Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uupsi!rodan.acs.syr.edu!ggreenbe
From: ggreenbe@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Gerald Greenberg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Delphi/GEnie - not such a bad deal
Summary: Info not correct.
Keywords: genie, delphi
Message-ID: <1990Sep5.225151.12520@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Date: 5 Sep 90 22:51:51 GMT
References: <5440130@hplsla.HP.COM> <1990Sep5.101244.7077@rodan.acs.syr.edu> <1990Sep5.094541.1@simvax.labmed.umn.edu>
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Lines: 58

In article <1990Sep5.094541.1@simvax.labmed.umn.edu> davidli@simvax.labmed.umn.edu writes:
>In article <1990Sep5.101244.7077@rodan.acs.syr.edu>, ggreenbe@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Gerald Greenberg) writes:
>
>> I guess I don't see why none of these services (i.e. CIS,
>> Delphi, or Genie) has offered the users the option to choose
>> one option or the other, i.e. join the new system, or stay on
>> the old way.  It seems to me that would make everyone happy.
>> --Gerry
>
>My reading of the GEnie offer is that you -do- have a choice.  If you prefer
>to pay for connect time to the services offered at the relatively low fee, you
>are most welcome to do so.
>
>Likewise with Delphi.  Their 20/20 plan appears to be quite nice for those of
>us who were paying lots of $ for connect time, and on-line charges for those
>who don't use the system that often is reflected in that structure.
>
>The idea is to have a -steady- source of income, regardless of whether that
>income might sometimes be lower than peak usage in the past.  You can plan
>budgets with a steady income; you can plan nothing if you get paid by the hour
>and are 'employed' on a relatively intermittent schedule.  (Which is what the
>current system was like for the on-line services).
>David Paschall-Zimbel		davidli@simvax.labmed.umn.edu
I'm sorry to say this, David, but your information is not
correct.  Your posting gave me pause to think that maybe I was
incorrect in thinking that one HAD to join one of these "pay
per month" plans...so I called both Delphi and Genie today.
As I said...you are wrong...no one will be allowed to continue
their memebership as it has been for so long...you must join
and pay each month!  Delphi has two different plans:  $20 for
20 of connect time each month, or approximately $6 per month
which gives you one free hour each month and then each
additional hour is also about $6 (this is a reduction from
their current connect charge).
Also, after hearing some people on this net explain that maybe
one would save $$ in the long run, I was beginning to think
that MIGHT be true...until, that is, I read Dave Ritchie's
post (#17464) which states that NO personal computer RT would
be included in the monthly fee.  This is probably 98% of my
connect time, if not more.  I usually go to the AtariRT or the
GadgetsRT, and that is about it.  When I called Genie the
other day, a representative told me that all BBSs would be
included in the monthly charge.  When I asked if this included
computer BBSs, he went on to explain that within computer BBSs
there are software libraries and regular BBSs...and that while
the libraries would not be free, the BBSs would
be------------------------WRONG.  Dave Ritchie is correct, I
called Genie back today, and this rep confirmed that NO part
of any personal computer BBS would be part of the charge.
So, I am grateful to the discussion and discussants on this
net so far...but it looks more and more like there is no real
reason to stay, just to subsidize the other users.
This leads me back to my suggestion (repeated at the beginning
of this message):  if the new plans are going to be such a
benefit to the users, why not let the users choose which plan
is best for them (even if they should choose the "not so good"
plan of paying only for what you use).
--Gerry