Getting more information

Kidlink's discussion lists are automatically archived. The easiest way of browsing these archives is by using the World Wide Web. You can also obtain a list of many archive files by sending an ordinary email message to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu . The text of the message should contain the command:

index list name

Replace "list name" above with the name of the desired mailing list. You can even look at the historical KIDS-91 and KIDS-92 archives with the INDEX command.

Example: Use the command index kidwriters for the archive index of the Kidwriters list. The list of files returned to you from Listserv will look something like this example from the KIDWRITERS list, and may be rather large since it will also contain an log file entry for each week since the list was created:

 * Archive files for the KIDWRITERS list at LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU 
   * (weekly logs) 
   * rec last - change 
   * filename filetype GET PUT -fm lrecl nrecs date time 
   * -------- -------- --- --- --- ----- ----- -------- -------- 
   KIDWRITERS LOG9711E LOG OWN V 73 28 97/12/15 13:18:32 
   KIDWRITERS LOG9712A LOG OWN V 79 54 97/12/15 13:18:32 

Don't pay much attention to all the details. The important things here are the file names (under 'filename' and 'filetype'). We have shortened the printout above for clarity. The list of files may use long lines which will wrap around on your screen possibly causing some confusion.

You can have any of the files in the list sent to you by sending a new message to the Listserv with the command:

GET KIDWRITERS.<filetype>

Example: Say you want to receive the logfile for the first week of December 1997. This text is stored in the archive file named: KIDWRITERS filetype LOG9712A (as shown in the report above). Send a mail to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu with the text of the mail having GET KIDWRITERS.LOG9712A

NOTE: Please, never send file commands to the discussion lists (i.e., to KIDWRITERS). Always send retrieval commands to the Listserv!!

Finally, if you want to "talk" with a human, send your request to kidlink-info@kidlink.org

Change how to use our discussion lists

Many people feel the "heart" of Kidlink is the exchange that occurs between kids in our KIDCAFE lists. Perhaps you would like to subscribe to one of them, but find the volume overwhelming. We have ways around this problem.
There are many ways to participate in high volume mailing lists. The procedures below can also be used on any other Kidlink discussion list. Just replace the word KIDCAFE-SPANISH in this section with the name of another list.
In almost all cases, the first step in participating in any Kidlink list like KIDCAFE-SPANISH is to subscribe to it. Example:

SUBSCRIBE KIDCAFE-SPANISH Jane Doe

Below, we assume that you are already subscribed to the list. The first four items described there (MAIL, DIGEST, INDEX, and NOMAIL) are mutually exclusive. You can only have one of them in effect for a given list!

MAIL: The Standard Subscription. Individual messages

When you subscribe to a KIDCAFE list, the standard setup is for the Listserv to send each message to you as it is sent to the list. For lists like KIDCAFE-INDIVIDUAL or KIDCAFE-PORTUGUESE, this can sometimes mean 100 messages in one day. Some subscribers have restrictions that prevent them from getting that many mail messages. Others pay for each message, and need to keep costs down. Therefore, we have some alternatives available to help.
If you use the DIGEST, INDEX, or NOMAIL settings, then you can return to the standard MAIL setting by sending a message to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu with the following line in the TEXT of the message:

set kidcafe-individual mail

The Listserv will confirm your setting by a return email.
Hint: Try this address: http://listserv.nodak.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?S2=KIDLINK&m=LAST*. This URL may be used to read the last message sent to a list. Just replace KIDLINK with any list name. It can be useful to put a link like "Read the latest Kidlink official announcement!" without the need to change it everytime a message is sent.

DIGEST: A Daily Message Containing All Messages That Day

The digest option provides delivery of the messages on a list as one big message per day. This will be a big help to subscribers on systems with limits on the number of messages that can be received (like CompuServe). It will help others manage the flow of message.

Example: Some teachers may find it easier to get mail from a KIDCAFE list as one message per day. It makes the messages easier to retrieve, print, and deliver as individual messages to students.

To set a list, for example KIDCAFE-INDIVIDUAL, to the DIGEST option, send a message to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu with the following line in the text of the message:

set kidcafe-individual digest

The Listserv will confirm your setting by a return email.

INDEX: A Daily Index of Messages You Can Retrieve

The INDEX option makes the Listserv send you a daily index of messages rather than the full text of the messages as in the DIGEST mode.
The index is a daily list of the messages that appeared on any given mailing list in the preceding 24 hours. The index list typically looks like in this example:

  Date:     Thu, 18 Dec 1997 00:06:48 -0600
  From: Automatic digest processor <listserv@listserv.nodak.edu> 
  Subject:  KIDCAFE-PORTUGUESE Index - 16 Dec 1997 to 17 Dec 1997
  To: Recipients of KIDCAFE-PORTUGUESE indexes
  <KIDCAFE-INDIVIDUAL@listserv.nodak.edu> 

  Index  Date  Size Poster and subject
  -----  ----  ---- ------------------
  018277 12/17   66 From:    Marisa Lucena <mwlucena@nc-rj.rnp.br>
                    Subject: File: "KIDLINK GENERAPT"

  018278 12/17   17 From:    Marisa Lucena <mwlucena@nc-rj.rnp.br>
                    Subject: Pagina Kidlink Spanish

  018279 12/17   52 From:    Marisa Lucena <mwlucena@nc-rj.rnp.br>
                    Subject: Tibet e Timor - II

  018280 12/17   41 From:    Marisa Lucena <mwlucenak@nc-rj.rnp.br>
                    Subject: Lair Ribeiro autografa obra para jovens

  018281 11/13   20 From:    Michelle Lerner Melamed
                             <melamed@rio.nutecnet.com.br>
                    Subject: Ferias

  To retrieve individual messages or get additional help, send email to
  LISTSERV@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU with commands like these as the message TEXT:

  GETPOST KIDCAFE-PORTUGUESE 3 5 7   (to get messages numbered 3, 5, and 7)
  GET KIDLINK.INDXHP                 (to get index help file)

You can select individual messages from the list, and retrieve them using the GETPOST command as shown. This is a fast and elegant way to participate without possibly being swamped with a mass of messages that may not be relevant to you.

A possibly easier method

To order the messages you are interested in, simply reply to the message and include the original text, just as when you are replying to a normal message and want to quote what your correspondent said.
Before sending the message, delete the lines corresponding to the items you are not interested in, and make sure your reply is going to "RESPONSE-Search-request@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU", and NOT to the mailing list itself, as in "KIDCAFE-PORTUGUESE@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU" using the example above.

Example :

Click on the "Reply" button. The To: field of your mail should now contain RESPONSE-Search-request@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU. Send the desired part of the index, as showed below. (You do not have to remove quotes from the text.)

	  018281 11/13   20 From:    Michelle Lerner Melamed
                             <melamed@rio.nutecnet.com.br>
         		      Subject: Ferias
	  

In some mail programs, like Eudora Pro 4.2, this is very easy:

1. Mark off the index number you want to retrieve
2. Click on the "Reply" button, and a mail is automatically prepared with just the marked text in place
3. Hit the "Queue" or "Send" button to send.

Note: Those who write to KIDCAFE lists should have this application in mind when writing messages. Use the Subject field to make it easier for others to use the index option.
To set a list, for example KIDCAFE-TOPICS, to the INDEX option, send a message to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu with the following line in the TEXT of the message:

set kidcafe-topics index

The Listserv will confirm your setting by a return email.

NOMAIL: Stops all messages (going away for holiday, etc.)

If you are receiving your Kidlink conference mail directly from the Listserv in North Dakota, you may stop the flow of mail from any list at any time without signing off permanently.
The reasons you might want to do this are varied but may include: You are going away on holiday; You receive the messages on one of your e-mail accounts but would like to be able to send mail to the list from another;  You read the list mail on a newsgroup that is set up on a BBS or other information service, and would like to be able to send mail to the lists directly without the need to have it screened by a human.
To set a list to NOMAIL, for example KIDCAFE-QUERY, send a message to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu with the following line in the TEXT of the message:

set kidcafe-query nomail

You can include as many commands as you like in the same message. Example:

set kidlink nomail
set kidleader nomail

To start getting the mail again, use the set kidcafe-query mail command as shown above.

What happens to your mail while you're away?

All discussion messages on our lists are stored in LOG files. If you are reading Kidlink list messages on a local BBS newsgroup, they will be saved for a pre-set period and then removed from the local system.
You can always browse and read them on World Wide Web.

Dual Header: To make sure you see the sender's address

Some people use computer systems that delete the Internet header. When they get a message, their system will show that it is from, for example, the KIDCAFE-QUERY list, but it won't show who actually sent it to the list.
With a DUALHDR option turned on, each message will contain a copy of the important header information. This includes:

• The list sending the message
• The subject line
• The date and time
• The original sender of the message to the list

The DUALHDR option is only available if you are subscribed to the list at the Listserv and are in the standard MAIL mode, thus receiving individual messages.
To set the DUALHDR option, send a message to listserv@listserv.nodak.edu with the following line in the TEXT of the message:

set kidcafe-query dualhdr

Replace 'KIDCAFE-QUERY' with another list name as needed.
If you are not subscribed directly to the list you are reading, but are reading the Kidlink messages in a local newsgroup, and your newsreader does not show the header information, then tell the system manager about this trick. Ask her to change the subscription to DUALHDR. If this does not work, then write us.

Newsreaders: Read messages on a local newsgroup

Many computer administrators have special Kidlink areas on their bulletin board systems (BBS). Here, you can browse through messages sent from many Kidlink lists without having a personal Listserv subscription. This is often referred to as a local newsgroup since it only exists on the system you use, and the service is managed by someone on your local system.
If you read KIDCAFE-TOPICS or other Kidlink lists on a local newsgroup, you may need to take some extra steps to ensure speedy delivery of your messages to these lists.
The reason is that you must be subscribed to any Kidlink list to be able to send mail to it. If you are not, then your mail will be pre-screened by a human being (=delays).
Avoid such delays by subscribing to the list as shown in the introduction to this section. Then immediately set your options to NOMAIL. Now, you messages will be delivered quickly to the list without you having to receive a duplicate of mail that you are already reading in the local newsgroup.
For more information about your local newsgroup setup and any unique requirements, contact your local system administrators.

Access through anonymous FTP

It is possible to obtain all the files in the various discussion lists via anonymous FTP to listserv.nodak.edu, userid Anonymous, and your email address as a password. Once logged in, type

cd /public/KIDLINK

to access the Kidlink archives directory. You can change to another directory at any time with another 'cd' command. Examples:

cd /public/KIDROOTS
cd /public/KIDART-COORD
cd /public/KIDCAFE-ESCOLA

You'll always find the most recent version of this page at http://www.kidlink.org/english/general/tips.html