Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!imagen!atari!portal!cup.portal.com!David
From: David@cup.portal.com (David Michael McCord)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Which is best?
Message-ID: <10711@cup.portal.com>
Date: 31 Oct 88 16:49:33 GMT
References: <9515@conexch.UUCP> <1125@vsi1.UUCP> <299@telebit.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 40


I don't know why this conference isn't named comp.dcom.telebit-lovers.  It 
ought to be.

To dredge up my old opinions on the topic, neither the USR or the Telebit is 
worth a damn when it comes to global networking, or when supporting most 
real-world communications applications (SNA/SDLC, X.25, etc.).  The Telebit 
product does not even support synchronous transmission, not to mention the 
disadvantages of getting yourself locked into a modem vendor's proprietary 
modulation technique.

I say this in this forum because perhaps there are some readers who will 
appreciate exposure to points of view not so parochial.  It would be easy for 
someone not knowledgeable about telecommunications to believe, by reading 
this conference, that the Telebit or USR or whatever is the cat's pajamas.  
There are some very serious reasons why, if you invest in Telebit or USR, you 
are throwing your money away.

Speaking as a data and voice telecommunications professional with many years 
of experience and the salary to back it up, I say that V.32 modems are going 
to smash the vendor-proprietary types in the marketplace within a year.  Why?  
Because any large corporation using modern networking (eg, SNA/SDLC, X.25, 
etc.) is buying V.32, not Telebit or USR.  And these are the customers 
telecomm manufacturing vendors pay attention to.  Consequently, if you invest 
in V.32, you are still going to be able to use it five years from now; long 
after the HST and Telebit schemes fade away and disappear due to lack of 
market support.

The USENET community has done itself a disservice to let itself fall into the 
trap it is now in.  It should be fun to watch as you netadmin types have to 
replace your equipment with new modems, be they V.32 or whatever PEP 
variation is officially adopted by the CCITT (hint: it will not be compatible 
with your current Trailblazers).  I am glad I am not going to have to stand 
up in front of my managers and ask for more money to redress my past bad 
decisions.

It's your choice.


David@cup.portal.com