Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!mcgill-vision!snorkelwacker!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!mcsun!ukc!cam-cl!news
From: pb@cl.cam.ac.uk (Piete Brooks)
Newsgroups: eunet.followup,comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: Internet routing Europe - USA -} Europe...
Message-ID: <1990Sep10.161336.27915@cl.cam.ac.uk>
Date: 10 Sep 90 16:13:36 GMT
References: <4835@tardis.cs.ed.ac.uk> <1795@mcsun.eu.net>
Reply-To: pb@cl.cam.ac.uk (Piete Brooks)
Organization: U of Cambridge Comp Lab, UK
Lines: 38

[ % = dfk@eu.net, > = pte900@jatz.aarnet.edu.au, * = pb@cl.cam.ac.uk ]
% High time to put some of the *facts* right:
> Fortunately for us, the UKnet gateway isn't the only one.  UCL have
> a 56Kb link to the USA and offer a guest FTP service which allows us
> to transfer files to and from internet connected sites.  They also
> transfer our mail, and make no charge.  This is unlike UKC which
> charge for news, and mail, and they also advertise themselves as
> a valid route for uk mail.
% But if you are entitled to use the UCL gateway you can also register with
% UKC free of charge to you. The JNT pays then. So go ahead and register.
% Also remember tanstafl, links are never free, the taxpayer pays.
* If you are keen on getting facts right, note that the above is not true.

* The gateway is NOT at UCL (University College London) but at ULCC
* (University of London Computer Centre)

* UK AC sites are split in two: Some are "CB" and others are not.
* The Computer Board will only pay the UKC charges of SOME sites.
* The best rule I have got for the horses mouths are that if the machine was
* bought by the CB, they'll pay the UKNET charges.
* This means that if two machines within our department (about 10 meters apart)
* both take news (as they may soon do) we will have to pay UKC twice -- one
* from the pockets of the department and once from the pocket of the CB.
* Smart people at ukc :-) !

* Note that links may not be free, but traffic may be !

% Also have you ever thought about mail to/from Europe rather than the US?
* What do we have IXI for ??  [ :-( ]

% Doesn't it seem unfair to you that European sites must ship their mail to
% you via the US on intercontinental links *they have to pay for* so that you
% can use your *free* link. That is what I call selfishness!
* No problem -- get European sites to call the UK    [ :-) ]

While I'm here, I shall point out that I get a lot higher bandwidth fetching
a file from the states or europe directly to my workstation (using FTAM over
JANET to a (free to me) FTAM/ftp gateway) than I do from UCL (using NIFTP).