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	Rex Ballard
	

On Thu, 18 May 1995, David Fair wrote:

> My supervisor has asked that I research systems' staff and workload of
> other papers/publishing establishments. We are looking for responses
> from publishing systems' departments only, excluding business
> programmers/operators.  We are preparing to buy a Web Server and a
> BBS server and are looking at what this will do to what
> feels like an already extraordinary workload.  We will be happy to compile
> results and post them here in a few weeks.  Thanks for taking the time to
> help build some awareness of overworked systems deparments.
> 
> We are interested in the following information:
> 
> 1. Estimate how many desktop systems and the ratio of Macs to PCs?
Most of the editor workstations run either Ultrix or OSF/1 on Mips or 
Alphas (At prior was mostly Sun SparcStations)  There is too much 
happening at the same time to wait for the Microsoft Hourglass to go 
away between prompts.  On-line publishing is a real-time business.

> 2. How many servers and what OS are you running on them?
Mostly VMS for storage oriented services. Mostly UNIX for communications, 
user interface, and distribution oriented services.

> 3. How many mail servers and do you have mail access to the
> internet/private nets?
There are 3 mail servers.  Only the SMTP server accesses the internet.

> 4. Do you use an ad-tracking database system? What kind?

> 5. Do you interface your billing system with your ad-tracking database system?

> 6. Do you use an OPI server?

> 7. Do you maintain a Web Server, BBS, or both?
We maintian feeds, servers, remote servers (corporate customers), and Web.

> 8. Do you maintain the RIP's connected to your imagesetters? (hardware or
> software?)
We store the docs in SGML using WYSIWYG editors.  Display generators are 
automatic from there.

> 9. What is your editorial/classified system running on? (i.e. SII,
> Baseview, Harris...)
DEC.

> 10. Do you use a photo archiving server for AP graphics and local art/photos?
No

> 11. Do you maintain an in-house library system for archived stories?
Yes

> 12. Do you provide internet access for your staff, public or both?
Both

> 13. Do you provide remote access to your network for your staff?
Yes

> 14. Do you purchase all software and hardware for your company?
No, some developed here.  Some purchased, some joint venture.

> 15. Any other systems or services that require your support?
Yes

> 16. What is your current staff size and responsibilities?


> The Anchorage Daily News has a circulation of 85,000 daily and 105,000
> Sunday.  Our systems department consists of one supervisor and another
> person who is responsible for Mac/Unix/NT networking and support.  We
> have one full time SII person and another who splits time half SII and
> half PC/Novell support.  We also have one part-time Mac support
> technician. Thats me.

> We are specifically interested in the relative sizes of other publishing
> systems departments with respect to the areas of responsibility as outlined
> above.  Additionally we would appreciate any information regarding the
> amount of time and energy needed to bring up and then maintain a Web Server
> and BBS.
Adding the WEB server is easy.  Building the content is the tricky part.
A WEB site should have news available as soon as possible.  Deadlines are 
hourly.  You want to be the newest version because your listing will be 
viewed first if it is relevant.

> Thanks again for your time.  Results will be compiled and posted, or not,
> if requested.  You can respond either to this group or to me personally.
> dfair@pop.adn.com or to my supervisor kdobson@pop.adn.com.
> 
> 
> 

From rballard@cnj.digex.net Tue May 23 00:53:35 1995