African studies computer resources

By Patricia S. Kuntz

Internet/Bitnet and beyond: African The most common network systems through­ linkages out the world are Internet and Bitnet. Internet is growing in popularity with the various com­ patible networks such as NetNorth (Canada), he “information highway” is very busy Janet (United Kingdom), and EARN (Europe). T among Africanists around the world. Schol­ Nearly all U.S. universities and most colleges ars based in Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, purchase a connection to the Internet. This em­ Kenya, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, ployment benefit enables faculty, staff, and stu­ Zambia, and Zimbabwe with colleagues in the dents access to (FTP), Americas, Europe, and Asia have coordinated , and . In contrast, Bitnet’s main conferences, written research papers, and feature is the automatic conversation lists called shared ideas on technology using one or more “Listserv.” One should not confuse the new of the four services. software “Listserver” which is comparable for This essay focuses on African studies com­ the Internet. puter resources available in the U.S. with link­ ages to Africa. Four fundamental computer sys­ Electronic Mail tems exist: Intemet/Bitnet, Fidonet, UseNet, and Both Intemet/Bitnet networks provide electron­ BBS (dial-up bulletin board services). An up­ ic mail (e-mail) for sending public and private dated list of these network services is available messages. Messages from one network system from Arthur McGee.1 For a complete list of files, are tracked through gateways to other systems. contact: Internet-. Consequently, readers having only an Internet BDPA BAC: [1-707- or Bitnet address can still send and receive 552-3314] to [Arthur McGee]; Data Bits Online: messages to the other network. In fact, gate­ [1-213-295-6094] to [Arthur McGee]; ways also facilitate the use of Fidonet and UUCP CompuServe: [72377,1351]; Voice: [1-310-320- technology. BYTE] For example, e-mail contacts to Africanists AFRIMAIL.MSG = Intemet/Bitnet Mailing Lists and inquiries concerning African studies can AFRISITE.MSG = Online Information Sites be made through the following organizations: AFRINEWS.MSG = UseNet Newsgroups • African Studies Association (ASA): BLACKBBS.MSG = BBS List . One of the To demonstrate the wide variety of network oldest area studies associations of academics services available to Africanists, only a few ex­ with over 3,000 members. amples will be mentioned in each category. • American Association for the Advance­ Nevertheless, the field of information technol­ ment of Science/African Academy of Science ogy via computers is exploding even in Afri­ (AAAS): . A joint can countries with limited resources and con­ U.S. and African association for the promotion flicting political and social policies. of scientific research and technology.

Patricia S. Kuntz is outreached director of the African Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; : ‹k u n tz @wiscmacc›; Internet:

68/C&RL News • Association of African Studies Programs Distribution lists (AASP): ‹N A ›. An association of colleges and Another Intemet/Bitnet feature is the option of universities which offer a collection of courses creating public or private distribution lists. These concerning African content. This organization consist of frequently used addresses which form sponsors the summer language programs. an identifiable interest group. Users are obli­ • Washington Office on Africa (WOA): gated to discuss issues centering on the topic . This office lobbies the U.S. of the distribution list. Congress concerning issues of Africanists, Afri­ One type of distribution list can be devel­ cans, and African-related issues. oped and maintained as an extension to a pri­ As a result of the National Defense Educa­ vate account. In this situation the list owner tion Act (1958), the U.S. Department of Educa­ manually maintains the board and answers tech­ tion funds the following universities to teach nical questions concerning list policy, topics, courses, conduct research, and disseminate in­ and software. Generally, subscribers have ac­ formation about Africa throughout their respec­ cess to these lists free of cost. Unlike other ser­ tive regions. Below is a list of the current grad­ vices, these private distribution lists do not ar­ uate and undergraduate centers for African chive messages or update subscribers. An studies (NDEA/HEA Title VI African Studies example of this feature is Michigan State Uni­ Centers): versity’s African Studies Center biweekly news­ • Boston University: not available letter. Africanists can contact the list owner, • Univ. o f California-Berkeley: <[email protected]> for inclusion on the mail­ • Univ. of Califomia-Los Angeles: ‹ ? ©others. ing list. sscnet.ucla.edu> The following list of lists is a sample of sev­ • Cornell University: not available eral African-related public distribution • Univ. of Florida: not specifically indicated, assume that they of­ • Indiana University: fer public access. Since not all list owners fol­ • Michigan State University: • [email protected]. African • Stanford University: information concerning the Boston-area • Univ. o f Wisconsin: . Commercial companies also provide e-mail • [email protected]. Persons connections, in addition to a wide variety of interested in Berbers and North Africa with other services such as online news, weather messages accepted in English, French, and reports, and so forth. The largest commercial Tamazight. Subscribe: . CompuServe Africa service for the growing Af­ • [email protected]. A monitored service rican demand for network connections, espe­ for members and friends of the American Asso­ cially from southern Africa.2 Another commer­ ciation of Teachers of Arabic (AATA). Discus­ cial service for African news is NewsNet.3 This sion focuses on linguistic and pedagogical is­ company has the following products among sues of Arabic. others: AFRICA NEWS, ANGOLA PEACE MONI­ • [email protected]. A Canadian service for TOR, ASP DIPLOMAT, MIDEAST MARKETS, African students [email protected]. SOUTH AFRICAN FOCUS, SOUTHSCAN— Egyptian students and friends. Subscribe: SOUTHERN AFRICA. .

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February 1994/71 service (WAIS). In addition to providing e-mail • South Africa— Discussion of the political, addresses, course lists, weekly announcements, economic, social situation in South Africa in­ and faculty addresses, this connection accesses cluding the Apartheid philosophy, the “transi­ computerized library catalog systems around tional government,” and constitutional revisions. the world. • Southern Africa Drought—The agricultur­ The University of Pennsylvania, African Stud­ al and environmental situation in eight south­ ies Consortium, has created an African studies ern African countries. board. Readers can obtain connection through various gateways: Gopher client - UseNet or FTP site UseNet is a third worldwide network that pro­ or Telnet - .4 To access the African newsgroups are largely unavailable to Bitnet Studies database follow these directions: sites. While many of Usenet’s sites are com­ “Pennlnfo," “Interdisciplinary Studies,” “African mercial, advertising is strictly forbidden on the Studies.” network. Although some 3,000 newsgroups are available, not all sites carry all newsgroups. Fidonet Since no files are associated with this service Fidonet is an international, decentralized, co­ and messages are automatically deleted on a operative, voluntary system in which partici­ regular basis, UseNet provides no archiving pants serve one another by relaying messages feature characteristic of the Bitnet listserv. To through a routing system. A list of all Fidonet create a newsgroup on UseNet, any user must nodes is updated weekly from a central point secure a minimum of 100 yes votes for the news ( 1:1/0) and is distributed throughout the group topic. Once a news group is approved, network. Since this network has no central it is difficult to remove it from the network. computers, Fidonet is organized in a branch­ African-related UseNet news groups are: ing system with six geographically designated rec.music.afro-latin zones: rec.travel 1 = USA/Canada/Mexico - North America soc.culture.egyptian (proposed) 2 = Europe soc.culture.southafrica (proposed) 3 = Australia, New Zealand (Oceana) soc.culture.arabic 4 = Latin America soc.culture.african 5 = Africa soc.culture.maghreb 6 = Asia soc.religion.islam talk.politics.mideast Individuals establish Fidonet nodes using only personal computers, international speed- , and free software. Consequently, this The bulletin board system (BBS) connects per­ process permits access to rural areas. Gate­ sonal computers directly through a ways or links have reduced the cost of trans­ connection. Since these boards cost the user a mission. , unlike the academic networks (Internet/Bitnet), a long distance log-in can be Echomail expensive. Echomail is a specific public forum, conference Presently, few BBSs exist for strictly Afri­ group, or newsgroup. It is one of the options can-related content. Two members of the Afri­ (having various labels) at the top menu which can Studies Association have promoted the use allows subscribers to select groups. Currently, of electronic communications in Africa and the there are four Echomail conferences of interest Americas. to Africanists: African Studies (1989) Patricia Kuntz (608) • Africa Link— Bob Barad (Baobab BBS) 262-9689, 8N1 1200-14,400 ; Fidonet links all African-related BBS which have Fidonet connections:1:121/25.3 and 1:109/151.42-,Inter­ connectivity and choose to collaborate. net connecrtions:@p3.f25nl21.zl..org • Peace Corps— Returning Peace Corps vol­ Baobab (1989) Bob Barad (202) 296-9790 unteers who wish to maintain contact with 8N1 1200-14,400 modem; Fidonet connections: volunteers in their cohort group, service area, 1:109/151; Internet connections:@f151.n109. or country assignment. zl.fidonet.org

72/C&RL News African linkages Depending upon the official language of the For readers seeking contacts in Africa, over 30 country, the network service is generally asso­ African countries have various network con­ ciated with the colonial legacy. For instance, nections. These connections include Bitnet, English-speaking countries use Bitnet, Internet, Internet, Fidonet, OSI, UUCP. Larry Landweber and Fidonet as popularized by the , (University of Wisconsin), co-founder of the In­ Canada, and United Kingdom. For those ternet Society, provides a bi-annual update of francophone countries having UUCP service, the five network options for each African coun­ the director of ORSTOM, Paul Renaud try among others. This information is available can assist with connections. through the Internet Society: Internet: or on Conclusion “gopher” - (Washington, DC) Internet Society The four computer networks described above FTP . tion are fundamental tools for administrators, In addition to Landweber’s list, Karanja Gakio faculty, students, librarians, and outreach per­ and Randy Bush or Botswana (BW - Fidonet) . Burkina Faso (BF - UUCP) 2News release dated September 3, 1992. In Cameroon (CM - UUCP) the United States contact CompuServe directly. Congo (CG - UUCP) In South Africa call (012) 841-2530 or southern Cote d’Ivoire (Cl - UUCP) Africa at (+27) (12) 841-2530. Egypt (EG - Bitnet, Internet, UUCP) 3NewsNet: For the Business Information Ethiopia (ET - Fidonet) Edge contact: Kelly Bahel, NewsNet, Account Gambia (GM - Fidonet) Rep., 945 Haverford Road, Bryn Mawr, PA Ghana (GH - Fidonet) 19010; (215) 527-8030 or (800) 952-0122. Kenya (KE - Fidonet) 4Sysop is Julie Sisskind % Sandra Barnes, Lesotho (LS - UUCP) Anthropology: sisśkind®mail.sas.upenn.edu. Madagascar (MG - Fidonet) 5Connectivity with Africa: URL:gopher:// Malawi (MW - Fidonet) gopher.psg.coni:70/0/0/networks/connect/ Mali (ML - UUCP) africa.txt; subject: pub. Mauritius (MU - Fidonet) gopher-data/networks/connect/africa.txt ■ Mozambique (MZ- Fidonet, UUCP) Namibia (NA - UUCP) Niger (NE - UUCP) Nigeria (NG - Fidonet, UUCP) Reunion (RE - UUCP) Compile a subject list of Senegal (SN - Fidonet, UUCP) Internet resources Seychelles (SC - UUCP) C&RL News would like to print brief sub­ South Africa (ZA - Fidonet, Internet, OSI, ject lists of Internet resources such as the UUCP) one prepared by Jeffrey A. Coon on reli­ Swaziland (SZ - UUCP) gious studies that appeared on page 635 of Tanzania (TZ - Fidonet) the December 1993 issue. If you are inter­ Togo (TG - UUCP) ested in preparing a brief list in your area Tunisia (TN - Bitnet, Fidonet, Internet, OSI, of expertise contact: Mary Ellen Davis, Edi­ UUCP) tor & Publisher, C&RL News, 50 E. Huron Uganda (UG - Fidonet) St., Chicago, IL 6 0 6 ll or e-mail: Zambia (ZM - Fidonet, UUCP) [email protected]. Zimbabwe (ZW - Fidonet, UUCP)

February 1994 / 73 74 / C&RL News