Hi Jonathan,

You wrote to me in OS2PROG:

JDBP>GW>
JDBP>  > Getting slightly on topic (sorry Peter) this is a sore point with me
JDBP>  > (and Andrew) because IBM EMEA DAP have moved completely to the Interne
JDBP>  > and have shut down their BBS. I have currently got no access to the DA
JDBP>  > except for specific messages to and from them (which I get through thi
JDBP>  > BBS which is Internet connected). So my main access to OS/2 programmin
JDBP>  > expertise is throgh this echo (and my thanks to all of you who help ou
JDBP>  > in answering the queries here, I'm learning by lurking).
JDBP>GW>

JDBP>  I find that extremely annoying too.  Fortunately, I can get onto the
JDBP>  DAP site from work.

Lucky you! I'd need to fork out at least 120 quid for an account with
Demon or other Internet provider (VAT reclaimed).

JDBP>  The *only* justification that I ever heard for it was that it is
JDBP>  cheaper for Europeans to make a long distance telephone calls to their
JDBP>  IP providers than it is for them to make international telephone calls
JDBP>  to the BBS.

Ahh. Not quite the full story I as I interpret what was posted and what
Mike Parker said to me. I believe the real reason (reading between the
lines) was a result of IBM policy that they had to have a presence on
the Internet (remember this happened about the time of WARP with its
built in IAK). They then claimed that the extra costs (in staffing) of
running a BBS could not be justified as everything was now available on
the Internet, together with the justification you've given.

I find it _very_ frustrating! I could call a BBS in the USA and
download the messages and files I got from the EMEA DAP BBS for less
(a _lot_ less) than the annual Internet connection fee I'd have to pay
to a UK provider :-(. I even suspect that with the typical Internet
connection times and data transfer rates the phone call costs would turn
out to be very similar for a local Internet connect to the LD BBS
connect...

JDBP>  It was never explained why, since the BBS was running Maximus, it
JDBP>  couldn't be arranged to have a secondary BBS in the IBM HQ in each
JDBP>  country, taking an echomail and filebone feed from the main one.  But
JDBP>  there you go.

They did have front-ends running Max around europe. The problem was that
the local sysops were not very good at running them and there were lots
of problems with links down, missing messages etc.

George

 * SLMR 2.1a * Wishing you a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year

--- Maximus/2 3.00