Subject: A3 Internet FAQ
From: [email-masked] (Dave Ottalini)
Date: 25 Oct 1995 23:15:02 -0400
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2

APPLE /// INTERNET FAQ
 
by Jeff Marraccini, System Administrator, the OAK Repository
(oak.oakland.edu)
 
Edited by Dave Ottalini; WAP /// SIG ([email-masked])

Version: 1.0
October, 1995
 
CONTENTS
 
1)  INTRODUCTION
2)  WHAT ABOUT PPP AND MOSAIC?
3)  WHAT HOST SHOULD I USE?
4)  WHAT KINDS OF INTERNET SERVICES CAN I ACCESS THROUGH A
      UNIX HOST ON MY ///?
5)  HOW MUCH SHOULD IT COST?
6)  HOW DO I TRANSFER INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET TO MY ///?
7)  WHAT ACCESS /// AND HOST TERMINAL SETTINGS  SHOULD I USE?
8)  WHY USE THE /// FOR INTERNET ACCESS?
9)  WHERE DO I FIND ACCESS /// OR THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER?
10) CLOSE: SURFIN THE NET

1) Introduction
 
With the huge amount of media attention given to the Internet, it's
sometimes difficult to sort through the endless articles about the latest
new nifty Web page, X Corporation's latest electronic mail/groupware
package for that three-letter computer, etc. to find the gem that will
help us really improve our lives.  Yet, as one of the people involved in
bringing the Internet to thousands of users, I can safely say that there
ARE gems out there, and your Apple /// (with a bit of help from a host
system) can find them for you.
 
2) But what about PPP?  What about Mosaic?
 
It's doubtful that PPP (Point to Point Protocol, a popular method used to
connect personal computers and small computer networks to the Internet
over a modem, ISDN, or leased-line connection) or popular Internet
navigation software such as Netscape or Mosaic will ever run on the Apple ///. 
For one, most of these tools have been written, for good or ill, for computers
with large memory address spaces.  While the Apple /// can take us to 512
kilobytes of memory, today's graphics-rich World Wide Web pages need a
browser program (and computer system) with address space in the megabytes.
 
Yet, if you poll users that have Internet access in their homes (using
modems) you'll find that most users end up getting frustrated by the long
delays endemic in bringing down these graphics-rich pages, even if they
have the latest three-letter computer.  Most users I've worked with
quickly end up disabling graphics most of the time to keep performance up
as they access the World Wide Web.
 
Other than the Web, most other Internet services are text based, and as
mentioned above, even the Web seems to be most useful with graphics
turned off, at least when using slower modem connections! So, what's all
the hoopla?  Apple ///'s do a terrific job with text-based applications.
Who needs Mosaic?!
 
3) What Host Should I Use?
 
Even though we've dismissed Mosaic and graphics, the Apple /// still is
missing a few pieces of critical software.  The most important is the lack
of a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) suite for
SOS.  TCP/IP is the underlying set of protocols that Internet services,
including electronic mail, the World Wide Web, and other services are
based on.  Internet hosts (and alas, those three-letter computers) speak
TCP/IP to each other.
 
Yet, if you use the Apple /// as an intelligent terminal and dial up an
Internet host, the lack of TCP/IP no longer is a problem. The /// has
full access to the Internet using the host as an intermediary.
 
The world's most popular Internet hosts are still Unix computer systems.
Unix systems have traditionally integrated well into the Internet, and
plenty of text-based Internet software is available on these hosts to
enable your Apple /// to become a powerful Internet surfer. Other types
of hosts running other operating systems may have similar capabilities,
if you use a non-Unix system to gain access to the Internet it's best to
check with the system management staff to find out which text-based
Internet applications are supported.
 
4) What Kinds of Internet Services Can I Access through a Unix
     Host on my ///?
 
On a typical Unix Internet host, you'll find the following tools:
 
A) Electronic mail.  The elm and pine programs are very popular.  They
are text-based programs and work well with Apple Access /// in ANSI
emulation (see below.)
 
B) File transfer.  For transferring files from other Internet hosts
(including the popular names.wvu.edu Apple /// site) the ftp program is a
staple.  It has a cousin that is a bit more friendly to use, ncftp.  Both
are text-based and work under any Apple /// communications program.
 
C) World Wide Web.  Sorry, you cannot run Mosaic through the Apple ///.
However, the lynx program can handle any World Wide Web page, is
text-based, and is very fast.  Suggest using lynx under Access /// in
ANSI emulation mode.  Sometimes lynx will display a garbled screen:
press Control-L to ask lynx to erase and re-display it.
 
D) The Usenet.  Several text-based Usenet readers are available.  The
author's favorite is nn, short for "No News is good news." Other
alternatives include tin, rn, and trn.  Each has a slightly different
user interface.  nn is Apple /// friendly and works well under Access ///.
 
5) How Much Should It Cost?
 
In most areas of the United States Internet host access is available for
under $20.00 a month.  Similar service for similar prices can be found in
most places in the world.  Normally called "shell" access, an Internet
provider generates an account for you on their host(s). Then, using the
Apple ///, a modem, and a communications program such as Access /// or The
Communications Manager, you call into their host and begin using the
programs above in any combination to explore the Internet. In some areas
popular systems known as FreeNets are available.  These offer free,
text-based access to the Internet and generally have the same
capabilities as any other Internet host.
 
While you are connected to the host, the normal Apple /// abilities of
capturing or printing information, switching programs, and the
extraordinarily comfortable keyboard of the /// are available to you.
However, most of the actual work of bringing Internet information to you
is being off-loaded to the host system.
 
6) How do I transfer information from the Internet to my ///?
 
The Internet host system acts as an intermediary.  When you access files
from other Internet systems, you will still need to download the files to
your Apple ///'s diskette drives, ProFile, or hard disk. Unfortunately,
one of the best communications programs for the Apple /// (Access ///)
lacks the ability to download anything except simple text files.  It may
be necessary to switch to another communications program such as Xmodem
/// when file downloads are necessary.
 
The author prefers to use Access /// most of the time. After gathering a
number of files that need to be downloaded, the author will disconnect
from his Internet host, switch to Xmodem /// using BOS, and begin a
downloading frenzy after re-connecting to his Internet host. When the
files are all safely on the ProFile, it's time to return to Access ///.
 
Most hosts support Xmodem downloading and uploading capability.  Often
the sx and rx commands handle sending and receiving files via Xmodem,
respectively.  If not, check with the system managers for the correct
command.
 
7) What Access /// and Host terminal Settings  Should I Use?
 
The author uses the following Access ///, modem, and host terminal
settings when surfing the Internet:
 
   Access ///:
   Set ANSI mode, Do NOT send LF after CR, 8 bits per character, Enable
   XON/XOFF, Normal Video, Full Duplex, Normal Keypad, Normal Cursor Keys,
   No wraparound, Standard character set, Speed 9600, Parity None
 
   Modem (I use a USR Sportster V.32 14.4Kbps modem)
   AT &H2 &I2
 
   The above command string should not be used with Xmodem ///.  It is
   only useful with Access /// to ensure that the modem does not
   get too far ahead of the Apple ///.  It prevents garbled screens
   and dropped characters.
 
   Internet host
   Terminal type is set to vt100.  On hosts that don't prompt for
   a terminal type, vt100 is usually the default.
 
8) Why use the /// for Internet access?
 
The /// makes an excellent smart terminal for Internet host access and
maintenance.  The author uses his /// to help maintain the oak.oakland.edu
archive site.  Since an extensive amount of information needs to be typed
in to maintain a large Internet system such as oak.oakland.edu, the ///'s
excellent keyboard is a perfect match for massive typing sessions.  In
addition, the ///'s terminal emulation is adequate to the task of handling
electronic mail and other text-based Internet applications.
 
9) Where Can I Get Access /// or The Communications Manager?
 
Access /// is available at minimum cost from Washington Apple Pi, 12022
Parklawn Dr.; Rockville, MD. 20852. Its phone number is: (301)-984-0300. The
Communications Manager (which has XModem protocol) is available from On Three:
Write to: Joe Consorti Apple /// Products, 6303 Green Garden Drive,
Bakersfield, California 93313. Telephone is: 1-805-397-6118.

10) Close: Surfin' with the ///
 
Using the tools mentioned above, Internet access via the /// is both
viable and enjoyable.  The lack of graphics seldom is a barrier.  The ///
and its communications software is definitely equal to the task of
accessing an Internet host to "surf the Internet", so if you haven't
tried it yet, give it a go!

-- Jeff Marraccini
   Network Projects Manager
   Oakland University
   <[email-masked]>
   http://www.acs.oakland.edu/~jeff/