I know some people were poking around with rates.

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After digging extensivly, I discovered that you cannot have a rate for terminal time that is less than 3.6 cents per hour.

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In the W013 (Engler) code, RATEGEN claims that terminal time is represented in $/hr * 1000, so to specify $2/hr, I would enter 2000 (decimal) as the first rate element.

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However…. MTS has another idea when it uses those rates.

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Bottom line – it takes the value you specify and divides it by 36. If you specify less than 18 decimal, you always get zero.

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Anything over that? - it adjusts to the nearest 3.6 cents per hour.

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Relevant code from GETRATES#SA:

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repeat when Cvttbl(J) < 0;????????????????????????????

Cost := Ratefile_Rates(K) + Ratefile_Rates(K + 1) +???

???Ratefile_Rates(K + 2);?????????????????????????????

if Cost > 0???????????????????????????????????????????

then??????????????????????????????????????????????????

???variable Long_Cost is bit(64),??????????????? ??????

??????Remainder is bit(32);???????????????????????????

???Multiply_Long_Integer(Cost, Cvttbl(J), Long_Cost);?

???Divide_Long_Integer(Long_Cost, Cvttbl(J + 1), Cost,

??????Remainder);?????????????????????????????????????

???Remainder *:= 2;???????????????????????????????????

???if Remainder >= Cvttbl(J + 1)??????????????????????

???then???????????????????????????????????????????????

??????Cost +:= 1;??????????????? /* Round */??????????

???end if;????????????????????? ???????????????????????

end if;????????????

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The Cvttbl is an integer array – for each rate element, the first one is a Muliplication factor, the second one is what you divide the rate by.

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For TT (terminal time) – it multiplies by 1 and divides by 36.

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So, If I specify 10 (what I think should be a penny per hour), it:

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Takes 10 * 1 = 10

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Then 10 / 36 (integer divide) and gets 0 with a ?remainder of 10.

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If I multiply that by 2, it comes out to 20 which is less than 36 so the rate gets forced to 0.

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So, it converts the rate you gave it to that rate / 36 and then supposably later, multiplies it by 36 again, but it make the rate a multiple of $0.036 / hr

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Not sure what the meaning of this code is, but bottom line:

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No TT rate < ?$0.036 / hr AND

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All rates are forced to be a multiple of $0.036 / hr for terminal time.

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My next question is:? When I log on, Log off or say $DISPLAY COST, it says “No Charges”, which isn’t true since, if I? have rates and a MAXCHG > 0 on my ID, I get charged.

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What controls this “No Charge” message and what does it really mean. Rich accounts can always sign on, but ARE charged, that is, if they have a MAXCHG > $0.0.

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Probably too much deep geek for most people…. ?

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