ROADMAP FOR THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY INTERNET TRAINING WORKSHOP

Roadmap Week 6
by Patrick Douglas Crispen

MAP-EXTRA: POP QUIZ #2 ANSWERS

1. There are literally THOUSANDS of files available through FTP that have the ".txt" file extension. What is the exact location of just one of these files? (Hint: see MAP17.)

ANSWER: There are three ways you could have found the answer:

1. Conduct an Archie search with the keyword "txt"

2. Doing a Veronica search with the keyword "txt"

3. Accessing a random FTP site and looking around for a ".txt" file

I hope you chose the first option. BTW, I am not going to print the "answer" because there are THOUSANDS of correct answers.

2. A few years ago, Rick Gates held a monthly competition called "The Internet Hunt." The Hunt asked ten of the most contrived questions you have ever seen, and the Hunt's participants had to find the answers using nothing but the Internet (and they also had to show where on the Net they found the answers).

Come to think of it, the Internet Hunt is a lot like this pop quiz ... hmmm ...

I have heard that Rick placed the old Hunt results on the CICNET Gopher server (gopher.cic.net) in Michigan (U.S.). I am interested in the Hunt results for May 1994.

Who won the May 1994 Internet Hunt in the individual category?

ANSWER: The winner was some squirrel at the University of Alabama named "Patrick Crispen." Yes, this is shameless self-promotion ... but I thought it would be a good way to introduce you to the Hunt.

3. I just tried a Veronica search and I got an "Empty Menu" error for a file that I *KNOW* exists. I should call my local Internet Service Provider and complain, right? Explain your answer. :)

ANSWER: NO! Your local Internet Service Provider is only responsible for the LOCAL part of your service. If you are having a problem accessing a distant file, there is a really good chance that the problem is at the distant site. Your ISP has no control over distant sites, so calling them will not help you at all. Your best bet is to try your search later.

4. I want to subscribe to a LISTSERV list. The list's address is TOURBUS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM.

Tell me what I need to do.

ANSWER: Send an e-mail letter to

LISTSERV@LISTSERV.AOL.COM

with the command

SUBSCRIBE TOURBUS YOURFIRSTNAME YOURLASTNAME

in the body of your e-mail letter, replacing YOURFIRSTNAME and YOURLASTNAME with your first and last names.

BONUS QUESTION: The flag of Sri Lanka depicts a lion holding a sword. With which paw does the lion wield the sword? (Hint: you may have to hunt for the answer.)

ANSWER: The right paw. The answer can be found in the May 1994 Internet Hunt.

(\__/) .~ ~. )) /O O ./ .' Patrick Douglas Crispen {O__, \ { The University of Alabama / . . ) \ crispen@campus.mci.net |-| '-' \ } http://www.ua.edu/~crispen/ .( _( )_.' '---.~_ _ _& Warning: squirrels.

The views, opinions, and conclusions reached in this lesson are those of Patrick Douglas Crispen and not necessarily those of The University of Alabama or its officers and trustees. The content of this lesson has not been reviewed or approved by The University of Alabama, and the author is solely responsible for its content.

PATRICK DOUGLAS CRISPEN
PCRISPE1@UA1VM.UA.EDU