288 Macintosh
User's
Handbook
Data Base Communications
Another popular use for telephone communications be-
tween computers
is
data base access. A
data
base
is
composed
of
one
or
more computers, usually large main frames, which
can be accessed by multiple subscribers who use the data base
service
to
obtain various sorts of information. This includes
information on stock prices, journals and periodical articles,
scientific abstracts, credit information, and current and past
news. Virtually any type
of
information can be obtained from
data base services.
Data
bases are also used
by
their subscribers
to
contact each other through a computer network.
Once you have subscribed
to
a
data
base service, the
data
base company will open
an
account for you on their computer
system and send you the access codes needed to utilize your
account. They also will send information on how to use the
various services which are available.
We will illustrate using a
data
base service
to
write the
current news on the Mac display. The procedure for accessing
an
account may vary from case to case, but in general it
proceeds as follows. Configure the Mac with the modem
and
open the MacTerminal document.
Be
certain that the Settings
menu items are set up in accordance with the requirements for
the data base computer.
Select Dial from the
Phone
menu.
The
modem will make
the connection as it did the previous example. Usually your
access
is
not directly with a computer but with a network
facility such as Tymnet
or
Telenet. These services act as clear-
ing houses
to
connect thousands
of
subscribers with their
intended computer services.
Next enter the identifier for the computer service you wish
to
contract.
That
data
base service will give you the proper
code.
Once you have connected with the proper computer,
enter your account
ID
code
and
your password.
The
password
is
important since it protects your account from illegal entry.
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