EZ_Online WELCOME.TXT 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Welcome to the World of BBS'ing! You're about to enter a new dimension of computing, one that'll make your computer a lot more interesting and useful ... and fun! If your computer has a modem, this program will, in just a few moments, install "BananaCom!" for you, setting up everything automatically ... which will allow you to easily "go online" ... without having to get all involved with technical issues. (If you don't yet have a phone connection to your computer, you'll find out next how to get one and install it yourself ... without spending a lot of money!) But first, let's start by learning a few terms, and developing a realistic perspective about "online communications". -*- When people talk about "going online", they're really just talking about using their computer like a telephone. Instead of dialing a number and speaking to the person who answers, they simply tell their computer to call another computer, using the phone line in exactly the same manner. Once connected, the remote computer usually has a "host" program which provides access to specific functions and features, using a system of menus and helps that are usually designed to make it easy for callers to find their way around. Popular online communications began with "computer bulletin boards" shortly after the introduction of the first personal computers in the 1970's. These were nothing much more than what the name implied. They were operated mostly by computer user clubs, and took the form of a conventional cork/pin bulletin board, where users could find announcements posted and leave notes of their own. Over the years, bulletin board software continually improved as the use of BBS's expanded into the business world, and "regular people" (as opposed to "computer geeks") began to make use of this method of communicating. The scope also began to expand, from a simple messaging system, to a means of transferring text "files" containing records, data sheets, instructions ... and then even "binary files" containing the code for compressed files (shrunk to allow faster transfers), graphics and even fully functional computer programs! In no time at all, setting up and operating a bulletin board became a new american pastime, and "just-for-fun" boards began to pop up all over the country. This phenomenon was probably the "watershed"; it pushed online communications into the popular realm that its in today. To make it even more "fun", the operators of bulletin board systems (SysOps) began to add all sorts of new, interesting and innovative features to their boards. Messaging networks began to appear, which provided a way for BBS operators to exchange messages with other bulletin boards, giving their users access to people outside their own system. The largest and most well-known network is FIDONET, which is world-wide in scope, and a totally non-profit, volunteer-run system! There are many others. The "nets" are conference based, meaning that messages are posted in specific special interest groups, or "conferences". For example, if you had a sticky problem with MS-Word, you could post a message explaining the situation and asking for suggestions to "ALL" in the "word processor" conference, with the hope that someone, somewhere in the world would read it, and just happen to know the answer. With millions of others "browsing" these conferences and, in some cases, even the authors of the software in question (Microsoft, Lotus, Borland, etc), answers are usually forthcoming. FIDO conferences are usually "moderated" by a volunteer somewhere on the net, who eliminates off-topic messages and flames, ejecting users who chronically violate the rules of the conference. To spice up the action locally, multiple phone lines, or "nodes", were added, allowing more than one caller to be on line at a time ...and even to "chat" with each other using their computer keyboards and screens. All sorts of programs and information were made available for users to "download" from "file areas" ... "work horse" programs such as word processors, spread sheets and database managers. Files of more personal interest soon began to appear ... cook books, music tutors, and other "how to's". Then programs designed just for fun ... pictures, digital music, and great games like "Jazz Jackrabbit", "Heretic" and ... DOOM! The availability of BBS's and the freedom of access to them created a whole new "shareware" industry, where authors of computer programs make their products available to you on a trial basis ... all you have to do is download a program that looks interesting and useful, give it a spin and, if you like it, send the author a "registration fee", which is almost always very reasonable. Of course, much of what's available for downloading is free, and many "freeware" programs rival commercial software sold in stores. SysOps quickly devised ways for callers to play games online, by swapping them out of the bulletin board program and into a game program which had the capability of communicating via modem. For the caller, this was like going through a door into a whole new area having its own menus, keyboard conventions and display styles ... and so these programs picked up the name "DOORS". Today there are hundreds of door programs available, including word games, role-playing games, card games, trivia challenges, match-makers, graffiti authoring, current events listings, fishing simulators, flight simulators, chat simulators ... you name it! Some are single-player doors, and many support multi-node systems allowing several online callers to play against each other. So called "Inter-BBS" games even allow callers to compete in tournaments with players on other bulletin boards. Unless you call a local BBS in a very small town, to most other callers you'll remain "just a name without a face". The first time you log on with any system, you'll be asked for just enough information to permit someone to physically locate you, if necessary, but other callers never have access to anything more than your name and the city you're calling from. This protects everyone's privacy, and promotes some level of security against abuse of the system. Of course, some interesting possibilities arise from this high level of anonymity. SysOps soon learned that all sorts of fun, mischief and havoc could arise from permitting users to totally conceal their true identity through the use of "alias" names. On many systems, users are known to other callers only by their alias, or "handle"; their real names are never revealed. Think of the things you might say or do if you knew your identity would forever be hidden! Anonymity has, perhaps naturally, led to an online art form known as "flaming" ... when other callers mercilessly, and often in the most demeaning fashion, criticize another user. Its always easy to be thoughtlessly rude to a person you don't know, can't see, and probably will never encounter in real life. But sometimes flaming is also done "just for fun", with skilled flamers searching the board for opportunities to vent their witty put-downs on some poor soul who made an innocent mistake, or posted a message containing an opinion that differs from their own. Whether you see this as "human nature", a defining aspect of "cyberspace", or as behavior that's entirely uncalled for, is a matter of personal preferences and opinion. Needless to say, really, "sex sells" ... and sex sells BBS's just like it sells movies and bath soap! As the competition between a phenomenally growing number of new BBS's heated up, "adult" features began to appear, with some bulletin boards using an "X-Rated" format exclusively. On a so-called "Adult" BBS, you will be able to anonymously engage in private "adult chat" ("phone sex", if you will), saying anything you like to another anonymous caller. In "chat rooms", you can exchange off-color remarks with many other callers, live! Adult bulletin boards also usually offer a wide variety of "adult" or "x-rated" download files ... text files, pictures and animations (moving pictures) having as their themes all sorts of sexual interests and activities. All the talk about bulletin boards being used to arrange sexual, homosexual or pedophilic encounters is mostly nothing more than that ... talk. If this is your interest, you are likely to find BBS'ing a frustrating disappointment. Adult BBS'ing is mostly a world of fantasy and mind-games. Here again, if adult BBS'ing is your "cup of tea" ... enjoy! Otherwise, not to worry; you're not obligated to participate in any way, since its impossible to inadvertently log on to an adult board, or the adult section of a general-interest board. In particular, operators of systems with adult content also, for obvious reasons, go to considerable length to exclude young callers from the "adult areas" of the board, and only a very skillful young "hacker" would be able to access those areas. Within the last several months, bulletin board services have been connecting up to the "Internet" as fast as they possibly can. Many now offer their callers access to Internet e-mail, and to USENET ... an extremely broad array of "special interest groups" similar to, but much more elaborate than, FIDO. Unlike the FIDONET, USENET is totally non-moderated, and is therefore a complete "free-for-all". Flaming and bad manners run rampant in USENET, but it also offers world-wide contact to people who share just about any interest you can possible think of ... yes, including sexual interests of all types! Some of the larger BBS systems go quite beyond e-mail and USENET, offering full access to the Internet. While many bulletin board systems charge nothing for full access many others, especially those with adult content, are "subscription services". (The reverse also generally applies ... most subscription boards have adult content, since that's a generally accepted requirement for financial success.) The "going rate" for the larger BBS systems is currently about $25 for three-months access, and this basic rate usually includes Internet e-mail and USENET access. There is usually no extra charge for adult access, but special application procedures usually apply, which often include providing the system with a copy of a valid drivers license to prove that you are "of age". The phenomenal success of the lowly computer bulletin boards did not escape the notice of those interested in new ways to make a bundle. Soon "super systems" began to offer a much more elaborate "package", offering "local calling" on a national scale. CompuServe, Prodigy, America Online and Delphi rule this market at the moment. Supported by multimillion-dollar corporate budgets, these giants in cyberspace offer every kind of online product humanly imaginable. All this is generally offered up to you on an alacarte basis, similar to cable tv services ... you pick a basic package and any premium services you might want, any you're billed accordingly. In some cases, your billing is computed on the basis of online time, modem speed, bytes downloaded, etc. These services are easy to get into, if you have a credit card. If you subscribe to any one of the popular computer magazines, or purchase any computer software or accessories, its likely you've already received several disks from these companies with "free time" offers. To take advantage of the offer, you may be asked to call an 800 number to find out if local access is available in your area, which saves you the cost of long-distance calling. You are then asked to log-in using the local number. The "free time" is only made available when you complete the service's subscription procedure, giving your credit card number and other details ... in other words, you don't get "ten free hours" ... you get your first "ten hours free". Beyond that, the sky is the limit, but for equivalent usage, a large service's billing would probably amount to something in the area of $36 monthly. While this is much higher than typical BBS rates, local access vs the cost of long distance calling to a full-featured BBS might make up the difference if local access is available to you. Probably the last word in personal "connectivity", at the moment, is a direct connection to the Internet via your local telephone company. Previously only a practical possibility for larger corporate users and public institutions, "ISDN" service is now being made available to anyone at surprisingly reasonable prices! Casual, or "part time" class 1B connections (high speed digital lines) start, in some locations, at only $39 per month, with no hourly charges. Full time connections are available starting at $250 monthly, while 28,800 bps connections using the ordinary phone line can reportedly be had for as little as $16/month, again with no additional hourly charges. At the moment, not all providers offer ISDN service, and ISDN service is not available in all areas. But the genie is out of the bottle, and it will obviously only be a matter of time before ISDN is as commonly available as cable tv. -*- There's been a lot of hype about "Cyberspace" and the "Information Superhighway" ... much of it from people who don't really know a modem from a molehill. Whether you call only local bulletin boards, or are connected directly to the Internet, working the phone lines with your computer can provide hours of fun and entertainment for you. When you get into downloading files and using the message networks, you might even find your online time very profitably spent, using the wealth of information that's available to you on any subject you can think of. All this is fine and dandy ... but it isn't essential. If you don't have any interest in all this "information", or have no need for it, you'll be able to get through life just fine without "access". No ... you don't have to "cruise the net" to be a "beautiful person" or a good citizen! Its also true that "cyberspace" is full of a lot of "space junk". One writer cited that, unlike going to the public library, when you go online you can make all the noise you want, but its almost impossible to find what you're looking for. The "80/20" rule applies here too; 80% of your online time will not be very profitable spent ... only 20% of what you download will be worth keeping ...etc. This isn't a criticism, just a statement of practical fact. Its not meant to discourage anyone, just to promote realistic expectations. Unfortunately, when anything becomes as popular, successful and profitable as online communications has, it attracts a lot of attention ... with a lot of people rushing to "throw their line into the pond". Some simply seek entrepreneurial opportunities. Some play on the hype to make a quick buck. Some, with a need to control, see an easy target and rush to take over. Some, with a need for power, move in quickly to secure a piece of the action as a personal or corporate power base. Few with any money or influence rush in with the completely unselfish agenda of preserving what made the thing so popular and successful in the first place. Its useful and profitable to realize that the astounding and phenomenal development of online communications has occurred in an atmosphere of almost total freedom! Its a real testament to what the free market can accomplish when left to its own devices. The Evil-Crrypt BBS TonyZarzecki, SysOp Redford, MI usa 313-538-3762 (to exit, touch Esc ... then "Y")