PE>> I don't think this is correct. Thousands of people use UUCP
PE>> every day, just like fido. 

BL> Yes, but only one at a time... if your ISR uses a queer compress,
BL> then his users can use the complementary decpompress.

BL> For instance, what the hell is used on that NEWSXMPL.z file of
BL> yours? I know all the headers of the common archives, and it's none of
BL> those...

It is compressed using "unix compress", a compress program also
available on dos/os2.  I think there's an "rbatch" or something
at the beginning that needs to be stripped off before giving it to
compress.

BL>> That leaves me with a core UUCP reader at my end, and some sort
BL>> of UNIX fuckup to connect the ISP. I suppose If

PE>> You don't need any unix software to do UUCP.

BL> Don't you? Every explanation I've read needs a little batch file
BL> thingie or even a massive C file you have to send.

You need to set up a "chat script", which is nothing to do with unix.

PE>> What I intend doing is making happyvalley.avt available as a
PE>> newsgroup, along with happyvalley.locuser, BUT, with no-one in
PE>> them! Except me, you and anyone else calling here. Just as with
PE>> fidonet, anyone who wants the echos will start calling me, or
PE>> someone who feeds from me. You see, I don't have any control
PE>> over this, so I have no idea what will happen.

BL> If you do it this way, it'll die (IMO). Inertia alone will leave
BL> people where they are, and to continue talking to them, I'll have to
BL> go where they are. You need a crossover period when both technologies
BL> run side-by-side, the way it's always done.

If it comes to the crunch, they will die, and you'll only see me if you
collect comp.lang.c etc.

PE>> I believe John T is planning on connecting, and maybe even
PE>> CONVERTING the newsgroups into fidonet PKT format, so that the
PE>> existing people in fidonet will be able to connect to the new
PE>> newsgroups with their old software. I personally would prefer
PE>> that everyone uses the new internet technology rather than
PE>> fido, but there is no restriction on gating. 

BL> This is what needs to be done. It would be better if there was just
BL> the one AVT using different names on Fido and the Net.

This is fine, but I have no intention of doing it MYSELF so offer no guarantees.

PE>> Transporting stuff over the internet will be an option. Oh,
PE>> BTW, I don't have "free time" anymore, because I went a
PE>> different route (at ISP request), which doesn't have any
PE>> minimum monthly charge. 

BL> Whatever... it still comes to fairly negligible charges for mail
BL> when it's only $0.60 an hour.

$3/hour with my current account + usage.

BL>> Now Paul is saying that AVT and LOCUSER will die, not just in
BL>> name but in content. 

PE>> Only you can control that!

BL> Don't talk PR-ese, Paul. Human nature is fairly predictable and
BL> there is not a lot I can do to change that. If you create a new echo
BL> on the Internet you will be talking to yourself for a long time before
BL> the rest of the AVTechers get around to sorting it out... and in the
BL> meantime we'll be asking "Whatever happened to that mad bastard...
BL> Paul, was it? You know, the guy who bought a Sigma...?"
"He was eaten
BL> by pigeons." "Was he? I thought he just dropped off his twig."

I told you some time ago I was going to the internet.  If you want to know
where the Sigma guy is, he'll be on the internet, and you can either join
the internet via an ISP yourself, and collect comp.lang.c, which is
probably the only place I'll be, or you can pick up a couple of local
(possibly dead) newsgroups if you poll me directly.

BFN.  Paul.
@EOT:

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