🚀 go-pugleaf

                  Capital Area Central Texas UNIX Society
                             CACTUS Newsletter
                                      
                    Volume 17, Number 10 - October 2001
                                      
Contents:

     * [1]October Meeting Program - To Be Announced 
     * [2]September Meeting Report
     * [3]August Meeting Report
     * [4]Membership
     * [5]CACTUS Officers and Contacts
     * [6]CACTUS Sponsors
     * [7]Meeting Location and Map
       
                          October Meeting Program
                                      
   
   
   We'll be back at home at UT ARL, our usual meeting place. They have
   new carpet, so let's keep it clean. Most places are particularly
   concerned about security these days, so please co-operate with the
   guards should they ask to inspect your briefcase. No formal program is
   currently scheduled. Thanks to Gil Kloepfer for his longtime continued
   efforts to provide us a home at UT ARL.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
                          September Meeting Report
                                      
   The program didn't show, but Jack McKinney did. After the usual
   reports from the officers, our program chair, Ray Shafer, let Jack
   demo a TKG (The Kernel Group) utility called SCTrace (TM). Using a
   Linux laptop he poked around in a third party application to see where
   it went and what it did. Jack actually knew very little about the
   application or the tool (SCTrace), but it was remarkable what it
   showed. The application didn't crash, and the trace didn't seem to
   affect the performance. If programmer's had this in System V Release
   2, we'd probably wouldn't have seen so many segv segment violations.
   
   The group ordered a variety of sampler plates from the Indian
   resturaunt where we met. Most all of them were empty by the end of the
   night, so we seem to be able to live on more than pizza.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
                           August Meeting Report
                                      
                              By Gil Kloepfer
                                      
   Because of the lack of a meeting topic for August's meeting we decided
   to discuss the state of Austin broadband Internet connectivity for
   UNIX users, particularly for those who want to run servers. The topic
   was, in part, prompted by my personal quest to determine what options
   I had available for a pending change of living accomodations. I found
   myself frustrated and annoyed that the local Internet Service
   Providers' (ISPs') web sites had little to no good information for
   so-called "power users" looking for Internet connectivity.
   
   We examined the web sites of several local and national ISPs to look
   at the offerings by these organizations, pricing, and the acceptable
   use policies (AUPs), and discussed our personal experiences. Among the
   leading contenders were Southwestern Bell Internet Services (SWBIS),
   Jump.Net (now Hosting.com), DirecTV Broadband Internet, Time-Warner's
   RoadRunner, Onramp Access, among others. During the investigation, we
   discovered that no ISP had a service offering that was well suited to
   the UNIX-based "power user." The problems we discovered were:
   
   1. Many broadband ISPs did not support static IP addressing and/or
   specifically prohibited servers (Time-Warner being the most notable).
   While DirecTV did support a static IP, they would only allow one.
   SWBIS does provide a price- competitive service for those that wish to
   run servers and would provide multiple static IPs.
   
   2. Almost every ISP geared their offerings to Windows users, and had a
   lack of or refused to support users' firewalls and routers. In the
   case of SWBIS, their offering for servers and static IPs became less
   price-competitive when their requirement for self-installation was not
   available for UNIX users.
   
   3. In general, there was insufficient information on ISPs' web sites
   regarding pricing, availablity for static IP addressing, and ability
   to utilize own routers and firewalls. Where it was apparent that there
   was an offering that would work, it was difficult to tell whether or
   not they understood the requirements well enough to take the order.
   
   4. Some ISPs were (or have, as of the time of this writing) looking to
   discontinue support for new personal broadband customers. In
   particular, when Jump.Net became Hosting.com, they stopped accepting
   new broadband customers (only full T1 and better commercial
   customers).
   
   The void has become so large that Chip Rosenthal has spearheaded a
   discussion on USENET on this topic as well. I contacted Chip following
   the CACTUS meeting, and he lamented finding the same problems that we
   did.
   
   The unfortunate thing is that technically savvy ISPs like Jump.Net
   (who, as of this writing, has become Hosting.com) are moving toward
   colocation and web hosting services, as opposed to providing
   connectivity. Sources inside these ISPs note that their DSL service is
   ultimately provided by Southwestern Bell, and that SWBIS has unfair
   competitive advantages that make providing xDSL connectivity services
   unprofitable.
   
   In the end, my own personal solution was solved by continuing my
   existing service with Hosting.com, who almost seamlessly moved my
   Internet connection to the new ADSL line in my apartment. This worked
   well because I was able to get ADSL at my new location, and I was
   still within a service area that Hosting.com supported. Unfortunately,
   this option is apparently not available for new customers.
   
   I should note that we also looked at the web site of Outernet
   Connection Strategies/Aperian (one of CACTUS' sponsors). While we have
   been very pleased with the colocation services they have provided to
   us, and we would continue to recommend them highly for colocation and
   Internet consulting, we did not see very much at all in the way of
   personal broadband Internet connectivity (particularly for xDSL) on
   their web site.
   
   In short, while the Internet and its applications have made great
   advances over the last 5-10 years, the idea of a someone running some
   small servers out of their home as a hobby at a reasonable price seems
   to have taken a big step backward. Running one's own DNS, Apache, and
   mail server is becoming extremely difficult in light of the ISPs'
   offerings. The thought of a "connected" home seems to go only as far
   as uploading webcam pictures to the personal area of an ISP's web
   site. It's difficult to tell if all this is the result of poor
   profitability for power user-type connectivity, or simply a fear in
   the wake of all the recent "buffer overflow" security vulnerabilities.
   In any case, those of us who still want this kind of service remain
   discouraged and feel insecure about future connectivity options.
   
   
                                 Membership
                                      
                               By Luis Basto
                                      
   We want to thank Chris Nystrom for renewing his membership.
   
   To renew your membership, please send check or money order payable to
   CACTUS ($25/yr for regular membership and $96/yr for corporate
   sponsorship):
CACTUS
PO BOX 9786
AUSTIN, TX 78766-9786
       
   You can also pay in person at the general meetings. Please direct any
   inquiries or address changes to membership@cactus.org.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
                              CACTUS Officers
                                      
     * President: Michael Rice ([8]mrice@colltech.com)
     * Treasurer: Johnny Long ([9]longjy@thecb.texas.gov)
     * Membership: Luis Basto ([10]membership@cactus.org)
     * Programs: Ray Schafer ([11]schafer@tkg.com)
     * Publicity: M.H. Khan ([12]mhk@cactus.org)
     * Newsletter: Ron Roberts ([13]ronro@bga.com)
     * Scribe: Lindsay Haisley ([14]fmouse@fmp.com)
     * Members at Large:
       
     * -- Jack McKinney ([15]mckinney@cactus.org)
     * -- Gil Kloepfer ([16]gil@cactus.org)
       
Contact Information

     * officers@cactus.org Comments to CACTUS officers comments
     * admin@cactus.org CACTUS sysadmin volunteers
     * membership@cactus.org Membership questions and suggestions
     * newsletter@cactus.org Newsletter submissions and comments
     _________________________________________________________________
   
                              CACTUS Sponsors
                                      
Significant Contributing Sponsors

   Applied Research Laboratories/University of Texas at Austin
          [17]www.arlut.utexas.edu
          (Gil Kloepfer, Computer Science Division (CSD), 835-3771,
          [18]gil@arlut.utexas.edu)
          
   OuterNet [19]www.outer.net
          Internet service provider.
          
CACTUS Sponsors

   Auspex Systems [20]www.auspex.com
          (Paul Levine, [21]plevine@auspex.com
          Fastest reliable network fileservers.
          
   Flametree Corporation [22]www.flametree.com
          (David Maynard, 670-4090, [23]dpm@flametree.com)
          Internet and software consulting.
          
   Covad/Laserlink [24]www.laserlink.net
          (Chip Rosenthal)
          
   Multi Media Arts (MMA)
          (Lee Williams, 451-7191)
          Publisher of instructional materials for classroom and
          independent study.
          
Friends of CACTUS

   Applied Formal Methods, Inc.
          (Susan Gerhart, 794-9732, [25]gerhart@cactus.org)
          
   Austin Code Works
          (Scott Guthery, 258-0785, [26]info@acw.com)
          
   CASDNS, Inc. [27]www.casdns.net
          (Warren Brown, (800) 977-3475), [28]wlb@cas-com.net)
          A top-level domain name registrar, CORE member.
          
   CTG
          (Maurine Mecer, 502-0190 [FAX 502-0287])
          Professional recruiting.
          
   Compaq Computer Corporation [29]www.himalaya.compaq.com
          (Ron Boerger, 432-8000)
          Provider of scalable, high availability systems.
          
   EDP Contract Services
          (Mark Grabenhorst, 346-1040) Professional recruiting.
          
   Hewlett Packard [30]www.hp.com
          (Bill Sumrall, 338-7221)
          
   Hounix [31]http://www.texascomputers.com/hounix/
          (Marilyn Harper)
          Houston's Unix Users Group.
          
   Network Appliance Corporation[32] www.netapp.com
          (Frank Mozina, fmozina@netapp.com)
          
   O'Keefe Search [33]www.okeefesearch.com
          Professional recuiting. (John OKeefe,
          [34]john@okeefesearch.com, 512-658-9224 or 888-446-2137)
          
   Sailaway System Design
          (Chris J Johnson, 447-5243)
          
   Schlumberger [35]www.slb.com
          (Kathy O'Brien, [36]obrien@asc.slb.com)
          Technical services and products in over 100 countries.
          
   Silicon Graphics [37]www.sgi.com
          (Don Williams, 346-9342)
          
   Solid Systems
          (Pete Farrell, 442-2222)
          
   Sterling Infomation Group [38]www.sterinfo.com
          (Darrell Hanshaw, 344-1005, [39]dhanshaw@sterinfo.com)
          
   Sun Microsystems [40]www.sun.com
          (Rick Taylor)
          Supplier of Unix client-server computing solutions.
          
   Texas Internet Consulting [41]www.tic.com
          (Smoot Carl-Mitchell, 451-6176, [42]smoot@tic.com)
          TCP/IP networking, Unix, and open systems standards.
          
   Technow
          A Sun Authorized Training Center and a Hardware Reseller.
          
   Unison Software
          (Shelley St. John, 478-0611)
          Supplier of networked systems management solutions.
          
   UT Computer Science Department
          (Patti Spencer)
          
   UT Computation Center
          (Mike Cerda, 471-3241, [43]cerda@uts.cc.utexas.edu)
     _________________________________________________________________
   
                          CACTUS Meeting Location:
                           Applied Research Labs
                                      
   CACTUS meets on the third Thursday of each month at the Applied
   Research Labs (ARL) in the JJ Jake Pickle Research Campus (JJ PRC).
   We'll meet in the main auditorium located directly behind the guard's
   desk and main lobby.
   
   Please do not show up earlier than 6:20 pm on the specified day. Enter
   through the main entrance at 10000 Burnet Road for ARL:UT. Tell the
   guard that you are here for the CACTUS meeting. You will be required
   to sign a log book, but not required to wear a badge. The guards will
   direct you to the auditorium entrance. Limited parking in the front of
   the building is available, but more extensive parking is available in
   the large parking lot just north of the ARL building. After 6:30 pm,
   all entrances to JJ PRC, except for the Burnet Road entrance, are
   closed and locked. You can still enter the parking lot in front of the
   ARL building. No parking tags are necessary after 6:00 pm. See map for
   further details.
   
   Online maps are available at:
     * [44]http://www.utexas.edu/maps/prc/ -- J.J. Pickle Research Campus
       
     * [45]http://www.utexas.edu/maps/prc/areas/se.html -- South East
       Quadrant (ARL:UT)
       
   As always, please leave the facility as you saw it when you arrived.
   So let's clean up all pizza and soda items before we leave. Thanks and
   hope to see all of you there.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
                     Map to the Monthly CACTUS Meeting
                                      
                                                  | |     ^
        <---- to MOPAC                            | |     |
                                                  | |     | North
                                                  | |     | to Braker Lane
                                   ---------------+ |
                                   -+ /-----------+ |
                                    | |           | |
                                    | +--------+  | |
                                    |  Parking |  | |
                                    |    Lot   |  | |
                                    +----------+  | |
                                                  | |
                           +------------+         | |
                           |            | +-------+ |
                           |            | |   +---+ |
                           |            | |   |   | | Rutland
                           |    ARL     | |   |   | +---------
                           |            | |   |   | +---------
                           |            | |   +---+ |
                           |            | +---+---+ |
                           +------------+         | |  |
                                                  | |  | South
                                                  | |  | to US 183
                                                  | |  v

References

   1. file://localhost/var/www/www.cactus.org/docs/CACTUS/cn102001.html#meeting
   2. file://localhost/var/www/www.cactus.org/docs/CACTUS/cn102001.html#minutes
   3. file://localhost/var/www/www.cactus.org/docs/CACTUS/cn102001.html#minutes
   4. file://localhost/var/www/www.cactus.org/docs/CACTUS/cn102001.html#membership
   5. file://localhost/var/www/www.cactus.org/docs/CACTUS/cn102001.html#officers
   6. file://localhost/var/www/www.cactus.org/docs/CACTUS/cn102001.html#sponsors
   7. file://localhost/var/www/www.cactus.org/docs/CACTUS/cn102001.html#location
   8. mailto:mrice@colltech.com
   9. mailto:longjy@thecb.texas.gov
  10. mailto:membership@cactus.org
  11. mailto:schafer@tkg.com
  12. mailto:mhk@cactus.org
  13. mailto:ronro@bga.com
  14. mailto:fmouse@fmp.com
  15. mailto:mckinney@cactus.org
  16. mailto:mckinney@cactus.org
  17. http://www.arlut.utexas.edu/
  18. mailto:gil@arlut.utexas.edu
  19. http://www.outer.net/
  20. http://www.auspex.com/
  21. mailto:plevine@auspex.com
  22. http://www.flametree.com/
  23. mailto:dpm@flametree.com
  24. http://www.laserlink.net/
  25. mailto:gerhart@cactus.org
  26. mailto:info@acw.com
  27. http://www.casdns.net/
  28. mailto:wlb@cas-com.net
  29. http://www.himalaya.compaq.com/
  30. http://www.hp.com/
  31. http://www.texascomputers.com/hounix/
  32. http://www.netapp.com/
  33. http://www.okeefesearch.com/
  34. mailto:john@okeefesearch.com
  35. http://www.slb.com/
  36. mailto:obrien@asc.slb.com
  37. http://www.sgi.com/
  38. http://www.sterinfo.com/
  39. mailto:dhanshaw@sterinfo.com
  40. http://www.sun.com/
  41. http://www.tic.com/
  42. mailto:smoot@tic.com
  43. mailto:cerda@uts.cc.utexas.edu
  44. http://www.utexas.edu/maps/prc/
  45. http://www.utexas.edu/maps/prc/areas/se.html

-- 
Ron Roberts ronro@bga.com or ronr@cactus.org Phone (512) 219-0043
Usenet invented "no controlling legal authority."