America Online (AOL)
The Scouting Online Forum on American Online can be reached by using AOL keywords. Keywords for the Scouting Online Forum on America Online are SCOUTS or SCOUTING. Apple II users will need to use the keyword PIN, then select Scouting Online from the menu. AOL has a library of text and graphics files that can come in very handy. You will find sample ceremonies, reference material, .pcx files and much more. To get to these resources follow the steps outlined on the next page.
Getting Scouting Goodies on AOL
| 1. | At the menu bar pick "GO TO" |
| 2. | On the pull down menu pick "Keyword" and type "Scouting" |
| 3. | Pick Scouting Library
| 4. | Use the "List More" button to keep going down the list |
| 5. | You will find at least three types of unit management software, dozens
of graphics sets in .tiff, .pict, .pcx, and .gif format for both BSA and Girl
Scouting. You will also find a rich assortment of program files on
almost every subject you can imagine. |
|
Transfering Files in AOL
AOL restricts incoming e-mail files and attachments to 32k. It does not restrict size in transfers between account-holders. If you receive a uuencoded graphic on AOL, it probably will be in several files that are sequential named or numbered. Open the first one in a text editor. Strip off the headers, chit-chat and signatures. Save with the name you intend to use. Open the second and repeat the process, only when your done copy the whole thing to a clipboard and then paste into the first. Or if you are using a word processor, you can simply copy the files one at a time onto the end of the first document and strip out all the headers, chit chat, signature blocks. Then you can run the UUDECODE utility on the new file. If you don't have the necessary utilities, you can get them from AOL by following the steps outlined below:
To Get UUENCODEUUDECODE Files on AOL
| 1. | At the main menu pick "Computing" |
| 2. | Select "Software Center" |
| 3. | Select "Search the Libraries" |
| 4. | Select "DOS" and type in "UUENCODE" |
| 5. | You can pick one of nine selections to fit your needs. |
To Get PKZ204G.EXE (PKUNZIP/PKZIP) Files On AOL
| 1. | At the main menu pick "Computing" |
| 2. | Select "Software Center" |
| 3. | Select "Search the Libraries" |
| 4. | Select "Applications", "DOS", and "Windows" then type in "PKWARE" |
| 5. | Download "PKZ204G.EXE" |
| 6. | This file will is a self-executing file that will unzip itself when you type PKZ204G in the DOS directory where you downloaded it. |
Virtual Campfire on AOL
Every Sunday night Scouters gather around the Virtual Campfire at Shade Tree for a live Scouting chat at 9:00 p.m. EST.
Compuserve
Compuserve has an excellent resource software resource library for Scouting with files dating back to 1986. You could literally fill your hard disk with information that you might want to download from this library. To get to this software library, use the "go to" command to pick "Scouting" and then open the software. The files include hundreds of .pcx and .gif files for graphics lovers; hundreds of text files on all sorts of subjects and copies of database software designed for Scouting. The databases found here are designed to help manage a unit's records. You can download the following for example:
| 1. | PackTracker |
| 2. | Troop Tracker |
| 3. | Ship Tracker |
| 4. | Post Tracker |
| 5. | Arrow Tracker |
| 6. | CUBSYS |
| 7. | SCOUTSYS |
| 8. | VENTSYS |
| 9. | CUBMATE |
| 10. | SCOUTMATE |
To get to the real Scouting Goodies on COMPUSERVE
| 1. | Select "GO" |
| 2. | Type in "Scouting" |
| 3. | Pick the icon for software libraries |
| 4. | Here you will find unit management programs, graphics of all sorts, program files, etc. |
Many of these programs and files are stored in zipped form and uuencoded to reduce transmission time. You may need to get the appropriate utilities to use these files. If you download files and find you need these utilities, you can get them by following the instructions below:
To get UUENCODE/DECODE Files on COMPUSERVE
| 1. | Select "FIND" |
| 2. | Enter "PC File Finder" |
| 3. | Select "Access PC File Finder" |
| 4. | Select "Keyword" and type in "UUENCODE" |
| 5. | Wait for results and then select "Display Results" |
| 6. | Pick the version of UUENCODE/DECODE best suited for your system; e.g. DOS, UNIX, etc. |
To Get PKUNZIP/PKZIP Files on COMPUSERVE
| 1. | Select "FIND" |
| 2. | Enter "PC File Finder" |
| 3. | Select "Access PC File Finder" |
| 4. | Select "Keyword" and type in "PKWARE" |
| 5. | Wait for results and then select "Display Results" |
| 6. | Select any choice that lets you download PKZ204G.EXE |
Delphi
Delphi no longer offers a Scouting area. It was tried for awhile and did not prove viable.
GENIE
The following information is provided by Olan Watkins (o.watkins@
GENIE.GEIS.COM), a member of the SCOUTS-L discussion group some years back. It has been rumored that Genie has discontinued its Scouting Section, so it is possible that is information is no longer viable:
In general the Genie Scouting Section is divided into discussion topic areas. There is about an equal division of areas for Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting, with a somewhat smaller area reserved for Exploring and Sea Scouting. There are topic areas for camping, advancement, camp cooking, Order of the Arrow, OA Flap and CSP trading, Cub Scouting, Sponsor Problems, Flag Protocol, and Safety concerns. On the Girl Scouting side, there are topics for each group such as Brownies, Cadets, etc.
Genie has recently expanded the scouting area into two adjacent categories because of the popularity of the discussions. One category is reserved for information exchange and the discussion of scouting in theory. The other is a networking category, where our participants share their experiences of what works and doesn't with co volunteers from across the country.
The software library currently contains hundreds of informational files that have been uploaded by our subscribers. These range from clip-art, databases, music files, and archives of bulletin board discussions. Another feature of GEnie is the Real Time Conference (RTC). They host a scouting volunteer RTC every Sunday afternoon where leaders come together on-line to chat in a virtual "face-to-face" environment. It is also a place for special events. If you would like to learn more about our service, please write to the systems operators at either address below:
f.corradino@genie.geis.com or
j.margul@genie.genis.com
I RIME or Intelec
You may e-mail to Harold Stein,
KPVP84C@prodigy.com, to learn more about I RIME or Intelec.
MSN
Shortly after Windows95 was released Microsoft unveiled its new online services. To date we do not have any information as to whether there is a Scouting area available there. If you explore and find one, please let us know and we'll include the information here.
National Videotex Network
There are supposed to be some Scouting related discussions on National Videotex Network, but I do not have access to NVN to verify this information.
Others
The Well, eWorld and Others: For The Well, eWorld and other On-Line services you can either post a query to the system operators, review indices or ask others who use the service where the Scouts are!
Prodigy
The Prodigy Scouting Forum: On Prodigy: Jump Service Clubs BB, click on "Choose a Topic" and select Boy Scouts.
