How to be a BBS power user.
                             By Kenneth C. Mazie
                Sysop of Quasatron Systems BBS (510) 846-6085


    Being a sysop  I spend alot of time  in front of the BBS watching what
    you  the user are  doing.   Don't be so  surprised, many sysops do the
    same and you never know it.  By doing so I see the bad habits everyone
    has and uses to to their own detriment.  Often I give advise on how to
    beef up skills while online, this is another attempt at doing so. What
    I  will do  so as  to not make  this too drawn out is to list what you 
    SHOULD be doing.   I'll leave it up to  you to parallel the  list with   
    your own BBSing style.

    1: Your FIRST call to ANY BBS.
       a: During your FIRST login activate your logging utility or begin an
          ASCII download and capture EVERYTHING you see.   End the download
          when you disconnect the call.  If you don't know  how to log your
          call ( Procomm Plus  uses ALT-F1 )  READ THE BOOK  and  find out.
       b: View EVERYTHING.  Bulletins, notices,  anything stating "required
          you read this",  and  select a  NON-STOP  mode ( remember this is 
          being captured,  don't try to read it now. )  so the WHOLE  thing
          will scroll by QUICKLY.
       c: If command help exists view it.
       d: Color is nice is'nt it?  Trouble is it  takes 5 times as  long to
          transmit.  TURN COLOR OFF.  It just wastes your online time.
 
    2: Offline.
       a: OK, you've captured everything during your first call (hopefully).
          The file SHOULD be standard ASCII text with possibly a few ANSI
          characters thrown in depending on the BBS you called. In any case
          READ EVERYTHING NOW.  
       b: Familiarize yourself  with  the BBS  so you are PREPARED for your
          next call.

    3: Second call.
       a: At this point you may or may not have access depending on the BBS.
          I'll operate under the assumption that you DO have access.
       b: If the facility is  available, use mail up and downloading.  This
          allows you to read and reply  to messages OFFLINE at your liesure.
          (See [N]etwork Mail here on Quasatron.)
       c: If you have file access, look for and download any "ALLFILES.???" 
          type files.  If these types of files do not exist, begin  another
          ASCII download or capture and do a listing of  any directories of
          interest to you.  Again use NON STOP MODE.
       
    4: Offline from second call.
       a: Use your  offline mail reader to read/reply to mail (i.e. Jabber,
          OLX, EZrdr etc.)
       b: View your downloaded  ( or captured ) file  listings and jot down 
          files you want.

    5: Subsequent calls.
       a: If META  COMMANDS exist, use them (see the Quasatron newsletter).
       b: If you prefer  to view  files  online  and a MARK utility exists,
          ( it does on Quasatron, see the file help )  mark files while you
          list them.  Then download the list (see file help).
       c: Go to the mail up/down load utility and do your thing.
       d: Make your uploads if necessary.
       e: Go to the  download  area, enter  your jotted list  using a batch
          protocol ( Zmodem recommended ), and select  automatic  logoff at
          completion  of  download.   Now go have  a beer and watch Married
          with Children.

   ===>>  The trick  is to be OFFLINE while reading everything so you DON'T 
   ===>>  incur phone  charges and  you DON'T  waste your  valuable  online 
   ===>>  time allotment.  Get on, get your buisness done, get off.  

     If you use these  tips you can get the maximum out of your online time.
     Many of the files  here are from  EAST COAST  BBS's and were downloaded
     using these methods.  It takes getting used to but once mastered you'll
     be amazed at what you can accomplish.
   
     Also READ YOUR USERS MANUAL!!!!  I can't stress that enough.  Know how
     to utilize  what your  communications software  is capable of.  If you
     don't know what you CAN do you'll never know what you miss!