paul@csnz.co.nz (Paul Gillingwater) (09/18/89)
Hi from New Zealand! I'm in the planning stages for setting up a public-access USEnet site, combined with a BBS. I'd be interested to hear from other sysops who do this around the world as to what issues they have had to deal with, e.g. charging, security, selection of software, e-mail charge-back, file requesting, archive management, CD-ROM, WORM drivers, etc. Please e-mail to me -- paul@csnz.co.nz -- and I'll summarise. My outline planning is as follows: I will be purchasing a 386 (20 MHz) with 8 Mb of RAM. The O/S will be either SCO Xenix or Interactive UNIX. Peripherals will include a Stallion multi-port card, 320 Mb SCSI drive (Maxtor?), 160 Mb tape drive, and at least one Trailblazer T2500. Also in the pipe-line will be a Rabbit X.25 card, FAX card, WORM drive (for source archiving), and CD-ROM for PC-Sig stuff. Obviously one of the big issues will be drivers for this stuff. I also plan to hook up a PC with UFGate to act as a Fidonet gateway to USEnet for New Zealand, and maybe D'Bridge to drive the FAX card. I would welcome comments from anyone who has an opinion on this plan, especially recommendations or otherwise on specific hardwarde. I'm choosing a 386 *only* because I can get the most bang-per-buck -- I know it's not a *real* UNIX system, but price is _definitely_ an issue. In parallel with all this, as well as importing most standard USEnet groups (for which I will be paying the local University a fat fee), I plan to import some alt. hierarchies, and more importantly plan to hook up to the international PeaceNet/EcoNet/Web/GreenNet/Pegasus network for conservation, peace and human-rights messaging. Comments welcomed. echo "thanks" >/dev/future -- Paul Gillingwater, Computer Sciences of New Zealand Limited Domain: paul@csnz.co.nz Bang: uunet!vuwcomp!dsiramd!csnz!paul Call Magic Tower BBS V21/23/22/22bis 24 hrs NZ+64 4 767 326 SpringBoard BBS for Greenies! V22/22bis/HST NZ+64 4 767 742
dave@rylos.UUCP (David Mutterer) (09/19/89)
In article <115@csnz.co.nz>, paul@csnz.co.nz (Paul Gillingwater) writes: > Hi from New Zealand! > > I'm in the planning stages for setting up a public-access USEnet site, > . > . > [etc...] > . > . > especially recommendations or otherwise on specific hardwarde. I'm choosing > a 386 *only* because I can get the most bang-per-buck -- I know it's not > a *real* UNIX system, but price is _definitely_ an issue. * * * [FLAME ON] * * * What do you mean a 386 is not a "real" unix system. Try to tell SUN and all their users that a 386/i is a "fake" unix system. * * * [FLAME OFF] * * * +-----------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ | "I never met a computer I didn't like." | - David Mutterer (N2IDF) | | "except if it's made by IBM" | {rutgers!}rylos!dave | +-----------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (09/25/89)
> My outline planning is as follows: I will be purchasing a 386 (20 MHz) > with 8 Mb of RAM. The O/S will be either SCO Xenix or Interactive UNIX. > Peripherals will include a Stallion multi-port card, 320 Mb SCSI drive > > Comments welcomed. Don't get 386/ix and stick with SCO. I made the mistake of selecting 386/ix for my site - and had nothing but problems and the manuals are the pits. Xenix is solid - with most of the bugs worked out. The manuals are written with detailed instructions on how to get and keep the system running in a logical way - where as the 386/ix manuals are at best a hodge-podge and lots of little "gotchas" are included as a bonus. Xenix is solid - 386/ix is right on the edge of a fence ready to fall over at any time. -- Larry Snyder uucp: iuvax!ndcheg!ndmath!nstar!larry The Northern Star Usenet Distribution Site Notre Dame, Indiana USA
vortex@charlie.OZ (Mark Gregson) (09/26/89)
I run a small public access Xenix site in Australia, I too am interested in a public access USEnet/ACSnet site. The only problems I ahve encountered so far are 1) The software needed to do the job is priced out of my market and 2) I cant find anyone close by that could dialin to my system and help me set it up. If anyone in Austarlia is interested in setting up a type of public UUCP network and a connection to either USEnet or ACSnet I'd be interested to hear from you. The comments mentioned in this article are my private comments and are not associated with the site from which this message originates. Regards, Mark Gregson