Cream of the Crop 11/Cream of the Crop 11-1.iso/comm/callbbs.zip/WELCOME.TXT

Text File | 1995-10-02 | 19KB | 334 lines

      EZ_Online                                               WELCOME.TXT
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                    Welcome to the World of BBS'ing!


          You're about to enter a new dimension of computing, one
          that'll make your computer a lot more interesting and useful
          ... and fun!

          If your computer has a modem, this program will, in
          just a few moments, install "BananaCom!" for you, setting up
          everything automatically ... which will allow you to easily
          "go online" ... without having to get all involved with
          technical issues.

               (If you don't yet have a phone connection
               to your computer, you'll find out next
               how to get one and install it yourself ...
               without spending a lot of money!)

          But first, let's start by learning a few terms, and
          developing a realistic perspective about "online
          communications".

                                      -*-

          When people talk about "going online", they're really just
          talking about using their computer like a telephone.

          Instead of dialing a number and speaking to the person who
          answers, they simply tell their computer to call another
          computer, using the phone line in exactly the same manner.
          Once connected, the remote computer usually has a "host"
          program which provides access to specific functions and
          features, using a system of menus and helps that are usually
          designed to make it easy for callers to find their way
          around.

          Popular online communications began with "computer bulletin
          boards" shortly after the introduction of the first personal
          computers in the 1970's.  These were nothing much more than
          what the name implied.  They were operated mostly by
          computer user clubs, and took the form of a conventional
          cork/pin bulletin board, where users could find
          announcements posted and leave notes of their own.

          Over the years, bulletin board software continually improved
          as the use of BBS's expanded into the business world, and
          "regular people" (as opposed to "computer geeks") began to
          make use of this method of communicating.  The scope also
          began to expand, from a simple messaging system, to a means
          of transferring text "files" containing records, data
          sheets, instructions ... and then even "binary files"
          containing the code for compressed files (shrunk to allow
          faster transfers), graphics and even fully functional
          computer programs!

          In no time at all, setting up and operating a bulletin board
          became a new american pastime, and "just-for-fun" boards
          began to pop up all over the country.  This phenomenon was
          probably the "watershed"; it pushed online communications
          into the popular realm that its in today. To make it even
          more "fun", the operators of bulletin board systems (SysOps)
          began to add all sorts of new, interesting and innovative
          features to their boards.

          Messaging networks began to appear, which provided a way
          for BBS operators to exchange messages with other bulletin
          boards, giving their users access to people outside their
          own system. The largest and most well-known network is
          FIDONET, which is world-wide in scope, and a totally
          non-profit, volunteer-run system!  There are many others.

          The "nets" are conference based, meaning that messages are
          posted in specific special interest groups, or
          "conferences".  For example, if you had a sticky problem
          with MS-Word, you could post a message explaining the
          situation and asking for suggestions to "ALL" in the "word
          processor" conference, with the hope that someone, somewhere
          in the world would read it, and just happen to know the
          answer.  With millions of others "browsing" these
          conferences and, in some cases, even the authors of the
          software in question (Microsoft, Lotus, Borland, etc),
          answers are usually forthcoming.  FIDO conferences are
          usually "moderated" by a volunteer somewhere on the net, who
          eliminates off-topic messages and flames, ejecting users who
          chronically violate the rules of the conference.

          To spice up the action locally, multiple phone lines, or
          "nodes", were added, allowing more than one caller to be on
          line at a time ...and even to "chat" with each other using
          their computer keyboards and screens.

          All sorts of programs and information were made available for
          users to "download" from "file areas" ... "work horse"
          programs such as word processors, spread sheets and database
          managers.  Files of more personal interest soon began to
          appear ... cook books, music tutors, and other "how to's".
          Then programs designed just for fun ... pictures, digital
          music, and great games like "Jazz Jackrabbit", "Heretic" and
          ... DOOM!

          The availability of BBS's and the freedom of access to them
          created a whole new "shareware" industry, where authors of
          computer programs make their products available to you on a
          trial basis ... all you have to do is download a program
          that looks interesting and useful, give it a spin and, if
          you like it, send the author a "registration fee", which is
          almost always very reasonable.  Of course, much of what's
          available for downloading is free, and many "freeware"
          programs rival commercial software sold in stores.

          SysOps quickly devised ways for callers to play games
          online, by swapping them out of the bulletin board program
          and into a game program which had the capability of
          communicating via modem.  For the caller, this was like going
          through a door into a whole new area having its own menus,
          keyboard conventions and display styles ... and so these
          programs picked up the name "DOORS".  Today there are
          hundreds of door programs available, including word games,
          role-playing games, card games, trivia challenges,
          match-makers, graffiti authoring, current events listings,
          fishing simulators, flight simulators, chat simulators ...
          you name it!  Some are single-player doors, and many support
          multi-node systems allowing several online callers to play
          against each other. So called "Inter-BBS" games even allow
          callers to compete in tournaments with players on other
          bulletin boards.

          Unless you call a local BBS in a very small town, to most
          other callers you'll remain "just a name without a face".
          The first time you log on with any system, you'll be asked
          for just enough information to permit someone to physically
          locate you, if necessary, but other callers never have
          access to anything more than your name and the city you're
          calling from.  This protects everyone's privacy, and
          promotes some level of security against abuse of the system.

          Of course, some interesting possibilities arise from this
          high level of anonymity.  SysOps soon learned that all sorts
          of fun, mischief and havoc could arise from permitting users
          to totally conceal their true identity through the use of
          "alias" names.  On many systems, users are known to other
          callers only by their alias, or "handle"; their real names
          are never revealed.  Think of the things you might say or do
          if you knew your identity would forever be hidden!

          Anonymity has, perhaps naturally, led to an online art form
          known as "flaming" ... when other callers mercilessly, and
          often in the most demeaning fashion, criticize another user.
          Its always easy to be thoughtlessly rude to a person you
          don't know, can't see, and probably will never encounter in
          real life.  But sometimes flaming is also done "just for fun",
          with skilled flamers searching the board for opportunities
          to vent their witty put-downs on some poor soul who made
          an innocent mistake, or posted a message containing an
          opinion that differs from their own.  Whether you see this
          as "human nature", a defining aspect of "cyberspace", or as
          behavior that's entirely uncalled for, is a matter of
          personal preferences and opinion.

          Needless to say, really, "sex sells" ... and sex sells BBS's
          just like it sells movies and bath soap!  As the competition
          between a phenomenally growing number of new BBS's heated
          up, "adult" features began to appear, with some bulletin
          boards using an "X-Rated" format exclusively.  On a
          so-called "Adult" BBS, you will be able to anonymously
          engage in private "adult chat" ("phone sex", if you will),
          saying anything you like to another anonymous caller.  In
          "chat rooms", you can exchange off-color remarks with many
          other callers, live!  Adult bulletin boards also usually
          offer a wide variety of "adult" or "x-rated" download files
          ... text files, pictures and animations (moving pictures)
          having as their themes all sorts of sexual interests and
          activities.

          All the talk about bulletin boards being used to arrange
          sexual, homosexual or pedophilic encounters is mostly
          nothing more than that ... talk.  If this is your interest,
          you are likely to find BBS'ing a frustrating disappointment.
          Adult BBS'ing is mostly a world of fantasy and mind-games.

          Here again, if adult BBS'ing is your "cup of tea" ... enjoy!
          Otherwise, not to worry; you're not obligated to participate
          in any way, since its impossible to inadvertently log on to
          an adult board, or the adult section of a general-interest
          board.  In particular, operators of systems with adult
          content also, for obvious reasons, go to considerable length
          to exclude young callers from the "adult areas" of the
          board, and only a very skillful young "hacker" would be able
          to access those areas.

          Within the last several months, bulletin board services have
          been connecting up to the "Internet" as fast as they
          possibly can.  Many now offer their callers access to
          Internet e-mail, and to USENET ... an extremely broad array
          of "special interest groups" similar to, but much more
          elaborate than, FIDO.  Unlike the FIDONET, USENET is totally
          non-moderated, and is therefore a complete "free-for-all".
          Flaming and bad manners run rampant in USENET, but it also
          offers world-wide contact to people who share just about any
          interest you can possible think of ... yes, including sexual
          interests of all types!  Some of the larger BBS systems go
          quite beyond e-mail and USENET, offering full access to the
          Internet.

          While many bulletin board systems charge nothing for full
          access many others, especially those with adult content, are
          "subscription services".  (The reverse also generally
          applies ... most subscription boards have adult content,
          since that's a generally accepted requirement for financial
          success.) The "going rate" for the larger BBS systems is
          currently about $25 for three-months access, and this basic
          rate usually includes Internet e-mail and USENET access.
          There is usually no extra charge for adult access, but
          special application procedures usually apply, which often
          include providing the system with a copy of a valid drivers
          license to prove that you are "of age".

          The phenomenal success of the lowly computer bulletin boards
          did not escape the notice of those interested in new ways to
          make a bundle.  Soon "super systems" began to offer a much
          more elaborate "package", offering "local calling" on a
          national scale.

          CompuServe, Prodigy, America Online and Delphi rule this
          market at the moment.  Supported by multimillion-dollar
          corporate budgets, these giants in cyberspace offer every
          kind of online product humanly imaginable.  All this is
          generally offered up to you on an alacarte basis, similar to
          cable tv services ... you pick a basic package and any
          premium services you might want, any you're billed
          accordingly.  In some cases, your billing is computed on the
          basis of online time, modem speed, bytes downloaded, etc.

          These services are easy to get into, if you have a credit
          card. If you subscribe to any one of the popular computer
          magazines, or purchase any computer software or accessories,
          its likely you've already received several disks from these
          companies with "free time" offers.  To take advantage of the
          offer, you may be asked to call an 800 number to find out if
          local access is available in your area, which saves you the
          cost of long-distance calling.  You are then asked to log-in
          using the local number.  The "free time" is only made
          available when you complete the service's subscription
          procedure, giving your credit card number and other details
          ... in other words, you don't get "ten free hours" ... you
          get your first "ten hours free".  Beyond that, the sky is
          the limit, but for equivalent usage, a large service's
          billing would probably amount to something in the area of
          $36 monthly.  While this is much higher than typical BBS
          rates, local access vs the cost of long distance calling to
          a full-featured BBS might make up the difference if local
          access is available to you.

          Probably the last word in personal "connectivity", at the
          moment, is a direct connection to the Internet via your
          local telephone company.  Previously only a practical
          possibility for larger corporate users and public
          institutions, "ISDN" service is now being made available to
          anyone at surprisingly reasonable prices!  Casual, or "part
          time" class 1B connections (high speed digital lines) start,
          in some locations, at only $39 per month, with no hourly
          charges.  Full time connections are available starting at
          $250 monthly, while 28,800 bps connections using the
          ordinary phone line can reportedly be had for as little as
          $16/month, again with no additional hourly charges.  At the
          moment, not all providers offer ISDN service, and ISDN
          service is not available in all areas.  But the genie is out
          of the bottle, and it will obviously only be a matter of
          time before ISDN is as commonly available as cable tv.

                                      -*-

          There's been a lot of hype about "Cyberspace" and the
          "Information Superhighway" ... much of it from people who
          don't really know a modem from a molehill.  Whether you call
          only local bulletin boards, or are connected directly to the
          Internet, working the phone lines with your computer can
          provide hours of fun and entertainment for you.

          When you get into downloading files and using the message
          networks, you might even find your online time very
          profitably spent, using the wealth of information that's
          available to you on any subject you can think of.

          All this is fine and dandy ... but it isn't essential.

          If you don't have any interest in all this "information", or
          have no need for it, you'll be able to get through life just
          fine without "access".  No ... you don't have to "cruise the
          net" to be a "beautiful person" or a good citizen!

          Its also true that "cyberspace" is full of a lot of "space
          junk".  One writer cited that, unlike going to the public
          library, when you go online you can make all the noise you
          want, but its almost impossible to find what you're looking
          for.  The "80/20" rule applies here too; 80% of your online
          time will not be very profitable spent ... only 20% of what
          you download will be worth keeping ...etc.  This isn't a
          criticism, just a statement of practical fact.  Its not
          meant to discourage anyone, just to promote realistic
          expectations.

          Unfortunately, when anything becomes as popular, successful
          and profitable as online communications has, it attracts a
          lot of attention ... with a lot of people rushing to "throw
          their line into the pond".  Some simply seek entrepreneurial
          opportunities. Some play on the hype to make a quick buck.
          Some, with a need to control, see an easy target and rush to
          take over.  Some, with a need for power, move in quickly to
          secure a piece of the action as a personal or corporate
          power base.

          Few with any money or influence rush in with the completely
          unselfish agenda of preserving what made the thing so
          popular and successful in the first place.

          Its useful and profitable to realize that the astounding
          and phenomenal development of online communications has
          occurred in an atmosphere of almost total freedom!  Its a
          real testament to what the free market can accomplish when
          left to its own devices.


          The Evil-Crrypt BBS
          TonyZarzecki, SysOp
          Redford, MI  usa
          313-538-3762

                   (to exit, touch Esc ... then "Y")