---------------------------------------------------------------- THE JOY OF MODEMS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Using a computer for telecommunications is perhaps the most addictive and powerful reason for using a computer in the first place. The productivity payoff is the ability to use an ordinary telephone line to accomplish a variety of tasks quickly and effectively from your keyboard. Modem communications allows you to converse with other computer enthusiasts; research databases of demographic, medical or strategic markeing data; send faxes; read the news of the day; purchase airline tickets; obtain shareware software; play games; obtain a university degree; scan a weather report; order merchandise; trade stocks; consult a continuously updated encylopedia; locate a restuarant or hotel in a foreign country; send flowers to your mother. You can do all of this without leaving the comfort of your computer keyboard. Let's examine the pieces of the puzzle. First a short tour of the hardware and software required for modem telecommunications followed by a detailed listing of online services which can open the door to a world of business, hobby and technical information. Computer telecommunications, simply stated, is the process of hooking one or more computers together via a telephone line to exchange information, transmit and receive software programs or carry on a live conversation. Your computer will need a device called a MODEM which allows data to be converted into a special signal which can be transmitted over phone lines to another computer. Two types of modems exist: internal and external. External modems are slightly more expensive than internal modems and are housed in an external box or enclosure. External modems require a socket on the computer or port - usually the serial port on the back of your computer. The serial port is also called a COM port, COM for communications. Most PC's arrive with a serial port, a few must have it installed. If you are already using the serial port for something else (e.g., mouse or pointing device) you may need to install an additional port or temporarily unplug the device using the existing serial port. External modems take up a bit more space and add a bit more clutter while internal modems mount inside the computer. Some people like an external modem with its blinking lights which instantly displays call status - something a hidden internal modem cannot do unless special display software is also installed or activated. In addition, external modems are portable, you can move from machine to machine by simply unplugging the external modem and taking it to the next job site. Some basic terminology: The HOST COMPUTER refers to the computer your PC is calling. Sometimes this is a commercial service such as The Source or Compuserve which are large interactive online services. Other times the host may be a computer on the other side of town or perhaps a BBS (bulletin board system) which is a computer operated by a private individual or company with files and messages having general public access. Another important term is the BAUD rate associated with the modem transmission process. Essentially baud (or bits of information transmitted per second) is a reference to the speed at which your modem and the host modem exchange information. Some common rates are 300, 1200, 2400 and 9600 baud. A 1200 baud modem is roughly 4 times faster than a 300 baud modem. And since you may be transmitting information via long distance lines, speed and brevity of the modem link is important. Some BBS systems will not allow access to slower 300 or 1200 baud modems since this ties up the BBS for other users. As an aside, most modems automatically switch to transmit and receive at slower baud rates when needed so there is automatic "downward" flexibility in purchasing a high speed modem which automatically swtiches to lower baud rates when required. Thus a 2400 baud modem will automatically decrease its baud rate to match a 1200 baud modem, for example. Most BBS systems are capable of 9600, 2400 and 1200 baud speeds. A 2400 baud modem is an economical compromise for most casual users although heavy modem use probably dictates a 9600 baud modem for increased savings in time and long distance costs. Newer modems also incorporate FAX transmit and receive technology at most attractive prices. While DOS controls the internal workings of your computer, you'll need communications software (sometimes called terminal software) to enable the PC, modem and telephone line to work together. A modem will not function without software. Commercial, shareware and public domain packages are available and many can be obtained from BBS systems via modem! Some of the more dependable software packages include Qmodem, Procomm, Boyan and Telix. Good communications software is flexible and powerful without being difficult to start and use. The best packages have help screens and tutorials as is common with application software in general. Telix, for example asks a few simple setup questions then attempts to set the variety of initial configuration settings needed without operator intervention. Modem software allows sending and receiving files, capture of screen information to disk or printer, scrollback buffers (view what just went by on the screen), dialing directories, macros (automated sequences of keystroke instructions), terminal emulation for links to mainframe computers, password protection and other features. Two of the most popular terminal packages are Procomm and Telix which are both available as "try before you buy" shareware disks from most computer clubs and shareware vendors for a few dollars. Although baffling at first, the modem software setup process allows configuring the modem to your specific PC and use. The modem software needs to be told if you are using serial port (com port) one or two. You will need to tell the communications software which directory or drive where files will be sent or downloaded. The baud rate must be set as well as noting if the modem is Hayes compatible. Hayes compatibility refers to a standard set of transmission instructions which many modems share. In some ways this is similar to the DOS standard within operating systems for IBM compatible computers. Most modems today are Hayes compatible. The modem software must also be told other basic details such as PARITY, and DATA BITS which refers to how the data is "grouped or packaged" during the actual modem transmission. Generally data bits are set to 8. Parity is usually set to NO. Commercial services such Compuserve offer exception to these settings and will tell you these settings in their literature. An example: If parity is required, set data bits to 7. Set stop bit to 1. This is a total of 1 + 7 = 8 Bits. The final bit is usually used to check parity/accuracy. The above setting is somewhat cryptically referred to as 8N1 which means 8 bits, no parity, one stop bit. The 8N1 setting is a standard which is common to most communications links throughout America and large parts of the world. Don't worry about this too much now - frequently this is a one time setup which you will not have to adjust once the software has been configured. Other settings can include ANSI terminal emulation (a standard choice you should select). ANSI terminal emulation is usually the default setting and should only rarely be changed. Software PROTOCOLS must also be specified. In simplest terms a protocol is a method of checking for errors between modems as data transmission progresses. In a precise fashion, these protocols tell the first modem to transmit a small packet or "chunk" of data then the receiving modem will play back a short verifcation "checksum" or "password." The transmitting modem stops, listens for the checksum and if that item matches the information which it originally sent, it then transmits the next packet or chunk of data. This continues, one small chunk of data at a time. The concept here is to protect data integrity over noisy, static-prone telephone lines. Several common protocols include Xmodem, Ymodem, Xmodem-CRC and Zmodem. Xmodem is generally offered by most BBS systems and is a safe bet if you are not sure. Introduced in 1977 by Ward Christensen, this protocol is slow, but reliable. Two variants of Xmodem are used: Checksum and CRC. The CRC method is more reliable at detecting errors during transmission and should usually be selected if given a choice. Mistmatching the two variants of Xmodem during file transfers is usually the reason for transfer problems. Xmodem-1K refers to the Xmodem CRC protocol method but with data blocks 1024 bytes in size. Many BBS systems can automatically detect Xmodem variations and may simply present you with a single Xmodem choice. Newer protocols are faster and more dependable, but Xmodem will usually do the job. Trial and error or simply logging onto the BBS system and then inspecting the menu of protocols available will give you more detailed information and clues about other possible protocols. Ymodem offers a faster transmission rate than Xmodem, better data security through a refined CRC checksum method and finally a method for "batching" or sending/receiving several files one after another unattended. Choose Ymodem over Xmodem for increased speed and data security if both your software and the host computer can provide it and if telephone lines are relatively unnoisy. In reality, basic Ymodem (without the batch file feature) is CRC Xmodem with 1024 byte data packets. Or simply Xmodem-1K. Ymodem with batch file handling is sometimes also called "true Ymodem." Zmodem is faster still, somewhat more secure with respect to data loss, offers batch transmission of files and additionally allows part of a file to be stored if transmission connections are lost and then completed when the connection is restablished. If your transmission is interrupted and you have transferred only part of the file, you can call up the host computer and continue the file transfer from where you left off. Finally, Zmodem can detect excessive line noise and automatically drop to a shorter, more reliable data packet size when necessary. Data inegrity and accuracy is assured by the use of reliable 16 bit CRC (cyclic redundancy check) methods rather than less reliable CRC checking of Ymodem and Xmodem. UPLOADING data to the host (you transmit data to the other computer) and DOWNLOADING data (you receive data from the other computer) require selection of one of the protocols above. General considerations in selecting software for modem use include: * The dialing directory is of crucial importance. The idea is that the package will store and dial your most frequently used numbers. Some packages hold only a few, some quite a lot. Does the package store your individual password and comments next to each number? You may wish to use different passwords for each BBS system you call. * Consideration of transfer protocols offered. Xmodem is basic, but you may want more efficient protocols later. Make sure the package supports several or can be upgraded to more protocols later. * How does the package dial numbers from the dialing list? Will it call back and continue trying? Can it dial numbers from the list in a certain order. Can it do circular dialing (several numbers are called in a row, then the program jumps from the bottom of the list and starts at the beginning again). This type of dialing efficiency is important if you deal with busy communications services and BBS systems where it may take several attempts to log on to a system especially during busy evening peak time. * Does the package offer scripts or macros? Simply stated a script is a way of having the package automate several steps with only one or two keystrokes. At the touch of a key, the package can call a BBS system, type in your password and then continue typing further keystrokes as if you were entering them from the keyboard - in essence a script or macro capability is a programming language which gives the communications software package a customized capability. Many programs let you record the sequence of keystrokes during a communications session for playback and retrieval later. Beware though, if the system which you are calling changes log on sequences or you may have to go back and later revise your original script - not a major problem, just a concern. * Is it possible to capture screen information to your disk drive? Can you output screen information to your printer? Long communication sessions produce endless screens of information which scroll by quickly. The ability of your software package to output all or selected parts of your session to permanent disk file or printer output can be a tidy bonus. Neighborhood BBS systems offer the most entertainment and information for the first time user. The cardinal rule of behavior when you call a private BBS system: act as if you are in someone else's home. Courteous behavior is a must. How do you find telephone numbers for local BBS systems? Consult local computer clubs, then call those BBS systems with your modem for lists of more telephone numbers. Once on line, you can usually download the popular "Darwin list" which is a listing of BBS telephone numbers throughout America. Another popular national list of BBS systems is contained within the back pages of Computer Shopper Magazine, available on most newsstands. That list is compiled by FOG, PO Box 3474, Daly City, CA 94015. Tel 415/755-2000. BBS operators and users are quick to answer questions for new users and can serve as helpful "experts" on any computer question no matter how arcane. Operators of these BBS systems are called SYSOPS and many provide BBS systems as a hobby activity much as other hobbyists enjoy short wave radio operation. In a sense, SYSOPS are a modernized version of the "ham radio operator." Most BBS systems will allow you to tour within the various parts of the "board" or system for 30 minutes to an hour on your first call. After that you are expected to leave your name and a phone number where you can be reached for verification. Some boards are free, some request a nominal use fee (usually around $25 per year.) Some boards request that you upload (send to them via modem) shareware files or public domain software in order to download their software. The process is something like two kids with bubble gum trading cards: "I'll trade you 125,000 bytes of this shareware file for 200,000 bytes of your files." On your first visit into a BBS board you usually are allowed access only to certain "low level" but interesting areas of the BBS. The SYSOP (system operator) may be available to come online if you experience difficulty. The software of the BBS system itself will prevent you from damaging the host computer even if you hit an incorrect key. You may leave messages for the SYSOP, leave messages of a general nature, ask for help on a specific question, download shareware programs, play a game, or just generally explore the information within the system of the host computer. Downloading files is easy. For many boards the file download command is a simple D, ALT-D or page down key. The BBS will ask you the name of the file you wish to download and then give you an estimate of how long it will take and the modem protocol you will be using. When the transfer is complete, the BBS presents the main menu of choices or selections so you can continue to browse as before. Most public domain and shareware software from BBS systems is stored and transmitted in a compacted form as either an ARC or ZIP file format. You will need a small public domain program (ARC or NARC or PKZIP) also available from the BBS to unpack the software. This archiving or "arcing" process is done to compact the software thus saving time and disk space for both the BBS and your computer. The easiest way to visualize arc'd or zip'd software is to think of the many files of a typical software package compacted in size and then placed into one single file. You might also wish to compact other files for storage on a hard drive aside from the modem process. File compaction is a useful tool unto itself. Working with modems and telecommunications software sounds daunting at first, but is a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding pastime - and also a nice way to make friends and delve deeper into the global network of information and friendships this new form of communication represents. ---------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL ONLINE SERVICES ---------------------------------------------------------------- Compuserve. See discussion in previous tutorial.... America Online. 8619 Westwood Center Drive, Vienna, VA 22182. 703/893-6288. Featured services include news and finance, online messaging, software upload and download, games, travel, shopping, online encyclopedia, research databases, stock market information and more. Monthly fee is $5.95. One hour of free connect time upon membership and one free hour per month. Connect charges are $8/hour, 6AM - 6PM Monday through Friday with $4/hour at all other times. A relative newcomer to commercial online services, America Online offers good value and a colorful menu driven interface with mouseable control for computers so equipped. Owned by Quantum Computer Services. Prodigy. Telephone: 800/Prodigy. Billed as a family oriented service, this joint venture between IBM and Sears features a monthly flat rate charge of $12.95 with savings if you pay one or two years in advance. Prodigy uses a proprietary software package, featuring colorful menus which guide the user through services such as online shopping, games, encyclopedia, news, colorful weather maps, airline ticket purchasing, banking, stock and bond trading and message send/receive capabilities. Prodigy hosted Summer picnics for members in several dozen American cities in August, 1991! It does not offer software upload and download capability as well as more advanced topics, however the first time telecommuter will appreciate the varied Prodigy offerings at reasonable flat rate prices. Prodigy startup kits are available at most Sears stores and many software retail outlets. GEnie. For a flat fee of $4.95 per month, GEnie offers many similar features as Compuserve at a fraction of the cost. The user will pay extra for features such as computing forums, software libraries, banking services and learning center capabilities. As with most online services, the lowest rates are during non-peak evening and weekend times. The subscriber base and local access telephone listing of GEnie is neither as extensive nor as convenient as that of Compuserve, but the capabilities are reasonably similar. To connect: use your modem and call 800/638-8369. After connecting type HHH. At the U# prompt type XTX99432,GENIE then press return. Provide a credit card number when requested. Follow additional prompts as appropriate then log off (hangup). After about two days you will be given full access after credit card information is checked and user information is configured within the system. Delphi. Although the user will not find as many shareware files or forums as Compuserve, Delphi is similar in design and content. Monthly subscription is $5.95 which includes the first hour of usage. Each additional hour is $6.00. To connect: with your modem call 800/695-4002. When connected, press return key twice. At the Username prompt type JOINDELPHI. At the password prompt type SHAREFREE. Additional info: call 800/544-4005. PC-Link. Owned and managed by Tandy Corporation - the Radio Shack people - PC-Link is extensive and family oriented. Two levels of service are available: PC-Link and PC-Link Plus. $9.95 per month provides unlimited access to PC-Link and one hour of access to PC-Link Plus. After the first hour the user is billed fifteen cents per minute in PC-Link Plus. News and reference services are located on the first level with more advanced computer hardware and software forums on the PC-Link Plus level. The service features a good graphic interface for ease of use and a variety of offerings, classes and conferences. File uploads and downloads are available. Call: 800/827-8532. ---------------------------------------------------------------- SPECIALIZED ONLINE SERVICES ---------------------------------------------------------------- A 1990 Small Business Association survey revealed that of 2,000 business owning a PC, few were using it for marketing research with business and marketing databases available via modem. These databases can reveal new customers, potential geographic marketing concepts, foreign trade possibilities, suppliers, competitors and key executive contacts. Online census data can be accessed to determine a precise geographic area which is ideal for a new product introduction. Next, a listing of specialized online database services. Calling a specialized database directly may yield more detailed information since gateway services such as Compuserve obtain only a portion of the entire database. Realize that there are over 4,250 online databases of specialized research and business data! Two master indexes are available which describe each online service. The directory of Online Databases is available for $75 from Cuadra Associates and can be found on the Orbit service at 800/456-7248 or DataStar at 800/221-7754. You might also consider the more detailed Computer Readable Databases index for $165 from Gale Research which is available through Dialog at 800/334-2564. BRS Gateway. 800/345-4277, 800/289-4277. Accesses many business and special research databases described within this tutorial. Business Dateline. 800/626-2823 or 502/589-5575. Complete text articles of over 200 US and Canadian business magazines. Also available on CD ROM. Also available through Dow Jones News, Nexis and other services. Businessline. 800/866-2255. Statistical reporting service on over 8 million businesses, including number of employees, sales line, number of businesses in a geographical area in a specific product line. BusinessWire. 800/227-0845 or 415/986-4422. Carries announcements and press releases about new products, services, research findings, financial reports. Also available through Delphi, Dow Jones, and other services. Cendata. 301/763-4100. Economic data on domestic and foreign business trade including retails sales, building permits, employee staffing levels, etc. Conference Board Abstract Data base. 317/872-2045 or 800/421- 8884. Specialized research areas on business management, decision making, case studies in management of individual companies, speeches by corporate executives, management consultants and government researchers. Topics also cover labor relations, merit pay, executive compensation. Consumer Spending Forecast. 215/660-6300. Forecasts and past historical trends on consumer spending, credit use patterns, retail sales. Consumer Trends. 212/725-4550 or 212/725-5954. Contains references, citations and cross referenced bibliography regarding consumer trends articles and research. Corptech. 617/932-3939 or 800/333-8036. Profiles of small and emerging growth companies or those with innovative technology. Useful for identifying customers for your product or candidates for stock purchase, merger, technology transfers or mutual research arrangements. Daily Developments. 317/872-2045 or 800 421-8884. Contains over 180,000 articles concerning governmental actions, pending legislation, environmental developments, international trade, tax rulings and similar topics. Track the evolution of a regulation which may affect your business from introduction through final enactment. Useful for personnel professionals needing latest insights on legislation concerning employee rights, unions, urban planning, drug and alcohol abuse. Superb up to date information on tax legislation. Dialog Information Services. 800/334-2564. Accesses many business and financial database services. Disclosure Database. 212/581-1414. Updated financial reporting data on over 14,000 publicly owned companies whose stocks are traded on the NYSE and other public exchanges. Also available through Compuserve, BRS, Dow Jones and other services. Donnelly Demographics. 203/353-7474. Contains US census data which is highly valuable to marketing and sales analysts. Useful for planning expansions of retail stores or analyzing a region's labor pool by age, education and race. Includes Arbitron Press Areas of Dominant Influence, AC Nielsen Designated Market areas. Also includes current and five year projected estimates and demographic analysis of US census data. Dow Jones News. 609/520-4000. Timely business, financial and government news bulletins which include articles from Wall Street Journal and Barrons National Business. Business and market professionals can learn about emerging legislation, business mergers, economic forecasts, financial disclosures and banking regulations hours before general media report the story. DRI/NPDC County Business Patterns Service. 800/541-9914 or 617/860-6385. US county employment data including SIC code and business patterns census data. Includes payroll, staffing, number of firms referenced by number of employees. Dun's Million Dollar Directory. 800/526-9018. Contains financial, marketing and address data for over 190,000 companies whose net worth exceeds $500,000. Also available on Dialog. EconBase. 215/667-6000. Unique analytical database with state by state or industry tabulations of foreign currency changes over time, electricity use, agricultural output or use of aluminum. Useful for forecasting, business relocation planning, raw materials planning, economic trends, manufacturing output. Data recorded back to 1948. Encyclopedia of Associations. 313/961-2242 or 800/521-0707. As its name suggests this online service lists national and international associations, trade groups, unions, societies, non-profits, clubs and patriotic groups. Over 77,000 groups in all. Knowing the right organization can point you in the right direction to authorities on a given topic or field. Harvard Business Review Online. 212/850-6000. Contains full transcript of all articles of the esteemed Harvard Business Review from 1976 to the present. Business topics include statistics, marketing, ethics, automation, robotics, foreign trade, forecasting, negotiating and employee training. Insiderline. 301/738-1400 or 800/231-DATA. Provides up to the minute specialized information on corporate executive stock trades as required by SEC forms 3 and 4. Trader name, company position, share volume traded, value, total shares owned. Market Analysis and Information Database. 212/245-3513. Over 36,000 reports on marketing methods and trends for specific industries and countries. Electronics, agriculture, silk screen printing, food and beverage, consumer habits, demographics and more. Covers over 730 business and trade publications in 22 languages - all translated into English. Newsline service offers fast breaking trends and is updated daily. Mead Data Central. Nexis Research Service. 800/277-9597. 800/277-8379. Moody's 5000 Plus. News and financial reporting data on 14,000 companies which are publicly traded. Also available on CD ROM. NewsNet. 800/345-1301. News and business database service. Newsearch 800/227-8431 or 415/378-5329. Index of over 4,200 news stories, books, reports and libraries on businesses, products, finance, marketing trends. Standard and Poor's News Service. 212/208-8622. High level financial reporting data on over 18,000 companies to include mergers, aquisitions, management and staffing, earnings. Telescan Financials. 713/952-1060. Allows investors to scan over 10,000 stock offerings for particular investment profile such as SIC code, profits to earnings, price, etc. Historical data reveal a target company profile and growth. Complete transcripts and analysis of trade shows, investment seminars, wire service news. Thomas Register. 212/290-7291. Who makes what and where in the U.S. Over 160,000 businesses, 50,000 classes of products and over 100,000 trade names of products. Also available on Compuserve. Trade and Industry Index. 800/227-8431 or 415/378-5329. Index to over three million articles on industry, trade, commerce. Also available on CD ROM. TriNet. 201/267-3600 or 800/874-6381. Information on over 200,000 private and public companies. Arranged by conventional SIC code categories. Private company information is especially difficult to obtain and TriNet seems to the best at locating it. Western Union. 800/527-5184 Gateway for most major business databases. ---------------------------------------------------------------- QUICK TIPS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Use telecommunications scripts or macros (many keystrokes stored and then later replayed) to automate log on, moving around to various forums and downloading. This saves time and reduces errors while online. Draft all letters and messages off-line, save them as text messages and upload them quickly and efficiently when connected online. With Compuserve, connect at 300 baud while searching for file titles, so you can inexpensively spend many minutes connected. Then log off and reconnect at a higher baud rate to accomplish the actual file download. Uploads on Compuserve are at no charge. Within Compuserve, use the IBM forum file finder. This feature allows you to RAPIDLY locate files available in different forums and search by key phrases, names, keywords or file types. GO IBMFF. Download library file lists from most services - complete lists of available files. These indexed lists are updated daily on most services and allow you to browse and search inexpensively offline, then reconnect and obtain the files you desire quickly. Watch Compuserve magazine for advertised special offers on selected databases, telephone directory services, merchandise, and selected services. This information may also be available when you first log on. For additional reading materials on modems and telecommunications, refer to the reading list/bibliography elsewhere in this package. Tutorial finished. Be sure to order your THREE BONUS DISKS which expand this software package with vital tools, updates and additional tutorial material for laptop users! Send $29.95 to Seattle Scientific Photography, Department LAP, PO Box 1506, Mercer Island, WA 98040. Bonus disks shipped promptly! Some portions of this software package use sections from the larger PC-Learn tutorial system which you will also receive with your order. Modifications, custom program versions, site and LAN licenses of this package for business or corporate use are possible, contact the author. This software is shareware - an honor system which means TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Press escape key to return to menu.