InterNIC Information Services


InfoGuide
  Organized with beginners in mind
  Manual indexing for efficient document searching
  http://www.internic.net/infoguide.html


Scout Report
  Weekly summary of Net resources, other announcements
  R & E community is the primary audience

  Resources: Web, gopher, FTP, telnet, email 
  National Information Infrastructure 
  Net Bytes
  Weekend Scouting

  Commercial Services

  HTML version for local posting

  mail to: majordomo@is.internic.net
  subscribe scout-report
  subscribe scout-report-html


Newsletter
  Overviews: NSFNET Transition, NII legislation
  Hard copy, Web Versions: NSFNET new architecture
  map, NII legislation chart

  Requests to mirror: newsletter-request@is.internic.net

========
                          USV-Web

Status on Monday:

  "Strawman" Homepage: JK Reynolds, USV Summary 
  Links to IETF FTP site WG directories: charter and
  minutes


Progress:

  Continue with USV-Web and upgrade
  Committee to offer advice, ideas: 5-6 people
  Entire USWG participants welcome to submit ideas
  IS to upgrade homepage to same look and feel as
  InfoGuide: icons, "return" arrow...
  IS to continue to host and support homepage
  Maintenance of content: Joyce, IS


Components Mentioned:

  Homepage "actively welcomes" and encourages
  participation
  Homepage graphics
  USV logo? USV "colors"? -- USV "look and feel"
  Links to IETF Web page: now links to documents for
  each WG

  Forms to join mailing lists?
  Related documents?
  Photos?
  Audio "welcome" by Joyce? :-)

========
                    NIC Templates

Status:

  IS requested updates, received 36 of 59
  DS posted on gopher, WAIS, X.500 servers
  RS posted on a RWhois servers


Plans:

  IS sends a second query to the remaining 23
  DS will update 
  RS will update

  IS doing brief status on white pages projects


What's Next?

  Outreach to more NICs?
  Continue to use all servers?
  Distributed RWhois servers?


========
                       Internet Starter Kit

Status:

  Being produced by InterNIC IS
  Made available to other NIC organizations
       Late August - early September 
       Hard copy for local reproduction 
       Ascii, postscript 
       Desk-top publishing format 
  Framemaker?
       Can customize for specific needs 


Plans:

  Input from IETF USWG, NISI for Version 1.
  Input this Fall from college, university, K12
  Will be updated, improved as appropriate

========
                       Internet Starter Kit 


Defining the Internet 1 p. 
InterNIC Services for Starters 1 p. 
Getting Connected FAQ 2 pp. 
Internet Resources 1 p. 
Network Tools 2 pp. 
Glossary for Starters 1 p. 
Bibliography for Starters 1 p. 
Issues in Becoming a Provider of Internet 1 p.
Access or On-line Information 


Providers Lists:

  Updated Leased-Line Providers - USA 
  Updated Dial-up Providers - USA 
  Updated International Providers - Worldwide 

========
                       Defining the Internet


Purpose:

  Introduce the Big Picture to:
       students who have just gotten an account 
       J. Q. Public who has heard about the Internet in the
       general media, but have never tried it. 
       email-only users who want to know more 

  Provide definitions from several viewpoints.


Format:

  One page
  One paragraph per topic


Content:

  origin/purpose/resources
  ownership/management/governance
  research & education community
  rapid change/media attention
  NII/GII/ISH

========
                           The InterNIC

% IS

% DS

% RS

Services for Starters 
Contact Info 

========
                       Getting Connected FAQ


Purpose:

  Briefly explain several basic connectivity option so that
  starters know which services may apply to them
  Let them know they should do further research. 
  Provide some of the questions they should ask.
  Provide a smattering of basic terminology, and a few
  basic diagrams.


Format:

  Separate Sections:

       Individual - dial-up 
       Individual - SLIP/PPP 
       Organizations - SLIP/PPP 
       Organizations - Leased Line 


Content:

  Explanations in English
  Examples of tools you can use with each 
  Examples of resources you can access
  Questions to ask IAP for each connection option

========
                        Internet Resources


Purpose:

  Provide examples of specific resources in a variety of
  fields.
  For those who know they want to be "on the net" but
  don't know exactly why.
  Hard copy to hand their boss (or spouse) when trying to
  explain why.


Format:

  One page, varied, addresses (photos, icons)


Content:

  science
  arts and humanities
  education - higher ed
  education - K12
  usenet news
  business
  commercial
  recreation

========
                           Network Tools


Purpose:

  Introduction to the names of the tools and their general
  uses
  Explained without using net.lingo
  Relate tools back to connectivity options.


Format:

  name, derivation of name, 3-4 sentence explanation,
  example of a resource accessed with this tool, possibly a
  diagram


Content:

  email
  FTP
  telnet
  news
  gopher
  WWW

========
                       Glossary for Starters


Purpose:

  Define all terms, acronyms, and abbreviations used in the
  Starter Kit
  Define some of the terms used most often in the general
  media


Format:

  words
  (diagrams)


Content:

========
                     Bibliography for Starters


Purpose:

  Recommendations of books, articles, and videos that are
  truly for starters, i.e. those not yet connected.
  Issues in Becoming a Provider of Internet Access or On-
  line Information


Purpose:

  Provide an "official" collection of pointers for those who
  want to pursue business opportunities on the Internet.


Format:

  A few basic realities of the Internet.
  Pointers to where they can begin their own research.


Content: 

  contributors: IS, CIX, Merit/FARNET
  advice:
       get connected
       read, read, read; explore, explore, explore
       and/or hire a consultant
       pointers to consultant lists
       pointers to commercial services and resources