or, "Will somebody beam Scotty up, he's making a scene?"
by Dorman L. Bullard, AMUG BBS CoSysop
For those to whom the reference in the title is completely obscure, let me explain. In the movie "Startrek IV", our heroes have been time-warped or something back to the 20th century. Scotty is trying to use one of the "old-fangled" computers which happens to be a Macintosh. He picks up the mouse thinking it's a microphone voice input device and calls to it: "COMPUTER?, COMPUTER?"
Well, this is my way of moving smoothly into the subject of computers and communications ("Well, why didn't he just say so?!!!). This article will describe what the BBS is in general terms. There are three other help files on this Bulleting Board in the Telecommunications Section. They are:
"AMUG-TIPs - Some help on how to best navigate around the BBS, including how to get validated, how to keep from getting bumped off, etc.
"AMUG-D'Loads" - Some tips on how to download, including some files you will need (Stuffit, for one).
"AMUG-Posting" - How to post and upload messages, and a few other tips as well. This file need some updating, but the information is still valid.
The AMUG BBS "Sysop" (system operator) is Mike Bean. Mike essentially built the BBS into what it is, surely one of the best BBSs in the country. The AMUG BBS is essentially a means of communicating electronically. Using a modem and communications software, you dial into the BBS and have a variety of options open to you. Here's the Main Menu:
<C>ombine Message Sections for Reading Co-SYSOP is
<S>et Message Sections to be combined Dorman
8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8=8 Bullard
<!>AMUG Executive Message Board
<?>AMUG Newsletter Message Board <A>pplelink News
<M>acintosh General Message Board <P>C Pursuit Info.
<N>ews and Information Board <R>eviews Section
<$>Item's for Sale <T>echnical Notes
<F>ill out an AMUG BBS Survey <*>Microsoft Board
<E>xit to Main Menu <B>ack to E-Mail <G>o to SIG Groups
By far, the most used of these boards are the Macintosh General Message and the Items for Sale Boards. In the Mac board you might find just about anything going on. Probably the main thing that happens here is questions and answers. Short of being able to afford a consultant on 24 hour call, a BBS is doubtless the best way to get questions answered. Perhaps even better, since your consultant is only one, and on the BBS there are many who are pretty knowledgeable and willing to help. Many are professionals in the microcomputer area. A recent addition is the Microsoft Board where a representative of the MicroSoft company fields questions. There are several experienced Macintosh programmers you can find discussing their trade here. And you are likely to find debates about the which is the best paint or wordprocessing program here.
But all the information being passed here is not technical, or even.related to the Macintosh. You can find some political "discussions" going on occasionally (with the Sysop having to step in to moderate a bit), some sports stories, brags from the winners of the latest poker games, etc. We've had people talking about baseball card exchanges, where the good restaurants in San Francisco are, or just about anything else. Elsewhere in this issue are some tips on how to best navigate through the various areas and how to post messages.
Mike and others have developed what is doubtless one of the largest collection of files available for download on any BBS. At last count there were over 4200 files! Mike tells me the sorting routine he uses takes over 1/2 hour. A separate article in this issue will describe the download section of the BBS.
There is a lot of information here. But, I don't want to over-hype it. Some of the structure is framework put together by Mike and waiting for some fleshing-out. We need you to climb on and start adding your ideas. If you have interest in a listed subject, and the willingness to spend a little time at it, we could use some CoSysops to help keep the information boards up to date, or keep up interests in the various established areas, or maybe start some more message boards. If interested, leave Mike or Me E-mail.
If you have stayed away from the telecommunications area, I hope giving you some idea of what's available will whet your appetite. It's not as complicated as some of the literature may have caused you to think. And, what's a users group for but to help. You can get a 1200 baud modem new for under $100, and a 2400 baud modem for under $200. Used modem deals abound, especially since a lot of people are moving up to 2400 or even faster baud rates. You can get some pretty powerful software for about 60 dollars, and there is some shareware even cheaper, and even some public domain software that is usable, if not robust.
The AMUG BBS is not the only BBS around, by a long shot. There's a file available.with over 250 BBS numbers to call from the valley (although some are commercial). I personally access three BBS in the valley devoted to the Macintosh which have lots of information and files available, all free. There is one that is part of a net, so that messages related to the Macintosh from all across the country, and even foreign countries is collected and made available locally. Recently I've seen messages there from Japan, Belgium, and the Netherlands. So, you can do pretty well locally, and if you really get hooked there are the commercial bulletin boards with all their services just waiting. But that's another story.
Good luck, and don't forget the other help files mentioned at the beginning of this article.
