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From: phil@amd.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix,news.groups
Subject: Re: Request for special USENIX Meeting
Message-ID: <3824@amd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 25-Mar-87 16:27:43 EST
Article-I.D.: amd.3824
Posted: Wed Mar 25 16:27:43 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Mar-87 05:37:25 EST
References: <1486@hplabsc.UUCP>
Reply-To: phil@amd.UUCP (Phil Ngai)
Distribution: world
Organization: Advanced Micro Devices
Lines: 40
Xref: utgpu comp.org.usenix:90 news.groups:537
Summary: reality sets in

In article <1486@hplabsc.UUCP> taylor@hplabs.HP.COM (Dave Taylor) writes:
>
>As it turns out, the previous version of the netnews
>software doesn't handle moderated groups that aren't prefixed with
>the "mod." name.  So the solution is to *force* all the administrators
>to change their systems.
>
>Totally regardless of whether they are actually willing and able to
>do it.  Irrelevant of the fact that a lot of sites have administrators
>that don't even want to touch the netnews software, let alone go through
>the pain of updating to a new, incompatible, version.  If they don't
>change, tough luck.  Let 'em die.

Sites which run old code inflict their bugs on the rest of the network.
I think it's a good thing to force people to periodically install
new software.

>But the evil spectre of change looms and it seems that USENIX is
>so interested in becoming a "legitimate group" that we have lost
>our perspective on the original community that we're spawned from.
>So instead of spending the associations money on setting up, for example, 
>a set of small hosts on either coast with a T1 dedicated line between
>them specifically for mail between the coasts (or something of that

The last time I looked, a T1 from coast to coast (say 3000 miles)
ran about $90,000 in line charges alone per month, or over 1 MILLION
dollars a year. This is not including installation, modems, controllers,
hosts, staff to run it, test equipment, etc.

My company has one T1 line and we are getting some more, as well as
several 56Kbaud lines between California and Texas, so I do know
something about this subject.

Is this really an appropriate thing for USENIX to do?
-- 
 This is only my opinion and an unofficial one at that.

 Phil Ngai (408) 749-5720
 UUCP: {decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil
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