HIT=>LM_NET newsreaders, etc

["Global SchoolNet Fdn (FrEdMail)" <lmnet-l@ACME.FRED.ORG>]

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From franklin.MR.Net!news Wed, 17 Jan 95 05:13
Received: by calvin  FAH18829: Wed, 17 Jan 95 05:13 Version 2.5.3 15Sep94
Date: 9 Jan 1995 13:13:07 -0600
Reply-to: Johanna Halbeisen Rebecca Johnson School
From: "Global SchoolNet Fdn (FrEdMail)" <lmnet-l@ACME.FRED.ORG>
Sender: <sysop@calvin.wmich.fred.org> (From: &sig.lmnet)
To: &sig.lmnet
Subject: HIT=>LM_NET newsreaders, etc
Newsgroups: schl.sig.lmnet
Approved: schl-sig-lmnet@acme.fred.org
Message-ID: <789677653.9057@InforMNs.k12.MN.us>
X-From: lm_net@suvm.syr.edu

Schlnet: schl.sig.lmnet
The survey on ways to get LM_NET without individually subscribing
has gotten complicated.  Lena Grant raised the questions of cost and
time limits.  It is clear from the answers that some options don't
include being able to respond to the whole net while reading the
postings.  During the first year that UMassK12 had LM_NET, we didn't
see our own or other UMassK12 postings.   Our sysops told me how to
reach the guy who hooked us up, so when I hear from him, I'll post
that, if it's useful.

Here is the summary of the results:
        LM_NET is being read on TENET in Texas, VA-PEN in Virginia,
NJLink in New Jersey, HSLC in Philadelphia, Global Schoolnet in
California, the bulletin board at Central Michigan University.  In Rhode
Island, TELEC subscribes.  Hofstra provides access thru their
newsreader and so does FrEDMail's Nassau County connection.  NEXUS
supplies LM_NET to Australia.
        Now the details:
(My original question)
Dear Netters,
        Peter gave us the user statistics a few days ago.
>
> >* Total number of countries represented:          19
> >* Total number of users subscribed to the list: 3076
>
 These can only count the number of people who _subscribe_ to
LM_NET.  I have never subscribed.  I (and hundreds of colleagues in
Massachusetts) get LM_NET through a newsreader on our branch of
K12.  I want to find out how many other places LM_NET is available
this way.  If you have access to LM_NET but do _not_ subscribe, would
you drop me a note about how you get it?  I'll post a HIT with what I
find out.  By the way, its great to use the newsreader.  It doesn't fill
up my mailbox.  I can come to it any time and go through the
messages.  And UMassK12 archives all the messages, so I can go back
through them after they go off the reader.
****************************************************************
Here are the responses:
****************************************************************
I have subscribed to LM_NET, but it is also available as a News and
Conference group on TENET - Texas Network of Teachers.  I am not
sure
how many active subscribers there are to TENET, but Texas is a big
state.
Lorraine N. Day
lnday@tenet.edu
*[:-)
****************************************************************
Hello!
   I sent a note to Peter about the same thing.  The University of
Rhode Island has a similar service called TELEC that allows me to
read the lists without cluttering up my own mailbox.  TELEC
subscribes
to the list, then anyone at URI can read the notes through TELEC.
  I'm also interested to see just how many LM_NETters there
*really* are!!!
Patricia Long
Librarian, Lincoln Jr-Sr High School
Lincoln, Rhode Island
pllinhs@uriacc.uri.edu
****************************************************************
   There is a free system in NJ for teachers called NJ Link and they
provided LM-NET through such a set up.  The system has been down
and
limping since the summer and is trying to get up and running again.  I
now get LM-Net through another provider as a usual mailing list.  You
can
not telnet into NJ link but the sysop is
                   steph@llnj.pppl.gov
Fred Muller
    fmuller@planet.net
****************************************************************
Although I am a subscriber to LM_NET, there are two other methods
by which I can access messages.  One is in the NEWS reader of my
host, Hofstra University.  The other is through FrEDMail's Nassau
County connection.  Of course, there is always the archive at AskEric.
Those reading the messages thru NEWS at Hofstra probably have to
subscribe and then set mail to no mail in order to be able to interact
with the list as independent email addresses.  Those on FrEDMail can
select one of several options.  One being to response to the entire list.
I believe that these
messages will appear in the FROM: as the list and not an individual.

Rita Kaikow, Library Media Specialist
Oceanside High School Library
3160 Skillman Avenue
Oceanside, NY 11572
[Phone: 516/678-7534]
K12ockzr@VAXC.HOFSTRA.EDU
==============================================================
======
        Virginia's Public Education Network (VA.PEN) now has
LM_NET on a newsreader also.  I had heard such horror stories
about LM_NET stuffing one's mailbox that I refused to subscribe
to it for the 2+ years I had heard of it.  I also had great
difficulty in unsubscribing to a listserv to which I was
required to subscribe as a part of a telecommunications class,
so that was a deterrent.
        Our files are not archived, but it is so nice not to
have my mailbox stuffed, as you said, that I don't mind the
lack.
        I have a question for you , if you do not mind.  Our
Virginia PEN membership is free to anyone related to Virginia
public K12 education.  Someone told me that other statewide
networks charge fees.  Is your UMass K12 a statewide network,
and if so do you pay or not?
        Lena Grant
        Library Medis Specialist
        Western Branch Middle School
        4201 Hawksley Drive
        Chesapeake, VA 23321
        lgrant@pen.k12.va.us
****************************************************************
> Lena, no, UMassK12 is like yours, its free to k12 students and
teachers, although its been growing at such a rapid rate that accounts
are having to be limited.  They do request donations (which I gladly
gave, I've come to depend on it so much and we do get email).  How is
yours doing?  Where does its funding come from?  (Another survey,
oh dear!)
> johanna

        VA.PEN has eliminated student accounts, supposedly for
the nonce, and we hope to get them back soon.  The big hang-up
here in VA is the distances involved.  Many places require an
800 number access to be free, and to be equal for all patrons,
800 number access has to be available.
        PEN is state funded and operated out of the DOE.  Can
have its drawbacks.  The reason I asked about funding for your
K12 net is that one of the VA.PEN lackeys told one of my fellow
teachers that PEN is the only free state-wide network.  Perhaps
I ought to post that question on LM_NET?
        When I first signed on to PEN we had unlimited time.
Unfortunately, some folks had such difficulty getting access
that they would dial up first thing in the morning and leave
the line open all day because they wanted to use it some time
during the day.  That sort of took up unneeded phone access, to
say the least.  Now the central folks hang the phone up if
there is no activity for however long.  All users are now
limited to 60 minutes a day unless they telnet in.  Class
acounts, for which some services are limited, are 90 minutes a
day.  I, personally, also have a commercial account.
        Recently we have had retired educators denied
accounts.  I talked to my local state senator, who had no idea
of what PEN was or is capable of.  Told him about the access we
have to all the bills introduced in the legislature, and he was
REALLY surprised.
        At my school, I am (finally) supposed to get a
dedicated phone line and a modem so I can access this at work.
The high schools in VA have had this access for years, and many
here in my fair city do not use it.  Such a shame.  I also have
access to a PBS-run account, called Learning Link.  It is free
to educators here and for me, at the moment, has no time
restriction.  New accounts, I understand, have 60 or 90 minutes
a day.
****************************************************************
I, and a bunch of others, get LM_NET via TENET, hosted by the Texas
Education Agency (I'm a public librarian).

Bob Gaines
Central Texas Library System
gaines@tenet.edu
512-499-7489
****************************************************************
Virginia's Public Education Network (VA-PEN) has just made
reading LM-NET an option, and I agree, it's great.
--
Alicia Garbelman, Librarian
Lake Ridge Middle School
Woodbridge, VA  (703)494-5154
agarbelm@pen.k12.va.us
****************************************************************
I am a subscriber set at NOMAIL since I discovered the LM_NET
postings as a bulliten board at Education Central, Central Michigan
University
edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu

Marcia Reed, Media Center Coordinator, St. Pius X School, Toledo, OH
smtc103@uoft02.utoledo.edu
mreed@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu
****************************************************************
I,too, participate on LM_NET, but not as a subscriber.  When our state
system NJLink is functioning, it carries most of the K12 groups for 1
wk. In addition, Internet provider, HSLC in Philadelphia, subscribes to
almost all the library-related groups and retains the messages for 1
month.  Their system also allows me to post and reply.  And, of course,
there are the archives at AskERIC for just reading.
Phyllis Anker                               e-mail: anker@hslc.org
Hightstown High School Library              voice:  (609) 443-7737
25 Leshin Lane                              FAX:    (609) 443-7880
Hightstown, NJ 08520
****************************************************************
I mentioned this on unlurking day, that I use a service from Al Rogers
in California named Global Schoolnet.  It is software for Apple IIe's
and GS's, proving once again that old fashioned technology can be
made to foster the skills needed to use newer technology...  We have a
Digicard network to run the software and get lmnet, k12admin,
kidsphere, etc.  How did your state get these lists posted and archived
to your state bulletin board.  We have a state bulletin board, it has
just made itself available on Internet I think, but so far hasn't had
much activity in the way lmnet does.  I would be curious about the
results of your survey.   Ellen
<edibble@spencer.uiuc.fred.org> ---------------- 39.17.30N, 86.46.30E
Ellen Dibble
Teacher K-12 at Spencer Elementary,  Spencer-Owen           Spencer,
IN
****************************************************************
In Texas via Tenet, we also receive lm_net through our newsreader.  I
agree.  It's great to have all the advantages without having to
individually subscribe.

Judy Simmons (jsimmons@tenet.edu)
Calhoun Middle School
Denton, Texas
****************************************************************
(How does UMassK12 subscribe to LM_NET?)>
We just had one of our programmers show us how they have done
this.  We basically send in a subscription for UMassK12 BBS, and then
set up our system so it knows where to send the information.
Everything in unix has many paths and procedures.

We are actually using the Schoolnet subscription to LM_NET,
that seems to work better at have our local messages
show up in LM_NET, if you remember we couldn't get our local
messages to
reflect back.
               The UMassK12 SySop Team
pmunson (Peter Munson)            tdun (Terry Dun)
helen (Helen Sternheim)        mms  (Mort Sternheim)
               Voicemail 413-545-1908
****************************************************************
-
Helen Sternheim                 voice 413-545-1908, fax 413-545-4884
SysOp SpaceMet BBS              telnet spacemet.phast.umass.edu
SysOp UmassK12    telnet k12.ucs.umass.edu
helen@k12.ucs.umass.edu
****************************************************************
Just a note to add to Helen's remarks.
Basically, we suscribe to a listserv and have it sent to a particular
mailbox on our system.  When it is received, a program converts the
listserv messages into newsgroup articles.
We don't actually do this for lm_net, although we do for many other
lists. As Helen also pointed out, we get lm_net from Schoolnet, which
does this conversion for us.  Dozens of other sites also get lm_net from
this source.

Mort Sternheim                                   Voice (413)545-1908
Department of Physics and Astronomy              Fax   (413)545-4884
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
mms@k12.ucs.umass.edu
****************************************************************
I read LM_NET on PA's recommended node.  HSLC.  I don't know how
may libraries belong but I do!
Janet Johns
bbvschlib@hslc.org
****************************************************************
Many of the teacher-libraans in Australia, especially south Australia,
have access to lm_net through NEXUS which is a service provided by
Telecom and the Department for Education and Children's Services.
It is a fantastic service which has been operating since about the
middle of 1994. The service also provides access to the Internet
which is free of charges other than the online time.
Jill Stevens
Gawler high School
EVANSTON
south Australia 5116
--

<gpotoka@calvin.wmich.fred.org> ---------------------- 42.54N, 85.35W
Gene Potoka
K-8 Technology Director at Sylvan & Millbrook Chr. Schools, GR, MI