1884 lines
88 KiB
Plaintext
1884 lines
88 KiB
Plaintext
BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News
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COPYRIGHT 1993 ISSN 1055-4548
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May 1993 Volume 6, Issue 5
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Edition 1
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Table Of Contents
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-----------------
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Article Title Author
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Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Staff
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From The Editor................................Scott Hollifield
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Letters to the Editor..........................BTN Readers
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Special Anniversary Section
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[ Phone Lines '93........................Dean Costello
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[ Sysops Are Not Gods '93................Lurch Henson
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[ Gamer's Corner '93.....................Palindrome/Maisel
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Mail Doors, Pt.1: Tomcat.......................David Moss
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Mail Doors, Pt.2: MarkMail.....................Damion Furi
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Led Zeppelin: History and Albumography.........Jeff Vaughn
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Local Music in May.............................Judy Ranelli
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BBS Spotlight: Christian Apologetics Board.....Eric Hunt
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Known BBS Numbers..............................James Minton
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Disclaimer and Statement of Policy for BTN
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We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and
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information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for damage
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due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability, if any for BTN, its
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editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions,
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etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN,
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even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood
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of such damages occurring.
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With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our
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policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish
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monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to
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publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any
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time but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear
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in a particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise
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harm a person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the
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content of the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their
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work and it is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles
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from BTN with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a
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reprint, in which case he will specify in the content of his article.
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Otherwise, please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as
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the source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the
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article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles,
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please forward a copy of your publication to:
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Mark Maisel
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Publisher, BTN
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606 Twin Branch Terrace
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BHAM, AL 35216
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(205) 823-3956
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We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that
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you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing
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all of this and not get too serious about it.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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F R E E B I E : G E T I T W H I L E I T S H O T !
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The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is with no
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charge to any existing upload/download ratios.
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ADAnet One Alter-Ego Bone Yard
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Bus System The Castle Channel 8250
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C.A.B. The Comfy Chair! Crunchy Frog
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DC Info Exchange Final Frontier Gateway BBS
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Hardware Hotline Homewood's Hell Hole Joker's Castle
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Lemon Grove Martyrdom Again?! The MATRIX
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||
Milliways BBS Night Watch The Outer Limits
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||
Owlabama BBS Owl's Nest Playground
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Safe Harbor Southern Stallion Starbase 12
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Teasers BBS T.G.U.E. BBS Thy Master's Dungeon
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Weekends BBS
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(This list includes some systems which are not local to Birmingham and
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therefore not included on our BBS Numbers list.)
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If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let
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me know via The Matrix or Crunchy Frog so that I can post your board as
|
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a free BTN distributor. Thanks.
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Please note a slight change in our distribution policy! The local
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boards in this list get BTN *first*, to the best of our ability. -SH
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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N E W S F L A S H
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* * * * * * * * * * * * *
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F I V E Y E A R S
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OF BTN !!!
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* * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Check out our special anniversary features,
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this month and next month!
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BBS LIST DUTIES
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FLUNG AT NEW, UNSUSPECTING
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BTN STAFFER!
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James Minton takes over the List as of
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this month. See the List itself for more details.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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From the Editor
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by Scott Hollifield
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Well, once again, I'm rejoicing under the realization that, even
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though I'm editor of BTN, no one can make me write anything I don't want
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to, so I'm going to get away with just the barest of commentary in this
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column so that the glory and grandeur that is BTN may speak for itself.
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Yep, this is the fifth anniversary issue I've been hyping. Strictly
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speaking, last month was our fifth anniversary, since BTN's first issue
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was published in April 1988. To rectify this oversight, in my own
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ersatz, distorted fashion, we're going to extend the anniversary
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celebration into NEXT month's issue. Masochism? Mewling, craven
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desperation? Nope, just sheer inspired, spontaneous dada, not unlike
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this column.
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Actually, the reason for the extra-long festivities is that all of
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the anniversary-related articles that I expected didn't quite make it in
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on time, including a feature which I am putting together that is
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guaranteed to pop your eyeballs. This, and other masterpieces of modern
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civilization such as Gwendolyn Norton's state of the female BBS user
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address, will have to wait until next month, alack and alas.
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Another oversight is that, like I said last month, I had hoped to
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finish the issue in time for the totally fab-keen party at the Maisels'
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place on May Day, but again, the treachery of the fates conspired agin'
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me, and I'm having to bang out this column on the wave of a hangover
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produced by Jolt cola and a 3 a.m. gyro at Moneer's. Much thanks to the
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marvelous Maisels for the hospitality. A tradition of BTN that has not
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had the chance to fall under my administration is the BTN Party Review;
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so if anyone wants to take a stab at writing about what you saw, heard
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and maybe smelled, we all await your contribution. (For those who
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missed the party, it was a good one.)
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Speaking of contribution, now's the time, now and forever, to give
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of yourself - yes, to give of yourself to your local telecommunications
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mass medium. That's us, indeed, and we'd like to hear anything you'd
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have to say. It's easy, fun, and most of all, immortalizing (an
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increasingly rare luxury in these times when fountains of youth and holy
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grails are so hard to come by). To have your name etched in the stone
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of the ages, write us an article, on any subject, and upload it
|
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privately to The Matrix or the Crunchy Frog. Be sure to leave me a
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message so's I know it's there, and your destiny is assured.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Letters to the Editor
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No letters this time around, people. Get those meaningful missives in!
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Leave 'em to me on The Matrix or Crunchy Frog, or through Internet at
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scott.hollifield@the-matrix.com.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
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SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY SECTION
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Anyone remember this?
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BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News
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COPYRIGHT 1988
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April 1988 Volume 1, Issue 1
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Table Of Contents
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-----------------
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Article Title Filename
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Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Mark Maisel
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Editorial Column...............................Mark Maisel
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1st Annual Breezin' Birmingham Awards Survey...Scott Hollifield
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PC-DOS 3.3: Whats' New........................Ed O'Neill
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Starlan Networks...............................Rick Curl
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Sysops Are Not Gods............................Tim Straughn
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Phone Lines....................................Tom Moore
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Its' A Boy.....................................Gary Godsey
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Telecommunications And Women...................Michele Cahoon
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Gamer's Corner.................................Osman Guner
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Known BBS Numbers..............................Mark Maisel
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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Yes, it's our first table of contents, with full writing credits.
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One thing I thought would be kind of nifty for our anniversary issue is
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give our *current* stable of talent a crack at some of these titles.
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Granted, there's not much more you could say about Starlan, for
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instance, but I thought Michele Cahoon's article could use an update,
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and some of the others as well. Three of the above articles are given a
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fresh treatment in this special section, and we hope to scrape up a like
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amount for next month. Enjoy! - SH
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/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
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PHONE LINES
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by Dean Costello
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I own a Fiero. Specifically, a 1987 Fiero approaching
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115,000 miles, with a four-cylinder engine, a three-speed
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automatic transmission, and a kick-ass stero system (Kenwood 10-CD
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changer, etc., etc.). In the course of my work, I use rental cars
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of all makes and models, including the Ford Tempo (dog car, the
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doors do not open very far, making it very difficult for anyone to
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enter the damned thing, as well as having the power of a Briggs &
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Straton under the hood), Mazda 323 (impressive room, but don't use
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it to drag race), the Chevy Cavalier (econo-box), a Mustang
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convertible (looks sweet as hell, but accelerates like a pregnant
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hippo), a Ford Probe (nice), and a Toyota Camry (Interstate
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cruiser, feels like it wants to roll when you take a corner hard),
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but of all the cars I've driven, I like my Fiero the best.
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It isn't like it is the best performing automobile on the
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road. The Mazda gets better gas mileage, the Mustang looks nicer,
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the Probe out-accelerates and out-manuvers the Fiero, and the
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Camry has a much nicer ride. But if given a choice of all those
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cars or the Fiero, I'd take my Fiero any day. Better the devil
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you know than the devil you don't, I reckon.
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I have a weakness for things that perform well, but require
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constant care and maintence to keep it on good terms. Especially
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after I have owned it for a while. I would rather go without
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Chinese food than give up my Korg DW-8000 keyboard (state-of-the-
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art, 1985). I feel that way about the computer that I use, an
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Atari ST. Works like a charm, haven't had any problems with it
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(except when the keyboard dies, about once every 2.5 years), and
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it has been only recently that other computers have been able to
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offer more value for the money than the ST. And, I feel that way
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about a software package for my computer. It is called Freeze-
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Dried Terminal, or FZDT for short. It is potentially the best
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communications software ever developed for the Atari ST series.
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It uses the GEM interface for the Atari ST series of
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computers to the finest degree in any comm software I have ever
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seen. Hold on, you probably don't know about GEM, do you? GEM is
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a real window-based interface. I refuse to debate with you as to
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how wonderful the Microsoft product Windows is, but let's just say
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I don't need 8 megs of RAM to make my OS run with anything
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resembling efficiency. Anyway, the menus that are out there are
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very user-intuitive, which to me is a big plus. As a general
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rule, if I cannot get a piece of software to do something right
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out of the box, the chances of me using it ever again are very
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slim. I have cases of software around Atariland (my computer
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workstation), each of them software packages that do something,
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but have way too steep a learning curve. I am not asking to be
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able to run a ray-tracing routine right out of the box, but I do
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demand that I be able to do something with the software without
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consulting a CD-Rom. FZDT allows me to do this nicely.
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Okay, on to the details. When you execute the software, you
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get a very slickly-designed button-based menu screen (very similar
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to the NeXT machines) which allow you a large collection of
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options, ranging from monkeying around with the modem
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initialization strings to issuing file commands, to fooling with
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the default character set. The idea is that an awful lot of
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things can be changed if you so desire, but I don't really see the
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need. I made what is probably the most drastic change that can
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occur to the modem user--I went from 2400bd to 14.4Kbd. I was
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filled with stories of Horror and Woe as to what was required to
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go the extra step; but I forgot: I was dealing with the PC crowd,
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those that require an add-on card to do, well, anything. I
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plugged my new modem into the back port (where it says "Modem", no
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strange chip-sets like 8250, or 16550, or whathaveyou), fired up
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the software, clicked on "19,200" under the "Baud" setting, and
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away it went. To be fair, I can't call any BBS in Birmingham and
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get dick for transfer speed (something to do with compression, I
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have been told, but I frankly don't care, but I don't see the big
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difference between 1,025 and 1,067 bps. Oh well, I guess I'm just
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naive about 42 characters per second. Hell, that would be about
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20K of extra characters over 10 minutes of transfer. Somehow, I'll
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survive.), but everywhere else in the country has given me no
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problem.
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Another very nice thing about FZDT is that it will allow
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macros. The idea of such is that you click on a computer system
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you wish to communicate with (the default setting allows for an
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initial 60 systems, and you can load more if you feel the need),
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and then that's it. The software will auto-learn, in that you
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click on "Learn", and then execute what you want to do on each
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system. When you are finished with what you want to do, click on
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"Learn" again, and save the macro. There is an option under each
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computer system where you can specify a macro to be run, in which
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you can specify more than one macro. This is convenient for me,
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since I sometimes log onto systems and get a mail package then
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logoff, for this I would use Macro 1. Othertimes I will log on to
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rape and pillage the file areas, which is Macro 2. Each computer
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system is allowed five distinct macros.
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The other thing that I wanted to hit on was the file transfer
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areas. This puppy has a lot of horsepower when it comes to file
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transfers. Choose a protocol, and this package has it. It has
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auto-Zmodem, it has x-modem, y-modem, y-modemG, a couple of
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proprietary jobs; you get the picture. Having ST software that
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does auto-Zmodem is quite a handy feature.
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Other features that occur to me off the top of my head
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include a very nicely designed scroll-back buffer (user-defineable
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size with bad editing commands, but there is an option to dump the
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entire buffer to an editor of your choice, include the nicely-
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designed on-board editor), ability to shell-out to GEM, and a very
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user-intuitive mousing system. What I mean is that when you hit
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the left-mouse button you go the original menu screen, when you
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hit the right mouse button you go to the scroll-back buffer. It
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does other things, I'm sure, but I haven't gotten around the
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exploring what else it can do.
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Now, as I intimated in my opening couple of paragraphs,
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pleasure is not so good if there is no pain. And there is pain
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ahoy with this program. And it can be summed up in one word
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(well, a couple of words): Spontaneous System Crashing.
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My Atari is not known for locking up. It is a very rare
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event, usually after I have been fiddling with the AUTO folder
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programs or maybe playing with hard drive specifications for no
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good reason. But this software likes to act up, and I cannot
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figure out why. The problem occurs (I think) when a file transfer
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is about to take place. If you use Z-modem as your file transfer
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protocol, when the command is sent to start the transfer (the auto
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Z-modem routine), this bitch of a program will lock the computer
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up so tight that I have to do a power-down to unlock it again.
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And it isn't replicable as far as I can tell. All I can say is
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that I have noticed the locking occuring during a file transfer
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(before any data has been sent), but it doesn't lock every time,
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or even once a week, but maybe once every two months or so, as if
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to say, "Hey, pal, I'm still here...".
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It is also a RAM-hog. You need a healthy one meg of RAM (I mean a
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whole meg, too, not this bastardized extended/expanded bullshit).
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I reckon it eats about 700K or so, so be prepared.
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Anyways, it isn't a bad program for the power communicator. It's
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also shareware, but there have been reported problems of the
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author (a 16-year old out of California) not honoring the
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shareware fee. Nothing as far as I know has been heard from the
|
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author in about six months, so it is caveat emptor. But I really
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feel that the benefits far outweigh the costs. Atari is in the
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process of releasing their new system, Falcon, which is a 16mhz
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68030-based machine. It appears that this is the future of the
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Atari line. There have been no problems reported in running FZDT
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on the Falcon.
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Have at it.
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/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
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Sysops Are Not Gods
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or
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Says Who?
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by
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Lurch Henson
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Well, for starters, no, Alabama ISN'T the state of my birth....
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I was born in Ft. Bragg, NC. A place where they teach men to jump out
|
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of perfectly good airplanes....... Hmmmmmmm, wonder if that has any
|
||
relevance to anything???? <<GRIN>>
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|
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Now that that's out of the way, let's get on to writing the
|
||
re-write to the article of the (almost) same name that was in BTN001. I
|
||
just downloaded and read that article....nice, but I think the guy
|
||
writing it could have chosen a better title. He went through explaining
|
||
all the problems he encountered while setting up his own BBS and
|
||
becoming a Sysop....and then was foolish enough not to realize he had
|
||
attained "Diety-hood" in surviving it all. Ah well, some have to learn
|
||
it slow, I guess..... <<GRIN>>
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||
BUT, after a fashion, Sysops ARE Gods....or as I prefer it, to
|
||
limit the tirades from well-intentioned-though-thoroughly-misguided-
|
||
Christians, Ghods (a term held over from my gaming days). When you
|
||
enter the world that a Sysop has crafted for you, you are entering his
|
||
realm. He has created this world from himself. Designed every little
|
||
piece of it. Gone to great lengths to get things "just right", often
|
||
never QUITE getting there, and forever changing it. In essense, he is
|
||
the Ghod of this little world you have just entered, and the supreme
|
||
diety therein. If you don't believe me, logon to a BBS and leave
|
||
Feedback to the Sysop cursing him in every manner imaginable. If you
|
||
call back and your account is still there, then I suggest you log off
|
||
QUICKLY.... <<GRIN>> The Sysop obviously wants to play awhile.... In
|
||
most cases, though, you'll find the account is not recognized. You have
|
||
been removed from existence.....is that not a Ghod's power? To
|
||
ultimately destroy, as well as create?
|
||
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What else can these Dieties do? Hmmmmmm, let's see. Well, a
|
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Sysop can alter reality as you percieve it in his world. Anything left
|
||
in his world is subject to his whims. With some systems, this is a
|
||
"bad" thing, because, though all Sysops are Ghods, they share much in
|
||
common with the Gods of old. Some Sysops are "less mature" than others.
|
||
With ultimate power does not come ultimate morality (which can be a good
|
||
thing in it's own right....I'd hate to have totally moral Sysops ruining
|
||
my day... <<GRIN>> ). On some systems you DO need to watch your back.
|
||
Things said "in confidence" are rarely seen by ONLY you and the
|
||
intended. That's why so many of the BBSs you call have the common
|
||
"disclaimer" on them, as one of the first things you see logging on.
|
||
You know the msg I'm talking about, the one that says "No msgs left on
|
||
this system are to be considered 'Private' or 'Confidential'. The Sysop
|
||
and his Co-Sysops can view all information on this system...blah blah
|
||
blah". You've heard it all before....but you probably don't pay it any
|
||
attention. Well, you really should. They are telling you the truth.
|
||
ANYTHING left on a BBS can be seen by SOMEONE else. That someone might
|
||
be just one person, like on my own little Mail Drop system, but it could
|
||
be a large number of people, maybe because it's a big system and it
|
||
takes alot of people to run it, or maybe because the Sysop has alot of
|
||
friends, and shares. For whatever the reason, at least one other
|
||
person, besides the one you're talking to, can and does see what you are
|
||
saying. In addition to that, they also have your own, personal, User
|
||
Information. Your phone number, your address, your age, sex, marital
|
||
status, etc. Whatever you put into the User file when you logged on.
|
||
|
||
Now, I'm NOT saying that ever BBS you call will have some
|
||
pervert for a Sysop that is just WAITING to get your phone number or
|
||
address, or that anything bad will ever come of you calling into a
|
||
system, but it has happened before. Just one of the sad little things
|
||
that happen sometimes. It's easy enough to avoid, though. All you have
|
||
to do is talk to enough other people, find out what systems they avoid,
|
||
and WHY, and then stay clear of them. Another good way is to look for
|
||
the ABBSA tag in the logon screen of a BBS. Now, if a BBS doesn't have
|
||
ABBSA on it, that DOESN'T mean it's a dangerous place, just that that
|
||
BBS isn't a member of ABBSA (for more on what ABBSA is, check the
|
||
previous issues of BTN, it's been written up before, or call into the
|
||
Matrix BBS and leave a comment for the Sysop, he will be MORE than happy
|
||
to tell you all about it). One thing I do NOT recommend you doing,
|
||
though, is giving false information to the Sysop, so that you never have
|
||
to worry about someone bothering you. That is a major aggravation to
|
||
many Sysops, myself included. I hate going through the Validations on
|
||
Users and finding they've given disconnected phone numbers or "bogus"
|
||
names. I don't even bother to leave them a msg asking if they made a
|
||
mistake anymore (unless I am in a good mood), I just delete the account
|
||
and go on to the next one. Playing games with Ghod is not a good way to
|
||
move up in the world. <<GRIN>> And trust me, Sysops DO talk to each
|
||
other. If one Sysop has a problem with a User, he asks other Sysops if
|
||
they've had the same problems, and let's them know what's going on.
|
||
Sometimes he'll even ask for advice. Usually, the Ghod in question
|
||
makes up his or her own mind and passes Judgement, as is the Right of
|
||
all Ghods everywhere over their subjects.
|
||
|
||
Now, I seriously hope that no one takes offense at this article.
|
||
It IS meant in fun, as are the most serious of my articles, but there
|
||
ARE some rather good points you need to pay attention to in here. The
|
||
guy that wrote the original article (a decent one in it's own right)
|
||
told all about the troubles with setting up a BBS. He hadn't been
|
||
running his long when he wrote the article, so he didn't have a solid
|
||
enough background in "playing Ghod" yet, and didn't quite appreciate the
|
||
role as much as I suspect he came to. When you call a BBS, any BBS, you
|
||
do indeed enter a world designed, built, sweated over, cursed at, and
|
||
ultimately ruled by, a Sysop. That Sysop is Ghod on his or her own
|
||
system. You are a guest in their world, and should never forget that.
|
||
You have whatever rights are given to you BY THAT GHOD. There are no
|
||
"Rights" possessed by you just because you can make your computer call
|
||
theirs. There is not even the Right of Free Speech, if that Ghod
|
||
doesn't want you to have it. And, always remember, if you don't like
|
||
it, you can always logoff, and go to the next BBS in your dialing
|
||
directory. No one forces you to call, and no one forces you to stay
|
||
online. Most of us hope that you DO call, and DO participate in the
|
||
discussions you find online, because without a User, a Sysop will still
|
||
be a Ghod.....but what's the use in being the Ghod of a desert
|
||
wasteland? (Which is a thought that a Sysop or two might want to ponder
|
||
for awhile as well, eh?)
|
||
|
||
So, always remember.....Sysops ARE Ghods, and should be treated
|
||
with at least a LITTLE awe and reverance. I mean, they (we) go to all
|
||
of the trouble to create the worlds that you play in....can't you take a
|
||
LITTLE time out to say "Thanks"? And there are fewer better ways to say
|
||
thanks to a Sysop than by using his world as it was intended....leave as
|
||
many GOOD msgs as you can, and spread the faith, Brothers and Sisters,
|
||
bring as many into the Flock as you can......sit your friends and
|
||
neighbors down in front of your computer and show them the wide and
|
||
varied worlds you tread in virtual reality....teach them what it is you
|
||
do hunched over your computer all night long.....show them what it's all
|
||
about!
|
||
|
||
|
||
Lurch Henson
|
||
|
||
Sysop, Lurch's Place BBS (private)
|
||
Sysop, Lurch's Place BBS (original, defunct)
|
||
Sysop, The Maze (defunct)
|
||
Sysop, The Unknown BBS (defunct)
|
||
Sysop, The Hellfire Special BBS (defunct)
|
||
Sysop, The Sex-for-Sex's Sake BBS (defunct)
|
||
Co-Sysop, Eagle's Corner BBS (defunct)
|
||
Co-Sysop, The Original Dark Side BBS (now in Saudi Arabia)
|
||
Co-Sysop, Dungeon BBS (defunct)
|
||
Co-Sysop, Pleasure Seekers II BBS (defunct)
|
||
Co-Sysop, Enterprise BBS (defunct)
|
||
Co-Sysop, The Launch Pad BBS (defunct)
|
||
Co-Sysop, The Wiregrass BBS (defunct)
|
||
Co-Sysop, Teasers BBS (987-0122) <-- NOT defunct
|
||
|
||
(The above spans nearly 10 years of BBSing)
|
||
|
||
(My appologies to the BBSs I have forgotten
|
||
to mention being the Co-Sysop on, but my
|
||
memory isn't what it used to be. <<GRIN>>)
|
||
|
||
|
||
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
|
||
|
||
|
||
Gamer's Corner
|
||
by Pope Priapos Palindrome & Prince Cardinal Maisel The Butch
|
||
|
||
This month: Astrotit from Rudeware
|
||
Requires: IBM or compatible PC with 256K memory, CGA graphics
|
||
|
||
In keeping with the theme of this fifth anniversary issue, we are
|
||
bringing back the old feature, Gamer's Corner. To make it seem more at
|
||
home, we are reviewing a game that was relatively new at the time the
|
||
column was in existence. Astrotit is a curious and deviant game written
|
||
around 1987. At the time, it was a pretty good piece of work. It still
|
||
speaks in volumes about the reactions of some to the work of groups such
|
||
as the Moral Majority. For ourselves, it seems an example of the
|
||
inherent sickness of mankind...and we love it.
|
||
|
||
The plot is simple. Rats have, to our surprise, bonded
|
||
telepathically, and have plotted the extinction of mankind. To achieve
|
||
this end, the rats have urinated into the water supply. This released
|
||
unknown radical drugs that cause man's telepathic abilities to become
|
||
active. Unable to control this ability, man, or in this case, you, are
|
||
faced with the symbols of your worst hang-ups. You must beat these back
|
||
to score and attempt to save yourself. Ultimately, it is futile but
|
||
entertaining all the same...in a perverse way.
|
||
|
||
These symbols, come to life as a result of the rats' efforts, are:
|
||
|
||
List of Objects in the game:
|
||
AstroTits,
|
||
Bibles (Straight from the South),
|
||
Bouncing Birth-Control Pills,
|
||
Heat-seeking Dildo missiles,
|
||
Condom packages (for Safe-Sexual warfare),
|
||
Vitamin-E bottles (even though it's just a myth),
|
||
AIDS virii (truly an 80's touch),
|
||
and the
|
||
Hamster with a veangeance
|
||
(If you don't understand why a hamster, ask your
|
||
friends...(or net.motss))
|
||
|
||
Using your "weapon", you must shoot at the symbols to destroy them.
|
||
If you are hit more than a few times by any of the objects, then your
|
||
"weapon" will wilt and die, thus ending your desire to play the game.
|
||
There are some condoms you may use for protection but once they are
|
||
gone, you are on your own and protected only by your own skill and
|
||
dexterity.
|
||
|
||
To enhance your enjoyment of the game, you may want to add your own
|
||
sound effects. We particularly enjoyed making "squish" noises while
|
||
playing. There are many methods that may be employed for making the
|
||
"squish" noises. Such common household objects as oranges, wet wash
|
||
cloths, soiled leotards, or small furry mammals may be used to generate
|
||
or inspire the noises. While on the subject of small furry mammals,...
|
||
oh never mind.
|
||
|
||
We like the game. Its graphics pale by comparison to the games
|
||
available today. We were unable to think of a method for enhancing the
|
||
graphics as we did sound. Speaking of enhancements, treppanning might
|
||
improve play. We did not attempt this as we lacked time and
|
||
committment. The hamster is a nice touch and it feels good too. No
|
||
duct tape was required during any of our sessions with the game though
|
||
your mileage may vary.
|
||
|
||
It's springtime, and the hamsters are mating, so watch out for
|
||
slime trails in the happy forest where the stoats frolic and large brown
|
||
bears feast daintily on buttercups, and salmon, and duck eggs, and
|
||
Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt. Then, low-flying fruitbats leave little
|
||
splatterings of nectar on the windshields of foreign cars and toy
|
||
trains, while fire ants dance the jig to the dulcet tones of Mozart
|
||
played on the legs of Chinese crickets by the fierce psychedelic toads,
|
||
thirsty for carnal knowledge and better breakfast cereals. But, forget
|
||
about breakfast and go play this game. It's brain candy for the
|
||
hindparts and won't fill you up! Tell 'em the Pope and His High
|
||
Princeness, the Cardinal sent you.
|
||
|
||
|
||
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
*** Mail Room ***
|
||
|
||
by
|
||
|
||
David Moss
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
This article is aimed at the new user (like me). So, if you are an
|
||
old pro, please don't write telling me I left out this or that. This
|
||
article is designed to (hopefully) introduce the new user to the "mail
|
||
room" of a BBS.
|
||
|
||
You see, as a rule, a new user will enter messages, reply to
|
||
messages, and read messages on-line. Which, in and of itself is not
|
||
wrong by definition. But, there is a better way! The "mail room".
|
||
|
||
The advantages here are speed, convenience, and the saving's of
|
||
one's own "Time Left for Today" on a particular BBS. After all, you
|
||
don't want to burn all your time reading mail. ( unless it's someone
|
||
else's ) Hence, the "mail room". Ok, for the sake of argument, I will be
|
||
discussing "mail rooms" in general, but "Tomcat" in particular.
|
||
|
||
Now, not wanting to leave anyone out, there are several types of BBS
|
||
software that support a "mail room", some easy to configure, some not so
|
||
easy. TRIBBS, for example, is very easy to configure. Some are slower
|
||
than others, with Tomcat being one of the fastest of the breed.
|
||
(depending on set-up )
|
||
|
||
Now, all you need to get started, is an Off-Line mail reader, like;
|
||
OLX, SLMR, Speed, or any of a variety that is offered on Bulletin
|
||
Boards. As long as it supports a .QWK/.REP format. Set the Mail Reader
|
||
up. Define (1) where you will keep the .QWKs, (2) where you will keep the
|
||
compression utility, (3) which compression utilities you will be using,
|
||
and (4), anything else that may be required.
|
||
|
||
Once you've gotten your Off Line Mail Reader configured, the next
|
||
step is to call your favorite Bulletin Board and Download a .Qwk. This
|
||
file is necessary if you plan to Upload any future mail.
|
||
|
||
The first time you log into the Tomcat mail room, you will see the
|
||
following:
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Since you haven't used the Tomcat QWK-compatible mail door before,
|
||
please take a few moments to select and save your default settings.
|
||
Visit the [C]onfigure your settings selection from the Tomcat menu.
|
||
|
||
Thanks... Sysop
|
||
|
||
Commands: [D]ownload QWK packet
|
||
[U]pload REP packet
|
||
[C]onfigure your settings
|
||
[H]elp with Tomcat
|
||
[G]oodbye, hang up
|
||
[Q]uit back to BBS
|
||
|
||
TOMCAT MENU [D U C H G Q]:
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Here, the first thing on the agenda is to configure your settings.
|
||
So you will select "C" for configure your settings, and get the
|
||
following.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Tomcat configuration menu:
|
||
Current setting
|
||
[C]onfigure conferences (shows when selecting)
|
||
[R]eset high message pointers
|
||
[U]pload BBS.PTR file
|
||
[S]end your own messages N
|
||
[N]ew Files Scan N
|
||
[D]ate For New Files 03/07/93
|
||
[I]nclude new bulletins N
|
||
[M]aximum packet sizes 1000/200
|
||
[A]ttachment size limit 0K / Your attachments only
|
||
[T]ransfer protocol Select
|
||
[P]acker (archiver) Select
|
||
[F]ormat for packets QWK
|
||
[G]oodbye after upload N
|
||
[H]elp with Tomcat configuration
|
||
|
||
[Q]uit back to Tomcat main menu
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Ok, let's get to it. Select whether you want to download your own
|
||
messages. That's up to you. I select "N" for me.
|
||
|
||
Next, select a Packer. Hit "P" and you will be presented with a list
|
||
that the board uses. Usually it will be whatever you are familiar with.
|
||
I always select PKZIP.
|
||
|
||
Now, select a transfer protocol. I always select "Z" for Z-modem.
|
||
|
||
Next you would decide if you would like to receive the bulletins of
|
||
this particular board. I generally select "N" for no. But, that's up to
|
||
you. I log on to my favorite boards with enough regularity that I
|
||
generally keep up with the bulletins. But, it may be a good idea to
|
||
select "Y" on this one anyway.
|
||
|
||
Next, and very important, select if you would like to receive a list
|
||
of new files. This way you can view the list off-line and decide what
|
||
files you would like to have. If you select "Y" for new files, then you
|
||
will have to enter a date for these files. If this is the first time on
|
||
this particular board, you may wish to run this number up close to the
|
||
actual date that you are on this board. Some boards have several
|
||
thousand files, and the packet may take a long time to receive, so
|
||
select a date that is near the current date. The mail room will keep up
|
||
with it after that.
|
||
|
||
Now for the big one. Configuring your conferences.
|
||
|
||
Select which conferences interest you, you can always add to or
|
||
subtract from later. After selecting the conferences, you will be
|
||
asked to select a pointer. The pointer is the number of messages you
|
||
would like to receive. If you log on to a BBS that has numerous
|
||
conferences with hundreds of messages in these conferences, then you
|
||
will only want to get a select number of messages. For instance, -10
|
||
will give you the last 10 messages entered into that conference. I was
|
||
recently reminded by a very helpful sysop, while I was fumbling through
|
||
the mass number of conferences attempting to select "No" on a number of
|
||
conferences, that the "Toggle" switch will deselect All, or select All.
|
||
Then you can go back and select the ones you actually want to download
|
||
from.
|
||
|
||
Now for the big moment. Quit back to the Tomcat menu and select "D"
|
||
for Download, and Tomcat will gather all the mail you wish to receive
|
||
and send it to you. Read the mail off-line, reply to the messages you
|
||
want to reply to, and discard the rest.
|
||
|
||
To send the mail back, just call the board, enter the mail room, and
|
||
select "U" for upload mail. The rest is dependent upon your
|
||
communications software. Most often you will hit "Page Up", declare
|
||
where the .rep is, and hit "Enter". After you've uploaded the reply, say
|
||
"Goodbye", and you have saved yourself a lot of time.
|
||
|
||
With a little practice, you will find yourself making mail runs in
|
||
under a minute. Not bad, eh?
|
||
|
||
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
OFFLINE MAIL SERIES, PT. 2
|
||
|
||
by
|
||
|
||
Damion Furi
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
MARK MAIL
|
||
|
||
One of the nicest things about BBSs is the ability to download your
|
||
mail and keep track of things offline. There are several advantages to this.
|
||
First, it allows users to conserve precious online time. Second, offline
|
||
mail readers (OLRs) offer a number of utilities that are not available
|
||
online. Third, the downloading process can be automated using the script
|
||
language of a good terminal program or a specialized application just for
|
||
this purpose (which saves the user's personal time) such as RoboComm.
|
||
Finally, it allows a wider "service time" window for the BBS, allowing a
|
||
larger number of users to use the system than would be possible otherwise.
|
||
|
||
Once you have set up a QWK/REP compatible offline mail reader with
|
||
which you think you think will be comfortable (David Moss and I will be
|
||
covering this subject in future articles), you can proceed to configuring
|
||
the various BBS mail doors for your particular needs.
|
||
|
||
In this article, I'll show you how to use the Mark Mail door, which
|
||
is used primarily by PCBoard BBSs such as Crunchy Frog, Alter Ego, The
|
||
Matrix, and a number of others. Later articles will cover VBBS's internal
|
||
mail door, WWIV Mail (WWIV 4.x and higher systems), and BGQWK (GT Power 17.x
|
||
and higher systems).
|
||
|
||
Your first step, of course, is to logon to the PCBoard in a normal
|
||
manner. Next, find the mail door. On The Matrix, there are two ways to
|
||
get there; one is the MM-2 command, and the other is o 4 (OPEN [door #] 4).
|
||
On Alter Ego and Crunchy Frog, type OPEN to get to the door menu and select
|
||
the mail door.
|
||
|
||
When you have selected the door, Mark Mail opens and you will see
|
||
this:
|
||
|
||
|
||
M a r k M a i l
|
||
2.00<EFBFBD>30
|
||
|
||
Copyright (c) 1992
|
||
Cliff R. Watkins
|
||
|
||
Registered to
|
||
Crunchy Frog BBS
|
||
|
||
|
||
MarkMail v2.00
|
||
<20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
|
||
<20> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
|
||
Operations <20> <20>Ĵ <20><> <20> Configurations
|
||
<20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ <20><><EFBFBD> <20><>ٳ <20>Ĵ <20> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
|
||
<20> D - Download QWK Packet <20> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20> B - Bulletin Selections <20>
|
||
<20> DG - Download & Goodbye <20> For PCBoard! <20> C - Compression Methods <20>
|
||
<20> G - Goodbye (Logoff) <20> <20> F - File Scan Selection <20>
|
||
<20> M - Mode Graphix Toggle <20> <20> H - Help With Commands <20>
|
||
<20> O - Operator Page <20> <20> S - Select Conferences <20>
|
||
<20> Q - Quit Back to System <20> <20> T - Transfer Protocols <20>
|
||
<20> U - Upload REP Packet <20> <20> V - View Your Settings <20>
|
||
<20> UG - Upload REP & Logoff <20> <20> W - Write Your Settings <20>
|
||
<20> X - eXpert Mode Toggle <20> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
|
||
<20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
|
||
|
||
|
||
For right now, you can ignore the left side menu. On the right is
|
||
the Configurations menu, and the commands listed will allow you to choose
|
||
what will be included in your downloaded mail packets (.QWK files).
|
||
|
||
The B and F commands are toggles, which means they are either
|
||
"selected" or "deselected" and no further options are available. Since
|
||
Mark Mail is configurable by the sysop, you'll have to experiment in order
|
||
to determine the defaults. You toggle the selection by entering the
|
||
appropriate command; if Bulletins is defaulted to "ON," that means that unless
|
||
you specify otherwise your QWK packets will always receive system bulletins.
|
||
(Receiving the system bulletins is a good idea, particularly on larger
|
||
systems such as The Matrix. Crucial subscription information may be posted
|
||
in a bulletin, and you will need to know details.)
|
||
|
||
The File Scan option allows you to receive the "NEWFILES.DAT" file
|
||
with your packet, which will allow you to see any newly uploaded files
|
||
available on the system. This is important if you are at all interested
|
||
in available shareware and freeware.
|
||
|
||
The C command takes you to a sub-menu that allows you a choice of
|
||
compressions methods. If you prefer ARJ to ZIP, you'll simply specify that
|
||
at the prompt. The default is usually PKZIP, and most systems are using
|
||
2.04. (You will need to make sure that whatever compression utility you
|
||
select is available to your OLR either via the PATH command in your
|
||
AUTOEXEC.BAT or else in the OLR's primary directory.)
|
||
|
||
The T command allows you to specify your preferred transfer protocol.
|
||
The default is usually ZMODEM, but if you have a high-speed, error-correcting,
|
||
14.4 baud modem, you may prefer to use YMODEM. In some cases, you may prefer
|
||
HSLINK where it is available, if you plan to U/L and D/L simultaneously. (If
|
||
your terminal program does not have the protocol you prefer, you may want to
|
||
install the protocol externally or possibly change terminal programs.) As a
|
||
general rule, you won't want to select XMODEM, KERMIT, or SEA-LINK unless
|
||
your modem documentation specifies one of these protocols for some reason.
|
||
|
||
The S command allows you to select the conferences from which you
|
||
like to receive mail. Entering S takes you to a sub-menu, which can lead
|
||
to layered sub-menus. There are two main shortcut commands available: one is
|
||
the SELECT ALL command, which selects every conference available to your
|
||
security level. If you choose this command, you will receive every post in
|
||
every available conference. (I would not advise using this command on The
|
||
Matrix unless you really don't have anything better to do than read mail.)
|
||
|
||
The other shortcut command is DESELECT ALL, which is a quick way to
|
||
turn off everything so you can select the conferences yourself.
|
||
|
||
Here is an example of the help available for the S command:
|
||
|
||
MarkMail Help - Select Forums
|
||
-----------------------------
|
||
This is where you decide which conferences you wish to extract
|
||
mail from. When you entered Markmail the first time, you had no
|
||
conferences selected. Therefore you must select the conferences
|
||
you wish to extract messages from if you wish to receive any
|
||
messages.
|
||
|
||
When choosing the [S]elect conferences option, you're provided
|
||
a list of the first thirty conferences in the bbs. To select a
|
||
conference simply enter its number. If you press <enter> alone
|
||
Markmail will display the NEXT 30 conferences. If you enter a
|
||
number that is not being displayed, Markmail will now automat-
|
||
ically display a new page of conferences containing the number
|
||
you had entered.
|
||
|
||
When you choose a conference by entering its number, Markmail
|
||
displays a sub menu like this one:
|
||
|
||
Selected Conference: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Currently: Not Selected
|
||
|
||
High Message Number: xxxxx Select [N]one, [A]ll, [Y]our,
|
||
Last Read Pointer: xxxxx or [YA] for Yours and TO: ALL ?
|
||
|
||
You then choose one of the four options based on how much mail you
|
||
wish to extract out of this conference.
|
||
Here are the options in detail:
|
||
|
||
[N]one - Deselects this conference, removes it from your list
|
||
[A]ll - Tells Markmail to extract ALL messages
|
||
[Y]our - Extracts only messages sent to YOU
|
||
[YA] - Extracts messages only to YOU and to ALL
|
||
|
||
Once you have decided which of the above you wish, enter the
|
||
selection followed by <enter>, and Markmail will display the
|
||
submenu shown here:
|
||
|
||
High Message Number: xxxxx Input New Pointer
|
||
Last Read Pointer: xxxxx or [Enter] for no change?
|
||
|
||
Markmail displays the highest message in the conference, and
|
||
displays the last message you have read in the conference, and
|
||
asks you for a new pointer. By default, Markmail leaves your
|
||
pointer alone, and will extract all mail since then. If you wish
|
||
less mail, enter a number higher than your current pointer. If
|
||
you wish more, enter a number lower than your current pointer.
|
||
|
||
|
||
As you may have noticed, two sub-menus are available after you
|
||
select the S command.
|
||
|
||
You will see the following:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Networks Available
|
||
|
||
1. LO Local
|
||
2. mn metronet
|
||
3. ln lucifernet
|
||
4. bn bunnet
|
||
5. an adanet
|
||
6. sn spamnet
|
||
7. ll llamanet
|
||
8. pn PopeNet
|
||
|
||
Select a Network (Enter)=All?
|
||
|
||
|
||
NOTE: Pressing enter here allows you to view all conferences available
|
||
in the listed networks. Go ahead and press ENTER, since this is your first
|
||
time in the mail door. Otherwise, you can specify a number, which will take
|
||
you to a listing of conferences available only on that net.
|
||
|
||
You will then see:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Page 1 of 2 Conference Select Screen Sort: Numerical
|
||
Num Net Conference Lst Rd Flags Num Net Conference Lst Rd Flags
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
0 LO Main Board 7326 S 16 ln bytebros 22183 S
|
||
1 LO EZNET 1597 S 17 ln The_Den 0
|
||
2 LO Readers 16 S 18 sn spam 4345
|
||
3 LO Listener 141 S 20 ln PantyBar! 0
|
||
4 LO argument 1001 S 23 ll Trekkie Abuse 38
|
||
5 LO gamers 7 25 bn BunnyBull 8140 S
|
||
6 LO BTN 8 S 26 bn BunANSI 1083
|
||
7 LO HUH 88 S 28 bn Lunatics 10796 S
|
||
8 LO MSDOS 1443 S 32 bn UUCODE 0
|
||
9 LO GMC 1302 33 mn BEER 2319
|
||
10 LO Closed 0 34 ll Llama Net 3212 S
|
||
11 LO XRated 0 36 mn NetChat 11649 S
|
||
13 LO BTNWA 1074 S 37 mn Trading Cards 1260
|
||
14 ll Whippets 237 38 mn Sci-Fi 0
|
||
15 LO abuse 22 S 39 mn Sharwar 41 S
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Flags: (S)elected, (Y)our Mail, (A)LL Included, (P)riority Conference
|
||
|
||
Select Conference by Name or Number,
|
||
(C)hange Sort, (S)elect All, (D)eselect All, (Q)uit:
|
||
|
||
On the far right is the conference number, which is what you will
|
||
enter in order to select it. Just to the right of the conference number is
|
||
the abbreviation for the net (LO is local). To the right of the net
|
||
affiliation is the conference name. To the right of the conference names is
|
||
the LAST RD column, which lists the highest message number that you've read in
|
||
that conference. (I'll refer back to this a bit later.) To the right of
|
||
of that is the FLAGS column; that is, it will show the selection status for
|
||
each conference. And to the right of that is another set of conference
|
||
listings.
|
||
|
||
In your case, the FLAGS column will be blank. Because I captured
|
||
the above chart directly from Crunchy Frog on my account, it shows my
|
||
selection stats for the listed conferences, and I didn't bother to edit it.
|
||
|
||
At this point, all you have to do is enter a conference number to
|
||
select it. (It's a good idea to always select MAIN, in cases where the
|
||
sysop has made it an option.) You will be presented with another menu.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Selected Conference: Main Board Currently: Selected for All Mail
|
||
Network: Local
|
||
High Message Number: 7357
|
||
Last Read Pointer: 7326
|
||
Select [N]one, [A]ll, [Y]our,
|
||
or [YA] for Yours and TO: ALL ? A
|
||
|
||
Since MAIN is the selected conference, it is a good idea to enter A
|
||
at the prompt. This will select [A]ll public messages in the MAIN conference.
|
||
As you can see, I have entered A. However, regardless of your selection,
|
||
you will then be presented with another sub-menu.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Selected for All Mail
|
||
|
||
|
||
Input New Pointer
|
||
or [Enter] for no change?
|
||
7326
|
||
|
||
|
||
In my case, I last read message number 7326, and the highest number
|
||
available is 7357. In your case, you may have last read a considerably lower
|
||
message number, which means that you should probably set your message pointer
|
||
high. In this case, you would enter 7357. That tells Mark Mail to treat
|
||
your QWK packet as if you had already read all those messages (you haven't,
|
||
but it would take several hours to download and read all the messages that
|
||
are actually left on the system).
|
||
|
||
I would suggest, however, that you not set your message pointer to
|
||
the highest number. Instead, you should probably keep about 10 or so posts
|
||
to read so you can get an idea of what's going on in that conference. In
|
||
this case, you would enter 7347 instead of 7357.
|
||
|
||
After you have done this, you are returned to this menu:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Flags: (S)elected, (Y)our Mail, (A)LL Included, (P)riority Conference
|
||
|
||
Select Conference by Name or Number,
|
||
(C)hange Sort, (S)elect All, (D)eselect All, (Q)uit:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Keep doing this until you have selected all the conferences you want,
|
||
and have everything the way you want it.
|
||
|
||
When you have finished, you'll need to select the W command. You
|
||
will be presented with this menu:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Write MarkMail Options
|
||
|
||
1. Max Size of MESSAGES.DAT : 500 K
|
||
2. Max Messages/Conference : Default Default= 200 for your Baud Rate.
|
||
3. Max Messages/Packet : Default Default= 500 for your Baud Rate.
|
||
4. Receive Messages YOU Posted: Yes
|
||
5. Receive Pkts with No Msgs : No
|
||
|
||
|
||
(#) to Change, (R)e-List Options, or (Enter) alone to Exit:
|
||
|
||
|
||
I have a 2400 baud modem, so you can see the default settings for
|
||
this (above). I have not changed anything here because I have no need. In
|
||
your case, you may want to increase or decrease the size of MESSAGES.DAT,
|
||
which is the primary part of your QWK packet, or you may want to increase or
|
||
decrease the maximum number of messages to download per conference and/or
|
||
per QWK packet. You can also opt to receive messages you've posted, which
|
||
can help you keep track of things if your memory is as bad as mine or if
|
||
you receive too much mail to track casually, as I do.
|
||
|
||
The last option, Receive Packets with No Messages, is defaulted to
|
||
No, but the truth of the matter is that you will rarely, if ever, run into
|
||
a BBS with no messages.
|
||
|
||
After you have this set to your liking, press enter. You will be
|
||
returned to the main menu. At this point, it would be a good idea to select
|
||
the V command, to view your settings one last time. Of course, you can
|
||
reconfigure the mail door as many times as necessary. There's nothing
|
||
permanent about it, so you can always go back later and change your mind.
|
||
|
||
All that's left to do now is select D or DG. Selecting D tells
|
||
Mark Mail to download your mail without logging off when the download is
|
||
complete. Selecting DG tells Mark Mail to "Download & Goodbye." This is,
|
||
Mark Mail logs you off the system when the download is complete. (If you
|
||
would prefer to quit without downloading a packet, you can select Q to
|
||
return to the main board menu, or you can select G to logoff from within
|
||
the Mark Mail door.)
|
||
|
||
If you ever select DG by accident, don't worry about it. After your
|
||
download is complete, you are given the option to abort the logoff process
|
||
by pressing CTRL+K or to expedite the process by pressing H.
|
||
|
||
You're all set! You will never again have to worry about running
|
||
out of time before you're done.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
Led Zeppelin Documentary
|
||
by Jeff Vaughn
|
||
|
||
|
||
My story is about a band who has helped shape the history of rock
|
||
and roll for the last 24 years, Led Zeppelin. The band consisted of
|
||
four men with backgrounds which were different, yet alike in many ways.
|
||
|
||
Robert Plant, lead vocals for Led Zeppelin.
|
||
Plant was not originally Page's first choice for Zeppelin's lead
|
||
singer; the first were Steve Mariott and Terry Reed. Terry Reed put Page
|
||
on to Robert Plant, who was, at the time, playing up in the midlands
|
||
because Page hadn't heard of him before. After an invitation to Page's
|
||
house and throwing some ideas around, Plant became lead singer. Plant's
|
||
influences to the group were blues and some country blues.
|
||
|
||
Jimmy Page, lead guitars & background vocals.
|
||
Jimmy Page was basically thought of as the 'studious' member of Led
|
||
Zeppelin. Since Page had come from the YardBirds previously, he had the
|
||
technical know-how of the group. Page also produced all of Zeppelin's
|
||
albums. His influences to the band were country blues, rock and roll,
|
||
and Indian.
|
||
|
||
John Bonham, percussion & background vocals.
|
||
In a quote fron Jimmy Page, "Although I had a powerful drummer in
|
||
mind, I wasn't ready for John Bonham. He was beyond the realms of
|
||
anything I could possibily have imagined. He was absolutely phenomenal
|
||
and still is". Bonham's influences to the group were mostly soul and
|
||
rock and roll.
|
||
|
||
John Paul Jones, bass guitars, organs, and background vocals.
|
||
Jones called Page during the time Plant and Page were going around
|
||
together and asked about 'getting together'. Apparently, a tabloid
|
||
called 'Melody Maker' had published some rumors about it and Jones
|
||
picked up on it. Jones was, and still is, a session musician that added
|
||
a lot of magic to the group. He was also the arranger of the group.
|
||
In a quote from Jones, "They asked who'd arrange and I put me hand up".
|
||
Jones' influences were jazz, soul, Arabaic, and Indian.
|
||
|
||
The name 'Led Zeppelin' was coined by Keith Moon, which was
|
||
originally going to be for another band made up of Jeff Beck, Jimmy
|
||
Page, Micky Hopkins, John Paul Jones, and Keith Moon. The original band
|
||
did a couple of tracks, but nothing came of it. Luckily, Jones and Page
|
||
remembered the name and asked Moon if they could use it.
|
||
|
||
"We got together and had a rehersal, and didn't look back from
|
||
there." -- Jimmy Page. The first jam session the band did was in a
|
||
little room filled with amplifiers. According to each member of the
|
||
band, there was an incrdible feeling about the whole idea of the band
|
||
durinng the first rehersal. In Plant's words, "We had found something
|
||
and had to be very careful with it or we might lose it". The band
|
||
started out by finishing up the Yardbirds' previously scheduled
|
||
engagements. Soon after, Led Zeppelin's first album was recorded.
|
||
|
||
Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Joan Baez, Larry
|
||
Williams, Jean Vincent, Moby Grapes, and lots of American west coast
|
||
music were various influences of Led Zeppelin. According to Plant,
|
||
"American west coast stuff saved me from being the typical English pop
|
||
singer". Plant said that the Californian music scene was the
|
||
'spearhead' of how music should actually be.
|
||
|
||
The first U.S. tour for Zeppelin was when the band played with
|
||
another band called Vanilla Fudge. According to Page, he guessed that
|
||
several people were wondering what he was up. Apparently the reception
|
||
Zeppelin got was great. The band really started to take off when they
|
||
did some numbers in San Francisco. In Page's words, "It was just like
|
||
dynamite".
|
||
|
||
Even though the first Zeppelin album was widely accepted and made a
|
||
big splash, Plant wasn't really happy with the album. According to him,
|
||
if he'd been a little more relaxed and a little less intimidated, it
|
||
would've went off better. "I would've sung the same song with the same
|
||
phrasing, but a little less nervously." -- Plant. He felt the
|
||
performances weren't that great. "The records were super. They were
|
||
all good. There ain't a bad record in any one of 'em. Maybe I
|
||
was just paranoid or neurotic".
|
||
|
||
According to Plant, the 'element of risk' was the great thing about
|
||
the Zeppelin stage show. Zeppelin usually ended up doing things and
|
||
going places they hadn't plotted at all, hoping to get out of it. In
|
||
the end, they just kept getting out of it. No Zeppelin member had a set
|
||
area of expertise. There was always somewhere where someone could
|
||
contribute. Bonham contributed riffs, Jones his own ideas, and Page the
|
||
more 'studious' ideas. In Plant's words, "I didn't really play anything
|
||
and I didn't really want to". To sum it up, "when i was doin' it, i was
|
||
doin' it.
|
||
|
||
The second Led Zeppelin album was recorded on the road. When the
|
||
band was in Los Angeles, they wanted to use GoldStar studios, but all the
|
||
equipment had been taken out at the time. Bcause of this, Zeppelin ended
|
||
up going to Del-Fi Studios where Richie Valens had recorded, and they
|
||
recorded "Moby Dick" there. "Ramble On" was recorded in New York, and
|
||
parts of "Bring It On Home" in Vancouver. The band used mobile
|
||
recording trucks a lot. According to Jones, it was easier if they
|
||
wanted to just work on something right on the spot.
|
||
|
||
Page and Plant ended up going to Wales for a lot of the material
|
||
for Led Zeppelin III. Both wanted to expand Zeppelin into different
|
||
fields. According to Plant, Zeppelin wanted a more 'accoustic' sound
|
||
for the third album. Even though Led Zeppelin III was their least
|
||
sucessful album, Plant quoted, "It was probably one of our finest
|
||
moments".
|
||
|
||
"Houses of the Holy was really an inspired time. I think the
|
||
material is very much to the point, very foucsed and very strong" --
|
||
Robert Plant. The band had definately put a lot of imagination in the
|
||
album; there was a lot of Jamaican sound in it.
|
||
|
||
One of the latest releases, "Traveling Riverside Blues", was a
|
||
remake dedication song to Robert Johnson, one of the earliest blues
|
||
artists. It was originally released on June 20th, 1927 in Dallas on
|
||
Columbia Records. "'Traveling Riverside Blues' is when a man gets
|
||
personal and wants to have his fun", was a short description about
|
||
Robert Plant about the song.
|
||
|
||
"It was really quite something when we laid the Bonzo's Montreaux
|
||
on top of the Moby Dick and it fitted great like that. It was a gas
|
||
actually. I had that idea because i didn't want to leave one or the
|
||
other off, so I thought let's see if it's possibile to 'marry' them
|
||
together, and in fact it was really successful. The fortunate part
|
||
about it was the tempos on the two solos were pretty near done exact, so
|
||
it was a matter of waiting to see if the picture i had in my mind would
|
||
work, and fortunately it did. I think John Bonham would be happy with
|
||
it." -- Jimmy Page's explination of the Moby Dick/Bonzo's Montreaux
|
||
conbination package.
|
||
|
||
John Paul Jones was asked what it was like to be the 'low profile'
|
||
member of the group. "The main advantages were, nobody knew what you
|
||
looked like. If I got to a city, I could just go out and walk and see
|
||
the sights". Plant, Page, and Bonham were not so lucky. Jones said it
|
||
was hard for the others to go out without causing great trails of
|
||
people. "I'd just slip security and creep out the back door and get out
|
||
on the street," said Jones. Yes, it had a great advantage.
|
||
|
||
The most satisfying thing, according to the band, is the fact that
|
||
their music has stood up to the test of time, something all bands hope
|
||
for.
|
||
|
||
"It was a songs band, and musically it's the same, but with four
|
||
different personalities and four different tastes in music. We all had
|
||
completely different tastes. They generally overlapped, and where they
|
||
overlapped was Zeppelin, which was the bit in the middle, which was
|
||
great." -- John Paul Jones.
|
||
|
||
In an interview, Plant was asked how he wanted Led Zeppelin
|
||
remembered. "I'd like to mantain the dignity of the group. I'm very
|
||
proud that people are so enchanted by it, and I think that the way that
|
||
it is now is that whatever it was that people loved is not going to be
|
||
spoiled. I think the fact that Zeppelin was bold and brave and chaotic
|
||
and honest...in a loose sort of framework. It was honest and took
|
||
chances that are no longer possibile if you start from scratch. We were
|
||
a filter for all the good thing, and we begged, borrowed...and stole and
|
||
made something that was particularly original by which a lot of other
|
||
music has been measured."
|
||
I definately agree.
|
||
|
||
Credits : All quotes were take from the Led Zeppelin 3 Disk remasters
|
||
collection, Compact Disk #3, "Interview".
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Led Zeppelin Legacy:
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Led Zeppelin, Atlantic (1969) Led Zeppelin II, Atlantic (1969)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Good Times Bad Times Whole Lotta Love
|
||
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You What Is And What Should Never Be
|
||
You Shook Me The Lemon Song
|
||
Dazed & Confused Thank You
|
||
Your Time is Gonna Come Heartbreaker
|
||
Black Mountain Side Living Loving Maid
|
||
Communication Breakdown Ramble On
|
||
I Can't Quit You Babe Moby Dick
|
||
How Many More Times Bring It On Home
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Led Zeppelin III, Atlantic (1970) Untitled 4th album, Atlantic (1971)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Immigrant Song Black Dog
|
||
Friends Rock And Roll
|
||
Celebration Day The Battle of Evermore
|
||
Since I've Been Loving You Stairway to Heaven
|
||
Out on the Tiles Misty Mountain Hop
|
||
Gallows Pole Four Sticks
|
||
Tangerine Going To California
|
||
That's The Way When The Levee Breaks
|
||
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
|
||
Hats Off To (Roy) Harper
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Houses of the Holy, Atlantic (1973) Physical Graffiti, S.S. (1975)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
The Song Remains The Same Custard Pie
|
||
The Rain Song The Rover
|
||
Over The Hills & Far Away In My Time Of Dying
|
||
The Crunge Houses of The Holy
|
||
Dancing Days Tramples Underfoot
|
||
D'Yer Maker Kashmir
|
||
No Quater In The Light
|
||
The Ocean Bron-Y-Aur
|
||
Down By The SeaSide
|
||
Ten Years Gone
|
||
Night Flight
|
||
The Wanton Song
|
||
Booogie With Stu
|
||
Black Country Woman
|
||
Sick Again
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Presence, Swan Song (1976) The Song Remains The Same,
|
||
Swan Song (1975)
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Achilles Last Stand Rock & Roll
|
||
For Your Life Celebration Day
|
||
Royal Orleans The Song Remains The Same
|
||
Nobody's Fault But Mine Rain Song
|
||
Candy Store Rock Dazed & Confused
|
||
Hots On For Nowhere No Quater
|
||
Tea For One Stairway to Heaven
|
||
Moby Dick
|
||
Whole Lotta Love
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
In Through The Out Door Coda, Swan Song (1982)
|
||
Swan Song (1979)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
In The Evening We're Gonna Groove
|
||
South Bound Suarez Poor Tom
|
||
Fool In The Rain I Can't Quit You Baby
|
||
Hot Dog Walter's Walk
|
||
Carouselambra Ozone Baby
|
||
All My Love Darlene
|
||
I'm Gonna Crawl Bonzo's Montreux
|
||
Wearing And Tearing
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
The Led Zeppelin Box Set (1990)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
[All tracks were digitally remastered by Jimmy Page & George Marino]
|
||
|
||
Whole Lotta Love Heartbreaker
|
||
Communication Breakdown Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
|
||
What Is And What Should Never Be Thank You
|
||
I Can't Quit You Baby Dazed And Confused
|
||
Your Time Is Gonna Come Ramble On
|
||
Traveling Riverside Blues(*) Friends
|
||
Celebration Day Hey Hey What Can I Do?(*)
|
||
White Summer/Black Mountain Side Black Dog
|
||
Over The Hills And Far Away Immigrant Song
|
||
The Battle Of Evermore Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
|
||
Tangerine Going To California
|
||
Since I've Been Loving You D'Yer Maker
|
||
Gallows Pole Custard Pie
|
||
Misty Mountain Hop Rock And Roll
|
||
The Rain Song Stairway To Heaven
|
||
Kashmir Trampled Underfoot
|
||
For Your Life No Quater
|
||
Dancing Days When The Levee Breaks
|
||
Achilles Last Stand The Song Remains The Same
|
||
Ten Years Gone In My Time Of Dying
|
||
In The Evening Candy Store Rock
|
||
The Ocean Ozone Baby
|
||
Houses Of The Holy Wearing And Tearing
|
||
Poor Tom Nobody's Fault But Mine
|
||
Fool In The Rain In The Light
|
||
The Wanton Song Moby Dick/Bonzo's Montreaux(*)
|
||
I'm Gonna Crawl All Of My Love
|
||
|
||
(*) Indicates a title not previously released on any other album or two
|
||
songs mixed together.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Local Music in May
|
||
by Judy Ranelli
|
||
|
||
Tues. 4
|
||
MICHAEL HEDGES at Zydeco
|
||
When this guy played the UAB arena, even the maintenance people came
|
||
and watched after they finished their work. He's a great guitarist and
|
||
songwriter.
|
||
|
||
Wed. 5
|
||
ORANGE MOTHERS/A MET Z at The Nick
|
||
A Met Z were nastily refused the right to play at City Stages this
|
||
Year, something I'll comment on later in the year or sooner if you
|
||
catch me in a bar feeling ornery. I think they're innovative, sincere,
|
||
and exemplars of Birmingham musicians trying to do something unique.
|
||
|
||
Wed. 5
|
||
fIREHOUSE/PINKY THE STABBER/PARANOID PAM at Zydeco
|
||
I must confess I shall attend this indeed because Mike Watt is such
|
||
a wonderful guy.
|
||
[Editor's Note: For the benefit of the unhip, Mike Watt is the
|
||
bassist in "fIREHOUSE", and yes, it's spelled that way.]
|
||
|
||
Thurs. 6
|
||
KENT DUCHAINE at Burly Earl
|
||
If you request "Preaching Blues", he knows it, plus lots of other
|
||
classic blues tunes.
|
||
|
||
Fri. 7
|
||
STEPPENWOLF at Louie Louie
|
||
Huh? Well, why not? I am surprised to find them playing a local
|
||
club, but how the mighty fall... One time, Meatloaf was scheduled to
|
||
play in town and I was ecstatic, but he cancelled; surely someone feels
|
||
the same fervor about seeing Steppenwolf in a small venue.
|
||
|
||
Wed. 12
|
||
Mariachi band at Sol Azteca
|
||
Have you seen this yet? They even go back in the kitchen and regale
|
||
the cooks to the sound of breaking plates. They also do bits of any
|
||
song requested. I'm gonna ask for some Bread next time.
|
||
|
||
Thurs. 13
|
||
UNCLE GREEN/FUZZY SONS
|
||
I sort of recall finding Uncle Green pleasant, long ago. They
|
||
haven't traveled through here in years to my recollection, so I'll
|
||
probably at least stand out front and eavesdrop for a minute to see if
|
||
my memory is correct.
|
||
|
||
Sat. 15
|
||
MOTHER TONGUE/VIRGIN GROVE/FREELOADERS/MONKEY'S UNCLE/GODPLOW
|
||
at The Nick (and its FREE!)
|
||
Another six pack, it seems. Could these events be working in spite
|
||
of my cynicism? It's possible.
|
||
|
||
Thurs. 20
|
||
SPACE CAMP at Oasis
|
||
I know, I keep mentioning Space Camp, but here's another reason to
|
||
see them: Oasis is a nifty tiny bar with the good sense to stay open
|
||
very late and on Sundays as well, plus they have a nice outdoor
|
||
courtyard.
|
||
|
||
Mon. 24
|
||
INSECT SIREN at The Nick
|
||
I decided to randomly choose one band I've never heard of to see and
|
||
to recommend. But if you're hesistant to dip into unknown waters, I'll
|
||
let you know how it was.
|
||
|
||
Fri. 28
|
||
FOLLOW FOR NOW at Louie Louie
|
||
I remember watching the paramedics attend some guy in the crowd for
|
||
the FFN crowd at City Stages last year; do you? Let's go get in the
|
||
crush again.
|
||
|
||
That's it; a short column this time. All dates are subject to change,
|
||
etc. And I have a few comments to make becuase I can:
|
||
|
||
Extending Birmingham Green up 20th Street has irritated me beyond
|
||
expression. Whoever came up with this 'improvement' is heir to a throne
|
||
held by former asses who did such jewels as tear down the train station
|
||
and remodel Morris Avenue so slowly and sloppily that all of the
|
||
business left the street. NOW they're taking the parking and tearing up
|
||
the street in a historic, scenic neighborhood to put up ugly modular/
|
||
kidney-shaped cement curbs and a useless median full of young trees
|
||
while destroying perfectly good trees that the doves and I shall miss.
|
||
Futhermore, they're spending funds to "landscape" the old Joe lot (how
|
||
much money? For lawn for a *vacant lot*?) I want those responsible to
|
||
know, telepathically if necessary because I'm sure they won't read this,
|
||
that I find them despicable, evil, demon-spawn.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
BBS Spotlight
|
||
by Eric Hunt
|
||
|
||
1) Name of the BBS:
|
||
|
||
The Christian Apologetics Board
|
||
|
||
2) Name of the sysop:
|
||
|
||
Jeff Brumlow. Harry Jones, Co-sysop
|
||
|
||
3) BBS software used:
|
||
|
||
Wildcat 3.60
|
||
|
||
4) How long have you been sysoping:
|
||
|
||
1.5 years
|
||
|
||
5) Are you a subscription only / completely free / hybrid of the
|
||
two BBS?
|
||
|
||
We are a completely free access BBS.
|
||
|
||
6) How many incoming phone lines and approximate disk space? Do
|
||
you support high speed modems? If so, what type(s)?
|
||
|
||
We are single node at 808-0763 running at 14.4 bps. We
|
||
have one 130 meg hard drive.
|
||
|
||
7) Is your BBS primarily a files BBS, primarily a message based
|
||
BBS, or a combination of the two?
|
||
|
||
The CAB is primarily a message base system but has a
|
||
growing file base of Christian text and issues files. It also
|
||
serves as a primary distribution point for several Christian
|
||
ministries including my own as pastor of Walkers Chapel
|
||
Baptist Church.
|
||
|
||
8) If you've sysop'd more than just this BBS, briefly list previous
|
||
endeavours and their lifespans.
|
||
|
||
I was the Co-Sysop of the now defunct Old Rugged Cross
|
||
BBS in Dalton, Georgia for 1.5 years.
|
||
|
||
9) What made you decide to take the masochistic plunge and become a
|
||
sysop:
|
||
|
||
I had a spare dollar and was wondering what I could do
|
||
with it...(g)
|
||
|
||
10) What is the general 'thrust' or area of specialty for your BBS:
|
||
|
||
We specialize in providing resources for the Christian
|
||
community of BBSers to defend their faith as well as making
|
||
available material for those who are interested in learning
|
||
more about Christians. In addition, the main thrust of all of
|
||
our conferences are secular debate style conferences in which
|
||
we encourage Christians to participate.
|
||
|
||
11) (optional) What is your regular job/career to support this
|
||
leeching hobby of sysoping?
|
||
|
||
I pastor the Walkers Chapel Baptist Church in
|
||
Fultondale, Al.
|
||
|
||
12) What are your plans for the coming year?
|
||
|
||
I want to expand the hard drive space and BBS speed
|
||
(to 486) in order to accomodate more files and greater
|
||
Flexibility in file areas.
|
||
|
||
13) Where would you like your BBS to go over the next 5 years?
|
||
|
||
I think I am happy with the direction it is going
|
||
right now. We are not a huge BBS but we do have a large number
|
||
of national callers. I want the board to continue and grow as
|
||
a primary output source for several well known and recognized
|
||
Christian ministries and am working toward that end right now.
|
||
|
||
14) What do you feel the highlights of your BBS are?
|
||
|
||
Right now, I think it is the RushNet conferences which
|
||
we carry. They have sparked a lot of interest in the B'ham
|
||
area the last few weeks. Beyond that, I try to support every
|
||
user on the board as best I can no matter what their
|
||
ideological beliefs may be in regard to my own. We try our
|
||
best to be a free thinking BBS for our users.
|
||
|
||
15) What is your personal vision of the 'ideal user?'
|
||
|
||
Someone who is willing to post their own ideas and
|
||
support and defend them, especially when they are not in
|
||
agreement with my own. I enjoy a good, pointed BBS debate and
|
||
really kind of despise preaching to the choir.
|
||
|
||
16) What is the thing you've enjoyed most about providing your BBS?
|
||
|
||
I enjoy the users I have gotten to know. I have very
|
||
little abuse of my board because it doesn't offer the things
|
||
that most consider abuse (file leeching for example.) I have
|
||
friendly relationships with many in the BBS community and
|
||
respect many of the users with whom I debate quite often.
|
||
|
||
17) What is the thing you've enjoyed least about providing your BBS?
|
||
|
||
That spare quarter I had turned out not to be a little
|
||
bit shy.
|
||
|
||
18) What is the funniest story you can tell about your BBS and/or you
|
||
users?
|
||
|
||
I have a program on my board called SHAMpage. It is a
|
||
great little program of artificial intelligence that answers
|
||
anytime someone pages me with a funny, interactive
|
||
conversation. Its quite humorous to see otherwise rational
|
||
human beings respond to this "sysop" for the first time.
|
||
|
||
[EH: I can verify this! In trying to contact Jeff through chat
|
||
on CAB, I encountered SHAMpage twice. I remarked to Scott H.
|
||
later on that I thought I chatted with either a drunk teenager
|
||
or a really bad Eliza AI program!]
|
||
|
||
Here's a space to write a paragraph or two to cover
|
||
any points/details/questions I missed, yet you feel should be
|
||
addressed.
|
||
|
||
As a BBS user I have been known through the years
|
||
(been at it for about five years now) as a fanatical debater
|
||
which has led some people to view me as a mean spirited person
|
||
and because sometimes my wit and humor does not always come
|
||
across that way, that image is re-enforced. Those in the BBS
|
||
community that have met me personally I think at least have
|
||
come away with a different image than the ASCII characters of
|
||
my writing. If there is one thing I regret, it is that many of
|
||
the people who lambast me or my faith because of these
|
||
perceptions may never get to know the person behind the
|
||
letters. That is one thing this medium just does not provide.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Known BBS Numbers For The Birmingham Area
|
||
|
||
|
||
Special note: Sysops, PLEASE check your listing to make sure everything
|
||
is correct, especially the networks. Corrections should be mailed on
|
||
the Matrix to James Minton. (James can also be more speedily reached on
|
||
his own board, Outer Limits.)
|
||
|
||
Also, if anyone has any information about networks listed at the bottom
|
||
with "uncertain at press time", let us know.
|
||
|
||
This issue marks the list-making debut of James Minton. REMEMBER that
|
||
James is your contact man for changes in the listing of your board!
|
||
I'll be using James' list to distribute BTN with, so if you're not on
|
||
it, get on it! - SH
|
||
|
||
|
||
NAME NUMBER BAUD RATES MODEM BBS SOFTWARE
|
||
SUPPORTED TYPE
|
||
|
||
221-B Baker Street 856-7034 1200-2400 VBBS 5.6
|
||
[vi, al]
|
||
ADAnet One (Nodes 1-3) 854-9074 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, fi, ad]
|
||
ADAnet One (Node 4) 854-5863 2400-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, fi, ad]
|
||
Alcatraz BBS 608-0880 300-9600 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[he, vi]
|
||
Alter-Ego BBS 925-5099 1200-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn]
|
||
Asgard 663-9171 300-9600 V.32 WWIV 4.21a
|
||
[ez, al, te]
|
||
Baudville (Node 1) 980-1089 300-2400 Major BBS 6.02
|
||
[none]
|
||
Baudville (Node 2) 991-2095 300-14400 Major BBS 6.02
|
||
[none]
|
||
Baudville (Node 3) 991-9144 300-2400 Major BBS 6.02
|
||
[none]
|
||
Baudville (Node 4) 995-0013 300-2400 Major BBS 6.02
|
||
[none]
|
||
Bone Yard, The 631-6023 300-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[fi, ez]
|
||
Boy's Room 674-8117 300-2400 Wildcat! 3.55
|
||
[none]
|
||
Bus System 987-5419 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
|
||
[none]
|
||
Byte Me! 979-BYTE! 2400-14400 USR HST WWIV 4.12
|
||
[ez, th, al]
|
||
Cannibal Cafe 942-9576 300-2400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[vi, da, he]
|
||
Castle, The 841-7618 300-2400 Image 1.2
|
||
[none]
|
||
Castle Rock 995-9900 1200-19200 VBBS 5.6
|
||
[vi, al, he]
|
||
Channel 8250 (Node 1) 744-8546 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, un]
|
||
Channel 8250 (Node 2) 744-5166 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, un]
|
||
Christian Apologetic 808-0763 1200-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 3.55
|
||
[ez, wi, bc, ru]
|
||
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]
|
||
DataLynx BBS 328-7688 300-2400 WWIV 4.21
|
||
[ez]
|
||
DataWorks BBS! 664-0406 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[un, sm, dv, rf, rs, in]
|
||
Den, The 933-8744 300-9600 USR HST ProLogon/ProDoor
|
||
[ez, mn, il]
|
||
Digital Publishing 854-1660 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat! 3.01
|
||
[pl]
|
||
EcoBBS 933-2238 300-2400 VBBS 5.6
|
||
[al, vi]
|
||
Faction, The 995-2757 1200-14400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
Family Smorgas-Board 744-0943 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, fi, mj, bc, fa, ic, cf, cd, np, ag, ve, ad]
|
||
Final Frontier 838-5634 300-14400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
Flip Side 798-3961 300-2400 Renegade 8.27
|
||
[none]
|
||
Gamer's Online 942-4581 1200-14400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
Genesis Online (Nodes 1-4) 620-4144 300-14400 V.32bis Major BBS 5.3
|
||
[mr]
|
||
Guardian, The 425-1951 1200-9600 V.32bis VBBS 6.0
|
||
[vi, ga]
|
||
Hardeman's BBS 640-6436 1200-14400 Wildcat! 3.51
|
||
[wi, di, bc]
|
||
Hardware Hotline 631-6629 300-14400 V.32/42 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
Headland, The 991-0947 300-14400 V.32bis VBBS 6.0
|
||
[he, vi]
|
||
Highlander BBS 856-9391 300-2400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
Homewood's Hell Hole 870-9067 2400-14440 V.32bis VBBS 5.6
|
||
[he]
|
||
Illuminatus BBS 871-0489 1200-9600 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[vi, al]
|
||
Infinite Probability 791-0421 2400-14400 VBBS 5.6
|
||
[vi, al]
|
||
Intruder Enterprizes 969-0870 300-9600 V.32 VBBS 5.6
|
||
[vi, al]
|
||
Joker's Castle 664-5589 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn, un]
|
||
KickAxis BBS 733-0253 1200-14400 USR DS VBBS 6.0
|
||
[he]
|
||
Last Word 663-4721 300-2400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[sn]
|
||
Lemon Grove 836-1184 300-12000 V.42bis SLBBS 3.0
|
||
[fi, sl]
|
||
Lion & The Unicorn 424-1599 1200-57600 VBBS 5.6
|
||
[ga, al, vi, lo]
|
||
Lumby's Palace 520-0041 300-14400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[he]
|
||
Magic City 664-9883 300-14400 V.42bis Wildcat! 3.55
|
||
[cc, dx, tr, wi]
|
||
Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300-14400 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn]
|
||
MATRIX, The (Nodes 1-14) 323-2016 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
||
MATRIX, The (Nodes 20-23) 323-6016 9600-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
||
MATRIX, The (Node 25-26) 458-3449 9600-14400 V.32bis PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
||
MetaBoard 854-4814 300-14400 USR DS Opus CBCS 1.73
|
||
[fi, ad]
|
||
MetroMac BBS 323-6306 300-2400 TeleFinder 3.0
|
||
[none]
|
||
Milliways BBS 956-3177 1200-14440 V.32 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[he, vi, al]
|
||
Missing Link 853-1257 300-16800 USR DS C-Net Amiga 2.31
|
||
[none]
|
||
Neon Moon 477-5894 300-14400 TriBBS 4.0
|
||
[dx]
|
||
Night Watch 841-2790 1200-14400 USR DS TriBBS 4.01
|
||
[cc, tr, di, fi, ez, ab]
|
||
Nirvana 942-6702 300-14400 V.32bis VBBS 6.0
|
||
[al, vi, at, rp]
|
||
Outer Limits (Node 1) 425-5871 1200-14400 USR HST Wildcat! 3.60
|
||
[fi, do, ec, pn]
|
||
Outer Limits (Node 2) 426-2939 1200-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 3.60
|
||
[fi, do, ec, pn]
|
||
Owlabama BBS 856-2521 1200-14400 GTPower 17.06
|
||
[gt, ez, mn, cc, tr, sc, ab]
|
||
Owl's Nest 680-0851 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[ez, mn]
|
||
Party Line 856-1336 300-14000 V.32bis TriBBS 4.0
|
||
[cc, tr, di]
|
||
Penny Arcade 699-4625 300-2400 Running Force! 3.75
|
||
[none]
|
||
Playground 681-5070 2400-14000 V.32 TriBBS 4.0
|
||
[tr, di, cc, ez, al, fr]
|
||
Posys BBS 854-5131 300-9600 V.32 PCBoard
|
||
[none]
|
||
Quiet Zone 833-2066 300-2400 ExpressNet
|
||
[none]
|
||
Razor's Edge 995-0412 1200-2400 VBBS 5.6
|
||
[he, al]
|
||
Safe Harbor (Node 1) 665-4332 300-2400 GTPower 17.06
|
||
[gt, ez, mn, il]
|
||
Safe Harbor (Node 2) 665-4355 300-14400 USR DS GTPower 17.06
|
||
[gt, ez, mn, il]
|
||
Sam's Domain 956-2757 1200-14400 VBBS 6.0
|
||
[da, he]
|
||
Safety BBS 581-2866 300-2400 RBBS-PC 17.4
|
||
[none]
|
||
Sperry BBS 853-6144 300-2400 V.32/42bis PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[none]
|
||
ST BBS 836-9311 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
|
||
[ez]
|
||
StarBase 12 647-7184 300-2400 TriBBS 4.0
|
||
[ez, mn]
|
||
Teasers 987-0122 300-2400 WWIV 4.21
|
||
[al]
|
||
Thy Master's Dungeon 940-2116 300-57600 V.32/42bis PCBoard 14.5
|
||
[fr]
|
||
Torch Song 328-1517 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat 3.6
|
||
[pr, se, st, do]
|
||
Venus BBS 424-2872 300-2400 WWIV 4.22
|
||
[cy, te, al]
|
||
Weekends BBS 841-8583 2400-16800 USR DS Wildcat! 3.6
|
||
[none]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 1) 664-9902 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
||
[or]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 2) 664-9903 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
||
[or]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 3) 664-9895 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
||
[or]
|
||
Willie's DYM (Node 4) 664-9896 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
||
[or]
|
||
Ziggy Unix BBS 991-5696 300-1200 UNaXess
|
||
[none]
|
||
|
||
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
|
||
ag = AgapeNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
||
al = AlaNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
||
an = Annex Network, uncertain at press time
|
||
at = AdultNet, a national network, adult-oriented
|
||
bc = BCBNet, a local network, religion-oriented
|
||
bh = BhamTalk, a local network, multi-topic
|
||
cc = City2City, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
cd = CDN, a national Christian network for file distribution
|
||
cf = CFN, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
||
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
|
||
ez = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network
|
||
fa = FamilyNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
fi = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
fr = FredNet, a regional network, political discussion
|
||
ga = GameNet, a local network, uncertain at press time
|
||
gl = GlobalLink, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
gt = GTNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
he = HellNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
||
ic = ICDM, an international Christian network, multi-topic
|
||
il = ILink, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
ic = Intelec, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
in = InterNet, an international network, linking businesses,
|
||
universities, and bbs', multi-topic
|
||
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
|
||
np = NPN, a national network for new parents
|
||
or = OraNet, a national E-mail network
|
||
pl = PlanoNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
pn = PoliceNet, an international network, law-enforcement only
|
||
pr = PrideNet, a local homosexually oriented network
|
||
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
|
||
rp = RPGnet, a local network for role-playing games
|
||
rs = RoseNet, a national network, technically oriented
|
||
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
|
||
st = StudsNet, a national network, homosexually oriented
|
||
te = TECHnet, a local network, hardware and utility oriented
|
||
th = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented
|
||
tr = TriBBS Net, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
un = Uni'Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
ve = VETLink, a national network for military veterans
|
||
vi = VirtualNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
wi = WildNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
||
ww = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
||
|
||
In case you hadn't heard, this month's list was compiled by someone new.
|
||
I am James Minton, Sysop of The Outer Limits BBS. So if you find any errors
|
||
then blame me and not Scott! :) If you are a Sysop and would like to have
|
||
your board added to the list, or need some changes made to your listing,
|
||
drop me a message on The Matrix, or a Sysop comment on my board.
|
||
|
||
NOTE: Bert's BBS at 424-2872 has changed it's name to Venus BBS but stayed
|
||
at the same phone number.
|
||
|
||
The following BBSs appeared to be down or malfunctioning when I tried to
|
||
verify them. If you have any information on their status, please let me
|
||
know.
|
||
|
||
The Faction Hardeman's BBS Highlander BBS
|
||
Last Word Lion & Unicorn Razor's Edge
|
||
|
||
The following BBSs were dropped from the list since we weren't able to
|
||
verify them for 60 days or more.
|
||
|
||
Cow's Head Frat House Hacker's Corner
|
||
Hoots with Owls Sleepy Hollow
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|