larger space was: Re: [NIC-....

Thu Feb 15 20:23:34 UTC 1996

On Thu, 15 Feb 1996, Carl Payne wrote:

> >The whole point of getting the bigger address space is to be better than 
> >your competition (multi-homed, etc etc.)

> The point of a larger address space is ease of deployment.  The current
> thinking is, "We don't want it to be easier if it wastes numbers.  Work a
> little harder." 

How exactly does a larger address space ease deployment of an ISP? 
"Current thinking" of who?  Sure we should conserve space, but that was
not my argument.  My argument is that small ISPs are *NOT* going to
cooperate to get larger blocks.  They use any tactic to make themselves
out to be 'larger fish' in that network bowl.  Ever seen a nasty catfight
between small local ISPs?  I have.  Not pretty.  Cooperation?  Not likely. 

> Besides, if you think for one minute that the customers of most ISPs
> give a hoot about larger address space, or that being multi-homed will
> GUARANTEE a dialup customer will go to them, then you'd be interested to
> hear about my real estate ventures... 

I have no interest in your real estate, but I *KNOW* that customers of
most, if not all ISPs care about the reliability of their network, ergo,
the connectivity that their ISP has to its neighbors and that IS a 
selling point.

If your sales people (for all of you small ISPs out there that don't have
connections to 3+ NAPs) aren't using the "We are connected at TWO points
where [insert rival network name here]'s network is only connected to
ONE!" pitch, you have the wrong sales people. 

BTW, I'm not talking about dialup clients.  I would not do a dialup ISP
for all the AOL/GNN customers in the world.  Now, talk ISDN & T1, I
might..      just maybe...       NAH...

-abc

PS:  can you format your text for 80 columns next time so that I don't have 
     to do it in my reply?

PPS: can you explain your train of thought on 'larger address spaces are 
     easier to deploy' so that I can attempt to follow it? 

                                      \             Alan B. Clegg
         Just because I can            \            Internet Staff
        does not mean I will.           \          gateway.com, inc.
                                         \     <http://www.gateway.com/>