Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!nuchat!paul
From: paul@nuchat.UUCP (Paul Hutmacher)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: TCP/IP  UUCP  (was:Re: Amiga Bashers)
Summary: Proline systems don't have to call one gateway
Message-ID: <28580@nuchat.UUCP>
Date: 25 Sep 90 03:05:30 GMT
References: <1990Sep22.055242.20803@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu> <7085@darkstar.ucsc.edu>
Reply-To: paul@nuchat.UUCP (Paul Hutmacher)
Followup-To: comp.sys.apple2
Organization: Greater Montrose UFO Appreciation Society
Lines: 36
Expires:

In article <7085@darkstar.ucsc.edu> unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) writes:
> 	One question about ProLine that I have is this though: Does every
> ProLine site in the country have to call up that one gateway (thus 
> messages get out/in daily or hourly or whatever but potentially HUGE phone
> bills) or do messages 'jump' from one node to the next (thus possibly
> days or WEEKS until a message gets out/in)???

That's a good question and worth an answer from an ex-Proline sysop.

Proline systems can talk to each other utilizing their own mdss protocol
which involve sending messages back and forth via xmodem.  If you want to
get a message outside the Proline network and into internet (or whatever the
net is called these days -- check the Houston Chronicle for the proper term)
you've got to tie into a pnet system which is the gateway you've heard of.
The Pnet system is run from a unix platform and was designed by Bill Blue
of ASCII Express fame.

Messsages do indeed hop from node to node but generally are delivered in one
to two days if all the sites really have the connections they say they do in
their maps.

Proline is an awesome product and is a blast to run.  It supports usenet
newsgroups and its own internal style networked news.  About the only real
drawback to running Proline is it is stuck with xmodem as the only file
protocol and high speed modems like the v.32's and HST's are hobbled by
the small packet sizes.  However, I look for improvements in that area
sooner or later as Morgan Davis is constantly tweaking his product.

If you'd like information on the Proline package you can contact Morgan
himself at mdavis@pro-sol.cts.com and I'll bet he'd mail you all kinds of
stuff.  If you'd like more rave reviews from an ex-sysop mail me ;)

-- 
paul@nuchat.UUCP
{uhnix1, uunet}!nuchat!paul
paul%nuchat.uucp@uhnix1.uh.edu