-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- THE v.FAST LANE September 1993 (Issue#1) by Steve Meirowsky -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- DISCLAIMER Copyright 1993 by Steve Meirowsky and New World Designs. All rights (known and unknown) are reserved worldwide. You may copy or print this file only if it remains intact and unedited! (316)262-1829. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- TABLE OF CONTENTS - Editorial. - New high speed modem standards. - CCITT renamed to ITU-T. - ONE BBSCON show. - WheatNet regional mail hub in Wichita. - Kansas BBS list. - How to contact the author. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- EDITORIAL In case you wondered why this is called "THE v.FAST LANE", read on... You can upload this newsletter into a message on most BBS's since it's not wider than 72 columns! All future issues of "THE v.FAST LANE" will be included with the file KSBBSymm.ZIP (y is year, mm is month). I don't claim to be perfect so there may be mistakes or typos in this newsletter. See the end of this newsletter for my BBS phone number. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- NEW HIGH SPEED MODEM STANDARDS So, you want more modem speed over your phone line? Coming soon to a modem near you will be "v.32terbo", "v.FC", and "v.FAST" protocols methods. All three of these methods are backward compatible with the popular "v.32bis" protocol method used for 14400 bps modems. The "v.32terbo" protocol achieves a maximum rate of 19200 bps and is closely related to "v.32bis". It is very popular with modem makers since "v.32terbo" is only a software change inside the modem. The high speed rates are 16800 and 19200 bps. The problem with this new protocol is that it's NOT compatible at speeds above 14400 bps with other protocols. This is not an approved CCITT protocol like v.32bis. The "v.FAST" protocol achieves a maximum rate of 28800 bps. This is a new protocol that is NOT finalized but many specifications have been agreed upon. The rumor mill has it that a final spec will be approved by the CCITT in Summer 1994. This protocol is also known by industry insiders as v.LAST, which means that it will be the last analog modem protocol. It is also rumored that "v.FAST" will be called "v.34" when approved. The high speed rates above 14400 are 16800, 19200, 24000, and 28800 bps. All modem manufacturers agree that in the long term this protocol will win and other proprietary protocols faster than 14400 will die! The "v.FC" protocol achieves a maximum rate of 24000 bps. This is a subset of the "v.FAST" protocol and will be easily upgradeable to the final "v.FAST" protocol when it is finally approved. Rockwell has already released a chip set that supports this rate and we will see the first modems available in November 1993. Many of the large BBS's publicly announced support for this protocol at the ONE BBSCON convention during the last week of August! Remember that all of these protocols are NEW so many sales people will not be familiar with them yet. Only the people living on the cutting edge of telecommunication will know about them! If you are shopping for a modem, depending on whether you need it today or can wait a few months, you might want to consider a modem with one of these three high speed protocols. If you need a modem immediately, I would highly recommend a low cost "v.32bis" modem. I would also recommend a "v.32terbo" modem if the difference in price is less than $25 to $50, otherwise I would wait a few months and purchase a "v.FC" type modem since it should be upgradeable to the "v.FAST" protocol! The most important thing I can recommend to new modem buyers is to get a popular name brand modem. I have heard of too many problems with the no-name modems especially with customer support. In the past, higher speed modems are harder to setup so product support is very important. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- CCITT (ITU-T) The CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee) has been renamed for some reason. The new name is ITU-T. It is a subgroup of the ITU (International Telecommuncation Union) which is the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector. I don't know all the details, but at least you'll know what ITU-T is the next time you see it in print. The "CCITT" was the one that created the "v.32bis" modem standard. They are currently working on the new v.FAST modem standard that was mensioned above. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ONE BBSCON SHOW I attended the 2nd annual ONE BBSCON convention from August 25th to August 29th in Colorado Springs. Over 2500 people attended this convention! The following is directly from the ONE BBSCON guide. --- ONE BBSCON is, more than anything else, an industry "show-and-tell" event where different segments of the online world gather to exchange information on new technologies and new techniques for connecting personal computers for data exchange. ONE BBSCON is deliberately designed to include everyone with an interest in developing the technology to connect computers to exchange data on a wide-area, and perhaps world-wide-area basis, to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. To accommodate the show-and-tell aspect of ONE BBSCON, there were 137 educational sessions (classes) featuring some 144 speakers which are from the top of this industry! A second key element of the ONEBBSCON, serving as the "trade show" component, is the vendor exhibit areas. This was only for 2 days. --- I can easily say this was the most rewarding convention that I have ever attended! I met people from all over the world with different backgrounds with different reasons for attending. Also, I attended a dozen educational sessions to learn the latest things that could help benefit my BBS. Also, I saw demos of new products that will be coming our way shortly such as: Telix For Windows, Qmodem Pro For Windows, Qmodem- Pro For DOS v1.51 with new CompuServe support for forum mail, modems, RIP doors, Sysop utilities, and BBS packages! It is unfortunate that I am the only SYSOP from the Wichita area to attend since next year it will be help in Atlanta which is a little too far to drive! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- WHEATNET REGIONAL MAIL NET HUB IN WICHITA A fairly new mail net been in Wichita for a few months. NWIS BBS at 316-262-1829 is the hub for Wichita. This hub was created to share messages between towns in southern Kansas. Currently the following towns are being connected by WheatNet: Wichita, Hutchinson, McPherson, and Wellington. Several other BBS's are coming online in each town as this newsletter is being written. This net was not designed to compete with the national nets. If you need to send mail to friends in these towns, this is the way to do it! I will follow up on this subject in future issues of this newsletter. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- KANSAS BBS LIST I have been assimilating all of the Kansas BBS's into this list since 1991. The 316 area code seems to be fairly accurate but the 913 area code needs more work since I don't live in that portion of Kansas. The most important information to me is the BBS name and phone number! It it extremely important for me to know when a BBS has changed their phone number or has "gone out of business". I've had a few BBS phone numbers be re-issued to unsuspecting people who installed a new phone. All BBS's must meet the following criteria: - Must have a dedicated BBS phone line for public use. - Must run the BBS 24 hours/day. - Must NOT be an adult-only BBS. - Must NOT allow distribution of pirated software. If you know any BBS that does not meet the above criteria, please tell me so I can remove them from the list! I really don't want any first time callers giving BBS's (in general) a bad name because of a few pirate or x-rated boards. This list is specifically created for the first time caller. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- HOW TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR Steve Meirowsky New World Designs PO Box 12217 Wichita, KS 67277-2217 New World Information Service (NWIS) BBS (316) 262-1829, v.32bis, 24hrs/day. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-