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PROPOSAL TO USE SU-AI IN PCNET (HOBBYNET)

1) A test standard against which local (and sometimes not local)
hobby computers can test their protocol.  The advantage of
SU-AI is that it can keep a transcript of the session on
the disk to be perused later to diagnose bugs in hobby software.
When hobby nodes get this capability, this use will be unnecessary.

[Can we support this on our heavily loaded system?  Granted we are
 not as horribly bletcherously loaded as LOTS, but still...]

2) Gateway between PCNet and ArpaNet so that users on either
network can send messages to users on the other.  It may be desirable
to install protection against the use of the Arpanet as a shortcut
for messages that neither originate nor terminate in the Arpanet,
however it is desirable for communication between people to allow
normal gateway use where sender or recipient is on arpanet.

[I don't think Col. Russell would quite approve of a hobby network
 interfacing to the ARPAnet.  I see problems with allowing DIALnet
 to interface with the a-net, but this is even worse.  And now we
 are supposed to be a mail forwarding computer???]

3) Backup for when SU-IMP is down (SU-AI can PCNet a message to
dialup line at SRI-KL where it can be fowarded along net to destination)
or when whole Arpanet is down (SU-AI can dial direct to MIT or wherever
if sender is willing to pay cost of telephone bill).

[Oh come now.  IMPs and TIPs are not down that much, and generally such
 an occurance is when the network itself is down for debugging.  And the
 second scenario is sort of unlikely.]

4) Early Dialnet capability, cheap dialnet capability -- until such time as Dialnet is
available, PCNet will allow messages between SU-AI and such places as
LOTS, IMSSS, U-OREGON, and other universities not on the Arpanet,
and maybe even companies like IBM, DEC, INTEL, H/P, TI, III so that 
telegrams to suppliers of equipment and to developers of software
may be contacted with network convenience -- later when Dialnet is up,
some computers might not have facilities for Dialnet and might
retain PCNet as their only universally-compatible way of talking
to other computers.

[I would like to get DIALnet up as soon as possible, and have been grovelling
 over my dog-eared copies of the protocols for 69 other networks seeking a
 flash of utter brilliance.
 As for commercial people, once again, do we want them having access to our
 system, and wouldn't the bigwigs in DCA disapprove of any such thing that
 would allow these guys access to the ARPAnet?]

5) Spinoff of experience from PCNet that might help
in design of DialNet.

[Possibly, I hope to watch all your mistakes as they come up.]

6) FTP of listings from SU-AI to local (neighborhood)
PCNet-printers would allow dialup and network users like myself
and EK, ME, .. to pick up listings without driving up to the lab (as soon as
the network is up and running, I'll contact the Community Computer
Center, which is 1/2 mile from myself and from CGN and GG/MLG, to
see if they can install a network-driven printer on their premises)  I envision most programmers using
display terminals such as Datamedias or PJs for programming from their
home, with community lineprinters and other expensive devices located
only a short walk or bikeride away, possibly with couriers to
deliver listings to the programmer.

[Are there enough people to make this useful?  ME doesn't work for the
 lab any more anyway.  I don't print all that much to make it worth it,
 and usually I bike over to SAIL often enough to satisfy my demands for
 output.  And when I get a car, it will be trivial to drive to SAIL.  By
 the way, WHO is going to pay for this?  The printers, the interfaces, the
 phones, not to mention the paper?]

(7) Eventually there may be lots of public services on
the PCNet like information retrieval (consumer oriented) and
PROM burners ... SU-AI and/or individual users may
want access to these services just like they have
access to MACSYMA currently.  Probably these services
will be RJE where you mail a question to the phantom
user which mails its response back to you.

[Now you come to something remotely interesting.  But, let's see this.
 I mean, this maybe might answer the question, "what good is PCnet for
 SAIL", but there should be some hard evidence of this first.]