ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ IMAGELOCK WEST COMMUNICATIONS ALAN APOLLO - SYSOP P.O.Box 258 * Santa Monica * CA * 90406-0258 VOICE/FAX (805) 285-3084 ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» (805) 285-3961 v.Fast º The Laser~Coast~Line º v.Fast (805) 285-3964 ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ "Southern California's BBS and Home Of COASTNET!" ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ [CSTNET12.ZIP] * COASTNET! QWK Echo Mail Network * DECEMBER 1994 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ "America's Local BBS Network" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A NEW USERS GUIDE TO THE USE AND OPERATION OF NETWORKS AND ECHOMAIL By: Alan Apollo - The Laser~Coast~Line - Santa Monica, CA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Revised March 1993] Authors Note: ------------ This file MAY be used with my permission in any other EchoMail Net package, or as a display file or Bulletin on any BBS! This is in hope of providing some sort of general uniformity, as to what is to be expected from and by the users of Networked conferences! November 15th, 1992 ------------------- I have attempted to piece together some guidelines for the use and care of network mail conferences. Some of this is from me, some from many others! I was asked by a new user to explain the basic rules, so here is what I came up with per that request. ALIASES ------- As a rule ALIAS names are not permitted to be used in Network conferences any time unless it has been specifically allowed by the HOST and/or the Network Administrator. If in doubt DO NOT allow an ALIAS in a Network conference. FOUL LANGUAGE ------------- Many Networks have specific conferences set aside, that may allow all most any thing to go on including foul language! It is very important on echo'ed mail conferences, that unless as above, you must watch that you do not use abrasive or offensive language on open conferences! Loosing your temper is no excuse for causing problems of this nature. There are many, many users out there who are not interested in that kind of behavior not to mention there are quit a few younger and female users on the Network message bases! This offence can also lead you to loose Network privileges on most systems, very quickly! The use of text like "sh**" or "F*#K" NOT acceptable!! Please do not force us to become 'censors', your taking the "FUN" away!! We do not need or want to do that job anyway! We would like to preserve your rights! ...as much as ours!! QUOTING/OVER-QUOTING MESSAGES ----------------------------- This is an ongoing MAJOR problem that most Networks face daily! It is part to be blamed on the writers of off-line message readers, as well as some uncaring users! Time is money, and over-quoting, costs everyone money!! It is like a Bus traveling from NY to Los Angeles, with only one person on it! Hardly worth making the trip at all!! The following is an example of over-quoting: ÄÄ QD:Main Board ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg : 36 Status : RcA From : JOHN Q. USER Written : 11/05/92 07:54am To : QUARTERDECK USA Subj : desqview/wildcat/paradox ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ QU> Have any problems been reported between Desqview QU> RR>and Paradox 4.0? QU> Problem QU> Paradox grabs all available EMS memory and does not use the limits QU> imposed by DV or DVX in the advanced options menu. It get memory QU> directly through DPMI or VCPI. QU> Solution QU> There are three solutions: QU> 1) Use QDPMI to limit the amount of available memory. QU> Do this by a SET QDPMI=MAXMEM xxxx statement in the Autoexec.bat QU> xxxx is the amount of memory to limit DPMI users to. QU> 2) Load Paradox with the -extk n parameter where n is number of meg up QU> to 16,000. This will limit the amount of memory Paradox uses. ** QU> ** (Paradox 4.0 has problems when more than 16 megs of memory is QU> visible.) QU> 3) Paradox's readme file says to add the following statement to the QU> autoexec.bat set DPMIMEM=MAXMEM nnnn. How about formalizing this in a .TEC note? regards, John Q. User * SLMR 2.1a * +-LOOKOUTGODDAMMIT..!!! I'm Beta Testing!!-+ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- As you can see this person quoted 25-lines of text, just to leave a one-line reply to the message! The "TAG" line is also questionable in my opinion! You should be able to see how 'dead-weight' messages like this could add up. Most BBS providing Netmail, do so at their own expense and phone bills can get very high when messages are like this. Having to spend additional time downloading huge mail packets, that are full of over-quoting like this! Please do your part to help avoid this problem. When QUOTING messages, only quote enough to get your point across. If you are using an off-line reader that automatically QUOTES the entire message, delete the excess lines. Never quote "TAG" and "ORIGIN" lines, unless you need to point it out! As I heard one Network HOST say...[+] "You would not copy someones letter into you letter when writing back a reply.....so why would you do it in E-Mail?" Just use common sense, when you need to quote a reply! + [Quote Credit: ?Johnnie Yother - North Georgia BBS - 1992] CONFERENCE THEMES ----------------- When entering messages in Network conferences be sure that your 'thread' or the topic you have selected is appropriate! In other words do not talk about fixing your car in the FISHING conference.....most Networks have an ample amout of conferences available to choose from. You should not have a problem finding the correct conference for your topic. Likewise, unless the conference specificaly permits it do not place and ADVERTISEMENTS of any kind on Network conferences! First, the Sysop is not here to pay for your advertising, and secondly, some of the laws in certain states can hold the operators reponsible for obtaining some kind of commercial permits or business phone lines if they carry commercial and certain types of advertisements! IN CLOSING..... --------------- Lets keep Networking FUN!! The whole idea is to enjoy communicating with many others around the world. Remember, that for most of the individual BBS's that make Networks possible, "...it is just a hobby!" Thank You......... Alan Apollo