From: [k--n--a] at [acavax.lynchburg.edu] Newsgroups: alt.society.foia Subject: Electronic Federal Register Date: 29 Apr 93 16:06:54 -0500 Note: The Federal Register, an excellent source on the inner-workings of government, is now available on the net. I offter the following information in its original format. writes: Thank you for your interest in Counterpoint Publishing's Internet Access to the Federal Register. Due to overwhelming response to our initial press release, we have made significant changes to the manner in which this information is made available. Your recommendations have helped us tailor this product to better suit your needs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Counterpoint Publishing and The Internet Company, (Internet.COM) announce Gopher and WAIS Access to the Federal Register via the Global Internet Introduction ============ The full text of the U. S. Federal Register is now available on the Global Internet via Gopher and WAIS. Anyone with a direct connection to the Internet can now browse, search and retrieve the full text of any article printed in the Federal Register. Articles appear the same day that the GPO makes them available in electronic format. Methods of Access ================= The Internet Federal Register is available to any Internet connected host. There are three access methods which require a "client program" to run on your computer. All client programs mentioned are available free of charge to any Internet connected site, via FTP from various archives. The final access method requires only that you run the standard "TELNET" client on your computer. All TCP/IP packages available for popular computers support TELNET. Gopher Access ------------- Gopher is a "user-friendly" menuing interface to information, developed by the University of Minnesota. To access a Gopher server on the Internet, you run a client program on an Internet connected host. Clients are available for VAX/VMS, VM/CMS, MS-DOS, and Macintosh computers. Gopher also integrates WAIS within itself, so using your single Gopher client program you can conduct WAIS searches, as well. WAIS Access ----------- WAIS (Wide Area Information Server) is a power search and retrieval engine developed by Brewster Kahle, (then of The Thinking Machines Company.) WAIS support "relevance feedback searching" which allows a user to specify their search parameters not only as keywords, but to refine the search to favor documents or articles which are "like" a particular document. To access WAIS, you run a client program on an Internet accessable host. Clients are available for most popular computers. NNTP (Usenet News) Access ------------------------- NNTP is the standard way that news articles are transfered over the Global Internet. The Federal Register/NNTP Service breaks the Federal Register out into +/- 18 separate newsgroups in categories like: argiculture commerce defense education energy environ finance foreign govern health humanserv legal science transport misc Federal Register/NNTP Service allows you to keep the entire text of the Federal Register online, browsable using any standard Usenet newsreader. TELNET Access ------------- If you are unable to use Gopher/WAIS locally on your computer, or do not wish to contract for the multiple user pricing, access to a Gopher/WAIS "TELNET" account is also provided. This account will allow you to use Gopher and WAIS without having to run the client locally on your computer. The only requirement is that your computer support the standard Internet "TELNET" terminal access program. Pricing ======= Gopher/WAIS Server Access ------------------------- Gopher/WAIS pricing is measured by the number of regular users on your site who will have access to the Federal Register. Prices are yearly. Access to this service can limited by Internet host or domain address. Domain address limiting allows an entire Internet domain, (eg. *.purdue.edu) to access this service. Number of Users Educational Commercial --------------- ----------- ---------- 1-50 $ 1000 $ 2000 51-100 $ 1500 $ 3000 101-250 $ 2000 $ 4000 251-500 $ 3000 $ 6000 NNTP (Usenet News) Server Access -------------------------------- NNTP (Usenet News) Service is measured by the number of regular users on your site who will have access to the Federal Register. Prices are yearly. Access to this service is limited to a single host. Educational Commercial ----------- ---------- # of Users Per Category Full Feed Per Category Full Feed --------------- ----------- --------- ----------- --------- 1-50 $ 250 $ 1000 $ 500 $ 2000 51-100 $ 375 $ 1500 $ 750 $ 3000 101-250 $ 500 $ 2000 $ 1000 $ 4000 251-500 $ 750 $ 3000 $ 1500 $ 6000 TELNET Account Access --------------------- TELNET Account Access is available from many sites around the country. Prices are per hour. Educational Commercial ----------- ---------- $ 5/hour $ 10/hour Limitations =========== There are no usage limitations on this information. You are free to use any and all information gathered from this service within your own organization. You are not allowed to serve this information to any site or individual not affiliated with your organization. Re-publication rights are available by arrangement. How to Order ============ To Order, either call Counterpoint Publishing at 1-800-998-4515, or send email to "[f--dr--g] at [internet.com]" with your name, affiliation, and telephone number. Someone will contact you as soon as possible.