Hello this week we continue our lessons on the value Search Tools available on the Information Highway. In particular we look at Wide Area Information Servers more commonly known as WAIS (tm). WAIS is a client/server database allowing Document Retrieval via the protocol Z39.50. WAIS is the brainchild of one Brewster Kahle, who also found WAIS Inc, in 1992,which holds the trademark for the name WAIS.
One of the things I like about WAIS is the you can inquire via Electronic Mail (waismail) for search similar to how you would inquire for FTP searches. WAIS databases are compatible over both WAN and LAN (Wide and Local Area Networks). The clients for Z39.50 are available for DOS,MAC, and Windows platforms. It is good when there are entities available for further research and developement for services. For WAIS there is The Clearinghouse for Networked Information Discovery and Retrieval (CNIDR) FreeWais.
The Key with WAIS is the indexing. Keywords that are part of the indexing structure allow for retrieval of information. Databases that are compatible with WAIS can provide information on Networks such as FidoNet,UUCP sites and BITNET. This information can be relative to E-mail Addresses, UseNet News,and FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) files.
Searches via WAIS provide what has been termed as Relevance FeedBack. As we discussed in past lesson, you searches do in fact provide results. With WAIS you get results on you Keyword Searches based on the number of times that they occur. So informaiton with your Keyword occurring 50 times would display first, as oppossed to info with your Keyword occuring only 20 times.
You can run WAIS via Telnet at the following locations:
quake.think.com or nnsc.nsf.net Your login is: wais. More info on WAIS is available via FTP at think.com
The Client for the Unix platform is SWAIS and granted you have a TCP/IP connection (refer to the TCP/IP lesson) you can access WAIS via the client Software. SWAIS commands are as follows:
j,down arrow, ^N moves down item
k,up arrow, ^P moves up item
J,^V,^D moves down screen
K,
For UseNet News on WAIS try,
alt.wais
For mailing lists try,
wais-discussion@think.com
Subscribe: wais-discussion-request@think.com
This wraps another lesson! Hoping your Cyber-Travels are Good ones.
Remember these lessons can be found in there entirety via:
The World Wide Web's http://haven.ios.com/~holmanm/lessons.html
FTP: haven.ios.com's pub/users/holmanm/info_highway_lessons directory
Filename: IHLESSON.ZIP
A lesson is just not a lesson without...
Our Tips of the Week...
You need to use a software program that will let you carry out that Job Interview in a practice Session. You ultimate goal is to Get Hired! Where can you get such a program?
FTP!
Where?
garbo.uwasa.fi directory: pc/database
File Title?
Your Hired!
Program name in Directory?
yh132.zip
Just how does one handled Multi-tasking effeciently on a MAC?
Get the program MACLAYERS
How?
FTP
Where?
rascal.ics.utexas.edu
Directory?
mac/communications/
Filename?
MacLayers