Lastly for archival purposes for re-posting...


 
 Hello everyone.
 
 I realize Scott is probably waiting for a reply from me, and so is Michael
 Yadron -- and with things the way they are, I'm not sure if I'd be able to f
 their messages anymore to dig up the original context.  FWIW, I'm no longer
 using a DOS/Windows based PC and have adopted a Powerbook as my only compute
 -- but some of my mail has yet to be converted from my old PC and as message
 formats age, finding conversion tools is getting harder and harder.
 
 So, hello everyone.  I don't anticipate that I'll be a regular here, but I
 thought I would drop in while I could and leave a message, before life gets
 hectic again (tomorrow).
 
 I know of the many questions that have come and gone (and off the top of my
 head Scott, this is about what I remember from our brief email exchange) --
 1) What happened to Tim?
 2) What happened to Telegard?
 3) What happened to Forbidden Knights (my BBS)?
 4) What does the future hold for Telegard?
 
 I'm fairly certain that none of the answers that I could provide would be
 sufficient for other people to either necessarily understand, nor do I think
 they would provide any specific closure.  So I'll answer them briefly, and
 understand that I will probably raise other questions, etc.
 
 #1) For the last couple of years, probably since you last heard from me, I'v
 been working for various startup companies in Toronto and Montreal, primaril
 during the boom and post-bust of the technology sector.  After tiring of the
 ups-and-downs related to those (expanding and firing 75% of your staff (goin
 from 5 to 20 to 45 to 11 to 0), taking no salary for 9 months, getting bough
 out, watching it all fall apart a second time (from 100 this time!), etc.) I
 decided to become an independent consultant.  I now work with various small 
 large companies in Canada, the US and abroad primarily in strategic technolo
 projects in the advertising or marketing verticals.  I still work too hard, 
 life moves forward and at least I control my environment a little better now
 I'm no longer a developer as I just don't enjoy the challenge anymore.
 
 #2) Somewhere in all these transitions, I lost access to Fidonet and with it
 the primary conduit to Telegard.  In addition, the time that I had access to
 the Internet severely diminished and I was left without the communication
 channels that I had started to foster while the Internet was starting to tak
 hold (email, web, IIRC, etc.).  This unfortunately left me without the touch
 points that had became so familiar over the years, and this led to a gradual
 withdrawal that was more subconscious than conscious.  I was overwhelmed wit
 responsibilities that I'd both created and adopted, and I had difficulty
 juggling all the balls.  The next thing that I knew, I'd disappeared from
 Telegard -- and I knew exactly where I was.  I think that regrets kept me aw
 after that, as I felt that I had let many of you down by disappearing and fo
 not completing things that I had obviously intended to finish -- and perhaps
 for not recognizing what was happening and not finding a way to exit gracefu
 and determine a transition strategy.  Telegard as a result limbered in no ma
 land -- and for that I can only apologize, utmost sincere.
 
 #3) Forbidden Knights suffered the same fate; it limped into non-existence a
 was shut down to my recollection without much feedback from me -- the next
 thing I had known it was down, and had been for a few months.  It wasn't goi
 to be recovered.  R.I.P Forbidden Knights, 1991-2000.  The days of rushing h
 3 hours in the middle of the night to get it back up and running seemed to e
 with the same withdrawal of its' daily interaction.  Forbidden Knights came 
 a end with thanks to all its users and those who kept it running for the 9
 years that it did -- even if it was left unsaid.
 
 Before I answer #4, let me tell you that my days as the author of Telegard,
 working with its many users and most especially the alpha and beta sites tha
 made up a fabulous team, were some of the most rewarding days of my early
 career.  I also know that I sacrificed a lot for Telegard but hindsight only
 gives you the privilege of making virtual changes without knowing what the
 final outcome would be -- and so I've long since made peace that I made the
 best decisions at the time that I made them, with the best information and
 guidance that I had.  I don't regret anything that we all accomplished with
 each other, and I don't think I'd trade the experiences for anything else
 either.  Everything I learned in those days has fashioned my principles, mor
 guides and habits that I still rely on today.  As a foundation, Telegard and
 all that it brought to me was unparalleled.
 
 #4) I'm not sure where Telegard can go from here -- I'm not sure that the PC
 that has all the source code can boot, nor am I sure that I have all the
 compilers and tool chains that would be required to revitalize the project. 
 also know that I don't have the time, or the will, to continue the project
 myself.  I don't remember what state it was left in, as time and age have no
 likely been kind to the project.  Off the top of my head, I don't know what
 code can be open-sourced, and wouldn't move the project that way without the
 consent of the other authors of the project (and yes, as much as I rewrote
 there are still contributions and copyrights that are owned by other
 individuals).  I realize this leaves it open ended, and I suspect for the ne
 little while that's where it'll have to stay with my apologies -- and with y
 understanding.
 
 Thank you everyone for the kind words you've said over the years, and I wish
 all of you the best.  My email address tstrike{at}telegard.net is still active 
 I promise that I'll read your email, and I'll do my utmost best to respond a
 well but with volume and other considerations it may not be possible that ea
 of you get a personalized response.
 
 Please do not write me asking for the source code, for new fixes, etc. since
 you've read this far, the answers are already buried in the text.
 
 Tim Strike
 tstrike{at}telegard.net

--- Fringe BBS