:
    
    BULLETIN> SELECT PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS
    
    and BULLETIN would respond:
         Folder has been set to PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS
    
         Now the user may get a list of the messages in this folder
    by issuing the directory command with no qualifiers.
    This command, for example:
    BULLETIN> DIRECTORY
    would have bulletin respond:
    
     #     Description               From                  Date
     1     CHRISTMAS PARTY           oleksiak              26-JUN-88
     2     Learning about BULLETIN   oleksiak              26-JUN-87
     3     VAX MAIL                  LLLOYD                01-Jan-87
    
         The command 'DIR/NEW' will list just unread messages.
    
    
    Reading messages
    
         In order to read messages in a folder, the user may type
    the read command or he/she may simply type the number of the
    message he wishes to read.  The message numbers can be acquired
    by doing the 'DIRECTORY' command.  If the user hits a carriage
    return with no input whatsoever,  BULLETIN will type the first
    message in the folder, or if there are new messages present, it
    will type the first new message in the folder.
    
         If a folder contains the above messages (as seen by the
    'Directory' command) then these messages can be read by:
    
    BULLETIN> READ
    and BULLETIN would respond:
    
    Message number:  1                       PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS
    Description: CHRISTMAS PARTY
    Date:  26-JUN-1988 8:08:40   Expires:  1-JAN-1989 08:08:40
    
    ...Body of message.....
    
         Should the user only wish to see message number 3, he can
    enter the 'READ' command with the message number as a parameter.
    for example:
    
    BULLETIN> READ 3
    
         There are three other useful commands that can be used at
    the 'BULLETIN>' prompt when reading messages. These are:
    
    BACK - Read the message preceding the message currently being
    read.
    
    CURRENT - Start reading the current message at the top.  This is
    useful for someone who is reading a message and wishes to reread
    it from the beginning.
    
    NEXT - Start reading from the beginning of the next message.
    This is handy if the user is reading a very long message and
    wants to skip to the next one.
    
    Saving the interesting stuff.
    
         If the user sees something which he/she wants a copy of,
    the extract command can be use to write an ASCII copy of the
    message into a file.  This command works on the current message
    being read.  It requires the name of the file into which to save
    the message.  If the file name is not given, the user will be
    prompted for it.  For example:
    
    BULLETIN>  Read 2
    
    ********** Message on Screen ********
    
    A person could then type
    BULLETIN> extract
    file:  FV.TXT
    BULLETIN>
    
    BULLETIN has now saved the contents of message number 2 into the
    file name 'FV.txt'.
         If the file to which the user is writing already exists,
    BULLETIN will append the message to the file.  The user can
    force BULLETIN to write a new file containing only the message
    being saved by using the '/new' qualifier in the 'extract'
    command.  These messages can then be sent to other users, or
    downloaded for use in Wordperfect.  (See "Mail on the Vax", or
    "Transferring a file between a PC and the VAX").
    
    This command may be useful if you wish to transfer the message to
    your PC, perhaps using a BITNET journal message as a reference in
    a paper. Once the file is saved, you can transfer it to a PC by
    following the instructions in the handout 'Transferring files
    from the PC to the VAX of from the VAX to a PC".
    
    Adding messages
         A user may add a message to a folder by selecting the
    folder and then using the 'ADD' command.  This is provided that
    the user is adding the message to a public folder.  The user has
    the option of giving the 'ADD' command and typing a message using
    the VAX editor or uploading a message from your PC (see
    documentation), or add a message you have extracted from VAX
    mail.  BULLETIN will prompt for the expiration date and subject
    line.  It will then add the text of the file as the body of the
    message. To add a message that is stored in a file (from MAIL or
    from your PC, for example) type:
    
              ADD filename
    
    If the user does not specify a file name, he/she will be
    prompted to enter the body of the message.  The user may also
    use the EDT text editor by issuing the command with the
    '/EDIT'option.
    
    For example:
    BULLETIN> sel PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS
              folder has been set to PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS
    BULLETIN> ADD MESS.TXT
    
    IT IS 10-JUL-1988 12:41:06.15.  SPECIFY WHEN THE MESSAGE SHOULD
    EXPIRE:  ENTER ABsolute TIME:  <DD-MMM-YYYY]HH:MM:SS OR DELTA
    TIME: DDD HH:MM:SS
    
    A user then type the date of expiration and press the 'return'
    button.  The time input may be ignored. For example, typing:
    20-JUL-1988 or type "10" - for ten days in the future.
    
    BULLETIN responds:
    ENTER DESCRIPTION HEADER.  LIMIT HEADER TO 53 CHARACTERS.
    
    Now the user may enter the subject of the message.
    
    BULLETIN>
    
    The above session adds the text in the file 'mess.txt' as the
    next message in the PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS Folder.  The message
    will be deleted automatically on the 20th of July as requested
    by the user adding the message.
    
    Asking BULLETIN to notify you of new messages upon logging in.
    
         If the user wishes to get notification on login when new
    messages are in a folder, he should use the 'READNEW' option.
    This command does not force the reader to reading new messages,
    only gives notification.  To do this, 'SELECT' each folder you
    are interested in and do a 'SET READNEW' command while set to
    that folder.
    
    Example:
    
    BULLETIN> Select PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS
    folder has been set to PUBLIC_ANNOUNCEMENTS
    BULLETIN> SET READNEW
    
    Alternately, you may type SET SHOWNEW. This will just display a
    message notifying you that there are new messages.
    
    Mailing a BULLETIN message
    
         A user may directly mail another user a message found in the
    BULLETIN.  While reading the message that he/she desires to send,
    at the 'BULLETIN>' type 'MAIL'.  The Vax will then ask to whom
    you wish to send the information too.
    
    Check the BULLETIN DISCUSSION folder on ALPHA for new additions.
    If you have comments or questions about BULLETIN, leave them
    there.