Networks considered harmful/Re: USENIX board studies UUCP

[Stuart Lynne]

In article <7387 at ficc.uu.net> peter at ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) writes:
>In article <106 at van-bc.UUCP> sl at van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne) writes:
>> First anything you do shouldn't disenfranchise the existing successful base
>> that is using fax technology. Your new protocol should be able to send
>> "email" to a fax machine and receive and print a fax from a fax machine. 
>
>I disagree. The main consideration should be to avoid disenfranchising the
>people currently using existing email systems. This should be something
>that someone with a PC and a $100 modem can hook into. This isn't intended
>to be an enhancement to FAX, but an enhancement to email: UUCP, SMTP,
>MCI-Mail, Compuserve, and so on.

I see, anyone with a $100 dollar modem can use any of these networks *right*
now for just the cost of the phone call. Right.

>> Of course this implies that you'll need a V.29 modem and be able to support
>> the T.30 protocols.
>
>Which is why it's pretty much out of the question. These are relatively
>expensive modems and definitely complex protocols. This is out of reach
>And the end product can be built a LOT cheaper. An IBM-PC clone with a
>1200 baud internal modem is in the few hundred dollar range. And then
>there are all the people with Commodore-64s. You're talking a complete
>system that costs less than a FAX modem alone.

I've seen add's (maybe bogus, who knows) for $195 Fax Board plus software
for an IBM PC. Well ok that's more than $100. But certainly less than your
complete pc (generic) plus 1200 bps modem. With the introduction of the
Yamaha Fax Chip I think you'll see a dramatic drop for these types of boards
over the next two years. Up until recently Rockwell had a lock on the market
and didn't have any real competition to force them to bring the prices
down.


What you seem to be proposing here is YAEFSMS (Yet Another From Scratch EMail 
Standard).

What I'm suggesting is extending an existing successful standard. Specifically
transferring RFC-822 compatible messages using the proposed Fax FTP
standard.

You want people to figure out a new set of protocols for connecting,
establishing a common protocol, using a slow signalling technology, and
start from scratch. A suggestion - might be easier to start with Fido stuff
and work sideways.

I want people to utilize an existing set of protocols for connecting and
setting up the call, a faster signalling technology, and be able to hook
into a very large and successful user base; with the addition of some simple
mail transfer protocols to be used only when there is a computer at each end
of the connection (ie no *real* fax machines). 

-- 
Stuart.Lynne at wimsey.bc.ca ubc-cs!van-bc!sl 604-937-7532(voice) 604-939-4768(fax)