Collection of Internet/Collection of Internet.iso/winprogs/htmlasst/htmlastn.txt

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Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 07:40:03 -0300
X-Sender: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
From: [e-mail] (Howard Harawitz)
Subject: HTML Assistant Newsletter (Part 1 of 3)

HTML Assistant Newsletter
==============================
Number 1        June, 1994
==============================
Published semi-regularly by Email
Howard Harawitz, Editor
Email: [e-mail]
==============================
CONTENTS

PART 1 of 3: TEXT PAGES
   (The part you are currently viewing)

1. About the HTML Assistant Newsletter
2. Announcements
       A. New release of HTML Assistant (Freeware Version)
        includes bug fixes.
       B. Free upgrade for HTML Assistant Pro users
3. The HTML Assistant FAQ
4. A Comparison of HTML Assistant and
      HTML Assistant Pro

PART 2 of 3: MORE TEXT PAGES
   (These will follow in another message)

5. Complaints and Bug Reports
      (To which the author fearlessly responds)
      This issue's topic: The 32K barrier
6. I need feedback concerning...
    Modifications of the Tool Bar and
      User Tools.
7. The Programmer's Tale:
      How HTML Assistant came to be

Part 3 of 3: HTML Pages (mostly)
   (These will follow in yet another message.
   Be sure to read "How to use the HTML pages")

8. How to use the HTML pages
9. Basic HTML Pages
      A. Learning about the WWW & HTML
        This has links to the documents that
        WWW and HTML beginners need most, plus a
        few that even more advanced users might like.
      B. Links for downloading MS Windows Browsers
        Point and click access to download Cello,
        and Mosaic (links to 16 and 32 bit versions,
        and to source code)
10. Guest HTML Page
      This page contains pointers to Music Sites,
      with an emphasis on Jazz, selected and annotated
      by educator and Jazz keyboardist, Joan Wildman,
      of the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

=====================================================
ABOUT THE HTML ASSISTANT NEWSLETTER

Welcome to the first issue of the HTML Assistant Newsletter.

Its primary purpose is to serve as a forum and a source of information for
users of the HTML Assistant and HTML Assistant Pro hypertext editors.  As
such, it will provide information directly related to the software,
including bug reports and workarounds, announcements of new features and
products as they appear, answers to questions from users, and tips that will
help users get the most out of the software and the World Wide Web.

We hope that it will also be a source of ideas and information for all those
interested in browsing the Web. Our policy is to include everything we can
that is interesting, generally useful, and not readily available elsewhere.
The 'Guest HTML Page' in this issue is one example. If you have something
you would like to contribute, or a suggestion, please send it.

We would like to have a "Letters to the Editor" section -- if we get them,
we'll try our best to include them. In the 'SUBJECT:' field of your EMail
letter include the words, "Letter to the Editor", and we'll know you would
like it to be posted.

We want users to contribute to our HTML pages section. For details, see the
end of the "How to use the HTML Pages" article.

Your comments, suggestions, ideas, articles, HTML pages and general feedback
are crucial to the success of this Newsletter.

Let us know what you like and what you don't like in this issue.

Tell us what else you would like to see.

Thanks for subscribing.

Howard Harawitz, Editor, HTML Assistant Newsletter

=========================================================
ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. NEW HTML ASSISTANT (FREEWARE) RELEASE - VERSION 1.0A

A new release of HTML Assistant (Free version), version 1.0A, is available
at our FTP site: ftp.cs.dal.ca/htmlasst/htmlasst.zip.  It is also available
as a self extracting archive in the same directory. The file name is
HTMLAZIP.EXE.

This release squashes two bugs:

A) The HTML code for images has been fixed. THE "<\IMG>" mark
is no longer inserted. Insertion of this code by HTML Assistant was
erroneous and caused problems with some browsers.

B) Under certain circumstances (there was only one report concerning this
and the chances that it would affect you are remote), a previously saved,
but currently displayed, file might have been overwritten by another file
that was saved upon quitting the program. This has been fixed. If you need
details please contact me.

2. FREE HTML ASSISTANT PRO UPGRADE TO VERSION 1.1A FOR REGISTERED USERS

If you have purchased HTML Assistant Pro and have not already received an
upgrade notice please send Email with your name and the "Serial Number",
"Version" and "Version Date" as shown on your original diskette.  If you
have not yet sent in your Registration form please do so ASAP. If the
software was not purchased under your name, i.e., a purchase order or
company credit card was used, please include enough information so we can
identify the order.

MOST IMPORTANT NEW FEATURES

A) Version 1.1A permits loading files greater than 32K. The files are loaded
in segments -- each segment is smaller than 32K and has its own text window
(this is similar to the way that the MS Windows version of the mailer
software, "Eudora", works). The segment size is user adjustable.

B) An option to extract (i.e., copy, without altering the
original file) all the link URLs from an HTML text file and
display  them has been added to the "File" menu.  Files can be of
ANY size.  The URLs are displayed in a text window in "HTML
Assistant" format. That is: URLtext,Clickabletext.  The displayed
URL text can be edited and saved as HTML Assistant '.url' files.
This makes it easy to create URL collections that can be ordered
and managed by using HTML Assistant Pro's URL editor and
Automatic Page Creator.

C) The text window tool bar now includes cut, copy and paste
buttons.

D) Support for the extended ISO-Latin character set has been
added.

FIXES

A) The bug that caused "Out of string space" errors when converting some
UNIX text files has been eliminated.

B) The command to automatically insert paragraph marks ("<p>") now works
properly - it no longer appends the marking to blank lines.

C) Under certain circumstances (there was only one report concerning this
and the chances that it would affect you are remote), a previously saved,
but currently displayed, file might have been overwritten by another file
that was saved upon quitting the program. This has been fixed. If you need
details please contact me.
=========================================================
THE HTML ASSISTANT FAQ

HTML Assistant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
-------------------------------------------------
Revised May 29, 1994

The most recent version of this FAQ can be obtained
via anonymous FTP at:
ftp.cs.dal.ca /htmlasst/htmlafaq.txt

This FAQ is also available as a WWW page with links for
downloading the HTML Assistant software.
The URL is:
http://cs.dal.ca/ftp/htmlasst/htmlafaq.html

Note: This document is under development
---------------------------------------------
What is HTML Assistant?

HTML Assistant is a hypertext editor for creating and editing documents used
on the World Wide Web.

In addition to its editing facilities, HTML Assistant incorporates features
which can help you to organize and keep track of the Internet resources that
you use.

It runs under MS Windows so you need to have Windows on your system in order
to use it.

The HTML documents created with HTML Assistant can be displayed on any
computer for which browser software exists including IBM PC compatibles,
Apple Macintosh, UNIX and simple terminal based systems.
----------------------------------------------------------------
How can I get a copy of HTML Assistant?

HTML Assistant is available via anonymous FTP as freeware. No fees or
registration of any kind are required. The author holds the copyright, but
the software may be freely used and distributed.  Distribution must include
all the files in the program file set (htmlasst.zip).

The current release is version 1.0A.

The FTP site for HTML Assistant is:

ftp.cs.dal.ca

The directory containing the files is /htmlasst/

Look at the short readme.1st file to see what files you need.
----------------------------------------------------------------
How can I learn more about HTML and the World Wide Web?

As with all things related to the WWW you can find what you need on the Web.

This is the URL for the "HTML Assistant Newsletter" page on learning about
the Web and HTML: "http://cs.dal.ca/ftp/htmlasst/lernhtml.html"

The HTML is:
<a href="http://cs.dal.ca/ftp/htmlasst/lernhtml.html"> Click here to learn
more about HTML and the WWW</a>

Copy the HTML to a text Window in HTML Assistant, save the text as a '.htm'
file, and 'Test' it with Cello or Mosaic.

Once the document is displayed, simply point and click to bring up the
information you need.

One of the best sources of information about HTML is the 'Help' file that
comes with the MS Windows browser, "Cello" (see below for Cello's FTP site).
----------------------------------------------------------------
How is HTML Assistant supported?

The primary support for HTML Assistant will be by means of an electronic
publication called "HTML Assistant Newsletter".  This will be forwarded, on
a somewhat irregular basis, to subscribers by Email starting early June, 1994.

To subscribe send Email to [e-mail]. In the 'SUBJECT:' field
include the words "subscribe HTML assistant news" (quotes are not
necessary).  Optionally, you may include comments or suggestions in the text
part of the message.

If you have questions about or problems with the HTML Assistant software you
can send Email to the author, Howard Harawitz, at the same address.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Why is it called HTML Assistant?

World Wide Web browsers (Cello and Mosaic are examples of browsers that work
with MS Windows) use hypertext to access and display information available
on the World Wide Web. Hypertext is text that incorporates pointers to
additional information.  Microsoft Windows "Help" files are examples of
hypertext documents.

The hypertext documents used by World Wide Web browsers are ordinary text
files that include special markings that tell the browser software something
about how the text should appear to the user, as well as how to retrieve
information when the user requests it.

The language, or code, used for these special markings is Hypertext Markup
Language (HTML).

While HTML markings could be added to any text file using a simple editor
like "Notepad" which comes with MS Windows, the process is tedious and time
consuming.  Also, it is difficult to see how the documents you create will
actually look when displayed by a browser.

HTML Assistant provides, along with a text editor, special tools and
functions that 'assist' in the process of creating HTML text files by
letting the computer handle most of the repetitive and time consuming tasks.

HTML Assistant also permits you to use WWW browsers to view your documents,
while you are working on them, without leaving the editor.

HTML Assistant incorporates the following features to make the work of
creating HTML text documents easier:

1) Point and click creation of HTML Hypertext markings

2) Ability to test your work with a WWW browser at the click of a button.
You can quickly and easily view the documents you are working on to see how
they will look when actually displayed by browsers. Both Cello and Mosaic (V
2.1 and later) work with HTML Assistant.  HTML assistant can take advantage
of Cello's DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) capability so that testing your work
with Cello is almost seamless. 'Point and click' selection makes it easy to
switch between browsers.  As other browsers become available they can be
used as well.

3) A user defined toolbox enables you easily to include new markup text as
more features are added to HTML.  You can also create your own markings for
special editing tasks.

4) Facilities for extracting, organizing and combining URLs (pointers to
information -- see below) from different sources.

5) A multiple document interface (more than one file may be opened at one
time) so you can easily cut and paste between documents.
----------------------------------------------------------------
What are URLs?

URLs, or Uniform Resource Locators, are the pointers to information that can
be accessed by browsers.  URLs enable a single browser program to
incorporate many of the functions that normally require several other
software packages including FTP, news, Email and gopher.

For example, the URL "ftp://ftp.cs.dal.ca/htmlasst/htmlasst.zip" could be
used in an HTML document to enable a browser to retrieve the 'HTML
Assistant' program files from an FTP site.

Continuing with the example, the HTML text that would permit a user to
retrieve the HTML Assistant files might look something like this:

<a href = "ftp://ftp.cs.dal.ca/htmlasst/htmlasst.zip">Retrieve HTML
Assistant program files</a>

When the HTML was displayed by a browser, the user would see only the text
"Retrieve HTML Assistant program files".  The text would be highlighted in
some way (i.e., underlined, boxed, or in a different color than normal text)
to indicate that it was 'linked' to the URL and that the user could 'click'
on it to download the binary file "htmlasst.zip".
----------------------------------------------------------------
How does HTML Assistant make it easier to work with URLs?

HTML Assistant minimizes typing and makes it easy to systematically collect
and organize URLs.

URLs can be somewhat laborious to type. It requires even more typing to add
the HTML code that makes the information pointed to by the URL accessible to
a user.

With HTML Assistant, URLs need to be typed only once and sometimes not at
all.  URLs created in HTML Assistant can be saved to files and can be
quickly retrieved for point and click insertion into any document.

URLs saved by browsers such as Cello (in Bookmark files) or Mosaic (in its
menus and its 'hotlist') can be automatically copied and converted to HTML
Assistant URL files for easy insertion into your own documents.

HTML Assistant simplifies the task of organizing information you collect.
Files of collected URLs can be automatically converted to HTML text with a
few mouse clicks.  This enables you to quickly create your own browser pages
of links organized by subject, date or in whatever way suits you.  You can
build your own information system based on a hierarchy of menus kept on WWW
browser pages stored on your hard drive or on an HTML server.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Where can I find MS Windows browsers for viewing HTML files?

"Cello" is available at ftp.law.cornell.edu in the directory /pub/LII/Cello/.

"Mosaic" is available at ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu in the directory /pc/mosaic/.
----------------------------------------------------------------
What is "HTML Assistant Pro"?

Two versions of HTML Assistant are available.  The free version, called
"HTML Assistant" is described in this document.  It is a full working
version with all the features described above.  It will continue to be
freely available and new versions will be released from time to time.

"HTML Assistant Pro" is a commercially available version of HTML Assistant.
It has additional features, comes with a manual and is fully supported.  For
more information, Email to [e-mail].
=================================================================
A COMPARISON OF HTML ASSISTANT AND HTML ASSISTANT PRO

HTML Assistant and HTML Assistant Pro are both text editors with extensions
to assist in the creation of HTML hypertext documents.  HTML documents are
used to access a variety of information sources with a World Wide Web
browser such as Mosaic or Cello.

HTML Assistant is available as 'freeware'.  The author holds the copyright
but the program is available without cost.  There is no need to register or
pay any fees for using the program.  HTML Assistant  will always be
available as Freeware and will be updated from time to time.

HTML Assistant Pro is a commercially available version with additional
features.  HTML Assistant Pro will be fully supported and updated.  Upgrades
will be provided with additional functions to make organizing your Internet
experience even easier, as well as to take advantage of improvements (like
DDE and OLE 2 if and when they appear)  in  browser software.

Upgrades to HTML Assistant Pro:  While we have not yet established a formal
upgrade policy, we are sending free upgrades via Email to registered users.

Both HTML Assistant and HTML Assistant Pro include:

1) Point and click creation of HTML Hypertext markings
2) Ability to test your work with a WWW browser at the click of a button --
without leaving the editor
3) Context Sensitive Help
4) A multiple document interface (more than one file may be opened at one time)
5) Automatic conversion of Cello Bookmark, Mosaic '.INI' and URL text files
to hypertext documents
6) Auto copy of URLs from HTML text, Cello Bookmark, or Mosaic.ini files to
text files
7) Automatic creation of Cello Bookmark files (from text files)
8) A user defined toolbox
9) Ability to print HTML text files

HTML Assistant Pro (V1.1) also includes:

1)  Ability to load files that are longer than 32K.  Large (>than 32K) files
will be loaded in segments -- each of which must be smaller than 32K.  The
segment size can be set by the user.
2) An Automatic Page Creator which permits rapid creation of HTML text pages
for use with WWW browser programs.  Minimal knowledge of HTML is required,
and attractive screens with your own selected hypertext links can be created
in a few seconds.  This makes it easy to create 'menu' pages on your hard
drive so you can systematize and organize URL links by subject, date, etc.
3)  An option to extract (without altering the original file) all the link
URLs from an HTML text file and display  them.  Files can be of ANY size.
The URLs from each 32K file segment are displayed in a text window in "HTML
Assistant" format:URLtext,Clickabletext.  The displayed URL text can be
edited and saved as HTML Assistant '.URL' files. This makes it easy to
create URL collections that can be ordered and managed by using HTML
Assistant Pro's URL editor and  Automatic Page Creator.
4) An option to make UNIX text files readable by converting them to DOS text
This is a great help when editing and copying files 'captured' from the Web
-- most of them are in UNIX format.
5) Support for the extended ISO-Latin character set - can automatically
convert ISO ASCII codes in text files to displayable HTML
6) An option to save DOS text files as UNIX text
7) A filter to remove HTML markings from text
8) Text window tool bars include cut, copy and paste buttons.
9) A manual
===========================================================
How to Order HTML Assistant Pro

HTML  Assistant Pro may be ordered via Email, mail, or FAX.  The fastest way
to order is by FAX or Email with a credit card.

Payment may be made by money order, check, VISA or Master Card. Arrangements
can be made to accept purchase orders.

To order or for more information contact the author/publisher as follows:
Email:
[e-mail]

FAX:
[phone]

Mail:
Howard Harawitz
25 Doyle Street
Bedford, Nova Scotia
Canada B4A 1K4

US Dollar Price  is $59.95 (plus postage and handling) .

If you wish to pay by check or money order in US Dollars send US$59.95  plus
US$10.00 for postage and handling in North America  (US$15  outside North
America).  Total  in US Dollars is $69.95 ($74.95 outside North America).

Credit Card users:  Because we are required to write credit card orders in
Canadian dollars the actual US$ amount billed by your local bank will vary
slightly with the exchange rate at the time your account is charged.

Note: Prices are guaranteed for the calendar year 1994.  If you have a
question about current pricing please FAX, write or Email.

Price in Canada is  C$79.95 (plus postage and handling).

The price for single copies is   C $79.95  plus C$10 for postage and
handling  (delivery anywhere in Canada). (C$15 to the US and Mexico, and
C$20  outside North America).

Canadian orders please add 7% GST (and an additional 11% PST in Nova Scotia).

Total price for Canadians including GST is $96.25 ($106.83 in Nova Scotia).

All Credit card orders must include the following information:
1. Full credit card number
2. Type of card (Master Card or Visa only)
3. Expiration date.

All orders:
1. Be sure to include your full name and post office address, including
postal code, with your order.
2. Please include your Email address, and/or a FAX or telephone number so we
can contact you quickly in case we need additional information.
3. Shipment in North America will be via post.  FAX or Email if you would
like to make other arrangements.

About purchase orders, multiple licenses and quantity discounts:

Arrangements can be made to accept purchase orders from schools, established
firms, government and other organizations.

Institutional licenses and quantity discounts are available.

Email  [e-mail] or FAX [phone] for information.

Equipment requirements, diskettes etc.:

HTML Assistant Pro requires an  80386 (or better) IBM PC or compatible
computer with at least 4 megabytes of RAM, Microsoft Windows 3.1 (or later)
and less than 1 MB of hard disk drive space.  (If you are now using HTML
Assistant, you can use HTML Assistant Pro with the same equipment.)

Unless otherwise specified, the software will be sent on a 3.5 inch
high-density diskette.  If you require other media please let us know.
==========================================================

End of Part 1 of 3



===============================================
Howard Harawitz        [e-mail]
Bedford, Nova Scotia




Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 07:40:21 -0300
X-Sender: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
From: [e-mail] (Howard Harawitz)
Subject: HTML Assistant Newsletter (Part 2 of 3)

HTML Assistant Newsletter   Number 1   June, 1994
==========================================================
Part 2 of 3
==========================================================
COMPLAINTS AND BUG REPORTS
To which the author fearlessly responds

Number 1 complaint: Why can't HTML Assistant load files longer than 32K?

HH response: HTML Assistant is written in Microsoft's Visual Basic.  The
"Text Box" control (which is the container for the text you load, enter, or
edit) supplied by Microsoft with Visual Basic is by THEIR design limited to
just under 32K characters. The maximum size of Visual Basic character
strings (the variables which are used internally by the program to hold
text) is also 32K.

At this point, the cognoscenti usually interrupt to ask (loudly), "So why
don't you go out and buy a 'Custom Control' you cheapskate?"

[Note to the non-cognoscenti: 'Custom Controls' are add-ons, available from
third parties (i.e., not Microsoft), to Visual Basic which make it possible
for developers to do things with VB that they can't do easily with the
controls that are supplied with VB.]

Screwing up my face, I reply (tactfully),  "Fools, don't you think I thought
of that?".

Actually, I tried three (!) different custom controls (any lawyer would
probably tell me that the suppliers should remain nameless) that looked like
they might be useful. One, from a ***MAJOR*** (I mean really BIG) software
house, turned out to be utterly worthless for many reasons -- if you're
still with me I certainly won't tempt fate by boring you with the details.
Another one made the screen flash annoyingly every time text was selected.
The third looked like it might work. I am still investigating it, but it
appears to have problems with overlapping windows when used with some video
drivers.

I even thought of writing my own custom control. It was only a brief flicker
of thought because doing that would literally take months and I would rather
spend the time improving and adding features to the existing software.
Also, I would have had to do it in "C" or "C++". "Yuk", I say, fearlessly
awaiting the flames. Philippe Kahn, CEO of Borland International, one of the
primo purveyors of "C++", was right when he complained that "Visual Basic is
crack-cocaine for programmers."

So, until the right one comes along (sounds like the title of a song,
doesn't it?)...

Question: What can we do while we wait for the right one to come along?

HH response -WFT&BTBT- (Waiting For Tomatoes and Bottles To Be Thrown):

The way I see it the alternatives are:

1) Use a word processor to break big files into smaller ones and vice versa.
2) Know that I am continuing to look into a solution to the problem.
3) Know also that HTML Assistant Pro (Version 1.1) incorporates a useful
workaround.  It permits loading files greater than 32K - in segments. Each
segment is, of course, less than 32K. The segment size is user adjustable.
(For more information see the comparison between HTML Assistant and HTML
Assistant Pro elsewhere in this issue.)

================================================================

HELP! I NEED USER FEEDBACK CONCERNING...

A) THE TOOL BAR

The Tool Bar on HTML Assistant looks (is!) very full, you might even say,
cluttered. First-time users are often boggled by its complexity. It has no
icons (well, almost none) and text buttons are boring, etc.

I have some thoughts about this, and I would appreciate feedback from other
users as well.

HOW I SEE IT

The most common HTML operations are:

1)Inserting paragraph and new-line marks.
2)Marking headers at levels 1, 2, and 3.
3)Marking text as italics, bold or underlined.
4)Creating numbered and unnumbered lists.
5)Creating links -
   a)local
   b)external
   c)to images
6)Inserting a horizontal rule, or dividing line

For the next release (both versions) I am thinking of limiting the tool bar
to hold buttons of some kind for the above operations only.

Other operations would be either on menus (perhaps popup), drop down list
boxes, or something similar.

B) USER TOOLS

I am thinking of modifying the User Tool palette to hold more tools. It
probably will become some kind of list box -- something small, with a drop
down capability.  A list box could hold a virtually unlimited number of text
items and a drop down list would be small and unobtrusive. It could even be
on the tool bar.

C) YOUR THOUGHTS

I would like to know how users feel about these ideas.

Specifically:

1) Is the Tool Bar too cluttered?
2) Are buttons with icons or images better than buttons with text?
3) Is the list of proposed 'most used' Tool Bar buttons complete?
4) Is the 'Status line' at the bottom of the screen, which tells what the
tools do, adequate. How could this function be improved?
5) Would a drop down list for the User Tools be better than the present
arrangement?
6) Do you have any other ideas or suggestions that would make it easier for
you to edit HTML?

Thanks in advance for your help on this.

===========================================================
THE PROGRAMMER'S TALE:

How HTML Assistant came to be

or

I was lost, but now I'm found...
thanks to HTML Assistant software products

by Howard Harawitz

For an information junkie like me, stumbling upon the World Wide Web had to
be one of life's peak experiences -- an entire world literally at my
fingertips -- words, sounds, pictures -- everything!  All I had to do was
point and click and it was all there.

My earliest excursions revealed that there were vast collections, piles of
information to be had -- medical data banks, computer software, library
catalogs from just about everywhere concerning every area of knowledge I'd
ever heard of, government documents of all kinds... there was no end to it!

It was really great! I could hardly contain myself. I noticed that as I
approached my computer I would begin to salivate.

I found that I had a fervent -- you might say, messianic -- desire to share
my discoveries with others. Family, friends and colleagues accompanied me on
my visits to all the interesting and exciting places on the Web -- the
Vatican exhibit at the Smithsonian, a Dinosaur display in Hawaii...I even
showed them the Louvre and the city of Paris!

At first, it seemed so easy. I found that using only the 'map' I had
unconsciously created in my head I could quickly find my way back to the
places I had been.  I could readily share the joys of exploring the Web with
everyone -- even my wife's Social Worker friends were interested.

Then, it began to change...

Before too much time had passed I started to notice with increasing
frequency that I was getting lost. I could no longer count on finding things
that I knew were out there. Losing my way was becoming more and more
frustrating.

People stopped coming around because they couldn't deal with my fumbling and
babbling.

Not only that, but it was getting expensive! I pay by the hour for my
Internet connection and at that time (late 1993) the entire province of Nova
Scotia had only a few 56K connections to the outside world and I had only a
2400 baud modem. Not too swift.

So, I learned to use Bookmarks and Hotlists. I increased my baud rate to
9600, then to 14,400.   My service provider brought in a T1 line.  All that
helped...somewhat.

Still, all the underlined and colored links began to look the same.  I found
myself going around in circles the way hikers do when they get lost in the
woods .  Yes, I was up the creek without a compass.

I had become trapped in some kind of Einsteinian paradox.  The route I was
taking on the information highway had become a road to nowhere because it
had pathways and branches that led everywhere. I could no longer find my
way. The more information I found, the less I was able to do with it. Water,
water everywhere....you know what I mean.

Finally, I gave up.

I threw in the towel when a student friend needed information for a paper on
Far Eastern Culture, and I couldn't find my way back to that collection of
Indian music that I knew was there -- somewhere.

So I did what anyone in my position would have done.  I made my way to a
favorite soft chair and curled into the fetal position.

Before I could even close my eyes, I heard a soft humming sound.  It
reminded me of one of those 'Ethnic Folkways' recordings I once heard of
Tibetan monks chanting -- it seems they  developed a way to sing two or
three notes at once --- hmmmmmmmmmm -- something to do with the thin air in
Tibet I suppose.  All in all a very strange, haunting sound.  It was
becoming louder.  The whole room seemed to vibrate.

Just as I was beginning to assimilate this, I noticed that a cloud was
forming in the middle of my living room -- sort of greyish white and puffy.
>From somewhere within the cloud an image began to form, in full color.

First, several neat stacks of what appeared to be breakfast sausages
appeared.  Next, a 'plus' sign, sort of three dimensional looking, with
rounded corners, and blue in color.  Then -- this was really weird -- what
looked like the yellow file folder icon from my Windows Gopher program
emerged from the mist.

The visual effects were so fascinating that I completeley forgot about the
sound which by now had become quite loud.  It was almost a roar.  I was
getting somewhat freaked out.

Suddenly it stopped.  It got very quiet.  I think I dozed off at that point.
When I awoke three hours later there was no sign that anything unusual had
occurred, but I remembered the whole thing in perfect detail.

I teach at a community college.  Christmas vacation was coming soon and I
had to get marks and evaluations in order before the break.  I didn't really
have much time to think about anything else.  Still,  I found myself
obsessed with what had happened that December afternoon.

Over and over again I asked myself what it could have meant.  Papers began
to pile up.  Messages went unanswered.  Somehow my work did get finished.
My students were happy.  The administrators were satisfied.  I would have a
job to return to in January.

Christmas is a major event at our house.  My wife is really into it -- tree,
gifts, food, relatives from all over the known world -- you get the picture.
I managed to forget about myself for a few days as the general din and
hubbub swallowed me up.

It was at the height of the Christmas frenzy that the solution to the puzzle
came to me.  'Puzzle' was indeed the operative word . I remembered that
while perusing magazines at a newstand I had come across some kind of
crossword magazine.  In it was a type of puzzle where you had to guess the
message or word contained in a series of pictures with plus and minus signs
between them.  For instance, a picture of an automobile followed by a plus
sign followed by something that looked like a carnival, was supposed to be
the word "carfare" ("car" plus "fair", get it?). I think they are known as
"Rhebus" puzzles.

It was obvious!  I had received a message from the Cosmos in the form of a
Rhebus puzzle!  If I could only solve the puzzle I would once again be able
to experience the joy of fearlessly plugging in to the Web.

At some point, I don't know exactly when it was, I recalled with great
clarity the image of a box of sausages I had seen in a freezer case at the
Berkeley Co-op on Shattuck Avenue on an afternoon in the summer of 1965.  It
was yellow with red and blue lettering.  Near the top of the box were the
words, "Hot Links"...

Boiinngg! "Of course!", I chuckled to myself.  The "Sausages"  that had
appeared in my living room were symbols for "Links", or, in World Wide Web
parlance, "Uniform Resource Locators" (URLs).  The "File Folder Icons"
represented an organization of files on the computer.  Ergo, the way out of
the endless loop I had found myself in was to use files as a way of
organizing URLs, the links to information on the Web.

At this point, I imagined the sound of a great fanfare of trumpets blaring
and sat down at my trusty old 386 PC and in a fit of what I can only call
"religious fervor" heeded the signs that were sent to me and proceeded to
write the software that has become known as "HTML Assistant."

That's it brothers and sisters.  That's the truth.

========================================================

End of Part 2 of 3




===============================================
Howard Harawitz        [e-mail]
Bedford, Nova Scotia




Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 07:40:32 -0300
X-Sender: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
From: [e-mail] (Howard Harawitz)
Subject: HTML Assistant Newsletter (Part 3 of 3)

HTML Assistant Newsletter  Number 1  June, 1994
==========================================================
Part 3 of 3
==========================================================
NOTE: HTML PAGES FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

HOW TO USE THE HTML PAGES IN THIS ISSUE

We have included, and plan to include in future issues, HTML pages which you
can save on your disk drive and use to access the Web.  The HTML pages will
usually be found at the end of the Newsletter.

The instructions below will tell you how to use the pages with your favorite
MS Windows WWW browser:

1)The HTML pages, although part of the Newsletter, will be sent, along with
these instructions, in a separate message, with the subject, "Newsletter:
HTML Pages" (or something similar).  Use your mailer (or whatever method you
usually use to save mail to text files), and save this section of the
newsletter as a (MS Windows or MS/DOS) text file -- something like
"NEWSHTML.TXT" will do.

2)Start "HTML Assistant" or "HTML Assistant Pro" and use it for the
following operations.

3)"Open" your saved text file in an HTML Assistant text window.

4)Scroll through the file and note that the beginning and end of each HTML
"page" is marked by a dotted line (------) and the words "HTML PAGE - CUT
HERE". For each HTML page, first, use the mouse to select all the text
between its pair of "CUT HERE" lines. Next, use the option in the "Edit"
menu to "Copy" the selected text. Open a new text window and, again using
the "Edit" menu, "Paste" the selected text into the window. Now save the
pasted text to a file with the suffix ".HTM" so HTML Assistant and your
browser know that it is an HTML file.

5)NOTE: This step assumes you are using the current version of HTML
Assistant and have already used the "Enter test program name..." option in
the "File" menu to tell the program where your browser is.

Press the "Test" button on the text window tool bar and in a few seconds you
will see your newly acquired HTML page beautifully displayed.  If you are
connected to the Net, you can immediately begin to try the links.

That's all there is to it.

We hope you enjoy this part of the HTML Assistant Newsletter.

CONTRIBUTE TO OUR FORTHCOMING "USERS' CHOICE" HTML PAGE

We want to know about interesting and unusual Web pages, of more or less
general interest, that are NOT well publicized or readily available via the
Mosaic or CERN 'Home' and 'What's New' pages. Tell us about that special
page that you have discovered. If we decide to use it, your contribution
will appear (with others) in a "Users' Choice" page along with your
comments, your name and Email address (tell us if you DO NOT want your name
and Email address to appear).

WE ARE LOOKING FOR "GUEST HTML PAGE" AUTHORS

If you have an interest, specialty or point of view that you feel our
readers might like to share via the WWW, and would like to have your own
HTML page published in the HTML Assistant Newsletter, please let us know.

========================================================

HTML PAGES

--------------------HTML PAGE - CUT HERE--------------------------
<HTML>
<HEADER>
<TITLE>From HTML Assistant Newsletter - Number 1 - June 1994</TITLE>
</HEADER>
<BODY>
<H1>Learning about the World Wide Web and HTML</H1>
<hr>
The following is from the "HTML Assistant Newsletter", an Email publication
concerning the use of the MS Windows hypertext editors, "HTML Assistant" and
"HTML Assistant Pro".
<p>
To subscribe, send Email to [e-mail] with the words
"subscribe html assistant news" in the 'SUBJECT:' field.
<p>
The URL for retrieving this document is:
"http://cs.dal.ca/ftp/htmlasst/lernhtml.html".<p>
<hr>
<H2>Start with an overview of the Web:</H2>
Read the
<A HREF="http://siva.cshl.org/~boutell/www_faq.html">World Wide Web FAQ </A>
first.<P>
Next, look at the
<A HREF="http://www.vuw.ac.nz/who/Nathan.Torkington/ideas/www-primer.html">
WWW Primer</A>.<P>
You might also want to see  the
<A HREF=http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Software/Mosaic/Docs/www-info.html>
CERN World Wide Web background information document</A>.
<p>
<hr>
<h2>Now delve into the basics of writing HTML:</h2>
The basic document for all HTML beginners is the
<A HREF=http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html> HTML
Primer</A>.
<p>
If you want to go directly to the source, look at
<A HREF=http://info.cern.ch/pub/www/doc/html-spec.multi> the official HTML
specification document</A>.
<p>
You will also need to learn something about <i>URLs</i> (Uniform Resource
Locators) which are the pointers or addresses that browsers use to locate
information on the Web.
<p> Start with the
<A HREF=http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/demoweb/url-primer.html> URL primer</A>.
<p>
If you need more information, read the
<A HREF=file://info.cern.ch/pub/www/doc/url-spec.txt> URL specification
document</A>.
<p>
<hr>
<h2>How to get the hypertext editor, <i>HTML Assistant</i></h2>
If you use Microsoft Windows you can create and edit your HTML documents
with  <i>HTML Assistant</i>, available via anonymous FTP at: ftp.cs.dal.ca
in the subdirectory "/htmlasst/" .
<p>
If you wish, you can view the <a href =
"http://cs.dal.ca/ftp/htmlasst/htmlafaq.html">HTML Assistant FAQ</a>.
<p>
You can download HTML Assistant directly by clicking <a href =
"ftp://ftp.cs.dal.ca/htmlasst/htmlasst.zip">here.</a> The file,
"htmlasst.zip", is under 180K bytes in length.
<p>
If you don't already have it, you will also need the file "vbrun300.dll".
You can download it by clicking <a href =
"ftp://ftp.cs.dal.ca/htmlasst/vbrun300.zip">here</a> as "vbrun300.zip" --
length is about 230K bytes.
<p>
<hr>
<h3>To see a beautiful example of what can be done with HTML</h3>
take this tour of <A HREF="http://www.enst.fr/~pioch/louvre/"> the Louvre in
Paris</A>.
<p>
<hr>
<h2>Want to learn about how to create documents with fill-out-forms?</h2>
A good starting point is
<A
HREF="http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Software/Mosaic/Docs/fill-out-forms/overv
iew.html"> NCSA's tutorial </A>on that subject.<P>
<hr>

<h2>To go further:</h2>

<A HREF="http://oneworld.wa.com/htmldev/devpage/dev-page.html">The HTML
Developer's page </A>is a good place to begin looking into some of HTML's
more advanced features.<P>
<hr>

<h2>Here is a list of other useful sources of information:</h2>

<ul>
<li><A HREF=http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/guide/www.guide.html>Entering the
World Wide Web, a guide to cyberspace</A>
<p>
<li><A
HREF="http://wintermute.ncsa.uiuc.edu:8080/map-tutorial/image-maps.html">Tut
orial on creating image maps</A><P>
<li><A
HREF="http://www.willamette.edu/html-composition/strict-html.html">Composing
Good HTML</A><P>
<li><A
HREF="http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/Provider/Style/Overview.html">A
style guide to online hypertext by Tim Berners-Lee (founder of the World
Wide Web)</A><P>
<li><A
HREF="http://bookweb.cwis.uci.edu:8042/Staff/StyleGuide.html">Elements of
HTML Style</A><P>
</ul>
<hr>
This document was prepared by Howard Harawitz, Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada.
<p>
Updated: May 31, 1994<p>
Send comments and suggestions to:
<address>[e-mail]</address>
</BODY>
</HTML>
--------------------HTML PAGE - CUT HERE--------------------------
<HTML>
<HEADER>
<TITLE>From HTML Assistant Newsletter - Number 1 - June 1994</TITLE>
</HEADER>
<BODY>
<h1>Browsers for MS Windows</h1>
<h2>Retrieval Page</h2>
<hr><h2>Cello</h2>
<a href = "ftp://ftp.law.cornell.edu/pub/LII/Cello/cello.zip">Download
Cello</a><p>
<hr>
<h2>Mosaic</h2>
Download <a href="file://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/PC/Mosaic/wmos20a4.zip">Win
Mosaic 2.0<strong>version 4 Alpha</strong></a>
, a <strong>32 bit</strong>application.  Click<a
href="file://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/PC/Mosaic/win32s.zip">here</a>to download the
Win32S software required to run it.<p>
Download <a href="file://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/PC/Mosaic/old/wmos20a2.zip">Win
Mosaic 2.0 <strong>version 2 Alpha</strong></a>, a <strong>16
bit</strong>application which will run with your existing 16 bit Windows
software.<p>
<a href="file://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/PC/Mosaic/source/src_rel.txt">Download Win
Mosaic Source Code</a><p>
<hr>
This page revised 5/26/94 by Howard Harawitz<p>
<address>[e-mail]</address>
</BODY>
</HTML>
--------------------HTML PAGE - CUT HERE--------------------------
<html>
<head>
<title>From HTML Assistant Newsletter, Number 1, June, 1994</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Guest HTML Page</h1>
In each issue of the HTML Assistant Newsletter we will try to include a page
of links to World Wide Web pages related to a particular subject which we
feel would be of interest to our readers.  The sites will be selected and
annotated by someone with particular expertise and knowledge of the chosen
subject.  If you would like to contribute a <i>Guest HTML Page</i>, please
let us know.<p>
<hr>
This issue's <i>Guest HTML Page</i> is from Joan Wildman, an accomplished
jazz keyboardist and Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin at
Madison, where she teaches courses in jazz improvization, music theory,
synthesizer programming and performance. <p>

Dr. Wildman is an award winning scholar, composer, recording artist and live
performer.  As a pianist she has played with such diverse groups as the Duke
Ellington band and the Milwaukee Symphony.  The Joan Wildman Trio's third
CD, <i>Inside Out</i>,  was released earlier this year.<p><hr>
<H2>Music</H2>
<h3>Annoted Selections by Joan Wildman</h3>
<address>[e-mail]</address><hr>
This listing is an example of the breadth of the musical net, but mostly it
reflects the places I've found especially interesting.  I've not included
any of the Usenet addresses, but I would suggest starting with a topic from
rec. music, then continuing onward, depending upon one's own musical taste.<p>
<hr><H4>WORLD</H4>
<UL>
<LI><A HREF="ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/multimedia/chinese-music/">Chinese
Sounds</A>
        Rather large files of Chinese music,  from traditional to contemporary
<LI><A HREF="http://pisa.rockefeller.edu:8080/Bulgaria/sounds/">Bulgarian
Sounds</A>
        Wonderful variety of Bulgarian folk music
<LI><A HREF="ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/academic/russian-studies/Music
">Russian Sounds</A>
        large files, good sounds
</ul>
<H4>JAZZ/BLUES</H4>
<ul>
<LI><A HREF="http://sccs.swarthmore.edu/~jbf/jazz.html">Feinstein's Jazz
Sounds/Album info</A>
        Sound samples from great jazz recordings, inc. album covers
<LI><A HREF="http://www.ee.umanitoba.ca/~mcgonig/hardbop.html">Canadian Jazz</A>
        Specifically from Winnipeg, includes national jazz news and
musician info. Also, lists Italian jazz releases
<LI><A HREF="http://www.acns.nwu.edu/jazz/">WNUR Jazz Server</A>
        From Northwestern U, probably settling in as the most prominent
jazz server to date.  Includes a brief history of the music, discographies,
bios and transcribed lectures from the New School.

<LI><A
HREF="gopher://sunsite.unc.edu/7waissrc%3a/ref.d/indexes.d/American-Music-Re
source.src?jazz">Early Jazz Index</A>
        Bibliographic info for Jelly Roll, Waller, etc.

<LI><A HREF="http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~hellers/music.html">Dolphy</A>
        My student, Joe Hellerstein, did a project on Eric Dolphy this
semester which included a transcription and performance of some of his
solos.  Joe included some of this material along with a Dolphy discography,
Dolphy recorded excerpts and even some of his own playing. <LI><A
HREF="http://dragon.acadiau.ca:1667/~rob/blues/blues.html">Blues</A>
        A new blues server, not quite organized yet but worth looking at
just to see the photo of Robert Johnson
</ul>
<H4>POP/COMMERCIAL</H4>
<ul>
<LI><A HREF="http://auntie.bbcnc.org.uk">BBC</A>
        If you want to know the contents of the latest BBC shows
<LI><A HREF="http://mtv.com/">MTV</A>
        A good way to preview excerpts from some of the new releases
<LI><A
HREF="http://www.cecer.army.mil/~burnett/MDB/musicResources.html">Individual
Artists</A>
        Lots of info about various pop and rock artists
<LI><A HREF="gopher://sounds.sdsu.edu:71/11/sounds/sound_effects">Sound
Effects</A>
        In case you want to sample sounds of broken glass, etc.
</ul>
<H4>EDUCATION</H4>
<ul>
<LI><A
HREF="gopher://marvel.loc.gov/11/research/reading.rooms/music/music.schools"
>Schools of Music </A>
        Small listing of various musical offerings at different colleges
and universities throughout the world
<LI><A
HREF="http://www.clas.ufl.edu/CLAS/american-universities.html">American
Universities</A>
        Larger list but requires more work to discover musical information

<LI><A HREF="gopher://riceinfo.rice.edu/11/Subject/Music/">Many Music Topics</A>
        Everything from Lute photos to a bibliography of Beethoven materials
<LI><A HREF="http://stjohn.gsfc.nasa.gov/EMUSIC-L/welcome.html">EMUSIC
Digest</A>
        Also contains a MIDI software gopher link and Internet
Underground Music Archive
<LI><a href="http://www.hike.te.chiba-u.ac.jp/cons1/">Renaissance
Instruments</A>
        text, pictures, and sounds
</UL>
</body>
</html>
--------------------HTML PAGE - CUT HERE--------------------------

End of part 3 of 3

THE END

-30-

===============================================
Howard Harawitz        [e-mail]
Bedford, Nova Scotia