################################################################ # # # BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News # # # ################################################################ ---------------------------------------------------------------- COPYRIGHT 1993 ISSN 1055-4548 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Volume 7, Issue 1 Issue #65 January 1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- article title author ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer/Statement of Policy.............................Staff From The Editor.................................Scott Hollifield Submission Guidelines........................................... This City By Night..................................Lurch Henson Conspiracy Klatch.........................Rebecca Krypton Ellery Taming the Ugly Beast: Installing UnixWare 1.0........Gary Hasty Unnamed Column.......................................Mark Maisel BBS Behavior, Part I.................................Damion Furi Notes From The Trenches............................Dean Costello QmodemPro Windows Press Release.................Mustang Software Local Music in January..............................Judy Ranelli BTN ProFile: Steven Wheeler...........................The Bishop Special Interest Groups (SIGs).........................Eric Hunt Known BBS Numbers..........................................Staff ---------------------------------------------------------------- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ DISCLAIMER AND STATEMENT OF POLICY FOR BTN ################################################################ We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for damage due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability, if any for BTN, its *editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions, etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN, even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood of such damages occurring. With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any time but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear in a particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise harm a person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the content of the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their work and it is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles from BTN with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a reprint, in which case he will specify in the content of his article. Otherwise, please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as the source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles, please forward a copy of your publication to: Mark Maisel Publisher, BTN 606 Twin Branch Terrace Birmingham, AL 35216 (205) 823-3956 We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing all of this and not get too serious about it. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ NEWSFLASH! NEWSFLASH! NEWSFLASH! ################################################################ BBS LIST POSITION NOW VACANT! TEEMING HORDES FLOOD BTN IN PANIC! To be a part of the magic, see From The Editor for details. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ FROM THE EDITOR Scott Hollifield ################################################################ January... a time of renewal. Of rebirth. Of... resolutions. No, you won't find the typical "New Year's Resolutions" article in BTN, whether it be those of our staff, of local sysops, or of anyone. Why? Because it only occurred to me today that it would be a passable idea for an article. Oh well. Big deal, anyway. I hate to repeat myself, but this is the same phenomenon I talked about in other columns, the need to codify our nobels and ideals into one holiday or one time of the year, so we can goof off the rest of the time. In other words, if you're gonna resolve something, then do it every day, or when it occurs to you to do so. Don't use the calendar as a crutch. And, for those of us who don't care to resolve *anything*, we're going to have a New Year's Eve party and sleep till noon. I'd like to welcome a couple of new faces to BTN this month. I'm always pleased to see our writerscape shift a little, however so slightly, and the pleasing curves of our own version of continental drift have brought us a couple of winners. First of all, our old friend Gary Hasty, from The Comfy Chair! in Dalton, Georgia, makes his first-ever appearance in BTN. His welcome technical moxie has a good bit of that old BTN flavor to it, and while we don't know if he'll be a regular contributor, we'll be showing him the chains and beckoning invitingly. Second of all, BTN is proud to present someone who is relatively new to our medium but is an old friend of paranoia, suspicion and hidden motives, so we think she'll fit right in. Rebecca Krypton Ellery is a local conspiracy theorist who, you'll find, is quite offbeat, even by the standards of conspiracy theorists. I chatted with Rebecca on The Matrix recently for the first time, and eagerly persuaded her to write for BTN. In case it's not apparent, "Rebecca Krypton Ellery" is not her real name. Rebecca claims that her identity on The Matrix is also false, although she dutifully pays the subscription bills. With any luck, Rebecca will be joining us on a regular or semi-regular basis, for a friendly peek into her own universe. Most of the usual gang are here as well, including the beginning of a new three-part series by Damion Furi. Now, to some business: It's official--please welcome fairly-reliable contributor Bernie Starchaser as BTN's new Assistant Editor. Bernie will be, and has been, helping me put together each month's issue of BTN, and so he gets a nice little title for his efforts, just so long as he is willing to take half the blame for the mistakes as well. James Minton has regretfully picked up his hat from the hatrack and said, "Sayonara, amigos"; due to lack of time, James will no longer be able to man the helm of our Known BBS Numbers list. So, without trying to sound like a malicious carnival barker... Would anybody else like to step up and take a shot? Volunteers for the Keeper of the List may now apply. It's an awesome responsibility, rife with hidden rewards and pleasures, only some of them sexual in nature. If you're interested in this high-profile, thrill-packed position, leave me (SCOTT HOLLIFIELD) mail on The Matrix, Crunchy Frog, or Channel 8250. No salesman will come to your door. We're also taking submissions of the non-BBS-list variety, as usual; for details on how to submit material to BTN, see the upcoming submission guidelines. That's it, buckaroos; I'm gone to finish off the last bit of egg nog before the expiration date hits. Have a happy arbitrarily-mandated calendar kick-off. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ FREEBIE!!! GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT! Systems That Offer Free BTN ################################################################ The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is with no charge to any existing upload/download ratios. ADAnet One Alter-Ego Bone Yard Bus System The Castle Channel 8250 C.A.B. The Comfy Chair! Crunchy Frog DC Info Exchange Final Frontier The Guardian Hardware Hotline Homewood's Hell Hole Joker's Castle Leaping's Lounge Lemon Grove Lion's Den Martyrdom Again?! The MATRIX Milliways BBS The Outer Limits Owl's Nest Playground Safe Harbor Southern Stallion Starbase 12 Thy Master's Dungeon Weekends BBS (This list includes some systems which are not local to Birmingham and therefore not included on our BBS Numbers list.) If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let me know via The Matrix or Crunchy Frog so that I can post your board as a free BTN distributor. Thanks. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES ################################################################ I. ARTICLE LENGTH Right now, there's no strict enforcement of a length restriction, but if your submission is somewhat short, I may request that you make it longer. Anyone can sit down and type out a screen's worth of stuff. I have yet to encounter an article that was too *long*, so don't worry about that. II. SUBJECT MATTER Again, there's no hard-and-fast rules about subject matter. I'm interested in seeing material on a wide variety of topics. That includes BBSs, politics, music, books, or better yet, something that doesn't neatly fall into any one category. Next to that, my favorite articles are the ones that have something to do with BBSing, since that is supposedly what we're sort of about. Technical reviews are also good. I tend to kind of frown on fiction, but I'm willing to take a look at anything you've got. If it's interesting enough, your chances are good. Politics is fine, but try not to rant--and make whatever you have to say original. I can go out and find ten Rush Limbaughs if I want. Also refrain from "This Is What Happened To Me Today" slice-of-life articles unless it's leading somewhere good. Reviews should be both informative and opinionated. Don't be too objective, but still tell us about what you're reviewing. III. FILE FORMAT Plain and simple ASCII is preferred, but we can convert WordPerfect files if need be. IV. STYLE GUIDELINES 1. Use a right margin of 72 columns. 2. Indent paragraphs at the fifth column. 3. Put two spaces after each sentence. 4. Skip a line after each paragraph. 5. Refrain from using BBS-specific devices like "" and ":-)". 6. Be sure to give your article a title. 7. Try to use correct grammar, spelling and capitalization! My staff proofread as best as we can, but a well-typed article makes our job easier. 8. The dash is correctly typed as two hyphens, like "--". Use it to set apart phrases and clauses--as with this sentence. 9. To emphasize a word, place a pair of asterisks around it, like *this*. This takes the place of italics (except for titles; see 12). 10. If you have to emphasize a group of words, use capitals, AS IN THIS EXAMPLE. I generally don't like the way that looks, so use it sparingly, if at all. 11. If you're unsure whether to spell out a number or not, leave it in numeral form. 12. Titles of books, films, plays, albums and works of art are surrounded by underlines, like: U2's _The Joshua Tree_. This takes the place of italics in this regard; I call it "title-cizing". On the other hand, television shows, songs, poems, article titles and short stories are surrounded by quotation marks. V. HOW DO I SUBMIT AN ARTICLE? The easiest way is to upload it as a private file on one of two systems: The Matrix and the Crunchy Frog. (Their phone numbers are listed at the end of this feature.) To upload a file privately, begin your file description with a slash ("/"). Then leave me (SCOTT HOLLIFIELD) a private message telling me what the file name is, so that I can have the sysop make it available for me. Another way is to leave me the article as a private message, or a series of private messages. If you become a regular contributor to BTN, you can get access to the private BTNWA conference, which is for BTN writers. There we discuss articles, policy, ideas, etc. The BTNWA conference also contains a private file directory which I can access more easily than a private file outside BTNWA. That's it! Get to work! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ THIS CITY BY NIGHT Lurch Henson ################################################################ My job, while more aggravating than most, gives me a unique perspective on this city. Tonight, for instance, I am at the Botanical Gardens, a lovely place anytime, but especially so at night. Tonight is cool. A light rain is falling, and there is no one to bother me out here. I can roam the Gardens at will, the only obligation being that I let no one else do the same. I just spent an hour down in the Japanese section, waiting to make my checks there, inspecting the grounds to make sure no one has slipped over the fence or squeezed through the gate, and I sat and listened to the rain. Quiet. Peaceful. Enjoyable. Better if I had a Lady in here with me, but then, you can't have everything. Another place is Vulcan Park. Again, it's quiet, peaceful, and there is no one to bother you. You can go up into the observation ring and look out over the city, seeing it like few others are... shining brightly in the night, like no one below has a care in the world. Beautiful, tranquil, quiet. Then, my friends, there is another place. This is the place I was in charge of protecting a few nights ago. This is a city park, with nothing to steal, and little to destroy. This park is surrounded on three sides by the projects, and it is *not* quiet. I spent twelve hours on post out there, and from nightfall until about 3 a.m. there was gunfire to be heard every 30 minutes. Usually there wasn't a fifteen- minute stretch of time that went by without some shooting going on, many times quite close to me, once or twice *very* near me. During the twelve hours that I was there, I heard and saw ambulance runs about nine times. I only saw police five times. Possibly the extra four runs by medical personnel were for non-gunshot related reasons, but somehow I doubt it. From where I sat on the edge of the park, I could see the towers on "Radio Mountain". I could see the tallest of the buildings in downtown Birmingham. Early in the night I even saw a searchlight racing across the clouds, most likely from some car dealership letting everyone know they had the best prices on cars you didn't need. From where I sat you could tell there was something else out there besides the gunfire and the crack houses pointed out to me by the city guard in the projects nearby. But it didn't matter. No one outside cared about what was going on inside, and those on the inside had gotten so used to it that they rarely noticed until the shots were directed towards them. The city guard on duty near the park was slightly surprised that I, the only white guy for miles, didn't jump every time someone fired off a few rounds. The city guards refuse to work the park I was working, for obvious reasons, and he was expecting me to refuse as well. He, and the man that relieved him later, thought I was crazy for doing it. City guards are paid nearly twice what I make, get plenty of benefits from the city, and rarely have to work past midnight. I, a supervisor, am paid $5.25/hr, no benefits, and I work all night long nearly every night. But I still did my job. Why? Simple. Because I'm stupid. You see, this world is actually falling apart around you, but you don't see it. Why don't you? Several reasons. One, because you don't want to. If you cared to find out how things are out here you could. All you'd have to do is be stupid yourself. Get in your car and drive through neighborhoods you've heard about but never seen. You won't make it home, but it WILL be educational. (DON'T do this; this is sarcasm, in case you couldn't tell.) And two, the worst reason, because it's not important enough to tell you. Sad, but true. I sat there and watched the police and the ambulances run all night long. It didn't stop at 3 a.m., it just slowed down a little. But did any of it make the newspaper or the news on TV? Nope. I looked. Do you know why? BECAUSE IT ISN'T NEWS! Simple enough answer. It isn't news because it happens EVERY NIGHT. If you tried to write it up in the paper, you'd run out of room. If you tried doing a news story about it on television, you'd soon just be giving body counts. This goes on all the time, all day, all night, and no one *really* tries to do anything to stop it. The police make the attempt, but police work in the country is little more than clean-up work. When someone breaks the law, they try to catch them and put them away. It doesn't stop anything, it's just cleaning up after the mess. Social workers preach long and hard to people that are tired of hearing the same thing day-in and day-out, and other than helping a few more people sign up for different forms of government aid, do little good. Teachers work too long and too hard in classrooms too full to allow them to really reach their students in any more than a superficial way. In all these cases there are too few people trying to do too much with too little to have any more effect than one man with a paper cup trying to bail out the Titanic. Until *everyone* wakes up and starts paying attention, starts addressing some of the very real and very deadly problems we have staring us in the face these days, not a damn thing is going to be done about it. People are going to keep getting killed for stupid little reasons. Nothing is going to change. Why not? Because it's easier to let people kill each other than it is to do something about it. It's easier to sit back and let things happen. It's easier to ignore it. The problem is, people, this time it's *not* going away. This time it's coming closer. This time the wolf is walking right up to your front door, and this time he's coming inside. Don't believe me? Read the papers. See about where it *is* still news. When it moves out of the projects and the neighborhoods on West End and starts coming across town, *then* it makes the news. You can find it if you look, it's in there. Every now and then there is a story about something a little closer to home. Every now and then there is a story about something that happened that *could* have happened to you. Every now and then. Why wait? Why wait until it is your daughter that gets carjacked, raped, or killed? Your wife? *You*? Why wait until it gets personal? Why isn't it personal *now*? These are people getting murdered out there every day, and we never hear about it until it happens to some 16- year-old girl minding her own business, or some elementary school kids shot in a crossfire, and even then it's just "Oh, that's sad. Pass the sugar, please," over the paper at breakfast. This is not the way it should be. That's not the way it has to be. This city is the way it is because of each and every person that lives in it. As they say, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." I can show you people the magical parts of this city. I can take you by the hand and lead you through a wonderland in this city at night. I can show the Ladies romance they never dreamed of in this very city. And I can take you by the hand and lead you down into hell, all without leaving this one little city. Is that the city you want? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ CONSPIRACY KLATCH Rebecca Krypton Ellery ################################################################ Conspiracies turn the world, and don't let anyone tell you any different. Conspiracy theorists are all too often tarred with the brush of paranoia. Is it paranoid to consider that the public-at-large is *not* made fully aware of what goes on behind closed doors? Is it paranoid to think that somewhere, someone has a secret? A man named Thomas L. Scholz said that the only sane way to behave is as if everything is a conspiracy, because most of it probably is. He was murdered by a "burglar" who left behind stains of some kind of strange purple ink on the floor. I've been asked to provide some food for thought about some contemporary conspiracies here, and that I shall endeavor to do. First, let me say a couple of words about myself. I've been involved in conspiracy research for some time now, but I make it a habit to shy away from conventions and gatherings of other theorists. A disturbing practice among such people is the tendency to create "conspiracy policy", the party line as it were. The more popular an idea becomes in conspiracy circles, the more likely it is to be believed as fact, just as in mainstream media. As a result, much of what I consider to be "popular conspiracy" is just as distorted and biased as the mainstream media. Therefore, I try to work on my own, more or less, so my research isn't affected by the think tank factor. So, a lot of my ideas don't "jibe" with what fashionable conspiracists may be saying this week. I used to go to a number of workshops and meetings. My name has been placed on two government lists that I know of, Suspected Threats To National Security and Suspected Organized Anarchists (those two, plus the big list of subversives that just about everyone gets their name on at some point). That being said, I am fairly new to bulletin boards, and to be honest, I don't trust them very much. Once information is converted into electronic form, it can be manipulated much, much easier, by both the individual, and those with less pure interests. An Orwellian scenario, with Winston Smith churning out tubes of rewritten history in the Ministry of Truth, is now one step closer to plausability. However, I am also something of a cheerful nihilist, and as such, I recognize the fact that the world of information is Darwinian as well as Orwellian, for as with physical society, the strongest survive, and that winner is usually the powermongers. So I don't have much of a problem with setting my ideas adrift into this medium. If reprisals come, then so be it. Unlike many of my fellow conspiracists, I am not a crusader for justice. I don't think there's any way in the world to turn things around. Breaking one's back to reveal the truth will only work to their advantage, in the long run. Pseudo-President Clinton was recently ordered by his superiors to kick out Defense Secretary Les Aspin and replace him with one of their own, retired admiral Bobby R. Inman. Thus is set into motion a deep, wide agenda that has been in the making for over twenty-five years. Inman, as the general public knows, was the National Security Advisor under Jimmy Carter, and also one of the architects behind the drug-and-gun Iran/Contra deal as the number two man in the CIA in the early months of the Reagan administration. Inman was shoehorned out of his job by the Reagan camp (Reagan, Casey and Baker), who didn't know anything about what was really going on. Perhaps sensing how these bunglers were doomed to blow the operation into the sunlight, Inman went pretty quietly. He's been kept on the blue list, or unofficial consultant payroll, throughout the administrations of more cooperative presidents Bush and Clinton. Certain elements have recently taken decisive action, however, to veer Inman into another role, of which I'll talk about in a second. Mere days before Aspin's departure, the American media was awash with reports of a new figure on the Russian political scene, that of Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Concidence? Don't believe it. Zhirinovsky is in favor of an ultranationalist Russia. He is on record as being in favor of an active, aggressive nuclear policy, and claims that he will use nukes to liberate portions of the globe for the betterment of Russia. He plans on taking Alaska back with military force. He believes the Jews were "responsible" for both World Wars, and doesn't see anything particularly wrong with the ethnic cleansing atrocities of Bosnia. And, by certain accounts, he is also an operative for the CIA. I don't like to keep going back to Orwell, but remember the slogan "War is Peace"? Orwell prophecied the Cold War with those words. The Cold War was a war that was not a war. Not only that, but unbeknownst to most, there was indeed a *true* peace, a true unity of nations. The reason for this is because, from 1945 up to Boris Yelstin's rise to power, both the USA and Soviet Russia have been controlled by the same people, with the same interests. The Cold War was the first stage of a true world government. The next stage, with Mikhail Gorbachev as the conspiracy's man in Russia, was to be a full, adorned peace between the superpowers, from which the resources of the wealthy nations like the USA, Japan and Canada could be used to improve the standard of living in Russia and its satellites. Boris Yeltsin, without even knowing it probably, proved to be a major setback to this agenda. A loud, stumbling, meddling blowhard, Yeltsin was the one thing the worldwide conspiracy didn't want, a megalomaniac who wasn't on *their* side. Yeltsin trashed the KGB and other intelligence agencies in Russia; he ordered the dismissals and secret executions of many of the essential personnel behind the Russian arm of the New World Order. He's like a Russian Nixon, almost, a man who didn't play by the established rules, and surrounded himself with enough trustworthy allies to fend off his position. Whether he'll continue to be able to do so is extremely questionable. The solution: back up, try again. Zhirinovsky, who is only a fiercer, more militant version of Gorbachev, is brought in. Zhirinovsky has long been involved in the joint-cooperation between the CIA and the underground Russian fascists who have quietly pulled a good many of the strings in Moscow over the last forty years. Like Inman, Zhriniovsky has been kept on the back-burner until very recently. My strongest information reveals that Inman's people, who are sort of renegades in their own right, are interested in setting Inman up as a public office-holding figure, which is, ironically, not in the interests of the conspiracy. My guess is that Inman secretly likes the media attention, a somewhat common malady with gray men, and is having his people set him up for "daylight" work, fronting for the real policy- makers. Like many before him, Inman is making the mistake of thinking that he can still stay in touch with the inner workings, and unfortunately for him, it doesn't work that way--as Inman's predecessors in the game, like Brzezinski and Carlucci, could tell him, it's either in or out. So the policy has been reluctantly shifted so that it can work around him. Taking a cue from the back-pedalling Russians, Inman is now being poised to take the presidency in 2000, a few years after Zhirinovsky is due to take the Russian presidency. (1996's American election will probably go to Dan Quayle, in a narrow victory over Clinton; entertainingly, Quayle will have very little work to do, as his public policy will be virtually the same as Clinton's, circa 1996.) The New Cold War, then, is set to launch, with the Inman presidency. Inman, whose boyish smile and military sensibility will win him the public, will be the bold American hero standing toe-to-toe with the vicious, fascist dictatorship of Vladimir Zhirinovsky. And then what? That's still a way into the future, even for conspiracy theory, but I don't turn away a figure of 10 years or so for the New Cold War before the two ends of this organization can meet again and be wed, like the globalists have been planning for most of the century. They can afford to wait a little while longer. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ TAMING THE UGLY BEAST: Installing UnixWare 1.0 Gary Hasty ################################################################ Let me start this off by admitting, "I Like UNIX!" Okay...calm down now. It's been *the* 32-bit operating system for years, long before Windows NT ever came out--err, will be coming out, but will it ever shake the ghost of being the most cryptic and user- unfriendly OS known to man? With this in mind, and the slew of new and improved Graphical User Interface (GUI) based UNIX SVR4.2s on the market waiting to take the wind out of Microsoft's sails, I decided to take a look at what was to be the leader of the pack. UnixWare 1.0 from UniVel (a joint venture between UNIX System Laboratories and Novell) is being heralded as the UNIX that will make the OS a household name... but this time a good household name. After reading over all the sales literature received after this years Spring Comdex it sounded too good to be true: pure UNIX SVR4.2 compatibility, runs DOS-Unix-Windows applications, integrates easily into a Netware LAN, Multitasking, Multi-user and a Motif or Open-Look based GUI. It may have been too good to be true. UnixWare comes in two different configurations: a 2-user Personal Edition retailing at $249 and an unlimited Application Server retailing at $1089. So the order was placed for the UnixWare Personal Edition for evaluation; thus starts the experiment. The only way to receive UnixWare is either on CD-ROM or tape, so I opted for the CD-ROM. It was on backorder. One week later, the package arrived, along with the NEC-74 CD-ROM and the NEC SCSI adapter I had ordered to install it with into a 486sx/25 with 8M and a Quantum ProDrive LPS 240M SCSI drive. The minimum requirements for UnixWare are a 386 or better, 80M HD, and 8M RAM, stated in the minimal documentation that accompanies UnixWare (one 80-page installation handbook and one 210-page user manual, in *big* type, with an entire chapter explaining such accessories as Using The Clock and Using Calculator). The install consist of loading three diskettes, and then the rest is loaded from the CD. Thirty minutes into the install, I was asked how to continue the installation. The CD-ROM option was not offered! A quick call to UniVel Tech Support revealed that the NEC-74 IS supported but the NEC SCSI controller is *not*, and that they would fax me an up-to-date list of supported hardware options. I asked if there was any way to receive UnixWare on floppies because the installation program asked me if I was installing from diskettes (it only takes up around 30 meg on the CD) and was told that they are working on a diskette version that would be ready in two to three weeks. Now on to phase two of the experiment. After receiving the fax, I ordered an Adaptec 1542C from my distributor. (Only B and A were listed on the "updated" supported hardware sheet, but C has replaced both of them.) When it was received, I quickly tore into it and put it in the machine. Hmmmm, the cable I needed to connect to the NEC-74 was SCSI-to-SCSI, and I received SCSI-to-Parallel with the drive. Here we go again! Out of frustration, I called UniVel one more time and asked if the diskette version was shipping yet (through all the backorders and delays, I was now on week three of the evaluation with nothing actually running yet) and was told, "That has been promised but is at least two to three months from now." I asked if they had been getting a lot of complaints about the required hardware and was told they have had some "request" for other media. I called a client who luckily had external SCSI cables lying all over the place, and he loaned one to me for the experiment. I started the *real* install late on a Friday afternoon and let it run all night. (If I see the message, "This will take a few minutes" again, I'll blow chunks.) After returning Saturday morning to my office, I was greeted with another hour of answering some more prompts and waiting. IT'S DONE! Finally I was told that the UnixWare installation was now complete, and that I may now reboot the system to bring it up. I rebooted. I waited! I waited more. At this point I knew I was in for a let-down when it took almost six or seven minutes to ask for my login/password. Once into the OS I found it very simple to connect to my in-house LAN, play a mean version of Tetris, run some DOS applications and even some UNIX apps--but all deathly S-L-O-W! Tech Support was closed on Saturday, so I called back on Monday morning to ask: ME: "Is it supposed to be this pathetically slow?" THEM: "How much memory do you have?" ME: "8 Meg on a 486sx/25 with SCSI HD." THEM: "Oh yeah, you need atleast 16Meg." ME: "It says I need 8 Meg!" THEM: "Oh, it'll *run* on 8 Meg..." ME: "$!&^$&*$!&!$^%$(*" At this point I decided the experiment had ended. Most of my time evaluating had been spent on simply installing the OS and acquiring the required parts to do so. Sure! UnixWare may work on a "standard system" (I hardly call 16M standard) but you can't *load* it on a run-of-the-mill PC. I wish I could encourage a user to put 16 Meg in his personal station so he could run a version of the ultimate operating system, UNIX, but I'm afraid that just won't happen. I have taken into my thoughts that this is a 1.0 version and that it will/must improve, but for now, I do not see UNIX becoming the OS of choice even if it is not "vaporware" like some of the other 32-bit OS's. Installation time: One month, give or take an hour! Recommendation: Skip it... (RevHasty@aol.com) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ UNNAMED COLUMN Mark Maisel ################################################################ I just got back from Fall Comdex. I headed out to see what the computer and software industries have been up all year and what they plan for the future. I'll be using this column each month to tell you about these things and try to explain them in easy to understand terms. Unfortunately, specialization seems to come with its own language as a prerequisite, thus excluding the majority of the citizenry, even those who are users or otherwise directly affected by these products and ideas. I'll also solicit ideas for this column from you. If there is some computer or software technology you'd like to learn more about, please send me e-mail or send a letter to the editor. He'll make sure I hear about it. There is so much happening. It should be no problem at all to come up with topics. Research could be tricky but that is a core component of my business. For now, I've nothing further to add. Please feel free to start sending those requests in now. I'll have a huge stack of information to pore through in a few weeks, so we'll have a lot to talk about! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ BBS BEHAVIOR Part I of III Damion Furi ################################################################ There seems to be some disagreement as to how words on a BBS should be taken. One group believes that words on a bulletin board system have no substance, no effect, and no reality. The other group believes that words have power, in any media. I don't understand why some people believe that words are "Nerf bats" on a bulletin board system, yet simultaneously believe that words have power in newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and everyday face-to-face discussion. No, I don't buy that. Words have power. You can get mystical about it if it suits you, but the bottom line fact of the matter is that wars have been fought over nothing more than words. If that doesn't prove anything to you, then I would suggest that you might be a bit simple. There seem to be a number of people on the boards that find it convenient to set aside their manners while online. I don't know why that is, but I regret it. It has happened a few times where I have suggested that an offending party "put up or shut up," as the saying goes. I've been heavily criticized for it, too, primarily by "Cardinal Dean" Costello, a man known for his propensity for flames. On the other hand, he is not alone in having criticized me for this. I admit that I may be in the wrong for extending such invitations. I don't think I am, though, obviously, or I wouldn't do it. I simply accept the possibility for the sake of argument. My terms for dealing with people are simple: if you don't insult me, I won't insult you. If you *do* insult me, I expect you to be man enough to be willing to take responsibility for your words and defend them, if necessary. If you are unwilling to defend harsh words, you should be willing to keep your biscuit trap shut. Anything else is simply cowardice. I think our society has gotten soft. Too many people are wandering around loose, whining, doing everything they can to avoid taking responsibility for their words and deeds. Bulletin boards suit these people well, since there is absolutely nothing about a BBS that requires a person to say, "Yeah, that was me." On the rare occasions when that does happen, it's a bonus. I've done a lot of heavy thinking recently about personal responsibility because of a couple mistakes I've made recently. I don't make these little mistakes where I could say, "I'm sorry" and everything is alright again. No, when I screw up, it's strictly FUBAR. Between these recent mistakes and yet another argument with Dean, I've come to the conclusion that, though I'm not always in the right, I can live with it. But whichever way things work out, I am willing to accept responsibility for whatever it may be that I've done or said. I'm too aggressive, and I know that. I'm not entirely happy with it, but I've been working on it. And I don't think I'm out of line to ask that someone step up to bat if they've called me an asshole or whatever. Nor do I think it's out of line for someone to call me on it if they feel the need. (As a matter of fact, I pretty much expect to be called on something fairly soon. In this case, though, I will simply try to avoid being damaged; I know I'm in the wrong. I'm not masochistic enough not to defend myself, but I'm not sadistic enough to add injury to insult.) If you judge yourself to be a non-combatant, don't get into combative situations. Don't write something in a post to someone that you would not be willing to say to their face. Don't get into situations of any sort that might require an aggressiveness that you can't back up. Dean's fond of calling me a "stud" when I start in on this, but I have nothing to prove to anyone. I simply have no tolerance for stupidity, not even mine, and these mistakes that I've been alluding to were stupid. I know myself well enough to know that I'm going to be touchier than normal because of it. And that's one of those behind-the-scenes sort of things that you won't always know about when you post something obnoxious to someone while online. Maybe you will accidently push a button that causes the other person to step out from behind the corner of a building one day and--*surprise!*--put an aluminum baseball bat across the bridge of your nose. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ NOTES FROM THE TRENCHES: All This, And Offline Readers! Dean Costello ################################################################ I am writing today as a result of attending the latest BTN party. A curious thing, these BTN parties. At one time, their purpose was to bring together the writing staff of "Birmingham Telecommunication News" and allow discussion as to the means and ends of putting out a newsletter. Now... Well, lets just say that attendance is a tad more open than in the "old days". I am writing from the point of view of what I consider to be a middle modem user. I am not one of those that drove a Commodore 64 and coded communication programs in assembler to allow the computer to use a 1200-baud modem and disk drive. I did, however, come in before offline mail readers (OLRs), the scourge of any True Believer (and I blame the OLRs on Jay Enterkin, who bitched and moaned to sysops to get them to install OLR systems, which he then never used, and then left town). So, I refer to myself as a middle person: I came after hardcoding programs in binary, but before any buffoon could call and use a BBS. We were a fairly tight group, we of the middle ground: myself, Jet Thomas, Brett Thorn, Chris Mohney, and to a greater or lesser extent Scott Hollifield, Maggie Harden, Kathy Maisel, and Kelly Rosato. We would see each other at parties, chit-chat over the phones (real-time), eat with each other, and discuss Deep Things (again, to a greater or lesser extent). Others that we came in contact with were the old timers, They That Used 300 Baud: Tim Straughn (king of the batch file), Ed O'Neil (designer of EZNet), Mark Maisel ("Oh yeah? Well, I remember [insert improbable event here]"), Bill Freeman ("Don't do anything foolish: I have a honorary deputy's badge"), and Mark Kieskowski (Master of South Central Bell, except for that one unfortunate incident). And that was pretty much it. Well, not really 'it', but that was the core group. And we were happy. Sometime around 1990, or so, OLR became all the rage. "Yeah, yeah, uh-huh, and get this: You can READ messages without actually being logged on! No, really!" As a result, a new kind of user came about. This user rarely if ever leaves messages "live", by being able to employ OLR software at all times. I would argue that at this point (the individual user using very little online time through the use of OLR), a shift occurred in the average user. By using the OLR software, any yutz could (and did) use BBSs. And on top of that, the average user refused to not use OLR software to talk to BBSs. So in essence you have the three groups that I spoke of in the second paragraph. Well, that's all well and good. But something else that I have noticed is what happens at parties since the Great OLR Awakening. You see, at the party that I attended, there was very little mixing of groups. It is almost as if everyone knows their place, and refuses to associate (or limits contact to a minimum) with others. But if you think about it, it makes sense. Each of the crowds has a common start point (dinosaurs-early coding/debugging, middles-live messages/ commercial software, newbies-OLR; with each successive group having an easier time of it), and as a result, they have a tendency to hang out with their own type. But that doesn't completely dismiss the idea of a newbie not using OLR. As I was writing this, I thought of Judy Ranelli as being a good example of that type of person. Even though she was relatively late to the process (1990-1991), she doesn't use OLR, and she apparently fits in with the middles better than to others. Another example is Scott Hollifield, who has been using BBSs since approximately 1983 or so, yet cannot code his way out of a paper bag. The point in time when a person starts using BBSs appears to be an important indicator of who you hang out with (BBS-wise). There is no great sociological discovery there that any group of new people will have a tendency to gather together. Mark Maisel, the evil dwarf sitting to my left at the moment, noted that even though he was characterized as a dinosaur, he uses OLR. I cannot dispute that. However the socially decisive point in time is when he started using BBSs, which was before easily accessible commercial software. His start was therefore with a like-minded group, these are for the most part the individuals he interacts with the most (to some extent; as time passes, the number of individuals available in each group shrinks due to attrition), though he takes time to chat with most individuals that want his attention. Unfortunately, he doesn't fit into my paradigm very well. He suggests that I just refer to him as an "enigma", but I think that that is disingenuous, so I prefer the above fast-talk explanation instead. So, what have we learned? Hard to say. I think that for the most part there are three major types of users, each differentiated by the type of interface with computers that was common to each group. The first group, more or less the ones that came into BBSs first, is characterized by slow, clunky machines and user-hostile interfaces. The second group came about a bit later after communications software became more commercially available, as well as better computers and modems to allow BBS connection to be more easily accomplished. The latest group are those that use both the more powerful machines and modems, as well as software to allow utter ease of use of BBSs. And guess what? They hang out with each other, with minimal interaction between the groups. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ PRESS RELEASE: QmodemPro For Windows ################################################################ *** Official Announcement *** For more information contact: Jim Harrer, President/CEO Sales (800) 999-9619 Mustang Software, Inc. Office (805) 395-0223 P.O. Box 2264 Fax (805) 395-0713 Bakersfield, CA 93303 BBS (805) 395-0650 Las Vegas, NV - November 15, 1993. Mustang Software unveiled the new Windows version of its popular QmodemPro communications program during COMDEX/Fall '93. Called QmodemPro for Windows v1.0, it is the first communications program to offer support for both data and Fax communication in one integrated package. File transfers are supported using Zmodem, CompuServe B+, Kermit, Ymodem, Ymodem/G, Xmodem/1K, Xmodem/1KG, Xmodem/CRC, Xmodem, or ASCII. A built-in GIF viewer allows you to view GIF graphics files as they are being downloaded. You can zoom any GIF or BMP file, and even mark and copy portions of the picture to the Windows clipboard. Users can easily upload files using drag-and-drop from the Windows File Manager to QmodemPro's upload window. QmodemPro for Windows offers a wide selection of terminal emulations including: ADDS VP60, ADM 3A, ANSI, Avatar, DG 100, DG 200, DG 210, Hazeltine 1500, Heath 19, IBM 3101, TTY, TVI 910, TVI 912, TVI 920, TVI 925, TVI 950, TVI 955, Vidtex, VT 52, VT 100, VT 102, VT 220, VT 320, Wyse 30, Wyse 50, Wyse 60, Wyse 75, Wyse 85, Wyse 100, and Wyse 185. BBS callers will appreciate the addition of Doorway and RIPscrip to this impressive list of supported emulations. QmodemPro for Windows is the first Windows product to offer support for RIPscrip, which is quickly becoming the de facto graphics standard for bulletin board systems worldwide, including Mustang Software's Wildcat! product. Besides offering full data communication, MSI has also integrated both send and receive Fax support directly into QmodemPro for Windows. Using any Class 1 or Class 2 Fax modem, QmodemPro for Windows can send text files as well as PCX and BMP graphics files. Cover pages can also be attached to these documents. Automatic Fax receive is also supported and a complete Fax viewer includes thumbnail sketches, zooming, copying, and printing. The phonebook allows you to view the dialing directory in a traditional tabular form, or you can use the icon view mode to create a true icon window of your online services, making it a simple double click to dial, connect, and be online. Each dialing directory entry can hold up to five phone numbers, the default device, emulation, transfer protocol, user ID, password, login script, RIP icon directory, and macro file. A note file can be attached to any dialing entry allowing you to add your own notes and comments about the dialing entry. QmodemPro for Windows even allows you to review the scrollback buffer while you're capturing information online. You can customize the terminal window using a variety of fonts. The screen behind the terminal window can be customized with your favorite pattern or wallpaper file giving you full control of your desktop. Sporting a completely new Script Language Interface for QmodemPro (SLIQ), QmodemPro gives you unparalleled power, speed, and flexibility. Based on the popular BASIC language structure, it adds extensions for the Windows communication environment and includes a Quicklearn feature for creating scripts without having to learn the language. It even includes a compiler for compiling the scripts so they run faster and are more secure. A powerful script debugger and full editor are also included. QmodemPro for Windows allows you to take advantage of the Windows multitasking environment. Download files or capture data in the background, while working in a word processor or spreadsheet. QmodemPro for Windows makes full use of the 16550 UART, Digiboard multi serial port card, or any other intelligent serial interface with appropriate Windows drivers. Also supported are Interrupt 14 compatible LAN modems and other devices. The newest member of the QmodemPro family now supports sound cards, allowing you to assign standard Windows WAV files to certain events in your communications session. For example, you can have a WAV file played when you connect to a BBS or when your download is completed. There are many events you can assign sounds to: connect, dialing, file transfer success and failure, and many others. QmodemPro for Windows has a suggested retail price of $139.00. This product will be available within the next few weeks in the over 300 Software Etc. stores throughout the United States. Software Etc. has also put QmodemPro for Windows on their "Reservation System" so your local store can reserve your copy. To find the Software Etc. store in your area dial (800) 328-4646. Qmodem, QmodemPro, and Wildcat! BBS registered owners can upgrade to QmodemPro for Windows for a limited time for only $50.00 plus shipping. Have your registration number handy and dial Mustang Software at (800) 999-9619 or (805) 395-0223 to place your order. Please expect a 4 to 6 week back order for delivery, order today to be one of the first to receive this program. Resellers in the United States can order QmodemPro for Windows directly from INGRAM MICRO. The part number is 185415. YOu can reach INGRAM MICRO by dialing (800) 456-8000. Customers in the U.K. can reserve their copy by contacting Telesystems LTD in London. Telesystems can be reached at +44 494 866365, FAX +44 494 866050, or BBS +44 494 891903. Customers in Scandinavia will be pleased to know that Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian versions will be available soon after the U.S. version. Please contact PC Security in Norway for additional information. PC Security can be reached at +67 53 11 53, FAX +67 53 63 25, or BBS +67 58 33 58. Customers in Australia should contact Banksia Technology Pty. Ltd in Lane Cove, NSW. Banksia can be reached at +61 2 418-6033, Fax +61 2 428-5460 or BBS +61 2 418-7693. For additional information regarding QmodemPro for Windows, QmodemPro for DOS, or the Wildcat! Bulletin Board System, please contact Mustang Software, Inc. P.O. Box 2264, Bakersfield, CA 93303-2264. Phone 800-999-9619, 805-395-0223, FAX 805-395-0713, BBS 805-395-0650. MSI can also be reached via e-mail at sales@mustang.com, CompuServe (GO PCVENA, section 9), America Online (Keyword = Mustang), and GEnie (MUSTANG RT). -END- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ BTN PROFILE This Month: Steven Wheeler The Bishop ################################################################ The ProFile is a light-hearted attempt at allowing the BBS community to get to know the selected user or sysop better. The harassees...er... candidates for the ProFile are selected purely by random (or maybe not-- read up on "chaos"). If anyone has any suggestions for questions to be included in the ProFile, or for users to be harassed by the ProFile, then feel free to E-Mail them to me (THE BISHOP on the Crunchy Frog, or AARON DEES on most other boards in town). [Editor's Note: Steven Wheeler has moved out of Birmingham--so naturally, we wait till he's gone to find this ProFile and run it. So consider this just a fond tribute to one who is no longer with us. Ladies and gentleman, I give you: the local user was *was*... Steven Wheeler.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ProFile: Steven Wheeler, a.k.a. Dr. Strangelove ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Age: Too old to change, too young to retire. 39 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Birthplace: Cullman, AL (yeah, I know.....) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Occupation: Electronic Tech, AL Army National Guard. Jack of all trades, actually. I do everything nobody else can... and don't get paid damned near enough for it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ My hobbies include: Between work, family and BBS'ing who has time for hobbies? Oh yeah, I do collect belly-button lint and fish sometimes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Years telecomputing: About 5, going on 20. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sysop, past/present/future of: Co-Sysop, past, of Crow's Nest and most recently, Night Watch BBS. Hopefully it will be back up soon. Are you reading this Lamar? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ My oddest habit is: Does this qualify? No, okay, chasing cars and howling at the moon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ My greatest unfulfilled ambition is: To make it to tomorrow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The single accomplishment of which I am most proud is: Making it to today. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ My favorite performers are: Tull, Led, Doors, Rundgren, Bowie, Aerosmith, Lords and Lynne. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The last good movie I saw was: You think I want Jimmy Evans on my butt? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The last good book I read was: See the answer above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If they were making a movie of my life, I'd like to see my part played by: Me.....I need the bucks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ My pet peeves are: Modern civilization (?) Who needs it? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ When nobody's looking, I like to: None of your business. If I wanted everyone to know I'd do it while they were looking. Give me a break. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ LOCAL MUSIC IN JANUARY Judy Ranelli ################################################################ Judy Ranelli is on vacation from her duties here this month, so feel free to go out on the town and see whatever bands you want, without fear of recrimination! Next month: more mandatory directives from Judy. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ################################################################ SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIG's) [COMPUTER RELATED] compiled by Eric Hunt ################################################################ BIPUG Alabama UniForum Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group Homewood Public Library UAB Nutrition Science Blg 1st Tuesday RM 535/541 Shawn Cleary 870-6130 1st Sunday (delayed one week if meeting is a holiday) Marty Schulman 967-5883 Birmingham Apple Core Informal breakfast meeting every Saturday, 9am - 11am @ Kopper Kettle, lower level Brookwood Village Mall Formal meeting held second Saturday of each month, location variable (to be announced at breakfast meetings and in the user group's newsletter "The PEEL".) President: Sam Johnston - 322-5379 Vice-Prez: Marie Prater - 822-8135 The SIG listing is being re-verified. If you know of an active Computer Related user's group, please let me know. I can be reached via Internet email at eric.hunt@the-matrix.com or drop me a note directly on The MATRIX. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ KNOWN BBS NUMBERS FOR THE BIRMINGHAM AREA ################################################################ Sysops, PLEASE check your listing to make sure everything is correct, especially the networks. Corrections should be mailed on the Matrix or Crunchy Frog to Scott Hollifield or Mark Maisel. ADAnet One (Nodes 1-3) 250-0013 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5 [ez, fi, ad] ADAnet One (Node 4) 254-6050 2400-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5 [ez, fi, ad] Alcatraz BBS 608-0880 300-9600 PCBoard 15.0 [he, vi] Alter-Ego BBS 925-5099 1200-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn] Baudville (Nodes 1-7) 995-0013 300-2400 Major BBS 6.12 [none] Bus System 987-5419 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2 [none] Byte Me! 979-BYTE! 2400-14400 USR HST WWIV 4.12 [none] Castle, The 841-7618 300-2400 Image 1.2 [none] 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] Cherry Tree 681-1710 1200-14400 TriBBS 4.01 [wm, ca] Christian Apologetic 808-0763 1200-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 3.90 [ez, cp] Crocodile Country BBS 477-6283 1200-16800 USR DS Searchlight 3.5 *RIP* [sl, fi] Crunchy Frog (Node 1) 823-3957 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn, lu, ll] Crunchy Frog (Node 2) 823-3958 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn, lu, ll] Crystal Village 856-3749 1200-2400 VBBS 6.10 [cr, cs, al, ho, co, fn, vi] Den, The 933-8744 300-9600 USR HST ProLogon/ProDoor [ez, mn, il] Digital Publishing 854-1660 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat! 3.60 [pl] Electro-BBS 491-8402 300-14400 V.32/42 Maximus 2.01 [fi] Family Smorgas-Board 744-0943 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5 [ez, fi, mj, bc, fa, ic, cf, cd, np, ag, ve, ad] Final Frontier 838-5634 300-14400 VBBS 6.11 *RIP* [al, he, re, fn] Genesis Online(Nodes 1-6) 620-4150 300-14400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11 [mr] Guardian, The (Node 1) 425-1951 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11 [vi] Guardian, The (Node 2) 425-1956 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11 [vi] Hardeman's BBS 640-6436 1200-14400 Wildcat! 3.51 [wi, di, bc] Homewood's Hell Hole 987-7823 2400-14440 V.32bis VBBS 6.10 [he, bi] Joker's Castle 664-5589 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn, un] KickAxis BBS 733-0253 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0 [he] Leaping's Lounge 856-2521 1200-14400 GTPower 18.00 [gt, ez, mn, wm, di] Lions Den 969-5733 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90 [wi, fi] Lumby's Palace 520-0041 300-14400 VBBS 6.0 [he] Magic City (Node 1) 664-9883 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90 [di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe] Magic City (Node 2) 664-0435 300-2400 Wildcat! 3.90 [di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe] Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300-14400 USR HST PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn] MATRIX, The (Nodes 1-14) 323-2016 300-2400 PCBoard 15.0 *RIP* [ez, mn, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr] MATRIX, The (Nodes 20-23) 323-6016 9600-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0 *RIP* [ez, mn, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr] MATRIX, The (Node 25-26) 458-3449 9600-14400 V.32bis PCBoard 15.0 *RIP* [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 (Node 1) 323-6306 1200-14400 V.32bis TeleFinder 3.1 [none] MetroMac BBS (Node 2) 252-0582 1200-14400 V.32bis TeleFinder 3.1 [none] Milliways BBS (Node 1) 956-3177 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP* [none] Milliways BBS(Nodes 2-6)956-2731 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP* [none] Missing Link 853-1257 300-16800 USR DS C-Net Amiga 2.63 [cl, cn] Neon Moon 477-5894 300-14400 TriBBS 4.0 [none] Outer Limits (Node 1) 426-5611 1200-16800 ZyXEL Wildcat! 3.90 *RIP* [fi, do, ec, er, pn] Outer Limits (Node 2) 425-5871 1200-16800 ZyXEL Wildcat! 3.90 *RIP* [fi, do, ec, er, pn] Outer Limits (Node 3) 426-2939 1200-16800 ZyXEL Wildcat! 3.90 *RIP* [fi, do, ec, er, pn] Party Line 856-1336 300-14000 V.32bis TriBBS 4.0 [cc, wm, di] Penny Arcade 699-4625 300-2400 Running Force! 3.75 [none] Playground 681-5070 1200-14000 V.32 TriBBS 5.0 [wm, di, al, ez] Posys BBS 854-5131 300-9600 V.32 PCBoard [none] Programmer's Shack 988-4695 2400-14400 HST DS Renegade [ws, fi, it] Quiet Zone 833-2066 300-2400 ExpressNet [none] Safe Harbor (Node 1) 665-4332 300-2400 GTPower 18.00 [gt, ez, mn, il, lg] Safe Harbor (Node 2) 665-4355 300-14400 USR DS GTPower 18.00 [gt, ez, mn, il, lg] Sam's Domain 956-2757 1200-14400 VBBS 6.0 [da, he] Safety BBS 581-2866 300-2400 RBBS-PC 17.4 [none] Southern Stallion 322-3816 300-16800 ZyXEL PCBoard 15.1 [ez, lu, th, rs, ss, it] Sperry BBS 853-6144 300-2400 V.32/42b PCBoard 15.0 [none] ST BBS 836-9311 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2 [ez] StarBase 12 647-7184 300-2400 TriBBS 4.0 [ez, mn, wm] The Light 979-0368 300-14400 V.32bis PCBoard 15.0 [ch, nl] Thy Master's Dungeon 940-2116 300-57600 V.32/42b PCBoard 14.5 [fr] Torch Song 328-1517 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat 3.6 [pr, se, st, do, fs] Travelog BBS 491-3898 300-2400 TriBBS [none] Weekends BBS 841-8583 2400-16800 USR DS Wildcat! 3.9 [ca] 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] *RIP* = BBS Software is RIP Graphics capable. You must be using a RIP compatible term software to view them. RIPTerm or QmodemPro v1.50 are the only two I know of that support it at this time. RIPTerm is shareware and can be downloaded from most BBS's. QmodemPro is a commercial product. The two-letter abbreviations you see on the line below the names of many of the bbs' in the list signify that they are members of one or more networks that exchange or echo mail to each other in some organized fashion. ad = ADAnet, an international network dedicated to the handicapped ae = ANet, uncertain at press time ag = AgapeNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic al = AlaNet, a local network, multi-topic an = AnnexNet, an international network, multi-topic at = AdultNet, a national network, adult-oriented bc = BCBNet, a local network, religion-oriented bh = BhamTalk, a local network, multi-topic bi = BitchNet, uncertain at press time ca = CafeNet, a local network, restaurant/dining, recipes, etc. cc = Coast2Coast, a national network, multi-topic cd = CDN, a national Christian network for file distribution cf = CFN, a national Christian network, multi-topic ch = ChristNet, a national Christian network cl = CLink, uncertain at press time cm = CompuLink, a national network, multi-topic cn = CNet, multi-topic co = ComicNet, a local net for comic book readers cp = CAPNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic cr = CrystalNet, uncertain at press time cs = ChaosNet, uncertain at press time cy = Cybernet, uncertain at press time da = DateNet, uncertain at press time de = DevNet, an international network for programmers and developers di = Dixie Net, a regional network, multi-topic geared toward the south eastern United States do = DoorNet, a national network for the distribution of BBS doors ec = EchoNet, an international network, multi-topic er = ErosNet, an international network, adult oriented, files & messages ez = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network fa = FamilyNet, an international network, multi-topic fi = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic fn = FrontierNet, a local network, multi-topic fr = FredNet, a regional network, political discussion fs = FSNet, uncertain at press time ga = GameNet, a local network, uncertain at press time gl = GlobalLink, an international network, multi-topic gt = GTNet, an international network, multi-topic he = HellNet, a local network, multi-topic ho = HobbyNet, a local network for hobbyists ic = ICDM, an international Christian network, multi-topic ie = Intelec, a national network, multi-topic il = ILink, an international network, multi-topic in = InterNet, an international network, linking businesses, universities, and bbs', multi-topic it = ITCNet, a national network, multi-topic lg = Local GT Net, a local network, connecting GT Power systems ll = LlamaNet, a national network, freeform correspondence lo = LocalNet, uncertain at press time lu = LuciferNet, an international network, adult oriented ma = MAXnet, a local network, connecting WWIV and VBBS systems mj = MJCN, an international network for Messianic Jews mn = Metronet, an international network which echoes RIME, multi-topic mr = MajorNet, an international network, multi-topic nl = NewLife, uncertain at press time np = NPN, a national network for new parents or = OraNet, a national E-mail network pe = Planet Earth Network, a national network, multi-topic pl = PlanoNet, a national network, multi-topic pn = PoliceNet, an international network, law-enforcement only pr = PrideNet, a 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 re = RealityNet, uncertain at press time rp = RPGnet, a local network for role-playing games rs = RoseNet, a national network, technically orient*ed ru = RushNet, a national network for Rush Limbaugh fans sc = Science Factor Net, a national network, science and technology oriented se = SEC, a regional network, homosexually oriented geared toward the southeastern United States sh = Shades N Shadows Net, a national network for role-playing games sl = SearchlightNet, a national network, multi-topic sm = SmartNet, a national network, multi-topic sn = ShadowNet, a national network for role-playing games ss = SexSations!, a national network, adult-oriented st = StudsNet, a national network, homosexually oriented te = TECHnet, a local network, hardware and utility oriented th = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented un = U'NI-Net, an international network, multi-topic ve = VETLink, a national network for military veterans vi = VirtualNet, an international network, multi-topic wi = WildNet, a national network, multi-topic wm = World Message Exchange, an international network, multi-topic ws = WishNet, uncertain at press time ww = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-