ALTERNATIVES TO THE BITNET, A COMPENDIUM OF ADVICE
	In October 1991 I asked for information about access to the Bitnet and/or other nets for people without university-access to Bitnet. Many people responded and gave the following helpful advice.
	I asked three questions, about access to nets in general, about Compu$erve and AmericaOnLine, and about modem connection. The most interesting responses were about ACCESS, marked below. Most people said that CS/AOL werenıt worth the money, and didnıt have FTP, though CompuServe does have an Internet gate; I have deleted most of those responses. Some people gave good advice on using MODEMs. 
	Here are my original questions:
 	ON ACCESS: Thereıs a chance Iıll be moving on to North America before too long, which would mean, alas, no immediate access to this list via Internet or bitnet. (I am sure you can imagine my grief!) What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of CompuServe and AmericaOnLine? What do they cost? What access to info-mac or mac-user or other bitnet lists does one have? Can one FTP via them to sumex or apple.com? What does it cost?!? Can one FTP directly via modem to sites if one doesnıt have a VM account anywhere? 
 	ON MODEMS: Iıve a DoveFax+ modem, a friend has a DoveFax modem. Can I dial her computer direct and transfer files directly to her Mac and if so, how is it done? 
	Many thanks to all who responded.
	Michael Everson
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Date: Mon, 07 Oct 91 11:17:12 CET 
From: Mario Merri <MMERRI@ESOC 
	ON MODEMS: About the file transfer, sure you can. That is what modems are about! You simply select the data-modem feature from your DoveFax and use a communications software (my DoveFax was sold with Quicklink). Then you select a communications protocols among those that are available in the comm software. Of course, both Macs (your friend and yours) must speak the same language (the same protocol must be used). 
 =====
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 91 10:41:50 EDT 
From: mkovacs@mcs.kent.edu
	ON ACCESS: Your best bet (in my opinion) would be to try and find out if there are any public-access Unix systems in the city you are moving to. It would probably require your learning Unix (unless youıve used it before, of course), but all of the public-access systems Iıve heard of were Internet connected and had FTP and Telnet available. Or if you get lucky, you might be moving into a place with a Freenet in-town or nearby. Freenet is a network of public-access systems patterned after the Public Broadcasting System (public TV) and National Public Radio (public radio); they are *free* (except for the phone call) and are all Internet connected. Where are you moving to? I might be able to give you some assistance. 
	Oh yes, donıt be afraid of learning Unix (Iıve met plenty of people who were) if that turns out to be your only option for gaining Internet access in North America. Itıs really not that difficult to do normal things like mail, FTP, and Telnet. I could recommend some good books if you do end up on a Unix system.
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Date: Mon, 7 Oct 91 17:16:35 EDT 
From: Tom Coradeschi <tcora@PICA.ARMY.mil 
	ON ACCESS: You should be able to find a public access Unix site reasonably near you. This will give you Internet access, in some cases FTP capability. If you donıt get FTP capability, you can use one of the ftp- mail servers. If you do not find a site local to your home, there are a number which are accessible via packet networks. You pay a little more for access, but only need to make a local phone call, so the costs are probably less than if you needed to dial long-distance for access. I can email you a list of such sites if you would like. Actually, some of the major public access sites give you a menu-driven login shell, so Unix knowledge isnıt necessary. On some, you may not even be able to get a Unix shell.  
	ON CS/AOL: Compuserve and America Online give you NO FTP or other access to the Internet. Compuserve will allow you to exchange email with Internet, but thatıs it! 
	ON MODEMS: She sets up her modem/software to answer the phone. You dial her number with your modem. When the modems connect, you can type back and forth to each other! Try it! If you wish to send her a file, she will enable the receive mode of whatever file transfer protocol you wish to use (I recommend zmodem for its speed) and you enable the send mode. Off go the files! 
	Some sort of file transfer protocol should be built into whatever telecommunications package you are using. It may not have zmodem, but it should have xmodem and kermit. A program called ZTerm is available from the Info-Mac archives as /info-mac/comm/zterm-085.hqx. This is a good (very good, from what I understand) shareware telecomm package.
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Date: Mon, 7 Oct 91 15:54:27 PDT 
From: michael@square2.sf.ca.us 
	ON ACCESS: Depending on where you are moving to, there are a number of companies who offer a uucp connection directly to the Internet, complete with FTP privileges. (You need special software on the Mac end to connect and FTP; if you are using a UNIX-based machine such as a Sun or a NeXT, itıs much easier). One such company, which we use, is Anterior Technologies, in Menlo Park, CA. They charge $36/month, plus connect time of $2/hour (yes, hour). UUNET is another.
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Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1991 10:25:38 PDT 
From: Kee Nethery <kee_nethery@parc.xerox.com 
	ON CS/AOL: Compuserve has an Internet connection and AOL does not. AOL has a very nice front end and CompuServe has a multitude of front ends. Compuserve has a low minimum monthly charge and AOL has a higher minimum. Donıt know off hand which has the higher online charge. 
	ON ACCESS: Many people have private Internet access via Portal, CerfNet, PSI, and various other Internet connection providers. Why settle for less, just get one of the Internet access software packages and become michael@everson.com. Be your own domain.
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Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1991 10:01 EST 
From: ³SCOTT DAVIS, BALL STATE UNIVERSITY² <00SNDAVIS@BSUVAX1 
	ON CS/AOL: I use American Online almost exclusively. The software is free, and makes use of the Mac interface. The price is cheap. You pay $4.95 a month a get an hour of non-primetime use. Additional rates are $4 an hour during non-primetime, and $8 prime-time (during weekdays). The service has a lot of shareware, and a good System 7 resource area. Also, a lot of software and hardware companies our online (like Claris, etc.) And you can post questions and their tech support will answer. I use to use CompusServe but it got to expensive. I am on American Online quite frequently, but my bill is only about $20 a month.
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Date: Thu, 10 Oct 91 11:25:00 EDT 
From: Gregory Jewett <JEWETTGS@SNYPOTVA
	ON ACCESS: The only thing that I can suggest, is if you are going to be anywhere near a university or educational institution with a connection, you might be able to convince them to give you an account.   
	ON MODEMS: If the DoveFax+ modem can support just standard modem communication, yeah.. it is easy, just get a KERMIT program running on both of your machines set in binary mode and dial each other up and transfer away!
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Date: Thu, 10 Oct 91 17:56:53 BST
From: Kevin Purcell <KPURCELL@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK 
Subject: Typical public access signup info
	ON ACCESS: To create a dialup account on SeattleOnLine, dial into the phone at (206) 328-4944 and type new at the login prompt. Itıll ask you all sorts of insultingly personal stuff (like your address & phone number) and then create an account for you. The account can send and receive mail, and can access the system for 20 minutes a day for no charge. For news or shell access, we charge $50 a year (US currency) for unlimited time. Bruce / Sysop / SOL
	And a some public access unix sites: 
	02/90 206-328-4944 polari Seattle WA 3/12 24 $ M N P S T 
	10/89 408-725-0561^ portal Cupertino CA 3/12/24 24 $ -S N M T 
	11/89 415-332-6106^ well Sausalito CA 12/24 24 $ M N S T 
	02/90 206-328-4944 polari Seattle WA 3/12 24 Equip ???; 8-lines, Trailblazer on 206-328-1468; $30/year (flat rate); Multi-user games, chat, full USENET. Contact: uunet!microsoft!happym!polari!bruceki 
	11/89 415-332-6106^ well Sausalito CA 12/24 24 6-processor Sequent Balance (32032); UUCP and USENET access; multiple lines; access via CPN; PICOSPAN BBS; $3/hour. Contact (415) 332-4335 
	10/89 408-725-0561^ portal Cupertino CA 3/12/24 24 Networked Suns (SunOS), multiple lines, Telenet access, no shell access fees: $10/month + Telenet charges (if used) @ various rates/times conferencing, multi user chats, usenet Portal is another place like the well with full usenet access.
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Date: Thu, 10 Oct 91 17:34:46 BST
From: Kevin Purcell <KPURCELL@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK
	ON CS/AOL: Compuserve is very expensive, but widely available and very popular! $12/hour. Some interesting new software runs on the Mac to hide the horrible character based interface. Everybody is here and all the software updates are posted here too. 
	AmericaOnline is very popular among mac users and is reasonable priced. The software runs on the Mac and is very Mac-like (updates come down the phone line automatically). No external mail to the Internet. $8/hour (I think) 
	BiX is the Byte network -- very cheap in offpeak, lots of technical groups (including Mac groups) and software. No external mail to Internet. $6/hour. 
	The Well is based in Sausalito, CA (the other side of the Golden Gate from SF). Stands for the Whole Earth ŒLectronic Link -- run by the older hippies who publish the Whole Earth Review. If you are vaguely alternative (from left wing to libertarian) you may find this an interesting addition to your online connections. Lots of interesting conferences. Good connectivity to the Internet for mail and usenet access. Its accessible via CPN (the CompuServe network -- just dial up the local node (a 800 number) and type WELL at the prompt. Pretty cheap $3 hour online charges plus connection fees. 
	Best bet of all -- public access unix. Lots of cities now have a unix machine that you can dial into, run by some kind spirited individual for a small profit. For example there are a whole bunch in Northern CA and NY, with some others scattered around the country. For example, in Seattle there is a machine called polari. This has full shell access, full Usenet, email. Almost always cheap (polari is $30 yearly fee + $3 hour). If there are a local call away (free for $20 month) then they are a very good bet. 
	Also ask at the local U -- some have free dialin for anonymous FTP or some may give you a small account for a small charge. Another possibility id to setup your mac as a uucp host and send a receive mail from it. This involves finding the right software (there is a lot of free and cheap software around) and arranging with a uucp site to take your mail (ask the locals, youıll find a university/company/hackers with uucp connections). 
	Finally there is FIDOnet an autonomous network of connected computers that span the world. Cheap and an interesting collection of conferences. Ask around to find the local user group. 
	As you can see there are a lot of possibilities -- you may end up better connected that you are now (though with BITNET that's not too difficult :-) My choices (which favour my techie bent) will be public access unix and the Well first then BiX and maybe AmericaOnline. Iım hoping to setup my own uucp node for mail and usenet a little later. There are a few other services I havenıt covered -- but theyıre less interesting.
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Date: Sat, 12 Oct 91 02:17:54 +0100
From: jon@stekt.oulu.fi
	ON ACCESS: Say you are a student. OK. If you go to study overseas there should be no problem at all. A user account to a student computer is not a privilege, but goes without saying. If you need a reason, select computer related courses. If you canıt find any, tell you need a userID to FTP to the Library of Congress to get a file which says why a student user account should be a goes-without-saying :-) And that was not a joke, the file exists. 
	Say you go in order to work, on holiday etc. Still contact the local university and especially its computer department and the operators who can give you a userID. Donıt phone, but meet people personally and charm them! Show you know what you are talking about, that you are not a beginner, can be trusted and you really need userID, maybe for something connected to studying. (Worst thing is to walk in and say ³Hey! I want a user ID and fast.²) 
	No luck? Find local bulletin boards (BBS). After you have found one you can ask the operator where are more and sooner or later you will find one offering Internet email and news. These BBSıs are great info sources. 
	There are still some possibilities left, the phone-in unix machines and other networks. Some unix nodes carry BBSıs like normal phone-in boxes, but are still connected into Internet and offer email and news and some even a user account. These usually take some little fee. 
	Other interesting networks are e.g. freenet, FIDOnet, netcom, WELL, ProLine... there are more, generally they are normal BBSıs connected together and exchanging messages with each others. Like Internet on telephone lines... and these all are usually free or take only a very small fee. 
	The commercial services, like Compu$erve, Genie, American Online, are more expensive, but then offer you more (files, advices, services, entertainment... all available via Internet, when you know where to look). The info above comes mostly from alt.bbs.Internet, alt.bbs.lists, comp.archives.admin etc. news groups and just a little bit of personal experiences. I suggest you write to alt.bbs.lists and ask ³Anybody have list of bbsıs in area code xxx or in Yankee City area². 
	Oh yes, in every case you need to have a computer and a modem to connect these places, even the universities (remember to say youıll be using the user account only after business hours...). 
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Date: Fri, 11 Oct 91 05:21:10 PDT
From: REM@SUWATSON.stanford.edu 
	ON ACCESS: Have you considered renting an account on a public-access UseNet host (some free, most about $12/month)? Itıll provide UseNet newsgroups, e-mail, etc. Let me know if you are interested and need more info. (Or see the INFO-MAC posting [below] telling where my index of indexes can be found.)
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Date: Sat, 12 Oct 91 01:17:10 PDT
From: REM@SUWATSON.stanford.edu 
	ON ACCESS: Iıve seen several recent messages posted to INFO-MAC that werenıt specific to Macintoshes, rather they were general questions of the InterNet and other connected networks. Most of these messages might be better addressed to other interests groups: INFO-NETS@THINK.COM for general network how-to and problems; PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET for discussion about public-access computer systems including online library catalogs and information retrieval systems. But a lot of questions can be answered without posting a question, by simply reading the online indexes and documents that are available via anonymous FTP and file-servers. MaasInfo.TopIndex lists the major online indexes such as interest groups and public-access UseNet hosts, while MaasInfo.DocIndex lists the major online how-to documents such as archie and tutorials on general InterNet and BitNet services including fileservers. Hereıs where the MaasInfo files can be found: 

North America #1 (problems to bed_gdg@SHSU.edu): 
	To: FILESERV@SHSU.edu (BitNet: FILESERV@SHSU) 
	SENDME MAASINFO (to send the whole package, which includes all the below:) 
	SENDME MAASINFO.TOPINDEX* (just the three pieces of this one 57k file) 
	SENDME MAASINFO.DOCINDEX (etc. for all the other files, none of them split) 
	DIRECTORY MaasInfo (annotated directory of MaasInfo files in server format) 
	FTP Niord.SHSU.edu (192.92.115.8) maasinfo/ 
	MAASINFO_FOR_FTP.TOPINDEX (57k, all in one piece for FTP only) 
	MAASINFO.DOCINDEX (etc. for all the other files, none of them split) 
	FTP Niord.SHSU.edu (192.92.115.8) 
	MAASINFO.DESCRIPTION (annotated directory) 

North America #2 (problems to BILLY@UNTVAX or billy@vaxb.acs.unt.edu): 
	FTP VAXB.ACS.UNT.EDU (129.120.1.4) 
	ARTICLES/MAAS/MAASINFO.TOPINDEX 

Europe - United Kingdom (problems to CIJS03@VAXB.STRATHCLYDE.AC.UK): 
	From the InterNet do all this; from JANET omit the first two steps: 
	TELNET SUN.NSF.AC.UK 
	Login: janet hostname: UK.AC.GLASGOW.BUBL 
		(JANET domain-names reversed from InterNet) 
	After specifying the terminal type, then pressing return to get the main menu, select entree D--Directories, and in the sub-menu select D10--Maas (was misspelled when I tried, but it may be fixed by now). Note: You cannot formally FTP these files, but you can print to screen, and collect a transcript locally if your terminal emulator has that capability, then edit out the prompts for each new page when you are offline. You can also have a copy e-mailed to your host; send your request to D. M. Nicholson <CIJS03@vaxb.strathclyde.ac.uk (remember to reverse the domain-style name, thus actually uk.ac.strathclyde.vaxb, if you are on JANET instead of InterNet.) 

Europe - Continental: There is no FTP or fileserver access yet, but somebody in Greece has volunteered to set up an FTP host soon, and in the meantime to manually send copies by e-mail to interested people. 
	Send your request to: 
	Bitnet: VARVERI@GRATHDEM 
	Internet: evarveri@isosun.ariadne-t.gr 
	x400: c=gr;prmd=ariadne-t;o=ariadne-t;ou=isosun;s=varveri 

Australia #1 (problems to G.Huston@aarnet.edu.au): 
	FTP aarnet.edu.au (139.130.204.4) pub/doc/MaasInfo.TopIndex.V0.14 
	(The 0.14 is the version number, which will vary.) 

Australia #2 (problems to Steven.Bittinger@cc.utas.edu.au): 
	FTP ftp.utas.edu.au (131.217.10.1) /pub/doc/MAASINFO.TOPINDEX 
	See MaasInfo.Files (3k) for an annotated list of all MaasInfo files.

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