[CLUE-Talk] OpenSouce Friendly ISP [WAS Re: [CLUE-Tech] Easiest DHCP]

[Collins Richey]

On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 13:43:14 -0700 (MST)
Jeremiah Stanley <miah at miah.org> wrote:

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> > As to the other matters, please help me understand why a company that
> > has an express policy prohibiting you from running a server on their
> > link (and thereby potentially sucking down the available bandwidth for
> > everyone on the link) would be interested in helping you run a
> > server?!  It would seem to me that a commercial offering is what you
> > are describing rather that an individual user offering on @attbi.
> 
> Were not trying to run servers here. We just want to use a different 
> operating system than everybody else. Our operating system as seen by
> the unwashed masses as a 'server' operating system and nobody uses that
> as their desktop (even though I've done it for the last four years).
> 
> I don't want them to help me run a server, they can hardly do it 
> themselves at times. I want them to publish what it takes to get packets
> out of them on a more technical level that:
> 
> Insert CD.
> Wait for the AutoRun app to start.
> Input your name and address.
> Wait.
> We'll install a bunch of software that you didn't want.
> And after that, we'll edit your registry without asking you.
> Wait.
> Wait.
> Thanks for installing, please reboot.
> 

Yes indeed, only clueless Windoze users want this

> Now you have a computer that is perfectly setup so that a company you
> pay for service (and not cheap I might add) can advertise to you at
> every stop. It's almost like using AOL with a better browser and less
> spam.
> 
> Now take this example of what I want out of them.
> 
> Plug in router.
> Set you DHCP configuration to have the hostname <XXXXXXXX>.
> Reset your network interface or reboot.
> Set your route.
> Enjoy the internet.
> 

I think that is indeed exactly what I do to get my system running -
nothing more. I do have a Windoze system plugged into the same router (my
wife and daughter prefer it), but I've never had to do anything special to
get to @attbi from linux or FreeBSD other than to use dhcp - all distros
I've tried that offer dhcp as an option at install time come up
effortlessly.  My hostname (supplied by @home) is configured in the
router, and I don't need instructions from @attbi to tell me how to do
that. 

For my use - it's merely a somewhat more expensive tool than a 56K modem
and considerably more reliable to boot, since I don't have to deal with
Qworst.

I do agree that it's a silly thing for @attbi not to recognize that there
are users other than Windoze users.

-- 
Collins Richey - Denver Area
WWTLRD? - FreeBSD 4.4 + xfce + sylpheed