From: madsere@okys.infoserv.com (Rene Madsen)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Re: News in Europe (was FAS 2.10 async driver...)
Date: 27 Aug 92 15:24:56 GMT
Organization: Brackton Ltd. Luxembourg

In article <2504@aegis.or.jp>, davidg@aegis.or.jp (Dave McLane) writes:
> madsere@okys.infoserv.com (Rene Madsen) writes:
> 
> [* incredibly long quote (for someone trying to save money) omitted *]

I think you misunderstood me. I am not out to save money at all cost. If 
I was, I would no longer be subscribing to usenet!

I apparently have to repeat what I wrote in the post: There is a reason
for the news group system. People can subscribe to their need! FAS is 
is many people's need, but probably also something that many people 
either can live without, get from alt.source or pick from a ftp archive.
 
> When I first read about how somebody in Europe was dialing the U.S. to
> get a feed, it seemed odd, to say the least.
> 
[ details about WINC omitted ]

Yup, that is apparently just like Europa. It _is_ possible to get a
news feed from one of the universities, but the prices I have got 
so far are _far_ above the price for the US connection (phone lines
included) I'm still looking though.

> >Asbestos suit on, gloves, boots ... ok ready for the flames ;-)
> 
> I think you will find the flames were directed at 1) calling a
> well respected poster a 'bastard' and 2) not providing enough
> information such that one could understand the your situation.

1) I agree that the language was unnecceary, and so was the language
several replies came in.
2) I have seen at least one posting here saying something like: 'if
you don't like the situation then get lost'. I repeat again: There
is a reason for the news group system! (look above). Who is to judge
what software is 'important enough' to be submitted to a non-source 
group? Personally I have several programs that I would concider 
equal important. 

[stuff deleted]
> It might help even more if you would tell us why one of the sites in
> your area can't get the feed from the U.S. and provide it to others. 
> Not a flame: I want to understand the situation.

Which sites? The only sites I know of in this area are the 'official'
backbones run by the university of Belgium and the university of
Luxembourg. They both charge extreme amounts of money for the service.
A lot more than I can get it for in the states.  As an example, I'm
currenly paying annually ~$165 for a maximum of 33MB (news and mail),
plus a $15 activation fee. The phonebill for this would, with the
current 400 cps that is possible on a standard (read lousy quality)
atlantic phone line, be ~$1,400. That's a total of ~$1,580 for the 
first year.

Buug, the belgian university charges a ~$650 activation fee AND ~$.20 pr
KB transmission fee. To compare to the above, that would be $2,300 for
the first year, plus phone cost ~$700 giving $3,000.

Luug, the Luxembourg university has a similar charge (actually based
on that of Belgium) but is only just starting up, and can, as far as
I know, not even provide the service yet.

The universities say, that one reason that they're so expensive is their
atlantic phone cost, which I can't understand ... but I guess _someone_
has to pay for the university's (the students) own use of usenet.


-- 
Rene Madsen                
Unix Systems Support/Dev.       
madsere@okys.infoserv.com