TELECOMMUNICATIONS" PRIME'R

In which the ins and outs are expla ined to m a k e things nice and easy

By Susan Tucker

IKE SEX, telecommunications is something you'd probably like to know everything about, but are afraid to ask. Just so you don't have to find out from s o m e 15-year-old "exper t" in the

schoolyard, let me tell you the facts of life---about telecommunications, that is.

Telecommunications systems generally include four basic services:

�9 sending and receiving mail electronically, �9 the long-distance use of one computer by sev-

eral terminals, �9 the posting of news on specialized "bulletin

boards," and �9 the searching for mad reading of information

known as "databases ." Ordinarily, you'll have to pay a membership fee

to a company that grants you access to one or all of these services as well as a fee for the actual

Susan Tucker, director of grants and contracts for AECT in Washington, D.C., runs AECT's elec- tronic communications network, TechCentral.

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Author Susan Tucker explains telecommunications during AECT's summer workshop in Blacksburg, Va.

time you spend using the system each month. You can expect to pay roughly $500 per year for mod- erate use of an electronic-mail and bulletin-board system. In addition, you might have to pay long- distance telephone charges if the computer that houses the electronic-mail system is not in your locale. If this is the case, you can lower your

cos t s by joining a company, such as Telenet or TymneL that charges less because it handles a large volume of traffic.

Four Functions

First, tet's concentrate on electronic,mail sys- tems. Using a typical electronic-mail system, you can send "telegraphic style" memorandums, let- ters, and even volurrdnous proposals to anyone who uses the. same dectronic-mail system. These communiques arrive at their destinations immedi-

a t d y , All the addressee needs to do to read the letter yousend is to i"sign on- tot.he system.

Three pieces of equipmentare required: a tele- phone or dedicated telephone line, a terminal or :personal computer (almost any kind will do), and a modem. If you h a v e a microcomputer, you must

to Convert i t in to the ?ter,

Once you have the equipment, the sign~on proc- to a system (some

to protect confi- system's; Basically, all

: t office are open t o the electronic-m~l user (registered mail, bu lk mail,

exp re s s mail, and international mail, for example). Even better than surface mail, electronic mail has the capacitYto send one letter to an unlimited list o f addresses. If that feature doesn't win you over, the ability to soficit instantaneous responses should.

Second, telecommunications includes bulletin boards. Electronic bulletin boards are exactly what they sound like. You can post notices on the board or read those that already are posted. In the past few years, these boards have proliferated at such a rate that they have tended to become spe- cialized and less informal. This is the case with "closed" boards, wh!ch generally limit access to users who have paid aspecial fee. "Open" boards, on the other hand, allow anyone who uses the system to read what you have posted.

A third function of telecommunications involves teleconferencing. On an informal level, this is

known as "chat t ing"--a liv.e, keyboard-to-key- board conversation between anyone who is Using the system at a specific moment. It resembles live telex communication, but at several times the speed and at a fraction of the cost. With certain telecommunications systems, you even Can record your conversation, file it, and get a printed copy simultaneously, or file it and print it out later. You " even have time to think before you telecommuni- cate!

Online databases are the fourth major feature of telecommunications systems. Like bulletin boards, databases have multiplied quickly. You can wan- der through this geometrically progressing morass of information on manY telecommunications sys- tems, or you can ask your computer to search only for the information you want. Some 5,000 da- tabases exist today; many are listed in the Ency- Clopedia of Information Systems.

There are three types of databases: (1) full text, with holdings as extensive as NEXIS's five major newspaper collections since 1977; (2) bibliograph- ic, such as ERIC, which is found on the Dialog system; and (3) nonbibliographic Collections, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Bank.

One of the most efficient "ways to pinpoint and

m o s t o f the online databases you will use, and most discount their rates at night:

�9 BRS--800/833-4707. �9 CompuServe--800/848-8990. �9 Dialog--800/227-1927,

�9 Pergamon International InfoLinem703/442- 09t~.

�9 The Source----. 800/336-3366. �9 TechCentral--202/466-4780. Once you have found the database you would

like to Search, it migh t be easier to use one of sev- eral new software tools instead of learning com-

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plex search strategies, such as Boolean algebra. Specifically, t am refering to IN-SEARCH from Menlo Corp., a package that facilitates searching Dialog databases. Another novice-oriented soft- ware package for se~trching Dialog is SEARCH HELPER from Information Access Co. Still an- other package, SCI-MATJE from the Institute for Scientific Information, is targeted to the science and technblogy researcher who will need to per- fdrm cross-system searches. To keep current with the latest software, journals such as InfoWorld and Link-Up are invaluable.

Selectintj a Network Selecting the ~ippropriate telecommunications

system can be tricky. The checklist on page 15 should be helpful. As a point of comparison, I 've listed the features of AECT's new electronic net- work, TechCentral. YOu might not need all o f the features listed, but given the confusing and some- times expensive nature of the medium, it's better to be armed with the right questions before getting captured in an unnecessary commitment.

In fact, California has become the first state to pass legislation to regulate the industry. The Elec- tronic Commerce Act of 1984 requires operators of sucli systems to provide subscribers with "specified information, including the charges im- posed and the procedure that may be followed to resolve a complaint regarding the use of the ser- vice." A copy of the act (Assembly Bill 2367) is available from the California Legislature, Assem- bly Utilities and Commerce Committee, State Capitol, ,Sacramento, Calif. 95814; or call 916/445- 4246. Rumblings in other states suggest this will be a national trend.

HardWzire Getting hooked up to a telecommunications sys-

tem requires the following equipment: �9 A microcomputer or terminal--practically any

brand will do. Memory capacity becomes impor- tant if you intend to upload ~ihd download files be- tween the system and your terminal.

�9 A modem that's compatible With your micro- computer. The modem converts digital informa- tion into audible tones that the telephone can un- derstand. A modem might come built in to your microcomputer (internal), or it might stand alone (external). External modems use the same modu-

lar plug as standat'd telephones at one end; at the bther, they Connect to your computer's RS-232C serial port. If yO0r computer does not have a seri- al port, you will need a serial card (about $200). Make sure the modem cable fits your corriputer:

A simpler an~l increasingly popular approach is to use an int~rdal modem card. Regardless of which method you choose, check the folibwing automatic features of a modem before you pur- chase ~t: autbdial, storage of frequently dialed numbers, auto~edial, and autoanswer. Clockcards also are handy When you want to take advantage Of cheaper night rates.

dl Most commercial telecommunications systems operate at 300 br 1200 baud. At 300 baud, a mb- derd can senti roughly 250-300 words per minute. Recently, 2400-baud modems have become avail- able.

Price? Although 300-baud modems are less ex- pensive, telecommunications involves long-dis- tance-telephone and per-minute connect-time charges. If you intend to use your modem exteh- sively or transfer files, buy a 1200-baud modem that can operate at both speeds. For an in-depth treatment of modems, see the May 1985 issues of Creative Computing and Communication Age.

Software Many microcomputers need software to con-

vince them they are terminals. Such software can cost from $100-$500, although public-domaih soft- ware does exist, If you plan to make only an occa- sional call to a bulletin board, buy an inexpensive program that tranSforms your computer into a "dumb" terminal---one that sends and receives in- formation. Programs that offer the features of a "smart" terminal---one that also can save infor- mation on and send information from a diskette-- usually cost about $200 and are well worth it.

In sum, a good co.mmunications package allows you (1) to store data coming across the screen ei- ther in its own memory or on a disk, (2) to turn on and turn off the printer with the touch of a key, (3) to eliminate the often arduous log-on sequence by means of stored instructions called "macros" or "script files," and (4) to receive data while the computer is unattended. An excellent survey of the strengths and weaknesses of 17 popular com- munications packages appears in the February I985 Creative Computing. �9

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