L-Soft seeks joint study partners for LISTSERV-TCP/IP deployment
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In order to address the growing customer demand for LISTSERV solutions
not dependent on NJE technology, L-Soft international is seeking partners
to evaluate, test and deploy the TCP/IP version of LISTSERV that has been
developed over the summer.
Highlights:
- Goal: LISTSERV-TCP/IP must be ready for high-volume, production quality
service by July 1st, 1994.
- Partners: any academic site with good Internet connectivity and a
suitable hardware/software configuration (VM system with TCP/IP V2) may
apply.
- Benefits: partners will receive a free license for indefinite use of
LISTSERV-TCP/IP and LMail(TM) for VM, worth $7,928. In addition,
partners will receive free "category II" service for the above products
until July 1st, 1994.
- Commitments: partners must use LISTSERV in "non-NJE mode" until July
1st, 1994, and act as beta-test sites for new revisions of the software
during that period. A high degree of interaction between L-Soft and the
partners will be necessary to achieve a well-tested, quality product by
July 1994. There is no commitment by either party beyond July 1st,
1994; partners will retain the right to use the (then) current version
of both products indefinitely, at no charge.
- Deadline: applications must be received by November 22nd, 1993. L-Soft
reserves the right to award licenses earlier if suitable applications
have been received before the deadline.
There are three sets of licenses to be awarded by November 22nd, 1993.
L-Soft may award additional licenses at a later time if it becomes
necessary to test some of the more sophisticated functions.
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* Technical considerations *
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When running in "non-NJE mode", LISTSERV-TCP/IP does not use RSCS to
communicate with users or other servers. In the case of BITNET sites,
this means that remote users will not be able to order files via NJE, or
send commands via TELL. This may constitute a discontinuance of service
if you are already running LISTSERV. In addition, since the new code is
unlikely to be as robust as the current version of LISTSERV, some
problems may occur and quality of service may be impacted. In particular,
LISTEARN sites are not capable of interacting with non-NJE servers, and
you will no longer be able to peer lists with LISTEARN servers. Note that
LISTEARN is being phased out and that it is expected that all LISTEARN
sites will have converted to LISTSERV by March 31st, 1994.
For these reasons, sites which are not running LISTSERV at the moment and
sites which have definite plans to leave BITNET during the test period
will be preferred over current LISTSERV sites.
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* Legal considerations *
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The joint study will be implemented as a simple addendum to L-Soft's
general licensing agreement, GA-9305-2. You will receive free licenses
for indefinite use and will commit to their use in "non-NJE mode" until
July 1st, 1994. All other commitments will be non-contractual. If you
"bail out" and switch the software to NJE mode before July 1st, 1994, you
will owe us $7,928. There will be no penalty if you simply decide to stop
using the software forever and cancel your indefinite right to use
license. This penalty is necessary for BITNET sites because, for
technical reasons, we are not in a position to deliver a version of
LISTSERV-TCP/IP that will not work in NJE mode. We would not include it
on contracts with organizations not connected to BITNET.
The exact text of the contract is being prepared and will be sent to
applicants as soon as it becomes available.
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