edelheit@MITRE.ARPA (Jeff Edelheit) (08/13/85)
It seems that it is time to run this blurb again for the benefit of the newer Usenetters. For those of us who have seen this note before, I appologize for cluttering-up your inbox. "How can a user of a USENET host access the public domain microcomputer software collection on the DDN/MILNET host SIMTEL20" is being asked with increasing frequency as that software collection continues to grow. Unfortunately, direct access is not possible as there is no UUCP gateway for file transfer between SIMTEL20 (running TOPS-20) and a USENET host (as there is for electronic mail). (DDN, formerly known as ARPANET, is the Defense Data Network. DDN, along with Arpanet, SATNET, SRINET, etc. are all members of a TCP/IP protocol-based, multiple gateway network called InterNet.) USENET has been built on adjacent hosts voluntarily agreeing to store-and-forward relatively short messages across the USENET over dialup lines at 300 or 1200 bps. In the past, helpful InterNet users would fetch the file(s) requested and then e-mail them to the requestor. However, it has been pointed out that large file transfers disrupt the service, delay the shorter messages, and generate unacceptably large phone bills, all of which add up to threaten the tenuous connections that some USENET hosts can barely afford to have. Therefore, we have been asked to encourage InterNet users not to pass archive programs this way. Now for the good news. Some InterNet users, if sent a suitable disk, will download files and return mail the floppy to the requestor. To find a friendly InterNet user, send a message to INFO-CPM at DDN host AMSAA.ARPA via net.micro.cpm identifying your disk format and your request. Usually, someone will respond and come to your aid. If not, don't be bashful, wait a week and try again. But please remember, any such arrangements are strictly between you and your respondent. This is not, repeat NOT, a service of either the InterNet or INFO-CPM. If the above arrangement is inconvenient, or doesn't work, here are several other sources for public domain software. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Information (and prices) are subject to change without notice. A volume is usually one floppy disk. 1. CP/M User's Group The CP/MUG volumes are available from: CP/M User's Group 1651 3rd Avenue New York, NY 10028 Current volumes are numbered 1 through 92 at $13 per 8" SSSD disk (Northstar format also available). The catalog is $6. 2. Special Interest Group/Microcomputers (SIG/M) The SIG/M volumes are distributed by: SIG/M Amateur Computer Group of New Jersey, Inc. Box 97 Iselin, NJ 08830 Current volumes are numbered 000 through 172. The first disk is $6.00 and $5.00 for each additional disk. The catalog is $2. 3. New York Amateur Computer Club PC-BLUE software volumes for the IBM-PC are available from: S-100, CP/M User Group The New York Amateur Computer Club P.O. Box 106 Church Street Station New York, NY 10008 The documentation files from the SIG/M and CPMUG volumes are available in hardcopy form, grouped into "books", from the NYACC. Each book is priced at $10 including shipping, $15 for overseas airmail. All orders must be prepaid. 4. PicoNet CP/M Users Group PicoNet, CP/MUG, and SIG/M software volumes are available from: PicoNet P.O. Box 391566 Mountain View, CA 94039 Available in 8" and most 5 1/4" soft sector only at $6.00 per disk plus $1.50 shipping per order. California residents add 6.5% sales tax. Quantity discounts are available. 5. Other sources: Compuserve Information Service is another source of public domain software. There are a number of special interest groups (SIGs) devoted to specific hardware as well as CP-MIG, the generic CP/M SIG, a repository for a large quantity of public domain software downloadable by the Compuserve file transer protocol (Christensen protocol is expected by late summer, 1984). There is no charge for access to CP-MIG other than the standard CIS connect charges, and Compuserve can be accessed through their own communications network or through Tymnet. ... and many Remote CP/M (RCPM) systems around the country, where software is available for downloading for the price of a phone call. The May 1984 issue of Microsystems contains the full listing of known RCPMs at the time of publication. I would like to thank Dave Towson, Frank Wancho and Charlie Strom for all their assistance in putting this blurb together. If anybody out in InterNet Land has any questions or comments about the above blurb, feel free to contact any one of us. Jeff Edelheit (edelheit at mitre)