-> CA>When BBS were the primary source of new software (both freeware and
-> CA>shareware) the sysop could force you to read screen after screen of
-> CA>useless 'information' before you could get to a menu and check for
-> CA>new files or download FIDO messages.  Most BBS continue to operate
-> CA>this way ad nauseum.

-> Well, it was not always the sysop that forced this.  BBS software
-> defaulted to doing so, and a lot of sysops probably didn't realize how
-> annoying it could be to a user.  The software I use, GT Power, had an
-> option for the user so that, once they were logged on, they could
-> choose to skip the "bulletins," and go right to the main menu prompt.

 Teh BBS' I uase have had that feature for Years. On Jakes BBS putting a
* in front of my "Username password" takes me Directly to the main menu.
And I cannot rembember the last time I was on a BBS that didn't have
something similar.
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5