Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!oliveb!apple!voder!pyramid!prls!mips!wyse!mcdchg!usenet
From: kow...@studsys.mu.edu (kowalski)
Newsgroups: comp.newprod,comp.dcom.modems
Subject: HST Package for USENET
Keywords: HST USENET
Message-ID: <18612@mcdchg.chi.il.us>
Date: 15 Mar 89 00:11:26 GMT
Sender: use...@mcdchg.chi.il.us
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Marquette University - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Lines: 116
Approved: use...@mcdchg.UUCP
[This doesn't seem to be (strictly speaking) a new product announcement,
but seemed like it might have wide-spread interest. I apologize to any
offended by its nature. -mod]
USENET NODES
NOW
GET UNIVERSAL HIGH SPEED
MODEM COMPATIBILITY AND SAVE
$1,100!!
As a USENET node, I'm sure you are interested in reduced board time and
lower phone bills through the use of high speed modems. However, up to
now you had to choose a proprietary non-standard high speed modem or a
high priced incompatible V.32 modem.
Now authorized USENET nodes can upgrade their boards to full V.32
compatibility at an extraordinary savings.
U.S. Robotics-- the leader in high speed modems to the sysop community--
is offering USENET nodes the fully CCITT V.32 compatible, Courier Dual
Standard high speed modem for only $699. A savings of $900 off the list
price!
UNIVERSAL COMPATIBILITY FOR YOUR BOARD!!!
V.32 is the CCITT standard for high speed modems (9600 bps). It is the
only standard. The HST is the defacto standard for sysop communications
with over 5,000 nodes installed.
With the HST Dual Standard, you now can have both.
That's right, 9600 bps world wide V.32 compatibility, plus access to the
entire installed base of HST's. And at a price some companies charge for
their 2400 bps modems.
The HST Dual Standard supports not only high speed V.32, but also 2400,
1200, and 300 bps, ensuring you that your node can now talk to everyone--
worldwide!
A special bonus for High Speed modem users--
Over the years, many of you may have purchased non-standard modems. The
problem-- they are only single sourced and they are NOT V.32 compatible.
If you have one of these non-standard products (and we won't mention any
names), USR will give you a special bonus--
Get HST/ix software (a $300 value) for $100-- an additional $200
savings!!!
The HST/ix software provides full UUCP communications, plus data
compression for through put up to 30,000 bps. It's one of the most
powerful UNIX communications products on the market-- and we'll give you
this software at $200 off the suggested retail price if you give us your
old modem in exchange for the Dual Standard. That's right-- give us your
old modem and we'll give you $200 off the price of HST/ix software.*
You get--
- Universal Modulation Compatibility-- V.32, V.22 bis, V.21, Bell
103, plus HST mode;
- Powerful Communications Software; AND
- $1,100 off our suggested list price of both
products !!!
ACT NOW - it's a unique opportunity. Here's all you need to do:
1.) First contact USR at 1-800-Dial USR and speak to Susan Pompa--
she'll ask you a few questions about your board.
2.) Then send us $699 (check or money order). Don't send us your old
modem yet-- we wouldn't want your board to be down for one minute.
3.) When you receive your USR Dual Standard, install it on your board
and send us your warranty card, your old modem and $100. We'll send
you the HST/ix software, a $300 value.
The only restriction-- you must be a valid USENET node and you must act
before April 30, 1989.
You're important to U.S. Robotics.
USR has been the sysop standard for over four years-- first with our
Courier 2400 then with the high speed Courier HST. We have a long term
commitment to BBS operators. We believe that you are important to us and
to our industry-- and we want to support your efforts. We want to help
you maintain your board with the latest communications equipment.
With the HST Dual Standard, we have the best USENET node solution. In
short--your node will be able to communicate with everyone. It's our way
of introducing the product to the UNIX community and to support your
USENET efforts.
Now--Don't forget!!
You must act before April 30, 1989 to get the--
- HST Dual Standard (with full V.32 compatibility), PLUS -
HST/ix software,
AND - Save $1,100.
We appreciate the opportunity to support you and I hope you take
advantage of this great opportunity.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Polychron
Director of North American Sales
P.S. Remember to get the ball rolling, just call Susan Pompa at 1-800-
Dial USR or 312-982-5001.
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!pprg.unm.edu!hc!lll-winken!lll-lcc!pyramid!csg
From: c...@pyramid.pyramid.com (Carl S. Gutekunst)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: HST Package for USENET
Keywords: HST USENET
Message-ID: <62642@pyramid.pyramid.com>
Date: 15 Mar 89 10:29:08 GMT
References: <18612@mcdchg.chi.il.us>
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 43
In article <18...@mcdchg.chi.il.us> kow...@studsys.mu.edu (kowalski) writes:
>[I apologize to any offended by its nature. -mod]
Offended? No. Puzzled, certainly. Amused, too.
>USENET NODES....
>As a USENET node, I'm sure you are interested in reduced board time....
Node? Board time? Is that something like MTBF?
>Now authorized USENET nodes can upgrade their boards....
Boards? Those are what I plug into my card cage.
>U.S. Robotics-- the leader in high speed modems to the sysop community....
Sysop? Is that something like system call? Or pseudo op?
I hate to publically belittle a vendor, but it is pretty obvious that USR took
their generic BBS offer, and did a global-search-and replace from "Fidonet" or
whatever to "Usenet." How can I expect USR to respond to my needs when they
won't even bother to investigate Usenet enough to get the terminology right?
Usenet is not a BBS, but apparently USR doesn't understand that.
The entire premise of this article is that Telebit offers only a proprietary
non-standard modem, and USR is offering standard modems. This neatly neglects
to mention that USR has been selling "proprietary non-standard" modems for
years, and of course also neglects the fact that Telebit is also now selling
true V.32 modems. Even the name "Dual Standard" is terribly pompous, since it
suggests that the HST proprietary protocol somehow became a "standard." Well,
yes, maybe to the BBS community. But I'm a Usenet "node," what do I care about
BBS standards that I cannot use? I *do* care about the "dual standard" Telebit
T2500; I can use *both* of its "standards."
For that matter, even today true V.32 modems are not exactly falling off the
trees. This will change over the next year or two, but I'm sure not throwing
my TrailBlazer away yet. Telebit has proven they will bend over backwards to
meet my needs. USR has proven only that they can make an inexpensive modem.
The new USR modem may be a terrific product. But this announcement turns me
off something awful.
<csg>
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!amdahl!pacbell!ditka!qiclab!sopwith!snoopy
From: sno...@sopwith.UUCP (Snoopy)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: HST Package for USENET
Keywords: HST USENET
Message-ID: <142@sopwith.UUCP>
Date: 19 Mar 89 03:34:34 GMT
References: <18612@mcdchg.chi.il.us>
Reply-To: sno...@sopwith.UUCP (Snoopy)
Organization: The Daisy Hill Puppy Farm
Lines: 130
In article <18...@mcdchg.chi.il.us> kow...@studsys.mu.edu (kowalski) writes:
| GET UNIVERSAL HIGH SPEED
| MODEM COMPATIBILITY AND SAVE
| $1,100!!
A "universal" high speed modem that doesn't speak the most common
high speed modem protocol on usenet. Doesn't sound very universal
or compatible to me.
| As a USENET node, I'm sure you are interested in reduced board time and
| lower phone bills through the use of high speed modems. However, up to
| now you had to choose a proprietary non-standard high speed modem or a
| high priced incompatible V.32 modem.
I've heard of atime, ctime, mtime, GMT time, and localtime, but this
"board" time is a new one. Must have something to do with being
universally incompatible.
| Now authorized USENET nodes can upgrade their boards to full V.32
| compatibility at an extraordinary savings.
I guess unauthorized USENET nodes like kremvax are out of luck.
| U.S. Robotics-- the leader in high speed modems to the sysop community--
| is offering USENET nodes the fully CCITT V.32 compatible, Courier Dual
| Standard high speed modem for only $699. A savings of $900 off the list
| price!
I paid less than that for my modem and it goes faster.
| That's right, 9600 bps world wide V.32 compatibility, plus access to the
| entire installed base of HST's. And at a price some companies charge for
| their 2400 bps modems.
What companies currently charge $699 for a 2400 baud modem and how many
are they selling? Many 2400 baud modems sell for significantly less.
| The HST Dual Standard supports not only high speed V.32, but also 2400,
| 1200, and 300 bps, ensuring you that your node can now talk to everyone--
| worldwide!
But it can't talk at high speed to anyone I talk to.
| A special bonus for High Speed modem users--
|
| Over the years, many of you may have purchased non-standard modems. The
| problem-- they are only single sourced and they are NOT V.32 compatible.
| If you have one of these non-standard products (and we won't mention any
| names), USR will give you a special bonus--
|
| Get HST/ix software (a $300 value) for $100-- an additional $200
| savings!!!
Let me guess, a MS-DOS binary?
| 1.) First contact USR at 1-800-Dial USR and speak to Susan Pompa--
| she'll ask you a few questions about your board.
My board is made of Lexan (tm) and I slice tomatoes on it.
| 2.) Then send us $699 (check or money order). Don't send us your old
| modem yet-- we wouldn't want your board to be down for one minute.
But I don't use my old modem to slice tomatoes. It would be a pain to clean.
| 3.) When you receive your USR Dual Standard, install it on your board
| and send us your warranty card, your old modem and $100. We'll send
| you the HST/ix software, a $300 value.
I hope the USR Dual Standard is dishwasher safe. Oh, I get it, dual
standard means you can wash it by hand *or* in the dishwasher! Sort of
expensive for slicing tomatoes on, though. I think I'll keep my lexan.
| You're important to U.S. Robotics.
So important that U.S. Robotics is willing to make a fool of themselves
by going after our business without having the slightest idea of what
we want or need in a modem.
| We want to help you maintain your board with the latest communications
| equipment.
Thank you, but I think my cutting board can get by without it.
| With the HST Dual Standard, we have the best USENET node solution.
No you don't.
| In short--your node will be able to communicate with everyone.
No, my node can communicate with everybody now, but if I used your
modem I'd be stuck at 2400.
| It's our way of introducing the product to the UNIX community and to
| support your USENET efforts.
If you are interested in the USENET market, I suggest you learn a thing
or two about it. First, the vast majority of traffic is compressed in
the host. For good reason, it's more efficent that way. So don't bother
quoting throughput figures using compression in the modem. We don't care.
Second, what counts in a USENET modem are: (1) throughput sending compressed
news batches via UUCP 'g' protocol, (2) ability to maintain a connection and
reasonable throughput when the phone line quality is poor, (3) reliability
of the hardware and good technical support when problems occur, (4) use
of the 'AT' command set is probably a good idea, (5) decent interactive
response for dial-up sessions, (6) SLIP support may very well become
important in the near future, (7) some sites would like FAX support,
(8) naturally, it also needs to speak 2400/1200/300
Items 1 and 2 are currently best achieved via the PEP(tm) protocol. There
is therefore a large installed base of PEP modems, and any high-speed modem
wishing to penetrate the usenet market had better talk PEP. V.32 would
be nice, but probably not essential to most sites at this time. Sites
that also talk to BBS systems might care about talking HST.
Usenet sites run on a wide variety of hardware which are *not* binary
compatable with each other, and never will be. Software needs to be
source, in a very common, efficient language. C is a good choice.
A modem that talks PEP and V.32 and HST and 2400/1200/300 might be
very popular. Anything less is NOT universal. Naturally, the price
would have to be reasonable.
Good luck.
_____
/_____\ Snoopy "My dot-matrix does Postscript."
/_______\
|___| tekecs.wv.tek.com!sopwith!snoopy qiclab!sopwith!snoopy
|___| sun!nosun!illian!sopwith!snoopy parsely!sopwith!snoopy
Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!oberon!skat.usc.edu!chris
From: ch...@skat.usc.edu (Christopher Ho)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: HST Package for USENET
Keywords: HST USENET
Message-ID: <15994@oberon.USC.EDU>
Date: 20 Mar 89 21:53:05 GMT
Sender: n...@oberon.USC.EDU
Reply-To: ch...@skat.usc.edu (Christopher Ho)
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Lines: 37
In article <1...@sopwith.UUCP> sno...@sopwith.UUCP (Snoopy) writes:
>In article <18...@mcdchg.chi.il.us> kow...@studsys.mu.edu (kowalski) writes:
>| GET UNIVERSAL HIGH SPEED
>| MODEM COMPATIBILITY AND SAVE
[...]
>A "universal" high speed modem that doesn't speak the most common
>high speed modem protocol on usenet. Doesn't sound very universal
[...]
>Second, what counts in a USENET modem are: (1) throughput sending compressed
>news batches via UUCP 'g' protocol, (2) ability to maintain a connection and
>reasonable throughput when the phone line quality is poor, (3) reliability
[...]
>Items 1 and 2 are currently best achieved via the PEP(tm) protocol. There
>is therefore a large installed base of PEP modems, and any high-speed modem
>wishing to penetrate the usenet market had better talk PEP. V.32 would
>be nice, but probably not essential to most sites at this time. Sites
[...]
>A modem that talks PEP and V.32 and HST and 2400/1200/300 might be
>very popular. Anything less is NOT universal. Naturally, the price
Despite the marginal advantages of Telebit's PEP, it is a proprietary
protocol. As such, it is unfortunately doomed in the long run to only
a passing mention in a history chapter. How many of you remember (or
more importantly, use) Racal-Vadic's 1200 bps protocol? 'Nuff said.
The reason protocol spoofing was added on Telebits was because of the
relatively high overhead of turning the PEP channel around. V.32
doesn't suffer from this problem.
Our organization waited a long time for V.32 modems to come down to
reasonable prices. Although I chafed impatiently and suggested
Telebits several times, I'm now convinced we did The Right Thing.
It's not clear what useful purpose Snoopy's scathing article serves.
A $699 price is very competitive for a V.32 modem.
Chris
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!oliveb!pyramid!csg
From: c...@pyramid.pyramid.com (Carl S. Gutekunst)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: HST Package for USENET
Keywords: HST USENET
Message-ID: <63451@pyramid.pyramid.com>
Date: 21 Mar 89 18:17:46 GMT
References: <15994@oberon.USC.EDU>
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 43
In article <15...@oberon.USC.EDU> ch...@skat.usc.edu (Christopher Ho) writes:
>Despite the marginal advantages of Telebit's PEP....
Prove to me they are only "marginal" better. I say DAMQAM/PEP, for basically
half-duplex communication like UUCP, is a *lot* better.
>...it is a proprietary protocol. As such, it is unfortunately doomed in the
>long run to only a passing mention in a history chapter.
Like Bell 212A, also a "proprietary" protocol? At least two other companies
are now licensed to manufacture PEP modems.
>How many of you remember (or more importantly, use) Racal-Vadic's 1200 bps
>protocol?
The RV 1200bps protocol died because you couldn't talk to anyone with it,
and it wasn't significantly better than Bell 212A. On the other hand, out of
350 UUCP sites we talk to, my TrailBlazer talks to well over half of them.
>The reason protocol spoofing was added on Telebits was because of the
>relatively high overhead of turning the PEP channel around. V.32 doesn't
>suffer from this problem.
True. V.32 suffers from other problems.
>Our organization waited a long time for V.32 modems to come down to
>reasonable prices. Although I chafed impatiently and suggested
>Telebits several times, I'm now convinced we did The Right Thing.
No. You did the wrong thing. My six TrailBlazers paid for themselves on just
local calls. Never mind the many thousands I saved on long distance. We would
have dropped off the USENET if it weren't for the TrailBlazers, and we have
several BayBone sites that use TrailBlazers exclusively.
>A $699 price is very competitive for a V.32 modem.
Oh yes! I agree emphatically with this. And for those of us with applications
that really need V.32 -- SNA/SDLC, or X.25 for example -- I am going to stock
up. But for USENET, there is no one talk to to, unless I use my TrailBlazer.
USR's half-hearted attempt to appeal to my USENET applications is not going
to cause me to buy any of their modems.
<csg>
|