Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!PENNDRLS.UPENN.EDU!GTHEALL
From: GTHEALL@PENNDRLS.UPENN.EDU (George A. Theall)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro
Subject: RE: FIDONET ON COMPUSERV    Conf: (74) fRAINBOW
Message-ID: <8910041256.AA03247@remote.dccs.upenn.edu>
Date: 4 Oct 89 13:54:00 GMT
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 36

Comments: Rainbow Echomail from BILL MAYHEW

I basically agree with most of your points.  I am frankly surprised that
the one-way path would be acceptable to people here...
Just for the sake of argument, though ;-}, there are other issues besides
cost in the "Fido vs. CIS" comparison.  First, there are automated access
programs for the IBM PC and the Mac (not for the RB, unfortunately) which
*greatly* optimize the use of one's time and money on CIS, considerably
more than can be done on Fido from what I've seen.
Second, CIS is far more *reliable* than Fidonet, and is better suited for
business users as a result.
My perception is that the two services complement each other.  There
is a small group of users that uses both (of which I am probably the most
visible example).
Too, the Reach Out America pricing that you mentioned is only useful
during certain hours, while CIS' prices apply all day every day.  During
the business day, CIS' prices are much more competitive, when compared with
the long-distance-to-Fidonet option.
Additionally, messages posted on CIS are there *now*... they don't take
n days to travel across the country, and the CIS message-threading software
is considerably more sophisticated and productive than Fido/Opus' limited
abilities.  In addition, you can FAX things from CompuServe, CIS has more
"echo equivalents" (Forums), you can be more selective in what discussions
you follow... the list goes on.  This is why I say the two services complement
each other.  Either one might be viewed as "better" for a given user's purpose
Fido/Opus is a good, basic system for hobbyist-type use;  CIS aspires to
something different.

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