Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555) wrote to Steven Horn at 10:19 on 12 Dec 2002:

 MvdV> There is plenty of stuff around for those who feel a need for it.
 MvdV> FIPS comes to mind.

I've used Sempoint with mixed success but will look for FIPS.

 MvdV> But that's not the answer. There is still a place for Fidonet,
 MvdV> but it is a niche. Making it look more like the InterNet isn't
 MvdV> going to save it. We hobbyists simply do not have the resources
 MvdV> of Microsoft. Trying to compete with the visual might of
 MvdV> Microsoft is a lost cause from the beginning.

A niche does not have to be lined with hairshirts.  If a GUI is available,
promote it. 

 MvdV> No, we should forget that. We can not compete on form, we must
 MvdV> compete on /content/.

Content looks so much better with a GUI.  I don't write my letters with timEd.

 MvdV> FidoNet will never have a "potential huge base of possible users"
 MvdV> any more. Period. Those days are gone.

A truth.

 MvdV> That may be so in your part of the world, over here it certainly
 MvdV> isn't.

It will catch up to you.:-) 

 MvdV> Yes, the number of people that access the internet via adsl or
 MvdV> cable is growing. But the number of people doing so via POTS or
 MvdV> ISDN is still growing faster.

ISFN never caught on over here and both ADSL and cable are affordable
alternatives to dial-up accounts. 

 MvdV> POTS is still a long way from being dead.

I think you over-estimate its life span.

Take care,

Steven Horn (steven_a_horn{at}yahoo.ca)
Moderator, ALASKA_CHAT 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+