----------------------------Original message----------------------------
     [log in to unmask] Jun 12 14:50:44 1995
    : Mon, 12 Jun 1995 14:15:23 -0400 (EDT)
    : Richard Robinson <[log in to unmask]>
       : invite
 
The Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network
(CIESIN) has developed a new data cross-tabulation engine under the
CIESIN Ulysses system. We invite you to test this new software. The
Ulysses cross-tabulation engine currently processes data from the 1% U.S.
Census Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS) from 1980 and 1990, and
delivers frequency counts, means of items, percentages and standard
deviations. All processes are run in the CIESIN computing cluster, so the
only technical requirement is that the user be able establish a telnet
connection to CIESIN.
 
Access to the Ulysses cross-tabulation engine is available by public login.
 
telnet infoserver.ciesin.org (160.39.8.201)
login:  ulysses
 
Immediately after login, you will be prompted to enter your terminal
type. Either press 'enter' if the terminal type identified by Ulysses is
correct, or type in your terminal type (e.g. vt100, xterm, etc.).
 
Next, you will be shown a disclaimer and conditions of use screen. You'll
be asked to read the conditions of use, and prompted to enter your email
address to signify that you agree to the conditions of use.
 
You will find online help available on all screens as you develop query
statements in Ulysses. The PUMS data dictionary is also online. We will
be putting the various code lists from from Appendix I online as soon as
possible. If you would like to download a copy of the PUMS data
dictionaries, they are available in
ftp.ciesin.org:/pub/census/usa/pums/dd; if you would like a preliminary
manual for the cross-tabulation engine, it is available as a postscript
file in ftp.ciesin.org:/pub/data/ulysses. If you need hard copy of the
manual, let us know.
 
As we move to the Ulysses cross tabulation engine, we will be phasing out
our earlier PUMS data exploration software, Explore. Effective
immediately, Explore will run on two processors rather than eight, as had
been the configuration. Performance will be slowed considerably, but
Explore will be accessible for the immediate future. Access will be
through public login. Contact CIESIN User Services for details.
 
We would appreciate your comments on your experience with the new Ulysses
package. As you exit the system, you'll be invited to send comments.
Please do. And, if you have questions, please contact the CIESIN User
Service office at [log in to unmask], or  by phone at (517)797-2727
from 8a.m-5p.m. EDT, Monday-Friday. Future developments include work in
progress to provide access to earlier PUMS datasets through the Ulysses
cross tabulation engine; and a companion extraction engine is in development.
 
Finally, we have a special request of those of you who have used data or
applications from CIESIN in the past. If your work using
CIESIN-disseminated data or CIESIN applications ended up in publication,
kindly message us at [log in to unmask] and pass along the citation
(and if it's not too inconvenient, a copy of the article). Our NASA
patrons are curious about how our data and applications are being used
(and so are we!). This will also help us to plan the course of future
developments.
 
We hope you'll find the Ulysses cross-tabulation engine to be useful.
Thanks in advance for being a tire kicker.
 
Best regards,
Rich Robinson
CIESIN User Service
[log in to unmask]