ShadowDial

ShadowDial was a THE way to connect to the French Minitel system and Teletext variants also used in Germany and Switzerland. It's entirely possible that it could be used wherever teletext was used – including my native Australia!

The software requires a modem (for 2400 baud and faster a IIGS accelerator is recommended) so this may completely rule out use of ShadowDial for countries where teletext capability was transmitted alongside analogue TV. For those that don't know, Teletext allowed you to receive news, weather and other information. As far as I know, it was essentially only one way communication, but in the days before the net, an interesting way to get up on world events. MiniTel seems to be an extension of that and allowed French users the opportunity to making travel and accomodation books online, as well as email, long before the internet revealed itself to the masses. Apparently plans are in France that they will discontinue MiniTel in 2012, so get it up and running with your IIGS while you still can! :-)

The documentation is written in André's native Swiss German, but whatever you can't understand, Google Translate should be able to help you with.