brodie@fps.mcw.edu (12/20/90)
Well, at DECUS we saw the "latest" DSNlink-- version 1.1. The user interface now includes "videotext" (kind of makes it look like All-in-1). The user interface kind of turned me off (I do not like having to hit PF keys), BUT, having a lot of functions available from the menu was nice. (many of the users are infrequent-- and do not remember all of the utility commands easily, including myself..) Other improvements include better data compression, and a GREAT way of being able to get patches much easier than before. The one thing that REALLY astounded me was the statistics-- according to the dec representative, only about 2000 sites across the counter have registered for DSNlink (requested the software), and of those 2000, only 750 have actually come online. (damned shame. I have REALLY been able to acomplish a lot by using dsnlink-- I've had patches sent me, crash dumps analyzed, etc.) It seems that the biggest "roadblock" that DEC is running up against is security-conscious administrators that REFUSE to connect ANY type of modem to their system, no matter HOW secure DEC assures them the setup is. Oh well. ------ Kent C. Brodie - Sr. Systems Manager internet: brodie@fps.mcw.edu Faculty Physicians & Surgeons uucpnet: uwm.edu!fps!brodie Medical College of Wisconsin voicenet: +1 414 778 4500 faxnet: +1 414 778 6694 "Operator! Quick-- give me the number for 911" -Homer Simpson
maurath@bclcl1.im.battelle.org (Peter Maurath, Battelle Computing Center) (01/08/91)
In article <1990Dec20.102412.3683@fps.mcw.edu>, brodie@fps.mcw.edu writes: > ... > It seems that the biggest "roadblock" that DEC is running up against > is security-conscious administrators that REFUSE to connect ANY > type of modem to their system, no matter HOW secure DEC assures > them the setup is. The roadblock we encountered was our own purchasing dept and the DEC local office. Since DSNlink is a software license, purchasing insisted that we had to issue a no-cost purchase order. Then, since all DEC purchase order are sent to the DEC local office, they did so. The DEC local office looked at the PO and the license form and said "We don't know what to do with this", so they did not do anything. This was in May. After raising a stink at DECUS, we having finally gotten the paperwork mess straightened out. Unfortunately, I know of other sites that have reported similar problems. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Peter Maurath Internet: maurath@bclcl1.im.battelle.org Battelle DECUServe: MAURATH 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201 Voice: 614-424-7162 Fax: 614-424-5263