In a message to Anthony about "aust_point", Paul said:

AM> I also wonder whether someone like this would be left with the
AM> impression that all of Fidonet is like this...  Given the nature and
AM> position and calibre of this sort of person, it doesn't exactly do a
AM> hell of a lot of good for the modeming community as a whole...

PE> That's like saying that watching the 7, 9 or 10 o'clock news would give
PE> people the impression that NSW is just one long series of
PE> car accidents. Or that walking down George street at 12
PE> noon on Thursday you will get raped, pillaged and suspended
PE> from the high court.

It's not the same thing at all.  TV news and real life is somehow
related, if inaccurately as you rightly suggest.  Cyberspace stands for
itself - it's not a mirror of any other place in the so called real
world.  It's just a new medium of conversation and information exchange.
If you look into only one echo and see a bunch of regulars slagging each
other off about OS/2 and amigas, you might begin to think that all echos
are pervaded by ignorant arseholes.  The truth as Rod puts it, lies
elsewhere. [geeze I hate it when one person characterizes so many of the
conversational mannerisms I already use... ;) ]  It would be a shame if
Greg got the wrong impression about Fidonet because that particular echo
was all he may have had time to read in detail and was thus given his
first impression of Fidonet as being a bunch of rabid Telecom zealots,
and loud-mouthed opinionated arsewipes that inhibit other peoples free
speech.

PE> [despite all my attempts at getting some good flames up
PE> about why wog-food tastes like it was invented by wogs et
PE> al].  BFN.

You are a loony Paul, the best I've ever seen... ;)

'tnt, Amfony.                               
--- Maximus/2 2.01wb