My previous message re my UUCP connection to UUNET has generated several questions in E-mail, as well as a recently posted question about "the $50 connections to UUNET", so I feel like I oughta answer the question(s) apparently created by my quick summary of my use of UUNET's services. UUNET will allow you to make a UUCP connection to their machines for an "administrative fee" of $36 per month, plus hourly connect rates. These rates are (as of my booklet rcvd from them in 1/93) $2.60/hr if you call their local dialup (NPA 703), and $5.60/hr if you dial in via the Compuserve packet network. Their local dialups support the PEP protocol as well as v.32 connections; I average around 700 cps when I dial in directly with v.32, and around 450 cps when I dial in via Compuserve. The $50 figure I quoted is my average monthly cost for a slow but steady trickle of mail (roughly 7K per day) and approximately 20 newsgroups, none of which are binary-oriented and none of which are super-high traffic. This includes my hourly cost for both direct-dial and Compuserve connections; I prefer to dial in directly, but have my Systems file set up to use Compuserve as a backup means of connection when the direct lines are busy (which happens with some frequency.) UUNET will register a domain name for you for free if you are a subscriber; if you do not subscribe to their service, the cost is $50. (I incorrectly quoted $25 for this to someone via E-mail.) UUNET sends a free copy of O'Reilly & Associates' _Managing uucp & Usenet_ when you sign up with them; great book, nice touch, probably saves them money for all of the questions it answers. To get in touch with UUNET: info@uunet.uu.net or 800-488-6384 I think you could also probably find some information files if you FTP'd to ftp.uu.net; I'm unsure about that and offer no guarantees. UUNET also offers a "low-volume" agreement that I don't know much about since I don't subscribe to it. I know that PSI offers similar service; my recollection is that they want $75/3mos for mail, and $225/3mos for news, flat-rate. PSI can be reached at 'info@psi.com' or 703-620-6651. I have no connection with UUNET beyond being a happy & satisfied customer; I've found them to be friendly & helpful and generally good to work with. The folks at PSI seem nice too but their prices for what I want right now are higher. UUNET and PSI both offer realtime IP connections, in addition to UUCP links like the one I use; call them for more information. -- Greg Broiles greg@goldenbear.com Golden Bear Consulting +1 503 465 0325 Box 12005 Eugene OR 97440 BBS: +1 503 687 7764