[NCLUG] Linux-friendly satellite modem service

[mike cullerton]

on 12/18/00 1:33 AM, John L. Bass at jbass at dmsd.com wrote:

>> ya, but if you actually use bandwidth, they ask you to leave. i've got two
>> friends who were CWX members who were asked to leave because they created
>> too much traffic playing online computer games.
> 
> Although I've attended a few of the NCLUG meetings, I've never subscribed to
> this list
> until this evening.  I get enough email to deal with already. I missed the
> lead-in
> to this discussion ... I'm just responding to clearify some mis-statements.
> 

hey john, nice to see ya again.

> First a correction. CWX has NEVER asked any member to leave. We are a member
> owned,
> member operated community ...

hmmm... that isn't what the letter read like to me. basically, it said if
you don't change the way you use our service, leave. they way they were
using their connection followed all rules that governed the coop when they
became members. (not that those rules shouldn't be allowed to change)

<snip>
> The point here is that we believe that all members should be respectful of
> other
> members on this shared medium ... and as individuals in a non-profit
> cooperative,
> everyone should pay their own way ... we do not ask all members to subsidize
> the excessive use of a few. We have had one member leave, switching to @Home
> for a better gaming access to the internet. We have two other shared
> households
> moving off the CWX network in January due to their strong interest in certain
> high rate games which are simply not compatable with the 802.11 wireless
> technology.
> If, as you say, those members are complaining about being "kicked off" our
> network,
> then I hope this explains the situation. No one is trying to be unreasonable
> here ... just that the technology and econcomics in a shared community
> sometimes
> are not a good fit for everyone, or every application.
> 
<snip>

well, they just felt bad because they didn't get what they thought they were
getting after putting up the hefty money to buy the equipment to connect to
CWX. (BTW, CWX has agreed to buy back their equipment)

personally, i don't think CWX is being unreasonable here, and it may be
making the best choice for CWX as a whole. the only difficulties i have with
it are my perception of how it was handled (which is second hand knowledge)
and the fact that when these folks signed up, they were told they could use
the connection in the manner that they were kicked off for.

john makes a good point here that is similar to something i said in my
earlier follow-up. not all types of connections are right for all people.
shared, cooperative connections are not good for folks with the kinds of
network needs that my friends had. just make sure you are clear about your
needs and what your provider is willing to allow when you sign up for net
access.


 -- mike cullerton