Path: gmdzi!unido!mcsun!uunet!wuarchive!udel!mmdf
From: wal...@minixug.mugnet.org (Fred van Kempen)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Announcement of MUGNET- MINIX User Group Hobbyist Network
Message-ID: <35179@nigel.ee.udel.edu>
Date: 1 Nov 90 19:02:33 GMT
Sender: m...@ee.udel.edu
Lines: 295
Posted: Thu Nov 1 20:02:33 1990
Dear All,
At long last, the MINIX User Group of Holland (NLMUG) has a decent
connection to the USENET again. As I mentioned before to some of
you, we created a (still small) network of hobby machines running
UNIX, MINIX or something similar. Especially in countries where
it is hard to get a connection to the *real* USENET (like many
countries in Western Europe, including Holland), this network can
be of great value for hobbyists who want a link to USENET.
Below is the first draft of the MUGNET Information Sheet. Please
read it, and feel free to comment on it.
On another note:
AS OF 11/01/90, PLEASE USE THE ADDRESS BELOW INSTEAD
OF ANY OTHER E-MAIL ADDRESS:
wal...@minixug.mugnet.org (Fred van Kempen)
Regards,
Fred.
--
MINIX User Group Holland (NLMUG)
MUGNET - MINIX Hobbyist International Network
Fred van Kempen
wal...@minixug.mugnet.org
Version 1.00 - 11/1/90
ABSTRACT
This text describes the MUGNET Network, its politics and its
goals. It is intended as a general piece of information for
people considering joining it.
- 1 -
MUGNET General Information
M U G N E T
MUGNET is the network of MINIX- and UNIX-computers owned by
hobbyists throughout the entire world. It started out as a
private network of MINIX- computers from members of the MINIX
User Group Holland (NLMUG), and has eventually evolved into a
world-wide network of small hobby systems like these. It is
maintained by the various MINIX User Groups in the world, and by
some large educational institutions. Therefore, MUGNET can
operate on a non-profit basis. All MUGNET traffic will be routed
through its own medium-to-high speed modem links (2400-19200bps).
The gateways to USENET use Internet if possible.
1. HISTORY and GOALS
It appeares that in many countries (most notably the ones forming
Western Europe) it is close to impossible for a hobbyist to get a
connection to USENET. Since many MINIX users need such a
connection in order to keep up with the discussions and
developments of the MINIX operating system, MUGNET was founded as
a snall network of hobby systems running MINIX. Howver, as time
went by, more and more requests came in from people owning
systems that ran UNIX, not MINIX. Since these people were also
having trouble getting a USENET connection, they were allowed to
join MUGNET. So, in short, it can be said that MUGNET tries to
serve all computer hobbyists looking for USENET connectivity.
This is done by offering them services like e-mail, news and
archives.
2. MEMBERS
Although the network name spells "MINIX User Group", one does not
need to be a member of such a group. MUGNET services are
available for all members of the MINIX User Groups that have
joined MUGNET, plus for people from certain organizations which
have joined MUGNET, plus any others that wish to join MUGNET on a
personal (and non-commercial) basis. Organizations must be in
some way related to MINIX if they want to join MUGNET. These can
be software developers, universities, and the like.
As more User Groups are set up, more people can be reached
through MUGNET. Many individual people also expressed their
serious interest in joining MUGNET with their private system.
Currently, the following organizations are connected to MUGNET,
or have expressed serious interest in joining it:
- MINIX User Group Holland
- MINIX User Group USA- South Dakota
- MINIX User Group France
- MINIX User Group Japan
- MINIX User Group Sweden
- MINIX User Group United Kingdom
- The MINIX Centre UK
- MINIX User Group Germany
- 2 -
MUGNET General Information
Most of the User Groups named above are still being set up. Any
information about these user Groups can be obtained by sending a
message to Fred van Kempen at NLMUG. He will then forward it to
the people setting up the User Groups.
Commercial institutions cannot join MUGNET, unless they have very
specific reasons for joining it.
3. NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
MUGNET is currently organized as a network of star-networks. The
intent is, to give each connected country a system that serves as
the backbone for that country. This backbone handles all traffic
whithin that country, and performs routing if necessary.
Usually, it is called by all MUGNET sites in that country at
speeds varying between 1200 and 19200 bps.
All backbones connect to each other by high-speed modem links
(typ. 19200bps) to cut down on international telephone costs.
Since the backbones only call each other in batch-mode, the
resulting costs are quite acceptable.
So, as long as the traffic remains within a backbone, the costs
are quite little (the backbone gets called up by all sites, so it
only has to perform some routing and buffering). Traffic to
other backbones is also relatively cheap, since MUGNET has its
own direct modem links to the other backbones on the network.
The gateways to USENET and Internet are also called directly, as
if they were MUGNET backbones. These gateways are used to handle
traffic from/to the Internet and/or USENET, and to serve as a
news feed for MUGNET.
Currently, MUGNET has backbones in the Netherlands (minixug) and
Germany (wrfb). As soon as network traffic justifies it, other
backbones will be set up.
4. INTERNET DOMAIN
In analogy to the FIDONET network, we have applied for and, at
the time of this writing, obtained our own domain name:
mugnet.org. This domain name allows us to use a very simple
one-level addressing scheme for all connected MUGNET sites. They
have the form of:
u...@sitename.mugnet.org
The backbone of a country knows which systems are in its part of
MUGNET, and it might also know which systems belong to other
backbones. So, routing is a quite simple task.
5. SERVICES
MUGNET offers the following services:
MAIL - just like USENET
NEWS - all desired USENET groups plus some MUGNET groups
ARCHIVE - MUGNET maintains an archive for MINIX users
- 3 -
MUGNET General Information
All services are selected by the members themselves; no "minimal"
package of services is required. Especially the ARCHIVE service
has yet to be set up. The MUGNET managers are condidering
setting up a complete archive on every backbone, to allow people
to get files at very cheap rates. These archives can then be
updated by the network itself. Therefore, some sort of Central
Archive must exist, which will probably be the "plains.nodak.edu"
archive.
6. MORE INFORMATION
If you have any questions regarding MUGNET, its sites and/or any
MINIX User Group, please do not hesitate to contact us. Write
to:
Internet: wal...@minixug.mugnet.org (Fred van Kempen)
or : waltje%mini...@plains.nodak.edu
UUCP : uunet!plains!minixug!waltje
- 4 -
--
+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| MINIX User Group Holland UUCP: wal...@minixug.mugnet.org |
| c/o Fred van Kempen, or: waltje%mini...@plains.nodak.edu |
| Hoefbladhof 27 |
| 2215 DV VOORHOUT "Love is - what you want it to be. |
| The Netherlands Alannah Myles" |
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