i recall a peculiar sertup when working for the us embassy - this goes back to 1995 or so.
everybody had 2 computers, 1 was for internal network & connected to washington.
the 2nd was for public (external) internet.
2 physically separate systems.
at the time we all had the standard us robitics 56k modems attached to our "internet" computers.
then one day a diplomatic pouch arrives at my office (pouch is a bit of a misnomer - it could contain anything from a letter to an entire filing cabinet).
I look at this huge canvas bag wondering what in hell may be in there - i was not told to be expecting anything.
i check the tags, yes indeed, it is for me.
i trundle off to get the keys - (the pouch has a pair of padlocks - pouch is delivered to recipient and keys are delivered separately to to regional security office).
i return - very curious to what is inside.
i open up, grab a small box - turns out to be a keyboard and mouse.
grab the biggest box - the computer itself.
next box - a uscomm isdn modem
another box, this was a surprise - a nokia monitor (never knew nokia made anything beside telecom equipment).
i can the it guy to come and set this lot up.
he gets it together and fires up - "oh wow" he comments - the nokia monitor is one of those regular huge shaped things, but instead has a flat black screen - the resolution is astounding, like nothing i (or him) had seen before.
the machine itself was a quick as lightning - "good lord" was his comment.
he was taking a look at it's specs - processor, ram and hard drive.
he turns to me and tells me i am sitting with the most powerful pc in the building - by a long way.
at the time what was then "icon" (later incredible connection) was our isp.
we were waiting for telkom to provide isdn access, so in the interim had to revert to dial-up.
later that day i'm having connection issues - call icon.
guy at icon is battling to figure out how to resolve the problem. he asks me for the hardware specs.
i tell him - silence for a few moments, he asks me to repeat myself.
he responds - "what on earth are you using that pc for, but more importantly where did you get it"?
so i tell him it was a direct delivery from state dept in washington.
stunned silence.
i call our it guy back and he sorts out the connectivity issue - i then relay the conversation i had with icon.
he then explains there are technology embargos in place - some countries may import certain equipment up to a certain spec - this ranges from computers, to gps systems to night sight equipment for rifles - a very broad range.
turns out what was on my desk, was not available (at the time) for export / use outside usa.
so given the embassy is regarded as us sovereign territory - those embargos are not applicable.
but there i was, with this fantastic lighting speed pc - crippled by a 56k modem !!
, though I had to move into an area that Telkom 100% said they had ADSL 100%, I move and oh sorry all the ports are used up :-( took 4 years, so I got iBurst which actually worked most of the time.
)
