🚀 go-pugleaf

Archive-name:   info-vax/part04
Last-modified:  1992/08/04

[Changes since last posting: New FAQ.]

           The Info-VAX Monthly Posting
           ----------------------------
           PART 4 -- How to find software.
           (Coordinated by Dick Munroe, written by many others)

(Part 1 is an introduction to Info-VAX.  Part 2 is Beginner Common Questions.
Part 3 is Advanced Common Questions.)

This is NOT an introduction to navigation on the Internet.  Nor is it intended
to supplant other official "how to find ..." FAQs.  It is intended to be a
collection of pointers to commonly used/requested VMS software.  Whenever
possible the pointers will be to the "official" support site.  Pointers to
widely known software archives will be included here from time to time.

In general, all of the software discussed here either has been or soon will be
available from DECUS either as a seperate package or on the DECUS CDROMs.  If
all else fails, you can always get things through your local DECUS librarian or
[shudder] buy your own copy.

I'm also soliciting reviews of any of the software discussed in here from users.

Thanks,

Dick Munroe

Save this message for future reference!

Table of Contents:

,ANUNEWS -- How to get your own copy of ANU News		       02-Aug-92
	Billy Barron <billy@sol.acs.unt.edu>
,BBS	-- Is there a VAX based BBS available?			       02-Aug-92
	Dick Munroe <munroe@dmc.com>
,CMUTEK-TCP/IP -- Where to order CMUTEK                                04-Aug-92
        Dick Munroe <munroe@dmc.com>
,FAQFINDING -- Sources for Frequently Asked Questions                  04-Aug-92
        Dick Munroe <munroe@dmc.com>
,FILESERV -- Addresses of various mail based file servers.             02-Aug-92
        Dick Munroe <munroe@dmc.com>
,FTP    -- Addresses of various FTP sites.                             02-Aug-92
        Dick Munroe <munroe@dmc.com>
,FTPMAIL -- How to access FTP without an Internet Connection	       02-Aug-92
	Dick Munroe <munroe@dmc.com>
,GCC	-- See ,GNUSOFT						       02-Aug-92
,GNUSOFT -- How to find GNU software				       02-Aug-92
	Dick Munroe <munroe@dmc.com>
,MX	-- How to get a copy of the Message Exchanger		       02-Aug-92
	Hunter Goatley <goathunter@WKUVX1.BITNET>
,UUCP	-- *how* to get decus uucp V2.0				       02-Aug-92
	Kent C. Brodie <brodie@fps.mcw.edu>
,ZOO	-- Where to get ZOO v2.10 for MS-DOS, Unix and VMS	       09-Aug-92
	Keith Petersen <w8sdz@tacom-emh1.army.mil>, The SIMTEL20 Archives

(the ",UUCP", etc are keywords.  If you search for that text (including the ",")
you will be brought to the beginning of that article.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,ANUNEWS (Ed. Note -- This was cribbed from the news.software.anu-news FAQ.
There is an alpha version of ANU News, 6.1a4 that is available as well.  I don't
know if it is available from these sites as well, but I believe it is.  6.1a4 is
packaged as part of the UUCP 2.0 release, so if you're getting that, you don't
need to get a copy unless you want to get the documentation/sources.
Dick Munroe)

>From: billy@sol.acs.unt.edu (Billy Barron - VAX/UNIX Systems Manager)
>Subject:FAQ: news.software.anu-news

>...
>Q: How do I acquire a copy of ANU News?
>A: ANU News is available for anonymous FTP on sao.aarnet.edu.au (Australia)
>   and kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Kansas, USA).  Other sites may also have it
>   available.  Please use the site closest to you.  There are two versions
>   available:  a normal backup saveset and a LZW compressed version of the
>   backup savesets.  VMS LZW programs are available on kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
>   also and through DECUS.  For network load reasons, it is preferable if you
>   acquire LZW and the compressed version of ANU NEWS.
>
>   The Glass patch was posted to the newsgroup after V6.0-2 was released.  The
>   archives for the newsgroup are accessable from listserv@vm1.nodak.edu.
>
>   here's an example of what you should send to listserv@vm1.nodak.edu:
>
>   //ListSrch JOB   Echo=No,Reply-via=mail
>   Database Search DD=Rules
>   //Rules DD *
>   Select glass v6.0-3 patch in anu-news since 1-jan-1991
>   print
>   /*
>
>   i believe you can send mail there with a subject (or is it body?)
>   of "help", and it'll send help.
>
>   there's also a news fileserver at fileserv@dayton.saic.com. commands are
>   like:
>   send news_v60-3_patch.19
>   send news_v60-3_patch.2%
>   send news_v60-3_patch.18
>   and i imagine the help thing works there, too..
>
>...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,BBS

The only public domain VAX based BBS that I know of is available from:

	MAILSERV@ualr.edu

Start by sending a message to the mailserv with the body of the message being:

HELP
INDEX

And go from there.  A copy of this BBS has been posted to VMSNET.SOURCES, so it
should also be available from an archive site near you.

There is at least one commercially developed BBS available (I'm not an owner or
user of this software, I just know about it).  Contact OMTOOL in Salem, New
Hampshire, USA for details.

If anybody knows of other commercial or public domain BBSs for VMS, please
contact me so I can update this listing.

Dick Munroe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,CMUTEK-TCP/IP

Carnegie Mellon University provides, at a nominal charge, an implementation of
TCP/IP for VAX/VMS.  For people who want to investigate the TCP/IP world this
can be a great way to start.  The following contacts are taken from "The Joy of
TEK, the sequal" for version 6.6:

        Marc A. Shannon
        Miscellaneous do-it-er
        (412) 268-6290
        synful@cmutek.cc.cmu.edu
        UCC 191
        4910 Forbes Ave.
        Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213-3890

        Eileen Bullister
        Maker of tapes, Taker of orders
        (412) 268-5896
        tcpip+@andrew.cmu.edu
        UCC 102
        4910 Forbes Ave.
        Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213-3890

The software is supported by its user community with help on an as able basis
from the development team (Marc).  The mailing list is gatewayed to the
vmsnet.networks.tcp-ip.cmu-tek newsgroup.  You can subscribe to the mailing
list itself by sending mail to cmu-tek-tcp-request@cmutek.cc.cmu.edu.

Dick Munroe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,FAQFINDING

The news.answers news group is the official vehicle for publication of
frequently asked questions digests (including this one).  For those of you
without access to News, there is an alternative: DMConnection archives
news.answers and makes it available to the general public.  Send a message to
fileserv@dmc.com with the body of the message containing the line:

help

to get started.

Dick Munroe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,FILESERV

The following mail servers deal primarily with VMS software.  Instructions on
their use and content appear regularly in the vmsnet.sources.d, vmsnet.misc,
and vmsnet.tpu newsgroups.

Address                                 Maintainer

MAILSERV@Cerritos.EDU.                  Bruce Tanner <tanner@cerritos.edu>
nrl_archive@nrlvax.nrl.navy.mil         koffley@nrlvax.nrl.navy.mil
VMSSERV@NYUACF.BITNET                   Stephen Tihor <tihor@acf4.nyu.edu>
FILESERV@SHSU.BITNET or			TPU Command Procedures Collection
FILESERV@SHSU.EDU
FILESERV@WKUVX1.BITNET                  Hunter Goatley <goathunter@WKUVX1.BITNET>

Dick Munroe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,FTP

The following FTP sites have significant collections of VMS software.  More
complete lists of anonymous FTP sites and their contents appear regularly in the
news.answers newsgroup.  The following ftp sites and their content are discussed 
fully in vmsnet.sources.d.

Address                                 Maintainer

acfcluster.nyu.edu                      Stephen Tihor <tihor@acf4.nyu.edu>
Black.Cerritos.EDU                      Bruce Tanner <tanner@cerritos.edu>
ftp.spc.edu
White.Cerritos.EDU                      Bruce Tanner <tanner@cerritos.edu>

Dick Munroe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,FTPMAIL

Like many sites dmc.com is not directly connected to the internet (yet!).  Yet
much of the software or information we want access to is not available from mail
servers.  In the United States (there may be other sites, but I've never had
reason to access them) I have found the FTPMAIL service of DEC Western Research
Labs to be invaluable.  To get information, send a message to
ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com with a message body consisting of the single line:

help

ftpmail and other mechanisms are discussed periodically in the news.answers
newsgroup.

Good Luck,

Dick Munroe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,GCC
,GNUSOFT

The official FTP site for all GNU software is prep.ai.mit.edu.  They even have
the basics there for GCC.  For those of you interested in G++ (the GNU C++
compiler) for VMS you should try FTP from mango.rsmas.miami.edu.  They keep
current copies of G++ and G++lib in VMS installable form available.  I have also
found a mail based file server, MRCServ@mtroyal.ab.ca which also keeps current
copies of G++ and G++lib in VMS installable form.

Good Luck,

Dick Munroe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,MX

>From: "Hunter Goatley, WKU" <goathunter@WKUVX1.BITNET>
>Subject:New e-mail fileserver: MXSERVER@WKUVX1.BITNET

>OK, I'm setting up an experiment....
>
>Some of you have been asking about getting MX031 via e-mail because
>you don't have access to anonymous ftp.  Well, I (finally) packaged up
>MX031 and created a new file server on my system.  To the new file
>server is MXSERVER@WKUVX1.BITNET.  MX will *not* be available from
>FILESERV because I want to try to limit when the files go out.
>
>MX031 is a VMS_SHARE file in 113 parts (60 blocks)---that's pretty
>big.  Unlike the way Matt used to set it up, I've (for the time being)
>created one big .MFTU file containing all the VMSINSTAL savesets.
>The only caveat at the moment is that MXSERVER files are only sent
>between 5PM CDT and 6AM CDT.  If very many people request MX031, my
>poor 9600-baud BITNET link will take a while to let everything go
>through.
>
>SO:
>
>  a) please be patient---it may take several days for everything to
>     make it through
>  b) MX_REVC_UPGRADE031 has also been moved from FILESERV to MXSERVER
>     (use SEND MX_REVC_UPGRADE031)
>  c) don't everybody ask for it at once
>  d) this is an experiment---depending on how things go, I may have to
>     limit the number of files a person can get in a day, etc.
>
>Of course, MX is available via ftp from ftp.spc.edu in [.MX].
>
>Hunter
>------
>Hunter Goatley, VMS Systems Programmer, Western Kentucky University
>goathunter@WKUVX1.BITNET, 502-745-5251
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,UUCP

>Subject: HOW to get decus uucp (last time... really!)
>From: brodie@fps.mcw.edu
>
>                       UUCP_INFO.TXT    
>                           -or-
>"The canned answer given to folks who want to get a copy of DECUS UUCP"
>
>Last Revision:  7/28/92		Kent C. Brodie (brodie@fps.mcw.edu)
>						-or-    fps!brodie)
>
>
>How to get DECUS UUCP (Version 2.0):
>
>DECUS UUCP, distributed by the DECUS "VMSNET" working group, is a complete
>implementation of UUCP for VMS.    It is becoming one of the most popular
>"packages" offered from DECUS, and for many VAX sites, it's their only
>way to get to the internet.        This file describes how you may
>obtain your very own copy of the software for little or no cost.
>
>
>1) via DECUS.   By far the most popular method of obtaining DECUS UUCP
>   is through the VAX SIG TAPES distributed by the DECUS librarians.  The
>   tapes (now available on CDROM, too!) do not cost much (or nothing at all
>   if you obtain them via your LUG librarian), and you'll get
>   TONS of stuff besides "just" UUCP.     Contact your local DECUS tape
>   librarian, and find out how you can get the latest set of DECUS tapes.
>   (You can also order them through the DECUS LIBRARY)
>
>   NOTE:
>    * decus UUCP (V2.0) is NOW available on the SPRING 1992 tapes
>    * decus UUCP (V1.3) last appeared on the FALL 1990 tapes
>
>2) using FTP via the INTERNET.   DECUS UUCP (V2.0) is available via anonymous
>   ftp from the following sites:
>
>	ftp.spc.edu		directory [.decus_uucp]
>	Address: 192.107.46.27
>		(maintained by terry@spcvxa.spc.edu)
>	ftp.uu.net		directory /systems/vms/uucp
>	Address: 137.39.1.9
>		(maintained by the folks at uunet)
>	mis1.mis.mcw.edu	directory [.decus_uucp]
>	Address: 141.106.64.11
>		(maintained by brodie@mis.mcw.edu)
>	mvb.saic.com		directory [.decus_uucp]
>	Address: 139.121.19.1
>		(maintained by Mark.berryman@mvb.saic.com)
>
>   "mis1.mis.mcw.edu" is the ftp site that *I* maintain, and any
>   updates I receive will be immediately passed down to the other sites
>   shown above.
>
>   The contents if the [.decus_uucp] directory should have the following:
>   (file sizes listed are VMS disk blocks [=512 bytes each])
>
>     Directory STA1:[UUCP_DIST]
>
>     DEVEL.BKP;1           16128	
>     MAPS.BKP;1            13167	
>     NEWSDEVEL.BKP;1        7623
>   * RUN.BKP;1              8001  		
>     SUPPDOC.BKP;1          3465
>     SUPPNEWS.BKP;1        12096
>   * UU20BOOT.BKP;1         1890
>
>     Total of 7 files, 62370 blocks.
>
>   Files with a "*" are the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM required.  Additionally,
>   NEW sites (not yet running UUCP) will also need MAPS.BKP.
>   The "NEWS" files refer to Geoff Huston's ANU-NEWS, which is
>   also distributed with DECUS UUCP.
>
>   Additionally, If you're really up to it, the ftp site
>   wuarchive.wustl.edu currently offers the latest VAX SIG decus
>   tape offerings via anonymous ftp.  (the WHOLE tape, no parts!).  Be
>   ready for a lot of transfer time and a lot of pieces, though.  
>
>   If you do use FTP on any of the above sites, PLEASE be kind. 
>   DECUS UUCP is kind of big, so transfer it during non-peak hours.

[Ed. note: for those of you without FTP AND without a direct UUNET
connection AND you are unwilling to use UUNET's 900 number service, 
try FTPMAIL.  For details, see the discussion of FTPMAIL, above.]

>   
>3) Via "anonymous uucp".    
>   [thanks to Jamie Hanrahan who arranged for this....]
>
>   UUNET also has the package available for pickup via anonymous uucp.
>   (any DECUS UUCP site running at least V1.2 can make use of this!)
>   
>   DOCUMENTATION ON USING ANONYMOUS UUCP IS *IN* YOUR EXISTING (V1.2+)
>   DECUS UUCP DOCUMENTATION (USRGDxx.MEM).
>
>   You can use uunet even if you are not a "subscriber" (they have
>   a 900 number!   At the time of writing, connect charges via 900 
>   access is about $0.40 a minute)    (be forwarned:  uunet
>   charges rates based on connect time used.... based on a V.32 modem
>   (etc), the BASE kit would cost about $10-$12.  The ENTIRE kit can
>   probably be retrieved for under $50.)   Although long distance is
>   the "next best thing to being there", it isn't cheap....
>
>   (If all you have is a 2400-baud modem, don't even consider this.....)
>
>   The directory to get the files from is ~/systems/vms/uucp   and
>   the very first file to retrieve is "aaareadme.txt".   That file
>   will then document for you everything else you have to do.  (what
>   files to get, how to uncompress them, etc.).
>	
>   This method, therefore, is probably preferable for those sites who
>   aren't a long ways away from uunet, or who are already using it
>   as their main feed.   
>
>   The following is a reference to the file names and sizes.  You
>   can be the judge as to what it would cost to transfer knowing
>   your system's capabilities, modem speed, and connection rate:
>
>
>   directory "/systems/vms/uucp":
>   total 14174
>   *  -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21          10198 Jul 20 19:52 aaareadme.txt
>      -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21        4787679 Jul 10 05:01 devel.bkp-z
>      -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21        2112011 Jul 10 05:17 newsdevel.bkp-z
>   *  -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21          85666 Jul 17 00:15 preboot.vms_share
>   *  -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21        2460500 Jul 10 05:24 run.bkp-z
>      -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21         900149 Jul 10 05:27 suppdoc.bkp-z
>      -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21        3591934 Jul 10 05:37 suppnews.bkp-z
>   *  -rw-rw-r--   1 3        21         498411 Jul 17 00:22 uu20boot.bkp-z
>
>   Files marked with a "*" are the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM required.  (note:
>   the files here are a bit different from the FTP or MAGTAPE distribution)

[Ed. note: the command I used to fetch devel.bkp-z was:

        uucp -v "uunet!~/systems/vms/uucp/devel.bkp-z" uucp_public:devel.bkp-z

and it worked just fine.]

>
>4) Lastly, the final method of getting a copy is via your local friendly
>   mailman.    I provide free distribution of the DECUS UUCP package,
>   but only if you pay the freight.   
>
>   Package the following:
>
>   1 tape    (TK50, TK70, or 9-track)     ** TK85 coming soon...**
>   1 self-addressed, STAMPED envelope to fit the tape  **required**
>
>
>   Mail it all to:
>
>    DECUS UUCP
>c/o Kent Brodie
>    Faculty Physicians & Surgeons
>    11200 West Plank Court, Suite 160
>    Wauwatosa, WI    53226
>
>
>    (If you send me a 9-track tape, I can handle 1600 or 6250bpi.)   
>    If you use 6250, it will all fit on a 600-foot reel.  If you need 1600,
>    then you must send a 2400-foot reel)
>
>    U.S. Postage for mailing a TKxx cartridge is something like $2.90.
>    (thus, for both ways, the total cost is $5.80)
>    
>    A few notes.   I provide this service free of charge, but at the
>    same time, The Medical College of Wisconsin didn't hire me to make
>    tape copies either.  As I get tapes to make, I make them when I can.  
>    Usual turnaround time is about a week.  ("your mileage may vary").
>    
>    Finally, when it comes to the self-addressed "stamped"
>    envelope, you can use normal US postal mail, Federal Express, or UPS.
>    Our office does not normally deal with any other couriers, so please
>    don't go using DHL or something.   
>
>    Questions?   email me or gimme a call.
>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Kent C. Brodie - Sr. Systems Manager		InterNet:  brodie@fps.mcw.edu
>Faculty Physicians & Surgeons			uucpNet:   fps.mcw.edu!brodie
>Medical College of Wisconsin			MaBellNet: +1 414 266 5080
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
,ZOO

>Subject: Where to get ZOO v2.10 for MS-DOS, Unix and VMS
>From: w8sdz@tacom-emh1.army.mil (Keith Petersen)
>
>It seems that no matter how often this information is posted, someone
>will ask for it again in 2 or 3 days.  PLEASE save this article!
>
>SIMTEL20:
>=========
>ZOO version 2.10 (needed for extracting files posted in Usenet
>newsgroup comp.binaries.ibm.pc) is available via anonymous FTP from
>WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (192.88.110.20) or mirror sites OAK.Oakland.Edu
>(141.210.10.117), wuarchive.wustl.edu (128.252.135.4), ftp.uu.net
>(137.39.1.9), nic.funet.fi (128.214.6.100), src.doc.ic.ac.uk
>(146.169.3.7) or archie.au (139.130.4.6), by e-mail through the
>BITNET/EARN file servers, or by uucp from UUNET's 1-900-GOT-SRCS.
>See UUNET file uunet!~/info/archive-help for details.
>
>Garbo:
>======
>If you do not know how to go about getting this material, users
>are welcome to email ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) for the prerecorded
>garbo.uwasa.fi instructions (long, circa 29Kb).  North American users
>are referred to the garbo mirror on wuarchive.wustl.edu.  Australian
>users are referred to the archie.au mirror.  The mirrors may lag
>occasionally, or might not have all the files.  If you do not receive
>Timo's reply within five days, please ask your own site's system manager
>to construct a returnable mail path for you.
>
>Directory PD1:<MSDOS.ZOO>
> Filename   Type Length   Date    Description
>==============================================
>ZOO210.EXE    B   55721  910712  Dhesi's make/extract/view ZOO archives, 910712
>
> 73461 Jul 12  1991 garbo.uwasa.fi:/pc/arcers/zoo210.exe
>
>Directory PD8:<MISC.UNIX>
> Filename   Type Length   Date    Description
>==============================================
>ZOO210.TAR-Z  B  246115  910714  Dhesi's make/extract/view ZOO archives, C src
>
>237093 Aug  8  1991 garbo.uwasa.fi:/unix/arcers/zoo210.tar.Z
>
>Directory PD8:<MISC.VAXVMS>
> Filename   Type Length   Date    Description
>==============================================
>ZOO210.ARC    B  289193  910801  Dhesi's make/extract/view ZOO archives, C src
>
>289193 Jul  5  1991 garbo.uwasa.fi:/vms/arcers/zoo210.arc
>647168 Jun 24 13:42 garbo.uwasa.fi:/vms/arcers/zoo210.tar
>
>Keith
>--
>Keith Petersen
>Maintainer of the MSDOS, MISC and CP/M archives at SIMTEL20 [192.88.110.20]
>Internet: w8sdz@TACOM-EMH1.Army.Mil     or       w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
>Uucp: uunet!umich!vela!w8sdz                          BITNET: w8sdz@OAKLAND
--
Dick Munroe				Internet: munroe@dmc.com
Doyle Munroe Consultants, Inc.		UUCP: ...uunet!thehulk!munroe
267 Cox St.				Office: (508) 568-1618
Hudson, Ma. USA				FAX: (508) 562-1133

GET CONNECTED!!! Send mail to info@dmc.com to find out about DMConnection.