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Networks such as MILNET (U.S. Army) have computers all around the world. It is generally possible to assume that wherever there is a U.S. military base, there will be a node reachable through gateways.
Private company networks such as for DEC (Digital Equipment Corp.), or Sun Microsystems, for example, have nodes in many exotic locations. However the connection may take place via UUCP and cost a lot of money. Those networks have therefore not been included. In addition, those are PRIVATE networks.
Many companies (like U.S. Sprint, for example) offer commercial services to many countries which are not readily available on the Internet. The service is VERY COSTLY, usually takes place via UUCP or X.400 connections. X.400 e-mail is usually charged to someone and if the telecommunication carrier cannot find someone to pay for the message transfer, it will reject it. As a result, those types of network have not been included in the list. Although a user may RECEIVE e-mail from a user on those networks, one may not be able to reply to it.
FIDONET nodes are NOT included. While all nodes agree to forward e-mail as a condition to be included in the tables, the high cost of phone calls in more exotic locations prompts some sysadmins not to want their site publicised. Many FIDO nodes exist throughout the Middle-East and Africa.
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