textfiles/bbs/CBBS/1993/930316.ch

PROTOCOL: ALT

COMPRESSION: NONE

CONNECT 2400/ARQ
CBBS(R) 4.0.3b
03/16/93 00:11:31

Y/N: want CBBS "1st time user" info?^U
?^U
?^U
?n;ward;christensen;odraw;;fullc;piss

Logging name to disk...
You are caller 229192; next msg =46151;  370 active msgs.
Prev. call 03/08/93 @ 01:53, next msg was 46129
Recording logon for next time.
Use FULL? to check assignments
?^U
?xxxxx
"Mine" command checking for msgs TO you, ^K to ab
>Function:?dir c:log;dir c:killed;dir summary;type-20 log,ward c;or;*;short
LOG.   6 
KILLED.  16 
SUMMARY.  26 
type-30 log,ward c;or;*;short
03/11/93,20:44:52,229142,2,WARD CHRISTENSEN,,
E#46137,
E#46138,
E#46139,
E#46140,
E#46141,23
]WARD CHRISTENSEN,
03/11/93,21:39:14,229143,2,JERRY SCHNEIDER,,3
>Function:?type-50 log,ward c;or;*;short
03/08/93,01:59:38,229103,X,WARD CHRISTENSEN,,
E#46130,
E#46131,9
]Log renamed to L9303
WARD CHRISTENSEN,
03/08/93,03:25:49,229104,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/08/93,04:33:44,229105,2,JERRY OLSEN,,74
03/08/93,11:21:53,229106,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/08/93,12:36:41,229107,2,DENNIS STAHL,,4
03/08/93,12:56:25,229108,2,DAVID BOERSEMA,Crete,3
03/08/93,15:01:35,229109,2,MICHAEL SHARTIAG,,9
03/08/93,21:06:18,229110,2,MURRAY ARNOW,,2
03/08/93,22:31:18,229111,2,DAVE BECKELMAN,,
03/09/93,06:37:50,229112,2,MICHAEL CAIN,,9
]How can I read all new messages? I go to read mode but I have to enter
the whole message number for each message. I tried NEXT but it just
gave me the same message all the time. Should I read the help better?
MICHAEL CAIN,
03/09/93,09:24:26,229113,2,JERRY HASLETT,,
E#46132,
03/09/93,11:13:32,229114,2,BRYANT HO,CHICAGO,9
03/09/93,11:32:44,229115,2,DENNIS STAHL,,1
03/09/93,14:40:47,229116,2,ANDY SHAPIRO,,1
03/09/93,15:21:52,229117,2,BILL ECKERT,Chicago/ IL,6
03/09/93,16:07:27,229118,2,LARRY GLASSMAN,,2
03/09/93,17:44:47,229119,2,BERNIE KRATZ,WILKES-BARRE/PA,3
03/09/93,20:06:09,229120,2,JERRY HASLETT,,1
03/09/93,22:12:48,229121,2,JERRY HASLETT,,3
03/10/93,10:47:44,229122,2,LARRY GLASSMAN,,4
03/10/93,15:32:48,229123,2,ALEX ZELL,,
>Help: MESSAGES,
E#46133,
03/10/93,16:13:23,229124,2,JIM POLOUS,,5
03/10/93,16:48:28,229125,2,JERRY HASLETT,,1
03/10/93,17:47:49,229126,2,JERRY HASLETT,,1
03/10/93,18:15:07,229127,2,JOHN RIKER,,8
]where are the programs? i thought this was a bulletin board. i am very
disapointed.
JOHN RIKER,
03/10/93,23:36:10,229128,2,BILL MATTSON,,0
03/10/93,23:39:59,229129,2,MICHAEL SHARTIAG,,2
03/11/93,00:12:55,229130,2,CYRUS PATEL,,9
03/11/93,09:17:20,229131,2,TOM DIBLASI,Brooklyn/NewYork,7
03/11/93,09:28:10,229132,2,BILL PRECHT,,6
03/11/93,09:48:40,229133,2,JERRY SCHNEIDER,Burke/ VA,
E#46134,6
03/11/93,10:34:35,229134,2,JERRY SCHNEIDER,,
E#46135,2
03/11/93,10:54:44,229135,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/11/93,12:01:07,229136,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/11/93,12:07:19,229137,2,ALEX ZELL,,
E#46136,
03/11/93,13:08:54,229138,2,PETE JONES,,1
03/11/93,14:35:40,229139,2,KEN STOX,,2
03/11/93,15:17:43,229140,2,JEFF JASCOR,Chicago/ Ill.,2
03/11/93,19:37:52,229141,2,GARY ELFRING,,4
03/11/93,20:44:52,229142,2,WARD CHRISTENSEN,,
E#46137,
E#46138,
E#46139,
E#46140,
E#46141,23
]WARD CHRISTENSEN,
03/11/93,21:39:14,229143,2,JERRY SCHNEIDER,,3
03/11/93,22:09:09,229144,2,BERNARD GOLDLUST,,2
03/11/93,23:44:55,229145,2,BILL MATTSON,,2
03/12/93,08:28:40,229146,2,JIM DOYLE,,1
03/12/93,11:30:08,229147,2,JUDITH MARKOWITZ,chicago/ IL,2
03/12/93,12:04:11,229148,2,DONNIE STUHLMAN,,
E#46142,8
03/12/93,12:52:05,229149,2,FRED KUNST,ill,2
03/12/93,15:57:57,229150,2,LARRY GLASSMAN,,2
03/12/93,17:11:04,229151,2,ALEX ZELL,,7
]Heh, sometimes I think you don't get bitchy enough about some of the
dumb comments.  I borrowed your Toshiba for my son Pete to take to
Moscow with him.  I put a MS-DOS 5.0 in with it.  I also have a legal
DR-DOS, which was bundled with my wife's Bondwell 200. If your
Toshiba had a HardDrive I doubt Randy would ever get it back. heh heh
Are you calling from the CFP93 in California?  Your story about
designing your own card for an 8" disk drive went over well.
I have spies everywhere.
ALEX ZELL,
03/12/93,17:30:50,229152,2,MICHAEL CAIN,,
E#46143,
E#46144,25
03/12/93,20:11:41,229153,2,DAVID HAGEN,,3
03/12/93,20:16:19,229154,2,DAVID HAGEN,,1
03/12/93,20:56:07,229155,2,FRED PHILLIPS,CHICAGO/ IL,2
03/13/93,03:03:57,229156,2,ERIC BOHLMAN,,
03/13/93,03:07:24,229157,2,ERIC BOHLMAN,,7
03/13/93,08:11:57,229158,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/13/93,08:36:27,229159,2,CAMPESINO DIANNAO,washington\dc,7
03/13/93,11:35:19,229160,2,BENJAMIN COHEN,,
E#46145,
E#46146,12
03/13/93,11:48:26,229161,2,MURRAY ARNOW,,
E#46147,7
03/13/93,12:01:31,229162,2,JERRY HASLETT,,
E#46148,12
03/13/93,13:12:08,229163,2,ANDY SHAPIRO,,
E#46149,10
03/13/93,13:29:53,229164,2,TONY ANTONUCCI,,
E#46150,32
03/13/93,15:43:25,229165,2,MICHAEL CAIN,,6
03/13/93,17:34:05,229166,2,RAMIN ALMASSIAN,,2
03/13/93,23:04:50,229167,2,MURRAY ARNOW,,2
03/14/93,00:54:22,229168,2,BILL MATTSON,,1
03/14/93,02:20:46,229169,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/14/93,02:25:48,229170,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/14/93,11:41:55,229171,2,ALEX ZELL,,
03/14/93,12:51:42,229172,2,MARTY GISTER,Racine/ WI,11
03/14/93,13:01:17,229173,2,TOM JOSEPH,Wheaton/ IL,12
03/14/93,13:25:53,229174,2,BILL PETERSON,Chicago/ IL,
>Help: A,6
03/14/93,16:01:49,229175,2,GAVENRAJ SODHI,,
03/14/93,16:51:47,229176,2,ROBERT FLETCHER,chicago/il.,4
03/14/93,17:21:17,229177,2,LAINE JOHNSON,Northbrook,6
03/14/93,20:32:26,229178,2,DAVID JOHNSON,,13
03/14/93,21:58:33,229179,2,DON PIVEN,,6
03/14/93,23:42:43,229180,2,BILL MATTSON,,1
03/15/93,01:33:19,229181,2,JOHN ZWIERZYNA,,22
03/15/93,12:38:43,229182,2,DAVID BRIGGS,Woodridge/ IL,
03/15/93,13:08:06,229183,2,ANDY SHAPIRO,,1
03/15/93,13:50:55,229184,2,LARRY GLASSMAN,,1
03/15/93,19:32:33,229185,2,ED FOSTER,,5
03/15/93,19:45:14,229186,2,ED FOSTER,,1
03/15/93,20:35:20,229187,2,TERRANCE JACKSON,chicago,4
]TERRANCE JACKSON,
03/15/93,21:00:25,229188,2,MURRAY ARNOW,,0
03/15/93,21:24:18,229189,2,WALTER SIMMS,,
03/15/93,21:32:41,229190,2,WALTER SIMMS,,
03/15/93,22:17:27,229191,2,PETER YOUNG,CHICAGO/IL,
>Help: GIF,
>Help: HE,
>Help: [,
>Help: +++0,
03/16/93,00:11:41,229192,2,WARD CHRISTENSEN,,
46129 03/08/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => ROY LIPSCOMB: "R/FLASH: DAMAGE NOT FROM VIRUS"
46130 03/08/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => ALEX ZELL: "REPLYING"
46131 03/08/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => ALL: "ARCHIVE PYTHON"
46132X 03/09/93 JERRY HASLETT => OD: "TOSHIBA T1100PLUS.HELP"
46133 03/10/93 ALEX ZELL => MICHAEL CAIN: "READING MESSAGES"
46134 03/11/93 JERRY SCHNEIDER => WARD CHRISTENSEN: "CBBS HISTORY"
46135 03/11/93 JERRY SCHNEIDER => WARD CHRISTENSEN: "MORE QUESTIONS"
46136 03/11/93 ALEX ZELL => ALL: "CBBS"
46137 03/11/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => JERRY HASLETT: "R/TOSHIBA T1100PLUS.HELP"
46138 03/11/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => JERRY SCHNEIDER: "R/CBBS HISTORY"
46139 03/11/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => JERRY SCHNEIDER: "R/MORE QUESTIONS"
46140 03/11/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => JOHN RIKER: "BBS"
46141 03/11/93 WARD CHRISTENSEN => MICHAEL CAIN: "NEW MESSAGES"
46142 03/12/93 DONNIE STUHLMAN => ALL: "SIMMS FOR SALE"
46143 03/12/93 MICHAEL CAIN => ALEX ZELL: "R/READING MESSAGES"
46144 03/12/93 MICHAEL CAIN => WARD CHRISTENSEN: "R/NEW MESSAGES"
46145X 03/13/93 BENJAMIN COHEN => ALEX ZELL: "R/CBBS"
46146 03/13/93 BENJAMIN COHEN => ALEX ZELL: "BULLETINS"
46147 03/13/93 MURRAY ARNOW => ALL: "VOICE MAIL"
46148 03/13/93 JERRY HASLETT => WARD CHRISTENSEN: "R/TOSHIBA T1100PLUS.HELP"
46149 03/13/93 ANDY SHAPIRO => WARD: "BBS"
46150 03/13/93 TONY ANTONUCCI => ROY LIPSCOMB: "PHOTOS"

 - End of summary - 

Retrieving flagged msgs: C skips, K aborts.

Msg 46129 is 11 line(s) on 03/08/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to ROY LIPSCOMB re: R/FLASH: DAMAGE NOT FROM VIRUS

 Gee, I just blew the last 4 days trying to get a tape drive going,
perhaps I should blame THAT on Viri! Sadly, it was just the Scsi Blues,
i.e. you can't just pick your controller, and your devices, and get 'em
to work together. Examples: Archive tape drive will work with Sytos,
but only with ASPI driver. Corel SCSI (software) complained that the
ROM on my controller was too old. Another controller just was flakey.
A third finally did it, (Adaptec) but only after removing the hard disk
scsi controller and putting everything on one. (Well, the CD rom isn't
working yet, haven't tried).
 Let me check my progress.hah, what timing, backup 100% complete,
rewinding to do the verify. Here's hoping!

Msg 46130 is 05 line(s) on 03/08/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to ALEX ZELL re: REPLYING

 Oh, I see, but I think since there IS a reply command on CBBS,
it is not all that hard to point to the wrong msg when replying - I see
it SO often on compuserve (also without private msgs) that I have a
"canned message" that basically says "you replied to ME not to the person
asking the question".

Msg 46131 is 06 line(s) on 03/08/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to ALL re: ARCHIVE PYTHON

 Well, finally got my Archive Python (DAT) drive working. Turned out
to not like Ultrastor or IN-2000 SCSI controllers - had to be an Adaptec.
Runs about 10M/Minute. Each $13 tape holds 1.3G! THAT is the best price
performer I've seen - but the DRIVE is still in the $1K arena. (Someone
said "you can buy a while SYSTEM for that $) but if I did, it STILL would
be a bear to back up!) heh.
No msg 46132

Msg 46133 is 05 line(s) on 03/10/93 from ALEX ZELL
to MICHAEL CAIN re: READING MESSAGES

In a note you ask how to read new messages and if you should read "help"
better. Yes. Just do "help;read" or even "h;read" (no parens, of course)
and it will all be explained. [If you forget to put the <;> between the
words "help" and "read" CBBS will do it for you.] The method I use is
simply "qr;*" and the new messages show up.

Msg 46134 is 30 line(s) on 03/11/93 from JERRY SCHNEIDER
to WARD CHRISTENSEN re: CBBS HISTORY

Ward:

I have several questions to ask you about the history of
CBBS/Chicago for a computer history project that I am working on:

1. When did the system actually go on-line? Do you know the exact
date in February 1978?

2. What system was it running on? Type of computer and
configuration?

3. The BBS software you designed, what was its name? Was both it
and the system itself called CBBS?

4. Did you actually put CBBS into the public domain and make it
available to others?

5. How did you and Randy Suess get involved in computers? Were
both of you "electronics freaks" or "amateur radio buffs" first or
did you start with computers? If so, in what way?

6. In what city was CBBS first installed?

7. Do you have any photographs or slides (preferably in color) of
you and Randy and/or your first system? Or both?

Thanks for any assistance you can give. If you would like to talk
voice, I can be reached at 703-764-0272 or, if you can provide me
with a voice number, I would be happy to contact you directly.


Msg 46135 is 11 line(s) on 03/11/93 from JERRY SCHNEIDER
to WARD CHRISTENSEN re: MORE QUESTIONS

Here are a couple of additional questions that have come to mind:

1. What user group did you and Randy belong to? CACHE?

2. Did MODEM - the CP/M communications program you wrote - come
before CBBS or after?

Thanks again. By the way, I did get the on-line date (2/16/78) and
system info (North Star Horizon) from your bulletins.

 jerry

Msg 46136 is 06 line(s) on 03/11/93 from ALEX ZELL
to ALL re: CBBS

 A caller asks: "Where are your programs? I thought this was a
bulletin board. I am very disappointed."
 Don't people read the brief, but fully explanatory Welcome message and
Bulletin upon logging on here? Do people not understand what is meant
when the Welcome message says: "CBBS is a MESSAGE-ONLY" system catering
to advanced hobbyists. . . .See Bulletin for details."

Msg 46137 is 07 line(s) on 03/11/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to JERRY HASLETT re: R/TOSHIBA T1100PLUS.HELP

 I think I can help - I have an 1100+, which I passed along, not sure
where it is right now. Can dig it up, I'm sure. I'll check, maybe I
even kept a copy of or the original of the DOS.
 When you call in, leave me an address when you "G" (Good bye) -
make is to I can screen print it right to a label, i.e. name on one line,
then addr on another, city on the last. I'll send you something, perhaps
Saturday if I can dig it up.

Msg 46138 is 27 line(s) on 03/11/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to JERRY SCHNEIDER re: R/CBBS HISTORY

 1. When did it go online? "Early" February - but most people didn't
believe I could get it programmed or Randy could get the hardware done
from "invention" to "implementation" that quickly, so we settled for
Feb 16th as the official "birthday" - one month from the fateful Jan 16
'78 snowstorm that spawned the idea of CBBS
 2. What did it run on ? A home-built S-100, probably 64K & 2 floppies
 3. Yes, both system and software were called CBBS - Computerized
Bulletin Board System.
 4. Did I put CBBS in the public domain? No. MODEM.ASM which became
XMODEM was put in the public domain. I OK'd Randy selling copies of CBBS
for $50 (after friends told me I was nuts to only ask $25).
 5. I first heard about computers in '74, when I learned of the 8008
microprocessor. I learned that "TTL" electronics was what it connected
to, and taught myself TTL, i.e. "digital" electronics in the summer
of '74, so that when I bought an Altair 8080 Kit in '75, I could design
and build my own selectric typewriter and floppy disk interface.
(the fact that that floppy interface was therefore not compatible
with what became the IBM standards years later, was the impetus to write
MODEM.ASM that became known as XMODEM)
 Randy was a "HAM", I wasn't. I don't really know what Randy's electronic
background was - he had done computer repair for IBM, and worked for
Datapoint at the time, I think.
 6. CBBS was installed in Chicago. I suggested it be at my house, since I
had a phone line for the computer club answering machine, butr Randy
suggested it be in Chicago instead so got a line for it.
 7. Photographs? No, not that I'm aware of. It was on the cover of a Trib
magazine "weekender" or something, I think.

Msg 46139 is 13 line(s) on 03/11/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to JERRY SCHNEIDER re: R/MORE QUESTIONS

 Randy and I were members of CACHE, yes, but when I suggested we do
something related to CACHE, Randy said that that would be the old problem
of being worked on "by a committee" and suggested we forget the club and
just do it between the two of us. He said "I'll do the hardware, you
do the software. When will it be ready?". Heh
 2. MODEM was done in the summer of '77, and released on the CP/M
users' group disk #6 in September of 77, putting it in the public domain.
CBBS was invented on 1/16/78, and did NOT support file transfers -
it was and is a message-only system.
 Oh, northstar horizon? Interesting?
 P.S. quick tip on entering msgs - don't put in blank lines, makes it
show up less per screen (I'm running on a friend's mac, and it is a real
pain scrolling back and forth, heh).

Msg 46140 is 07 line(s) on 03/11/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to JOHN RIKER re: BBS

 Heh heh. Funny how things go. I INVENTED the term Bulletin Board
System, and I CHOOSE to make it a message-only system, which it is.
 So I was very amused by your message "Where are the programs? I thought
this was a bulletin board system". heh.
 Sorry, you're looking at a piece of history - the worlds FIRST BBS,
and it never has had programs. Being a single-phone-line system, file
transfers would "kill" the ability to handle any message traffic.

Msg 46141 is 14 line(s) on 03/11/93 from WARD CHRISTENSEN
to MICHAEL CAIN re: NEW MESSAGES

 My choice on new msgs is to read "*" which means "the first new message
since your previous call", so: r;* would read the first new msg.
You can then REPLY to that msg, or type "." to go on to the next message.
You can back up one message by typing ",". Sorry, it isn't very
consistent - CBBS is a bunch of "hacks" that make up a BBS program. These
were all add-ons. I'd already used "+" to mean "automatically read
the next 10 messages", otherwise it might make sense for + to mean to
read the next message. Theoretically you can "run" CBBS without ever
typing a msg number.
 What you MIGHT do is first issue the command I do: o;* which
will give you a one-line summary of new msgs, then r;*, etc.
Also when o;* is typing to you, you can press enter when you see an
interesting message, and type its msg # when prompted. You can "shortcut"
msg #'s also, i.e. 12345;6 means 12345 and 123456.

Msg 46142 is 04 line(s) on 03/12/93 from DONNIE STUHLMAN
to ALL re: SIMMS FOR SALE

I just upgraded my computer to use new simms. I now have 8 256K
80 ns simm chips to sell. (That means 2 megs of RAM.) I want
$40 plus shipping for them.
Leave a message on my answering machine 312-743-4241.

Msg 46143 is 03 line(s) on 03/12/93 from MICHAEL CAIN
to ALEX ZELL re: R/READING MESSAGES

Thanks Ward. I'll put the capture on and get the help to read offline. I k
knew it had to be easier than what I was doing. But I know you pioneers are
hardy stock. <g>

Msg 46144 is 04 line(s) on 03/12/93 from MICHAEL CAIN
to WARD CHRISTENSEN re: R/NEW MESSAGES

Ward - Well, I'm now doing what you do, and it's working pretty good. I got
to tell you, I miss the convenience of a navigator. This manual navigation
drives me nuts. When are you goning to update the software? <smile>
Will we see a graphical interface here on CBBS? Thanks, Ward.
No msg 46145

Msg 46146 is 04 line(s) on 03/13/93 from BENJAMIN COHEN
to ALEX ZELL re: BULLETINS

You should know by now that NOBODY reads the bulletins on ANY system.
That doesn't mean they shouldn't be there. And you SHOULD put a
privacy notice in the opening bulletin to obtain full protection
of the Communications Privacy Act.

Msg 46147 is 03 line(s) on 03/13/93 from MURRAY ARNOW
to ALL re: VOICE MAIL

I am interested in voice mail boards for the PC. I would be grateful for any
information anybody is willing to share. This is one of the many subjects I
must admit to being quite ignorant.

Msg 46148 is 09 line(s) on 03/13/93 from JERRY HASLETT
to WARD CHRISTENSEN re: R/TOSHIBA T1100PLUS.HELP

Thanks for your quick reply, Ward.
My mailing address is
-
-
 J. Haslett
 1320 West Melrose St.
 Chicago, IL 60657
-
-/

Msg 46149 is 14 line(s) on 03/13/93 from ANDY SHAPIRO
to WARD re: BBS

You know, it occurs to me that CBBS is one of the only systems that I]
run into that supports any level of discussion. There are a number of
boards here (upstate NY) that are oriented to files, and sometimes they
get poorly spelled, ungrammatical, nearly obscene messages - but not
often. I think that one reason CBBS has survived is that it provides a
place where people can come to talk. I remember coming on here in '84 -
I had just bought a Kaypro, and somebody loaned me a modem and a copy
of MDM737 or somesuch, and it had CBBS in the dialing directory. I think
that if it had not been for this board, I would be sitting in front of
a Mac or Windows screen right now. Instead, here I am with a truly
non-standardized arrangement of various softwares, thanks to the things
that I learned on this board. Hey - here I am in upstate NY and I'm
STILL calling (can't get decent pizza here, though). Whatever you do to
CBBS, Ward, keep it ALL MESSAGES. Thanks!

Msg 46150 is 06 line(s) on 03/13/93 from TONY ANTONUCCI
to ROY LIPSCOMB re: PHOTOS

Glad the photos turned out good. Printing them can be a real problem
since printers don't have "shades of grey". What you need is program
to "dither" them. Actually the fotoman software that comes with the
camera does a fine job, but they never look as good as on the screen.
I had a friend print a color .GIF on a his new HP550C and it looks great!
Wonder if that printer can do with a 256 level grey scale??
dup. chars.
>Function:?