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################################################################ # # # BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News # # # ################################################################ ---------------------------------------------------------------- COPYRIGHT 1993 ISSN 1055-4548 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Volume 7, Issue 9 Issue #72 October 1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- article title author ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer/Statement of Policy.............................Staff From The Editor.................................Scott Hollifield PARTY ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!PARTY ANNOUNCEMENT Submission Guidelines......................................Staff Letters To BTN.......................................BTN Readers What Do These Letters Mean?..........................Mark Maisel Review: Compaq Aero 4/25...........................Dean Costello Local Music in October..............................Judy Ranelli Shotgun..............................................Damion Furi SEC '94 Schedule......................................David Moss Special Interest Groups (SIGs).........................Eric Hunt Known BBS Numbers.......................................Tim Cook ---------------------------------------------------------------- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ DISCLAIMER AND STATEMENT OF POLICY FOR BTN ################################################################ We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for damage due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability, if any for BTN, its *editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions, etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN, even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood of such damages occurring. With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any time but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear in a particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise harm a person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the content of the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their work and it is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles from BTN with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a reprint, in which case he will specify in the content of his article. Otherwise, please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as the source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles, please forward a copy of your publication to: Mark Maisel Publisher, BTN 606 Twin Branch Terrace Birmingham, AL 35216 (205) 823-3956 We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing all of this and not get too serious about it. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ FREEBIE!!! GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT! Systems That Offer Free BTN ################################################################ The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is with no charge to any existing upload/download ratios. ADAnet One Alter-Ego Bone Yard Bus System The Castle Channel 8250 C.A.B. The Comfy Chair! Crunchy Frog DC Info Exchange Final Frontier The Guardian Hardware Hotline Homewood's Hell Hole Joker's Castle Leaping's Lounge Lemon Grove Lion's Den Martyrdom Again?! The MATRIX Milliways BBS The Outer Limits Owl's Nest Playground Safe Harbor Southern Stallion Starbase 12 Thy Master's Dungeon Weekends BBS (This list includes some systems which are not local to Birmingham and therefore not included on our BBS Numbers list.) If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let me know via The Matrix or Crunchy Frog so that I can post your board as free BTN distributor. Thanks. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ NEWSFLASH! NEWSFLASH! NEWSFLASH! ################################################################ ############# # BTN # !!!! # HALLOWEEN # !!!! # PARTY # ############# See the ANNOUNCEMENT elsewhere in this issue for details. NEW BBS LISTMONGER!! Tim Cook takes over the Known BBS Numbers List this month. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ FROM THE EDITOR Scott Hollifield ################################################################ Well, we're running late this month, so all I have are a few content-related matters. First off, please welcome Tim Cook to these pages. As of this month, he bravely/foolishly takes over the duties behind the desk of the Known BBS Numbers list. We sincerely hope that Tim knows what he's getting into. Next, note the Halloween party announcement! A grand old BTN tradition returns: people getting together and making fools of themselves, usually in the flash of a camera lens. Trust me, we invented it before anyone else did. Judy Ranelli returns after a well-deserved vacation, with her superior recommendations for local music. If you're the type to see bands in clubs, (1) read her column and (2) obey her advice. If you're not the type, turn of the television set, put on some shoes, then follow (1) and (2). David Moss' SEC schedule was inadvertently left out of last month's issue. I know, the season is nearly half over now, but I thought I'd include it anyway. It's a short issue. That's it! See you at the party. I'll be the one dodging the camera. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ANNOUNCING BY POPULAR DEMAND!! ---===***>>> BTN HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY <<<***===--- !!!!!!! Date: 10/29/94 Time: 6:00 p.m. Place: Home of Mark and Kathy Maisel 606 Twin Branch Terrace, Vestavia What: BTN Halloween Costume Party If you need further directions, please call (205)-823-3956. If you reach the answering service, do leave a message. Your call will be returned, provided you leave a valid phone number in the message. We will probably have some snack foods on hand and soft drinks. If you have a preference as to food, then be sure to bring it. If you are of legal age, you will be expected to bring your own alcoholic beverage, should you desire them. If you are not, then don't bring any as you will be asked to leave. Do not bring any illegal substances or items or you will also be asked to leave. The Vestavia Police are not known to be as forgiving as have been the Birmingham Police. Due to complications from the last party, I must ask that you remain on my property, preferably near or in the house. If you wander, are overly loud, or litter, especially while on the street or on other property, my neighbors have been advised to call the Vestavia Police since I cannot possibly police you. It is unfortunate that I must give such advice, but past experience and complaints demands it. A primitive map follows. MM, Pub The easiest route is to get on Columbiana Road via either US HWY 31 or I-65N exit to Vestavia/Hoover. Proceed up Columbiana to Tyler Road. Take Tyler Road to Twin Branch Drive. Take the left fork to Twin Branch Terrace. Our House is the next to last on the right side of the street. The "X"'s mark the location. The asterisks refer to traffic lights. The first is at the I-65N exit and goes directly onto Columbiana. The second is Columbiana│ │ and Tyler. The third is Hackberry/Southland and Tyler. │ US │ │ HWY│ This map is not drawn to scale! │ 31 │ ┐ ┐Columbiana │ │ Hackberry└┐ \ \ └┐Road │ │ Lane └┐ \ I-65 \ └┐ │ │ └┐ \ \ └┐ │ │ __________Tyler Road____________________*3_______\_________\*2 │ │ │ │ │ │ \ ┐\ │ │ │Twin Branch │Donna │Paden └┐ \ └┐ \ │ │ │Drive │Drive │Drive └┐Southland \ └┐ \ │ │ │ │ │ └┐Drive \ └───────\ *1 │ │ └─────┐ \ \ │ │ └─────────────\──────┐ \ ┌──┴┐ \ │ │ \ ┌┘ │Twin Branch \│\ │ ┌┘ 606│Terrace │ \│ │ XXX│ │ │ ┴_____┴__________________Swiss Lane_____ │ │ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES ################################################################ I. ARTICLE LENGTH Right now, there's no strict enforcement of a length restriction, but if your submission is somewhat short, I may request that you make it longer. Anyone can sit down and type out a screen's worth of stuff. I have yet to encounter an article that was too *long*, so don't worry about that. II. SUBJECT MATTER Again, there's no hard-and-fast rules about subject matter. I'm interested in seeing material on a wide variety of topics. That includes BBSs, politics, music, books, or better yet, something that doesn't neatly fall into any one category. Next to that, my favorite articles are the ones that have something to do with BBSing, since that is supposedly what we're sort of about. Technical reviews are also good. I tend to kind of frown on fiction, but I'm willing to take a look at anything you've got. If it's interesting enough, your chances are good. Politics is fine, but try not to rant--and make whatever you have to say original. I can go out and find ten Rush Limbaughs if I want. Also refrain from "This Is What Happened To Me Today" slice-of-life articles unless it's leading somewhere good. Reviews should be both informative and opinionated. Don't be too objective, but still tell us about what you're reviewing. III. FILE FORMAT Plain and simple ASCII is preferred, but we can convert WordPerfect files if need be. Do not use ANSI characters or special graphics. IV. STYLE GUIDELINES 1. Use a right margin of 72 columns. 2. Indent paragraphs at the fifth column. 3. Put two spaces after each sentence. 4. Skip a line after each paragraph. 5. Refrain from using BBS-specific devices like "<grin>" and ":-)". 6. Be sure to give your article a title. 7. Try to use correct grammar, spelling and capitalization! My staff proofread as best as we can, but a well-typed article makes our job easier. 8. The dash is correctly typed as two hyphens, like "--". Use it to set apart phrases and clauses--as with this sentence. 9. To emphasize a word, place a pair of asterisks around it, like *this*. This takes the place of italics (except for titles; see 12). 10. If you have to emphasize a group of words, use capitals, AS IN THIS EXAMPLE. I generally don't like the way that looks, so use it sparingly, if at all. 11. If you're unsure whether to spell out a number or not, leave it in numeral form. 12. Titles of books, films, plays, albums and works of art are surrounded by underlines, like: U2's _The Joshua Tree_. This takes the place of italics in this regard; I call it "title-cizing". On the other hand, television shows, songs, poems, article titles and short stories are surrounded by quotation marks. V. HOW DO I SUBMIT AN ARTICLE? The easiest way is to upload it as a private file on one of two systems: The Matrix and the Crunchy Frog. (Their phone numbers are listed at the end of this feature.) To upload a file privately, begin your file description with a slash ("/"). Then leave me (SCOTT HOLLIFIELD) a private message telling me what the file name is, so that I can have the sysop make it available for me. Another way is to leave me the article as a private message, or a series of private messages. If you become a regular contributor to BTN, you can get access to the private BTNWA conference, which is for BTN writers. There we discuss articles, policy, ideas, etc. The BTNWA conference also contains a private file directory which I can access more easily than a private file outside BTNWA. Finally, as an alternative, if you live outside of the local Birmingham area and you don't wish to call long distance, you can submit an article via Internet e-mail. My address is scotth@the-matrix.com. That's it! Get to work! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR From BTN Readers ################################################################ [Editor's note: This letter, from our own publisher, was intended to appear in last month's issues, but somehow slipped through the cracks. Sorry!] From: Mark Maisel BBS: Crunchy Frog Scott, I read issue 70 with great interest to see what you would say in regards to the delay in getting it out. I feel compelled to respond to some articles that caught my eye. I thought the entire issue was very good, though I will admit to having skipped Dean's review; my interest in cinema being what it is. re: Editorial " Oh, one final note. It has come to my attention that a certain publisher whose initials are the same as Marilyn Monroe may have placed BTN's name in a national, Internet-distributed catalog, where it sits" You really ought to ask about these things before you plant the seeds of innuendo. My participation on Internet consists of lots of e-mail, a few lists to which I subscribe, and a couple of bizarre news groups. I am excited to hear about requests for BTN over the network. I wish you had said something to me. I do not think it would be too difficult to set up a site for BTN. re: Gary Hasty " Ya know...I used to read BTN and the Frog's main board, and giggle (like a little party girwl) over the BBS-geek wars y'all seem to always have in Birmingham." They are cute. Cute like boils that are ripe. It is a pity that folks delight in pettiness. I have mixed feelings at hearing of other places similarly afflicted. re: OPPRESSION "no longer think for ourselves. Society has given us its standards and told us to conform to them or else. But I say forget conformity; it is" Society is a reflection of the individuals who share common traits and/or circumstances in a population. Part of that reflection is standards for our behavior. For good or bad, all societies reflect standards. There are any number of means you might employ to your benefit in regards to your stance toward the society in which you currently reside. Whining isn't one of them. Maisel [Editor's reply: Regarding the new interest in BTN over the Internet, I was under the mistaken impression that Mark had submitted BTN's name to a national Internet-distributed electronic publication list. I believe I misremembered something that was said to me at some point; however the error happened, I regret publishing it before verifying its accuracy. The list in question is edited by John Labovitz and is posted at regular intervals on nine different Usenet newsgroups, including alt.zines and alt.internet.services. John's email address is johnl@netcom.netcom.com. The list is also available via anonymous FTP as well as WorldWide Web. The description for BTN looks like this: "It is a nebulous zine that covers things from computer reviews to industry articles to general fiction to whatever the editor feels like putting in. It also contains the monthly BBS listing for the Birmingham metro area. BTN has been published for over 5 years." More or less accurate, I suppose. I'd appreciate it if whoever gave our name to the list would let me know, just to satisfy my curiosity. -s.h.] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ WHAT DO ALL THESE LETTERS MEAN? Mark Maisel ################################################################ "From: GEOFF TAYLOR To: ALL Subject: 486 chips.. I have one of those universal questions floating in my head... What's the difference between 486DX, 486SLC, and 486DLC chips? Also, what about chips made by Cyrix and AMD? Are they really comparable to Intel?" I saw this one a while back and grabbed it and waited for an opportunity to expound. Here goes! I make no guarantees as to the completeness nor absolute accuracy of this article. It is solely based on what I have read, heard, and seen at trade shows, company literature, and at parties after the shows. Intel designed and produces the 486DX microprocessor. It is a true 32 bit processor, that is, it is capable of sending and receiving 32 bit instructions and hunks of data. What this means for you, provided you aren't strapped by an antiquated peripheral bus, less than optimal support hardware, and an old 8 bit operating system, is that you can process data real fast. Even with the aforementioned handicaps, you can still work a useful pace. The 486DX has a number of useful features including 8 kilobytes of cache for pre-fetching data and instructions so as to speed up processing, a floating point processor, and compatibility with previous microprocessors of X86 vintage. That last may not be considered an advantage to some but it is for most desktop computer users. For completeness, I will describe the 486SX, also designed and produced by Intel. This microprocessor was introduced to fill a niche market, low end machines for the cost conscious consumer with little to spend. The primary difference, as I understand it, between the SX and DX series is that the SX lacks the floating point processor. This means that software requiring or preferring such a processor will either not run or run much more slowly. The SLC and DLC series were not designed by Intel, at least not exclusively. I understand that the SLC was designed in part by IBM. Its original and still most frequently used purpose is for notebook and laptop computers. The reason for this is that it consumes less power than the SX or DX chips designed by Intel. The SLC resembles the SX in many ways save that it, as I recall, has a smaller cache for pre- fetching instructions. The DLC was designed by IBM or Cyrix. Memory fails me. It is a low power chip that is similar to the SX. It is used in desktop machines at the low end as are the SLC and SX. These processors will not, as I understand it, operate with a true 32 bit operating system such as OS/2 or Windows NT. I don't think you'd want to try either, even if you could, as the speed would be impractical...as in lack of... The chips that Cyrix sells are, for all practical purposes, compatible enough with Intel's 486 series to run MS-DOS and MS-Windows, and applications for both. In the case of AMD, the chips I've seen and used, 486SX and 486DX models, are completely compatible with those made by Intel. They also run faster and at lower temperature. As machines using these microprocessors are generally less expensive than comparable machines using Intel microprocessors, I consider them a better buy. It is for these reasons that Intel has taken AMD to court repeatedly in an effort to stop them from making their microprocessors. Each time, they have been thwarted. Many years ago, Intel and AMD signed a licensing agreement and that agreement gives AMD access to much of Intel's technology. That they have exploited it so well is what angers Intel. It also forces Intel to lower their prices much more quickly than they'd like. I hope this helps. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ REVIEW: Compaq Aero 4/25 (plus a personal history of personal computers) Dean Costello ################################################################ I have been involved with computers since about 1978, when I saw my first real computer. I had always been an afficionando of a Radio Shack : vaguely cool electronic stuff, digital watches, calculators; the kinds of things that lead to wet dreams for the pre-adolescent coming of age in the late '70s/early '80s. One fine day, I noted that the local Radio Shack had a new display in its front window, with a big sign saying "Home Computer!" What was this marvel? I pressed an oily nose to the display window, and noted The Computer : A TRS-80 microcomputer with a whopping 4k of ram. Entranced with the concept of "computer", I strode into the Shack with the most aplomb that I could gather in my twelve-year old personality, and asked to try using The Computer. And I tried using the computer, and found out that it used Basic to do, well, anything. I started paging through the manual that was next to the computer and found little to help me with the computer, except for a simple program that went something like: 10 PRINT "HI!" 20 GOTO 10 The pages of "HI!" that I got from my programming effort were, to say the least, a tad underwhelming. You see, I was weened on such computer-heavy things as _Colossus: The Forbin Project_, "Star Trek", and _2001: A Space Odyssey_. Hell, I remember in 1974 when _2001_ was re-released, my father came and took my brother and I out of fourth and second grade (respectively) to go down to the Cumberland Mall and see it. Computers were supposed to be these big lumbering beasts, lots of lights, switches, and buttons, maybe a tape drive or two cranking away in the background; steel as far as the eye can see. This is a computer, and the TRS-80 wasn't exactly what I was expecting. In my senior year of high school, I took a computer science-like class that was being offered by the local high school. We worked on TRS-80s with...<drum roll>...floppy drives. It was a very good time for technology. The only thing that I really got from this class is that there is some kind of 'language' that controls the computer, from which you can run stuff or do stuff like run the interactive Basic application. This was called a disk operating system, or in this particular case, TRS-DOS [phonetic spelling]. Those were heady times, when the big microcomputer competition was between the mighty TRS-80 (black and white screen attached to keyboard, crappy applications, but with a more Science-like sensation) and the Apple II (better graphics, but you had to dick around with something called a shape table). For more than $1500, neither of these options really appealed to me, so I choose to wait. I soon had something better, though. My father got caught up in the "Every Home Needs a Computer" craze, as well as a finely orchestrated advertising campaign helmed by Bill Cosby, and he bought a TI-99. For Christmas 1982, I got the Peripheral Expansion Box. Goddammit, this looked like a computer. Burnished metal finish, a deep, throaty hum, large slot-like things. This thing said "TECHNOLOGY" in no uncertain terms. This device contained the floppy drive, a mighty 32K memory expansion card, disk controller card, communications card (sounding familiar to you IBM jox yet?). Wonderful little computer, but unfortunately, the keyboard was about 1/4 smaller than average, and typing on it became a bitch. It was at about this time that programming and fun became on oxymoron for me. We fast-forward to college. The school I attended had just bought a brand-new mainframe, an upgrade from the PDP-11 that had served so well for so many years, more or less. It was a DEC VAX 11/780 (the first or second year they were released, I believe). This was my "home computer" for several years. Now this looked like a computer. Many large metal boxes containing Computer Equipment: tape drives, large banks of blinking lights that I don't think really did anything. The computer was placed in an glass-encased computer center that was smack in the middle of my campus. On cold winter Central Pennsylvania evenings, it was neat to see the technological glow of the Vax eminating from the across the campus. Now this was a computer. There were several IBM microcomputers floating around the campus, but they were judged to be little more than toys, to be used very infrequently, and only when absolutely necessary. I tried my hand on the great beige beast with the very manly red power switch, using a small word processor called Volkswriter, which struck me as silly and user-hostile. And as a result, I didn't really fool around with IBMs at the time. Sometime around my junior year, the college decided that micro- computers were Good Things, and since they were satisfied with the Mighty Vax, they figured that the people at DEC would make a pretty good microcomputer. It was called the DEC Rainbow, and the school bought about fifty of them. Another of the beige brand of computer, it was unique in that it had a blue monochrome monitor, and twin floppy drives that were reversed in respect to each other. Two weeks after the purchase was completed, and we accepted delivery, DEC called a news conference that stated that they would no longer support the Rainbow. There was a lot of wailing/gnashing of teeth in the Mathematics department that evening (yes, the days when the computer geeks were in the Math department, and not vice versa). This was my first experience with a company killing a product, and it made me wary. I graduated from college in 1987 with a molecular biology-kind of degree. My grandmother gave me $1000, and I knew I was going to buy a computer. My brother bought an Atari 520ST, and I liked what I saw. So, a year after my brother bought his, I bought the upper-end model: The 1040ST, packing an entire meg of memory, an internal 720K floppy drive, a mouse (Mouse? What's a mouse?), a combined CPU/keyboard console encased in a tasteful beige plastic container, and nice software right out of the box. What a nice computer, and it kept me satisfied until about 1993 or so. People at the office were mocking me for continuing to use my Atari. "Hey, I saw a good game of "Asteroids" for your computer a couple of days ago", one of my colleagues would say [like there's no "Asteroids knock-offs for the PC]; "How can you type so fast on a membrane keyboard?" another would ask [that's the Atari 400]; "Where does the game cartridge fit?" said a third [Confusing my computer with a 2600 game machine]. Basically, they were mocking my machine, for no good reason. "It does everything I want it to do," I would whine back to them, knowing deep in my heart-of-hearts that technology had left the ST behind. I had to get a new computer, but what kind? PC: I had lead so many attacks against the PC-slaves that it would hypocritical to use one of those bastards at this stage of the game. There sure was a lot of software for them, though, and at reasonable prices. But what about those expansion slots? Or system interrupts? Or the interleave questions? The above scared me, especially since I could only think of one person (Chris Mohney) who has owned a PC without it crash-and-burning on him. Mac: Very smug owners. Reading Mac magazines was like reading "Spy" magazine and not living in New York City : A lot of in-jokes, and a feeling of "eventually, you will choose the right machine, the Macintosh". Basically, a creepy sensation. The software was god-awful expensive, and it was a bitch to find it. The mouse is nice, though. A damned sight better than Windows. So what did I do? I kept the Atari for about two years longer than necessary. Eventually, I did pick up a PC. It was a Compaq Aero 4/25. What necessitated it is unclear even now. Look, whenever I decided to buy what is generally considered to be a big-ticket item (more than about $200, in my terms), I usually dilly-dally about it for about a month, then decide I don't want it after all. One day I called Mark Maisel and said, "This is it. Find me a portable. Make it cheap. Get back to me." He recommended the Compaq. The company I work for has a plan through which you can get a no-interest loan for a computer and peripherals. I had debated for several years in buying about $3500 worth of computer paraphenalia since if you go over $3000, the cost is spread out over 2 years. I discovered, though, that once I started on the road to More Things (ie. more and more peripherals, faster microprocessor, more memory than the NSA requires), it will never end. I ended up with Mac systems that were running in the $5000 range. Hell, for a stretch there, I was debating getting a Silicon Graphics Indy work station (base price $5000). This was just getting silly. One of the Artificial Intelligence people at the office, after I told him I was getting a computer, said, "Look, Dean, I have been hearing this for three years now. Show me the owners manual, and we'll talk. Until then, don't say a fucking word." So I didn't. I did wander down to a place called Microcenter near my apartment. Nice enough place; kind of the like the K-mart of the computer crowd : Pretty good prices, pretty good selection of stuff. I ambled into the portable department, and saw one of the Aeros that Mark recommended. Sat down at it. Keyboard felt nice. Matte-black plastic container that matches my stereo equipment. Trackball a tad silly, no buttons on it to make it do anything. "They're on the side," said a tired salesperson. I didn't know she was talking to me, so I kept fiddling around, trying to imitate a button-push action, and she got up closer and repeated herself. Realizing that she was indeed talking to me, I found the buttons, and immediately realized that it was an ergonomic disaster. Alas, I thought, for $1000, what do you expect? Perfection? On the whole, I like the way it worked. The screen was nice and clear, bright enough to read under the unrelenting fluorescent bulbs of your typical showroom. This would do. You see, I wasn't looking for the end-all, be-all of computers. I was looking for something to serve me right now. I cannot personally justify having a portable computer that has a 486 microprocessor, or a gigabyte drive, or 30-odd megs of memory. I just need a computer that can do word processing so I can write, a nice communications package, and maybe a game or two. As a result, the Aero was just about perfect for my purposes. So, I got up the gumption to buy the bloody thing. They gave me a quote of $999 for the computer, and $149 or so for the external floppy drive (I have been amazed at how little I really need a floppy disk). I took the quote back to the office and got the loan paperwork in motion. The money in hand, I called the nice people at MicroCenter and asked whether or not they had any computers. For two weeks they played coy with me. Two weeks! I finally called them once again and begged for something, anything; I was no longer proud. They told me that there was a computer that was brought back to the store. Hold that bitch for me, I'll be there at about 6 p.m. Well, to make a very long story just long, I got the computer at home, and played with it. Wasn't too bad, except it defaulted to Windows. I fixed that problem, and noted that the 81 meg harddrive only had about 20 megs free. Hmmm, things will have to die. I have, in the meantime, ravaged an awful lot of the "productivity software" that came with the computer. Lotus Organizer died early on. Microsoft Entertainment Pack 4 died as well. Microsoft's shell for Windows has gone to meet its electronic maker. It was brutal, but room had to be made for the hometown software. So, now I have Qedit and Telix, Norton Utilities and Word Perfect (long story, so be quiet), Doom and Boloball. Good software. Useful software. Complaints: Though the customer service is pretty good, it took me over 50 minutes to get through to a human. I spent over two hours on the phone determining that a video text accelerator I found doesn't want to play with the video drivers onboard the Compaq. I also am not getting the battery life that the advertisement claims I am getting (I have the setting at pretty much maximum power saving, but I am getting little more than 2 hours out of it). Praise: It has a very nice keyboard. Not quite as good as some of them, but it feels similar to my Atari, and I have clocked myself at the low 80s cps. There is a clever function called "Hibernate". Basically, it shuts the power to the computer down, and at the same times saves the place you are so that when you turn the power back on the computer doesn't have to reboot. It comes with MS-DOS 6.2 (which I upgraded to 6.22), and it appears to be pretty bulletproof (I have heard Bad Things about the disk doubler thing). Bottom line: Go forth and buy it. It is a useful beast for being on the road. It is pretty inexpensive, and the screen is pretty sharp. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ LOCAL MUSIC IN OCTOBER Judy Ranelli ################################################################ This month I have decided to actually deliver a column on time. M. Hollifield can take credit for ahem, reminding me a few times to Get Finished. A lot happened during my "break". I had the honor of being one of three lonely acts to NOT get rained out at the Southside Festival, and The Ticks got a song played on the Bear's local show (on (Sunday evenings). I didn't attend Bearstock '94 but understand it was a popular event, with lots of bikers showing up. I am very glad for the existence of the Bear--give me Cygnus X-1 over Phil Collins any day--and the alternative offerings are most welcome. Eight years ago, I knew a bunch of folks who tried to do something about the lack of alternative radio here, a lack I myself whined about countless times. Well, they never did anything, and out of the blue comes the Bear. While their format has occasional comedic overtones, like playing "Children of the Sun" or mid-eighties soft metal, I enjoy hearing songs that aren't on mainstream playlists for a change. Wed. 10/5 COLD GIN at Louie Louie There are two Kiss cover bands, and this is one of them. I don't know if they wear makeup or are becostumed, but I'm sure if you go, you'll hear Kiss songs you forgot back in '82. Of course, that might have been on purpose. Thu. 10/6 Battle of the Bands at the Rockinghorse Ever been to one of these? They can be awful or awfully funny or good. If I could afford the $1.50 fountain drinks, like I was served there recently, I'd go. Fri. 10/7 AUTUMN LORDS at The Nick Gosh, I can't believe it, but their stage names are sticking. They answer to them and everything. They are all nice fellas and fit the metal-ish genre. If you enjoy the company of people who try to look and live like "rock stars", here's your band. Sat. 10/8 SHALLOW/THE TICKS at Zydeco Yee Haw! Sun. 10/9 Country Night at the Oasis ????? Wed. 10/12 ##### SHOW OF THE MONTH ##### THE DICKEYS at The Nick GO to this show and you'll have a recharge on your cool-o-meter to last until December. I am quite stunned that they are touring and are gonna play our humble town. Fri. 10/14 SHAME IDOLS at The Nick Haven't seen them in awhile, but I know they're grrreat. Also, at Zydeco it's Col. Bruce Hampton with a new band. He's a nutty guy. At Louie it's the Back Doors, which I think is a Doors coverband. What is this with these Tribute Bands? Sat. 10/15 Avoid Phish at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, because your coolness might never recover; go see anything else, maybe Labrea Stompers at the Nick or drink homebrew at the Mill and see Roger Moore and Those Wildcats, not these, THOSE I said. Thu. 10/20 ZEN COWBOYS/ALLIGATOR GUN at The Nick Zen Cowboys were named one of the best bands in the U.S. by _Musician_ magazine in a contest. Thus they decided to reform (they had changed members and formed a different band) and I think they have a showcase soon. Also on the 20th is Henri's Notion at the 22nd St. Jazz Cafe--Irish music and poetry too. Fri. 10/21 STRUTTER at Louie Louie I haven't washed out the blood that the Gene Simmons guy spit on my backpack yet, not out of any sort of homage, but because I'm lazy. Funny, loud, club-sized Kiss, with pyro, elevator shoes, proper grimaces and puckers, even a drum solo and an acoustic "Beth". Sat. 10/22 THE PRIMITONS at Zydeco Another reunion by the progenitors of the Sugar La La's, and, in my opinion, a better band. Hope Don Tinsley is playing bass. Sun. 10/23 MICHAEL HEDGES at the Five Points South Music Hall Grab yer granola. I found him to be rather rude when I gave him a ride from the airport for Center Stage Productions back in 1990, but he's nevertheless a great, fantastic guitarist. Ecologically profound, too. Thu. 10/27 SEATTLE at Louie Louie I include this because they are a SEATTLE "scene" Tribute Band. Surely no comment is necessary. Fri. 10/28 Don't go out. Instead, do as I'm planning, and serve fondue while watching Easy Rider. Also, this could be a great inspiration for costumes. Stock up on candy for impish visitors, make buckets of stage blood with Karo Syrup and red food coloring, get brain-shaped Jello molds at Toyss 'R' Us, and make jello shooters. Prepare for winter, replace batteries in your smoke alarms. Whatever. Sat. 10/29 SHALLOW/THE TICKS/PHANTOM 5 at The Nick Hopefully, you're at some halloween parties. Plural, yes. Also Shallow and us Ticks and Phantom 5 will be at the Nick, lotsa costumes for sure there. Don't forget to track down Katherine Tucker Windham this October! I've still got to think of a costume... shall I be Bride of Sulu yet again? Mon. 10/31 Zydeco Halloween Party Hey, here's one on a Monday! Dress up some more. Bye! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ SHOTGUN (Song lyrics) Damion Furi ################################################################ I've stared down a shotgun, I managed to survive, But the man that came to kill, Didn't make it out alive, When the cops came, They said it was murder, self-defense, I said the man forced my hand, A cure for his offense, They took the body away, Victim of a brawl, Left me to my conscience, And the blood on the walls, It's eight years later, And I'm feeling no better, Had nothin' better to do, So I wrote the dead man's mother a letter, I said, I'm sorry about your son, There was really nothin' you could've done, He was mad and had a gun, And he gave me no place to run, His head shattered like a melon, Fallen to the street, Blood dripped off the ceiling, To a standard beat, And the stains on the walls, Have never quite gone away, Your son was a bastard, He's better off dead, Though I know you'd be much happier, If it had been me instead, Shotgun, Kiss it, make it better, Shotgun, Kiss it, make it deader, Shotgun...shotgun...shotgun... I've still got the gun, I've still got the shell, That sent your crazy fucking son, Straight to bloody hell, I signed it most sincerely, Posted it in haste, Shotgun, Kiss it, make it better, Shotgun, Kiss it, make it deader, Shotgun...shotgun...shotgun... Shotgun, Kiss it, make it better, Shotgun, Kiss it, make it deader, Shotgun...shotgun...shotgun... ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Copyright 1991 Damion Furi All Rights Reserved ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ 1994 SEC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE David Moss ################################################################ ------------------------------------------------------------ Alabama ------------------------------------------------------------ Date Opponent Site Sept. 3 UT Chattanooga Legion Field Sept. 10 Vanderbilt Tuscaloosa Sept. 17 Arkansas Tuscaloosa Sept. 25 Louisiana Tech. Legion Field Oct. 2 South Carolina Columbia Oct. 9 ( Open ) Oct. 16 Tennessee Legion Field Oct. 23 Ole Miss Oxford Oct. 30 ( Home Coming ) Southern Miss Tuscaloosa Nov. 6 LSU Tuscaloosa Nov. 13 Mississippi St. Tuscaloosa Nov. 20 Auburn Auburn ------------------------------------------------------------ Arkansas ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 SMU Dallas Sept. 11 So. Carolina Fayetteville Sept. 18 Alabama Tuscaloosa Sept. 25 Memphis State Little Rock Oct. 2 Georgia Athens Oct. 9 Tennessee Little Rock Oct. 16 Ole Miss Jackson Oct. 23 ( Open ) Oct. 30 ( Home Coming ) Auburn Fayetteville Nov. 6 Miss State Little Rock Nov. 13 Tulsa Fayetteville Nov. 20 ( Open ) Nov. 27 LSU Baton Rouge ------------------------------------------------------------ Auburn ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept 2 ESPN Ole Miss Auburn Sept. 11 Samford Auburn Sept. 18 LSU Baton Rouge Sept. 25 So. Miss Auburn Oct. 2 Vanderbilt Nashville Oct. 9 Miss State Auburn Oct. 16 Florida Auburn Oct. 23 ( Open ) Oct. 30 Arkansas Fayetteville Nov. 6 ( Home Coming ) N. Mex. State Auburn Nov. 13 Georgia Athens Nov. 20 Alabama Auburn ------------------------------------------------------------ Florida ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 Arkansas St. Gainesville Sept. 11 Kentucky Lexington Sept. 18 Tennessee Gainesville Sept. 25 ( Open ) Oct. 2 LSU Baton Rouge Oct. 16 Auburn Auburn Oct. 23 ( Open ) Oct. 30 Georgia Jacksonville Nov. 6 ( Home Coming ) SW Louisiana Gainesville Nov. 13 So. Carolina Columbia Nov. 20 Vanderbilt Gainesville Nov. 27 Fla. State Gainesville ------------------------------------------------------------ Georgia ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 So. Carolina Athens Sept. 11 Tennessee Knoxville Sept. 18 Texas Tech. Athens Sept. 25 Ole Miss Oxford Oct. 2 Arkansas Athens Oct. 9 So. Miss Athens Oct. 16 Vanderbilt Nashville Oct. 23 ( Home Coming ) Kentucky Athens Oct. 30 Florida Jacksonville Nov. 6 ( Open ) Nov. 13 Auburn Athens Nov. 20 ( Open ) Nov. 25 ABC Ga. Tech Athens ------------------------------------------------------------ Kentucky ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 Kent State Lexington Sept. 11 Florida Lexington Sept. 18 Indiana Bloomington Sept. 23 ESPN So. Carolina Columbia Oct. 2 ( Home Coming ) Ole Miss Lexington Oct. 9 ( Open ) Oct. 16 LSU Lexington Oct. 23 Georgia Athens Oct. 30 Miss State Starkville Nov. 6 Vanderbilt Nashville Nov. 13 East Carolina Lexington Nov. 20 Tennessee Lexington ------------------------------------------------------------ LSU ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 Texas A&M Coll. Station Sept. 11 Miss State Starkville Sept. 18 Auburn Baton Rouge Sept. 25 Tennessee Knoxville Oct. 2 ( Home Coming ) Utah State Baton Rouge Oct. 9 Florida Baton Rouge Oct. 16 Kentucky Lexington Oct. 23 ( Open ) Oct. 30 Ole Miss Baton Rouge Nov. 6 Alabama Tuscaloosa Nov. 13 ( Open ) Nov. 20 Tulane Baton Rouge Nov. 27 Arkansas Baton Rouge ------------------------------------------------------------ Ole Miss ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 2 ESPN Auburn Auburn Sept. 11 UT Chattanooga Oxford Sept. 18 Vanderbilt Oxford Sept. 25 Georgia Oxford Oct. 2 Kentucky Lexington Oct. 9 ( Open ) Oct. 16 Arkansas Jackson Oct. 23 Alabama Oxford Oct. 30 LSU Baton Rouge Nov. 6 Memphis State Memphis Nov. 13 ( Home Coming ) N. Illinois Oxford Nov. 20 ( Open ) Nov. 27 Miss State Starkville ------------------------------------------------------------ Miss State ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 Memphis State Starkville Sept. 11 LSU Starkville Sept. 18 ( Open ) Sept. 25 Tulane New Orleans Oct. 2 Florida Gainesville Oct. 9 Auburn Auburn Oct. 16 So. Carolina Starkville Oct. 23 ( Home Coming ) Arkansas St. Starkville Oct. 30 Kentucky Starkville Nov. 6 Arkansas Little Rock Nov. 13 Alabama Tuscaloosa Nov. 20 ( Open ) Nov. 27 Ole Miss Starkville ------------------------------------------------------------ So. Carolina ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 Georgia Athens Sept. 11 Arkansas Fayetteville Sept. 18 Louisiana Tech. Columbia Sept. 23 ESPN Kentucky Columbia Oct. 2 Alabama Columbia Oct. 9 ( Home Coming ) E. Carolina Columbia Oct. 16 Miss State Starkville Oct. 23 Vanderbilt Columbia Oct. 30 Tennessee Knoxville Nov. 6 ( Open ) Nov. 13 Florida Columbia Nov. 20 Clemson Columbia ------------------------------------------------------------ Tennessee ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 Louisiana Tech Knoxville Sept. 11 Georgia Knoxville Sept. 18 Florida Gainesville Sept. 25 LSU Knoxville Oct. 2 ( Home Coming ) Duke Knoxville Oct. 9 Arkansas Little Rock Oct. 16 Alabama Legion Field Oct. 23 ( Open ) Oct. 30 So. Carolina Knoxville Nov. 6 Louisville Knoxville Nov. 13 ( Open ) Nov. 20 Kentucky Lexington Nov. 27 Vanderbilt Knoxville ------------------------------------------------------------ Vanderbilt ------------------------------------------------------------ Sept. 4 Wake Forest Winston-Salem Sept. 11 Alabama Nashville Sept. 18 Ole Miss Oxford Sept. 25 ( Open ) Oct. 2 Auburn Nashville Oct. 9 Cincinnati Nashville Oct. 16 ( Home Coming ) Georgia Nashville Oct. 23 So. Carolina Columbia Oct. 30 ( Open ) Nov. 6 Kentucky Nashville Nov. 13 Navy Nashville Nov. 20 Florida Gainesville Nov. 27 Tennessee Knoxville -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIG's) [COMPUTER RELATED] compiled by Eric Hunt ################################################################ BIPUG Alabama UniForum Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group Homewood Public Library UAB Nutrition Science Blg 1st Tuesday RM 535/541 Shawn Cleary 870-6130 1st Sunday (delayed one week if meeting is a holiday) Marty Schulman 967-5883 Birmingham Apple Core Informal breakfast meeting every Saturday, 9am - 11am @ Kopper Kettle, lower level Brookwood Village Mall Formal meeting held second Saturday of each month, location variable (to be announced at breakfast meetings and in the user group's newsletter "The PEEL".) President: Sam Johnston - 322-5379 Vice-Prez: Marie Prater - 822-8135 The SIG listing is being re-verified. If you know of an active Computer Related user's group, please let me know. I can be reached via Internet email at eric.hunt@the-matrix.com or drop me a note directly on the MATRIX. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ################################################################ KNOWN BBS NUMBERS FOR THE BIRMINGHAM AREA ################################################################ Sysops, PLEASE check your listing to make sure everything is correct, especially the networks. Corrections should be mailed to Tim Cook or Scott Hollifield, on the Matrix or Crunchy Frog. (Tim Cook can also be reached via e-mail on Birmingham Online under the name "Prophet".) 4 and 1/2 Dimension 853-4485 2400-14400 VBBS 6.1 [vi] ADAnet One (Nodes 1-3) 250-0013 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5 [ez, fi, ad] ADAnet One (Node 4) 254-6050 2400-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5 [ez, fi, ad] Alter-Ego BBS 925-5099 1200-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5 [alt, ez, mn] Batcave, The 744-0134 2400-14400 VBBS 6.14 [am, co, cr, fn, ho, hu, vi] Baudville (Nodes 1-7) 995-0013 300-2400 Major BBS 6.12 [none] Birmingham Online 870-0305 300-2400 Major BBS 6.2 [none] Birmingham Online 870-5400 300-19200 Major BBS 6.2 [none] BulletProof 668-1624 300-19200 ZyXEL Wildcat 3.90 *RIP* [none] Bus System 987-5419 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2 [none] Byte Me! 979-BYTE! 2400-14400 V.32 WWIV 4.12 [none] Castle, The 841-7618 300-2400 Image 1.2 [none] Cherry Tree 681-1710 1200-14400 TriBBS 4.01 [wm, ca] Christian Apologetic 808-0763 1200-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 4.00 [ez, cp] CompuNet 833-3335 2400-14400 Major BBS 6.2 [none] CompuNet (new users) 833-6221 2400-14400 Major BBS 6.2 [none] Computer Addicts BBS 933-5360 300-14400 RoboBoard 1.04 [none] Crunchy Frog (Node 1) 823-3957 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn, lu, ll] Crunchy Frog (Node 2) 823-3958 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn, lu, ll] Crystal Village 856-3749 1200-2400 VBBS 6.10 [cr, cs, al, ho, fn, vi] Den, The 933-8744 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.1 [ez, mn, il] Digital Publishing 854-1660 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat! 3.60 [pl] Dog Patch BBS 669-1705 300-38400 USR DS PCBoard 15.5 [none] Drawing Room, The 951-2391 300=14400 V.32/42 Wildcat! 3.90 [none] Electro-BBS 491-8402 300-14400 V.32/42 Maximus 2.01 [fi] Enigma 678-6367 300-28800 VBBS/2 6.14 [br, cr, fi, fn, ho, vi] Family Smorgas-Board 744-0943 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5 [ez, fi, mj, bc, fa, ic, cf, cd, ve, ad, wg, pt, ed, gn] Final Frontier 838-5634 300-14400 VBBS 6.11 *RIP* [co, hu, ho, fn, vi] Free Enterprise 856-9809 300-14400 V.32/42 Synchronet [fi, sz, br, tr, dv] GenesisOnline (sign-up) 620-9076 300-14400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11 [mr] GenesisOnline (Nds 1-8) 620-4150 300-2400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11 [mr] GenesisOnline (Nds 9-16) 620-9076 300-14400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11 [mr] Guardian, The (Node 1) 425-1951 1200-14400 V.42bis Synchronet 2.0 [dv, sp] Guardian, The (Node 2) 425-1956 1200-14400 V.42bis Synchronet 2.0 [dv, sp] Guardian, The (Node 3) 424-8273 1200-14400 V.42bis Synchronet 2.0 [dv, sp] Guardian, The (Node 4) 428-0805 1200-14400 V.42bis Synchronet 2.0 [dv, sp] Hump Files, The 987-0235 2400-14400 VBBS 6.14 [co, fn, ho, hu, vi] Island BBS, The 631-0184 300-2400 WWIV 4.23 [none] KickAxis BBS (Node 1) 733-0253 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0 [he] KickAxis BBS (Node 2) 733-0299 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0 [he] Knight's Castle 631-6668 300-14400 WWIV 4.23 [qu, dd] Leaping's Lounge 856-2521 1200-14400 GTPower 18.00 [gt, ez, mn, wm, di] Lions Den 871-9668 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90 [wi, fi] Lumby's Palace 520-0041 300-14400 VBBS 6.12 [he] Magic City (Node 1) 664-9883 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 4.0 [di, wm, wi, ca, cm] Magic City (Node 2) 664-0435 300-1400 Wildcat! 4.0 [di, wm, wi, ca, sk, yr, ms] MATRIX, The (Nodes 1-10) 252-9888 300-2400 Major BBS *RIP* [ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr] MATRIX, The (Nodes 11-25) 252-5566 9600-14400 USR DS Major BBS *RIP* [ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr] MetaBoard 854-4814 300-14400 USR DS Opus CBCS 1.73 [fi, ad] MetroMac BBS (Node 1) 323-6306 1200-28800 V.FC TeleFinder 3.1 [none] MetroMac BBS (Node 2) 252-0582 1200-28800 V.FC TeleFinder 3.1 [none] Missing Link 853-1257 300-16800 USR DS C-Net Amiga 2.63 [cl, cn] Neon Moon (Node 1) 477-9352 9600-14400 TriBBS 4.0 [none] Neon Moon (Node 2) 477-5894 300-2400 TriBBS 4.0 [none] Outer Limits 985-1078 300-16800 Wildcat 4.0 [fi, pn, it] Owl's Nest, The 854-4852 300-38400 PCBoard 14.5 [ez, mn] Parthenon, The 678-9676 1200-28800 Wildcat 3.9 [fi, un, wi, ru, me] Party Line 856-1336 300-14000 V.32bis TriBBS 4.0 [cc, wm, di] Pirate's Cove 665-7924 300-14000 PowerBBS [us] Playground 681-5070 1200-14000 V.32 TriBBS 5.0 [wm, di, al, ez] Posys BBS 854-5131 300-9600 V.32 PCBoard [none] Programmer's Shack 988-4695 2400-14400 HST DS Renegade [ws, fi, it] Quiet Zone 833-2066 300-2400 ExpressNet [none] Safe Harbor (Node 1) 665-4332 300-2400 GTPower 18.00 [gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr] Safe Harbor (Node 2) 665-4355 300-14400 USR DS GTPower 18.00 [gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr] Sam's Domain 956-2757 1200-14400 SL. 3.50 [da, he] Safety BBS 581-2866 300-2400 RBBS-PC 17.4 [none] Southern Stallion (1) 322-3816 300-16800 ZyXEL PCBoard 15.1 *RIP* [alt, ez, lu, th, rs, un] Southern Stallion (2) 324-6924 300-16800 ZyXEL PCBoard 15.1 *RIP* [alt, ez, lu, th, rs, un] Sperry BBS 853-6144 300-2400 V.32/42b PCBoard 15.0 [none] StarBase 12 647-7184 1200-14400 TriBBS 5.02 *RIP* [ez, mn, wm, sx] Torch Song 328-1517 1200-14400 V.32/42b Wildcat 3.90 [pr, st, gn] Travelog BBS 491-3898 2400-14400 Wildcat 3.90 [none] Unknown World, The 853-9359 2400-14400 Renegade [it, ws] Virtual Football 823-2029 300-2400 Hermes II v.3.0.2 [none] Weekends BBS 841-8583 2400-16800 USR DS Wildcat! 3.9 [ca] Willie's DYM (Node 1) 664-9902 300-2400 Oracomm Plus [or] Willie's DYM (Node 2) 664-9903 300-2400 Oracomm Plus [or] Willie's DYM (Node 3) 664-9895 300-2400 Oracomm Plus [or] Willie's DYM (Node 4) 664-9896 300-2400 Oracomm Plus [or] Ziggy Unix BBS 991-5696 300-1200 UNaXess [none] *RIP* = BBS Software is RIP Graphics capable. You must be using a RIP compatible term software to view them. RIPTerm or QmodemPro v1.50 are the only two I know of that support it at this time. RIPTerm is shareware and can be downloaded from most BBS's. QmodemPro is a commercial product. The two-letter abbreviations you see on the line below the names of many of the bbs' in the list signify that they are members of one or more networks that exchange or echo mail to each other in some organized fashion. ad = ADAnet, an international network dedicated to the handicapped ae = Arts & Entertainment, a national network, multi-topic ag = AgapeNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic al = AlaNet, a local network, multi-topic alt = AlterNet, a local network, multi-topic am = AmateurNet, a local network dedicated to HAM operators an = The Annex, an international network, multi-topic at = AdultNet, a national network, adult-oriented bc = BCBNet, a local network, religion-oriented bh = BhamTalk, a local network, multi-topic bi = BitchNet, uncertain at press time br = BreezeNet, National network, multitopic ca = CafeNet, a local network, restaurant/dining, recipes, etc. cc = Coast2Coast, a national network, multi-topic cd = CDN, a national Christian network for file distribution cf = CFN, a national Christian network, multi-topic ch = ChristNet, a national Christian network cl = CLink, uncertain at press time cm = CompuLink, a national network, multi-topic cn = CNet, multi-topic co = Collective,a national network, multi-topic cp = CAPNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic cr = CrystalNet, uncertain at press time cs = ChaosNet, uncertain at press time cy = Cybernet, uncertain at press time da = DateNet, uncertain at press time dd = DeadNet, uncertain at press time de = DevNet, an international network for programmers and developers di = Dixie Net, a regional network, multi-topic geared toward the south eastern United States do = DoorNet, a national network for the distribution of BBS doors dv = DoveNet, uncertain at press time ec = EchoNet, an international network, multi-topic ed = EduNet, a national network devoted to homeschooling and Christian education er = ErosNet, an international network, adult oriented, files & messages ez = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network fa = FamilyNet, an international network, multi-topic fi = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic fn = FrontierNet, a local network, multi-topic fr = FredNet, a regional network, political discussion fs = FSNet, uncertain at press time ga = GameNet, a local network, uncertain at press time gl = GlobalLink, an international network, multi-topic gm = GayCom, an international network, homosexually oriented gn = GlobeNet, an international network, multi-topic gt = GTNet, an international network, multi-topic gy = GayNet, a national network, homosexually oriented he = HellNet, a local network, multi-topic ho = HobbyNet, a local network for hobbyists hu = HumpNet, a local network, multi-topic ic = ICDM, an international Christian network, multi-topic ie = Intelec, a national network, multi-topic il = ILink, an international network, multi-topic in = InterNet, an international network of mail, linking businesses, universities, and bbs', multi-topic it = ITCNet, a national network, multi-topic lg = Local GT Net, a local network, connecting GT Power systems ll = LlamaNet, a national network, freeform correspondence lo = LocalNet, uncertain at press time lu = LuciferNet, an international network, adult oriented ma = MAXnet, a local network, connecting WWIV and VBBS systems me = Medieval-Net, uncertain at press time mj = MJCN, an international network for Messianic Jews mn = Metronet, an international network which echoes RIME, multi-topic mr = MajorNet, an international network, multi-topic ms = MSI SupportNet nl = NewLife, uncertain at press time np = NPN, a national network for new parents or = OraNet, a national E-mail network pe = Planet Earth Network, a national network, multi-topic pl = PlanoNet, a national network, multi-topic pn = PoliceNet, an international network, law-enforcement only pr = PrideNet, a national homosexually oriented network pt = PRNet, a national network devoted to 2nd amendment rights qu = QuadNet, uncertain at press time rf = RF Net, a national network for ham radio users and hobbyists ri = RIME, an international network, multi-topic rb = RoboLink, a national network, multi-topic re = RealityNet, uncertain at press time rp = RPGnet, a local network for role-playing games rs = RoseNet, a national network, technically orient*ed ru = RushNet, a national network for Rush Limbaugh fans sc = Science Factor Net, a national network, science and technology oriented se = SEC, a regional network, homosexually oriented geared toward the southeastern United States sh = Shades N Shadows Net, a national network for role-playing games sk = SeekNet, uncertain at press time sl = SearchlightNet, a national network, multi-topic sm = SmartNet, a national network, multi-topic sn = ShadowNet, a national network for role-playing games sp = Sub-SpaceNet, uncertain at press time ss = SexSations!, a national network, adult-oriented sx = SeXXXnet, an national network, adult-oriented st = StudsNet, a national network, homosexually oriented sz = SCN-Net, uncertain at press time te = TECHnet, a local network, hardware and utility oriented th = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented tr = TrekNet, a national network for Star Trek fans un = U'NI-Net, an international network, multi-topic us = Usenet, an international network existing on the Internet, multi- topic ve = VETLink, a national network for military veterans vi = VirtualNet, an international network, multi-topic wg = WGA, an international network devoted to genealogy research wi = WildNet, a national network, multi-topic wm = World Message Exchange, an international network, multi-topic ws = WishNet, uncertain at press time ww = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic yr = YourNet, uncertain at press time