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Alternative to the Web

Z

Zachary

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Joined
Dec 8, 2009
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There's a new service you can use to access the Internet very quickly under Tandy DeskMate 3 or Windows 95 (and up), even with a 9600bps modem. It now offers an email account and several other new benefits with membership, which costs $2.50 per month. See AEINetwork.com for details.

Note: Some of the information in this thread is outdated now, there have been several changes since December.
 
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Not sure if he meant only those, I intend on trying with other computers (my Apple machines, the C64 maybe, an ST machine). Will report back when I get a chance to set up all those different ones.
 
Sorry for the confusion, I'll clarify. The AEIN can be accessed under Tandy DeskMate 3.x, which works on just about any DOS computer, including later Tandy PC-compatibles like the 2500XL. I have run DeskMate on Compaq, Dell, generic, and other computers successfully.

The AEIN access software will work with TGA, ETGA, ECGA (640x200 EGA), EGA, or VGA graphics. Additionally, separate versions are available for Windows 95 and Windows 98 (and up), they should run on a 486 or higher processor. It was actually designed/programmed under DeskMate, then ported to Windows.

Unfortunately, it does not currently work on systems such as the Commodore 64 or Atari ST. However, if enough members sign up and the service continues operating, at least partial PC-GEM or Linux support might eventually be possible.

Note: If VERY few members sign up, the AEIN would shut down at the start of February. However, there will be a 90% refund for anyone who paid for a lifetime membership if that is the case.
 
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Zachary: Sorry for the confusion, I'll clarify. The AEIN can be accessed under Tandy DeskMate 3.x, which works on just about any DOS computer, including later Tandy PC-compatibles like the 2500XL. I have run DeskMate on Compaq, Dell, generic, and other computers successfully.
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Thanks for clarifying. That sounds more reasonable than Tandy and Win95. I'm not into MS-Win so I felt left out because I don't have a Tandy. :) I just wasn't familiar with DeskMate. Does it cost money? If not, where can I download it?

PS: Colour me dumb, but I've looked at the site and can't quite figure out the underlying ethics or philosophy.
 
lutiana said:
Well don't feel bad. I am not entirely sure what it is they are actually offering.
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I've been looking around and it turns out DeskMate is proprietary, although I did find a free source on the net. However, it requires 4 to 9 disks and drivers and such. Give me a little terminal program or telnet and I'm good to go, but this looks like a huge system similar to early MS-Win. I use DOS because of it's simplicity, so I'll probably pass on this one. :)
 
I'm a little confused. So this is just a proxy server or is this an actual internet service? How do you connect with a modem or can you connect without an existing ISP?

It almost sounds interesting. It'd be pretty neat if it was out for a wider range of OSes. I see the trick is it's that lifetime price only until 12/11/09 :)

I'm just trying to understand what it really offers.
 
Here's some more clarification on how it works:

It functions over the Internet, using a packet driver or the built-in Windows Internet capabilities. However, it does not use domain names (or DNS). It uses a special format that integrates graphics and text into a single file for each page on the service, so it requires the proprietary access software. This software is very compact - only about 71K for DeskMate or 93K for Windows. You can use your existing ISP and connect with a modem or network interface card.

Basically, the main features of the AEIN are:
- News, weather, message boards, recipes, other ad-free online content
- Exclusive software downloads: Some Windows and GEM, mostly DeskMate
- General email technical support for Windows, DM, GEM, and DOS

The service's philosophy generally is that:
- Online content should be quickly accessible on any PC-compatible, any Internet connection, and any modem
- Older systems like Windows 95 and DeskMate should continue to be used, supported, and have software developed for them
- The Internet should be used in a way that consumes less energy and has less environmental impact

As for DeskMate, it is much faster than Windows (even 3.1) and doesn't require as much memory or disk space. It's possible to find it for free to download, or to buy an old copy of it (it was perhaps the most popular GUI in the late '80s, early '90s). Make sure you use a PC-compatible version if you don't have a Tandy 1000. It comes with a word processor, filer, spreadsheet, drawing program, and other applications.
 
It's like Windows 3.0 or GEM - a graphical user interface that runs under DOS and has programs that run under it. It also has "accessories" (calculator, spell check, corkboard, etc.) and task switching. In a way, I think it does simplify using a DOS system, because the same drivers and setup configuration are applied to all programs.
 
Zachary, let me ask you. I have a Tandy 1000 that has Deskmate installed. What else do I need? Is there a number to dial? For experimentation sake, DSL and cable internet are NOT available. Let's say I have an external 1200 baud modem as well. How would I connect to AEIN?
 
barythrin said:
It almost sounds interesting. It'd be pretty neat if it was out for a wider range of OSes. I see the trick is it's that lifetime price only until 12/11/09 :)
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No, I did manage to find in the FAQ that if you pay now its lifetime, but in a few days it becomes a monthly/annual fee for new users.

Q. Do I have to pay a monthly or annual fee?
A. Not yet; when we institute such a fee after 12/11/09, existing members will not have to pay it. Currently, the only cost to obtain standard membership is a one-time $12, $14.95, or $20 account setup fee (depending upon the membership level).

* Lifetime AEIN membership is only available for $14.95 through 12/11/09; after this date, new members will have to pay a monthly rate.
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Zachary: Here's some more clarification on how it works:
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Thanks, that fills in a lot. :) However, perhaps because of my preconceived notions, I'm still not clear on some things. The AEIN home page says:
The AEIN is a new online information system which offers an alternative to the World Wide Web. It works on almost any PC compatible computer, saves electricity, and runs quickly on dial-up Internet connections.
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What does "an alternative to the World Wide Web" mean? To me, it looks like it is another interface, but still using the WWW. I currently use various browsers such as dillo and links. (ie. The net with or without pictures) There are no ads to me and I basically shape the WWW to fit my own needs and wants. There are also telnet and dialup BBSs (mostly telnet) which are an alternative to the WWW.

Perhaps I have old notions stemming from the BBS days, and particularly my fondness for FIDO. So, I guess I have three major questions:

1/ Can AEIN function without the internet?
2/ If it does use the net, how is it separated from it?
3/ Is AEIN perhaps like a WWW gateway with it's own interface?

- Ole
 
It needs to use the Internet (as do FTP and POP3), but I do not consider it part of the Web because it doesn't use HTML or domain names. It is faster than even the Web with images turned off, because it doesn't have to download codes for things like Google ads, font settings, search engine tags, etc. It also limits individual pages to 4k, supplies all software and e-book downloads in ZIP format, and doesn't need to write each page to the hard drive while loading. Because of this, it's even fast on a computer with only a floppy drive.

As for the Tandy 1000, you could use a packet driver to connect to your regular ISP with the modem, if the ISP still supports 1200 bps connections. Also, some ISPs have login procedures that aren't compatible with the packet drivers available for pre-386 computers. You could set up "Internet Connection Sharing" on a Windows 98/XP computer connected to dial-up, but the Tandy would need to be networked with it. I didn't have much trouble making it work on a 486 DOS laptop's PCMCIA modem, but admittedly it's a lot easier to make it function on an XT if it's connected to a LAN with Internet access. Is it a certain model of 1000 (TX, RLX, etc) or an original 1000?
 
By the way, the 1000 TL/2 in the photo has DOS 3.3, DeskMate 3.03, and a 3Com ISA Ethernet card connected to a D-Link router, which is sharing a dial-up connection. If you happen to have a 1000 RSX (a 386), the LSPPP packet driver should work well for an ISA or Serial modem.
 
Zachary said:
It needs to use the Internet (as do FTP and POP3), but I do not consider it part of the Web because it doesn't use HTML or domain names.
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Fair enough but what exactly does it access then? Will it be completely dependent on it's own community? What kind of community do you envision?
It is faster than even the Web with images turned off, because it doesn't have to download codes for things like Google ads, font settings, search engine tags, etc.
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Well, those things are completely optional anyway. Don't do it if you don't want it. I often don't. :)
It also limits individual pages to 4k, supplies all software and e-book downloads in ZIP format, and doesn't need to write each page to the hard drive while loading. Because of this, it's even fast on a computer with only a floppy drive.
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That's the kind of thing I like to see! :)
Also, some ISPs have login procedures that aren't compatible with the packet drivers available for pre-386 computers. You could set up "Internet Connection Sharing" on a Windows 98/XP computer connected to dial-up, but the Tandy would need to be networked with it. I didn't have much trouble making it work on a 486 DOS laptop's PCMCIA modem, but admittedly it's a lot easier to make it function on an XT if it's connected to a LAN with Internet access. Is it a certain model of 1000 (TX, RLX, etc) or an original 1000?
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I guess the thing I have a hard time understanding is why? Not that I can't think of some reasons myself, but I haven't understood any from AEIN other than the low resource idea which is easily doable in traditional ways. Nettamer, for example still connects to a normal ISP and does what it always did. Telnet, FTP, lynx browser, and e-mail transports of several kinds, are all available to use on low resource DOS machines - and running off a floppy if you like.

Edit: I just saw your next post. :) Yes the LSPPP packet driver is brilliant!
 
Zachary said:
It needs to use the Internet (as do FTP and POP3), but I do not consider it part of the Web because it doesn't use HTML or domain names. It is faster than even the Web with images turned off, because it doesn't have to download codes for things like Google ads, font settings, search engine tags, etc. It also limits individual pages to 4k, supplies all software and e-book downloads in ZIP format, and doesn't need to write each page to the hard drive while loading. Because of this, it's even fast on a computer with only a floppy drive.

As for the Tandy 1000, you could use a packet driver to connect to your regular ISP with the modem, if the ISP still supports 1200 bps connections. Also, some ISPs have login procedures that aren't compatible with the packet drivers available for pre-386 computers. You could set up "Internet Connection Sharing" on a Windows 98/XP computer connected to dial-up, but the Tandy would need to be networked with it. I didn't have much trouble making it work on a 486 DOS laptop's PCMCIA modem, but admittedly it's a lot easier to make it function on an XT if it's connected to a LAN with Internet access. Is it a certain model of 1000 (TX, RLX, etc) or an original 1000?
Click to expand...

I believe it is a TX, but I don't have it out right now. Also it looks like I'll have to use a newer external modem, not a 1200 baud (ISP doesn't support it). What would be great is if it could dial directly in on a 33.6K connection (definitely supported) or a 14.4K modem (Also supported).

Ah, maybe one day it'll support Apple OS 7.5 and 9.x, that would be great. It might go that far-- there are LOTS of old unused computers out here. I'd love to give a few a use. I'll PM you.
 
Hundreds of pages of content are ready to be used. There are message boards and forums set up on a variety of subjects; photography, finance, energy, travel, Windows, DOS, and so on.

As for programs like Net-Tamer, Arachne, and Lynx, they still don't really solve the problem. Many websites are inaccessible, some computers will easily freeze up, and speed on a 286 or 386 is rather slow. Even a Pentium III with Windows 95 and IE 5.5 or Opera is unable to access more and more sites (not compatible with this browser, requires FlashPlayer, etc), with many of them quite slow on dial-up. Last I tried, it wasn't even possible to read the e-mail addresses on CraigsList in Lynx.

The AEIN also saves time because you don't have to log into different parts of it or keep track of dozens of different usernames/passwords. No hassles with "Captcha" codes, pages that don't fit on your screen properly, forms that don't work with your browser, etc.

But this isn't the only reason why. The AEIN is to be funded with subscription revenues so that it is not dependent upon advertisers, as most of the Web is. A lot of ad-based sites are running into financial problems and considering subscription-based revenue models; if this catches on, people will have to pay separate subscriptions to use different individual sites, an approach also likely to fail. The current ad-based, bandwidth-intensive model of the Web isn't sustainable.

Another benefit of the AEIN system is that people will use it more responsibly. When individuals pay for membership and have the same username throughout all of the classifieds and message boards, they are less likely to misuse it. This forum doesn't have such problems, but there are certainly many message boards and Yahoo! Groups overrun by spam and offensive messages.

Yeah, LSPPP is definitely the best modem packet driver I've found :)
 
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