response 1 of 47:

Jan 7 17:11 UTC 1994

The phone number in the motd is the voice number for ICNet.  Our
agreement with ICNet gives us a reduced rate for our SLIP
connection, in return for a bit of free advertising in the motd.
ICNet sells shell accounts, dial-on-demand SLIP and PPP connections,
dedicated SLIP and PPP connections, and even leased 56Kbps (and up)
service.

Connecting to Grex from the Internet doesn't work, except from a
few hosts, because we have incoming access restricted.  This is
because we have no reliable way to prevent nonmembers from logging
in through the Internet link, and then telnetting to another
machine from Grex.  Once we have made the necessary kernel
modifications to allow this level of access control, we will be
able to open up the Internet link.

With regard to e-mail, we're working on getting the nameserver
tables updated right now.  Within a few days, e-mail should start
coming in over the Internet link, and rolling over to the
destroyer->netmeg->grex route only if the Internet link is down.
Outgoing mail is already going over the Internet link; however,
because of the way the mail headers are rewritten when they
pass through destroyer, a reply to a message that came in
through netmeg will most likely pass out through netmeg.

netmeg, for those who wonder, is Meg Geddes's SCO Unix machine.
Meg has very generously volunteered to carry e-mail and Usenet news
for a large portion of the Ann Arbor computing community, including
Grex.  Every hour or so, netmeg calls Grex to drop off mail for
it and pick up outgoing mail, and then calls destroyer (a
machine at the UofM) to drop off all the outgoing mail from several
systems (including M-Net and Grex), and pick up incoming mail.

Useful telnet sockets: Well, you can get a full list of them by
looking at /etc/services.  Common ones are 23 (telnet),
21 (FTP commands), and the others you mentioned.  BTW, if you're
on a Unix machine, you don't have to remember the number -- using
the service code from /etc/services will work just as well.  So
you can type "telnet host smtp" instead of "telnet host 25".

I don't know whether or not Grex will lose its "homey" flavor
when we open up Internet access to the world.  I tend to think
that it won't, but I don't think we'll know for sure until it
happens or doesn't happen.

response 3 of 47:

Jan 8 00:39 UTC 1994

Others have also raised the question of how access to Grex from the
internet might change the nature of Grex. Like Marc, I believe that
we really can't know until we try it. If we can determine that we
like the changes that take place in Grex due to the connection, we
probably will continue to maintain the connection.

When I say "we" of course I mean all of the members of Grex,
as this is a member-run operation.

response 5 of 47:

Jan 10 04:21 UTC 1994

I think that Grex cannot help but benefit from the opening of the Internet
link.  First of all, I seriously doubt that we are going to attract a huge
following from outside the Southeastern Michigan region.  After all, what
(other of course than our brilliant wits and marvelous virtual company) do
we have to offer a potential member from Phoenix that it can't find through
somewhere closer to home?  

I do think however, that the opening of the internet link will make us more
visible in the southeastern Michigan region, which should translate directly
into increased membership, which will please Danr to no end.  <smile> There
are also intangible benefits to increasing the population from which
Picospan responses, etc are generated.  We thrive on our diversity, and an
increased population should add to that.

It should also decrease the need for more direct-dial lines, since we can
get in from somewhere else if they're all busy.

response 7 of 47:

Jan 11 10:50 UTC 1994

It has somewhat decreased the pressure on the dialin lines to have some
of our busier users calling in via the network link.  (Much of this has been
staff-type business, I think.)  But there's plenty of pressure left, & we
still need more lines.  Especially as right now one of the phone lines
doesn't seem to connect with Grex & just rings forever.

response 9 of 47:

Jan 12 00:34 UTC 1994

Besides our wonderful selves, you mean?

response 11 of 47:

Apr 30 17:15 UTC 1994

I have to admit I'm a telnetter from outside. What you offered me was
an opportunity to learn how to get around on Internet and some of the ways
to communicate. I am still on a very high learning curve. Your openness
has made these opportunities available where it would have been hard to 
quantify the value before I knew what I could do and what cost. Thank you.

response 13 of 47:

May 6 11:43 UTC 1994

Re #11:  Glad you're finding Grex to be of value to you.

Martin's response confirms something that I've known for a long time:
If you're new to computer communications, you don't necessarily know
what it's value to you is until you've gotten on to some system
(such as Grex) and explored for a while.

response 15 of 47:

May 9 20:25 UTC 1994

Pretty much the same reason I hate the Macintosh...  oops, you're
a Mac user, aren't you, pegasus?  Never mind...  >8)

It just seemed so restrictive, giving you the teeny tiny menu
of everything you could do, and that was it.  Yes, I'm sure
the menu would be bigger for a paying member, it just doesn't
feel like I can do anything on my own volition, I'm stuck with
whatever the administrators have chosen.

A lot of new users I talk to stick with Grex for much the same
reason, because we are a full-fledged Unix system and they
can program and otherwise *do* things.

response 17 of 47:

May 13 03:47 UTC 1994

Rob,

I guess I don't have the need to do things. :) Actually, I don't know
how to do anything under Unix anyway, so having a full-fledged Unix
system isn't a big thrill to me, except you need one to get on the Internet/
Usenet.

        Pattie

response 19 of 47:

May 20 02:32 UTC 1994

It looks fine from here, Chip.  (And welcome to Grex, the Galactically
Boring Center of the Universe.)

response 21 of 47:

May 20 11:05 UTC 1994

The people who apologize in advance rarely botch things up.  <sigh>

response 23 of 47:

May 22 05:08 UTC 1994

We certainly think so (many of us, anyway).
I am interested in your description of the detroit freenet's ftp ability.
Can you specify an arbitrary server, or do you have to pick
one that's on the menu?