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May 1992 us $3.50 r r ~ :~~lRE~IN Canada $5.00 J 74470·78651 J SYSTEMS MAGAZINE r r )"-

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8 Gigs / PC Pursuit / Connect-USA / Com puc om / Telebit / PO Box 338, Cambridge MA 02238 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Volume 3, Number 5 May 1992

CALLERS DIGEST FEATURES

Publisher/Advertising Director Richard Paquette ATTRACTING CALLERS TO YOUR BBS ...... 4 Associate Publisher/Editor John Carcione DEVELOPING A COMMERCIAL PROGRAM ...... 28 Design and Illustration Terry Wilson Art Director COLUMNS Jeanne Lorenzo Subscription Manager Joyce Harrington JUST DON'T CALL IT A COMPUTER! ...... 8 Printing 9600 Baud Street by Alan Bechtold CEI Printing Co. Newsstand Consultant A LITTLE RESPECT, PLEASE ...... 10 William A. Townsend Amigo Callers by Kelly Wright BNL Distribution Services, Inc. 100A Centre Blvd . Marlton, NJ 08053 COPYRIGHT AND YOUR BBS MESSAGES ...... 15 Tel: 1-609-985-8550 BBS Barrister's Corner by Charles S. Kramer, Esq. Fulfillment Operations Starr Fulfillment Corp. THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION ...... 20 900 Haddon Ave., Ste 326 Oracomm by Gary Young Collingswood, NJ 08108 Joseph Starr, President AUBURNDALE, WI; PAPILLION, NE; 1-609-858-4411 CHATHAM, NJ ...... 22 Editorial and Advenising - We can be contacted BBS Notebook by Patrick Grote online at "The Livewire BBS," which is the support BBS, set modem at 8,N, I and call 1·609-235-5297. Voice Office number is: 1-609-953-9110; is: 1-609- EXPRESS YOURSELF WITH TAG LINES ...... 26 953-7961; hardcopy mailing address is: Callers BBSing Made Easy!!! by Philip BaUey Digest Inc, 701 Stokes Rd, Medford, NJ 08055. Subscriptions USA CANADA ANECDOTES & ACRONYMS ...... 30 I Yr. (12 issues) $25.00 $45.00 The Lighter Side of Computing 2 Yrs.(24 issues) $45.00 $85.00 by Carol Carmichael and Ed Lazarowitz 3 Yrs.(36 issues) $60.00 $IW.OO Call our order HOTLINE at 1-800-822-0437 8AM- 4PM EST, Mon·Fri, and charge your subscription to DELUXP & ROBOCOMM: GREAT TOGETHER ...... 32 your Visa or MasterCard, or send check, money order PCBoard by Richard Kozik payable to Callers Digest, Inc. All material is copyrighted 1990/91/92 by Callers TEN YEARS AT THE PC ...... 38 Digest, Inc., all rights reserved. Material in this pub­ Lana's Corner by Lana Fox lication MAY NOT be reproduced in any form with­ out written permission from the publisher of BBS Callers Digest. BBS Callers Digest (ISSN #1055-2812) is published ET CETERA ... monthly by Callers Digest, Inc., 701 Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055. BBS Callers Digest is not responsible for the opinions expressed by contributors. Questions and co=ents are welcomed. Unless oth­ erwise instructed, we assume aU rights to letters, arti­ NEWSLINE ...... 2 cles, or other communications sent to BBS Callers Digest as unconditionally assigned for publication. BBSCD BBS LIST ...... 37 Material not accompanied by a stamped, self­ addressed envelope will not be returned. Uploads are accepted only in ZIP format at "The Livewire BBS." CLASSIFIEDS ...... 40 POSTMASTER: Please send aU change of address to: BBS Callers Digest, 701 Stokes Rd., Medford, NT 08055. COVER: Illustration by Terry Wilson

MAY 1992 • 1 112 Nodes NEWS :LINE

new ownership sometime soon. PARAGON CANCELS Again I want to thank you and ACCU*LlNK SERVICE. your staff for the excellent article and review of the service and apologize for any inconvenience this has caused Mr. Richard Paquette, Publisher you or your readers. Rusty Edie BBS Callers Digest Sincerely, Terry Rossi, Director 701 Stokes Road Call a different kind of BBS, "We Medford, NJ 08055 are the Friendliest BBS in the World" Our name says it all. Edie and I are Dear Richard: GALACTICOMM a couple of burn outs from the Thank you for your very flatter­ REVOLUTIONIZES 60's. We didn't like rules then and ing review of Paragon Communica­ we don't now. Come on in and tions, Accu "Link service in the April PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR relax you will be among friends. 1992 issue. It was a true pleasure ONLINE TIME: 976-BBS We have a huge adult section, working with BBS Callers Digest on OFFERS CALLERS including over three gigabytes of the interview about the service. CONVENIENT PAYMENT adult graphics, as well as a fine It is with great regret that I must seledion of public domain and inform you that Paragon Communi­ METHOD FOR BBS USE shareware programs, includ­ cations has cancelled the Accu "Link Fort Lauderdale, FL - Galacti­ ing over a gigabyte of family type service. Unexpected changes in the comm, Inc., the leading manufactur­ graphics. But that's not what sets ownership of the Corporation has er of multi-user electronic bulletin us apart. When you call the first caused this. Paragon Communica­ board system software and hard­ time, you'll know what no amount tions is actively seeking a buyer for ware, has just introduced 976-BBS, a of words can tell you, you are the Accu"Link service, so hopefully it software/hardware package that inter­ home. That's right, put up your will be back on the market, under faces with a "976_" or "1-900-" num­ feet and enjoy yourself. ber to allow purchase of BBS connect We live by the three no's: "No time. System operators () of Censorship, No Rules, No The Major BBS, Galacticomm's pre­ Hass le" JABBER miere BBS product, can now offer their users an easy, convenient way to You'll find us like no other BBS : Q W K pay for online time. • We answer your messages Callers dial the 976- and comments READER number and listen to a voice-synthe­ • We answer your on line sized message which issues a unique pages Small Fast Powerful redemption code. The user then dials • We post our address Offline Mail Reading into the BBS and enters the code, which causes the system to post cred­ • We post our voice phone Features inc 1ude: Message sorting, text number searc hing, tag1ine stealing, packet its to that user's account. storage system, DesqView aware, unique user interface, handles large packets 976-BBS is the first package of and messages, 8/7 bit suppo rt, and much Rusty n Edie's BBS morel its kind which integrates the "976_" 1480 Fredricksburg Drive An AUTHOR supported shareware program. technology with BBS accounting Youngstown, OH 44512 Before you do anything methods. "976-BBS opens a new door Voice ...... 216-758-8342 SILLY try JABBER! to callers in terms of payment

Fax ...... 216-726-3595 CALL BABBLE UNDERGROUND options," says Galacticomm presi­ (707) 538-1507 HST/V_32 2400 baud ...... 216-726-2620 FOR THE LASTEST VERSION dent, Tim Stryker. "No longer will a HST 14.4K / V32bis ... 216-726-3589 credit card or a pre-paid check be nec­ Hayes V-Series ...... 216-726-3619 10% OFF IF YOU MENTION essary to receive online time. Until Compucon ...... 216-726-3620 THIS AD! Continued on page 43

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What does it take to run a BBS so dynamic, callers will pay for a phone call to access it?

Paul Waldinger, age 41, had a very to SOM. The main theme of Sound of could add more nodes to the already interesting story when we (BBS Music BBS was music appreciation very busy SOM BBS. Callers Digest) visited him and SOM with conferences (local) lending them­ To date, the once known Sound some time back. selves to collectors. of Music BBS with one is now Paul has a most interesting When PCBoard v 11.3 was called Sound of Music Premium music collection. The need to catalog released, Paul decided to increase his Information Net running 16 Nodes. his vast collection drove Paul into incoming calls by adding another During the growth years, Rob computers. He had been working node. Now his system was capable of Waldinger, now 18 years old and with one at his office, then he bought receiving double the amount of daily attending Nassau Community himself an Apple computer and ~.J()() calls using a multi-tasker (Desqview). College, had watched very earnestly baud modem. Then he started calling This solution didn't last long. An­ what his dad was doing. When his dad CompuServe and buying commercial other node was needed for the in­ would call home to find the BBS software until one day he noticed that creased calls along with Paul himself locked up for one reason or another, all this expense was dipping into his wanting to use the system to catalog he was able to walk Rob through fix­ grocery monies! his music, so he installed slave cards ing the problem. Thus Rob started Well, at that time in 1981, with another node. learning what the BBS was all about. BBS's were far apart from each other. Now up to three nodes and a Rob now Co-Sysops the SOM He did find Long Beach BBS, which few years later [1989L Paul, being Premium Information Net. After the turned out to be almost a local call, adventurous, had not been afraid to 1989 Gateway Convention, both Paul only 5 miles away from his home in "let's do this and see what happens". and Rob thought it would be a good Oceanside, Long Island, New York. Welt it looked like things where idea to start a "Soap Box" conference When finding out that he could going well and then he decided to where young callers could express download "shareware" from this bul­ install a Lan Network so that he their thoughts on almost any subject. letin board that was in a lot of cases Well, Rob monitored this message comparable to the "commercial" area and developed it to one of the top software, he took advantage of it and 5 conferences echoed in SmartNet. found a reliable package to catalog his Another message area that Rob music collection! Happy, yes he was. started was the Teen Talk area which Paul finally decided to start his allows Teenagers a place to commu­ own BBS for other music collectors, nicate with each other on subjects thinking that he could enhance his like Expressions, bowling, miniature collection along with allowing other golt jogging, video games, and abor­ music collectors to enhance theirs. So tion. While visiting, we had the he set off for some BBS software and opportunity to watch Rob go through fell on to RBBS 14.1. the day's messages and thought that So, now in late 1981 Paul he was doing an excellent job, reliev­ Waldinger has a BBS, called Sound of ing his dad from some of the day to Music BES. After a couple of months, day messaging so that dad could get he switched to PCBoard 10.0 software some of the constant calls from with Eric Leitner uploading the code modemers all over the country. Paul Waldinger

4 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST In fact, during our visit Paul However, the major difference found on commercial bbs systems received a voice call from a person between a newspaper or pu blication that offer software upgrade support that had just bought a new modem and your bbs is the connectivity such as the FAS support area for the and didn't know how to log into the which you and your users need to JTFax boards on the "Online with SOM Premium Information Net, so communicate with each other. Hayes" bbs. we listened to Paul actually walk this That "connectivity" comes in One theme with supporting files. individual through the communica­ the form of a modem and modem Large mega bbs systems find them­ tion software setup, call the BBS, and Icompatibility) or COMPLIANCE la selves offering multiple conferences. download the new member packet. It magic Hayes work). Why? For exam­ Remember to keep each conference was impressive to see a person as ple, I wanted SOM to be reached eas­ area unique. Nothing is more con­ busy as Paul Waldinger take the time ily by as many people as possible. fusing to YOUR users than multiple with new callers as he did. Since many people dial up the bbs conferences of the same theme on during the business day, I wanted to your system. Combine them. It will be sure that there would not be a make it so much easier for your users problem of compliance when they The uniqueness of your to keep up with their mail and the attempted to dial into SOM. BBS determines why various areas that interest them. There's a mega-bbs system that both local and long 3. BBS DESIGNS supports five different WordPerfect By definition, a file system is a bbs user conferences, one for each of the distance callers will system which specializes in having major network systems. continue to use your the latest shareware files and other Problem is, users log on, and don't files available for its user base. File system. know which one they want to use systems range from direct product and find it confusing to find threads support systems offering upgrades to that they really want to follow and registered owners of their products to participate within. In talking with Paul, we asked multi-gigabyte, multi-node systems him to offer us his opinions on one with large file servers for their su b­ Daily changes on the BBS (files and question which he covered rather well scriber base. mail). No one enjoys reading the at Gateway: Why should someone same headline on the newspaper Messaging systems are those which make a long distance call to his BBS? every day. In fact if they read the specialize in E-Mail exchanges among The following is what Paul same header each and every day, they its users. Most messaging systems offers to sysops running a BBS so that just stop reading it, and eventually have grown into multi-conferencing callers will "make a long distance call stop buying that particular newspa­ systems which have specialty areas in to your BBS"! per. Your bbs has the same analogy. conferences or forums. Your users must be able to see these 1. BBS UNIQUENESS Conferencing systems. Once you The uniqueness of your BBS deter­ have established a basic theme to mines why both local and long dis­ your system, you may wish to offer tance callers will continue to use your some variety to your users. The vari­ Just by changing the system. Let's focus in on the theme or ety of themes which you offer them color schemes, users are attraction that you gave your system usually creates a "conference" or - that is, every bbs has a design, goal forum whereby a unique theme is fur­ impressed by the new or purpose; or should I say every ther developed through the message and refreshing look that "good" bbs has a motif of some sort. base, bulletins and file directories. you give to your system. Does your bbs clearly display Multiple topics of discussions. A suc­ the goals or motives of your system? cessful conference will have multiple Sometimes these themes are not message threads evolving at one clear to your new callers and they changes, from conference news bul­ time, all relating to the central theme have to search through your bulletins letins, to new file directories and file of the conference. High trafficking to find the theme of your system. areas, new conferences, new wel­ message conferences such as the coming screens to other mainte­ SOM "Soapbox" conference display nance areas that many of us "dread" 2. BBS ACCESS­ this feature all the time. It's not AVAILABILITY TO YOUR working with. Keep your system unusual to find 150-200 new mes­ alive. Just by changing the color sages a day in a this conference. AUDIENCE schemes, users are impressed by the Let's talk about bbs access, or the Single area topic/file distribution. new and refreshing look that you give availability of your bbs to your audi­ Product distribution areas usually find to your system. Use color wisely. It ence. Your bbs can be compared in themselves with conferences that can make or destroy your bbs system many ways to a magazine where your have unique message threads with readers are your users or callers. supporting files. Very commonly Continues ...

MAY 1992 • 5 IBECC A Non-Profit Educational, Literary, and Scientific Society P.O. Box 486 Louisville, CO 80027-0486 The 1992 International BBSing and Electronic Communications Conference (303) 426-1847 [voice] (303) 429-0449 [fax] (303) 426-1866 [datal

What is IBECC '92? IBECC '92 is the second annual International BBSing and Electronic Communications Conference. It will be held A.!.lg.us113..:16, 1222 in Denver, Colorado. This year's theme is "Socially Responsible Computing." Attending IBECC '92 IBECC '92 is an intensive three-day conference. Sessions planned include: "Introduction to BBSing" (What is a BBS, and How D9 I Use It?), "BBSes and the Law" (The Legal Rights and Responsibilities of BBS Operators and Users), "Safe Computing" (The Detection and Prevention of Computer Infection), "Rumor Control 1992" (Knowing the Difference Between Fact and Fiction, and Taking Action Where Needed), ''Why Kelly CAN Read" (Au Exploration into Education and the Computer), "NREN" (The National SuperComputer Highway and How it Will Affect Us All), "Staying Alive" (BBSing, Electronic Communication and the Homebound / Physically Challenged), and "Security? What's That?" (The What, Why, and How of Keeping Your Data and Information Safe). Should J:illI. attend? If you have an interest in electronic communications, bulletin boards, telecommuting, security or safe computing, ~. If you would like to understand what a "hacker" is, and is not, and what you can do to protect your electronic privacy, ~. If your children make more use of your modem or computer than you do, ~. In fact, unless you have absolutely no interest in using your computer for interacting with the world, ~ should be there! So that the conference will retain its personal and informal atmosphere, attendance at IBECC '92 is strictly limited. Special Guests Dr. Jerry Pournelle, Ph.D. - Computer Columnist and Editor (Byte), Author (Science Fact and Fiction), Lecturer, Consultant on the Impact of High Technology on Society, Chairman of the Citizen's Advisory Council on National Space Policy, and Outspoken Social Critic - Speaking on "Socially Responsible Computing", the future of communications and technology in an electronic world, as well as his own views on the society of tomorrow. Larry Niven - Futurist, Hugo Award-Winning Author, Designer of Worlds, Supporter of Space Conquest - Speaking on the future of networks as personal interfaces, reality overtaking fantasy, and living with computers when you really don't want to. David Hughes, Sr. - Architect of Big Sky Telegraph (the Montana Electronic School House), Consultant, Mover and Shaker, President of Old Colorado City Communications, U.S. Military (ret) - Speaking on NREN, the SuperComputer Highway, and education through computers and networking.

"-·---···-·····-····~··-- --·-.. -··-----·- .. What Is IBECC? If IBECC '92 Membership & Hotel Information IBECC is a Non-Profit Educational, Scientific, Literary (All Rates are in U.S. Dollars) and Charitable Society (IRS 501(c)(3) applied for). VIP (Includes IBECC Membership and VIP Suite) Incorporated in Colorado, IBECC's purposes include the March 1, 1992 through June 15, 1992: $125.00 promotion of national and international electronic com­ June 16, 1992 through July 31,1992: $175.00 munications, the advancement of and August 1, 1992 and at the door (if available): $200.00 teleconferencing, the improvement of communications I between electronic networks, education in the uses, require­ Spouse/Significant Other, with VIP Member: $9.69 ments, and security of online services, and general support Children (Under 14), with VIP Member: FREE of the electronic community. Call or Write for Other Rates A non-profit organization, IBECC is ill..l.I..cll ~ than just Conference Location another 'trade show' - it is a ~-Iill!1ld clearing house for Sheraton Denver West Hotel & Convention Center ideas, news, and relevant information. IBECC represents the 360 Union Boulevard, Lakewood, CO 80228 interests and concerns of not only the professional, but the (800) LAKEWOOD or (303) 987-2000 hobbyist and home user as well. ~ IBECC is primarily volunteer-run. Membership (currently $62.00 (+ tax) Single or Double $25.00/year individual, $100.00/year corporate) pays for the Please Mention IBECC for this Special Rate! IBECC Newsletter and electronic Discounted Hospitality and Sleeping Suites may be (BBS), , support and information services, etc. - Arranged through IBECC not salaries. The founders of IBECC, who are all VENDORS handicapped, are extensively involved in computer networks Dealer and Vendor Spaces and Tables Available and electronic communications, and also run several BBSes Please Call or Write for Information and Rates in the Denver area. for users who enjoy color. alive! Nothing can slow the progress and growth of Bulletins-system overall a bbs system than an inac­ information update. One tive directory. area that we often find Many users are first dis­ neglected by sysops are their covering bbs systems or are online bulletins. Usually collectors of software. I located off the main area of recall visiting the home of the bbs system, these bul­ one of the users of SOM to letins describe the funda­ discover in his computer mentals of user participa­ room cases of Maxell tion, guidelines for the bbs diskettes all labeled very operation, and other neces­ neatly and organized with sary posting's to the users. WSSI la great diskette cat­ Keep the bulletins up to aloging program). He had date. Don't let them lag every possible copy of behind, especially those bul­ every imaginable share- letins that relate to new Rob Waldinger ware or public domain pro­ users. New users generally gram ever written. If I ever search through the bulletins ties which have always played a needed a backup or archived file to see what the offers and major role in the difference between which we did not have on our drives requires from them. commercial and hobby bbs systems as he was sure to have it. ' I've already discussed. 4. FILES Are users uploaders? Yes and no. As How could we talk about a successful File Storage needs and balance your system grows, you'll find those bbs without talking about files! between files for downloading and particular users who like to maintain Remember what was the first reason removal. Just how much file storage a consistent upload/download ratio. you called a bbs? And what was the can you afford? Do you keep every file But on average, this is not the norm. first reason you were putting up a that is uploaded to your system Most users to SOM utilize the board bbs? To "collect" files! In many cases online? In the past, systems began for its downloading capabilities. We with 10 and 20 meg hard drives. By specialize in conferencing and con­ mid-1986 we began to see bbs sys­ ference related file directories. Users tems breaking the 100 megabyte like to visit SOM to locate files which marker. Today, we see mega-systems Nothing is more are specifically needed by them. with GiGabytes of disk storage. They know exactly where to locate discoUIaging to users While it is important to have a their Corel Draw support files. than a directory which good collection of files available for How do YOU get files for your the users, it is equally important to system? Be an u ploader to other bbs has not been maintained. clean up the file directories. Nothing systems, and the sysop will recipro- is more discouraging to users than a directory which has not been main­ tained, with duplicate files appearing a successful bbs has been described as under various names and every pos­ How do you get files for sible version of a file since the one which carries the most variety of your system ~ Be an files in addition to having the latest author first began writing the program version of any particular shareware as a college freshman Pascal project. uploader to other bbs software package online. The infamous "upload" directory. I systems, and the sysop Specialized files by bbs theme or by would say that 95% of all daily down­ will reciprocate. conference theme. If you are going to loads are taken from your daily have a specialized bbs system or place upload directory in the Main Board files within a specific conference such area. File downloaders log onto your as a Hayes tech support conference, system, use the ew files option, cate with permitting you to download you would have files relating specifi­ and scan for the latest files to your system. They do nothing further, and files for your own system. If you oper­ cally to that topic. As an example ate a commercial system, subscribe to within would never know about anything the Hayes conference you other bbs systems. Most commercial all your Smartcomm Exec happening to your system unless you would have boards have various levels of sub­ script files available for downloading. display additional ASCII data in that portion of your system. Utilize the scribing depending on your needs to Hobby BBS vs Commercial BBS. space that displays new files wisely! support your own board. Let's not forget about Storage capaci- Keep the UPLOAD directory Continued on page 12

MAY 1992 • 7 JUST DONrT CALL IT A COMPUTER!

BY ALAN R . BECHTOLD

TV Answer is quickly moving forward in the melding of tele­ communications and .

Kg on to of the future. It's interactive televi­ the end of this year. your hat. The sion and, if the company gets its wish, If it's properly utilized, the new telecommuni­ we'll all soon be able to shop, bank, spectrum could become the catalyst cations indus­ pay bills, and order food and other ser­ for major change in television, from try is poised for vices, right on our home television the one-way information and enter­ unprecedented screens. tainment vehicle we know today to a growth . Like It all sounded too familiar, at two-way communications some hungry first. TV Answer's plan sounded too tool in the very near future. eagle, readying itself to spring upon a much like predictions I've heard for According to company officials, rodent scurrying in the valley far years but have yet to see reach any­ TV Answer believes it is currently the below. If you've been modeming for thing near fruition. Several recent only company with the technology any time at all, I'm sure you've heard developments, however, have con­ and hardware designed to operate these predictions before. Recent vinced me to watch this company within the allocated by the developments have convinced me the like a hawk. FCC for interactive-TV use. telecommunications industry is final­ The hardware, it appears, will be ly ready to reach the mass market like manufactured by none other than never before. Hewlett-Packard. TV Answer has But, with growth comes change. ... we'll all soon be able announced an agreement which The "bulletin boards" of tomorrow, to shop, bank, pay bills, authorizes Hewlett-Packard to use its the integrated telecommunications patented wireless interactive tech­ system that will finally attract the and order food and other nology to manufacture and market mass market, most likely won't bear services, right on our affordable interactive television home the slightest resemblance to the home television screens. units that can be used to control a online information systems that are two-way TV system in the home. popular today. The compact plug-and-play unit In fact, this telecommunica­ Hewlett-Packard plans to make is tions system of tomorrow probably It looks like TV Answer might about the size of a VCR and attaches won't be online at all. It might not just be on the right track. In January, to cable-ready or standard-broadcast require a modem and the home unit it the FCC decided to allocate 1 Mhz of TV sets with two easy-to-install utilizes most certainly won't resem­ spectrum for interactive televi­ cables. A wireless hand-held joy­ ble any personal computer we've sion use. The decision was the result stick controls the system. accustomed ourselves to struggling of a petition filed by TV Answer in Set to retail for less than $700, with today. December of 1987. The FCC will the units will make it easy for the The chances are good it will issue two licenses per market by lot­ average consumer to tap into TV look more like - television! TV tery, following a process similar to the Answer's own national interactive Answer, based in Reston, VA, has roll-out of cellular telephone service television network. Hewlett-Packard been working since 1986 on a system in the . The agency says it plans to manufacture as many the company hopes will be the wave plans to begin issuing licenses before as 1.5 million of the home interac-

8 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST tive-TV units this year. would become. Still less homes have makes electronic information a prod­ Last September, TV Answer a modem. uct used regularly by average teamed up with Hughes Network But, the same people who balk Americans, I'm betting most BBSs Systems, a giant in the satellite indus­ at spending $1000 on a personal com­ will stay online, answering those try, to provide the satellite personal puter have no problem justifying a calls, providing their rich potpourri of Earth stations (VSATs-very-small­ similar expenditure on camcorders, information, entertainment and intel­ aperture-terminals) for use in TV big-screen , CD players and lectual intercourse for a still-growing Answer cell sites across the nation. stereos. Nolan Bushnell, the brains number of people lucky enough to Information will be transmitted behind the Atari home video game know how to use a modem. from home units to local cell-site system, is now working with Still, it's gonna' be fun to tell VSA Ts, much like a cellular tele­ Commodore on his new CD-TV, Vanna which vowels WE'D like to phone calls, then on to TV Answer's which is little more than an Amiga buy - right from our living rooms - satellite network hub site in Reston. personal computer with a built-in and maybe even send her a little love From there, the signal will be re-rout­ CD-ROM drive, disguised as a home note on the side. _ ed via satellite to service providers entertainment appliance. who will satisfy customer requests. TV Answer seems, wisely, to be Alan R. Bechtold is president of BBS Unlike current telephone-based following Bushnell's lead. The com­ Press Service, Inc., a publisher and interactive systems, TV answer's pany has not only developed an distributor of online publications for technology employs an open-sys­ entire telecommunications system, more than eight years. He is also edi­ tems architecture. This will allow a disguised as another home entertain­ tor of ONLINE DIGITAL MUSIC wide range of service providers to par- ment appliance, it's also tied it to the REVIEW, a twice-monthly review of television. music that is distributed worldwide With its innovative technology, by BBS Press Service, (available on CD-TV... is little more recent success with the FCC and solid The LivewiIe BBS, support board for working relationship with computer BBS Callers Digest), and manager of than an Amiga personal giant Hewlett-Packard and satellite the MUSIC RoundTable on GE's computer with a built-in communications giant Hughes Genie online information service. CD-ROM drive, Network Systems, TV Answer appears to be perched right on that ':~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ disguised as a home craggy ledge with the eagle, ready to I entertainment appliance. pounce on the huge untapped telecommunications market scurry­ ing below. Will TV Answer change Sinbad's Shack BBS television as we know it? Most defi­ tlclpate in the system, bringing nitely. But the impact of TV Answer's Tidewater's Fastest Grow­ unlimited numbers of possible pro­ on the thousands of bulletin boards ing "FREE" Multiline BBS. gramming choices to the consumer. and online information systems we Television programming com­ now happily visit by modem is yet to HUB for NorthAmeri Net. panies are interested in the possibili­ be seen. National Host to: ties for interactive television because Savvy BBS operators, especially the new technology has the potential those currently developing the attrac­ "After Dark". to increase viewers and revenue. tive graphics-based systems we're Both nodes on dual stan­ The system will also have the capa­ now seeing, are already set to tap into bility to provide educational class­ this potentially huge new market. I dards. 1.2 Gig File space, room training, participation in game can already name several large sys­ Online Games for your shows, news polls and promotional tems that would fit nicely into TV contests in which individual and Answer's master plan. But those enjoyment, along with Hi­ national viewer response can be same systems wouldn't have to go off­ Res Adult Gifs (240 Megs). immediately televised, and even per­ line to tap into the TV Answer net­ sonal message services. work. PCBoard v14.5a/E9 with I have to admit it has all the And, if history is indeed a good 150+ Conferences. qualities of the Next Big Step in teacher, the TV Answer market will telecommunications. American con­ remain closed to the vast majority of sumers are undeniably married to fiercely independent and delightfully Call Us at: their televisions. Although there are eclectic online information system currently more personal computers in operators who are currently online, 804-467 -9702 homes than ever before, they're still economically or otherwise. not the everyday appliance the com­ Even if TV Answer has THE puter industry has long hoped they answer, the one system that finally

MAY 1992 • 9 A LII I LE RESPECTr PLEASE

BY KEllY WRIGHT

Behavior online shouldn't be any different from face-to-face conduct.

L iS month, point covered in the 30 Command­ they don't agree with another persons I'd like to talk ments, though I will touch on one or position on an issue. about a topic two in particular that I feel deserve Where this concept came from that we all reinforcing. I do suggest that the is beyond me, but it's there nonethe­ should be and everyone go back and re-read the 30 less, and I see it far more often than I undoubtedly Commandments, as it is excellent care to admit. I'd be willing to bet are aware of, reading. that if two people involved in debate though unfor­ were to met in person to discuss their tunately, seems to be given little seri­ MIND YOUR MANNERS! differences, their conduct would be ous consideration by many people: Most people have no idea of the time considerably different, with the BBS etiquette. The reality is, nothing and effort, to say nothing of the rhetoric certainly diminished. The likely contributes more to one's expense, the typical Sysop invests point I'm trying to make is this, (and online reputation than an under­ into operating a private BBS. any similarly to the "golden rule" is standing and application of the basic Consequently, I think it's important purely intentional): Treat others rules of proper BBS behavior. that one remembers they are a guest online as you would like to be treat­ Remem ber, all societies have of the Sysop, visiting the Sysops home ed. If you have an issue with another rules of proper conduct and behavior, or place of business, and should con­ person, spare the rest of us by con­ with telecommunications being no duct themselves accordingly. Even ducting your conversations in a exception. As users of telecommuni­ with a subscription or pay system, mature, responsible manner or take cations technology, we automatical­ this notion still applies, and doesn't the discussion to private mail. ly become members of the BBS com­ give license to leave one's manners at That's not to say one can't munity. Obviously, this isn't the door. As simple as all this may publicly disagree with others, of something new, and in fact, there sound, I frequently encounter exam­ course, but the way this is done is the have been bits and pieces relating to ples of online behavior that reminds issue. Other BBS users will appreciate this subject covered in BBS CALLERS me not everyone has a grasp of how not having to wade through embar­ DIGEST before. they should conduct themselves. rassing messages, the Sysop will The February '92 issue, page 35, Probably the most visible evi­ avoid the distasteful chore of having had a very good piece entitled "The dence of this is the FLAMES (unnec­ to intervene, and your reputation will 30 Commandments of BBS'ing". essarily argumentative, or antagonis­ remain intact. Though the 30 Commandments was tic messages) that crop up in the Also, though I shouldn't have to written in a humorous style (and was message base or conferences. It seems mention it, I will. Abusive or rough very well done I might add), there is a some folks feel that since they can't language is no more appropriate in the great deal of truth contained within actually SEE the other person, then public message base of a BBS than in the text, and the point the author was it's acceptable to launch into a char­ any other public, socially mixed set­ attempting to make should not be acter assassination or some other type ting. And in fact, is one sure fire way overlooked. I'll not be discussing each of personal attack simple because to bring an admonishment from the

10 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST Sysop, if not a reduction in BBS priv­ doesn't run ileges, access or outright deletion of right". You know one's account! If nothing else, this what the mechan­ type of behavior is simply rude, in ic is going to ask: very poor taste, and reflects negatively "WHAT is the on the individual. specific problem? This Month's Featured Product What are the The new Genesis Deluxe version 4 by Prism Software BE SPECIFIC ON BUG REPORTS symptoms"? Genesis Deluxe Single Line 149.00 BBS problem/bug reporting is anoth­ There is really no Genesis Deluxe Unlimited Line 199.00 er issue that fits into the realm of difference when proper BBS etiquette (in my opinion discussing a prob­ Mustang Software Retail Special anyway) and certainly merits discus­ lem on a BBS; be Wildcat! 3 Single Line 129.00 99.00 sion. Most Sysops spend a significant as specific as pos­ Wildcat! 3 1-10 Line 249.00 199.00 percentage of their time on problem sible. For in­ Wildcat! 3 PRO! Series 99.00 89.00 resolution so the identification of spe­ stance, if you're cific problems to the Sysop becomes having difficulty Qmodem New Version 5 99.00 89.00 important. Particularly the quality downloading, eSoft, Inc. and form of communication detailing what are the TBBS Ver 2.2 2 Line 299.95 239.00 an apparent problem. For example, to symptoms? Are TBBS Ver 2.2 16 Line 895.00 695.00 simply drop feedback to the Sysop you receiving Call our BBS today and download our complete cahlo~1 stating "I can't download" isn't ter­ error messages ribly helpful, and can be quite frus­ from the BBS? If *Genesis Deluxe* *TBBS* *Wildcatl* trating for the person at the other end. so, what are they? *The Major BBS* *US Robotics* *Intel* *OigiBoard* This is equivalent to leaving What protocol Vi sa Orders {800} 944-9464 MastelCard your automobile at the garage with a and terminal Inquiries {209} 222-0733 BBS {209} 222-0227 note to the mechanic saying ''It Continues ...

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MAY 1992 • 11 package are you using? ATTRACTING CALLERS from page 7 ing hours with users downloading These are the types of questions their morning Email. Email doors (or the Sysop will likely ask anyway, and Backups· will those hard drives ever DOS extensions of the bbs code you providing as much information when give up? Just a quick note about back­ are operating), scan your active mes­ initially reporting the problem will ups. Almost everyone has experienced sage bases, prepare a file by zipping not only save both of you time, but is a hard drive crash. If you have not, the files together needed for the var­ much less frustrating for everyone your system is living on borrowed ious off-line reader programs, and involved. time. Be prepared for a complete sys­ allow the users to download these Remember, chances are you tem failure. How often do you do a unique mail files directly to the may not be the only user with a prob­ complete system backup? How about users systems. lem, and the Sysop has other issues, those daily backups? Does your pre­ Users are then able to use these mail or messages to respond to that sent tape backup system meet the specialized mail reader programs to day. So to facilitate this communica­ needs of your present hard drive con­ review the mail packet, reply to those tion, be as specific as possible and figuration? messages that interest them, and pre­ exercise patience, which is always a pare a reply mail packet for uploading welcome virtue in any Sysop's book. 5. E-MAIL SYSTEMS on their next call to the bbs. These are just a couple of items Files aren't everything on your bbs I thought appropriate to point out and system. You do everything in your 6. COSYSOPS will go a long way to allowing one to power to get users to read mail, but it Let's not forget one last key element become known in the BBS commu­ basically comes to their attention to many good bbs systems. Co­ nity as a person with "character". once they've reached the point when Sysops. You've heard enough about Acting in a responsible, mature, they can't fit another file on their disasters with co-sysops but there are adult like fashion (no matter what hard drives. Users also discover the many advantages to having co-sysops. your age) will certainly contribute to world of off-line readers, and wonder They lend their support in developing building one's reputation and ensur­ what all the commotion is with these your system. In most instances, they ing you will be welcome no matter new reader pro- assist in the main­ where your online travels might grams. tenance of your take you. Best regards. __ While many One last key element to bbs along with systems special­ answering mail on ize as being" file" many good bbs systems: your system. And systems which Co-Sysops. don't forget they we've already dis­ can assist in help- ON~BOARD cussed, all bbs ing your system Boater Friendly Marine systems rely to some degree on mes­ grow by giving valuable input towards saging between users or Email. The what your users wish to see online. Information Service Email facilities on your bbs offer Format C: Pick someone who you Access entire marine industry, direct communications between users trade and consumer and between users and the sysop. It is would trust with your entire system your direct source of input from your and user base. If they have access to 1-800-835-7899 users, and the means by which you DOS remember they will have access (1200, 2400, 8-N-1) can receive their comments. Users to all your DOS files! also have the opportunity of meeting New book by Paul Waldinger and Marine databases, boaters other online users and discussing Elizabeth Powell Crowe. Along with groups, weather network, E­ many topics through a good ­ Paul's busy schedule, he and mail, online publications, encing system. Elizabeth Powell Crowe have con­ marine shopping mall. Commercial BBS user. Whether you tracted with Tap Books, McGraw­ operate a commercial bbs system or Hill, Inc. to publish a book exploring *** SPECIAL *** hobby system, there will come a time alternative online systems called 3 Mos. Unlimited basic when the experienced bbs user will "The Electronic Traveller" which is Online time visit the system. Professionals love currently in the catalog and has a book store release date of Aug I, 1992. email systems. They find the Email to $12.95 This new book is an informative By check or Credit Card be the core of the bbs systems and the present bbs networks. and entertaining journey through or Phone Orders the backroads of electronic commu­ Business Inquiries: Get online - get the morning mail­ nications. Everyone with a PC and a Ocean Connect, Inc. get off line. Easy on - Easy off with the modem has at least heard of, if not P.O. Box 776 morning mail is the motto we have Portland, ME 04104 used, big online services such as for the professional and commercial CompuServe, Genie, and Prodigy. But 207-781-0950 voice 207-781-3492 fax users on SOM. We always find that our lines are busy in the early morn- Continued on page 43

12 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST Itls your choice. Amulti-user BBS you control ...

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Y ou started out to build a speed lines on a single CPU with 2 user TBBS 2.2 - $295.00, multi-user BBS. You had dreams high performance and NO cus­ 16 users - $895,32 users­ about the service your system tom hardware. This fact may be $1,495 and 64 users - $1,995. would provide to your callers, the the single most significant reality TDBS expansion module allows problems you would solve and of your BBS software choice. true multi-user dBASE language the money you would make. But For ten years TBBS has pro­ capability. you didn't bargain for the pile of vided the freedom to design cus­ Call for more information hardware you would live with tom systems you can live with. and access to a demonstration every day and now it controls Talk to real multi-user BBS system (303) 699-6565. your life. SYSOPs. You will notice that 15200 E. Girard A "e. The reality of today's multi­ only TBBS operators talk first Suite 2550 user BBS software is that ONLY about ideas, not hardware and Aurora, CO SOO14 TBBS allows you to have 64 high software. (303) 699-6565 Three days of intensive educational sessions: Running a BBS fo r Profit BBS Softw are Present ati ons by Wildcat, PCB oard , TBBS, The Major BBS How to conn ect yo ur BBS to networks such as, FidoNet, [link , Rim e, & PC Relay Offline Mail Readers and Utility Program s The NRENnnternet, what is it , how do youuse it , how do you connect yo ur BB S') Legal Aspec ts of Running a BBS Soc ial and Politica l Aspects of BBSs. Soc ial/Chat B BS Roundtabl e Share ware Library BBS Roundtable Mail Servi ce BBS Roundtable Special Topic BBS Roundtable Compan y/Corporate B BS for sales or product support

Hotel Accomodations: Re serva tions are available at the luxurious Stouffer Concourse Hotel at a spec ial convention rate of $75 per room per night single/double. Cont ac t Stouffer Hotel for room reservations at 303-399-7500. Menti on ONE BBSCON participation for this special room rate.

Registration: $ 125 until May 1st, 1992 $175 May 1st - Au gust 1s t $225 after Augus t J st o Thi s event is limited to 1000 allendees so register ea rl y and oft en. o On·site registrati on opens Wednesday evenin g, August 12th, 1992. o Final closing comments Sunday mOl11ing , August 16th , 1992 o Vendor trade floor featuring over 50 vendor disp lays. W ONE, Inc. Online Networking Expositions President Jac k Ri ckard

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Tim Stryker Prc" idl: nI GalaCl i<':O Ill Ill . Inc For further information Steve n Lali be rt e Dt r~(.· I U f or to register by MasterCardNisa, contact: Jim C. Warre n :-"li cruTi1l1L'S ;ltld AUIc:xJ('~k In c. W ONE, Inc, Dave Hughes Sf. Pn.: sidc nl Olu Co lorado City Co mm uniCa ll (l n... 4255 South Buckley Road, Ste. 308 Aurora, Colorado 8001 3 John C. Dvorak Colu mni :- l To Register for the ONE BBSCON PC Maga7 in c (303) 693-5253 Voice Exposition & BBS Convention Sian Hirschma n (303) 693-5518 Fax V Ice PrC~ l dclll. Stun..: ()p,,;rJlIon:­ Sol"tw:lrl: Etc. (303) 693-5432 BBS Call today: (303) 693-5253 COPYRIGHT AND YOUR BBS MESSAGES

BY CHARLES B . KRAMER, ESQ.

Just when does what you post on BBS get "written" and who owns the copyright? There is more than one answer.

F rom your day leave an impassioned post I"not these circumstances depends, in part, local BBS to a only is Shakespeare a myth, but on whether you have a copyright in remote BBS by Queen Elizabeth was a court jester what you post on a BES, and if you do, echo, and from with a wig and falsetto!") that you on what rights you've given to quote, there to anoth­ later regret. Imagine your horror copy, change and distribute your er network of months later, when you discover your post to that BBS, to other BBS's, and echoing BBS's, post quoted in a footnote in a schol­ to other BBS callers. BBS callers and ~ and from there arly paper! Sysops both have some control over to the world: increasingly, messages • Other conferences deal with the copyrights of BBS callers, although you post locally are copied, quoted extremely personal issues, and depend few exercise their control. But first, and re-posted to the nether regions of what is a "copyright"? cyberspace. "Great!" you may say, especial­ WHAT IS COPYRIGHT? ly if your message was a request Writers obtain a A "copyright", among other things, is I"how do ruby slippers work?") copyright automatically the exclusive right of writers to because the wider its distribution, the make and distribute copies and better your chance of getting a useful just by "fixing" their derivative versions of what they reply. But not all distributions of your writings in a physical write. Writers obtain a copyright messages may please you. Consider, automatically just by "fixing" their for instance: form. writings in a physical form. A poem • Some conferences create "nov­ written on a bar napkin is copyright els" consisting of the embellish­ protected, as is one saved by its ments of a thousand authors to a plot author on a computer disk or dicta­ seed left by one person. Would you be for their success on the strange inti­ tion tape. pleased to discover that novel edited, macy that the disembodiment of Registering the copyright with printed and for sale in a bookstore if BBS voices sometimes fosters. Would the Copyright Office is not necessary you contributed parts of it? you be pleased that your post had to preserve it, but among other • Some conferences deal with migrated to one of those BBS's that advantages may make it easier for the scholarly issues, Suppose, tempted preserve their message threads indef­ author to be compensated for certain into the spontaneity that BBS mes­ initely, a testament to your youthful consequences of infringement. Using saging naturally encourages land as a fascination with the erotic possibili­ copyright notice I"COPYRIGHT result of drinking too many cups of ties of toupees? [YEAR FIRST PUBLISHED] mint tea the night before), you one What your legal rights are in Continues ...

MAY 1992 • 15 [AUTHOR'S NAME]") isn't necessary should be BBS messages written pendent parts of a unitary whole." either, but among other advantages, online. Such works are considered "joint may prevent an infringer from getting The fact that the BBS caller works" under the Copyright Act, and damages assessed against him reduced doesn't own the medium his message are co-owned by the authors of its on the grounds that his infringement is saved on doesn't deprive him of his component contributions. was "innocent". copyright, since in copyright law, the In short, messages left by BBS medium and the copyright are sepa­ callers may be subject to three copy­ WHO HAS A COPYRIGHT? rate things. When you write a poem rights: one belonging to the person When a BBS caller writes a message on someone else's wet cement side­ who wrote the message, the second off-line and uploads it to a BBS later, walk, you own a copyright in your belonging to the sysop who edited the poem. The sidewalk owner merely message or its position in a thread, owns the sidewalk. and the third belonging to all of the BBS's raise other copyright own­ thread contributors jointly. But if this When you write a poem ership issues. Sysops, for instance, is all true, aren't sysops infringing the on someone else's wet often selectively prune and rearrange copyrights in their callers' messages messages left by BBS callers in order to when they copy and distribute them cement sidewalk, you maintain the clarity and consistency to other BBS's by echoing? And when own a copyrigh t in your of the threads they are posted in. Such a BBS caller copies a thread from one efforts, at least if they involve more BBS to another, isn't he infringing poem. The sidewalk than mechanical arrangement by date both the respective copyright each owner merely owns the or the like, is like the work of an edi­ caller has in their own messages, and tor who selects short stories for a pub­ the sysop's compilation copyright in sidewalk. lished collection. And like the editor, their organization? Besides Isomeone who owns a "compilation copyright" in the collection, the sysop may own he owns a copyright in it the moment a compilation copyright in his selec­ he saves it to a disk. But when he tion and arrangement of messages in a The sysop may own a writes it online, it's saved for the first thread. "compilation copyright" time on a disk of the BBS host's Another issue is raised by the machine. Does the BBS caller own a collaborative nature of BBS message in his selection and copyright in his message then? threads. A "thread" can be defined as arrangement of messages Well, probably. If a BBS caller a series of related messages by two or who writes online is like a public more BBS callers. Typically threads in a thread. speaker whose words are saved only begin by exploring an issue raised by by an audience member's tape the message that is their common ori­ recorder, then no one may own a gin, and evolve to explore related copyright in his messages. But writing issues. While threads are the hallmark out there, I know, is shouting) sending online is more like a live of networks of independent, echoing everyone's messages everywhere is news report that's recorded while it's BBS's, the idea of them is most vivid­ the point of BBS's! And every BBS broadcast: in both cases, information ly conveyed by the graphic "tree" caller knows it! To which I say: exact­ is saved by the writer's efforts, and CompuServe uses to help callers nav­ ly, but for reasons of contract law. not by the happenstance of a recorder igate the sometimes complex struc­ amongst his audience. Since such ture of their internal references. IMPLIED COPYRIGHT LICENSES newscasts are copyright protected, so Since some BBS's save some When most of us think of a contract, threads and per­ we have images of small print, mit them to be antique language, and signature lines Do you have a product or BBS? downloaded as at the bottom of a long page. a group with all Contracts can be much less formal of their inter­ than that, and can be made without Why not advertise it here! nal references anything on paper and even without intact, they are words. When you hold up an apple For more information call: arguably "pre­ from a street corner fruit stand, pared by two or point to your watch, and rush into the Richard Paquette more authors building you work in, the vendor 609-953-9110 with the inten­ understands that you are in a hurry (9am to 4pm EST) tion that their and will pay him for the apple later. con tri bu tions No words have been spoken, but by Ca llers Digest, Inc., 701 Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055 be merged your behavior and prior relationship in to... in terde- with the vendor, you and he have

16 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST implicitly formed an enforceable like subversion. But BBS callers may Similarly, a tag can specify contract. justifiably wish to assert control "this right expires at the end of 1995/1, BBS's also work on shared over some of the messages they post, or "this message may be distributed understandings based on knowledge and BBS sysops may want to assert only in whole, but not in part", or of how BES's work. Callers to echoing their power to clarify how, on their "this message may be distributed only BBS's know their messages will be BBS's at least, copyright law should if its author is credited". In any event, echoed, and implicitly grant to those work. What can BBS-callers and any BBS caller who wishes to assert a BES's the right to echo. In legal terms, Sysops do? copyright in his messages should they have granted BBS callers place copyright notice on them. Any an implied, non- can learn the copy­ BES caller who wants to copy and dis­ exclusive copy­ right policies of the tribute a message left by another right license to "joint works" under the BBS's they call with caller should, if doubtful about his copy and dis­ Copyright Act are co­ respect to the copy­ rights, seek the permission of the tribute their mes- ing and distribution author of the message. sages. owned by the authors of of their messages, Most BBS's, of course, don't This implied its component since they implicit­ have an explicit copyright policy, but license probably contributions. ly agree to those they should. Once a Sysop has deter­ has limits. BBS policies. Callers to mined his BBS's policy, he should messages are typi- BBS's with links to take steps to implement it by requir­ cally copied and echo networks, for ing, at least, current users to read it distributed only electronically, and instance, are generally informed that once, and new users to read it on reg­ typically float in the collective world their public messages will be echoed istration. The policy will be some­ of BBS's for a limited time until they to other BBS's. But callers logging on what longer than that presented on are replaced by newer messages. to THE WELL, on the other hand, are THE WELL at log in, since their suc­ Copying or distributing a BBS mes­ greeted with this statement: cinct policy could make clearer, sage other than electronically, or in a "You own your own words. among other things, that callers may way that preserves it for public view This means that you are responsible grant permission to copy their posts for an indefinite time, is probably not for the words that you post on the within the expectations of most BBS WELL and that reproduction of those Continues ... callers, and not within the copyright words without licenses they implicitly grant. your permission in But whether the three examples any medium out­ above (the BBS novel in a bookstore, side of the WELL's the BBS post in a scholarly footnote, conferencing sys­ and the "toupee" post that migrates tem may be chal­ to a BBS that never purges old mes­ lenged by you, the sages) are not within the license and author." would constitute copyright infringe­ BBS callers ment is an open question. The expec­ can also try to take tations of BBS callers on a chat BBS direct control, by and those on an Internet differential tagging their mes­ calculus conference are probably dif­ sages to limit the ferent, and the terms of the copyright implied copyright license that can be implied by posting license they other­ on those conferences are probably also wise grant. As long different. Callers who leave messages as not inconsistent on a BBS that makes clear its mes­ with the express sages threads may be indefinitely policies of the BBS archived, for instance, cannot com­ the message is left plain when their messages are. on, a tag could, for instance, say: CAN OR SHOULD ANYTHING THIS MESSAGE BE DONE? MAY BE DIS­ To some, the infinite echoing of BBS TRIBUTED, IN messages has a special democratic WHOLE OR IN character. In a culture that encourages PART, ONLY pie faced staring at that "other" BY ELECTRON­ video screen, the television, the IC MEANS. interactive world of BBS's seems

MAY 1992 • 17 freely by using an appro­ off eventually, or do you wish to priate tag line. reserve a right to make all posts $$ BUCKS $$ If you are a sysop accessible for an indefinite time? Cabbage, bills, dollars, money ... and want to set a copy­ Sysops should take care in making right policy, do you want these choices, because some of them Whatever you caJI "it," "it" seems to be the power to rearrange have implications for sysop liability wasted on horrible shareware. messages within threads apart from the copyright laws. How many times have you spent cash on your system? Do you As what we write is increasing­ downloading an AWFUL program long want the power to edit the ly posted on interconnected electronic distance? How many disks lay in piles on messages themselves? systems, I suspect we will find our­ your shelf from disk vendors, labeling you as Should callers to your sys­ selves increasingly asking questions a victim of "sounds good in the catalog"itis? tem feel free to copy mes­ about what rights we have in what we sages left by others, and write, and about which of those rights Be a victim no more! Subscribe to the free to post them on other we don't want to give up. - Express™ Shareware Report and receive 1()() boards? Is your policy like concise, honest reviews of the latest in that of THE WELL, or is CHARLES B. KRAMER is a member shareware. your policy that anything of the New York and Illinois Bars and To receive a free issue, give us a caJl at (314) contributed to your BBS is has lived and practiced law in New 758-7509 and leave your name and address automatically contributed York City since 1982. His practice or send a postcard to: to the public domain, and includes corporate, copyright, and Express™, CD may be copied by anyone trademark law, including clients in 116 Elm Street in any medium without the software development, publishing, BaJlwin, MO 63021 permission? online information and entertainment You can call our BBS at And finally, may bUSinesses. He can be reached at (314) 256-0507 v32. callers to your BBS assume CompuServe 72600,2026, Internet that their posts will scroll 72600.2026 @compuserve.com

Finally, Bill Jamerson from Goose Creek, South Carolina said it best: MODEM (414) 789-4210 " Why did I ever subscribe to Prodigy . ??? Never knew about Exec-PC, that's why ..."

Well, now Bill knows. And now you do too.

ProdIgy IS a trademark 01 ProdIgy ServIces Corporation. Exec·PC IS In no way associated with Prodigy ServIces CorporatIon or the Prodigy service.

18 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST Which BBS Would You Prefer?

The Major BBS Brand X*

You can run a multi-user BBS without a small What we can offer you that no one else can: warehouse of computers, a mess of cabling, and a bottle of aspirin. With The Major BBS, you can start • Support for up to 256 simultaneous users on a small with just one or two lines and expand as your single desktop computer running standard MS-DOS version 3. I or higher. needs grow, up to a hundred or more lines on a high­ end i486. Electronic mail, file transfer, public message • Support for all COM 1/2/3/4 ports without any multi-port hardware; just plug four modems into areas, teleconferencing, and questionnaires are aLI your computer and fire up your BBS. standard. • Log into the BBS through your Novell network, You can add a multi-user database, an online without having to run another copy of the BBS - SPXTALK, our LAN terminal program, is included shopping mall, multi-player interactive games, X.2S free. direct-connect capability, a modem server module and • X.25 direct-connect option for hooking up to more. You can also get the complete ' C ' source code, packet-switch networks wi thout the expense or to make your own modifications or integrate third­ performance loss of a PAD. party software. And we're the only BBS vendor to • Support for true protected mode operation, which create the hardware solutions for racking up dozens of lets you take full advantage of up to 15 megabytes of extended memory on your 286, 386, or 486. internal or external modems to your Pc.

So take another look at the pictures above and think about which one you'd rather have in your home * Any resemblence Brand X has [0 Wildcat!, PC Board, RBBS, or or office. Then, when you're ready, give us a call. Searchlight systems you may know is purely coincidental. GALACTICOMM Modem: (305) 583-7808 Galacticomm, Inc. 4101 S.W. 47 Ave. Fax: (305) 58)-7846 Suite 101 , Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 Voice: (305) 583-5990 THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION

BY GARY YOUNG

This month we highlight the messaging features of Oracomm.

Y ou enter that wall. Questionnaires that other Entering B shows what (B)oards the "Office of people have already answered are also can be viewed and will select the sub­ Information", a there so you can search through them ject matter applied to all the com­ large room looking (matching) for people who mands. Logical commands such as R wi th many have specific replies to certain ques­ to (R)ead a message, E to (E)nter a new walls, and the tions. On each wall (also known as a public or private message, M for first thing you forum, conference, or sub-board) (M)atchmaker questionnaires, W for encounter is a there is a filing cabinet with 35 draw­ IW)ho is a user, D to IDJownload, F to row of mail boxes. You open your ers, and each drawer contains any list (F)i1es, or C to (C)hat make mail box and read your private mes­ number of files which you can Oracomm easy to learn. sages as your top priority. As you look remove (download). Subcommands such as L for around the room, every wall is a cork­ The kind of information in messages since LastLogon, S for covered bulletin board with a sign each filing cabinet lor DOS directory) Search, B for Backward new to old, A near the top describing the subject will depend on the subject matter of for by user Account, T for Today, C matter of that wall, such as "Current the wall you are looking at. Whatever for Complete across all subboards add Events", "For Sale", "Help Wanted", you can do on one wall, you can do on flexibility and define the range of "Personals" and " Technical all walls, (read messages, enter mes­ information displayed. Oracomm is Questions". Under the signs are sages, answer questionnaires, or the only software which allows pieces of paper with messages about download information) only the sub­ Comments onto the messages, a the subject matter of that wall. ject matter is different. In the center Copyrighted feature. On these messages, other people of the Office are little booths, and two Rather than finding a solution to have written their comments, sug­ or more people are in each booth talk­ a problem several messages away, gestions, opinions or solutions about ing (or chatting) either privately or in Oracomm includes the comments the message. The messages are in groups. right on the message along with the order of the most recent, at the top, so Oracomm Multi-User Bulletin date/time and originating account of you can read the latest ones first. Board software is this "Office of the commentor. Private messages can Some walls are hidden so you need Information". The design of the soft­ be forwarded from a public message permission to see (access) them. ware was intended to lead users without knowing the originator. All There is a special wall where mes­ through easily, so they could get the private messages are found on the pri­ sages posted there are sen t to other most information from their logon vatemail board regardless of the Offices of Information around the session. Rather than having forums or board on which they were originally country and which contain mes­ conferences as a separate entity on entered, so private mail can not be sages from those other "Offices" (or the bbs which must be entered, missed. networks). Oracomm has the sub-boards inte­ Every message can be up to 9cxx) On each wall there is a ques­ grated so the entire system is a con­ characters, no line limit, and there is tionnaire for you to answer which has sistent set of commands with only no limit to the number of public or questions about the subject matter of the subject matter changing. private messages a user can have.

20 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST When a message fills the character SC is similar, but you will note tion, (W)ho [M)ine, enter WM. To limit, a new message is started and a 3-letter abbreviation ahead of the show (W)ho was on since your linked from the full message, all auto­ message number to tell you which (L)astLogon, enter WL. Entering sim­ matically. subboard this message is located. RM ply Wand pressing [Enter] will display Most System Operators or SM will read your Mail when you all the options of the [W)ho com­ [SYSOP's) have their Oracomms con­ are on the private mail subboard. If mand, that can be chosen, determin­ figured so that the you are on one of ing what users are displayed. first subboard you the public mes­ In future issues we will discuss enter, the first sage boards, it will Chat, Matchmaker, International wall that you see, Rather than finding a not find your pri­ Networking, Upload and Download is the private mail solution to a problem vatemail there. Commands and the topic of running board. No matter several messages away, To Enter a private a successful BBS. what subboard a message, simple If you want to experience the user is on when Oracomm includes the press E and the Oracomm Office of Information, first he enters private comm en ts righ t on th e account code of hand, please call either; Oracomm mail, the mes­ the user who is to Central BBS, (619) 346-1608 or sages always go message receive the mes- Oracomm Technical Support BBS, to the pri va te sage. (612) 894-5879 mail board. Since A private On either system you can try private mail board message can be out these commands, as well as see is the first board entered, you can entered from any subboard and it will additional features of Oracomm BBS never miss an important message. be routed to the private mail board. Software, plus see a listing of an So, when you log on to an To enter a public message, you need Oracomm BBS system near you, to Oracomm, you are on the private to first determine what the message is call. You can also download either a mail board and the system does an about, and where should the message Shareware [Orasharl/2.ZIP) or Demo initial command for you. The Sysop go. To see what public message Version (Orademol/2.EXE) of may define that initial command to boards are available, enter B for the Oracomm to evaluate for yourself. be a Read or a Summary of messages board selection menu. If the message Won't you join us, in the excite­ only. He may also define the scope of is a technical message, select that ment of experiencing our Oracomm the messages shown to be Complete subboard. Then enter E ALL to make Office of Information? _ across all boards, only private Mail to a public message you, or messages added since your addressable to ALL ,------Last Logon. The command structure users. You can not in Oracomm is always: Command, enter a public mes­ rrfie 'BracK Cat Information.. Service Subcommand, Parameter, if any. sage on the pri­ Jl unique 'B'BS Gasul entire[y on 14.41(Cines The subcommand limits or vatemail board Over 2(j'B of online ai.s/(space refines what is shown by the main since messages are ~w Mac, 1'B9vG Jlmiga, ana Comnwaore command, and that parameter pro­ divided by subject vides additional information if nec­ matter. fifes aairy! essary. The commands are intended Each user is Over 20,000 files online! to be logical and easy to remember. identified by a four GIF, Adult & family sections Pressing a question mark will display to eight character Over 100 conferences commands or subcommands that account code. You 5 lines and Growing! are available. Entering an H will acti­ will need to know FIDOnet 1 :260/275 vate Oracomm's Extensive On-Line this account code Adult Links 69:2601\605 Help files. to send private The basic commands are Read a mail. To display Please call us at: message [Summary is like Read but information on just shows who/when/what about the Account message), Enter a message, Who is a JOEUSER, you ask 'ITzis 'fi'ES uses 0/.326is 1I11.i1Iems alllI supports a[[ [ower speer! user, and subBoard selection [to Oracomm, (W)ho CC!'ItT stallr!aras change subject matter, conferences, or is (A)ccount JOE­ 'ITze 'fi[(lr(Cat IISes '11)i[r!cat version 3 software which "wall" you are looking at). The USER? So, the subcommands are basically the same command is WA across all commands. RC is Read JOEUSER. To Complete and will display all mes­ show (W)ho is sages that have been added or changed (O)nline, enter since your last logon across all WOo To show boards. your own informa-

MAY 1992 • 21 AUBURNDALE, WI PAPILLION, NE Twilight Zone CHATHAM, NJ Collectors' Church BBS BY PATRICK GROTE Chatters

May's picks are The Twilight Zone BBS, Church Chatters, and The Collectors' BBS.

W elcome (Twne) isn't back to BBS your every- NOTEBOOK. day "utterly" The main focus remarkable BBS of the column Iwriting gives you a is to presen t license to make corny three BBS' a puns). month to you Garnering 43 to 50 calls a day in a tour guide atmosphere, where the with over 590 active users, Tzone is proceeded to our file section. After a primary goal won't be on whether a the hub of activity for the Central bit of searching around he/she paged BBS is worth your money or time, but Wisconsin IBM Users' Group me. So, I hopped into chat mode and rather, what does the BBS offer to you, ICWIUG). Being an approved ASP BBS asked what I could do to help? the modemer. and participating in FidoNet, ParaNet, "The person asked me where This month we look at three UFONet and Odyssey message net­ the 'DOG FILES' were located. Of very different BBSs with three very works, Tzone is constantly giving course, I didn't understand what different sysops. Have you noticed each of its users a wide selection of they were asking, so I told them so that a sysop's influence into the BBS programs and information. and asked them to please explain can be very reaching? Check out the Sysop John what it was they way files are described sometime. Hrusovszky, a were looking for. Every sysop has their own method of mild mannered Again, they wanted cataloging files. sales and service The best UFO related to know where I On to our first BBS: man during the feature is the UFO BASE had 'put the 'DOG day, runs the door where you can FILES'. I said I had THE TWILIGHT ZONE BBS BBS. Relating his no idea what they Sysop: John Hrusovszky funniest actually record what, were talking about, Location: Auburndale, WI moments on when, where and how a and they just kept Phone Number: (715) 652-2758 line brings a tear UFO appeared to you. insisting that I had Modem Type: USR Dual Standard to your eye. John hidden the 'DOG BBS Software: RBBS v 17.3c recalls, "One FILES' and they Motto: "C:>\HELP bort etry evening, this wanted them! I wilight Zone BBS TZone exists person called while I was working finally had to tell them that they were for the Central Wisconsin IBM Users' with Clarion II multitask when pro­ accidentally chased away by the Group for the sole purpose of attract­ gramming, so many times when a CAT FILES! Some People!" . grow and learn with them."" window. I check to see who it is most When people aren't looking for Nestled in the dairy state of of the time). Anyway, this new user files of a pedigree nature, they can Wisconsin, The Twilight Zone BBS filled out the registration form and join one of the many conferences

22 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST available. Each conference is listed friendly. Running the latest in RBBS Games also are popular at when hitting the J key for the join software, Sysop Tom Hansen has cre­ Church Chatters. Over five game command. The listing is very descrip­ ated an atmosphere of friendliness doors get called upon heavily during tive and enlightens a user as to what and helpfulness. the day. Feel like a game of privileges they have in each confer­ The focus of this being a reli­ Mahjohnng or Blackjack? Church ence. gious board is not all encompassing. Chatters can fill that need. No, bingo The bulletin section is complete In fact, the BBS is sectioned off so that isn't available as a door yet. with a WHAT IS SHAREWARE bul­ the Church in Church Chatters can Public access to Church letin. You can check out system be accessed through a different con­ Chatters is limited, but you can get statistics and read stories by local ference. things done with it. Paid subscrip­ authors. The slant of helping users Serving as a testing ground for tions start off at $15.00 for 6 months shows up in the bulletins entitled the latest in RBBS software, Church and range to $25.00 for a year. HOW TO ZIP AND UNZIP A FILE Chatters always brings to its users the and NETMAIL - WHAT IS IT. friendliest updates imaginable. If you Zooming back east towards New Being an official Apogee want, you can take the time and wan­ Jersey. .. Distribution BBS, Tzone is home to der through the on-line tutorial. the fiercest game players in With 530 active callers, 100 of THE COLLECTORS' BBS Wisconsin. Games aren't the only which call each day, it is easy to see Sysop: Eric Marks files available of Tzone. File areas run how the BBS supports 30-50 down­ Location: Chatham, NJ from the usual utilities to a section loads a day with about 6 new uploads. Phone Number: (201) 635-4519 devoted to UFOs. Your file choices are encompassed in Modern Type: USR Dual Standard UFOs, you will also find, per­ one of 28 areas. These areas range BBS Software: TBBS 2.2, 16 Line vade the BBS. As mentioned earlier, from Windows to RBBS add-ins and Version Tzone is tied into the UFONet, but modifications [Church Chatters is Motto: "Messages and information for the best UFO related feature is the home to over 20 megabytes of RBBS the serious collector." UFOBASE door where you can actu­ files alone). Speaking of size, a total of From the motto you can tell the ally record what, when, where and 100 gigabytes is available for storage, BBS means business! Dedicated to all how a UFO appeared to you. ensuring that Church Chatters has collectors for whatever they collect, As for costs, Tzone is free, room to grow into the future. though the users who give more than Not suprisingly, Church Continues ... $20.00 to support the BBS have their Chatters relays mail in the RIME net­ file ratios eliminated. work with RBBSNet coming soon. As you leave Tzone, the "offi­ With close to 40 conferences to cial" Modem Addictus seal is dis­ choose from, the user will have no ISLE-NET played, confirming what you problem finding something of inter­ thought... you were actually on an est. As for getting that mail... Church alien vessel . Chatters is all ready for whatever type Make your modem sizzle of user will call the BBS. Mail doors with multiple lines of As we fly southward.... provided are TQM, Jimmer, Mailman erotic, electronic fun. and Megadoor: something to quench CHURCH CHATTERS everyone's needs. Sysop: Tom Hansen In typical clergy fashion, Sysop Isle-Net has garnes, Location: Papillion, NE Tom Hansen, an Episcopal Priest, graphics, chat, messages, Phone Number: (402) 593-8863 confides that the best online experi­ and more! Modern Type: USR HST v.42bis ence he ever had was when " ... a cou­ BBS Software: RBBS v 17.4 - BETA ple met through BBSing and eventu­ Exchange private voice Motto: "Church Chatters was ini­ ally got married." See, what happened messages with voice mail! tially set up as a proposed project for was the lady involved received a Join our large group of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska as modem for Christmas, got the an alternate means for communica­ modeming bug and met the gentle­ intelligent, professional, tions among its clergy and people. man involved on a BBS. They kept adults who fantasize The system is still maintained for this contact with each other through on-line. purpose and is ready to be used in that Church Chatters. capacity when the Diocese is ready. Bulletins on Church Chatters We also serve as a support system for are not your everyday bulletins. Sure, Make that RBBS-PC and a beta test site for the they have your normal bulletins per­ connection now: RBBS software." taining to Top Downloaders, Top When you first contact Church Uploaders and such, yet there are bul­ (908) 495-6996 Chatters you may think of one word: letins on game scores and more.

MAY 1992 • 23 THE COLLECTORS' BBS (TCB) last on, the latest conference host to ning on the BBS is the DATA BASE offers many resources. be named specialized in Tribal Art. SEARCHES. In this application, you The resources start with the di­ The dealer, John Buxton, specialized can search for who collects what, who versity of callers. Since this is one of in pre-Columbian and other types of has called the BBS and even peruse a only several specialty boards in the Tribal Art. Collectible Market Report that is full world, TCB garners calls on a usual 1£ you are beginning to think of information. basis from places like Portugal, Ger­ that TCB caters to only the affluent TCB offers little in the way of many, Israel and Australia. These collectibles, stop right there. TCB files. The standard "top ten" from the callers make up the 545 people in the shareware field is available, but the user log, of which 200 call every 30 focus of the BBS is really on messages days. and information exchange. A collector of "punchboards, {The Sysop] has set up Bulletins are another strong postcards, advertising, ephemera and a mini-auction on the suit of the BBS. Bulletins run the Americana" himself, Sysop Eric gamut from What's New to How a Marks' goal was to create a BBS where BBS, so collectors can Cat was Appointed Sysop. All are "the mature, serious individual with place things to buy filled with information and should be tastes from very expensive to very read. inexpensive could feel comfortable." and sell. Games, yes games, play a part He continues that the users are look­ on TCB. Over 18 games are available ing for "a mature, friendly, easy to use in the Game Room for users to play. resource for finding and providing does offer su pport for sports trading Challenging competitions can be information about collecting and col­ cards and comics. Although, no mat­ found in each game. lectibles. " ter what your collectible, Eric is more Last but not least, the BBS Began in mid-1990, TCB is than happy to set a conference up for offers something that every BBS starting to be recognized by dealers you and other collectors. should have: A SYSOP'S DIARY. The and customers alike as the one stop One of the sharpest applications Sysop's Diary details any changes the resource for finding, buying and sell­ on the BBS is the auction house. Eric sysop has made in the BBS, where the ing collectibles. Online there are has set up a mini-auction on the BBS, BBS is headed and other information many conferences available to suit so collectors can place things to buy that users will find useful. your particular collectible. These and sell. Each auction runs for a month Subscription rates to TCB start conferences are hosted by an expert in and is monitored closely by Eric. ar $15.00 for three months and the area of collectible. When I was Another neat application run- extend to $40.00 for one year. _

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24 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST WHY SPEND MORE TIME IN LINE THAN ONLINE?

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BBS # for free online demo 303-444-9003 303-444-7799 FAX 303-444-4687 For immediate literature by FAX, call our FAX/BACK service at 800-800-4FAX ext. 507 for that matter. If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? Four minus two is one and the same. No EXPRESS YOURSELF matter where you go ... there you are. Nothing is so simple that it can't get screwed up. When you know you WITH TAGLINES know ... that's all you need to know. No sense in being pessimistic. It BY PHILLIP BAILEY won't work anyway. LEGAL CONFERENCE: A motion to adjourn is always in order. A collection of bumper stickers I wasn't there, I didn't do it and you for the B BSer can't prove it. Yes, as a matter of fact, I am a lawyer.

Here are some of my favorites politics a legitimate form of enter­ that did not come from any particular tainment? The fewer the facts ... the the August conference or fit into any specific cat­ In stronger the opinion. if 1991 edition of egory: Please reply you don't see RELIGION AND RECOVERY this tagline. Make headlines! Use a the BBS Callers CONFERENCES: Black holes were Digest, Michael corduroy pillow. Look out for number created when God divided by zero. one, but don't step in number two. Brunk wrote an One day at a time. I tried to drown excellent arti­ Never say "I'm game" at a NRA my problems, but they can swim. Just meeting. A job without aggravation = cle on taglines. call me Cleopatra, Queen of Denial. It contained all no job. If all else fails, lower your EMT AND POLICE CONFER­ standards. Oatbran can cause cereal the information that you would ever ENCES: Emergency Medical want to know about taglines. output errors. Jesus saves! Moses Technicians ... on the bleeding edge of invests! Radioactive Halibut will Basically, a tagline is the last line in a technology. Desk Sergeants are not message that is echoed through a net­ make fission chips. -T-A+G-L-I+N­ from this world. Is an idiot Desk E-M-E-A+S-U-R+I-N-G+-G-A+U­ work. It usually states the node iden­ Sergeant a "noncompoop?" All right tification or the name and number of G-E-. Disneyland: A people trap drop carrier...we have you surrounded. operated by a mouse. Walt Disney is the board from where it originated. A PROGRAMMERS CONFER­ tagline can be appended by the BBS' in suspended animation. Press ENCE: "c" Spot Run. Now from the to continue. software, the network software or the makers of Edlin: Windows! Have users message editing software. I can resist everything except temp­ computer will travel. We all live in a tation. Curiosity killed the cat...but In keeping with the theme of yellow subroutine. this column, I will not discuss all the for a while I was suspected. Stupid WRITERS CONFERENCE: question: the one you didn't ask. I left technical aspects of taglines. Here Originality is the art of concealing you'll find the taglines that are com­ my tart in Aunt Fran's Crisco. De your sources. Get everyone's atten­ agony of Delete. posed by the message writers them­ tion ... make a mistake. Recursive, selves. You know, those unusual one Taglines, like ideas, cannot be adj.;see recursive. U this were an actu­ copyrighted. So there are many line sayings that catch the eye of the al tagline, it would be witty. If you reader. To make it more amusing, I tagline thieves out in the networks. If shoot at mimes, should you use a you look real hard you might even have grouped together the taglines silencer? from the message conferences from find a tagline in this column that you COMMUNICATION CON­ have used in a message. Maybe you which they were taken. So message FERENCE: It's only a hobby ... only a readers, humorists and tagline thieves are the originator of that tagline. If so, hobby ... only a hobby ... On a clear disk congratulations! But as most taglines read on for some of the best taglines you can see forever. Oh, I thought you from across the networks. are repeated hundreds of times had the ORIGINAL! Backup my hard chances are ... DEBATE CONFERENCE: I have drive? I can't find the reverse switch. See you on the boards! _ a speech impediment...my foot. He who dies with the most RAM Taxation is legal theft. Sex, Drugs, wins! Read the Docs? Wow what a Phillip Bailey can be found in Alcohol and Crime ... Don't you just radical concept. the RIME conference titled "BBS love Congress? Diplomacy: Saying PHILOSOPHY CONFERENCE: Callers Digest," on GENIE address "nice doggy" ... until you find a rock. Is Apathy error: Strike any key. Or none mail to P.BAILEY2.

26 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST Communications and Information .... " ·c •• ,,ft't

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SYSTEM SUPPORT/CUSTOM PROGRAMMING There's a lot available for the TBBS/TDBS System Operator, as well as for anyone interested in an Information System (BBS) . If you want to learn more about TBBS /TOBS just call our system and look through Our Demonstration and Sales Area and register as a customer. GW Associates offers full support to all System Operators and we have several excellent programmers available to help with your applications and customization. Please call our system at (508) 429-1784 (N,8,1) and keep up with our new releases or call us on our voice line at (508) 429-6227 if we can help you in any way. Installing and remotely supporting commercial systems is our ONLY business! TBBS/TDBS SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT SOFTWARE User Manager User Manager for TOBS systems is a full membership registration and tracking system that creates a true member data base. Its capabilities include keyword search and on-line user resumes to allow users to share information about themselves, a note pad to let you keep notes on individual users, membership tracking and expiration date notification, automatic changes in user access as users join as members or memberships expire, etc. Users can join as members or renew their membership using credit cards on-line. And User Manager now has several additional modules, such as a small on-line sales module, a user reminder module and a software update module. The program is priced at $69.95. User Manager - Software Module An all new program that works with the User Manager to automate the updates of software to customers. You enter the user registration of software sales and any time you upload a new version of the software it will automatically present the updates to customers registered for that software package and give them the prompt to download it. This package also tracks all sales and prints reports on sale by customer or by software package, and by whatever time period you specify. Designed to reduce or eliminate the time and expense invested in updating software by mail. Please call for more information and price. Sales Manager The powerful and productive On-Line Sales Manager. This on-line catalog sales program is written by Jeff Johnson, another pioneer in TOBS software, and it easily shows the power and capabilities of TBBS and TDBS. The Sales Manager will display a catalog of items for sale under categories you specify, each item can have a full descriptive text file attached to it and the user can place an order at any time and continue to browse through the catalog. When done the user selects to order and is presented with each item and given the opportunity to indicate how many are to be shipped. Developed as a modular package this software will handle everything from a low level order entry system to a fully featured point-of-sale package and do all the things you would expect of a full sales package. Please come and work with it on-line. This program is priced at only $395.00. Connex - The Connection Exchange Connex isa professionally-based biographical, friendship, and matchmaking program designed to be used with TBBSand the TOBS option module. It allows members of your BBS to enter their own unique personal attributes, personality profile, and free-form interview. Upon completion of the user's profile and interview, Connex allows the user to make detailed selections, based on the user's own preferences. Over 350 man-hours in research and production, based on such works as Freud, Jung, and other psycholOgical professionals, were required to create Connex and it is the most comprehensive software of its type available. Connex is complete with three databases, a biblical quote database, a gay oriented quote database or the original database. This program is priced at $139.95. Call our Sales and Support BBS for full demonstrations on over forty TBBS and TDBS add-on application, entertainment and utility programs GW Associates Voice Phone (508) 429-6227 P.O. Box 6606 Data Line (508) 429-1784 M I Holliston, MA 01746 ~ 1991 GW Associa ... TBBSfTDBSITlMS ... !rademarl

BY FRED CLARK

How to put your software in lent source of spreading the word on age by a simple mailing, BBS place­ your program. Remember however ment or classified ad, you will be the public's eye, and what to that only BBS users will likely be sorely disappointed. Unless you have do once it's successful. made aware of your program initially. the capital required to flood the mar­ If you are shooting for a large hori­ ket with professional ads, it will take Part 3 of a 3 part series. zontal market, it may take quite a at least a full year for your product (if while before your package finds its it is good as you think it is) become way out of the BBS arena and into the relatively successful. From that point hands of the general public. on, hopefully your cash flow will be Additionally, if you are producing a a lot better and you can start taking so very specific vertical market program, advantage of other advertising oppor­ now you know you may find that placing information tunities. who your mar­ about it on BBS systems does nothing ket is and what to inform your potential customers of DEALING WITH SUCCESS! they want and its availability. Assuming you have done every­ need, you have When starting out, most likely thing right up to this point, you prob­ written the you will not have a great deal of ably think you are in a good position code so it will money for the direct advertising of to sit back and start reaping the operate as your potential customers your product. However, you can con­ rewards of your efforts. Wrong! Now expect, you have tested it until you sider buying small classified ads in some of the really hard work are absolutely-positively sure it is the back of a trade publication which begins - dealing with success and 100% compatible with every type of is targeted towards your market area expansion. Since you most probably system it can reasonably be expected to help get the ball have a large cus­ to run under, and you have spent a rolling. In the long tomer following reasonable amount of time in prepar­ run though, your by now, you will ing some decent documentation to go best advertising Unless you have the find that sup­ along with it. Now it's time to start will come via capital required to flood porting them with your distribution efforts. 'word-of-mouth'. If the market with begins to take As mentioned earlier, if you one customer is more and more have done your homework in deter­ happy with your professional ads, it will of your time - mining your potential market, you product, most like­ take at least a full year time away from may already have acquired a list of ly they will tell programming potential customers. If that is the another and so on. for your product become and other 'fun' case, one of the easiest and cheapest Just be patient. relatively successful. tasks. And, quite ways of letting them know about Although word-of­ honestly you your product is to send out a flyer to mouth advertising may find that an them. The cost of producing a simple is highly effective, increasing num­ flyer can be quite reasonable and can it also takes a great deal of time to ber of your customers are less than generate a lot of interest for your establish. 100% computer literate - aggravat­ package. If you are hoping for immediate ing your support woes. All this will Second, BBS's can be an excel- world-wide success with your pack- definitely begin to place a drain on

28 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST you financially, physically and men­ grow [most all of them involve either new offices, production and stor­ tally until you reach the point of time or money or both!): age facilities, etc.) either giving up the effort or by bring­ ing in additional help. Don't be 1. Increased advertising - not to 10. Furniture and computer equip­ exceed 25% of total revenue. afraid to make the decision to expand ment for new employees. if your long term 2. Increased 11. Phone expense for lines and goals are to stay manpower for equipment for product ordering with software pro­ support and and support. duction. programming You may want to 12. Payroll responsibilities [others However, if functions. you are not com­ consider selling the are depending on you!) 3. Increased mitted to a future rights to your program manpower for From experience in dealing with in the software once support publishing bUsi­ technical writ­ a number of startup companies, you ing and office ness - then don't requirements reach a should expect that it will take at least bring other people support staff. five years or more to build your com­ level beyond which you pany up to a size which will allow into your company 4. Inc rea sed you to delegate some of the above without explaining can not handle them. product pro­ responsibilities to others in your your future plans duction proce­ employment. By that time of course, and goals. Most dures to insure you should be beyond the point of likely they will be looking for long sufficient product supply. writing and developing the software term employment rather than a quick 5. Upgrade policies and procedures itself and concentrating instead on stint with someone who is not serious along with software upgrade pro­ running the business as a whole. At about staying in business. If you cedures. the point at which you are simply decide that continued long term soft­ signing the checks, then you can start ware publishing is not for you, you 6. Legal protection (i .e. incorporate your business, copyright filings, to relax and begin to reap the rewards may want to consider selling the you so well deserve. __ rights to your program once support etc.) requirements reach a level beyond 7. Accounting which you can not handle them. In responsibili- other words, don't kid yourself or your ties (federal, customers in carrying on when the state and weight of maintaining, producing local require- FREE and supporting your product is beyond ments) what you can dedicate in time and Online text and information for your effort. You and your customers will be 8. Business DDSI better off by selling your technology to Insurance [for someone else who is willing to con­ employees, INCLUDING: tinue on with the product and who company has the resources to do so effectively. property, Business Sense etc.) Assuming you make the deci­ Virus Informer sion to stick with it, here are some 9. Additional other items to keep in mind as you Space [i .e THINKING Magazine PLUS: Online Digital Music Review Video Online

At LOW Costl CALLERS DIGEST SUBSCRIBE TODAY BBS Press Service, Inc. Call1-S00-S22-0437 and charge your subscription to 913-478-9239 (Data) your Visa or MasterCard, or use the card in this 913-478-3157 (Voice) magazine and mail with check or money order to Caller's Digest. 701 Stokes Rd, Medford, NJ OS055.

MAY 1992 • 29 TALES FROM THE LIGHTER SIDE OF COMPUTING!!

ANECDOTES

ACRONYMS•

BY CAROL CARMICHAEL AND ED LAZAROWITZ

S ometimes those of us who have been BBS'ing for awhile forget what it was like to be a "newbie". The fol­ lowing comments by other SysOps change his password. It seems this share their recollections of some of caller had dialed in and gotten to the BASIC Beginner's All-purpose the experiences their callers have first name prompt and was just get­ Symbolic Instruction endured ... ting ready to sign on when the key­ Code "I had one caller leave me a board was taken over!!!" message once asking if he had regis­ That last story provides a good BIOS Basic Input Output tered the game he was playing since opportunity to remind you that it's a System his last score had been recorded on good practice to AL WAYS type your CCITT Consultative Committee the high scorers bulletin ". password in separately so it is pro­ for Internatn'l "When I was setting up my tected by the dots. In addition to & second node, I was trying the game avoiding what happened with my GIGO Garbage In, Garbage Out doors out one by one to see if they all spouse, you may never know who worked. I had forgotten to change the may be viewing the SysOp's screen MNP Microcom Network COM port on one of them and the and seeing what your password is. Protocol poor caller that was on node one (For additional password security become ME and it scared her. She tips, see Ed Lazarowitz's article on NIMBY Not In My Backyard! thought she had done something "BBS Access Security Revisited" in UART Universal Asynchronous wrong and she left me a lengthy mes­ the Feb. 1992 issue of BBS CD.) Receiver /Transmi tter sage apologizing to me for any error [communication) she might have made." EMOTICONS &. ACRONYMS--­ More next month .. . liMy spouse was eager to see if FACT OR FICTION? he had any new messages in the Acronym: n. A word formed from the Aviation conference, so he expec­ initial letters of a name, or by com­ WHO'S ON FIRST? tantly sat down at the keyboard. The bining initial letters or parts of a The other night we were doing screen was displaying ENTER FIRST series of words. regular maintenance on Struppi's. Ed NAME, so my spouse keyed away his has always praised the capabilities of first name, last name and password - Last month we presented a list Directory Scanner, a program by Nat all on the same line - so anxious was of a few of the more complicated Martino, so Carol decided to purchase he to get his mail. He spent an enjoy­ emoticons floating around. This a registered version and load it on the able session online answering the month, we figured we fup over to the BBS for their convenience. Ed has mail and then logged off for the acronym side of the coin and share used the program more or less since evening. We sure were surprised with you a few of the lesser known of its inception, but Carot probably like when the following morning we dis­ those beasties ... anyone learning a new program, had covered a message from a concerned ASCII American Standard Code to be walked through each function, caller who was kind enough to sug­ for Information keystroke-by-keystroke. As usual, gest maybe my spouse would wish to Interchange Ed was very patient, but Carol per-

30 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST ceived he was starting to run out of TAGLINEFUN patience just a little bit, with her con­ This month's crop of taglines come trom several sources along the 'baud tinued and -repeated- questions. waves', so we won't bother to attribute them to anyone BBS. However, the tables were quick­ ly turned when Ed decided to do a lit­ * All wiyht. Rho sritched mg kegtops awound? tle bit of work on Carol's stand-alone Pc. Carol uses an excellent shareware * Lights, camera, uh ... uh ... Spock, what's next? menu program, but if you've never * But God TOLD me to use a GOTO. used it before, it can be a bit confus­ ing at first. Although it's difficult to * Minds, like parachutes, work only when open. * Shin - portray the scenes which followed, Device for finding furniture in the dark. just picture the classic Laurel and * Radioactive cats have 18 half lives. Hardy "Who's on First" routine with Ed and Carol going back and forth * TAG: a primitive game where one perso n is it asking each other questions on what * Misspelled? Impossible. My modem is error correcting. to do next! The morale of this story is * This is y our Sysop. ~<¥a$ ~s uE~, $o sIp I§ d,~g$! a reminder that, in case you had any doubts, that yes, SysOps are human And in tribute to March's Michelangelo scare ... too! * SCAN Today - Compute Tomo rrow ! As mentioned at the start of this * Avo id Computer Viruses - practice safe HEX! column, we have dedicated this col­ * Is a Computer Virus a 'micro' organism? umn to the lighter side of computing. If you have an experience or thought * Viruses are considered ScareWare! that you'd like to share with us, please do not hesitate to drop us a line be reached via any RIME conference if forward to hearing from you. Carol via RIME. Although we prefer to be your local board does not carry con­ Carmichael, SysOp - Struppi's BBS reached via RIME conference #234 ference #234. Please route your mes­ and Ed Lazarowitz, Co-Sysop - IBES Callers Digest), Ed and I can both sage to node id ->STRUPPI. We look Struppi's BBS _

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MAY 1992 • 31 DELUXE2 Ie ROBOCOMM: GREAT TOGETHER

BY RICHARD KOZIK

These two shareware offerings combined can save you lots of time by automating some routine tasks.

HunChed Suddenly an eerie chill sweeps here to offer it to you. All it will cost in front of your the room, prickling the hairs at the is the price of two magnificent share­ terminal, you back of your neck. As you stand from ware title registrations," rasps the fig­ try to log onto your desk, you notice how the light of ure derisively. With these words he your favori te midnight'S full moon falling through extends his arm to point a bony hand PCBoard sys­ the boughs of the tree outside your toward your SVGA screen. At once tem just min­ window casts ghostly shadows as a you notice two new directories dis­ utes before gentle wind sweeps its leaves. As you played on your hard drive, C:\ROBO­ midnight. Hoping to make use of the nervously laugh out loud, dismissing COMM and C:\DELUXE2. day's allotted hour of on-line time any thoughts of impish figures danc­ The dark shape draws near to before the twelfth bell strikes those ing about your room, you glimpse a you, edging you back toward your sixty minutes into oblivion, you dark figure looming at the edge of desk, and you quickly decide to sit wait anxiously as your machine your peripheral vision. In the half­ down before your computer again to repeatedly auto-dials, each time moment it takes to snap your head examine these phenomena. resulting in the message "BUSY." around to look at it, however, the "Oh sure," you say, "I've seen This is crazy, you think to specter vanishes. these before. Deluxe2 is the mail yourself. With your long work day, Now this is too much, you reader developed by Mark 'Sparky' social obligations, time out to eat and think to yourself, it's definitely time Herring, author of the QMAIL door to pay at least minimal attention to to get some sleep! I must be over­ and the .QWK mail packet standard. your family, how do you find time to worked to be suddenly be seeing... Robocomm I've seen too. But I've call all the bulletin board systems "Time," rasps a voice from just already got a terminal program, and I which carry your mail and the files behind you, so close you can feel the like to answer my mail on-line so it you want without sacrificing time speaker's breath in your wildly raised doesn't get stale. Besides, these from your other daily obligations? hair, "Is this what you want?" things are too hard to set up and Here it is just about midnight - As you turn to face a tall, slen­ maintain. I don't want to have to maybe seven hours until you have to der figure impossibly wrapped in devote all my time to learning new be to work again, and you're now sac­ shadow, you exclaim, "HOLY COW!! software. " rificing sleep to watch your screen What in the. .. ? Who in the ... ? What's At once, keys begin falling and repeat the word "BUSY" over and going on here?" rising on your keyboard with the over again. There's just not enough "1 offer you what you seek. I will familiar klakkety-klak noises of typ­ time in the day! sell you time," comes the rasping ing as your machine is guided by an Another sad cliche sticks in voice again. "Oh no! You're not unseen operator into the Delux& ver­ your tired mind as the last redial going to get my soul, you ... you ... " sion l.21 mail reader. You briefly look attempt of the day is made: So many "Relax, I haven't come to bar­ back at the shadowed figure, wonder boards, so little time. Pathetic isn't it? gain for your soul. You need time; I'm to yourself if it has a face at all, and

32 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST then turn back to find Deluxe2 with your reply. "Too slick," you mutter live with the Deluxe mail reader, but TUTORlAL.QWK loaded and ready almost breathlessly to yourself. On I really don't think this Robocomm for viewing. saving the message, the program stuff is for me. I looked at it once a You somehow feel compelled to asks you to verify the recipients name long time ago and I just didn't get it look further; to explore what's being and message subject, and even offers - it was too complicated. Probably offered to you. Still a little uneasy, password-protected message support more than I need from a terminal pro­ what with the sudden appearance of in addition to PCBoard's public and gram anyway. I can probably just put this mysterious visitor and the personal message security. together some scripts to do the same spooky things he does, you reluc­ "There's more," comes the things Robocomm ... " tantly give yourself over to Qmail unnerving voice over your shoulder You stop abruptly in mid-sen­ Deluxe2 and it's accompanying tuto­ yet again. It seems so impossibly close tence as you notice the shadow lean­ rial. that you can feel the tension of the ing menacingly over you with both The interface, you decide, is figure's presence just next to your hands extended toward your neck. intuitive and quick. You easily find skin; its breath at your back. Each Both you and the figure pause in the your way through the bulletins, time the dark shape speaks, your silence, and the voice starts again. news, and begin nerves light with "See for yourself, it's not so dif­ reading mes- adrenaline as if ficult as you believe." And with that sages. The hearing the eerily your keyboard immediately begins William Tell A PCBoard-like "Zippy" scraping voice for clattering away again. Overture at once search command is the first time. Yet "Neat trick. If you could sell me bursts forth from above all else, you that I could get all kinds of work done you PC's speak­ included among the are puzzled; why without even touching the key­ er, and ANSI messaging functions, would this thing board!" "Even better, what I'm show­ graphic screens allOwing you to search a conjure itself from ing you can do more than just enter paint color on the shadows just to keystrokes," the shadow says as it your monitor. board's individual peddle shareware? glides nearer. "Observe." This is great, you conferences or the entire The screen think to yourself. flickers and jumps Continues ... Even a PCBoard­ available message base to a new display, ,------li ke "Zippy" for specific words or this time of file search command listings with their The Round Table BBS is included phrases. descriptions in Wyomissing, Pa among the mes- PC Board directory saging functions, format. The list, 1& 57,000+ Files ~I allowing you to search a board's indi­ you discover, contains files in the vidual conferences or the entire avail­ form of a new files scan. Each time a Engineering able message base for specific words mail packet is requested, files from AutoCad or phrases. each of the selected conferences are Windows Navigating the message bases scanned, and new files since your last General Utilities couldn't be easier: The [Ins] key scan are included with your mail. GIF's, BMP's, PCX's brings up a list of messages by con­ Once off-line, you can then browse ference, which you can scroll through, available files along with their RIME RACENET browsing the subject of each. The descriptions to decide what latest files

[Enter] key jumps from message to to download next time around! You SF-NET RF-NET message, while the [Page Down] and begin to see how perhaps this Deluxe2 [Page Up] keys page through long can really save you time after all. NEWUFE SMARTNET messages. The [Space] bar acts like With your reservations about a TRT the [Enter] and [Page Down] keys mail reader program beginning to FIDONET Ccrn;ng Soon combined, each press paging you wane, you decide to open the config­ 400 Conferences through long messages before jump­ uration menus to see what it really ing to the next. Deluxe2 even gathers takes to setup and run this thing. You On 6 Networks all of your personal messages into one are pleasantly surprised and relieved 3001120012400 Lines area and 'beeps' to alert you that you to find that all the configuration have mail waiting. options are straightforward and easi­ (215) 678-0818 You decide to try replying to a ly understood, and the more advanced 9600114.4 v321v42bis HST Lines message from the SysOp, and right features are explained fully in the on­ (215) 670-5323 away discover that your favorite text line context-sensitive help, as are all editor is loaded with the quote text features and functions in Deluxe2. Two Week FREE Trial Period and header already in place, ready for "Okay," you say coolly, "I can Inseant Online Upgrade wi Visa or MasterCard

MAY 1992 • 33 Are.. TKMlClPOft

_ ' ~~-A~"" COC'OT. I~ ~ • ...lo..oc~~l F.aM'"5 NewsBytes ® \:

Revolutionary Graphics-based BBS Software Whether you're staning acommerc ial online inlormation service, or need a bulletin board system lor customer support or pnvate use within your organizatio n, look to COCONET lrom Coconut Computi ng lor the solution. OnlyCOCON ET offers such a\\1de range 01support lor online graphics: 3-Dbar and pie graphs, clip art, logos, scanned images, and mull iple text lonts.

The COCON ET HOST is our server soitware product. It's available in versions supporting 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, or unflmited simultaneous users. All on as ingle 80386-or 80486-basedP Crunning UNIX. And your machine issl ill available lor other uses, such as word processing, databases, and spreadsheets, even when COCON ET users are online, because Ihe HOS soitware runs inIhe background.

Included with each COCON ET HOSTpackage comes one copy ollhe COCON ET Access Program. Youcan freelyd istribute copies 01the Access Program or lei your usersdown load itlrom your system. The Access Program gives your users a simple, point-and-click intertace lor navigating your syslem. Your users can also access your system using any ASCII or VT-l00 terminal soitware. 11llal. .'-ou' re seeing is Then there's our Coco Talk1'1API Library, atoo l k~ for buildingcusto m an f.rferll(l i prog(om applications, or "door programs,' such as on line order processing, crealed \lith Coc'oTalk user-Iriendly Iront-ends to databases, multi- user graphical games, a library of C' funclions. computer-based training, and on -line display advertising. Coco Talk [a i'

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MAY 1992 • 35 Chicagoland's Largest System S~~.e ~8-y; 8...... ____ _ Aquila has filled the computer screens of Chicagoland- for over three years, growing from a single modem line system in 1988 to over 25 lines in 1992. Aquila's success over the years is due to the enthusiastic support of our users. New callers are encouraged to download our current file list and electronic mail conference listing. A short guided tour highlighting our system services is also available for new users. All of our information is automatically mailed to you to read in the comfort of your home or office. So pick up your modem and give us a call! You will find Aquila BBS to be the most valuable bulletin board in your dialer. E;kog.kamS Give your modem a workout' We add new shareware and public domain programs everyday. Over 400 programs are added weekly. With more than 5 Gigabytes of on-line storage, we stock over 50 thousand programs. Aquila makes it easy to find the programs that are important to you, by organizing them into 120+ file directory categories everyday.

With Windows becoming the most popular user interface around, we make an extra effort to keep you supplied with the latest programs and enhancements by devoting a special conference area just for Windows containing 2000+ files organized into 40+ file directory categories.

Our organization and the latest programs make our file areas the most popular around. These are just a few of our most popular categories available: The AQUILA BBS Team (Left 10 right: Kevin & Kristy Behrens, Steve Williams, Chris Babb) Diagnostic Utilities Computer Games Business - Finance - Tax Jeons - Jeon Managers System Enhancements Music and Midi Sound Files Novell and Lan Utilities Wallpaper - BMP's File Organizers Computer Animations Database Multi-Media Related Word Processing CAD Drawing Utilities Programming Fonts - Font Utilities

All first time callers receive by mail, our printed New User Information' and .E-Mail Conference Directory' guide, as well as a 'Quick Command Guide' to help you get the most out of Aquila. The new user information ~ll lJ\ ~"S8 covers system services such as answers to commonly asked questions, USAToday, Boardwatch Magazine, and 708-820-8344 Electronic Mail off-line readers. The 'Quick Command Guide' is a desktop lookup for using Aquila commands, New User Information

A~Wlac-~~~",-__ Callers that are new to modem communications will find The Aquila Starter Kit' a great time-saver. Easy for the beginner and helpful for the expertl This $39,95 kit includes the following: Procomm (communications program) Our complete file listing on floppy disk Full documentation for all BBS commands Off-Line E-Mail Reader Off-line file browsing program Three month basic membership

,.~.

• - ~" ' - - _# ;;- We currently echo to and from ILink, RIME, Fido-Net and Throbnet with more to come-- in the near- future. You can get virtually any question answered here and join in on lively discussions with people from across the country and around the world, We also publish our own .E-Mail Directory' that is sent to all users of Aquila BBS, This directory lists all of our conferences by category and gives a brief description of the topiC of each one, Here is a small sampling of over 450 interesting topics that we offer:

General Discussion Vendor Support For-Sale Computer Related Programming Languages Current Events

Call Today! - Modem - (708) 820-8344 - Voice - (708) 820-0480 "Wow, this is really great," you begin; but as you turn to speak to your dark visitor, you find yourself again alone in the room. On the desk beside your mouse pad you notice two business cards that you're sure weren't there just moments before. On the first, between SPARK­ WARE and Mark Herring's name are the handwritten words: DELUXP l.21 REGISTRATION $20. Along the top of the other card, that of Parsons Consulting, a similar message was neatly written: ROBO­ COMM 4.0 REGISTRATION $40, Early the next morning, you wonder to yourself over breakfast about the strange events that your tired mind conjured up in your sleep. Reading new shareware docu­ mentation so late in the night would inevitably cause you to have strange dreams, even nightmares, you SCREEN FROM ROBOCOMM. Robocomm 4.0's Agenda Editor allows you to perform decide. Still, Robocomm and De1uxe2 just about anyon-line actions, including capture results and scripting. are some pretty impressive pro­ grams. ~

BBS CALLERS DIGEST BBS LIST The following is a list of BBS's authorized to accept New or Renewal Subscriptions to BBS Callers Digest Magazine.

The Livewire BBS ...... Richard Paquette ...... 609-235-5297 BBS Data Systems ...... Greg Kaiser ...... 708-991-2452 Channel 1 BBS ...... Brian Miller ...... 617-354-8873 Chuck's Attempt BBS ...... Chuck Ammann ...... 201-729-2602 City Lites ...... John Lundell ...... 701-772-5399 Chemeketa Online ...... Bob Hunter ...... 503-393-5580 Mountain Air BBS ...... Edward Wood ...... 703-427-0226 Music Connection ...... David Coleman ...... 404-936-0550 The Next Generation BBS ...... John Carcione ...... 609-482-7345 Rusty & Edie's BBS ...... Russ Hardenburg ...... 216-726-2620 The PereLine BBS ...... Tom Serface ...... 408-364-2789 Uncle Hank's BBS ...... Hank Hurteau ...... 413-527-8977 Executive Info Network ...... Andy Keeves ...... 914-667-4567 The Beckett BBS ...... Jerry Liddle ...... 609-467-3898 The TAO BBS ...... Bob Watson ...... 609-584-7947 The Modem Zone ...... Don Cheeks ...... 513-424-7529 Salt Air BBS ...... PCBoard Support ...... 801-261-8976

As more BBS's register the CD-SUB program ICDSUB35.zIP), they will be listed in the next issues. Each registered bbs gets free access to The Livewire BBS 609-235-5297 for newer versions. If you registered and are not listed, please give us a voice call (1-609-953-9110,8 a.m. - 4 p.m., M - F, EST) to make the correction.

MAY 1992 • 37 TEN YEARS AT THE PC

BY LANA FOX

Jim Reid shares his journey into BBSing with us this month.

all! This month, we have another special treat for you! The caller profile this month is writ­ ten by Tim Reid fry the collection of Japanese chips. was a clunker, and I was proud of hav­ himself, a regular caller to Struppi's My only hardware upgrade waS a ing more computing power at home BBS. I hope you enjoy his warm and Hercules clone display adapter and an than on my desk at work. witty style as much as I do! oddball short card that let it emulate By this time, I wasn't afraid of CGA ... more or less anyway. the insides of a PC any more. I I bought my first PC in 1982 for That PC served me faithfully for upgraded the disk adapter, replaced a self-defense. Even back in those four years! failed display adapter, replaced a stone ages it was clear that PC's In 1986 I bought a no-name failed hard disk, added an expanded would become the dominant com­ Korean-parts 286/lOmhz PC with memory board, added more memory puting force, so I got one to avoid EGA and a hard drive. Now this was on the main board, and.. .installed my becoming technically obsolete. At living! The old PC was exiled to my first modem. work I had an old asynchronous oldest daughter's room for her word It took me a week to make the mainframe terminal on my desk. A processing. Not long thereafter the modem work. My oddball Korean PC dinosaur. Leading Edge died. I never figured out had a single configured as My home PC was a Leading whether it died from the pain of dis­ COM 1, but something in the multi­ Edge Model M - dual floppies and use or some action inflicted by my function board was also claiming the monochrome monitor. I set about get­ daughter so she could use the new PC COM2 port interrupts, even though I ting my hands on all of the instead. had no visible COM2 port. Trial, ... er. ... copied software I could. By now I was buying most of the error, and divine intervention helped Hundreds of diskettes of software, software I used and the old diskettes me find how to set IRQ's and use although I only used a few regularly. of copied programs were gone. I COM4 for the modem. And then I Copy protection was rampant in guess it was the fact that I now knew had to add a new telephone extension those days, so my most-used PC pro­ which programs I wanted and which to the computer room and learn how grams were the ones that could copy I didn't that caused the change in me. to disable call-waiting. protected diskettes. Or maybe it was the guilt. All of this hardware work taught I was genuinely afraid to open At work I had a new IBM me two lessons: II) If you can afford the chassis of the PC for fear of the 3270/PC on my desk because an IBM it, buy everything at once, bundled dreaded static electrical discharges senior V.P. told us that this was their together by the vendor; and 12) In PC what would leap from my fingers and strategic PC platform for the 90's. It parts, you get what you pay for. The

38 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST money I saved buying a no-name them by paying the registration fees. group of callers. Korean PC was more than spent buy­ No more upload requirements for me. Last year I bought a new ing replacement components. What I learned was that different Gateway 2000 386/33mhz and exiled I soon discovered Telix and boards have different purposes and the old 286 to the guest bedroom as local BBS's. And I did like most peo­ characters. One board I use entirely my daughters' Pc. But the hard drive ple new to BBS's do .. .I desperately is too full and too slow, the graphics looked for stuff to upload so I could are only EGA, and the computer is get credits to download a raft of share­ too slow.. .so I still have to schedule ware. A jillion bits of junk passed What I learned was that use of the new PC around my kids' both ways before I learned to be dis­ different boards have school work. criminating in my file selections. I no longer have or use "copied" Just as I had done with my first different purposes and software, but I'm spending a fortune PC software experiences, I joined characters. on software upgrades to stay current dozens of BBS's - not registering wi th everything I've purchased to (paying or donating tol a single one of date. them. The first one I did register At work I have a PS/2 Model 80 immediately moved to Maryland, for its quality shareware; the SYSOP on my desk ... still slower than my out of my local calling range, so I felt does a wonderful job of screening out home PC, but equally functional. justified in not paying for BBS use viruses, pirated stuff, commercial or And now I'm dreaming of a when SYSOPS were obviously just questionable items, games, pictures, 486/33 and 9600 v.42bis modem ... modern-day gypsies. etc. Another board has I-Link and Some things don't change that much. After a year, I was down to just SmartNet links to some vendors three BBS's - the ones that met my whose products I use. So it saves me Jim's messages always display needs the best. They were stable, long distance Tech Support calls. The the wit, charm and delightful humor helpful, and tolerant of my learning third board has RIME and other as demonstrated in his tale above. curve. And I finally joined each of nodes, plus a really friendly local -

Callers Digest, Inc. and Pies Online! proudly announce: BBS Callers Digest OnLine! BBS Callers Digest Online! is now available to BBS systems ...

10 Full Length Chapters Every Month Online! Classified Advertising Exclusive OnLine! Only Articles Great Shareware Reviews BBS How-To Articles The Best in Computer Humor

First time subscriptions come with a registered door which supports many different BBS types. BBS Callers Digest Online! is published monthly along with the release of the printed version of BBS Callers Digest. The monthly magaZine can be picked up in a number of automated ways. As a Qmail service or as a Fidonet File Hold or as a download from Pies! special BBS Callers Digest ooUne! Conference. For more information contact Terry Rossi at (609)953-1566 Voice. To view BBS Callers Digest Online!, call Pies OnLine! at (609)953-7694 V32/HST or The Livewire BBS at 609-235-5297 and type BBSCD at Main Board prompt. Sign-Up online with Visa!MasterCard today!

Pies OnLine!, Dept CCD, 560 Slokes Road, Ste 23-366, Medford, NJ 08055 Omail is a registered tradema!t of Spartware. Inc. and I'idonet i. a registered trademark of Fido Software. Inc.

~IIAY 1992 • 39 Paquette. Support BBS for: LiveStore, CLASSIFIED ADS Facts, Feud, Lottery, SexQuiz, Races, TvTrivia, Songs, Wordplay and CD-Sub. The classified ads are for Pre-Owned CLOSING DATE for submission of ads Home of "BBS Callers Digest", interna­ items &. Software, and for BBS ads only. is the second Friday of each month. Due tional messaging via RelayNet, SmartNet, Ads for new equil?ment must be inserted to our low rates, you cannot cbange, can­ Intelec, ILink, AfterDark and FidoNet. We in the regular dIsplay advertising sec­ cel or receive a refund on classifiells after have special access for writers, columnist, tions. No logos, or photos, or any other they are typeset. In most cases, ads are cartoonist. Subscription board accepting illustrations can be used in the classified typeset within a week after they are ad section. received. Visa/MasterCard for immediate upgrades, door registrations and subscriptions to INSTRUCTIONS are provided to keep CLASSIFIED RATES as of September BBS Callers Digest. Free Access for a look the ad rate low and to ensure accuracy. 1991 - $0.55 per word, $10.00 per ad around. Some free downloadable files list­ Type or print your ad legibly on a plain minimum charge. The first two words (if ed in B]ulletin 29. sheet of paper. Ads received that are dif­ underlined] will be set in bold face at no ficult to read will be returned. Write the extra charge. Boldface thereafter, will be MlCRONET PCBOARD, 1-615-626-1619 desired category at the top of each ad. If $0.25 additional charge per word. -PCBoard vI4.5ejE3, Sysop: Ted Freeman. a category is not specified, the ad will be PROOFS for checking copy cannot be We are back online in Tennessee. Home placed in the Misc. section. If more than of DoorFrarne, DoorBill, Real Time Chess, one ad is submitted, use a separate piece provided due to the low ad rates. If proofs of paper for each ad. Ensure that your are desired, send $5.00 and a tear sheet Real Time Checkers, Real Time Othello, complete name and address is at the bot­ will be provided. Be sure to include this Eliminate, Total Recall, PegJump, 4- tom of each ad sheet. cost with the ad payment. Square and Quizard Mtn. Member of RIME Network. New versions of all door Pursuitable, Fred Fish Disks,lO Lines, programs now available along with BBS ADS 100+ Conferences, 50+ Games, updates to DoorFrame for programmers. ADLINE, U.S.A! 1708) 260-8818 80386 USAToday, CDRoms, Gifs, Adult 1-512- NEW AGE BULLETIN BOARD. Good, w /330MB, 2400bps, Free Service, over 459-3351, CompuCom's,HST, V.32 intelligent high quality BBS for serious 2,000 programs: Business, Games, DIFFERENT DRUMMER, The On-Line thinkers looking for new horizons. Alice Graphics, Pictures, Adult. Free Classified Alternative Bookstore is coming (on May Bailey works and others in the tradition­ ads. Ads from local businesses. "The I, 1992]! Dial 615-662-0403 on your al Western esoteric tradition. Esoteric Future of Information Services." computer to browse through descriptions Psychology, Astrology, Healing, Seven Rays, etc. No Fees, 1200-19,200 BAUD, 24 of 1000+ alternative, fringe, obscure, THE BARGAIN BOARD. Deep-discount hrs. (718]380-5750. software, hardware, tapes, CDs, share­ controversial, and always interesting ware, and much more. Also home of the books/magazines. Order on-line! THE NASHVILLE EXCHANGE, 1.8 Gigs, "No-Risk Classified" (412) 655-7038. PC Conspiracies, manipulation, fiction, insan­ 12 lines, 1-615-383-0727, Support IBM, Purs uita ble! ity, alternative healing, subcultures, hal­ Mac, Amiga, Apple, Unix, Atari. One of lucinogens, spirituality, unexplained, the largest GIF collections in USA, over THE CAMPUS BBS. Over 5000 programs bleeding-edge science/technology, sex, 100 echomail and message areas, to download, 100's of GIFS. Running on oppressed groups, more! Huge range of Online Games, Classified Ads. the EASY to use Searchlight BBS software. subjects and viewpoints. EXCELLENT sub-boards including THE NEXT GENERATION BBS, PCBoard GREAT adult and music sections. FUN EASY ACCESS BBS 1510) 829-7627 San 14.5ajE3. Home of Trek Trivia Online. 1.5 Online games. CALL NOW! 1516)643- Ramon, California since 1985. Sysop, Gigs files, 750 Megs of the latest adult 0747. Tony Waddell. Using PCBoard 14.5a on Gifs. Message Networks; RelayNet, lntelec MS-DOS 80486, 2 lines including Hayes and After Dark Adult Network. CARRER SYSTEMS BBS, USRjHST, 1- Ultra96. Free access plus subscriptions for Visa/MasterCard accepted online. Sysop: 413-592-9208, free nationwide job listings $4.00 per month. Featuring the latest in John Carcione. 1-609-482-7345. for Data Processing, Engineering, Acctg, MS-DOS and MS-Windows shareware. Intelec and U'NiNet, Member of National Access to 130+ SmartNet Conferences. ONLINE ELECTRONIC CLASSIFIEDS, Association of Personnel Consultants. Easiest to use BBS devoted 100% to clas­ EUROPEAN IMAGES BBS: Hundreds of sified advertising, large National audience CLOUD NINE BBS, 8 GiGs, 60,000+ files original, adult, imported images! Very "online" looking to buy or sell most any­ PCBoard vI4.5a/xI99 C-USA, 700 con­ active, friendly message areas ... Why pay thing. No charge to browse, No sign up ferences, 18 nodes, all lines 19.2kb, 24 for images scanned from convenience fees. 1-518-562-9452. hours a day. 713-855-6133 voice and 713- store magazines? (305] 256-2672, 1305] PANASIA BBS, Intelec Regional HUB, 855-4285 data. 256-2675. Multi-line HST/V.32/14.4K/ QWK/REP Mail Door, No Fees, ILink COMPUTERS &.. DREAM BBS-Simply 9600/2400/1200 WILDCAT 3.01M FREE Demo Account! Node, Beta Site various Garne Doors. 818- the best BBS in New York City! Don't be­ 240-0415. lieve us? Call (212) 888-6565 and enjoy GENEALOGY CONNECTION, Cincin­ PLEASURE DOME, twice voted Best our FREE access and instant verification. nati, OH. Sysop, Benjamin Randolph, fea­ Adult BBS in America. Member THROB­ 3 FREE and PUBLIC NODES give you turing the latest in MS-DOS genealogy access to 760mb of files and dozens of up shareware and offering 15 international NET, KINKNET, AFTERDARK & VOY­ to date registered doors. Another 3 PRI­ genealogy conferences. 24 hours/day. AGERNET. Six lines, WILDCAT! V3.02P. VATE NODES allow access to a jukebox 513/751-9854. $30.00 per year. General Access lines 1804) 490-LUST, of CD-Roms, USATODAY online and Ladies only access (804] 473-LASS. Call BoardWatch Magazine online, more time THE LIBRARY BBS, Multilines, 2.2 and see why we are the BEST! and download capabilities all for $30 per GigaBytes, Huge Adult Section, 16,000+ PVCC USER GROUP BBS, PCBoard Ver year l All modems are USR Courier HST GIFs, 75 Conferences, Online Games, 14.5/E9, Sysop: Dave Orcutt, 1-413-568- Dual Standard! Download on first call. 305-581-4983 4466, 6 Lines, 3 USR DS-V.32bis, 2.2 Gigs, CONNECT AMERICA - Big, Fast, THE LIVEWIRE BBS, 1-609-235-5297 - 280+ Echomail Conferences, Intelec HUB, Friendly .... 5 Gigs + IBM/Amiga/Mac, PC- PCBoard vI4.5a/E6, Sysop: Richard !Link Node, 120+ Doors, Since 1983

40 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST RONIN BBS. Your Online Martial Arts King of the Board, Strike 93, Word Nerd, Connection. 214-938·2840 HST-DS on Ansi-View, Text-Read, plus many sysop COMPUTERS and CASES WildCat! v3.0. Specializing in Martial Arts utilities. Baby Size Tower, 16"x7"xI3"-2OOw, 2x5.25" we offer 200 conferences from RIME, - 2x3.50", $118.00 Call Don at 513-424-6553. DataNet and PlanoNet. GiGabyte drive TELE-STAR BBS!, Holland, MI 616-399- and 2 CD-Roms. Coming soon: PDSI-006. 3594 - 2400 baud .42/.42 bis, 616-399-8174 FLOPPY DRIVES Call back verifier for instant access nation­ - 19.2K baud HST DS. Both 24 hours. wide. Chuck Mattern, Sysop. Dallas, TX. Operating with Cnet Amiga. Supporting 360k floppy drives - works $30, call Don Arniga & IDM PC's. 315 megs of HD space, at 513-424-6553. ROSENET(TM) ONLINE - For LAN 1000's of files. Dozens of online games users, consultants, CNE's and program­ (doors). Public access Usenet. Fidonet HARD DRIVES mers. Your best source for current LAN conferences and very active message bases. files, especially NetWare. Also featuring Two Sea gate 4096 HD's for sale. Each in TEXT BBS for mature rnodemers, no han­ LAN industry news & over 300 national working condition, formatted with Dos 3.3, dles, no games, no hype, multi-line 24,00 conferences. Sysop authored 2 NetWare upgraded to bigger drives. Price for one is: files, echoes, quality, HSTjDS 1-701-239- books including the "Programmer's Guide $300.00; if you take both, $500.00 also one 6047, 12/24001-701-293-7758. to NetWare" published by McGraw-Hill. MFM 1:1 controller card (2Hd/2Fd) $25.00. One 65Meg RLL drive and 1: 1 RLL con­ MultiLine, PCBoard vI4.5a, v.32bis and TRJ-STATE, Northeast's Largest Growing troller card, combination price $200.00. CompuCom modems. Get relief now, on System, 7 lines, 1-201-935-8634, Up to Call during daytime hours 9am to 4pm EST RoseNet! FREE trial membership, so 19,200, Mail, BBS Links, Live Conferences at: 609-953-9110 ask for Richard. I accept call today! (7031799-2536. and more. Visa/MasterCard and will pay the shipping. THE ROUND TABLE BBS 215-678-0818 TWYLIGHT ZONE BBS, PCBoard Seagate ST251 - 40 meg hard drive $95, USR v.32/v.42bis at 19,200bps. Six phone 14.5ajE3 HST 14.4, 2.9 Gifs huge adult call Don at 513-424-6553. lines - NEVER a busy signal! PCBoard conference. Download on first call 14.5a based with l.3 GB HD and l.2 GB 614-891-0255. Distribution site for PC MICE & MOUSE CD-Rom Capacity. 51,000+ files w/ex­ & Pix CD-Rom. tended Engineering, AutoCad, Program­ Logitech Bus Mouse $70.00 Serial Mouse WINDOWS ONLINE, Your best source ming, 3/90 by Sysops Mike Brown and $45.00 Call Don at 513-424-6553. for Windows files, 1700+ Win3 Files, over Dan McCoy. Two week free trial for all. 7000 total. Featuring 25 new files per day, Subscriptions range $30.00 to $45.00. MODEM/FAX WOL News, Windows Tips, Commercial SPORTSLINE New Orleans, 3 lines, cur­ and Shareware reviews, Staff writers. 9 SmartMax II Modem / Fax / Phone Auto rent scores, odds, rotations, touts, FidoNet lines with USR D/S and CompuCom Switch telephone device. $140.00. Call echos, Mac files, USAToday + more: modems, PCBoard v 14.5a. Call Today Don at 513-424-6553 (5101 736-8343. TeleFinder System - Call 504-528-9666, MODEMS Zoom 2400 v.42bis, MNP5 522-4060, 524-0480(HST). COMPUTER BOOKS external, lightly used. Paid $170; sacrifice SUBURBAN SOfTWARE, PCBoard Ver for $110. Dan Stoicheff, 605 Montgomery, 14.5/E3, Sysop: Chuck Valecek, 1-708- Learn DOS in a day!! $5, call Don at 513- Laurel, MD 20707(301)498-8915 636-6694, RelayNet, MetroNet, Home of: 424-6553 Racal-Vadic Maxwell 2400 baud MNP-5 r------, external modem $70, call Jay at 513-424-6483. CLASSIFIED ORDER FORM PC ADD-ON CARDS Classified Dept., Callers Digest, Inc., 701 Stokes Rd, Medford, NJ 08055 One 16-bit Perstor card that handles 2 To figure cost of ad, the rate is $0.55 per word. Any letters, numbers, or symbols with Hard drives and 2 Floppy drives, cost new a space before and a space after counts as ONE word. Bold face is $0.25 extra per was $199.00, will pay shipping to you for word. The first two words are in bold with no charge, if they are underlined. All only $125.00. Call Richard at: 609-953- words to be bold, must be underlined on this order form. Minimum ad charge is 9110 daytime 9am to 4pm EST. Perstor $10.00. If you wish to have a heading category not listed, simply write in this new software included. category and we will create it for your ad. PRINTERS PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT. Run this ad under the heading of ______Citizen 180D Printer $160.00 Call Don at 513-424-6553. Hewlett Packard 7470A 2 Pen Plotter, Man· uals, Cables. $150, call Jay at 513-424-6483 TAPE BACKUP Colorado Tape Backup Adapter, lets you run 2 floppies & tape drive together $70.00 Call Don at 513-424-6553. (For additional words, use separate sheet of paper) VIDEO/GRAPHICS N~ ______ADDRESS ______512k VGA Graphics Card 80Ox600x256 $85.00 Call Don at 513-424-6553 101 CITY STATE ZIP______Keyboard $45.00 Call Don at 513-424-6553. ENCLOSE $0.55 PER WORD FOR YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IF INCLUDED IN AD. ATI EGA Wonder 800 - 800x6OOx1S $50, L ______~ Run class ad for issues. Payment of $ enclosed. call Jay at 513-424-6483.

MAY 1992 • 41 PC_PIXTM Adult Graphics

• 640 + MEG of Adult Entertainment • 4200 + Images • 940 + Sexy Stories • 40 + MEG of Animation & Games • PCBoard BBS Support • Wildcat! BBS Support cX!fb w o~rn • File Descriptions for o DATA STORAG E Most Images • 99% (640 x 480 x 256) or Better! ~ © 1991 by ( ~ Pt INFO ~"fTEM~ ~ • PC & MAC Compatible, Except ~~ BBS: 614-111-1935 ~~ for the Animation Files (PC only) ~ P.O. BOX 23591 ~~ t:I~~/1V Columbus, OHIO 43213:t\\\l\ \~ • Includes Shareware GIF Viewers 6/F IMR'E~ FOR fA"

The Purchaser MUST be at least 18 years of age to purchase the Adult CD-ROM Only $,,*

'Special Suggested Price, shipping policies and actual prices are set by each dealer. Prices do not include any applicable sales tax . PC-PIX DEALERS PC ON-LINE! GARLIQUE GRAPHICS GABBY'S LOUNGE po. Box 23591 110 Luchessa Ave. #3-A P.o. Box 2453 Columbus, OH 43223 Gilroy, CA 95020 Mission, KS 66201 (614) 276-5736 [Voice] (408) 847-0665 [BBS] (816) 887-3289 [BBS] (614) 276-1935 [BBS] ChecklM.o./CODNisa ChecklM.O.lCODNisa ChecklM.O.lCOD Am. Ex.lMasterCard MasterCard Free U.S. Shipping NEWSLINES Continued from page 2 computer from the BBS, and the voice-synthesized PowerLine II card, now, there were quite a few difficul­ made by Talking Technologies. ties associated with payment meth­ The software is voice-con fig­ ods for online time. Because of the urable, allowing the Sysop to record threat of credit card fraud and the fear messages using a standard telephone of the card number being seen by a handset. The Sysop also determines "hacker", many credit card holders the dollar amount charged per call were reluctant to charge their and the amount of online time a accounts," relates Stryker. "And a sig­ caller will receive. nificant portion of the under 21 pop­ The 976-BBS software uses a ulation, which represents a large proprietary, dual-password scheme number of BBS callers, don't even pos­ allowing the voice-server and the sess a credit card. ""If a caller chose to online redemption mechanism to pre-pay for online time, a check or generate the same sequence of codes money order had to pass through without being connected via a local Rusty Edie mail, bank and accounting delays area network or a dedicated phone - ATJ'EtIlIlON SYSOP'S •• before credits were made. Even line. The security architecture also • NO MORE RING ll-fROUGH • invoicing a user for credits didn't pro­ guarantees each package will generate Rusty n Edie's BBS announces the end vide an adequate solution. The over­ its own unique code sequences, of ring through (that is the condition head involved in billing and collection reducing the odds of hacking a code to where the caller calls a BBS and the processes for a large user base sharply less that one in ten million. phone just rings with no answer). reduces profit potential. Imagine if Galacticomm Vice President, Ring through is caused by one or McDonald's required a customer to Scott Brinker explains, "We want to more of the computers on a BBS establish a credit card account before give sysops the opportunity to make getting locked up, that is through a he could buy a hamburger. Conven­ their bbs's as profitable as they can be. malfunction not being able to answer ience of payment is a 'must' for the Eliminating the headaches of old-fash­ an incoming call. for-profit BBS sysop." ioned payment methods is a big step The 976-BBS package includes forward for sysops everywhere." Announcing the answer, rn--IE the "976-BBS Redemption Center," The Galacticomm Demo I.In1..E BLACK BOX" quickly and an online module which the sysop System can be accessed free of charge simply attaches between your integrates into the executable BBS, an by dialing (305) 583-7808 [N,8,l] EXTERNAL modem and your offline configuration and reporting with a modem. Galacticomm's voice computer. No software is used and utility, which operates on a separate number is (305) 583-5990. -- you need not set anything, if one of your nodes becomes locked, the next incoming call will ring through and 3 A rrRACTING CALLERS from page 12 "The Electronic Traveller" offers complete explanations on how minutes later your computer witt there are hundreds of other interesting to access and log on to each system; reboot and fix almost any lock-up and useful information outlets that descriptions of the special attractions, problem. can be accessed by computer, most of events and people on the networks; rn--IE lIrI1.E BLACK BOX" cost them a lot less expensive and a lot entertaining critiques on the person­ $99.00 and $6.00 for postage and more fun to use than The Big Three! ality of each online system, including "The Electronic Traveller" takes the unique customs, rituals, and handling for a total of $105.00 each a breezy, colorful, and sometimes quirks of the regular clientele. It has and is sold with a 30 day money back irreverent look at the best spots on important background information on guarantee. You can order by phone the underground online map, com­ the networks, including size, geo­ (Voice, Data, or Fax) using a credit plete with information on how to get graphic range, number of nodes and card or by mail. there, tips on what to do and see users, daily message flow, and other Rusty n Edie's BRS while there, and plenty of tongue-in­ "gee-wiz" statistics. It reports on 1480 Fredricksburg Drive cheek advice on how to remain a wel­ alternative European networks and Youngstown, OH 44512 come visitor. Paul Waldinger and what the future holds for the online Voice ...... 216-758-8342 Elizabeth Powell Crowe profile such underground, technological and other. Fax ...... 216-726-3595 lesser-known, but nonetheless worth Hope you enjoyed Paul's while online/bulletin board services insights on running a bbs and if you 2400 Baud ...... 216-726-2620 as UseNet, BitNet, People Link, see your favorite bbs needing some HST 14.4K!V32 bis ... 216-726-3589 America Online, The Well, Exec-Pc, special attention, you might want to Compucom ...... 216-726-3620 FidoNet, BIX, Connect, ILink, leave some Email to the sysop with Hayes V-Series ...... 216-726-3619 SmartNet, Portal, plus many more. suggestions.

MAY 1992 • 43 ADVERTISERS INDEX Galacticomm, Inc ...... 19 Aquila ...... 36 GW Associates ...... 2 7 BBS Callers Digest OnLine! ...... 39 HH Infonnation Services ...... 35 BBS Technologies ...... 11 IBECC ...... 6 Bechtold ...... 29 Isle Net ...... 23 Black Cat Infonnation Service ...... 21 Metro Online ...... 31 C-Net ...... 16 Ocean Connect, Inc ...... 12 Channel One Communications ...... inside front cover One BBS ...... 14 Canada Remote Systems ...... 3 Oracomm ...... 17 Clark Development Co., Inc ...... outside rear cover PC Info ...... 42 CoCoNut Computing, Inc ...... 34 PereLine Communications, Inc...... 11 Cross Communications Corp ...... 25 RAM Soft ...... inside rear cover Della & Muegee Enterprise ...... 2 Roundtable BBS ...... 33 eSoft, Inc ...... 13 Rusty-n-Edie's BBS ...... 2, 43 ExecNet ...... 44 Sinbad's Shack BBS ...... 9 Exec-PC BBS ...... 18 TriMark Engineering ...... 24 Express Software ...... 18 Uncle Hank's Newsletter ...... 44

UNCLE HANK'S Come, see the future! SHAREWARE ~~ REVIEW Your one stop source for information needs. A NEWSLETIER dynamic, continually improving system when you're ~ tired of all the calls! According to leading industry Published bi-monthly, publications we are: this newsletter takes a ~ good look at some of the **** One of "the top electronic services best Shareware available across the country" - PC World, July 1991! today. Each issue contains reviews from a **** A "Popuwr Super BBS" which will wide variety of areas. "provide top services at an attractive rate" - PC Computing, March 1991! Always in plain English. **** "One oasis of civility in the BBS For a sample issue, send $2 to: maelstrom is the !Link network" hosted by ExecNet - Business Week, Uncle Hank's Shareware November 1990! 8 Hendrick St. Easthampton, MA 01027 "Behold the lowly bulletin board **** If now encompassing the globe" - Byte you send $10 with this AD, you can subscribe for One year Magazine, January 1990! (6 issues) and save $2.

Make checks payable to 50,000+ Shareware & PD Files - On-Line CHAT - Garnes Hank Hurteau 2,000+ E-Mail areas - Networked with ILink, Internet, Bitnet, Bionet, Biznet, K12net - Mail gateway to/from Compuserve, AT &T Mail, MCI Mail, most major corporations & universities Outbound FAXing - On-line technical databases - Vendor product support forums - On-line, daily news publications SUBSCRIBE Affordable, fixed (annual) cost - EZ-Access memberships TODAY Call Toll-Free 914 667-4567 1-800-822-0437 and charge your subscription to Direct Dial; PC Pursuit; Acculink{l'ym.net; Visa, Mastercard, American Express Set modem to 1200-19200 bps; SIN/t. V.32 modems dial 914 667-4066. your Visa or MasterCard.

44 • BBS CALLERS DIGEST --PIXURE ROMTM PRODUCTS--

VOLUME I VOLUME II GIG-a-GIF

"General Appeal & Nudes" "Perversia Galore" Incl udes Vols I & II 500+ Megs of G IFs 600+ Megs of G IFs Over 6400 Images 112 General Appeal 40+ Megs PC Animation Over 1.1 GIGabytes 112 Classic Nudes COMPLETELY Adult 2 Discs 3100+ Images 3300+ Images Val ue Priced $75* $75* $125*

o Primarily 640x480x256 The nature of some of the images require that the o No Filename Dupli­ purchaser certify that cation Between he/she is at least 18 Volumes years of age. o PCBoard BBS PC & MAC Support compatible ex­ cept for the o Catalog on ISO 9660 animation on Disc FORMATTED Volume II, which is only PC compatible.

DATA STORAGE *Suggested prices Requires a referenced are in CD Player, an U.S. Dollars. Pay­ appropriate video ment methods, ship- system, and a viewer ~ GIFS ON DISC .; ping policies, and actual or paint program that "VOt-: 0Y.-«- pnces are set by each 0 supports the GIF image 'A1t;v~ ;:\\~~ dealer. Prices do not include format. SOF"TWARE FOR INNO\l r-- any applicable sales tax. -----PIXURE ROMTM DEALERS----­ RAMSOFT KAND Y SHACK 1501 East Chapman Avenue #338 12531 Strathmore Drive Fullerton, California 92631 Garden Grove, California 92640 (714) 738-5665 [Voice] (800) 638-1170 [Voice] (714) 738-0841 [BBS] (714) 638-7308 [Voice] CheckIM.O./COD (714) 636-2667 [BBS] Free U.S. Shipping M.O./CODNisa/ Mastercard