AP> At various times in this echo, we see people posting that their
 AP> BBS boards are going down and they are looking for new ones so they
 AP> can keep on participating here, and we see people complaining that
 AP> their messages aren't getting out, or that they are seeing answers
 AP> to messages written by other people but never saw the original posts.
This would be a local problem generally. When I have problems on my system, 
if mail has to get deleted for some reason, c'est la vie. Mail in particular 
isn't worth backing up. "There will always be more." 
 AP> The article lays the blame, as many of us have been doing, on the
 AP> advent
 AP> of software that lets users see graphics on the World Wide Web. This
 AP> is
 AP> said to have been the beginning of the end for BBS boards even though
 AP> some software companies began offering more visually appealing BBS
 AP> programs because that hasn't been enough to offset the Web's appeal.
It is also the cost of what users perceive they get. And as a sysop, I have 
to admit that the graphics are 'way cool' and it is easier being a user than 
an operator.
 AP> The article then states, "As a result, BBS operators say the number of
 AP> users of their systems has declined, particularly over the past year.
Definately, at least in terms of contributing and participating users. About 
3 years ago my system averaged 50-60 callers per day. Now if/when I get 20 it 
is a busy day. Those 20 calls could be handled on a single line. And if it 
were just mail, it could be done part-time as well...
 AP> In response, many are shutting down their systems. Those who charge
 AP> for system access but don't offer some way to get to the Internet are
 AP> suffering the most...."
:-) maybe that explains my situation. But the cost of doing that isn't 
cost-effective when local providers can offer 24 hours 7 days a week at under 
20 bux a month. To the point where when I am asked about IPSs I suggest not 
getting anything which has any limits. Not that I would offer 24 hours a day 
to anyone, but without more than simply mail and files it would seem sort of 
boring to look at files lists all day...
 AP> I am lucky in that there are still 250 boards in my city and that my
 AP> local BBS is a full service subscription board that carries Fidonet,
 AP> offers Internet newsgroups and web access, and much more.  I know
 AP> that many of you live in towns where Fido access is very limited and
 AP> that you will be stuck with long distance calling expenses if your
 AP> board goes down and you can't find another one close by.  But I am
 AP> more concerned about how long we will have the Fidonet highway
 AP> to travel than about finding local boards with which to access it.
I run what I consider to be a respectible system, and charge a massive $2.00 
per month (24/year) for full access, which is about 240 min/day, unlimited 
downloads. This year I would bet that under 4 people have bothered sending a 
cent. This is not an incentive for a larger system like mine to continue 
doing anything.
 AP> My reading of this article on top of what I have been seeing posted
 AP> in the echoes I frequent over the past few months tells me that
 AP> the reason we are losing so many Fido nodes is because it is too
 AP> expensive a proposition for the SYSOPS of free boards and most
 AP> nominal subscription boards to invest in the equipment and technology
 AP> to access the Internet through servers.  What worries me the most is
It is. For this $100 bux (max) I have gotten from users this year, I have had 
(been required) to get a new modem, 1 new drive, 1 new LAN card. Clearly this 
isn't even a break-even point. I'm not in this to get rich, but I'm not in 
this to lose my money to benefit Joe Doe who calls in to grab files. To add 
true internet connection would cost additional thousands in hardware and 
dedicated lines and telco lines. Clearly again it isn't worth it.
 AP> I wonder even more after reading the Houston Chronicle article today
 AP> whether Fido is fatally ill or just suffering a long term chronic
 AP> illness from which it will neither get better nor die.  Is there
I would guess that it is sick but will hang on. For a couple reasons. 1. Mail 
is SO MUCH MORE SIMPLE on most any BBS than using newsgroups. 2. File 
downloading is SO MUCH FASTER off a BBS, particularly e.g. Zmodem w/ 
auto-resume aborted downloads. I can't say how many times I have spent at 
28.8k 59 minutes to lose carrier and have to start the download all over. 
CIS-B is better than this. 
3. The hardware required is SO MUCH CHEAPER to hit a BBS than the Internet. 
4. Sysops are an addictive lot who seem to really enjoy doing this stuff even 
at a financial loss. That is probably the #1 reason, regardless of anything 
else.
 AP>  * SLMR 2.1a * A country road's more scenic than a freeway. Fidonet!
 AP>  * SLMR 2.1a * Growing old is NOT the same as growing wise.
Why 2 lines?
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