Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!helios.ee.lbl.gov!ucsd!sdcc6!sdcc13!pa1027
From: pa1027@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (John C. Fowler)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions
Subject: Re: Any mechanism for usenet<-->BIX cross posting ?
Keywords: email BIX usenet
Message-ID: <5546@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Date: 3 Dec 89 19:59:09 GMT
References: <280@legs.UUCP> <329@charyb.COM>
Sender: news@sdcc6.ucsd.edu
Reply-To: jfowler@ucsd.edu (John C. Fowler)
Organization: University of California, San Diego
Lines: 48

In article <329@charyb.COM> dan@charyb.UUCP (Dan Mick) writes:
>In article <280@legs.UUCP> dash@legs.UUCP (Darrell Shively) writes:
>>Is there any mechanism for sending email from the usenet
>>network to someone who is a user of BIX ?
>
>There is a service called DASNET that supports mail between BIX and 
>various other nets (MCI, Usenet, etc.).

Time for the obligatory Usenet correction (I'll try to keep it
short).  Remember, "Usenet" is what you're reading right now.  It's
not something you send mail over.  You send mail over UUCP, or the
Internet, or whatever, but there's no such thing as a Usenet account.

>                                         Both you and the intended BIX
>recipient must subscribe.

Unless they've changed the rules since a couple of years ago, only
one user need have an account.  But in that case, that user will be
charged for incoming DASnet messages as well as outgoing ones.  If
it just so happens that both users do subscribe, then both are
charged only for their outgoing messages.  If neither subscribes,
then obviously, the message doesn't get sent.

>                           I don't know how to get info through the net,

Try mailing to russ@11.DAS.NET.

>but on BIX you can "mail to dasnet" and get some info...I believe there's
>also a conference called "dasnet.info" that discusses pricing, capabilities,
>subscription procedures, etc.

A personal opinion from a former subscriber: DASnet has a friendly
staff, and it does deliver what it promises.  If someone has an
E-Mail address on any electronic network, chances are you can reach
that person via DASnet (or arrange with DASnet to connect that
particular network as a new link).  The only exceptions to this rule
are CompuServe and GEnie, both of which have explicitly forbidden
DASnet to link to them (to send to CompuServe, see earlier messages
in this group; GEnie apparently enjoys being a recluse).  However,
they do have a monthly fee ($4.50/month two years ago) that can
really add up if you don't plan on using the service very much.  The
rates per message aren't too high (about 5 cents per message more
than it costs them to deliver it, I believe).  If you feel you will
use the service, you'll probably be very happy with them.

-- 
John C. Fowler, jfowler@ucsd.edu.
Not necessarily the opinions of the U. C. Regents.