ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º º ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ º ɼ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ º º Û ÜÜÜ Û Û ÜÜÜ Û Û ÜÜÜÜÛ Û ÜÜÜÜÛ Û ÜÜÜ Û º ɼ Û ÜÜÜÜÛ Û ÜÜÜ Û ÛÜÜÜÜ Û Û ÛÜÜÜÜ Û ÛÜÛ Û º º ÛÜÛ ÛÜÛ ÛÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ º º º º ÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ º Éͼ Û ÜÜ ÛÜ Û ÜÜ ÛÜ Û ÜÜÜÜÛ º º Û ÜÜÜ Û Û ÜÜÜ Û ÛÜÜÜÜ Û º ɼ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ º º º ÉÍͼ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜ ÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÉÍÍͼ º Û Ü Ü Û Û ÜÜÜ Û Û ÜÜÜÜÛ Û ÜÜÜ Û ÛÜÜÜ ÜÛ ÛÜ ÜÛ Û ßÛÛ Û Û ÜÜÜÜÛ º ɼ Û Û Û Û Û ÜÜÜ Û Û ÛÜÜ Û Û ÜÜÜ Û ÜÛßÜÛÛÜ ÜÛ ÛÜ Û ÛÜß Û Û ÜÜÜÛÜ º ɼ ÛÜÛßÛÜÛ ÛÜÛ ÛÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ ÛÜÛ ÛÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÛ ÛÜÛßÛÜÛ ÛÜÜÜÜÜÛ º ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÊÍÍÍ» º January 1997 Volume 5 Number 1 º ÇÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄĶ º Board of Trade BBS New Port Richey, Florida (813) 862-4772 º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ In This Issue ------------- þ Special Fourth Anniversary Issue - Four Years of the Pasco BBS Magazine þ Nels Anderson's Arcanum Computing þ Computer Basics - Written by Ed Garwood þ What is a ZIP File? þ The latest news, humor and more! + + + + + Editor's Welcome ---------------- Has it really been four years since the first issue of the Pasco BBS Magazine was released the day after Christmas in 1992? Sometimes it seems like only yesterday and, yes, sometimes it seems more like forty years. Thanks are due to all those who have helped make it possible (you know who you are)! Thanks also to the faithful readers and the occasional readers too! It has been an incredible run. Thank you! This is a Special Fourth Anniversary Issue and we do reflect back on the past year. We take a look at Nels Anderson's Arcanum Computing and include some comments from the popular Shareware author. Ed Garwood continues his very informative Computer Basics series and BBS Basics returns with an updated version of What is a Zip file? There is also another extraction from the on- line humor magazine ROTFL! Digest. In this issue, I insinuate that this magazine will be around for some time to come. After I wrote that, I did slip into the old "why am I doing this" syndrome. It made me think how vulnerable this publication really is. An on- line magazine, software company, or anything else that is primarily the creation of a single individual, does have a high level of vulnerability. Whether it be health problems, changes in priorities, or changes in attitude, such creations are susceptible to an unexpected and unexplained demise. There are things that can increase the odds of survival, such as receiving articles from readers of the magazine. I know sometimes it sounds like a broken record, but it would be great to receive more articles from other people. But, I guess that is enough of that type of stuff. This issue, and next month's Special Fiftieth Issue, are celebrations of the Pasco BBS Magazine. And yes, there is much to celebrate. I am proud of what has been accomplished and remain optimistic about the future of the Pasco BBS Magazine. I am very grateful to those who have helped over the years. It has been a humbling experience. Thanks for reading and best of luck in the new year. + + + + + ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ PASCO BBS MAGAZINE ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ Tampa Bay's Oldest Free On-line Magazine! ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ EDITOR: Richard Ziegler ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ HOME BBS: Board of Trade BBS (813) 862-4772 ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ World Wide Web Home Page: http://www.sanctum.com/pasco ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ + + + + + Four Years of the Pasco BBS Magazine ------------------------------------ This issue begins the fifth year of publication for the Pasco BBS Magazine. That means before we forge ahead, it is a time to reflect. In this article we'll continue the tradition of briefly looking back at the history of this publication, with the emphasis placed on the previous year. We will thank those who have helped make it possible for the magazine to enjoy a fourth anniversary. It should be noted that previous anniversary issues have gone into great detail about this magazine, so this article does not intend to rehash everything that has happened over the last four years. The very first issue of the Pasco BBS Magazine was released on December 26, 1992 and it has been published every month since. Forty-nine straight months have made this "Tampa Bay's oldest free on-line magazine." In fact, there is only one publication in the state, a free on-line magazine out of Jacksonville, which has been around longer. The January 1996 issue kicked off the fourth year of publication with a bang. I attempted to log into every BBS in west Pasco County and presented my findings in an article titled "Pasco BBS Tour." The article was promoted as not just an article, but an event, the first ever Pasco BBS Tour. It was also called the most detailed look at our local on-line community ever published. It was quite an undertaking, one which will undoubtedly never be attempted again, at least by me. That article generated the most feedback of 1996. I pulled no punches and was left with a negative impression of some systems, an impression I had no problem sharing with readers of the magazine. Actually, considering some of what was written, I was surprised that there were not more negative comments about the Pasco BBS Tour. The positive feedback outnumbered the negative by a 2-1 ratio. No system operator took up the offer of rebutting what was written in the article. Some of the other highlights of the past year included an exclusive interview with Kathy and Michael Sussell, the system operators of New York City's Invention Factory BBS. The March issue was our second Special Gaming Issue and the Complete Shareware Gaming Catalog, which was now a separate file, looked at over 250 of the most popular Shareware games. In April, a series of articles began called "Computer Basics," which were written by local computer club activist Ed Garwood. That issue also featured a couple of comments from readers. John Zagar sent along an article called "Remembering Computers," which sort of became the theme for the July issue. In August, the last in a long series of articles written by Paul Pollack was published. Paul has written some wonderful pieces, which have run in the magazine over the last couple of years. Paul moved on to other projects, but I would imagine we have not heard the last of him. The September issue was related to gambling and computer related gambling programs and was called a "Special Gamble 'zine Issue." Throughout the year, we continued to run extractions from ROTFL! Digest, an on-line humor magazine. What remains the biggest surprise and disappointment about this publication? The fact that so few people contribute to the magazine. I would publish virtually anything computer related, so people could generate some publicity for their endeavors. I am so thankful to those who do contribute, but am surprised that more people do not. Considering how long I have been at this, I guess I should not be surprised any longer. I guess it would not be an anniversary issue without me mentioning this frustration. What about the future? There is no reason to believe that the Pasco BBS Magazine will not be around for some time to come. A fifth anniversary issue, a tenth anniversary issue, who knows. It is hard to say. As long as I'm living in this area, and running a hobby BBS, the magazine should be published each month. Thanks again to everyone who has made it all possible. + + + + + ÕÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑѸ ÆØØØØØØØØØØØ Board of Trade BBS ØØØØØØØØØص ÆØØØØØØØØØ New Port Richey, Florida ØØØØØØØص ÆØØØØØØØ (813) 862-4772 ØØØØØص ÆØØØØØ FidoNet: 1:3619/10 ØØØص ÆØØØ Øص ÆØ The Hobby BBS for the Entire Family! ص ³ ³ ³ Pasco County's Information Source ³ ³ Home of the Pasco BBS Magazine, DA BUCS and BBS Basics ³ ³ ³ ³ Call here FIRST for the BEST in Shareware ³ ³ Official Distribution Site for the Most Popular Authors ³ ÆØ Øµ ÆØØØ Supporting the Local Computer Community ØØص ÆØØØØØ Local Author Support File Directory ØØØØص ÆØØØØØØØ Official Support BBS for Pasco ComPats Computer Club ØØØØØØص ÆØØØØØØØØØ ØØØØØØØص ÆØØØØØØØØØØØ Member: AOP and EFF ØØØØØØØØØص ÔÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏϾ + + + + + Nels Anderson's Arcanum Computing --------------------------------- In the first issue of the Pasco BBS Magazine, popular Shareware author Nels Anderson was featured in an exclusive interview. Born in Connecticut, Nels Anderson moved to Massachusetts following graduation from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1978. He had jobs at Honeywell and Prime Computer, where he worked with Dan Linton and Dick Olsen, before going into Shareware/BBSing on a full-time basis in 1989. He released his first game Mah Jongg in 1987 and today, under the name Arcanum Computing, he has an entire line of Shareware Games. This article looks at the programs in the Arcanum Computing collection, along with a peek at his home page on the World Wide Web and his Xevious BBS. Some comments from Nels Anderson, extracted from the January 1993 issue of the Pasco BBS Magazine, have been included. GAME: Cipher, Cipher For Windows INITIAL RELEASE: Cipher 1990, Cipher for Windows 1991 ABSTRACT: Cipher is a crypt-quotes type word puzzle game, similar to the puzzles that have appeared in newspapers for years in a variety of forms. A crypto-quote is where a phrase is written with one letter of the alphabet being substituted for another, forming a cipher. As its name implies, Cipher and Cipher For Windows are computerized versions of these puzzles. One problem with working a cipher on paper is that the trial and error involved just wears out the paper. A computer screen is much better for this task. With Cipher it's easy to try different letters, erase the ones that don't seem to work, start over from scratch and so on. Another problem with printed puzzles is that if you get stuck your only alternative is to look at the answer. With Cipher, you can get hints that will help you along without giving everything away. You have your choice of just how much help you want to get. Over 200 quotations are included with the registered game and additional puzzle collections are available. COMMENTS FROM NELS ANDERSON: "Very few game ideas are totally original and that's been the case with all my games. Cipher was taken right out of the newspaper puzzle section." GAME: Dragons Bane: Mah Jongg II INITIAL RELEASE: 1995 ABSTRACT: This is a second generation version of the popular and addictive solitaire tile game Mah Jongg. Dragons Bane takes only a few minutes to learn to play, but winning is always a challenge. It is easy to play and filled with features. The game supports SVGA and VGA graphics, plus SoundBlaster and other sound cards. It includes many tile sets plus an editor to make your own. The program includes different board layouts and an editor for layouts too. GAME: EGATrek INITIAL RELEASE: 1988 ABSTRACT: Even back in the early days of computers there were computer games. EGATrek is an updated version of one of the very first computer games. It plays the same, as those who experienced the original minicomputer versions will agree, but it has graphics updated for the '90's. EGATrek puts you in command of a starship in a battle to save the galaxy. A large invasion fleet has arrived and you alone are responsible for fighting off the invaders in your quadrant. You'll be kept busy figuring out battle strategy as you go from encounter to encounter. In addition, you'll need to find star bases to re-supply your ship. You may be called on to make rescues of other ships or planets. And you must do it all as quickly as possible without running out of fuel or getting your ship destroyed. This challenge has kept players coming back since the earliest days of computing. The game can be played at five difficulty levels, to suit the beginner or the expert. The highest level has been set to be almost unbeatable but expert players have been able to do it...maybe you can be one of them! COMMENTS FROM NELS ANDERSON: "EGATrek was inspired by the classic minicomputer game, one of the first computer games ever, that I've traced back at least as far as 1971." GAME: Mah Jongg INITIAL RELEASE: 1987 ABSTRACT: Since its original release Mah Jongg has proven to be a very popular and even addictive solitaire game. It is very easy to learn to play, but always a challenge to win. All that is required is finding matching pairs of tiles from the selection placed face up on the playing surface. The game comes complete with a tile editor utility called Tile Maker that lets you create your own tile sets or edit an existing sets. In this way you can have your own customized version of this classic game. COMMENTS FROM NELS ANDERSON: "Mah Jongg was a computer game long before I did my version, though I did not know of any version for MS-DOS PCs when I first did mine. I guess Mah Jongg is still my favorite. Partially because it was my first, but also since it's one of the few games that I can play myself. One disadvantage of programming games is that the ones you create are often not much fun to play, since you already know all the tricks! The game was actually a combined learning experience rather than something that was originally intended as a product. I was trying to learn PCs, the C programming language, and how EGA graphics worked, all at the same time. My tinkering gradually developed into my Mah Jongg solitaire game." GAME: Second Guess INITIAL RELEASE: 1993 ABSTRACT: Concentration solitaire is easy to play, but it is a good test of your memory. Starting with a board of tile pairs placed face down you must find the matching pairs. However, Second Guess is more than just a standard concentration solitaire game. It can be played competitively by two to four players, or you can play against the computer. Second Guess includes a tile editor. GAME: Shih Dao INITIAL RELEASE: 1994 ABSTRACT: Shih Dao is a Windows based tile strategy game, which challenges the player to earn points by placing tiles of the same color or pattern next to each other. Built in hints can help you place tiles and players can look ahead at upcoming tiles to plan future moves. There is also graphical online help. Careful play will get you a high score, while careless moves will bring the game to a quick end. Finding four way matches will rack up the points. GAME: Shooting Gallery INITIAL RELEASE: 1990 ABSTRACT: Shooting Gallery is a combination of target shooting games using colorful graphics and sound effects. Seven different rounds of shooting fun are included! From the arcade shooting range where its name comes from to skeet shooting to quick draw, Shooting Gallery has something for everyone. There's even a wild west shootout in the final round where you must pick off the bad guys. COMMENTS FROM NELS ANDERSON: "Shooting Gallery was suggested by a friend, though the real life shooting ranges it represents have been around for a long time." GAME: SuperFly INITIAL RELEASE: 1991 ABSTRACT: The flies have invaded your house, along with a host of other insect pests. In SuperFly, you must use strategy plus quick reflexes to eliminate the insect menace! SuperFly includes 20 different levels, each of which requires a different strategy to complete. Armed with fly swatters and other objects you find during play you must swat your way around the house until you can get the Super Fly. COMMENTS FROM NELS ANDERSON: "SuperFly is actually an updated version of another pre-PC era computer game. Where I worked we had a programmable computer terminal (the screen and keyboard you use when connected to a minicomputer) and this terminal could play exactly one game: 'Fly.' The terminal did not support graphics, so the flies were just asterisks. A very simple game, it was still very addictive and many lunch hours were spent moving the cursor around swatting asterisks. SuperFly is a graphical version of basically the same game, though with multiple rounds, different bug types and other obstacles a lot has been added to the original concept." GAME: Tile Match INITIAL RELEASE: 1992 ABSTRACT: Tile Match is a solitaire game that makes a great companion for Mah Jongg solitaire. It's based on concentration solitaire (also known as memory solitaire) and uses the same tile sets as Mah Jongg. The game is simple to play. You start with a group of tiles placed face down and the object is to find matching pairs as you turn the tiles over two at a time. Different board sizes and number of identical tiles make for a game that can be as easy or as difficult as you wish. It is not just solitaire either, it can be played by two to four players, or you can play against the computer. The game comes complete with a tile editor utility called Tile Maker that lets you create your own tile sets or edit an existing sets. NELS ANDERSON'S HOME PAGE URL: http://www.ultranet.com/~nels ABSTRACT: Nels Anderson's Home Page on the World Wide Web features information on Arcanum Computing and the latest versions of all the programs can be download there. He is also a fan of flight simulators and writes a column for MicroWINGS Magazine. The home page contains plenty of information on flight simulators, general aviation and weather resources, and contains links to related sites. COMMENTS FROM NELS ANDERSON: "One of my favorite activities is flight sims, and I started and am currently the host of the RelayNet (or RIME) flight sim conference. I still love playing computer games or using Microsoft Flight Simulator. In fact, a year ago I got my pilot's license--I needed an excuse to get out of the house more often, since spending a lot of time at home can be a disadvantage at times." XEVIOUS BBS TELEPHONE NUMBER: (508) 788-6951 ABSTRACT: The Xevious BBS, located in Framingham, Massachusetts, is a full service bulletin board system offering over 20,000 MS-DOS and Windows files plus some 100 messages conferences, including RelayNet conferences. Xevious has been in operation since 1983 and Nels Anderson has been Sysop since 1985. The board is the support BBS for Arcanum Computer and specializes in flight simulators and aviation, with one of the best collections of such files to be found in any one place. Currently over 2,300 files on this topic are available for download. Xevious also has an exclusive collection of aviation photos available in the Xevious Aviation Gallery. COMMENTS FROM NELS ANDERSON: "The original Xevious was started by another fellow way back in 1983 and was located in Needham, Massachusetts. It was my favorite BBS. When he announced he was shutting down I talked it over with some of the other regular users and ended up buying the system from him and eventually moving it to my home in Framingham. It's been here since mid-1985. Originally the system was run on Apple II's, which is what I and all my friends had in the early 1980's. When my Shareware business got going I converted the BBS to MS-DOS computers and it's grown like crazy, right along with my Shareware business." + + + + + ***************************************************************************** ATTENTION to Details BBS Clint Bradford, KE6LCS - Sysop Mira Loma, California BBS (909) 681-6221 BBS Excellence...Across the Board!(sm) Voice Support (909) 681-6210 Supporting BBS Member: AOP - Association of Online Professionals ASP - Association of Shareware Professionals EFF - Electronic Frontier Foundation ESC - Educational Software Cooperative NCSA - National Computer Security Association Message Networks: MustangNet USNet CoveNet Internet MysticNet ILink HamRadioNet Official Bulletin Station of the ARRL - American Radio Relay League ATTENTION to Details BBS is managed in compliance with the AOP and NCSA Codes of Professional Standards ***************************************************************************** + + + + + Computer Basics --------------- Written by Ed Garwood, Hudson, FL Deleting Files Volume in drive A has no label Volume Serial Number is 3920-15EC Directory of A:\ POINTER 10-27-96 9:23a SIMPLE TXT 4,659 10-29-96 2:20p SIMPLE2 TXT 4,659 10-29-96 2:20p SIMPLE3 TXT 4,659 10-29-96 2:20p BAD FILE TXT 4,659 10-29-96 2:21p BAD FILE 001 4,659 10-29-96 2:21p BAD FILE 002 4,659 10-29-96 2:21p DELETING TXT 4,659 10-29-96 2:23p NOGOOD3 TXT 961 10-27-96 9:09a DIR TXT 0 10-29-96 2:27p NOGOOD TXT 961 10-27-96 9:09a NOGOOD2 TXT 961 10-27-96 9:09a 12 file(s) 35,496 bytes 267,264 bytes free At one time or another, we find the need to delete one or more files from either our hard drive, or from a floppy disk. If it is a simple "run of the Mill" file, it should prove no problem. However, not all files are simple, and therefore do become problems. But, let's take the simple case first. Let's assume we have a file called "SIMPLE.TXT" on an A Drive Floppy. Go to the A Drive, and type DEL SIMPLE.TXT and press ENTER The file will probably disappear from the A Drive directory list. (If it doesn't, and you get an Error message, it was NOT a simple file, and we'll discuss that a little later. BUT, suppose you only use WINDOWS, not DOS. OK. Put the floppy in the A Drive, and Open up FILE MANAGER in Windows, and click on A (upper left corner of window). This will display the directory list of the A Drive floppy. Click on the file to be deleted. This will highlight that file. Click on FILE. Now click on DELETE. The DELETE window will open, displaying the name of the file you have highlighted. If you agree with the filename, click on OK. The CONFIRM DELETION box will now appear and ask you if you want to delete the file whose name appears. If you agree, click on YES. Now you can close the File Manager Box and go about your business. You may also wish to stop and reflect on why I prefer the simple commands of DOS to the long rigmarole of Windows. Now for the "Not so Simple" cases involving Error Messages. One of the most common error messages is "Access Denied." Why are you denied access to your own files, you wonder. Well, for one reason or another, some files are protected by something we call an ATTRIBUTE. Attributes are "System", "Hidden", or "Read Only." There are many reasons for attributes, some good, and some not so good. But, they are a fact of Life in computers. So, we must live with them. For instance, I have made my AUTOEXEC.BAT file, CONFIG.SYS file, and all of my DOS commands "Read Only" so I do not accidently delete them. Hidden files and System files have to do with the proper operation of your computer and its operating system. Hence, it is most unlikely that you may wish to delete them. If in doubt, DON'T. So, the file you have been unable to delete probably has a "Read Only" attribute. Assume you have a file named "NOGOOD.TXT" which you are unable to delete. At the prompt, type ATTRIB A:\NOGOOD.TXT and press ENTER and the screen will display the message: A R A:\NOGOOD.TXT The R means "Read Only," to remove the R attribute, just type ATTRIB A:\NOGOOD.TXT -R and press ENTER The Read Only attribute has been removed, and you may now delete the file. To do this in Windows, go to File Manager, click on A Drive, and in the file menu, choose the file. Then click on File and Click on Properties. This will bring up the properties window. At the bottom of this window are four boxes, marked Read Only, Archive, Hidden, and System respectively. There will probably be a "X" in the "Archive" box, which is normal. If there is a "X" in any other box, the file has that attribute. For instance, if there is a "X" in the Read Only box, the file is a read only file. To remove the read only attribute, put your mouse arrow on that box and click. The "X" will disappear. You may now delete that file. Another error message will say "Unable to find file." Either you have not spelled the file name (or the extension) correctly, or the file name is flawed. The latter situation occurs when you have a file name with a space in it. For instance, BAD FILE.TXT is a flawed file name because of the space between BAD and FILE, which is a definite NO-NO. There are two possible remedies here. In one case, rename the file by typing a "?" in the space. For instance, in DOS, type: REN BAD?FILE.TXT BADFILE.TXT and press Enter and then proceed to delete BADFILE.TXT. Or, you can type: DEL BAD?FILE.TXT and press ENTER In either case, the "?" acts as a 'wild card' entry as part of the file name. NOTE: Deleting BAD?FILE.TXT will work in Windows, BUT, renaming BAD?FILE.TXT cannot be done in WINDOWS You may delete a block of files all at once. For instance, if you have BADFILE1.TXT, BADFILE2.TXT and BADFILE3.TXT, you can delete BADFILE?.TXT and delete all three at once. Or, you could say Delete *.TXT which would delete ALL files with the .TXT extension. Be careful in this case and make certain that you do not inadvertently include a .TXT file which you do NOT want to delete. Editor's Note: Look for another installment of Computer Basics in next month's issue. Ed Garwood may be contacted by leaving a message on the Board of Trade BBS at (813) 862-4772. He is also active in the Pasco ComPats Computer Club. The club meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month at the New Port Richey City Council Chambers at the intersection of Main and Madison Streets in New Port Richey, Florida. For more information about the Pasco ComPats Computer Club, contact club President Robert Donbar at (813) 863-3963. + + + + + ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º º º ßÛß ÛßßÛ ÛßßÛ Ûßßß ÛßÛ Ûßßß ÛßßÛ ÛßßÛ ÛßßÛ ßßÛßß Û Û ÛßÛßÛ º º Û Û Û Û Û Ûß ÛßßÛ ßßßÛ ÛßßÛ Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û º º ßßß ß ß ß ß ßßßß ß ß ßßßß ß ß ß ß ßßßß ß ßßßß ß ß º º º º ÛßÛ ÛßÛ Ûßßß º º ÛßßÛ ÛßßÛ ßßßÛ º º ßßßß ßßßß ßßßß º º º º Since 1985 - Pasco County's Oldest BBS º º º º Sysops - Rob & Carolyn Marlowe º º º º Popular Chat Board, On-Line Games, CD-ROMS, Internet, FidoNet º º º º Ten Lines - (813) 848-6055 Voice - (813) 845-0893 º º º º telenet: sanctum.com º º º º READ THE PASCO BBS MAGAZINE AT: http://www.sanctum.com/pasco º º º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ + + + + + ROTFL! ------ Computer humor courtesy of Sandy Illes The Way You Post E-Mail Reveals Your Personality (c)1995 Sandy Illes After years of scientific study and several minutes of profound thought, it has now been conclusively proven that the way you post e-mail reveals your personality! Why sit back and let others do the analyzing when you, too, can become a noted net psychologist? Lesson 1 Sample: Were r all the warez, d00d? The person who wrote this is obviously a pathetic teenager who desperately needs a girlfriend, a life, and some spelling lessons. If you try to tell him that, he will respond by insulting your mother, calling you a fag, and threatening to upload a virus to your computer. In reality, he knows as much about viruses as, say, your cat - but he talks a good game of scare tactics. Lesson 2 Sample: I need a copy of [insert name of commercial program here]. This person is a lamer pirate, oblivious to the fact that large corporations (such as those that make commercial software) and government agencies regularly surf the nets. He knows as much about software as he does about discretion. Lesson 3 Sample: [in a non-tech conference] Help! My modem doesn't work. While it is easy to pity someone whose modem doesn't work, it behooves me to ask: Exactly how did he get online without a modem? The fact that he was unable to read the conference name before posting a message to the entire free world makes me wonder if he even belongs online in the first place. This person probably took a week to find the turbo key on his computer and still doesn't know how to set his VCR. Never, ever, ask him any hardware questions because he will - God help you - try to answer them. Lesson 4 Sample: So what are you wearing right now? This person is so incredibly lonely - not to even mention ugly -that he has to flirt with every person whose name sounds female. While he sits at the keyboard telling the object of his affection how good looking, smart, and talented he is, it's easy for him to forget that the recipient is probably some dorky 13-year-old boy who has chosen a female alias for a quick thrill. The only way to deal with people like this is to tell them where to find the x-rated GIF's. Lesson 5 Sample: Why don't you just shut up, idiot? This person, fresh from Charm School, wants attention and is willing to become flamebait to make sure he gets noticed. The only way to deal with rude people like this is to find out who they really are, track them down, and shoot them like the dogs they are. Lesson 6 Sample: You're false christian (sic) scum. You have just met Steve Winter, Fidonet's most intolerant and verbally abusive resident moderator. There is no way to deal with him so just forget it and move along to another conference. Lesson 7 Sample: What kind of crap is this, you dumb etc., etc., etc. This person is obviously starved for attention and will do anything to get it. Never mind that the kind of attention is along the lines of "Do you EAT with that mouth???" he's happy that he's not being ignored. The best way to deal with him is to introduce him to Steve Winter. Lesson 8 Sample: If you connect your modem to your food processor and set it to puree, you can connect to the Internet for free. This works best if you use a null modem cable and say 10 Hail Marys while making the sign of the Spam. This person is not in touch with reality. If they were, it would be even scarier for you. Ignoring them will not make them go away - the best thing you can do is reply and tell them that Elvis speaks to you through your toaster. The key is to be weirder than they are. Lesson 9 Sample: Why does Michael Jackson shop at K-Mart? Because boy's pants are half off. Hahahahahaaaahahahahaaaaaa While this person thinks he is funny, in fact, he is telling the oldest net- joke known to man. Another variation is "What did Jeffrey Dahmer say to Lorena Bobbitt?" This person deserves to be flamed, not just because his jokes are prehistoric, but because he should have read backwards in the conference for 5 messages and then he could have seen his joke. Probably more than once. Ignoring him will not make him go away so your only recourse is a quick and clever flame. Editor's Note: Thank you to ROTFL Digest!, and its editor Sandy Illes for allowing the above to be reprinted from a prior issue of the on-line humor magazine. ROTFL Digest! is published by Access Media Systems, which may be contacted at (905) 847-7143, or (905) 847-7362. You may also email Sandy Illes at sandyi@pathcom.com, or visit their home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.pathcom.com/~sandyi. + + + + + EFF Quote of the Month ---------------------- "Democracy is not a spectator sport." - Craig Wilson Editor's Note: The Electronic Frontier Foundation Quote of the Month is a collection of the wittiest and stupidest, most sublime and most inane comments ever said about cryptography, civil liberties, networking, government, privacy, and more. For more information on the Electronic Frontier Foundation, contact the EFF via the Internet, phone, fax, or US Mail. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, 1001 G Street NW, Suite 950 E, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 347-5400 (voice), (202) 393-5509 (fax), (202) 638-6119 (BBS), Internet: ask@eff.org. + + + + + ²²²²± ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²²²²²²± ²²± ²²± ²²²²± THE NEWS ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²²± ²²± ²²± ²± ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²± DIRECTORY ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²²²±²²± ²²±²± ²²± ²²± ²²²± ²²± ²²± ²²±²²²²± ²²²²± ²²±²±²²± ²²²± A brief look ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²²± ²²±²± ²²²²²²²± ²²²± at some of ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²± ²²± ²± ²²²±²²²± ²²± ²²± the news of ²²²²± ²²± ²± ²²± ²²± ²²²²²²²± ²²± ²²± ²²²²± the month The Tampa Tribune's site on the World Wide Web was named "Best Media Page of 1996" by Windows magazine in their December issue. This site may be accessed at http://www.tampatrib.com. The Tampa Tribune began Tampa Bay Online, an area on the Prodigy commercial service, in August of 1994. They launched their World Wide Web efforts this past July. On December 6, the Supreme Court justices voted to review the controversial Communications Decency Act. Two judicial panels have declared the new law unconstitutionally vague, however, the Supreme Court granted an appeal by the Clinton Administration to review the case at the highest level. A ruling is not expected until next July. A recent survey found that the 36 million United States households hooked into the Internet make up almost 63% of the world's on-line community. Another study estimated that there are almost 9,000 different CD-ROM disks available for the PC. + + + + + ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛßß ßßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛß ßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ The ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÜÜ ßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÜ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ Electronic ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ Û ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ Frontier ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ Ûß ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛ Ûß ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ Foundation ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ß ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜÜ ÜÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ Fighting for our on-line rights! ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ 1001 G Street NW, Suite 950 East, Washington, DC 20001 ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ (202) 347-5400 (Voice), (202) 638-6120 (BBS), eff@eff.org (Internet) ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ + + + + + What is a ZIP File? ------------------- The majority of the files found on bulletin boards are in the archive format, which always gives the novice BBS user problems with the first few downloads. Most people log on a board and download some great sounding program and cannot figure out how to get it to work. This leads to more calls to the boards, reading bulletins or paging Sysops, in an attempt to find out how to use this file they cannot wait to try. Since most bulletin boards use files with a .ZIP extension, users learn quickly about file compression. Why are almost all files on bulletins boards found in the compressed, or archive, format? There are basically two reasons. One reason is to compress the file's size, thus reducing the amount of time it takes to transfer the file via the modem connection. The other reason is to group all the files necessary to operate the program under a single name, so the caller does not have to download a bunch of different files to get one program to run. There are many different authors who have released archive programs, but the .ZIP format archive is by far the most common in the BBS world. Other file extensions include .ARJ, .LZH, .PAK, .ARC, .ICE, .ZOO, among others. When these archive utilities are downloaded they come in a self-extracting format, so you do not have to know any complicated commands to extract the files. Just type the file's name and the program will extract itself, provided that there is enough disk space. Each archive utility includes complete documentation on the program's operation. The commands for each archive utility differ slightly, but it is a relatively simple command line for extracting files from .ZIP files. The best thing to do is to place the archive utility's executable files, for example PKUNZIP.EXE and PKZIP.EXE, in your system's path. It is unfortunate, but most DOS manuals do not give a very good explanation of how the path works. By putting the utilities in your path, the commands will work anywhere on your system including diskette drives, so the utility does not have to be in the current directory to operate. Your root directory is always on your system's path, so copying PKUNZIP.EXE to C:\ will work if you do not have a thorough understanding of DOS's path. However, it is better to place all the utilities you wish to use universally on your system in a directory, for example C:\BIN, since a cluttered root directory will slow down your system. The path statement, which can be edited with any text editor, is found in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. In the above example, you would add C:\BIN to the end of the path statement, but remember to separate all directories on the path with a semi-colon. For example: Old path - PATH C:\;C:\DOS New path - PATH C:\;C:\DOS;C:\BIN If a file named PBM.ZIP was downloaded, the following is an example of how you would extract the files you just downloaded. PKUNZIP PBM C:\HOLD The above assumes that you wish to extract the files within PBM.ZIP to a directory called C:\HOLD. PBM could be replaced with any file name you might download and it is not necessary to type the .ZIP extension. C:\HOLD could also be replaced with the directory of your choice, or if you want to extract the files to the directory where PBM.ZIP currently resides, leave the directory off and just type PKUNZIP PBM. Under Windows, it is best to exit to DOS to unzip files. The unziping function can then be preformed as described for DOS. Recently, a Windows version of PKZIP has been released, which features a menu-driven interface for unziping files. There are other commands and many features included with the popular archive utilities, but this should get those first downloads unziped. + + + + + Definition by Tom Gordon, New Port Richey, FL ---------------------------------------------- Mainframe -- Enclosure for a portrait of our easternmost contiguous state. + + + + + ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ For a list of the highlights from back issues of the Pasco BBS Magazine ³ ³ see the BACK.INF file distributed within the PBM archive. ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ + + + + + PBM Flashback - January 1993 ---------------------------- Popular Shareware game author Nels Anderson was featured in an exclusive interview in the first issue of the Pasco BBS Magazine in January of 1993. There is an article in this issue looking at his programs, which includes some of the comments he made in that interview four years ago. PBM Flashback also goes back to that first issue for more of that interesting interview. Here is how Nels Anderson responded when asked if he had any comments on how popular his games have become. Was he surprized or disappointed by the number of registered users? "I've been quite surprised at how many people have wanted to register my games. When I first released Mah Jongg I told my friends at work who had helped me with testing and suggestions, that if I ever made $100 off of it I'd take them all out to lunch. Well, my first registration arrived in about a week and it wasn't long before we had our lunch date. I started putting pins in a U.S. map where each registration came from, but it wasn't long before no more pins would fit in some areas! Even after five years I still think it's great that a system like this can work. I've had registrations from all fifty states and over fifty foreign countries as well. Amazing!" Editor's Note: PBM Flashback will appear on a regular basis in future issues. Each issue will have this brief look back at some of the features which have appeared over the history of the Pasco BBS Magazine. + + + + + °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° ² ² ² Board of Trade BBS New Port Richey, Florida ² ² ² ² (813) 862-4772 12/24/48/96/144/28800 baud ² ² ² ² The Hobby BBS for the Entire Family! ² ² ² ² Pasco County's Information Source ² ² Home of the Pasco BBS Magazine, DA BUCS and BBS Basics ² ² ² ² Call here FIRST for the BEST in Shareware ² ² Official Distribution Site: ² ² Alive Software, Apogee Software, Epic MegaGames, Gamer's Edge, ² ² Id Software, Impulse Software, MVP Software, Safari Software, ² ² Software Creations, Soleau Software and Union Logic Software ² ² ² ² Supporting the Local Computer Community ² ² Local Author Support File Directory ² ² Official Support BBS for Pasco ComPats Computer Club ² ² ² °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° + + + + + Next Month ---------- The February issue will be a Special Fiftieth Issue of the Pasco BBS Magazine. We will have some of the highlights from the first fourty-nine issues of this publication. Look for this special issue of the Pasco BBS Magazine, which will be available on, or before, January 22. Make sure you do not miss a single issue of Tampa Bay's oldest free on-line magazine! + + + + + Important Information --------------------- The Pasco BBS Magazine is distributed free of charge, as long as it is unaltered and complete. When uploading make sure the original archive is intact with all files included. The Pasco BBS Magazine is the sole property of the Board of Trade BBS and Richard Ziegler. It is legally copyrighted material and all rights are reserved. No part of this magazine may be used without permission. No compensation of any kind may be received for the viewing, distribution, or for any other use of the magazine files. By submitting something, you are agreeing to allow publication of the material in the magazine. Articles reprinted with permission remain the property of the cited source. Guest contributions may not necessarily reflect the views of the Pasco BBS Magazine. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions, however, this is normally only done to correct spelling or grammatical errors. The editor makes all determinations on what and when articles will run. Every effort is made to insure that all information contained within the Pasco BBS Magazine is accurate, but inadvertently mistakes can appear. The Pasco BBS Magazine, Board of Trade BBS or Richard Ziegler cannot be held liable for information contained within this document. It is intended that this magazine exists for the personal enjoyment of the readers. Rather than place a trademark symbol at every occurrence of a trademarked name, it is stated that trademarks are only being used in an editorial fashion with no intention of any infringement of the trademark itself. More information can be found in the other files distributed with the magazine's archive. Comments, questions, suggestions and submissions can be left on the Board of Trade BBS (813) 862-4772, or mailed to Board of Trade BBS, P.O. Box 1853, New Port Richey, FL 34656. + + + + + (C)Copyright 1996 Richard Ziegler - All Rights Reserved + + + + +