Counting since 28.1.2010 <http://lipas.uwasa.fi/~ts/garbinfo/garb1999.html> Copyright © 1996-2010 by Prof. Timo Salmi Last modified Thu 28-Jan-2010 14:04:10

What is Garbo's future?

First, we are a university repository that runs on extremely limited personnel resources. There is no paid, full-time archivist at Garbo. The repository was built on the side of the actual professions of a few interested persons. Such a situation is untenable for continuing upkeep of Garbo. The queues tend to have long waiting times and not all the sections are open for uploads. (For today's situation , please click.) This also means that there is no one with the time to arrange or negotiate any business or new mirroring arrangements. Furthermore, there is minimal or no support for Garbo related problems.

Second, the Finnish network traffic is carried by FUNET (Finnish University and Research Network). The infrastructure and the traffic costs have until now been paid by the Finnish Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Each university has paid only a fixed sum. This policy is now under revision. The universities will be paying by the traffic from the start of 1999. Unless Garbo is given a preferential treatment because of its international scope, year 1998 will its last. The workforce resources already have been a big problem and have seriously curbed Garbo's operation, but the fixed nature of the university's connection costs have allowed us at least keep Garbo running. As you know, Garbo is a joint project of the Department of Accounting and Finance, and the Computer Centre of the university. There is no way the financial situation of the departments will allow continuing donating the existence of Garbo to the net should the variable costing scheme hit also her.

Well, at the end of 1999 there seems to be some kind of a resolution. Garbo still has a partial lease of life in terms of the cost of the traffic algorithm. But the maintenance situation remains as described in another item .

All the best, Timo

Date: 7 Dec 1997 23:40:31 +0200
From: ts(ät)uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
To: A Garbo User
Newsgroups: comp.archives.msdos.d
Subject: Re: Will 1998 be Garbo's last year?

I hope a solution can be found.

As do we. We hope that Garbo's traffic would get a special treatment and be allowed to be exempt from the by the traffic charges as an international good-will service.

If necessary, would it be possible for Garbo to supply files ONLY to the official mirror sites? That should reduce the traffic, while preserving

That is a sound suggestion. Technically that might well work, but managerially and motivationally the answer is a no. Such arrangements are suited for full-time operations. I am afraid that there will not be enough local incentive left to keep Garbo artificially or burdensomely alive should worst come to worst.

All the best, Timo

Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 23:30:07 +0200 (EET)
From: ts(ät)uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
To: Another Garbo User
Subject: Re: Will 1998 be Garbo's last year?

I am very sad about your posting about the possible cancellation of Garbo's excellent services, which I have used for several years now.

Thank you for your support. I am moderately optimistic about Garbo maybe getting an exception treatment. The Finnish Education Ministry's planning group has indicated that it is aware of the special Garbo dilemma in a costing by traffic model intended to take effect at the beginning of 1999.

On the other hand I am rather pessimistic about us being able to keep Garbo up to date whatever happens with the traffic costing model. Thus, I predict Garbo eventually narrowing down to taking in only Turbo Pascal material irrespective of whatever else happens.

Is there anything that we, Garbo's users and friends, can do to stop this? Maybe writing a letter to some officials or ministers or else?

I do not wish to bring external pressures. To be honest, I am in an ambivalent position in this. I have no personal income at stake in Garbo, rather the contrary. In fact, Garbo, as much as I like the concept, takes far too much of my time away from my academic research and teaching.

Thanks for all your engaged work in the real internet community.

Thank you for the nice compliment.

All the best, Timo