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Grex > Coop8 > #32: The Grex's Landlords item | |
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| 25 new of 269 responses total. |
popcorn
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response 225 of 269:
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Jun 9 16:00 UTC 1996 |
Well... M-Net made a promise like that when they moved into the NEW Center.
As I understand it, it hasn't worked out happily for either M-Net nor the
NEW Center. M-Netters were much more interested in using M-Net or working
on M-Net than in doing NEW Center things. Not enough got done. And the NEW
Center felt bad about asking other people for computer help, since
theoretically M-Net was supposed to be providing it.
(Disclaimer: This is my third-hand understanding of what happened, but I
wasn't there and I may well have the details wrong.)
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gregc
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response 226 of 269:
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Jun 9 16:04 UTC 1996 |
It's pretty close to what I've heard too.
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adbarr
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response 227 of 269:
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Jun 9 17:33 UTC 1996 |
Would anyone at Grex consider talking with ICAN/WCC to find out what the
facts are? No money down, no promises, no obligations, no investment
beyond a little time. If you are worried about rats, bats, or obligations
then put them on a checklist of things to discuss. ICAN (Ann Harris) mentioned
at the last meeting that they might know of some space at WCC (in the context
of Arbornet's need) and that it _might_ be available for a group like
Arbornet. Maybe there is no space, maybe there are two spaces (separated
by razor-wire and mine fields of course), maybe it is worth at least talking
about? I suggested the idea of quid pro quo -- contributing something as
a way to secure long-range benefits to Grex. It is, of course, an individual
decision. All of this is ephemeral and speculative at this point, but it is
a possible lead. Please don't talk yourselves out of something that is not
even defined yet.
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scg
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response 228 of 269:
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Jun 9 17:38 UTC 1996 |
It's worth discussing. Keep in mind that we've gotten our phone numbers
spread pretty widely, and that we couldn't use the 313 761 exchange if we were
at WCC.
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nephi
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response 229 of 269:
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Jun 9 18:12 UTC 1996 |
(Is there something particularly special about the 761 (besides that it's
printed on T-shirts? 8^)? I mean, one advantage of moving is that we could
pick the first number in our trunk hunt to be something really simple to
remember, and then have the rest of the numbers be sequential.
Something to think about, anyway . . . )
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scg
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response 230 of 269:
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Jun 9 20:48 UTC 1996 |
Mike, yuou're assuming that the phone company would give us such a sequential
group of numbers, which I've never seen them do. The only thing really
special about the 761 numbers is that they're what we've been publicizing for
years. Of course, we could keep 761-3000 and 761-5041 and do call forwarding
from them, but I think we might have to pay for them without being able to
use them if we did that.
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carson
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response 231 of 269:
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Jun 10 12:27 UTC 1996 |
some of the exchanges are "city-wide." is 761 one of them?
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scg
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response 232 of 269:
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Jun 10 23:12 UTC 1996 |
None of the exchanges are city-wide. Most of them cover a prety large area
-- everything except the far east side -- but none of them cover the whole
city. On the far East side of Ann Arbor are the 971, 973, ad 677 exchanges.
All of that is moot to any discussion of WCC, though, since as far as
Ameritech is concerned WCC is in Ypsilanti.
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rickyb
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response 233 of 269:
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Jun 11 14:42 UTC 1996 |
re#217/218:
In business, you have to be honest and honorable, but you don't have
to do the "other sides" work for them. That is why _they_ are in business.
Commercial landlords don't get mad at tenants because _they_ failed to
anticipate their own costs. They chalk it up to experience, and will likely
make up for it in a future (negotiable) renewal, or on income from other
properties.
Any commercial landlord who is going to lease to a computer-related
company or organization would have to be pretty dull not to think about power
consumption, especially if electricity is included as an incentive to rent.
I'm certain the landlord will have (or has had) a lawyer review the lease and
an accountant advise as to profit/loss expectations.
Sure, tell them you will be operating mostly electrical equipment.
No, you don't have to lay out an estimate of your power consumption by cost
(but maybe by _power consumed_, if requested. Leave it up to the landlord
to estimate the cost by contacting the electric company. After all, that is
who is the customer of Edison, in this case.).
I like the idea of the ICAN/WCC location as being 1] free (potentially)
and 2] centrally located and 3] near a source of new volunteers (WCC
students?) and 4] accessible (?) and 5] shareable with other groups (?). But
I share the concern over loss of the currently well-known phone number(s).
Perhaps, an easy-to-remember number could be obtained for the top of
the trunk hunt, and some kind of arrangement, like call-forwarding as was
mentioned, could be kept up for a year or so, then dropped, as a transition.
Only other problem I can think of is, how long would this space likely
be secure? If WCC expands and wante to reclaim the space grex'd be out on
the stree, pretty fast. I would not chance that for less than 5-8 years, but
that's just my opinion.
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scg
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response 234 of 269:
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Jun 11 21:47 UTC 1996 |
I'm a little confused by the classification of WCC as centrally located and
accessable. Since all but a couple of the Grex staffers live in Ann Arbor,
a place that isn't in Ann Arbor doesn't strike me as "centrally located" or
"accessable" in any way that's useful to Grex.
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adbarr
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response 235 of 269:
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Jun 11 22:50 UTC 1996 |
Well, scg, it would be helpful to define "basic requirements". Do the
servers, phone lines, etc. have to be located within x miles of y? if so,
then this should be set out for all to see. Centrally located and accessable
are concepts that might be compromised for cash?
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kaplan
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response 236 of 269:
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Jun 11 22:53 UTC 1996 |
WCC seems to have 973 phone numbers. The boundary is Golfside. WCC is on
the Ann Arbor side of it. So the local calling area would not change.
Parking is easy and plentiful at WCC. Do all the grex staffers have cars?
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kaplan
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response 237 of 269:
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Jun 11 22:55 UTC 1996 |
Oh yeah, WCC is also easy to reach by AATA.
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adbarr
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response 238 of 269:
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Jun 12 00:35 UTC 1996 |
But they are big and scary!
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robh
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response 239 of 269:
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Jun 12 06:28 UTC 1996 |
What's big and scary? Cars, busses, or the Grex staffers? >8)
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tsty
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response 240 of 269:
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Jun 12 16:40 UTC 1996 |
which? "big" or "scary?"
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scg
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response 241 of 269:
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Jun 12 20:30 UTC 1996 |
re 236:
Hmm. I thought most of the WCC numbers I've seen have been 572, which
is Ypsi, but I'm not sure. Then again, maybe it's right on the border.
Anyway, 973 is not on the same wire center as 761, so moving to WCC would
still require changing phone numbers.
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ajax
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response 242 of 269:
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Jun 19 19:42 UTC 1996 |
Quick check in the phone book reveals 973 and 677 numbers for WCC.
Its address is listed as "Ann Arbor Township," which I neither Ypsi
nor Ann Arbor. (To give non-locals an idea of what we're talking
about, it's maybe a 15 minute drive from downtown Ann Arbor, near
Grex's current location, in medium traffic.)
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arthurp
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response 243 of 269:
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Jun 20 01:47 UTC 1996 |
It would be right next to my current apt, though. Is this a sign?
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srw
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response 244 of 269:
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Jun 21 01:44 UTC 1996 |
Those exchanges are on the SE Ann Arbor Switch. That is located on Packard
just west of Carpenter. You can't 761 there, to confirm what someone said
earlier.
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chelsea
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response 245 of 269:
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Jun 21 02:14 UTC 1996 |
I think it was a wonderful idea to contact the press about this.
I'm hoping someone out there has a fondness for shoestring public
outreach projects, such as Grex. Who thought of it? Valerie?
Neat idea.
John came up with a nice attention grabbing headline for the story which
goes something like: Local Cyber-sex Computer System Faces Eviction for
Violating Zoning Ordinance. ;-)
Or my idea for a classified advertisement: Wanted - a closet with an
electric outlet and room for 3,000 people to party. Must be cheap.
We'll be quiet.
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chelsea
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response 246 of 269:
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Jun 21 02:18 UTC 1996 |
That last response maybe should have been put in the "moving"
item. But you know what I meant.
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adbarr
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response 247 of 269:
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Jun 21 12:00 UTC 1996 |
I put an item on HVCN for both Grex and Arbornet.
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rickyb
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response 248 of 269:
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Jun 21 15:59 UTC 1996 |
I'm playing phone tag with Sam Romanis (of Cottage Inn). They have the bldg
on Plymouth Rd at Prarie (between Nixon and Green) and there is an 1100 sq
ft office available for $900/mo (less for long-term lease). The reason I want
to talk to him personally is that I know he has cool, dry, basement space in
that bldg (with rather high cielings, as I recall) and he _just might_
consider offering 100 sq ft for $100/mo (just an off-the-top-of-my-head
figure) as additional income for a long-term lease.
Another option is to lease the 1100 sq ft and use 100 sq ft of it, sub-leasing
the rest as office space. Perhaps...mnet takes 100ft, grex takes 100ft, some
other non-profit takes 100ft (or two, or more) and, if there is still enough
to sub-let do it...or make it a conference room which can be rented by any
outside group and used for free by mnet, grex and other tenants.
Again, just brainstorming. I rented a farmhouse from Sam and Nick when I was
in undergrad (it's now being turned into the new Tennis complex on State) and
they are very personalble folks...just need their income property to produce.
Also, if anyone knows John Swisher III, he has a lock on LOTS of office space
all around AA. Someone could ask him if he has any small, unrentable (or
nearly so) space that he could lease out for a small sum. Can't hurt to ask.
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aaron
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response 249 of 269:
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Jun 22 16:28 UTC 1996 |
re #225: The NEW Center was very happy with Arborent during its first year
of tenancy.
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