[Chlug] (no subject)

[Scott McLachlan]

Hi
I didn't actually send my last email to Karl to the list, so maybe
you could forward it to the list pls Karl (the one about hosting
options etc)

I am more than happy to give a CHLug website some airtime and space
both on the hosting centre I helped build in UK (I am on the IT mgmnt
board and have several servers in the network assigned for my
*needs*)
and on my cluster here in Coffs.

One thing that might be worth investigating...
If anyone knows anyone with the funding available to set up a
broadband ISP (I have built two for other firms, and have very
intricate knowledge of the equipment rules set by Telstra and BT, the
costings, and general workings of same) then the capacity is there to
build a LUG-ISP. I was passed some assessment docs recently by a
friend who works in a tier1 firm in canberra and sydney that showed
that at present linux users make up 37000 of the 560000 present
broadband users. Linux users are set to increase by an estimated 112%
in the next two years (meaning that in two years time there will be
almost 100000 linux based ADSL users) Even 1% of this market would be
a turnover close to $65000 per month. At present ISP support for
linux users is slim... (even though they use Linux and unix based
servers for most of their internal functions they don't like to have
to employ unix-smart phone support staff to actually manage the
support role... people with windows experience only come
  far more readily and at a much cheaper cost.... *MSidiots*)

I have most of the knowledge, some of the connections, and access to
the systems... just not the funding to make it happen all that quick.

I have approached two ISP's with respect to setting up an ISP 'under'
them which closely supports linux users, and ties in with the linux
community (and other 'communities') and whilst they both were happy
to support it with good digital upline connectivity (at a price)
neither actually wanted anything to do with the actual setup... 
shame

Also, it is fair to note (and this is the reason I am building a
small hosting centre locally) that subsidised hosting for such things
as other linux based organisations, and other charitable
organisations is severely lacking... a stream of new hosting firms in
Sydney are offering $11.00 per month accounts with bugger all
support, bugger all space and bandwidth, and they actually host out
of germany and denmark... not local here in Aus.

I already have over 2 dozen charitable organisations (community based
radio station was the first, now I have several of them based on
reccomendation from first, as well as a childrens charity and such)
who host out of my UK based servers, and who want to be hosted from
my Aus-local servers. This week 4 australian webhosts (small new
outfits)signed a 3 year agreement to be built and supported by me
(out of Coffs... all on linux platforms) Offering their corporate
clients cut price broadband services from a LUG ISP would bring in an
untold stream of new corporate customers... most of whom will be
lucky if they use email... left alone any serious bandwidth..

any ideas? 


-- 
___________________________________________________________
Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm