This is an overview of NetScout. For more details, see the accompanying documentation in the files SCOUT.TXT (a text file) or SCOUT.DOC (a Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0 file). Contents - What Does NetScout Do? - How to Use NetScout - Where to Obtain The Library Lists that NetScout Can Search - How to Obtain the Full-Feature Version of NetScout 1. What Does NetScout Do? This program is an off-line Browser of some of the most powerful lists that are available on the Internet. The lists make up a database of tens of thousands of resources available for research, entertainment, or general information. Topics can cover anything from television shows to particle physics. By obtaining the lists, and then browsing them off-line with NetScout, you can find information much more easily, and at much less expense, than conducting a search "on-line". Once you have located the desired resources using NetScout, you can then use your Internet Service to go directly to the resource - be it subscribing to a maillist, accessing a site, or one of many other resources. The lists themselves are very long. Short versions are included along with this program to allow you to evaluate NetScout. Instructions are provided further on for how to obtain the full content versions of the files, at no charge, directly off the Internet. When you purchase NetScout, you will receive an updated version of the program. You will also receive a courtesy copy of the latest version of all the Internet lists it supports. 2. How To Use NetScout Operation is straightforward. You select the resource library lists you wish to scan, by clicking the button (on/off) adjacent to each. The library lists are described in the next chapter. Then select from 1 to 3 keywords to search for. You may select (via a button click) if you wish to capture entries that contain all the keyword ("and" logic) or any of the keywords ("or" logic). You may set a maximum number of "finds" that the program will limit itself to. This can be a timesaver to prevent spending a lot of time on a poor choice of keyword that results in many entries being selected. (You can also click the "STOP" button at any time to stop a lengthy search.) For example, if you were to include the keyword "PC" with "or" logic, you would probably find far too many irrelevant entries being found. All entries which match the keyword criteria are stored in an output text file. You can save the search crireia and the results of the search in ouput files. One the menu bar, select "FILE" and drop down to "SAVE AS" to save the current search. The search results are stored as a plain text file FILENAME.OUT which can be viewed or otherwise used by any Word Processor program. The search conditrions themselves are saved in a special format file FILENAME.DAT - don't try to examine it. All the normal word-processor-like functions of OPEN, SAVE, SAVE AS, CLOSE, NEW, and PRINT may be employed. Clicking the "RUN" button starts a search. A window indicates that the program is "BUSY" until the search is over. The number of matching entries is also displayed. Once you have conducted a search, you can scan the individual entries by pressing the "VIEW" button. With the "PRINT" button you can send the currently viewed entry to your printer. The "NEXT" button steps you through more entries. Clicking "STOP" ends the Viewing. When viewing resource descriptions, the bar at the bottom of the screen gives specific instructions for how to use your Internet Service to access the listed resource. You can enter choices for an additional search, or click "NEW" to clear all selections 3. Where to obtain the Library Lists NetScout works with several library lists that are easily available off the Internet. Due to space considerations, only a sampling of the lists is supplied along with this evaluation copy of the program. However, you can easily obtain the full lists themselves following the directions below. In order for your downloaded versions of the lists to work with NetScout, each only needs to be combined into a single file (if downloaded in multiple parts) and given the filename indicated below. Name: Publicly_Accessible_Mailing_Lists Description: List of Maillists on the Internet Lists contact procedure and gives a brief description of subject for each of 1000 maillists available on the Internet. Size: 660 KBytes non-compressed Location: anonymous FTP server rtfm.mit.edu path /pub/usenet- by-group/news.lists; filename Publicly_Accessible_Mailing_Lists (14 or more parts). Also re-posted periodically in newsgroup news.announce.newusers. Usage : Combine all parts into one file and rename "maillist.txt" Name: LISTSERV.TXT Description: List of Bitnet Discussion Groups on the Internet/Bitnet Gives a brief description of subject for each of 500+ maillists available on Bitnet, a network related to the Internet. This is a different list from MAILLIST.TXT Size: 600K Bytes non-compressed Location: Send a mail message to listserv@bitnic.bitnet. In the body of the message, have the single entry "list global" (without the quotation marks). Leave the subject field blank . Usage: rename as "listserv.txt" Name: List_of_Active_Newsgroups Description: List of all active news groups. Gives newsgroup name and one-line description. Size: Approx. 96 Kbytes non-compressed Location : anonymous FTP server rtfm.mit.edu path /pub/usenet-by-group/news.lists filename List_of_Active_Newsgroups (2 parts) Usage : Combine all parts into one file and rename "newslist.txt" Name: ftp-sitelist.txt Description: Comprehensive list of all known FTP servers world-wide. Size: 1 MB non-compressed Location : Anonymous FTP server rtfm.mit.edu path /pub/usenet/new.answers/ftp-list/sitelist/part** (17 parts at present and growing) Usage : Combine all parts into one file and rename "ftplist.txt" Name: List of Periodic Informational Postings Description: A list of FAQs archived at a key resource Size: 630 KBytes non-compressed Location : Anonymous FTP server rtfm.mit.edu path /pub/usenet/news.answers/periodic-postings/. Usage : Combine all parts into one file and rename "faqlist.txt" 4. How to Order NetScout This is an evaluation copy of NetScout. If you use it for more than ten days, you must pay for your copy. Upon payment, you will receive a registration of the program and, if ordered, a complete set of the most current versions of the library lists. NetScout Order Form ------------------- Fill in the information below, and mail with a check or money order for ___ $ 9.95 for NetScout Program Registration alone. or ___ $19.95 for NetScout Program plus Complete Set Of List Files or ___ $39.95 for NetScout Program Plus One Year Subscription of List Files (Updated Quarterly) Send to ; Minuteman Systems P.O. Box 152 Belmont, MA. 02178 Name __________________________________________ Company:___________________________________________ Land Mail: Street _______________________Apt\MailStop_______ City/Town ________________ State__ ZipCode_______ Tele - Business:____________ Home:______________ Electronic Addresses: AOL :________________ Compuserve:_________________ Internet: __________________Other:_________________ Media : ___ 5.25" floppy ___ 3.5" micro-floppy