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- < January 1991 >
-
- ModemNews Magazine
- 116 Dean Street
- Suite B
- Stamford, Connecticut 06902
-
- 516 679-0674 BBS
- 203 969-1183 Voice
-
- Jeff Green, Editor
- Chris Bird & Bob Olafson, Senior Editors
- Roger Bacon, Contributing Editor
-
-
-
- Dear Sysops,
-
- [] NOTE: This document is for the use of Sysops who presently distribute
- [] ModemNews Magazine, OR for those sysops who may in the future consider
- [] doing so. Please direct any questions to the numbers above. If you
- [] already have a copy of ModemNews in your file base, or you are offering
- [] it for online viewing please note that NO permission is needed for
- [] either, however, the magazine may not be altered in any way except for
- [] when used for online viewing. (See the note at the end of this
- [] document for more information.)
-
- As you may already know, ModemNews Magazine has grown into a
- nationwide electronic publication, and has grown this way due to the hard
- work of many Sysops and BBS users across this nation and Canada.
-
- ModemNews started out as a local BBS news magazine. As the issues
- were uploaded around the BBS circuit it began to spread far from the
- original area for which it was intended. All for the better. As of this
- writing we are presently in more than seventy major markets, and can be
- found on some of the many NetWorks that link BBS's around the country. This
- is just the beginning. As we grow, so will the BBS community. The
- thousands of BBS users across America will be able to find a common voice
- within the pages of ModemNews Magazine.
-
- ModemNews Magazine is not a technically oriented publication.
- Rather it is more like a 'Readers Digest' of the electronic medium. In our
- pages your users will be able to find all manner of interesting
- information. From recipes to jokes, from technical papers to News and
- Views about the computer and BBS industry. These pages can be used as a
- focal point for BBS users from all over to exchange information and ideas
- on just about, well, anything! That's the beauty and intent of ModemNews.
-
- ModemNews Magazine is distributed through a Network of NewsStands
- that will make it possible for any reader to obtain a copy of the magazine
- on a BBS near to their home. Each week we are adding more NewsStands to
- the ranks. This document will tell you how you may join this ever growing
- number of ModemNews NewsStands.
-
-
- Below, we hope to clearly delineate a distribution policy for
- ModemNews that will be fair to all Sysops and readers alike. In addition,
- you will find out how to be listed in our pages as a ModemNews NewsStand.
- The advantages to your board are many and the demands on you are very few.
- Just a few minutes of your time to get set up, and a few minutes more once
- each month to post the newest issue of the magazine. More about that
- later.
-
-
-
- Publication Schedule for ModemNews Magazine
-
-
-
- ModemNews will be published once each month (except for July and
- August). Information from you, your users, or from your board that is
- received by the specified date may, if space permits, be published in the
- immediate issue. If space is not available, the information will be posted
- in the very next issue in turn. Deadline date is the 15th, and release date
- of each new issue will be on the first of the month.
-
- You or your users may submit anything you or they feel should be
- published in an issue of ModemNews. We are particularly looking for the
- following;
-
-
- NOTE: Numbers in parentheses denote the 'rough' maximum Kilobyte limit.
-
- 1) Interesting message threads from your board about most any
- topic. (10K)
- 2) General Purpose technical papers and articles (15K)
- 3) Ansi ads for your Bulletin Board system (2K)
- 4) Profile about your BBS (10K)
- 5) General articles concerning the computer/BBS industries (15K)
- 6) Editorial comments and replies (5K)
- 7) Feature articles and stories (15K)
- 8) ANSI artwork (including movies) (15K)
-
-
- Do not limit yourself to the above list. We are open to all
- suggestions. It must be remembered that this magazine is wholly dependant
- upon user submissions for it's content. You are encouraged to submit a
- profile of your particular BBS as well as an ANSI ad which will be
- displayed in the magazine once your BBS has been approved as a ModemNews
- NewsStand. Your ANSI ad will be seen by readers from coast to coast and be
- one of only 10 that will be published within each issue! This option is
- available ONLY to BBS systems that are FREE to the general public, and are
- officially recognized NewsStands.
-
- [] If general access to your system is limited to paying members, you
- [] may then purchase commercial ad space in the magazine. (see AD.DOC
- [] included with this package)
-
-
-
- How to become an Official ModemNews NewsStand.
-
-
- ModemNews reaches it's readership through 'FREE' distribution. No fee
- or penalty may be levied for a download of ModemNews. It is now, and
- always will be free for anyone who so desires to obtain a copy. This does
- not imply 'free' downloads from your board. Upload/Download ratios on your
- board are exempt, though, some boards allow ModemNews to be accessed
- without affecting user U/D ratios. If your board has commercial or paid
- access lines, ModemNews must be able to be accessed through the public
- lines on a callers first or, at the least, his second call. A new user
- MUST however be able to see on his FIRST call that he has reached a
- NewsStand.
-
- In order for you to be an official NewsStand several things must be
- done.
-
- [] Sysops requesting NewsStand status from ModemNews Magazine must be
- [] at least 18 years of age and be operators of established Bulletin Board
- [] Systems. NewsStand status will NOT be granted to BBS's that encourage
- [] or engage in the following activities;
- []
- [] Hacking
- [] Phreaking
- [] Pirating
- [] Virus development
- []
- [] If an existing NewsStand is found to be actively engaged in any of
- [] these activities they will be immediately dismissed, and local Law
- [] Enforcement Agencies will be notified. There will be NO exceptions.
-
-
- A notice MUST be placed on the front end of your system notifying callers
- that you are indeed a ModemNews NewsStand. This is a MUST and will be
- strictly enforced.
-
- 1) Create and maintain a FILE area for ModemNews that will contain
- at least the immediate issue, as well as the past two issues of the
- magazine. There is no need to keep the entire collection of magazines in
- your database. This file area may be "shared" with other 'magazines' so
- long as the file menu clearly states the words ModemNews.
-
- 2) Try to get your users involved. This is for THEM and BY them.
- Advertise the magazine, request your users to upload their works, and
- contribute yourselves by sending us a Profile of your BBS and an ANSI ad
- (roughly 2-3K in size). You may also send us interesting message threads
- from your system. Anything that may allow other readers to get a feel for
- your particular BBS system and inform readers across America.
-
- 3) You MUST contact ModemNews OnLine (516) 679-0674 and request
- listing in the magazine and leave a message to the Sysop requesting such be
- done. (You might also upload at this time any ads or BBS profiles.) Notify
- the Sysop what action has been taken on your part and be sure to include
- your boards name and number.
-
- BEFORE YOU CONTACT MODEMNEWS YOU MUST HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE SET UP
- LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT. DO NOT CALL US BEFORE YOUR SYSTEM IS READY. YOUR
- BBS WILL BE CHECKED BY ONE OF OUR STAFF. (usually within 7 days, yet often
- within 24 hours)
-
- Also, you should fill out questionnaire #3 at ModemNews OnLine. If you
- do not answer honestly, your request will be disregarded. There will be no
- exceptions and you will not be able to reapply with us for at least one
- calendar year. Your system will be checked and screened BEFORE you are
- granted NewsStand status. If your System has not been set up properly to
- receive ModemNews when one of our staff calls to check, your request for
- NewsStand status will not be granted.
-
- 4) You MUST pick up your NEXT issue of ModemNews from the ModemNews
- Central Library at ModemNews OnLine. Thereafter we will find an alternate
- method for you to obtain your newest issues.
-
- [] We will try to make it possible for you to obtain your copies from
- [] another NewsStand in your area or through a NET system in your area. If
- [] you CAN already do this, please phone us and let us know. This will
- [] help speed up the distribution of the magazine and keep a good deal of
- [] your money out of the pockets of our favorite phone companies.
-
- 5) In MOST cases submissions from your readers or from yourselves
- should be sent to ModemNews OnLine as soon as they are received.
-
- [] 6) The magazine may NOT be altered in anyway when posted in your
- [] ModemNews file area. It must be posted EXACTLY as received. This also
- [] holds true for the archived version.
-
- 7) Your system will be checked by our staff from time to time. If it
- has been found that you have violated our agreement, you will be deleted
- from our NewsStand listing, and a note will be posted in the magazine
- stating why this was done.
-
- 8) We REQUIRE that you contact ModemNews OnLine at least once in
- every 30 (thirty) day period so that we know you are still with us, and
- operating in accordance with our requests. A call like this need only last
- one or two minutes. At ModemNews OnLine you will find important
- information for you updated frequently, as well as the current issues. (You
- need not get your issues from us after the first, you may get them at your
- nearest local BBS if that is available to you. A message left to us in the
- ModemNews conference on RIME (RelayNet) will suffice.
-
- If 60 days pass without your logging onto ModemNews OnLine, or if you
- should drop more than 2 issues behind, we will have no choice but to drop
- your system from our NewsStand list. We trust this will not be necessary.
-
- In these few paragraphs I hope that I have answered the many
- questions I am sure you will have. I have tried to make this process as
- simple as is possible, and feel confident that this has been done.
-
-
-
-
- If you have any suggestions for us or further questions PLEASE call us
- at ModemNews OnLine at anytime. You will usually receive a response within
- 24 hours. The more exact information you leave us, the better we can
- answer your questions, or deal with your requests.
-
-
-
- ===============================================
- []
- [] NOTE:
- []
- [] When ModemNews is offered for online viewing on your system, Sysops are
- [] ENCOURAGED to use the /0 <--- that's a ZERO option that will allow a
- [] caller to go directly to PageOne, and upon exiting go directly to the
- [] last page. It may NOT be altered in any other way without the express
- [] permission of the editor. This will be a blessing to those who log
- [] onto your boards at 1200B, and a miracle for those who are still
- [] crawling along at 300.
- []
- =================================================
-
- My lawyer made me include the following.........
-
- Shareware Notice:
-
- This file is NOT Freeware. It is Shareware in an interesting form.
-
- If you continue to read ModemNews Magazine for any length of time (at least
- three issues) we would expect you to register your support with a donation
- of your choosing.
-
- The official NewsStand price for a copy of ModemNews Magazine is $3.00
- (three dollars), but please note, no SysOp or person, or BBS service of any
- kind may charge for a download of this issue, or any issue of the magazine.
- This also includes disk copying services and Shareware distribution
- services.
-
- Only the officers of ModemNews Magazine may collect your registration fees.
- Officers of ModemNews Magazine can be found at ModemNews OnLine ONLY!. If
- you should need further information, your local NewsStand SysOp should be
- able, and will be more than happy to help you.
-
- You may send your registration fees to:
-
- ModemNews Magazine
- 116 Dean Street
- Suite B
- Stamford, CT 06902
- Voice (203) 969-1183
- BBS (516) 679-0674
-
- Please make your checks payable to: Jeff Green
-