Editor's Note: Minutes received 7/27 

CURRENT_MEETING_REPORT_



Reported by Ellen Hoffman/Merit and Lenore Jackson/NASA

Minutes of the User Documents Revisions Working Group (USERDOC2)

Review of Previous Session

The Group reviewed the discussion of the San Diego IETF meeting held
during the USWG meeting to issue two documents.  This includes producing
a new, short, 2-pager aimed specifically at novice users, and a revision
of the longer bibliography to update RFC 1175.

Status of Documents

Two documents were distributed.  The first, a draft of the proposed
short bibliography was distributed as well as a list of proposed
additions to the long bibliography.

Review of New Short Bibliography

A number of changes were suggested for the draft novice user
bibliography.  There was some discussion that there is no single, brief
(2-3 page) description of the Internet, and it was agreed that this
should be further discussed at the USWG. One book was added to the list,
some reorganization was proposed, and it was agreed there should be a
line to encourage users who needed more information to contact their
local network provider.  It was also agreed not to add how-tos about
applications like mail or FTP.

A focus of the discussion is how new users, who may not have a
connection or may not know how to get materials on the net, could find
on-line documents and whether there should be more instructions about
FTP, WAIS, Gopher, etc.  The Group accepted a proposal to have a single
directory with all the on-line materials which several NICs would agree
to mirror, and when possible, have these accessible through other tools
such as WAIS, Gopher, and Archie.  This directory could also be updated
as new resources are added.  While this was agreed to as a short-term
solution that could be implemented immediately, it was also recognized
that this was not an ideal longer term solution.  The Group agreed to go
ahead so the material would at least be available soon using existing
mechanisms.

Merit volunteered to create a ``master'' directory on nis.nsf.net and
seven other NICs volunteered to create ``mirror'' directories.  These
include ftp.nis.sri.com, nnsc.nsf.net, ftp.concert.net, paccom?,
nic.ddn.mil, nic.mr.net, and ftp.jvnc.net.  Merit will also set up its
mail server to send out a generalized ``help'' file for those who want
more information on getting the on-line documents and using retrieval
tools to help keep the bibliography short.

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Review of Proposed Additions to Longer Bibliography

The list of proposed additions was briefly discussed.  It was agreed
that the bibliography needed to reflect the world-wide Internet and
should not focus on NREN and other U.S. policy papers or controversies.
Volunteers were recruited to help write abstracts for the new entries.

Review of Action Items

All attendees will be automatically added to the mailing list.  A
revised short bibliography will be sent out within two weeks, and if
there are no major objections, it will be sent to the RFC editor.  The
long list additions will be sent out and the Group will recommend
additions.  The goal is a draft with all additions for review at the
next IETF. Merit will put up a directory and work with the volunteer
mirror sites to implement the on-line sources.

Attendees
 
Vikas Aggarwal           aggarwal@nisc.jvnc.net
George Brett             ghb@jazz.concert.net
Jodi-Ann Chu             jodi@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu
Alan Clegg               abc@concert.net
Daniel Dern              ddern@world.std.com
Peter Deutsch            peterd@cc.mcgill.ca
Alan Emtage              bajan@cc.mcgill.ca
Jill Foster              jill.foster@newcastle.ac.uk
Maria Gallagher          maria@nsipo.nasa.gov
Alisa Hata               hata@cac.washington.edu
Ellen Hoffman            ellen_hoffman@um.cc.umich.edu
Lenore Jackson           jackson@nsinic.gsfc.nasa.gov
Edward Krol              e-krol@uiuc.edu
Hock-Koon Lim            lim@po.cwru.edu
Andrew Maffei            arm@aqua.whoi.edu
April Marine             april@nisc.sri.com
Charlotte Mooers         mooers@nnsc.nsf.net
Marsha Perrott           mlp+@andrew.cmu.edu
Joyce K. Reynolds        jkrey@isi.edu
Bradley Rhoades
Karen Roubicek           roubicek@faxon.com
Richard Schmalgemeier    rgs@merit.edu
Jennifer Sellers         sellers@nsinic.gsfc.nasa.gov
Jane Smith               jds@jazz.concert.net
Patricia Smith           psmith@merit.edu
Chris Weider             clw@merit.edu
Moira West               mjw@cert.org
Scott Williamson         scottw@nic.ddn.mil
 
 
 

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