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Date:         Mon, 11 Jan 1993 10:33:23 -0500
Reply-To:     John C Klensin <KLENSIN@INFOODS.MIT.EDU>
              <DEVEL-L@AUVM.BITNET>
From:         John C Klensin <KLENSIN@INFOODS.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      Announcement: Low cost network start-up resource center

Announcement:  Network Startup Resource Center

We have received a small grant from NSF to provide assistance to people
setting up networks in developing areas that will provide links for
collaboration with US scientists.  The facilities and information
databases we are constructing are oriented toward start-up assistance,
and include both one-on-one assistance and accumulating archives of
relevant files (see below).

Beyond that, it may be easier to describe our area of specialization by
pointing out some activities in which we are not engaging.  Our file
archives are intended to complement, not compete with, the archives of
information about networks in various areas of the world being
maintained by Larry Landweber and Larry Press, among others.  Our
efforts are oriented toward network engineering.  For example, there is
little point asking us whether there are network connections in
location X unless you are prepared, with some technical assistance, to
take an active role in starting one if one does not exist.  To put this
differently, the best sources of information about network availability
in various locations remain the usual publications, the lists and
archives, various directories and servers, and the info-nets list.
Similarly, the best internet source for information about general
development issues remains DEVEL-L and related lists.

Because of this start-up orientation, our "network" emphasis also tends
to be at the lower end: closer to connections using cans and wet string
than to multi-megabit links, although we are quite happy to use
whatever we can get.  We believe that the low-end technology has
advanced to the point that any competent scientifically trained
individual can set up a low-cost network host capable of communicating
with others (typically Fidonet, UUCP, or SLIP/PPP), and that the main
obstacle is the lack of easily available adequate documentation and
easily installed tools aimed toward that type of person, as well as an
unwarranted degree of mystery about the process.

If questions appear on info-nets or DEVEL-L on topics within the scope
of this effort or in which we have special expertise, we will respond:
no special additional effort is needed.

The archives of text files can be browsed by connecting to the gopher
at gopher.psg.com.  If you do not have a gopher client, telnet to
gopher.psg.com and login as gopher.  Tools, startup kits, and more text
files are available from ftp.psg.com.  We are also willing to send
tools and books by post to developing areas with no current network
access.

Naturally, we are actively soliciting new documentation about entry
level networking, tools, kits, and gossip about connectivity to the
developing regions.

If you need to reach us directly, the preferred mailing address is
lowcost-net@psg.com or, if you prefer, lowcost-net@infoods.unu.edu.

  Randy Bush      John Klensin
  randy@psg.com   klensin@infoods.unu.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU