🚀 go-pugleaf

MB> == Mario Brandan <mbrandan@gmuvax2.gmu.edu> 
RT> == rmtodd@servalan.servalan.com (Richard Todd) writes:

 RT> system administrator *does* have a Quadra 700 on his desk; in
 RT> addition to being his desktop machine, it's the news server, and he
 RT> puts up with the (decidedly non-trivial) load providing Usenet
 RT> service to the whole campus puts on his machine.

 MB> Nobody forced him to do that right?  Fine, what is your point?

News machines are not free.  News disk space is not free.  A 2G
(formatted) drive costs in the neighborhood of $2500-$3K depending on
discount deals and the like.

(from finger mbrandan@gmuvax2.gmu.edu)
 F> Login name: mbrandan                    In real life: Mario Brandan
 F> Directory: /usr/students/mbrandan       Shell: /bin/csh

How much disk space is available on /usr/students?  Do you have a disk
quota?  Why, since disk is just SOOOOO cheap?  Why aren't you
complaining that they don't give you a separate 2G drive of your own?

 RT> Look, *you* think Usenet is important.  *I* think Usenet is important, so
 RT> much so that I bought my own machine for it, with my own money (which is
 RT> probably more than *you*'ve ever done).  But the people who sign purchase
 RT> orders at Universities *don't* think this.  Wake up and smell the coffee.

 MB> Buddy, what you do with your money is your business, if you have
 MB> problems with what people want, take your server else where!

And he might.  The point is that it is not *your* place, nor is it
anyone else's place, to tell him what groups he will carry or not carry.

 RT> You think disk drives are cheap.  Fine.  *You* send us one.  We prefer
 RT> the 1.2GB Fujitsu SCSI drives.  Write me and I'll tell you the address to
 RT> put on the package.  Put up or shut up.

 MB> That's the kind of drive you probably have!

Yeah, and he probably paid good money for it, too.

 MB> Maybe if you looked around you'd find cheap ones so you can store
 MB> more info.

Cheap != free.

 MB> You know, I just think you have an attitude problem I really didn't
 MB> like your language either, if you want to write to this newsgroup,
 MB> you should straighten out your foul language.

Foul language?  What foul language, "Quadra 700"?

 MB> It takes up disk space buddy!

As much as one uuencoded gif?  I doubt it.
--
Christopher K. Davis      | ``Usenet seems to run much like the Kif (or,
<ckd@eff.org>   EFF #14   |   for the TV generation, Klingon) high command.
System Administrator, EFF |   Whoever takes action and can be heard wins.''
+1 617 864 0665  [CKD1]   |   --Peter da Silva <peter@ferranti.com>