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1855 lines
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# #
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# BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News #
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# #
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----------------------------------------------------------------
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COPYRIGHT 1993 ISSN 1055-4548
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----------------------------------------------------------------
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Volume 7, Issue 4 Issue #68 May 1994
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----------------------------------------------------------------
|
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|
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|
||
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
||
-----------------
|
||
|
||
article title author
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Disclaimer/Statement of Policy.............................Staff
|
||
From The Editor.................................Scott Hollifield
|
||
Submission Guidelines......................................Staff
|
||
Can America Find Happiness Using Computers?........Dean Costello
|
||
Government Control...................................Damion Furi
|
||
Local Music in May..................................Judy Ranelli
|
||
Review: Three Shareware Graphics Packages...........Bob Crawford
|
||
Bill's Music Stuff...................................Bill Jepson
|
||
BTN ProFile: Terry McCombs............................The Bishop
|
||
Special Interest Groups (SIGs).........................Eric Hunt
|
||
Known BBS Numbers...................................Luke Whitley
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------
|
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|
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|
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
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|
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|
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################################################################
|
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DISCLAIMER
|
||
AND STATEMENT OF POLICY
|
||
FOR BTN
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
|
||
We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and
|
||
information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for damage
|
||
due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability, if any for BTN, its
|
||
*editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions,
|
||
etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN,
|
||
even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood
|
||
of such damages occurring.
|
||
|
||
With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our
|
||
policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish
|
||
monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to
|
||
publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any time
|
||
but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear in a
|
||
particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise harm a
|
||
person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the content of
|
||
the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their work and it
|
||
is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles from BTN
|
||
with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a reprint, in
|
||
which case he will specify in the content of his article. Otherwise,
|
||
please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as the
|
||
source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the
|
||
article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles,
|
||
please forward a copy of your publication to:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Mark Maisel
|
||
Publisher, BTN
|
||
606 Twin Branch Terrace
|
||
Birmingham, AL 35216
|
||
(205) 823-3956
|
||
|
||
|
||
We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that
|
||
you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing
|
||
all of this and not get too serious about it.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
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|
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################################################################
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FREEBIE!!!
|
||
GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT! Systems That Offer Free BTN
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is
|
||
with no charge to any existing upload/download ratios.
|
||
|
||
ADAnet One Alter-Ego Bone Yard
|
||
Bus System The Castle Channel 8250
|
||
C.A.B. The Comfy Chair! Crunchy Frog
|
||
DC Info Exchange Final Frontier The Guardian
|
||
Hardware Hotline Homewood's Hell Hole Joker's Castle
|
||
Leaping's Lounge Lemon Grove Lion's Den
|
||
Martyrdom Again?! The MATRIX Milliways BBS
|
||
The Outer Limits Owl's Nest Playground
|
||
Safe Harbor Southern Stallion Starbase 12
|
||
Thy Master's Dungeon Weekends BBS
|
||
|
||
|
||
(This list includes some systems which are not local to Birmingham and
|
||
therefore not included on our BBS Numbers list.)
|
||
|
||
If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let
|
||
me know via The Matrix or Crunchy Frog so that I can post your board as
|
||
a free BTN distributor. Thanks.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
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|
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################################################################
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NEWSFLASH!
|
||
NEWSFLASH!
|
||
NEWSFLASH!
|
||
################################################################
|
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|
||
|
||
R.I.P. CHANNEL 8250!
|
||
See From the Editor for more.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
NOTE TO OUR OUT-OF-TOWN
|
||
READERS!!!!
|
||
You can *not* subscribe
|
||
to BTN through Internet e-mail.
|
||
Yet.
|
||
However, there are alternatives.
|
||
Watch this space for details.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
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|
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|
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################################################################
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FROM
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THE EDITOR Scott Hollifield
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################################################################
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
To paraphrase Homer Simpson:
|
||
|
||
Can't talk, editing.
|
||
|
||
Oh, well, all right. I'll say a few things, particularly since,
|
||
for a change, there *are* a couple of things to say.
|
||
|
||
First of all, for the benefit of our Buddhist monk reader from
|
||
Tibet, who noticed, *correct!* -- There was no BTN for April. What was
|
||
the cause of this? A cruel April Fool's joke played upon the whole of
|
||
Western civilization? Nay, 'twas merely the end result of a number of
|
||
different factors, foremost among being that yours truly was in bed with
|
||
a nasty stomach bug. (Having just read Stephen King's _The Stand_, I'm
|
||
contacting my congressman before it's too late. <gasp!>) Hopefully,
|
||
no one was too unduly distressed by our missing a mere month.
|
||
|
||
Also, I'd like to say a word in memory of Channel 8250, which
|
||
suffered catastrophic BBS failure and passed away this month. For some
|
||
time, Channel 8250 was the home of the Breezin' conference, which it
|
||
inherited from Birmingham RCP/M some years back. If you've read every
|
||
single word ever published in BTN, you've no doubt heard some of us wax
|
||
nostalgiac about Breezin', which I consider the first true cozy little
|
||
BBS hangout. 8250 was first put up by Ed O'Neill, and passed on after a
|
||
couple of years to Randy Hilliard. Kudos for Randy Hilliard for being
|
||
one of the most stick-to-itive sysops in town.
|
||
|
||
Okay, that's it. I've put this off for far too long as it is. Next
|
||
month, then!
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
|
||
I. ARTICLE LENGTH
|
||
|
||
Right now, there's no strict enforcement of a length restriction,
|
||
but if your submission is somewhat short, I may request that you make it
|
||
longer. Anyone can sit down and type out a screen's worth of stuff. I
|
||
have yet to encounter an article that was too *long*, so don't worry
|
||
about that.
|
||
|
||
|
||
II. SUBJECT MATTER
|
||
|
||
Again, there's no hard-and-fast rules about subject matter. I'm
|
||
interested in seeing material on a wide variety of topics. That
|
||
includes BBSs, politics, music, books, or better yet, something that
|
||
doesn't neatly fall into any one category. Next to that, my favorite
|
||
articles are the ones that have something to do with BBSing, since that
|
||
is supposedly what we're sort of about. Technical reviews are also
|
||
good. I tend to kind of frown on fiction, but I'm willing to take a
|
||
look at anything you've got. If it's interesting enough, your chances
|
||
are good.
|
||
Politics is fine, but try not to rant--and make whatever you have to
|
||
say original. I can go out and find ten Rush Limbaughs if I want.
|
||
Also refrain from "This Is What Happened To Me Today" slice-of-life
|
||
articles unless it's leading somewhere good.
|
||
Reviews should be both informative and opinionated. Don't be too
|
||
objective, but still tell us about what you're reviewing.
|
||
|
||
|
||
III. FILE FORMAT
|
||
|
||
Plain and simple ASCII is preferred, but we can convert WordPerfect
|
||
files if need be.
|
||
|
||
|
||
IV. STYLE GUIDELINES
|
||
|
||
1. Use a right margin of 72 columns.
|
||
2. Indent paragraphs at the fifth column.
|
||
3. Put two spaces after each sentence.
|
||
4. Skip a line after each paragraph.
|
||
5. Refrain from using BBS-specific devices like "<grin>" and ":-)".
|
||
6. Be sure to give your article a title.
|
||
7. Try to use correct grammar, spelling and capitalization! My staff
|
||
proofread as best as we can, but a well-typed article makes our job
|
||
easier.
|
||
8. The dash is correctly typed as two hyphens, like "--". Use it to
|
||
set apart phrases and clauses--as with this sentence.
|
||
9. To emphasize a word, place a pair of asterisks around it, like
|
||
*this*. This takes the place of italics (except for titles; see
|
||
12).
|
||
10. If you have to emphasize a group of words, use capitals, AS IN THIS
|
||
EXAMPLE. I generally don't like the way that looks, so use it
|
||
sparingly, if at all.
|
||
11. If you're unsure whether to spell out a number or not, leave it in
|
||
numeral form.
|
||
12. Titles of books, films, plays, albums and works of art are
|
||
surrounded by underlines, like: U2's _The Joshua Tree_. This takes
|
||
the place of italics in this regard; I call it "title-cizing".
|
||
On the other hand, television shows, songs, poems, article titles
|
||
and short stories are surrounded by quotation marks.
|
||
|
||
|
||
V. HOW DO I SUBMIT AN ARTICLE?
|
||
|
||
The easiest way is to upload it as a private file on one of two
|
||
systems: The Matrix and the Crunchy Frog. (Their phone numbers are
|
||
listed at the end of this feature.) To upload a file privately, begin
|
||
your file description with a slash ("/"). Then leave me (SCOTT
|
||
HOLLIFIELD) a private message telling me what the file name is, so that
|
||
I can have the sysop make it available for me.
|
||
Another way is to leave me the article as a private message, or a
|
||
series of private messages.
|
||
If you become a regular contributor to BTN, you can get access to
|
||
the private BTNWA conference, which is for BTN writers. There we
|
||
discuss articles, policy, ideas, etc. The BTNWA conference also
|
||
contains a private file directory which I can access more easily than a
|
||
private file outside BTNWA.
|
||
|
||
That's it!
|
||
|
||
Get to work!
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
CAN AMERICA FIND
|
||
HAPPINESS USING
|
||
COMPUTERS? Dean Costello
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
OR,
|
||
|
||
AHH, NOW THIS IS WHAT I WAS THINKING OF...
|
||
|
||
|
||
I didn't mean to write a follow-up series when I started this. My
|
||
only concern was correcting the "conventional wisdom" that the
|
||
Information Superhighway and the Internet are synonymous. (The idea
|
||
from the last article is that the Information Superhighway (IS) is
|
||
merely a means by which businesses will be deregulated to allow them all
|
||
equal access to information sources and routes of transmission.)
|
||
However, a couple of days ago, I came across a small document called
|
||
HR-1757, whose purpose is, "to provide for a coordinated Federal program
|
||
to accelerate development and dissemination of applications of
|
||
high-performance computing and high-speed networking, and for other
|
||
purposes." I don't know about you, but I know that when I read it, I
|
||
went, "hmmm...".
|
||
|
||
The document that I was reading is called The National Information
|
||
Infrastructure Act (NIIA). Are you getting excited? You should.
|
||
Apparently, many others have. As it happens, during the course of 1993
|
||
the U.S. Congress came to a series of conclusions:
|
||
|
||
(1) high-performance computing and high-speed networks (HPC/HSN)
|
||
have proven to be powerful tools for improving national security,
|
||
industrial competitiveness, research capabilities, and ability to
|
||
make a wide range of information available for many applications;
|
||
|
||
(2) Federal programs, such as the High-Performance Computing
|
||
Program and National Research and Education Network established in
|
||
1991, are vital to United States leadership in HPC/HSN;
|
||
|
||
(3) HPC/HSN have the potential to expand ones access to
|
||
information in many fields, including education, libraries,
|
||
government information dissemination, and health care;
|
||
|
||
(4) HPC/HSN have the potential to expand opportunities for
|
||
participation for Americans who have disabilities and to improve
|
||
equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and
|
||
economic self-sufficiency for Americans with disabilities;
|
||
|
||
(5) the Federal Government should ensure that the applications
|
||
achieved through research and development efforts such as the
|
||
High-Performance Computing Program directly benefit all Americans;
|
||
|
||
(6) the Federal Government should stimulate the development
|
||
of computing and networking applications and support wider access to
|
||
network resources so that the benefits of applications so developed
|
||
can reach the intended users throughout the Nation, including users
|
||
with disabilities; and
|
||
|
||
(7) a coordinated, interagency undertaking is needed
|
||
to identify and promote applications of computing and networking
|
||
advances developed by the High-Performance Computing Program which
|
||
will provide large economic and social benefits to the Nation,
|
||
including new tools for teaching, the creation of digital libraries
|
||
of electronic information, the development of standards and
|
||
protocols to make the stores of government information readily
|
||
accessible by electronic means, and computer systems to improve the
|
||
delivery of health care.
|
||
|
||
And thusly the National Information Infrastructure (NII) is born.
|
||
But, if we are going to continue, I guess I had better define a term or
|
||
two. The information infrastructure is more than just the physical
|
||
facilities used to transmit, store, process, and display voice, data,
|
||
and images. It encompasses things like cameras, scanners, keyboards,
|
||
telephones, fax machines, computers, switches, compact disks, video and
|
||
audio tape, cable, wire, satellites, optical fiber transmission lines,
|
||
microwave nets, televisions, monitors, printers,...well, you get the
|
||
idea.
|
||
|
||
The NII will integrate and interconnect these physical components in
|
||
a technologically neutral manner so that no one industry will be favored
|
||
over any other. Most importantly, the NII requires building
|
||
foundations for living in the Information Age and for making these
|
||
technological advances useful to the public, business, libraries, and
|
||
other nongovernmental entities. That is why, beyond the physical
|
||
components of the infrastructure, the value of the NII to users and the
|
||
nation will depend in large part on the quality of its other elements
|
||
|
||
1. Data. Information may be in the form of video programming,
|
||
scientific or business databases, images, sound recordings,
|
||
library archives, and other media. Vast quantities of that
|
||
information exist today in government agencies and even more
|
||
information is produced every day in laboratories, studios,
|
||
publishing houses, and elsewhere.
|
||
|
||
2. Software. Applications and software that allow users to
|
||
access, manipulate, organize, and digest the proliferating
|
||
mass of information that the NII's facilities will put at
|
||
their fingertips.
|
||
|
||
3. Standards. The network standards and transmission codes that
|
||
facilitate interconnection and interoperation between networks,
|
||
and ensure the privacy of persons and the security of the
|
||
information carried, as well as the security and reliability
|
||
of the networks.
|
||
|
||
4. Users. People, largely in the private sector, who create the
|
||
information, develop applications and services, construct the
|
||
facilities, and train others to tap its potential. Many of
|
||
these people will be vendors, operators, and service providers
|
||
working for private industry.
|
||
|
||
There is no way around it. Information is one of the nation's most
|
||
critical economic resources, for service industries as well as
|
||
manufacturing, for economic as well as national security. Now that
|
||
there are truly global markets and global competition, the technologies
|
||
to create, manipulate, use information are of great importance to us.
|
||
|
||
The president, therefore, now has a mandate to spread information to
|
||
the Teeming Masses. The idea is to get together a group, called the
|
||
Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology,
|
||
whose job is to make the above possible. As a result, a plan of action
|
||
is required as part of the NIIA to describe how to achieve the goals as
|
||
outlined by Congress. The plan has many different components, ranging
|
||
from who is to be trained to who has responsibility for what to security
|
||
concerns. I am going to just address a couple here.
|
||
|
||
The plan shall include programs administered by the National Science
|
||
Foundation (NSF) to foster the development of network services in local
|
||
communities which will connect institutions of education at all levels,
|
||
libraries, museums, and State and local governments to each other; and
|
||
provide funds for the purchase of network services to entities described
|
||
in paragraph (1), or organizations representing such entities, to
|
||
connect to the Internet. Such programs shall include funding for the
|
||
acquisition of required hardware and software and for the establishment
|
||
of broadband connections to the Internet.
|
||
|
||
The plan shall also include programs administered by NSF and other
|
||
appropriate agencies to train teachers, students, librarians, and
|
||
government personel in the use of computer networks and the Internet, as
|
||
well as provide training materials needed by librarians to instruct the
|
||
public in the use of computer networks and the Internet.
|
||
|
||
So, we finally get to the Internet. But note that the Internet is
|
||
not the only thing that is scheduled to be used. Various kinds of
|
||
networks are scheduled to be employed in the NII. It appears, though,
|
||
that the Internet will be a nice place to start.
|
||
|
||
The plan shall specify research programs needed to create means to
|
||
ensure the security and privacy of transmissions over the Internet and
|
||
the integrity of digital information accessed via the Internet and to
|
||
facilitate the management and protection of copyrighted information
|
||
which is accessed via the Internet. I wonder, though, how the security
|
||
and privacy issues are going to be addressed, given the proposed use of
|
||
the Clipper chip. The trustworthiness and security of communications
|
||
channels and networks are essential to the success of the NII. Users
|
||
must be assured that information transmitted over the infrastructure
|
||
will go when and where it is intended to go. Electronic information
|
||
systems can create new vulnerabilities. For example, electronic files
|
||
can be broken into and copied from remote locations, and cellular phone
|
||
conversations can be monitored easily. Through the use of information
|
||
systems, gathering, sending, and receiving a wide variety of personal
|
||
information is now simple, quick, and relatively inexpensive.
|
||
|
||
The use of information technologies to access, modify, revise,
|
||
repackage, and resell information can benefit individuals, but
|
||
unauthorized use can encroach on their privacy. While news reports
|
||
often emphasize the role of modern information technology in invading
|
||
privacy, technology advances and enhanced management oversight also
|
||
offer the opportunity for privacy protection. This protection is
|
||
especially important to businesses that increasingly transmit-sensitive
|
||
proprietary data through electronic means. The confidentiality of this
|
||
information can spell the difference between business success or
|
||
failure. This can very easily become an ugly little problem in the
|
||
future.
|
||
|
||
In addition, it is essential that the Federal government work with
|
||
the communications industry to reduce the vulnerability of the nation's
|
||
information infrastructure. The NII must be designed and managed in a
|
||
way that minimizes the impact of accident or sabotage. The system must
|
||
also continue to function in the event of attack or catastrophic natural
|
||
disaster. We don't want any more ugly little "Internet Worms", now do
|
||
we?
|
||
|
||
The plan shall specify research programs needed to develop and
|
||
demonstrate human/computer interfaces that will simplify access to and
|
||
use of the Internet by nonspecialists in computer and networking
|
||
technologies and by individuals with disabilities. As I tried to tell
|
||
you last time, the Internet in its present form isn't really designed
|
||
with you, the average user, in mind. But as you can see, a facelift is
|
||
apparently in the making. I am curious whether it will be an
|
||
infrastructure change (basic alterations in the Internet) or if better
|
||
communications software will be developed.
|
||
|
||
Lets look at libraries for a minute. There is a subsection of the
|
||
plan that deals with the concept of the digital library. Research is
|
||
being conducted into how to make a virtual library a real thing and not
|
||
just a clever idea. The first item that is talked about is advanced
|
||
data storage. The digital library concept is looking at storing
|
||
hundreds of terabytes (trillion) of information, and it just isn't
|
||
practical to have a couple thousand 2-gigabyte harddrives. Other
|
||
concepts that are being examined include the development of high-speed,
|
||
high-accuracy scanning processes, development of database software that
|
||
very quickly (think of the amount of data that is necessary to go
|
||
through) searches, filters, and summarizes not just text, but images,
|
||
data, and sound.
|
||
|
||
The most exciting area that I see is the Federal Information Locator
|
||
(FIL). The idea runs like this: You need a bit of information; say you
|
||
are looking for the number of abortions that took place in 1977 as a
|
||
result of incest. The FIL will provide not just a citation of where the
|
||
data can be found, but will also give guidance on how to obtain that
|
||
information. This is the solution of a pet peeve of mine. I am an
|
||
environmental scientist, and have a lot of dealings with EPA. There are
|
||
scads of information that are generated by EPA on a yearly basis (we are
|
||
talking thousands of documents, people). And remember, I (as a
|
||
taxpayer) have already paid for the information. However, most of the
|
||
documents go directly to the National Technical Information Service
|
||
(NTIS) in Springfield, VA, where I have to pay $10-$90 for the
|
||
information. So, I am forced to pay for that data twice. I like to
|
||
think that the FIL will eliminate the payment requirement.
|
||
|
||
Anyway, as you can well imagine, there is more to it than what I
|
||
extracted above. There's still research projects in the making,
|
||
applications to health care (surgical virtual reality is an intriguing
|
||
sidebar), use in education (imagine taking an astronomy class with Carl
|
||
Sagan as your instructor), and means of adapting hunks of this to
|
||
private industry.
|
||
|
||
One more thing I would like to touch on is the concept of "Universal
|
||
Service". The Communications Act of 1934 stated, in very general terms,
|
||
a national goal of "Universal Service" for telephones: widespread
|
||
availability of a basic communications service at affordable rates. A
|
||
major objective in developing the NII will be to extend the Universal
|
||
Service concept to the information needs of the American people in the
|
||
21st Century. As a matter of fundamental fairness, I cannot see how we
|
||
can accept a division of the society, among information "haves" and
|
||
"have-nots." The Administration has committed to developing a modern
|
||
concept of Universal Service, one that would emphasize giving all who
|
||
desire it easy, affordable access to advanced communications and
|
||
information services, regardless of income, disability, or location.
|
||
Whether or not this will happen strikes me as somewhat doubtful.
|
||
|
||
Its a brave new world out there these days. As a BBS user, you can
|
||
consider yourselves as a part of a new wave of technology application,
|
||
but don't think that this is the end-all, be-all of communications.
|
||
There's more a'comin'. It's no time to be a Luddite.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
GOVERNMENT
|
||
CONTROL Damion Furi
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
|
||
While politics is often an intriguing game of tradeoffs between the
|
||
desires of government and the desires of its citizens, the desires of
|
||
government have begun to take preclusive precedence over the desires of
|
||
the citizens.
|
||
|
||
I think it's a safe bet to assume that everyone is concerned about
|
||
the potential for our rights to erode under the heavy tread of
|
||
government. The U.S. Constitution was written with that possibility in
|
||
mind, the American Revolution fought to curtail the British Empire's
|
||
abuses on American soil. "Don't tread on me!" our forefathers yelled in
|
||
defiance, as they embedded the red, white, and blue U.S. battle flag in
|
||
bloody home soil.
|
||
|
||
And yet, it would seem as if Benjamin Franklin's worst fears are
|
||
being realized more than 200 years later. We have a republic, but it's
|
||
slipping through our fingers...and it's easy to see our rights
|
||
diminishing as government reaches out for more and tighter control of
|
||
every facet of our lives.
|
||
|
||
While examples of this abound, I'll point to what I consider to be
|
||
the three most distressing symptoms: gun control, the Clipper/Skipjack
|
||
chip, and PGP.
|
||
|
||
The gun control issue has been hammered to death, in the news and
|
||
in online arguments. I don't think there's too much more I can add to
|
||
it, but I would ask that you seriously consider this issue. Though it's
|
||
a cliche, there is truth in the saying, "If guns are outlawed, only
|
||
outlaws will have guns." Believe me, people; it's very easy to obtain
|
||
illegal items. All it takes is money.
|
||
|
||
Personally, I don't care much for firearms. I'm a fairly
|
||
aggressive person with a quick temper, aggravated by arrogance and a
|
||
cold disdain for anyone that happens to strike me as stupid. I'm
|
||
sufficiently intelligent to realize that my temperment does not mix well
|
||
with an ability to immedi- ately inflict death at a distance.
|
||
|
||
But it is my responsibility to handle my shortcomings. It is not
|
||
your responsibility or the responsibility of the government to limit me
|
||
accord- ing to a hypothetical situation placed at an unspecified point
|
||
in the future. Instead, compare the relative danger involved in two
|
||
hypothetical situations: one situation in which I may murder one
|
||
individual up to a maximum of several hundred with an assault weapon, or
|
||
another situation in which mammoth government brings an unarmed and
|
||
helpless populace of millions to its knees. Truly, you must "fear the
|
||
government that fears your guns." Another cliche, another truth.
|
||
|
||
The diabolical intent behind the Clipper/Skipjack chip is more
|
||
easily discerned. Your privacy isn't killing anyone, nor does it have
|
||
any innate capacity to do so. Yet, the government is considering
|
||
embedding a special computer chip in all communications devices that
|
||
will encrypt outgoing and decrypt incoming messages, insuring the
|
||
greatest amount of privacy ever granted to any population of any age.
|
||
|
||
The cost? The Skipjack chip (renamed from "Clipper" to prevent
|
||
confusion with the Computer Associates XBase language development
|
||
platform of the same name) will have at least one back door by which
|
||
means the government may access the content of your communications.
|
||
Theoretically, the keys to this back door will be handed over only in
|
||
the process of legal proceedings with all due legal authority.
|
||
|
||
Considering past abuses by such stars as NSA, FBI, CIA, BATF, among
|
||
others, all the way down to your local police department, it should be
|
||
unnecessary for me to point out the weaknesses in this theory. After
|
||
the Watergate scandal, trusting the government not to rifle your
|
||
belongings is sheer foolishness.
|
||
|
||
If you accept the arguments behind the Skipjack chip, it is only a
|
||
short stretch to imagine cameras and microphones in the bedroom. Our
|
||
national security may well depend upon the methods you employ to bring
|
||
your loved one to orgasm.
|
||
|
||
In the same vein, but on another front, the government is currently
|
||
taking a severe stance on private citizens possessing military grade
|
||
cryptosystems that are not easily -- if at all -- accessible to the
|
||
government.
|
||
|
||
Phillip Zimmerman is a programmer that took the European-developed
|
||
RSA encryption formula (published in 1977) and developed a freeware
|
||
program called Pretty Good Privacy in the late 80's. He uploaded this
|
||
program to a U.S.-based Internet FTP site in the wee hours of the
|
||
morning. Not more than 12 minutes later, this program was all over the
|
||
world.
|
||
|
||
Pretty Good Privacy (known as PGP) offers military grade
|
||
encryption to the peanut gallery at no cost. And not just the
|
||
executable file, but the whole kit and kaboodle of full C and ASM source
|
||
code, complete with MAKE files for several standard compilers on several
|
||
platforms -- in several languages.
|
||
|
||
Zimmerman is currently under investigation by the U.S. State
|
||
Depart- ment for possible violations of certain munitions export
|
||
control laws. This despite the fact that RSA was originally developed
|
||
outside the U.S. and the fact that Zimmerman himself did not actually
|
||
export anything.
|
||
|
||
If indicted, Zimmerman faces the possibility of heavy fines and a
|
||
long jail sentence.
|
||
|
||
A recent query addressed to Zimmerman via Internet yielded the
|
||
following response:
|
||
|
||
|
||
===========================================================================
|
||
BBS: WEEKENDS
|
||
Date: 04-21-94 (23:47) Number: 1243
|
||
From: PRZ@ACM.ORG Refer#: NONE
|
||
To: DAMION FURI Recvd: YES (PVT)
|
||
Subj: Re: PGP Conf: (23) Internete-
|
||
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
From: Philip Zimmermann <prz@acm.org>
|
||
Subject: Re: PGP
|
||
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 23:47:08 -0600 (MDT)
|
||
To: damion.furi@weekends.com
|
||
Message-Id: <9404210547.AA22164@columbine.cgd.ucar.EDU>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Hello. Thanks for your email. I hope you don't mind getting a form
|
||
letter reply. I get so much mail these days.
|
||
|
||
Let me give you some rubber-stamp answers to some frequently asked
|
||
questions about PGP--
|
||
|
||
1) The currently released version of PGP is 2.3a. If you want a list
|
||
of Internet sites and BBS systems that have it, send a note to
|
||
Hugh Miller at hmiller@lucpul.it.luc.edu. If you have an older
|
||
version of PGP, you really should get updated. There is a version
|
||
for MSDOS (but not Windows), various Unixes, Macintosh, Amiga,
|
||
Atari ST, VAX/VMS, and IBM mainframes. The source code is also
|
||
available from public sources. There are Internet FTP sites and
|
||
many BBS systems that carry PGP. For other PGP news, see the
|
||
Internet Usenet newsgroups alt.security.pgp, talk.politics.crypto,
|
||
and sci.crypt. These newsgroups are also a good place to find out
|
||
where to get PGP. In many cases, there are ways to access these
|
||
newsgroups via email channels. If you don't know how to get access
|
||
to these newsgroups, ask your local Unix or Internet expert for
|
||
help. Don't ask me to send you a copy of PGP-- I can't do that, for
|
||
legal reasons.
|
||
|
||
2) Often people ask me for a copy of my PGP public key, because
|
||
they aren't sure if the one they have is really my key. Well, it
|
||
almost certainly is. I've checked my public key countless times
|
||
with people who call me up, and it's always correct. My key is so
|
||
widespread that if someone tampered with it, I would surely have
|
||
heard about it by now and would issue announcements to Internet
|
||
newsgroups and electronic Bulletin Board Systems. My key in
|
||
included in the PGP distribution package, in the file "keys.asc".
|
||
|
||
3) Often people ask me to sign their key with mine. I can't do
|
||
that either, because I don't know those people and it would be
|
||
inappropriate for me to sign a key whose owner I didn't positively
|
||
identify. This topic is fully explained in the PGP manual.
|
||
|
||
4) My new email address is prz@acm.org. My old email addresses at
|
||
NCAR may not be any good soon, so please use the new one. And if
|
||
you must encrypt any mail to me, please use my newer key that bears
|
||
the new email address <prz@acm.org> in the user ID field, and not
|
||
the older key that bears the old email address
|
||
<prz@sage.cgd.ucar.edu> in the user ID.
|
||
|
||
5) A fully licensed commercial version of PGP is available from
|
||
ViaCrypt, for any users in the USA or Canada. It's a really nice
|
||
product, and has made absolutely no compromises in PGP's security.
|
||
If you have been reluctant to use PGP because of legal questions,
|
||
ViaCrypt PGP is just what you need. ViaCrypt has obtained all
|
||
patent licenses needed to sell PGP. ViaCrypt can be reached in
|
||
Phoenix, Arizona, at phone 1-602-944-0773, email
|
||
<70304.41@compuserve.com>.
|
||
|
||
6) I have heard that RSA Data Security, Inc, plans to release
|
||
sometime in the future a new version of RSAREF, their freeware
|
||
subroutine package that performs RSA calculations. The new RSAREF
|
||
is reportedly designed so that more applications may use it,
|
||
including PGP. The old RSAREF package is not currently designed to
|
||
allow PGP to use it. If the new RSAREF is able to be used by PGP,
|
||
that would open the door for PGP to have a freeware version that
|
||
would be licensed to use the RSA algorithm, because RSAREF comes
|
||
with an RSA license that may be used by any application for
|
||
noncommercial purposes. This would mean that PGP would exist in two
|
||
forms, both of which would be licensed to use the RSA algorithm--
|
||
the freeware version using RSAREF, and the ViaCrypt PGP for
|
||
commercial uses. We'll have to wait and see how events unfold with
|
||
respect to RSAREF, to see if all this really happens.
|
||
|
||
7) For those of you who want to donate money to my legal defense
|
||
fund, please make checks payable to my lead defense attorney: Philip
|
||
L. Dubois, Attorney Trust Account. Mail them to to Philip Dubois,
|
||
2305 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado, 80304 USA. Since I am now the
|
||
target of a US Customs criminal investigation that has progressed to
|
||
the level to a Federal grand jury, I need contributions for my legal
|
||
defense. The subject matter of the investigation relates to PGP and
|
||
the export control laws on cryptographic software. If you care
|
||
politically about these matters, that would be a good way to show
|
||
it. Thanks.
|
||
|
||
8) U.S. House Representative Maria Cantwell has introduced
|
||
legislation (H.R.3627) that would lift all export controls on
|
||
cryptographic software in the US. This is important because U.S.
|
||
export controls in this area have been used to suppress the
|
||
availability of lawful domestic encryption technology. Thus,
|
||
Cantwell's bill is important not only to American software export
|
||
competiveness, but more importantly, to our civil liberties. If you
|
||
live in the USA, please ask your House Representatives to co-sponsor
|
||
H.R. 3627, and get your two U.S. Senators to back it in the Senate
|
||
as well. The phone number for the U.S. Congress is 202-224-3121.
|
||
|
||
9) I am available on a consulting basis to help you develop
|
||
cryptographic products. That is how I make my living. If you need
|
||
help in this area, feel free to call me at 303 541-0140, from
|
||
10am-7pm Mountain Time.
|
||
|
||
I hope that helps.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Philip Zimmermann
|
||
prz@acm.org
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 02:41:31 -0600 (CDT)
|
||
From: hmiller@orion.it.luc.edu (Hugh Miller)
|
||
Subject: PGP defense fund
|
||
|
||
As you may already know, on September 14 LEMCOM Systems (ViaCrypt)
|
||
in Phoenix, Arizona was served with a subpoena issued by the US District
|
||
Court of Northern California to testify before a grand jury and produce
|
||
documents related to "ViaCrypt, PGP, Philip Zimmermann, and anyone or
|
||
any entity acting on behalf of Philip Zimmermann for the time period
|
||
June 1, 1991 to the present."
|
||
|
||
Phil Zimmermann has been explicitly told that he is the primary
|
||
target of the investigation being mounted from the San Jose office of
|
||
U.S. Customs. It is not known if there are other targets. Whether or
|
||
not an indictment is returned in this case, the legal bills will be
|
||
astronomical.
|
||
|
||
If this case comes to trial, it will be one of the most important
|
||
cases in recent times dealing with cryptography, effective
|
||
communications privacy, and the free flow of information and ideas in
|
||
cyberspace in the post-Cold War political order. The stakes are high,
|
||
both for those of us who support the idea of effective personal
|
||
communications privacy and for Phil, who risks jail for his selfless and
|
||
successful effort to bring to birth "cryptography for the masses,"
|
||
a.k.a. PGP. Export controls are being used as a means to curtail
|
||
domestic access to effective cryptographic tools: Customs is taking the
|
||
position that posting cryptographic code to the Internet is equivalent
|
||
to exporting it. Phil has assumed the burden and risk of being the
|
||
first to develop truly effective tools with which we all might secure
|
||
our communications against prying eyes, in a political environment
|
||
increasingly hostile to such an idea -- an environment in which Clipper
|
||
chips and Digital Telephony bills are our own government's answer to our
|
||
concerns. Now is the time for us all to step forward and help shoulder
|
||
that burden with him.
|
||
|
||
Phil is assembling a legal defense team to prepare for the
|
||
possibility of a trial, and he needs your help. This will be an
|
||
expensive affair, and the meter is already ticking. I call on all of us,
|
||
both here in the U.S. and abroad, to help defend Phil and perhaps
|
||
establish a groundbreaking legal precedent. A legal trust fund has been
|
||
established with Phil's attorney in Boulder. Donations will be accepted
|
||
in any reliable form, check, money order, or wire transfer, and in any
|
||
currency. Here are the details:
|
||
|
||
To send a check or money order by mail, make it payable, NOT to Phil
|
||
Zimmermann, but to Phil's attorney, Philip Dubois. Mail the check or
|
||
money order to the following address:
|
||
|
||
Philip Dubois
|
||
2305 Broadway
|
||
Boulder, CO USA 80304
|
||
(Phone #: 303-444-3885)
|
||
|
||
To send a wire transfer, your bank will need the following
|
||
information:
|
||
|
||
Bank: VectraBank
|
||
Routing #: 107004365
|
||
Account #: 0113830
|
||
Account Name: "Philip L. Dubois, Attorney Trust Account"
|
||
|
||
Any funds remaining after the end of legal action will be returned
|
||
to named donors in proportion to the size of their donations.
|
||
|
||
You may give anonymously or not, but PLEASE - give generously. If
|
||
you admire PGP, what it was intended to do and the ideals which animated
|
||
its creation, express your support with a contribution to this fund.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Posted to: alt.security.pgp; sci.crypt; talk.politics.crypto;
|
||
comp.org.eff.talk; comp.society.cu-digest; comp.society; alt.sci.sociology;
|
||
alt.security.index; alt.security.keydist; alt.security;
|
||
alt.society.civil-liberty; alt.society.civil-disob; alt.society.futures
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Please give me a call to discuss how to proceed. My number is
|
||
303 541-0140. After 10am Mountain time. Thanks.
|
||
|
||
Regards,
|
||
Philip
|
||
|
||
|
||
David Moss, the sysop of Weekends BBS, queried EFF (Electronic
|
||
Frontier Foundation) for an opinion as to the legality of posting PGP
|
||
2.3a as a public download. David made the response public as soon as he
|
||
received it, and here it is:
|
||
|
||
|
||
===========================================================================
|
||
Packet: WEEKENDS
|
||
Date: 04-20-94 (10:18) Number: 1236
|
||
From: ssteele@eff.org (Shari Steele)Refer#: NONE
|
||
To: david.moss@weekends.com Recvd: YES (PVT)
|
||
Subj: Re: pgp Conf: (23) Internete-
|
||
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
From: ssteele@eff.org (Shari Steele)
|
||
Subject: Re: pgp
|
||
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 10:18:18 -0400
|
||
To: david.moss@weekends.com
|
||
Message-Id: <199404201418.KAA27766@eff.org>
|
||
|
||
> Is it legal or illegal to post PGP as a public d/l on
|
||
>my bbs? I have heard so many opinions that I am hopelessly
|
||
>confused.
|
||
>
|
||
>Thanks,
|
||
>David Moss
|
||
>Member: EFF (2156)
|
||
|
||
Hi David.
|
||
|
||
It is not illegal to have PGP available, although the freeware
|
||
version of PGP is unlicensed, and therefore may be a violation of a
|
||
patent held by RSA Data Securities. PGP contains an encryption
|
||
algorithm (RSA) that is patented. PGP's author did not get a license to
|
||
use the algorithm from the patent holder. A new freeware version of
|
||
RSA, called RSAREF, has recently been released, and future versions of
|
||
PGP will call RSAREF and won't be in violation. In addition, a
|
||
commercial version of PGP has recently been released by Viacrypt, which
|
||
is ok because Viacrypt holds a RSA license. The short answer is, if you
|
||
put the freeware version of PGP on your BBS, you are risking a patent
|
||
suit being brought against you by RSA Data Security.
|
||
|
||
If you do decide to take that risk, I strongly advise you to put
|
||
some sort of restriction on folks from outside of the US from
|
||
downloading it. It is most certainly illegal to export PGP.
|
||
|
||
Shari
|
||
|
||
|
||
*************************************************************************
|
||
Shari Steele 202/347-5400 (voice)
|
||
Director of Legal Services 202/393-5509 (fax)
|
||
Electronic Frontier Foundation ssteele@eff.org (e-mail)
|
||
1001 G Street, NW, Suite 950 East
|
||
Washington, DC 20001
|
||
|
||
Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping
|
||
tom to install your window blinds. - John Perry Barlow, EFF co-founder
|
||
|
||
Don't let the government limit your electronic rights -- Join EFF!!! For
|
||
more info, write to membership@eff.org.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Paranoia aside, I think the eventual resolution of these three
|
||
issues, one way or the other, will have a major impact on the future of
|
||
our nation. It's not just another issue about pointing fingers and
|
||
smoking guns; our rights and maybe our lives are at stake.
|
||
|
||
|
||
If you are interested in obtaining a copy of PGP (specify executable
|
||
or source code), leave me a note on Crunchy Frog BBS (or any other BBS
|
||
where you've seen my name). I will forward a copy to you or make
|
||
arrangements with you for you to download it directly from my system
|
||
at your expense (if any). If you are outside the local calling area, I
|
||
can be reached via Internet at damion.furi@weekends.com.
|
||
|
||
If demand for PGP exceeds my ability to meet it on an individual
|
||
basis, I will configure a temporary BBS and post session hours in the
|
||
main conferences on the following BBSes:
|
||
|
||
Alter Ego CAB BBS Crunchy Frog
|
||
DPA BBS Jokers Castle Leaping's Lounge
|
||
Matrix Milliway's Weekends
|
||
|
||
|
||
Filename: FURI_PUB.KEY Security Level: 3
|
||
|
||
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
|
||
Version: 2.3a
|
||
|
||
mQCNAi2yIUcAAAEEAN5fdKbtkHrqoENVk1lQZIc4NL49m9sFCw/22rpcNb6wnFRU
|
||
pxRSRfR9ztMjpeVpenl/G0WrtlLlf8VMQ2Ix3GP0DR4RDBpzDUy/WMascGDhq4yK
|
||
ooI0fCKegnZ6SbB9CA4fRF/cTajCDtfT+cCTuDw5JaQ8EXlyNrI5AxEkkQydAAUR
|
||
tC5EYW1pb24gRnVyaSA8ZGFtaW9uLmZ1cmlAd2Vla2VuZHMuY29tPiBGWURJVE0h
|
||
=S6Od
|
||
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
The following appeared in the April 27, 1994 Globe and Mail:
|
||
|
||
NUMBER CODE CRACKED EONS EARLY
|
||
|
||
NEW YORK -- The world's ultimate secret code -- a 129 digit combination
|
||
that mathematicians had expected would take 40 quadrillion years to
|
||
break -- has been cracked in 17. But it took 600 people on five
|
||
continents using 1,600 computers working for eight months to do it. Dr.
|
||
Arjen Lenstar of Bellcore, the Bell Communications Research division,
|
||
co-ordinated the attack on the encryption called RSA 129 -- a problem
|
||
considered so difficult that some mathematicians joked that discovering
|
||
how to walk on water would be easier.
|
||
|
||
The cracking of code, devised in 1977 by three mathematicians and
|
||
computer scientists -- Ronald Rivest, Adi Shamir and Leonard Adleman --
|
||
has serious implications for business and computer systems that use
|
||
numerical codes to protect secrets in electronic databases. Once the
|
||
searchers had discovered the two secret numbers that, when multiplied
|
||
together, produced RSA 129, they were able to find a secret message
|
||
encrypted: "The magic words are squeamish ossifrage." An ossifrage is a
|
||
bird of prey that crushes the bones of its victims. Mr. Rivest said the
|
||
words were chosen at random when the puzzle was devised in 1977.
|
||
--Reuter.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
LOCAL MUSIC
|
||
IN MAY Judy Ranelli
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
|
||
Thurs. May 5
|
||
THE BUGS/THE SHAME IDOLS at The Nick
|
||
Bugs is happy pop stuff thanks to a little guy named Walon. Shame
|
||
Idols is Tim Boykin's personal original band thing in which he
|
||
superhumanly manages to play along with his other bands... tons of
|
||
them. They are very good but I wish he'd get more pissed off.
|
||
|
||
Fri. May 6
|
||
First thing is, avoid the DeadHead show at the Five Points South
|
||
Music Hall, which means avoid anything in the area because you won't
|
||
get a parking space within a three block radius, and you will be
|
||
harassed by hippies, horribly begging for a spare ticket. Now then,
|
||
Topper Price and the Upsetters are squeezing their big sound into the
|
||
tiny Back Alley courtyard, or Soul Cow is getting weird at the Nick.
|
||
|
||
Sat. May 7
|
||
FOLLOW FOR NOW at Louie Louie
|
||
HILLBILLY FRANKENSTEIN at The Nick
|
||
These guys reappear. I haven't seen them in a couple of years but
|
||
should be good. Hillbilly Frankenstein at the Nick and I'm getting
|
||
over it; unspeakables at Zydeco and the Mill, don't even ask.
|
||
|
||
Tues. May 10
|
||
BABLENAUT at The Nick
|
||
Were 24th Century Quakers, they include my good friend Randall
|
||
Sherbet from VBS. The most exciting new band in Birmingham.
|
||
|
||
Thurs. May 12
|
||
JIMMY DALE GILMORE at the Five Points South Music Hall
|
||
Jeezus, cool man thing; if I wasn't working, I'd be torn between
|
||
this and the Rev. Horton Heat at Louie Louie. It's rockabillyish
|
||
season in Birmingham. I'd probably decide by cheaper cover charge.
|
||
|
||
Fri. May 13
|
||
Go play Q-Zar instead. What with the bad luck and all, you're sure
|
||
to get negative points and possibly ejected for running over a
|
||
six-year-old. I can attest to the fun of this activity, it's sucked
|
||
several dollars out of my pocket already, and Our Sainted Editor has
|
||
informed me he's ready to get the yearly membership discount. I'm
|
||
probably next.
|
||
|
||
Sat. May 14
|
||
Another weak music night by my tastes, so I'll suggest the Six Pack
|
||
mystery bands at the Nick.
|
||
|
||
Tues. May 17
|
||
SPACE CAMP at Flamingos
|
||
I haven't seen them in a while but Don Tinsley never disappoints.
|
||
One of this town's best songwriters.
|
||
|
||
Wed. May 18
|
||
QUEEN LATIFAH at Louie Louie
|
||
I don't recall ever seeing a rap artist in a club, so this is very
|
||
unique, worth at least a glance in the window if not the cover charge.
|
||
Louie Louie is running some delicious drink specials during the week to
|
||
lure patrons--fifty-cent mixed drinks, etc. I don't know if there are
|
||
any specials for a show of this type but in a town that commonly sells
|
||
$2.50 beers, specials are good to remember.
|
||
|
||
Thurs. May 19
|
||
LUMP/SON OF SLAM at The Nick
|
||
I tell ya, if I didn't have to play a private party... I'd go see
|
||
Son of Slam, because of their wonderful poster. It features a little
|
||
boy peeing in a trailer park, among other things...
|
||
|
||
Fri. May 20
|
||
THE GARGOYLES/THE TICKS at The Nick
|
||
I took off a day of work to play it, so I'll take a few lines to
|
||
mention it. The Gargoyles are the Family Boykin with drummer.
|
||
|
||
Tues. May 24
|
||
BLACK MARKET FLOWERS/DANDELIONS at The Nick
|
||
I like Dandelions anyway and besides this show has a nice floral
|
||
theme. Surely these two acts are compatible! (I say this because the
|
||
Ticks have so often been stuck with bands that sound like the netherhell
|
||
--um, I mean completely different from us. Most often those name
|
||
changin', black-fingernail-polish-wearin', leather-crotch-thrustin',
|
||
lyric-a-yelpin' Autumn Lords.)
|
||
|
||
Sat. May 28
|
||
SHALLOW/BABLENAUT at The Nick
|
||
Two fine examples of the new original music coming out of the ashes
|
||
of a Grateful Dead cover band holocaust that leveled the city for
|
||
several years. Finally, finally, people are coming to see local bands,
|
||
damned good ones.
|
||
|
||
Wed. June 1
|
||
EDDIE MONEY at Louie Louie
|
||
Having said that, I find that the Louie Louie establishment is
|
||
presenting... this. I am surprised to find Eddie Money playing a 300-
|
||
or-so-seat venue. Hey, my friend Marjorie likes the song "Shakin'", so
|
||
maybe you do too. Have fun.
|
||
|
||
Sat. June 4
|
||
STRUTTER at The Nick(?)
|
||
Meanwhile, your holier-than-thou writer admits she'll go see
|
||
Strutter do the Kiss thing with blood and fire breathing and shell out
|
||
ten bucks or so to do it. No one is safe.
|
||
|
||
Southside currently has a armed sniper firing on Valley Avenue.
|
||
This after a very pleasant month, Brother Bryan's statue with lipstick,
|
||
and the fountain "Storyteller" goat wearing a big white bra.
|
||
|
||
The parking on the fountain, what with Five Points Music Hall, is
|
||
unforgivable. I spent thirteen minutes tring to park to get my call-in
|
||
order calzone from Cosmo's. No way am I parking in a deck for a dollar
|
||
to pick up my food. The culprit isn't the Music Hall, it's that
|
||
damnable Birmingham green median work (and the median itself) taking up
|
||
parking spaces! Thanks to the mayor and council for this
|
||
inconvenience. *We* wouldn't want out-of-town visitors to find parking
|
||
and easy access to the entertainment district. Remember Morris Avenue,
|
||
people.
|
||
|
||
A house in my area was bought by some Japanese sponsors and
|
||
dedicated as a museum to a poet who lived there. Can't remember his
|
||
name, I'm no journalist, but I read part of his poem, said to be revered
|
||
in Japan as expressing the true fleeting nature of youth, and it was the
|
||
tritist, Hallmark card sort of blather. Must gain something in the
|
||
translation, and I wonder what other literature profits in this way.
|
||
|
||
Until next time...
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
SHAREWARE GRAPHICS
|
||
REVIEWS Bob Crawford
|
||
################################################################
|
||
President - I.C. Chip inc.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Starting a computer related business these days is nothing new or
|
||
particularly spectacular. Seems everyone who is even remotely
|
||
interested in computers is at least thinking about doing it. When the
|
||
idea for I.C. Chip was first formulated (over three years ago), the
|
||
technology was priced in the region of clouds and my knowledge was
|
||
sparse at best. As we researched and developed our company we were
|
||
constantly seeking program packages that would not only allow us to
|
||
achieve a viable, marketable line of products and services, we were also
|
||
on a vigilant watch for anything that would also help us to work faster,
|
||
increase productivity and, most importantly, make our work more
|
||
enjoyable.
|
||
|
||
Although we're well on our way to doing business today, that search
|
||
is an ongoing one. The following reviews of three shareware packages
|
||
are but a small hint at the treasures we've uncovered during our quest
|
||
for product quality, ease of use and time savings during production.
|
||
If you're into computer graphics, I highly recommend these packages.
|
||
While there is no such thing as a "graphics do-it-all" package, (at I.C.
|
||
Chip we use no less than 6 programs to create any finished product),
|
||
these programs in concert with a little patience, some creative thinking
|
||
and, more than anything else, time, will allow you to increase your
|
||
exploration of the emerging world of computer graphics, the imaging
|
||
technology of tomorrow.
|
||
|
||
|
||
________________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
Improces ver 4.2 - Improc42.zip
|
||
|
||
This is the package that started it all for me, in an earlier
|
||
version of course. The author, John Wagner, has managed to create a
|
||
powerful graphics manipulating program that is as easy to use as you'd
|
||
like it to be or as in depth as you may need it to be. While it lacks
|
||
some ability to manipulate odd shaped areas of an image, this program
|
||
more than makes up for that loss in it's ability to create images from
|
||
scratch, work in a pixel by pixel environment for fine detail work, use
|
||
such "photographic darkroom tools" as burning and dodging, add lettering
|
||
using a wide variety of fonts and create airbrush-like effects for
|
||
backgrounds and shading of picture elements.
|
||
|
||
This latest version has seen several unusual additions not found in
|
||
other graphics packages. As I alluded to in my opening, no graphics
|
||
package I've yet to explore offers everything I'd like to use, so it's
|
||
often necessary to jump from one program to another until I can get to
|
||
where I want to be. Improces is but one of these programs.
|
||
|
||
3-D Effects
|
||
Want to take that GIF of a friend and lay it down, as though it
|
||
were a sheet of paper on a tabletop? How about turning that
|
||
party image into a 3-d map, in several different ways? You can
|
||
do it with but a few clicks of the mouse!
|
||
|
||
Special Effects
|
||
Here you'll discover the ability to create a wide variety of
|
||
special effects on an image...
|
||
|
||
Relief - create a 3-d engraved effect
|
||
Reverse - make a color or B&W negative
|
||
Solarize - creat false color images, much like
|
||
posterizing
|
||
|
||
Melt - This one take time to see but it does create
|
||
the illision of the image melting down the
|
||
screen
|
||
|
||
Bentley - This one creates a 3-d type map of an image
|
||
Oil - This one really shines! It is this effect
|
||
that is mostly responsible for the creation of
|
||
I.C. Chip. On slow computers it does take
|
||
time, but the effect is very nice!
|
||
Frost - Makes an image appear as though it is being
|
||
viewed thru frosted glass
|
||
Jiggler - Here is one that has little use other than
|
||
while you're viewing an image. Select a part
|
||
of the image and set it into motion. On
|
||
certain images, it can be quite entertaining.
|
||
|
||
Under the Filter Menu you'll find choices that will allow you to
|
||
affect such things as color and B&W sharpening, averaging of the pixels
|
||
by brightness levels, Grey and Color custom definable filters, contrast
|
||
controls and replication methods. The replication selection is great
|
||
for creating windows wallpaper from images, although you'll have to use
|
||
another program to convert the final GIF or PCX into a BMP format.
|
||
|
||
In the Tools menu you'll see the following...
|
||
|
||
Paint - Far too much to go into in detail here, but using
|
||
this selcetion you'll be able to create
|
||
airbrushed effects, pixel editing, burning and
|
||
dodging, creating circles, squares,
|
||
rectangles and elipses (filled and unfilled), and
|
||
some font selections. You'll use this menu a
|
||
more than most!
|
||
|
||
Scale - Very useful for resizing or cropping an image.
|
||
|
||
Zoom - Excellant for a quick view of image detail.
|
||
|
||
Twirls - This menu allows such controls as mirror effects,
|
||
flipping, rotating and spinning.
|
||
|
||
Plasma - I've used this one to create effects ranging from
|
||
realistic cloud filled skys to pseudo marble in a
|
||
wide variety of colors and textures.
|
||
|
||
Siner - I'm not all that into the Math aspects of this
|
||
stuff folks, but this one create Sine waves in a
|
||
user definable range of colors. I've used this
|
||
one to create some really wild backgrounds.
|
||
|
||
Within the Color Menu lie the controls that will affect your images
|
||
colors. Here you can change colors on a global scale, rearrange the
|
||
order of the palette and sort the colors of the palette. If you
|
||
"RE-ALIGN" the color palette, you'll discover exactly how many colors
|
||
are used in that image and how many are left available that you can
|
||
define. For instance, if an image only uses 200 of a possible 256
|
||
available colors, those last 56 colors may be changed to whatever other
|
||
colors you might want to use for your lettering ect. VERY useful for
|
||
creating informative and eye-catching GIFs!
|
||
|
||
Under the Clip Menu are choices for Cutting a specified area of an
|
||
image. Once you've done this, you can shoose to Save that clip for
|
||
later use, view the clip or any other that you've previously saved, or
|
||
paste that clip into another image or into another area of the same
|
||
image. There are several very interesting choices for the pastng
|
||
process as well, including an averageing option that allows the clip to
|
||
be brought into the existing image as a ghost image.
|
||
|
||
Improces supports most video cards available on the market today in
|
||
resolutions ranging from 320x200 to 1024x768. Under the Files Menu,
|
||
you'll choose to Open images files in PCX, GIF or TGA formats. You can
|
||
open a GIF, edit the image and save it to a PCX or TGA. It is also
|
||
possible to open a 320x200 image as a 640x480, giving a much better
|
||
image, although a much smaller one as well, but hey, you got to give to
|
||
get huh? There are two other options worth mentioning here. The first
|
||
is the Virtual Mode. If you have a very large image, you can open it
|
||
under this mode and scroll around the image as you edit. The other is
|
||
Improces's ability to allow you to work on as many as 5 different pages
|
||
at one time. This is extremely useful if you're cutting and pasting
|
||
from one image to the next.
|
||
|
||
Improces was written in BC++ ver 3.1, loads images very quickly and
|
||
handles a wide variety of needs that the digital editing computerphile
|
||
will desire. Designed to operate under DOS, it will run under Windows,
|
||
with a little thought to the PIF setup, quite nicely. Just be certain
|
||
to load your mouse driver from DOS before entering Windows. Improces
|
||
will run ONLY with a mouse. I've found Logitech's mouse driver to work
|
||
very well.
|
||
|
||
John Wagner is the conference host of the Graphics Conference on
|
||
U'ni-Net. Feel free to drop in and chat with him. I know, from
|
||
personal experience, that John welcomes questions and suggestions from
|
||
his users, and you may discover that conference to be a great place to
|
||
get answers to many of your other graphics related porblems. [Editor's
|
||
Note: At press time, U'ni-Net was unavailable for access in Birmingham
|
||
due to the demise of Channel 8250.]
|
||
|
||
Nope, it won't do it all, but then, if you know of a Graphics
|
||
program that will, please PLEASE get in touch with me!
|
||
|
||
|
||
________________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
Thumbs Up - Thumbs.zip
|
||
|
||
Now here is yet another program that managed to get my immediate
|
||
attention!
|
||
|
||
If you've managed to collect a large number of image files, this
|
||
program is an absolute must, *if* you operate under Windows. Thumbs Up
|
||
recognizes a *very* wide number of image formats *including* Windows
|
||
font files. This program will create "thumbnails" of your images,
|
||
fontfiles and clipart, each in their own directorys. On the left of
|
||
your screen you'll find a very hand DIR TREE, from here you can click
|
||
on any one that contains images. How do you know if there are inages
|
||
in there? Any DIR that contains files that Thumbs Up recognizes is
|
||
shown in green. Also, any DIR that is expandable has a "+" sign in its
|
||
file symbol, denoting that there are subdirectories to be found.
|
||
|
||
Depending on your graphics card, the thumbnails can be very
|
||
detailed, although smaller, images from which you can make your
|
||
selections. From within Thumbs Up you can..
|
||
|
||
Attain information about any selected file, it's size, format
|
||
etc.
|
||
|
||
Delete files from your dirve
|
||
|
||
Convert ANY recognizable file to a bitmap in the Windows
|
||
Clipboard, to be used in other Windows applications.
|
||
|
||
View an image full screen, or, if too large, in a scrollable
|
||
window.
|
||
|
||
Print an image using the Selected Windows printer and driver.
|
||
You may also opt to have the image resized to fill the page
|
||
limit of your printer.
|
||
|
||
View Windows TTF font examples. I find this VERY useful when
|
||
working in graphics applications and want a particular "feel"
|
||
for a font. Rather than sit there in the program trying and
|
||
re-trying different fonts (I've got a LOT of the damn things!),
|
||
I minimize my graphics app, maximize Thumbs Up, go to the
|
||
Windows System DIR and visually make my choice. This option
|
||
alone has saved me a lot of time in my work.
|
||
|
||
The list of recognizable file types is extremely long. If you have
|
||
a file type that this one won't recognize, you probably need to update
|
||
your graphics programs!
|
||
|
||
Thumbs Up also does slide shows as well!
|
||
|
||
I've found this program indispensable in my work and I believe any
|
||
one with extensive graphics needs will appreciate it's ease of use,
|
||
splendid layout, and ability to aide in image selctions. Although some
|
||
may find the $50.00 registration fee a bit high, if you're into graphics
|
||
in a big way, this program is well worth the asking fee.
|
||
|
||
|
||
________________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
File Buddy - FB310.ZIP
|
||
|
||
This is one I just recently downloaded and found to be a very nice
|
||
piece of work. While it allows you to view an extreme variety of files,
|
||
including text, DBF, and graphics, I found that it especially suited my
|
||
needs for viewing graphics files from DOS. Since I'm a Norton Commander
|
||
user, when in DOS, I wanted a graphics file viewer that I could call up
|
||
from the Norton File Extension Editor. File Buddy turned out to be just
|
||
the ticket.
|
||
|
||
File Buddy is EXTREMELY configurable. Using it's own INI
|
||
(initialization) file, File Buddy allow you to set parameters that will
|
||
decide how the images are viewed or printed. Yep, you can even
|
||
configure a printer to use from within File Buddy to print graphics or
|
||
text files. You may also configure a text editor for editing purposes,
|
||
although it will have ot be an editor of your own as File Buddy doesn't
|
||
come with one. FB reads and saves files in the DBF format, and allows
|
||
word searches and screen captures to be performed on all text files.
|
||
|
||
FB can also be configured to read and write files using several
|
||
different archive formats. ARC, ARJ, ZIP (new and old), and PAK are but
|
||
a few of the formats usuable. Zipping files is done by selecting the
|
||
files to be zipped from a directory using the space bar and then
|
||
entering a few keystrokes. Archive methods that allow the creation of
|
||
self-executing files are also supported as well as the creation of
|
||
password protected archive files.
|
||
|
||
On the graphics front, FB allows certain image enhancements as well.
|
||
These include sharpening, softening, dithering choices, cropping,
|
||
contrast - brightness control, image scrolling for large images,
|
||
creation of slide shows, converts images to greyscale, allows removal of
|
||
"noise", creates Kodilith (high contrast) images, allows outline tracing
|
||
of images, posterization, zooming, and file conversions to EPS, BINARY,
|
||
GIF, PCX, TGA, TIF, BMP or JPEG. For image viewing or enhancement a
|
||
VGA or SVGA compatible card is required and 2 megs of ram is
|
||
reccommended to avoid the dreaded "out of memory" message. If you have
|
||
a video card that supports the 32k, 64k or 16m modes, you'll find FB to
|
||
be capable of handling these images as well.
|
||
|
||
Images may be printed to HP LASERJETS, HP DESKJETS or 24 pin EPSONs
|
||
and compatibles. I found the printer setup a bit out of the way as you
|
||
have to go to your printer's manual to get the codes needed and insert
|
||
them manually into the FB INI file.
|
||
|
||
Fb is equally at home using the keyboard or a mouse. There are PIF
|
||
and ICO files provided to use FB in the Windows environment.
|
||
|
||
All in all FB is one fine piece of programing stuffed into a $20.00
|
||
package!
|
||
________________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
|
||
Well, thats it for this time around folks. I've been promising the
|
||
editors of BTN to do this review for sometime and I've finally managed
|
||
to collect my thoughts enough to get this together. If you have
|
||
questions you feel I might be able to help with, I can be reached thru
|
||
The Crunchy Frog, The Matrix and The Alter Ego, under the account of Bob
|
||
Crawford. If you know of a graphics program you'd like to see reviewed,
|
||
drop me a note and I'll see what I can do. If you know of a graphics
|
||
package that you think is just wonderful, *please* drop me a note!
|
||
Outside of breathing, discovering great graphics apps is what I live
|
||
for! Till next time...
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
BILL'S MUSIC
|
||
STUFF Bill Jepson
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
Well, here it is! The long awaited arrival of me, Bill Jepson to do
|
||
the current reviews on the music scene, here in Birmingham, and as far
|
||
across the globe as I can bring you. But let's start with just the last
|
||
couple of months with the U.S. releases.
|
||
|
||
First, we need to go over the issue of Kurt Cobain's death. I will
|
||
agree, being a somewhat avid fan of Nirvana, that the music world has
|
||
suffered a tragic loss with his death. Nirvana opened up doors into the
|
||
music world for other good bands such as Pearl Jam, Helmet, Stone Temple
|
||
Pilots, and the like.
|
||
|
||
But we need not dwell on this issue for too long. I have spoken to
|
||
a few individuals who were totally grief stricken by this tragedy. I
|
||
say to them, GO ON WITH YOUR LIVES! And whatever you do, don't try to
|
||
reach nirvana (the state of mind, not the group) by killing yourself.
|
||
Try getting your own band together, and have some fun. But by all
|
||
means, let's not follow the "Not famous till you're dead" fantasy. Jimi
|
||
Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain, now joining the crowd, all had
|
||
the wrong idea. You don't have to do drugs, and die to be famous.
|
||
[Although it helps. - Ed.]
|
||
|
||
But now on with the reviews. I have been told there is someone else
|
||
mainly concentrating on the scene around here as far as shows go, so I'm
|
||
going to stick to the national and international stuff.
|
||
|
||
*=* Hole, _Live Through This_
|
||
For those of you who don't know already through the tremendous hype
|
||
with Kurt's death, Hole is his widow Courtney Love's band. Their new
|
||
album, _Live Through This_ is titled properly. I have been trying to
|
||
listen to the album for about a week now, and have yet to get through
|
||
the third song. A smidgen of advice, SAVE YOUR CASH! You work entirely
|
||
too hard for this kind of letdown!
|
||
|
||
*=* Counting Crows, _August and Everything After_
|
||
Recently, Spin magazine asked us the question: Are chart sensations
|
||
Counting Crows
|
||
(1) A thinking man's Black Crowes?
|
||
(2) A poor man's R.E.M.?
|
||
(3) A deaf man's Van Morrison?
|
||
|
||
Well? What do you think? Personally, I'll go along with the R.E.M.
|
||
statement. Counting Crows has definately got something going here. But
|
||
I hate to say that they won't outlive the fame they have generated.
|
||
Already there are rumors about the group disbanding due to a drug habit
|
||
posessed by the drummer. Personally, I hate to see them go.
|
||
|
||
*=* Vanilla Ice, _Mind Blowin'_
|
||
Let me first start by saying "Huh?" Where has this guy been? And
|
||
what is he up to know? Apparently spending alot of time in Tattoo
|
||
parlors and in body piercing salons. The first cut from the new album
|
||
entitled _Mind Blowin'_ is called "Roll `em Up". By both of these
|
||
titles you can get the main gist of the album. But I will say this: the
|
||
man needs to make up his mind. Going from fifteen minutes of stardom,
|
||
and being called the "Elvis of Rap" to being the newest gangsta, I am
|
||
confused. Please *no one* enlighten me on this one.
|
||
|
||
*=* Nine Inch Nails, _The Downward Spiral_
|
||
All I have to say is great great great great, and *awesome*. Being
|
||
a somewhat avid NIN fan, I suggest buying as many copies of this album
|
||
as possible. It is said to be a collectors item, because it's to be the
|
||
last that Trent Reznor will do by himself. He is soon going to hire a
|
||
full time band. BUY THIS ONE! Hey, even Rolling Stone (famous for
|
||
trashing a lot of good bands) gave this one four stars.
|
||
|
||
*=* Motley Crue, _Motley Crue_
|
||
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEUCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHH!
|
||
I wasn't much of a fan when Vince Neil was hosting this "Motley
|
||
Crue" as they are suitably named, but now that John Corabi has taken
|
||
over, they have just gone straight to (I'm probobly going to get caned
|
||
for this) Singapore.
|
||
|
||
*=* Primal Scream, _Give Out But Don't Give Up_
|
||
Much worth the $17.95 you'll pay at Musicland or Camelot. After not
|
||
hearing anything from this group for awhile, it was well worth the wait.
|
||
|
||
*=* King Missile, _King Missile_
|
||
I can say I have liked one of their songs in the past. You might
|
||
remember it. 'Twas called "Detatchable Penis", coming out directly
|
||
after John Slater got his cut off, making him wish he had met the nurse
|
||
at the hospital in a different manner. Other than that song, don't
|
||
waste your time, or money.
|
||
|
||
*=* _Reality Bites_ soundtrack (various artists)
|
||
Ohhhhhhhhhhh yes! What I have been waiting for, a line to use on
|
||
all of my future dates: "You, me, five bucs and conversation. It's all
|
||
we need." Sorry, that was more of a movie review than for the album.
|
||
But the album definately has it's good, great, and even better points.
|
||
With such songs as "Spin The Bottle" by the Juliana Hatfield 3 and even
|
||
"My Sharona" by The Knack it is definately an album not to be missed.
|
||
|
||
Well kids, that's all for me right now. Let me know what you
|
||
thought of my first crack at the writing thang. Leave me some mail on
|
||
the Matrix. I really want to know what you thought. Anyway, have fun
|
||
with the rest of the issue, that is if Scott didn't stick me all the way
|
||
at the end. [Ed.: Har har har.] And as always, Peas, Glub, and
|
||
Flappyness!
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
BTN PROFILE:
|
||
Terry McCombs The Bishop
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
|
||
Age: 39
|
||
|
||
Birthplace: Birmingham.
|
||
|
||
Occupation: Video Operator. (Like a combination of the jobs of Joel
|
||
Robinson and George Jetson.)
|
||
|
||
My hobbies include: Camping, Hiking, Fortean Phenomena, Role-Playing
|
||
Games, Films, Reading, Exploring diverse life-styles of others.
|
||
|
||
Years telecomputing: 4.
|
||
|
||
Sysop, past/present/future of: Not bloody likely!
|
||
|
||
System(s)/Conference(s) frequented: The Matrix, Crunchy Frog, Channel
|
||
8250, Joker's Castle. The God of the Month Club (host), lots o'
|
||
Internet stuff, Movies, and whatever the mood hits me at the
|
||
moment.
|
||
|
||
My oddest habit is: Going to a city I have never been to before and
|
||
just wandering around in it to `get a feel' for the place.
|
||
|
||
My greatest unfulfilled ambition is: Most of them.
|
||
|
||
The single accomplishment of which I am most proud is: Surviving the
|
||
70's and 80's mostly intact.
|
||
|
||
The last good movie I saw was: Hmmmmm? I have run into a lot of
|
||
stinkers of late....Tombstone.
|
||
|
||
The last good book I read was:
|
||
(non-fiction) _Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do_ by Peter
|
||
McWilliams.
|
||
(fiction) _Echoes of the Well of Souls_ by Jack L. Chalker.
|
||
|
||
If they were making a movie of my life, I'd like to see my part played
|
||
by:
|
||
Ether the guy that plays Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation,
|
||
Robin Williams, or LaToya Jackson for the confusion factor.
|
||
|
||
My pet peeves are: Ignorance, Pushy ignorance, and Aunt Spelling Bees
|
||
who harp on a misspelled word in a message while ether skipping
|
||
or not getting what it was about in the first place.
|
||
|
||
When nobody's looking, I like to: Scratch myself deeply and profoundly.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
SPECIAL INTEREST
|
||
GROUPS (SIG's)
|
||
[COMPUTER RELATED] compiled by Eric Hunt
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
|
||
BIPUG Alabama UniForum
|
||
Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group Homewood Public Library
|
||
UAB Nutrition Science Blg 1st Tuesday
|
||
RM 535/541 Shawn Cleary 870-6130
|
||
1st Sunday (delayed one week
|
||
if meeting is a holiday)
|
||
Marty Schulman 967-5883
|
||
|
||
Birmingham Apple Core
|
||
Informal breakfast meeting every Saturday, 9am - 11am
|
||
@ Kopper Kettle, lower level Brookwood Village Mall
|
||
Formal meeting held second Saturday of each month, location
|
||
variable (to be announced at breakfast meetings and in the
|
||
user group's newsletter "The PEEL".)
|
||
President: Sam Johnston - 322-5379
|
||
Vice-Prez: Marie Prater - 822-8135
|
||
|
||
The SIG listing is being re-verified. If you know of an active
|
||
Computer Related user's group, please let me know.
|
||
|
||
I can be reached via Internet email at
|
||
eric.hunt@the-matrix.com or drop me a note directly on the
|
||
MATRIX.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
################################################################
|
||
KNOWN BBS NUMBERS
|
||
FOR THE
|
||
BIRMINGHAM AREA compiled by Luke Whitley
|
||
################################################################
|
||
|
||
Corrections should be mailed to either Luke Whitley or Scott
|
||
Hollifield on The Matrix, Crunchy Frog, or Southern Stallion.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
ADAnet One (Nodes 1-3) 250-0013 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, fi, ad]
|
||
ADAnet One (Node 4) 254-6050 2400-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, fi, ad]
|
||
Alcatraz BBS 608-0880 300-9600 PCBoard 15.0
|
||
[he, vi]
|
||
Alter-Ego BBS 925-5099 1200-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn]
|
||
BatCave BBS 744-0134 1200-14000 V.42bis VBBS 6.12
|
||
[fn, vi, bi, cr, co]
|
||
Baudville (Nodes 1-7) 995-0013 300-2400 Major BBS 6.12
|
||
[none]
|
||
Bloom County 985-4335 300-28800 VFC 28.8 PCBoard 15.1
|
||
[in,fr]
|
||
BulletProof 668-1624 300-19200 ZyXEL Wildcat 3.90 *RIP*
|
||
[none]
|
||
Bus System 987-5419 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
|
||
[none]
|
||
Byte Me! 979-BYTE! 2400-14400 V.32 WWIV 4.12
|
||
[none]
|
||
Castle, The 841-7618 300-2400 Image 1.2
|
||
[none]
|
||
Cherry Tree 681-1710 1200-14400 TriBBS 4.01
|
||
[wm, ca]
|
||
Christian Apologetic 808-0763 1200-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 3.90
|
||
[ez, cp]
|
||
Crocodile Country BBS 477-6283 1200-16800 USR DS Searchlight 3.5 *RIP*
|
||
[sl, fi]
|
||
Crunchy Frog (Node 1) 823-3957 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn, lu, ll]
|
||
Crunchy Frog (Node 2) 823-3958 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn, lu, ll]
|
||
Crystal Village 856-3749 1200-2400 VBBS 6.10
|
||
[cr, ho, co, fn, vi]
|
||
Den, The 933-8744 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.1
|
||
[ez, mn, il]
|
||
Digital Publishing 854-1660 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat! 3.60
|
||
[pl]
|
||
Drawing Room, The 951-2391 300-14400 V.32/42 Wildcat! 3.90
|
||
[none]
|
||
Electro-BBS 491-8402 300-14400 V.32/42 Maximus 2.01
|
||
[fi]
|
||
Family Smorgas-Board 744-0943 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, fi, mj, bc, fa, ic, cf, cd, ve, ad, wg, pt, ed, gn]
|
||
Final Frontier 838-5634 300-14400 VBBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
||
[he, re, fn]
|
||
Free Enterprise 856-9809 300-14400 V.32/42 Remote Access 2.01
|
||
[fi, it, sz, br]
|
||
Genesis Online(Nodes 1-6) 620-4150 300-14400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11
|
||
[mr]
|
||
Gone Fishin' 733-0860 1200-14000 V.42bis Searchlight 3.5a *RIP*
|
||
[sl]
|
||
Guardian, The (Node 1) 425-1951 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11
|
||
[vi]
|
||
Guardian, The (Node 2) 425-1956 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11
|
||
[vi]
|
||
Guardian, The (Node 3) 424-8273 1200-14000 V.42bis VBBS 6.11
|
||
[v1]
|
||
Joker's Castle 664-5589 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn, un]
|
||
KickAxis BBS (Node 1) 733-0253 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0
|
||
[he]
|
||
KickAxis BBS (Node 2) 733-0299 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0
|
||
[he]
|
||
Leaping's Lounge 856-2521 1200-14400 GTPower 18.00
|
||
[gt, ez, mn, wm, di]
|
||
Lions Den 871-9668 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90
|
||
[wi, fi]
|
||
Lumby's Palace 520-0041 300-14400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[he]
|
||
Magic City (Node 1) 664-9883 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90
|
||
[di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe]
|
||
Magic City (Node 2) 664-0435 300-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 3.90
|
||
[di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe]
|
||
Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300-14400 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn]
|
||
MATRIX, The (Nodes 1-14) 323-2016 300-2400 Major BBS *RIP*
|
||
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
||
MATRIX, The (Nodes 20-23) 323-6016 9600-14400 USR DS Major BBS *RIP*
|
||
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
||
MATRIX, The (Node 25-26) 458-3449 9600-14400 V.32bis Major BBS *RIP*
|
||
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
||
MetaBoard 854-4814 300-14400 USR DS Opus CBCS 1.73
|
||
[fi, ad]
|
||
MetroMac BBS (Node 1) 323-6306 1200-28800 V.FC TeleFinder 3.1
|
||
[none]
|
||
MetroMac BBS (Node 2) 252-0582 1200-28800 V.FC TeleFinder 3.1
|
||
[none]
|
||
Milliways BBS (Node 1) 956-3177 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
||
[none]
|
||
Milliways BBS(Nodes 2-6)956-2731 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
||
[none]
|
||
Missing Link 853-1257 300-16800 USR DS C-Net Amiga 2.63
|
||
[cl, cn]
|
||
Neon Moon 477-5894 300-14400 TriBBS 4.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
Night Games 491-3332 300-14400 VBBS 6.12
|
||
[vi, bi, ho, cr, co]
|
||
Parthenon, The 678-9676 1200-28880 VFC 28.8 Wildcat 3.9
|
||
[ru, wi, un, fi]
|
||
Party Line 856-1336 300-14000 V.32bis TriBBS 4.0
|
||
[cc, wm, di]
|
||
Playground 681-5070 1200-14000 V.32 TriBBS 5.0
|
||
[wm, di, ez]
|
||
Posys BBS 854-5131 300-9600 V.32 PCBoard
|
||
[none]
|
||
Programmer's Shack 988-4695 2400-14400 HST DS Renegade
|
||
[ws, fi, it]
|
||
Purple Toupee 631-4533 1200-14400 V.32/42bis PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[fi, mn, fr, ca]
|
||
Quiet Zone 833-2066 300-2400 ExpressNet
|
||
[none]
|
||
Razor's Edge 995-0412 300-19200 VBBS
|
||
[fn, bi]
|
||
Safe Harbor (Node 1) 665-4332 300-2400 GTPower 18.00
|
||
[gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr]
|
||
Safe Harbor (Node 2) 665-4355 300-14400 USR DS GTPower 18.00
|
||
[gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr]
|
||
Sam's Domain 956-2757 1200-14400 SL. 3.50
|
||
[da, he]
|
||
Safety BBS 581-2866 300-2400 RBBS-PC 17.4
|
||
[none]
|
||
Southern Stallion 322-3816 300-16800 ZyXEL PCBoard 15.1 *RIP*
|
||
[ez, lu, th, rs, ss, it, br]
|
||
Sperry BBS 853-6144 300-2400 V.32/42b PCBoard 15.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
ST BBS 836-9311 300-14400 HST PCBoard 14.2
|
||
[ez]
|
||
StarBase 12 647-7184 1200-14000 TriBBS 4.0
|
||
[ez, mn, wm]
|
||
Thy Master's Dungeon 940-2116 300-57600 V.32/42b PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[fr]
|
||
Torch Song 328-1517 1200-14000 V.32/42b Wildcat 3.6
|
||
[pr, st, gn]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 1) 664-9902 300-14400 Oracomm Plus *RIP*
|
||
[or]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 2) 664-9903 300-14000 Oracomm Plus *RIP*
|
||
[or]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 3) 664-9895 300-14400 Oracomm Plus *RIP*
|
||
[or]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 4) 664-9896 300-14400 Oracomm Plus *RIP*
|
||
[or]
|
||
Ziggy Unix BBS 991-5696 300-1200 UNaXess
|
||
[none]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
*RIP* = BBS Software is RIP Graphics capable. You must be using a RIP
|
||
compatible term software to view them. RIPTerm or QmodemPro v1.50 are
|
||
the only two I know of that support it at this time. RIPTerm is shareware
|
||
and can be downloaded from most BBS's. QmodemPro is a commercial product.
|
||
|
||
The two-letter abbreviations you see on the line below the names of
|
||
many of the bbs' in the list signify that they are members of one or
|
||
more networks that exchange or echo mail to each other in some organized
|
||
fashion.
|
||
|
||
|
||
ad = ADAnet, an international network dedicated to the handicapped
|
||
ae = Arts & Entertainment, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
ag = AgapeNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
||
al = AlaNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
||
an = AnnexNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
at = AdultNet, a national network, adult-oriented
|
||
bc = BCBNet, a local network, religion-oriented
|
||
bh = BhamTalk, a local network, multi-topic
|
||
bi = BitchNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
br = BreezeNet, National network, multitopic
|
||
ca = CafeNet, a local network, restaurant/dining, recipes, etc.
|
||
cc = Coast2Coast, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
cd = CDN, a national Christian network for file distribution
|
||
cf = CFN, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
||
ch = ChristNet, a national Christian network
|
||
cl = CLink, uncertain at press time
|
||
cm = CompuLink, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
cn = CNet, multi-topic
|
||
co = ComicNet, a local net for comic book readers
|
||
cp = CAPNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
||
cr = CrystalNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
cs = ChaosNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
cy = Cybernet, uncertain at press time
|
||
da = DateNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
de = DevNet, an international network for programmers and developers
|
||
di = Dixie Net, a regional network, multi-topic geared toward the south
|
||
eastern United States
|
||
do = DoorNet, a national network for the distribution of BBS doors
|
||
ec = EchoNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
ed = EduNet, a national network devoted to homeschooling and Christian
|
||
education
|
||
er = ErosNet, an international network, adult oriented, files & messages
|
||
ez = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network
|
||
fa = FamilyNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
fi = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
fn = FrontierNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
||
fr = FredNet, a regional network, political discussion
|
||
fs = FSNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
ga = GameNet, a local network, uncertain at press time
|
||
gl = GlobalLink, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
gm = GayCom, an international network, homosexually oriented
|
||
gn = GlobeNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
gt = GTNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
gy = GayNet, a national network, homosexually oriented
|
||
he = HellNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
||
ho = HobbyNet, a local network for hobbyists
|
||
ic = ICDM, an international Christian network, multi-topic
|
||
ie = Intelec, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
il = ILink, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
in = InterNet, an international network of mail, linking businesses,
|
||
universities, and bbs', multi-topic
|
||
it = ITCNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
lg = Local GT Net, a local network, connecting GT Power systems
|
||
ll = LlamaNet, a national network, freeform correspondence
|
||
lo = LocalNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
lu = LuciferNet, an international network, adult oriented
|
||
ma = MAXnet, a local network, connecting WWIV and VBBS systems
|
||
mj = MJCN, an international network for Messianic Jews
|
||
mn = Metronet, an international network which echoes RIME, multi-topic
|
||
mr = MajorNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
nl = NewLife, uncertain at press time
|
||
np = NPN, a national network for new parents
|
||
or = OraNet, a national E-mail network
|
||
pe = Planet Earth Network, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
pl = PlanoNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
pn = PoliceNet, an international network, law-enforcement only
|
||
pr = PrideNet, a national homosexually oriented network
|
||
pt = PRNet, a national network devoted to 2nd amendment rights
|
||
rf = RF Net, a national network for ham radio users and hobbyists
|
||
ri = RIME, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
rb = RoboLink, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
re = RealityNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
rp = RPGnet, a local network for role-playing games
|
||
rs = RoseNet, a national network, technically orient*ed
|
||
ru = RushNet, a national network for Rush Limbaugh fans
|
||
sc = Science Factor Net, a national network, science and technology
|
||
oriented
|
||
se = SEC, a regional network, homosexually oriented geared toward the
|
||
southeastern United States
|
||
sh = Shades N Shadows Net, a national network for role-playing games
|
||
sl = SearchlightNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
sm = SmartNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
sn = ShadowNet, a national network for role-playing games
|
||
ss = SexSations!, a national network, adult-oriented
|
||
st = StudsNet, a national network, homosexually oriented
|
||
sz = SCN-Net, uncertain at press time
|
||
te = TECHnet, a local network, hardware and utility oriented
|
||
th = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented
|
||
un = U'NI-Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
us = Usenet, an international network existing on the Internet, multi-
|
||
topic
|
||
ve = VETLink, a national network for military veterans
|
||
vi = VirtualNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
wg = WGA, an international network devoted to genealogy research
|
||
wi = WildNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
wm = World Message Exchange, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
ws = WishNet, uncertain at press time
|
||
ww = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
|
||
|
||
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