🚀 go-pugleaf

INTRODUCTION

Comp.archives is a place to look to find out where freely
distributable and electronically available software, databases,
documents, or what have you, can be had. "Freely distributable" means
that, if you have a copy of the item, you can (at least) make exact
copies and give them away, and you don't have to tell the owner of
the item (if any) that you have done so. "Available electronically"
means, for my purposes, that it is obtainable through a publicly
accessible network. Also included may be things which can be had by
other means, so long as this does not involve paying a fee to the
distributor. This information is provided as a free service and there
is *no one* guaranteeing that any of it is accurate or useful.  Use
it your own risk.

Most things relating to archives are welcome here. There are articles
from various archive sites which describe their archives, postings
describing how to use the networks for archive access, and
discussions relating to archives, archiving, and archive access.
Postings announcing availability of new programs and data are also
welcome, so long as there is at least one archive site mentioned in
the posting.


E-MAIL ADDRESSES

There are a number of addresses that you can use for e-mailing.  If
you want to post an article, and your newsreader doesn't automatically
forward postings to moderated groups, you can mail the article to:

	{ uunet | novavax } !twwells!comp-archives

If you have comp.archives related mail and don't necessarily want it
posted, send it to:

	{ uunet | novavax } !twwells!!comp-archives-request

I have been asked what the address comparc@twwells.uucp is.  It is the
address from which I run comp.archives. Some of you may be unable to
use the longer addresses; if so, feel free to send to this address.
Replies to comp.archives postings which I am the author of also get
sent to this address. I will treat messages sent to this address as
if the were sent to comp-archives-request unless you specifically ask
me to post the message or send it to the server.

I may summarize and post messages sent to comp-archives-request.  If
you don't want your message posted, or don't want to have your name
posted, you must tell me so in your message.

Personal messages, not related to comp.archives, go to:

	{ uunet | novavax } !twwells!bill

Server requests go to:

	{ uunet | novavax } !twwells!!comp-archives-server

[NB: This is a name change; the comp-archives-database address will
remain till I no longer get requests through it.]


THE COMP.ARCHIVES SERVER

I maintain a server from which you can get things relating to
comp.archives. Among the things available through it are my database
of archives, a form you can fill out and send me to get your archive
added to my database, a complete description of the format of my
archive database, and some of the software related to comp.archives

The latest information on using the server is available by sending a
message containing:

	path path-from-me-to-you
	send help

to twwells!comp-archives-server.  If you would like your archive to
be added to the archive database, you can get a form to register it
by sending:

	path path-from-me-to-you
	send sitereg

The server sends its reply to "path-from-me-to-you" and I run a smart
mailer, so you can start your path at any site which is in the
comp.mail.maps database or use the user@site form. Note: I discard
all bounce messages and invalid server requests; if you don't get a
reply, try starting your path at uunet; I'm directly connected to
them.  If all else fails, you can send me e-mail at
comp-archives-request and explain your problem.  Please do not send
server requests to that address unless they contain an explanation of
why the server wouldn't work for you; since that would cause me to
spend time that I don't have forwarding them to the server, I will
discard all such.


THE COMP.ARCHIVES DATABASE

An additional purpose of comp.archives is to enable people to maintain
a database on archive sites and their contents. Postings whose subject
lines start with DB: may be used for that purpose. These articles
contain specially formatted text which is intended to be interpreted
by a program and may contain additional descriptive text. Even if you
are not interested in maintaining the database, you might be
interested in the description that is sometimes contained in these
messages. I make this database available through my mail server.

The comp.archive database has three parts, one describing archive
sites, one listing things which are known to be found in some archive,
and one listing the files to be found in each archive.  [Currently,
only the first has much in it. This will change Real Soon Now. Really.
:-)]

If you want a complete description of the contents of the
comp.archives database you can get it from my server. Send the
following to twwells!comp-archives-server:

	path path-from-me-to-you
	send format

---
Bill
{ uunet | novavax } !twwells!bill

send comp.archives postings to twwells!comp-archives
send comp.archives related mail to twwells!comp-archives-request