diff --git a/textfiles.com/100/bbsdeath.pro b/textfiles.com/100/bbsdeath.pro new file mode 100644 index 00000000..af97b3db --- /dev/null +++ b/textfiles.com/100/bbsdeath.pro @@ -0,0 +1,150 @@ + What ever happened to real bulletin-board systems? + + First off, I'd like to make it perfectly clear that I cannot +be objective in these notes. These are observations, but they +are from 1) a Sysop + 2) a user of 8BBS, the greatest BBS ever evolved + 3) a boy ... who's become a boyish programmer + 4) an old timer....1977 was when I first started + using BBS systems. + 5) the author of a BBS system + + If you're expecting objectivity, then don't bother reading on. I have a +rather unique perspective on the entire BBS scene. I've been around since close +to the beginning, and I'm wondering what has happened. Have BBS's gone the way +of CB? Is the entire system in a slump? Is there anything wrong at all? + + I'm going to try to present these questions and show how things have +changed...for the better, and for the worst. + +HISTORY: + + A long time ago, in a city far-far away, two men had an insight. Ward +Christensen and Randy Suess wanted a way to leave notes and messages to their +programmer/engineer friends. Back then, modems were used by field-engineers and +some high-level executives to talk to their companies computers. A 300 baud +modem was extremely fast, as most people were using 110 baud TeleTypes. Ward +and Randy devloped the concept of the BBS. They called it CBBS, for "Computer +Bulletin Board System." CBBS was the first of its kind. It was an enormous +program written in 8080 assmebly language. By our standards today, it was +kludgy and bug-ridden, but back then it was heavenly. Users could enter +messages and read messages... that was about it. + + CBBS was a wonderful concept, but it was localized to the Chicago area. Ward +and Randy were the only ones who were running the program. Then Bill Blue came +along and wrote ABBS, which was designed to "emulate" the CBBS system. I feel +it was ABBS, rather than CBBS which made the real breakthrough. While ABBS was +much less powerful, and more difficult to use, it could be run on a "universal" +machine: --The Apple ][-- + + Anyone with an Apple ][ and a D.C. Hayes MM][ modem could run ABBS. This +program could be installed in a matter of minutes, and anyone could have their +own bulletin board system. Soon after the release of ABBS, several other BBS +programs (for various computers) soon followed. ABBS was the king for many +years, just because there were more ABBS systems than any other BBS program +available. + + It is this time that I would like to refer to as the "Golden age of the BBS." +It wasn't as golden as you might think. Most Sysops would come home every +evening from work to find that their BBS had crashed because of yet another bug. +Even back then, user's logged in under false names and left obscene messages. + + The one point that made that age golden was the users. Without users, a BBS +is just a program. With users, it gains a personality, and if I may be +metaphysical, a soul. The users MAKE the BBS. A Sysop may have the greatest +BBS program in the world, but without active users, he just has a computer +wasting line-current. + +LIFE IN THE "GOLDEN AGE" + + A user would think nothing of spending his Saturday helping "The Sysop" find +an intermittant bug in the BBS program. + + A user would not only answer his or HER mail, but also butt into other +people's conversations and throw in his/her two cents worth. + + A user would suggest improvements to make the system easier to use. + + A Sysop would care for his BBS like a baby. He'd spend 2 hours each night +writing messages and playing with modifications to the program. + + A Sysop would NOT restrict conversation to one particular topic...such as CP/M +software. + + A Sysop would tolerate kids who were just learning how to use modems. He'd +even give them a hand getting things working. + + A Sysop would [on his own preference] dilligently weed out obscene or +"pseudo-illegal" messages, -- or -- promote them as he saw fit. + + Users would start clubs, such as the well known "Gabber Gang" and later the +infamous "Phone Phriekers" who figured so prominently into BBS history. + + The government didn't try to restrict BBS users. It was just "us" against +tyranny (at that time "Ma Bell"). Although most users did not approve of "Phone +Phrieking", everyone talked about it, and was interested in it for curiosity +sake if nothing else. [Hard to believe, but true.] + + Uploading and downloading of programs did not exist. + + BBS's were few and far between. When I wrote the OxGate, the two closest +other CP/M based machines were Kelly Smith in Simi Valley (375 miles away), and +"Jim C" in Larkspur (100 miles away). People tended to congregate on the local +system. + + WHAT HAS KILLED BBS SYSTEMS: + + 1) Program uploading and downloading. People just get their programs and +leave. + + 2) The technical clique's retaliation against "gabbers" who just used the +systems for personal communication. + + 3) Too many BBS systems in one area. BBS's are still alive and healthy in +low-density areas. + + 4) The loss of "anonimity" among BBS users. The BBS used to be the place to +escape. Where no one had to be "themselves." Users such as "James Bond" and +"Captain Scarlet" were given free reign to vent their fantasies. Today, most +systems do not allow false names so they can keep track of users. + + 5) The anti-hacker movement. More and more people today think the word +"hacker" means "phone phriek/computer crasher." All it ever meant was "great +programmer." You would feel proud if someone labeled you a "hacker." + + 6) The press' ignorance of the BBS community. By trying to make a scandal out +of all of it, they ruined a great form of communication. In particular, the +magazine "InfoWorld" has done more harm to the BBS community than other press +organization. While they actively TRIED to HELP the community, they have caused +more harm in their mis-reporting of info. + + 7) Sysop's ignorance. Quite frankly, the average quality of "Sysop" has +dropped. Sysop's are (on the whole) less active and less responsive than 5 +years ago. More and more of them are technically incompetent, they couldn't fix +a bug if it bit them in the nose. + + All of these problems are inter-related. We can't solve any of them until all +of them are solved. From my descriptions it should be obvious that the "golden +age" certainly wasn't all gold. People like "James Bond" and "Sam Daniels" had +to be stopped, but the pendulum has swung too far to the opposite side. + + These observations are very general. I've noticed this swing, and it has +taken place on 95% of all of the system's I've called across America. It's sad +that these problems have stabbed us in the back, but it's not too late to try +and bring about a change. I don't have the answers, but maybe these +observations will prompt thought into this death of a virtual "art form" of +communication. + + There is one possible solution to this problem... the acceptance of children +again. For too long we've been kicking off kids (both phyiscal and "kids at +heart"). They've been disruptive, and caused fights galore. Many have even +tried to crash the systems they used. + + "If there's any hope, it lies with the proles." -- George Orwell, _1984_ + + Perhaps the thing to do is call a few local Commodore and Apple boards and let +the users know that they're just as welcome on your super-fancy 100mb 2400 baud +RCP/M system as any of your so- called "serious users" . . . "serious users" +who can't even bring themselves to answer their own mail. Saddening. + + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/textfiles.com/100/bc760mod.ham b/textfiles.com/100/bc760mod.ham new file mode 100644 index 00000000..fa5c2682 --- /dev/null +++ b/textfiles.com/100/bc760mod.ham @@ -0,0 +1,30 @@ +Msg#: 1 *VHF/UHF RADIO* +03-29-88 10:19:30 +From: JOHN STOVER + To: ALL +Subj: BC950 CMT +Newest from Uniden/Bearcat, the BC950 XLT (also know as the BC780XLT) can be +modified for CMT coverage. Cut pin 20 of the main CPU at the PCB and lift it. +Then solder a bridge between pins 19 and 20. This will restore CMT coverage. +PROBLEM: If you have the CTCSS option installed, you will not be able to turn +it off! (The CTCSS option, that is.) If this is OK with you, then go for it, +otherwise consider which you need more, CMT or CTCSS! Also, the only known +difference between the two aforementioned scanners is that the 950 is labeled +(on the box) "Scanner World". Have fun! + + +Date: WEDNESDAY 02/15/89 08:49:47 EDT +From: +Subject: 760XLT MODS +To: whutt!TGC168 (TIMOTHY G CULVER +1 201 386 7187) + +Netlanders: + +Concerning the Uniden Bearcat 760xlt, the mod for the 950xlt does work +to restore lost freq. Disconnect pin 20 of the microprocessor from the +circuit board and connect it to pin 19. I bent the pin slightly and cut +it with the scissors of a swiss army knife then soldered an 1/8 lead +cut from a cap across the pins near the top of the chip. I've yet to +find any problem with this mod. But as always do so at your own risk. +73 Mike WA2E @ K2DLJ + \ No newline at end of file