Connectivity Providers Database

From: trin@nwg.nectec.or.th (Trin Tantsetthi) To: randy (Randy Bush) Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1993 21:35:01 -0700 (PDT) Public Access Network Proposal A large scale but affordable one Trin Tantsetthi trin@nwg.nectec.or.th Digital Equipment (Thailand) Ltd Revision V1.0 July 11, 1991 This document is a result of a ten-month study on how to enable IT-related information sharing among interested communities in Thailand. It describes the author's personal view in designing a non-commercial public access network as well as operations, possible services and implementation of a central hub computer that facilitates such a network.  Preface The document is not copyright and can be distributed freely. It outlines the ideas and rationalization behind the needs, services that can be offered, design, and operations of a computer system which will be used as a central hub for the Public Access Network. The author welcomes comments on this proposal and will adjust it to address the interest of the public. Comments can be sent electronically to the account Trin Tantsetthi on the following bulletin boards: . Guacamole (FidoNet 6:608/49) +66-2-275-4966 . Post Database Interactive +66-2-238-3901 or +66-2-238-3902 . War on Virus +66-2-255-5981 or Internet address at trin@tlaeng.enet.dec.com, UUCP mail at ...decwrl!tlaeng.enet!trin, or by post office mail to: Trin Tantsetthi c/o Digital Equipment (Thailand) Ltd 9th Floor, Maneeya Center Building, 518/5 Ploenchit Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand 10330 Note: Throughout this document, the word Digital refers to Digital Equipment Corporation and/or its affiliates. Disclaimers: . Opinions on products and services mentioned in this proposal are solely those of the author. They do not reflect preferences, nor are they related to the business interests of the employer of the author. . The information contained herein is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation and/or its affiliates. Digital assumes no responsibility for the use or reliability of information in this document  Acknowledgement The author would like to thank his employer, Digital Equipment (Thailand) Ltd., for supporting the idea and for the offer to loan a VAX system to start such network. Also his Digital colleagues around the world who kindly point him to design/technical specifications for BBS and FidoNet technologies, tools and public domain packages. The author also expresses his sincerest gratitudes to the following individuals who have reviewed the proposal and gave valuable feedbacks to improve the idea about the network to best serve public interests. Alan Dawson, Andy Canfield, Ian Stewart, John DeHaven, Kanchana Kanchanasut, Kriengsak Chalermtiragool, Thaweesak Koanantakul, Tony Waltham, Voradesh Yenbut and Yunyong Teng-amnuay. The following names are either trademarks, registered trademarks of the person and/or company named: EchoMail - Jess Rush FidoNet - Tom Jennings, Fido Software MS-DOS - Microsoft Corporation SLMR - Greg Hewgill, Technique Computer Systems Silver Xpress - Hector Santos, Santronics Software ULTRIX, VAX - Digital Equipment Corporation UNIX - UNIX System Laboratories, Inc.  1 Background Despite several attempts to raise Thailand's competency in the Information Technology (IT) field, one of the most important factors has constantly been overlooked: a public access network. By definition, a public access system is a computer system which allows anyone to have access. A public access network is a collection of public access systems which talk to each other by a set of common protocols. There are three major components in establishing a public access network: (a) a telecommunication facility for a user to connect to, (b) computer systems which allow the public to have access to, and (c) a set of communication protocols to allow information interchange among computers in the network. +------+ +------+ +------+ +------+ | User +-+ Host +--+ +--+ Host +-+ User | +------+ +------+ | | +------+ +------+ +------|-|-----+ | Inter- | | Connection | +------|-|-----+ +------+ +------+ | | +------+ +------+ | User +-+ Host +--+ +--+ Host +-+ User | +------+ +------+ +------+ +------+ Figure 1-1 Actual Connection +------+ +------+ | User +---------+ +-------+ User | +------+ +-----|------|-+ +------+ | Virtual | +--+ Network +---+ | Resources | +------+ +-|---------|---+ +------+ | User +--------+ +-----+ User | +------+ +------+ Figure 1-2 Conceptual Network Networking facilities are available in Thailand. However, most, if not all of them, are not open for public use, therefore, they are not public access networks. 1.1 Internet and ACSnet Three local universities have Internet mail capability, through an Australian sponsored ACSnet network. These systems are located at the Asian Institute of Technology in Rangsit Pathumthani, Chulalongkorn University in Pathumwan Bangkok and Prince of Songkhla University in Haad-Yai Songkhla. The Internet mail gateway for these machines is munnari.oz.au physically, but logically it is ait.th. Chiangmai Univerity and Thammasat University also had ACSnet installed but they do not use the network. Others trying to obtain ACSnet licenses are Kasetsart University and Silapakorn University. ACSnet relies on the Sydney Unix Network (SUN) protocol which is, for simplicity, a message passing service based on a full duplex UUCP implementation with multiple session capability.  1.2 Multinational Corporation Internal Networks There are a number of branch offices of multinational corporations which connect to their own global networks. Most of these networks are connected to the Internet through gateways. 1.3 NECTEC's University Network The National Electronics and Computer Technology Center is finalizing the plan for the University Network. It will use X.25 to connect the main computer of local universities to R&D arms of the Science Technology and Energy Ministry. Such a network is not suitable for public use for three reasons. A. Most hosts in the University Network are the main computer for the campus. They are normally used for academic purposes only. Public access to such systems is virtually impossible to be implemented. B. Most of these hosts are mainframe computers. They do not provide for the asynchronous transmissions that personal computers are using. Connection to such hosts would have to go through protocol converters. In doing this, one is likely to loose the potential to be a peer in the network, thus, limiting oneself to text transmission only. Other forms/formats of transmissions are still possible should there be a conversion facility running on either side of the connection. C. It is still unclear which inter-host protocol(s) will be used. However, from public information, the carrier service will likely to be THAIPAK X.25. Under the current pricing structure of THAIPAK, more traffic costs more money. In this way, THAIPAK pricing structure discourages the use of it as a carrier for massive transfers of files, electronic mails, electronic conferences, etc. X.25 provides virtual circuits between two ends of the network. If these hosts will operate as peer-to-peer network hosts, there should be another protocol running on top of X.25. It seems clear that if connection to the University Network was allowed, it would not be an easy job to implement. It would likely be too expensive for the public. 1.4 ASEAN NET Network The Federation of Thai Industries has recently announced the plan for the ASEAN NET network. The information released to the public said there will be a system running in Bangkok. The system will be linked to similar systems running in other ASEAN countries. No further details were given. 1.5 Bulletin Board Services Another kind of networking facility is Bulletin Board Services (BBS). There are several BBSes in Bangkok, and to a lesser extent, in Pattaya and Chiang Mai. Some BBSes are standalone, some are connected in to a network. The de facto standard connection scheme among BBSes is called the FidoNet, created by Tom Jennings in mid '80s. There are a few FidoNet BBSes currently operating in Bangkok. Most of these systems provide electronic mail (FidoNet mail or simply Netmail) and electronic conferencing (EchoMail) to their subscribers. These two facilities enable local subscribers to keep in touch with FidoNet people in other geographic areas. Subscription to these BBSes are normally free of charge. However, subscribers are encouraged to donate some money to keep international links operational. The use of BBSes has become popular these days. Anyone who has a modem and a dumb terminal (or the equivalent emulation on a personal computer) can connect to one of these BBSes and enjoy extensive services. However, it is rather difficult for a computer to connect to a BBS. Most FidoNet BBSes exchange the information using protocol transmission during a predefined time window with a pre-arranged corresponding system. This is sometimes done within the system event time frame. Remaining time is allocated to interactive sessions from subscribers. Please note that all non-FidoNet computers do not understand FidoNet protocols. On MS-DOS machines, it is relatively easy to install a FidoNet mailer and connect to a FidoNet BBS. But since system event is normally prescheduled at non-peak hours, it is often inconvenient for PC users to exchange messages during this time. On multi-user systems, a FidoNet mailer (or format/protocol converter) is difficult to find. At the present time, there are too few people in Thailand who understand FidoNet protocols and data exchange procedures in enough depth and with enough spare time available to write mailers for major non-FidoNet computer platforms. 1.6 UUCP Network A few UNIX systems in Bangkok are currently using chulkn.chula.th as their UUCP hub. These systems, including National Institute of Development and Administraion, Action Worldwide, Philip, Logic, Olympia Thai, to name a few, exchange mail through chulkn. Some of these systems connect to their principal suppliers in a private communication. chulkn is said to be phased out at the end of September 1991 as the University has decided not to keep the system running. Neither plan nor detail on replacement or substitute system was known to the author. 2 Needs for an Affordable Public Access Network The lack of a public access network hinders an advanced IT-related development climate in Thailand. IT researchers cannot share tools and research works in a convenient manner. As a result, there are many duplicated efforts in solving similar sets of problems. Incompatible Thai system implementations in the personal computer industry, different character sets, proprietary extensions and variants of TIS standards are a few negative examples of what happens when we don't work together. Also, the absence of this important infrastructure does not promote the use of TIS standards and other IT standards. In the current Thailand environment of islands of information, proprietary implementation, variants and extensions to the National Standards, still continue to occur. Within a public access network, member systems are bounded to a set of rules to make sure every system can exchange information to all others on the fly, thus promoting the National Standards. BBS is a good place to start for public discussion in a quasi-interactive manner. Unfortunately, the current BBS systems do not provide a convenient way for the big system environment to connect and enjoy a public forum. Open systems (commonly mistakenly interpreted as UNIX) is said to be the wave of the future. If there is, or will be, any real public access network, such a service should also address the fact that there are many types of computer systems in Thailand. There should be no limit on the type of system that can connect to a public network. Free access to BBS has greatly contributed to the popularity of the services. In most cases, BBS subscribers pay only when they want to send a message to an international destination. So, an affordable public access network in this sense means a network which is a collection of open systems that allow access from the public with no commercial charges.  3 Design Considerations 3.1 Connectivity In theory, a system in a network can talk directly to any system it wishes to. This usually requires a bus topology. In practice, tying all systems together in a bus is an overkill for leaf nodes of the network, due to line costs and expensive resource overheads on the system. However, bus topology is still practical for the hub or router of a network, or a system which has a high volume of traffic passing through it. There are some alternate topologies e.g. star or ring. In Thailand none of these alternative topologies are available to the public. . Computers in Thailand can talk to other remote systems through the use of the Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN) or Public Switching Data Network (PSDN). These services are available from the Telephone Organization of Thailand. PSTN is an ordinary telephone system with the addition of a modem at each end. Therefore, PSTN provides point-to-point communication between two computers. PSDN is a digital carrier service. It does not need a modem at either end. PSDN is now available in the Bangkok metropolitan area under the commercial name of DataNet. It is also a point-to-point service. . The other service is the Communication Authority of Thailand's THAIPAK X.25 Packet Switching Data Network. THAIPAK is also a point-to-point PSDN service. It also offers X.29 communication for a single host to accept connection requests from multiple clients. 3.2 Connection Costs In principle, usage of public access networks and public access systems should be free to the public. Operating costs and utilization in the public access systems and networks are the responsibility of the public access system that initiates the connection (similar to telephone caller). Findings on carrier services are as follows: . PSTN modem network costs 3 Baht per call. . DataNet PSDN has a fixed price monthly charge of 3,000 Baht. . THAIPAK X.25 PSDN has both fixed price portion and usage charges. Monthly costs are typically 5,000 Baht for a very minimal traffic. 3.3 Security The unfortunate thing about open system protocol (and any other type of communication protocol) is that it is possible that some system may identify itself as another system. This is a simple form of information thievery. In doing so, information prepared for one system would be sent to the theft because the sending system thought the receiving system was real. Password protection has been proven not to be adequate. Since any system which can communicate in one of the standard open protocols is encouraged to join a public access network, additional security should be formed to prevent information theft. . A simple-but-working authentication system, using the call back identification scheme, is suggested for implementation on all systems. When a calling system initiates a connect request and logs into the other system, the called system disconnects the communication channel and initiates a call back process to connect back to the calling system at the address (e.g. phone number) specified in its local database. Even though a theft system could break-in, it cannot get any information. . When the number of systems in the network has grown big, the system administrator may find it difficult and/or boring to add new network members or change authentication data for existing member systems. While authentication/security is important, one must take the human factor into account and try to balance between the two. 3.4 BBS and Gateway It makes no sense to create a new network from scratch and try to draw away public attention from the existing facilities. BBS has already been proven to be a good forum of discussion for personal computer users. The missing aspect is how to enable non MS-DOS systems to commence participation in a convenient manner. . A message converter (or a gateway) should be developed to facilitate information exchange between BBSes and the open system world. Such a gateway should be as transparent as possible to the operations on both sides. 3.5 Router Network operations normally need direct connectivity between the requesting system and the one providing the service. However, there are a number of network requests, such as electronic messaging, information distribution, file transfer requests, etc., that do not need direct connectivity. . A requesting system can ask an intermediate system (i.e. routing system) to convey a request to the service system. The result can be sent back in the same manner. . Having one or more router helps reduce the administrative workload on the public access systems by maintaining only the authentication data of the router instead of every system on the whole network. Should the request be passed from a router, it can be assumed that the requesting host is real since router will maintain a full authentication procedure for all systems connecting to it. 3.6 Central Hub/Gateway System Digital has offered to loan a machine which will serve as the main hub that any system can connect to. All other systems on the network connecting to this hub system will be identified by an agreed procedure. This is to ensure messages routing through this system come from real hosts on the network. At the same time, this machine will work as a gateway to FidoNet and will transfer electronic mails and conferences back and forth between the two incompatible worlds. The gateway machine will be a single user version of the VAX computer system running ULTRIX operating system (i.e. UNIX BSD4.2/4.3/SVID2/ XPG3/POSIX/UUCP/TCPIP). It will be equipped with a few hundred megabytes of on-line storage and extensive networking tools. Many network services can be executed on the system, thus, off loading network burdens from member systems (e.g. routing decisions, name services, protocol and message conversion, etc.) As a central hub, the machine can perform information packaging (format conversion and data compression) for member systems and transmit to other connecting systems in the formats they desire. The proposed system is appropriate for being used as a hub and gateway at the same time for the following reasons: . The machine is intended to connect to the local research community anyway (see next chapter, Development Progress). A number of research and development activities are being conducted on UNIX platform. ULTRIX is Digital's implementation of UNIX. So, connecting UNIX to UNIX is relatively easy. . Extending the services to other public access systems does not cost significantly more than connecting to the research community alone. . The ULTRIX operating system has extensive networking facilities as well as add-on tools. . Digital maintains an on-line global network connection. Through this network, it is relatively easy to locate assistance in the event that difficulties are experienced with the system or additional services are added. <<< PostScript document appears here >>> Figure 3-1 Interconnection among computers in the Public Access Network 3.7 Operations The hub/gateway will initially talk to open system hosts using UUCP protocol. Initial services will be electronic mail (UUCP mail) and electronic conferencing (USENET news). Once this is working, additional protocols will be tested. The gateway will run UUCP smart mailer which can forward mail to the proper destination in a store-and-forward manner without the need for a specific routing path to be given. System administrators will also act as the coordinators for the worldwide UUCP mapping project (in progress at Rutgers University) for the systems located in Thailand. The gateway will automatically prepare electronic messages (e-mail and USENET news) for other open system hosts. This information will be fed to a member host once it polls the gateway. Should the message be addressed to a FidoNet destination, the gateway will reformat messages to feed it through to the adjacent FidoNet gateway and transfer of the message will be as Netmail. The gateway will poll a FidoNet BBS. This service will also check if the destination is located in Thailand (FidoNet zone 6, network 608) or not. If the message does not belong to Thailand, it will bounce back and be marked as unrecognized host. The international Netmail service may be available if settlement can be successfully negotiated with FidoNet System Operators (Sysops). USENET newsgroups will be designed to be just local ones, at least, until a cost sharing scheme among information subscribers of member hosts has been arranged and sufficient funding has been received to enable international news feeds. Additional protocols e.g. the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), will be considered if it is found to be desirable and would prove to be popular. Depending on traffic and workload on the gateway, if a public domain BBS on ULTRIX (or UNIX) system can be found and there are not many UUCP or TCP/IP hosts, the gateway may be able to extend its services to operate as a BBS. Should this be done, a FidoNet compatible BBS package will be considered first. Connection to the gateway will be available in the form of membership which will be open to any computer system free of charge. Funding to operate the gateway will come from donations and sponsorship, at the individuals and sponsors desires respectively. Institutional members such as private firms are also encouraged to join. However, since this is strictly a non-profit network, commercial news and propaganda will only be allowed in a certain area, probably a dedicated USENET newsgroup. 4 Services The hub/gateway system can provide the following services without much difficulties: . Member systems support through mail servers - Member registration service - Computer generated inter-systems login procedure and protocol arrangements - Inter-systems bulletins/news/message-of-the-day . Electronic Mail - Free of charge for any local destination - [International destinations will be determined] - Protocols: * UUCP * [TCP/IP, if many member hosts are running this protocol] - Automatic format conversions: * UUCP mail <-> FidoNet mail * FidoNet mail <-> TCP/IP SMTP * TCP/IP SMTP <-> UUCP mail - Mailing lists - [Alias/distributed name service will be determined] . USENET news - Distribution of local newsgroups - [International news feeds will be determined] - Protocols: * UUCP batched news feed, 12-/16-bit compression or plain text * rnews, batched e-mail news feed * [TCP/IP NNTP, if TCP/IP is to become an officially supported protocol for the network] - Automatic format conversions: * USENET news <-> FidoNet EchoMail * USENET news <-> any supported mail format - Local (Thailand-specific) newsgroup management * Creation * Distribution * Removal * [Member systems can create their own newsgroups, however, the gateway will not carry them.] - Scheduled postings: * FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions for selected local newsgroups - monthly postings * Local USENET rules - monthly postings * Introductory messages e.g. Intro to the Bangkok Area Network - monthly postings * Thailand UUCP route maps - monthly postings . UUCP Services - Fully automatic store-and-forward message routing. Member systems drop and pickup all messages at the gateway - no need to connect to other systems - minimizing administrative workload on all the member systems. - UUCP path database for sites in Thailand (including non-members) - UUCP node registration service - Assist in the role of the UUCP Mapping Project at Rutgers University . TCP/IP Services - [ depending if TCP/IP will be an officially supported protocol for the network ] - Domain name service for member systems connected permanently to the gateway . Anonymous file access - For software, provide only public domain - Allow copyright material if re-distribution is granted - Anonymous UUCP, public access to hundreds of megabytes of on-line storage - [Anonymous FTP, if TCP/IP is an official supported protocol for the network] 5 Preparations for Implementation This Chapter summarizes current status of network implementation. These information may change from time to time to reflect the latest situation. The information below is compiled as of July 9, 1991 assuming that the proposed hub/gateway will be running at Digital premise. Actions done: . The proposed hub/gateway has been running 24-hour for a month, including approximately 2 weeks under the no air-cond condition. . BIND/Hesiod distributed name service has been setup. . Proposal Draft X0.5A, dated June 19, has been circulated to 14 individuals working for national R&D organizations, academic professionals and researchers, some BBS Sysops and those in local commercial companies. Also to 9 persons studying/working abroad through a mailiing list (dedicated to discussion of this network) on the Internet. . The proposal was also unofficially reviewed at THAINIX on July 4. Key points are: - The network is feasible and should be implemented before chulkn passes away. - Systems currently connecting to chulkn may want to find other hub when chulkn comes to an end. The proposed hub/gateway is suitable for this purpose. - Invite interested persons to stay late after BUG meeting on July 13 to discuss network implementations and operations. Suggesting make announcements through BBS and Post Database. - Try to organize a working group to cater technical/political issues in implementing this network. - THAINIX (and/or BUG) may want to become the governing body for this network. . Feedbacks received so far have been integrated into this version of the proposal. Pending Items: . Modem selection and purchase (waiting for quotation) . Telephone lines and DataNet lines (waiting for PABX vendor) . Direct access from PC to the gateway (still under evaluation) . Pull all resources together for a successful implementation (at BUG meeting? - Critical Success Factor) . International connection and funding (suppose to be the working group who will determine whether international connection is needed, and, if so, how to fund it) . UUCP tests (waiting for modem and telephone line, local tests seem okay - Critical Success Factor) . FidoNet gateway tests (who wants to be a victim? - Critical Success Factor)  Appendix A Evolvement and Alternatives Prior to the current stage, Digital had been studying the possibility to create/operate/maintain a support network for researchers in Thailand. This strictly research oriented network is part of the company's technology transfer efforts. The research network has expanded its coverage to include the existing BBS network since the public can gain substantial benefit if they are informed of current development and technology advancements. During many months of studies, lobbies and negotiations, a few things are shaping up well; some have already been put into place. A. The ideas of the research network were discussed with some researchers at Thammasat University and Kasetsart University. They seemed to support the initiative. B. Digital internal lobby process has been commenced. C. Ideas on the research network were expanded into a general public access data network in late February, 1991. D. FidoNet technical/protocol specifications have been studied. The writing of a protocol converter package should be avoided if existing packages are available. E. All commercial carrier services for high-volume transmission have been studied. DataNet from Shinawatra Datacom is currently on the top of the list, from both the technical aspects and cost-wise. It is said that Shinawatra will offer a free DataNet port for any public access system; monthly usage costs for non-public access ports (e.g. user dumb terminals) will be reduced from 3,000 to 500 Baht. This has to be confirmed. F. High-speed modems are under evaluation. They should have V.42bis data compression and should support V.22bis or V.32bis modulation. G. A multitasking machine, with extensive networking capability and hundreds of megabytes of disk storage, has been located. H. The software technology arm of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center has expressed strong interest in this network and is likely to want to join. I. For PC users who wish to connect directly to the gateway, there are many implementation alternatives to be considered: 1. Run a UNIX BBS on the gateway. BBS users are encouraged to use the provided off-line reader to minimize connection time from interactive usage of the gateway and allow more chance for system-to-system communication. Minimizing interactive login time implies that the information will reach wider audiences as the member system using protocol communication can disseminate the information to other systems down the chain. [Least preferred for security reasons] 2. Do not allow interactive logins. The gateway builds packets in selected off-line reader formats and allows transfer of only such packet. This is similar to the above alternative except that a packet assembler/converter must be written. Details of the fields in the packet formats used by Silver Xpress and SLMR (off-line readers on MS-DOS) are still missing. [Less preferred due to extra development effort/extra risk] 3. Encourage users to run a freeware package that will enable their systems to speak UUCP. E-mail and USENET news will be downloaded to those systems as text files through UUCP. For USENET news, many freeware/shareware implementations of news reader are available. [Preferred but depends heavily on experience of users in installing a relatively large package - still high risk] 4. Port rfmail package to the ULTRIX Operating System. rfmail provides automatic conversion facility for UNIX e-mail<->FidoNet Netmail as well as USENET<-> EchoMail. [Preferred and technically viable but require further development effort for such port.] 5. Run a FidoNet-compatible BBS on a PC. This system will be also work as a gateway between the open system community and the FidoNet systems. The UUCP<->FidoNet gateway software (UFGATE) can run on this machine for the messaging gateway purpose. Other FidoNet systems are allowed to use this facility to contact UNIX sites in Bangkok freely. Note: UFGATE is a shareware package. [Preferred and technically feasible but there is a still lack of the PC hardware. The PC must be located side-by-side with the gateway machine in order to eliminate a pair of modems and telephone lines.] 6. Look for a FidoNet BBS that will volunteer to run UFGATE and is willing to act as a FidoNet connecting point for the gateway system. UFGATE has capabilities to convert EchoMail and Netmail into UUCP messages. If this alternative is feasible, PC users will connect to FidoNet BBSes without losing contact with the open systems community. [Best among all alternatives]  Appendix B Commonly Asked Questions The following is a collection of common questions and answers once one has gone through this document would ask. It does not exactly fit this chapter, but it's better than creating another one. Q: Can I join? A: Yes. Any system (academic computers, BBS or computers running at commercial companies) which supports UUCP or any other protocol used in this network can join. Q: My system is also on other network. Is it still okay? A: Yes. There is no rule stating that participating system must be connecting only on this network. It would be great if other networks would allow the information from this net to flow back and forth. The more information, the more benefit the public would gain. Q: I only have a PC. How could my system speak UNIX protocol? A: Join one of the local FidoNet bulletin boards. They are open to everyone and generally very helpful. If this proposal is implemented, when you are on a FidoNet BBS, you have already been on this network. If you want to connect directly to a hub/gateway system, there are a few public domain implementation of UNIX protocols on PC. Pick one. These packages will be distributed through local computer users groups and buletin boards. Q: If my PC will run the said UNIX protocol package, what new functionalities I will have? A: Depending on the package you will pick. Normally, you get both e-mail and USENET news capabilities. Q: It seems that the network will have a lot of (UNIX or BBS - depending on the person who asked) systems. I don't want to leave the (MS-DOS or UNIX) environment. A: You still use the environment that you get used to. Information will be converted to the format you can directly manipulate with the tools and environment you are familiar with. There is no need to switch to a foreign environment in order to exploit full potential of this network. That is basically why the hub/gateway system is proposed. Q: Why should I join? A: For end-users, they get free advices from the network. An incorrect information is supposed to be corrected by some knowledgeable individuals in the network. For commercial companies, market information is a key to success. They know what local users are looking. For IT researchers, they get direct feedbacks from the public. So, efforts can be put into the fields that local information society needs. For modemaholic persons, they have new interesting places to explore. Q: What would be the anticipated costs to participate into this network? A: In principle, each system pays for their own expenses. Noone else should bear the costs incurred on your machine. Polling the hub/gateway via a modem once a day, twenty two days a month would cost 66 Baht on your phone bill. Q: What is the reason behind creation of this network? A: Existing networks do not allow the public to use. They also have relatively low visibility. Information sharing helps protecting public interests. In a way, information sharing can be done in a more convenient way if Thailand have a public access network. Since such a network does not exist, the author assumes a (temporary, self-appointed) co-ordinator role to get this done. Q: How would this network be operated and/or managed? A: Administrators for each participating system makes this network survive. If most of they do not communicate with other systems, the network dies. A committee to be form would take care of policy issues, for examples, additional protocols to be used, standards like character sets, hub system qualifications, etc. Q: Will this network support international links? How such service would be charged? A: It's up to participating systems (or the steering committee to be formed) to decide. Q: Can I use Thai on this network? A: Let's have the steering committee decided. Q: Will you allow me to login on your system? A: The proposed hub/gateway system is designed to provide conversion, routing as well as distributed services to participating systems in the network. At this time, there is no plan to allow interactive login on this system. Allowing interactive login on the system would minimize the chance that other hosts (normally have many users) to sucessfully connect to the hub/gateway. Besides, such policy ensures the integrity and confidentiality of login information for other systems in the network. No interactive login policy, to a certain degree, minimizes the chance of breaking in. Q: Why does the network limit its services to the Bangkok Metropolitan Area? A: The proposed network, technically, does not impose any restriction to operate in certain geographical area. It was proposed to test out network functionalities with sites in the Bangkok Area first.