larry@nstar.uucp (Larry Snyder) (08/19/90)
Hi Bob - we are running a 4 line BBS here with real time games (only
one on-line so far), a full usenet backbone feed available for users,
and gobs of files (mostly DOS, but maybe 150 megs of Unix files)..
The lines are $33/month each (commercial) and that includes 150
outgoing calls per line (measured service), call hunt (ring on next
line if line is busy) and rotary service (I don't need touch tone).
Lines are $54/month each for unlimited touch tone service. Installation
is $70 for the first line, and $35 for each additional. Indiana Bell
also wants $100 deposit on each business line.
We are running Interactive Unix on a 386/25 (we are about to move up
to a 386/33) with 8 megs of RAM (if I continue to run X windows - I
will need to upgrade the memory to 12-16 megabytes). I have multiple
SCSI CDC Wren drives and an Adaptec 1542B controller. The disk IO
actually screams! The serial card is an Computone Intelliport
with a 10 mhz 80186 and modems are a combination of Hayes V-Series
9600, HSR 14.4 HST and Telebit Trailblazer T2000s.
BBS software is Waffle which has been modified to look and feel like
TBBS which makes it very easy to use.
The BBS is $30 per year - which includes complete access and 90 minutes
of connect time per day. Usenet feeds are $1 per minute per quarter,
ie: a 20 minute average daily feed is $20 per quarter of a year - and
if paid yearly an additional 20% discount is credited.
So far, we are breaking even. Nothing gained, and nothing (except
for deposits) lost. It is fun keeping the system running - but
does take a lot of time. If you include your time running such a
setup - you loose money real quick.
--
Larry Snyder, Northern Star Communications, Notre Dame, IN USA
uucp: iuvax!ndmath!nstar!larry -or- larry@nstar
Public Access Unix Site (219) 289-0282 (5 lines/PEP/HST/Hayes-V)