[comp.sys.mac.misc] gateway to prodigy?

dak@mips.com (Dave Kearney) (01/01/91)

Greetings,

I'm looking for a gateway to prodigy... Any ideas?

thanx

Dave

David A. Kearney                           MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.
mips.com    950 DeGuigne Dr.    Sunnyvale, CA  94086   +1 408 524-7025
= I'm not a fatalist... But even if I was, what could I do about it? =

gaynor@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Jim Gaynor) (01/01/91)

In article <44409@mips.mips.COM> dak@mips.com writes:
>
>I'm looking for a gateway to prodigy... Any ideas?
>

	<chuckle> The opportunity for smart remarks is hard to pass
up.  But I'll be nice.  ;-)

	Prodigy is a closed system as of the time being, and I know of
no plans to gate it to any known network.  Prodigy, despite what the
users may think, is thought of by it's management as an electronic
mall.  Users of Prodigy are there to look at ads and buy things, not
to actually communicate, the management believes.

	You could probably get more info from the folks at comp.mail.misc.

-- 
 Jim Gaynor - Systems Analyst 1        + "This is Serious.  He is Lost.
 The Ohio State University ACS-FM-OCES |  We must begin the Search at once."
 gaynor@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.ed      |          -Rabbit, from
 gaynor@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu       +          "The House at Pooh Corner"

bytebug@dhw68k.cts.com (Roger L. Long) (01/01/91)

In article <44409@mips.mips.COM> David A. Kearney writes:
>I'm looking for a gateway to prodigy... Any ideas?

You're kidding...  right?  Given recent events, the folks at Prodigy have
demonstrated that they've no interest in supporting communication between
users on their own system, much less with the rest of the world.  

I tried Prodigy a year ago, and given the problems I had getting connected
(It didn't think my modem was Hayes compatible enough...  just how Hayes
compatible do you have to be to understand an ATDT9999999 command?), and
the interface program on the Mac being an example of perhaps the worst
user interface on the face of the planet, I decided that it wasn't anywhere
near being worth $9.95/month, and refused to pay my bill and asked to be
disconnected.  I've gotten mail in the past year with offers to try it out
again, but I've heard enough to know that it's only gotten worse, and yet 
they've raised the price!

I don't feel the need to push for gateways to such a closed system.  If
you need to send Email, encourage the person to get an account on one of
many services that actually view communication as an important aspect of
their service.  Your friend will likely spend much less than the fees
charged by Prodigy.
-- 
	Roger L. Long
	bytebug@dhw68k.cts.com

dfrancis@tronsbox.xei.com (Dennis Heffernan) (01/02/91)

In article <1991Jan1.152042.10693@dhw68k.cts.com> bytebug@dhw68k.cts.com (Roger L. Long) writes:
>In article <44409@mips.mips.COM> David A. Kearney writes:
>>I'm looking for a gateway to prodigy... Any ideas?
>
>I don't feel the need to push for gateways to such a closed system.  If
>you need to send Email, encourage the person to get an account on one of
>many services that actually view communication as an important aspect of
>their service.  Your friend will likely spend much less than the fees
>charged by Prodigy.
>-- 

	That's the best idea yet.  I'd recommend GEnie if your main interest is
in mail- GEnie's $4.95/month covers email, so there's no hourly charge.

	Of course, you'd have to live without that great Plodigy (sic) graphic
interface.  Tsk.  And while the Mac area looks fairly active (in terms of posts
and uploads), I really couldn't swear to it.  I only look over there when I'm
playing with Amax.  :-)


dfrancis@tronsbox.xei.com   ...uunet!tronsbox!dfrancis     GEnie: D.HEFFERNAN1
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"I don't understand why you make such a big deal out of everything...haven't
you learned; if it's not happenning to me it's not important?" -Murphy Brown

v067qklp@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Danielle T Mazzotta) (01/02/91)

In article <1991Jan1.152042.10693@dhw68k.cts.com>, bytebug@dhw68k.cts.com (Roger L. Long) writes...

>their service.  Your friend will likely spend much less than the fees
>charged by Prodigy.

I must say that $12.95/month (is that Prodigy's going rate) really would be 
reasonable if what they were offering were more diversified than, as you 
pointed out, a "shopping network".  Other services charge an hourly fee above 
basic services so that amount as a flat fee is otherwise quite fair.

As an aside, I considered joining Prodigy.  I asked their "Tech Reps" if there 
were any gateways outside and they indirectly replied that they had e-mail but 
not to services outside of Prodigy.  I also asked about software libraries and 
they said they had no plans in the near future to be adding any such features.

--Danielle

barnett@grymoire.crd.ge.com (Bruce Barnett) (01/03/91)

In article <379@tronsbox.xei.com> dfrancis@tronsbox.xei.com (Dennis Heffernan) writes:

>   That's the best idea yet.  I'd recommend GEnie if your main interest is
>  in mail- GEnie's $4.95/month covers email, so there's no hourly charge.

Except there is no gateway between Internet and GEnie.
--
Bruce G. Barnett	barnett@crd.ge.com	uunet!crdgw1!barnett

jbnash@vms.macc.wisc.edu (John B. Nash) (01/09/91)

In article <1991Jan1.152042.10693@dhw68k.cts.com>, bytebug@dhw68k.cts.com (Roger L. Long) writes...

	>In article <44409@mips.mips.COM> David A. Kearney writes:

	>>I'm looking for a gateway to prodigy... Any ideas?

>I tried Prodigy a year ago, and given the problems I had getting connected
>(It didn't think my modem was Hayes compatible enough...  just how Hayes
>compatible do you have to be to understand an ATDT9999999 command?), and
>the interface program on the Mac being an example of perhaps the worst
>user interface on the face of the planet, I decided that it wasn't anywhere
>near being worth $9.95/month, and refused to pay my bill and asked to be
>disconnected.  I've gotten mail in the past year with offers to try it out
>again...

	I agree.  My modem was not Hayes compatible enough either.  Once I did 
get online, it was only at 1200.  Speed regardless, I found the service to be a 
hyped up shopping mall with an interface that made my Mac act like a PC that 
wanted to be a Mac.  I also hear they are sensitive to what type of speech you 
send over their e-mail.  Hmmmmmm. 
	I cancelled after my free month of time and they have tried to woo me 
back to no avail.
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