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Connectivity bouquet

Dear Brian,

Your article "A Bouquet of Connectivity Services" in the May 2002 issue of Network Magazine made good reading. I am particularly impressed with the coverage of the Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) services. Although you have mentioned HECL's DirecWay service as an example, I wonder if there are other services through which we can get high-speed Internet access by using a dish antenna (not VSAT). I have contacted HECL marketing people regarding this but found that it is still beyond the affordable range of many home users, since it is done through VSAT. I am interested in a set-up with a dish antenna (not VSAT) since I feel that this would be much more financially viable for an individual user. Therefore, kindly send me more details on this at your earliest.

Regards
Pradeep Meiram

Dear Pradeep,
You must be referring to a Ku-Band Direct-to-home satellite service. Service providers in India (like Hughes and Bharti) do offer satellite-based Internet services. However, as you mentioned, these are primarily for corporate users and are not economically viable (or not available) to individual users. We know some end-users who are happy with cable-based broadband Internet services. You need to check which service provider offers such a service in your locality.

Linux information

Dear Minu,

Your article titled 'Banking on Linux' in the March 2003 issue of Network Magazine was very good. I seek additional information on this subject. I am looking for material that deals with how Linux and Open Source (or even FLOSS) technologies are being applied in the field of Banking & Finance. I am also looking for material on the aspects that stipulate the future of these technologies, the risks and advantages.

Regards
Mayuresh Kadu
Project Engineer, Wipro Technologies
Pune

Dear Mayur,
With reference to your queries, banks are using a lot of Open Source for their non-core applications but not
yet for mission critical applications. The following links will give you more information on the FLOSS technology and Linux in Banking.

• old.lwn.net/2000/0420/
• FLOSS website at www.flossdev.com.

Hope you find the information you are looking for. If you still need more information on any other specific area do revert to us.

Power conditioning

Dear Soutiman,

Your articles on Power conditioning in the May 2003 issue of Network Magazine were very good. I would like to inform the persons you quoted and other readers that they can consult Professor A. Ghosh of IIT Kanpur. He has recently published a book on that topic www.wkap.nl/ prod/b/1-4020-7180-9

Keep up the good work.

Regards
Prof. M. A. Pai
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Dear Professor M.A. Pai,
Thank you for appreciating the article. I've featured your letter and the link to the book. I am sure our readers will appreciate it.