darrell@sdcsvax.UUCP (Darrell Long) (04/23/85)
What are CSnet and BITnet? And how does one get a machine on them? Thanks. -- Darrell Long Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science University of California, San Diego USENET: sdcsvax!darrell ARPA: darrell@sdcsvax
spaf@gatech.CSNET (Gene Spafford) (05/03/85)
In article <815@sdcsvax.UUCP> darrell@sdcsvax.UUCP (Darrell Long) writes: >What are CSnet and BITnet? And how does one get a machine on them? BITnet is a network composed (mostly) of IBM and IBM-compatible machines over leased lines. My list of BITnet sites has 458 site names in it. To get on the net, you need a machine that is capable of running the BITnet software, hardware to connect to the high-speed line, and a connection to another BITnet site via leased line. (We don't have BITnet here, so I can't claim I know a lot about it.) The uucp -> BITnet gateway is at psuvax1, so if you write to the postmaster there, you can probably get more exact info. CSNet is a network of educational institutions and commercial entities which the NSF set up as a sort of alternative to the Arpanet (which is hard to get onto, especially for smaller schools and businesses). To quote from the last issue of CSNet news: "CSNET is a non-profit computer network linking computer science researchers in universities, industry, and government. ... CSNET is a project of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) ... under contract to the National Science Foundation." Current CSNet connections are via PhoneNet, a telephone network run from a central site, and X25Net, a network using TCP/IP for connections. Software for PhoneNet currently exists for Unix V7, 4.1 & 4.2 BSD, VMS, Multics, DG AOS/VS and TOPS-20; support for Primos is coming soon. X25Net software is avaialble for BSD 4.1 & 4.2, and IBM VM. Fees for joining CSNet vary according to the nature of your organization. If anyone wants more information, I can provide them with both US Mail and E-mail addresses -- just let me know. If any commercial sites are interested, CSNet is having a special -- join for a 6 month trial at a reduced rate before January 1, 1986. Contact me for more info (not to mention that we'd get a rebate on our dues if we induce you to join!). -- Gene "3 months and holding" Spafford The Clouds Project, School of ICS, Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA 30332 CSNet: Spaf @ GATech ARPA: Spaf%GATech.CSNet @ CSNet-Relay.ARPA uucp: ...!{akgua,allegra,hplabs,ihnp4,linus,seismo,ulysses}!gatech!spaf