List Review Service #015, "L-HCAP" (October 5, 1992)
URL: ftp://ftp.lib.ncsu.edu/pub/stacks/lrs/lrs-015


                     LIST REVIEW SERVICE         ISSN: 1060-8192

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Issue No. 15        The Handicap Digest (L-HCAP)       5 OCT 1992
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Published periodically by The University of Missouri, St. Louis
Libraries. Raleigh C. Muns (SRCMUNS@UMSLVMA.BITNET), editor.

CONTENTS:       REVIEW                   (34 lines)
                SYNOPSIS OF ACTIVITY     (27 lines)
                SUGGESTED USES           (07 lines)
                SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION (14 lines)

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REVIEW -
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Bill McGarry's THE HANDICAP DIGEST is a superb example of computer
networking at its best. Drawing messages from the Internet, private bul-
etin boards, and commercial e-mail traffic, McGarry produces a tightly
edited resource, practically devoid of chatter, and brimming with expo-
sition. Subject matter ranges through personal "how I dealt with ..."
anecdotes, to announcements of new products (e.g., intelligent prosthe-
ses), to extensive bibliographies by experts in their field, such as:

        Elizabeth H. Dow, Ph.D. (E_DOW@UVMVAX.UVM.EDU), "Bibliography
        on Pain," THE HANDICAP DIGEST no. 2946, Sep. 29, 1992
        (cited as extracted from the Disability Research List,
        DISRES-L@RYERSON.BITNET)

The preceding is a thoroughly annotated bibliography on the subject of
lower back pain by the information specialist for the Vermont
Rehabilitation Engineering Center (what a cool sounding job!). Due to
the nature of Handicap Studies (?), there is a strong current of
messages requesting, discussing, and presenting medical information.

In the issues I reviewed, I also found a healthy mix of humor. "Ever
take a spare foot into a shoe store, put it on the counter and asked
them if they have anything to fit it in a 1/2" heel?" (DIGEST no. 2946,
Sep. 29, 1992). This personal aspect of L-HCAP may be its greatest
strength. As an information voyeur I enjoy poking my nose into the
various online cultures that are growing in cyberspace. There's
something about the black and white of ASCII communication that strips
away the awkwardness that often occurs in face-to-face encounters.

L-HCAP's amount of message traffic is misleading. McGarry strips out
all of that message header gibberish (MHG) we networkers love, leaving a
simple e-mail address of sender, and source of message. Of course, you
do get MHG with each entire DIGEST. C'est la vie.

-R. Muns

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SYNOPSIS OF ONE WEEK'S ACTIVITY -
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Name of List Reviewed:        L-HCAP

Location:                     L-HCAP@NDSUVM1              (Bitnet)
                              L-HCAP@VM1.NODAK.EDU        (Internet)
                              BIT.LISTSERV.L-HCAP         (Usenet)

Listowner:                    Bill McGarry
                               L-HCAP@NDSUVM1             (Bitnet)
                               WTM@BUNKER.SHEL-ISC-BR.COM (Internet)
                               UUNET!BUNKER!WTM           (UUCP)
                               73170,1064                 (Compuserve)
                               The Handicap News BBS (141/420)
                                   1-203-337-1607         (Fidonet)

No. of Listserv Subscribers:   230 in 22 countries

Period Monitored:              27 SEP 1992 - 04 OCT 1992

No. Messages Period Monitored: 42 disseminated in 5 "Digests"
No. Queries Posted:            12 (29 % of total activity)
No. Non-queries Posted:        30 (71 % of total activity)

Lines Sent (w/o headers):      4116 (app. 180 screens of 23 lines)

Msgs. Posted Last 01 Months:   11 "Digests"

Searchable Archives:           Yes

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SUGGESTED USES FOR LIST -
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        1)      Support tool for physically handicapped humans,
                friends, and relatives.

        2)      Nursing and medical students could gain insight into
                prospective clients (i.e., bedside manner tips).

        3)      General awareness resource for anyone living on Earth.

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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION -
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Send an e-mail message with blank subject line to:

     LISTSERV@NDSUVM1               (Bitnet address)
or
     LISTSERV@VM1.NODAK.EDU         (Internet address)

Message should consist solely of:

     SUBSCRIBE L-HCAP your_name

Alternatively, send an e-mail message to list owner, Bill McGarry,
at any of the electronic addresses listed above in the SEE SYNOPSIS OF
ONE WEEK'S ACTIVITY section, requesting to be added to the subscription
list for THE HANDICAP DIGEST.

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Copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computerized bulletin
board/conference systems, individual scholars, and libraries.
Libraries are authorized to add these reviews to their collections
at no cost.  This message must appear on copied material.  All
commercial use requires permission.

Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer and do not
represent the views of the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

Copyright 1992. Raleigh C. Muns (Reference Librarian)
Thomas Jefferson Library, University of Missouri, St. Louis
8001 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, MO 63121 (ph:(314) 553-5059)

BITNET:         SRCMUNS@UMSLVMA
Internet:       SRCMUNS@UMSLVMA.UMSL.EDU