Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!spider.co.uk!briant From: briant@spider.co.uk (Brian Tompsett) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip Subject: Re: Internet routing Europe - USA -} Europe... Message-ID: <11457.9009060922@orbweb.spider.co.uk> Date: 6 Sep 90 09:22:56 GMT References: <1790@mcsun.eu.net> Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: Spider Systems Ltd., Edinburgh, UK. Lines: 56 In article lmjm@doc.ic.ac.uk (Lee McLoughlin) writes: >Many comerical companies are on the US Internet and release >patches, demo release and the like by making them available for >anonymous ftp. Don't companies over here want to do the same thing? In article <1790@mcsun.eu.net> dfk@cwi.nl (Daniel Karrenberg) writes: >So far not quite enough >paying customers have surfaced to set up a separate organisation >offering IP services in the UK. I made a specific proposal to set up an IP network in the UK based on leased lines, dial-up slip and IP in X25 encapsulation over PSS. I made the proposal in UKnet in uk.general about a year ago. We were aware that ukc, as the gateway to eunet would need to be involved. We kept ukc and nsfnet-relay informed. We offered to donate router kit to ukc to ensure that no additional financial burden was felt by them in carrying IP traffic. No one was interested. I got a response from about 3 parties, all companies. One of them has enough resources to make their own arrangement. No academics even bothered too respond. I seemed many UK academics didn't even know what I was talking about. The only reason they now do know now is they have been playing with anonymous ftp from nsfnet-relay for the last year and are addicted to getting gif pictures. (see the file transfer Q at random intervals to be convinced). Most of the other companies in the UK seemed to be happy with their dial up uucp links. That was as sophisticed a WAN technology as they could deal with. :-). The Department of Trade and Industry seems happy with that state of affairs too. With help from the JNT they are setting up a program to link some UK industry to JANET using coloured book, and charging them an arm and a leg for it (see JFIT news Sept 1990, p4). This is the UK government proposal to help UK companies compete in the world arena - allow them to talk to UK universities using private software over private lines, instead of the industry standard software and public data lines as they do at present! I see it this way. Current UK company sites are so dependent on the current UKnet uucp setup that they are too scared to put their heads over the parapet in case they lose the little connectivity they have. Ever tried criticising the UK setup? They set Jim Reid on you. ( :-). A joke A joke.) The academic sites are so dependent on their JNT and computer board funding for Comms kit that they do what the're told. I'll say it again. We, Spider, as suppliers of TCP/IP Software, and TCP/IP kit such as routers and bridges, are ready willing and able to get involved in IP networking in the UK. Connectivity to the greater Internet would be a boon and asset. We would to do it yesterday. We think it would benefit the whole of the UK reasearch community and the Computer industry. Lets do it. Our IP network numbers are registered and so is our network 14 number. You can find our DTE in the book (RFC). Lets talk IP. Lets throw those uucp modems in the trash. Brian. -- Brian Tompsett. Spider System Ltd. Tel: 031 554 9424 E-mail:briant@uk.co.spider Spider Park, Stanwell Street, Edinburgh, EH6 5NG. Fax: 031 554 0649 (Secretary, BCS Edinburgh Branch, 53 Bonaly Crescent, Edinburgh. 031 441 2210)