Obtaining the global list of discussion groups is one way to
locate groups which you may be interested in.  It's fun to browse,
but may be a bit cumbersome, since the list is long and
is arranged by the group name.  (If you're interested in a
group on potatoes, you might not think to look in the S's,
where you'd find the group SPUD-L.)  Each entry is one,
often truncated, line long.
 
   If you need more information, here's one alternative.  You can
find a listing of "scholarly" groups via gopher.  At a system
prompt, type "gopher."  Then progress through the menus to the
University of Utah.  (No doubt this database is mounted on other
gopher servers as well.)  The menu choices, from one screen to
the next, would be a sequence of something like:
 
   - All the gopher servers in the world
   - North America
   - U.S.A.
   - Utah
   - University of Utah
   - Libraries, Books, and Databases
   - Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences
 
This brings you to a menu by discussion group subject area.
Each entry includes Bitnet and Internet addresses, a
description of the group's intent and coverage, the name
of the list owner, etc.  A good summary.
 
   This source has one particular potential drawback: it
includes only those discussion groups which the database
editor, Diane Kovacs, deems academic in nature.  Thus,
searching here you would completely miss the FLYFISH group.
 
   This is one other alternative I use.  You can send a
keyword search and get a report of those groups in which
the group title or short description includes your keyword
or words.  If anybody wants a copy of those instructions,
I'd be happy to send it out.  Just e-mail me and mention
that you'd like the keyword searching instructions.  My
address is: [log in to unmask]
 
                                   Cheers, Jan
 
 
                             Jan Anderson
                             Utah State University
                             (801) 797-2672
                             [log in to unmask]