X-NEWS: wsuiar comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d: 2773 Subject: List of Recommended PC (DOS) Archive sites Accessible via FTP Lines: 224 (Revision of 18-July-1991) List of Recommended PC (DOS) Archive Sites Accessible via Anonymous FTP *********************************************************************** A huge amount of Shareware and Public Domain software for the pc-user is available via anonymous ftp from many sites in the world. For the average user, it is a very time-consuming task to access the sites known to archive pc software and related information, and to sort and sift through them looking for what he/she wants. A list of a few recommended archive sites would help most pc-users focus their software search strategy thus saving them time with the added benefit of reducing network load. The following list presents the recommended sites for various broad categories of interest to the pc (dos) user. My criteria for including an archive site in this list are: 1) The archive site should be actively maintained and new files added in a timely manner. 2) The site should archive a fairly complete selection of all the currently available software in the categories it specializes in. 3) The site should have a clearly understandable directory structure with downloadable file indexes containing complete file descriptions. 4) The site should be accessible most of the time (i.e., high reliability). In addition, it should not be geographically restricted (some sites do not want overseas access). 5) File access and dowloading should be reasonably fast. I will strive to keep the total number of sites included in this list down to a minimum based on the above criteria. I will, however, try to include enough alternate sites so that if one site is down for whatever reason, the pc-user can ftp to an alternate site. Obviously there will be some give and take as this list develops over time. If the pc-user cannot find what they're looking for at these sites, they have one of three options: 1) Access the complete ftp site list at: pilot.njin.net [128.6.18.38] (I was told this is going away by fall- any alternative sites?) 2) Access archie at: quiche.cs.mcgill.ca [132.206.2.3] : nic.funet.fi [128.214.6.100] Telnet to the archie site and enter 'archie' as the username and follow the instructions. The pc-user can search for just about anything from hundreds of ftp sites. I find that nic.funet.fi is faster in the search process. One can also access archie by mail server; send mail to archie@cs.mcgill.ca . 3) Issue a plea to Usenet. Final Note: Pc-users should start their search close to home before going overseas. Most of the files that you need are right in your own backyard. ****************************** GENERAL PC (DOS) ARCHIVE SITES ****************************** wuarchive.wustl.edu A mirror to several archives, including Simtel, [128.252.135.4] PC-BLUE, and comp.binaries.ibm.pc. It also has an extensive GIF library, and archives some games. Overall, this site is the best in North America with regards to access, completeness, indexing, and downloading speed. A real class archive. garbo.uwasa.fi One of the well-known Finnish sites. Like [128.214.12.37] wuarchive, Garbo (also known as chyde) has an excellent selection, including Windows 3.0 files. It is also a world-class archive. vega.hut.fi Another Finnish archive. It has a good selection [130.233.200.42] of files in most categories. wsmr-simtel20.army.mil The well-known Simtel archive. It also includes [192.88.110.20] the PC-Blue collection. Unfortunately, it is difficult to access because of equipment limitations and it is usually slow when you do get access. It is including here for the sole reason that leaving it out would raise a lot of eyebrows. It is best to access one of it's mirrors such as wuarchive.wustl.edu before trying to connect to this site. msdos.archive.umich.edu An up and coming archive, which has a good [141.211.165.34] selection in many categories, including games and windows 3.0. ************************************** SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS ARCHIVE SITES ************************************** SIMTEL MSDOS MIRRORS -------------------- wuarchive.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 grind.isca.uiowa.edu 128.255.19.233 nic.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 oak.oakland.edu 141.210.10.117 sol.deakin.edu.au 128.184.1.1 CHYDE (GARBO) MIRRORS --------------------- sol.deakin.edu.au 128.184.1.1 PC-SIG COLLECTION ----------------- ksuvm.ksu.edu 129.130.1.1 nic.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 ux1.cso.uiuc.edu 128.174.5.59 PC-BLUE COLLECTION ------------------ wuarchive.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 wsmr-simtel20.army.mil 192.88.110.20 EXEC-PC COLLECTION ------------------ ux1.cso.uiuc.edu 128.174.5.59 Exec-PC is a BBS in Milwaukee described as "the world's largest". The collection at this site is not complete, but may have some hard-to- find files. COMP.BINARIES.IBM.PC ARCHIVE ---------------------------- wuarchive.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 grape.ecs.clarkson.edu 128.153.28.129 wsmr-simtel20.army.mil 192.88.110.20 WINDOWS 3 APPLICATIONS ---------------------- cica.cica.indiana.edu 129.79.20.22 wuarchive.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 garbo.uwasa.fi 128.214.12.37 GAMES ----- (I'm still looking for sites that carry a large number of up-to-date games as found on most public BBS's. Most of the sites listed in this listing do carry some games, but not anywhere near to the extent that is possible. How about it, is there some site out there that'd like to take on the challenge of doing this?) GIF FILES --------- wuarchive.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 Excellent selection with index. ames.arc.nasa.gov 128.102.18.3 Many space-related GIF files, very unique. grind.isca.uiowa.edu 128.255.19.233 schizo.samsung.com 134.228.1.2 Good site. Evenings only. ticsys.tamu.edu 128.194.43.66 Restricted to evening use. vmd.cso.uiuc.edu 128.174.5.98 Daily weather satellite photos in directory phil.515. vmtecmex.cem.itesm.mx 132.254.1.4 Slow access, but does contain a lot of files, probably duplicated by wuarchive.wustl.edu. However, it keeps an updated list of all the known GIF file archive sites on the Internet. zurich.ai.mit.edu 18.26.0.176 (Note on GIF sites: It is NSF policy that no site on their backbone can keep or maintain any R or X rated GIF's except for valid research purposes (I know, it's hard to define a pornographic image, but we all know one when we see it). Please do not recommend to me any clandestine sites which happen to carry this "forbidden" material - I will not include them here). ___________________________________________________________________________ Remember, this is your list, so, please help me update it! If you maintain a specialized archive of PC software, let me know and I'll consider including it on this list, subject to the criteria set forth above. Corrections, additions, deletions, differences of opinion, flames, etc., are welcome! I'm especially interested in finding other mirror sites for SIMTEL, PC-SIG, PC-BLUE, comp.binaries.ibm.pc, and for commercial BBS collections such as EXEC-PC. And, of course, GAMES! Thanks for everybody's input so far. HELP! THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR MAIL SERVER INFORMATION FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE FTP ACCESS. How about it, anybody out there who would like to generate a list like this for mail server users? -- ============================================================================= | Jon Noring | noring@netcom.netcom.com | "The dogs bark, but the | | JKN International | IP : 192.100.81.100 | caravan moves on." | | 754 Catalina Drive | Phone : (415) 294-8153 | "Pack your lunch, sit in | | Livermore, CA 94550 | V-Mail: (415) 862-1101 | the bushes, and watch." | ============================================================================= Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are those of JKN International. I own it. "If you make $50,000 today, you have the same buying power as the average coal miner did in 1949, adjusted for taxes and inflation," John Sestina, nationally recognized Certified Financial Planner; quoted in 1987.