KWI Conduit

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Volume VI, Number 1

Spring 1998

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T. Joseph Dogwiler

With the transition of the Conduit from print-based to web-based publication (see Editor's Note) their are several features and issues I would like to discuss.  The current issue of the Conduit was created using Netscape Composer which is an application in the Netscape Communicator Suite (which is currently offered free of charge on  Netscape's Home page).  This program allows web pages to be constructed, including text, diagrams, photographs, figures, and tables, without requiring any knowledge or use of the HTML programming language.  As a result, compilation and production of the newsletter is a quick and painless task.  Many of the articles were solicited and received via e-mail.  In most cases, this allowed contributions to be directly inserted into the web page by "cutting and pasting."

A "Table of Contents" based format has been adopted.  A reader accessing this issue begins at the Table of Contents and may browse whichever articles they wish by clicking on the title.  Some articles and announcements have been grouped into similar categories and posted on the same page.  From the Table of Contents the reader may choose to click on the Category to browse from the top of the associated page, or click on a specific article to go directly to it on the Category page.  For example, in this issue of the Conduit, a reader may wish to browse through all of the conference announcements in which case they would click on the Category heading ‘Conference Notes’ in the Table of Contents.  This would take them to the top of the ‘Conference Notes’ page.  Alternatively, the reader may wish to go directly to the information about the biospeleology symposia at this years NSS Convention.  This can be achieved by clicking on the 'Biospeleology Symposia' sub-heading in the Table of Contents.  To make the Conduit more informative and interactive hyper links (links to relevant information elsewhere in the Conduit or World Wide Web) have been inserted into articles and announcements wherever possible.  Thus, if a reader interested in the biospeleology symposia wanted to know more about the upcoming NSS Convention, a link to the 1998 Convention web site is provide within the article.  At the bottom of every page contact information for the editor is provided and links to the KWI Home page and Conduit Home page are available.  For convenience, the full URL or E-mail address associated with external hyper links are presented.

Now that the Conduit has "gone electronic" printed versions of the newsletter will be distributed on a limited basis for exchange and archival purposes.  To maintain awareness of and interest in the Conduit an extensive e-mail distribution list has been established.  In this way, ‘subscribers’ will be notified promptly of the publication of new issues, and will incur no subscription costs.  The editor of the Conduit will maintain and update this mailing list.  Individuals who desire a ‘hard copy’ of the Conduit will have two options:  1) they may print out individual pages from the web using their Internet browser or 2) click here to download the Conduit as an MS Word (or other format) file.

The Conduit has evolved consistently to meet the needs of the KWI and its associates since its introduction in the Spring of 1992.  This process will surely continue as comments and suggestions for its improvement are offered.  If you would like to provide feedback of any type please feel free to e-mail the editor.

KWI Conduit
(c) 1998 Karst Waters Institute