Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Natural History of Nova Scotia?
2. Where is Nova Scotia?
3. What is PDF (Adobe Acrobat)?
4. How can I view PDF files?
5. How can I get the whole book?
6. I've saved lots of PDF files on my local hard disk, but I can't remember what t11-2.pdf is about!
7. I can't find what I'm searching for, or I find too much. How can I do better?
8. Are there any restrictions on the use or reproduction of the PDF files?
9. How can I give feedback and suggestions?
10. What other resources are available?
11. Who did all this work?

... Answered

1. What is the Natural History of Nova Scotia?
   The Natural History of Nova Scotia is a book produced by the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History. For more descriptive information and introductory sections from the book, please see our introduction page.

2. Where is Nova Scotia?
   Nova Scotia is on the east coast of Canada, as shown in this map.

3. What is PDF (Adobe Acrobat)?
   Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) is simply a convention for distributing nicely typeset pages. We have chosen PDF as the distribution format for this book. Reader software is available for free from Adobe for Windows, Macintosh, some UNIX, and DOS. For more information, please see Adobe's web site.

4. How can I view PDF files?
   If you have a reader already installed, and your browser is configured to recognize PDF files, just click on the PDF icons on the summary pages.
   If you don't have Adobe's Acrobat PDF reader, you should get it now. Please note, the reader is quite large (several MB) and may take some time to download. You can't view any of the main book pages without this software. You can read and search all of the summary pages with your World Wide Web browser.

   At present, there are two versions of Acrobat in common use: version 2.1, and 3.0 in Beta release. Version 3.0 displays text better, and allows you to view PDF files more rapidly (on a slow connection) through Netscape 3.0 (if you get their plug-in). Please check Adobe's web site for current information and the technical requirements and suggested computer configurations. All new Macintoshes come with the Acrobat reader, but it may not be installed. You may want to check the disks that came with your machine to see if you have the reader already.

5. How can I get the whole book?
   The book is available in several formats:
   • Single sections. Download these from individual summary pages by clicking on the PDF icon. Please feel free to save the PDF files to your own disk for browsing later.
   • Larger pieces can be downloaded from the PDF manifest page.
   • A printed version.
   • A CD-ROM. This has the whole web site, the PDF files, Adobe's reader software for all machines, and other WWW pages from the Nova Scotia Museum.
   • Anonymous ftp. Connect to ftp.ednet.ns.ca/pub/educ/nhns/ and grab the files you want. Be sure to get the PDF manifest which provides a longer section title for each file name.
   To order the printed book or CD-ROM, contact the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History at (902) 424-7370 or email educnsm.museum-info@gov.ns.ca.

6. I've saved lots of PDF files on my local hard disk, but I can't remember what t11-2.pdf is about!
   Get our PDF manifest which gives a descriptive title for each PDF file available.

7. I can't find what I'm searching for, or I find too much. How can I do better?
   There are some hints and tips for searching on our search help page.

8. Are there any restrictions on the use or reproduction of the PDF files?
   This entire web site and the PDF files are copyright by the Province of Nova Scotia. Permission to copy and print the files for personal educational use is granted. For other reproduction, contact the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History at (902) 424-7370 or educnsm.museum-info@gov.ns.ca.

9. How can I give feedback and comments?
   Write to the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History at 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H 3A6 or educnsm.museum-info@gov.ns.ca.

10. What other resources are available?
    Our web site is full of information about the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History. Please visit it and let us know what you think!

11. Who did all this work?
    Please take a minute and read our acknowledgements page.