rec.autos.simulators

If for whatever reason Sierra can't have it's own dial-up 800 number
network similar to the Hawaii Beta concept, NASCAR should take what has
been done and create the NRL over a Flat Monthly fee based site with no ISP
cost, no "TEN" cost, just NASCAR making the profits and running the league.

Am I crazy

---Jim Sokoloff, Papyrus

: If for whatever reason Sierra can't have it's own dial-up 800 number
: network similar to the Hawaii Beta concept, NASCAR should take what has
: been done and create the NRL over a Flat Monthly fee based site with no ISP
: cost, no "TEN" cost, just NASCAR making the profits and running the league.
:

Maybe NASCAR could, but we don't have the time for them to start from
the ground floor and create the perfect system.  

Here is a little history to help us keep certain things in perspective.
These 2 messages were culled from r.a.s. this summer:

------------------ editted messages from r.a.s. via dejanews ---------

Subject:      Re: Hawaii  800 #?

Date:         1996/06/25

INN was sold to AT&T almost 2 years ago.  Regardless, INN utilizes a
high latency network.  Ironically, even though INN is owned by AT&T,
until very recently, they were using SprintNet for their data network!

NRL will not work with latencies above 250 millisenconds (1/4 of a
second).  I've posted a lot of stuff up here about low latency so I
won't repeat it.  Bottom line, INN can not deliver the low latency we
need.

Ed Martin
Producer, Series Director

Subject:      Re: Attn:Ed Martin NASCAR 2.0 AI

Date:         1996/07/07

As for the 800 #, believe me, we have done a LOT of research on how
much people are spending.  There are some big problems with the 800 #
idea.  First, if we were to do it, we couldn't charge a flat fee.
Given what we've found, people will spend tons of time online when
it's "free"/flat fee.  In order to not lose money, we'd have to bill
by the hour/minute.  Second, we do not have a billing system, and it
would cost a lot to build one.  We were part of the way down the line
with it when Sierra acquired us, but we put it on hold, because...
third, Sierra has a non-compete agreement with AT&T.  Sierra used to
own the Imaginiation network (INN).  When Sierra sold it to AT&T, part
of the agreement was a non-compete that precludes us from billing for
a proprietary service like Hawaii.

Ed Martin
Producer, Series Director
NASCAR Racing League
Papyrus / Sierra On-Line, Inc.

--------------- end editted messages from r.a.s. via dejanews ---------

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

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I adgree with you. Exactly.

Alex
"YoungGun"-Hawaii handle