The Mailbag


This area is where your letters to the editor and other Wimsey people will be featured. Please send questions and comments to Mr-Wimsey@Wimsey.com


Subject: Mail - Do I have a problem?

> The last two days when I *fetch mail* I get the message *no mail*. In the > past, I have left items like my billing info and they have always been there > when I return. No more. Is this me or the way it should be?
If you do not have the "leave mail on server" dialog checked, then your mail is deleted once it is picked up.
> Last night I posted a message to bc.general.  It was there when I looked later 
> that night, but tonight its gone.  All other messages in the string are still 
> there.  I appreciate your comments regarding your lack of control over other 
> areas of the Net but I am wondering if I have a general e-mail problem?
Usenet newsreaders generally only show you articles they think you haven't read. The is usually some sort of "show unread" menu selection.

Subject: uucp

I have seen the recent posts regarding uucp and the changes that are
taking place.  I am one of the sites that is having trouble with ERRORs
during uucp.  It is at least doubling my connect time.  If I am doing wrong,
what sort of things should I be looking for?  If not, I expect a partial
reimbursement of my connect time.

Thanks,
We have not yet determined exactly what is the problem. It seems to be very site specific, yet there is also a general rise in the error level (a small number of sites account for over 80% of the errors, the rest are spread evenly over all sites.)

We have ordered some lines with a different number specifically for UUCP sites and interactive users - these will be in on Aug 22 (we hope) and thereafter you may decide to use them rather than the general lines. The new lines will be directly onto our DigiBoard serial ports on wolfe rather than through the Livingstone portmasters. In the mean time, check that you are either not using ANY handshaking for UUCP, or that you are only using RTS/CTS (hardware) handshaking.

If we find that this is caused by our hardware or software, we will issue an appropriate credit. If you feel you are due one, please send a copy of your past 2 month's invoices to admin@wimsey.com and we will deal with them.

Subject: Question about SLIP accounts and the WWW

Hello. I have just started reading about Mosaic (yeah, I know, I'm horribly behind the times) and am wanting to play around with the WWW.

What I need to know is: how do I get a dialup SLIP account (currently I am using an interactive and a UUPC account for news and mail) and how do I access it. Also, what are the charges for SLIP access as compared to dialup or UUPC (I assume they are the same?)

I am using Trumpet Winsock and an alpha of Mosaic under Windows to connect to the WWW. If you could direct me to any additional information on how to install/use this software (the documentation that comes with it is rather sparse!) that would be much appreciated.

You already have SLIP capability.

Wimsey has embarked on a strategy of making all access accounts capable of using any of the different methods available - Interactive (dumb terminal mode), UUCP (batch store/forward), SLIP and PPP (serial link network).

The key to doing this is the use of modifiers to the login name you use when dialing into our terminal servers. There are 4 different modifiers at present, and 2 modes where no modifier is used.

	userid		used on its own gets you our UNIX prompt
	userid%ruucp	gets you a UUCP connection (ask for setup first)
	userid%slip	gets you a SLIP connection with server addressing
	userid%ppp	gets a PPP connection with server addressing
	userid%telnet	gets a telnet connection that asks you what system
			you want to access.

	In addition, if you use PPP and set your end for CHAP authentication
	you may simply connect and start a PPP session. Our system will use
	the PPP CHAP challenge/authenticate facility to allow/deny your
	connection.
You may get the latest version of some public and shareware software pre-configured for Wimsey's systems by logging on with a regular terminal package that recognizes X/Zmodem protocal. Use the 'userid' login above with your password to get to our UNIX prompt and type one of:

	macstart		gets you the package for the Apple MAC

	winstart		gets you the package for MS/Windows 3.1
We are putting together other packages for OS/2 as well.

NOTE: the mac package requires that you own a copy of MAC/TCP which is an Apple product. The least expensive way to get this is to purchase one of the Internet books that contain a MAC diskette with the program on it. Simply owning the book is enough, you don't need to install the disk - the MAC/TCP is already in the package we offer you. The book we are most familiar with is: The Internet Starter Kit for the MAC which is available from many bookstores including Cody's Books Ltd. who will mail one to you. Phone Michelle Wittkopf at (604)-464-5515. You can also get this book (and others) at Duthie Technical Books

		1701 West 3rd Avenue,
		Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1K7, Canada
		Tel: (604)732-7631 (fax)732-3765
		

Charges for these uses are all exactly the same as you are presently paying.


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