From kraft Thu Jan 12 15:02:12 1995
Subject: Query about Network Access
To: dss
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 1995 15:02:12 -0500 (EST)
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One of your fellow students writes as follows. For the moment I'm
masking the student's identity, lest the idea of being identified
intimidates anyone. But this exchange might be of help to others, so I'm
posting it to the list. Read on.

Forwarded message:
> Subject: Re: DSS Course Description, Requirements
> To: kraft@ccat.sas.upenn.edu (Robert Kraft)
> Date: Thu, 12 Jan 1995 13:09:49 -0500 (EST)
> 
> Dr. Kraft -
> 	I'm kind of embarrassed, but I don't know how to read the dss 
> list.  Is that the same as a newsgroup?  (I don't know how to read those 
> either.)  Please write me to tell me how to read it, unless you're going 
> to tell us on the first day of class.

Good question. There are so many different types of internet resources.
What we are using in the DSS course is a (for the moment, at least)
monitored list in which all postings come through me (as "listowner").
This means that all postings that I decide to pass along (like this one)
will go automatically to everyone on the list (which at present includes
only class members, but will be opened to others in the next few days).
Thus there is nothing you need to do except read your mail. If you want
to respond, you use the reply function and your message will come to me.
Then I will determine whether to post your message to the larger list.
Similarly, if you post something to the "dss@ccat.sas" address, it will
come to me as well, for approval. After awhile, once we all learn the
ropes, we might decide to open the list for non-monitored discussion.
But until then, it all goes through me.

What you need to know how to access on your own initiative is the ccat
gopher, where class materials will be archived. To do that, go to your
main prompt line (or use "!" to call up the "shell" without exiting elm)
and type "gopher" (on mail.sas accounts, this gets you to the main UPenn
gopher; things will work slightly differently for people on non sas
accounts). Then follow the path > "3. Gopher servers at Penn" > "2.
CCAT" > "6. Credit Course Materials" > "6. Religious Studies" > "5. 225
DSS" -- and if you like, browse along the way! You will also find much
relevant material for the DSS course in the ReligStudies 525 slot on the
gopher, my course on "Varieties of Early Judaism."

If you are REALLY feeling brave, and inquisitive, you could also go to
my "home page" on the WWW = World Wide Web, via the "Lynx" command. You
won't see the pictures through lynx, but the texts are there -- follow
the menus from the main UPenn Home Page > Departments > Religious
Studies > Faculty > Robert A. Kraft. You can also get to the course
materials through this route. That's what "hypertexting" is all about!

> 	Other than some slight electronic apprehension (which I think 
> this class should help me overcome), I'm really looking forward to your 
> course - it sounds fascinating!

Apprehension is normal, at most levels of electronic networking. You
probably won't overcome it, but will learn how to control it! The
subject is fascinating and there are lots of resources. Now if we can
only all fit into the room. Come early, but save me a seat (I usually
don't get there early!).

Welcome back, everyone. The books by VanderKam and Fitzmyer are in the
bookstore, they tell me, so we are ready to get started. Neither book is
technical, and the first thing I want you to do in reading is to go
through those two books fairly rapidly. I want you to see the forest, so
that we can examine various trees, bushes, rocks, streams, etc., at more
leisure in class and on the net. I'd rather you didn't get lost too much!

RAK