TIN SOLDIERS, NIXON’S COMING
   Early in my college days at Kent State University I hung with a group of Vietnam veterans. My exceptionally high draft number made possible my association with them there. Either circumstance would have been fine, though.
   One fellow in particular was a hip-eye type and an active rabble rouser against U.S. involvement in the war. He was 26 to my 19, an age difference that at the time seemed significant, though in the long run, means virtually nothing.
   His strong opinions about the war were reinforced by well-defined opinions about music.
   “Music today stinks,” he said with all the contempt he could muster. “It’s nothing compared to music in the ’60s,” he went on, “or the meaning.” (Consider that it was 1972 when he was saying this). “I won’t even go to a concert today if it isn’t Crosby, Stills & Nash,” he added for punctuation.
   I learned an important lesson from him that day, and have been thankful ever since--NEVER GET TRAPPED IN A TIME ZONE!
   You’re doing good work. LAUNCH is a fantastic contribution to our culture, and it is the perfect vehicle to prevent being caught in a time trap. Keep ’em flyin’.

David Alan Coia
coia@juno.com
Arlington, Virginia

MANICALLY SPEAKING
   CyberFellini  is hilarious!!!
   I got the LAUNCH CD and the Manic Media  thingie is totally AWESOME! It’s actually refreshing to see something in the media that is written and created and performed by people who actually understand cybertechnology. Most of it is by people who try to bluff their way through it, and it’s kind of lame. But the whole CyberFellini  thing was really awesome.
   Er, did you ever get the Oh Point Three Upgrade or the bug fix for the bug fix for the bug fix of Z++?

DanKitti99@aol.com

CUTTING AND EDGY
   Please send me a demo copy of your impressively cutting-edge software  CyberFellini.  I only hope my computer has the capabilities of handling such demanding cutting-edge technology. The job I am working on is an ultra-top-secret pseudo-military government experiment of no importance whatsoever toward the betterment of mankind. I can’t tell you any more. (Actually, I could, but then I’d have to e-mail bomb your computer, and we wouldn’t want that. Now would we?)

Steven Prinz
flyingpig@earthlink.net

HIGH ON THE RICHTER SCALE
   I just received the first LAUNCH CD-ROM and it is great. Can’t wait for more. Thank you for a great product.

charles richter
crsport@aol.com

INTERACTIVE THUMBS-UP
   Hello, LAUNCH. We just received my first free issue, and we would have to say IT’S EXCELLENT. Where else will you find a magazine with interviews that you don’t even have to read--or hear music, or get tons of pictures? The possibilities are limitless with the digital era in which we live, and the guys at LAUNCH have triggered the possibilities to graduate them to their fullest. And we would like to congratulate you on this, LAUNCH. 
   To end, we would like to say, “Siskel and Ebert would give this 2 thumbs up.” But since we don’t have S & E, me and donnie will do. Mike and Donnie give it a double WHOO HOO!!!!!"
   Later, LAUNCH!

MIKE AND DONNIE
RipperBMXr@aol.com

PEDDLE TO THE METAL
   I don’t really think your website is too bad. The only thing I have to complain about is the shortage of TRUE rock/metal bands. So far I’ve seen nothing of the likes of Nine Inch Nails or White Zombie, two great bands, and have only seen one article on Marilyn Manson, written by a guy who truly has no idea of what he’s writing about.
   The truth is, the more of these kind of bands you use in your CD-ROMs, the more people will actually go out and buy them. I, for one, would not and did not buy the CD-ROM with the bands Bush or No Doubt on the cover--just because of exactly that. And I’m sure that I, along with many other Bush and No Doubt haters out there, may have missed out on some other good features. But that’s not our fault.  I’m just writing this to tell you that your music spectrum should be expanded, and nothing else.

Thank You
DDopeHatT@aol.com

PORTISHEAD, TORTOISE HEART
   Please add some info on Portishead, the British band. PLEASE! I am about to hop onto a Concorde from NYC JFK to Britain to get my fix. I NEED PORTISHEAD!
   This is a plea from someone undergoing serious withdrawal. 
   And how about some of the groups like:
   Henry Rollins Band
   Weezer
   Sonic Youth
   Testament
   Bjork
   Oasis
   I can’t seem to locate them from your website’s menu system! Info PLEASE  especially on Portishead, Weezer, Sonic Youth, etc.

Jason
27, engaged white male
BIORIIDLER@aol.com

TRACY BONHAM: LAUNCHED?
   LAUNCH is great, but I think you should have more game demos than one, and you should do an interview with Tracy Bonham or Rage Against the Machine. I would’ve wanted an interview of Poe, but the VR fashion show covered that. Please tell me what LAUNCH edition will have Tracy Bonham, if you ever interview her or review her album or something like that.

Thanks,
Jason Simons

[LAUNCH #6 featured a review of Tracy Bonham’s debut album--and it’s currently available to consumers as a back issue. Check it out! And we’re still interested in talking to her as well, so keep your eyes open,--The Editors]

CONGRATULATIONS, HE’S SORRY
   Hey, I just received your issue #11, and it is SO cool! I must congratulate you guys on such a wonderful job! Keep up the good work! The best thing about this CD are all the music interviews and previews!

Letter courtesy of:
Steven Eng
Engster@juno.com

WASH THE WINDOWS
   Your disk says Win 3.1 compatible, but the demo games say Win ’95.  How many other offerings will I (and the ???million other 3.1 users) be unable to enjoy? An intelligent consumer would want the answer to this question before buying a subscription, no?  I certainly wouldn’t subscribe to a magazine that had a good portion of its contents printed in Japanese!  Magazine subscriptions cost a lot less too.

Jay F. Daly

[You raise a valid point, Jay--but check out the latest games out there and tell us how many  aren’t being offered on Windows ’95 only. Can you spot the trend?--The Editors]

NAKED TOUR QUERY
   I noticed you had info on just about all the hot bands today, except the Barenaked Ladies! What’s up with that? I am scouting the net trying to find out information on all of their US concert dates because I know they will be touring, and I can’t seem to get any satisfaction.  The one time they are going to be in my area that I know of so far, I have to attend a family wedding and can not get out of it because I’m in it.  This sucks!!!  
   Can you help me get their concert schedule for the upcoming months and if possible, the summer dates as well?  I would greatly appreciate it, guys:-)

A fan,
alaurens@epix.net

[LAUNCH has already reviewed an enhanced-CD by the Ladies. We suggest you check out our website and find the link to Pollstar, from which you can find out the band’s upcoming itinerary.--The Editors]

BEN FOLDS A FIVER
   You guys have done gone over-and-above any of today’s other music mags in featuring bands. There is one band that I really dig--Ben Folds Five, a threesome with kicking tunes. My neck of the woods has never heard of them, but I try and listen to stuff from all over. Perhaps you’ve heard of their song, “Philosophy?” But anyways, I was wondering if you will ever be getting up close and personal with these three totally trippy southern boys. Later.

City guy in a country town
ArchFizban@aol.com

[Once again, LAUNCH already reviewed the band’s debut album (in Issue #3). But since we love their new one, watch and see what happens.--The Editors]

METAL MAN HAS HORNET’S WINGS
   Hi there, LAUNCH editors and fellow LAUNCH users. First of all, LAUNCH kicks ass! Really, I dig the music a lot, the reviews, demos and the nifty interface. There’s nothing else out quite like this digizine of yours. 
   But I’m a fan of metal bands. I like some alternative bands too, but what really rocks is HEAVY METAL--bands like Pantera, White Zombie, NIN, Slayer, Korn and Metallica. And, well, that seems to be the issue here! You guys have given alternative music first priority, and that ticks me off. Ever since Issue #1 you have featured Alterna-rock. 
   The heavy metal community is upset and wishes to have our music featured on your discs. Is that asking too much? C’mon, consider this and make us happy for once.

Marlon Martinez
Los Angeles, CA
marlonm@juno.com