> I'm interested in PINGing Internet sites.  Never heard tell of such a thing.
> Could you explain, please?  The Internet continues to baffle me.
 
Ping is a Unix command to let you know whether a certain site is reachable.
I use it frequently, although I don't use it in checking on bounced mail
from list subscribers since the bounce notices usually let you know what
the particular problem is.  If I'm about to ftp or to log on to a remote
system, I usually ping it first to make sure it's up.  If you're using
Unix, try this:
 
ping ra.msstate.edu
 
The response should say "ra.msstate.edu is alive".  (Ping doesn't work
on all varieties of Unix.)
   --Natalie ([log in to unmask])