Version 3.4.26 - September 28, 1998 (Version 1.0 released in Aug. 93)
ISBN 82-7820-016-5
By Odd de Presno 4815 Saltrod, Norway (Europe)
Voice (registrations only): +47 370 31204
Internet mail: presno@eunet.no
presno@grida.no FAX: +47 370 27111
Links for faster access to the handbook
This is the online hypertext version of the Online World handbook. It deals with practical aspects of using the rapidly growing global on-line information resource.
The book is distributed in a form designed to be easily accessible with the maximum range of computers, printer types, and search programs. In this way, it is compatible with most electronic reading devices for the blind. Many frills, such as fancy formatting, extraneous characters or tags, have been omitted to achieve this.
The main subject of the handbook is what you can get out of the global online resource.
Expect an outline, not a comprehensive list or directory of all available offerings. We explore selected applications across network and service boundaries to show how selected needs may be satisfied. In the process, we give information about how to reach many interesting offerings.
The applications range from entertainment and the bizarre to databases and special services for professionals and organizations.
You are not expected to live in the United States or Norway. Focus is on international offerings available through major services and networks like the Internet, Usenet, FidoNet, CompuServe, Dow Jones Interactive, and Brainwave for NewsNet. These services can be accessed from almost anywhere.
Talking about the Internet, we must still assume that many readers are unable to get full interactive access at an affordable price, and that they therefore only have access to these offerings by electronic mail.
I wrote The Online World for anybody interested in knowing more about the "Global Village" of today, they be parents or youth, teachers, students, business people, social workers, psychologists, young, or old.
You can read it like a novel to get an idea of what is going on, as a practical guide book to online databases and news sources, or as a book of reference. The handbook is meant to be both tutorial and practical, so there are lots of actual commands and Internet addresses listed herein. However, you do not have to be a computer expert or an experienced "onliner" to find it useful!
The hypertext version can be used as a navigation tool, and the TOW mailing list as a awareness service (http://listserv.nodak.edu/archives/tow.html).
While not a textbook on data communications, it contains information to help novices get started. For an introduction to telecommunications, read appendix 2 and 3 before continuing with Chapter 1.
Warning: New online offerings are born every day, while others are closing down. Most services in this book are probably still around when you read it, but the text certainly needs to be updated regularly. Therefore, all feedback is welcomed with thanks!
Please tell me what you like, what you don't, what you think I have missed -- or have got hopelessly wrong. Send to presno@eunet.no.
The book is not public domain. It is copyrighted material, and can only be distributed in accordance with this license. - You are granted a limited read and use license of the book to see if it is for you.
Registered readers of the handbook receive a free copy of The Online World Monitor newsletter (ISSN: 0805-6315), published six times per year.
While the book describes the online world as it is, this newsletter tracks changes. It can more freely focus on selected offerings or phenomena than can be done within the strict framework of a book. The newsletter and the book are companions.
The newsletter contains: Discoveries that never made it to the book. Glimpses of what is going on. Trends. Spotlight on important developments around the world.
Registration for six updates of the handbook, will give you six issues of the newsletter! See Appendix 9 for registration details, check out http://home.eunet.no/~presno/monitor.html, or send electronic mail to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu with the following command in the body of your text: GET TOW.MONITOR
Sample articles are available both by email, and from this Web-address:
http://home.eunet.no/~presno/monitor.html
Note: We do not receive any payments from vendors of shareware disks. Purchase of such a disk will not give you any free newsletters.
Permission is granted to reproduce and distribute the Online World book if:
(1) No remuneration of any kind is received in exchange. A distribution fee may be charged for the cost of a diskette, shipping and handling, if the total (per disk) does not exceed US$8.00.
(2) Distribution is without ANY change to the contents of all accompanying text files, including the copyright notice and this license. All files in this package are to be distributed together.
(3) No publication of the book or individual articles from the book in print is permitted, in any language, without the express written consent of the author.
Any other use is prohibited without express, written permission in advance. This includes bundling of any of the book's chapters or appendixes for your own distribution,
If archiving this book for use on a BBS or in a library, please include all files. Use the name ONLINE34, as in ONLINE34.ZIP, or ONLINE34.LZH. This will provide consistency for future updates.
Information about where to get the latest version of the book can be retrieved by email to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu containing the command: GET TOW.WHERE
You may read the handbook using any ASCII viewing or text searching program. My favorites are:
LIST - Shareware MS-DOS file viewing program, LOOKFOR - Shareware boolean text search program.
The Online World handbook is not meant for any specific area of the world. Local versions are being printed and published in various countries through local partners. These versions of the book are adapted to local conditions, and contain many local examples and references.
The following local versions of the book are available:
"The Online World - How to Profit from the Information Superhighway" by Mike Weaver and Odd de Presno. For free information brochure and order form, send your postal address to the publisher: Productive Publications, P.O.Box 7200, Station A, Toronto, Ontario M5W 1X8, Canada. Fax:+1-416-322-7434. Email: Iain.Williamson@CANREM.COM. To contact coauthor by electronic mail: mweaver@bailey2.unibase.com. Price: C$ 39.95 plus shipping and handling. ISBN: 0-920847-89-7.
You can also order by email to: bestellung@jf-lehmanns.de
"ONLINE-world," by Dr. Karl Sarnow and Odd de Presno. 312 pages. ISBN 3- 88229-035-8. Publisher: Verlag Heinz Heise GmbH & Co KB, Helstorfer Strasse 7, D-3000 Hannover 61, Germany. Fax: +49-511-53 52-129. Price: DM 58. Email to Dr. Karl Sarnow: karl@dadoka.h.ni.schule.de.
Order by email to: bestellung@jf-lehmanns.de
"Netheimar" by Lara Stefansdottir, Lars H.Andersen and Odd de Presno. 280 pages. ISBN 9979-60-112-4 Published December 1995. Orders: Netheimar, Postholf 181, 300 Akranesi, Iceland (tel. +354 31 4539, and fax +354 31 4239). Email addresses: lara@ismennt.is, and lars@aknet.is.
"Ut i verden fra egen skjerm," Norwegian text, Datatid A/S, 1992. 220 pages. Phone: +47 22 63 61 62. Fax: +47 22 63 60 09. Price: NOK 245.-. ISBN: 82-90628-67-6. Order: tosterud@telepost.no
These local language versions are in the process of being published by partners in various countries:
"The Online World" by John D'Alton and Odd de Presno. Paradox Publishing P.O. Box 423 Annerley 4103 Brisbane Australia. Tel. 07-38916834. Fax +61-7- 33931763. Email: jdalton@peg.apc.org.
by Olivier Coeur De Roy (olivier@rohan.sdsu.edu) and Odd de Presno.
"El mundo en conexion - Introduccion practica a Internet" by Armando Ramos and Odd de Presno. Clerval-Mundo 3. Boix y Morer 9. E-28003-Madrid, Spain. Fax: +34-1-5352685. Email: armando@encomix.com
If you are interested in becoming the coauthor of a local language version of the book for your country, please write me at presno@eunet.no to discuss.
Saltrod (Norway)Yours,Odd de Presno