Xref: utzoo alt.config:75 news.config:480
Path: utzoo!linus!necntc!dandelion!ulowell!page
From: page@swan.ulowell.edu (Bob Page)
Newsgroups: alt.config,news.config
Subject: The size of the 'alt' subnet
Summary: about 8% of Usenet sites carry the alt groups.
Message-ID: <5077@swan.ulowell.edu>
Date: 24 Feb 88 23:28:03 GMT
Reply-To: page@swan.ulowell.edu (Bob Page)
Organization: University of Lowell, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 598

About a month ago there was some discussion on alt.config about how
big the alt 'network' was.  I sent out a sendsys message to find out.
Responses have finally stopped coming in.  I posted the message on the
evening (to me) of February 8, and all the responses were generated
(but not delivered to me) by February 16.

Total sites responding: 550
 total .uucp sites: 247
 total .com  sites: 153
 total .edu  sites: 121
 total .org  sites:  13
 total .gov  sites:   6
 total other sites:  10 (arpa, bitnet, cdn, csnet, .net, unspecified)

I suppose I could sort & report on the sites geographically, or
topologically, but I don't know how much more information it would
provide, and I don't have a nice way to to it automatically. (Read: I
don't want to do it by hand).  However, it is clear that alt does not
very far out of North America, or the sites outside of NA don't
respond to sendsys requests.

The arbitron data last posted claimed that alt.sources was carried by
66% of the net.  That's 2/3 of the 710 sites reporting, or 473 sites
that sent in arbitron reports.  At 8900 estimated sites (total) on
Usenet, I should have received about 5900 replies to my sendsys
message.  Since I only got 550, I'd say rather than 66% of the network
sites carrying alt.sources, it might be closer to 6%.  It shows how
the "self-selecting" arbitron sample can produce bogus results.

If the 8900 site estimate for UUCP/Usenet sites is anywhere near
accurate, and only 75% of those carrying alt.* responded to my sendsys
message (a very low figure, considering the message is automatically
generated by the news software), then the percentage of sites carrying
alt.* is about 8%.  The numbers are subject to a lot of play, of
course, but I doubt the alt subnet is carried by more than 10% of the
net, and I'm sure that the 66% figure for alt.sources propagation is
far too high.

Here's a list of the sites that responded, sorted by site name:

3comvax.3com.com
abhg.uucp
acad.uucp
academ.uucp
admin.uucp
adobe.com
agate.berkeley.edu
agora.uucp
ai.uucp
aimt.uucp
albanycs.albany.edu
altura.srcsip.uucp
alvin.mcnc.org
alxfin.uucp
amdahl.uts.amdahl.com
amdcad.amd.com
amethyst.uucp
aob.uucp
aplcen.uucp
apollo.uucp
apple.uucp
aramis.rutgers.edu
argent.uucp
argon.uucp
arthur.cs.purdue.edu
asi.uucp
ateng.uucp
aucs.uucp
aurora.uucp
aw.sei.cmu.edu
axiom.uucp
babbage.acc.virginia.edu
bbn.com
bellcore.bellcore.com
bellman.acc.virginia.edu
blblbl.uucp
blia.bli.com
bloom-beacon.mit.edu
bobkat.uucp
bocar.uucp
boole.acc.virginia.edu
bpa.bell-atl.com
briar.philips.com
brspyr1.brs.com
bsu-cs.uucp
bu-cs.bu.edu
bucket.uucp
bucsb.uucp
buengc.bu.edu
bungia.bungia.mn.org
bunny.uucp
burdvax.prc.unisys.com
caelum.att.com
caip.rutgers.edu
cartan.berkeley.edu
cascade.stanford.edu
cblpe.att.com
cblpf.att.com
cblph.att.com
cblpn.att.com
cbmvax.uucp
cbnea.att.com
cbnscs.uucp
cbosgd.att.com
cbrme.att.com
cbterra.att.com
cc5.bbn.com
cci632.uucp
ccicpg.uucp
ccng.waterloo.edu
ccv.bbn.com
cdes.uucp
cello.hpl.hp.com
cg-atla.uucp
cierra.uucp
cipric.mn.org
cit-vax.caltech.edu
claris.uucp
clyde.att.com
coffee.stanford.edu
coma.uucp
compsys.mu.edu
copper.tek.com
cos.com
countach.uucp
cp1.bell-atl.com
cpesac.uucp
cpsc6a.att.com
cpsc6b.cpsc6a.att.com
crash.cts.com
csri.toronto.edu
csuchico.edu
csustan.uucp
ctnews.convergent.com
cucstud.uucp
cunyvm.cuny.edu
cxsea.uucp
daemen.uucp
daimler.uucp
dalcs.uucp
dalcsug.uucp
dale.acc.virginia.edu
dalsqnt.uucp
dalton.acc.virginia.edu
dandelion.ci.com
dartvax.dartmouth.edu
dasys1.uucp
dayton.uucp
decvax.uucp
decwrl.dec.com
denning.uucp
devon.uucp
dino.ulowell.edu
dogie.edu
donk.uucp
doug.uucp
drexel.uucp
druco.att.com
druhi.att.com
druin.att.com
druks.att.com
drumn.att.com
drune.att.com
drupa.att.com
drusp.att.com
drutx.att.com
druxh.att.com
druxm.att.com
druxu.att.com
druxv.att.com
dsinc.uucp
e.ms.uky.edu
ece-csc.uucp
eddie.mit.edu
edison.ge.com
edsel
edsel.uucp
elbereth.rutgers.edu
eleazar.dartmouth.edu
ellymae.uucp
elmgate.uucp
elroy.jpl.nasa.gov
elxsi.uucp
ems.ems.mn.org
encore.uucp
epimass.epi.com
epiwrl.epi.com
escargot.uucp
etnibsd.uucp
euclid.acc.virginia.edu
fauern.uucp
flight.foobar.uucp
foobar.hf.intel.com
fredonia.uucp
friday.uucp
frog.uucp
fxgrp.uucp
galaxy
gamma.uucp
gandalf.littlei.uucp
gargoyle.uchicago.edu
gauss.rutgers.edu
geac.uucp
genesis.att.com
gethen.uucp
glacier.stanford.edu
glimmer.uucp
gmdzi.uucp
gpu.utcs.toronto.edu
granite.bbn.com
granite.dec.com
granjon.uucp
gronk.uucp
gse.entity.com
gumby.cs.wisc.edu
gvgpsa.uucp
haddock.isc.com
hall.cray.com
hammer.tek.com
hc.dspo.gov
helios.toronto.edu
hi-csc.uucp
hi.unm.edu
ho2cad.uucp
ho7cad.att.com
hocpa.uucp
homxa.uucp
homxc.uucp
hop.toad.com
hotlg.att
hotps.att.com
hou2c.uucp
hou2d.uucp
hou2e.uucp
hou2h.uucp
hou3b.uucp
houdi.uucp
houem.uucp
hound.uucp
hounx.uucp
houtz.uucp
houxa.uucp
houxh.uucp
houxj.uucp
houxk.uucp
houxl.uucp
houxs.uucp
houxu.uucp
houxv.uucp
hp-sdd.hp.com
hpcea.ce.hp.com
hpcea.ce.hp.com
hpcupt1.hp.com
hpcvaab.hp.com
hpcvlx.hp.com
hpda.hp.com
hpdsla.hp.com
hpdslab.hp.com
hpesoc1.hp.com
hpfcdc.hp.com
hpiacla.hp.com
hpihoah.hp.com
hpisoa2.hp.com
hpisod1.hp.com
hplabsz.hpl.hp.com
hpsemc.hp.com
hpsmtc1.hp.com
ht.ai.mit.edu
hub.ucsb.edu
hudson.acc.virginia.edu
husc6.harvard.edu
hutch.uucp
hydra.riacs.edu
icus.uucp
idsssd.uucp
ig.ig.com
iisat.uucp
im4u.uucp
ima.isc.com
imagine.pawl.rpi.edu
infinet.uucp
intek01.uucp
io.att.com
ism780c.uucp
ista.uucp
itsgw.rpi.edu
j.cc.purdue.edu
jade.berkeley.edu
jlsoft.uucp
jolnet.uucp
jpusa1.uucp
julian.uwo.cdn
jumbo.dec.com
kaos.uucp
kestrel.arpa
killer.uucp
kitty.uucp
kksys.uucp
kodak.uucp
koko.uucp
krebs.acc.virginia.edu
labrea.stanford.edu
lakeoz.uucp
lakesys.uucp
laticorp.uucp
laura.uucp
lclark.uucp
leah.albany.edu
left.att.com
lehi3b15.csee.lehigh.edu
leia.gwd.tek.com
lindy.stanford.edu
linus.uucp
lll-winken.llnl.gov
louie.udel.edu
lsuc.uucp
lzaz.att.com
lzfmd.uucp
lzfme.uucp
lznv.att.com
lzsc.att.com
m2c.org
macom1.uucp
magic4.uucp
mahendo.jpl.nasa.gov
mandrill.cwru.edu
marque.mu.edu
maxwell.acc.virginia.edu
maynard.bsw.com
mccc.uucp
mcco.uucp
mcdchg.uucp
mcnc.org
mcp.entity.com
me.toronto.edu
meccsd.mecc.mn.org
meccts.mecc.mn.org
megatek.uucp
mendel.acc.virginia.edu
metavax.uucp
mibte.uucp
midas.tek.com
mines.uucp
mit-amt.media.mit.edu
mit-caf.uucp
mitisft.convergent.com
mmlai.uucp
mnetor.uucp
moogvax.uucp
mordor.s1.gov
mozart.uucp
mrst.uucp
mtfmi.uucp
mtgzy.uucp
mtgzz.uucp
mtunb.att.com
mtund.att.com
mtune.att.com
mtunf.att.com
mtung.att.com
mtunh.att.com
mtuni.att.com
mtunj.att.com
mtunk.att.com
mtunx.att.com
mtuxj.uucp
mtuxo.uucp
n3dmc.uucp
ncc.uucp
ncrcan.toronto.ncr.com
ncs-med.uucp
ncsugn.ncsu.edu
ncsuvx.ncsu.edu
ndcheg.uucp
nebula.att.com
necis.uucp
necntc.nec.com
nis.nis.mn.org
noao.uucp
noether.uucp
nosun.uucp
nucleus.uucp
nud.uucp
nunki.usc.edu
nvanbc.uucp
oberon.usc.edu
obpa1.uucp
occrsh.att.com
oddjob.uchicago.edu
odyssey.att.com
oliveb.olivetti.com
omepd
orange.qtp.ufl.edu
orca.tek.com
orchid.waterloo.edu
orstcs.cs.orst.edu
oswego.uucp
otter.hple.hp.com
ovaltine.berkeley.edu
oxtrap.uucp
pacbell.uucp
packard.uucp
panda.uucp
papaya.bbn.com
parsely.uucp
paul.rutgers.edu
pbhya.uucp
pbhyb.uucp
pbhyc.uucp
pbhyd.uucp
pbhye.uucp
pbhyf.uucp
pbhyg.uucp
pdp.cs.ohiou.edu
pegasus.uucp
peora.ccur.com
percival.uucp
philabs.philips.com
phoenix.princeton.edu
phoenix.uucp
plnapc.philips.com
plus5.uucp
pogo.tek.com
polya.stanford.edu
polygen.uucp
polyslo.uucp
portal.uucp
poseidon.uucp
princeton.princeton.edu
psu-cs.uucp
psuvax1.psu.edu
psuvm.bitnet
psychsun.stanford.edu
pt.cs.cmu.edu
ptsfa.uucp
pucc.bitnet
puck.uucp
puff.cs.wisc.edu
puffin.uss.tek.com
pwcs.stpaul.gov
pyrnj.uucp
qiclab.uucp
questar.questar.mn.org
ra.rice.edu
radio.toronto.edu
redwood.uucp
reed.uucp
rhesus.primate.wisc.edu
ritcv.uucp
rocky.stanford.edu
rolls.uucp
rosevax.rosemount.com
rtech.uucp
ruby.tek.com
rutgers.rutgers.edu
sarin.uucp
sbo.uucp
scobee.att.com
scooter.uucp
sdcjove.cam.unisys.com
sdcrdcf.uucp
sdcsmb.sm.unisys.com
sdcsvax.ucsd.edu
sgi.sgi.com
shamash.uucp
shark.tek.com
shasta.stanford.edu
shrike.austin.lockheed.com
sialis.mn.org
siemens.uucp
sigmast.uucp
silver.bacs.indiana.edu
sis.uucp
sjfc.uucp
sli.uucp
smegma.uucp
snark.uucp
snjsn1.sj.ate.slb.com
sol.arpa
soleil.uucp
spar.spar.slb.com
spdcc.com
spectrix.uucp
speedy.mcnc.org
spool.cs.wisc.edu
spp3.uucp
spt.entity.com
sq.com
sri-spam.istc.sri.com
step.dwr.com
stsci
studsys.mu.edu
sunybcs.uucp
super.upenn.edu
sw1e.uucp
swan.ulowell.edu
swatsun.uucp
swlabs.uucp
t9103.uucp
tandem.uucp
td2cad.intel.com
teemc.uucp
tekcae.tek.com
tekchips.tek.com
tekcrl.tek.com
tekecs.tek.com
tekfdi.tek.com
tekgen.tek.com
tekgvs.tek.com
tekig.tek.com
tekig4.tek.com
tekig5.tek.com
tekigm2.tek.com
tekirl.tek.com
teklds.tek.com
tekred.tek.com
teksce.sce.tek.com
tektronix.tek.com
telesoft.uucp
temvax.uucp
terminus.uucp
thorin.cs.unc.edu
ti-csl.csnet
tmsoft.uucp
topaz.rutgers.edu
trwrc.uucp
tslanpar.uucp
ttidca.tti.com
tub.uucp
turtlevax.uucp
twitch.uucp
ucbvax.berkeley.edu
ucdavis.ucdavis.edu
ucsd.edu
udccvax1.acs.udel.edu
uflorida.cis.ufl.edu
ukecc.engr.uky.edu
umbc3.umd.edu
umd5.umd.edu
umix.cc.umich.edu
umn-cs.cs.umn.edu
umn-cs.cs.umn.edu
umn-d-ub.d.umn.edu
uni2.bcm.tmc.edu
unido.uucp
unisoft.uucp
uokmax.uucp
uoregon.uucp
uport.uucp
ut-emx.uucp
ut-sally.uucp
utah-gr.uucp
uthub.toronto.edu
utmanitou.toronto.edu
uunet.uu.net
uvaarpa.virginia.edu
uvacs.cs.virginia.edu
uvaee.ee.virginia.edu
v.sei.cmu.edu
valid.uucp
van-bc.uucp
vaxine.uucp
vice.tek.com
videovax.tek.com
viper.lynx.mn.org
virginia.acc.virginia.edu
vixie.uucp
vu-vlsi.uucp
wa3wbu.uucp
watale.waterloo.edu
watcgl.waterloo.edu
watdcsu.waterloo.edu
watdragon.waterloo.edu
water.waterloo.edu
watmath.waterloo.edu
watt.acc.virginia.edu
watvlsi.waterloo.edu
wb3ffv.uucp
westmark.uucp
whuts.uucp
wp3b01.uucp
wucs1.uucp
wucs2.uucp
xanth.cs.odu.edu
xroads.uucp
yetti.uucp
yunexus.uucp
zeus.hf.intel.com
zeus.tek.com
zorch.uu.net

Full data (all the mail replies) can be furnished upon request, but
it's over a megabyte, so don't ask lightly.

..Bob
-- 
Bob Page, U of Lowell CS Dept.  page@swan.ulowell.edu  ulowell!page
"I don't know such stuff.  I just do eyes."  -- from 'Blade Runner'