From: adamsr@netcom.com (Rick Adams)
Subject: Re: GEnie/Internet gateway?
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 17:54:31 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)

In article <64121@cup.portal.com> Darla@cup.portal.com (Kuby - Downs) writes:
>
>Ken, yes, most of the people in this  newsgroup surely see it for 
>what it is. What you suggest, however is a bit of a waste of time
>because most of the responses you will get will be from the
>'free-flaggers' that frequent the board. Might I suggest emailing
>the newbies who post to that topic?
>
	Then the 1 who _does_ post will see it, but not the 10 who do not!

	By all means join those of us who _have_ been posting there.

>I've long since abandoned GEnie posts as an effective tool. The syops
>get paid based on the amount of use to their BB's. ALSO, the amount
>that someone downloads.  
>
	Nothing wrong with that so long as they permit free exchange of
information. The topic on the GENIEuse RT/BB dealing with Internet may
benefit Mark (the sysop for the RT) if we post in it - but he won't gain
_anything_ from the Internet access itself, so he has no reason to be
hostile toward our posts.

	It would be nice if GEnie would go over to salaried sysops, since it
would stop the petty competition and bickering that exists, but despite the
drawbacks some of the sysops are pretty good people to deal with anyway.

>I think a post stating the internet availabilty on OTHER commercial
>services and the prices would show the rip off.
>
	There have been several of those there.

	To raise an interesting issue (which I intend to raise on GEnie as
well), what will not be the policy on uuencoded program transfer?

	The _current_ policy (as set by Bill Lunden [sp?] while he was
general manager) was that transfer of programs via email was a violation of
GEnie policy unless XMODEM mail (which is surcharged) was used.

	Now, however, users who sign up for Internet may receive mail from
such sources as SIMTEL - which emails uuencoded program files upon request.
I've cited SIMTEL on the GENIEuse RT/BB and discussed the method of
obtaining files w/o challenge - as Andy states he has done on the RT he
manages (I've never visited it since it's in the pay area and paying to
discuss UNIX seems a bit absurd if you have Internet access). 

	It will be interesting to see if GEnie management bans this primary
use of Internet email _after_ they sign up a group of suckers at the $9.95
rate! If they _do_ it will mean that they are going to anger a _lot_ of
people - but if they _don't_ then the rule concerning XMODEM transfer
requirements will become pointless since, at the worst, all that will be
necessary to transfer files will be for both users to be signed up for
Internet access, and to spend the $0.40 (versus several dollars) to send the
program (uuencoded) from one GEnie/Internet account to the other!

	Hmmm.  The Software libraries will lose money. The pay side RT/BBs
will lose money (since anyone can subscribe to a list, who needs $6.00/hr
BBs?).  


	Either some _major_ limitations are planned for this service, or
GEnie plans to go flat rate.

	Why do I think that limitations are planned?

-- 
    rick.adams on GEnie   /|\        You are right from your side,        
     adamsr@netcom.com  /  |  \        And I am right from mine.          
    adamsr@irie.ais.org \ /|\ /  We're both just one too many mornings,   
   adamsr@norwich.bitnet  \|/  And a thousand miles behind. (c Bob Dylan) 
Newsgroups: alt.internet.services