25 Jan 1991
From: John A. Thywissen
To:   Fellow Amiga UUCP users

Subj: Registering your Amiga UUCP node

To make your machine "officially" part of the networks, you must
register it.  This is free, and is done simply by sending a few mail
messages.  Here's a narrative on how to do it:

After you get your Amiga test UUCP configuration running using Matt's
instructions, you must find a friendly system administrator (read:
victim :-) ) who will let you connect to his machine and pass mail
and (if possible) news.  If you have trouble finding such a machine,
ask a friendly net guru to scope possibilities.  If all the free
avenues fail, or if your UUCP requirements are more than can be
handled on an informal basis, there is a company called "UUNET
Communication Services", located in Falls Church, Virginia that
offers UUCP connections for a monthly fee.  They have different rates
for different levels of usage, and you can have them pay for the long
distance when you poll them.  Give them a call--their phone number is
(703) 876 5050.

One you have done the above, and your machine (now called a network
"node") is set up fine and polling, you need to make the rest of the
world aware of your node's location on the network, so they can route
messages to you.  To do so, you must register your node in the UUCP
map database.  This database is distributed through the USENET news
system every month, in a newsgroup called comp.mail.maps.  See the
file "map_README" for information on UUCP maps.

** NOTE: ** It is _STRONGLY_ recommended that you register your node
            in the maps.  It will make life easier for you, people
            trying to reach you, and the rest of the network, which
            has to route the messages intended for you.  It is
            possible to run without being "mapped" but this is
            frowned upon by "The Powers That Be".

When you register in the maps, be sure to tell the system
administrator of the machine(s) you connect with to update the map
entry for his machine to include your node.  That is, the map entry
for your machine must say that you talk to him, and the entry for his
machine must say that he talks to you.

If you register your node in the maps, you will have an official,
worldwide recognized UUCP address.  People on the "Internet" can use
the pseudo-official address "user@node.UUCP" to reach you.

Currently, the networking community is trying to move all machines to
"domain-style" addresses.  It is suggested that you obtain such an
address.  To get an official "domain-style" Internet address, you must
register your machine in the Internet domain system.  The Internet
domain system uses address in a hierarchical form.  For instance, a
machine called "venus" in the computer science department of the
University of Kansas would be described as:
    venus.cs.ukans.edu
where
    venus is the name of the machine
    cs    is the department
    ukans is the institution
    edu   indicates the "education" top-domain
The computer science department has other machines, named mars and
jupiter, and so on.  These are named "mars.cs.ukans.edu" and 
"jupiter.cs.ukans.edu".  The School of Engineering at the University
of Kansas has a machine named "marconi.end.ukans.edu".  Other schools
have machines named things like "name.yale.edu", and so on.

So, you must name your machine in a similar fashion when you register
in the Internet.  Currently, there are four "top-level" domains in
the United States open to UUCP hosts for registration:
    us   For small companies and home machines
    edu  For educational institutions
    com  For commercial machines
    org  For organizations (clubs, societies, and the like)
Most Amigas will want to register in the US domain.  This domain is
organized geographically, by city and state.  For instance, a node
name could be "node.atlanta.ga.us". See the file US-DOMAIN.TXT for
more information.

Outside of the United States, the top-level domains are usually an
abbreviation of the country name, such as "ca" for Canada, "de" for
Germany, and so on.

If you wish to register in the edu, com, or org domain, the procedure
is similar to the US domain, but a little bit stricter.  Information
about this is available from the Network Information Center.  Send a
mail message with the subject of "NETINFO INDEX" to the address
SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL for an index of available files pertaining to
domain registration and other Internet topics.  Send a message with a
subject of "HELP" for information on the Network Information
Center's "SERVICE" mailbox.

So, in summary:
1. Get test configuration working.
2. Find a machine to connect with.
3. Test out this connection.
4. Mail off a map entry, as described in map_README.
5. Have the system administrator of the machine you connect with mail
   an updated map entry for his machine.
6. OPTIONAL: Go through US domain registration procedures described in
   US-DOMAIN.TXT. (This will require cooperation of your friendly
   system administrator again.)
7. Enjoy the life of being "well-connected"!!


If you run into problems, contact you local net guru, or me at one of
the below addresses.

Have Fun!

           John A. Thywissen
Internet:  tigger!thywiss@mimsy.umd.edu
UUCP:      uunet!mimsy!tigger!thywiss
Postal:    4205 Tuckerman Street, University Park, MD 20782-2144