FAST.DOC 8.1 by Brad Ferguson [CIS 76354,2733] Copyright (c) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 by Brad Ferguson This revision effective as of May 10, 1988 WHAT IS FAST.DOC? This file describes a simple and economical way to read messages and send replies at high speed, all WITHOUT the need for special software. Reading messages and responding to them is done off-line; you pay connect charges only for those few minutes it takes to download EasyPlex mail and Forum messages, and to upload your replies. Any word processing program capable of storing files as TEXT can be used for FAST.DOC, as can any telecommunications program able to capture and send such files. FAST.DOC can be used at any baud rate in any CompuServe Forum and in EasyPlex. THE NEW SIGWARE CompuServe came up with a radical revision of the SIGware in early 1988. This new version seems friendlier to the more casual CompuServe user, as commands are now closer to real English. Long-time CompuServe subscribers (and FAST.DOC aficionados) will probably find the new SIGware a pain in the butt, though -- at least at the beginning. A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT COMMANDS The new SIGware allows you to write out commands in full, or to abbreviate each word in those commands to three letters (or even fewer, in some cases). All commands will be given in full here to avoid confusion; just be aware that you can abbreviate them. For instance, FAST.DOC will tell you to use READ WAITING, but you can abbreviate that to REA WAI, if you like. By the way, it doesn't matter if you enter any of these commands in upper or lower case. One other thing: Sometimes you'll see a command here such as LIB n. The n simply stands for a number -- in this particular case, the number of a data library. ALL ABOUT BAUD RATES Which baud rate should you use for sending and receiving messages? I'd strongly suggest the fastest rate available to you, if you have a choice. While 1200 and 2400 baud charges are currently about twice the rate for 300 baud, all sending and receiving is accomplished four to eight times more quickly -- leading to a bottom-line savings of 50 to 75 percent. You need not make special arrangements with CompuServe to upload or download at a particular baud rate. Just do it. CompuServe's host computers will know which rate you're using. (In case you're using 2400 baud, make sure you're using a 2400-baud node -- that is, that the CompuServe access number you're calling can handle 2400 baud. Some nodes cannot, and they will bounce you into 1200 baud automatically. Simply GO PHONES to check the phone numbers and associated baud rates for all listed nodes in your area.) THE OPTION CHANGES YOU'LL NEED FROM THE FORUM The idea behind FAST.DOC is for you to be able to zip through CompuServe with no need or regard for menus or prompts that tend to retard your speed and run up your connect charges. While the novice user will find CompuServe menus useful, the more experienced user will probably prefer to use a series of short prompts that replace those menus. To use the FAST.DOC method, you'll have to order some option changes from each Forum. With the new SIGware, these changes can all be ordered in one place; they'll travel with you as you go from Forum to Forum. Simply GO PROFILE and follow the instructions you'll find there. You can also make the necessary changes in each individual Forum you visit, if you like; that's the method we'll discuss here. Go to the main menu of the Forum (that is, the first menu you see) and choose OPTIONS. Choose it before you do anything else, even if you have messages marked for you. (If you've already changed your options so that you don't get menus, then simply enter OPTIONS at the first "Forum !" prompt upon your arrival in the Forum.) Follow the Forum's directions on how to register option changes. When you've finished, your list of options should read: FORUM OPTIONS 1 INITIAL menu/prompt [Forum] 2 Forum MODE [COMMAND] MESSAGES OPTIONS 3 PAUSE after messages [Never] 4 NAME [Brad Ferguson] 5 Prompt CHARACTER [] 6 EDITOR [EDIT] 7 SECTIONS [...] 8 HIGH msg read [3949] 9 REPLIES info [List] 10 TYPE waiting msgs [NO] 11 SKIP msgs you left [NO] Notes on the above: Item 1: The choices are between Forum, Messages and Libraries. Choose the Forum option. Item 2: You're allowed to choose between your Profile setting, or the Menu and Command modes. If your Profile is set for Command mode, then use Profile if you like. Otherwise, use Command mode. In any case, do NOT use Menu mode. Item 3: You never want messages to stop scrolling. The idea is to eliminate as many prompts as possible, right? Item 4: This allows you to enter whatever handle you'd like to use (assuming you're in a Forum that allows handles). Item 5: The prompt character should be left blank. You don't want prompts. Item 6: Use the EDIT editor from now on; set it either her or in Profile. EDIT suits the FAST.DOC method better. LINEDIT, the alternative option here, is slower to use than EDIT. Its main attraction is that it includes line numbers, which you don't need if you're composing off-line. Item 7: Choose any or all subtopics, however you like; it doesn't matter to FAST.DOC. Item 8: This is the number of the highest message you've read so far in the Forum. Item 9: The way you set the replies-info mode is a matter of personal taste. I keep it at List, which gives me all the individual message numbers; some people like to use Count, which simply gives the number of messages following that one in the thread. Other people don't want ANY of that information. It's up to you; it makes no diffeence to FAST.DOC. Item 10: Answering yes to Type Waiting Messages will deliver all your pending messages when you enter the Forum. It's an automatic READ WAITING command. You may or may not want to exercise this option. If you're in the habit of reading all your messages every time you enter the Forum, then you might do well to answer yes. If, however, you're like me and sometimes enter the Forum for other reasons -- for example, to go to a conference or download something from the data libraries -- you may not want your marked messages delivered to you. In that case, you should answer no. (Once you've had your pending messages delivered, the only way you're going to find them again is to search for them.) Item 11: Set the Skip Messages You Left option to whatever suits you. I find it more convenient to have my messages delivered back to me; it refreshes my memory. But you don't have to do that if you don't want to. All right, then. When you've entered these options, all messages sent to you will roll smoothly onto your screen with no interruptions. You'll have to make sure that your terminal program is set to capture as TEXT everything that happens during the session. This will allow you to read the messages at your leisure, later, when you're off-line. If you have a terminal program that cannot capture an incoming file, you will have to print out the messages in real time as they come in -- at a substantial reduction in speed, too, since under these circumstances you will HAVE to use 300 baud: No home-use printer can echo a feed at a higher baud rate. CAPTURING A DOWNLOAD WITH FAST.DOC After you've selected all your Forum options, you'll see a "Forum !" prompt. First, do a READ WAITING and get all the messages marked for you. They'll spool onto your screen and into your capture file. When you get the "Forum !" prompt again, it's up to you to decide what to do. If you don't want to see any of the messages to other people, either leave CompuServe by doing a BYE or an OFF, or do a LIB n to a Data Library, or whatever else you want. If you're done with downloading messages, don't forget to close your capture file. The SIGware allows you to automatically exclude subtopics in which you have no interest. As a result, when you do an READ FORWARD NEW or READ NEW at the "Forum !" prompt, you will get only those messages in the subtopics you are interested in. HOW TO DOWNLOAD MESSAGES OF INTEREST The new SIGware has simplified things to the point where, assuming you've set all the sections you're interested in by using OPTIONS, all you have to do is a READ NEW at the first "Forum !" prompt. This will deliver all new messages in the Forum in thread order. If for some reason you don't want the messages in thread order (but why wouldn't you?), do a READ FORWARD NEW. That will give you the messages in strict numerical order. By the way, you'll see all those READ WAITING messages for you come up again when you do a READ NEW. Don't worry about it. When you've downloaded all the messages you want, go BYE or OFF at the "Forum !" prompt if you're finished with CompuServe. (You'll automatically get the "Forum !" prompt when all pending messages have been downloaded.) DEALING WITH ALL THOSE MESSAGES When you've gone off-line, it's time to begin reading messages. Use your own approach. You can print out a hard copy of your messages file; you can scribble notes to yourself as you read and use those notes as a basis for your replies; or, if you have a multi-window word processing program, you can open the messages file as one window and open another as a new TEXT file for writing replies. If your computer can "swap" between applications, set your telecommunications program to display your messages fil...
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