Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.7.0.8 $; site uiucdcsb
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcsb!kenny
From: kenny@uiucdcsb.CS.UIUC.EDU
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: is there really a need for BBS's?
Message-ID: <4400121@uiucdcsb>
Date: Wed, 2-Oct-85 15:38:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcsb.4400121
Posted: Wed Oct  2 15:38:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Oct-85 03:28:20 EDT
References: <746@bgsuvax.UUCP>
Lines: 28
Nf-ID: #R:bgsuvax.UUCP:-74600:uiucdcsb:4400121:000:1555
Nf-From: uiucdcsb.CS.UIUC.EDU!kenny    Oct  2 14:38:00 1985


>The typical log entry shows so-and-so logging on, going to the file transfer
>area, downloading several files and then logging off.  Thanks, that's why I
>started up a BBS, to supply people with free programs.  Really makes my day
>to see that I've spent all this time and money just to watch pigs at the
>trough.
>
>Whatever happened to the COMMUNICATIONS in telecommunications?  Is this the
>result of the Computer Age, that people don't talk or communicate with each
>other?  Are we getting so totally in tune with our equipment that we're
>excluding PEOPLE?


I'm not a really big user of BBS's, so I can't say whether my experience is
typical, but I find that the problem works both ways.  If I download from
someone's system, I generally make the attempt to find something useful to
upload in return -- frequently it's fixes/enhancements to programs that I've
downloaded previously.  More often than not, I've wound up getting nothing
but a nasty message from the sysop, either because (1) s/he thinks only
other sysops can provide useful software, or (2) s/he thinks that the disk
space on the system is far too precious to clutter it up with whatever I
have to send.  The general attitude seems to be "Why are you messing up my
system with stuff like this?"

I note a few important exceptions (1000-Oaks, Tech CBBS, Royal Oak), but
they seem to be in the minority.  C'mon sysops, if someone does upload stuff
that you're not interested in, the polite thing to do is to thank them and
quietly expunge it, not flame them; at least they're trying!


Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com