techno stuff

[Keith Goeringer]

Greetings.

I just thought I'd give my $0.02 worth on the virtues of technology.  I
have only just gained access to the web and other such sites -- partly
because only now is my computer powerful enough to do it (both memory-wise
and CPU-wise), and partly because I only just got the software and a
powerful enough modem to do it.

Maybe Berkeley is unusual in this regard (God knows, it is in many
others...), but they provide what they call the "Berkeley Internet Kit"
(BIK) *for free* to faculty, staff, and students.  This was a revelation to
me, since the kit includes Eudora for e-mail, Netscape (!) for the 'net at
large, and other tools such as Turbo-gopher, Newswatcher, and others (many
of whose functions I have yet to fathom).  My point is this was all free,
and is readily available to anyone who coughs up 6 blank disks.  (I found
out about the BIK from our highly computer-literate graduate assistant.)  I
suspect that many (though certainly not all) universities have such things
available -- or at least, can steer people in the right direction...if we
just ask.  I am no techno-geek, and am still brachiating slowly rather than
running sure-footedly through the electronic jungle, but at least now I
have the tools to get started.


Keith Goeringer
UC Berkeley
Slavic Languages & Literatures
keg at violet.berkeley.edu