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Date:         Mon, 25 Jan 1993 13:11:07 CDT
From:         Steve Foster <foster@cs.unr.edu>
Subject:      Veronica FAQ, part 1

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hello,

        We have written a first draft FAQ for veronica.  This reflects
        the questions we have been getting at U. of Nevada, and to a
        lesser extent the questions posted to the various discussion lists.

        The first answer "What is veronica" is weakest, as we are too
        close to the subject.  Suggestions are most welcome.

        Please send suggestions or any further questions to:
                gophadm@veronica.scs.unr.edu

Enjoy,
Steve Foster, Fred Barrie

FAQ part 1 follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Questions and Answers about veronica, a title search and retrieval
system for use with the Internet Gopher.

The current version of this FAQ can be retrieved through gopher at
veronica.scs.unr.edu, in the veronica directory.

Archive-name: veronica-faq
Last-modified:  1993/01/21.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

List of questions in the veronica FAQ:

Q0: What is veronica?
Q1: How can I connect to veronica?
Q2: How can I get information about a site?
Q3: Why do I need to use 'item descriptor' to get context and host info?
Q4: How can I get my server into the veronica database?
Q5: How can I keep my server out of the veronica database?
Q6: How often is the database updated?
Q7: Where can I get the software to run veronica?
Q8: Where can I get the veronica dataset?
Q9: Why can't I get a reply from a veronica server?
Q10: What does "veronica" mean?
Q11: Why doesn't my server show up in veronica searches?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q0:What is veronica?

A0:veronica is a service that indexes titles of gopher items.
veronica servers provide keyword searches of titles of gopher
items.  A veronica search typically searches the menus of hundreds
of gopher servers, perhaps all the gopher servers that are announced
to the Internet.

At present, there are no "veronica clients" per se;  veronica is
accessed through normal gopher clients.   veronica is tightly integrated
with the gopher protocol.

The veronica service is comprised of two functions:
1). Harvesting menu data from gopher servers, and preparing it for use;
2). Offering searches of that database to gopher clients.
These two functions are not necessarily provided by the same host
computer.  Most users and administrators of veronica search servers
will not need to be concerned with the first phase of the process.
Operators of veronica query-engines can obtain a prepared dataset
for use with the query server ( Q8 below ).

veronica evolved as a solution to the problem of resource discovery
in the rapidly-expanding gopher meta-burrow.  At the University of
Nevada, there was an outcry for an easy way to find gopher-based
information without doing a menu-by-menu, site-by-site search.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q1:How can I connect to veronica?

A1:veronica must be accessed through a gopher client.
Assuming you have a gopher client, use it to connect to a gopher
server which offers a link to a veronica server.

If your local gopher server does not already have a link to veronica,
use gopher to go to the server at gopher.micro.umn.edu ( port 70 ).
Choose the menu item "Other Gopher and Information Servers".
Choose veronica from that menu.  In step-by-step form it is like this:

1. gopher to gopher.micro.umn.edu  by typing:
gopher gopher.micro.umn.edu 70
   Note that this is a unix-client example. Other clients will
   have a different way of specifying the server.

2.  go to the directory named
"8.  Other Gopher and Information Servers/"

3.  select that item

4.  go to the item named
"2.  Search titles in Gopherspace using veronica/"

5.  select that item.  This item is a gopher link to the veronica
    directory at the University of Nevada.

6.  There are two searches currently (1-21-93) in this directory:
"1.  Search gopherspace by _SINGLE_ keyword veronica <?>"
"2.  Search gopherspace by _partial Boolean_ veronica <?>"

When you choose either search item,  you will be prompted to
enter a keyword or keywords to define your title search.
There are at present two versions of the veronica search-engine.
One version uses the NeXT's Digital Librarian and accepts only a
SINGLE word to search for.  The second version uses the WAIS index
with Gilbert's Boolean extensions; this version can accept limited
Boolean specifications.   The veronica directory contains a
help-file about the format of the Boolean queries.  veronica queries
are not case-sensitive.

The veronica server will return a gopher menu composed of items
whose titles match your keyword specification.  These items are
culled from the menus of (potentially) many gopher servers.
As with any gopher menu, you access an item of interest by
double-clicking it or hitting the <return> key.

If you want to include veronica service on the menu of your local
gopher server,  you can find the gopher-item-descriptor for veronica
from this menu at Minnesota;  ask the administrator of your local
gopher server to include a link to that item on your local menu.


If you DO NOT have a gopher client, you may access gopher and
veronica by telneting to one of the telnet-accessible anonymous
gopher clients.  This is what the Gopher-FAQ has to say about the
telnet sites for gopher:

***
Here is a short list, use the site closest to you to minimize
     network lag.

     Hostname                  IP#              Login   Area
     ------------------------- ---------------  ------  -------------
     consultant.micro.umn.edu  134.84.132.4     gopher  North America
     gopher.uiuc.edu           128.174.33.160   gopher  North America
     panda.uiowa.edu           128.255.40.201   panda   North America
     info.anu.edu.au           150.203.84.20    info    Australia
     gopher.chalmers.se        129.16.221.40    gopher  Sweden

     It is recommended that you run the client software instead of
     logging into the public telnet login sites.  A client uses the
     custom features of the local machine (mouse, scroll bars, etc.)  A
     local client is also faster.

*** end of inclusion from gopher-faq
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q2: So I get a list of titles; How can I get information about
the location of items I am interested in?

A2:Most gopher clients offer a "get information" command or an
"item descriptor" menu choice.  On a macintosh it usually is
"command i"; on a unix client it will be an equal sign "=";
on a NeXT it also is a "command i".  This key sequence will give
information about the current item on the gopher menu.  The item-
description will include the hostname of the gopher server which
provides the item.  The item description also includes the
path (directory) of the item on its gopher server.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU