[OLUG] Introduction and DSL ISP question

[Matt Arnold]

> i just wish i liked us west more.. they've given us hell with their phine
> lines so far :(

U S WEST TeleChoice bears no resemblance to the "phone company" U S WEST.

I recently visited the TeleChoice office (located behind the Target on
Center street) to test drive their cable modems.  The sales droid began to
panic once I pushed aside Netscape and started doing some pings and
traceroutes from a DOS prompt.  She quickly got one of the "tech" guys to
assist me (and make sure I wasn't breaking anything.)  The tech dude saw
what I was up to and volunteered to install GameSpy for me!!!  He downloaded
GameSpy from his own FTP site.  I noticed all kinds of open source stuff on
his FTP server.  I mentioned Linux, and he quickly admitted that a majority
of the systems in their computer room run Linux!!!  Whoa!  He admitted that
they're not a typical U S WEST company.

Don't just take my word for it.  Go to their office.  Their computer room is
on display behind giant glass panes.  Go take a look.  Pester their sales
droids with questions they can't answer and insist they find a tech guy to
help out.  Ask how they use Linux.  You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Matt

P.S. Average latency to a game server on their network (i.e. some other USW
cable modem user) was 60 msec.  Latency to any server outside their network
was 130 msec plus whatever time it takes to hop around the Internet.  I was
hoping for better response times.  This may not be indicitive of normal
response times.  I dunno.  If anyone else has additional comments or
experience on the matter, I'd like to hear them.

P.P.S. If you're eligible for DSL, do it.  And use Novia for an ISP.  This
should be a given.  http://dsl.novia.net/



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