Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote to Richard Webb at 09:18 on 26 Jan 2009:

 RW> WOuld we have done better had we had more democracy.  I think we 
 RW> would possibly have.

 RN> Fidonet isn't a democracy, per se, and that's the pity of it all.

I want to comment to both you and Richard Webb about this issue but it may
have to wait a day or two. 

 RW> yEs, especially sad though when you figure that the local fidonet 
 RW> bbs might be that person's first actual online experience.  I 
 RW> spent as much time teaching users how to use netmail, the uucp 
 RW> gateway, etc. as I did doing anything else to keep the board 
 RW> running.  That, and of course policing users and new uploads.

 RN> As I see it, the problem with operating a BBS today is the caller
 RN> doesn't have instant access to information.  An example would be
 RN> someone going online and googleing something.  No way a BBS could
 RN> compete with that.  The next generation of mailer software could
 RN> make that a possibility, but the lure of the Internet is very
 RN> strong and very difficult to rival.

 RW> They're the only ones who should, but we have a responsibility to 
 RW> them as well.  

 RN> We absolutely do!  I don't think the mail movers are interested in
 RN> being elflords.  I pretty sure mine isn't and I'm not.

 RW> WAnt to discuss old movies?  

 RN> I moderate the MOVIES echo and I haven't seen a post in it for a
 RN> very long time. In fact, I just took a look at the archive and the
 RN> last time anyone but me posted in it was March of last year.  I
 RN> consider myself a movie buff, but it isn't easy to talk to myself.
 RN>   All the other topics are nice, but apparently we have a mute
 RN> audience -- not counting the lurkers.

 RW> I"ve been swamped with projects lately, but I"m always lurking.  
 RW> AS I commented earlier this thread, why GOd gives us two ears, one 
 RW> mouth .

 RN> And no fingers to type with.

 RW> WE built some very interesting communities in those years. Iirc 
 RW> writers shared their works both poetry and prose. Musicians and 
 RW> songwriters traded tapes and made compilations of regular echo 
 RW> posters.  I think I told you I just about joined a production 
 RW> partnership with some fellows back in those days, but the partner 
 RW> who was a fidonet sysop and initially got everybody talking 
 RW> partnership gave me fair warning in time to get out before things 
 RW> turned bad.  THose communities were out there and we let 'em get 
 RW> away from us.

 RN> Those were the days.

 RN> ... Anybody seen the Internet around here?

Take care,

Steven Horn (steven.horn{at}northwestel.net)
Moderator, ALASKA_CHAT 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+