1357 lines
61 KiB
Plaintext
1357 lines
61 KiB
Plaintext
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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+---------------------------------+
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| EDITORS FILE |
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+---------------------------------+
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by John Dodson, Node id ->CANTINA.
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Welcome to the August issue of RIME Times! This is a great issue and as
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they say in the trade, we have something for everybody! Ed interviews one
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of our very popular RIME conference hosts, Lyle Davis. James Spinelli
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continues with another one of his thought-provoking articles, this time on
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freedom of speech and how it relates to the BBS community. You will enjoy
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this month's humor articles, one by Jim Prohs and another by Jeff Woods.
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"Who's Who in RelayNet" is back with an interview of Skip Ross, our
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conference coordinator. In addition to Doug Maclean's 'C' column this
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month, we learn about how his family was almost attacked by 50,000 Hell's
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Angels! We also have an article from what must be RIME's youngest sysop,
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12 year old Scott Drassinower. EXEC-PC better start looking over it's
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shoulder, Scott is catching up fast!
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Which reminds me... and this may be stating the obvious. RIME is certainly
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made up of a very diverse group of sysops. RIME is also growing quite
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rapidly, we are now over 520 nodes. I believe this growth and diversity
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comes from the open and helpful way new sysops are invited to join. I
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think this 'attitude' is a credit to the folks who administer the network.
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By being both a quality network AND an open network, RIME is able to
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attract the Scott Drassinower's, Skip Ross's, Lyle Davis's and Doug
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Maclean's that make this such a fun place to be!
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A BIG Thanks to all you contributors... you did it again!
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See you on the next relay!
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+---------------------------------+
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| MEET THE CONFERENCE HOST |
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+---------------------------------+
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by Lyle Davis, Node ID ->RUNNINGB
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as told to Ed Lazarowitz
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Lyle E. Davis, host of the Global Conference, is a retired
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broadcaster/journalist of 25 years. During his broadcast career he
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specialized in radio with frequent journeys into print media as well. He
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started as an announcer in Omaha, Nebraska, moved into sales and management
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in Illinois. His management career continued with stations in Santa
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Barbara, Ca. and Escondido, Ca. until the late 1970's. During the Vietnam
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Page 2
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AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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War he served as a war correspondent for a number of radio stations, as
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well as several newspaper chains. Several of his documentaries have won
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wide acclaim in the industry, including an award for "Best Radio
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Documentary in Southern California" (for a documentary dealing with the
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recall of Escondido's Mayor - "The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back".)
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Following production of his documentary "Vietnam Diary I & II" he was
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frequently asked to appear and speak before civic and service club groups.
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In the early 1980's he returned to the talent end of broadcasting, serving
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as KFMB's (radio) "Eye in the Sky" in San Diego, Ca. He headed up KFMB
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Traffic Control for 3 years before finally retiring. Since then, he and his
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Scottish-born wife, Mary (whom he refers to as "SWMBO" [She Who Must be
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Obeyed]), have owned and operated a fishing resort at Dixon Lake in
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Escondido, Ca. Just recently, he also acquired a new beach resort at
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Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, Ca., known as "Lyle's at the Beach".
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At age 51, Lyle and Mary recently celebrated their 30th wedding
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anniversary. They have two sons, Scott, age 27, who lives in Hawaii, and
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Kenny, who lives in Carlsbad, Ca. Both are single and loving every minute
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of it. "I've written 5 books on our Family History," complains Lyle, "and
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I'm beginning to wonder if I'm ever gonna be grandpa! Those two guys of
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mine have so darned many good lookin' women that they are showing no
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inclination whatsoever to settle down, get married, and have kids!"
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Lyle took over the Conference Host task for the Global Conference about a
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year ago. "It was a fairly good conference when I first joined," he says.
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"But there were two guys that were making outrageous racist statements and
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goading the other users into no-win debates and harangues. Very quickly
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the conference was beginning to deteriorate into a series of hate-filled
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messages. I contacted Bonnie Anthony of the Steering Committee and
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suggested that the direction of the conference needed restructuring and
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that we had a couple of problem users that needed some attention. Next
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thing I knew I was Conference Host. With Bonnie's help we convinced one of
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the bad users to move along to another network and the other one to behave
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himself. Since then we've had zero problems".
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Lyle says he manages his conference with a gentle, but firm, hand. "We
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have a generally laid back conference, with a wide variety of member
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nations and a wider variety of viewpoints. We do have serious discussions-
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-we have a fair amount of joking amongst ourselves. About once a month we
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post the conference rules; that seems sufficient. Once in a great while
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we'll have someone start to cross the line and I'll speak to him/her via
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routed or R/O and that usually takes care of it. Everyone on the conference
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knows me and seems to have confidence in me to fairly moderate the
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conference. We have a really great working relationship with all of our
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users."
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"One of our users described our conference best, I think. He called us "a
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continuous party with an ongoing cast of characters". That's probably a
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pretty fair description of the Global Conference.
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Page 3
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AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Lyle is just one of the many international 'shining stars' that populate
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the Global Conference. Why not take a minute, and wander over there the
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next time you access the network. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
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For further information on the Global Conference, please contact Lyle at
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node id ->DBORED.
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+---------------------------------+
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| WHO'S WHO IN RELAYNET |
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+---------------------------------+
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by John Dodson, Node id ->CANTINA
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Skip Ross, Network Conference Coordinator
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Acting as conference coordinator for a 500 node network can be a real
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challenge! You must have plenty of patience and some finely tuned 'people
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skills' to deal with the 10 to 15 new conference requests that are made
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each week.
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We are lucky to have such a person in Skip Ross. Skip was born and raised
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just outside of New York City. He is a heavy equipment operator and has
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been "operating cranes and bulldozers since I got out of school".
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Skip started his computing hobby with a PC-Junior about five years ago and
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is completely self-taught. He moved up to an IBM model 80 shortly after it
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became available (from a go-cart to a Cadillac!) and has been a power user
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ever since.
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Skip joined RelayNet about three years ago as a co-sysop for the 'The Stand
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BBS'. The network was about 40 nodes in number at that time. Skip started
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his own BBS "Advanced Computer Concepts" about a year and a half ago. ACC
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is now a three node system with hundreds of users.
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In October of '89 Howard Belasco, the conference co-ordinator at the time,
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"tactfully persuaded" Skip to take over the position. Although unsure at
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first, Skip now enjoys the position and all the exciting ideas that come
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his way each month. Of the forty to sixty conference requests that are
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made each month, three to five are accepted. RelayNet is now made up of
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well over 200 conferences. Keeping up with the many conference requests
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and additions is a time consuming job. Skip Ross is up to the task and we
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are lucky have him!
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If you have a conference idea, send a message to Skip, Node id ->ACC. The
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commitment of 5 nodes and 2 HUBS (HUBS that do not automatically pick up
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all conferences that is) are required before your request can be honored.
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The latest conference listing can be file requested from ->NETNODE. The
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*very* latest conference listing can be found on Skip's BBS under the name
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CONFER.ZIP.
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Page 4
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AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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+---------------------------------+
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| HELP! HELP! HELP! |
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+---------------------------------+
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by Jim Prohs, Node id ->NITERIDE
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HELP! HELP! HELP!
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Dr. Bonnie Anthony, Dr. Bonnie Anthony,
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from this addiction please set me free.
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Bonnie, Bonnie, can you please help me?
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from this computer madness I would flee.
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Oh, Dr. Anthony! Oh, Dr. Anthony,
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turn around and look at me.
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It began only weeks ago when I joined Rime,
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Now for my family I have no time.
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One sure sign of this horrible addiction, you see,
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when your eyes develop red lines like roots of a tree.
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Oh, Dr. Anthony! Oh, Dr. Anthony,
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turn around and look at me.
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My eyes have turned square,
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My head has gone bare,
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My butt has gone flat,
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My gut has gone fat.
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The swollen knuckles on my hand all pop,
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My tongue hangs out and my mouth doth drop.
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And yet from this compulsion I can NOT stop.
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Oh, Dr. Anthony! Oh, Dr. Anthony,
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turn around and look at me.
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I rush home from work and sit in my chair,
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there I stay for as long as I dare.
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Moments away from my computer are rare,
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only when mother natures call can't be bared.
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The phone bills are crazy,
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My friends think I'm lazy,
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IF I don't get some exercise I'll push up daisies.
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Oh, Dr. Anthony! Oh, Dr. Anthony,
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turn around.....
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oh, my gosh she looks like me!!!!
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Page 5
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AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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+---------------------------------+
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| RIME'S 12 YEAR OLD SYSOP |
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+---------------------------------+
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By Scott Drassinower, Node id ->CLOUD
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You are probably reading this and thinking to yourself, "A 12 year old
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sysop? Yeah right!" No joke. There really IS a 12 year old sysop on the
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net, and I'm him.
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A few years ago, my dad bought an Apple ][+. Back then, that was a power
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users system, complete with 64k RAM! I got very interested in the machine,
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and how it worked. My dad bought some books that showed how the machine
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worked, and I soon learned the insides of the machine, and learned how to
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install an expansion card. Soon the Apple became out dated, and we bought
|
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an IBM XT. I learned DOS, and how to write batch files. Of course soon
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that became outdated, and we purchased a IBM PS/2 60. This is when I
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became acquainted with my first modem.
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I had read lots about modems and about information exchanges. I went down
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to the local Software Etc., and was shown the store manager's BBS. That
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was then it. I had to have a modem. We bought a simple 2400 baud modem,
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and the manager gave me an account on his BBS and a copy of Qmodem. I went
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home, and called his board, and slowly learned how to use PCBoard. I
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became interested in other boards, so I downloaded several BBS lists, and
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found some more boards in my area. I slowly filled my dialing directory,
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with boards all over the country. A new board opened up, Advanced Computer
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Concepts (sound familiar?). After uploading some files, and giving the
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sysop some ideas, I was asked if I would like to assume a Cosysop job. I
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agreed, and about 3 months later, I got a copy of PCBoard 14.2 /E3, and the
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PCRelay software, then opened up my board, Silver Arrow BBS.
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I have been running for over a year, and have gone through a name change
|
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(now Cloud 9 Online), and over 10,000 calls, and a user base of almost 400
|
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(of which maybe 100 have not called in the past 4 months). I will be
|
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moving the machine soon over to a Northgate Elegance 486-25i, and will
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probably be <20> testing DESQview 486 for Quarterdeck.
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That is really about it. I'm very happy with the way the board has turned
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out, and I have learned a lot, not only about computers, but a lot how to
|
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help people. I hope the board has another great year.
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+---------------------------------+
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| THE LIFE & TIMES |
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| OF A CONFERENCE HOST |
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+---------------------------------+
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By John Dodson, Node id ->CANTINA
|
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Last month Ed featured Doug Maclean in his "Meet the Conference Host"
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column. For those of you who missed the column, Doug hosts 6 RelayNet
|
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conferences and gives tirelessly of his time to help others on the network.
|
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He is also just a plain nice guy! You may have noticed some message
|
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Page 6
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AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
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spillover from his 'C' conferences in COMMON a couple of weeks ago.
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(Spillover is what happens when a user seeks a broader audience by posting
|
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messages in COMMON.)
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You might think discussion in a programming conference would be fairly
|
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mundane. However, when 'C' programmers start discussing the relative value
|
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of 'Basic' programmers, look out! The insulting messages, by a couple of
|
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users, escalated to the point where Doug felt he needed to make an appeal
|
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to those involved to 'cool down'. His request only served to focus the
|
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abuse on himself! Doug then made a request that one of the abusers be
|
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removed from the 'C' conference, which was honored by the BBS sysop. After
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a short period of time, one of the abuser regained access to the 'C'
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conference with reinforcements (one of which was recruited from the WARZONE
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conference!). Meanwhile, the membership of the conference is posting
|
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messages backing Doug and the whole conference turns into a crusade!
|
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The fun and games end when Doug gets a long insulting message in the 'C'
|
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conference threatening to harm is family and dog (Doug has no dog, but has
|
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five cats and some would argue that this is enough justification to heap
|
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abuse!). The same day he gets a long insulting message in COMMON. This
|
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message is in "poem" form and the abuser rambles on about how he is like a
|
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buzzard, "mellow" from overuse of drugs, recently elected to the presidency
|
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of a large biker club and how he is going to send 50,000 bikers to torture
|
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and kill Doug! The abuser ends the message by threatening to use a home
|
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made nuclear device against Doug! Needless to say, the "three musketeers"
|
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have been denied access to the network.
|
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Such is the life of a conference host. The last time we checked, all seems
|
|||
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to be returning to normal in the 'C' conference... of course the 'Pascal"
|
|||
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programmers have yet to drop by!
|
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+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| CONFERENCE NEWS |
|
|||
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| |
|
|||
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+---------------------------------+
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|||
|
by Skip Ross, Node id ->ACC
|
|||
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|
|||
|
Here it is time again for a new batch of conferences. Please read the list
|
|||
|
carefully as there are many very good conferences here! Also, I will send
|
|||
|
the updated Conference List with this packet to all the nodes that
|
|||
|
requested to be on the auto-send, so look for CONFER.ZIP Any node not
|
|||
|
currently on the auto-send list for the conference list may send a routed
|
|||
|
message to me at Node ID ->ACC asking to be added to the list.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NAME: Remote Access Software
|
|||
|
NUMBER: 213
|
|||
|
DESCRIPTION: This conference is for the Sysops and users of the
|
|||
|
newest BBS softwares available, Remote Access
|
|||
|
HOST: John Murray Node ID ->COBRA
|
|||
|
ACTIVITY: NEW
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 7
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NAME: Poetry Corner
|
|||
|
NUMBER: 214
|
|||
|
DESCRIPTION: Poetry Corner is a conference where anyone who
|
|||
|
writes Poetry, or would like to share one of their
|
|||
|
favorite poems, is welcomed and encouraged to do so.
|
|||
|
HOST: Inez Harrison Node ID ->DORSAI
|
|||
|
ACTIVITY: NEW
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NAME: United Sysop Associations
|
|||
|
NUMBER: 215
|
|||
|
DESCRIPTION: This conference deals with the issues of concern to
|
|||
|
Sysops, local meeting information, discussions
|
|||
|
between various Sysop organizations such as USA,
|
|||
|
CASA, and others
|
|||
|
HOST: Shawn McCullar Node ID ->NEWDIM
|
|||
|
ACTIVITY: NEW
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NAME: ACOA (Adult Children Of Alcoholics)
|
|||
|
NUMBER: 216
|
|||
|
DESCRIPTION: Online meeting and discussions of ACOA issues, such
|
|||
|
as dysfunctional families, living with alcoholic
|
|||
|
parents or mates, trouble with anger, co-dependency,
|
|||
|
etc...
|
|||
|
HOST: Dr. Bonnie Anthony Node ID ->RUNNINGA
|
|||
|
ACTIVITY: NEW
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NAME: Phobias
|
|||
|
NUMBER: 217
|
|||
|
DESCRIPTION: Support group for people with phobias or those who
|
|||
|
want to learn more about them.
|
|||
|
HOST: Andre Rouleau Node ID ->ONLINEI
|
|||
|
ACTIVITY: NEW
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Also, please welcome Mike Coticchio back as the Host for the Small
|
|||
|
Business/ Work at Home conference (network #70). We are also pleased to
|
|||
|
announce that Daniel Norcott, a representative for Lotus Development, has
|
|||
|
taken the position of Host for the Lotus Support Conference (network #65).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| A COMPARISON: |
|
|||
|
| WRIGLEY FIELD TO RELAYNET |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
By Jeff Woods, Node id ->
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
During my move to Canada, I couldn't resist. This die-hard Cub fan drove
|
|||
|
300 miles out of his way to see the Cubs lose at Wrigley Field. While I
|
|||
|
was there, it occurred to me that there are certain similarities and
|
|||
|
parallels that can be drawn between RelayNet and good Old Wrigley.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. Many fans would like to take the lights out of Wrigley.
|
|||
|
Many users would like to punch the lights out of Matt Giwer.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 8
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
2. Wrigley is sometimes called the Friendly Confines.
|
|||
|
RelayNet is simply friendly.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
3. Most people will go out of their way to get to Wrigley.
|
|||
|
Most people will go out of their way to get around the bylaws.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
4. Cubs. You either love them or you hate them.
|
|||
|
The SC. You either love them or you are history.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
5. More lies are told at Wrigley than anywhere else (like "Harry Caray
|
|||
|
is NOT drunk", or "August is our month.")
|
|||
|
Nobody lies on RelayNet (I type this from Wrigley right now).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
6. There are more Cub fans outside of Chicago than in Chicago.
|
|||
|
There are no HUBs in Chicago at all.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
7. At Wrigley they debate about natural grass.
|
|||
|
In the debate conference, they smoke it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
8. People will attend the funeral of Harry Caray to mourn.
|
|||
|
People will attend the funeral of Howard Belasco to make sure.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
9. Wrigley Field has a group of proud "Bleacher Bums".
|
|||
|
RelayNet has a group of "Bummed Beachers".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
10. At Wrigley, you only get three strikes before you are out.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| BEGINNERS CORNER |
|
|||
|
| |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
by Dane Beko, Node id ->BABBLE
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Using Ez-Reader with the MarkMail door
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Last month, we discussed the use of the MarkMail door to collect your new
|
|||
|
messages, new files listings and new bulletins. This month, we're going to
|
|||
|
discuss the use of an off-line message reader to process that file that you
|
|||
|
downloaded from the MarkMail door.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The program is called Ez-Reader. The author is Eric Cockrell of Thumper
|
|||
|
Technologies in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's just one of several off-line message
|
|||
|
readers compatible with the MarkMail door and its competitors, the Qmail
|
|||
|
and the Tomcat! doors. Some of the other reader programs are Qmail, Qmail
|
|||
|
Deluxe, Session Manager and a few more. The MarkMail door and Ez-Reader
|
|||
|
are really the only ones used here in Orlando.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The MarkMail door generates a file by the name of BBS_ID.QWK where BBS_ID
|
|||
|
is the name of the bulletin board. For example, on FABulous, the name is
|
|||
|
FAB.QWK and on BABBLE BBS, it's BABBLE.QWK. Ez-Reader uses this file. You
|
|||
|
need to download EZ130.ZIP which is the latest version.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 9
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Installing it is fairly simple. First, create a sub-directory on your hard
|
|||
|
disk and call whatever you'd like. For our purposes here, I'll call it
|
|||
|
C:\EZ. Then unzip the EZ130.ZIP file into that sub-directory. After doing
|
|||
|
so, you should have the following files:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
CONFIG EXE 64966 2-23-90 10:53a
|
|||
|
CONVERT EXE 22832 12-21-89 2:39p
|
|||
|
EZ-RDR DOC 117192 5-15-90 6:41p
|
|||
|
EZ-RDR EXE 174166 5-15-90 6:12p
|
|||
|
EZ-RDR HST 29877 5-15-90 6:23p
|
|||
|
EZ_Q&A DOC 5211 5-15-90 6:30p
|
|||
|
INSTALL EXE 41792 5-15-90 6:01p
|
|||
|
MONO BIN 4000 5-15-90 6:05p
|
|||
|
ORDER FRM 3015 5-15-90 6:08p
|
|||
|
README 2040 5-15-90 6:11p
|
|||
|
SYSOP FRM 3114 5-15-90 6:08p
|
|||
|
TED COM 2984 11-13-88 10:56p
|
|||
|
UPGRADE FRM 2419 5-15-90 6:09p
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The first step is run the INSTALL.EXE program. This will install Ez-Reader
|
|||
|
and allow you to configure it for your system. When you first run install,
|
|||
|
the program will ask a series of questions about your setup, the paths to
|
|||
|
the download and upload directories, etc. It will ask you if you have a
|
|||
|
color monitor, if you are using a RAM disk, and some more. The prompts are
|
|||
|
self-explanatory. Once you've answered the questions, the INSTALL.EXE
|
|||
|
program will tell you to run the config.exe program. This configuration
|
|||
|
program will setup your editor, set colors, set paths, hot-keys, taglines
|
|||
|
if you want them, etc. Run config.exe next. The following menu will
|
|||
|
appear:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
CONFIGURE
|
|||
|
Archive
|
|||
|
Colors
|
|||
|
Editor
|
|||
|
Flags
|
|||
|
Hot Keys
|
|||
|
Paths
|
|||
|
Replies
|
|||
|
Save
|
|||
|
Taglines
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The highlight bar will be on Archive so just press Return. Here's the sub-
|
|||
|
menu:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ARC files
|
|||
|
Archive: PKPAK.EXE A
|
|||
|
Unarchive: PKUNPAK.EXE
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ZIP files
|
|||
|
Archive: PKZIP.EXE -EX
|
|||
|
Unarchive: PKUNZIP.EXE -O
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 10
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Note: It's not really important to define the ARC extraction programs as
|
|||
|
they're not used by the MarkMail door. It's important to define the PKZIP
|
|||
|
and PKUNZIP files though. If you don't have these programs in the DOS
|
|||
|
path, make sure to type in the complete pathname of each of them. For
|
|||
|
example: C:\utils\pkzip.exe and C:\utils\pkunzip.exe. That way, Ez-Reader
|
|||
|
can find them when it's uncompressing the .qwk packet and compressing your
|
|||
|
replies.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You can back out of any menu at any time by hitting the Escape key. After
|
|||
|
ensuring that the pathnames are correct, hit the Escape key and proceed to
|
|||
|
the next menu item, Colors. These I'll let you define as obviously,
|
|||
|
everyone's preference is different. Suffice to say, that the screen
|
|||
|
examples will change with the color selection so that you can see what it
|
|||
|
will look like.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The third menu choice is Editor. This is where you would define what the
|
|||
|
complete path and name of the program that you'll use to enter or reply to
|
|||
|
messages. The menu looks like this:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Editor: C:\EZ\SLED.COM
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Options:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Reply filename: MESSAGE.TXT
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Message filename: MESSAGE.TXT
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Does the editor accept two files on the command line [Y/N]?: N
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Ez-Reader will default to TED.COM in the sub-directory that you unzipped
|
|||
|
Ez-Reader into. My recommendation is that you *NOT* use TED.COM as it
|
|||
|
doesn't have word wrap and most other basic text editor functions. The
|
|||
|
majority of the people who use Ez-Reader use Qedit, SLED or Norton's Editor
|
|||
|
(among others) as their text editor. You could also use WordPerfect if you
|
|||
|
wanted to but that would be overkill! Anything that can save text in an
|
|||
|
ASCII file should work. Let's dissect the Editor screen:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. Editor: This is the complete path and filename of the editor that
|
|||
|
you're going to be using. For our example, we'll use c:\ez\sled.com
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
2. Options: This entry is for the editor that you're using. In Qedit, for
|
|||
|
example, you could load a macro file from Qedit's command line. This is
|
|||
|
where you would put any command line options for your editor. Leave it
|
|||
|
blank if you don't have any.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
3. Reply and Message Filename: The easiest to do here is to make the
|
|||
|
filenames the same for both. When you press F9 from within Ez-Reader to
|
|||
|
either reply to a message or enter a new one, EZ shells out to whichever
|
|||
|
editor you've defined. If you're replying to a message, EZ will pass the
|
|||
|
message filename to the editor as well as the filename of your reply. You
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 11
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
should quote small snippets of the message that you're replying to to give
|
|||
|
the addressee an idea of what you're referring. It helps to jog his memory.
|
|||
|
If you define the reply and message filename as two different names, then
|
|||
|
you'll have to answer NO to the last question and then manually cut and
|
|||
|
paste which parts of the original that you want to include in your reply.
|
|||
|
If you put the same filename for both reply and message (like in the
|
|||
|
example above) then you'd answer YES to the last question and then Ez-
|
|||
|
Reader will put both the original and your reply to it in the same window.
|
|||
|
Just delete the parts that you don't want and continue. The one filename
|
|||
|
method is most assuredly the easiest and the fastest.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
4. Does the editor accept more than one filename on the command line (Y/N):
|
|||
|
Again, if you have defined the same filename for both reply and message,
|
|||
|
then answer NO.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The next screen is FLAGS:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
FLAGS
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Add sound effects: YES
|
|||
|
Read Direction: FORWARD
|
|||
|
Beep if personal message: YES
|
|||
|
Read previously read mail: NO
|
|||
|
Print header in reply: NO
|
|||
|
Output to video RAM: YES
|
|||
|
Erase the work directory: YES
|
|||
|
Auto-increment taglines: YES
|
|||
|
Enter info before/after Message: AFTER
|
|||
|
Add tagline to end of Message: YES
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Press the <SPACE BAR> to toggle options
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Most of these are self-explanatory. The documentation will give you
|
|||
|
examples on the various meanings of each of these so I won't go into detail
|
|||
|
on them.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The next one is Hot Keys but since we're just trying to get you up and
|
|||
|
running with Ez-Reader, I'll let you work on this one as you like.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The next one is PATHS, this is where you define where EZ can expect to find
|
|||
|
the .qwk packets, where it should put your replies, etc.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
PATHS
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
EZ-Reader: C:\EZ\
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Download: C:\DOWNLOAD
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Upload: C:\UPLOAD
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Save File: C:\SAVE\@CONF@.TXT
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 12
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Address Book: C:\EZ\ADDRESS.BK
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Ez-Reader path would be where you installed Ez-Reader. In our example,
|
|||
|
this would be C:\EZ. The download and upload paths would be the same as
|
|||
|
the ones that you use with your communications software. Wherever you
|
|||
|
download to, put that in the Download: entry and the same for your uploads.
|
|||
|
The Save file is the sub-directory where you want to save any messages in.
|
|||
|
The @CONF@.TXT is a new feature in EZ where it will (if set to this) read
|
|||
|
the current conference name and create a save file with that name. IE; if
|
|||
|
you're in the MAIN area of a board and hit the key to save the message,
|
|||
|
then the following would appear: C:\SAVE\MAIN.TXT. If you're in the Hard
|
|||
|
Drives conference, C:\EZ\HARDDRV.TXT may be the filename.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The address book is a feature that is enabled only in registered versions
|
|||
|
of Ez-Reader.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The next menu is Replies. This is a personal preference here so I'm not
|
|||
|
going to discuss it. Please read the documentation on this portion.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The next step is to save. This will save all of the settings that you have
|
|||
|
just entered into a file called EZ-RDR.CFG. This file will be read by Ez-
|
|||
|
Reader every time that it's executed.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Your next step will be to call a board that has the MarkMail door, open it
|
|||
|
and download a packet of mail. Once off-line, run the EZ.BAT file,
|
|||
|
highlight the .QWK packet that you want to read, and press return. Ez-
|
|||
|
Reader will uncompress the packet, sort it and then bring up the first
|
|||
|
conference for you to read. If you want to reply to a message, press 'R'.
|
|||
|
If you want to enter a new message, press 'E'. There is always help by
|
|||
|
pressing F1.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I hope that with this short introduction and the Ez-Reader manual itself,
|
|||
|
you'll be able to configure EZ and use it without any problems. We'll
|
|||
|
demonstrate and actually use Ez-Reader at the BBS/Modem SIG meeting in
|
|||
|
August. In the interim, if you have any questions or problems with either
|
|||
|
Ez-Reader or the MarkMail, leave a message in the MarkMail or EZ-Reader
|
|||
|
Relaynet conferences! See ya there. D.B.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
[Editor's Note: By the time this edition of RIME Times went to press, a
|
|||
|
newer release of Ez-Reader, 1.31 had been released. All of the items
|
|||
|
discussed in the above article are 100% valid with the new release. The
|
|||
|
only noticeable difference will be in the lengths and date/time stamps of
|
|||
|
several of the files extracted from the .ZIP file, EZ131.ZIP. We apologize
|
|||
|
for any confusion this may cause.]
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 13
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| 'C' TUTOR |
|
|||
|
| |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
by Doug Maclean, Node id->RUNNINGB
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Last month we looked at a program in 'C' to merge several ASCII text files
|
|||
|
into a single file and sort the lines. Here is the same file in C++ using
|
|||
|
a class and member functions to process the linked list.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#include <iostream.h>
|
|||
|
#include <stdio.h>
|
|||
|
#include <alloc.h>
|
|||
|
#include <string.h>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
class LinkList
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
class LinkItem
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
friend class LinkList;
|
|||
|
private:
|
|||
|
LinkItem(char *buf); // initialize a node
|
|||
|
char *str; // data member of class
|
|||
|
LinkItem *next; // ptr to next node
|
|||
|
};
|
|||
|
public:
|
|||
|
LinkList() {croot = clast = ccurr = NULL;};
|
|||
|
void firstnode() {ccurr = croot;};
|
|||
|
void lastnode() {ccurr = clast;};
|
|||
|
char * operator ()() {return((char *)ccurr->str);};
|
|||
|
void operator =(char *);
|
|||
|
int operator ++();
|
|||
|
private:
|
|||
|
static LinkItem *croot; // always points to the start
|
|||
|
static LinkItem *clast; // always points to the end
|
|||
|
static LinkItem *ccurr; // sliding current ptr
|
|||
|
};
|
|||
|
LinkItem::LinkItem(char *buf)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
str = new char[strlen(buf)+1];
|
|||
|
strcpy(str,buf);
|
|||
|
next = NULL;
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
void
|
|||
|
LinkList::operator =(char *buf)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
LinkItem *pt = new LinkItem(buf);
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ccurr = pt;
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 14
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
if(croot != NULL)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
if(strcmp(buf,croot->str) <= 0)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
pt->next = croot;
|
|||
|
croot = pt;
|
|||
|
return;
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
if(strcmp(buf,clast->str) > 0)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
clast->next = pt;
|
|||
|
clast = pt;
|
|||
|
pt->next = NULL;
|
|||
|
return;
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
for(ccurr=croot;ccurr;ccurr=ccurr->next)
|
|||
|
if(strcmp(buf,ccurr->next->str) <=0)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
pt->next = ccurr->next;
|
|||
|
ccurr->next = pt;
|
|||
|
return;
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
else
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
croot = clast = pt;
|
|||
|
pt->next = NULL;
|
|||
|
return;
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
int LinkList::operator ++()
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
if(ccurr != clast)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
ccurr = ccurr->next;
|
|||
|
return 1;
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
else
|
|||
|
return 0;
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
The above is the header file used to define the class structure. Notice
|
|||
|
how the operators ++ and = are overloaded to make the programming easier
|
|||
|
the actual program.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#include <iostream.h>
|
|||
|
#include <fstream.h>
|
|||
|
#include <stdlib.h>
|
|||
|
#include <stdio.h>
|
|||
|
#include <alloc.h>
|
|||
|
#include <string.h>
|
|||
|
#include "merge.h"
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 15
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#define MAXLINE 128
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
main(int argc,char **argv)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
LinkList lst;
|
|||
|
char dest[64];
|
|||
|
FILE *fn;
|
|||
|
char buf[MAXLINE];
|
|||
|
char *ch;
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
if(argc < 3)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
cerr << "usage [<file>...] dest\n";
|
|||
|
exit(4);
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
strcpy(dest,argv[argc-1]); /* save destination file name
|
|||
|
*/
|
|||
|
while(argv++,--argc> 1) /* loop thru all file names
|
|||
|
*/
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
cout << "file: " << *argv << "\n";
|
|||
|
if((fn = fopen(*argv,"rt")) == NULL) /* open a file to process */
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
cerr << "Error opening: " << *argv << "\n";
|
|||
|
exit(1);
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
/* get a line of text and convert to NULL terminated string */
|
|||
|
while(fgets(buf,MAXLINE,fn) != NULL)
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
for(ch=&buf[strlen(buf)];--ch >= buf;)
|
|||
|
if(*ch < 0x20)
|
|||
|
*ch = '\0';
|
|||
|
lst = buf; /* add current line to linked list */
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
fclose(fn); /* be polite and close the file */
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
cout << "dest: " << dest << "\n";
|
|||
|
ofstream outfile(dest,ios::out);
|
|||
|
if(!outfile) /* open destination file */
|
|||
|
{
|
|||
|
cerr << "Error opening destination file: " << dest << "\n";
|
|||
|
exit(2);
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
/* loop thru sorted list and write to destination file */
|
|||
|
lst.firstnode();
|
|||
|
do
|
|||
|
outfile << lst() << "\n";
|
|||
|
while(lst++);
|
|||
|
outfile.close();
|
|||
|
cout << "All files sorted and merged into " << dest << "\n";
|
|||
|
exit(0);
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 16
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As you can see, the assignment of a new node is handled by the statement
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
lst = buf;
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The looping through all of the nodes is also very easy. We overloaded the
|
|||
|
() operator to return the string held by the node and can use it directly
|
|||
|
in the output stream. The bottom of the loop contains a while statement to
|
|||
|
control the do loop. The incrementation and test can be done with one
|
|||
|
step. The output file is handled by defining a file and using the <<
|
|||
|
operator which is overloaded to send the output. Compare this article to
|
|||
|
the pure 'C' implementation in last month's column.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Next month we return to 'C' to start a series on recursive programming.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Coming events:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
'C' TSR, recursion revisited, PWB programming
|
|||
|
ASM interfacing with 'C'
|
|||
|
OOPS inherited classes
|
|||
|
Systems Object oriented programming
|
|||
|
Brief Useful macros
|
|||
|
Genetics Legal issues
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| TIDBITS FROM PAUL |
|
|||
|
| |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
by Paul Elder, Node ID ->CAPCON
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If you have WordPerfect 5.0 and also use Extended Memory, trying to print
|
|||
|
to a laser printer such as a LaserJet II will cause problems. In fact,
|
|||
|
WordPerfect truly hates this type of combination and will only print part
|
|||
|
of the page. Next time you start up WordPerfect, try it this way and you
|
|||
|
won't have that nasty bug biting you again: WP /n
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| YOUR RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF |
|
|||
|
| SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF THE PRESS |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
by James J. Spinelli, Node ID ->VMC
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Over the course of my nearly three-year tenure here on RIME, I have
|
|||
|
encountered many discussions among users and sysops dealing with what they
|
|||
|
perceive to be a fundamental First Amendment right to say whatever they
|
|||
|
please in whatever manner they please. While this perception may be well
|
|||
|
intentioned, at times there is a basic flaw in its implementation, at least
|
|||
|
as it pertains to a BBS network such as RIME.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 17
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This article will address our basic rights as defined by the First
|
|||
|
Amendment, but will also examine those rights within the framework of the
|
|||
|
community we all know as the BBS network.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The First Amendment to the US Constitution, the first of the Bill of
|
|||
|
Rights, says in part that "Congress shall make no law... abridging
|
|||
|
[limiting] the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the
|
|||
|
people peaceably to assemble, and petition the Government for a redress of
|
|||
|
grievances." A similar provision is found in the constitutions of many
|
|||
|
states. According to many surveys, we believe freedom of speech and the
|
|||
|
press is the one fundamental personal right or liberty. We might be able to
|
|||
|
do without the right to carry weapons or the right to a grand jury in a
|
|||
|
federal case or several other rights. But inability to speak and write and
|
|||
|
publish freely is, we think, simply inconsistent with our democracy.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
And so the courts have held, but with exception or within limits, because
|
|||
|
this is a world crowded with people with conflicting interests, no freedom
|
|||
|
is absolute.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Freedom of speech does not exist in the abstract. You as an individual,
|
|||
|
despite the words quoted above from the First Amendment, are not free to
|
|||
|
stand on a street corner and urge your listeners to follow you now and kill
|
|||
|
the President of the United States, or the governor of your state or the
|
|||
|
mayor of your city, or anyone else, for that matter.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You may discuss -- from the street corner or in the columns of a newspaper
|
|||
|
(above or underground) or in pamphlets distributed by hand or through the
|
|||
|
mail, or even as a message in this network -- the beauties you see in a
|
|||
|
monarchy or in a society where all persons have two or more spouses. But if
|
|||
|
you urge the commission of a crime, you may very likely be charged with a
|
|||
|
crime yourself: inciting to riot, bringing about or seeking to bring about
|
|||
|
murder or arson, etc.. It's one thing to urge people to have several
|
|||
|
spouses, but to actually have more than one is to commit the crime of
|
|||
|
bigamy.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Governmental interference with freedom of speech takes several forms. On
|
|||
|
the one hand are laws that attempt to control speech or publication before
|
|||
|
the event. One the other are laws that impose penalties after the event.
|
|||
|
The courts will declare unconstitutional both controls and penalties unless
|
|||
|
they are generally applicable, are specific enough for all to understand
|
|||
|
and can be justified as an exercise of the police power, which includes the
|
|||
|
public's right to protect itself from harmful writings. A few examples may
|
|||
|
be helpful.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A law requiring the preliminary showing of motion pictures to a state (or
|
|||
|
municipal) licensing board is constitutional if its purpose is only to
|
|||
|
protect the public from films that are offensive to public morals or
|
|||
|
accepted standards of decency, but the courts do not hesitate to substitute
|
|||
|
their judgment for that of the licensing board if they disagree with it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
United States Customs officials have the right to challenge the importation
|
|||
|
into the US of books and magazines they regard as obscene or subversive,
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 18
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
but they must obtain judicial support of their opinion by going to court
|
|||
|
first.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Postmaster General, using his power to grant magazines a second-class
|
|||
|
mailing privilege, had unsuccessfully tried to deny permits to magazines he
|
|||
|
found objectionable, but he has successfully denied the use of the mails to
|
|||
|
people trying to promote schemes that defraud the public.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Activists recently indicted for various crimes against the flag have
|
|||
|
defended their actions as a form of symbolic speech, and the reaction of
|
|||
|
the courts to this assertion is becoming clearer.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A particular challenge to the concept of freedom of the press has arisen
|
|||
|
with the increase in the amount of printed matter on our newsstands and via
|
|||
|
electronic media that would certainly have been classified as obscene and
|
|||
|
pornographic not too long ago. In trying to strike a balance between the
|
|||
|
public's right to read what it chooses and its right to protect itself
|
|||
|
against material that is offensive by the standards of the community, the
|
|||
|
courts have frequently been forced to walk a narrow line. Unable to lay
|
|||
|
down a satisfactory general rule as to what is and is not obscene, they
|
|||
|
have found it necessary to examine each case on its own merits. The result
|
|||
|
is that unscrupulous publishers can print and distribute material that is
|
|||
|
clearly prurient with the knowledge that, practically speaking, they run
|
|||
|
only a moderate risk of prosecution and conviction for their violation of
|
|||
|
obscenity statutes. More or less the same situation exists in regard to
|
|||
|
films.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Control of material broadcast by radio or television has not been seriously
|
|||
|
challenged in the courts. The number of radio frequencies and television
|
|||
|
channels is relatively limited, and Congress has given the Federal
|
|||
|
Communications Commission broad powers to supervise what is transmitted by
|
|||
|
the limited number of broadcasters and telecasters it licenses. (Of course,
|
|||
|
with the substantial increase and permeation of cable television recently,
|
|||
|
things are undergoing some changes. In addition, as we're beginning to see,
|
|||
|
the FCC is extending its controlling influence over common carrier
|
|||
|
services, such as the so-called "Dial-a-Porn" services.) Here is an
|
|||
|
instance in which controls are imposed over what kind of material may be
|
|||
|
broadcast by the media and in which stiff penalties will be assessed if the
|
|||
|
controls are violated.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The radio and television media have much less practical freedom than do
|
|||
|
publishers of newspapers, magazines and books. Because the renewal of its
|
|||
|
license to broadcast depends on approval of a federal regulatory agency, a
|
|||
|
radio or television station will normally exercise a very considerable
|
|||
|
degree of self-censorship simply to protect its economic interests. The
|
|||
|
result may be a bland diet for the public, but, on the other hand, the
|
|||
|
threat of outside censorship is unlikely to materialize.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Any legal challenge to the controls over radio and television would most
|
|||
|
likely come about as the result of objection to specific censorship of a
|
|||
|
particular program on the ground that it was obscene or subversive. If and
|
|||
|
when such cases arise, the Supreme Court follows the procedure adopted in
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 19
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
censorship cases involving books and motions pictures, which is not to
|
|||
|
question the public's right to protect itself against obscenity or
|
|||
|
subversion but to decide in the individual cases before it whether the
|
|||
|
challenged radio or television program is, by any reasonable standard,
|
|||
|
obscene or subversive.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The most troublesome cases involving freedom of speech and press have
|
|||
|
arisen from efforts by the national and state governments to protect
|
|||
|
themselves against frankly revolutionary individuals and groups. What
|
|||
|
occupies the attention of the courts in all cases of this kind is the
|
|||
|
problem of whether the speech in which these groups indulge is likely to
|
|||
|
lead to illegal action. When do valid dissent and debate aimed at
|
|||
|
influencing people's beliefs influence their conduct instead and cause them
|
|||
|
to do something the law forbids?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
So far the courts have taken a lenient view, reflecting the philosophy
|
|||
|
about their role expressed by the eminent former federal jurist Learned
|
|||
|
Hand when he said:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"The most important issues [as concerns free speech] arise when
|
|||
|
a majority of the voters are hostile, often bitterly hostile, to
|
|||
|
dissidents against whom the statute is directed; and legislatures
|
|||
|
are more likely than courts to repress what ought to be free. It
|
|||
|
is true that the periods of passion or panic are ordinarily not
|
|||
|
very long, and that they are usually succeeded by a serene and
|
|||
|
more tolerant temper; but, as I have just said, serious damage
|
|||
|
may have been done that cannot be undone, and no restitution is
|
|||
|
ordinarily possible for the individuals who have suffered."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Up to now, I have provided you with a very broad framework of the First
|
|||
|
Amendment. Of course, it has not been my intention, either directly or
|
|||
|
indirectly, to provide for any type of in depth discussion or definition of
|
|||
|
our freedoms of speech and the press. Hopefully at this point you have
|
|||
|
sufficient grasp as to what the fundamental concept of the First Amendment
|
|||
|
serves.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What I would like to do now is to establish as basis for you to understand
|
|||
|
how the First Amendment applies to you as a sysop or user of (a) an
|
|||
|
individual BBS and, (b) an international BBS network.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Principle #1: As a sysop, you have the right to run your BBS as you
|
|||
|
see fit.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Corollary Principle #1: As the ultimate administrative body, net-
|
|||
|
work management has the right to run the network
|
|||
|
as it sees fit.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
[What can be said now applies both to individual BBSs and to BBS networks.
|
|||
|
You may simply substitute the words "board" (or "BBS") for the word
|
|||
|
"network" and "sysop" for "management" in what follows.]
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 20
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
At least for administrative purposes, along with legal accountability and
|
|||
|
liability, the network belongs to management. As such, management has the
|
|||
|
legal right and responsibility to run it in the way it chooses. Network
|
|||
|
management has no "common carrier" status or obligation to maintain or
|
|||
|
transmit everybody's messages. By the same token, management has no legal
|
|||
|
obligation to admit every applicant into the network. Management has the
|
|||
|
right, indeed sometimes even the obligation, to delete messages, to limit
|
|||
|
subject matters and to set a policy that defines and restricts the
|
|||
|
particular types of speech that are engaged in within the network. There
|
|||
|
will, of course, be complaints from some network users. But, despite these
|
|||
|
complaints, no one has a First Amendment right to post messages on the
|
|||
|
network, and no one has a First Amendment right to say whatever he/she
|
|||
|
pleases on the network.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Management has every right to promote certain points of view at the
|
|||
|
possible or potential exclusion or expense of other points of view.
|
|||
|
Management has every right to delete and edit certain kinds of messages.
|
|||
|
These activities are not and do not constitute "censorship" in any form in
|
|||
|
terms of one's First Amendment rights.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Just like the publishers of magazines and newspapers, network management is
|
|||
|
the ultimate "publisher" of all of the information on the network. As such,
|
|||
|
management has the right to shape the contents and style of the network in
|
|||
|
any way it deems appropriate and fair.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Although the First Amendment does not govern management's relationship with
|
|||
|
its network users, it does prevent the government from dictating the
|
|||
|
contents of the network -- at least up to this point in time. This, of
|
|||
|
course, does not mean to suggest that the network is permitted to run wild.
|
|||
|
There are both federal and state laws, for example, that regulate such
|
|||
|
things as copyrights and obscenity, along with various statutes that
|
|||
|
protect private property. However, no governmental agency can interfere or
|
|||
|
intervene based solely on the political or social ideas that are
|
|||
|
communicated on the network, no matter how potentially controversial such
|
|||
|
communication may be. The key here is the word "ideas," not the specific
|
|||
|
words or images used -- for example, ideas can be communicated in an
|
|||
|
obscene manner, which might very well subject the specific contents to some
|
|||
|
form of regulation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In conclusion, it has been said that "Freedom of the press belongs to those
|
|||
|
who own one." While I have no intention of disputing this concept, I would
|
|||
|
like to point out that a BBS network is, indeed, a very powerful tool for
|
|||
|
the expression and communication of information and ideas. It should be
|
|||
|
used to its most full capabilities. While doing so, don't forget your
|
|||
|
rights. But, by the same token, don't forget your responsibilities either.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In our next article, for the September issue, we'll begin a discussion near
|
|||
|
and dear to me -- the sysop as "information resource manager," and the
|
|||
|
legal implications of this role.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 21
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| FARMERS |
|
|||
|
| DISCOVER COMPUTERS |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
by Phillip Brown, Node id ->IVYTECH
|
|||
|
Part One:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
It's the eve of a new decade, and times are changing. Even on the family
|
|||
|
farm.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Just a few years ago, most folks scoffed at the notion of installing
|
|||
|
computers in their home offices to monitor and track their farming
|
|||
|
operations. Not now.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As operating procedures and marketing tactics change, expand and become
|
|||
|
more complex, more and more farmers are discovering that computers are
|
|||
|
valuable tools in their operations.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Among other things, they are using computers to store bookkeeping records
|
|||
|
and planting histories, to maintain acreage and conversation data to
|
|||
|
calculate chemical applications and feeding costs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
And now, Doug Stevens, who is Instructor/PC Coordinator at Indiana
|
|||
|
Vocational Technical College, is suggesting that computers also be used as
|
|||
|
a networking -- or communication -- device among the farm community.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
With that thought in mind, the computer lab at Ivy Tech is offering a
|
|||
|
computer "Bulletin Board" to area farmers -- and others interested in
|
|||
|
agriculture.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In addition to listing the traditional "buy-sell-or-trade" items found on
|
|||
|
any bulletin board, this one offers agriculture-oriented programs and
|
|||
|
spreadsheets. The index includes information about such things as fencing
|
|||
|
costs, corn-drying costs, livestock, cash-grain crops, sorghum and
|
|||
|
tobacco, as well as general data about equipment, building materials, and
|
|||
|
farm chemicals.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The system offers educational information and educational games for
|
|||
|
children and for adults, along such lines as languages and math. It also
|
|||
|
contains a message base which enables callers to leave private and public
|
|||
|
messages.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Stevens describes the system as "neat" and "simple to operate".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"If you have a telephone line, you can get into it," he says. Access to
|
|||
|
the bulletin board is free, except for those who must make a long-distance
|
|||
|
telephone call.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Each participant is limited to one hour per day on the system. But that's
|
|||
|
adjustable, Stevens says. The system allows only one caller at a time.
|
|||
|
Even though the service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 22
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
some farmers wait until the early morning hours to tap into the system,
|
|||
|
Stevens adds.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| NAME THAT AUTHOR! |
|
|||
|
| |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
by Ed Lazarowitz, Node id ->CAPCON
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Well, I've always said that I know when to call it quits. Due to the
|
|||
|
incredible lack of response towards this column, it has been cancelled.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Again this month, not a single RelayNet user guessed the correct authors of
|
|||
|
last month's quotes:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"An alcoholic is someone you don't like who --Dylan Thomas--
|
|||
|
Drinks as much as you do."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"In our country we have those three --Mark Twain--
|
|||
|
unspeakably precious things: freedom of
|
|||
|
speech, Freedom of conscience, and the
|
|||
|
prudence never to practice either."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"Communism is like one big phone company." --Lenny Bruce--
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| NOTES FROM |
|
|||
|
| ADMIN |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
RelayNet is now 520 nodes strong!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
An Explanation of the New Bylaws:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
On Tuesday July 16, 1990 the Steering Committee of RIME announced an
|
|||
|
addition to the bylaws of our network. These bylaw changes were
|
|||
|
necessitated by the unprecedented growth that we have experienced in our
|
|||
|
network over the last six months.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Since December of 1989, we have grown from approximately 250 nodes to over
|
|||
|
500 nodes. As a consequence of that growth, our hubs are now handling mail
|
|||
|
packets in excess of 1 meg per day. In order to assist our hubs with that
|
|||
|
burden we would like to ensure that the mail that they transfer daily is of
|
|||
|
the highest quality possible.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We have noticed that many users of the network, sysops included of course,
|
|||
|
have in their zeal to be original, added signatures to the bottom of their
|
|||
|
messages. More and more software packages also add their own configurable
|
|||
|
tagline that is not configurable. In the interest of reducing unnecessary
|
|||
|
bytes in messages and therefore in each mail packet, we have instituted
|
|||
|
the new rules.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 23
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Every sysop is asked to turn off any configurable tagline that the software
|
|||
|
they use adds. Some software does not allow you to turn off the
|
|||
|
information that it adds to the bottom of a message. That is fine.
|
|||
|
However, if your software does allow you to configure a tagline addition to
|
|||
|
a message, you must now turn that tagline off.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Many users add signature lines to their messages. That is also fine.
|
|||
|
However, these signature lines must now be no more than two lines and
|
|||
|
cannot contain any ansi graphics or any control characters that produce a
|
|||
|
noise. The signature line must be no more than two lines from the end of
|
|||
|
the message text. And of course, no PCBoard variables are allowed anywhere
|
|||
|
in a message whether it is the signature, header or in the body of the
|
|||
|
message.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We hope that you all will understand the need for these changes in our
|
|||
|
bylaws. They are there to help us ensure that the mail that flows through
|
|||
|
our network is of the highest quality without adding an unnecessary burden
|
|||
|
to our sysops.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| AS SEEN ON THE BIT STREAM |
|
|||
|
| |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
TAGLINE OF THE MONTH:
|
|||
|
"Infrared turn signals seem to be catching on!"
|
|||
|
(As seen on a post by Mark Adams)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WORST TAGLINE OF THE MONTH:
|
|||
|
"Asphalt: rectal trouble"
|
|||
|
(As seen on a post by Burt Fisher)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
THE THREAD THAT LOST CONTROL:
|
|||
|
Tie: Photo Radar (Started on COMMON and then spread to UPLINK)
|
|||
|
New name for the COMMON Conference
|
|||
|
DEODORANT - Discussion on whose computer room/cubicle was in worse
|
|||
|
shape
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
MALFUNCTION OF THE MONTH:
|
|||
|
(The following was found this month in COMMON. Names have been removed to
|
|||
|
protect the innocent.)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I didn't know COMMON had a 10 line limit. Why is that? Let me see
|
|||
|
here.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
4
|
|||
|
5
|
|||
|
6
|
|||
|
7
|
|||
|
8
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Page 24
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
AUG RELAYNET INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER 1990
|
|||
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
9
|
|||
|
10
|
|||
|
11
|
|||
|
12
|
|||
|
13
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Doesn't seem to stop at 10.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| NOTICES |
|
|||
|
| |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------+
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The RIME Times is published monthly by the membership of RelayNet
|
|||
|
International Message Exchange as its official newsletter. Users and
|
|||
|
Sysops are encouraged to contribute. Submissions and questions may be
|
|||
|
directed to the editors John Dodson, node ->CANTINA or Ed Lazarowitz, node
|
|||
|
->CAPCON.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
(c)Copyright 1990, The RelayNet International Message Exchange. Permission
|
|||
|
is hereby granted for unlimited distribution and duplication, provided
|
|||
|
such distribution and duplication are strictly for non-commercial purposes
|
|||
|
only. All other rights reserved. RelayNet and RIME are registered
|
|||
|
trademarks.
|
|||
|
|