-=> Doug Cooper wrote to Dennisk <=-

 DC> Haha, that works too ... After 4 kids, 3 I've raised, I'm numb to the
 DC> tantrums or disappoitning looks they stomp away with.  No often is the
 DC> only answer they must learn as they'll hear it moreoften then not as an
 DC> adult.

 De> Donating to the food pantry sounds like a great idea.  My wife has
 De> suggested quite a few times we should during christmas, donate old toys
 De> and go help/volunteer, but it hasn't actually happened yet.  Need to
 De> step up here.

 DC> I don't know about where you are, but here not all pantries take toys
 DC> and clothees, so if you do it, you'll wanna call around.  I avoid
 DC> giving to Goodwill as they mark them up to and sell them.  I prefer the
 DC> pantries as they give them to kids 100% free.  They are funded by our
 DC> city government via grants and public donations.

Melbourne is a pretty big city, geographically speaking, but I don't think
there is much like that around my part.  There are toy libraries and charity
run second hand stores, and there are charities which act like a food bank, but
I don't know of any that take food and toys and other items.  I don't think
things like that are as established in Australia.  Perhaps there is less of a
need.  I have noted that there are far more homeless in the city centre camped
out at night, bit in the capitals you don't see the tent cities and poverty
like you see in the USA.

 De> Just out of interest, why are you in Fidonet?

 DC> Should I not be?  lol!  I joined FidoNet for diversity of topics to
 DC> discuss as opposed to many networks that only focus on SysOp support
 DC> and or Computer tech topics.  While I do subscribe to other networks,
 DC> Fido is the only I have that has seperate categories of conversation to
 DC> keep the people relatively on track.  I would  be open to others as
 DC> well.  I really want to start an National Football League echo, but I'm
 DC> unclear on how to add it in mystic. So ... until I figure that out, I'm
 DC> reading recipes, this dad board, and a few others.

 DC> You?

 DC> --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Windows/32)

A few reasons.  Firstly, it's kind of cool to still be able to use BBSs on a
486, and I like simple technology with few demands and requirements.

Secondly, I had known about FidoNet for ages, but when I was using dial up
BBS's I never really considered it.  They never used it and maybe I thought it
was some subscription deal.

Thirdly, I dislike so called social media and the way that these Californian
companies act and thing.  They act reprehensibly, it is often toxic and
discussion is too noisy and shallow and the platform sucks.  There are
alternatives like Minds, but the solution is still flawed.  I know that BBS's
are redundant, there is still value in the model.  A simple technology that
anyone can deploy and own, with a very low barrier of entry, that can serve a
community.  A system that the community can own, and be moderated by people
held accountable.  So in part I'm here to use a model I advocate.  I think
Diaspora was trying to do something like this.

Lastly, I figured there would be more shared interests here, than on say, Tik
Tok.


... Dennis Katsonis
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52