The Illustrated Mac (919) 639-6611 Never A Charge For Access The Illustrated Mac runs state-of-the-art FirstClass BBS software. What is FirstClass? Have you ever used the graphical interface to America Online? CompuServe? If so, you have an idea of what FirstClass is like. It provides a CUSTOMIZED graphical interface for callers to The Illustrated Mac. No other BBS in America can look like The Illustrated Mac. Full 8-bit, 256 color windows (in the Macintosh client). Customized icons that give a graphical representation of the conference or file area that the icon is assigned to (both Macintosh and Windows clients). This isn't "RIP" graphics....the exceedingly slow process whereby ANSI is used to emulate a color graphics program. This is a program that uses local (i.e., on YOUR hard drive) resources to form a graphical representation of a text-based bulletin board system. You can hear sounds online. You can see true pictures online. You can MULTITASK online. FirstClass allows simultaneous uploading, downloading, chatting, browsing, message reading and replying when using the Macintosh or Windows clientware. You're only limited by your own ability to multitask, not your computer's. Where can you get the Macintosh or Windows clientware? On The Illustrated Mac, of course! It's FREE! You can access the system through the command line interface (be forewarned: it doesn't work like TAG or WWIV...read the Help files) to download the clientware on your first call! After that, you get 45 minutes online per day FREE. Well, so much for the LOOK of The Illustrated Mac. What about the CONTENT? If you're looking for files (other than Macintosh) or games, TIM isn't for you. The modest file section consists almost exclusively of Macintosh software, supplemented by the newest version of the GIGAROM CD, containing over 1 Gig of Macware. What few IBM programs are there are programs that allow IBMers to interact with the Macintosh world. You can find the latest version of QModem on dozens of Triangle boards. Ditto for TradeWars. But if you like COMMUNICATING with other people, The Illustrated Mac *is* the place for you! TIM has a wide selection of local conferences, conferences from the Raleigh Fido-based TAG network, a large selection of OneNet conferences (OneNet is an exclusively-FirstClass network comprised of over 600 FirstClass BBSes from all over the world), and even LIMITED INTERNET ACCESS! Yes, TIM carries all triangle domain UseNet groups, as well as some selected alt domain newsgroups. You can also send and receive Inter net e-mail at TIM. To get an Internet address and "posting" access to newsgroups, you need to leave a note to Con Gratulations (TIM's sysop) when you visit. Without an Internet address, you can read UseNet groups, but don't have "Posting" access to them. Future plans are for even more OneNet conferences, UseNet newsgroups, national Fido echoes, and membership in a quality adult-only network, as well as expanded file areas. BYTE Magazine says FirstClass is truly FIRST CLASS bulletin board software. The Illustrated Mac is the only public-access Raleigh FirstClass bulletin board. Please stop by and give it a try! (919) 639-6611 in Angier.