Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    PLink is great.  Downloads are lightning fast compared to Compu$erve,
    using their WXmodem protocal.  The Amiga area is vast and very up
    to date.  
    
    I got out of Compu$erve over a year ago...never looked back...never
    regretted the switch.
    
    Randy
    

I get about all I can digest from here, comp.sys.amiga and Amazing
Computing.  What sorts of things do they have on these pay services that
cant be found on a free place (eventually)?

I heard an interesting story about Compuserve's Xmodem protocol, in that
they added a 1/2 second delay between packets...dont know what became of it.

Robb

    I dropped my Compuserve subscription over a year ago, since the
    connect charges were killing me.
    
    PLINK is a real deal.  There are several cost saving ways to subscribe.
    You can become a 'Frequent Plinker' for a flat rate of $10.00 per
    month, and receive a 25% discount on the $5.95/hr connect charge.
    
    You can save even more money if you have local access to a Telenet
    PC Pursuit line.  For $25.00/month, Telenet will pay for all you
    connect charges, and the PLINK rate goes to $2.75/hr.  If you use
    PLINK more than 13 hrs/mo, this makes sense.
    
    What's so great about PLINK?  For one, WXmodem is twice as fast
    as Xmodem.  CBM is on PLINK in the guise of Dave Haynie, RJ Mical,
    and CATS (Commodore Amiga Technical Support).  They have around
    80 MBytes of Amiga stuff online, a great scrolling message base,
    easy menus, and the friendliest staff around.  Harv Laser, the Amiga
    club sysop, is about the greatest guy you could imagine.  He frequently
    personally sends people disks if they are having problems downloading
    software.  ACO is a PLINK exclusie, too.  It is a graphical interactive
    conference that developers attend to provide help and pitch their
    latest wares.
    
    I've just gotten an account on GEnie.  I don't know my way around
    too well yet, but the system seems rather brain-damaged compared
    to PLINK.  I just use it to play Air Warrior.  At $5.00/hr, it's
    a pretty good deala compared to CIS.  I hear that the Amiga section
    of GEnie is comparable in size and traffic to PLINK.
    
    Ed.
    

    I personally find Compuserve too huge to get around and too expensive
    to waste time finding out how.  (But I'm still subscribing...)
    
    Is PLINK for micro-computer users only?  About how many subscribers
    do you estimate it has.
    
    I would also like to hear some more details about GEnie.
    
    Steph                                                   
    

    well, I use Genie almost exclusivly...no knock on plink, I guess
    its just more a case of what you get used to (like editor wars...;-)
    
    Lots of good stuff, but I haven't yet tried airWarrior...Mostly
    I DL music, and an ocaisional game/hack/utility for re-posting here...
    But seems like (Other than music and graphics), a lot of the stuff
    shows up here, or is covered in usenet.  I guess its just a matter
    of how much of a fanatic you are.....
    
    Using vtx00 emulator, I just set up a script to do all the login
    work, and put me in the amiga area....then check the new loads (a
    file is created 2x a month of all the DL's...off-line, and go raiding.
    
    Its been a busy December, so tonite's the nite...
    
    Oferall, they aren't too expensive at $5.00/hr, but (as in life(
    its all relative..
    
    scott.
    

    Out of curiosity, how local are your local access phone numbers?
    If you live in a small town (Bolton, Mass for me), the local calling
    area is pitifully small.  "Long distance" charges can add maybe
    $ 3/hr to the charge to get to an access point 10-20 miles away.
    This adds a lot to what I already think is an expensive luxury.
    
    How important are phone company charges to you?
    
    Wes_who_has_a_1955_phone_exchange_until_mid_1989

Also, what speed lines are available on the various services, and at what cost?

-jim

    I too disconnected from Compuserve nearly 3 years ago. The downloads
    were extremely slow and costly. I give CIS credit for having one
    of the best bulletin and messaging systems though. The CB did become abit
    addictive though. I believe I ran up a $300 bill one month. 
    
    I now use GEnie. Downloads are fast and there seems to be a lot
    of Amiga files (over 3000). Alas, new uploads have slowed down a
    bit in recent weeks.
    

    Compuserve has TONS of 300-1200 lines.  Unless you live completely
    out in the boondocks, there is probably one or several in your local
    calling radius.  The 2400 baud lines are more scarce (I think there
    are about 5 in the (617) area code).
    
    That is one of the best things about Compu$erve.
    
    Has anybody tried BIX?

    Cast my vote for PLINK.
    
    I was a CIS subscriber.  Giant bills, etc.  I live about 40 miles
    south of Boston.  The nearest CIS node is three towns away, and
    costs $3.60/hr for me.  I have a Tymnet node in the next town, but
    CIS adds $2.00/hr to your connect rate for using Tymnet or Telenet.
    As noted earlier, Tymnet/Telenet access is free on PLINK.  It becomes
    a no-brainer as to which one is a better value just in access charges.
    
    Also, about 90% of the services on CIS were of no interest to me.
    If your into Stock quotes, market research databases, etc. you may
    feel differently.  CIS will move more and more into that high-end
    business services type market, because that's where the dollars
    are.  I like browsing libraries and conferences, and PLINK has
    everything I could want.  In fact, I find it much easier to use,
    and less confusing to navigate.  AmigaZone (the Amiga club) is 
    super.
    
    I canceled my Compu$erve subscription last week.  I guess that's
    "the bottom line