InfoMania.guide Version InfoMania Guide 0.2 (6.1.95) Klaus Alexander Seistrup Copyright © 1995 Magnetic Ink 1. InfoMania command guide infobot@infomania.com Welcome to the new InfoMania information-by-mail server. This server is a complete replacement for the one that ran at netcom.com. In addition, it is acting as a job-tracker for InfoMania customers. To send personal e-mail to the previous owners of this server: e-mail jfesler@crl.com for Jason Fesler e-mail dlangley@crl.com for Doug Langley To comment about this server, you will want to direct your comments to jfesler@infomania.com instead. InfoMania customers: E-mail status@infomania.com with your job number on the subject line. The current status of your job will be returned back to you. You are also more than welcome to experiment with the other mail-server functions documented below. If you know of other easy-to-get information on the Internet, that's only a small command away, and would like to see it added to the list of commands above, send me e-mail -- if it's reasonable, I'll add it in! Note, that these files are available at ftp.netcom.com:/pub/jfesler/ ... If you have ftp abilities, please use that method instead of the mail server, as the overhead is far less. 2. Brief summary of commands Brief summary of commands (on the Subject line!): ACRONYM {var} Looks up {var} for matching acronyms ALMANAC Looks up today in history, weather, trivia, etc AREA {var} Looks up city, state, country, etc for telephone codes CALLNAME {var} Looks up ham radio call signs for person {var} CALLHELP Returns suggestions on how to do ham radio lookups CALLSIGN {var} Looks up ham radio call sign {var} CALLZIP {var} Looks up ham radio call signs in zip code {var} CHEF {msgbody} Bork Bork Bork! DIG {parms} Internet "dig" program; complements nslookup FINDCD {search} Search throuch CD (music) catalog ... FINGER {user} Fingers {user} and mails you the results GEEK Returns the current Code of the Geeks JARGON {word} Check the Hacker's Jargon File for a word LOAD Shows load on InfoMania's Sun MAN {search} Returns the manual pages for whatever program NSLOOKUP {parms} Runs the name server lookup program (see below) PDIAL {search} Get or scan latest PDIAL public access list PI Returns several hundred digits worth of PI PING {site} Tells our site to ping another site. ROOT2 Returns several hundred digits worth of SqrRoot(2) TOPTEN Get the latest Top-Ten list (this is NOT a mailing list) WEATHER {parms} Returns weather, etc for North America STATUS {job#} Returns info on a specific job number for InfoMania! WEBSTER {word} Look up {word} in dictionary WHOIS Look up domain registration with the Internet WX {parms} Returns weather, etc for North America HELP Shows HELP file infobot@infomania.com 3. The ACRONYM command Acronym {word or acronym} This function will check a server that contains many of todays often used acronyms. You can search for a word (i.e., big, large, etc), or a specific acronym. 4. The ARCHIE command Archie {options} This function has been removed due to archie servers world wide failing. The load caused by the failing archie servers has been unacceptable :-( . Use the ARCHIE function to get info on where to send e-mail. 5. The ALMANAC command Almanac This command "finger"s copi@oddjob.uchicago.edu to do it's dirty work. A lot of interesting information that changes from day to day is here. 6. The AREA command Area {city or country name, or telephone code} This function accesses a server which contains most, if not all, of the telephone area codes and country codes around the world. Example searches would be AREA 916 or AREA NETHERLANDS. Good way of finding out what area code someone is in, also a good way of finding out where someone lives by their telephone number. 7. The CALLINFO command CallInfo Returns information about the ham radio call-sign lookup server being operated via telnet callsign.cs.buffalo.edu 2000... 8. The CALLHELP command CallHelp Returns help instructions on ways of narrowing down your searches with the ham radio functions. It mentions how to limit by location, name, etc. 9. The CALLNAME command CallName {partial name of ham radio operator} Looks up the ham radio call sign database for anybody with the name that you specify. 10. The CALLSIGN command CallSign {ham call sign} Looks up a ham radio call sign, and tells you who it belongs to, where they live, etc. Handy if you hear an unfamiliar call over the radio. 11. The CALLZIP command CallZip {zipcode} Looks up all ham radio users for the zipcode that you specify. 12. The CHEF command Chef {msg body} Thees veell cunfert yuoor messege-a budy tu meke-a it luuk leeke-a it ves perheps vreettee by zee Svedeesh Cheff, frum zee Mooppets. It cun teke-a uny sereeuoos text, und toorn it intu a rezeer hoomuooruoos ferseeun ooff zee ooreeginel. Bork Bork Bork! 13. The DIG command Dig {options} Runs the name service lookup program. You may either specify options on the subject line, or may use the message body; in the second case, InfoBot will pretend you were typing all of that stuff straight into dig. Mainly for sysadmins who want to confirm their own name service dæmons are working correctly. To get instructions on it's syntax, e-mail man@infomania.com, with a subject of "dig". 14. The FINDCD command FindCD {searchString} This function allows you to search for your favorite author or title through a catalog of CD's. Only one search string is allowed per search (hopefully, I'll make a real program to handle this later). An example would be FINDCD Pink Floyd or FINDCD Dark Side. Search results will be limited to 40k; also, you'll get an advertisement at the end on how to get the complete catalog via ftp, as well as how you can order some of these CD's via a local merchant. The rates are usually pretty decent compared to the local stores, and this guy delivers... :-) The entire catalog can be FTP'd from ftp.netcom.org:/pub/recplace/ ... 15. The FINGER command Finger {user} This command will allow you to "finger" any user or site on the Internet that is fingerable. The results will be sent back as e-mail. This is primarilly for people who have only mail access to the Internet; many good things are available, but only by fingering various addresses. For more information, e-mail infobot@infomania.com, subject: man finger 16. The FX command FX If you want the latest copy of FX-UUCICO,along with any associated FAQ files, etc, sent to your e-mail address, use this command. You will need a copy of uudecode to interpret these messages. 17. The GEEK command Geek This command returns the current version of the Code of the Geeks. 18. The JARGON command Jargon {word} This command will check the Hacker's Jargon File v2.99 [April 1992], for the word you specify. Most entries are of humourous nature. One such word you want to try is JARGON pizza ... If you do not specify a word, this function will return back an index of all searchable keywords. Use this if you are just browsing. 19. The LOAD command Load This command is useless for anyone who is not at Infomania. Why it's made public, I have no idea. Really! 20. The MAN command Man {programName} This is an extremely redundant one. Most people who have need for the man pages, will have access to a "man" command on their system. However, just in case this proves useful to someone... You can ask for man pages via e-mail. A sample request would be MAN sz to get help on the "sz" program. 21. The NSLOOKUP command NSLookUp {options} Runs the name service lookup program. You may either specify options on the subject line, or may use the message body; in the second case, InfoBot will pretend you were typing all of that stuff straight into nslookup. Mainly for sysadmins who want to confirm their own name service dæmons are working correctly. To get instructions on it's syntax, e-mail man@infomania.com, with a subject of "nslookup". 22. The PDIAL command PDial {searchString} [Defaults to returning ENTIRE PDIAL list] This command will allow you to retrieve the latest PDIAL public access list maintained by Peter Kaminski (kaminski@netcom.com). If no options specified, the entire list is sent back (circa 70k). You are allowed to specify a search string, such as an areacode. If given, you will be given only the relevant providers related to the search. I.e., PDIAL 916 will return all 916 area providers. PDIAL 212 SLIP will return all SLIP providers in the 212 area code. PDIAL NETCOM will return info about netcom.com. Peter Kaminski has given his express permission to use his list via this function. 23. The PI command PI This function will return to you via e-mail the value of PI, to several hundred digits accuracy. The resulting message will be approximately 20-30k long. 24. The PING command Ping Tells infomania.com to "ping" another site on the Internet. Useful for administrators trying to make sure that their site is reachable when the connections are questionable, i.e. after wide area route reconfiguration, etc. (Note: traceroute is not available, please don't ask. Sorry!). To get instructions on it's syntax, e-mail man@infomania.com, with a subject of "ping". 25. The ROOT2 command Root2 This function will return to you via e-mail the value of the square root of 2, to several hundred digits accuracy. The resulting message will be approximately 20-30k. 26. The STATUS command Status {job number} [This is only for customers of InfoMania] This function will allow you to check on the status of a scanning or output job that we are doing for you. You will see a journal log of who has worked on your job, with any discertations that may have been made. On request and at no additional charge, this same information can be e-mailed to you whenever we make an update to your job's journal. Ask us for details, or write down your e-mail address on your order form in the "Special Instructions" box. 27. The TOPTEN command TopTen The David Letterman Top Ten List; sends back the latest list actually broadcast by the television network. 28. The WEATHER command Weather {abr} WX {abr} Include a 3 letter city abbreviation, or a 2 letter state abbreviation. This works on USA and Canadian locations. Specify WEATHER HELP or WX HELP if you would like help instructions. Various things from current conditions and forcasts to ski reports and earthquake data are available. 29. The WEBSTER command Webster {word} This command will allow you to look up any word in the English language. If you have a list of words, you may instead leave the {word} field blank, and use the message body (one word per line, no blank lines). If you can not get the list method to work, go back to a single message per request. 30. The WHOIS command WhoIs {options} {siteName} This command will run the standard "whois" client program, querying the InterNic for the domain name registration information for the given site name. For more details, e-mail infobot@infomania.com, subject "man whois". 31. The HELP command Help You're reading it! 32. About InfoMania Guide InfoMania Guide Created : 06-Jan-95 By : Klaus Alexander Seistrup E-Mail : kas@mink.ping.dk 33. Soli Deo Gloria »The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.« (Zephaniah 3:17)