🚀 go-pugleaf

Before I totally change the subject:
The UKUUG sponsors the info-server here at Imperial; the gnu section on this
is complete, and fully in track with prep. This archive server can be accessed
without restriction by Brits (mail info-server@uk.ac.ic.doc for details). Don't
knock 'em for what they get right, knock 'em for what they get wrong.

A suggestion for improving UKNET (not many dead):

At the moment, UKNET charges a hefty fee for joining, with further usage
charges for international mail.  The only reason for this charge is to 
cover expenses- leased lines, chocy biccies for the ops, etc etc. Since the
basic running costs of the network are fixed, they can be shared out evenly
amongst the subscribers.

The clever bit:

Remove the restriction on redistribution. Determine the fixed fee by dividing
the costs by the number of subscribers dynamically.
UK{C,NET} would still be getting the same amount of money in, so the news
keeps rolling. However, subscriber sites can now pass on  news and mail to
any clients they may have. If they have a yen surplus {hello tcom ;-)} they 
could do this for free; otherwise, they could ask their clients for a
contribution. If they charge too much, the client could feed from other sites;
at the worst, they could take a feed from ukc. 

Sounds good, tell me more:

Per kB usage charges could work as follows: send a bill itemised by
user@site to the ukc-subscribing site nearest to the originator-
`Bill 'em all. Let root sort 'em out.' Handling the charges only takes a 
simple perl script; who knows, maybe ukc could supply it's subscribes
with it's billing software.

Any comments?

Simon
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