The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Free Content for Melb PC - WestNet Customers Roger Brown

Many Melb PC/WestNet ADSL Premium plan customers will be aware that their connection comes with "free" content that can be downloaded without being counted for charging purposes. But while information on the precise content is available if you look hard enough, the value of this benefit is by no means obvious.
 
This can mean that users are not taking advantage of a significant feature that is part of their ADSL connection.

This is What's Available

WestNet Download Vault - a relatively small but well chosen collection of freeware programs and utilities. Nicely categorised for easy access. See http://www.westnet.com.au/members/vault/.
 
WestNet3FL Mirror - a comprehensive file mirror (250+ GB) with a wide variety of freeware and open source software. Its "request a file" facility enables WestNet users to seek the addition of software not currently mirrored; provided of course that the software can be mirrored legally. See http://mirror.vic.3fl.net/.

Other Mirror Servers - there are a number of other mirror servers that are free data to WestNet users
because the ISPs concerned are members of peering groups; groups with whom WestNet exchanges free data. You will find a listing at http://www.pipenetworks.com/ToolsAndResources/mirror-list-mel.shtml.

Of particular note is the excellent Pacific Mirror Server http://mirror.pacific.net.au which includes a wide variety of software and resources for the Windows and Linux operating systems. See Figure 1 below.

Gaming Servers - WestNet provides excellent gaming resources at http://3fl.net/ and other servers as listed at http://www.pipenetworks.com/ToolsAndResources/mirror-list-mel.shtml and operated by a number of other ISPs connected to the Pipenetworks peering group.

Newsgroups - because of peering group membership, transfers from Melb PC's news server are free, as are transfers from WestNet's Victorian news server, news.vic.westnet.com.au

Streaming Audio - quota free audio streaming is available from http://radio.3fl.net and http://streaming.pipenetworks.com/.

If you aren't already doing so, be sure to make the most of this valuable free resource.

Reprinted from the June 2005 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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