#Of Use To Canadians
8 messages in this thread
As a fairly heavy user of CIS and Canadian e-mail, I see a few holes in
your idea:
1. Most places don't have a CIS nore, so CIS has to be reached via
Datapac at a surcharge of $9 or more per hour.
2. It's risky to give remote staff a CIS account, because they could run
up thousands of dollars in charges for games, looking around, etc. Envoy
users can be configured to send/receive only within the organization.
3. The Envoy ADMIN structure lets you specify everything for each user
-language, time zone, etc.
4. Envoy can exchange messages with all sorts of LAN messaging systems.
5. Envoy transmissions are purely on a kilobyte charge. People
unfamiliar with the system can hesitate, read manuals, get coffee, etc.,
without incurring a penny extra for connect-time costs.
Having said all that, I'd love to have a CIS node in Saskatoon so that I
and others could use CIS more. If it weren't for Navigator, I couldn't
afford my current level of use.
Granted, there are potential problems with my "buy the client a CI$ signup"
idea. In the two instances in which I've done it, I've provided a new
Navigator along with scripts for Datapc sign on and for up/downloading
binary files in EasyPlex. Both restrict knowledge of the current CIS
password to a couple of individuals in their operations. These cases mayu
be a bit special in that my binary files are sent secured by password.
Granted, they'll never be able to replace Envoy. But everybody saves enough
to make it worthwhile, in these two cases anyway.
We have no CI$ node here in Calgary either, just Datapac and Tynet. The
nearest direct CIS nodes are in Edmonton, some 200 miles away.If it weren't
for Navigator, most Macers in Calgary wouldn't be on CIS period. IBM people
here say the same about TAPCIS. However, I gather that getting a node, even
in the U.S. is no mean feat.
I tried asking for a Saskatoon node once, citing the university and
everything else I could think of, and was diplomatically told it was
hopeless. But it's strange Calgary doesn't rate.
FYI, the newspaper Mac graphics network PressLink has a Calgary node and
plans to install a Saskatoon node soon. They seem to value Canadians a bit
more than CIS does.
Anyway, I hope your faith in your clients is well founded. If they decide
to play online games for a month . . .
Thanks for the PressLink tip. Just archived it for future reference in the
next couple of days.
Yes indeedy it's strange that Calgary lacks a CIS node. They've lost a fair
number of users because of it.
One fnal note, my "buy the client a CIS signup" scheme does not include my
being responsible for the client's online charges, just the purchase of the
signup kit. If they go to online games for amonth, it's on their hook.
That's one reason they keep access to their password restricted within
their own organization.
NOW I get it — just the signup, not the account. That DOES make a
difference. Incidentally, over the past year I've been deluged with free
CIS signup offers — every time I get a modem or telcom program or similar
thing for the office. I've given most away, but I'm sure I still have one
around somewhere. If you ask around, you might find others in the same
situation who can give you free signon kits.
Garry,
You (and others) can get a introductory sign-on kit for CompuServe (along
with a $15 credit) by calling 1-800-848-8199. This is how I've gotten
friends and colleagues a chance to try out CIS. And if you ask for
"Representative 153" the DTP Forum will get some "brownie points" (I
gather)!
<BW>
Thanks for the advice.
Don't feel too bad about not having a node, it could be worst, you could be
down here in the Maritimes where we are lucky just to get Datapac.
I must say though I understand your feeling with regard to CIS and Canada.
I just finished trying to get Tapcis to work through Datapac, I think it
would be easier trying to get Meech Lake signed!