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Birmingham Telecommunications News 066
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# BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News #
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COPYRIGHT 1993 ISSN 1055-4548
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Volume 7, Issue 2 Issue #66 February 1994
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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article title author
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Disclaimer/Statement of Policy.............................Staff
From The Editor.................................Scott Hollifield
Submission Guidelines......................................Staff
Notes From the Trenches............................Dean Costello
Protecting Your Investment............................David Moss
Mark's Toy Box: Kai's Power Tools for Windows........Mark Maisel
Life on the Lines..............................Bernie Starchaser
Review: CMPQWK v1.31....................................Tim Hoff
Local Music in February.............................Judy Ranelli
Special Interest Groups (SIGs).........................Eric Hunt
Known BBS Numbers..........................................Staff
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DISCLAIMER
AND STATEMENT OF POLICY
FOR BTN
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We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and
information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for damage
due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability, if any for BTN, its
*editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions,
etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN,
even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood
of such damages occurring.
With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our
policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish
monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to
publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any time
but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear in a
particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise harm a
person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the content of
the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their work and it
is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles from BTN
with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a reprint, in
which case he will specify in the content of his article. Otherwise,
please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as the
source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the
article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles,
please forward a copy of your publication to:
Mark Maisel
Publisher, BTN
606 Twin Branch Terrace
Birmingham, AL 35216
(205) 823-3956
We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that
you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing
all of this and not get too serious about it.
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FREEBIE!!!
GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT! Systems That Offer Free BTN
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The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is
with no charge to any existing upload/download ratios.
ADAnet One Alter-Ego Baudville
Bloom County Bone Yard Bus System
The Castle Channel 8250 C.A.B.
The Comfy Chair! Crunchy Frog DC Info Exchange
Final Frontier The Guardian Hardware Hotline
Homewood's Hell Hole Joker's Castle Leaping's Lounge
Lion's Den Martyrdom Again?! The MATRIX
Milliways BBS The Outer Limits Owl's Nest
Playground Safe Harbor Southern Stallion
Starbase 12 Thy Master's Dungeon Torch Song
Weekends BBS
(This list includes some systems which are not local to Birmingham and
therefore not included on our BBS Numbers list.)
If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let
me know via The Matrix or Crunchy Frog so that I can post your board as
a free BTN distributor. Thanks.
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NEWSFLASH!
NEWSFLASH!
NEWSFLASH!
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*** *** SYSOPS! *** ***
Be sure and check your listing in the
Known BBS Numbers List to make
sure it's accurate.
Corrections should be sent to SCOTT HOLLIFIELD
on Channel 8250, The Matrix, or Crunchy Frog.
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FROM
THE EDITOR Scott Hollifield
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Well, another late issue, but who cares?
I've come to the conclusion that virtually all the worlds' problems
are, in some way, the fault of a deadline. Or, put another way, that
people could get along much more easily if they'd just relax and try to
deal with their situation without being hung up on where it's taking them
and how long before they get there.
So, in cognizance of this, BTN proudly bides its time, sleeps till
noon, and decides not to show its face until the fifth of the month.
Maybe we'll be on time next month, maybe not. I'm not going to waste
energy worrying about it.
We also have a somewhat short issue this month, which is something else
I'm determined not to worry about. A glimpse at the table contents (and,
preferably, an intense study of the rest of the issue) will reveal a
smattering of the usual suspects as well as a couple of new faces. We have
two software reviews this month, one from newcomer Tim Hoff and one from
our esteemed publisher, Mark Maisel. Mark's new column receives its
official grand opening this month, as he promises to share a peek into that
fabulous, glamorous world of nifty software which, somehow, only he can
afford to allow. Dean Costello is back with what is becoming an alarmingly
regular series of columns. David Moss will help you protect your most
prized possession from those who would take it from you; Bernie Starchaser
pulls back the windowshades to gaze out over the ocean of history to a
more innocent time in the annals of local BBSing; and once again, Judy
Ranelli is back to forge the cosmic link between telecommunications and
the local music scene, two great tastes that go great together.
Thanks to everyone who wrote me asking about the Known BBS Numbers List
position. I've tentatively selected a candidate who seems the most
qualified, and he's due to start next month. Hopefully, the intense
barrage of media scrutiny won't scare him away, and we have the utmost
faith in his performance for the upcoming Senate confirmation hearings.
Again, thanks to you if you showed interest.
That's all. See you next month, and have a happy and safe Presidents
Day.
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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
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I. ARTICLE LENGTH
Right now, there's no strict enforcement of a length restriction,
but if your submission is somewhat short, I may request that you make it
longer. Anyone can sit down and type out a screen's worth of stuff. I
have yet to encounter an article that was too *long*, so don't worry
about that.
II. SUBJECT MATTER
Again, there's no hard-and-fast rules about subject matter. I'm
interested in seeing material on a wide variety of topics. That
includes BBSs, politics, music, books, or better yet, something that
doesn't neatly fall into any one category. Next to that, my favorite
articles are the ones that have something to do with BBSing, since that
is supposedly what we're sort of about. Technical reviews are also
good. I tend to kind of frown on fiction, but I'm willing to take a
look at anything you've got. If it's interesting enough, your chances
are good.
Politics is fine, but try not to rant--and make whatever you have to
say original. I can go out and find ten Rush Limbaughs if I want.
Also refrain from "This Is What Happened To Me Today" slice-of-life
articles unless it's leading somewhere good.
Reviews should be both informative and opinionated. Don't be too
objective, but still tell us about what you're reviewing.
III. FILE FORMAT
Plain and simple ASCII is preferred, but we can convert WordPerfect
files if need be.
IV. STYLE GUIDELINES
1. Use a right margin of 72 columns.
2. Indent paragraphs at the fifth column.
3. Put two spaces after each sentence.
4. Skip a line after each paragraph.
5. Refrain from using BBS-specific devices like "<grin>" and ":-)".
6. Be sure to give your article a title.
7. Try to use correct grammar, spelling and capitalization! My staff
proofread as best as we can, but a well-typed article makes our job
easier.
8. The dash is correctly typed as two hyphens, like "--". Use it to
set apart phrases and clauses--as with this sentence.
9. To emphasize a word, place a pair of asterisks around it, like
*this*. This takes the place of italics (except for titles; see
12).
10. If you have to emphasize a group of words, use capitals, AS IN THIS
EXAMPLE. I generally don't like the way that looks, so use it
sparingly, if at all.
11. If you're unsure whether to spell out a number or not, leave it in
numeral form.
12. Titles of books, films, plays, albums and works of art are
surrounded by underlines, like: U2's _The Joshua Tree_. This takes
the place of italics in this regard; I call it "title-cizing".
On the other hand, television shows, songs, poems, article titles
and short stories are surrounded by quotation marks.
V. HOW DO I SUBMIT AN ARTICLE?
The easiest way is to upload it as a private file on one of two
systems: The Matrix and the Crunchy Frog. (Their phone numbers are
listed at the end of this feature.) To upload a file privately, begin
your file description with a slash ("/"). Then leave me (SCOTT
HOLLIFIELD) a private message telling me what the file name is, so that
I can have the sysop make it available for me.
Another way is to leave me the article as a private message, or a
series of private messages.
If you become a regular contributor to BTN, you can get access to
the private BTNWA conference, which is for BTN writers. There we
discuss articles, policy, ideas, etc. The BTNWA conference also
contains a private file directory which I can access more easily than a
private file outside BTNWA.
That's it!
Get to work!
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NOTES FROM
THE TRENCHES Dean Costello
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I Don't Think That This Is Necessarily A Good Idea...
I had an interesting chat with one of my colleagues at the office
this evening. First we were talking about capital punishment, then we
segued into the representativeness of Congress, then moved onto the
possible information superhighway. All and all, a pretty far-reaching
conversation.
We began on a curious note. I had been in Orlando working on a
Navy base that is being shut down, and I got to talking with the site
manager about capital punishment one day during lunch. Well, it didn't
really start with capital punishment, but with a discussion of whether
or not parents are abrogating their responsibility in protecting their
children from violent, well, anything, by making manufacturers be the
ones to limit their products. We basically came to the conclusion that
people are getting zealous about violence because it offends their
sensibilities, and are using children as an excuse for their zealotry.
I'm sure that there are those that are sincere about their lessening
the amount of violence to which their youngsters are exposed. But I
cannot help but think that maybe their ideals aren't so pure, and that
children are a convenient excuse. As a result, I went out and bought
about twenty copies of Mortal Kombat for the Sega, even though I think
that owning a video game system is somewhat silly. Someone has to
support it. Scott Hollifield had the idea that due to the increase in
technological standards, the people that are being pummelled look real,
as opposed to something vaguely person-shaped. As a result, the
parent-types came to the conclusion that enough was enough, and
accordingly Toys 'R Us caved in to the threat of pressure. Fah, if this
country actually didn't like violence, why are movies with eviscerations
always rated 'R', and movies that have people screwing rated 'X' (or
sometimes NC-17, but that's another story).
So we were talking capital punishment. Bob thought that capital
punishment was a pretty good idea. I replied why. He said it was
basically the revenge point of view. I stated that I cannot see that
position, and he felt that that may be because I don't have a close
family. For example, he has the wife and three kids, and his position
is that if an individual were to kill one (I assume with malice
aforethought), he would want to get revenge. I guess I can see that
position, but I cannot accept it. You see, my grandfather was beaten
to death in a bar robbery back in 1973. Even so, I just cannot fathom
this overwhelming desire to get revenge. Bob said that he couldn't
believe what a pacifist I was.
As far as I am concerned, capital punishment is silly and
deliberately nasty. It doesn't reduce the crime rate (in fact when an
individual is put to death the rate of the crime that they are being
executed for goes up), its expensive ($3,000,000 to kill a prisoner, as
opposed to $30,000/year/prisoner for maximum security), the idea behind
the rule of law is to allow the central government to control policing
and punishment, and on top of that, its very hard to say you're sorry to
a dead person. So, the only reason for capital punishment? Well, I
heard an explanation by a sociologist a couple of years back: "Sometimes
a crime occurs that is so personally heinous that you, as a member of
the society, demand blood. Revenge, pure and simple." Revenge strikes
me as a poor reason for killing a person.
Bob's statement confused me, so I sought out Andrew. He has a
political science background, he went to a peace college, and he is
working in computers. This was a good combination, since I also
graduated from a peace college (e.g. a school that is affiliated with a
religious sect that is traditionally associated with peace studies, i.e.
Quakers, Church of the Brethren), and I had questions about the other
subjects. I asked him about the pacifist comment. He thought about it
for a moment, and said, "Well, it's kind of hard to say. You see, you
have to look at the individual versus the society. In other words, an
individual action that is judged 'moral' may not be 'moral' when
examined from the point of view of an entire society. Think about it
for a minute: It may be appropriate for an individual to say, "Well, I
think it is a moral action to put Gerry Adams to death because he is a
terrorist". However, it isn't appropriate for the U.S. Government to
say, "We should put Gerry Adams to death for terrorist activities."
(FYI: Gerry Adams is the president of Sinn Fein, the political side of
the Irish Republican Army.)
Andrew continued: "This does not mean that I would not choose the
death of an individual trying to kill my family versus the death of a
member of my family." I then went for the payoff: "Well, what would be
your position in case of..." He began nodding, "Yes, I see where you
are going. I don't think that I can answer that at this time. I would
suspect that I would want that justice system to continue on, and that I
wouldn't want to kill the person of my own volition, but it is
impossible to say what I would actually do in that case."
Logical enough, I suppose. We move onto Congress. I asked Andrew
about a theory that Brett Thorn was bandying around a couple of years
ago. The theory goes like this: Many people are bitching and moaning
about how unresponsive Congress is to the average American, with a lot
of representative term limits being the result. However, the people in
the area have the freedom to vote against the incumbant. So, in
essence, the state's residents are voting against themselves. Therefore,
the problem apparently is that the Congressional representative must be
too representative of the districts: "My representative mirrors the
feelings of my district. Yours is a scoundrel, however, and needs to be
thrown out of office."
Confusing, isn't it?
Well, Andrew came through in the clutch again. "I am sure that what
you say [Thorn Theory of Unrepresentative Representativeness] if
probably true at one level. Take a look at the 1980 election. Reagan,
et al, promised that defense spending would be increased and taxes cut.
Now, what does that lead to? Higher deficits, but the defense/tax cut
is what the public wanted, and the government came through for the
public." Now, crime apparently is the problem, and I see that Clinton
(and presumedly Congress) is ready to spend a LOT of money on cops and
prisons. But that's another question. Andrew again: "I would say that
more likely the representatives are doing what they think are in their
own best interests, and when it coincides with the public, so much the
better."
His statements got me to thinking about the proposed information
superhighway, and the possibility of more-or-less true interactive
government. Andrew: "I think the concept is interesting, since it would
show what the individuals in the crowd really think about subjects, and
to find out what they feel are important issues of the day." My problem
with the concept is that I hold the average individual in the highest of
contempt since they are, well, more stupid than myself and probably
unable to dredge up the important concepts. In essence, I am concerned
that a truly interactive government would lead to individuals voting for
bread and circuses. Andrew disagreed with me: "I don't think that it is
likely to happen the way you say. At the best of times, a minority of
individuals are interested in political issues. As a result,
bread-and-circuses is unlikely. Also remember from whom the power in
interactive government is coming from. Congress and various lobbying
organizations are the ones that make the decisions, relatively speaking.
How likely is it that they would voluntarily ditch their own
perogatives? I believe that there will be some form of interactive
representativeness, but the actually power will be limited. Remember
that the magic of their media is not the decision-making power, which I
feel is not going to be there, but the ability for government to find
out how the public truly feels, without the filters of special-interest
groups and lobbies."
I put more credence in the bread-and-circuses position, as well as
the Thorn Theory, than in what Andrew says, but he makes good points.
Think about them, and decide which you think is more accurate. Remember
what Adlai Stevcenson said: "America gets the government it deserves."
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PROTECTING YOUR
INVESTMENT David Moss
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How many of you ever think about your computer equipment being
stolen? Yeah, hate to even think about it, don't you? With an average
setup, you could be out of a very sizable investment. How many of you
are prepared for the loss of your equipment? There isn't a whole lot
you can do to prevent the theft, working with the old adage "if they
want it they'll get it". However, there are some precautions you can
take to aid in the retrieval of your system, and some tips to help
render your system useless for the unsuspecting person that ends up
with it.
Register all of your software promptly. The software you buy today
comes with registration numbers. Record these numbers. If your
computer is stolen, you should report the loss of the software to the
author. Also, read the fine print that comes with your software. Find
out what the company's policy is towards theft, or loss of the software.
Keep back-up copies of the original diskettes in a safe place. If your
computer is stolen, the thieves may just as well take a couple of boxes
of diskettes in the process. A couple of boxes of diskettes are the
least of your worries, right? Not if they contain the original
installation diskettes. You could be out a hefty chunk of money if the
software is not replaceable by the manufacturer.
While you're at it, make sure you write down the telephone numbers
of the manufacturers. Also on this same list be sure to include the
telephone number of your local police department. I've been vandalized
before, and believe me, you aren't thinking very clearly when you come
home to find half of your belongings gone. It would help expedite
matters if you had one list to get. This list should contain
descriptions, as well as serial numbers, date of purchase,
manufacturer, the phone numbers, cost of each item, and anything else
you can think of to aid in the identification of your equipment.
The computers you buy today come with a key lock on the front of the
machine. Use it! This lock can be overcome, but it will hinder the
user who ends up with it. All this lock does is lock the keyboard. If
you are running a program like Windows, the user will still have access
to it.
Be sure to I.D. your equipment. One of the best ways to do this is
to remove the cover and write an I.D. number on the inside of the
machine. You can even write your name and address. If the bandits ever
have to have the machine serviced, an honest technician may report it
stolen. While you're at it, write down the phrase "THIS MACHINE IS
STOLEN." This will catch a technician's eye pretty quick. There are
other ways to I.D. your equipment such as branding irons, but I don't
recommend these as you may damage your own equipment in the process.
Let's look at some ways to render the computer useless to the
individual who ends up with it. If this person knows the computer is
stolen, he may attempt to format the hard drive. This will eliminate
some hidden files you may have installed that contain the serial numbers
of the programs. Well, if you're like me, you buy all your floppies
pre-formatted. So why do you need to keep the Format command on your
hard drive? Remove the Format command from the hard drive and keep it
on a floppy in a safe place. This will only hinder the user slightly,
but he will be forced to hunt another Format command to re-install,
just so he can eliminate the evidence. And if you ever need it, you can
quickly copy it back to the hard drive, or even run it from the floppy.
The last line in your autoexec.bat determines what program is
launched. Most folks that use Windows have the word "win" typed there.
All this does is launch Windows at boot up. Here is a neat trick to
confuse the thief who gets your machine. Refer to your DOS manual if
you attempt this. Remove the path statement in autoexec.bat; this will
keep any program from being launched from the root directory. Next,
remove the "win" statement from autoexec.bat as well. This prevents
Windows from being launched at boot up. Next, enter the prompt as:
"prompt=$e[30;40m$p$g$e[30;40m " Be sure to leave the space at the end
of the prompt. And be sure that ANSI.SYS is loaded in config.sys.
Finally, write a batch file that restores your original path statement,
and the original prompt file. What all of this does is: when the user
boots up your computer he will be staring at a blank screen. The
commands will still work, but they will be invisible. You removed the
path statement to prevent the thief from simply typing "win" to start
Windows. The batch file you write should be named something short, like
RED. When you boot up, simply type RED at the blank screen to restore
you to normal usage. Don't attempt this without referring to the DOS
manual. Also, be sure to keep the batch file in the root directory.
Remember, with no active path statement, DOS will look no further to
find it.
If the thief is a complete novice, he may type HELP at the command
line. Since this command is an external command, and located in the DOS
directory, you may want to consider removing it. There are several
other external commands that you rarely use. Take a look at these
commands and determine if they are needed in the first place. One
benefit to removing unwanted commands is it will free up some badly
needed disk space, as well as making it difficult for the crook who gets
your machine.
Feeling brave? You can always install a virus. Name it HELP and
you can rest easy knowing the crook will have a nightmare attempting to
rearrange the sectors that have been scrambled by the virus. This is a
little bit out in left field, but so is someone breaking into your home.
There are literally hundreds of methods available to render a
machine useless, too many to cover in this article alone. There's
everything from password protection schemes to live virus protection. I
would like to say a word about password protection. If you choose a
program that forces you to enter your password, select one that will not
allow a floppy boot-up. These types are useless if you can simply boot
from drive A or B.
If the way you choose is to install a virus, be extremely careful,
and select the type virus that will render the machine completely
useless. What you are seeking here is that the thief will take the
machine to a technician for repair. Remember your I.D. message on the
inside of the machine? Did you write one inside the monitor as well?
What I hope you have gotten out of this is that you have started
thinking about the theft of your property. There are some new businesses
popping up that will come to your house, for a fee, and video tape your
entire house. This tape is very useful for insurance purposes. Your
computer is insured, isn't it? It is covered under household, isn't it?
For what amount?
The questions are endless. Are you really protected? A quick look
at your policy can answer this. If you have any questions, don't
hesitate to call your insurance agent. Ask specifics. Ask point blank,
"Is my computer equipment covered?"
All the slick tricks in the world won't prevent your equipment from
being stolen. There are, however, some very useful predetermined
strategies you can invoke to make it a little less painful. If
rendering your machine useless to the thief will make you rest a little
more comfortably, do so. It does me. If you take it from me, good
luck. I have a nasty sense of humor anyway. If you have some favorite
tips you would like to share on this subject, I would love to hear them.
A good common sense approach, and a lot of thinking on this
subject may pay off if your machine is ever stolen.
I can be e-mailed at The Crunchy Frog, The Matrix, or at Weekends.
My Internet address is; dmoss@weekends.com. I would love to hear from
you.
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MARK'S
TOY BOX Mark Maisel
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Product: Kai's Power Tools for Windows
Publisher: HSC Software
Requires: Intel 386 or 486 processor, MS-DOS 5.0 or higher, MS-Windows
3.1 or higher, 4 megs memory, color VGA display adapter, color
monitor, mouse or equivalent, Adobe Photoshop 2.5 or other
"Adobe Standard" plug-in compatible software
Recommended: Intel 486DX processor, 8 or more megs memory, 24 bit
color display adapter
Expect to pay: $89-99
Are you amazed at some of the computer graphics you see on BBS's and
elsewhere? Have you wondered how some of the effects and designs were
created? While Kai's Power Tools doesn't do everything, you'll start to
wonder what it can't do after a few hours with it! This is an amazing
piece of software.
KPT is a set of fantastic filters for use with Adobe Photoshop 2.5,
Fractal Design Painter 2.0, Aldus Photostyler 2.0, Picture Publisher 4.0
and other comparable programs, provided they support the "Adobe
Standard" for plug-in filters. KPT has been available for Macintosh
users for a few years. I've envied them for some time. When they
announced they were coming out with a version for IBM compatible
machines, I called to reserve a copy. It showed up a few weeks ago and
I've played with it during every free minute. I've used plug-in filters
before and while they are very good, I've never seen anything like KPT.
I cannot begin to do justice to this package within the confines of
a review. However, the main features will be described. First, there
is the Gradient Designer. This tool allows you to create a virtually
unlimited variety of gradients to use in fills. Every aspect of
gradients is under your control; up to 500 shades and with transparency.
Next is the Texture Explorer. Currently, this is my favorite. The way
it works is that it brings up a window with initial textures. In the
middle is a larger block of texture, the current pick. It is surrounded
by twelve smaller blocks of slightly differing textures. Clicking on
one of these smaller blocks will make it the current texture. To the
left is a tree. Balls on the tree determine the rate of mutation in the
texture blocks. The closer to the base of the tree, the less mutation
and the closer to the top, the more mutation that will occur. Between
the base of the tree and the window is a multicolored ball. Clicking on
it will change the colors within your textures. Experimentation is easy
and lots of fun. Since there are so many possibilities, there is an
ability to save a texture so it may be called up for later use. There
is a set of fractal exploration tools. These may be used to create
beautiful backgrounds or free standing art work. They offer, along with
the previously named tools, incredible flexibility. The remainder of
the tools are excellent filters. My favorites among them at present are
the glass lenses. These will take your image or active portion thereof
and create the effect of looking through a lens at the image. I made a
gorgeous series of crystal balls using these filters.
The interface is not standard Windows. I've never seen anything
quite like it but it resides comfortably in Windows. After using it for
a while, I prefer it to Windows.
Now for the potentially bad news. I've been using this package with
Adobe Photoshop. Both Photoshop and KPT require lots of processing
power and memory to work best. I did my testing on a 486DX2-66 with 16
megs of memory. Even with this, there were a few times when I waited a
minute or two. On a slower machine with less memory, this could
translate into possibly intolerably long waits. If you are looking for
an excellent set of tools for enhancing your graphics, look no further
than KPT. I'm not terribly talented when it comes to creating original
art work with a computer but KPT will help anyone unleash creative ideas
regardless of talent. If you can use a mouse, you can use KPT. One of
my first samples is available on Crunchy Frog if you are interested.
The name of the file is KATHY_M2.GIF. There is some loss going from 24
bit color to 8 bit, but it is still an interesting alteration.
I hope you've enjoyed this piece on Kai's Power Tools. If you have
questions about it, or any other computer/software related topics, feel
free to send me a message via EZNet, The MATRIX, or Crunchy Frog. Next
month, I'll be talking about Photoshop 2.5 for Windows.
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LIFE ON
THE LINES Bernie Starchaser
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This Month: Oh Where Oh Where Have The BREEZERS Gone?
So, is my mail reader having a spasm, or have there been no
messages whatsoever on Channel 8250's BREEZIN' Conference for MONTHS AND
MONTHS??? What gives? Did all the Breezers die except for me and
Scott? Don't any of you remember those happy, carefree days of Fred
Chateau and RCP/M? Has my mail addiction actually reached the point
where I *long* for a flame from my age-old arch-enemy, GT The Anarchist?
BREEZIN' was always a laid-back, low-stress atmosphere. Even our
arguments were in fun. No serious and pedantic debates about current
events. We generally Breezed about music, mostly. Sometimes someone
would start up a friendly flame-war just for funzies, but most of the
time we were above that. Well, the world turns and times change, it's
true. But can there really be no more Breezers? Lets test that.
{OFFICIAL<?> BREEZER TEST}
Answer each question with a yes or no. Record your answers.
1. Do you enjoy good, unstructured, free-flowing conversation, such as
often springs up spontaneously at parties and such?
2. Can you quote the lyrics of your favorite songs from memory?
3. Do you enjoy giving a little good-natured ribbing?
4. Do you have no objections to receiving a little good-natured
ribbing?
5. Can you follow, simultaneously, five or six message threads in the
same conference at once without getting a headache?
Score yourself 1 point for each YES answer and 0 points for each NO answer.
Then answer this...
-*<SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION>*-
6. Don't you REALLY want to be a Breezer, deep down inside?
Add 5 points for a YES answer to question 6. Subtract 5 for a no.
Now, add up your scores, I'll wait....
....Hmmmmmmmmm <Humming somewhat unmelodiously>....
...all done? Good, now, compare your results to this table:
SCORE RESULT
10 Die Hard Breezer, Drop me a note on 8250!
6 - 9 There's hope for you, come to 8250 and we'll talk
about it.
5 Your heart's in the right place. We'll teach you
the rest.
-10 - 4 Never mind.
Now, any of you who scored 5 or more, call Channel 8250 RIGHT NOW,
join the Breezin' Conference and leave me a message telling me about it.
I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE! <Echoes fading into the distance...>
"He's old enough to know what's right,
But young enough not to choose it,
He's noble enough to win the world,
But weak enough to lose it,
He's a New World Man..."
-RUSH - NEW WORLD MAN - From Album: SIGNALS-
BCNU!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
################################################################
REVIEW:
CMPQWK v1.31 OFF-LINE MAIL READER Tim Hoff
################################################################
Although most experienced BBSers and message posters find that
change is a difficult thing when one is accustomed to one particular
piece of software, change can be good sometimes. I myself am no
exception to the rule, so when someone asked me to try CMPQwk I cringed
and thought, "No, not another one! I'm happy with my old reliable
OLX!"; but after 30 minutes of drivel, I broke down and said "okay".
Boy was I surprised.
CMPQwk is one of the nicer off-line mail readers that I have ever
used. It is a Windows-based application that allows its user to point
and click on a variety of options. With all the options that CMPQwk
has, a person could get lost using it. Never fear though; a nice icon
menu bar is available, though some of the icons on the bar are not very
self-explanatory. As is typical though, the Windows Help option is
always there. There are a few problems with CMPQwk that need to be
addressed before they make it a fully marketable program.
One of the problems I encountered was that if I closed the program
without closing the current mail packet, when I went to restart the
program, I was often locked out, and had to completely restart the
machine. I had to then manually go into the directory and delete the
un-closed mail packet to regain usage of the program. Another problem
that I encountered was that if there was any type of problem compressing
the packet or downloading it, CMPQwk gave me a runtime error and
stopped, instead of displaying some type of message to that effect of
the error. Something that may not be a problem once the software is
registered is taglines. The unregistered copy of version 1.31 that I am
evaluating displays a choice of taglines on setup, but when reviewing a
reply I have found only a line stating that this CMPQwk is an
unregistered version. No tagline in sight. Oh well, are taglines that
important with such a quality off-line reader? I'd have to say yes, but
that's just me.
CMPQwk, with it's Windows format, allows its users to switch from
conference to conference without having to exit a conference to gain
access to another. For those of you who don't have a spell-checker
handy, CMPQwk has one built in. Though the dictionary is not that
extensive, it has an option for adding words to a personal one. CMPQwk
can be configured to your personal touch. A variety of lists and even a
rubber stamp is available; my favorite, though, is the twit list. A
person or subject can be added to the twit list and CMPQwk will not
display them when a packet from that specific BBS is loaded. The rubber
stamps are nice: a stamp can be configured with a particular phase or
signature that can then be placed anywhere in a reply. Multiple stamps
can be configured. Packet management is another feature that I have
found invaluable. You can configure it so that mail packets are
auto-renumbered and can be deleted after x amount of days. For those
of you that don't have a photographic memory, CMPQwk has one for you.
Messages can be copied to topic folders and reviewed, usable at a later
date even after the packet holding the message has been deleted.
Other nice options include changeable fonts and colors, text
search, export options, and read and write window setups. Many of these
options can be found on other mail readers, but the ease of operation
just can't be beat. I have thoroughly enjoyed using this reader, and am
looking forward to being a registered user of it. Anyone looking for a
copy of CMPQwk version 1.31 can find it on The Matrix BBS, The Drawing
Room BBS, and many more. This review is nothing more than one man's
observations and opinions. For more information on purchasing a copy of
CMPQwk version 1.31 offline mail reader, contact Derek Backus via ASA
CompuHelp BBS at (604) 476-4058. Sysops can get discounts for their
users by registering 10 or more people at a time. All of this
information can be found in files when you download CMPQwk.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
################################################################
LOCAL MUSIC
IN FEBRUARY Judy Ranelli
################################################################
Well, it's almost the 4th, during which I am finally turning 21. I
shall be in New Orleans while you folks remain here, but that's just
fine, because there's lots of music going on. Therefore, get out of
your houses and fry your eardrums on the following:
Fri. 2/4
DASH RIP ROCK/AUTUMN LORDS at The Nick
Loud and laughable, I am sure those of you reminiscing of your Greek
days will find this show a pleasure. I have also confirmed that the
Autumn Lords' singer's stage name is "D.D. Starshaker", so go call him
Chris instead.
Fri. 2/4
GEORGIA SATELLITES at Louie Louie
Strange to type that one. This will probably be a packed house but
I cannot tell what form or version of the group will perform. IF you
liked them in the old days, you might like them now. Also appearing on
the 5th at the Ivory Tusk in youknowwhere. [Ed.: Tuscaloosa, in case
youdon'tknowwhere.]
Sat. 2/5
MARDI GRAS FUNDRAISER at the Alabama Theatre
This event to fund the renovations of the Alabama Theatre is
featuring the Louisiana Sunspots and the we're-broke-up-but-not-and
Carol's-left-but-she-hasn't Sugar La La's. Tickets are 35 bucks and
it's a black tie affair (which ensures that I wouldn't be able to go if
I were in town). Sounds like fun.
Mon. 2/7
SCRAWL/CLUBBER LANG at The Nick
Scrawl is a partly female band who have been recommended to me but
whom I've never heard. I may appear briefly before work. Clubber Lang
is an eclectic group of people with a dread-headed guitarist and a woman
playing violin. Some interesting melodies; I hate the name, but they
sound different from most groups. This adds up to: show with potential.
Risk factor 30%.
Tue. 2/8
JOE CHRIST at The Chukker in Tuscaloosa
I have no idea what this is, except a movie is involved (?) and the
flyer by itself was enough for me to include Mr. Christ in this column.
Wed. 2/9
CRACKER/COUNTING CROWS at Zydeco
Whooie, I like Cracker, and know nothing of Crow thing, but call
ahead of time, tickets rumored to be at least $10.
Thu. 2/10
TOPPER PRICE AND THE UPSETTERS at Zydeco
Yes, he plays harmonica on the Brother Cane single and he will
surely drink you under the table if you're buying, and they is good.
Fri. 2/11
I don't recommend anything other than making your own music, or
making some money, or both, or making other things. Besides, you'll
need your beauty rest for tomorrow night, which is:
Sat. 2/12
FIVE EIGHT/FUZZY SUNS at The Nick
Fuzzy Suns feature anal expulsive little Mike Portero and
frighteningly weird Davey Williams doing things to guitars that will
make your inner child blush. Combine this assault with Five Eight and I
think you will find some theraputic benefits after the hangover goes
away. As this should take a week, why don't we jump over the mundane
to:
Fri. 2/18
SHALLOW/SUBDUING MARA/MARILYN'S NEIGHBORS at The Nick
Shallow is getting better at getting to me, which is not an easy
feat considering, and the other bands are a mystery. Remember, though:
mysteries can be treats.
Sat. 2/19
THE RADIATORS at Louie Louie
Louisiana blues/Subdudes thing from a very established band. Should
be a big show party kind of thing.
Sun. 2/20
SWINGING NECKBREAKERS at The Nick
Kind of cool name, supposed to be retro basic guitar, I think I
shall go and see.
Tues. 2/22
JONATHAN RICHMAN at Zydeco
He's just so wonderful. Top recommendation from me this month.
Rides the Trailways or Greyhound everywhere he plays. Writes songs I
would amputate organs to create.
Sat. 2/26
STRUTTER at Louie Louie
Maybe I'll finally cough up the money to see this because they have
gotten positive reviews from everyone I know that's also into seeing a
Kiss cover band with acoutrements and blood. Or is blood an
acoutrement?
Tues. 3/1
SWERVEDRIVER at The Nick
A sort of Soundgardenish thing whose tape has been incessantly
played at the Nick. Not that that *means* anything, mind you, but
sometimes loud walls of sound and growling guitars are the only things
that jiggle my brains back into cohesiveness.
Tentative Sat. 3/5
THE TICKS at The Nick
Dammit, we're buttkicking so I'll slam this in here. Consider it my
birthday present.
Other stuff: Saw FLOP at the Chukker last night, so good I bought a
t-shirt, wish they'd played longer. Those of you with taste might also
want to sample the new Redd Kross. Also: New Shaggs CD is shudderingly
perfect. The new club on 20th where the old Piggly Wiggley used to be
is a project of Tony Ruffino's of New Era Productions (he's the guy
that books Oak Mountain and the Civic Center, capiche?). This large
music hall is rumored to be a showcase arena. For the uninformed, a
showcase is a performance specifically for record producers/A&R persons
visiting town to see a local act. Tony used to be part owner of
Brother's Music Hall with Dan Nolen (of the Nick). Let's hope this
music hall improves the visibility of Birmingham as a musical market
nationwide. Gotta go now; anyone has comments, send them to da editor.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
################################################################
SPECIAL INTEREST
GROUPS (SIG's)
[COMPUTER RELATED] compiled by Eric Hunt
################################################################
BIPUG Alabama UniForum
Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group Homewood Public Library
UAB Nutrition Science Blg 1st Tuesday
RM 535/541 Shawn Cleary 870-6130
1st Sunday (delayed one week
if meeting is a holiday)
Marty Schulman 967-5883
Birmingham Apple Core
Informal breakfast meeting every Saturday, 9am - 11am
@ Kopper Kettle, lower level Brookwood Village Mall
Formal meeting held second Saturday of each month, location
variable (to be announced at breakfast meetings and in the
user group's newsletter "The PEEL".)
President: Sam Johnston - 322-5379
Vice-Prez: Marie Prater - 822-8135
The SIG listing is being re-verified. If you know of an active
Computer Related user's group, please let me know.
I can be reached via Internet email at
eric.hunt@the-matrix.com or drop me a note directly on the
MATRIX.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
################################################################
KNOWN BBS NUMBERS
FOR THE
BIRMINGHAM AREA
################################################################
Sysops, PLEASE check your listing to make sure everything is
correct, especially the networks. Corrections should be mailed on
the Matrix or Crunchy Frog to Scott Hollifield or Mark Maisel.
ADAnet One (Nodes 1-3) 250-0013 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
[ez, fi, ad]
ADAnet One (Node 4) 254-6050 2400-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
[ez, fi, ad]
Alcatraz BBS 608-0880 300-9600 PCBoard 15.0
[he, vi]
Alter-Ego BBS 925-5099 1200-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
[ez, mn]
Baudville (Nodes 1-7) 995-0013 300-2400 Major BBS 6.12
[none]
Bloom County 985-4335 300-9600 USR DS PCBoard 15.1
[in]
Bus System 987-5419 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
[none]
Byte Me! 979-BYTE! 2400-14400 USR HST WWIV 4.12
[none]
Castle, The 841-7618 300-2400 Image 1.2
[none]
Channel 8250 (Node 1) 744-8546 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
[ez, un]
Channel 8250 (Node 2) 744-5166 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
[ez, un]
Cherry Tree 681-1710 1200-14400 TriBBS 4.01
[wm, ca]
Christian Apologetic 808-0763 1200-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 3.90
[ez, cp]
Crocodile Country BBS 477-6283 1200-16800 USR DS Searchlight 3.5 *RIP*
[sl, fi]
Crunchy Frog (Node 1) 823-3957 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
[ez, mn, lu, ll]
Crunchy Frog (Node 2) 823-3958 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
[ez, mn, lu, ll]
Crystal Village 856-3749 1200-2400 VBBS 6.10
[cr, cs, al, ho, co, fn, vi]
Den, The 933-8744 300-9600 USR HST PCBoard 15.1
[ez, mn, il]
Digital Publishing 854-1660 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat! 3.60
[pl]
Electro-BBS 491-8402 300-14400 V.32/42 Maximus 2.01
[fi]
Family Smorgas-Board 744-0943 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
[ez, fi, mj, bc, fa, ic, cf, cd, ve, ad, wg, pt, ed, gn]
Final Frontier 838-5634 300-14400 VBBS 6.11 *RIP*
[al, he, re, fn]
Free Enterprise 856-9809 300-2400
[fi, sz]
Genesis Online(Nodes 1-6) 620-4150 300-14400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11
[mr]
Gone Fishin' 733-0860 1200-14000 Searchlight 3.5a *RIP*
Guardian, The (Node 1) 425-1951 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11
[vi]
Guardian, The (Node 2) 425-1956 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11
[vi]
Hardeman's BBS 640-6436 1200-14400 Wildcat! 3.51
[wi, di, bc]
Homewood's Hell Hole 987-7823 2400-14440 V.32bis VBBS 6.10
[he, bi]
Joker's Castle 664-5589 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
[ez, mn, un]
KickAxis BBS (Node 1) 733-0253 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0
[he]
KickAxis BBS (Node 2) 733-0299 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0
[he]
Leaping's Lounge 856-2521 1200-14400 GTPower 18.00
[gt, ez, mn, wm, di]
Lions Den 871-9688 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90
[wi, fi]
Lumby's Palace 520-0041 300-14400 VBBS 6.0
[he]
Magic City (Node 1) 664-9883 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90
[di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe]
Magic City (Node 2) 664-0435 300-2400 Wildcat! 3.90
[di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe]
Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300-14400 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
[ez, mn]
MATRIX, The (Nodes 1-14) 323-2016 300-2400 PCBoard 15.0 *RIP*
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
MATRIX, The (Nodes 20-23) 323-6016 9600-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0 *RIP*
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
MATRIX, The (Node 25-26) 458-3449 9600-14400 V.32bis PCBoard 15.0 *RIP*
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
MetaBoard 854-4814 300-14400 USR DS Opus CBCS 1.73
[fi, ad]
MetroMac BBS (Node 1) 323-6306 1200-14400 V.32bis TeleFinder 3.1
[none]
MetroMac BBS (Node 2) 252-0582 1200-14400 V.32bis TeleFinder 3.1
[none]
Milliways BBS (Node 1) 956-3177 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
[none]
Milliways BBS(Nodes 2-6)956-2731 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
[none]
Missing Link 853-1257 300-16800 USR DS C-Net Amiga 2.63
[cl, cn]
Neon Moon 477-5894 300-14400 TriBBS 4.0
[none]
Outer Limits (Node 1) 426-5611 1200-16800 ZyXEL Wildcat! 3.90 *RIP*
[fi, do, ec, er, pn]
Outer Limits (Node 2) 425-5871 1200-16800 ZyXEL Wildcat! 3.90 *RIP*
[fi, do, ec, er, pn]
Outer Limits (Node 3) 426-2939 1200-16800 ZyXEL Wildcat! 3.90 *RIP*
[fi, do, ec, er, pn]
Party Line 856-1336 300-14000 V.32bis TriBBS 4.0
[cc, wm, di]
Penny Arcade 699-4625 300-2400 Running Force! 3.75
[none]
Playground 681-5070 1200-14000 V.32 TriBBS 5.0
[wm, di, al, ez]
Posys BBS 854-5131 300-9600 V.32 PCBoard
[none]
Programmer's Shack 988-4695 2400-14400 HST DS Renegade
[ws, fi, it]
Quiet Zone 833-2066 300-2400 ExpressNet
[none]
Safe Harbor (Node 1) 665-4332 300-2400 GTPower 18.00
[gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr]
Safe Harbor (Node 2) 665-4355 300-14400 USR DS GTPower 18.00
[gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr]
Sam's Domain 956-2757 1200-14400 SL. 3.50
[da, he]
Safety BBS 581-2866 300-2400 RBBS-PC 17.4
[none]
Southern Stallion 322-3816 300-16800 ZyXEL PCBoard 15.1
[ez, lu, th, rs, ss, it]
Sperry BBS 853-6144 300-2400 V.32/42b PCBoard 15.0
[none]
ST BBS 836-9311 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
[ez]
StarBase 12 647-7184 1200-14000 TriBBS 4.0
[ez, mn, wm]
The Light 979-0368 300-14400 V.32bis PCBoard 15.0
[ch, nl]
Thy Master's Dungeon 940-2116 300-57600 V.32/42b PCBoard 14.5
[fr]
Torch Song 328-1517 1200-14000 V.32/42b Wildcat 3.6
[pr, st, gn]
Travelog BBS 491-3898 300-2400 TriBBS
[none]
Weekends BBS 841-8583 2400-16800 USR DS Wildcat! 3.9
[ca]
Willie's DYM (Node 1) 664-9902 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
[or]
Willie's DYM (Node 2) 664-9903 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
[or]
Willie's DYM (Node 3) 664-9895 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
[or]
Willie's DYM (Node 4) 664-9896 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
[or]
Ziggy Unix BBS 991-5696 300-1200 UNaXess
[none]
*RIP* = BBS Software is RIP Graphics capable. You must be using a RIP
compatible term software to view them. RIPTerm or QmodemPro v1.50 are
the only two I know of that support it at this time. RIPTerm is shareware
and can be downloaded from most BBS's. QmodemPro is a commercial product.
The two-letter abbreviations you see on the line below the names of
many of the bbs' in the list signify that they are members of one or
more networks that exchange or echo mail to each other in some organized
fashion.
ad = ADAnet, an international network dedicated to the handicapped
ae = Arts & Entertainment, a national network, multi-topic
ag = AgapeNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
al = AlaNet, a local network, multi-topic
an = AnnexNet, an international network, multi-topic
at = AdultNet, a national network, adult-oriented
bc = BCBNet, a local network, religion-oriented
bh = BhamTalk, a local network, multi-topic
bi = BitchNet, uncertain at press time
ca = CafeNet, a local network, restaurant/dining, recipes, etc.
cc = Coast2Coast, a national network, multi-topic
cd = CDN, a national Christian network for file distribution
cf = CFN, a national Christian network, multi-topic
ch = ChristNet, a national Christian network
cl = CLink, uncertain at press time
cm = CompuLink, a national network, multi-topic
cn = CNet, multi-topic
co = ComicNet, a local net for comic book readers
cp = CAPNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
cr = CrystalNet, uncertain at press time
cs = ChaosNet, uncertain at press time
cy = Cybernet, uncertain at press time
da = DateNet, uncertain at press time
de = DevNet, an international network for programmers and developers
di = Dixie Net, a regional network, multi-topic geared toward the south
eastern United States
do = DoorNet, a national network for the distribution of BBS doors
ec = EchoNet, an international network, multi-topic
ed = EduNet, a national network devoted to homeschooling and Christian
education
er = ErosNet, an international network, adult oriented, files & messages
ez = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network
fa = FamilyNet, an international network, multi-topic
fi = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic
fn = FrontierNet, a local network, multi-topic
fr = FredNet, a regional network, political discussion
fs = FSNet, uncertain at press time
ga = GameNet, a local network, uncertain at press time
gl = GlobalLink, an international network, multi-topic
gn = GlobeNet, an international network, multi-topic
gt = GTNet, an international network, multi-topic
gy = GayNet, a national network, homosexually oriented
he = HellNet, a local network, multi-topic
ho = HobbyNet, a local network for hobbyists
ic = ICDM, an international Christian network, multi-topic
ie = Intelec, a national network, multi-topic
il = ILink, an international network, multi-topic
in = InterNet, an international network of mail, linking businesses,
universities, and bbs', multi-topic
it = ITCNet, a national network, multi-topic
lg = Local GT Net, a local network, connecting GT Power systems
ll = LlamaNet, a national network, freeform correspondence
lo = LocalNet, uncertain at press time
lu = LuciferNet, an international network, adult oriented
ma = MAXnet, a local network, connecting WWIV and VBBS systems
mj = MJCN, an international network for Messianic Jews
mn = Metronet, an international network which echoes RIME, multi-topic
mr = MajorNet, an international network, multi-topic
nl = NewLife, uncertain at press time
np = NPN, a national network for new parents
or = OraNet, a national E-mail network
pe = Planet Earth Network, a national network, multi-topic
pl = PlanoNet, a national network, multi-topic
pn = PoliceNet, an international network, law-enforcement only
pr = PrideNet, a national homosexually oriented network
pt = PRNet, a national network devoted to 2nd amendment rights
rf = RF Net, a national network for ham radio users and hobbyists
ri = RIME, an international network, multi-topic
rb = RoboLink, a national network, multi-topic
re = RealityNet, uncertain at press time
rp = RPGnet, a local network for role-playing games
rs = RoseNet, a national network, technically orient*ed
ru = RushNet, a national network for Rush Limbaugh fans
sc = Science Factor Net, a national network, science and technology
oriented
se = SEC, a regional network, homosexually oriented geared toward the
southeastern United States
sh = Shades N Shadows Net, a national network for role-playing games
sl = SearchlightNet, a national network, multi-topic
sm = SmartNet, a national network, multi-topic
sn = ShadowNet, a national network for role-playing games
ss = SexSations!, a national network, adult-oriented
st = StudsNet, a national network, homosexually oriented
sz = SCN-Net, uncertain at press time
te = TECHnet, a local network, hardware and utility oriented
th = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented
un = U'NI-Net, an international network, multi-topic
us = Usenet, an international network existing on the Internet, multi-
topic
ve = VETLink, a national network for military veterans
vi = VirtualNet, an international network, multi-topic
wg = WGA, an international network devoted to genealogy research
wi = WildNet, a national network, multi-topic
wm = World Message Exchange, an international network, multi-topic
ws = WishNet, uncertain at press time
ww = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic
