44. How do I add/delete IP addresses?

45. I cannot login to the EOLSS

46. Can I distribute the administrator username and password so that my colleagues can access the EOLSS?

47. Why do I need to click the ‘Log Out’ button?

Individuals-General and Student users:

48. How do I login to the EOLSS?

49. How do I change my profile?

50. How do I renew my account?

51. How do I update my payment information?

52. How do I change my password?

Some hints on EOLSS Search

Answers

"A life support system is any natural or human-engineered (constructed or made) system that furthers the life of the biosphere in a sustainable fashion. The fundamental attribute of life support systems is that together they provide all of the sustainable needs required for continuance of life. These needs go far beyond biological requirements. Thus life support systems encompass natural environmental systems as well as ancillary social systems required to foster societal harmony, safety, nutrition, medical care, economic standards, and the development of new technology. The one common thread in all of these systems is that they operate in partnership with the conservation of global natural resources."

2. Is EOLSS a publication that deals with equipment in the intensive care units of hospitals?

In the past, equipment in the intensive care units of hospitals were referred to as ‘life support systems’ until global concerns about human activities and their impact on our planet came to the fore. The first Earth Summit of 1992 held at Rio de Janeiro issued a document that is now famous as Agenda 21. This document refers to the Earth’s life support systems, considering the whole of our planet as a grand intensive care unit which supports all forms of life. The EOLSS is based on this concept.

3. What is the scope of coverage of the EOLSS?

The EOLSS is the world’s largest source of thematically organized knowledge developed under the auspices of the UNESCO and published by EOLSS Publishers, Oxford, UK. This is a self-contained virtual library and a living body of knowledge for our times with focus on the relationship between nature and human society (the anthrop sphere).

Every chapter is reviewed to ensure that the contributions meet the required standards of comprehensiveness, clarity, coherence, and consistency and that the material is factually correct and helpful in self study.

Within these Twenty on-line encyclopedias, there are about two hundreds Themes ,each of which has been complied under the editorial supervision of a recognized world expert .Each of these 'Honorary Theme editors' was responsible for recruiting and appropriate selection of authors to produce the material specified by EOLSS. The size of a theme in the EOLSS may vary from about 10 chapters to about 240 chapters. Peer-reviewing of chapters has been part of the process of EOLSS development.

Most of the themes have been completed but the virtual library will be augmented and updated almost as often as every Month (augmenting refers to addition of new material and updating is the process of revising existing material to bring it up to date ).About twenty new themes are still under development and will be available online in due course.

How to Evaluate Electronic Sources

The World Wide Web is a rich information source but how does one know the kind of information obtained from the World Wide Web is reliable and up-to-date when one finds it? The following sites provide guidance on evaluating information found on the Internet.
An Educators' Guide to Credibility and Web Evaluation
Why Evaluate the Web
Internet Detective

4. What subjects does the EOLSS cover?

The EOLSS contains a vast body of integrated knowledge dedicated to the health, maintenance, and future of the web of life on planet Earth, focusing on the complex connections among all the myriad aspects from natural and social sciences through water, energy, land, food, agriculture, environment, biodiversity, health, education, culture, engineering and technology, management, and development to environmental security!

For details see: Table of Contents
Click here to download EOLSS Table of Contents (PDF Format)

5. What is the size of the EOLSS body of knowledge?

The size of the EOLSS body of knowledge may be equivalent to about 6 print volumes.

6. For whom is the information in the EOLSS suitable?

The EOLSS is suitable for a wide spectrum of users:

7. What are the features of the EOLSS body of knowledge?

The EOLSS is designed to appeal to a wide spectrum of users from the merely curious to those seeking in-depth knowledge. To satisfy these, the EOLSS contents have the following characteristics:

8. How was the vast EOLSS body of knowledge developed?

The Encyclopedia represents the fruits of an unprecedented global effort involving thousands of experts in a wide diversity of subjects and from many countries of the world. In early May 1996, about 450 scientists, engineers, and policy makers from many countries were invited to the Bahamas to participate in defining the EOLSS body of knowledge. The Bahamas Workshop was the culmination of international collaborative efforts to generate a detailed list of contents and to achieve a global consensus on the structure, function, and purpose of the EOLSS. It followed several smaller workshops that had been held in 1996: in Washington DC, Tokyo, Moscow, Mexico City, and Beijing. A team of scientists from the French Academy of Sciences also provided assessments and recommendations.

The proposals from the Bahamas Workshop were reviewed by invited specialist teams in USA, Japan, Russia and China. Further additional meetings were held in Panama, Abu Sultan (Egypt) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), to complete and unify the list of contents.

The EOLSS body of knowledge comprises contributions from several thousand authors from over 100 countries. About 300 experts helped as editors for the various subjects.

9. Why is the EOLSS regarded as a Living Body of Knowledge?

The EOLSS is a digital library that is augmented and updated as frequently as once every month. In this sense the EOLSS is a living body of knowledge.

10. How is the EOLSS different from the other encyclopedias?

The EOLSS is different in many ways:

• The entries in the EOLSS are thematically organized unlike in most other encyclopedias wherein the entries are alphabetically arranged.
• Because of its size, the EOLSS may be regarded as an integrated compendium of encyclopedias, presenting a wide range of major core subjects in a process of gradual development from broad overview to great detail and suitable as course literature and for self study. The EOLSS body of knowledge is a virtual compendium of Twenty component encyclopedias (also known as Subject Categories)
• The EOLSS attempts to forge pathways between disciplines in order to show their interdependence and help foster the transdisciplinary context required to fulfill the vision of sustainable development.
• The EOLSS body of knowledge is interdisciplinary as it covers interdisciplinary subjects.
• The EOLSS body of knowledge is also disciplinary as each major core subject is covered in great depth and detail.
• The EOLSS is self-contained as the foundations required for the understanding of any subject are available within it.

In the real world, the various knowledge domains do not exist in isolation from each other. They form an integrated whole, with links in all directions. It is well known that all forms of human knowledge are inter-connected and inter-related. EOLSS mimics this complexity, the automatic inter-connectedness of the various subject categories facilitating navigation through the vast landscape of EOLSS knowledge. This provides the user with an effective and efficient tool to search, navigate and browse through each of the component encyclopedias, through any combination of the Twenty, or through the whole of EOLSS.

The above simplified figure illuminates the essential interconnectedness of the Twenty component encyclopedias of the EOLSS.

11. Is the EOLSS also available in print medium?

Five volumes in print introducing and capturing the perspectives of the Encyclopedia are available.

• Our Fragile World: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development, (Vols. I and II), of about 2400 pages, released as a forerunner to the EOLSS at the 161^st UNESCO Executive Board Meeting in May 2001.
• Knowledge for Sustainable Development: An Insight into the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (Vols. I, II, and III), reviews the themes of the EOLSS for the general reader. It is a three-volume printed publication of about 3300 pages. This was released by the UNESCO on 3^rd September 2002 during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa.

From a psychological point of view, a wish to see the EOLSS in the traditional, physically tangible, printed form is understandable. However, the public attitude has rapidly changed in recent years. Most publications of this size and kind are now published largely in the electronic medium and many prefer online publications for the benefit of access to the latest version. Many of the large publishing houses have been rapidly switching over to the electronic medium to publish their journals. Libraries throughout the world also prefer to subscribe to electronic journals in view of space considerations. Few people can afford the space and expenses required for a set of about 200 large books. Once printed, it is not possible to revise, update and produce new editions as often as required. A great advantage of the electronic medium for large publications, in addition to portability, is the search facility. For instance, information on any chosen aspect can be found by search with the click of a button from the huge body of knowledge. Parts of the information may be downloaded, organized, printed, or adapted to one’s own academic needs such as research studies, course-packs, etc. This is not the case with the printed versions.

Printed projects for such large publications are highly material and energy intensive, a consideration that is very important in the case of the EOLSS since it advocates minimal use of natural resources. Universities in the UN list of Least Developed Countries, various charity organizations, and disadvantaged individuals worldwide, are receiving free access to the online encyclopedia. This would not, of course, have been possible with printed books.

Nevertheless, the matured/updated EOLSS body of knowledge is now being processed for production as e-books-one or more for each Theme

The entries in the EOLSS are well structured and highly informative chapters, mostly enriched by tabulated data and/or graphics. Unlike many other encyclopedias wherein the entries are relatively small in size, the size of an entry (chapter) in the EOLSS may vary from about 5000 words to about 30 000 words.

14. Why does the size of an EOLSS chapter vary?

The chapters are at THREE or TWO distinct levels as indicated by the color of its title (see the related chapters).

Level 1 (Theme Level): A chapter at this level introduces a core subject (or a field of knowledge) to a wide audience including undergraduates and non-expert readers needing to grasp the fundamental concepts. These chapters generally avoid the use of technical jargon or complex mathematics.

Level 2 (Topic Level): A chapter at this level introduces a branch of the core subject (or a sub-field of knowledge) to be covered by a group of Level 3 chapters. The contributions are useful to senior undergraduate and postgraduate students as advanced study cum reference material.

Level 3 (Article Level): Most of the contributions in the EOLSS are at this level. These chapters cover different aspects of the sub-field in depth and contain relevant and necessary details of the established knowledge associated with it

Therefore the size of the chapters varies depending on the scope and depth of coverage.

15. What does an EOLSS chapter look like?

Each chapter has the following components:

• Title
• Author
• Author Affiliation
• Keywords: A set of terms typical to the context of the subject.
• Contents: list of section headings: Each heading is linked to the location of the related section.
• Summary: Presents an abstract of the chapter.
• Sections: The subject matter is presented in an appropriate number of sections.
• Acknowledgments (Optional)
• Related Chapters: provides a list of chapters in a popup window so that the reader is given a picture of what is available in the close neighborhood of the chapter on the screen, i.e. a list of chapters presented in a thematic organization. These results are helpful in providing you with a systematic access mechanism to the body of knowledge with reference to the search term inserted at the beginning, and to indicate a program of study in gradually increasing depth and detail).

• Glossary (Definitions and explanations of important technical terms used in the context of the subject)
• Bibliography: The items in the list carry annotations as guide to further study and/or reference.
• Author Biographical Sketches
• All Tables, as separate files: Each table is accessible by a link provided to its caption located in the main text. You can go forward and backward between the table and the document page.
• All Figures, as separate files: Each figure is accessible by a link provided to its caption or thumbnail located in the main text. You can go forward and backward between the figure and the document page.
• All Appendices that are cited in the text: Each appendix is accessible by a link provided to its citation located in the main text. You can go forward and backward between the appendix and the document page.
   

16. Is mathematics clearly readable in the EOLSS especially with sub- and super-scripts?

You can zoom in to any equation for an enlarged view by simply clicking on it. To zoom out re-click on the zoomed equation.

17. How do I cite a chapter from the EOLSS?

Citations for EOLSS chapters are provided at the end of every chapter, along with a link to it at the top of the chapter.

18. How do I get permission to reproduce materials from the EOLSS in other publications?

Copyright Permission Forms are available in both MS Word and PDF format at http://www.eolss.net/eolss_crap.aspx

a name="19._Where_can_I_find_information_on_access_to_the_EOLSS_"> 19. Where can I find information on access to the EOLSS?

Access to the EOLSS is by Registration. Information on subscription for different categories of subscribers is available at www.eolss.net. Please follow the guidelines at this site under Subscription

 

General Operational issues:
20. Do I need to enable cookies on my system?

Cookies are not necessary for registering with the EOLSS. However, you do need to enable cookies to login to the EOLSS.

To enable cookies in Internet Explorer: Click on Tools – Internet Options.

Select the Privacy tab and set the slider on Settings to Medium.

To enable cookies in Netscape Navigator: Select Edit from the menu bar in Netscape Navigator, and then choose Preferences, Privacy and Security, and then Cookies, and then check the box beside "enable all cookies"

21. In case my e-mail address changes from the one I provided during registration, do I need to notify?

If your e-mail address changes, you just need to update your profile.

22. What are the system requirements for using the EOLSS?

To take full advantage of the EOLSS’s features, the following minimum system requirements are recommended.

23. Do I need to change any settings for the best view of an article?

Internet Explorer : Select View from the menu bar and change the text size to Medium

24. Is the username and password case sensitive?

Yes, the username and password is case sensitive.

25. What is the service maintenance schedule for the EOLSS?

The EOLSS is available on a 24-by-7 basis (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Updates usually take place on alternate weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). The site may be temporarily unavailable for short periods during these days.

26. How do I register as a new subscriber?

Offers are open for various categories of subscriptions including a limited time free trial for institutions. The free trial period runs continuously from the time of registration and first log-in. In order to register for a free trial, click on Free Trial in the left pane of the home page. Editors and authors can also access a free trial by clicking on Editors/Authors under ‘Login or Subscription’ in the left pane of the homepage.

If you wish to subscribe under any of the listed categories, click on ‘Subscription Information’ under ‘Login or Subscription’ in the left pane of the homepage. Clicking on any category title will display subscription information for the particular category. This page contains a link to the registration form.

Registration:
27. Can I have a free trial of the EOLSS?

Free trial access provision for individuals is no longer available except for EOLSS Editors/Authors and institutional libraries.

28. Are there concessions on subscription to the EOLSS?

EOLSS-online is made available free of charge to universities in the UN list of least developed countries and disadvantaged individuals worldwide. Interested universities have to approach the International Association  of Universities (IAU) at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris for this purpose.

29. What browser should I use to access the EOLSS?

The recommended browser is Internet Explorer 6+. If you do not have this browser installed on your system, you can download it free of charge from the Microsoft site through the following link: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/i6/downloads/ie6/default.asp

Make sure that the settings under View in Internet Explorer are Medium for Text size and Unicode for Encoding.

Alternatively, you can also use any of the following browsers, Netscape 7.0+, Mozilla 1.7.3+, Mozilla Firefox.
 

30. I registered for a free trial, but I am redirected to a page that says ‘Thank you for registering with the EOLSS’ and a link to the Subscription Information page.

If you received the above message, it is because you have used up your free trial provision.
 

31. I finished filling all the fields in the registration form and hit Submit, yet nothing happens.

Go through the form again and make sure you have filled in all the required fields. For fields that are compulsory and not filled in, an error message appears right next to it, stating that you must fill this field. Once you finish entering all the required fields, click Submit. You will be redirected to a page that says your password has been or will be sent to you by e-mail.
 

32. I prefer sending my subscription application through mail or fax rather than submitting it
online.

At the end of each registration form there are links to the MS Word or PDF version of the form. You can download this form, complete it, and mail/fax it to the address on the form.
 

33. What IP addresses do I need to specify to register with the EOLSS?

The IP Address you specify must be the "last" server your institution's computers pass through to access the Internet. In case your institution uses a proxy server or firewall, you need to specify this IP address.

The IP address you specify must be in any of the following formats:

Class B Network: Enter the first two (network) numbers in the first two boxes on the registration form and use asterisks for the host addresses in the last 2 boxes, e.g. 128.58.*.*

Class C Network: Type the first three (network) numbers in the first three boxes on the registration form and an asterisk for the host addresses in the last box, e.g. 192.58.150.*

Single Station: Type all four numbers, e.g. 192.40.158.10. Each number group of the IP address must be filled in each of the four boxes

Range Address: Range address is categorized by an upper and lower limit. Please make sure you enter the lower limit first followed by the upper limit. Two types of IP ranges are permitted:

1. Ranges of single stations: e.g. 192.58.150.10 - 192.58.150.30
2. Class C ranges: e.g. 192.58.150.* - 192.58.152.*
    

34. What are valid IP formats?

IP addresses are made up of four numeric components separated by a full stop (period). Each numeric component ranges from 0 to 255. You can express an IP range by using a hyphen (-) and you can use a wildcard within a range by using an asterisk (*)

35. How do I get my IP address for Institution authentication?

The IP Address you are going to specify at the time of registration must be the "last" server your institution's computers pass through to access the Internet.

If IP address displayed in above link is not on your list of IP Addresses, there is a component inside or outside your network that does not allow your IP Address of that server to be recognized outside your networks.

The reasons for this could be:

·        Institution's firewall might be causing your IP Address to be 'masked'.

·        Institution's proxy server might be passing through your ISP or district's server for access.

There are several reasons for not being able to access the EOLSS. If you are trying to login through Members Login page, a message appears which should give you some indication as to why you cannot access the EOLSS.

Error: Invalid username and/or password

Reason 1: You may not have registered.

In order to access the EOLSS, you must first register for a particular category. Once your subscription is registered/ verified, an e-mail will be sent to you with your login username and password. Make sure you have both your username and password before you login.

Reason 2: Your subscription has not been activated.

For all other categories, e.g. 60 days trial, 1 year subscription, the registration details are first verified and an e-mail message with the username and password is then sent. The user will receive an e-mail message on registration confirming that his application has been received and is being processed.

Reason 3: You may have entered the wrong password.

Correct your password and try again. If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot my Password link in the login page and enter your username and the e-mail address with which you had registered. Your password will be sent to your e-mail address.

Reason 4: You may have entered the wrong username.

Correct your username and/or password and try again. If you have forgotten your username contact helpdesk@eolssonline.net with your personal details including the e-mail with which you registered.

Reason 5: If you are trying to access your free trial account, it may have expired.

Free trial subscriptions are valid for limited time after the user first logs in. If the trial period is over, the account will be automatically closed and disabled.

Reason 6: Your account may be temporarily suspended.

Occasionally an account may be temporarily suspended for reasons such as non-receipt of payment, license agreement etc. However, a notification will be sent to the user before suspending an account.

Error: IP not registered / Your IP address X.X.X.X is not registered

Reason 1: The IP address of the machine with which you accessed may not be registered.

Access to the EOLSS for institutions is permitted only through the registered IP addresses. Make sure you are accessing through the right server (authentication server) in your network.

Reason 2: You may not have specified your IP addresses correctly on registration.

Reason 3: If you are using a proxy server or firewall, then we need the IP address.

37. I cannot access the EOLSS through the direct link ‘Access for Institutions

The direct login option is available only to Institutional Subscribers such as University Campuses, Schools and Colleges, Corporations and Private Companies, Government Agencies, LDC Universities, Public Libraries and Free Trial Institutional Subscribers.

Make sure that your institution has registered under one of the above categories. If you are sure that your institution is a valid user, then you may not be getting access due to one of the following reasons.

• Reason 1: Your institution may have registered, but it is not yet activated by the Publishers.
• Reason 2: You are accessing the EOLSS through a server whose IP address is not registered with us.

Reason 1: Your browser may be preventing cookies which are necessary for access.

To enable cookies in Internet Explorer: Click on Tools – Internet Options.

Select the Privacy tab and set the slider on Settings to Medium.

To enable cookies in Netscape Navigator: Select Edit from the menu bar, and then choose Preferences, Privacy and Security, and then Cookies, and then check the box beside "enable all cookies".

Reason 2: It is possible settings.

Internet Explorer: Select Tools – Internet Options on the menu bar, on the General tab select Settings button and select "every visit to the page".

Netscape Navigator: Select Edit from the Netscape menu, choose Preferences, Advanced, Cache, and select "every time I view the page".

Free Trial for Institutional Users (FOR ADMINISTRATORS):

39. I entered my username and password through the login page, and came to a welcome page. What do I do next?

On the left side of the page you have buttons for various options such as:

If you want to go to the search page, click on the link ‘Welcome to EOLSS Online’.
 

40. I cannot login to the EOLSS

If you are having trouble logging in to the EOLSS, click here to view some possible solutions

Institutional Users: