BBS's

From: Geoff Roberts <geoffrob_at_stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au>
Date: Fri Nov 17 00:53:07 2000

----- Original Message -----
From: <blstuart_at_bellsouth.net>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2000 5:00 PM
Subject: Re: BBS's


> In message <20001116161314.A2067_at_loomcom.com>, Seth writes:
> >My plans for RetroNET have always been to form a separate,
> >non-internet-connected network of hobbyists, retrocomputists, wackos,
> >and misfits who want a place something like the timesharing resources
> >of old.

Nice concept.

> >It would consist of VAXen and DECstations and even PCs running
> >more modern Unix-like OSes, communicating over UUCP (since none of
> >us could possibly afford dedicated leased lines). E-mail, Retronet
> >News (think: Usenet without the Usenet), and general dorkiness.

Keep goin....

> >And really there's no good reason not to have it connected to the
> >Internet, except for the "purity" factor, and the neatness factor.

You're right. No good reason. In fact, it's a big problem if you are
outside the US, and probably a bit
iffy if you are spread widely across it..

> >C'mon, think how cool it would be to have a "retronet!host!username"
> >email address that only other COOL, ELITE DORKS can talk to!
> >
> >Still... anyone want to be a RetroNET node? :)

Yes. But perhaps we should bend the net to our will.

> I've often thought the same thing, though I never made
> any actual moves in that direction. The one thing that's
> always troubled me is that we'd most likely be pretty
> spread out so most of the connections would be long distance
> calls. Than again, if the traffic weren't all that large
> a few minutes of long distance each night might not be all
> that bad.

IF it were across an ocean or two, on anything like a regular basis, it
gets bad pretty quick. Trust me on this.
I used to run a BBS back in the dark (2400baud) ages. Ahh. Frontdoor
1.99c. Remote Access. Quickbbs. Masquerade. Opus.
External protocols, echomail, netmail. Sigh. Seriously, even
interstate or any form of trunk (long distance) calls soon added up if
you
were moving even fairly modest amounts of news (echomail) and email
(netmail).

Why not have two bob each way? Would seem to me possible to setup up
some sort of VPN via the net, so you
can dialin to your ISP and then tie in to RetroNet in some secure
manner, heck could even have an encrypted link or
something. Best of both worlds, and it makes it possible to have a
GLOBAL RetroNet, using the internet as BBS's used
the phone network. Hey you VMS bigots, how bout some Decnet over IP?
Endless possibilities.

just my antipodean 2c worth.... or about 1c US currently :^(

Cheers

Geoff Roberts
Computer Systems Manager
Saint Mark's College
Port Pirie,
South Australia
geoffrob_at_stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au
ICQ: 1970476

P.S. It occurs to me that the 'two bob each way' may be a little
obscure for our US friends. It comes from the practice,
by small-time gamblers on horse races, of putting 'two bob' (ie two
shillings, or 20c these days) on the horse 'each way' meaning
20c for a win, 20c for a place, to maximise your chance of winning
something. A popular pastime by housewives and the like,
especially with small offcourse bookmakers (still a few left here - last
place in South Australia where they are still legal)

A bit like 'have your cake and eat it too'. Perhaps that would have
been a better choice.
Hmm, yes. Make it so.
Received on Fri Nov 17 2000 - 00:53:07 GMT