From: a6ey@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: TidBITS - A HyperCard-based news journal.
Date: 23 Apr 90 16:14:58 GMT

Introducing TidBITS, the HyperCard-based news journal.

The first issue of TidBITS, a HyperCard based news journal, will
be available on 4/23/90.  Subsequent issues will be available
early each week.  TidBITS requires a Mac+ and HyperCard 1.2.2 or
later.  A hard disk is recommended, but not necessary since each
week's issue of TidBITS will never be more than 40K.

What is TidBITS?
  TidBITS is an answer to the information glut in the computer
industry. TidBITS summarizes and references the most interesting
events of the week as reported in the trade magazines.  Added
features of TidBITS include a summary of interesting discussions
from Usenet, a world-wide computer network linking business and
universities everywhere, and a list of all reviewed products in
each of the major magazines.  In addition, TidBITS is an open
information system that you can use to add items of interest for
yourself or delete items in which you will never be interested.
If you wish to use the TidBITS software for another topic and to
distribute it to others, please contact use at the address below
first.

How do I use TidBITS?
  It is simple.  Just download the StuffIt archive each week and
unstuff.  Then double-click on the HyperCard stack.  The first
card contains information and instructions - all following cards
contain the articles. A complete subject index is available from
all article cards, or you may page through the articles one at a
time with the hand buttons.  Don't miss the quote of the week -
click on the Quote button.
 
Should I keep each week's stack?
  No, because when you are done reading the news from that stack,
you can merge the stack with previous weeks' stacks (or create a
new TidBITS Archive, if it is your first one).  By merging the
stacks, you gradually build up a concise and easily searched
archive of important events and product reviews.  Unlike the
annual indexes published by some of the magazines, the TidBITS
Archive is always up to date and always available. In addition,
TidBITS covers many of the major trade magazines, including
MacWEEK, PC WEEK, InfoWorld, Macworld, MacUser, and PC World. New
magazines will be added when possible.  Whenever you want to find
information, the TidBITS Archive makes it easy and provides the
reference to the original article so you can get all the details
that were originally available.

Is there any cost to TidBITS?
   No, other than the time to download and the space on your
disk.  At some point in the future, a mail subscription service
may be made available to those who cannot access an online source
of TidBITS.

Where can I get TidBITS?
   TidBITS will be available on America Online, the Memory Alpha
BBS at 607-257-5822, and the Internet as well.  For now, send
mail to either the Bitnet or Internet address below to get on a
temporary mailing list.  Distribution has yet to be completely
finalized, so if you have any suggestions, please feel free to
write us.  As mentioned above, there is no mail subscription
service currently, but one may be set up in the future if there
is enough interest from people who cannot regularly get access to
the online services.

TidBITS is copyright 1990 Adam C. Engst and Tonya Byard. For
more information write us at the address below, send mail to
one of the email addresses below, or reply to this posting.
 TidBITS
 901 Dryden Road, #88
 Ithaca, NY  14850