Many of you will be aware by now that the ThrustSSC project has its own Internet Site - some of you will even have accessed it and absorbed some of the huge amount of information there. But I suspect that most of you are still wondering what the Internet is, and what it does to help ThrustSSC? Here’s the low down.
Put simply, the Internet is a huge number of interconnected computer networks around the world. Among these are the networks of large and small companies, educational establishments, governments, charities, museums, libraries and many more. There are also `Internet Access Providers’ (IAPs) who will sell you access to their network via a modem (a device that computers use to `talk’ down telephone lines) for a small set-up charge and a monthly subscription. Once you are onto any one of these networks, you have access to them all and the world of the Internet is only a mouse-click away for the price of your subscription and a local telephone call!
There are many services available on the Internet (a lot of people use it to e-mail each other), but by far the most visible of those used by ThrustSSC is the Web Site - `Thrust News«. Running on a state-of-the-art Alpha computer provided by Digital, this is a huge store of information, photographs, audio and video of the car, the team members, the Mach 1 Club, ThrustSSC’s competitors, and the history of the World Land Speed Record! It is updated at least every two weeks with latest news on the project as well as an ever increasing amount of background information. Much of the information is publicly visible, while copies of the Mach 1 News, project bulletins and in-depth LSR articles are kept in an area restricted to Electronic and Gold Mach 1 Club members only. Try to follow the project from now on the internet, for this is by far the best way to capture the speed and flavour of what is happening.
As an example this week the ThrustSSC photo made the front page of the Times. Within 15 minutes of the paper coming through Richards home letter box-the message was on our website telling everyone to get the times.
For those familiar with the internet our address is http://thrustssc.digital.co.uk otherwise see your company IT manager for help.
The information on the site is never static - for Nick Chapman and I update the site substantially every seven days. When the ThrustSSC starts to run we will be updating the information from the desert just as it happens - so the information is instantly available faster than a newspaper. By the middle of May we shall have 1,000,000 accesses on the site from almost every country in the World.
We use the Internet for more than just the Web Site. All of the team members have e-mail Ids which we use for communicating with each other. Problems can be discussed via e-mail, status reports and even design drawings can be exchanged between team members, and sponsors can be kept fully informed of progress. We also maintain a number of mailing lists, including one of people following the project who would like to be sent news electronically as it breaks. Electronic and Gold Members of the Mach 1 Club have access to the team’s e-mail Ids, and can write directly to the team members with their questions and encouragement.
It sounds a lot of work - but who is doing it all? There are three of us in the ThrustSSC Internet Team. Nick Chapman who is an IT Manager for British Gas looks after one half of the Web Site, including the Electronic Mach 1 Club members. Our own Digital supported computing student, Graham Loader, looks after the server housekeeping and loading of data. I’m a Consultant with Texas Instruments and apart from coordinating the work of the Internet Team, I look after the other half of the Web Site. In addition we also provide technical support for the team’s laptop computers.
Hopefully, you’re now itching to get online and take a look at `Thrust News'. You may already have Internet access at work, or if you want it at home you can sign up with an IAP by checking details in Net magazines. Be aware that you may spend a lot of time online to the ThrustSSC site - if you think this is likely, beware of IAPs who impose an hourly charge!
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