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From: oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicarious Oyster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Distribution of ST software on the net
Message-ID: <547@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Nov-86 16:39:02 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.547
Posted: Thu Nov 20 16:39:02 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Nov-86 23:29:19 EST
References: <126@maccs.UUCP>
Reply-To: oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicarious Oyster)
Distribution: na
Organization: UWisconsin-Madison Academic Comp Center
Lines: 42

In article <126@maccs.UUCP> gordan@maccs.UUCP (Gordan Palameta) writes:
>-------------------------------------------
>Like many users of the net, I've been frustrated
>occasionally by garbled reception of uuencoded
>software...

>The point is, for all its benefits, the net is 
>not a particularly effective means of distributing
>ST programs.

>What I am wondering is why an alternate means of
>distributing public domain software created by Usenet
>users could not be organized.  For instance, a large
>number of programs could be packed on a single floppy
>disk which could be sent through ordinary *non-electronic*
>mail.
>
>Is this a good idea?  If there is positive feedback (posted
>to the net -- I have no idea what my address path might be)
>would anyone be willing to organize such an operation
> 
   There have been a few individuals who have done something like this
in the past.  However, I haven't seen anything mentioned recently (are
you still out there?).
   I would be willing to be a local distribution node in a distributed
network, i.e. there would be a person (or two) for each general area of
the continent who would collect and maintain a set of software, and handle
requests from people in his/her area.  This kind of scheme, if workable
(and I welcome constructive criticism), should prevent one person from
burning out from too much work, and would get PD software to people more 
quickly.  On the minus side, it would require a bit more work in keeping
local contact people up to date.  However, I think the initial hassle of
setting up a system like this would be worth it in the long run.  Maybe
we could even get an official seal of approval from Atari as the 
Distributed Atari Software Team and Regional Distributors (DASTARD :-).
--

 - Joel Plutchak
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