Marshall Rose writes:
So, I think we are back to: why do we need another protocol (and
associated infrastructure), when we already have a widespread SMTP
infrastructure...
I guess I don't understand what this sudden rush to implement a paging
protocol is all about. I already have a paging protocol, had it for
years. The applications build on top of it are really Hot as well. This
is how my current pagind set-up works:
I sit on my terminal and all of a sudden I hear a <beep>. I then look
around to see that is wrong, when all of a sudden I notice that this
little window in the bottom of my screen is now colored white on black
(rather than the default black on white). The window also has a picture
on it, mine has a picture of a mailbox on it, and the little lever on
the mailbox is upright (default position is downright). Other people
around here have similar pagers, some people have these little windows
that speak to them whereas mine just goes <beep>. I have also seen
other pagers that also go <beep> but at the same time they show a
picture of the person paging them.
Since my pager isn't smart enough to show my who is paging me I need
to find out for myself. I normally do this by typing "elm" on the
UNIX command line. Other people around here invoke "mail" or other such
paging acknowledgement utilities. Anyway, I then find out who had
paged me - I also get a message from the person. Sometimes just the
subject line has a message, but other times the person leaves me a
page that takes screenfulls of reading. <BTW: normally by this time
the little window in the corner of my screen is the default color and
the little lever has settled down>.
Another Hot thing about my pager is that recently I can also be paged
via groovy multimedia pages - these pages are my favorite.
I can also page someone if I really wanted to. I have access to many
networks (UUCP, BITNET, COMPUSERVE, PRODIGY, etc etc etc). The thing
that bums me about paging someone is that is might take a few minutes
to page him. When I am so impatient and can't wait a few minutes for
a page to go through I use a different form of pager. This new pager
goes <ring ring> and forces me to dial some numbers. The bad thing
about this pager is that I have to "pay" for it:-(. The good thing
about this pager is that if the person I am paging is not next to a
computer, and he is wearing a little box on his belt, I can still
make contact.
Anyway, I guess what I am saying, is that unless SNPP can provide me
with something I don't already have, a "paging" protocol will only serve
to confuse me (do I really need another little window in the corner of
my terminal? - I don't think so). What I do need so for a way to be
paged when I am not next to a computer, or a phone, or carrying a pager
with me. (putting a longer string around 2 tin cans is cheating).
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Neophytos Iacovou
Honeywell Systems & Research Center
iacovou(_at_)src(_dot_)honeywell(_dot_)com
Minneapolis, Mn, 55418