Open Computing ``Hands-On'': ``PC-Unix Connection'' Column: April 94

The Internet Connection

Making the move to cyberhood? Hooking up to the Internet doesn't always mean
skipping the rent

By Tom Yager

It's good to be connected. There's something magical about entering a
command into the system on your desk and having a machine halfway around the
world bow to your request. Usenet, the worldwide distributed bulletin board
system with thousands of discussion groups and plenty of free space,
delivers some of this power, but it lacks immediacy. The files you ask for
today might show up tomorrow. Or the next day. Or it might take you that
long to find out you didn't form your request properly. No, for sheer,
unadulterated network thrills, you have to go all the way: to the Internet.

An Internet connection turns a mere computer into an access terminal to the
world's most amazing example of organized anarchy. You can reach through a
wire and ftp files from remote archives holding everything from 3-D models
to operating-system source code. Tap into Archie to search dozens of archive
sites for specific files. Grab weather reports, movie reviews, electronic
books, and other goodies through a friendly gopher menu-driven interface.
There's Internet Relay Chat, Multiuser Dungeons (MUDs), and Internet
bulletin board systems (BBSs), and, of course, the World Wide Web. This
global village stuff can be addicting.

Getting connected to the Internet used to be as easy as milking a flea. To
hook up, you had two choices: buy an expensive leased line to another
Internet site, or get a log-in account on someone's net-connected system.
The people with the connections--government, universities, really big
companies-- seldom handed out log-ins. Their reluctance was partly out of
fear of hackers and crackers, and partly because goodwill doesn't have a
cash value. They were a little freer with UUCP accounts, and until recently
this was the approach for most of us commoners to get our mail and news.

Now some of the ``little people power'' that energizes the Usenet is finding
its way into the Internet domain. The most powerful solutions come from
commercial Internet service providers. These companies spend big money for a
high-speed Internet tap, then sell log-in accounts to those with a yen to
traffic in data. Depending on the speed of the link and the number of
subscribers, these services, offered by companies like Netcom and regional
providers like Texas Metronet, often deliver the fastest throughput on data
transfers. With a basic log-in account, you can use telnet, gopher, MUDs ,
and other interactive services. When you use ftp, the file is transferred to
the provider's hard disk. You then must use some transfer protocol (like
Zmodem) or UUCP to pull the file down to your computer.

Another level of service offered by some of these companies is the more
expensive SLIP and PPP These set your system up as an Internet node. The
provider is your gateway to the rest of the net, and a dial-up modem link
passes the TCP/IP packets to and fro. Providers offer both dial-up (on
demand) and dedicated SLIP and PPP connections.

In addition to the large corporate providers, there are now groups of
smaller players offering Internet services. Larger multiline BBSs,
particularly those in metropolitan areas, are gaining Internet access in
increasing numbers. These systems are perfect for those who want Internet
but don't feel comfortable with the Unix command line. BBS software usually
wraps ftp, telnet, and other services in friendly menu-driven shells. This
treatment opens up the power of the net to ``just plain folks.''

Considering Costs

Buying an Internet log-in account is easy; with new nodes sprouting up
almost daily, it's a real growth industry. As more providers appear, the
going rate for log-ins will drop. I've seen ads for Internet-equipped BBSs
boasting unlimited connect time for $10 per month. It's more likely, though,
that you'll see prices ranging from $15 to $50 dollars monthly. One of the
biggies, Netcom, charges $17.50 per month for unlimited time online.

Finding the right provider is one area where it really pays to shop around.
Dedicated SLIP and PPP connection rates have fallen low enough that
practically anyone with a fast computer and the right software can go into
business selling Internet accounts. The big players offer some measure of
safety, with telephone support and, generally, plans to minimize downtime.
These services account for the comparatively higher cost. BBSs and private
systems don't have the same support and reliability, but if your use of the
Internet is mostly casual, you may not mind a couple of crashes a month in
return for a smaller bill.

Larger providers usually throw in a reasonable amount of local disk storage;
five megabytes is typical, and that's generally a ``soft'' limit. You can
use more for a short time if you need to without incurring additional
charges. You should plan on moving files to your system swiftly, though; it
would be foolhardy to use these services as remote archives.

[Editor's note: Some Web sites that list Internet service providers
include:]

   * Internet World magazine's The List (http://www.thelist.com/)
   * Yahoo's List of Internet Presence Providers
     (http://www.yahoo.com/Business/Corporations/Internet_Presence_Providers).
   * Cornell University's Internet Access and Providers, both commerical and
     free (http://helpdesk-www.cit.cornell.edu/IAP/INAccess.html).
   * Network-USA's Global list of ISPs (http://www.netusa.net/ISP/).

A Good Mix

If you're unfamiliar with the treasures of the Internet, a good place to
explore them is on an equipped BBS or online service. My reigning favorite
is BIX, one of General Videotex Corp.'s services. BIX offers a variety of
local functions including a rich hierarchy of discussion groups, file areas,
and interactive chat (called "cbix"). The BIX software permits both
menu-driven and command-line navigation. Access is made easier by BIX's
connection to the Tymnet network, which has local access nodes in most U.S.
cities.

BIX's Internet services are shared with Delphi, GVC's other online service.
The level of service is quite complete, starting with an easy
electronic-mail address (somebody@bix.com). Outgoing Internet e-mail is no
extra charge, and you can address it directly to the recipient using the
same interface as that for local mail. Special versions of Telnet, Ftp, and
Gopher are integrated into BIX's command structure. They're always
available, and they're also included in the basic subscription.

A standout among BIX's Internet tools is Ftp. BIX programmers have devised a
crafty way to get around local (BIX) disk storage requirements. BIX's Ftp
program has embedded into it an X/Y/Zmodem file-transfer engine. You mark
all the files you want to download from a particular host and then transfer
them all at once with a single command. As packets are received from the
remote site, they're turned into file-transfer packets and sent straight to
your system. If you use Y or Zmodem, Ftp will batch your requested files
together and send them all in sequence. This process saves time, a big help
with a service that charges hourly, and eliminates the need to manage
storage on another system.

The BIX scheme, a mix of attractive local services with easy, no-cost
Internet access, is one I expect to see widely duplicated in the future.
Already, users of other pay services (like Compuserve and Prodigy) are
clamoring for more direct, less costly Internet access. BIX is one of the
best examples of the big, stable provider. It's got banks of phone support
people, fast computers, and from my experience so far, a very reliable
Internet link. The only drawback to BIX's approach is that a lengthy delay
in Ftp transmission can confuse a streaming protocol like Zmodem.

A Look Ahead

The past year has seen explosive growth in the number and quality of
Internet providers. It's not hard to see where all this growth will lead.
This year, we'll see dramatic improvements in modem technology, bringing
greater speed and reliability to connections made through ordinary
voice-grade phone lines. Regional Bell companies and others are laying the
groundwork for other types of communications links including digital
cellular, fiber-optic, and bidirectional cable. Before long, the leased line
will be a relic of the past, and Internet connections will be as simple as
cable TV.

In the near term, I expect to see prices for Internet log-in accounts
continue to drop. Right now, a prospective service provider has to shell out
about $200 per month for each 14.4-kbps dedicated SLIP and PPP link,
including phone line charges. A multiline BBS with a few dozen paying
subscribers can swing this easily, perhaps charging an additional $5 to $10
monthly to each user that wants the service. Imagine how the world would
change, though, if that dedicated link cost $100 per month or even less.
Falling prices will allow the Usenet effect to kick in, where individuals
and small companies put their computers, modems, and phone lines into free
service for the benefit of all. That community spirit is growing fast
throughout the Internet. When we can all afford to participate, the
potential of the shared ideas, shared instantly, is the stuff of dreams.

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Copyright © 1995 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Edited by Becca Thomas / Online Editor / UnixWorld Online /
editor@unixworld.com

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Last Modified: Friday, 08-Dec-95 17:41:40 PST