flames are on!

[The Beach Bum]

In article <390 at chief.UUCP> root at chief.UUCP (Lance Ellinghouse) writes:
>In article <441 at l5comp.UUCP>, scotty at l5comp.UUCP (Scott Turner) writes:
>> Actually I have found that most systems that make splashy postings on the net
>> proclaiming themselves as a source for something don't have daily Kb download
>> limits. They may have time limits so everyone can get a shot, or have their
>> uucp hangup after each file transfered (again to give everyone a shot), but
>> I haven't run into another one with Kb limits.
>
>Most of the boards around here have both a time limit and some sort of download
>restriction. Either time or % of upload vs. download. Having a flat download
>rate is nice as you don't have to worry about what your % is or other things 
>of that sort. Also I have seen a lot of boards that DON'T allow downloading
>until you have uploaded a certain amount or until you have paid for it.

This entire discussion hinges on what manner of system you are connecting
to.  A BBS is going to have lots of users parked on phone lines for long
periods of time reading silly bulletins.  An archive site [ the ones that
make splashy postings about having something ] is going to have people
calling up for UUCP file transfers and then getting off of the line.

If you consider the difference in file transfer ability between an archive
site, where users can't park on a phone line and waste connection time,
and an archive site where the user is constantly downloading something useful,
you MIGHT begin to appreciate the difference.

Sandy, the reason for this entire discussion, runs a BBS.  Certainly
there are people who call it up and screw off for hours on end.  Me, I
operate rpp386 as an archive site.  People can't just park on a line and
do nothing for hours on end.  And when people abuse the few ways to waste
a few minutes that there are, I remove even those access methods.

An archive site is a `stuff provider'.  A BBS is a both a provider and a
consumer.  And without limits the BBS is going to run out of stuff to
provide.  And that, boys and girls, is a no-fun situation.
-- 
John F. Haugh II                        +----Make believe quote of the week----
VoiceNet: (214) 250-3311   Data: -6272  | Nancy Reagan on Richard Stallman:
InterNet: jfh at rpp386.Dallas.TX.US       |          "Just say `Gno'"
UucpNet : <backbone>!killer!rpp386!jfh  +--------------------------------------