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From: cak@PURDUE.EDU ("Christo{r A. Kent")
Newsgroups: mod.telecom
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V5 #105 [French Directory Assistance Terminals]{{_}Date: 14 Feb 86 16:36:58 EST (Fri)
Message-ID: <8602150756.AA04326@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>
Date: Sat, 15-Feb-86 02:56:44 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8602150756.AA04326
Posted: Sat Feb 15 02:56:44 1986
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While a lot of people may not care for the Minitel terminals for
directory assistance, there's a networking culture building up. Several
large catalog-based operations offer Minitel service instead of mail-
or voice-based ordering (for a fee to the PTT, of course.) 

There's also a conferencing service offered, much like the conference
groups on the Source and elsewhere. An article that I saw over
Christmas gave an outsiders view of the whole thing, describing a
culture much like Usenet for conferenced groups on various subjects, as
well as real-time communications, often for romantic encounters.
Communication is typcially based on handles rather than real names, and
there are some serious Minitel junkies out there. And my impression was
that it was quite expensive (but I don't recall any hard numbers.)

chris
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