Digest for 96-02-08
Table of Contents
RECENT EMAIL . . .
01-08 February 96 Sender: glasnews@eskimo.com (Alan Boyle)
Subject: For "Friends"
02-08 February 96 Sender: "SATYA P.CHATTOPADHYAY" (SPC354@JAGUAR.UOFS.EDU)
Subject: 2 Week Educational Tour to St.Petersburg
and Moscow in May
03-08 February 96 Sender: Boris Gorovits (gorovits@bioc02.uthscsa.edu)
Subject: Mail to Russia
04-08 February 96 Sender: "Andrey I. Tarasenko" (post@kassi.nsu.nsk.su)
Subject: Re: Russian Language Courses
05-08 February 96 Sender: Frstltptrs@aol.com
Subject: Public Health in Ukraine--Rampant Alcoholism
06-08 February 96 Sender: Eliot Christian (echristi@usgs.gov)
Subject: Z39.50 and the World Wide Web
APPENDIX: LISTSERV address & basic procedures
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WHAT'S NEW . . .
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E-MAIL POSTINGS . . .
Please continue to send your e-mail to friends@solar.rtd.utk.edu.
** 01 **********************************************************************
Sender: glasnews@eskimo.com (Alan Boyle)
Subject: Happy Cyberday
Happy Cyberday! In honor of "24 Hours in Cyberspace" I have three suggestions:
- I'm anxious to use F&P's new Webchat feature .... since that's not yet up
and running, I propose that interested Friends & Partners convene at the
WebChat Broadcasting System's United Nations Room at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m.
Pacific. The URL is
http://www.irsociety.com/cgi-bin/webchat_doorway.cgi?Room=United_Nations.
Or just follow the links from http://www.irsociety.com to "Tune," then
"United Nations." By my reckoning, that would be 5 a.m. Moscow time
(unfortunately). If you can't tune in at the appointed time, just leave a
note at F&P's Coffee House (go to
http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/fp/friends/coffee/ ... and then head to the
Conference Room). I'd love to hear which time is most appropriate for chat
sessions (I favor something like 10 a.m. Pacific on Saturdays or Sundays).
- I'm thinking of putting a project together on the changes that have swept
Russia over the past five years - something like "Five Years That Shook the
World." Do you know of any documentary sources, say, eyewitness accounts
from the 1991 or '93 Kremlin coup or the Chechnya operation, documents or
decrees that were crucial turning points in the 1991-96 period (and
available online)? If so, please drop me a line with the URL. Back in '93 I
collected some material at ftp://ftp.eskimo.com/u/g/GlasNews/glasnet ... in
case you're interested. I'd like to put together a page linking together
such documentary sources. (This may also turn into a newspaper project.)
- Over the weekend I will be updating the material about our recent
conference in Moscow, "New Media for a New World"
(http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~aboyle/new.world.html). That page, like many
others around the world, is "blacked out" until Saturday to protest limits
on Internet expression contained in new U.S. legislation.
Best regards and congrats to F&P..... Alan Boyle
=============================================================
Alan Boyle -- glasnews@eskimo.com
Managing Editor, GlasNews -- Foreign Desk Editor, Seattle P-I
voice. 206-448-8035 fax. 206-448-8166
(a href="http://www.eskimo.com/~glasnews/home.html")
Click this!(/a) -- "Round up the usual disclaimers"
** 02 **********************************************************************
Sender: "SATYA P.CHATTOPADHYAY" (SPC354@JAGUAR.UOFS.EDU)
Subject: 2 Week Educational Tour to St.Petersburg and Moscow in May
WHITE NIGHTS AND ONION DOMES
AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE RUSSIA IN
TRANSITION: HERITAGE, CULTURE AND THE STRUGGLE TO CATCH
UP WITH A GLOBAL MARKET ECONOMY
EARN 3 ACADEMIC CREDITS AT HALF PRICE (See Details Below)
A Two Week-Two City Mission to Russia, personally escorted by Dr.
Satya P. Chattopadhyay, to Experience First Hand, the People, the
Culture, the Heritage and Excitement of a Emerging Market Economy
SPONSORED BY THE
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING
The Participation Fee of $1925.00 per person, double occupancy,
covers:
*Roundtrip ground transportation Scranton-New York-Scranton
*Roundtrip economy airfare New York-St.Petersburg--Moscow-New York
on Northwest/KLM via Amsterdam
*Overnight sleeper train from St. Petersburg to Moscow
*All transfers in Russia
*English-speaking liaison/escort will be accompany group at all
times in addition to Dr. Chattopadhyay
*Most Meals and double-occupancy dormitory accommodation for the
entire duration of the mission
*Comprehensive tour of St. Petersburg including :
*Hermitage Museum complex
*Fortress of Peter and Paul
*White Night Festival events
*Circus and Ballet
*Nevsky Prospect
*Czarist sites in and around St. Petersburg
*Comprehensive tour of Moscow including:
*Kremlin and Red Square
*Pushkin Museum
*Gorky Park and the Russian Space Shuttle
*Moscow State University
*Arbat St.
*Open Air Arts Fair and Market
*Briefings from government officials and executives of Russian and
Foreign enterprises currently operating in the Russian
Federation in St. Petersburg and Moscow
*Familiarization with Manufacturing, Wholesale and Retail
environment in St.Petersburg and Moscow
*Free time to explore
*Reading Material on Russian Affairs
*Russian-English-Russian Dictionary and Phrasebook
*Maps, Brochures
RESERVATION DEADLINE:
Completed application and $250.00 reservation deposit due by
February 16, 1996.
Full Payment (Balance of $1675.00) due March 29, 1996.
EARN THREE CREDITS: Participants may earn 3 academic credits during
Summer I 1996 by registering for MKT 490 / MKT 569 Special Topics
(International Markets:A Focus on Russia), payment of tuition at
half price and completion of specific academic requirements.
CONTACT:
DR. SATYA P.CHATTOPADHYAY
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT/MARKETING
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON UofS/Jesuit U Logo
OFFICE: 603B OHARA HALL
PHONE: 941-6196
E-MAIL: SPC354@JAGUAR.UOFS.EDU
** 03 **********************************************************************
Sender: Boris Gorovits (gorovits@bioc02.uthscsa.edu)
Subject: Mail to Russia
Hi, Friends,
I am looking for the information on sending mail to Russia that has been
posted on this list some time ago. If I remember right that was a service
for sending letters and small packages to Moscow and/or S.Petersbug.
I would appriciate any advice. Boris Gorovits
** 04 **********************************************************************
Sender: "Andrey I. Tarasenko" (post@kassi.nsu.nsk.su)
Subject: Re: Russian Language Courses
)) Sender: dittmer.4@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu (Edward P. Dittmer)
))
)) Does anyone know if there are any program in Russian language for foreign
)) students at Russian universities?
To know about KASSI's Language Program at Novosibirsk State University
please feel free to access our website:
http://www.cnit.nsk.su/univer/english/kassi.htm
For more information, please contact Gwendolin Fricker, Foreign Manager,
KASSI International
fax: +7-3832-352-653
tel: +7-3832-397-124
e-mail: admin@kassi.nsu.nsk.su
--
Andrey I. Tarasenko
E-mail: at@kassi.nsu.nsk.su
Tel: +7-383-2-39-71-27
Fax: +7-383-2-35-26-53
** 05 **********************************************************************
Sender: Frstltptrs@aol.com
Subject: Public Health in Ukraine--Rampant Alcoholism
I have posted this letter to introduce you to First Light Partners.
It is almost impossible to convey the enormity of the problem that untreated
and mistreated alcoholism presents in Ukraine. Life expectancies are
plummeting, families are being ripped apart, and it spirals out of control.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is destroying the next generation. Alcoholics by the
tens of thousands show up at the doors of the treatment centers--time and
time again. Sadly, archaic ideas, and a complete lack of self-help treatment
direction results in the fact that today, to be an alcoholic in Ukraine is to
die. The health care professionals that struggle day-in and day out to
confront this disease run rampant are incredibly motivated. But they haven't
got the simple tools we can provide.
First Light Partners was established to do one thing--we will bring modern
western-based treatment methods for alcoholism to the health care system of
Ukraine. We will accomplish this through intensive, hands-on training
programs for health care professionals. We are the only organization doing
this work in Ukraine, and we have complete support from both the Ministry of
Health and the Academy of Sciences.
There may be no more lasting, truly humanitarian act that could be performed
than to open the door, for the first time ever, to effective treatment for
alcoholism and substance abuse in Ukraine. These people are literally dying
for lack of good information. We can and will change that forever. But we
do need your help.
We are actively pursuing various sources of funding--individual, corporate,
foundation, and government. We would be very interested in any assistance
you may be able to provide this vital project, either financial or in terms
of guidance. Because we were established to do just one thing, all of our
expenses are directly related to the accomplishment of that goal.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I would be happy to provide you
with any additional information you might need. I can be reached at:
First Light Partners
Ted Hicks, Executive Director
2680 McMillan Street
Eugene, Oregon 97405 USA
(541)341-6447 tel & fax
frstltptrs@aol.com - e-mail
501(c)(3) Permit # 954263045
** 06 **********************************************************************
Sender: Eliot Christian (echristi@usgs.gov)
Subject: Z39.50 and the World Wide Web
In the context of encouraging information providers to support Z39.50 in
addition to HTTP, I am often asked to address the question:
How does Z39.50 fit into and improve what's on the World Wide Web today?
I am especialy interested in making clear the advantages of Z39.50 support
from the perspective of commercial information services.
I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have on the following rough draft.
Also, please do feel free to pass this on to other people who you think may
have some thoughts on this matter.
Since this may have been forwarded to you, please send your response
directly to me (echristi@usgs.gov).
Thanks!
-----------------------------------------------------------
What is the proposal for fitting Z39.50 into the Web?
Most activity in the World Wide Web today is centered on Web browsers
gaining access to information resources on servers through the Hypertext
Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Just as the same resource is often made available
at the server through multiple protocols such as HTTP, gopher and FTP, this
proposal is to make the resource searchable at the server end by adding
support for the Z39.50 protocol. (More ubiquitous Z39.50 client software for
agents and end users, as through Java or other mechanisms, is addressed
separately.)
In essence, Z39.50 provides a common computer-to-computer search protocol
between diverse information resources and diverse information access
mechanisms. A range of software to implement Z39.50 in this way is
available, from freeware to various commercial offerings worldwide.
Because Z39.50 does not dictate the way information is managed at the server
end, providers can support various data and information management
approaches yet make all the information commonly searchable. Because Z39.50
does not dictate how information is presented at the client end, intelligent
software agents are enabled and user interfaces can be customized (in
hardware, software, language, sophistication, graphical design, etc.) for
each particular market.
In developing a new collection of information for a particular market, a
provider can search the contents of other resources via Z39.50 and create
pointers to just those portions most relevant to their specific market. If
the provider also adds z39.50 support onto the new collection, the resource
gains exposure to seekers of information outside of the targeted audience.
How does Z39.50 improve the Web?
1. Different players have a common problem
Content Seekers sometimes want to include many disparate sources of
information in their searching--not just Web pages, not just the resources
of one provider, not just things in the English language, and not just
snippets of ASCII text. Better search mechanisms are desperately needed due
to the sheer size and diversity of information that people would like to
take into account. The Internet has huge amounts of content itself and
increasingly acts as a pointer mechanism to the vast information stores of
off-line media. However, just as in libraries centuries ago, the Internet
has incredible diversity of content but lacks basic agreements on how to tag
information objects so they can be found.
Content Owners want their products to be found by all potentially interested
seekers. Today, the only recourse is to somehow acquire advertising space
from all of the intermediaries (e.g., "I'll pay you to point to my page from
your page").
Intermediaries must support non-exclusive distribution arrangements and are
finding new roles as brokers connecting particular groups of seekers to the
best sources for their needs.
Research and development efforts in advanced information discovery need a
common protocol for interoperability to deploy next generation solutions.
2. The client-server model is crucial for progress
Server-based searching is inherently limited. If searching is done at the
server, the server designer must package the search for the particular
target audience (e.g., what information is included, what language(s) does
the user know, is the search simplistic or robust). Particular servers can
only be comprehensive for their narrowly defined target audience, because
they only provide a "packaged view" of the content. So, to reach seekers
outside of the narrow-cast, the content must be exposed to unanticipated
searching.
Intelligent software agents will become increasingly important acting as
gatherers of information tailored to very specific interests. Designers of
software agents, such as Web crawlers, are frustrated by presentation
protocols because the agent has no human driver to interpret the wide
variations among packaged information. Consequently, Web crawlers can only
deal with bits and pieces of Internet content that happen to be in text
form. And, Web crawlers cannot handle content behind interface programs
(e.g., CGI scripts, Java applets, database access or search forms, etc.)
Lacking distributed search mechanisms, the crawler is also constrained to
find only those pages that happen to have a unbroken trail of links back to
the starting points.
Support of a search protocol with client software allows for next generation
software agents. These intelligent agents will characterize the content of
information sources and perform distributed searches for those who need
periodic updating of volatile information.
3. Z39.50 is the strategic choice for client-server search.
Z39.50 is already adopted widely to provide access to important classes of
information, including: existing bibliographic catalogs for libraries,
museums, and archives worldwide; government information at the national
level in several countries and increasingly at the state and other
government levels; environmental information at all levels in the U.S. and
internationally; all kinds of geo-referenced (map) data and information.
Hundreds of resources representing information valued in the tens of
billions of dollars are already freely accessible through Z39.50--more is
available on a fee basis. There are also hundreds of Z39.50 WAIS databases
available, and thousands more WAIS databases are maintained behind HTTP
servers. (Unfortunately, most Web browsers are not enabled to handle the
WAIS Z39.50 protocol directly as search clients.)
Increasingly important to address global markets, Z39.50 incorporates the
agreed international standards to address multi-language support. Z39.50 can
also be expected to provide a path toward the handling of information search
at the semantic level, to finally fulfill the goal of finding data and
information based on what its content actually means rather that just the
text in which it is represented.
The Z39.50 protocol has also demonstrated extensibility to support search
based on generalized pattern-matching techniques. These techniques will be
increasingly important for finding abstract information such as chemical
configurations, gene sequences, fingerprints, faces, video imagery, and
numeric trend data.
The Z39.50 protocol is implemented on OSI networks as well as TCP/IP, and
its implementation is defined through the Abstract Syntax Notation to
enhance interoperability. As a binary protocol exchanging data structures
rather than merely passing commands, Z39.50 is relatively more secure than
other Internet protocols.
In addition to free software for Z39.50 servers, there are freeware and
commercial implementations of gateways to resources such as X.500 and SQL
databases, as well as to HTTP.
The Z39.50 standard is extensive in specifying how optional features can be
implemented, though it also allows for quite simplistic implementations. By
requiring a subset of features in specific implementation contexts, the
Z39.50 Profiles greatly improve interoperability and simplify server
implementation. Clients can be optimized for access to Z39.50 servers
supporting a specific profile yet still enjoy basic search capability on all
other Z39.50 servers.
Though already quite sophisticated, the base Z39.50 standard and focused
profiles are evolving ever greater power through an effective international
standards process with full involvement of dozens of major corporate
implementors, tied to ISO and IETF, and connected with very active research
at dozens of major universities and programs of national governments worldwide.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Eliot Christian, US Geological Survey, 802 National Center, Reston VA 22092
echristi@usgs.gov Office 703-648-7245 FAX 703-648-7069 Home 703-476-6134
*****************************************************************************
----------------------- END FRIENDS February 08, 1996 -------------------------
APPENDIX
FRIENDS is a free service started by friends in Russia and the United
States. This Listserv is one element of that service.
To subscribe to FRIENDS (if someone has passed you a copy of this
announcement), just send an email message to:
listproc@solar.rtd.utk.edu
consisting of *one line* of the following format:
SUBSCRIBE FRIENDS firstname lastname
and substitute your first and last names for 'firstname lastname'
To unsubscribe from FRIENDS, send the message UNSUBSCRIBE FRIENDS to:
listproc@solar.rtd.utk.edu
To post a message to FRIENDS, send it to: friends@solar.rtd.utk.edu.
To visit the FRIENDS WWW server, use the following URLs if you have
a World Wide Web browser: http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/friends/home.html
http://alice.ibpm.serpukhov.su/friends/home.html
If you don't have a WWW browser, just telnet to solar.rtd.utk.edu
and enter 'friends' (in lower case and without the quotes) at the
login prompt.
or those who need it, the IP address of our computers are 198.78.202.11
193.124.128.211
Please address any comments, questions, or suggestions to your
moderators:
Natasha Bulashova, natasha@alice.ibpm.serpukhov.su
Greg Cole, gcole@solar.rtd.utk.edu