Re: (fwd) Netcom adds access in Denver area

[Sameer <sameer@uclink.berkeley.edu>]

> 
> Cyphertentacles and Extropiates,
> 
> Here's a convenient list of the latest Netcom sites, which span the U.S.
> 
> I've been happily using it (well, they changed to a new emacs
> yesterday and now my autowrap doesn't work....I hate having to spend a
> couple of hours on such a trivial matter) for a year and a half and I
> conservatively estimate I've influenced at least 30 people to sign up
> for it....too bad I don't get any usage credits for it.
> 
> The best things about it: flat monthly fee ($17.50), unlimited connect
> time, full range of services (much better than most universities have,
> folks tell me), and--best of all--your Netcom account won't change
> when you change jobs! And posting with Netcom presumably won't run the
> risk of angering your employer.
> 
> I'm thrilled that Netcom is expanding so rapidly. 
> 
	I don't want to bash netcom here.. I have an account and I'm
*quite* happy with it. (The accounts I have at my university are very
nice, but when 20 people have root, there's *no* security.)

	I have doubts, however, about how good a thing it is to have
*one* public access provider with such a wide net. It *is* a great
thing that now a netcom account doesn't mean that much about where I'm
located, so further privacy is available through that indirection. (Of
course, where I'm located is available via finger, but I provide that
information myself.)

	The problem I fear is a centralization of the net. If netcom
is the major provider for the entire country, then there's much more
risk of "network-disaster" if netcom dies for some reason. (Not
Imminent Death of the Net, but if, say, 20% of all users of the
internet who use a commercial provider use netcom, then a death of
netcom would be a serious blow to the net-population.)

	There's some aesthetic beauty, I think, in localized network
providers, but I can't root out a rational basis for that one.

	The fact, however, that I can be in any major city and *still*
have access to my netcom account with a local (or rather cheap) phone
call, is a *very* good thing, however. I *have* heard, though, that
the POPs outside the bay area only have 56K connections to the netcom
computers.. (From ping times to these sites, a friend of mine who runs
an *excellent* public access network site in Chicago, estimated these
things.) Has anyone who used both the Bay Area POPs and long-distance
POPs noticed a difference? File transfers?

	(Those in Chicago looking for network access, should look into
MCSNet-- Personally I prefer the level of service there to netcom, but
I've been with the guy for multiple years, so there's a level of bias
in there. [And I *think* there's a reference credit on MCSnet.. for
every person I get to subscribe for 3 months I think I get 2 weeks or
something like that.] 312-248-0900.. He will soon have a T1 and T1
POPs all over the Chicago area.)