Yes, You Can Search the Web without Direct Access to the Web
By Judy Wilkinson (jwilkins@panix.com)
Many people have access to email but can't go online to connect to the worldwide web. However, much of the information found on the internet is available to nonweb users. You can access dictionary information and conduct searches of the worldwide web and have the results sent directly to you via email.
Dictionary Assistance
If for any reason you are unable (or even unwilling) to use a print or cumbersome online dictionary, thanks to wordsmith.org you can now receive email replies containing dictionary definitions, synonym information, explanations of acronyms, even information about anagrams.
Here's how it works. Never put anything in the body of the message. All necessary information goes into the subject line. Where "myword" appears in the examples below, substitute the word you are looking for.
Remember: all commands should be sent in the subject line to: wsmith@wordsmith.org
To find the definition of a word: define myword
example: Subject: define syndicate
To know more about Dictionary/by/Mail: info Dictionary/by/Mail
To find synonyms of a word: synonym myword
To know more about Thesaurus/by/Mail: info Thesaurus/by/Mail
To unscramble an acronym, make the subject line: acronym myword
To add a new acronym to the database, make the subject line: addacronym ACRONYM expansion
Do not put a period between the letters.
For example to add the acronym IBM, the command would be: addacronym IBM International Business Machines
To know more about Acronym/by/Mail, make the subject line: info Acronym/by/Mail
To find anagrams: anagram myword
To know more about Anagram/by/Mail, make the subject line: info Anagram/by/Mail
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, do not hesitate to contact Anu Garg at anu@wordsmith.org.
Conducting web searches using email only
The U.S. National Aeronautic And Space Administration (NASA) for years has conducted searches of the web for those (primarily teachers, and researchers throughout the world) who cannot access it with browsers such as Internet Explorer. The project is called "Iliad" in honor of Homer's epic.
Depending on how you set up your query, you will be emailed either the web page itself or appropriate links
The following information is excerpted from the email received when one sends an email to: iliad@prime.jsc.nasa.gov with the subject: start iliad
The ASK ILIAD knowbot searches the World Wide Web for answers to your E-mail questions. ASK ILIAD searches without requiring your presence or special hardware/software. If you have E-mail - you can search the Web! ASK ILIAD emails back documents that answer your question.
ASK ILIAD by sending it E-Mail.
Here's How:
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Type an E-Mail message in the format listed below. You can save this format in your E-mail address book so each E-mail only requires that you enter the keywords.
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Questions should be keywords relevant to your request. Avoid common and cross-disciplinary words. Select narrow, unique search terms that are focused on your topic. Submit 1 query per E-Mail.
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E-mail your request to:
iliad@prime.jsc.nasa.gov
or
iliad@rosy.tenet.utexas.edu
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4. The format required is:
Subject: iliad query
[blank line]
?Q : your query keywords
[blank line]
For Example:
Subject: iliad query
?Q : NASA Learning Technologies Project
Features:
- To view results as a list of hyperlinks in an html document use the "urls" output option:
Example:
Subject: iliad query
*OutputType : urls
?Q: NASA Learning Technologies Project
If you request this option, save the file you receive as a .html file and bring it up in the Web browser as a local file.
- To receive documents with embedded hyperlinks use the "dwl" - document with links output option:
Example:
Subject: iliad query
*OutputType: dwl
?Q: NASA Learning Technologies Project
Stopwords
Stopwords are words that should not be used as keywords. ILIAD stopwords are: about above almost am and anything are around do everything how if is less more not nothing something that the was were what when where why
When you send a successful query, you get a response which looks like this: Your question has been received and is being processed by the ILIAD knowbot.
Responses will be sent to the email address provided in the heading.
If your query is incorrect, you'll be notified and given tips about how to correct your errors.
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