>I think most museums who use ASTC's services could work out a similar
>collaboration [with a university] to get Internet access if they need it.
 
> So, explain again what the advantage of ASTC being on Compuserve.
 
I am not an ASTC rep so I do not speak for them, but as I understand it, the
goal is to reach the majority of ASTC members who are _not_ connected in any
way.  It is largely an audience question.  Ultimately, we all want full
Internet access, but commercial services offer many of us "on ramps" which
will help us get to full access.
 
A commercial service offers:
 
1) a single 800 number for enrollment, software, and support
2) graphical software for multiple platforms to access the service
   with a single, consisten user interface
3) technical assistance provided by the service
4) 30 days or a number of hours of free enrollment to "try before you buy"
5) technical support for the organization setting up the forum
6) local dial in numbers in almost every part of the country
   even areas away from big cities (like ours)
7) all of this in one comprehensive package
 
For the brand new user this is a very attractive package.  There are ways to
get most of these things for some users by using Internet services, but the
myriad options for service providers, software pacakges, and dial in options
plus the necessity of then supporting those many options from ASTC
headquarters makes it  a much more complex packge simply to _explain_ to
brand new users.  For that audience, Compuserve offers a good compromise.
 
Those with good, cheap, fast, easy, Internet connections are in the
minority. I certainly have not been as lucky in getting access. We are not
near a big ciy with a cheap SLIP or PPP server so we pay $14/hour for long
distance charges to get that access
 
We have also been unable to work out a "leached line" arrangement with the
local college, despite the fact that I spent two years working in their IS
department.  It is great if your hard work is rewarded by a gift of such
access, but it isn't something the rest of us can always acheive.
 
it would be interesting to scan the membership list of Museum-L to see how
many subscribres do so through AOL or Compuserve.
 
Guy Hermann      | Mystic Seaport Museum |  "Technology is lust removed
[log in to unmask]   | Mystic, Conn., USA    |    from nature."  Don Delillo