Information about RCI
Revised: March 30, 1998

The world famous Ripco BBS (est. 1983) provides a variety of Internet services to the Chicago metropolitan area, ranging from free BBS accounts with Usenet/Internet/e-mail to web servers, full dialup access, and ISDN or leased-line services.
ISDN access is available as a local call to the entire Chicago metropolitan area, analog dialup access is local to all of 312, and many areas in 630, 708, 773 and 847.

For further information about dedicated SLIP/PPP/ISDN/Leased and web hosting services, please E-mail 'sysop@ripco.com'.

Features of Ripco Communications include:

 96 high speed Lines, including 28.8/33.6 (V.FC and V.34) support.
 24 digital modem lines with V.90 support (Starting mid-October 98)
 11 ISDN POPs (Points Of Presence).
 Dual T1(3.08Mbps) internet link for fast network response.
 Redundant systems for fast service and outstanding uptime.
 Full Usenet news feed on one week expire, including binary groups.
 Extensive online help system and (optional) menu interface.
 All dialup access lines are located in near north Chicago.
 Analog, SLIP/PPP, Web, DNS, ISDN and Leased Line services.

Dynamic PPP account with Shell:
$20/month $50/quarter

This account includes dynamic PPP which supports all standard TCP/IP client and server software, including web browsers such as Netscape and MSIE, email software including Outlook and Eudora, and all common multiplayer games and conferencing programs.

This account includes access for both analog (speed through 28.8/33.6) and will include access to digital V.90 modems (after October 98)

Personal Shell:
$15/month $35/quarter

With this account you can set up your own home page for any non-commercial use (text, graphics, sound). The account includes 15 Mb of disk space and Unix shell accessible by dial-up, telnet, FTP, including programs to access Internet services.

This account includes virtual SLIP/PPP for use with all standard client software, but is only recommended for experienced internet users who are interested in the extra security and understand that virtual PPP is incompatible with many networked games and conferencing software.

Free BBS Account:

A dial-up only (not telnetable) free account which will give you an internet email address and access to Usenet News, the message base of the internet. This is a timed account, limited to 2 hours a day usage for the first three months, 1 hour/day thereafter. Access is only by dialup to our analog modems.

POP Email Account:
$5/month $15/quarter

An email-only account providing just an email address and POP mailbox, useful for providing a separate mailbox for customers who already have a subscription account, or otherwise only need an additional email address with access via POP client.

True Dedicated Slip or PPP:
$50/month $250/six

This account includes all of the features of the 'Dynamic PPP' account, but also provides a dedicated address and full-time Internet connectivity to put your home or office computer live on the Internet. This allows you to run any client or server software on your home machine, 24 hours a day.

The service provides a single fixed (static) IP address and a hostname of your choice (under our domain, or your own domain with DNS fee, below).

Commercial Accounts:
Starting at $90/quarter

Available services include domain name registration, virtual web site hosting and FTP and E-mail handling for your domain. Send E-mail to 'bje@ripco.com' for commercial account information.

UUCP and NNTP services:
Starting at $35/quarter

Available by either dial-up or tcp/ip we can provide email and usenet via uucp for your domain or BBS. Prices range from $35 per quarter to $125 a month, depending on services needed.

Direct NNTP access to our Usenet News server is available for $105/year. You must have an unchanging (static) IP address to use this service. Send e-mail to 'bje@ripco.com' for information on all UUCP and NNTP services.

ISDN and Leased Line:
Starts at $100/month

Both ISDN (64Kbps) and Leased Line (56Kbps and higher) services are available at competitive rates. Rates include all the shell account features,access to our Usenet server, e-mail, and one dedicated (static) IP address. Additional addresses available as needed.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please send e-mail to 'sysop@ripco.com'. To subscribe, you can fill in the form at the end of this document and send it via U.S. Mail with your initial payment.

More information is available via dial-up at (773) 665-0065 using the login 'info' or via our web site at http://www.ripco.net/

Please check one: [ ] bbs account     [ ] virtual PPP+shell	[ ] Dynamic PPP
                  [ ] True SLIP/PPP   [ ] ISDN-64		[ ] ISDN-128

Full Name: 	___________________________________________________________

Street Address: ___________________________________________________________

	        ___________________________________________________________

	        City:___________________ State:____ Zip:__________-________

Daytime Phone: (_____)________________ Evening Phone:(_____)_______________

Date of Birth: _____/_____/_____ Signature_________________________________

[ The above information is kept confidential, signature required for 
  verification of age - you may use 'over 18' above only if you really are ]

Choice of preferred login name. This should be lowercase, start with a letter, consist of no more than 8 characters and be alpha or alphanumeric content only. This name will be your e-mail address, for example if you choose 'elf' then your mail address will be 'elf@ripco.com'. Please enter at least two in case the first is already taken.

Choices: 1. _______________	2. ________________	3. _______________

The full account name will be given on electronic mail and in other listings of who's logged on, it's usually a longer form of the login name, or your real name. If you leave the "preferred full name" blank, we will use the "Full Name" above. You may use an alias or handle.

Preferred full account name? _______________________________________________

For either the bbs or PPP/shell account you will need access to a standard communications program such as Telix or Procomm [dos], Terminal, Hyperterminal or Procomm [windows/Win95], Z-term, White Knight or ClarisWorks [Macintosh] which should support at a minimum both ANSI screen emulation and the z-modem file transfer protocol.

Subscribers who wish to use SLIP or PPP protocol with their accounts will need the proper tcp/ip software for their operating system. We have some materials available on the system for downloading along with configuration instructions.

Subscribers have a choice of operating shells, if there is a preference. If you do not know the difference or have no preference, the KSH shell will be given as default.

Please check one:	__ KSH  (default)	__ TCSH		__CSH
                        (If you don't understand the question, skip this)

If you are applying for the True Dedicated SLIP/PPP account please specify the protocol:

        [ ] standard SLIP       [ ] compressed (vj) SLIP       [ ] PPP

This can be changed later but we need a starting point.

If you are applying for the free bbs account, please return this form to the address below. You can upgrade to any of the paid accounts at any point.
• If you are subscribing to the dynamic-PPP account, please include payment of $20 for one month or $50 for three months.
• If you are subscribing to the shell account, please include payment of $15 for one month or $35 for three months.
• The True SLIP/PPP account runs $50 a month or 6 months for $250.
• Call for rates on services not otherwise shown.

  Please do not send cash. We accept checks and money orders in US Dollars, no credit cards. Make checks payable to Ripco Communications Inc.

  All accounts are fully refundable for two weeks after their start. We reserve the right to cancel or refuse service to anyone for any reason. Refunds after the two week period are handled on a one-on-one basis.

  Your account will be processed and the login/password will be returned via US Mail in about 5-7 days.

  Questions?

  Call us at 773-477-6210, 1pm-6pm Monday thru Friday.

  Ripco Communications Inc.
  3163 N. Clybourn
  Chicago, IL 60618-6424
  
  Office visits by appointment only