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From: lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein)
Newsgroups: net.news.stargate,net.news,net.usenix
Subject: Stargate
Message-ID: <909@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 15-Apr-86 15:15:37 EST
Article-I.D.: vortex.909
Posted: Tue Apr 15 15:15:37 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 17-Apr-86 00:43:12 EST
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 35
Xref: watmath net.news.stargate:217 net.news:4755 net.usenix:561

Due to a number of inquiries from people who don't regularly read
net.news.stargate, I thought I'd mention here that the prototype
Stargate buffer box (an inexpensive 68000-based board) has become
available for firmware development.  This board, which is slated for
mass-production, is a major part of the national satellite/cable TV
distribution system of Stargate and will serve to error-correct, flow control,
and otherwise manage data from the Stargate decoders feeding from the
satellite/cable TV feeds.  The board serves to offload most of the
processing overhead from the host computers which are the ultimate
receivers of the transmitted data.

A large number of persons have volunteered to work on the buffer box
firmware, and as soon as a couple of logistical issues are worked
out the firmware development will begin.

Without going into details here, this seems like a good time to 
mention that Stargate is alive and well, and has entered a
new aspect of its life--and "organizational" phase that must
exist alongside the ongoing technical operations.  A proposal
that will move toward establishing Stargate as an available
service, addressing a variety of "news" and mail issues, will
be presented to Usenix for their consideration.  Usenix has
expressed a strong desire for this plan to be submitted, so that
the issues surrounding a transition from Stargate "experiment" 
to "service" can be evaluated.

My next significant public discussion of Stargate will be at
the Atlanta Usenix this June.  As always, I'm glad to talk
to anyone with interest in the project.  And of course, I want
to thank all of you who have supported the project up to now--I hope
we have your continuing support into the future as we move
toward the goal of making actual Stargate services generally available.
Thanks!

--Lauren--