1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask... 2 ************************* INSTALLED: 28 MAR 85 ********************* 3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System) Mike Day System operator 4 ************************************************************ 5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION 6 PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM. 7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privately owned 8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public. 9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is 10 privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which 11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be 12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved) 13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the 14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the 15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace 16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up. 17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system. 18 ************************************************************ 19 20 I can't believe this, first phone line problems, and now modem problems 21 What the heck is going on around here anyway?!! 22 Have patients, if it doesn't answer, try again later, the modem seems 23 to be getting hung up in an intermittent state everyonce in a while. 24 It isn't suppose to be possible for it to do that, so I'm really shooting 25 in the dark on this one. Also, I don't understand why it should start doing 26 this after working flawlessly for years! It might have something to do with 27 the phone line problems, since it started right after this last fix that 28 the phone company did, whatever it was. But, I'm working on it, so it'll 29 get fixed sooner or later. 30 ****************************** CISTOP MIKEY ******************************* 31 [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ 32 MICKY; HAVE YOU HEARD OF SO-CALLED "PASSIVE STUFF" ACQUIRING AI? 33 CAT-I D : DON'T BE CRUEL, DON'T YOU KNOW THAT A REASONABLE NUMBER OF 34 FLEAS IS GOOD FOR A CAT. THAT REMIND ME OF ONE ETHNIC WEDDING WHERE 35 THE FLIES FLEE; AND THE FLEAS FLY. 36 N-O-I. 37 ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]] 38 *********************************ANYONE********************************* 39 Anyone out their who's working with analog/digital conversion with PC's 40 in relation to music reproduction and modification? 41 ************************************************************************ 42 ATDT92301041 43 Sort of interesting the effect this board has on people: we have 44 numerous, un-named twits who create a sort of siege mentality; we have a 45 few writers who write once or twice, and receive no o 46 comments save negative ones, and we have mutual appreciation society, where 47 old-timers continually congratulate one another on their entries. Some 48 people take this ritual praise as truth, which leads me to advise one who 49 is "boycotting" BW that her writing isn't quite as good as she believes. 50 If you enjoy writing, good, but you haven't shown anything of publishable 51 quality yet. You have potential, but you have to re-work the stories; they 52 show serious neglect of spelling and punctutation. Proper grammar may not 53 get you published, but lack of it will certainly throw your stories into 54 the "slush-pile".... Advice from a pro 55 56 WHAT IS THAT ABOVE? THE TRUTH? OMIGOSH. SOMEONE HAS THE COURAGE 57 TO SPEAK IT. I THOUGHT THAT NOT POSSIBLE. THE FEINT PRAISE THAT 58 HAS BECOME THE NORM HERE OF LATE HAS MADE MANY OF THE OLD FOLKS 59 SICK TO DEATH. PRO, YOUR ADVICE STRIKES A NERVE. IT CREATES ITS 60 OWN SENSE OF WORTH. THE SLUSH-PILE SWIMS WITH UNTOLD NUMBERS OF 61 SUCH WORKS. DON'T LUMP ALL OLD TIMERS TOGETHER, LEST YOU INSULT 62 THOSE WHO DON'T TAKE PART IN THE MUTUAL BACK PATTING AND FEET 63 KISSING THAT GOES ON HERE. TO QUOTE THAT AS-YET-NOT-FAMOUS AND 64 CURRENT BACK WATER BOYCOTTER, "ANY THING COULD HAPPEN. AND WHY? 65 66 make no sense what soever. i tossed my cookies to. 67 68 PRO: YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!!! OF THE MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY!!! 69 OF COURSE A FOOL ALWAYS FINDS A GREATER FOOL TO ADMIRE HER AND HER COOK 70 IES>>>>>>> BRAVO....... 71 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 72 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 73 74 Once we were proud. T e proudest country in t e world. We spoke of 75 freedom, nd of ppiness; we d f it in our bility to send s ips to t e 76 moon, to build cities under t e se . No one ever t lks bout t t kind of 77 stuff ny more. No-one remembers but me, nd soon I too will become like 78 t is typewriter, old nd err tic, wit oles in my memory w ere t e wind 79 w istles t roug . 80 For ye rs we d wondered if it could ever ppen- if t e destructive 81 power of our nucle r we pons would ever be rele sed. I remember re ding 82 bout town c lled iros im . T e site of t e first tom bomb. Nobody in 83 J p n would m rry someone from iros im . No one in meric ever t lked bout 84 it. We were too s med. 85 W t's left of us now? I'm sitting on t e floor of n old ouse. ctu lly, 86 it w s t e b sement- t e m in floor w s destroyed by t e firestorms fter 87 t e missiles fell. I pulled s eets of pl stic over t e top to m ke 88 s elter. I live ere wit my f mily- or, t le st, t e people I c ll my 89 f mily. Ric es to r gs, t t's t e story I ve to tell. 90 TO BE CONTINUED 91 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~t e vole~~~~~~~~~~ 92 93 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 94 95 Winter comes, its silent 96 death 97 That poisons sweet 98 perfume 99 Flowers once happy, 100 now are crawling, 101 Slowly to their doom. 102 103 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPTIMIST 104 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 105 "After the thing was all over, when peril had ceased to loom, and 106 happy endings had been distributed in heaping handfuls, and we were driving 107 home with our hats on the side of our heads, having shaken the dust of 108 Steeple Bumpleigh from our tyres, I confessed to Jeeves that there had 109 been moments during the recent preoceedings, when Bertram Wooster, though 110 no weakling, had come very near to despair." 111 -P.G. Wodehouse, from "Jeeves in the Morning" 112 Does anyone else like this stuff? I find it tremendously 113 exhilarating, and dashed good fun. 114 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@BERTIE@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 115 Mig: pay close attention to "t e vole"'s entry. Notice anything interesting 116 about it? 117 ________________________________Leonard____________________________________ 118 TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT T_WIT 119 ON BEHALF OF SOME OF THE TWITS, THERE IS A LOT OF VERY GOOD TALAENT AT THE 120 INN AND NOT ALL COMMENTS SHOULD BE NEGITIVE. 121 TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIPT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT TWIT 122 .......................................................................... 123 Entropy in the Morning 124 125 tick tock 126 tag is knocking 127 kitten in the window wanting in 128 129 morning talking 130 kitten knocking 131 somewhere walking in my dreams 132 .............................................Entropy....................... 133 _______________________________________________________________________ 134 135 I seriously like what this system is used for, and would just like to 136 express my feelings. 137 Of course you know, not many systems are like this, but there must 138 be room in this world for the original too. 139 I happen to be a reader of Issac Aismov, and enjoy his style of 140 writing. I happen to read quite a bit of him and my writing (not so much of 141 this as my stories and editorials) has been influenced and shaped by his. 142 Sort of pathetic, isn't it? 143 Someday, I must type in one of my stories. No doubts in my mind that 144 you esteemed Editors out there shall tear it to tiny shreds of low 145 quality, recycled snot wipe but then how does one learn??? How does one 146 become decient??? O.k.??? Mabye even (Gasp!!) GOOD!!???? Only with 147 extreme luck. 148 Well, my friends, I have wasted enough of your reading time, and 149 have probally violated many taboos you have established here without 150 my knoweldege. My heartfelt apoliges if I have. 151 152 Till another time...... 153 _________________________________________________________junior____________ 154 155 ::::::::::::O O:::::::::23:22::::::::::::::::::03/28:::::::::O O::::::::::: 156 Leonard: I took another look at t h vole's entry. I'm not sure what you 157 are getting at, but I noticed that his erratic As and Hs are erratic in 158 their erraticism. (erraticity?) Most of the time the faulty keys send 159 a space, but occasionally (usually at the beginning of a word), there is 160 no letter And no space for it. I myself suspect a fraud. If a keyboard 161 is missing those two letters, it would be difficult to type commands to the 162 computer, or load a terminal program, or much of anything. Just the sort 163 of thing anonymity allows the stranger sort to experiment with. Harumph. 164 ::::::::::::O O:::::::::::::::voyeur::::::::::::::::::O O:::::::::::::::::: 165 ------------------- 166 167 ****youcan'tpleaseallthepeopleallthetime*****byebye****kathyd************** 168 XXXABC 169 166... 170 HAMMERHAMMERHAMMERHAMMERHAMMERHAMMERTHOR 171 As THOR sat at the INN he could hardly believe his ears. From the dark 172 shadows came howls and hoots from unnamed critics of the people visiting 173 the INN. They seem to feel the need to excoriate the talents that frequent 174 the INN as if their disparagements were the absolute word of 'GOD'. 175 THOR felt that these poltroons needs to animadvert toward decent scriveners 176 only supported their true colors. It was so easy to castigate anonymously. 177 Like some braying cow whose only recourse is to make noise because it does 178 not have the intelligence to speak. At least a cow will show itself. What 179 manner of mestizo could say such an impiety. Could it be jealousy, 180 false ego, covetousness, or maybe just an inability to give praise for at 181 least the attempts made. As THOR knew that the patrons at the INN were 182 not emolumented for their efforts 183 then who could critisize whenthem when the critics were not giving 184 'quid pro quo'. If their stories were not of some peoples taste then there 185 was no need to 'obiter dictum' unless it was their intent to be a 186 'persona non grata'. 187 THOR was glad that they hid in the shadows for he knew that it would be 188 difficult for him to control the monster that he had put away inside a 189 dark hole in his heart. 'CAVE CANEM', these words meant a lot to THOR and 190 he best not allow its release. For certainly it was an animal that could 191 not be controlled. THOR enjoyed the hostelry and its known and good patrons 192 and he hoped that for their sake that he did not discover who the nameless 193 ones were, only that their attacks ceased. 194 THORTHOR-'AVE ATQUE VALE'-THORTHORTHOR 195 196 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 197 Thor -- please, I believe you owe my milk cow, Lassie, an apology. Lassie 198 only moos when she wants to be fed a treat (whenever my truck pulls up) or 199 when she has come into heat. Being compared to self-styled critics whose 200 pathetic attempts at acid wit result in a ph of 7, would surely curdle her milk. 201 Experience has shown that the most effective way of dealing with most of 202 these socially retarded folks is to simply consider the source when seeing 203 the messages and tune them out. The mentality is not unlike that of the 204 vandal who chops down a tree in order to deny shad to anyone else. Typically 205 those who indulge in gratuitous verbal attacks on others with whom they have 206 very little contact are displaying how little they value themselves. The 207 attacks are really displays of their own feelings about who and what they 208 feel they really are. The person who is attacked is "standing in" for the 209 inner self of the person doing the attacking. For example, one who accuses 210 another of lewd or immoral behaviour, on this board usually does not personally 211 know the person accused. This attack from anonymity usually is a tip-off 212 that the attacker feels that he/she is really the type of person who whould 213 indulge (if courage were sufficient) in the behaviour that he/she condemns. 214 Thus one who attacks anothers intellegence reveals his feeling about the 215 lack in his own intellegence, another who questions the worth of others 216 thus shows that he feels of little personal worth himself. 217 It's easier to ignore these infantile outbursts when you remember that they 218 are the sniffles of children who have not even graduated to the stage of 219 being able to express self-pity. Sometimes these folks realize what they 220 are doing and mature into valued persons, others simply lose interest when 221 ignored long enough. Either way, responding to them simply encourages 222 more of the same. However, don't mistake honest constructive criticism 223 for those cries of self-pity. It's in sadly short supply in the world, and 224 when offered, well worth taking. 225 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 226 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Piper: Your advice above is good, pity I am going to deny it. 228 Assassins: Please excuse, it was my fault that people think Kathyd is 229 "boycotting" the Inn. It is my fault that people think that she thinks she 230 is high and above you all. She does not. Apparently, through some misunder- 231 standing, I passed on this inaccurate impression I received. I will admit this 232 impression was of thought they became twisted around in my head, it was not 233 any misspeach on her part. However, if she were to honestly be "boycotting" the 234 Inn, who could blame her? I am truely suprised she steps near. (Yes, that was 235 the point, right?) I would like to return to that "be nice to everyone month". 236 I must say I do not like you, and you do not like me either. But, it looks like 237 were stuck with each other. To my knowledge, Kathyd (or I) have done nothing to 238 step on you toes. I honestly can not see why you just don't leave her be. 239 Boredom, right? Well, those long critical words you gave her made me think 240 twice. You can write. Can you not put that to more constructive work? Remember, 241 when something goes liked, it is not always commented on. If I commented on 242 every piece here I liked, that's all I would do. (I know, better that way, 243 huh?) Of late, I have not noticed the "old-timers" giving compliments to 244 only the "old-timers". Sure, they do. But, not only. Is it? (Gosh, maybe you 245 are right...) Anyways, please stop. It would be nice. People don't like getting 246 their feelings hurt, I am sure Kathyd is of no exception. I wish I could 247 persued (sp! yes, I know) you to write things that we would enjoy reading. 248 True, people may not say "wow! that's really great", but often times we think 249 it. (Or I do, anyways). Can I get I hurt child's look on my face and stare up 250 at you with pleading eyes? Okay, I know this probabley will not sway your 251 actions, I wish would. But, at least you will get a laugh out of it, no? This 252 is just that sappy kind of stuff you, right? Well, I would rather you quite 253 being mean and start writing some other stuff (even if nobody comments), but 254 if you decide to continue being mean, go ahead laugh. It would be sort of fun, 255 no? I think it is anyway, pretty sappy. But has a point. -Tanya please... 256 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 I just re-read. Please excuse all grammatical error. Enter only... . . . . 258 ******************************************************************* 259 Thor: In response to you comment on what is now drive B, huh? 260 I have not left any messages addressed to you. Perhaps you mistook 261 someone elses message as mine? Please note that a number of people 262 use the '*' boarder, which is perfectly fine by me, but you should 263 be more observant, I ALWAYS sign the bottom line with CISTOP MIKEY. 264 If it isn't there, it isn't me. Plain and simple. 265 ***************** 266 I'm sorry to see the lastest rash of name calling and general 267 childish actions going on here. I would have thought better of you all. 268 The one calling himself (herself?) a pro obviously isn't, else they 269 would be more aware of the world and how it works. Certainly some of 270 the writing here is not exactly top grade, but then remember that 271 it is typically writen in one sitting, to be put on a system in which 272 it will only see the light of day for maybe 2 or 3 days at the most, 273 and then is relagated to the dusty musty archives never to be seen 274 by mortal eyes again. Many writers here have never done that sort 275 of thing before, and they are flexing their writting musles, seeing 276 if they have the ability, or learning to do better. Some use it 277 simply as a means to exercise and try new concepts. Several of the 278 so called old timers here actually ARE writers, they make a living at it. 279 BW is more like night club like Second City, or the Improv where 280 people can try out and see if they have what it takes, and 'old timers' 281 can try out new material, or spiff up older material and style. 282 As far as bad grammer or spelling, or other misc rude comments, certainly 283 there is a lot of it, how else do you learn whether it is or not. 284 Take the above writting I just did, if is riff with typos, spelling errors, 285 horid grammer, ect.. And yet, I have written awhile myself, and most 286 importantly I made money at it, (the true telltale sign of a professional) 287 The LAST thing I check for is spelling and grammer, and if I'm just 288 putting down an idea for someone to check out, I don't worry about it, 289 because I got the idea across, and that is what counts. If I'm trying 290 to write a finished product, I run it thru a spell checker, a fog checker, 291 have someone else read it for content, ect. but even then it is never 292 perfect, I am a writer not a copyreader. That is why the profession 293 exists, so that writers and editors can spend the time needed to insure 294 that the content is good. This doesn't mean that bad grammer or spelling 295 has no affect, but it is not of prime importance. Just because you don't 296 have the worlds most gramatically correct story doesn't mean it will 297 be thrown in the corner box with all the other yucko manuscripts. It can 298 make a marginal story get thown away, but it will only marginaly affect 299 a great story. That is why editors are willing to sift thru all that 300 garbage, in the hopes of finding a diamond studed needle in the middle 301 of the haystack. All to often they must settle for a plain uninteresting 302 ordinary needle, so when it is bent, they just look for another one, but 303 if it looks good enough, there is always time and willingness to straighten 304 it out. Sure rejection is hard to take, but one thing I have always done 305 is try to get the editor to tell me why it was rejected, how can I make it 306 better? Sometimes I get an answer, and those I treasure for the jewles of 307 advice that they are. (Doesn't mean I always follow the bastards advice!) 308 So anyway, people have to learn someplace, we aren't born with perfect 309 writting talent, it is a skill like any other that takes time and exposure 310 to the elements to perfect. (or at least improve) 311 ************************ CISTOP MIKEY ********************************* 312 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 313 Hmmm.... I came here all primed to spout off, but it seems our beloved 314 Cistop has said it all. To that I'll add: Amen! 315 Val 316 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 317 318 I signed my letter "advice from a pro" because I do indeed earn some small part 319 of my income as a writer, and wished to differentiate between myself and those 320 who are known as assassins, vandals, etc. While I will concede your point, 321 Cistop Mikey, that much of the writing here is expository, I am afraid that I 322 can not agree that that is good. The first skill a writer must learn is the 323 ability to rewrite his own words. Without analysis--by oneself or by others-- 324 a writer cannot grow, cannot progress beyond the expository stage. You can tellme that the people who make their entries 325 hunched over a glowing screen late at night do download their story and edit it, 326 but I don't really believe that. As far as spelling and punctuation are 327 concerned, errors distract the reader afrom the essentials of what the writer is 328 saying. In modern America, there are so many words spouring out of typewriters 329 and word-processors that the reader cannot keep up with them. Have you tried 330 reading the Oregonian cover-to-cover lately? How about trying to read every 331 one of the computer magazines published each month? Faced with this, this 332 overwhelming onslaught of verbiage, it is the writer's job to make things 333 easier for the poor reader. If you choose not to revise and rework, that is 334 certainly your privilege, but don't expect your writing to improve and don't 335 expect to get published. 336 As far as the "kathyd" situation, I was not attempting to injure her, and 337 I am sorry it was taken in that vein. My apologies to her if I seemed overly 338 harsh. I'm afraid thaat I feel the bulk of my argument stands: you have some 339 skill, but you must practice, practice, practice! Just as no one can sit down 340 and write the Brandenburg Concertos without practice, so you cannot write (fill 341 in the favorite novel of your choice) without exercising your "writing muscle." 342 Why do I remain anonymous? I value my privacy just as much as any of 343 you, and probably more than most. I have no wish to be solicited for the name 344 of my agent or to critique someone else's autobiography. Also, may I point 345 out, YOU are just as nameless--to me, anyway. 346 One last point: there is a famous quote (my Bartlett's doesn't have the 347 quote, so I can't credit the originator) to the effect "That if engineers 348 built bridges the way programmers write code, civilization would be destroyed 349 by the first woodpecker to come along." If you will grant me that point, then 350 perhaps you will grant me this one: if all writers wrote with as little regard 351 for the reader as some do here, wno one would read anything anymore. You may 352 not be able to write brilliantly, but you can attempt to write properly, so 353 that you will be understood and (hopefully) appreciated... "Pro" 354 } xx xx xx xx xx 355 356 FRAME Tank Moon War...2024...DVProductions...from a dream... Structure: Frame- 357 Tank - These "tanks" are small, one-man, atomic-powered, and fast.k They weigh 358 about 300 lbs. They have the appearance of being only frames because they use a 359 super plexiglass power field that is clear, but so strong nearly anything 360 bounces off; gives great visability. The Driver sits in a swivel chair that 361 also turns the powerful turret-gun. Controls are simply 2 dials that control 362 the gun and tank direction/motion and two buttons controlling speed and firing. 363 The turret fires small, jet-propelled shells (like long bullets) that streak the 364 vacuum sky and explode with green violence on the moon surface. 365 xx xx xx xx xx 366 It is very dark. My frame-tank is surrounded by five others , but something 367 has disabled all our tanks -- perhaps a solar flare? I get out quickly to fight 368 hand-to-hand. The disturbance ( a nuclear explosion) must have wiped out 369 everything electronic, because my homing-gun doesn't work. By the numbers... I 370 rush back and pull the 10 lunar-pound atomic generator plank from my tank. It 371 is rather like a blunt, clumsy sword -- long and rectangular. I hold, as a 372 handle, the actual generator end of it, which is much more rounded. As the five 373 foes charge at me, waving their own sharp-edged makeshift swords, I blast them 374 with the pure energy meant to power my wheels. Whatever the beam touches, it 375 displaces, literally melting my adversaries. My oxygen is low. I fight my way 376 to the nearest ground airlock, and take off my pressure suit in the comfort of 377 warm air. FRAME-Tank War... 2024... DVProductions ... xx xx 378 xx xx xx xx xx 379 380 /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ 381 I was really upset when I got on last, a couple of days ago, and found 382 that I couldn't make heads or tales of what the computer was spouting at me. 383 I was even more upset when I couldn't get on at all. Now that I have, how- 384 ever, I found that I haven't missed anything at all. 385 For the people that don't recognize me of my border, I am a lowly 386 student from OSU that occasionally steals her brother's computer and reads 387 the stuff contained herein. I don't get down to Rose City from Moo U too 388 often, but I've gotten pretty good at picking up stories in the middle and 389 ENJOYING WHAT I READ. And this is what I want to sermonize on... 390 I just so happen to be an English major. I also just so happen to have 391 a talent for proofreading. I have been performing that service for friends 392 and family for as long as I've had any mastery of my native tongue. I know 393 good grammar, etc., when I see it, and I also know a good storyline or idea 394 when I see that. The reason that the "Old-timers" don't remember seeing a 395 story from me is that I know that I'm not up to snuff yet. 396 But I admire the people that write on this board for their hutspa(sp?), 397 and I very much enjoy what I find here. For, my dear PRO, it is not the 398 spelling and the grammer that I dial this board up for; it is the stories 399 them selves that I enjoy. If you can't enjoy a good story installment 400 because one of the words is misspelled, then I think you should go back to 401 whatever you were doing before you found this board. I happen to be a lousy typist myself, so I can sympathise with the 402 misspelled words; and if the grammar isn't so hot, then I can rephrase it in 403 my head...but I refuse to listen to anyone telling these terrific writers 404 that because of these mistakes, their stories aren't any good. It is content 405 that makes a good story, not mechanics: any total twit can put mechanically \ 406 perfect words on paper(and maybe even get it published), but that does not a 407 good story make. 408 In short: to all the writers on this board,old and new:KEEP UP THE GOOD 409 WORK, and ignore the cranks. Like bad weather, they can't hold out forever. 410 THORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHOR 411 To the writer above, THANK YOU!!! 412 I wish that I had caught your moniker or handle for I would leave you a message 413 on a more personal basis. 414 To exemplify your words, take the dictionary or encyclopedia. 415 Both are perfect in their grammar and their spelling but who finds their 416 writing exciting, interesting or imaginative? Maybe "pro" but I can think of 417 no other. They are both sets of books that merely give words and information 418 and show no talent of thought only structured investigatory prints. Is this 419 professional writing then? Is this what we are all striving to become? 420 Text writers? No I do not think so. A story by a New Guinea savage is still 421 interesting to many who hear his tale. 422 No matter if his writing is grammically incorrect or his diction imperfect. 423 Writers are judged are their ability to paint a picture, touch a heart or 424 pierce a soul. There are many professional writers today that do not write 425 a single word. They dictate their thoughts and storylines into a tape recorder 426 and another associate edits those thoughts and idea into a finished product. 427 Usually those associates are doing their job as they do not have the talent 428 of the person that they edit. So it appears to THOR, as 'PRO' considers his 429 or herself a professional because of income benefitted through its effort. 430 THOR has benefitted for his writings also but those writings could not be 431 judged imaginative nor inspirational. 432 No indeed, not unless the teaching of the operations of deadly weapons could 433 be construed to be authoritic. No 'PRO' 434 I do not forsee your being an asset for the INN. It is obvious from the heated 435 response that has shown its ugly head concerning the merits of your arguments 436 only shows that constructive critism is what the users want on this board. 437 Irritants can sometimes get a rise of a few for a short time but usually they 438 are ignored and they disappear. You must 439 derive some pleasure from this board or else you wouldn't keep coming back. 440 If it is not up to your standards then I can get you the number for Compuserve 441 ry of congress where you can browse your hearts content on professional 442 quality materials. 443 Or is it perhaps you desire attention, be it even negative attention 444 in order to get some kind of recognition for your existence. I used to have 445 the same problem with my baby girls before they grew up a little. They too 446 suffered recognition as they thought because their mother and father did not 447 love each other anymore than perhaps it spread over to them. 448 Is this it 'pro' are you looking for someone to show you some love or 449 effection? There are plenty of people here at the INN that can give that 450 to you. Please try to excersise your efforts toward a positive attention 451 rather than a negative one. Why not leave us a sample of your writings so 452 that we can enjoy your material too? You may find some critics because of 453 the prejudiced attitude that you have set up but if you take the chance maybe 454 you might even get some praise. After all, isn't that what you are looking for? 455 Come on now, give us a try, THOR hasn't maimed anyone since 1968 so I'm 456 out of practice anyway. 457 THORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHORTHOR 458 My God Guardian, stop me when I get so damn philosophical.......THOR 459 ************************************** 460 /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ 461 Thank you, THOR!! Long time no positive strokes!! 462 As I seem to have forgotten it last time, this particular lowly college 463 student's name is 464 /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/Luingil/\/\/\/\/\/(Pleasetakeakkthisasconstructive)/\/\/\ 465 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466 Luingil: I was right behind Thor all the way as he applauded you. I was 467 honestly considering sleep teaching myself into being a good speller. I knew 468 I would never be able to handle the grammer thing, so I decided that I would 469 just have to quit these stories and right only poetry. (No rules). Really, 470 thanks. It was sort of weird to look around the Inn and see vicious faces. 471 (I, much to my dismay, include myself). I admit, your face is not much known 472 to me, but it was if I saw my only friend standing as you did. Thanks! 473 Pro: I am very wishy-washy. I can understand (sort of) what you were saying 474 but I got the impression you were shouting in our ears. Not a pleasant sound, 475 even if given in good faith. Yes, we all need practice. But, maybe if we are 476 so bad grammatically, we would have somebody correct our work. The thing is, 477 I really did not expect to find any professinals out there looking over my 478 words saying "gee, she has a problem with run-on sentences and commas". I know 479 that I have that problem. But, that is the way I THINK. I also think backwards 480 in varies other ways, too. Most of which I translate into common English or 481 else it really would not make any sense. With my terminal I have not the 482 ability to download (as far as I know) nor do I have a machine that will spell- 483 check my work. I honestly have trouble with dictionaries even though I can 484 recite the alphebet very well (better than spell it). So I do not have all 485 these options to make my stuff perfect before I set it here. (Not that I could 486 make it "perfect"). You have received alot of attacks. Sorry. But, maybe 487 you do not understand how you appear. "I am the pro, I know what's what. All 488 you guys are so much less than me. You can't even spell!" etc. I do not think 489 this is what you mean. (I hope not). But, it took alot of thinking to draw 490 this conclusion. I think almost everyone that writes here feels personally 491 insulted. Alot of what you said was very true, in my opinion. But, it was your 492 words that sounded harsh, making it seem like an attack. Anyways, I would 493 greatly enjoy reading some of your stuff. Please do write here. (Although I 494 suggest you throw in a few spelling errors, grammar problems, just so we won't 495 suspect who it is. You got everyone at your throa, see. It was good to keep 496 identity covered. Besides, if you didn't people might figure out who you was 497 and say "he/she ain't no pro! Sure, that makes sense but..." No, really, 498 please do share. Excuse the space I consumed. My thoughts ran away. -Tanya 499 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 501 502 SDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSD 503 I would like to inform you people that Alternate World is back up...(finally) 504 And that it has a B-Board which can store 1570 lines and an E-mail secwhich 505 can store 166 messages. 506 Also, to all of you who have read my Doctor Where and Bucaroo (sp) Banzai stories on Tanis and have disliked them 507 because you think they deface Doctor Who...I would like to say that I don't mean to...in fact in like Doctor Who. 508 Thanks for your attention... 509 The Silver Dragon... 510 511 SDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSD 512 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 513 To all -- as an "ol'timer" let me throw in a few thoughts. The inn goes t 514 through cycles ... stories, arguments, anger, love. Let's not stand in the 515 way and let the pendulum swing on, try to keep the criticism constructive, and 516 remember the feelings of those you speak of and to. As long as we're human, 517 we'll misunderstand one another, get angry and say (or write) things we will 518 later regret. It's ephemeral here as cistop mikey says. Barkeep, a round 519 for the house, and I'll try to continue my story. 520 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 521 (what has gone before) The piper out for a midnight ride upon the pegasus 522 has wandered into a land of solidified clouds. He has entered a public 523 house of some kind and been welcomed by Koom Youlus, a large hearty man 524 and Rainbow, a most attractive lady. While the inn has been undergoing 525 a spate of incivility, the piper has become acquainted with his new friends... 526 527 The process by which we become acquainted is like a formal dance -- the 528 participants move forward and back, exposing and concealing in a rather 529 specialized ritual. There are undercurrents of concealed hostility, lust, 530 the urge to dominate one over another. The participants assume different 531 roles, trying to weave a social fabric that allows the development of a 532 genuine affection and liking for each other. Each tugs at the developing 533 garment that enfolds the group, easing his or her own fit, until the breaking-in 534 period has produced a comfortable fit. 535 The roles the small party soon assumed were preordained by the long 536 acquaintanship that all but the piper had with one another. Koom played the 537 bluff, hearty host -- the father figure to whom all the others deferred. 538 The others (the piper never did get all the names straight) played out their 539 own roles Alt the lofty intellect, Seris (or was it Nimbus?) the wayward 540 daughter. The names did not matter, the roles were there. 541 In new aquaintanships there are also electric moments. Part of the pleasure 542 to be had from people is the pleasure of the unexpected. Another is the 543 sharp exitement of chemistry that seems to fall into synchronization. 544 During the banter and exchange, the piper had become acutely aware of 545 Rainbow's presence. The soft warmth against his arm set his pulse racing 546 when she reached across the table for a refill of her ale, the pressure of 547 her leg along his kept him unacustomedly still. The human body, however, 548 has certain physical limitations build in -- after a certain amount of liquid 549 has been consumed, room must be made should one wish to consume more. 550 The piper, after delicately indicating this to Koom, his host, was quite 551 startled when that worthy gentleman called out in a rather loud voice, 552 "All right everybody -- let's go unload!" 553 Trailing behind the noisy party, the piper stifled his startlement, and 554 after a few moments followed the group into a large communal rest room. 555 After a brief bout of shyness, the piper following the lead of the other male 556 members of the party stood up to a large silver-lined trough used for a 557 urinal. Glancing across the room, he was just in time to notice Rainbow 558 hoisting her skirts over what appeared to be a solid gold commode. The 559 thought flashed through his brain before he could suppress it... 560 "I've often heard of the pot of gold....." 561 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 562 Bravo, Piper.! Responses to others (Tanya, Luingil, and Thor are being 563 564 transferred to paper, and I will enter them later. I would be quite happy 565 to transfer this to another board, but as I mentioned earlier, I don't know 566 who you are, and therefore cannot send messages to you. (pretend that there 567 is a closed parentheses after Thor, please) Pro 568 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# 569 Near the bottom... and so much discussion above. Perhaps I'll enter something 570 substantial tomorrow, when there's more elbow room. Personally, I don't mind 571 incorrect spelling (much), improper grammer, etc. What I call here for is to 572 read the stories. That's it. As long as it's interesting, and mostly legible, 573 it's okay by me. 574 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# Farley #$##$##$# 21:52 - 03/29/85 #$##$# 575 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 576 All: I've read some information about a writing contest held by Avon/Flare 577 books, and I think that I will participate. I have until August to complete 578 it, and it must be about teenagers and written for teenagers. Does anyone mind 579 if I enter sections of it here for review? Perhaps I can make use of that 580 constructive criticism shown here. 581 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Milchar +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 582 &*)%_@#*%_@)*%_)*^_)*^_)#$*^_)*#_)^*!#_)^*_#)*&^_)*&_#&_)#*_)^*#$&^_#)$*^_)#^_)&#^_)*!#_^*&!)_#*^_)!#*^!#*^ 583 Voyeur : I'll most likely pay dearly for staying up and waiting for the attack dialer to get me on here, 584 but I did, and here I am, and here is my marker, and you can start from now on, until I say stop. Thank 585 you very much... 586 Milch : Ok buddy, but no teen-romance stories ok? heh heh... You know what I mean. Go for it. We await 587 the creations from your own personal Word Starlett. 588 Farley : I'll be bringing back some spare parts for Fred (snicker guffaw) so prepare thyself. 589 Petrov : I am disapointed we didn't hear more from you during this too short vacation. But now with ALL 590 of your own equipment, you won't need your friends anymore, and another sheepish entry could come at any 591 time, without warning. Here and gone, the only trace being that peculiar smell in the air, and a sales 592 slip from Fredricks of Falklands... 593 *^)_$#*^_$)^*#_)^*#_)*^)_#!$*^)_@#*^ L'homme sans Parity %*#@)_%*@#)_%*@_)#*%!)_*%)_*%@^&#$)_*^)_#$*^)_#$*^#_)^*@_)^* 594 Farley - by all means enter your teen-aimed stories. As things stand, it 595 will raise the average intellectual level of BW. Hopefully your excerps will 596 not be too erudite for the mainstream lurker. 597 _innocent bysitter_ 598 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 599 There seems to be a great deal of argument concerning critical entries 600 created by "unnamed individuals." I happen to be one of these individuals. 601 Because most of the attacking and defending statements on this system are 602 quite vague, I'm uncertain whether any of the defensive comments were actually 603 directed towards me. 604 Though my opinion stands, I would like to apologize--it was in questionable 605 tast for me to put down other writer's entries. 606 It's interesting to see that most of the outcry against critical entries 607 appear in the form of a vow never to comment on critical entries. I'd also 608 like to point out that the writers who condemn negative comments have 609 developed the annoying habit of psychoanalyzing the ones who made the 610 comments. It's completely irresponsible to attempt to understand a person's 611 inner thoughts and feelings based on a single entry. It's obviously true that 612 a person who makes destructive statements has character flaws, but I would 613 advise you to be less hasty in your judgments...a tendency which is also 614 extremely destructive. 615 Well, enough soap-boxing. It's time to get back to writing (fiction) which 616 I will do as soon as Mikey switches disks, moving my formerly mentioned 617 negative comments to drive C. 618 ////////////////////////////////// T. Schmidt //////////////////////////////// TOTAL NUMBER OF LINES = 618