Is Macintosh BBS'ing Dead?

[MakTekniko]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Oct 22 2008, 12:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like so many American's, I 'assumed' "Lipton's was a mostly US brand! Of course, anything made with tea should always be associated with our history and our ancestors across the pond. It was even once associated with that icon of Mac support called Pepsico (well they did send one of their Mac 'supporters' to Apple a few years ago...)! Apparently, Sir Lipton was from Scotland, which may or may not be considered "British!" But surely one would not confuse "Lipton's" and "British tea" in many parts of the world. (How about that NASCAR licensed tea pitcher for your Lipton's?) Earl Grey, anyone? Maybe something from Davison Newman and Co.? Some of their imports may still be found in the Boston harbor area... Might be a great way to test those snorkeling skills...

Believe it or not, but I am such a dedicated Lipton's Tea drinker, that I was in fact disappointed when I recently noticed that they had almost completely removed sir Lipton's image which used to be prominently displayed on the box packaging. Now it is just this tiny image about the size of a US dime. I mean, oh my gosh...what is Lipton's Tea without that famous mustached image displayed in all its glory? And I ought to know, because whenever we do our monthly food shopping, I purchase three 100-count boxes of tea. No, I don't actually drink that much in a month's time. Gosh...that would be 10 cups a day! But without that image, something important is now missing in my life!

Now isn't that interesting...You learn something new everyday. "Moustache" is correct, but when you use it as an adjective, according to OSX's built-in dictionay app, the letter "o" is dropped from the word. See that...you can even learn new things from talking about Lipton's Tea!

Snorkeling for tea? Nah...it probably decayed long ago. Maybe the fish and crustaceans had a little Boston tea party of their own.  

Okay, that is my unanticipated rant regarding Lipton's Tea, in a forum, and message thread, supposedly about BBS'ing and the Armageddon BBS.

[MakTekniko steps down from his soapbox...or tea box...or whatever.]

[MakTekniko]

QUOTE(gunug @ Oct 22 2008, 01:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used to do a lot of this stuff in pre-PC days on my Kaypro CP/M computers; this was state of the art then.  Now, not so much; I guess it would be fun but maybe not as immediate as TS is right now!

Gunug, I regret to inform you that your present attitude reveals that you have fallen into the trap of those vile conspirators.

Yes folks; I have figured it out! I have had a wonderful revelation!

You know what is going on? This demise of the Macintosh BBS world is just another facet of the "Dumb Down Americans" campaign!

Ah yes! I knew that I smelled a rat!

WHAT?! You doubt my words???

You see, they just want kids today to mindlessly and robotically point and click. Any effort, mental or physical, to type in letter and numbers, and to repeatedly hit the return key, is viewed by these conspiring thugs as taboo.

We must unite and turn this situation around!

BBS'ers loyal, one and all, UNITE!

It is time to revisit those bygone days of Macintosh BBS'ing, before the art of BBS'ing is lost entirely. The writing is already on the wall, and we Macintosh SysOps are already an endangered species!

So hop on over to the Armageddon BBS and see what I've managed to do with this old software. You can still smell the paint on the walls! It's not big and fancy, but I am doing what I can with what I've got.

In fact, since yesterday, I've been in touch with Janis Kracht, who is the FidoNet Zone 1 coordinator. I am hoping to rejoin FidoNet, after over a ten-year absence, and pull in a few echoes. It might make the Armageddon BBS a bit more interesting...if there is any real traffic, that is.

The bottom line is, if a few of us don't keep our BBSes up, then BBS'ing will in fact soon be forgotten.

Jeff Snyder
Self-Appointed Macintosh BBS Crusader

[krissel]

QUOTE(MakTekniko @ Oct 21 2008, 06:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It never ever goes below the mid-seventies here. Well, it might dip to the very low seventies during a typhoon, (hurricane), but only then. The hottest it gets is probably in the low 90's during our dry season.

 Ohhh boy. When's the next ship leaving for Guam?  

I think I can deal with a typhoon now and then.


Downloaded SyncTerm but haven't gotten to it as yet.  Time is precious these days and my parents come first.
Will let you know if I'm successful in getting it going, though I'm not really sure how often I can visit as TS takes up most of my 'spare' time

In any case I do sympathize with your goal.  But you do have an upward struggle since you are dealing with mostly post-luddites who now probably fear going 'back to the old days' of computing. It may take a new generation to appreciate what you are doing, much like those who find Pong refreshingly fun.  

[MakTekniko]

QUOTE(krissel @ Oct 22 2008, 06:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 Ohhh boy. When's the next ship leaving for Guam?  

I think I can deal with a typhoon now and then.

Have you ever been through a strong hurricane or typhoon? Once you have been, you hope that  you never have to go through that experience again. That's how we all felt after Pongsona.

QUOTE

Downloaded SyncTerm but haven't gotten to it as yet.  Time is precious these days and my parents come first. Will let you know if I'm successful in getting it going, though I'm not really sure how often I can visit as TS takes up most of my 'spare' time

Looking at  your computer types, I am guessing that you downloaded the PPC version of SyncTERM. If  you run into any trouble, just look at the Help File that I included in the DMG.

Concerning your personal situation, quite understandable. I can appreciate and admire your dedication to your parents. An occasional visit, and message post, to the Armageddon BBS will be appreciated.

QUOTE

In any case I do sympathize with your goal.  But you do have an upward struggle since you are dealing with mostly post-luddites who now probably fear going 'back to the old days' of computing. It may take a new generation to appreciate what you are doing, much like those who find Pong refreshingly fun.  

Well, I am under no illusion that this is ever going to turn into something big; but if I can at least get a small community of regular posters going, I'll be satisfied...particularly if they are Macintosh users. Windows users are of course welcome too, but they already have hundreds of Windows-based BBSes, many of them using Synchronet, and associated with DOVE-NET. My main goal here is to revive the Macintosh BBS'ing community.

[Highmac]

QUOTE(MakTekniko @ Oct 21 2008, 09:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE(Highmac @ Oct 21 2008, 05:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You'll get used to Jim's humour  

Oh, I don't mind his humor at all. The kind that I do mind, is when I don't understand it. A lot of British humor is like that for me. My daughter seems to understand it all, and enjoys British shows a lot. Me? I have to listen intently just to understand what they are saying, because I am not used to the British accent as much as she is. So obviously, a lot of British humor goes right over my head. I imagine that some of you Brits feel the exact same way about American humor. You probably go "Huh?!" half the time.

We probably find it easier to deal with American accents - we've had them in films and on TV since talkies came along

As for canned laughter - when MASH was new and picked up by the BBC, they showed it without the laughter track and it came across as a very thoughtful show. One night they accidentally left the track on - but the switchboard was quickly jammed with complaints and led to it being removed after just 10 minutes! When the series was released on DVD the track was made switchable, otherwise they wouldn't have sold very many over here. We don't seem to have any decent sitcoms these days - or I may be just getting older and more cynical. I thought The Office was rubbish and not at all funny despite being told it was clever as well as hysterically funny (king's new clothes, anyone?)

And, on accents, we had actor Stephen Fry on his London-taxi tour of the States, trying to say Mountain Gap (name of a Blue Grass band) in a Tennessee accent. Eventually his "tutor" decided he'd got near enough

Churchill was so right: "Two nations divided by a common language"

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE(MakTekniko)

Okay, that is [the end of my wandering from the] message thread, supposedly about...

I know you said you'd read the Forum Rules and our Etiquette Statement, however, you seem to have missed the one that says,"The author of a thread has absolutely no right to attempt a 'high-jacking' of her own thread. That is solely and exclusively the privilege and right of any and or all all other members." Please refrain from further attempts. Just a friendly word of warning, if you know what I mean. The TS Admins know what island you call home! How many places can there be to hide?!!!

[kimmer]

QUOTE(Highmac @ Oct 22 2008, 05:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We don't seem to have any decent sitcoms these days - or I may be just getting older and more cynical.

At least you can enjoy reruns of "Jeeves and Wooster" and "Keeping Up Appearances". HYSTERICAL shows!

QUOTE

And, on accents, we had actor Stephen Fry on his London-taxi tour of the States, trying to say Mountain Gap (name of a Blue Grass band) in a Tennessee accent.

OH! I'm trying to imagine "Jeeves" doing this. HAHAHA

I'm very late, but welcome MakTekniko. I remember the "old" BBS'es. Used to visit loads of them.

[krissel]

QUOTE(MakTekniko @ Oct 22 2008, 06:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you ever been through a strong hurricane or typhoon? Once you have been, you hope that  you never have to go through that experience again. That's how we all felt after Pongsona.

Here in NJ we've had drought, flood, blizzard, tornado and hurricane experiences.  Granted most have not been of the high category stage but I did have a tree blown down onto my house in a hurricane. Does that count?  

But no, I don't want to go through a serious weather event of any kind however it seems that no matter where you live you are bound to be threatened by something or other.  

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Oct 23 2008, 08:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

....right to attempt a 'high-jacking' of her own thread.

Jim, don't think Jeff has undergone a change of that kind.  

[MakTekniko]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Oct 24 2008, 10:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know you said you'd read the Forum Rules and our Etiquette Statement, however, you seem to have missed the one that says,"The author of a thread has absolutely no right to attempt a 'high-jacking' of her own thread. That is solely and exclusively the privilege and right of any and or all all other members." Please refrain from further attempts. Just a friendly word of warning, if you know what I mean. The TS Admins know what island you call home! How many places can there be to hide?!!!

Oh gosh...did I neglect to mention the nice little personal submarine that I have. Ben Linus would be jealous! If any of you admin types come after me, well, I'll be gone in a flash! No sweating here folks!  

BTW, while I heard from the Zone 1 Coordinator regarding re-connecting to FidoNet after an absence of ten+ years, I am still waiting to hear from the Region 10 Coordinator, who is directly responsible for issuing me a  node number so that I can start bringing in FidoNet echoes on the Armageddon BBS. I've narrowed it down to about 15 echoes, and will probably narrow it down further to 9 echoes...or maybe 12 at the most.

[MakTekniko]

QUOTE(kimmer @ Oct 24 2008, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm very late, but welcome MakTekniko. I remember the "old" BBS'es. Used to visit loads of them.

Thanks for the welcome Kimmer. Well, as you can see, I've got my BBS running again, using Hermes II software, so feel free to stop by and post a message or two, or play a game of Leech, or fill out my "Get-To-Know-You" external. Even one message a week would certainly help to keep the BBS alive...well...barely.  

[MakTekniko]

QUOTE(krissel @ Oct 24 2008, 07:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here in NJ we've had drought, flood, blizzard, tornado and hurricane experiences.  Granted most have not been of the high category stage but I did have a tree blown down onto my house in a hurricane. Does that count?  

Hmmm...you might qualify.

Although my impression is that by the time a hurricane gets that far north, it has pretty much run out of steam due to the cooler climate, and cooler ocean water. There is simply no energy to maintain its strength.

Over here where I live, we are at the 13 degree latitude mark, and right in the tropics, so we are right in the center of typhoon alley. Some typhoons can begin their development as far away as over 1,000 miles to the southeast of us, down near Majuro, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk. When that happens, by the time they reach our area, they are often at the height of their strength.

At other times, they begin forming as tropical depressions, and then develop into tropical storms, in our immediate area, and don't become full-fledged typhoons until after passing us by. During the past six years, since Pongsona, this has been the case. We have typhoons around us every single year, but we've just been spared a direct hit during this time...and nobody misses it.

QUOTE

But no, I don't want to go through a serious weather event of any kind however it seems that no matter where you live you are bound to be threatened by something or other.  

Yes, that seems to be the case.

QUOTE

Jim, don't think Jeff has undergone a change of that kind.  

Ha! I saw that, but chose not to make an issue out of it...but since you did...I assure you that I have never undergone, and have never contemplated undergoing, such an operation. And I think I had better leave it at that before we really get off topic here.

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

"The author of a thread has absolutely no right to attempt a 'high-jacking' of her own thread. That is solely and exclusively the privilege and right of any and or all all other members."

Hey! I just quoted the text! Don't blame me for the 'feminine' tense! I didn't write the manual! Besides, I thought that was the PC term to use, even in a Mac forum.

QUOTE(Paddy)

don't think Jeff has undergone a change of that kind

I tend to agree, BBSing was before that became wide-spread!

Post some pictures of that sub! Does it have a nice big bubble window for watching the fish? Is it peddle-powered or Nucular <spelling/pronunciation note>?

[MakTekniko]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Oct 26 2008, 05:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Post some pictures of that sub! Does it have a nice big bubble window for watching the fish? Is it peddle-powered or Nucular <spelling/pronunciation note>?

Actually, it utilizes an eco-friendly technology as old as the Earth itself...squid ink jet powered...silent, very evasive and guaranteed to leave any potential pursuers in a cloud of confusion.

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

cloud of confusion

Hey! What a coincidence! I've been there, often! I think that's where MobileMe was when it was first announced!

[MakTekniko]

Hello Again Everyone,

Well, I am happy to announce that membership on the Armageddon BBS is now up to 50 unique accounts, and still slowly growing day by day. I hope to see some of you visiting us soon.

Oh, and by the way, for those of you care, here's a link to an interesting article called "Obama, McCain And The Bush Legacy".

Take care!