Re: [cobalt-users] Raq3 - Time Keeping

[Brent Sims <brent@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 22 May 2000, Aeron Jarrett so wrote:

} Do we have to pay for use of an NTP server?

	No - Yes, depending upon your point of view. The vast
majority of NTP servers are free for the using. Then again, if you
reside in the US your tax dollars are helping to pay for them and
there are commercial services which supply time critical operations 
for a price - usually a rather high price.

	There are some nuances involved though so it pays to read
the criteria for each of the publically accessible servers. Keeping
them free and freely accessible is only possible if we play by the
rules... For the most part the operators of the NTP servers would
like most of us to stay away from the primary servers and use the
rest of the pack. That translates into our time being off by a few
milliseconds or so - close enough for Government work :-)

	Peace be with you,
	
	Brent
	
	Brent Sims
	WebOkay Internet Services
	http://www.WebOkay.net
	Brent@xxxxxxxxxxx
	(719) 595-1427 (Voice/Fax)