Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!usc!ucsd!ames!bionet!hayes.ims.alaska.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: CRW@icf.hrb.com (Craig R. Watkins)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Info Needed on Prodigy Service
Message-ID: <14720@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 15 Nov 90 14:35:20 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: HRB Systems
Lines: 45
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 824, Message 2 of 6


In article <14534@accuvax.nwu.edu>, mcglk@bailey.cpac.washington.edu
(Ken McGlothlen) writes:

> The first thing that struck me was that it was sure awfully slow.
> Configuration was easy enough, but the graphics were painfully slow,
> and the characters flowed across the screen at a speed slightly better
> than a 300bps modem (from a 2400bps connection).  

I've used Prodigy on a Mac, a couple different PC's, and I've even run
it on my VAXstation (under SoftPC).  While I was running it on a
386SX, I found I could speed it up a decent amount by calling at 9600
baud.  There's a SCRIPT.R file on your disk for connecting to Tymnet
at 9600.  You have to find a 9600 baud Tymnet number to tell Prodigy
to use along with type "R."  You also will have to hand-edit some
configuration file(s) to tell Prodigy to use 9600 baud since the only
menu selections are 1200 and 2400.  I don't remember what the file(s)
were, but it wasn't hard although it did require some guesswork -- try
switching the setup between 1200 and 2400 and see what changes.  (The
SCRIPT.R file is on the Mac disk, too, but I didn't try that.)

I had a few people at "Ask Prodigy" tell me 9600 baud usage was not
possible in direct reply to mail that I sent saying that I was using
it at that very moment!  I also had one person there tell me to STOP
using it.  When I pursued the question of what I would do if I only
had a 9600 baud modem, someone else said I could continue to use it,
but it wasn't supported.  I left it at that.

The bottom line is that if you are a Prodigy user, depending on your
platform, 9600 may help (it was definitely worthwhile on a 386SX).  As
for the usefulness of the service: I can certainly see that it could
be a good deal (with "flat" rate service) for people that are
interested in the services that are offered.  Me?  I canceled.

As an interesting sidenote -- earlier this week I was attending a a
PREPnet (Pennsylvania's regional branch of the Internet) meeting in
Philly and saw a Prodigy machine set up in the lobby of the Holiday
Inn at 18th & Market.  One could just walk up and use it -- I actually
checked weather for the drive home.  I was amused to note that the PC
was by AT&T and not IBM!


Craig R. Watkins	Internet:	CRW@ICF.HRB.COM
HRB Systems, Inc.    	Bitnet:		CRW%HRB@PSUECL.Bitnet
+1 814 238-4311		UUCP:		...!psuvax1!hrbicf!crw