ConsDir Update Utility

Over the years several people have asked for a means to "do something"
with the ConsDir updates that are sent out each week.  For those of you
with DOS machines, I've written a perl script (called iimimbu, If It's
Monday, It Must Be Updated) that will take the weekly update and merge
it into a local copy of the full ConsDir.  This gives you a version of
the ConsDir that is virtually identical to the one that new people
receive when they sign on.  I'm looking for a few people to serve as
beta testers for the scripts.

Requirements:
    (a) Must be using a Dos machine with a harddisk and more than 560K
    AVAILABLE ram (more is better:  as the ConsDir gets larger, iimimbu
    will need more room to work).

    (b) Must be at least a little 'computer literate'.  You don't have
    to be a hacker, but you should know how to install programs, modify
    batch files, and if you are running Windows or DV, should know your
    way around those territories.

Iimimbu is a perl script (actually two scripts).  Originally written for
unix, Perl is a programming language written by Larry Wall, and
optimized for processing text.  I will provide you with a copy of perl
and the scripts.  I will expect you to be able to install them, to
capture the weekly update files to a disk file, and to

A Word to the Daring:  Perl has been ported to many platforms (Probably
all flavours of Unix, Dos, Amiga.  There are two Mac versions but one
requires MPW and the other is, according to the author, not very
useful).  If you use one of these platforms and are a bit adventurous,
I'm willing to give it a go, but I can only offer very limited support.
(eg I can help you get a copy of perl sources (for Unix), but can't
help you build them.  I can help you get executables for the other
platforms, but you'll be on your own from there).

If you're interested in being a beta-tester, please let me know (sorry,
unlike The Real World, there won't be any ConsDir Tote-Bags and
tee-shirts :-)

If you aren't interested in testing, but think you will want to use the
scripts when they're available, you might want to drop me a message. The
amount of effort I put into this project will probably depend on how
important it is to you folks.

w

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 5:47
                  Distributed: Thursday, April 2, 1992
                        Message Id: cdl-5-47-006
                                  ***