Guide to VAX Notes

This document serves as a comprehensive tutorial and reference guide for VAX Notes, a computerized conferencing system designed to facilitate online communication and collaboration. Published in March 1989, it details how to create, moderate, and participate in conferences.

The manual is divided into four main parts:

1. Using VAX Notes (Character-Cell Interface): This section introduces users to the basic concepts, features, and operations of VAX Notes. It covers how to get started, read, write, print, and save notes, manage keywords, and use a personal "Notebook" to organize conferences and customize sessions. It also provides guidance on online etiquette and communication best practices.
2. The DECwindows Interface: This part offers a tutorial for users interacting with VAX Notes through the DECwindows graphical environment, emphasizing mouse-driven operations, multiple windows for concurrent tasks, and text manipulation capabilities.
3. VAX Notes Command Dictionary: An alphabetical listing of all VAX Notes commands, providing detailed descriptions of their format, parameters, qualifiers, and examples of use, categorized for easy reference.
4. Appendixes: These include technical information for programmers interested in a callable interface to VAX Notes, and a list of error messages with suggested corrective actions.

Key features highlighted include robust moderator support for conference management (e.g., creating membership lists, deleting/hiding notes, managing keywords, and setting security), flexible text editing options (including EVE editor styles), a structured discussion format of topics and replies, and integration with VMS Mail Utility. Notable advancements since VAX Notes Version 1.0 include enhanced DECwindows support, the ability to incorporate Digital Document Interchange Format (DDIF) documents, and integration with the VAX Distributed Name Service (DNS) for accessing and managing conference objects. The guide is intended for VAX Notes users, assuming a working knowledge of text editors and some familiarity with VMS Mail and DCL.