Fwd: Re: [Midlands] Well then...

[Catherine Ansbro]

>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 00:58:47 +0000
>To: Patrick Kiernan <amp at hossbert.com>
>From: Catherine Ansbro <cansbro at eircom.net>
>Subject: Re: [Midlands] Well then...
>
>>>
>>>The eircom announcement. What you thinK?? I know Crossan are starting 
>>>trials of cable internet, I have been in touch with them to see about 
>>>getting involved and I'm just waiting to see what service they'll offer.
>
>We live in the wilderness between Boyle & Frenchpark.  I think you folks 
>will see this long before we do.  We're seriously thinking of 
>satellite.  Our 128Kb ISDN gives us about 2Kb/s on average--when there is 
>throughput at all.  When I complain or threaten a lawsuit for false 
>advertising we get a booster on the line for about 2 wks and it goes up to 
>about 6Kb/s.  Then they seem to move the booster elsewhere & we're back to 
>a snail's pace.
>
>There don't seem to be any networking professionals around here who are 
>passionate about linux.  We just had 4 different companies in to get us 
>quote on re-configuring our network (from Longford, Sligo, Boyle & 
>Claremorris).  Some have some linux experience, or say they do or others 
>in their company do.  I didn't even encounter enthusiasm even for a linux 
>firewall.  Maybe it is not what our network needs (unusual stuff for 
>astronomy/remote telescope access with lots of existing Windows software) 
>and I can accept that--I'm trying to keep an open mind.  I have too little 
>experience to take a stand, and have too many obstacles in trying to get 
>it up & functional on my own desktop.*  Linux appeals to me 
>intellectually, ethically and financially.  Maybe I'll have to wait till 
>we have office space and we can start from scratch and then I can check 
>out all the hardware ahead of time for compatibility.
>
>Catherine
>
>*can't read files saved in .rtf (lycoris distro); can't get rid of the 
>linux partition which dual boots with Win 2K & redo it with a different 
>distro because Partition Magic won't recognize the partitions it 
>created.  (part of problem may be that I set up some of the sections as 
>reiser3, and some of the distros don't recognize it--including the native 
>one and Partition Magic.)  Oops.  Re-partitioning w/o Partition Magic gets 
>me quickly into "expert" options with dire warnings in which I feel out of 
>my depth.  Can't dial out to update anything because it doesn't see my 
>3com modem which is on tty2, tho not for lack of trying.  Sigh.  I will 
>get there eventually I am sure.  I've unwittingly gotten myself into 
>problems that I don't know how to get out of.
>
>Well, if any of ye ever want to come have the meeting here & help get me 
>sorted out I can promise lots of great cake, and those of you who've been 
>to the first few meetings know I'm not exaggerating :-)