🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <547@nsg.nsg.com.au>, geoff@nsg.nsg.com.au (Geoff Bullen) writes:
|> Sorry if this is a dumb question, but if our site wanted to become an
|> archive site, holding information, programs, etc, that would be freely
|> available to the net-world, what are the steps involved ?

Lots of disk space. 

A clear focus on what you are going to concentrate on. ftp.uu.net provides
an archive for it's clients, so it concentrates on the things they want,
which turn out to be mostly technical UNIX-related things. Archie.AU 
mirrors things that are measured as being popular. Every archive site
needs to concentrate in a certain area since to do a lot is just too
hard. The corollary to this is that there is not a lot of point in
trying to do something that has already been done. The Internet does
not need another Macintosh archive for example.

Lots of disk space. 

|> Currently we are only a mail site, NOT an FTP site.  Is this a problem ?

Yes. You will have trouble getting your volume up high enough over an
e-mail link, and even if we did we (AARNet) would want you to pay as an
AARNet affiliate (not through the AUUG) since the AUUG program is only
intended for low volume sites, right?. You would also find people less
inclined to use you site if you only have e-mail access.

|> Could we just offer fetchfile access or mail access ?

Technically not a problem. The MSHnet stuff will do the fetchfile,
and there are heaps of mail servers around that let you grab files.

|> What software is available to help automated mail enquires ?

There is an FAQ that gets posted to comp.mail.misc that covers this. It's
called "UNIX Email Software Survey FAQ" and is maintained by 
clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca.

|> How do the monthly updates get generated ? etc, etc, etc...

Great big scripts. We use a beauty written in Perl for archie.au (uses FTP).

|> Any help gratefully accepted, a lack of knowledge and understanding
|> of archive site etiquette fully acknowledged.

I think your biggest challenge will be getting a decent network connection,
and deciding on what it is you wish to offer ...

-- 
Peter Elford,                             e-mail: P.Elford@aarnet.edu.au
Network Co-ordinator                      phone: +61 6 249 3542
Australian Academic Research Network      fax:   +61 6 249 1369
c/o, Computer Services Centre             pager: +61 6 245 3035
Australian National University            post: GPO Box 1142     
Canberra, AUSTRALIA                             Canberra ACT 2601