Release b2

Date: Wed, 31 Jul 91 15:18:28 PDT From: Brewster Kahle <brewster@think.com> Sender: brewster@quake.think.com To: wais-interest@think.com Subject: WAIS beta 2 release: minor fixes over b1 New Unix Internet Release (Beta 2 Release) Available July 31, 1991 Thank you for the interest in WAIS. The servers on Quake (including the directory of servers) has almost 20k requests from over 600 different hosts all over the world (18 countries) in a couple of months. There are now 44 servers including one in Norway (UiO_Publications.src), poetry (poetry.src), as well as a Connection Machine serving all sorts of things. There are are a few mailing lists on this subject that you might want to be on: wais-interest: only announcements like this (1 a month or so) wais-discussion: moderated mailings every 1 or 2 weeks. Good stuff including all on wais-interest. wais-talk: unmoderated for implementors and interactive discussions. Requests to wais-<foo>-request@think.com. Archives available from wais server: wais-discussion or anonymous ftp from quake.think.com. Jonathan Goldman pulled the most recent release together (with help from developers all over the world, see below): Highlights of modifications (see the release for the full report) Overall: minor fixes and better logging waisindex: added paragraph and mh_bboard types waisserver: added forwarding feature, runs under inetd waissearch, waisq, xwais, and xwaisq: fixes The Mac release is unchanged and stable. We are preparing for the final release due out in late August. Thank you to all that have contributed bug reports and suggestions. Overview of components: In this release is source code for: * Server code: There is code to index text and picture files. * Protocol code: based on Z39.50-1988 using the internet. * Clients code: User interfaces for contacting servers * GNU emacs interface * simple shell interface * Mac interface (in separate WAIStation file) * tool kit for making your own interfaces * X interface * Directory of servers: This is be a network service that lists existing servers and how to contact them. * A Connection Machine server with some patent information, the CIA factbook, and some Biomedical abstracts, info-mac, risks, etc to serve as example servers. The public servers that are currently advertized are: CM-applications.src CM-fortran-manual.src CM-paris-manual.src CM-star-lisp-docs.src CM-tech-summary.src CMFS-documentation.src Connection-Machine.src INFO.src MIT-algorithms-bug.src MIT-algorithms-exercise.src MIT-algorithms-suggest.src Molecular-biology.src NIH-Guide.src US-Gov-Programs.src UiO_Publications.src bible.src cosmic-abstracts.src cosmic-programs.src directory-of-servers.src eff-documents.src eff-talk.src empire.src empire20.src homebrew.src info-mac.src internet-documents.src internet-drafts.src internet-resource-guide.src internet-rfcs.src jargon.src online-libraries.src patent-sampler.src poetry.src risks-digest.src sample-books.src sample-pictures.src sun-spots.src tmc-library.src usenet-cookbook.src wais-discussion-archives.src wais-docs.src wall-street-journal-sample.src weather.src world-factbook.src The release is available from Think.com via anonymous FTP in /public/wais/wais-8-b2.tar.Z and WAIStation-0-62.sit.hqx. Bugs to bug-wais@think.com or to me. Thanks to Michael Haberler (mah@parrot.prv.univie.ac.at) and to gcardwel@uci.edu for bug fixes to the last release. -brewster and the wais crew "Paper and flesh are fleeting media for the treasures that are ideas." Brewster Kahle Thinking Machines Corporation Brewster@Think.com 1010 El Camino Real Project Leader Menlo Park, CA 94025 Wide Area Information Servers 415-329-9300x228