...::::....::::::::........::.........:::.. | : ø ø : ~,~~ - (.) - : ø ø ø ø : /-)( | t-file : ø Hallucinatory Oyster Burrito ø : ()= assault : ø ø ø : HOOKA! .:.....:......::::........:::........:::.:. 21 December 1995 Issue #42 As the old cliche' goes, "All good things must come to an end". The fact is, however, that the forces of entropy effect all things with equal measure - both good and ill. Perhaps then we must thank those same entropic forces for finally putting an end to the Stark County Modem community. The Stark County Modem Community is now officially dead. You may wonder why it is I would say such a thing, or better still, just who the hell I think I am to be making such a statement about local telecom. Well, i'll tell you. My name is The Dark Jester. I received my first modem in December of 1986. The modem was a Commodore 1660 300 baud modem. For the time it was quite advanced. 1200 baud modems were a bit less than a year away. With the exception of Gary Cox, the system operator of CanCom, I am the oldest surviving modem user in the county. There are one or two people who were on the scne before I was, but they dropped out of the community for some time where I did not. I've run three incarnations of a BBS called The House of the Rising Sun. All three were run on a Commodore 64 and ranged from a limited hour (nightly) BBS at 300 baud and one disk drive to a 24 hour BBS with a 1200 baud modem and three disk drives. I was a sysop of a system called The Forgotten Realm, which I ran with a friend of mine named Mike. Most recently, I was a sysop of a BBS called Radio KAOS. The owner of the BBS, Kevin Amstutz, asked for my help in running it. Kevin himself had run several BBS systems in the past with various names and using various equipment. I've used several handles over the years - some silly, others just rather amusing or atleast reflecting a current interest. Some of the more memorable ones are: The Ninja Master, Subatomic Particle, Mourngrym Amcathra, Elminster, and most recently - The Dark Jester. Over my almost 10 year modeming career i've seen many people - both good and bad - pass through the local modem community. Some great people i've met and are worth mentioning: Buckwheat (Dante), The Prophet (Shane), Cassandra (Dawyn), Amberle (Jenni), Grizzly (Rick), Sorc/Amphetamine Gobbler/Gott (Ryan), Albanara (Eric). Some "interesting" folks: Jian the Mystic/Moonshadow (Kevin), Reign of Terror (Dave), The Terrokian (Junior), Cal Edain (Jane), Thy Magician (Steve), S.S. Sigue/The Density Knight (Kyle), The Human Computer (Mike), Allia, Muad Dib (Paul), Long John Silver (John), Enchanter/Enchantress & family, Lady Mercury (Julie), Shadowspawn (Dan), Shadowhawk (Troy), Hubcap, ... and so many others, it's incrediably hard to remember them all. I should write a book! There are a few people I can think of who were really very sad and pathetic people who obviously didn't have a lot of love in their lives growing up and wanted attention anyway they could get it. We'll just skip over them. Some innovations I brought to the community include: the all-text BBS concept, successful creative writing message bases, various message base concepts, the introduction of the Telegard BBS system to the community (Telegard was the forerunner of Renegade), and various other ideas and projects including the revival of the Modem Wrestling Federation text file series and the creation of the Underground Alliance - a group dedicated to quality telecom in the mid/late 80's. At that time, most BBS systems were affiliated with a users group that was very authoritarian in nature. Many sysops wanted an alternative. Some people have spread rumors that I was somewhat involved in hacking in my youth and was heavily involved in phone phreaking (the illegal use of long distance services). As such activities are illegal I would of course NEVER participate in any of them. (stares at ceiling, crosses fingers) You may be asking yourself, "Well, this strole down memory lane is pretty interesting ... but what does it have to do with telecom in the local community?" I'm glad you asked. In the beginning, there was the computer. The computer was difficult to use and had few applications (software) for people to use. Then, came the truly home computer - the Commodore 64 series and the Atari 800 series 8-bit computers. They were user friendly (I speak from a Commodore view point. I know little about Atari), there were games available, and it was easy to buy hardware for them and connect it. Just a plug here or there. Modems became available. Early telecom revolved around the bulletin board system. People who used BBSs tended to be fairly intelligent people or atleast devoted to their hobby. Modems were expensive, so people who used them were really involved in the hobby. With the advent of the IBM clone, modems started showing up in every PC. While this is good in the sense that new people were getting connected - it was bad for the over all quality of the user base. People who were not very interested in participating (ie. posting/reading messages) started to appear. They would download software, play games, but do little else. There were at first few of these people. As time went on, their numbers increased. Today most BBS users devote themselves to the door games available or to a teleconference if the BBS system they use has one. Intelligent, though provoking conversation has fallen by the wayside for most. As I said, the early days of telecom had people who were very dedicated involved. As time went on, local telecom began to experience declines and gains in quality of users and activity. Every so often a band of really interesting and intelligent people would show up on the scene and there was usually a sysop somewhere with the insight to create a BBS for them to use. The last BBS system of what we can call the "Classic" era of modeming was Forgotten Realms BBS, which I helped to run with a friend. It had a great deal of activity. The beginning of the modern age began with the Dragon's Lair BBS. Former Forgotten Realms user Ryan Baguerous wanted to run his own BBS and continue some of what he saw on FR. His system was set-up for conversation, and that's what it got. Meanwhile, I went off to college. Dorm life didn't agree with me, so I came back home to commute to school. Ryan and I chatted and I gave him a suggestion for a new BBS name: The Necropolis. I ever wrote a little story about the board's background based upon some fantasy books by Raymond E. Feist. While the modem community itself went into decline, the Necropolis was fanning the last embers of what was left of the classic age of modeming. Friendships, quality conversations, creativity. Wildcat software marked a steady decline in telecom. The ability for someone who had no experience as a user to suddenly place a BBS system online spawned some of the worst systems in the community's history. The Ultimate (Hardly), Wildthing, Wizard's Castle ... these were some of the names. With the except- ion OF those names the systems were all the same. I coined the phrase "xerox syndrome" for these sorts of systems that were devoid of creativity and innovation. The final blow to the community came with the rise of the Canton Connection bulletin board system. While the system at first was fairly unpopular (it first ran on a Commodore 8-bit when such systems were no longer cutting edge) it grew in popularity as it grew in size. Users who had never posted a message in their lives found the teleconference function to be a dream come true. It would be a mistake to think that I blame TCC for the destruction of local telecom. Certainly, sysop Larry Smith (Loveless) was only trying to create a popular and cutting edge system. It is simply unfortunate that he choose to appeal to the least common denominator instead of stressing participation in the message areas and creative thought in general. While a core few people became almost fanatical in their devotion to the Necropolis BBS most other users chose to become members of TCC. Differences in philosophy when it came to the purpose of a BBS and free speech issues flared into conflict between the two boards when Necropolis sysop Ryan Baguerous discovered certain facts concerning the true identity of the TCC sysop Larry Smith (Loveless) as well as uncovering allegations of illegal activity involving pornography and minors. At this time I had been banned from TCC for some time for reasons that were never made clear to me and so was willing to help Ryan discover more about the behind the scenes action at TCC. A dislike and acute paranoia seems to exist to this day on the part of Mr. Smith (Loveless) towards me ... even more so than toward Ryan, although my involvement with Ryan and his investigations was minimal at best. The reason for this is unknown, although I suspect I was blamed for things that may have been engaged in by other parties. My true role in the investigations was usually little more than a source of advice for Ryan or as a sounding board for ideas. The Necropolis went down and Jerith, a former Necropolis user, placed a BBS online as a replacement - the Virtual Underdark. VU never really became a replacement for Necro. because Jerith didn't have Ryan (Sorc's) vision and interests to help to create the atmosphere needed for intellectual/debate oriented discussions. Shortly after VU, I was asked to help run Radio KAOS by an old modeming pal named Jian the Mystic. Radio KAOS was a very stressful time for me. I had a vision of what I wanted to do with the system, but I often had a difficult time expressing what I wanted in terms Jian could understand. Jian often wanted to do things that I knew would not work ... but that I really had little choice but to let him attempt. Although the system was in my estimation successful ... it could have been more so. I was often frustrated by the fact that much of my users log consisted of people who were gripped by today's apathetic mood. The new user message specifically would tell users that participation was a part of the system raison etre and that users who didn't post messages would be deleted. Many users were outraged by this requirement and its enforcement. They were used to TCC and multi lines. They weren't used to being asked for something. How DARE I insist that people who use my FREE BBS abide by the rules I create? How DARE I delete users who either just ignored the new users message or who DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO READ IT! Ryan, Jian and I joked that it might be fun to put a clause inthe message that said that signing up for an account was an acceptance of the system rules. One rule was to be that the user should send in $1,000 in cash for a lifetime membership. People who didn't read would be called and asked for the money and threatened with a lawsuit if they didn't comply! :) Finally, early in 1995, Ryan Baguerous placed his last BBS system online - The Seinsfrage. Using the handle Gotterdammerung, Ryan attempted to re-create his system in a new image complete with brand new software no one was using (everyone in the community had joined his bandwagon and had switched to Renegade) and internet access in the form of e-mail and newsgroups. It also had netmail. Problems with the software and a lack of intelligent and interesting users eventually led to the system's demise. Ryan had tried to plant the seed of creativity but the ground was no longer suitable for such things. The user base was mostly teenaged and they hungered for video games and easy, quick, innane chatter ... not serious discussions where they would have to THINK and use their minds! So, that was the end. There are other local systems besides TCC ... but but they're not used much in comparison to the juggernaut of local telecom. People rarely post, instead calling whenever they can't get on an open TCC phone line to log on. So ended the classic era, and the modern era which was the remnance of classic. Now begins the future era! The INTERNET! That's where I am. I fled to it when I couldn't stand the stagnation of the local scene anymore. I speak to people on IRC chat ... about things that are interesting and matter. I've met some wonderful friends - one of which who actually visits me when she can. I've used the World Wide Web and read about things ... and there's so much out there. I've even connected to BBS systems accessable through the net, although most of them are pay - another sign of the decline of telecom in general. The 'net is the new realm for the telecom hobbiest. The nit-wits can sit around in chat rooms and chat about absolutely nothing. The perverts can sit in rooms and wait for women who will never arrive. The rest of us can get together and meet new friends and learn more about our world. The net is the future and while the local scene may be dead and gone, a new scene is out there waiting for those who wish to embrace it. You can obtain Internet access through your local university or school system. Check with administration from either for details. It's often possible to avoid paying a provider. After all, the net is based in large part in University computer systems and universities are funded by tax dollars. Why SHOULD you pay to access the Net? Here ends the last Hallucinatory Oyster Burrito, a `zine that was a continuation of the Distorted Digital Erection 'zine which was a product of the creative minds at the Necropolis BBS. Check out these 'zines on the BBS systems listed below. They're great. We've come full circle. I've loved almost every minute of my time involved in modeming. I'm sad to see the end of something I enjoyed so much, but I know nothing can truly last forever. Good-bye local modem community. Hello Global Village! - The Dark Jester `'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`' Hallucinatory Oyster Burrito An AUFHEBEN Production! support: tyrant: numbah: "Why, I don't know much of Mission: TBx2 .. Skyhawk ... 330.837.5839 anything!" - Eraserhead _Submission Policy_: Hallucinatory Oyster Burrito is into subs! If you write something - anything - send it to us and we'll get it to press. For contacting HOB, see below. Want to be a support board for HOB? Download ALL the HOB's and DDE's create a file sig on your board, and let me know. Your BBS will be listed. To contact us, send e-mail to the internet address listed. E-Mail: bp648@yfn.ysu.edu `'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`' -eof-