I have been BBSing for about 25 years now.  Ever since
        I first called that first bbs i was hooked.  I think
        it was a Bitcom board.  Then came pcboard, wwiv, spitfire,
        renegade, remote access, cp/m nad of course telegard to
        name a few.

        The only one to show distinction was of course Telegard.
        I fell in love right away with it.

        I quickly populated every TG board i could find and become
        quite active.  Steve Shapiro's board was one of the biggest
        in town and doing TG.  I become co-sysop there.  Then
        on EWOG I co-sysop there.  I learned the tricks of the trade.

        Then in 1993 i opened up after 6 months of work on the bbs
        EWOG II - Fringe BBS.  Many years later I've not been down
        more than 3 days.  i've never had a serious crash or failure.
        Telegard has served me well and i still consider it to be
        the BEST software out there for BBSEs.  Other packages were
        good but didn't have all the ease and feel TG did.

        Being connected to Steve gave me inside stuff to the TG
        world.  i think back then it was 2.5.  I soon would
        become a beta tester of the software for many years and
        enjoyed that immensly helping out Tim and others with things
        and support.  This echo saw that many years of such support.
        It was great.  A community of sysops and users helping each
        other out.

        Not sure when it happened but become good friends with Tim.
        I think it was during the IRC period of sysopnet nad others.
        He would eventually send me 85% of the TG code for various
        personal programs I wrote and for the FAQS and other things
        I did in the whole project front.  Course I still have that
        code and yes could probably do the 15% left out and do
        a new version of TG.

        But I see the reality of the bbs world today.  Fidonet has
        gone from 40,000 odd nodes to maybe 100 or so in zone 1.
        I've seen this echo which at one point got 500 msgs a day
        to maybe 5 a month.  I've seen bbses overall decline by
        about 95%.  Telnet is not the cure as folks think it is.

        Even rats are smart enough to know when to jump ship on
        a sinking ship.  This ship has been going down hill for
        the last decade and not gone up any bit.  I rather leave
        in a good position and good mood than later in 5-6 years
        when theres only 2-3 boards left on the planet.

        I love this hobby and will miss it.  But the hobby isn't
        what it once was.  It will be sad to not turn around
        and check the bbs.  It will be sad to see TG go and fade
        out.  It will be sad not to talk to certain folks all
        the time.  But the time I take in the hobby can now be
        put into other projects.

        With that said I hereby resign as TG_Sup Moderator effective
        on 2/1/07.  The Last day of my bbs.  I have emailed some
        folks to see if they want to be moderator.  I will appoint
        the next one depending on those replies.

        Carol.  Your a good choice would you like to be moderator
        of the echo?  Might as well ask a few and see who wants
        the job :)

        To all those folks out there over the years who might still
        be around I'll miss ya!

        Scott Adams
        TG_Sup Fidonet Moderator
        Fringe BBS - EWOG II Sysop
        AdventureNet IC
        Fidoent 1:112/91 NEC/NET112 NC
        website: www.funport.com/longshot
        email: longshot{at}darktech.org
        ICQ: Can be found on website :)


... "I have an excellent disguise." - Garibaldi
--- Fringe BBS