168 lines
8.4 KiB
Plaintext
168 lines
8.4 KiB
Plaintext
|
||
|
||
SO YOU WANT TO BE A SYSOP
|
||
|
||
|
||
by
|
||
|
||
|
||
Al Gutkin "The Tax Board"
|
||
714 974-3730
|
||
|
||
PREFACE
|
||
|
||
Here I am, 3AM in the morning, can't sleep. Why? because tomorrow
|
||
is the big day. Installation of PCBOARD version 10. For the other
|
||
sysops using PCBOARD, it's no biggie, for me, it could mean doomsday,
|
||
but it won't, cause I'm tough. Right??????
|
||
|
||
Should I worry nooooo. Then why can't I sleep? Could it be that
|
||
I've only been running this board for 2 weeks. Nooooo, I'm tough.
|
||
After all, "age and treachury can always defeat youth and ability".
|
||
Why did I do this thing, Bulletin Board? Who needs it?
|
||
|
||
I WAS A NEW USER, ONCE
|
||
|
||
Yep, thats the truth. But, I won't tell you when. Actually, it
|
||
it was 7 years ago, that I touched my first computer. A Radio Shack
|
||
model 1. You know the one that had two floppies that couldn't remember
|
||
that they were there, even the techs at Radio Shack didn't know they
|
||
were there. I found that out when I went back. They didn't even know
|
||
what a utility program was then. I ended up giving to charity and taking
|
||
a deduction for $ 5,000. I bought an Alpha Micro, used it for six years
|
||
in my business. I felt on top of the world, I learned how to change the
|
||
menus myself. Dazzled my clients, dazzled my secretary, thank god I
|
||
didn't know any modern day IBM type programmers back then, I couldn't
|
||
take the laughing and funny faces that they would make. Boy, have I
|
||
come a long way.
|
||
|
||
The biggest gain of knowledge came in the last year, when I was
|
||
introduced to DOS. YEH, I never met dos before. After DOS, came my
|
||
introduction to Mr. Modem. Thats where the trouble started, and I
|
||
introduced myself back to the real computer world. My god, there's
|
||
people out there that like to talk computers, not only like to talk
|
||
computers, but actually develop programs that other people can try for
|
||
free. WOW, I never new this existed. Hey!!, come look at my computer,
|
||
I'm talking to another computer. Look at the color menus and graphics,
|
||
how did they do that? Yep, my exact words, "trust me".
|
||
|
||
HERE COMES THE SYSOP. (What is a SYSOP?)
|
||
|
||
We all know what a Sysop is, it's probably in the encyclopedia,
|
||
"ancient monster, that eats computers and has ultimate power over
|
||
modem users" That sounds like the definition. Well, I know that
|
||
I don't have the personality to become a Sysop. I'm too friendly,
|
||
outgoing, and busy to become a Sysop. Besides, who needs that kind
|
||
of power? In addition, my personality is in voice, not written
|
||
communication, no-one can see my face through a computer. All I have
|
||
is my speaking personality, developed over the years to overcome my
|
||
slow loss of hair.
|
||
|
||
GUESS WHAT, I'M GONNA BE A SYSOP.
|
||
|
||
Yea, I won't do it for real. I'll just set up two computers between
|
||
my office and home and transfer files. That way I can work at home and
|
||
be with my family more. When I mentioned that to my wife, I had to put
|
||
my hand over my nose so she wouldn't see it getting bigger with every
|
||
word that I said.
|
||
|
||
In order to start a bulletin board, even if it's for private use,
|
||
you need software. Well, I remember seeing some of that on Free Bytes.
|
||
Next step, call Free Bytes and take some software. No couldn't do it
|
||
there, I only was allowed 35 min per day. The Weasel Board, yea, I got
|
||
alot of time there. Poor Weasel Board, I tied up the phone for hours
|
||
trying to get bulletin board software. I kept getting waylayed by the
|
||
ski reports. Finally got the software, but never used it, got involved
|
||
with "A LADIES ROOM" instead. You know, the FIDO Ladies Room.
|
||
I could have also been arresed as a rapist. I just looked at the stats.
|
||
for Free Bytes. 50 down, 1 up. I'm ashamed. I'll just give em all
|
||
back. Oh, he only has 300,000k of space left.
|
||
|
||
Darlene was real nice, she gave me some tips, mentioned RBase 4000,
|
||
for the text part, then we made a deal, I'm the new Tax person. Users
|
||
will ask me questions and I'll call the board with an answer. Lady Bug
|
||
was my first and last customer. A LADIES ROOM HAD A DISK CRASH.
|
||
|
||
Meanwhile, I managed to get PCBOARD from Kenny and the CROW'S NEST.
|
||
I de-arched it, set it up, by God, it worked. The docs, written by
|
||
Fred Clark and Associates, said in big letters. THIS IS NOT FOR THE
|
||
NOVICE SYSOP. WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO ANSWER BABY QUESTIONS. Of course
|
||
I added some of my own words to that, the docs weren't that harsh.
|
||
Well, I now had my private bulletin board. I mailed Fred some $$$$
|
||
which I usually do when I get good software and bango, I'm a full
|
||
fledged SYSOP. Of course, I was the only user. When the Crows Nest
|
||
or the others were busy, I just called myself. Weird Huh?
|
||
|
||
GOING PUBLIC
|
||
|
||
I had the board set up and operational so going public wasn't that
|
||
hard. However, before I could get my new tel. number set up and menus
|
||
changed I registered with Fred's organization. My first great experience
|
||
came when Fred called the Board, to verify it's existance, and reached
|
||
the board that was set up in my office. Guess what? I still was using
|
||
Fred's Salt Air Graphics. Would have liked to see the look on Fred's
|
||
face when my modem answered and Fred's own introduction came up. Bet
|
||
Fred thought he was loosing his mind, and calling himself.
|
||
|
||
Underdog in the state of WASH. helped. Sal the dog, enabled me to
|
||
compile some of the best business software in the West. The only
|
||
difference is with me, its free. Don't knock Sal, he spends all his
|
||
free time scouring the nation for the best. His phone bill must look
|
||
look like AT&T's annual report.
|
||
|
||
THE GRAND OPENING - NEWYEARS DAY
|
||
|
||
NO ONE CALLED. Of course not, who had the number? Oh, heck, how
|
||
do you market a bulletin board? Put an add in the paper? Got a great
|
||
idea @@@@@. I called the local BIG TIME SYSOPS and left comments. Oh
|
||
what a dummy, I was. Yea, I got calls. Don Phelps of FREE BYTES was
|
||
the first. He left me a nice message of encouragement and left just as
|
||
fast as he came. Well thanks to the generous help of the local experienced
|
||
sysops I finally got some users. No-One stayed for more than 3 Min.
|
||
Why, because I had a boring board. Didn't know how to extend my
|
||
outgoing personality through the computer. What to do? Failure Setting
|
||
In.
|
||
|
||
RECOVERY
|
||
|
||
By chance, I called David Dennen, LaVern and PC STREET. He's Mr.
|
||
personality, and I won't tell you how old. Dave intercepted the call
|
||
and heard my woes. Guess he saw the nice comment I left. Anyhow, now
|
||
my board "THE TAX BOARD" has gone through some radical changes.
|
||
We have great bulletin and conference areas. Fun and knowledge for all.
|
||
Still give tax and business advice, but we also cater to friendly
|
||
people. We, are "USER FRIENDLY". Need help, we're still here, getting
|
||
bigger every day, but no too big to loose the personal contact with you.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Hit [ENTER] to continue
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
|
||
|
||
Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm)
|
||
|
||
& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Jeff Hunter 510-935-5845
|
||
Salted Slug Systems Strange 408-454-9368
|
||
Burn This Flag Zardoz 408-363-9766
|
||
realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 415-567-7043
|
||
Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 415-583-4102
|
||
Tomorrow's 0rder of Magnitude Finger_Man 408-961-9315
|
||
My Dog Bit Jesus Suzanne D'Fault 510-658-8078
|
||
|
||
Specializing in conversations, obscure information, high explosives,
|
||
arcane knowledge, political extremism, diversive sexuality,
|
||
insane speculation, and wild rumours. ALL-TEXT BBS SYSTEMS.
|
||
|
||
Full access for first-time callers. We don't want to know who you are,
|
||
where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother.
|
||
|
||
"Raw Data for Raw Nerves"
|
||
|
||
X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
|