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From: smith@umn-cs.UUCP (Richard Smith)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Alternate news/information Services - (nf)
Message-ID: <448@umn-cs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-May-84 21:01:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: umn-cs.448
Posted: Mon May  7 21:01:33 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 9-May-84 01:35:14 EDT
Sender: notes@umn-cs.UUCP
Organization: Computer Science Dept., U of Minn, Mpls, MN
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#R:sask:-3800:umn-cs:6900026:000:2096
umn-cs!smith    May  7 18:26:00 1984


If you have an account on one of these services, why did you choose that
one and what benefits do you receive?  I saw a rate sheet for Compuserve
and got the impression that one would pay between $10 and $25 an hour,
depending on time of day and baud rate.  Why would people pay such an
amount?  Is it for entertainment or are there any practical uses?

  It looks to me as if there are two reasons to use one of those electronic
services (Source, Compuserve, etc):

1. To indulge in transcontinental electronic bull sessions and, occasionally,
   pick up a useful tidbit of information.

2. To access electronically structured databases (stock quotes, library
   searches, airplane fares, etc).

I get more than my share of (1) for free thanks to Usenet.  I get more than
my share of (2) in a cost-effective manner thanks to MCI-MAIL.  My account
on MCI-MAIL lets me use the whole Dow-Jones system, which has several nice
services that I sometimes use.  I've used it to watch stocks, look for cheap
air fares, and to look at fast-breaking news reports.

  One nice thing about MCI-MAIL is that MCI has its own digital network
(by BBN, the Arpanet people) and that you pay NOTHING for a userid or for
simple connect time.  You only get charged for sending mail or for connecting
to Dow-Jones.  And I don't have to pay some 'monthly minimum' to keep my
account active.   This is perfect for me;  I don't use MCI very often but
it's there when I want it.

    The mail system is quite nice.  Besides electronic mail you can
also send laser-printed letters via USPS.  When you type in a letter to
mail, MCI forwards the message electronically to the closest city they
can and then they laser-print the letter and mail it.  The letter will
usually reache its destination the next day (except in New York
City).  Compare this to E-COM, where you have to submit the message to
the post-office where you want it printed.  MCI also has '4 hour'
messages that use a courier service instead of snail mail.

   For me, the main features are 'no initial fees' and 'pay as you go'
usage of Dow-Jones.

Rick.