NLS Classes at Network Sites

Purpose of this RFC

Network users have expressed interest in holding NLS classes at sites on the Network, instead of at SRI-ARC. This RFC solicits comments from the Network community on the desirability of doing on-site classes.

A brief outline of course contents is included at the end of this RFC, together with some logistic information which we feel is necessary to conducting a useful class.

Please review this information, and let us know whether such a class would be useful if conducted at or near your site. We are eager to participate in this way, because we know it will be useful to us to have the benefit of consultation with experienced Network users.

As we have to schedule our people's time in advance, we are tentatively considering making trips to Washington D.C. during the first week of May, and to Boston during the first week of June, for the purpose of conducting classes. We will consider other arrangements, however, if they would be more satisfactory.

Please respond by April 15 to Marilyn Auerbach (MFA) at the NIC

(415)326-6200 extension 3722.

NLS Class Information

The class is a comprehensive introduction to the use of NLS over the Network. The class generally runs for two to three days, depending on the composition and interests of the participants.

For purposes of planning, the following information will be useful:

1. We have found the optimum class size to be six, with an upper limit of ten.

2. We need a room large enough to hold the number of students, with a teletype-type terminal and appropriate connections for each student, a flip-chart stand and a large blackboard.

Class Outline - TNLS Course

We have held NLS classes approximately a dozen times. In all, nearly a hundred people have attended these classes. While we feel that the training has been helpful, we also recognize that teaching the class at SRI-ARC tends to overlook special problems of working through the Network and special interests of other sites.

The people who conduct the class are experienced in working out procedures for using NLS in work environments. Therefore, please accept the outline below as a flexible one, one that can be tailored to fit particular applications or needs.

Part I: Elementary Concepts

1. Introduction to NLS
2. Sending a Journal Message
3. TENEX/NLS Interfaces
4. Basic File Manipulation
5. Basic Text Handling
6. Addressing Data Within a Statement
7. Elementary Text-Editing

Part II: Entering and Using Information

    1.  NLS Data Structures
    2.  Structure Editing and Text Editing
    3.  "Viewspecs":  Controlling the Appearance of On-Line Output
    4.  Submission and Retrieval of Journal Items
    5.  "Partial Copies":  File Updating
    6.  Use of the NIC On-Line:  "LOCATOR" and "NIC/QUERY"
    7.  "Strucrels":  Relative Data and Statement Addressing
    8.  "Directives":  Controlling the Appearance of Off-Line Output
    9.   Adjusting NLS Control Characters to Your Terminal

Part III: Sorting and Searching

1. Sort and Merge
2. Content analyses

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