NOVA - For the NeXT Workstation/NOVA - For the NeXT Workstation.iso/GEnie/GEmanual.txt

Text File | 1992-12-27 | 131KB | 3,264 lines

Current as of: December 1992

1.                    Welcome to the world of GEnie

          What is GEnie, anyway?

GEnie stands for the General Electric Network for Information Exchange. Quite
a mouthful, isn't it? That's why we call it GEnie, for short.

But the word is more than a handy acronym. It's an accurate description of
the magical world you enter whenever you sign on. In seconds, your computer
can whisk you away to hundreds of amazing places.


GEnie opened its electronic doors to the computing public on October 1, 1985.
And the response was phenomenal. GEnie is one of America's fastest-growing
on-line services.

Our subscribers hail from over two dozen nations - from the United Kingdom to
Australia, Canada to the Philippines.

But what exactly can you do with GEnie? Here's a short list of the worlds
that await you...


 o Worldwide news, weather and sports
 o College classes for credit
 o High school tutoring
 o Investment management tools
 o Challenging multi-player games with graphics
 o Real-time chats with intriguing people
 o Dozens of special-interest discussion areas
 o Travel services for booking airlines, hotels and more
 o Vacation planning assistance
 o Over 100,000 software files to download
 o 33,000-article electronic encyclopedia
 o Unlimited electronic mail to all GEnie subscribers
 o Worldwide faxing of messages

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. GEnie is a growing, changing world
with new features and services added every month.


          Three tiers of services

GEnie features an innovative structure that's designed to save you money.
Instead of lumping all our services into one category, we've divided them
into three different levels, each with its own rate.


     GEnie*Basic Services

Talk about value! For a low monthly subscription fee, GEnie*Basic Services
gives you unlimited non-prime time usage. Which means you can explore dozens
of exciting, informative GEnie areas to your heart's content - without
watching the clock.*1  For more details about GEnie*Basic Services, please
see Chapter 2.*2



     GEnie Value Services

These services make up the heart of GEnie. From the craziest graphical game
to the most technical computer RoundTable, there are literally hundreds of
places for you to explore. And all at an hourly rate which you'll find to be
a terrific value.


     GEnie$Professional Services

Information doesn't get any fresher or more pertinent than what you'll find
with these premium services: Dow Jones News/Retrieval(tm), Charles Schwab
Brokerage Services(tm), The Official Airline Guides Electronic Edition(tm)
Travel Service, Pop-Med health information and more. GEnie offers you these
invaluable tools at cost-effective rates. Premiums vary with each company, so
be sure to inquire about rates before you use the service.


     GEnie rates

To learn the current rates for GEnie*Basic, GEnie Value and
GEnie$Professional Services, type *RATES or RATES at any main menu prompt.
Rates for some GEnie services vary based on prime and non-prime time. These
hours are determined by the time zone associated with your GEnie account.


  * 1 Telecommuniation surcharges, where appliciable, still apply.
  * 2 GEnie*Basic is not available in all countries.

          In a hurry to sign on?

If you simply can't wait to start exploring GEnie (and we can't say we blame
you), simply follow the abbreviated steps below. If you'd prefer more
detailed information, please turn to Chapter 3.


However, it would be a good idea to look over the brief navigation commands
in Chapter 3, "Navigating GEnie", before you sign on. These commands make
getting around GEnie a snap.


    1.  Instruct your software to dial the local GEnie access number.
    2.  When the word "CONNECT" appears on your screen and/or the modem light
        labeled "CD" comes on, you've reached GEnie.
    3.  Type HHH. Be sure to do this within two or three seconds after
        connecting to GEnie.
    4.  The prompt "U#=" will appear on your screen.
    5.  Type your User ID, a comma, then your password (don't use any spaces).
       Then hit <RETURN>. Here's an example of what you would type if your
        User ID was ABC12345 and your password was "cloudz".


        U#=ABC12345,cloudz

After a brief pause, GEnie will welcome you and take you to the opening menu.


                    How to sign up for GEnie

If you're not a GEnie subscriber already, follow these simple instructions to
sign up. (These instructions apply to U.S. and Canada only; to subscribe from
other countries, please see Chapter 10, "International Access").

    1.  Set your communications software for half duplex (local echo), at 300,
        1200 or 2400 baud.
    2.  Dial toll free: 1-800-638-8369 (in Canada, call 1-800-387-8330).
        Immediately upon connection, type HHH.
    3.  When you see the U#= prompt, enter SIGNUP then press <RETURN>.
    4.  Have a major credit card ready. In the U.S., you may also use your
        checking account number.

2.                      GEnie*Basic Services

          Your money's worth - and a lot more

If you like the idea of a good value - and who doesn't? - you're going to
love GEnie*Basic Services.

For a single monthly subscription fee, GEnie*Basic Services gives you
unlimited access to more than 100 products and services during non-prime
hours.

You can explore GEnie*Basic Services from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. local time Monday
through Friday, around the clock on Saturday and Sunday, plus all day on
GEnie holidays. (For a list of holidays, type *GENIE or GENIE, then choose
the menu item for Holiday Schedule). At all other hours, prime-time rates
apply.

Imagine... you could use GEnie*Basic Services for 118 hours a week - for just
your monthly subscription fee (plus taxes, where applicable). Just try to
find a value like that from any other online service!

          Surcharged phone numbers.

There are a couple of exceptions to the flat rate of GEnie*Basic Services:
surcharged phone numbers and 9600-baud access. For the current surcharge
fees, type *RATES or RATES.


If you live in a  remote area, you may be required to pay a per-hour
telephone access surcharge to call GEnie. This charge would apply at all
times - including when you use GEnie*Basic Services. Type *PHONE or PHONE to
see GEnie's phone access numbers and to check whether yours is surcharged.


                    Which services are included?

With GEnie*Basic Services, you'll have access to more than 100 services.
News, hobbies, games, GE Mail, entertainment, shopping and personal finance
are only a handful of the areas included in GEnie*Basic Services.


For a complete, up-to-date list of all GEnie*Basic Services, type *INFO at
any menu prompt, then select the menu item for List of GEnie*Basic Services.


                    How to stay within
                   GEnie*Basic Services

To avoid surprises in your GEnie fees, it's important to know how you can
stay within GEnie*Basic Services. We've made it easy, with three simple
clues. They are labeled in the following illustration, which is the main menu
of GEnie*Basic Services.


GEnie*Basic                         *BASIC                           Page 8001
                             GEnie*Basic Services

 1.[*]GEnie Users' (GENIEUS) BB          2.[*]Aladdin Support BB's
 3.[*]GEnie News, Index & Information    4.[*]Send/Read GE Mail
 5.[*]User Settings/Billing Info.        6.[*]Entertainment Services
 7.[*]Travel Services                    8.[*]Money Matters/Personal Fin.
 9.[*]Hobby & Leisure Services          10.[*]Education Services
11.[*]General Interest Services         12.[*]Classic Games
13.[*]News, Sports and Weather          14.[*]Shopping Services
15.[*]About GEnie Services              16.[*]Surveys from GEnie
17.[*]GEnie Info Library


To summarize, just be sure to use keywords that start with "*", such as
 *NEWS; or navigate using the four-digit page numbers beginning with 8, such
as 8123.  (During non-prime time hours, all GEnie*Basic products and services
appear on menus with an asterisk ("*") preceding the name.)


Pretty easy, isn't it? But to make certain you don't accidentally stray
outside GEnie*Basic Services, a message will appear on your screen: "Leaving
GEnie*Basic Services."


Remember, as long as you stay within GEnie*Basic Services as explained above,
you won't pay a penny extra in GEnie charges. Everything's included in your
monthly subscription fee.

          How to reach GEnie*Basic Services

Every time you sign on to GEnie, you'll see the GEnie Announcements page.
It's our way of keeping you informed about new products and exciting
activities. It will look something like this...


    GEnie Announcements (FREE)

 1. Now Available!!! New Version of "Closing Quotes"..............MONEY
 2. Meet publisher Suzy Dodd of HomeSchooler Fame!.................ERT
 3. New Version of PCALADDIN available for downloading............PCALADDIN
 4. Amiga Users Enjoy An Interactive GEnie Calendar...............STARSHIP
 5. The NEW GeoWorks Support RT...................................GEOWORKS
 6. Italian Cooking RTC Class..April 24th.........................HOBBY
 7. Profie in your own Secretarial/Office Service Business........HOSB
 8. Shuttle Discovery launch info and mission updates in.........*SPACE
 9. GemStone III Thief RTC on Spril 23rd at 9:00 pm ET in.........MPGRT
10. DR DOS Competitive Upgrade REDUCED!  SAVE $$  .. .............EXPRESS
11. Apple II Users Join the Hypermedia Generation!................A2
12. Live Conference this Thursday at 9:00 pm ET...................Aviation

Enter #, <H>elp, or <CR> to continue?

At the prompt, you can select any item number to get more information, or
type in a product's keyword or page number if you know it.


But if you want to go directly to GEnie*Basic Services, simply type *BASIC or
M8001. GEnie will zip you instantly to the main menu of GEnie*Basic Services.
Or just press <RETURN> and choose the GEnie*Basic option on GEnie's TOP menu.

Should you ever have any questions about GEnie*Basic Services, the answers
are easy to find: type the keyword *INFO at any menu prompt. Your time there
is free!

3.                      The ABC's of GEnie

          Signing on to GEnie

This section gives you detailed instructions for getting your computer
"talking" to GEnie. If you're pretty familiar with computers, modems and
online services, you can skip most of this material. For abbreviated sign-on
instructions, turn back to section 1.


          What you need

To hook up to GEnie, you'll need a personal computer that includes a
keyboard, a monitor and some sort of mass storage device - usually a disk
drive. Because GEnie is a friendly system, it works with virtually any brand
or type of microcomputer.


In addition, you'll need a modem, the device that allows your computer to
communicate over ordinary telephone lines. But a modem can't do its job
without instructions, so you'll also need communications software (sometimes
called terminal emulation software). One usually comes packaged with your
modem, and others are available in GEnie's RoundTable Libraries or in your
local computer stores. This software routes data to and from your modem, as
well as setting up the correct protocol for communicating with GEnie. A
protocol is simply an agreed-upon procedure for how data will be transferred.


          Your protocol settings

Once your computer and modem are powered up and your communications software
is running, it's time to make sure your protocol settings are correct. This
will ensure that your computer and GEnie will be speaking the same "language"
to each other.


All software works differently, so check the instructions for yours and tell
your computer to use these protocol settings (they're also called
parameters):


 o 300, 1200, 2400 or 9600 Baud o 8 Data Bits
 o 1 Stop Bit o No Parity
 o Local Echo (or Half Duplex)
          (As an alternate, you can use 7 Bits, Even parity.)

In standard computer jargon, you may see these settings referred to as "8N1,
local echo".

          Connecting to GEnie

Now that you have all the details squared away, it's time for the fun part:
signing on to GEnie. Just follow these simple steps:

    1.  Instruct your communications software to dial the local GEnie access
        number. (If your software doesn't have an auto-dial feature, you'll
        have to dial the number manually).
    2.  When you've hooked up with GEnie, the word "CONNECT" will appear on
        your screen, and/or the modem light labeled "CD" will comes on.
    3.  Immediately, type HHH. Be sure to do this within two or three seconds
        after connecting to GEnie.
    4.  The prompt "U#=" will appear on your screen. This is GEnie's way of
        asking for your User ID number and your password.
    5.  Type your User ID, a comma, then your password (don't use any spaces).
        Then hit <RETURN>. For example, if your User ID is ABC12345 and your
        password is cloudz, here's what you would type:

          ABC12345,cloudz<RETURN>


The letters in your User ID and password can be typed in upper- or lower-case
letters.

After a brief pause, GEnie will welcome you. You'll be informed if you have
any letters waiting, then GEnie will display a menu of timely announcements
and new features. If you are interested in more information, just enter the
announcement number. Once GEnie gives you more details on that announcement,
you'll be given the option of going directly to the area of interest.

After you've read any announcements of interest to you, press <RETURN> and
GEnie will take you to the main, or TOP menu.

To review, here is how the log-on sequence will appear on your screen...


          CONNECT  <-- You've connected with GEnie.

          HHH      <-- You type this to let GEnie know you're there

          U#=ABC12345,cloudz  <--GEnie asks for your User ID and password.
                                 Type your User ID, a comma, and your
                                 password (no spaces), then press <RETURN>.

          A few words about echoes

The duplex or echo setting needs to be set so that your computer echoes what
you type; in other words, so you can see your typing on your computer screen.


GEnie expects your computer to be in Local Echo mode, which is also called
Half Duplex. If you can't see what you're typing when you sign on to GEnie,
most likely you're not set up for Local Echo. This setting is opposite from
what you'll encounter on some local bulletin boards, which is why we're
bringing it up.


Your communications software usually controls your echo setting. If you need
to change it, check the instructions.

                    Your GEnie identity

On the GEnie system, you identify yourself in several different ways. There's
the way you identify yourself to GEnie, the identity you use to receive mail,
and your identity on Real-Time Conferences, Chat Lines and Bulletin Boards.
It may sound complicated, but it really isn't. Let's take it one identity at
a time...

         Your User ID and password

Each time you sign on to GEnie, you'll use your User ID and your password.
Your User ID and a temporary password are assigned to you by GEnie when you
first subscribe. The permanent password, which you receive in the mail, may
be changed at any time.

Think of your User ID and your password as your keys to GEnie. Just as you
wouldn't give your keys to a stranger, you should never give them out to
anyone.

For fast identification, a GEnie client representative will ask you only for
your User ID when you call our 800 number. Never give either your User ID or
your password to anyone online. Write them down in a place where you can find
them, but no one else can.

For security reasons, it's wise to change your password several times a year.
At any prompt, simply type *PASSWORD or PASSWORD  and follow the
instructions. It only takes a few seconds.


          Your GE Mail address

When you join GEnie, you're assigned a GE Mail address, which is used by
others to send you electronic letters. It also appears as your identification
when you leave messages on a Bulletin Board and when you upload a file.

Your address will be in the form of your first initial and last name. If more
than one person on GEnie has a similar name, a number will be used to keep
the names separate. For example, lots of John Smiths join GEnie, so you may
see GE Mail addresses like J.SMITH18 or J.SMITH103.

If you want to change your GE Mail address, type *FEEDBACK or FEEDBACK and
send GEnie a note explaining the new mail address you want. Because there is
a fee for this service, also indicate in your note that you're aware of the
fee. (Type *RATES or RATES to see what the current fee is.)

Before you request the new address, check to be sure that it isn't already
taken. Try to address a GE Mail letter to the address you want (see Chapter 4
if you don't know how to do this). If GEnie accepts the name at the "To:"
prompt, the name is already taken and you'll have to choose another one. To
be safe, you should choose at least two different names and include them in
your letter to FEEDBACK.

Please remember these guidelines when choosing a new GE Mail address:


    1.  A GE Mail address may contain up to 12 characters.
    2.  The first character of the address must be a letter; it can't begin
        with a number or a symbol.
    3.  The only acceptable symbols within an address are periods and
        hyphens.  No blank spaces can be used.
    4.  When an address change is performed, there is a 24- to 48-hour
        processing time. You won't be able to access GE Mail during this
        time.
    5.  When you change your GE Mail address, any letters still in your
        current mailbox will be purged from the system. They cannot be
        restored.

The "description" field is the name shown when sending GE Mail. It appears to
the right of your GE Mail address. A few pointers:

    1.  There is no charge to change the description field.
    2.  It may contain a maximum of 30 characters and/or spaces.
    3.  Upper- and lower-case letters are allowed in this field.
    4.  If you prefer to be anonymous on GEnie, you should request that your
        description field read the same as your GE Mail address, or provide
        us with the name you want displayed. This field cannot be blank.

          Your Handle and Nickname

When you are in Chat Lines, you can choose a name to appear alongside your GE
Mail Address. This is called a Handle.

Also, you can pick a name that you'll be known as when you're in a Real-Time
Conference or on a Bulletin Board. This is called a Nickname.

For more information on selecting these names, check the corresponding
chapters later in this manual.

                    GEnie menus - your online road map


Even though GEnie is a vast computer system, full of interesting areas to
explore, our menu system makes it easy to find your way around.

It's helpful to think of the menus as being arranged in a pyramid. The
uppermost menu, as you might guess, is called our TOP menu. It's the most
general of all the menus. As you move down the pyramid, each menu becomes
increasingly specific. (By the way, if you ever feel totally lost on GEnie,
type TOP and you'll find yourself back at the familiar TOP menu.)

Moving from menu to menu is a simple matter of typing the name of the menu,
called a keyword, or entering a navigation command, such as the menu's page
number. (For more details about online navigation, see the upcoming section
called "Navigating GEnie".)

          Anatomy of a menu

All GEnie menus are set up the same way. For purposes of demonstration, let's
take a closer look at the TOP menu...

GEnie                                TOP                             Page   1
                           GE Information Services

 1.[*]GEnie*Basic Services               2.[*]GEnie Information
 3.[*]Billing and Setting Information    4.   Communications (GE Mail & Chat)
 5.   Computing Services                 6.   Travel Services
 7.   Finance & Investing Services       8.   Online Shopping Services
 9.   News, Sports & Features           10.   Multi-Player Games
11.   Career/Professional Services      12.   Business Services
13.   Leisure Pursuits & Hobbies        14.   Education & Reference Services
15.   Entertainment Services            16.   Symposiums on Global Issues
17.   Leave GEnie (Logoff)

Enter #, <H>elp?


          What you'll find on the TOP menu

Here's a brief description of the services you see listed on the TOP menu.

    1.  GEnie*Basic Services. Choose this item to reach the main menu of
        GEnie*Basic Services. Notice the asterisk "*" after the number on the
        menu; it's a visual hint of selections included in the flat-rate
        GEnie*Basic Services. By choosing this option, you can find
        everything you want in GEnie*Basic Services (including the option in
        the next two selections). Plus, you can feel secure that you haven't
        ventured outside of GEnie*Basic Services. See Chapter 2 for more
        details.
    2.  GEnie Information. Here's how you can reach GEnie's online Index of
        Products & Services, which is a complete list of every GEnie product
        and service. This is also where you'll find an online User's Manual
        and information about GEnie news and policies. This area can also be
        reached from the main menu of GEnie*Basic Services.
    3.  Billing and Setting Info. Need to check your billing information?
        Want to change your terminal settings? Select this item. This area
        can also be reached from the main menu of GEnie*Basic Services.
    4.  Communications (GE Mail & Chat). Choose this option to access GEnie's
        electronic mail or live chat areas. You'll be able to read or send
        electronic letters, transfer files to other users, send a fax message
        or chat with GEnie users from around the globe.
    5.  Computing Services. This selection whisks you to a menu of computer-
        specific RoundTables. These popular areas are packed full of the
        latest in freeware and shareware computer programs, plus hardware and
        software manufacturer support, computer news and more.
    6.  Travel Services. Don't plan a trip without checking out this
        selection.   Right at your fingertips, you'll find weather
        information, flight schedules and bookings, hotels and restaurants in
        specific cities, destination information, tour books and more.
    7.  Finance & Investing Services. This is your gateway to GEnie's
        "dollars and sense" area. From investments to financial news, this
        section is packed with valuable, timely facts. From here, you can
        access Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service and Charles Schwab Online
        Brokerage Services. Not to mention GEnie's closing stock quotations,
        the Investors' RoundTable and more.
    8.  Online Shopping Services. From fresh candy to used cars, if
        shopping's your bag, here's the place to stop. Visit the GEnie Mall,
        browse the wares of many fine vendors, check our classified ads, give
        a friend a gift of GEnie access time, or order GEnie products.
        Shopping has never been so relaxing.
    9.  News, Sports & Features. Drop in for coverage of local, regional and
        national news, plus specialized news in computing, business, finance
        and entertainment. You can search stories by category and topic, and
        even access a custom clipping service.
    10. Multi-Player Games. Sharpen up your competitive spirit. This area is
        filled with exciting games you play against other GEnie users from
        around the world. From familiar card games to breathtaking graphical
        shoot-outs, you've got to play these games to believe them.
    11. Career/Professional Services. Whether you're a doctor, lawyer, pilot,
        photographer, desktop publisher or other professional, here's the
        place to communicate with your peers and get useful career
        information. Use the Bulletin Board to keep current, attend Real-
        Time Conferences with industry leaders, and scour the RoundTable
        Libraries for files with the latest career information.
    12. Business Services. Ready to get down to business? Drop by here for a
        wealth of information on topics ranging from small business
        opportunities with the Air Force to running your own business. Other
        features include the Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service and The
        Official Airline Guides Electronic Edition.
    13. Leisure Pursuits & Hobbies. There's more to life than work, so these
        RoundTables and services help you explore the lighter side of living.
        Dive into the Scuba RoundTable. Tap your roots in Genealogy. Tinker
        under the hood in Automotive. Satisfy your itch to learn the latest
        in flea control in Pet-Net. The list goes on and on, so stop by and
        see for yourself.
    14. Educational & Reference Services. GEnie's reference library is open
        24 hours a day. Search Grolier's Encyclopedia, take a course or
        receive tutoring online, check out the Rensselaer RoundTable, plus
        much more.
    15. Entertainment Services. Let us entertain you! Talk to your favorite
        science fiction writers or the cast and crew of Star Trek: The Next
        Generation. Swap jokes, rave about your favorite music, or get movie
        and record reviews to learn what's hot and what's not.
    16. Symposiums on Global Issues. Here's the site for topnotch discussions
        on the top issues of the day. In the Public Forum, topics include
        current events, social issues and non-profit information. The Japan,
        Deutschland, California and Florida RoundTables explore cultural
        trends and events affecting the entire world. The Spaceport and
        Military RoundTables cover legislation and news which influence
        national policies.
    17. Leave GEnie (Logoff). Choose this option to sign off GEnie and end
        the phone connection. Or, you can type BYE at almost any menu prompt.


                    Navigating GEnie

          Selecting menu items

To select an item from any GEnie menu, simply type the number you see beside
the item. Then press <RETURN> (or <ENTER>, depending on your keyboard).

Although using menus to  move through GEnie is self-guiding and pretty easy,
it's not always the most efficient way to get around. That's why we give you
some alternate navigation techniques - keywords and the MOVE command.

          Keywords

Each GEnie product or service has its own keyword, which appears in upper-
case letters, centered at the top of the menu.

To move to the menu you want, simply type the keyword, then press <RETURN>.
You can use upper- or lower-case letters, but you can't abbreviate the
keyword. For example, to reach the GE Mail menu, you would type  *MAIL
<RETURN>.

This time-saving technique works at almost every GEnie prompt, except for
Bulletin Boards, libraries and in GE Mail  command mode.

Keywords are very descriptive of the menus they'll take you to. To reach the
IBM PC RoundTable, for instance, the keyword is IBMPC. (Notice the lack of
spaces; keywords are typically just one word.) The Writers' RT is reached
with the keyword WRITERS.

To stay within the low-cost GEnie*Basic Services, always use keywords which
begin with an "*", such as *NEWS.

          The MOVE command

Almost all GEnie menus and sub-menus have their own page number. It appears
in the top right-hand corner of the menu. If you know the page number of the
menu you want, you can move there directly with the MOVE command.

For example, the page number of the Macintosh RoundTable is 605. You can zip
there instantly by typing MOVE 605 <RETURN>. To save typing, abbreviate the
command to a single letter. Simply type M 605 (or m 605). You don't have to
put a space between the M and page number, it's up to you.

To stay within the low-cost GEnie*Basic Services, always use four-digit page
numbers beginning with an 8, such 8004.

You can take page-number navigation one step further by appending a menu
selection to your MOVE command. Add a semi-colon, followed by the number of
the menu selection.

Staying with the example above, let's say you want to reach the Libraries
section of the Macintosh RoundTable. The Libraries are Menu Item 3. So to
move there directly, type M 605;3.

          Sign-on shortcuts

Once you're familiar with GEnie, you can use page numbers to speed things up
from the moment you sign on. If you know the service you want, you can add it
to your log-on sequence.

For instance, if you want to go to the Chat Lines menu (page 400, keyword
CHAT) as soon as you sign on, you would type:

          ABC12345,cloudz,400

Then simply hit <RETURN> after the announcement menu to go to your requested
destination. (This example assumes that ABC12345 is your User ID and "cloudz"
is your password.)

If you're navigating by page numbers, you can go a step further and select a
menu item during log-on. In the example above, Menu Item 4 takes you into the
Chat Lines. To choose it during log-on, type:

          ABC12345,cloudz,400;4

Or, let's say you want to log-on and check your mail. The GE Mail menu is
page number 8004. Menu Item 2 is List Unread Mail. Your log-on sequence would
look like this:(1)

          ABC12345,cloudz,8004;2

  (1) If you are outside America in an area where GEnie*Basic Services aren't
      available, use page 200 instead of 8004.

          Backing up

If you move to a menu and realize you've come to the wrong place, don't
worry.  Just type P or PREVIOUS. GEnie will back you up to the prior menu.
When you're navigating by menus, it's like making an electronic U-turn.
Remember, if you get lost, you can always type TOP to get back to GEnie's
main menu.

          Controlling text display

Stopping text on your screen

As your screen fills up with text, you may not to be able to read it fast
enough. Press CONTROL-S to say "Stop!" and GEnie will stop sending text.
(CONTROL-S is typed by holding down your CONTROL key and pressing "S" at the
same time).

To tell GEnie to resume sending text, press CONTROL-Q.

These commands are handy while reading your mail or listing a directory of
files.

          Built-in pauses

Most text displays have pauses built into them. After a certain number of
lines, the text will pause and you'll see this prompt:

  Press <RETURN> or <S>croll?

To continue with the text display, hit your Return key. Type S if you want
the rest of the text displayed non-stop.

You can control the number of lines displayed on your screen before GEnie
pauses. Type *SET or SET and choose Review/Update User Settings.

          Getting help

Help is only a keystroke away on GEnie. If you need assistance with a menu or
activity, type H or HELP and GEnie will display help about the area you're
currently using.

If you are in the Chat Lines or in a Real-Time Conference, you must precede
your HELP command with a slash: /HELP. (In fact, all commands in Chat Lines
and RTCs must begin with a slash.) If you are in the GE Mail editor, type *H
or *HELP.

          The BREAK key

To interrupt the display of any text - and the execution of most commands and
menu selections - press your BREAK key. GEnie will stop what it's doing and
return you to the most recent menu or prompt.

For example, if you're reading a long document and decide you've seen enough,
press BREAK and GEnie will stop displaying the document.

All new users are assigned true break - ASCII 0 - as their default BREAK key.
If you'd prefer to use another key, type *SET or SET and select the GEnie
Setup Script. You'll be prompted for a new BREAK key selection.

          If you get lost

If you find yourself in totally unfamiliar territory and don't know where to
go next, type the keyword TOP. You'll find yourself back at that familiar
GEnie menu. (Or, within GEnie*Basic Services, type *BASIC to reach the main
GEnie*Basic menu.)

          Turning menus off and on

As you become a more experienced user, you may choose to do away with menus
altogether. If you type COMMAND (abbreviated C), you'll find yourself in an
advanced command mode. If you were at the TOP menu on page 1, all you'd see
is this:

          P 1?

That's not much information, is it? Command mode only tells you the page
number that you're on, then waits for you to enter a keyword, menu item or
navigation command. It's very fast, but you can see why it's designed for
advanced users.

You can turn the display of menus back on at any time by typing COMMAND
(or C) again. If you want to see the full menu for the page you're on, yet
stay in command mode, type ? and press <RETURN>.

          GEnie's Index of Products & Services

GEnie provides a handy online index to help you locate products, keywords and
page numbers. To reach the index, type the keyword *INDEX or INDEX at almost
any prompt.

    Searching by topics.

If you're looking for something in particular, or if you're curious about
what GEnie has to offer, select the menu item "Keyword Search for Products"
at the *INDEX or INDEX menu.

You'll be prompted to enter a word associated with the service you're
seeking.  Examples could be "finance," "music," or "pets." GEnie will search
its index and display a customized menu of services which address your area
of interest.

If you select one of the services presented, GEnie will describe the service
briefly and give you its keyword and page number. You'll also be asked if you
want to move to that service.

    Getting a list of keywords and page numbers.

At the *INDEX or INDEX menu, you can choose to see a complete list of all
GEnie services, along with their corresponding keywords and page numbers.

It's a good idea to capture this information in your software buffer or
capture it to disk, so that you can review it while you're offline or print
it out later.

          Aladdin - the GEnie front-end program

GEnie Aladdin is an amazing software program that operates as a "front-end"
to GEnie. It automates the popular GEnie features, such as GE Mail, Bulletin
Boards and software Libraries.

Aladdin automates the GEnie index so that you can find services quickly and
easily. It includes a full-screen text editor which makes composing GE Mail
messages a snap. Best of all, GEnie minimizes your online time, and lets you
take your time composing messages when you're offline.

Aladdin is currently available for the Atari ST and for the IBM PC and
compatibles. Programs are in the works for Macintosh and Amiga.

Each version of Aladdin has its own RoundTable with a Bulletin Board, Library
and Real-Time Conference areas. These Bulletin Boards are part of GEnie*Basic
Services, while the Libraries and Real-Time Conferences are charged at GEnie
Value Services rates.

You can download and use the Aladdin software at no extra charge beyond the
cost of connect time.

To learn more, type *ALADDIN or ALADDIN at any GEnie prompt. This will take
you to the Aladdin support area. To download Aladdin, look for the correct
menu option on the the PC Aladdin or ST Aladdin page.

4.                          GE Mail

GE Mail is a powerful, yet easy-to-use system for sending information to
others electronically. Simply by pressing a few keys, you can mail letters,
notes, text files and even programs to any GEnie user.

               Your GE Mail address

Just as every household has a unique address for receiving regular mail, each
GEnie user has a unique address for receiving GE Mail. Your GE Mail address
was assigned to you when you first joined GEnie. It's usually a version of
your name, such as J.SMITH27.

               Reaching the GE Mail menu

To get to the GE Mail menu from the TOP menu, enter *MAIL or MAIL. Most GE
Mail options are GEnie*Basic Services. Options related to Attached Files,
which is a GEnie Value Service, appear only on the MAIL menu page.  See page
4 for more information about GEnie*Basic Services.

Here's  a sample of the GE Mail menu:

 GEnie                              MAIL                      Page 200
                                   GE Mail

 1.[*]Display Queue of GE Mail Letters
 2.[*]Read GE Mail
 3.[*]Read (List) All Letters in your Mailbox
 4.[*]Read (List) Letters From Specific User
 5.[*]Read (List) Letters From Specific Date
 6.[*]Compose and Send GE Mail Online
 7.[*]Upload a Text Letter
 8.[*]Search GE Mail Directory
 9.[*]GE Mail Command Mode
10.[*]About Attach Files
11.   Send (Upload) Attach Files
12.   Receive (Download) Attach Files
13.[*]Send FEEDBACK to GEnie


All of these menu items will be explained in this chapter.

               Checking your mail

Every time you sign on, GEnie tells you if you have any mail waiting. You can
also check your mail by going to the GE Mail menu and selecting Menu Item 1,
Display Queue of GE Mail Letters. GEnie will show you a brief description of
your new, unread mail. This is also called a queue list.

For example, if your GE Mail address is J.SMITH, your queue list could look
like this:

Queue#    Item  From         To             Sent   Subject
     1 0116099  STU          J.SMITH      99/07/06 A question
     2 0067543  B.EVANS      WATTS        99/07/06 It's a girl!
     3 0154396  MBS          J.SMITH      99/07/08 Lunch?

Let's examine the six columns of information in the queue list:

Queue#

The order in which the letters were sent to you.

Item

A seven-digit identification number assigned to every GE Mail letter. You'll
use this number with some of the more advanced mail commands.

From

The GE Mail address of the person who sent you the letter.

To

The GE Mail address of the first person the letter was sent to. In the above
example, you'll note that you received the second letter, even though it was
addressed to WATTS. This means that you are one of multiple people the letter
was sent to or that the sender mailed you a carbon copy.

Sent

The year, month and day the letter was mailed.

Subject

The title or subject of the letter. This is entered by the sender.

               Reading your mail

Reading your new letters is a breeze. Just select Menu Item 2, Read GE Mail.
GEnie will automatically display your new letters on your computer screen. If
you wish, you can instruct your computer to capture the letter to a disk or
send it to your printer (check your software instruction manual for details).

If you want to pause the letters as they scroll by, press CONTROL-S (hold
down your Control key and press S at the same time). To resume scrolling,
press CONTROL-Q.

A typical GE Mail letter will look something like this:

  Item    0048589                 99/06/30        11:21----
                                                          |
  From:   WEEKS                           Margie Weeks    |
                                                          This is the date
  To:     J.SMITH                         Jerry Smith     and time the letter
                                                          was sent.
  Sub: Notice of Meeting

  Just a reminder that there's a meeting of the Macintosh User's Group
  on July 2 at 11:00 p.m. EST in RTC Room 5.  I'll send you a copy of
  the agenda as soon as it's finished, so keep an eye on your GE Mail
  mailbox!

  Hope to see you at the meeting.

  Margie



  =END=   <-- Indicates the end of a letter.



You can even read your new letters without going to the GE Mail menu. Just
type this special shortcut command at any GEnie main menu prompt: READ.

     How long your mail is held

After you read (or list) a GE Mail message, it will remain in your mailbox
for five days. You'll still have access to it, using the LISt command
described in the GE Mail Command Mode section on page 28. After five days,
the letter is automatically purged from your mailbox.

If someone sends you a letter that stays unread for 30 days, it will be
purged automatically.  Purged messages cannot be restored.

     List all letters in your mailbox

Select this option (Menu Item 3) when you want to read every letter in your
mailbox - including your new letters and the ones you've already seen.

     List letters from specific users

This choice (Menu Item 4) lets you read letters from a specific person. When
prompted, enter that person's GE Mail address. GEnie will list any letters
sent to you from that address.

     List letters from a specific date

When you choose this option (Menu Item 5), GEnie will prompt you for a date.
Type it in this format: YYMMDD. GEnie will then display all letters created
on that date.

     Search GE Mail Directory

Don't know someone's GE Mail address? Don't panic! You can use Search GE Mail
Directory to find the GE Mail address of any GEnie subscriber.

When you select this option, you'll be prompted to enter the last name of the
person whose address you want. If you're not sure of the exact spelling, you
can also enter a fragment of the name. For example, entering "William" would
find the last names Williams, Williamsen and Williamson.

Next, you'll be prompted to enter the person's first name. Press <RETURN> to
find all users with the selected last name(s).

GEnie will search the GE Mail address database and display a list of names
and addresses. If your search finds more than 20 possible matches, you'll get
a message showing the number of matches and will be given the option of
refining your search using a first name, a state/province, or a country. If
the search is too broad, you'll be asked to start over again.

               Sending a letter

There are several ways to send GE Mail. The simplest is to select Menu Item
6, Compose and Send GE Mail Online. This method is described in detail below.

You can also use the GE Mail Command mode. It's explained later in this
chapter.

When you select Menu Item 6, GEnie will prompt you for the information needed
to send the letter:

To:  Type the GE Mail address of the person you're writing to. GEnie will
tell you if the address doesn't exist.

Carbon Copy:  Type a GE Mail address here if you want others to receive
copies of the letter. You can even type your own GE Mail address. Press
<RETURN> if you're not sending carbon copies.

Sub:  Describe the subject of the letter in 30 characters or less.

To send the same letter to more than one person, enter multiple addresses
after the "To:" prompt and separate them with commas. For example:
M.WEEKS,RICE,R.COOK,K.CRAWFORD would send the letter to those four people.
The same trick works at the "Carbon Copy" prompt.

After responding to these three prompts, GEnie will ask you to enter the text
of the letter. A line number prompt will then appear:

1>

That's your cue to start writing your letter. You must press <RETURN> at the
end of every line. For easy reading, keep your lines under 80 characters.
GEnie will automatically display the next line number. These numbers come in
handy if you need to edit the letter, which is described on page 25.

When you're ready to send the letter, press <RETURN> to get to the beginning
of a new line and type *S <RETURN> to send it. That's all there is to it.

Here's an example of how to create and send a GE Mail letter:

  To:M.WEEKS

  Carbon Copy:       <--- Press <RETURN> if you're not sending a Carbon Copy.

  Sub:A Place to Stay
                                                   You must end each line
  Enter letter text:                             / with a <RETURN>
  1>I know you folks might be headed up my way  /
  2>next month.  Terrific!  Just wanted to let you know
  3>that if you need a place to stay, look no
  4>further.  We've got plenty of space and the kids
  5>love having company.  Drop me a line and let
  6>us know the dates of your trip.
  7>
  8>Looking forward to seeing you!
  9>*s                     <------------This command mails (sends) the letter.


  6097441 Created 99/09/15    20:11

  6097441 Sent    99/09/15    20:11  To:M.WEEKS
      |
      The letter's unique item number.

Here's another handy shortcut: to write and send a letter from almost
anywhere on GEnie, type SEND at any prompt.

               Editing letters

Many times, you'll want to review your letter before you send it. Or maybe
you'll want to change a word or a line. GEnie provides you with many commands
for editing your letter as you write it.

All of these commands must be typed at the beginning of a line, immediately
after the line number prompt. Also, every command must begin with an asterisk
(*). Please note the format of the commands carefully. Many of them contain
commas that must be included.

          Basic GE Mail Editor Commands

 *M #/old text/new text/#

Modify. Finds and replaces text, displaying the line(s) after the change. The
"#" is the number of the line on which you want the change to occur. For a
demonstration, see the example below.

  To:M.WEEKS

  cc:

  Sub:A Place to Stay

  Enter letter text:
  1>I know you folks might be headed up my way
  2>next month.  Terrific!  Just wanted to let you now
  3>that if you need a place to stay, look no
  4>*M 2/now/know/
        |____________The "2" tells GEnie to modify line 2 only.

  2 next month.  Terrific!  Just wanted to let you know

  4>       <---- The next line number prompt appears automatically.


As an option, you may change text globally by omitting the line number and
using this command format:

     *M,/old text/new text/*

However, please note that global text changes may require you to use spaces
around the old and/or new text. This will tell GEnie to change only whole-
word occurrences. In the example below, fixing the error with a global Modify
command would require you to type the command this way:

     *M,/ now / know /*

Without the spaces before and after the text, the word "know" in Line 1 would
have been changed to "kknow."

 *CHA,/old text/new text/#

Change. Exactly the same as the *M command, but it does not display the
modified lines.

 *CHAV,/old text/new text/#

Change and Verify. Exactly the same as the *M command, but it displays any
changed lines both before and after the change.

 *CHAVC,/old text/new text/#

Change and Verify Change. Identical to *M; it just takes longer to type.

 *D,#

Delete. Deletes a line of text, a range of lines or a combination of both.
For example, *D,1,4,7-10,18 would delete lines 1, 4, 7 through 10 and 18.

 *H

Help. Displays a menu of commands.

 *I,#

Insert. Lets you insert lines of text after the specified line. Enter a
<RETURN> with no spaces to end this mode. *L also ends the insert mode. You
cannot use the editing commands which begin with an asterisk while in the
insert mode.

 *L

List. Displays the letter you're editing. As with *D, you can specify
combinations of lines to display.

 *#,new line of text

Replaces the specified line with the new line of text.

 *S

Send. Sends or mails your finished letter.

 *X

Exit. To exit the GE Mail editor without sending your letter.

          Advanced GE Mail Editor Commands

 *TO,Address1,Address2,...

Replaces the "TO:" list with these new GE Mail addresses.

 *CC,Address1,Address2,...

Replaces the "Carbon Copy" list with these new GE Mail addresses.

 *ATO, Address1, Address2,...

Add to TO: Lets you add people to the "To" list by entering additional
addresses.

 *ACC, Address1, Address2,...

Add to CC: Lets you add more people to the "Carbon Copy" list by entering
additional addresses.

 *UP

Upload. For uploading a letter you composed off-line. Make sure this letter
has been saved on your disk as an ASCII or text file. Most word processors
will allow you to do this; check your instruction manual. You must have a
carriage return at the end of each line. If you want a blank line, make sure
you type at least one space before you press <RETURN>. Hit your Break key
when you're finished uploading. When the next line number prompt appears, you
can use any of the editing commands shown here. Be sure to use the *L command
to list your letter and make sure it looks the way you want. Edit it, if
necessary, then use the *S command to send it.

 *SUB,New Subject

Subject. Replaces the Subject line of a letter.

 *N

Next. Mails the letter you're writing and returns you to the "TO:" prompt to
begin your next letter.

 *W

Wipeout. Erases all text in the current letter. You are repositioned back to
the TO: prompt so that you can start over.

 *R

Resequence. Renumbers your text lines, removing any gaps left by deleted
lines.

 *B

Build. Lets you enter text without the line number prompts. A <RETURN> must
be entered at the end of each line. Hit your Break key when you're finished.

 *LOC,/text/#

Locate. Locates the specified string of text. The # indicates the number of
occurrences to find. Don't enter a number if you just want to find the first
occurrence. Use an asterisk to locate all occurrences.

                    GE Mail Command Mode

When you select this option from the GE Mail menu, you're entering a very
powerful mode. While it gives you a lot of flexibility in creating and
sending letters, it's intended for advanced GEnie users.

Here's the only prompt you receive when you enter GE Mail Command Mode:
Command?

Then you can enter any of the commands listed below. These can be abbreviated
to their first three letters (shown here in upper case). However, you may
type them in upper- or lower-case letters.

          GE Mail Command Mode/Basic Commands

ENTer

Use this to begin creating a letter. GEnie will display the "TO:" prompt,
then you may follow the same steps described earlier for writing and sending
a letter. All of the editing commands beginning with an asterisk can also be
used.

EXIt

Allows you to leave the GE Mail Command Mode and return to the GE Mail menu.

LISt

Shows all the unread mail waiting in your queue.

LISt ALL

Shows all your unread letters, plus the mail that you've already read which
is still available in your holding queue.

LISt #

Shows the specified letter from the queue list. (see DISplay).

LISt #######

Shows the letter specified by its seven-digit item number.

DISplay

Use this command to check on the status of a letter. GEnie will show you a
one-line description of each letter, including the queue and item numbers.
(Options for the display command are identical to LIST). To see if a message
has been read by its recipient, type DISplay followed by the letter's item
number or queue number.

HELp

Gives you a quick list of commands and explanations.

CANcel #######

Deletes a letter which you've already sent; ####### is the letter's
seven-digit item number. The recipient will not see the letter unless it was
already read.

          GE Mail Command Mode/Advanced Commands

ACCept

To begin uploading a letter you composed off-line. Hit your Break key to
terminate input. Note: Attached File uploads are not available in GE Mail
Command Mode. Please see the description for the *UP command on page 28 for
details about uploading text letters.

LISt=YYMMDD

Displays all letters created on the date specified. You may also use >YYMMDD
for letters created after a date, or <YYMMDD for letters created before a
date.  (With all LIST commands, only letters still in the queue or holding
file will be displayed. If a letter is not shown, it has been purged).

LISt TO:ADDRESS

Shows all letters you've sent to the specified GE Mail address.

LISt FROM:ADDRESS

Shows all letters you've received from the specified GE Mail address.

LISt SUBJECT:SUBJECT'

Displays all letters with Subject line matching the subject you specify. The
apostrophes are required.

REPly # or REPly #######

Use this to begin creating a letter which is automatically addressed to the
sender of the specified letter.

REPly # ALL

Same as above, but also addresses your reply to everyone who was carbon
copied in the specified letter.

TBAtch

For uploading a letter you composed off-line. Addresses, Carbon Copies and
Subject (on separate lines) must precede the text of the letter. Hit your
Break key when you're finished uploading. Here's an example of how to use
this handy command.

  M.WEEKS     <-----Type the receiver's address first.
  S.SMITH73   <-----Carbon copy addess(es) go next.  Enter blank line for
                    none.
  Musicals    <-----Type the letter's subject on the third line.
  Here's a list of the Sondheim musicals you admired in
  my record collection last weekend.  You should be able to
  find most of them in any good-sized record store.  Talk
  to you soon!
                           <----For blank lines between paragraphs, type two
  Merrily We Roll Along         spaces on a new line, then press <RETURN>
  Company
  Pacific Overtures
  Sweeney Todd
  Sunday in the Park With George
  Into the Woods

  Your musical friend,
  Sam
  *s


DELegate ADDRESS

Transfers every letter you receive to the specified GE Mail address. (It's a
lot like Call Forwarding.) Use your own address when you want to stop
transferring your letters.

DEFER # or DEFER #######

When you look at your list of unread letters, you may know that there are
some you don't want to read. Use this command to remove the letter from your
queue, using its queue number or item number. This command causes the letter
to be marked as read.

               Attached  Files

The Attached File capability allows you to send and receive binary files via
electronic mail. You can send spreadsheets, scripts, text files, and more to
any GEnie user - all error-free.

Use the Send (Upload) Attached File option to transmit a file, or Receive
(Download) Attached File to receive a file.  When someone sends you an
Attached File, you'll receive a standard GE Mail message, which will tell you
that you have an Attached File waiting.

Attached Files are an  easy way  to send any kind of data to any GEnie user.

               GE Mail to Fax

GE Mail to Fax is a feature of the GE Mail system which enables you to send
GE Mail messages to facsimile machines anywhere in the world. The recipient
does not have to be a GEnie subscriber or know anything about GE Mail or its
commands.

At this time GE Mail to Fax supports only outbound messages; you may only
send electronic mail messages to a Fax machine. There is currently no
provision for receiving messages from Fax machines into GE Mail.

If you are acquainted with the GE Mail system, GE Mail to Fax Service should
be easy for you to use. Messages may be sent from the GE Mail Command Mode or
by selecting Send A Fax Message from the Fax menu. For more detailed
instructions, select the menu option GE Mail to Fax Instructions.

Receiving machines must be Group III fax terminals that conform to CCITT
standards. Group III fax machines are the most common in use today. It is
very likely that a fax machine used in fax-to-fax mode will be compatible
with the GE Mail to Fax Service.

While it is GEnie's intent to deliver to all Group III Fax machines, there
may be instances when we won't be able to deliver to certain models of Fax
machines.  Any time GE Mail to Fax Service is unable to deliver your message,
a non-delivery status message will be sent to you and no message charges will
be incurred.

          What you need to send a message

Other than your GEnie account, the only thing you need is the "address" of
the recipient's fax machine. In other words, you need the machine's complete
telephone number, including country code, city code, exchange and extension.
GE Mail to Fax Service uses the same country code as international direct
dial long distance telephone calling.

You can review a list of country codes by selecting Menu Item 3, GE Mail to
Fax Country Codes and Zones. You can also search for a country code while
addressing your fax-bound message.

          About Message Delivery

GEnie will attempt to deliver your GE Mail to Fax Service message as soon as
possible - usually within 30 minutes of the time you created the message.
There are many variables which may affect the time required to deliver your
message.

These include:

    o  The volume of Fax-bound traffic in the GE Mail to Fax Service system.
    o  Availability of the receiving fax machine (the machine may be busy,
       out of paper, switched off, etc.)
    o  Quality of phone service in the area of the receiving machine.


If the initial attempt to deliver your Fax message is unsuccessful, GE Mail
to Fax Service will retry for a two-hour period. If the transmission still
isn't successful, the session will be terminated, a non-delivery notice will
be sent to you, and no message charges will be incurred.

          How to get more help

If you need help using the GE Mail system or the GE Mail to Fax Service
capability, you can call Client Services from anywhere in the United States
or Canada at 1-800-638-9636.

If you're calling from outside the United States or Canada,  please phone:
1-301-251-6475.

Note: If you subscribe to GEnie through one of our distributors, please
contact the distributor's Client Services Operation for further assistance.

          GE Mail to Fax Service Billing

GE Mail to Fax Service fees will be posted to your account at least once a
month. Fax message charges will be incurred regardless and independent of the
menu the Fax message originated from. GE Mail to Fax rates vary, depending on
the country. For current rate information, select GE Mail to Fax Rates on
Menu Page 205.

5.                      RoundTables

Just as the name implies, RoundTables are places for like-minded people to
gather and exchange news, views and ideas. Think of them as electronic clubs.

GEnie is loaded with dozens of RoundTables, encompassing almost every subject
you could imagine - from automotive to aviation, military to public issues,
genealogy to home business. (For a complete list, type *INDEX or INDEX.)

Because GEnie's RoundTables are so full of information, with so many
different ways to exchange it, we've divided each RoundTable into three
separate areas:

Bulletins Boards are the place to leave messages, questions and comments for
the other RoundTable members to read.

Real-Time Conferences are live (and lively!) discussion groups. They usually
schedule their meetings in advance.

Libraries are the places you visit to exchange software or text files with
the RoundTable members. You can upload (send) or download (receive) files
here.  Each of these RoundTable sections has its own chapter in this manual.

               Sysops - the RoundTable leaders

Every RoundTable has a set of leaders, usually called Sysops (short for
System Operator). They're the folks responsible for maintaining and running
the RoundTable. They're here to answer your questions, schedule Real-Time
Conferences, and make sure files uploaded to the Libraries work correctly and
are free of viruses.

When you enter a RoundTable, you'll generally see a message telling you who
the Sysops are. Feel free to drop them a note via GE Mail if you have any
questions, comments or suggestions. Many RoundTables allow you send a message
to the Sysop by selecting a menu item on the main menu of the RoundTable.

               The RoundTable menu

When you enter a RoundTable, you'll often see a series of banners with
information from the Sysops. There might be announcements of upcoming events
or contests, or perhaps some tips for using the RoundTable.

If you wish to freeze the information on your screen so that you can read it,
press CONTROL-S (hold down your Control key and press S at the same time).
When you want the information to resume scrolling, press CONTROL-Q.

After the introductory banner, GEnie will display the RoundTable's main menu.

Here's an example of the IBM PC RoundTable menu (most of them look very
similar):

GEnie                               IBMPC                            Page  615
                      IBM PC RoundTable by Charles Strom

 1.   IBM PC RoundTable Bulletin Board
 2.   IBM PC Real-Time Conference
 3.   IBM Software Libraries
 4.   About the RoundTable
 5.   RoundTable News
 6.[*]Feedback to Sysops
 7.   RoundTable and Library Help
 8.   IBM Product Support RT
 9.   Aladdin Support RT
10.   Newsbytes News Network

Enter #, <P>revious, or <H>elp?

You can then select which area of the RoundTable you wish to enter. For
complete information about using the Bulletin Board, Real Time Conferences or
Libraries, please refer to their respective chapters in this manual.

6.                    Bulletin Boards

GEnie's Bulletin Boards are places where you can read and respond to messages
posted by others. It's the perfect place to swap information, get solutions
to problems, or discuss topics of interest.

Many of GEnie's Bulletin Boards - except for those about computing, gaming
and CALC (Computer-Assisted Learning Center) - are included in GEnie*Basic
Services. That means you can read and post messages to your heart's content,
without thinking about connect-time fees. (See Chapter 2 for more information
about GEnie*Basic Services.)

               How Bulletin Boards are organized

Because Bulletin Boards are packed with lots of information on a wide variety
of subjects, they're highly organized places. Otherwise, you'd never be able
to find anything!

It may be helpful to visualize a filing cabinet to understand the
organization of a Bulletin Board.

Think of the Bulletin Board as a big filing cabinet. Each drawer represents a
different Category. Inside each drawer are folders with different Topics. And
inside each folder may be many papers with different Messages.

As a GEnie subscriber, you can create both Topics and Messages.  Some
Bulletin Boards have Categories that are private. These may be restricted to
the RoundTable staff or to owners of certain software. If you think you
should have access to a private category, send GE Mail to the Sysop (System
Operator) of the RoundTable.

               Bulletin Board basics

          The Bulletin Board prompt

Every GEnie Bulletin Board has an identical system of prompts. It's a very
powerful system, and may seem a little confusing at first glance. But don't
worry. Once you've got it mastered, you can use any GEnie Bulletin Board with
ease.

Let's look at the menu-like prompt you'll find on every Bulletin Board:

Category  1 Club Business

1. CATegories      10. INDex of topics
2. NEW messages    11. SEArch topics
3. SET category    12. DELete message
4. DEScribe CAT    13. IGNore category
5. TOPic list      14. PROmpt setting
6. BROwse new msgs 15. SCRoll setting
7. REAd messages   16. NAMe used in BB
8. REPly to topic  17. EXIt the BB
9. STArt a topic   18. HELp on commands
Enter #, <Command> or <HEL>p
1 ?     <--- At the prompt, you can enter the number or the first
             three letters of the command.

You can probably guess what most of the commands do. We'll take a  quick look
at each of them, followed by more detailed instructions on the major
commands.

    1.  CATegories. Displays a list of all Categories in the Bulletin Board
        and tells you which Category you're currently attending.
    2.  NEW messages. Tells you how many new messages have been added to each
        Topic in the current Category since you last visited the Bulletin
        Board.
    3.  SET category. Use this option to change from your current Category to
        a different one.
    4.  DEScribe CAT #. Gives you a more detailed description of the
        specified Category.
    5.  TOPic list. Displays a list of all Topics in the current category.
        This will help you find specific information, as well as help you
        avoid duplication if you decide to start a new Topic.
    6.  BROwse new msgs. When you select this handy option, GEnie displays
        allnew messages in all Categories and Topics. If you only want to see
        new messages in the current Category, type BROwse CAT.
    7.  REAd a message. A very flexible command for reading messages. See
        "Bulletin Board Basics" for detailed instructions.
    8.  REPly to a topic. Use this option to add your own comments to a
        topic.
    9.  STArt a topic. Bulletin Boards are very dynamic. If you want to get
        people talking about a particular subject that applies to the current
        Category, use this command.
    10. INDex of topics. Displays a comprehensive list of all Topics in all
        Categories of the Bulletin Board.
    11. SEArch topics. Here's a handy way to find specific information.
        You'll be prompted to enter a search string and given the option of
        searching all Categories or just the current Category.
    12. DELete message. Use this command to kill a message you've created.
        You can't delete anyone else's messages.
    13. IGNore category. A powerful command for ignoring new messages in
        topics or Categories you're not interested in. Ignoring a topic means
        GEnie won't inform you of new messages posted there.
    14. PROmpt setting. Lets you set how descriptive GEnie's prompts are. The
        options are PROmpt FULl, PROmpt BRIef and PROmpt NONe. Don't change
        this setting till you're familiar with the Bulletin Board system.
    15. SCRoll setting. Use this command to tell GEnie how many lines of text
        to display before pausing. This setting only stays in effect for your
        current session.
    16. NAMe used in BB. All messages you leave on the Bulletin Board (BB)
        will show your GE Mail address. If you'd like a nickname to appear as
        well, select this option.
    17. EXIt the BB. Use this to leave the BB. Please note that you can't use
        keywords from the Bulletin Board prompt. You must use the EXIt
        command first. However, you can use the Move command (see earlier
        section on "Navigating GEnie").
    18. HELp on commands. Displays a brief set of instructions for using each
        of the Bulletin Board commands. You can also get help on specific
        commands.  For example, typing HELp IGN would display help on the
        IGNore command.

               Using a Bulletin Board

In general, the method for using a Bulletin Board depends on what you're
looking for.  If you're hunting for specific information, you can use the
SEArch or INDex commands to locate topics which might contain what you need.

However, many people use Bulletin Boards to keep abreast of more general
information, or simply for entertainment.

You can use the REAd command with the DATe option to back-track slightly and
to read messages of interest to you. On subsequent visits to the Bulletin
Board, you can use the BROwse command to keep up with conversations, or the
REAd command with whatever options suit your fancy. Eventually, you may find
Topics or Categories that you want to IGNore permanently.

          How messages are displayed

The following illustration shows how messages are displayed on GEnie's
Bulletin Boards. You'll see that the system is quite logical and easy to
follow.

                    Category 5  Freeware/Software
                    Topic  1        Mon Jul 6, 1999
                    Sub: Who has a speech generator?
  The topic sets
  the theme for     Does anybody out there own a speech generator?  I need
  the messages      instructions for using it.
  people leave.
                    2 message(s) total.
                     ************
                     ------------
  Messages are      Category 1,  Topic 1
  listed in the     Message 1         Tue Jul 7, 1999
  order entered     K.CRAWFORD [Kevin]           at 23:56 EST
  and are separated
  by dashes         If you're referring to Talkworks, I have a copy.
                     ------------
                    Category 1,  Topic 17
                    Message 2         Wed Jul 8, 1999
                    J.RICE [Judi]                at 07:37 EST

                    I have a copy of it (with instructions).  It's
                    freeware.  I'll upload it to the library next week so
                    you can download it.

                     ------------
                    REPly to topic,   QUIt reading
                    STArt new topic,  #,#-# read prior
                    PERmanently ignore this topic
                    or <RETURN> to continue ?


After the messages are displayed, GEnie gives you the list of prompts shown
in the above example. At this point, you can enter a reply to the Topic,
start a brand new Topic, or quit and return to the main Bulletin Board
prompt. For example, to re-read Message 3 from the current Topic, type 3 and
press <RETURN>.  To re-read Messages 4 to 7, type 4-7 and press <RETURN>.

To read messages from the next Topic, simply hit <RETURN>.

If you select REPly or STArt, GEnie will prompt you for the appropriate
information.

          Replying to a Topic

After all new messages for Topic have been displayed, you can enter REPly to
enter a message of your own. GEnie will respond like this:

     Enter memo text. Type *s to send, *h for help.

     1>

Simply type in the text of your message and press <RETURN> at the end of each
line. A line number prompt will appear automatically for the next line. If
you want to change your message as you enter it, you can use the same editing
commands available in GE Mail (see GE Mail section).

To finish your message and send it to GEnie, type *S <RETURN> at the
beginning of the last line.

Formatting Bulletin Board messages. The only difference from entering
messages in GE Mail is in formatting. Bulletin Board messages are formatted
automatically to the screen width of the person who reads it (GE Mail doesn't
do that).

For example, let's say you enter a message this way:
     1>Just wanted to drop
     2>you a
     3>note and say hello.
     4>*S

If the person reading your message has an 80-column screen, it will look like
this:

     Just wanted to drop you a note and say hello.

Sometimes, you might want your message to look exactly the way you enter it.
Perhaps you've typed in a chart or some poetry. If that's the case, don't end
your message with the *S command. Instead, use *SN, which stands for Save
Noformat. In the example above, using *SN instead of *S on Line 4 would have
created a message that appears like this to the reader:

     Just wanted to drop
     you a
     note and say hello.

To check and see how a message will look before you send it, use the *PREview
command. It's similar to *LISt, but shows how the message will appear to the
reader.

If your communications software offers an upload feature, you can upload your
message text. At the 1> prompt, type *UP <RETURN>. When GEnie responds by
displaying "Ready For Input," upload the text file, following the
instructions for your particular software. Hit your Break key to end the
upload mode, then type *S <RETURN> to send the text.

          Starting a new Topic

Before you start a new Topic, carefully check existing Topics in all
Categories to make sure the topic doesn't exist already. Duplicate Topics
could be very confusing, so they're always closed by the Sysop, with a
reference to the first Topic.

To create a new Topic in any Category, you must be in that Category. If
you're not in the right place, use the SET command to get to the appropriate
Category.Next, type the STArt command. GEnie will prompt you for the Topic's
subject:

     Enter the topic Subject
     <------- (39 characters maximum) ------->

With a limit of 39 characters, think of this as just a label for your Topic.
You can get more descriptive in a moment. After you type the subject and
press <RETURN>, GEnie will prompt you for the Topic text:

     Please enter a summary of the Topic (limited to 3 lines). Type *X to
     abort.  Enter memo text.  Type *S to send, *H for help.
     1>

Simply type your text and press <RETURN> at the end of each line. The next
line number prompt will appear automatically. You can edit your text using
the same commands available in GE Mail (see GE Mail section).

Remember, you're limited to three lines of text. This text will appear every
time a GEnie user reads messages from your topic. Be as descriptive as you
can.

When you're finished, use *S to send your topic to GEnie. (If you change your
mind and want to cancel what you've written, enter *X at one of the line
prompts.)

Finally, GEnie will tell you the number assigned to your Topic and ask if you
want enter the first message.

     Topic 9 has been started and marked.
     Do you want to enter the first message? (Y/N)

Press 'Y' to enter the first message, which can be a more detailed
description of your Topic. Again, type *S at the beginning of a new line to
send your message.

Note: The Sysop (System Operator) of the Bulletin Board can edit your 39-
character subject heading, as well as your three-line description. And
although you can create a Topic, only the Sysop can delete it. If you need
the topic header edited or deleted, send GE Mail to the Sysop and include the
Category number and Topic number.

                    Bulletin Board (BB) commands

GEnie's Bulletin Boards offer a wide range of flexible commands for creating
and reading Topics and messages. All commands can be abbreviated to three
characters and can be typed in upper- or lower-case letters.

If you're in PROmpt FULl mode, you can also select commands by typing the
associated number.

The first time you enter a Bulletin Board, or if you haven't visited that
Bulletin Board for more than 30 days, all messages in Topic 1 of Category 1
are considered "new" - as if you haven't read any of them. All other messages
are considered "not new." This is to keep first-time visitors from being
overwhelmed by the thousands of messages in a Bulletin Board. However, you
can still read any messages, by specifying a particular Topic.

          Basic Commands

BROwse

    Lets you read all new items in all Categories. The first time you enter a
   Bulletin Board, all messages in Topic 1 of Category 1 are new. Also, if
    you haven't visited a Bulletin Board for 30 days, the same set of
    messages revert to new again.

BROwse CAT

    Lets you read new messages in the current Category only. For example, to
     read new messages in Category 4, you would type SET 4 to make that the
     current Category, then issue the BROwse CAT command.

BROwse NOReply

     Lets you read new messages without being prompted for a reply at the end
     of each Topic.

BROwse CAT NOReply

     For reading new messages in the current Category only, without being
     prompted for a reply.

BYE

     Logs you off the Bulletin Board and GEnie.

CATegories

     Displays a complete list of Categories in the Bulletin Board.

EXIt

     Exits the Bulletin Board and returns you to the previous menu. The same
     as  QUIt and STOp.

HELp or HELp XXX or HELp ALL

     Displays a list of Bulletin Board commands, or details on the specific
     command. For example, HELp BROwse would display information about the
     BROwse command. HELP ALL displays details about every Bulletin Board
     command.

IGNore ALL

     Ignores all new messages in the Bulletin Board. This simply means that
     all messages are marked as "not new."

IGNore CAT

    Ignores all new messages in the current Category.

IGNore #-#

     Ignores new messages in a single Topic or a range of Topics. Example:
     IGNore 5, or IGNore 2-6.

INDex

     Displays a descriptive index of all Topics within all Categories. This
     is a quick way to find out what each of the Topics is about.

MARk

     Allows you to mark a Topic within a Category. This command is for use
     with the REAd and RAM commands (see BB Advanced Commands).

NEW

    Tells you how many new messages are in each Topic.

NEW ALL

     Tells you how many new Topics and messages are in every Category (except
     for the Categories you've canceled).

QUIt

     Exits the Bulletin Board and returns you to the previous menu. The same
     as STOp and EXIt.

REAd Topic Range (required)    Message Range    Options

    This is the basic format of the powerful REAd command. Please note that
    only the first parameter, Topic Range, is required. For example, REAd 3-9
    would read all messages in Topics 3 through 9 in the current Category.
    The other parameters are optional.

READ ALL

     Lets you read all messages in the current Category.

REAd # or REAd #-#

     Lets you read the messages in the specified Topic or range of Topics.

REAd # AUThor=name or REAd #-# AUThor=name

     Lets you read messages in Topic # written by the person whose GE Mail
     address is specified by "name." The command doesn't care about upper- or
     lower-case letters and you can specify any beginning portion of the
     name.  For example, REAd 7 AUThor=S would list messages in Topic 7 by
     anyone whose GE Mail address begins with "S".

     Note: in the LiveWire Exchange Bulletin Board, all names are considered
     to begin with "<". In the above example, enter REAd 7 AUThor=<S to look
     for "S" names on the LiveWire Exchange Bulletin Board.

REAd # CATegory=#-# or REAd #-# CATegory=#-#

     Lets you read messages in the specified range of Categories. You can
     combine this with the NEW option to read new messages in a range of
     Categories: REAd ALL NEW CATegory=#-#.

REAd # DATe=YYMMDD or REAd #-# DATE=YYMMDD

     Lets you read messages in the specified topic range by the date they
     were entered. Use "=" to see messages written on a single specified
     date. Or, use "<" the ">" symbols to messages written before or after
     the specified date. For instance, REAd DATe>990621 would display all
     messages in the current Category written on or after June 21, 1999.
     Don't put any spaces before or after the =, < or > symbols.

REAd # LASt or REAd #-# LASt

    Displays the last messages entered in the Topic. REAd 6 LASt  shows you
    the last message in Topic 6.

REAd # MARk or REAd #-# MARk or REAd ALL MARked

     Displays all the messages in the Topics you've marked in the current
     Category.

REAd # NEW or or REAd #-# NEW or REAd ALL NEW

     Displays all new messages in all Topics in the current Category.
     REAd 1-4 NEW would display all new messages in Topics 1 to 4 of the
     current Category.

REAd # NOReply or REAd #-# NOReply or REAd ALL NOReply

     Lists messages without prompting you for a reply. This is very handy
     when you're listing messages from a variety of Topics for reading
     off-line. This command can be combined with other READ options: REAd 1-5
     NOReply CAT=3-7 would display all the messages in Topics 1 to 5 from
     Categories 3 to 7, without pausing for a reply.

REAd # NOText or or REAd #-# NOText or REAd ALL NOText

     Displays only who made the response and when it was made. The text of
     the letter is not displayed. For example, REAd ALL NOT would list the
     header (with no text) of all the messages in the current Category.

REPly #

     Lets you enter a reply to the specified Topic in the current Category.
     If you omit the Topic number, GEnie will prompt you for it.

SET #

     Lets you change to the specified Category. SET 5 would take you to
     Category 5.

STOp

     Exits the Bulletin Board and returns you to the previous menu. The same
     as QUIt and EXIt.

          Advanced commands

ATTendees

     Displays the name, the GE Mail address and the date the Bulletin Board
     was last accessed by each user in the current Category.

CANcel #

     Lets you stop participating in a Category, which means it will no longer
     be part of the ALL Categories group. GEnie will stop informing you about
     new messages in that Category. Please note that you can't quit the
     current Category; first, you must move to another Category using the SET
     command.  Also, you can never quit Category 1.

DELete or DELete Topic# Message#

     Lets you delete your own message from a Topic.

DES #

     Gives you a brief description of the specified Category.

IGNore #-# PER

     Lets you permanently ignore all messages in a Topic or range of Topics.
     Even new messages will be ignored. Use UNIgnore if you change your mind.

IGNore ALL PER

     Ignores all existing Topics in the entire Bulletin Board. However, new
     Topics will show up.

IGNore CATegory PER

     Ignores all existing topics in the current Category.

MARk #

     Marks the specified Topic for use with the RAM command (see below).

NAMe

     All messages you leave on the Bulletin Board will be labeled with  your
     GE Mail address. If you'd like a nickname to appear as well, select this
     option.

PROmpt

     Lets you select from three different prompt settings. PROmpt FULl gives
     you complete menus. PROmpt BRIef gives you a short prompt, like this:

     Command: CATegories, TOPics, READ, REPly
              BROwse, SETcat, EXIt, or HELp
     1 ?

     PROmpt None is for advanced users; it only gives you the number of the
     current Category and a question mark:

     1 ?

RAM

     Short for REAd ALL MARked. A quick command for reading all new messages
     in the Topics you marked with the MARk # command in all Categories.

REStore # #

     Lets you restore a message you've created and deleted. The format is:
     REStore topic# message#. For example, to un-delete message 27 in Topic
     6, enter REStore 6 27. Please note that you can't restore a message if
     the Sysop deleted it.

SCRoll

     Lets you specify how many lines are displayed on your screen before you
     see the "RETURN or <S>croll" prompt. A length of 0 means no scrolling.
     This command only stays in effect during your current session. To change
     the setting permanently, use the *SET command from almost any prompt
     outside the Bulletin Board.

SEArch /text/

     Lets you search Topic descriptions for the specified text. The text must
     be at least three letters long; don't worry about using upper- or
     lower-case letters. However, the slashes are required, both before and
     after the search text. GEnie will ask if you want to search all
     Categories. If you say no, only the current Category will be searched.
     As a shortcut, you could enter SEArch /text/ ALL.

STArt

     Lets you start a new Topic in the current Category. GEnie will prompt
     you for all the required information.

UNIgnore or UNIgnore #-# or UNIgnore ALL

     If you used the IGNore PERmanent option, you can use this command to
     cancel it.


7.                    Real-Time Conferences (RTCs)

Each GEnie RoundTable offers a special area for Real-Time Conferences. The
RTC is an electronic meeting place where members gather to discuss topics of
interest. Each RTC contains "rooms" where the Sysop (System Operator)
schedules guest speakers or sets up special discussion groups on a particular
theme. With the Sysops's cooperation, you can even organize your own
meetings.

Most of the commands used in the RTC are identical to those used in the Chat
Lines. Learning a few special RTC commands will enable you to participate
fully in GEnie's stimulating and informative RTCs.

               Getting started

To learn when an RTC is scheduled to be held, watch for special announcements
that appear when you enter the RoundTable. Notices are also posted in the
logon banners, the Bulletin Board section of the RoundTable, and in the
"About The RoundTable" selection on the main RoundTable menu.

To move to the RTC area, enter the RoundTable and select the Real-Time
Conference option from the menu.

               Joining a meeting

Most RTCs are organized into separate meeting rooms. As you enter the RTC
area, GEnie will tell you how many people are in each room and display the
name assigned to you for the meeting. Unlike the Chat Lines, you cannot
choose a name or handle; your GE Mail address is your name. Assuming that
your GE Mail address was J.SMITH, you'd see a message like this:

    Address of <J.SMITH> will be used.

All messages you type during the meeting will appear with your GE Mail
address name. However, you can add a name to appear with it; see the /NAME
command under RTC Basic Commands).

For example, here's what GEnie would display if you typed, "Hello. Sorry I'm
late for the meeting."

    <J.SMITH> Hello. Sorry I'm late for the meeting.

Please note that particpating in a meeting will be easier if your
communications software offers a split screen, chat mode or keyboard buffer
feature.

               Choosing the room

Meetings are usually scheduled in advance, with the room number included in
the meeting notice, so you'll probably know which room you want to visit.
Choose the correct by answering the prompt:

    What ROOM (1-3)?

The Sysop may have posted a note on the door with details about the meeting.
The note will be displayed as you enter the room. For instance, if you chose
Room 3, the entrance may appear like this:

     Room 3, the Guest Speaker Room

     Notice on door:  This meeting is for those interested in the new
     communications software.  The software developer, Ms. Sanders, will
     be available for questions at the end of the meeting.

     ** <J.SMITH> is here.

You're now inside the meeting room. Welcome! However, if you're late for a
meeting or if your attendance is not desired for some reason (such as
privacy), the meeting leader may have locked the door to the room. In that
case, you'd get this message:

    The door to that room is locked.
    Please choose another?

You would have to choose another room to enter. If you still want to enter
the room, use the /KNOck command explained below.

               Taking part in a meeting

If you're familiar with the Chat Lines commands, you already know most of
what you need to participate in the RTC. These commands are repeated below,
along with a few RTC special commands. (As is usually the case on GEnie, only
the first three letters of the command are needed and you can use upper- or
lower-case letters.)

All RTC commands must be preceded by a slash "/". The commands can be entered
anytime during the RTC.

Please note that communications software that offers a split screen,
type-ahead buffer, or chat mode makes RTCs and Chat much easier to follow.

          Basic Commands

/KNOck #

     A meeting leader may limit access to a meeting by locking the door. The
     /KNOck # command (where # is the number of the locked room) allows you
     to get the attention of the meeting leader. When you knock, the leader
     receives this message:

     <J.SMITH>, Job 9 is calling.

     The meeting leader can then decide to unlock the door and/or send you a
     message. However, if you see a Do Not Disturb sign when you try enter to
     the room, the /KNOck command won't work.

/RAIse hand

      Sometimes, a meeting leader will put a room in Listen Only mode. In
      that case, you need to be recognized by the leader before you can
      speak. Simply type the /RAIse command to get the leader's attention.
      When the leader recognizes you, you're free to enter your message.

/ROLl the dice

     RTCs are sometimes used for games. This command allows you to roll
     GEnie's electronic dice. The command format is /ROLl nDs where "n" is
     the number of die (from 1 to 20) and "s" is the number of sides on each
     die (up to 100).  The default is one six-sided die.

/ROOM #

     Use this command to move from one RTC room to another. For example, if
     you're in Room 3 and you want to visit Room 1, enter /ROOm 1. Feel free
     to change rooms as often as you wish, as long as the meetings you want
     to attend are open. (Note that this command is identical to the /CHAnnel
     # command you use on Chat Lines.)

/NAMe

     In an RTC, you are always identified by your GE Mail address. However,
     you can add a nickname using the /NAMe command. If your GE Mail address
     is J.SMITH, you could type /NAMe Jimmy. Others in the RoundTable will
     see both names. For example:

     <[Jimmy] J.SMITH> Good evening, everyone! What's up?

/BYE

    To leave the RTC and sign off GEnie, enter this command.

/BLAnk

     Inserts a blank line after every message typed by the users. This can
     make it easier to keep the various conversations straight.

/EXIt

     Takes you out of the RTC and back to the GEnie menu.

/HELp or ?

     Displays a quick list of RTC commands.

/STAtus #

     Displays a list of users in the specified room. Nicknames and job
     numbers are shown. If you type /STA without a number, you'll get a list
     of users for the room you're in.

/TIMe

     Displays the current time (U.S. Eastern Time).

          Advanced commands.

/CALl job#

     Use this command to get someone's attention. For example, if  Job 7 is
     in a private conversation with another user, type /CALl 7. They would
     receive a message like this:

     ** <[Jimmy] J.Smith> is calling.

/ECHo

     Use this command to turn on the echo mode. In this mode, you will see
     your own messages displayed after you press <RETURN>. When you enter the
     RTC, you are automatically in echo mode. To turn it off, use the /XECho
     command.

/MONitor #

     This command lets you listen to conversations in several rooms at once.
     You can talk only in your current room, but you can listen to as many as
     four other rooms. To hear what's happening in Room 3, for example, type
     /MON 3.  While you are monitoring, all messages are preceded by the room
     number of the person speaking. To stop monitoring a room, use the
     /XMOnitor # command.

/PRIvate #

     Sometimes, you may want to speak with someone without anyone listening
     in.  That's what the /PRIvate command is all about. To start a  private
     conversation with someone whose job number is 12, simply type /PRI 12.
     They'll receive this message:

     ** <[Jimmy] J.Smith>  Job 5 requests you in the private mode.

     When they respond by typing /PRI 5, you'll see this:

     You are now private with Job 12.

     As long as you stay in private mode, no one else can see your
     conversation and you won't see messages from any other users. You can
     only speak privately with one person at a time. To exit the private
     mode, both users should type the  /XPRivate command.

/SCRamble code

     The scramble mode is a way to have a private conversation with several
     users at once. Only people who know your four-character scramble code
     will be able to see your messages. The conversation will be invisible to
     everyone else. However, you will still see messages from users who are
     not in the scramble mode. You can tell others your scramble code by
     using the /SEND command. (See below). For example, if you choose "Star"
     as your scramble code, you and any other users can enter scramble mode
     by typing /SCR Star. Exit this mode with the  /XSCramble command.

/SENd # message

     Here's a handy way to send private messages to anyone in the RTC. If the
     person's job number is 15, you could send a message by typing:

     "/SENd 15 Where have you been?" They would see this:

     ** <[Jimmy] J. Smith> [Job 27] Where have you been?

/SQUelch #

     When you type this command, you'll stop seeing any messages typed by the
     user with job number you specify. Use the /XSQuelch command to start
     seeing their messages again.

/USErs

     This command tells you how many users are in each active room. Rooms
     without users are not shown.

/WHO #

     Displays the nickname, GE Mail address, room and state of the person
     with the specified job number. Similar to the /SHOw # command.

/XBLank

     Tells GEnie to stop inserting blank lines between the messages you see.

/XECho

     Turns off the echo mode. The messages you enter will no longer be echoed
     back to you by GEnie.

/XMOnitor #

     Use this command to stop monitoring the room specified. Users on that
     channel will be notified that you've stopped monitoring.

/XPRIvate

     To end a private conversation with another user, enter this command.

/XSCramble

     Turns off the scramble mode. See /SCRamble above.

/XSQuelch

     Tells GEnie to begin displaying messages from any users you have
     squelched.  See /SQUelch above.


8.                      Libraries

GEnie's RoundTables contain Libraries which are brimming with software
programs and informational files which you can download to your computer.

You'll discover a vast variety of public domain (free!) programs, shareware
files and demo software. The programs available range from games to business
software to computer utilities to high-quality graphics. Most of these files
are compressed to save you downloading time; see the upcoming section in
"Download a file" for details about de-compressing files.

GEnie's Libraries are also filled with how-to articles, tips, and other
valuable information.

You'll find that the contents of the Libraries vary in each RoundTable. In
general, the Computing RoundTables feature software and related information,
while the Professional and Leisure RoundTables contain mostly articles and
information.

Be forewarned that most GEnie Libraries contain a lot of files - often, there
are thousands. If you use a command to list all the files in a Library, be
prepared to use the CONTROL-Q and CONTROL-S commands to stop and start the
listing. To abort the listing, hit your Break key.

To visit the Library area of a RoundTable, select Menu Item 3 from the main
menu of the RT.

                        Mac RoundTable Software Library
                            Library: ALL Libraries

 1.   Description of this Library
 2.   Directory of Files
 3.   Search File Directory
 4.   Browse through Files
 5.   Upload a New File
 6.   Download a File
 7.   Delete a File You Own
 8.   Set Software Library
 9.   Save Current Software Library
10.   Instructions for Software Exchange
11.   Directory of New Files
12.   Join/Ignore Library Category

                    The Library menu

The menu for each Library is very similar. As an example, let's take a look
at the Macintosh Library menu shown on the previous page. Then we'll explain
each Menu Item in turn.

               1. Description of this library

As you might guess, you can choose this option for a general explanation of
the type of files included the Library. If you're set up for "ALL Libraries"
(the default), you'll receive an overall description.

               2. Directory of files

Displays a brief description of each file in the current Library category. If
you're set up for "ALL Libraries," the list will include every file in every
current Library category.

Most Libraries contain hundreds of files, so it's best to save the listing to
a disk or send it to your printer so you can review it later. To stop the
listing, hit your Break key.

Here's the beginning of a sample listing:

    No.  File Name             Type Address      YYMMDD Bytes   Access Lib
   ----- ------------------------ - ------------ ------ ------- ------ ---

   247   SOLITAIRE                X J.SMITH      990521   18000     90   3
         Desc: A classic card game
   243   SLOTS.SIT                X J.JONES      990518   48520    149   3
     |    Desc: Great slot game!
     |                                                      /
     |                                                    /
     Use this number to identify                  The more bytes, the longer
     the file you want to download.               a file will take to
                                                  download.


The directory gives you nine pieces of information about each file:

No.

A reference number assigned to the file. You specify this number when you
download the file.

File Name

The name of the software file. Many file names contain a period, followed by
a three-character suffix. This suffix gives you information about the type of
the file and whether it's been compressed (see the upcoming section in
"Download a file" for an explanation of common suffixes).

Type

Indicates whether the file is Binary (X) or seven-bit ASCII (7). With some
exceptions, Binary files are programs you can run on your computer (assuming
your computer is compatible with this file). These may be games, utilities or
other applications. ASCII files are usually text files, such as articles or
instructions.

Address

The GE Mail address of the person who put the file in the library.

YYMMDD

The date the software was put in the library.

Bytes

The approximate size of the file. The higher the number, the longer it'll
take to download.

Accesses

The number of times the file has been downloaded by GEnie members. This
number can give you a hint about the file's popularity.

Lib

The number of the Library category where the file is stored.

Desc:

A very brief description of the file. You can get more details by using the
Browse Through Files or Download a File options.

               3. Search file directory

Here's a handy way to sort through the Library for specific kinds of files.
When you choose this option, GEnie will prompt you for three pieces of
information: Search String, Uploader Address and Number of Days Back.

Enter a Search String describing the type of file you're looking for. If you
were looking for a speech synthesizer, you could try Talk, Speech or
Synthesizer.

If you're looking for files uploaded by a certain person, enter their GE Mail
address when you're prompted for Uploader Address. Otherwise, press <RETURN>
to search all addresses. Note that either a search string or an uploader
address must be entered.

To limit your search to more recent files, enter a number at the Number of
Days Back prompt. For example, type 180 to scan files uploaded during the
last six months. If the upload date doesn't concern you, hit <RETURN>.

Before you search the file directory, it's sometimes best to have All
Libraries selected. A file you consider educational might be located in the
Utilities Library, for instance.

If the search doesn't locate any files, try using a more general Search
String.

               4. Browse through files

Choose this option to see a full description of every file in a Library (or
in All Libraries, depending on your current Library setting).

After each file description, GEnie will present you with several options. You
can skip to the next file, list the file (if it's a text file), download the
file, or quit and return to the Libraries menu.

GEnie will continue to describe every file until you select Quit.

               5. Upload a new file

Uploading is the term for sending a file from your computer to GEnie, and
placing it in the Library. The first step is to make sure you're in the
Library where you think the file belongs. Then choose the Upload A New File
option.

GEnie will then lead you through a series of prompts, asking you for the file
name, a short description and a longer description of the file. Short
descriptions are limited to 36 characters, long descriptions have a maximum
of 10 lines. When typing the long description, press <RETURN> at the end of
each line; GEnie will prompt you for the next line. Type *S on a line when
you're finished. If necessary, the Sysop will edit your file description.

You'll also be prompted for a series of keywords, which are used when someone
selects the Search File Directory option.

Next, GEnie will ask you to select an upload protocol. GEnie will then
display your file name, GE Mail address and the brief file description so
that you can check them for accuracy.

When you see the READY FOR INPUT prompt, start your upload. (Follow the
instructions for your particular communications software). When the the
upload is complete, press your Break key.

Finally, GEnie will ask if you want to put the file in the Library. If you
enter "Y," the file will be placed in temporary storage until the Sysop can
make sure the upload worked properly and that the file is in good shape All
files are checked for viruses before they are released.

Here is a sample transcript of the entire upload process:

  Library: 3 - Games

  Billing clock stopped.. no charges for this upload!

  Enter the name of the file you are uploading.  There is a maximum length of
  24 characters for file names.
   <---------------------->
  ?Banana Mania.SIT

  Enter a SHORT description of the file you are uploading. Maximum of 36
  Characters.
   <---------------------------------->
  ?Falling Bananas Arcade Game

  Enter a LONGER description of the file.  Maximum of 10 lines, Type *S to
  save.

   1>In this game, your most controls a monkey tha runs through the jungle
   2>catching bananas as they fall from the trees.  Good graphics and funny
   3>music.  Runs in color if you have it!  Compressed with StuffIt.
   4>Requires Mac 512 or higher.  Freeware... enjoy!
   5>*s

  Enter a list of Keywords, comma separated.
  ?game, arcade,color,music,bananas,fun,freeware

  Select Upload Protocol

  1. Seven Bit Text
  2. XMODEM
  3. XMODEM (CRC)

  Which item?2

  File: BANANA MANIA.SIT
  Addr: J.SMITH
  Desc: Falling Bananas Arcade Game

  When you see READY FOR INPUT, start your XMODEM upload.

  READY FOR INPUT

  Upload Complete.
  Was the upload OK?  Do you want to put the file in the library (Y/N)?


               6. Download a file

          Downloading a binary file

To download a binary file from the Library to your computer, select Download
a File from the Library menu. (You can also choose to download a file you
encounter while using the Browse Through Files option).

GEnie will respond with this prompt:

    Enter Download Request or <H>elp?

You can enter either the reference number of the file or the exact file name.
If your communications software supports multiple file downloads (you'll need
to have the Ymodem or Zmodem protocols), you can type a series of file
numbers separated by commas.

GEnie will give you a description of the file, followed by another prompt:

    Press <RETURN> to skip, <D>ownload, <L>ist, or <Q>uit

Type <RETURN> if you decide not to download the file. Press D to download it,
or L to list it to your computer screen. A word of warning: Listing is for
text files only; most binary files shouldn't be listed. They usually make
your computer behave very strangely.

If you press D, GEnie will ask you to select a protocol:

    Select Download Protocol
    1. XMODEM
    2. XMODEM (w/1K blocks)
    3. YMODEM
    4. ZMODEM

These various protocols determine how your computer works with GEnie to
receive the file and check it for errors. Check the instructions with your
communications software to see which protocol(s) you can use.

Finally, GEnie will tell you to begin the download. If you're not sure how to
receive the file, read the instructions for your software. If you need to
abort the download process, press CONTROL-X (hold down your Control key and
press X) or follow your software's instructions.

          Downloading a 7-bit (ASCII) file

This process is very similar to downloading a binary file. Your download
prompt will look like this:

    Press <RETURN> to skip, <D>ownload, or <Q>uit.

If you select Download, GEnie will ask you to Turn on your Capture File,
which is how you'll save the file to a disk or send it to your printer. Look
in your software manual under Capture or Capture Buffer.

When GEnie has finished sending the file, you'll be told to turn off your
Capture File.

          Compressed files (packed, squeezed or stuffed)

Most Library files are compressed. This reduces the size of the file, saving
you download time - not to mention money.

You can usually tell if a file is compressed by looking at its name. If it
ends with a period followed by one these three-letter suffixes, you can be
sure it's compressed: ARC, CPT, GIF, LZH, PIT, SIT, ZIP or ZOO. Other files
may be compressed as well.

You can't use or run any of these files until you transform them back to
their un-compressed state. You'll need a special utility to do this. It
should be available from the Library where you found the compressed file.
Check in the About The RoundTable item on the main menu of the RoundTable for
information about compressed files.

               7. Delete a file you own

Choose this option to remove one of your own files from the Library. GEnie
will prompt you for the necessary information. You can only delete files
which you uploaded to GEnie.

               8. Set Software Library

If you want to limit your Searches or your Browsing to certain types of
files, select this option. GEnie will display a list of file categories for
you to choose from. You'll also see "ALL Libraries" on the list; select this
item to include all the Library categories when you do a Search or Browse.
GEnie will "remember"  your category choice only as long as you're in the
Library. Your choice is forgotten when you leave, unless you select Save
Current Software Library.

               9. Save Current Software Library

When you select this option, GEnie remembers the Library category you
selected with the Set Software Library command explained above. The next time
you visit the Library, your Library category will be set automatically.
Naturally, you can change your mind at any time by using the Set Software
Library option again.

               10. Instructions for Software Exchange

Provides you with hints and tips for uploading and downloading software. A
handy place to look if you run into trouble.

               11. Directory of New Files

Displays brief information about all the files presented to the Library since
your last visit. It's a great way to find the hot new files. On your first
visit to the Library, all the files will be new - the list could be quite
long. Hit your Break key if you want to stop the listing. On subsequent
visits, you'll see only the files released since your last visit.

               12. Join/Ignore Library Category

Many libraries contain thousands of files in dozens of Library categories.
You can use this option to ignore categories you're not interested in. This
will prevent unwanted files from appearing when you perform a search or
request a directory listing. If you change your mind, select this option
again and rejoin the Library category.

9.                     LiveWire Chat Lines

Let's talk about it! GEnie's LiveWire Chat Lines let you talk to people from
all over globe - all from your computer keyboard.

Chat Lines are divided into 40 separate lines, which are usually called
channels. You could find people talking about different things on every
channel.  Or everybody might be on one channel, having a huge group
discussion. On Chat Lines, you never know what to expect - and that's half
the fun!

               The LiveWire Menu

To enter the Chat Lines, type the keyword CHAT at any menu prompt on GEnie.
Or use the MOVE command by typing M 400. You'll be whisked to the LiveWire
Chat Lines menu:

                             LiveWire Chat Lines
                             Handle: The Shadow
                                             |
                                             |
 1.   About LiveWire Chat Lines              |
 2.   LiveWire Help and Hints                 -This is your current handle.
 3.   What's Happening in LiveWire             Choose Menu item 5 if you want
 4.   Enter Chat Lines                         to choose a new one.
 5.   Change/Reserve Chat Lines Handle
 6.   LiveWire Club Services
 7.   LiveWire Exchange: Bulletin Board
 8.   LiveWire Chronicle: News & Rumors
 9.   Chat Lines Software Libraries
10.   System-wide Schedule of Events
11.   This Week In History
12.   GEnie User Profiles             <---- Here's a handy way to find out
13.[*]FEEDBACK to Bonbon                    about your fellow Chat Line
                                            friends.


          Chat Clubs

GEnie offers several clubs for fans of the Chat Lines. These clubs can save
you quite a bit of money in connect time. For details, select Menu Item 6,
LiveWire Club Services. For current club rates, type *RATES or RATES.

               Entering the Chat Lines

To sign on to the LiveWire Chat Lines, select Menu Item 4, Enter Chat Lines.
What could be simpler?

          Choosing a handle

GEnie will then ask you to choose a "handle." That's the name you'll be known
by in the Chat Lines. Every time you type a message, your handle will appear
with it. It's GEnie's way of helping you keep track of who is saying what.

Your handle can be almost anything you like (except for reserved words like
GEnie and Sysop). Use your favorite nickname, a fictional character, or a
word that describes your personality or profession.

The goal is to make your handle interesting and distinctive. You'll find that
handles can be a great way to stimulate conversation.

Handles can be 1 to 24 characters long and can include punctuation. Type your
handle when you see this prompt:

    Job:  21
    What is your HANDLE (1 to 24 characters)
    ?

"Job 21" indicates the job number which GEnie assigns to you when you enter
the Chat Lines. It will be a different number every time you sign on. The
number is used in certain Chat Lines commands, which we'll get to in a
moment.

To speed things up when you enter Chat Lines, you can pre-set your handle by
choosing Menu Item 5 on GEnie page 400, or by typing *SET or SET. GEnie will
then remember your handle. The next time you enter Chat Lines, you'll see a
different prompt:

    Job 21
    Handle of <The Shadow> will be used.
    OK?  (Y/N)?

Answer "yes" to enter Chat Lines, or "no" if you want to use a different
handle for this session.

          Choosing a channel

Next, GEnie will tell you how many users are on each of the 40 channels. Then
you can choose the channel you want to enter. The prompt looks like this:

    What CHANNEL (1 to 40)
    ?

If you press <RETURN> without typing a number, you'll be assigned
automatically to Channel 1. Don't worry too much about your choice - you can
channel-hop to your heart's content. Exploring the channels can be a lot of
fun. You'll discover that some channels may have different characteristics
each night.

               Conversations in Chat Lines

Let's assume that your handle is The Shadow and you selected Channel 16. As
you enter the channel, you'll see this message.

    ** <The Shadow> is on.
    Welcome to Channel 16.

The double asterisks (**) are used to indicate that a message has been
generated by GEnie, and not by another user.

As you enter the channel, everyone will receive a message that you've
arrived.  Your screen will begin to fill up with messages from other users.
Their messages are always preceded by their handle, framed in angle brackets
(<  >).

Remember, entering a channel is like arriving at a party that's already in
progress. It may take a moment or two to pick up on the drift of the
conversation.

Here is an example of what you might see...

  ** <The Shadow> is on.           <-- Note the askerisks generated by GEnie.

  <L.A. Surfer> Greetings, dude!  Are you a fan of old radio shows?

  <Wacky Lady> Rosie, I'm not sure I agree with you.

  <SLEEPY> I say Rosie's right.  But what do I know?  Hiya Shadow.

  <Rosie> C'mon... it can't POSSIBLY work.  Remember what happened to Lucky
  Luke when he tried it?

  ** <Papa & Mama Bear> is on.

  <Papa & Mama Bear> The Bears are back!  What did we miss?

  <L.A. Surfer> Rehi, Bears.  We're still deep in debate here.  Jump right
  in!  :)


          Entering messages

It's time to join in! It's nice to start out by sending a greeting to
everyone. Just type "Hi, everyone!" or something like that (you don't need to
use quotation marks). Your message isn't sent until your press <RETURN>. If
you don't want to send a message, press CONTROL-X instead of <RETURN>.

As you're typing, messages sent by others may scroll over your text; this is
normal.  GEnie will keep things straight and your message will be displayed
the way you typed it.

Many communication programs have a chat mode, or allow buffered keyboard
input. These features allow you to keep what you're typing separate from
other people's messages. Check the instructions for your communications
software for details.

So go ahead. Join the conversation, start a new discussion, or just sit back
and watch the fun.

               Chat Lines commands

The LiveWire Chat Lines offer you several commands for moving between
channels, listening in on other channels, sending private messages and much
more. These commands are explained below. Remember to enter each command at
the beginning of a line and to precede it with a slash "/". Otherwise, GEnie
will think you've entered a regular message and will display it for everyone
to see.

          Basic commands

/BLAnk

     Inserts a blank line after every message typed by the users. This can
     make it easier to keep the various conversations straight.

/BYE

     To leave the Chat Lines and sign off GEnie, enter this command.

/CHAnnel #

     Here's how you move from channel to channel. For example, moving to
     channel 27 is simply a matter of typing /CHA 27. Feel free to change
     channels as often as you like.

/EXIt

     Takes you out of the Chat Lines and back to the main Chat Lines menu.

/HANdle new handle

     Use this command to give yourself a different handle. For instance if
     you type /HAN Sky Pilot, you will see this message from GEnie:

     ** <Sky Pilot> was <The Shadow>
     Your handle is now <Sky Pilot>

/HELp or ?

     Displays a quick list of Chat Lines commands.

/STAtus #

     Displays a list of users on the specified channel. Handles and job
     numbers are shown. Type /STA * for a list of all users. If you type /STA
     without a number, you'll get a list of users for the channel you're on.

/TIMe

     Displays the current time (U.S. Eastern Time).

          Advanced commands

/CALl job#

     Use this command to get someone's attention. For example, if  Job 7 is
     in a private conversation with another user, type /CALl 7. They would
     receive a message like this:

     ** <The Shadow> is calling.

/ECHo

     Use this command to turn on the echo mode. In this mode, you will see
     your own messages displayed after you press <RETURN>. When you enter
     Chat Lines, you are automatically in echo mode. To turn it off, use the
     /XECho command.

/MONitor #

     This commands lets you listen to conversations on several channels at
     once.  You can talk only on your current channel, but you can listen to
     as many as four other channels. To hear what's happening on Channel 9,
     for example, type /MON 9. While you are monitoring, all messages are
     preceded by the channel number of the person speaking. Let's say you're
     on channel 11 and you're monitoring channels 7, 9 and 13. You might see
     something like this:  To stop monitoring a channel, use the /XMOnitor #
     command.  When you're monitoring, channel numbers precede each message.

       (7)  <What a Guy> I agree.  It was the funniest movie I've seen in
            years.

       (13) <Margie> Quite a crowd tonight!  Everyone must be drawn to my
            magnetic presence.  haha!

       (11) <Little Louie> I could kick myself..  I feel asleep during the
            fourth quarter and missed everything.

       (13) ** <Runner> is on.

       (7)  <Bookworm> Sorry, Guy.  I didn't get it.  I guess I don't
            appreciate slapstick.

/PRIvate #

     Sometimes, you may want to speak with someone without anyone listening
     in.  That's what the /PRIvate command is all about. To start a  private
     conversation with someone whose job number is 12, simply type /PRI 12.
     They'll receive this message:

       ** <The Shadow>   Job 5 requests you in the private mode.

     When they respond by typing /PRI 5, you'll see this:

       Job 12 has joined you in private mode.

     As long as you stay in private mode, no one else can see your
     conversation  and you won't see messages from any other users. You can
     speak privately with one only person at a time. To exit the private
     mode, both users should type the /XPRivate command.

/SCRamble code

     The scramble mode is a way to have a private conversation with several
     users at once. Only people who know your four-character scramble code
     will be able to see your messages. The conversation will be invisible to
     everyone else. However, you will still see messages from users who are
     not in the scramble mode. You can tell others your scramble code by
     using the /SEND command. (See below). For example, if you choose "Star"
     as your scramble code, you and any other users can enter scramble mode
     by typing /SCR Star. Exit this mode with the  /XSCramble command.

/SENd # message

     Here's a handy way to send private messages to anyone on the Chat Lines.
     If the person's job number is 15, you could send a message by typing:

     "/SENd 15 Where have you been?" They would see this:

       ** <The Shadow> [Job 27] Where have you been?

     If you don't want to receive messages from a specific user, type /NOSend
     #, where # is the user's job number. Or type /NOSend without a job
     number to prohibit any users from sending messages.

/SHOw handle

     Use this command to get a little information about a user. GEnie will
     display their GE Mail address, their current channel and the state they
     reside in. It's very similar to the /WHO command.

/SQUelch #

     When you type this command, you'll stop seeing any messages typed by the
     user with job number you specify. Use the /XSQuelch command to start
     seeing their messages again.

/USErs

     This command tells you how many users are on each active channel.
     Channels without users are not shown.

/WHO #

     Displays the handle, GE Mail address, channel and state of the person
     with the specified job number. Similar to the /SHOw # command.

/XBLank

     Tells GEnie to stop inserting blank lines between the messages you see.

/XECho

     Turns off the echo mode. The messages you enter will no longer be echoed
     back to you by GEnie.

/XMOnitor #

     Use this command to stop monitoring the channel specified. Users on that
     channel will be notified that you've stopped monitoring.

/XPRivate

     To end a private conversation with another user, enter this command.

/XSCramble

     Turns off the scramble mode. See /SCRamble above.

/XSQuelch

     Tells GEnie to begin displaying messages from any users you have
     squelched.  See /SQUelch above.

               Chat Lines lingo

You'll soon discover that conversations on the Chat Lines are peppered with
funny terms, abbreviations and even little drawings made from punctuation
marks.  It's helpful to understand this jargon, and even more fun to use it!
Here's a brief list of some of the lingo you're likely to see. But if someone
uses a term you don't understand, go ahead and ask them to explain it.

  What You See     What It Means
  ------------     -------------

  AFKB             I'm away from my keyboard.
  b4               before
  BCNU             I'll be seein' you.
  brb              I'll be right back.
  BTW              by the way
  c u l8tr         See you later.
  go pri           Go into private mode.
  GR8              That's great.
  grin             something was amusing
  groan            I can't believe you said that.
  hahahaha         Something was very funny
  HAHAHA           Something was really funny
  lurker           Someone who watches without talking
  MORF             Are you male or female?
  OIC              Oh, I see.
  re               About (as in, re last night)
  ROTF             Rolling on the floor (laughing) - also ROTFL
  LOL              Laughing out loud
  TTFN             Ta ta for now.
  GMTA             Great minds think alike
  IMHO             In my humble opinion
  WTG!             Way to go!
  UR               You are.
  wave             Said to someone who's monitoring - also ~~
  [][]             Hugs
  :)               A smiley face (look at these sideways!)
  ;)               A winking smiley face
  :D               Open-mouth grin
  :P               A face with the tongue sticking out
  :(               A sad face
  :/               Frustrated or perturbed
  =:O              Surprised


               LiveWire Exchange: Bulletin Board

Here's the place to post electronic messages or respond to messages left by
others. You can change information, find solutions to problems or talk about
topics of interest.

The Bulletin Board is organized into subject areas referred to as Categories.

These range from Computer Dating to Astrology.

To learn how to use this or any GEnie Bulletin Board, please see Chapter 6.

10.                  International Access and Rates
                     ------------------------------

 GEnie Access from Public Data Networks - PDN
 --------------------------------------------

 Outside the USA, GEnie is available through direct access in
 Canada, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.  GEnie is
 available through PDN (public data network) access in an
 additional 21 countries.

 To gain access to GEnie in countries with no direct GEnie access,
 the user must contact the local PTT (equivalent of a telephone
 company) or look in the telephone book for data service providers.
 In each country the pricing, terms, support and service will be
 different.  Unfortunately, GEnie does not have any information to
 assist in obtaining local PDN access.  Contact, pricing and access
 information changes so frequently that the only reliable source of
 information is the local PDN itself.

 GEnie is available via PDN in the following countries:
    Australia           Norway
    Belgium             New Zealand
    Denmark             Philippines
    Finland             Portugal
    France              Singapore
    Hong Kong           South Africa
    Ireland             South Korea
    Italy               Spain
    Mexico              Taiwan
    Netherlands         United Kingdom


 To gain access to GEnie, (after obtaining local PDN access):

  1.  Connect to the local PDN using PDN access instructions.

  2.  Enter the following information all on one line:
        3136 (GE Information Services' DNIC)
           9 (Indicates PAD Service)
          00 (Indicates Asynchronous Service)

        Example:  3136900

        OR... 31369000000000
              (If the PDN requires the full X.121 address).
               Contact the local PDN representative for help
               with addressing if you have trouble.

        The GE Information Services network, GEnie's network,
        will distinguish the access speed automatically.

  3.    At the prompt:    U#=
        Enter:            XJM11997,PDN  <RETURN>

        You will be given an electronic form to fill out, including
        name, mailing and billing addresses, and international
        credit card.  Please fill out this form to sign up for
        GEnie access.

  4.    After filling out the signup form, a startup package will
        be mailed to your mailing address.   This includes a contract,
        which must be returned before the account can be validated.
        To save time, the contract may also be faxed to GEnie; the
        fax number will appear on the contract.

                                               Non-Prime    Prime
 The rates for PDN usage are: 300/1200/2400    $8.00        $20.00

 There is no signup fee.  A manual is not included, but may be ordered
 for $28.95 (which includes shipping and handling).  GEnie rates are in
 addition to your local PDN access rates and fees.

 Prime time is in effect from 8 AM to 6PM EST (EASTERN time, U.S.A.)
 weekdays (Monday through Friday).  Non-prime time is all other
 hours and includes GEnie holidays.

 GEnie in Germany, Austria, Switzerland:

                 PRIME   NON-PRIME
                 -----   -----------------------
                 $27     $18 (300/1200/2400 baud)

 Note: In a few areas there is a $2/hour remote access surcharge.
 Some third party services may be subject to specific country
 restrictions or surcharges.  For more information and local signup
 procedures and access numbers, call or write:
                 Customer Service Desk-GEnie
                 GE Information Service
                 Robert-Bosch Strasse 6
                 5030 Huerth-Efferen, Germany
                 (49) 2233-6091

 To sign up to GEnie, call the Customer Service Desk-GEnie
 in Germany to request the closest dialup access number, and
 then dial and follow the below procedures:

 GEnie Germany
 -------------
 To connect to GEnie through DATEX-P:
      From Network             Type to Network         Comments
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. [Upon Connection]          .[Return]            Full-Stop (period)
                                                    + Return Key

 2. Wait for "DATEX-P"         SET 2:0,5:1,12:1     Set PAD parameters
                                                    (2:0 is ECHO OFF,
                                                    5:1, 12:1 is flow-
                                                    control)

 3. Wait for Carriage Return   R 45221040880       GEIS NUA for WestGermany
                        (OR)   R 45221090880       alternate GEIS NUA

 4. Wait for U#=               XTX99628,GENIE      Sign-up User# and password.

 GEnie Switzerland
 -----------------
 To connect to GEnie through GE Network:
      From Network             Type to Network         Comments
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. [Upon Connection]          HHH                     for speed detection

 2. Wait for U#=               XTX99628,GENIE          Type in signup user#
                                                       comma and password.

 If you would like more information you can call or write Huerth-Effern
 at the phone/address above.

 GEnie Austria
 -------------
 To connect to GEnie through DATEX-P:
      From Network             Type to Network         Comments
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. [Upon Connection]          .[Return]            Full-Stop (period)
                                                    + Return Key

 2. Wait for "DATEX-P"         SET 2:0,5:1,12:1     Set PAD parameters
                                                    (2:0 is ECHO OFF,
                                                    5:1, 12:1 is flow-
                                                    control)

 3. Wait for Carriage Return   R 26191115           GEIS NUA for Austria
                        (OR)   R 26191110           alternate GEIS NUA

 4. Wait for U#=               XTX99628,GENIE       Type in signup User#
                                                    comma and password.



 GEnie Japan
 -----------

 For information about signing up in Japan use the following number to
 reach their Client Services or write them at the following address.

      PHONE:  [phone] (TOLL FREE#)
      NEC VAN MARKETING DIVISION
      5-7-1,Shiba, Minato-ku
      TOKYO, JAPAN 108-01