Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!alberta!ubc-cs!van-bc!sl
From: sl@van-bc.UUCP (pri=-10 Stuart Lynne)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.misc
Subject: Re: post office protocol
Message-ID: <2070@van-bc.UUCP>
Date: 27 Dec 88 08:56:52 GMT
References: <4889@mailgw.cc.umich.edu> <578@redsox.UUCP> <423@aurora.auvax.uucp>
Reply-To: sl@van-bc.UUCP (pri=-10 Stuart Lynne)
Organization: Wimsey Associates, Vancouver, BC.
Lines: 40

In article <423@aurora.auvax.uucp> lyndon@aurora.UUCP (Lyndon Nerenberg) writes:

>I'm very interested in discussing POP implementations. Over the next couple
>of years, Athabasca University will need to implement a system that will
>allow us to store and forward mail to (potentially) over a thousand micro-
>computers of various makes and models. Can you show me ANY X.400 software
>that we could include in our student materials at a cost to the student of
>under $25 (Canadian) ??? Besides, how do we run X.400 over asynch dialup

MMDF is(was?) supported by the EAN software.  They may be loath to admit it
and it's not very efficent.

>(FYI - Athabasca U used to be part of CDNnet, an X.400 network running
>over Datapac. We ended up dropping our membership due to the high X.25
>charges incurred in running the X.400 protocols. Cost can become a
>major factor very quickly, especially when you're a broke university

I agree with this. I find it very interesting that after spending huge
amounts of money to develop a workable, usable, worldwide X.25 network the
various regulatory authorities have contrived to price it out of the market.

During the day Trailblazer dialup seems to be quite competitive and nightime
its far better (in Canada Datapac rates are not time sensitive, you
basically pay per kpac).

And heaven forbid that you might want to cross the border. Multiply about
three to get into the US for example. Contrast that with long distance where
going across the border is *cheaper*. For example from BC it is cheaper to
call *anywhere* in the continental US then anywhere in Canada (outside of
BC).

Also if you need high volumes, cross country leased lines are becoming very
affordable.

So it will be interesting to see if there will ever be a time when using ISO
protocols and X.25 saves us any money.


-- 
Stuart.Lynne@wimsey.bc.ca {ubc-cs,uunet}!van-bc!sl     Vancouver,BC,604-937-7532