From Herb Dunn, SysOp MSI BBS

Open letter to Douglas J. Lawrence, The Research Center BBS

RE: Techno-Jargon and our Sanity!

This is also for all other Wildcat! Sysops

Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Herb Dunn and I have been
running a Wildcat! BBS since 1988 (Registration number 88-900). The Dew
Drop Inn is also an official ModemNews Newstand with ALL back issues
available on request. (a little plug there folks). You can dial
805-322-2783. I'll even answer Wildcat! questions there.

I'm also employed as a Technical Support Technician for MSI, (Mustang
Software, Inc), and have been for almost two years.

In issue 36 of ModemNews you stated:

    "When I bought the new Wildcat 3.01 BBS program it came with two 
  manuals. One of these was for the program itself, the other for the
  PRO! series utilities which is an optional accessory package to help
  one manage the BBS system better."

I say, IMHO, you made an excellent choice (g).

You made mention of having problems understanding the manual on WCPro!  
Have you called tech support on your problems? Feel free to ask for me 
if/when you do. On the MSI HQ BBS you can find a file that I put 
together sometime ago called PROHELP.ZIP. I have heard yours and 
several others crys for help with the WCPro! This file includes several 
examples of "Match" and "Command File" files that cover most 
situations, and should help you see and understand how they work.  
Including a set to "Add files in mass", a task that your WCFile utility 
is better suited for though not from a batch file as WCPro!  can.

You then went on to say:

    "Well this went on and on. After reading it several times, I threw 
  my hands up in the air in disgust, and threw the manual in the basket
  - where it properly belongs. Now I am a fairly intelligent person I
  think, so I was somewhat taken aback, that the writers of this
  gobbledygook could not for some reason bring themselves to tell me
  what a "Match Filter" was, or what a "selection filter" was either."

To this I can only say that once the light bulb comes on, WCPro! is 
really very simple to use. The problem comes from finding the switch to 
turn that light bulb on. Again, you have been heard. In our next 
printing of the manuals, they will include a section of "Tips & hints" 
and MSI has hired a Technical Writer, Gwen Barnes (otherwise known as 
the "BBroad"), to handle the chores of writing all our documentation, 
rather than "Doc writing" being one of the many jobs of our V.P.

I invite you to call me at tech support at 805-334-2240, Monday thru 
Friday, 9am - 5pm, Pacific Time, voice if you continue to have 
problems. You can also leave me a message on the MSI HQ BBS. I usually 
check in there a couple times over the weekends as well as during the 
week. You are also more than welcome to leave me a message on my board 
at 805-322-2783 (2400 baud) or 322-5587 (HST). I'll be more than happy 
to help you the best I can.

Herb Dunn
MSI