| The following is so good that we have decided to included it here for your
assistance. It is suggested that you extract this reply and save it for future
reference. Some key bits of information about this conference are:
Conference name: UPNRTH::PET_BIRDS
Node address: 3.949
Direct node address: 4021::
Refer to the conference registry for the names and mail addresses of the
conference moderators, or enter the command SHOW MODERATORS while you have the
conference open.
<<< TLE::DISK$NOTES_PACK:[NOTES$LIBRARY]EASYNET_CONFERENCES.NOTE;10 >>>
================================================================================
Note 1.5 Welcome! 5 of 7
PSW::WINALSKI "Paul S. Winalski" 136 lines 16-JUL-1988 17:29
-< Troubleshooting NOTES Conference Access Problems >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This conference is not intended as a forum on how to use VAX NOTES. However,
you may use it AS A LAST RESORT to report problems accessing conferences that
are advertised here.
Before you enter a note or reply in this conference about a problem, please
make sure that you have tried the all of the following steps to deal with
the problem yourself:
1) Get the full text of the error message. The error message should be two
lines of the form:
error opening conference xxx
specific reason why the conference couldn't be opened
Older versions of NOTES just gave you the first line of the message, which
isn't very useful in dealing with the problem. If you only get the first
line, you can say SHOW ERROR to get the full text of the message.
2) If the error is "insufficient system resources at remote node," it means
that the remote system is overloaded right now and cannot service your
request. If you wait and try again later, eventually you will get in.
If this condition persists for several days, you may wish to complain
**VIA MAIL** (NOT a note in this conference) to the conference moderator
or to the system manager (user SYSTEM) on that machine.
3) Make sure that the entry in your notebook is correct. Use the NOTES command
SHOW ENTRY to examine the notebook entry. Then, make sure that the
node::filespec matches the one given in the latest announcement for that
conference in EASYNET_CONFERENCES (see note 1.3 in EASYNET_CONFERENCES
for info on how to locate the conference advertisement).
If they do not match, change your notebook entry with the NOTES command
MODIFY ENTRY/FILE=node::filespec. Then try opening the conference again.
4) If the error is "remote node is unknown" it means that your local system
doesn't know the node name. Either the node doesn't exist and your notebook
entry for the conference is wrong, or the node does exist and your local
system's network database is out of date.
See step (3) to check your notebook entry.
If the notebook entry is OK, check that the node exists. You do this by
seeing if node ANCHOR, which holds the master copy of the remote node
database, knows about the node name. From DCL, type:
$ MCR NCP TELL ANCHOR SHOW NODE xxx
where "xxx" is the node in question. If this command returns the
message "Unrecognized component, Node" it means that the node really
doesn't exist and the entry in EASYNET_CONFERENCES is wrong. At this
point, you should enter a REPLY to the conference announcement in
EASYNET_CONFERENCES pointing out the error, and also you should send mail
to the moderator of the conference.
If ANCHOR does know about the node, it means that your local system's
network database is in error. You should have your system manager correct
the problem.
5) If the error is "remote node is unreachable," it means either that the
machine isn't on the network just now, or that your local system's network
database has the wrong node address for the remote node. To check your
local system's network database, you use NCP to ask your local system
for the node address and you compare that against the same information from
node ANCHOR:
$ MCR NCP
NCP> SHOW NODE xxx
NCP> TELL ANCHOR SHOW NODE xxx
NCP> ^Z
$
You will get answers of the form 2.476 (TLE). The number shown is the
node number. It should be the same both on your local system and on
ANCHOR. If it is different, have your system manager correct the
problem.
If your local node database has the correct node number, then it means
that either the remote node is off the network at the moment, or that
transient network problems prevent a connection between your node and
the remote node. Wait a while and try again. If the condition persists
for several days, get in touch with the conference moderator or the
system manager of the remote node to find out why it is off the network.
6) If the error is "network object is unknown at remote node," it means either
that NOTES isn't installed on the remote system, or that the remote
system has temporarily shut off NOTES access to prevent overload
conditions.
First, you should follow steps (3), (4), and (5) to make sure that your
notebook entry is correct and that your system has the correct node address.
If all that stuff is OK, try waiting a while and trying again. If the
condition persists over a period of days, contact the conference moderator
and the system manager (user SYSTEM) of the remote node via MAIL.
7) If the error is "network partner exited" it means either that the remote
system is overloaded or that there is some problem with NOTES on the
remote system. Wait a while and try again later. If the problem persists,
contact the moderator of the conference and the system manager of the
remote node via MAIL.
8) If the error is "login information invalid at remote node," it means that
the NOTES server is improperly installed there. First, follow steps
(3), (4), and (5) to make sure that your notebook entry is correct and
that your system has the correct node address.
If all that stuff is OK, contact the conference moderator and the system
manager (user SYSTEM) of the remote node via MAIL.
9) If the error is "file not found," "directory not found," "error in
device name or inappropriate device type for operation," or "device not
ready, not mounted, or unavailable," it means either that the NOTES$LIBRARY
logical name is not set up properly on the remote node, or the notes
conference file doesn't exist, or the disk containing NOTES$LIBRARY isn't
mounted. First, follow steps (3), (4), and (5) to make sure that your
notebook entry is correct and that your system has the correct node
address.
If all that stuff is OK, contact the conference moderator and the system
manager (user SYSTEM) of the remote node via MAIL.
--PSW
|
| To be considered a polite member in a VAXNotes conference, you
should observe the following "online etiquette".
Clean Up After Yourself
If you accidentally add a blank or garbled note to a conference, you
should delete the note and try again. (The note may not be
intelligible, but your user name will be.)
Maintain the Thread of the Discussion
You should read the topic of a discussion before you add a reply. When
replies address other replies, without regard for the topic at hand,
the discussion can get off the track. If, after reading the topic, you
realize your reply would be off the subject, you can alter your reply
or start a new topic.
Accurately Represent Other Notes
Providing a direct quote can help your readers better understand your
comments, and is a courtesy to the author of the note you are
answering. Quoting the author directly preserves the accuracy of his
or her comments. Unless you are certain you can paraphrase and retain
the original meaning, quoting can be safer as well as easier.
|
| Here are some suggestions for improving the readability of your notes:
o Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation
o Use both uppercase and lowercase letters
o Use narrow line width (about 65 characters maximum)
o Make paragraphs about five to seven lines long
o Keep the overall length of your notes short
o Use visual aids (like bulleted lists, hyphens for underlining)
VAX Notes lets you create titles of up to 63 characters. (Creative
writers can fit a complete story in that much space!) It is advisable
to be brief, but never sacrifice clarity for brevity. The title should
describe the contents of your note.
Facial Expression
One of the greatest difficulties when communicating by computer is that
you often cannot tell if the author of a note is serious, joking,
angry, or being sarcastic because you cannot see the author's face. As
a result, users of computer-based conferencing systems have developed
patterns to represent facial expression.
Some examples of patterns are presented here for your consideration,
but you should enjoy creating some of your own. These patterns were
created using the colon (:), semicolon (;), hyphen (-), opening and
closing parentheses, the vertical bar (|), right brace (}), slash (/),
and the tilde (~).
:-) Smiling face
:-} Silly grin
;-) A wink
:-( Sad or angry face
|-( Late night
Intonation
Use all uppercase letters for when you want to SHOUT in your note.
Surround with asterisks a word you want to emphasize (like *this*).
Emotion
A conversation that lacks emotion lacks vitality. While most people
cannot begin to conceal their emotions in a meeting, they can easily
create notes that are carefully controlled, reserved, even dull. Do
not be afraid to rant, protest, or pontificate in your notes -- just be
considerate enough to warn people that you are about to express an
angry or unsolicited opinion.
One way of signaling the boundaries of a tirade in your text is to use
some symbol, word, or expression before and after the text in question.
For example, you could surround an online rampage with <FLAME ON> and
<FLAME OFF>.
Using this technique, you provide a socially acceptable emotional
outlet for participants who might otherwise be discouraged from using
VAX Notes for fear of being misunderstood or unloved, and
simultaneously spare participants who have better things to do than
continually indulge chronic complainers.
|