rfc2150.txt

著名的RFC文档,其中有一些文档是已经翻译成中文的的.

            a gopher server to serve files in a text rather than graphic
            format.

   Many other protocols function on the Internet, and are specified in
   technical documents, such as are referenced in the Resources section.

5. Forums

   Websters defines a forum as "A public meeting place for open
   discussion."  In the world that could be a park or an auditorium.  In
   the Internet, a forum will be electronic, but it may still feel like
   a roomful of people.

   Many forums exist on the Internet.  There are interactive forums
   where you can share information in real-time and carry on discussions
   with others.  There are message-based forums where you send or
   receive a message and others involved in that forum can respond
   later, and there are archived forums where information is stored, and
   may be retrieved by anyone but modified only by its owner.

   While we have attempted to list and describe a few of the more
   popular forums, we have not created an exhaustive, complete, or up-
   to-the-minute list here.  You can find information on forums, lists
   and sites in many magazines and books today.

5.1 Message-based Communications

   In Message-based communication, a message is sent by one user, and
   can be received by one or many.  For example, you might send a dinner
   invitation to an individual, a couple, or a group.  In the same way,
   you send electronic messages to individuals or groups.  Just like a
   postal service for physical mail, there are electronic mail servers
   for electronic mail.  Just like you have a physical address to which
   your physical mail is sent, there is an electronic mail address to
   which your electronic mail is sent.

   Message-based Communications includes electronic mail, newsgroups,
   and bulletin boards.







Max & Stickle                Informational                     [Page 16]

RFC 2150          Humanities and Arts on the Internet       October 1997


5.1.1 Email

   Electronic mail, called EMAIL, is a system whereby a computer user
   can exchange messages with other computer users, or groups of users
   via a communications network.  This can be the Internet, or a smaller
   internal office network.

   Typical use of email consists of downloading messages as received
   from a mailbox or mail server, then reading and replying to them
   solely electronically using a mail program which behaves much like a
   word processor for the most part.  The user can send mail to, or
   receive mail from, any other user with Internet access.  Electronic
   mail is much like paper mail, in that it is sent, delivered, and
   contains information.  That information is usually textual, but new
   innovations allow for graphics, and even sound to sent in email.

   Email is superior to paper mail in that it can arrive at its
   destination within minutes of being sent, and it can be replied to,
   appended to, forwarded, formatted, saved, or deleted just as quickly.

   Some sites on the Internet run a type of file server which can
   respond with a file automatically, for those who have email but not
   web or ftp access.

   An email address consists of a username, and the address of the
   machine to which the mail should be delivered for that user.

   Reviewing Section 4.1.2, email addresses take the form
   "username"@"site"."domain"  For example, if your name is Joe Cool and
   you get your Internet service from Dirigible Online, where you login
   as "jcool",  your email address might be "[e-mail]".

   You will usually get your Email address from your System
   Administrator, in a work or school environment, or from your Internet
   Service Provider.  Section 6 provides more information on Internet
   Service Providers.

5.1.2 Newsgroups

   Someday everyone will be able to get their news electronically,
   saving paper, money, time, and the environment.

   A Newsgroup is an electronic bulletin board system created originally
   by the Unix community and which is accessible via the Internet.
   Usenet News forms a discussion forum accessible by millions of users
   in almost every country in the world.  Usenet News consists of
   thousands of topics arranged in a hierarchical form.  Major topics
   include "comp" for computer topics, "rec" for recreational topics,



Max & Stickle                Informational                     [Page 17]

RFC 2150          Humanities and Arts on the Internet       October 1997


   "soc" for social topics, "sci" for science topics, and there are many
   others we will not list here.  Within the major topics are subtopics,
   such as "rec.music" for general music content, and
   "rec.music.classical" for classical music, or "sci.med.physics" for
   discussions relating to the physics of medical science.

   If you have access to newsgroups, it would be wise to read any
   postings on the newsgroup "news.announce.newusers" first.  This
   newsgroup provides detailed information on newsgroups, such as
   finding the right place to post, and information on newsgroup writing
   style.

   Local newsgroups are those that are accessible through your
   organization or company which contain news that is relevant only to
   your organization.  For example, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center,
   GSFC, has many internal newsgroups that are of interest only to GSFC
   employees and none of the other NASA centers.  Therefore, newsgroups
   have been formed to provide internal information to NASA GSFC
   employees only and no one else.  Some examples are: gsfc.carpool,
   gsfc.dialup or gsfc.220.civil.servants.

   Another example of a local newsgroup is news that is posted regarding
   your community or the vicinity in which you live.  For example, if
   you lived in the Washington D.C. area some of the local newsgroups
   might be:  dc.biking, dc.jobs or dc.smithsonian.

   Many newsreaders are available, and many web browsers now also
   support news.  The URL to use for a newsgroup will have the protocol
   news: followed by the group name, as in news:dc.smithsonian.  A
   domain address is not necessary, as the browser would be configured
   to know which host you will get news from.

5.1.3 Electronic Bulletin Board System - BBS

   An Electronic Bulletin Board System, or BBS, consists of a computer,
   and associated software, typically providing electronic messaging
   services, archives of files, and any other services or activities of
   interest to the bulletin board systems' operator.

   Typically a BBS user must dial into the BBS via their modem and
   telephone line, and select from a hierarchy of lists, files,
   subdirectories, or other data maintained by the operator.  Once
   connected, the user can often send messages to other BBS users within
   the system.







Max & Stickle                Informational                     [Page 18]

RFC 2150          Humanities and Arts on the Internet       October 1997


   Although BBSs have traditionally been the domain of hobbyists, an
   increasing number of BBSs are connected directly to the Internet, and
   many BBSs are currently operated by government, educational,
   research, and commercial institutions.

   BBSs usually advertise their services in the backs of magazines and
   newspapers and by word of mouth.  Many companies now offer a BBS via
   which their customers can retrieve their latest technical support
   documents and product literature.

5.2  Real-Time Communications

   The communications methods described in Section 5.1 involve delays
   between when you send a message and when you receive a response, with
   the result that both parties are not involved simultaneously.  The
   net can also be used to communicate in "Real-Time" by making the sure
   the delays are short enough that both parties can be involved
   simultaneously in a "conversation".

   Typically this is done in a text based format where each user has two
   special regions on their screen: One that they type in, and another
   that the other users type is displayed in.  The delay between when
   one user types and the other sees it on their screen is called "net-
   lag" and usually ranges from "too short to be aware of" to about 30
   seconds.  Lag can occur due to network congestion or a variety of
   bottlenecks including link speed, processor speed, and typing speed.

   Although it is still rather expensive, it is also possible to use
   both audio and video in "Real-Time".  However the reasons for it's
   expense are temporary, and you should expect to see more and more of
   this in the future.

   Forums which communicate in real-time are the Internet Relay Chat
   (IRC), the Multi-User Dungeon (MUD), Audio-Video Conferencing (AVC),
   and WhiteBoard Systems (WBS).

5.2.1  IRC - Internet Relay Chat, WebChat

   Internet Relay Chat, or IRC, provides a text-based mechanism for
   communication with multiple participants.  IRC is an interactive
   forum set up in virtual rooms that you can move between, and where
   others can virtually "hang out".  Chat rooms can be used to discuss
   common ideas or topics, or as part of a collaborative process.  The
   connection method used will be specific to each IRC site.  IRC sites
   can be found using search tools, as outlined in Section 5.3.1.






Max & Stickle                Informational                     [Page 19]

RFC 2150          Humanities and Arts on the Internet       October 1997


   Web chat is like IRC but it is done via a web browser, and it is not
   a text only forum.  Section 6.2 provides more information on web
   browser software.

   Many webchat sites require the user to register before being able to
   participate in the activity.  If any additional software is needed
   based on your particular software and PC configuration the site will
   point you in the right direction so you can download the necessary
   software.

   Some sites will provide you with chat etiquette guidelines.  Please
   be sure to read the directions before you participate in the chat
   session.

   Once you begin to chat you may find that there are some abbreviations
   used with which you are not familiar.  These abbreviations are for
   various actions or phrases.  Some very common ones are: by the way
   (btw), in my humble/honest opinion (imho), and ta ta for now (ttfn).

   Appendix B provides a few Chat sites to start you off.

5.2.2  Multicasting

   Multicasting is a technical term that means that you can send pieces
   of data, called "packets", to multiple sites simultaneously.  How big
   a packet is depends on the protocols involved and it may range from a
   few bytes to a few thousand.  The usual way of moving information
   around the Internet is by using unicast protocols, which send packets
   to one site at a time.

   You can think of multicasting as the Internet's version of
   broadcasting.  A site that multicasts information is similar in many
   ways to a television station that broadcasts its signal. The signal
   originates from one source, but it can reach everyone in the
   station's signal area.  The signal takes up some of the finite
   available bandwidth, and anyone who has the right equipment can tune
   it in. The information passes on by those who don't want to catch the
   signal or don't have the right equipment.

5.2.3  MUD - Multi-User Dungeon

   A MUD is an interactive game environment where both real other
   players and virtual other players exist and with whom you can
   communicate to share ideas or solve puzzles, etc.

   The word "Dungeon" refers to the setting of many of the original
   games of this sort, in which you, our hero, must escape from a
   dungeon-like environment where evil goblins, demons, and other "bad-



Max & Stickle                Informational                     [Page 20]

RFC 2150          Humanities and Arts on the Internet       October 1997


   guys" are wandering around ready to kill you.  Generally the goal, in
   order to win the game, is to find and retrieve some treasure, or
   reach some hidden place, and find the way out.

   MUDs have applications in education, as for problem solving and
   leadership skills, as well as in building teamwork to share ideas and
   to enhance creativity.  Having a virtual world in which people from
   diverse backgrounds and cultures can come, again and again, to work
   on a common project, allows ideas to accrue and cultures to grow over
   time.