The Electric Mystic's Guide to the Internet A Complete Bibliography of Networked Electronic Documents, Online Conferences, Serials, Software and Archives Relevant to Religious Studies. VOLUME THREE of THREE VOLUMES LOW ASCII VERSION Version 1.3 November 1992 Michael Strangelove University of Ottawa Department of Religious Studies Copyright 1992 by Michael Strangelove. All rights reserved. This bibliography may be archived for public use in electronic or other media, as long as it is maintained in its entirety and no fee is charged to the user; any exception to this restriction requires the written consent of the author. Michael Strangelove Religious Studies Department University of Ottawa 177 Waller Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1N 6N5 (613) 747-0642 (Voice) (613) 564-6641 (Fax) E-Mail Address: 441495@uottawa (BITNET) 441495@acadvm1.uottawa.ca (Internet) This bibliography was made possible through the support of the Research Centre for the Study of Religion, Department of Religious Studies, University of Ottawa, and through funding from the American Academy of Religion. HOW TO OBTAIN A COPY Volumes One and Three of the Electric Mystic's Guide are freely available via the international academic networks (BITNET/Internet) from the CONTENTS Project fileserver via FTP from the node panda1.uottawa.ca (137.122.6.16) in the directory /pub/religion/ as the files: Volume One: electric-mystics-guide-v1.ps (Postscript file) electric-mystics-guide-v1.ps.Z (Unix compressed Postscript file) electric-mystics-guide-v1.txt (low ascii text) electric-mystics-guide-v1.txt.Z (Unix compressed low ascii text) electric-mystics-guide-v1.zip (zipped Wordperfect 5.1 text)* Volume Three: electric-mystics-guide-v3.ps (Postscript file) electric-mystics-guide-v3.ps.Z (Unix compressed Postscript file) electric-mystics-guide-v3.txt (low ascii text) electric-mystics-guide-v3.txt.Z (Unix compressed low ascii text) electric-mystics-guide-v3.zip (zipped Wordperfect 5.1 text)* * Note that due to a bug in Worperfect for Windows, these WPWIN files will only operate in WordPerfect for Windows, they will not operate in WordPerfect for DOS until WP Corp fixes the present incompatibility problem. The Electric Mystic's Guide is also available as a low ascii text via the CONTENTS Project Listserv fileserver as the files: MYSTICS V1-TXT MYSTICS V3-TXT from Listserv@uottawa or Listserv@acadvm1.uottawa.ca Volume Two is not yet available. * Table of Contents -- VOLUME THREE * Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1. Online Academic Conferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 How to Make the Most of Online Discussion Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Directories of Listserv Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 How to Subscribe to Online Discussion Groups. . . . . . . 9 Retrieving Logbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 BITNET and Internet Religious Studies Related Lists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Bahai Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Buddhist Discussion Group (BUDDHA-L) . . . . . . . . 13 Christian Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Christian Thought and Literature in Late Antiquity (ELENCHUS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Classics Discussion (CLASSICS). . . . . . . . . . . 15 Discussion of Beliefs and Practices of Conservative Judaism (CJ-L) . . . . . . . . 15 Eastern Orthodox Christianity Discussion (EOCHR-L) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Generic Religions and Secret Societies . . . . . . . 16 Godly Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 History of American Catholicism (AMERCATH). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 History and Theory of the Occult (ARCANA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 History of The Ancient Mediterranean (ANCIEN-L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 History of Evangelical Christianity (HISTEC-L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Global Christianity discussion (GLOBLX- L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Indian and Buddhist Studies (BUDDHIST) . . . . . . . 22 The International Forum for First Century Judaism and Christian Origins (IOUDAIOS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship List (IVCF-L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Islam Discussion Group (ISLAM-L) . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Islamic Information and News Network (MUSLIMS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Issues And Questions of Concern to Observant Jews (BALTUVA). . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Jewish & Near Eastern Studies (JUDAICA). . . . . . . 25 Later Day Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Liberal Judaism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 LITURGY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Malaysian Islamic Study Group (MISG-L) . . . . . . . 28 Masonic Digest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 New Testament Greek Studies Conference (NT-GREEK). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Old Testament Hebrew Studies (OT- HEBREW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Orthodox Christianity (ORTHODOX) . . . . . . . . . . 30 Pagan Religion and Philosophy (PAGAN). . . . . . . . 31 Personal Ideologies (BELIEF-L) . . . . . . . . . . . 31 The Progressive Jewish Activism List (PJAL). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Religions Discussion Group (RELIGION). . . . . . . . 33 Religious Communication and Contexts (RELICOM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 The Religious Society of Friends (QUAKER- L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Shaker - A forum on the United Society of Believers (SHAKER). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Social Scientific Study of Religion (SSREL-L) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Women, Religion, and Feminist Theology (FEMREL-L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 USENET -- General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 USENET Religious Studies Related Newsgroups . . . . . . . 37 Discussion of the Baha'i Faith -- SOC.RELIGION.BAHAI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Christianity and Related Topics -- SOC.RELIGION.CHRISTIAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Discussions of Eastern Religions -- SOC.RELIGION.EASTERN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Discussions of the Islamic Faith -- SOC.RELIGION.ISLAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 2. Electronic Journals and Newsletters. . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Directory of Electronic Journals and Newsletters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Bulletin of The General Theological Library of Bangor Theological Seminary. . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Christian Growth Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 IOUDAIOS Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Postmodern Jewish Philosophy BITNETWORK . . . . . . . 42 Religious Studies Publications Journal - CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 OFFLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Thesaurus Linguae Graecae Newsletter. . . . . . . . . . . 48 Inactive Electronic Religious Studies Serials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 3. Ecunet and PresbyNet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 4. Networked Organizations and Associations . . . . . . . . . 51 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 (Note that the Index is not included in the low ascii version of the Electric Mystic's Guide.) * Table of Contents -- VOLUME ONE * Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The Networks Covered in this Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . 3 How to Retrieve Documents Listed in This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Retrieving Documents via Listserv . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Retrieving Documents via FTP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Using BITFTP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Searching Listserv Logbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 A Note to Moderators, Authors and Maintainers of Networked Documents . . . . . . . . . 9 Network Accessible Documents 1. Anthropology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2. Articles and Prepublication Papers. . . . . . . . . . . 12 3. Bible Study Aids and Software Programs. . . . . . . . . 16 4. Bibliographies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 5. Book Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 6. Buddhism and Related Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 7. Contemporary Jewry and Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 8. The CONTENTS Project Miscellaneous Files. . . . . . . . 28 9. Course Outlines, Seminar Syllabi and Glossaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 10. Electronic Texts and Databases (CDROMS and Others) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 11. IOUDAIOS Miscellaneous Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 12. Islamic Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 13. Journal Indexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 14. Lists in Review Supplements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 15. Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 16. Online E-Mail Address Compilations. . . . . . . . . . . 40 17. RELIGION Miscellaneous Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 18. Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 19. Sacred Texts (Networked Electronic Versions). . . . . . 45 20. Software/Hardware Reviews and Information Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 21. Software Programs for Religious Studies . . . . . . . . 50 22. Thesis and Dissertations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 23. Thesis and Dissertations -- Abstracts . . . . . . . . . 52 Index of Document Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Index of Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Index of Author's E-Mail Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 * Introduction * The Electric Mystic's Guide is a non-technical survey of all major documents, archives and services of relevance to religious studies and related fields that are available through the international, academic computer networks commonly referred to as the Net (BITNET, Internet and affiliated networks). This includes networked papers, reviews, book notes, dissertations, major sacred texts, software programs, electronic mail address collections, general information files, data banks, electronic journals, newsletters, online discussion groups, specialized commercial and public networks, and relevant networked organizations, associations, institutions and companies. It should be noted that the Electric Mystic's Guide is not meant to be a handbook on how to use the Net, and thus assumes a certain level of familiarity with FTP, Telnet, Listserv and other Net operating programs. Users hits and tips have been included throughout the Guide. It is interesting to note that the majority of the approximately 200 files documented (in Volume One) have been placed on the Net in the last twenty four months. This would suggest that the end of this decade will see well over two thousand networked documents relevant to religious studies. The number of religious studies and related scholars presently online is unknown but certainly exceeds ten thousand. No comprehensive electronic mail address book for religious studies exists at this point in time. We can look forward to a proliferation of specialized archives over the next few years. At present, I am aware of Aboriginal, Buddhism, Early Christianity and Judaism, Jewish, and Social Sciences networked archives (see Table of Contents, Volume Two). Electronic mail addresses given within this Guide are in BITNET and Internet format, unless otherwise stated. Login to FTP nodes listed herein as anonymous with your e-mail address as the password unless otherwise stated. All other aspects of this Guide are system neutral. Travellers on the Net should note that there are many versions of Telnet and FTP software and a variety of login procedures. Most systems will offer some form of help if you enter the command HELP or ?. The Electric Mystic's Guide was previously written as one complete document but has been divided into three volumes, due to its growing size and technical restrictions within some systems on the size of network accessible manuscripts. The Guide has the following format: Volume One documents a wide variety of over 200 networked files of direct and indirect relevance to religious studies and related fields. The selection of material was based on the scholarly nature of the documents or their significance as general information files. No attempt has been made to document every file related to religion on the Net, due to the transient nature, and questionable academic value of some of the material that has be placed on network fileservers. If a document has been overlooked that the reader feels should be listed in the Electric Mystic's Guide, please contact the author with details of its content and location. Volume One also has extensive information on how to retrieve documents listed in this Guide, how to use Listserv and FTP, and how to search Listserv logbooks. Volume Two provides detailed information on networked document archives of interest to the religious studies field. Volume Three provides information on relevant networked organizations, online academic conferences, journals and newsletters, and commercial religious studies related networks and various other animals to be found within the emerging Electric Gaia. Each volume will also feature a glossary of terms and a glossary of commands. [Not yet written]. Each volume has an index of document titles. Volume One also includes an index of authors and an index of author's electronic mail addresses. The low ascii versions of the Electric Mystic's Guide do not contain these indexes. NOTE: Volume Two has not yet been made available on the Net. A Note to New Networkers It is impossible for this guide to tell you everything that you will need to know about using the Net. It is therefore strongly recommended that the new networker begin by identifying local support personnel and make friends with them (take them out to dinner, buy them a large gift), take a course or two in the use of electronic mail and related stuff and subscribe, as soon as you know how, to the online forum, HELP-NET. Send the e-mail message SUBSCRIBE HELP-NET your name to LISTSERV@TEMPLEVM. HELP-NET is intended for the new user and is the best online forum for asking questions about how to use the Net and find information within it. An index is available that lists very helpful information files available from the HELP-NET fileserver. Send the command INDEX HELP-NET to LISTSERV@TEMPLEVM for the index of files. The Electric Mystic's Guide assumes that the reader has a basic grasp of electronic mail (e-mail) and is able to send mail on his or her own local system. It also assume that the reader has already installed a modem and knows how to use their own person computer and communication software. The numerous types of mainframe systems and communication software make it impossible for the Guide to give details on how to download (or upload) a file or program from a mainframe to a personal computer. The author is presently writing a general guide to the Internet for Van Nostrand Reinhold Press (forthcoming, 1993). The Electric Mystic's Guide will eventually be thoroughly cross-referenced to the VNR Guide to the Internet so that new users may quickly find more information on how to use the Net. WARNING: I cannot possibly answer every query from readers concerning how to use e-mail, upload files, install a modem, unzip a file or overcome unrequited love. The main intention behind this Guide is not to instruct the reader on how to overcome every unforeseeable problem but to equip the reader with basic resources, direct to appropriate online forums, and engender skills that will help the new networker become proficient at mining the Net. I will gladly answer queries concerning errors and problems within the Electric Mystic's Guide. Inappropriate queries will receive a pre-written reply that directs the reader to more appropriate online sources of instruction and information. * 1. Online Academic Conferences * One of the best features of the Net are online discussion groups. These discussion groups allow people from all around the globe to communicate within a topically focused forum. Online discussion groups or academic conferences are referred to as conferencing systems, special interest groups (SIGs), newsgroups (USENET based groups), Listserv lists (BITNET based groups), Interest Groups (Internet based groups), and bulletin boards (bulletin board is the term usually used for discussion groups on commercial networks). Online discussion groups are managed by an individual or group of people variously referred to as one of the following: coordinator, editor, facilitator, moderator, monitor, owner, or sysop. The following section describes Listserv lists and Usenet newsgroups that are relevant to religious studies and related areas. Online discussion groups function by redistributing any mail sent to the group to each member or subscriber. In the jargon of the Net, writing to a group is referred to as posting. If it is a question that is asked, this is then referred to as a query. Within BITNET, this process is referred to as posting a query to a list. If a member posts a message, it is almost instantly redistributed to every other member. This process permits everyone to "hear" what everyone else is "saying" within the group. The group moderator(s) ensures that discussions remain focused within the group's topic and also ensures that e- mail etiquette is maintained by all participants. Some moderators compile numerous postings together into digests, which are posted to the membership on a daily basis. Digests prevent a flood of individual postings from cluttering subscriber's mail boxes. There are over two thousand different discussion groups covering topics of academic and social interest. The number of subscribers on online discussion groups range from a few dozen to thousands of members, with the largest discussion groups numbering in the tens of thousands of subscribers. Whether you are interested in homebrewing or ethnomusicology, chances are that you will find a topic of interest. These groups are like conferences that never end, interactive magazines, academic lounges that are always full (and never close), and function as research tools, social forums and virtual encyclopedias. * IOUDAIOS -- A Success Story One of the best examples of a productive and valuable academic online discussion group is the Listserv list, IOUDAIOS, also titled, The International Forum for First Century Judaism and Christian Origins. IOUDAIOS is devoted to the exploration of first-century Judaism with special interest in the writings of Philo of Alexandria and Flavius Josephus. This discussion group began as an informal seminar for the discussion of two papers by Robert A. Kraft but quickly blossomed into an international forum, with over 400 participants in North America, Europe, Australia, and The Middle East. IOUDAIOS now has an extensive Listserv fileserver archive of prepublication papers, subject glossaries and large bibliographies. IOUDAIOS also recently began disseminating electronic reviews of new books. A number of the prepublication papers were successfully published in various scholarly journals after benefiting from constructive comments from IOUDAIOS members. The first moderator of IOUDAIOS was Steve Mason (York University). Professor Mason promoted the new online discussion group by writing to scholars around the globe and invited them to explore the world of online scholarship and join the group. Professor Mason then strove to ensure that the discussion remained focused, casual yet polite and professional. As a result of this unusual effort, IOUDAIOS membership is graced with many prominent scholars in the field of first-century Judaism and early Christianity. IOUDAIOS is now moderated by David Reimer (Wilfrid Laurier University). The success of IOUDAIOS demonstrates how an academic online discussion group can foster research, facilitate the prepublication process and the dissemination of research and pedagogical material, and enable scholars around the globe to efficiently communicate with one another. How to Make the Most of Online Discussion Groups * Do Not Over Subscribe Avoid the temptation to subscribe to numerous discussion groups at first. This will lead to your mailbox being flooded with mail. Some discussion groups send out more than twenty postings per day. Over subscribing can lead to receiving hundreds of messages a day. On some systems this will result in a full mailbox and troublesome technical problems. Start with one or two lists and ensure that the volume is not too heavy before moving on to explore others. * Write Clearly and Concisely Composing an e-mail posting is much like talking publicly in the faculty lounge. You should avoid being a windbag, using English poorly and saying anything libelous about colleagues. For computer mediated communication to be effective it is important to observe a few similar guidelines for composing an e-mail message to a discussion group. When writing, keep in mind that reading a long text on a computer screen is not entirely pleasant. Therefore, keep your postings to under one hundred lines. If you need more length, break the message up into sections and give each section a subject heading: Part One, Part Two and so on. NOTE THAT WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS IS LIKE SHOUTING AND IS ALWAYS ANNOYING. If you have a question to ask, it is always best to limit each posting to one question at a time, so as to not overwhelm your readers. Take the time to write properly and spell correctly, as poor grammar and spelling will simply encourage the reader to ignore you and use the DELETE key. The tone of your letter should be as polite as possible, because electronic text does not convey all the subtle body language clues that soften humour, sarcasm and wit. Always remember that your posting is public, will likely be recorded on a university mainframe somewhere, and if poorly written or libelous may end up on a faculty lounge wall or lawyer's briefcase. * Use the NOMAIL (Listserv) Command When you are going to be away from your computer terminal for more than a few days, use the NOMAIL command to tell Listserv to stop sending you mail from Listserv lists while you are gone. To do this, send the following command interactively or as an e-mail message to the Listserv address of the discusson group (Listserv@node where node is the address of the list): SET listname NOMAIL (where listname is the name of the list) Do not send this and other commands to the list's mailing address (the address you use to post messages), as this will lead to the command being posted to all of the list's subscribers. This is embarrassing for you and annoying to others. It is best to write down the list name and address of each Listserv list that is set to NOMAIL so that you will remember to set these lists back to MAIL upon return with the command: SET listname MAIL Using the NOMAIL command will save you the annoyance of a full mailbox upon return and will prevent error messages from being returned to the list moderator. List moderators frequently unsubscribe members whose mailboxes are returning error messages. In the event that you forget if you have set a list to either MAIL or NOMAIL, you can send the following command to the Listserv address of the list: QUERY listname This command, when sent to Listserv, will return a message that tells you how your distribution options are presently set for any given Listserv list. If you fear missing some interesting postings as a result of using the NOMAIL command it is possible to retrieve the list's logbooks from the period you were away. Listserv logbooks record all postings to the list in monthly logs. To retrieve an index of a list's logbook, send the following command interactively or as an e-mail message to the Listserv address of the discusson group (Listserv@node where node is the address of the list): INDEX listname (where listname is the name of the list) For more information on retrieving Listserv logbooks, see the section Retrieving Logbooks below, page 11. * Use the DELETE Key Many new networkers succumb to the temptation to read every posting sent to a discussion group. This is no more necessary or productive than reading every item in a newspaper or journal. By paying attention to the subject headings and through a liberal use of the DELETE key (or your systems equivalent command), it is possible to wade through a large number of postings quickly and efficiently. Always give a subject heading to any e-mail message as a courtesy to others. * Take Care When Replying Occasionally, you will read a message from an online discussion group and want to reply to the individual who wrote the posting but not to the whole group. Some systems have a REPLY command that will allow you to compose a reply without retyping the entire e-mail address. This REPLY command will send your reply back to the entire list, not just to the person who wrote the original posting. REPLY (or your system's equivalent command) must be used with care to avoid sending a personal and private note to an entire list. This mistake occurs quite often on the Net and has been the source of acute embarrassment. Therefore, when you use the REPLY key, always check the mail header to see where your reply is being sent. Some VM/CMS systems have a REPLY FROM command that will return your note only to the person who wrote the original posting to a list. Both REPLY and REPLY FROM should be used with extreme caution if your message is personal and private. * Subscribe to NEW-LIST NEW-LIST is an information service that posts messages concerning newly created lists. List changes and deletions are also announced here. This is also a forum for asking if a list on a certain topic presently exists. To subscribe, send the command to Listserv@ndsuvm1 SUB NEW-LIST Yourfirstname Yourlastname Subscription to NEW-LIST list is highly recommended for all networkers. * Start A New Discussion Group If you find that there is no existing group for the topic you wish to discuss, talk to your system administration or postmaster. It is usually not difficult to obtain permission to start a new online discussion group if there is sufficient justification. Before doing so, ensure that a group similar to the one you wish to start does not already exist. You should also talk to someone who moderates an online discussion group, to find out how much work is involved, and also retrieve and read the article How to Start a BITNET LISTSERV Discussion Group: A Beginner's Guide, by Diane Kovacs et al. Available from PACS-L, Listserv@uhupvm1 or Listserv@uhupvm1.uh.edu as KOVACS PRV2N1. Directories of Listserv Lists The following is information regarding a variety of Listserv list directories presently available on the Net. These directories will help you find online discussion groups for personal interest or as research forums. * BITNET Listserv Global List of Public Listserv Lists This directory contains brief information on all of the discussion groups on BITNET. Check first whether a copy of the list is kept locally. To retrieve this document, send the command to any Listserv: LIST GLOBAL On Internet, send the above command as a mail message to Listserv@vm1.nodak.edu. A 3000 line file named Listserv Lists will be returned. The directory Listserv Lists is constantly updated and can be searched remotely to find more Listserv lists. Send the following command to Listserv: LIST GLOBAL /keyword where keyword is the discussion group topic that interests you. Some relevant keywords for religion related lists are muslim, islam, buddha, buddhist, native, christ, ministry, jew, orthodox, pagan, hebrew, mason, evangel, occult, religion and catholic. * SRI NIC Maintained Interest-Groups List of Lists The SRI network service maintains an extensive directory of list descriptions, variously known as Interest Groups List of Lists, Interests-Groups, SIGLIST and Interests Lists. To retrieve this directory, send the following command to mail-server@nisc.sri.com SEND NETINFO/INTEREST-GROUPS The above command will return twenty-six files, each approximately 800 lines long. Further information on the NIC server itself is available with the command SEND HELP. This document is also available via FTP as interest-groups.Z from the node ftp.nisc.sri.com in the directory /netinfo/. This file is over 900K in size, so ensure that you have sufficient disk space to receive the document. * Dartmouth Merged List of Internet and BITNET Lists Dartmouth University maintains a combined list of over 2,500 BITNET based Listserv lists and Internet based interest groups. To retrieve this directory, send the following commands to Listserv@dartcms1 or Listserv@dartcms1.dartmouth.edu INDEX SIGLISTS SEND LISTTEXT PACKAGE This document is also available via FTP as a variety of files from the node dartcms1.dartmouth.edu (129.170.16.19) in the directory /siglists/. There is also a Macintosh hypercard application as well as VM/CMS, VAX/VMS and UNIX applications that format, display and search the Dartmouth List of Lists. Retrieve the READ.ME file from the above FTP directory for more information. * Dartmouth INTGROUP Database Server Dartmouth University also maintains a searchable database that consists of the SIR Interest Groups list, the BITNET Listserv Global List, and the archives of the NEW-LIST Listserv list. Send the command INFO DATABASE to Listserv for complete information on how to search this database. * Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences The best organized directory of academic discussion groups is Diane Kovacs' Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences. This directory contains information on over 800 online conferences of interest to scholars. The latest revision of the Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences is available via e-mail to Listserv@kentvm or Listserv@ksuvxa.kent.edu (file names listed below) and via anonymous FTP to the node ksuvxa.kent.edu in the directory /library/. The files available are: ACADLIST README (explanatory notes for the Directory with an index) ACADLIST FILE1 (Anthropology--Education) ACADLIST FILE2 (Futurology--Latin American Studies) ACADLIST FILE3 (Library and Information Science-- Music) ACADLIST FILE4 (Political Science--Writing) ACADLIST FILE5 (biological sciences) ACADLIST FILE6 (physical sciences) ACADLIST FILE7 (business and general academia) ACADLIST FILEx (and so on as new editions are released) ACADWHOL HQX (binhexed self-decompressing Macintosh M.S. Word 4.0 document of all 6 directories) ACADSOCH HQX (binhexed self-decompressing Macintosh M.S. Word 4.0 document of the Social Science and Humanities files 1-3) ACADLIST CHANGES (all the major additions, deletions and alterations) * For more information, contact: Diane K. Kovacs Kent State University Libraries Kent, Ohio 44242 Phone: (216)672-3045 DKOVACS@kentvm or LIBRK329@kentvms DKOVACS@kentvm.kent.edu or LIBRK329@ksuvxa.kent.edu Further information on directories of discussion groups can be had by retrieving the document Some Lists of Lists (compiled by Marty Hoag nu021172@vm1.nodak.edu). This directory is available via Listserv as LISTOF LISTS from Listserv@ndsuvm1 or Listserv@vm1.nodak.edu and is also available via FTP as listsof.list from the node vm1.nodak.edu (134.129.111.1) in the directory /new- list/. How to Subscribe to Online Discussion Groups There are three basic types of discussion groups; Listserv lists, Internet interest groups, and USENET newsgroups (USENET newsgroups are documented at the end of this section). To simplify the subscription process, each discussion group listed below has instructions indicating where a subscription request is to be sent. The following information is included with each documented discussion group: Subscription Method: (Automatic to Server or By Moderator) Internet Subscription Address: (Use if you are on Internet) BITNET Subscription Address: (Use if you are on BITNET) Mailing Address: (Use this address to post to the discussion group) Number of Subscribers: (Total number of members) Logbooks: (Records of past group conversations) Other Archived Material: (Other files, such as papers and bibliographies) Gatewayed to USENET: (Some BITNET/Internet discussion groups are also available as USENET newsgroups) *Posting Volume: (Average number of postings per day) *Not listed in this edition. If the Subscription Method is listed as By Moderator, then to subscribe, send an e-mail message to the Subscription Request Address that includes your name, address and institutional affiliation with your request to subscribe. By Moderator indicates that the subscription request will be received and processed by the moderator of the discussion group. If the Subscription Method is Automatic to Server, then send the following e-mail message to the Subscription Request Address. SUBSCRIBE listname Yourfirstname Yourlastname The listname will be indicated in the Subscription Method line. If you are on Internet, use the Internet address, if you are on BITNET, use the BITNET address. If a BITNET address is not available, BITNET users can use the Internet address. Automatic to Server indicates that the subscription request will be received and processed automatically. The above command must be sent to the Subscription Request Address as indicated. Remember to leave the subject line blank and to turn off any automatic signature file. This is necessary as your subscription request will be processed automatically by a computer, not by a person. The following is an example of how each discussion group is documented below: * The International Forum for First Century Judaism and Christian Origins (IOUDAIOS) Subscription Method: Automatic to Server: SUB IOUDAIOS Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@vm1.yorku.ca BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@yorkvm1 Mailing Address: Ioudaios@yorkvm1 or Ioudaios@vm1.yorku.ca Number of Subscribers: 400 Logbooks: Yes Other Archived Material: Yes To subscribe to this discussion group, send the following e-mail message to Listserv@yorkvm1 or Listserv@vm1.yorku.ca SUB IOUDAIOS your name (Replace your name with your first and last name) If you are on BITNET, this command can be sent interactively as follows: TELL LISTSERV AT YORKVM1 SUB IOUDAIOS To unsubscribe from a discussion group, use either the command UNSUB or SIGNOFF. Due to various technical problems that sometimes occur, it is recommended that you maintain a file that records the address of the discussion groups to which you subscribe, as well as the address you subscribed under (BITNET or Internet). To unsubscribe from IOUDAIOS, send the following e-mail message to Listserv@yorkvm1 or Listserv@vm1.yorku.ca SIGNOFF IOUDAIOS If you are on BITNET, this command can be sent interactively as follows: TELL LISTSERV AT YORKVM1 SIGNOFF IOUDAIOS Note that if subscription was done by a moderator, the moderator will have to unsubscribe you. A frequent mistake is to send these commands directly to the entire discussion group. NOTE: Before subscribing to a Listserv list, each new user must send the following command to Listserv: REGISTER your name Replace your name with your own first and last name. This command tells Listserv how to address you. Directions for online discussion groups that have a different method of subscribing then the above procedures will have instructions included with individual entries. Retrieving Logbooks Many online discussion groups keep records of past conversations in logbooks. To retrieve a list of logbooks and other files, send the command: INDEX Listname (Where Listname is the Listserv name of the discussion group) This command must be sent to the server address. For example, to get the index of files available from IOUDAIOS, send the command: INDEX IOUDAIOS to Listserv@yorkvm1 or Listserv@vm1.yorku.ca. Do not send the INDEX IOUDAIOS command to the address Ioudaios@yorkvm1 as this would result in the command being posted to all 400 subscribers. This INDEX command will retrieve a file that lists all available logbooks and documents. Listserv indexes look like this following section from the CONTENTS filelist: NOTEBOOK archives for the list CONTENTS (Monthly notebook) filename filetype GET PUT fm lrecl nrecs Remarks -------- -------- --- --- --- ----- ----- ------------------------------- CONTENTS LOG9201 PRV OWN V 79 128 Started on Fri, 17 Jan 1992 CONTENTS LOG9202 PRV OWN V 79 2875 Started on Tue, 4 Feb 1992 The file name CONTENTS LOG9201 tells us that this file is the log of all postings to CONTENTS in January 1992. The code PRV (PRIVATE) under the column GET means that only members of this list may retrieve archived files and logbooks. If this code was ALL then both members and non-members could retrieve logbooks and files. In the column under nrecs the number 128 means that this logbook is 128 lines long. To retrieve this logbook, send the following command to either Listserv@yorkvm1 or Listserv@vm1.yorku.ca: GET CONTENTS LOG9201 For information on searching Listserv logbooks, send the command GET LISTDB MEMO to any Listserv address (for example, to Listserv@uottawa or Listserv@acadvm1.uottawa.ca). Charles W. Bailey Jr., has written a simplified explanation of how to search Listserv logbooks. This document may be retrieved as the file pacsl_dbms.txt via FTP from the node hydra.uwo.ca in the directory /libsoft/. BITNET and Internet Religious Studies Related Lists The following information is based on Diane Kovacs' Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences and NEW- LIST, as well as a variety of other sources. All entries has been revised and expanded. In all cases, entries have been confirmed by group moderators to ensure accuracy. * Bahai Faith Subscription Method: By Moderator Internet Subscription Address: bahai-faith@oneworld.wa.com BITNET Subscription Address: As above Mailing Address: bahai-faith-request@oneworld.wa.com Number of Subscribers: ? Logbooks: ? Other Archived Material: ? Gatewayed to USENET: Yes -- soc.religion.bahai The discussion group will act as a non-threatening forum for discussing and sharing information about the tenets, history, and texts of the Baha'i Faith. Examples of posts that fall within the group's scope are: The Baha'i Faith's relation to other religions; relevance of Baha'i principles to current world events/problems; analysis of particular scriptural passages or themes; and general questions and answers. Moderators: Aaron Nabil Eastlund nabil@cse.ogi.edu or srb- mods@oneworld.wa.com Babak Kashef babak@canada.sun.com Mark Towfiq towfiq@ftp.com Rick Troxel rick@helix.nih.gov * Buddhist Discussion Group (BUDDHA-L) Subscription Method: Automatic to Server: SUB BUDDHA-L your name Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@ulkyvm.louisville.edu BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@ulkyvm Mailing Address: buddha-l@ulkyvm or buddha-l@ulkyvm.louisville.edu Number of Subscribers: 248 Logbooks: Yes -- On Listserv Other Archived Material: No BUDDHA-L is an electronic discussion group formed towards the end of providing a means for those interested in Buddhist Studies to exchange information and views. It is hoped that the group will function as an open forum for scholarly discussion of topics relating to the history, literature and languages, fine arts, philosophy, and institutions of all forms of Buddhism. It may also serve as a forum for discussion of issues connected to the teaching of Buddhist studies at the university level, and as a place for posting notices of employment opportunities. The primary purpose of this list is to provide a forum for serious academic discussion. It is open to all persons inside and outside the academic context who wish to engage in substantial discussion of topics relating to Buddhism and Buddhist studies. BUDDHA-L is not to be used for proselytizing for or against Buddhism in general, any particular form of Buddhism, or any other religion or philosophy, nor is it to be used as a forum for making unsubstantiable confessions of personal conviction. Moderator: Jim Cocks jacocks@ulkyvm * Christian Discussion Subscription Method: By Moderator; message to MAILJC-REQUEST Internet Subscription Request Address: mailjc- request@cps.altadena.ca.us BITNET Subscription Request Address: As above Mailing Address: mailjc@cps.altadena.ca.us Number of Subscribers: 450 Logbooks: Yes Other Archived Material: No To provide a non-hostile environment for discussion among Christians. Non-Christians may join the conference and "listen-in", but full blown debates between Christians and non-Christians are best carried out in soc.religion.christian or talk.religion USENET newsgroups. Moderator: Liz Allen liz@cps.altadena.ca.us * Christian Thought and Literature in Late Antiquity (ELENCHUS) Subscription Method: Automatic to server: SUB ELENCHUS Internet Subscription Request Address: Listserv@acadvm1.uottawa.ca BITNET Subscription Request Address: Listserv@uottawa Mailing Address: Elenchus@acadvm1.uottawa.ca or Elenchus@uottawa Number of Subscribers: 250 Logbooks: Yes Other Archived Material: No Christian Thought and Literature in Late Antiquity (ELENCHUS) is devoted to discussions of the thought and literature of Christianity during the period 100 to 500 a.d. (c.e.). This will include discussions of patristics, gnosticism, asceticism, monasticism, archeology, the Nag Hammadi and Manichaean corpora, the canon of Scripture and the early translations of the Scriptures (into, among other languages, Latin, Syriac, Coptic), the history of exegesis (including the appropriation by Christians of the texts of Judaism and other religious, philosophical, or ideological groupings), as well as historical and theological developments from the time of the Apologists to the fall of the Western Empire. The languages of discussion will be English or French. Submissions in either language are welcomed, and patience and understanding on the part of all are encouraged! Moderator: L. Gregory Bloomquist Saint Paul University / University of Ottawa S-Mail: 223 Main St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 1C4 CANADA Voice: (613) 782-3027 / 236-1393 FAX: (613) 567-2959 / 782-3005 Gbloomq@acadvm1.uottawa.ca Gbloomq@acadvm1.uottawa.ca * Classics Discussion (CLASSICS) Subscription Method: Automatic to Server: SUB CLASSICS your name Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@uwavm.u.washington.edu BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@uwavm Mailing Address: classics@uwavm.u.washington.edu or classic@uwavm Number of Subscribers: 210 Logbooks: Yes -- On Listserv Other Archived Material: No A list for discussing ancient Greek and Latin subjects. This list is open to everyone interested in Classics, and prospective members are warmly welcomed. The discussions assume a background in ancient Greek and/or Latin. The CLASSICS list is neither run by nor directly affiliated with the University of Washington Classics Department. Moderator: Linda Wright lwright@u.washington.edu * Discussion of Beliefs and Practices of Conservative Judaism (CJ-L) Subscription Method: Automatic to Server: SUB CJ-L your name Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@uacsc2.albany.edu BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@albny1vm Mailing Address: cj-l@uacsc2.albany.edu or cj-l@albnyvm1 Number of Subscribers: 115 Logbooks: Yes -- On Listserv Other Archived Material: No Discussion of the beliefs and practices of Conservative Judaism. Moderator: Mark Steinberger Bob Pfeiffer mark@csc.albany.edu grape@albnyvm1 mark@fenris.albany.edu * Eastern Orthodox Christianity Discussion (EOCHR-L) Subscription Method: Automatic to Server: SUB EOCHR-L your name Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@qucdn.queensu.ca BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@qucdn Mailing Address: eochr-l@qucdn or eochr-l@qucdm.queensu.ca Number of Subscribers: 70 Logbooks: Yes -- On Listserv Other Archived Material: No The purpose of the Eastern Orthodox Christian discussion group is to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas by members of the various Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches around the world, as well as any other people who are seriously interested in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and the concerns of the Orthodox. It exists for polite, open, tolerant, and truly pan-Orthodox discussions of any topics related to the Orthodox faith, to the corporate life of the various national Orthodox churches, and/or to the individual lives of Orthodox Christians. Moderator: Dragic V. Vukomanocic Dragic.Vukomanovic@QueensU.CA * Generic Religions and Secret Societies Subscription Method: By Moderator Internet Subscription Address: Grass- server@wharton.upenn.edu BITNET Subscription Address: As above Mailing Address: Grass@wharton.upenn.edu Number of Subscribers: 90 Logbooks: No Other Archived Material: No GRASS (Generic Religions And Secret Societies) is a working group formed in order to write up brief descriptions of various religions and initiatory societies for whatever purposes you like, with the emphasis on use in roleplaying games. As is only natural given the subject matter, we have an