The FAQ was last updated on 6 December 1995
A number of new ISPs have e-mailed me with surprisingly similar questions. Check out http://www.amazing.com/internet/advice.htmlto see my advice for beginning ISPs.
Yes, this is where we meet the traffic cops and maintenance people of the Information Superhighway, as they begin to make their first struggling appearances. They all have their idea of what the net is to be; about all they have in common is that they know it will be different from the way it is today.
You can have many reasons for wanting to check out this FAQ. Perhaps you wanted to be an Internet provider from the day you were born, or maybe you're just curious to find out what it may be like. In any case, hello, and welcome to our world! This FAQ's for you, and I give a warm welcome to any comments and additions you may have. Write me at david@amazing.com
My Unix mailer cannot digest these messages without a great deal of additional trouble, so please make sure that you use a text editor that can break lines at 80 columns or less (75 is a good number to use as a general rule). The easiest way to do this is to send your messages using a Unix Shell account with any of the standard text editors available. I realize, however, that this advice may seem too old-fashioned for the more enlightened and progressive among you.
If you don't have Shell access, or if you cannot bear the thought of using Unix [tm], either:
- Press [enter] at the end of each 80-column line as you are typing in your message
or
- Verify that your program DOES create [return]s at the end of lines.
Spry's AIR Mail program seems to be particulary bad in this regard; I recommend that, if you must use Windows [tm] for some reason, you use Eudora instead.
For information on my rather negative attitude towards Windows, check out http://www.amazing.com/microsoft/, my anti-Microsoft Home Page.
Even though the FAQ has been in HTML for a long time, I'd still appreciate any comments about the HTML conversion.
David Buys a Router [ http://www.amazing.com/internet/router.html]. In this gripping episode, we see our intrepid hero David Dennis visit the repair depots of the Information Superhighway in search of a router. Does he ever find one? Stay tuned. [Updated 16 November 1995; someone asked me for the brand and model of the router, so I added it]
David gets an Internet Connection [ http://www.amazing.com/internet/connection.html] At long last, David gets a 56k Internet connection. Read all about it! [Updated 28 August 1995]
Sprint is said to have vastly improved service, and Net-99 doesn't like the fact that it carries certain newsgroups, but it still does. Net-99 has been taken over, and growing pains have emerged; however, things still seem to be under control. In the latest update, we find that AlterNet has better rates than one might think, and an anonymous source updates us on the Net-99/Aegis merger. [Last updated 6 November 1995]
For a couple of different views on setting up virtual domains, check out my Internet Resources page at a http://www.amazing.com/internet/.
Section 6.7, PCs Running FreeBSD, has been added to suggest another interesting operating system for ISPs. It has an excellent pedigree; how does it compare to Linux or other options? This section has been newly updated with Free BSD ISP mailing list information [Updated 1 October 1995].
Section 10.3, Accounting and Billing Practices, now contains some new billing software URLs, and an update on the IOU package. Note that I do not sponsor or endorse any of it; I am providing the information because of a very high level of interest. [Updated 14 September 1995]
I've added a very brief description of Firewalls in section 8.4, Firewalls. [Updated 18 July 1995].
I have significantly improved my section on Web browsers and servers, starting with section 9.9, What about Running a World Wide Web Server? This includes information on running a multi-homed web server (aka http://www.bigco.com/[Note: That's a generic example, not a real link]) and comments on the Netscape extensions. [Updated 15 July 1995]
Should you bother starting a provider with a 56k line? Maybe there's more hope than I would have thought, at least if the price is right. Check out Section 4.4, New Information on the Viability of a 56k line. [Updated 10 June 1995]
The Internet and Windows NT: A summary of opinions. Should you consider this operating system as your next network server, or should you stick with the tried and true SunOS or BSDI? A satisfied NT user saw my earlier remarks, and replies. Oh-oh! Some additional material has also been added on SCO Unix, which appears to be gaining some interested parties. More on this debate in Section 6.11, What about Microsoft Windows NT? [Updated 29 May 1995]
Section 6.21, Care and Feeding of Disk Drives, has been started with a summary of the discussion on inet-access of overheating disk drives and what to do about them. Read this section so you don't need to feed your Barracuda to the fish! [Updated 29 May 1995]
Ever been curious about Silicon Graphics, the super-upscale maker of fine workstations for graphic artists and their friends? Our spies snuck a peek at their Top Secret price list, and found that they're not as expensive as you might think. Check out Section 6.4, Silicon Graphics (SGI) Workstations.
Any discussion of what's new with the Internet has to begin with Microsoft's announcement of the Microsoft Network, the new kid in the online service block. With their announcement of $ 4.95 a month access, they have thrown down the competitive gauntlet in a spectacular way. Check out our news analysis in Section 5.4, Microsoft and IBM, the Terrible Two.
To Netra or not to Netra: That is the question! Section 6.17, All About the Sun Netra, tells you more than you ever wanted to know about this vital issue. Don't be deceived!
Our new Section 15.0, Wanton Women and Straightlaced Crusaders, deals with some upcoming legal issues and other not-so-fun stuff surrounding the vital issue of sex on the Net.
Our FAQ maintainer decides to take the plunge and buy a Sun clone system. Unfortunately, thanks to a stubborn connectivity provider who just won't let loose an extra IP number, he hasn't managed to connect it to the net. He loves his Sun, especially with the 21" NEC "Professional Series" monitor he bought for it. But it has yet to be thrown into battle. Stay tuned.
Our FAQ maintainer becomes horribly snobbish and spends more money than he should. Section 6.20, What sort of monitor should I get with my Sun? tells you what he did and why.
The FAQ is updated on a somewhat occasional basis, about once every month or two. Visit the site and read in this page to find the last time it was updated.
If you've been given a copy of the text version of this FAQ, you can see the latest edition in HTML by pointing your WWW browser to http://www.amazing.com/internet/faq.html. If you want to make a printout of the FAQ, a text version is available at http://www.amazing.com/internet/faq.txt. I would like to suggest that you visit the main site at least once, because the FAQ is only one of many interesting offerings we have.
1.0 Major Contributers to the FAQ
2.0 Introduction
3.0 What about business organization and raising money?
4.0 What sorts of returns can I expect making as an ISP?
5.0 The Big-Time Competition: Should you worry?
6.0 Equipment
7.0 Hooking up to the Internet
8.0 What are interchange agreements, and why should I care?
9.0 Internet Software tips, tricks and answers
10.0 What about Fees, Terms and Conditions?
11.0 What sorts of technical problems should I expect?
12.0 Who needs and wants Internet Services? How can we reach them?
13.0 Internet Marketing
14.0 Now that I have users, how should I deal with them?
15.0 Wanton Women and Straightlaced Crusaders: Pornography on the Net
16.0 Legal Issues
17.0 Books and other Resources
18.0 Glossary of Common Terms and Acronyms
19.0 Resources
20.0 Conclusion