From: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 18:56:16 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Moderation experiment almost over; "put up or shut up" (fwd)
Message-ID: <199702120256.SAA04844@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Forwarded message:

> Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 08:30:54 -0800
> From: Alan Olsen <alan@ctrl-alt-del.com>

> >offered nothing in the past but criticism, it's now time to get a
> >bit more real.  What will it be, your money, time, equipment?
> 
> What kind of memory requirements/machine load does the list eat up?  I have a
> machine that may fit this purpose...  (Need to know if I need to upgrade the
> box though.)

A minimum standard for a useable remailer (YMMV):

   486DX(blah)
   16M
   1G IDE
   Mitsumi CD Rom (very widely supported)
   VGA 1M
   NE2000 x 2 (Internet & Intranet)
   High-speed serial ports x 3 (Mouse, Modems x 2) [optional]
   ISDN Bridge (incl. NT-1, no POTS)
   ISDN Line (contact business office)
   Internet Provider (commercial service, nameservice, news, etc.)
   10BaseT Bridge [optional, depends on Bridge]
   Registration of domain name [optional, suggested]
   Linux (WinNT if clueless)

For a full-time commercial feed in Austin, Tx. your talking about:

Startup:

$600 Machine
$100 VGA Monitor
$100 Computer accessories
$400 28.8 Modems ($200 x2)
$150 ISDN install
$1k  ISDN Bridge
$500 ISP setup & init (this is commercial, not hobby)
$100 Initial name registry
$300 UPS

$3,250


Monthlies:

$50  Phones ($25 x2)
$25  Utilities
$75  ISDN
$400 ISP connection

$550

Note:

  *    This machine can't be your personal workstation. It will be
       entirely too busy.

  *    Learn shell, c, Pearl to start.

  *    O'Reilly makes very useful books.

  *    Such a machine will handle from between 100 to 500 accounts
       depending on how you set up your system.

  *    If you have the money, put it in the bandwidth first.

  *    I would very strongly suggest against using your employers
       resources for such activities.

  *    You will want at least one dedicated dial-in, no matter what.
       This is a good place for distinctive ring and a line splitter.
       Consider this when buying the modem, it will raise the price
       of the modem. Also consider the personal 800 numbers that are
       available.

  *    Consider strongly the use of an encrypted file system. While
       they make automated re-boots impossible their security can be
       quite appealing. (This is an issue that somebody who is already
       designing encrypted file systems should look into, how to allow
       automated reboots w/o manual entry of the key(s).)

  *    Anonymous remailer extensions would not be a major resource hog.

  *    If you are going to consider allowing general access by your users
       via dial-in use 10 - 15 users per line per day, assuming no
       enforced quota.

Hope this helps anyone who might be interested in starting up such a beast.


                                                  Jim Choate
                                                  CyberTects
                                                  ravage@ssz.com



When I was a kid, I lived in Pasadena, Tx. just down the street from the
Washburn Tunnel. There was a big sign going from Pasadena to the Houston
side that said "The grass is greener in Pasadena". This sentiment is the
true liberator of the human spirit. Keeping up with the Joneses is burned
into our genes.