Before we get into details about the many ways of using the 2068 to gain textual information from the Internet, let’s briefly clear up some misconceptions and errors from last time !!
After listing an E-mail message to you, the mail prompt “?”, will appear. This initiates a reply, should you type, “r” and press ENTER. This also deletes that particular E-mail from your electronic mailbox. In order to delete the letter only (without a reply) then simply enter “d” after the mail prompt, “?”.
Regarding Mailing Lists, a couple of months ago, entering the line
lynx http://scwww.ucs.indiana.edu/mlarchiv
would generate a long list of mailing lists for us to join. Apparently, they have gone out of business. Currently, the net is a model of freedom : freedom to use, lose, and abuse.
When using lynx to navigate the web, there are two contrasting ways of initiating a session:
Either lynx username@computername
or lynx, all by itself.
In the latter case, the Internet banner will fill the screen. Now, you can ENTER
username@computername
in order to connect with username’s site at computername. In this case, we learn, that scwww.ucs.indiana,edu is not found !
So, for cool sites on the Internet, use’em or lose’em but do not abuse’em !!
We wish to take this opportunity to announce the opening of a new Message Base on SOL BBS, entitled Advanced 2068 Topics, and dedicated to new applications for our 2068 like ASAPfax, branch switching, and Internet applications. SOL BBS is at 520 882-0388.
Now, we wish to pass along some inside information on Surf’n the Internet with the 2068 :
The idea is that we want to use the numeric keypad, the top row on the 2068, to act as arrows for navigating the web.
1. Get the UNIX prompt $ onto the screen.
2. Enter the lynx command.
3. After lynx displays any “home” page, the cursor stops for your response. So, press o, in order to display the Options Menu.
4. Select the keypad option, by pressing k
5. Press the space bar, or BREAK key, repeatedly, till the value of this option has the number keys pointing to arrows, not to links
6. Accept this value, by pressing ENTER.
7. SAVE this setting and leave the Options Menu, by pressing >.
OK, now that goes into your configuration file, which is maintained by UNIX.
From this point on, we can use lynx to bounce around the web pages, as follows :
“1” acts as the end key (move to the end of current web page.)
“2” acts as the down key (move down one link on the current page.)
“3” acts as the page-down key (move down one screenful.)
“4” acts as the left key (jump back to the previous web page.)
“6” acts as the right key (follow the selected link to the new web page.)
“7” acts as the home key (move to the top of current web page.)
“8” acts as the up key (move up one link on current web page.)
“9” acts as the page-up key (move up one screenful.)
This is not the only way to set up the keypad for surfing the net, but we find it a profitable way to while away the hours at the keyboard.
Navigation 101
We note, that key 6 above, “follows the selected link to new page”. On the 2068, a link is selected, by pressing 6 when the link is listed at the bottom of the page.
What is a page? That’s what you get, by ENTERing lynx or lynx username@computername on a line. It is a list of information and information sources, called links. You access the information source or “follow the link” by “clicking on it”. In the case of the 2068, you press 6 or ENTER, while the desired link is at the bottom of the screen. Try it, you’ll Like it !!
Should we get lost, Just press m, which takes us back to the first web page.
We search for a pattern, by pressing 7 and going to the top of the current web page, where we ENTER /pattern.
Using the number keys to navigate the web is actually necessary, since special keys don’t work on the 2068. These include keys like end, down, page-down, left, right, home, up, and page-up. Actually, Larry says to use SS-D, in order to get the home key, but it never works for me!
So, here we go :
1.LOAD a web page, containing a large amount of data, including color graphics.
2. Press p.
3. Choose from many Output Options.
Save to a local file ==>>> Saves the text of a web page to a file on the UNIX host, where it can be downloaded, etc.
Mail the file ==>>> Mails a copy of the web page to someone.
Print to the screen ==>>> This is what I always use.
None of the color graphics appears, i.e., no garbage. I just capture it to my capture buffer, if desired.
When using lynx to browse the web, we can get hypertext (web sites), gopherspace (menus of menus), ftp catalogs of files), telnet (access to other Internet sites), news (access to usenet), or mailto (E-mail.)
Suppose we run into some good files, while using ftp of or gopher. Then, we press d (download). Two choices follow:
1. SAVE to disk.
2. DOWNLOAD to local terminal via ZMODEM.
#1 Will download the file to a disk on the UNIX computer. #2 Will download the file right to the 2068, since I’ve never had problems with ZMODEM.
In response to the UNIX prompt $. we can send ME mail, by using the line: MAIL [e-mail address omitted]
But, if we are already in lynx, well we just use MAIL TO: [e-mail address omitted] in order to accomplish the same objective !
I mean, if we are using lynx to look at a web page, listing a lot of links, then, we can use lynx with mailto to SEND mail to any one at the other end of a link !
Next time, we will start, by clarifying any mistakes from this time and finish up , by discussing the cool way to access USENET !
Keep On TIMEX’n ……