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- 015.28 Antartica
- by Andy Linton <Andy.Linton@comp.vuw.ac.nz>
-
- Good progress has been made with a 9600 baud
- satellite connection connecting DSIR Antarctic Division in Christchurch, New
- Zealand and Scott Base in the Ross Dependency, and it is almost
- operational.
-
- The '.AQ' top-level domain has been registered as a new continent which of
- course isn't something that can be done every day and a Class C address for
- 'scott.aq' has been obtained from the NIC. The details of all this have been
- entered in the DNS and we are awaiting the addition of the necessary routing
- details so that this link is available globally. It's nice to see the
- Internet have a positive spin off into local industry - the router boxes used
- have been designed and produced by the NZ Department of Scientific and
- Industrial Research (DSIR).
-
- There is currently little activity to connect hosts taking place as the
- connection was made late in the summer season and most researchers who are
- currently there haven't really had time to configure an Internet link into
- their plans. There is a high level of interest in New Zealand and
- increased usage is expected in the next summer season.
-
- This link fits in well with the activities of the International Antarctic
- Centre, Christchurch and the recent announcement of the availability of online
- databases of Italian Antarctic research work via Internet and HEPNET links to
- Italy. Researchers at Scott Base will enjoy access to information in a much
- more timely fashion than in the past and will be able to dispense with coming
- back with boxes full of floppy disks at the end of their trips to the ice.
-