KLUB@maristb.bitnet (Richard Budd) (02/24/91)
The Technical University of Wroclaw and other Polish universities are indeed connected into the BITNET (or EARN as is it called in Europe) and have been since November, 1990. However, Poland is still experiencing "growing pains" in joining the world of modern telecommunications. The node for the TU Wroclaw is an IBM 4341, one of the older models, using a VM operatng system and RSCS software linking with EARN on a 9600 BPS modem. The node is wired to the main listserv PLEARN at the University of Warsaw and onto the EARN network. The BITNET nodes are available from PLEARN or you can ask me forthe numbers and further details. One caveat, Wroclaw is not accessible from all gateways from other networks and is not directly connected to Internet. Even on BITNET, accessibility is spotty. I tried contacting Wroclaw five times over the past week; three times the mailer bounced me back. I believe the remaining two times the message got through though I have yet to receive a response from Wroclaw; though responses have come from other Polish sites who saw the article in TELECOM Digest. Thanks to Brian McMahon and Peter Weiss who sent me details about the Polish computer network. Brian also pointed out there may be restrictions for student access to EARN, though the networks, particularly P-LEARN are anxious to have more input from Polish university students. Some of the problem with accessibility to the network appears however to be coming from the poor state of the Polish telephone system, particularly with local switching and providing continual supervision. Polish CO's and wires are in dire need of renovation and, in many cases, modern equipment. If John Higdon spent a few weeks in Krakow, he would probably find himself yearning for his Pac*Bell crossbar network and Telco services. However, the Polish government does not have the funds to finance such a drastic upgrading of their telecommunications infrastructure. Many of the computers and much of the network equipment now has come through donations from IBM and European governments, particularly Scandinavia. The incredible thing is despite the state of the telephone system, slow second-hand computers, and a dearth of programmers and engineers with knowledge of 1990s telecommunications hardware and networking techniques Poland has a fairly reliable computer networking system, period. Their most important request is for knowledge and assistance from the Telecom community. Hopefully, forums such as TELECOM Digest will fulfill this demand. To answer another question, yes, there are Polish jokes in Poland. You need an understanding of what the Poles have gone through to understand them. Here's one I've heard a couple times: A Warsaw native met a friend he hadn't seen in a long time. He asked if his village is now in Poland or in Russia. The friend replied "it's in Poland now, thank God. I can't take anymore of those Russian winters!" Richard Budd | E-Mail: IBMers - rcbudd@rhqvm19.ibm VM Systems Programmer | All Others- klub@maristb.bitnet IBM - Sterling Forest, NY | Phone: (914) 578-3746