From: tjc50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com (Terry Carroll)
Newsgroups: misc.legal
Subject: Federal Bulletin Board (long)
Date: 29 Sep 92 20:42:30 GMT
Reply-To: tjc50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com (Terry Carroll)
Organization: Amdahl Corporation

This might be ouside of or strain the limits of the misc.legal charter, but I 
thought it would be of interest to a lot of m.l readers.  The following is a 
description of and instructions for using the Federal Bulletin Board, 
apparently a new service by which to obtain government publications in 
machine readable form, or by which to order paper copies.

Feel free to cross-post this data to other newsgroups that you feel would be 
interested in it.

[begin-quote]







                       The Federal Bulletin Board
            A Service of the U.S. Government Printing Office









                              USER'S GUIDE 

                          FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO

                       THE FEDERAL BULLETIN BOARD







                             September 1992






   Office of Electronic Information Dissemination Services (EIDS)
                     U.S. Government Printing Office
                          Washington, DC  2040l

                           TABLE OF CONTENTS


I.   INTRODUCTION 


II.       PUBLIC ACCESS 

     A.   Equipment Requirements
     B.   Service Availability
     C.   Access Privileges and Charges 
     D.   Establishing a USER-ID
     E.   Accessing The Federal Bulletin Board as a New User
     F.   Validating Your USER-ID
     G.   Opening a GPO Deposit Account


III.      USING THE FEDERAL BULLETIN BOARD

     A.   Overview
               Standard Commands
     B.   Logging onto The Federal Bulletin Board
     C.   Using Electronic Mail
               Reading Your E-Mail
               Downloading Attached Files
               Writing Your E-Mail
     D.   Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
               Reading Messages in a SIG
               Using Concatenated Commands for SIG Features
               Scanning and Listing SIG Messages
               Quickscan Searching for Messages
               Threading Through the Messages

     E.   Using the File Library System
               Download or Search in the File Library
               Batch FileDownloading

     F.   Account (USER-ID) Information


IV.  REQUEST FOR COMMENTS



                       The Federal Bulletin Board 

                            A Service of the
                     U.S. Government Printing Office             

                 








I.   INTRODUCTION

The Federal Bulletin Board is a service of the Superintendent
of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office (GPO).  This
electronic bulletin board service (BBS) enables Federal
agencies to provide the public immediate, self-service access
to Federal information in electronic form at reasonable rates.

The BBS permits users to identify, select and transfer
electronic files to their own personal computers quickly and
easily through the File Library system.   It supports direct
ordering capabilities for all GPO electronic sales items
through the free E-Mail service, and offers rapid retrieval of
product announcements, subject bibliographies and other free
bulletins through the Special Interest Groups (SIGs).


II.  PUBLIC ACCESS

A.   Equipment Requirements
 
To access The Federal Bulletin Board, a user needs a personal
computer, a modem, a telecommunications software package and a
telephone line.   The BBS will accommodate baud rates ranging
from 300 to 9600.   Modem settings are 8 bits, no parity, 1
stop bit (8N1).   Modems should be set with automatic baud
rate adjustment off.   A hard disk is recommended for file
transfers.


B.   Service Availability

The Federal Bulletin Board is available 22 hours each day, 7
days a week.  It is unavailable from 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m,
Eastern Time, when routine maintenance is performed.   For
public access to the BBS, call (202) 512-1387.  

User assistance for The Federal Bulletin Board is available
from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through
Friday (except Federal holidays) by calling the GPO Office of
Electronic Information Dissemination Services (EIDS) at (202)
512-1524.


C.   Access Privileges and Charges

The Federal Bulletin Board offers two levels of service -- one
for first time and casual users and one for validated
customers.  Although many of the BBS services are free, users
are always responsible for their own telephone charges.

First-time and casual users can browse file lists in the File
Library system, but cannot search for, download, or view
product files.  They can read bulletins and download product
announcements and general instructional materials from the
Special Interest Groups (SIGs), but cannot download product
related files attached to SIG messages.  They can use the E-
Mail service to send messages to the BBS systems operator
(SYSOP) at GPO as well as read E-mail and download files
attached to messages addressed to them.  They can also use E-
Mail to place orders for all GPO electronic products, charging
them to their VISA or MasterCard accounts. The manual section
on ordering provides more information on this feature.  These
BBS features are free to all users.  Users are responsible for
their own telephone charges. Casual users are limited to 30
minutes of free time per session, but there is no limit on the
number of times you can call the BBS. 

Validated Customers have complete access to the BBS sales
services.  They can search for product files in the File
Library service by file name, date and keywords; select files
of interest and download them to their own personal computers. 
In the Special Interest Groups (SIGS), they can download all
attached files, not just instructional materials and product
announcements.  In the E-Mail service, they can order
electronic products and charge them to their GPO Deposit
Account. They can also attach files to E-Mail messages sent to
GPO.  All the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and E-Mail
services are free to validated customers.  In addition,
validated customers can search the File Library service and
download product information (README) files free of charge. 
Validated customers can use the BBS for up to four hours per
session.

Charges for validated customers of The Federal Bulletin Board
are based on the size of the file downloaded or displayed on
the screen.  The minimum charge is $2 per file and applies to
files up to 50 Kilobytes (50KB).  Prices increase in dollar
increments, with a full megabyte (1MB) file costing $21.  The
average file price for currently available material is $6 to
$7.  The price for transferring a file is clearly shown on the
BBS. 

You must have a GPO deposit account and a validated USER-ID to
purchase products directly from the BBS.  Daily charges for
downloading will be reported on your monthly GPO Deposit
Account statement.  Customers will also receive an E-mail
message showing detailed charges for the files they have
downloaded during the month. Users are responsible for their
own telephone charges.

Information on establishing a USER-ID, opening a GPO Deposit
Account, and obtaining validation for your USER-ID is given
below. 


D.   Establishing a USER-ID 

All users, including first-time and casual users, must
establish a USER-ID to access The Federal Bulletin Board. 
When you first call the BBS, you will be asked to register as
a new user by providing some basic information such as your
name, address, and telephone number.  The BBS will prompt you
for this information and ask you to enter a USER-ID. 

The USER-ID you enter will depend on how you plan to use The
Federal Bulletin Board. If you plan to be a casual user of the
free BBS features, you may enter a 4 to 9 character USER-ID of
your choice.  No special characters are allowed. USER-IDs for
casual users automatically expire if they are inactive for
more than seven days. If your USER-ID expires, you must re-
register as a new user to access the BBS.

If you plan to be a validated customer and already have a GPO
Deposit Account, enter  your Deposit Account number without
dashes as your USER-ID.  Remember, GPO must validate your
USER-ID before you can search for or purchase product files.
(Please see the section on validating a USER-ID). This process
usually takes two working days. Until your USER-ID is
validated you may only access the free BBS features using your
Deposit Account Number as your USER-ID.  Validated USER-IDs
will not expire if inactive for more than seven days.

If you plan to be a validated customer but do not have a GPO
Deposit Account, please see the section on opening a Deposit
Account. Until you have an account you may use the free BBS
services as a casual user, entering the USER-ID of your
choice. When you receive your Deposit Account number, you must
register again as a new user, entering a USER-ID based on your
Deposit Account number, and request validation.


E.   Accessing The Federal Bulletin Board as a New User

Using your telecommunications software, call The Federal
Bulletin Board at (202) 512-1387. 

Once you are connected, the BBS will ask if you would like
ANSI graphics displayed on your screen. If you have ANSI.SYS
in your CONFIG. SYS file, type Y and then press your RETURN or
ENTER key. If you do not have ANSI.SYS or are not sure, type N
and then press your RETURN or ENTER key. Answering no to this
question will not effect your use of the BBS.

     Display ANSI Graphics (Y/N)?  [Type Y for Yes or N for
     No here]

Note: Whenever you respond to a BBS question or select a menu
option, you must press your RETURN or ENTER key to send your
response to the BBS.

The new user registration process starts at the bottom of the
Welcome to The Federal Bulletin Board screen, where you are
asked to enter your USER-ID or NEW.  Type NEW and then press
RETURN. 

Next, you will see a screen explaining your USER-ID options. 
Please read this screen if you have not already read the
section on establishing a USER-ID in this manual.  At the
bottom of the screen, the BBS asks you to enter the column
width of your screen (most are 80 columns). Type the
appropriate number. Try 80 if you are not sure.

The BBS will now ask a series of questions.  Since there is a
set limit to the number of characters you can enter, please
abbreviate if your response is too long.  The questions and
the character limits are as follows:

     Please enter your First and Last Name:   (29 characters)
     Enter the name of your Organization or press RETURN:  (29
     characters)
     Enter your Street Address or P.O. Box:  ( 29 characters) 
     Enter your City, State, and Zip: (29 characters)
     Enter your Daytime Telephone Number, e.g. (999) 999-9999: 
     (15 characters)

When you complete these questions, the BBS will ask what kind
of system you are using. If not known, please enter 0. 

Note:  GPO frequently receives requests from commercial
publishers and others for mailing lists of purchasers of our
products and services. Once released, GPO has little control
over how these mailing lists are used. To be excluded from
these lists, type N.  To be included on these lists, type Y. 
GPO will not release information about how you personally use
the BBS, even if you answer yes to the following question:

     For privacy protection, you may exclude your name from
     mailing lists made available  to others by typing N:

The next screen asks you to enter your USER-ID.  This is where
you must enter your GPO Deposit Account number without dashes
if you want to become a validated customer able to purchase
product files.  At the end of the new user registration, you
must also send an E-Mail message to the GPO system operator
(SYSOP) requesting validation.  To use the free BBS services,
enter the 4 to 9 character USER-ID of your choice.

     Enter your USER-ID:  [Type your USER-ID without spaces or
     special characters, such as dashes or asterisks]

The BBS will display your new USER-ID and ask you to confirm
that it is correct. If it is, type Y. If not, type N and the
BBS will let you replace your USER-ID. Check carefully. This
is your last chance to change your USER-ID.

     Here is a simulated message, showing how your USER-ID
     will appear :

          This is your User-ID: _________

     Is this correct (Y/N) ?

Once you confirm that your USER-ID is correct, the BBS will
ask you to enter a password so that others cannot use your
USER-ID without your permission. Your password should be
short, memorable, but no obvious. KEEP YOUR PASSWORD
CONFIDENTIAL!  It is your protection against fraudulent
charges to your Deposit Account. If you suspect unauthorized
use, contact the GPO System Operator (SYSOP) immediately.

     Enter the password you plan to use:   [Type a 4 to 9
     character password here without spaces or special
     characters, such as * # or % ] 

The BBS will now confirm that your USER-ID and password have
been registered. DO NOT LOOSE YOUR PASSWORD.  GPO cannot give
out a password by mail or phone under ANY circumstances. You
will have to re-register to have access to the BBS.  If your
USER-ID is your Deposit Account number, contact the GPO System
Operator immediately. You cannot re-register using your
Deposit Account number until the GPO System Operator clears
your USER-ID.  DO NOT PRESS RETURN until you have secured your
password. 

Now that you have completed the new user registration process,
you may use the free services on The Federal Bulletin Board
for 30 minutes. All new users receive an E-Mail message with
information about the BBS. To read the message, press RETURN
to go to the MAIN MENU, select E from the MAIN MENU, type RT1R 
(The third character is the number one) at the ELECTRONIC MAIL
MENU.   If you need another copy of this manual, you may
download the free NEWUSER.TXT file attached to your E-Mail
message.

Now that you are a registered user, you can use the BBS by
typing your USER-ID at the bottom of the Welcome to The
Federal Bulletin Board screen.

Until your USER-ID has been validated, you will not be able to
download or view product files, even if you entered a Deposit
Account number as your USER-ID.  A USER-ID that is not
validated will automatically expire if it is not used for
seven days. Please see the section on validating your USER-ID
for more information.


F.   Validating Your User-ID 

You can only validate your USER-ID if you have a GPO Deposit
Account number and have completed the new user registration
process using your Deposit Account number as your USER-ID. If
you do not have a Deposit Account number and wish to purchase
product files directly from The Federal Bulletin Board, please
see the section in this manual on opening a GPO Deposit
Account.

If you have a GPO Deposit Account number, are authorized by
your organization to charge against the account, and have
registered using it as your USER-ID, you can request
validation by sending an E-Mail message to the GPO System
Operator (SYSOP).  This E-Mail message must contain your
request for validation and the following information: your GPO
Deposit  Account number, your first and last name, your
daytime telephone number, and the complete mailing address
that appears on your Deposit Account Statement. (This may be
different from your address, so please check.) By requesting
validation, you accept responsibility for BBS charges to your
Deposit Account.

To send your E-Mail request to the GPO System Operator
(SYSOP), follow the instructions below:

If you are not already on the BBS use your telecommunications
software to call The Federal Bulletin Board at (202) 512-1387.

Once you are connected, the BBS will ask if you would like
ANSI graphics displayed on your screen. If you do not have
ANSI.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS or are not sure, type N and then
press your RETURN or ENTER key. Answering no to this question
will not effect your use of the BBS.

     Display ANSI Graphics (Y/N) ?   [Type Y for Yes or N for
     No here]

Note: Whenever you respond to a BBS question or select a menu
option, you must press your RETURN or ENTER key to send your
response to the BBS.

At the bottom of the Welcome to The Federal Bulletin Board
screen, where you are asked to enter your USER-ID or NEW. 
Type your Deposit Account number without dashes and then press
RETURN. 

The BBS will then ask you to enter your password. Type in the
password you are using with your Deposit Account USER-ID.

At the bottom of The Federal Bulletin Board MAIN MENU, type EW
(E for E-Mail and W for Write.)

You will see the following BBS prompt. Type SYSOP at the
prompt to send your message to the GPO System Operator.

     To send this message enter SYSOP or a Depository Library
     USER-ID.  
     Send this message to: [Type SYSOP here]

The BBS will now prompt you for the topic of this message.
Type APPLICATION at the prompt.

     Enter the topic of this message. (50 characters):  [Type
     APPLICATION here]

You will now see the following message:

     Your message can be up to 1920 characters long. When you
     have completed your message , type OK on a blank line and
     press RETURN. You will be given an opportunity to edit
     the text.

     If your text does not need editing , type /S on a blank
     line and press return to save and proceed without editing
     the message.

     Enter the text of your message below:

Begin entering your request for validation message. An example
is given below:

     Please validate my USER-ID. My GPO Deposit Account
     number is _________.  I am authorized to charge
     items to this account. My name is ___________. My
     daytime phone number is _________. The GPO Deposit
     Account statement address is ______________.

Review your message. If it is correct, type /S on the first
available blank line and press RETURN. This will save your
message and send it to the GPO System Operator (SYSOP). You
cannot edit your message once you have entered /S.

If your message needs correcting , type OK on the first
available blank line and press RETURN. The BBS will display
the EDITOR MENU. Choose the feature you need to correct your
message and follow the BBS prompts. 

When your correction is complete, the EDITOR Quick MENU
appears on the screen as shown below. Type ? to return to the
EDITOR MENU. 

     Select an Editor Option (S,A,L,C,H,R,D,I,N,T, or ? for
     Menu): [Type ? here to see a  more complete explanation of
     your editing options]

At the EDITOR MENU, select an editing option if you need to
make more corrections. If you are finished with your
corrections, type S to save your file and send it to the GPO
System Operator (SYSOP).

Once your message is saved, the BBS will ask if you want to
attach a file. Type N in response to this question. You can
only attach a file to a message if your USER-ID is validated.
Answering Yes at this time will give you an error message. 

     Do you want to "attach" a file to this message (Y/N)? 
     [Type N here]

Next, the BBS asks if you want a return receipt when this
message is opened. Type N in response to this question. You
can only receive a return receipt if your USER-ID is
validated. Answering Yes at this time will give you an error
message.

     Do you want a "return receipt" when this message is
     opened (Y/N)?   [Type N here]

The BBS will display a confirmation notice that includes the
number assigned to your message. If you want to read your
message later, write the message number down.

     Confirmed: Your E-Mail Message # __ has been sent.

You have completed the request for validation. GPO will
validate your USER-ID and notify  you by E-Mail message
usually within two working days. 

You are now at the ELECTRONIC MAIL Quick MENU.

If you want to leave the E-Mail function, type X for e(X)it .
This will take you to the MAIN Quick MENU. Type ?, to return
to The Federal Bulletin Board MAIN MENU.

If you want to read the message you sent, type R at the
ELECTRONIC MAIL Quick MENU and follow the instructions below.

The BBS will ask if you want to read messages you have sent
(from you) or messages you have received (to you or privately
to you). Type F for (F)rom you.

     Read messages (F)rom you, (T)o you or (P)rivately to you.
     Enter ? for Help. Enter your choice: [Type F here]

The BBS will prompt you to enter the number of the message you
want to read. If you wrote down your message number, enter it
here. If you do not remember the number, type 999999. This
will retrieve the most recent message you sent.
 
     Enter the NUMBER of the message you want. Enter ? for
     help.
     Press RETURN to start with (number of the earliest
     message you sent):  [Type message number or 999999 here]

The BBS will display the header information for the message
you retrieved; including your name, the addressee, and the
topic. To see the text of your message, type R for (R)ead.

     Scan for (N)ext message or (P)revious message, (R)ead
     this message or e(X)it?   [Type R here]

The text of your message will be displayed. Type X to e(X)it
the read function and return to the ELECTRONIC MAIL Quick
MENU. 
 
     (E)rase this message, (M)odify it, (P)revious message,
     (N)ext message or e(X)it:  [Type X here]

From the ELECTRONIC MAIL Quick MENU, choose X to e(X)it the
electronic mail functions.


G.   Opening a GPO Deposit Account

To open a GPO Deposit Account to access The Federal Bulletin
Board, you must send a request in writing to:

          Superintendent of Documents
          Deposit Accounts Section
          Stop: SSOR
          U. S. Government Printing Office
          Washington, D.C.  20402

A check or money order for at least $50.00, payable to the
Superintendent of Documents, must accompany your letter.  You
may also open a Deposit Account by providing GPO with your
VISA or MasterCard number, expiration date, and the amount you
wish to deposit in your GPO Deposit Account.  If you are
opening your Deposit Account with a credit card, you may FAX
your request to (202) 512-1356. Be sure to sign your letter or
FAX message. Since we must have your signature, we cannot
accept an E-Mail message to open a Deposit Account. 

You may call the Office of Electronic Information
Dissemination Services at (202) 512-1530 for more information
on opening a Deposit Account.


When you receive your Deposit Account number from GPO by
return mail, you may become a validated customer of the BBS by
re-registering as a new user and entering your Deposit Account
number as your USER-ID. You must also send a validation
request to the GPO System Operator (SYSOP).  Validation is
usually completed within two working days. Once your USER-ID
has been validated, your BBS purchases will be deducted from
your Deposit Account.  If you purchase files, a monthly
Deposit Account statement will be sent to you.


III. USING THE FEDERAL BULLETIN BOARD

A.   Overview

This section contains information on how to use the features
of The Federal Bulletin Board, including Electronic Mail (E-
Mail), Special Interest Groups (SIGS), and File Libraries.  If
you are new to The Federal Bulletin Board then turn to the new
user section of this manual which will give you information on
how to access the BBS and register as a new user.  Then read
the information below to get started.
 
Standard Commands

On each BBS menu you will find the commands that tell you how to
utilize the various features of the BBS.  The commands below are
constant throughout the program:

X         Exits to a prior menu or logs off the system from the  

          MAIN MENU.
?         Brings up the On-Line Help screens or the full version 

          of a Quick Menu.
CTRL S    Suspends temporarily scrolling of information on the   

          screen
CTRL R    Resumes scrolling of information on the screen


B.   Logging on to The Federal Bulletin Board

Using your telecommunications software, call The Federal Bulletin
Board at (202) 512-1387. 

Once you are connected, the BBS will ask if you would like ANSI
graphics displayed on your screen.  If you do not have ANSI.SYS
in your CONFIG.SYS or are not sure, type N and then press your
RETURN or ENTER key.  Answering no to this question will not
effect your use of the BBS.

     Display ANSI Graphics (Y/N) ?   [Type Y for Yes or N for No
     here]

Note: Whenever you respond to a BBS question or select a menu
option, you must press your RETURN or ENTER key to send your
response to the BBS.

At the bottom of the Welcome to The Federal Bulletin Board
screen, enter your USER-ID.   The BBS will then ask you to enter
your password. Type in your password. You will now be at The
Federal Bulletin Board MAIN MENU. 

The Federal Bulletin Board MAIN MENU will look like the one
below:

     S ...       SIG (Special Interest Groups)
     E ...       Electronic Mail (E-Mail)
     A ...       Account (USER-ID) Information
     F ...       File Libraries: Search & Download
     X ...       Exit: Sign Off BBS

Please enter your choice and press RETURN:

The Federal Bulletin Board offers many of the most popular BBS
features including:

E-Mail:  Electronic Mail service for ordering products and
communicating with the SYSOP at GPO.  As an alternative to
downloading files, you can use E-mail to order files
sent to you on personal computer diskettes.  You can also use
E-Mail to place orders for CD-ROM products if you already have
the GPO stock number.

Special Interest Group (SIG) Bulletins:  Open messages to all BBS
users, grouped by topic.  The SIGs will provide information on
products available from the BBS as well as announcements of
popular print and CD-ROM publications.

File Libraries:  Electronic files from a variety of Federal
agencies organized by topic heading.  You can browse the file
lists, review file descriptions, and transfer selected files
to your own personal computer, quickly and easily.  Although
full-text searching of the file contents is not available, you
can search by file name, date, and keywords.

To access any of these features type in the appropriate letter at
the bottom of the MAIN MENU.


C.   Using Electronic Mail

Anyone can read Electronic Mail (E-Mail) addressed to them or
write E-Mail messages addressed to the System Operator (SYSOP).

When you sign on, you are automatically notified if E-Mail
messages are waiting for you. You should read your messages
frequently and erase your messages after you read them.  

NOTE:  A message is automatically purged 14 days after it is sent
to you, EVEN IF IT HAS NOT BEEN READ.

If you are a validated user, you can upload and "attach" a file
to an E-Mail message sent to the GPO Systems Operator (SYSOP). 
You also can use the "return receipt" feature to receive an
acknowledgement that the SYSOP has received your E-Mail message. 

If you are not a validated user, you will receive an error
message when you request these features.

If you select E from the MAIN MENU you will retrieve the E-Mail
Menu.

     ELECTRONIC MAIL MENU:

     R    Read message(s)
     W    Write a message
     M    Modify a message
     E    Erase a message
     X    Exit from E-Mail

     Enter your choice:

Reading your E-Mail

At the Electronic Mail Menu, type R to read your messages and
follow the instructions below.

The BBS will ask if you want to read messages you have sent (from
you) or messages you have received (to you or privately to you). 

     Read messages (F)rom you, (T)o you or (P)rivately to you.
     Enter ? for Help. Enter your choice:   [Type F, T, or P     

     here]

The BBS will prompt you to enter the number of the message you
want to read.  If you do not remember the number of the message
you want to read, type 999999. This will retrieve the most recent
message you sent or received.
 
     Enter the NUMBER of the message you want. Enter ? for help.
     Press RETURN to start with (number of the most recent 
     message):   [Type message number or 999999 here]

The BBS will display the header information for the message you
retrieved as shown
below. 

     E-Mail #81220 04-JUN-96 17:48 (Reply to #79617)
     From:   SYSOP
     To: Dole (private message)
     Re: TRI files

     To see the text of your message, type R for (R)ead.

     Scan for (N)ext message or (P)revious message, (R)ead this
     message or e(X)it? [Type R here]

The text of your message will be displayed. Type X to e(X)it the
read function and return to the ELECTRONIC MAIL Quick MENU. 
 
     (E)rase this message, (M)odify it, (P)revious message,
     (N)ext essage or e(X)it:  [Type X here]

From the ELECTRONIC MAIL Quick MENU, choose X to e(X)it the
electronic mail functions.

Downloading Attached Files

If there is a file attached to a message, the BBS will ask if you
want to download the file after you have read the message.  You
may download it by using one of the file transfer protocols: 

     A    ASCII download of a file, continuously (CNTRL-S pauses)
     M    XModem download       G    YModem download
     C    XModem-CRC download   Z    ZModem download
     Y    YModem (1K XMODEM)    Z    Resume ZMODEM download
     B    YModem Batch          K    Kermit /Super Kermit

Once you have read a message or downloaded an attachment, you
can:

     R    Reply to the message and erase it
     E    Erase this message
     P    View the previous message
     N    View the next message
     X    Exit Read function

Writing E-Mail

At the Electronic Mail Menu, type W to write your messages and
follow the instructions below.  You will see the following BBS
prompt.  Type SYSOP at the prompt to send your message to the GPO
System Operator.

     To send this message enter SYSOP or a Depository Library
     USER-ID.
     Send this message to:  [Type SYSOP here]

The BBS will now prompt you for the topic of this message. 

     Enter the topic of this message. (50 characters):  [Type
     topic of message here]

You will now see the following message:

     Your message can be up to 1920 characters long. When you
     have completed your message, type OK on a blank line and
     press RETURN. You will be given an opportunity to edit the
     text.

     If your text does not need editing , type /S on a blank line
     and press return to save and proceed without editing the
     message.

     Enter the text of your message below:  [Type your message
     here]

Review your message. If it is correct, type /S on the first
available blank line and press RETURN. This will save your
message and send it to the GPO System Operator (SYSOP). You
cannot edit your message once you have entered /S.

If your message needs correcting , type OK on the first available
blank line and press RETURN. The BBS will display the EDITOR
MENU. Choose the feature you need to correct your message and
follow the BBS prompts. 

When your correction is complete, the EDITOR Quick MENU appears
on the screen as shown below. Type ? to return to the EDITOR
MENU. 

     Select an Editor Option (S,A,L,C,H,R,D,I,N,T, or ? for
     Menu):  [Type ? here to see a more complete explanation of
     your editing options]

At the EDITOR MENU, select an editing option if you need to make
more corrections. If you are finished with your corrections, type
S to save your file and send it to the GPO System Operator
(SYSOP).

Once your message is saved, the BBS will ask if you want to
attach a file.  You can only attach a file to a message if your
USER-ID is validated.  

     Do you want to "attach" a file to this message (Y/N)?  [Type
     Y or N here]

To attach a file to the message you are sending use one of the
following protocols:

     A    ASCII upload          B    YMODEM Batch
     M    XMODEM                G     YMODEM-g upload (batch)
     C    XMODEM-CRC upload     Z    ZMODEM upload
     Y    YMODEM                K     KERMIT/SUPER KERMIT upload

Next, the BBS asks if you want a return receipt when this message
is opened.  You can only receive a return receipt if your USER-ID
is validated.  

     Do you want a "return receipt" when this message is opened
     (Y/N)?  [Type Y or N here]

The BBS will display a confirmation notice that includes the
number assigned to your message.  If you want to read your
message later, write the message number down.

     Confirmed: Your E-Mail Message # __ has been sent.

You have completed the request for validation.  GPO will validate
your USER-ID and notify  you by E-Mail message usually within two
working days. 


D.   Special Interest Group (SIG) Bulletins

These are open messages to all BBS users, grouped by topic.  Each
SIG consists of a message database.  The messages, also called
bulletins, may have attached files that contain additional
information.  Some attached files are instructional and can be
downloaded by any user. Other files can be downloaded only by a
user whose USER-ID has been validated by GPO.

There are several levels of user access.  The most common are
Read and Download. Read access means that you can read messages. 
Download access means you can also download attached files. 

The SIGS provide information on products available from the BBS
as well as announcements of popular print and CD-ROM
publications.  To enter the SIG bulletins, type S at The Federal
Bulletin Board MAIN MENU.   This will take you to the SIG
MENU below:

     SIG- \Hello: Questions and answers about this BBS. 

     S =>       Select a different SIG
     S?=>       List all SIGS and select a different SIG
     E=>        Exit from SIGS
     G=>        General information
     R=>        Read messages in this SIG
     D=>        Download a file from this SIG 
     ?=>        More information

     Enter your choice: 

To get a list of the current SIGS, type S? at the prompt.  Note:
To stop the listing at any time, simply press return.  

Reading Messages in a SIG

There are several options for reading and downloading in SIGs. 
Reading SIG messages is the same as downloading SIG files, except
that downloading only looks at messages with files attached. 
There are several options available when you would like to
download one of the attached files:

     L    List the file on the screen, one file at a time
     A    ASCII upload          B    YMODEM Batch
     M    XMODEM                G     YMODEM-g upload (batch)
     C    XMODEM-CRC upload     Z    ZMODEM upload
     Y    YMODEM                K     KERMIT/SUPER KERMIT upload

Using Concatenated Commands

One of the useful features of the BBS is that you can avoid
viewing every menu in a series by using a string of commands,
also called concatenated commands.  Listed below are examples of
concatenated commands that you will find helpful.
 
Read Download   Read Messages/Download Files

RK   DK         Keyword search for messages/files
RS   DS         Chronological scan for messages/files
RLB  DLB        Non-stop one line list of messages/file
                descriptions
RLT  DLT        Non stop 4 line list of messages/file
                descriptions
RLF  DLF        Non-stop full-text list of messages/file         

                descriptions
RQK  DQK        Quickscan-Keyword search for messages/files
RQS  DQS        Quickscan of messages/file descriptions
RQLB DQLB       Quickscan of one line of messages/file
                descriptions
RQLT DQLT       Quickscan in 4 lines of messages/file
                descriptions
RQLF DQLF       Quickscan of the full text of messages/file
                descriptions
RQC  DQC        Quickscan the configuration

Scanning and Listing SIG Messages

When scanning, you view message summaries one at a time, and
optionally read the text of each message.  The default starting
point is just after the most recent message that you have already
read in each SIG.  

During a list, the messages and summaries scroll by one after
another.  To temporarily suspend the scrolling of the list, type
Ctrl S.  To resume scrolling, type Ctrl R.  

Using Keywords to Search for SIG Messages

You can search the SIG messages using keywords.  The BBS will
review the contents of the  messages and retrieve any that
contain the specified keyword(s).   However, the contents of 
files attached to messages are NOT scanned in the keyword search.


You can enter a single keyword or several keywords, separated by
spaces.  Here are some examples of keyword search specifications:

Enter a keyword list: federal             Find all messages 
                                          containing the word
                                          "federal" 

Enter a keyword list: federal register    Find all messages
                                          containing both
                                          "federal" and register"

Quickscan Searching for Messages

Quickscan is an advanced search for messages or files.  You can
custom tailor quickscan to your interests by limiting the scan to
certain SIGS and to certain subjects within the SIGS.  Each
quickscan search "begins" where you left off in your last
search/scan of a SIG, so you only review new messages.  

To specify the SIGS to include in your quickscan, you need to
configure your quickscan. Type RQ from the SIG menu to establish
a quickscan profile.  Type RQC to edit your quickscan profile.   

After typing RQC, you will see a message that says:

     Your quickscan is now configured for the following SIG(s):

     /HELLO     /DOE_HMER       /TR90      /DOE_SEDS

     + ... add a SIG to the list
     -  ... delete a SIG from the list

     Select + or -, K to configure your quickscan keywords, or ?
     for help:  [Type your quickscan changes here]

You can remove or add SIGs using the + or - followed by the name
of a SIG.  For example, you can delete the SIGs called /DOE_HMER
and /TR90 and add the SIG called /EPA_FR by entering  -/DOE_HMER 
- /TR90  +/EPA_FR. You also can specify up to 5 keyword lists. 
Only messages/file descriptions that match one or more of the
keyword lists will pop up during the quickscan.  The contents of
the attached files are NOT searched for keywords.

Threading through SIG Messages

After reading a SIG message, you have the option to:

     TB   Thread backward to the most recent message with the
          same topic
     TF   Thread forward to the very next message with the same
          topic
     TP   Thread to the Parent of this message (if this message
          is itself a reply to
          another SIG message)

Following a thread of messages will not lose your place if a
quickscan is in progress. 



E.   Using the File Library System

Files are organized into LIBRARIES (LIBs).  The File Library
System makes product files available to users with validated
USER-IDs for searching and downloading.  Without a valid USER-ID,
you may only select libraries and list file directories.

Here is the File Libraries Menu:

        G =>    General information
        S =>    Select a LIBRARY 
        S?=>    List LIBRARIES and select one
        F =>    File directory
   
        D =>    Download or Search for a file 
   
Selecting F from the MAIN MENU takes you to the MAIN LIB.  Type S
to select a different LIBRARY.  Type S? for a list of LIBRARIES. 
Type F for a list of files in the current LIBRARY.  Type G for
general information on the File Library System.

If you search for or list files while in the MAIN LIB, the
results apply to files from all of the LIBRARIES in the File
Library System.  If you search for or list files while in any
other LIBRARY, the results apply only to that LIBRARY.

Download or Search in the File Library

You can search for files based on their LIBRARY, file name,
keywords assigned by the publishing agency or GPO, or the date
that the files were made available on the BBS. Type D to Download
or Search in the File Library System. 

     Search for a specific file by File name(s), keyword, date
     (MM/DD/YY) or days ago (- DD): [Type your search here]

Your search options are:

  Keyword                 Enter a keyword to search
                          alphabetically through the file of
                          keywords.  If your keyword is not in
                          the index, the closest matching word
                          will be displayed.

  File name               Enter a file name or several file names
                          separated by spaces. You can use an *
                          (asterisk) as a wild card.

  Libname\filename        Enter a Library name followed by a file
                          name to find files in another library. 
                          You can use an * (asterisk) as a wild
                          card.

   Days ago (-DD)         Enter - (minus) and a number to search
                          chronologically for files that were
                          uploaded that number of days ago.  For
                          example, -0 would find files uploaded
                          today.  -7 would find files uploaded
                          within the last week.

   MM/DD/YY               Enter a date to search chronologically
                          for files that were uploaded on the
                          date specified in the format  MM/DD/YY.

After specifying a keyword, file name, date or
number-of-days-ago, you get a numbered list of files.  For
example, if you were in the MAIN LIB and entered the keyword FED,
your results might look like this:

   Keyword      LIBRARY   Filename        Description

   1  federal   REFEREND  RFLIST.ZIP      List of federal
                                          referenda, 1994
   2  ferrous   ENERGY    EI94062.DOC     Ferrous Chromate energy
                                          initiati
   3  ficus     MEDICAL   TROPCURE.RPT    Medical uses for
                                          tropical plants
   4  fishing   DOLPHIN   FISHING.ZIP     New tuna fishing
                                          initiatives
   5  fusion    ENERGY    RES0442.ZIP     Energy research
                                          initiative 0442

After which you can type:

   1-5           To display the file description for one of the
                 files.
   F             To scan Forward alphabetically through the
                 keyword list.
   B             To scan Backward alphabetically through the
                 keyword list.
   MM/DD/YY      To search for files uploaded on MM/DD/YY.
   -DD           To search for files uploaded DD days ago.
   <filename>    To get information on a specific file.
   <keyword>     To search for a different keyword.

If you select a specific file number, the BBS will display the
file characteristics (size, price, date uploaded, etc.), the list
of keywords assigned to the file and the detailed file
description.  You then have these options:

L --> List this file, one screen at a time   (Use these options  
A --> Download it using ASCII text protocol  only on ASCII files)

     M --> XMODEM download        G --> YMODEM-g download (batch)
     C --> XMODEM-CRC download    Z --> ZMODEM download
     Y --> YMODEM (1K XMODEM)     ZR -> Resume ZMODEM download
     B --> YMODEM Batch           K --> KERMIT download


     S ... Search for another file
     R ... Review the description of this file

Some LIBRARIES may be "DOS-only" and have no keywords or file
descriptions associated with them.  In that case, you can only
specify a file name for download.

Batch File Downloading

From any LIBRARY menu you can download a group of files by
specifying a command like:

     D *.EXE *.COM *.BAT README.DOC 

This sample would result in the downloading of all files in the
active LIBRARY with the extension .EXT, or .COM or .BAT as well
as the file named README.DOC.   You will not receive a detailed
file description for these files.  The BBS will prompt you to
select a download protocol that will support multi-file transfer.

Here are all the choices for multi-file download protocols.

     B -->      YMODEM Batch multi-file download
     G -->      YMODEM-g multi-file download
     Z -->      ZMODEM multi-file download
     ZR ->      Resume ZMODEM multi-file download
     K -->      KERMIT multi-file download


F.   Account (USER-ID) Information

The Account Information menu allows you to edit the information
you provided to the SYSOP during the new user registration
process.  For example, if this were your profile, you could
change the following information, except for unnumbered items and
items 9 and 12, by entering the number of the item you want to
change.

   User-ID .................... 123456789
   Account Created ........     10/10/92
   Last Logon ...............   11/29/93

    1. Name ..................  Ben Franklin
    2. Organization...........  US Govt. Printing Office
    3. Address................  North Capitol & H Streets, NW
    4. City State Zip.......    Washington, DC 20401
    5. Phone Number ........... (202) 555-1212
    6. System Type .........    IBM PC or compatible (ANSI)
    7. Screen Width ........    80
    8. Screen Length ......     24
    9. .....................    0
   10. Mailing List Y/N.....    N
   11. Password .............   (not displayed for security
                                reasons)
   12. .....................    0


IV.  REQUEST FOR COMMENTS

You can download a copy of this USER'S GUIDE FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO
THE FEDERAL BULLETIN BOARD from the /HELLO SIG in either ASCII or
Word Perfect 5.1 form.   When a new edition of the USER'S GUIDE
is published, it will be attached to a message in the /HELLO SIG
and an E-Mail message will be sent to all users.

The Federal Bulletin Board was established to enable Federal
agencies to provide the public immediate, self-service access to
Federal information in electronic form at reasonable rates.  GPO
and the participating agencies are interested in your opinion of
the BBS and its services.  

You can send us your comments and suggestions by addressing
E-Mail to the SYSOP and using the topic SUGGESTION BOX.  If you
prefer to write, our mailing address is:

     Office of Electronic Information Dissemination 
          Services (EIDS)
     Mail Stop ID
     U.S. Government Printing Office 
     North Capitol & H Streets, NW
     Washington, DC 20401

You can reach us by telephone at (202) 512-1524 or by FAX at
(202) 512-1262.  Our office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays).

We look forward to hearing from you, and we hope that you enjoy
using The Federal Bulletin Board.

[end-quote]

Terry Carroll - tjc50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com - 408/992-2152
The opinions presented above are not necessarily those of a sound mind.