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From: pat@seradg.Dayton.NCR.COM (Patrick Pesch)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions,comp.unix.xenix
Subject: Starting a Public Access Unix System -- How?
Message-ID: <834@seradg.Dayton.NCR.COM>
Date: Sun, 11-Oct-87 16:53:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: seradg.834
Posted: Sun Oct 11 16:53:17 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 13-Oct-87 07:15:47 EDT
Organization: SE-Retail Advanced Development, NCR Corp, Dayton
Lines: 53
Keywords: questions opinions
Xref: mnetor comp.unix.questions:4500 comp.unix.xenix:943

[gobble, munch...]

  	I have been kicking around the idea of starting a public access 
  Unix system and have some questions about how much work/expense would be 
  involved, as well as the demand for such systems.  I am especially 
  interested in hearing from administrators of other such systems, as well
  as public access Unix users.  While I would not be going into this as a
  "money making" venture, I *would* like it to be as self supporting as 
  possible.  I would also be using this system for my own use, at least
  initially, but not for any work in conjunction with my present job.

	I would like to start with a 286/386 based machine, running either
  Microport Unix, Interactive Systems Unix, or SCO Xenix.  I work with SCO 
  Xenix on a 286 machine, but I am assuming right now that they are all 
  fairly similiar in terms of "vanilla" SVR2 Unix support.  I would want 
  to support multiple dial-in lines using one of the 4-8 port serial cards 
  that appear to be readily available.  Here are some of the questions 
  that I have about starting such a system:

	o  Is there a user need for such systems in moderately sized
	   cities?  How would one go about advertising such a service?

	o  Is a 286 machine enough to support such a system (i.e. anybody
	   out there doing it successfully now)  or do I *have* to go
	   386?

	o  Can a machine of the 286/386 class support usenet links, and
	   provide "news" (Assuming large disks, etc...)?  How much
	   additional system administration burden does this require?

	o  Would I inherit any overwhelming legal responsibilities
	   (i.e. down time, data loss, etc...)?

	o  What sort of charges would be "fair"?  Should they be based on
	   connect time only, etc...

	o  Is there much public domain (or cheap) "BBS like" software for 
	   Unix?  Is this type of software necessary, or would most users 
	   just want access to one of the standard shells anyway?
  
	o  How much TIME would it require (like in hrs/wk)?


  If anybody out there has ANY experiences they would be nice enough to 
  share with me, I would appreciate it.  I suppose direct E-mail would be
  the best way to respond, but if you think it may be of general interest,
  post it for everyone...

		THANKS in advance,

			Patrick Pesch
			NCR Corporation / Systems Engineering Retail
			Dayton, OH