Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!mtunx!whuts!homxb!mtuxo!mtune!icus!limbic!gil
From: gil@limbic.UUCP (Gil Kloepfer Jr.)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: News & Usenet for VAX/VMS
Message-ID: <107@limbic.UUCP>
Date: 29 Mar 88 04:42:40 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: ICUS Computer Group, Islip, NY
Lines: 42
Keywords: news usenet vax/vms

About 3 or 4 weeks ago, I posted a request to comp.os.vms (info-VAX for
those BITNETers out there) requesting software which would allow me to
establish myself as a usenet node, handle network mail using VMS mail,
and read news on a plain-vanilla VMS system (ie. no UNIX(tm) emulators
or the like).

I did promise a followup of this request to the net...but the response to
the most difficult part -- establishment of a usenet link  -- was less than
satisfying.

In summary (and a short one at that), the only software that would (future)
allow me to get a usenet connection is the UUPC port to VMS...which I have
heard nothing of the completion of this.  Further, if you can't get usenet,
then obviously nobody could come up with an interface to VMS mail in it.

I did get several responses from individuals who had various (very nice)
packages which could read news (obtained through BITNET or ARPA-net)
interactively.  Further, I believe I had one response which boasted an
extension to VMS mail to allow various network connections (like JNET).

In essence, I was unable to get together a connection from a VMS system
to usenet without investing literally thousands of dollars for emulators
and software (and possibly connections to expensive networks).

If anyone is interested in a good VMS news program, I would suggest reposting
the request as my information is now weeks old, and I would prefer not to
handle requests for that information.

Thanks for all those who responded (sorry for not getting your names in
print .. I do sincerely appreciate your time and effort).  I would suggest
that anyone looking for a challenging and useful project look into making
a uucp port to VMS, establishing a usenet interface through uucp for VMS (like
uucp systems files, etc), making interfaces to VMS mail (and possibly DECNET),
and integrating this effort into the many existing news packages for VMS.
You may find it profitable as well as exciting.

+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Gil Kloepfer, Jr.                  | Net-Address:                           |
| ICUS Computer Group, Systems Dvlp. | {boulder,ihnp4,talcott}!icus!limbic!gil|
| P.O. Box 1                         | Voice-net: (516) 968-6860              |
| Islip Terrace, New York  11752     | Othernet: limbic!gil@icus.UUCP         |
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