Xref: utzoo soc.culture.british:11286 comp.protocols.tcp-ip:16359 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!munnari.oz.au!bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au!brolga!ggm From: ggm@brolga.cc.uq.oz.au (George Michaelson) Newsgroups: soc.culture.british,comp.protocols.tcp-ip Subject: Re: IP in the UK (was Re: Fingering the English) Message-ID: <1991Jun3.235516.7634@brolga.cc.uq.oz.au> Date: 3 Jun 91 23:55:16 GMT References: <1991May29.095025.18273@gdr.bath.ac.uk> <1367@exua.exeter.ac.uk> Organization: Prentice Computer Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia. Lines: 42 jim@cs.strath.ac.uk (Jim Reid) writes: [cross-posted to prime the flame war again...] >In article <1367@exua.exeter.ac.uk> SAMcinty@exua.exeter.ac.uk (Scott McIntyre) writes: >Resistance to change is a factor, but not a major one. What is more >significant is that there is little expertise in the UK with running a >national IP based network and it is the lack of suitably qualified and >experienced people that makes things more awkward than they already are. Yes and then again no Jim. [who me? equivocate?] There was no experience of running a national IP network in Australia and substantial experience with the VMS JANET code. From this base, a national MULTI-PROTOCOL network but primarily IP based was established in under 1 year, and runs very very successfully. I'm sorry to disagree with you publically Jim, but doing TCP/IP is actually almost completely trivial. Nobody is obliged (or actually should) connect to a backbone until they are compliant with the standards (have a valid IP subnet, understand the DNS and routing) but that doesn't prevent the backbone being created in a VERY short space of time. Having done that, growth is pretty simple. Based on my experience (pre 1987) IP introduction in JANET is almost completely blocked by politics and bullsh. Technical issues are smokescreens. The truth in your statement is that there is woeful ignorance in UK campii about IP networking point blank. Its not ignorance of running a NATIONAL IP network, its ignorance of even running CAMPUS IP networks. We did it here in under a year. Its run by a 2-man team in Canberra and the goodwill of computer centres across the nation. Off-the-shelf technology, code built into virtually ALL *nix, available for VMS, VM, No mess, no fuss, no worries mate! -George -- George Michaelson G.Michaelson@cc.uq.oz.au The Prentice Centre | There's no market for University of Queensland | hippos in Philadelphia Phone: +61 7 365 4079 QLD Australia 4072 | -Bertold Brecht