Once upon a time, out on MARS.

While reading the mail, wispering this:

 SA>         Your teasing?  You'd sell the bbs just like that? I hope
 SA>         not.  Your not in the hobby for fun then eh? :)

 CM> For the fun, the learning, cameraderie, and the challenges...
 CM> However one can only do so much for so long with no thanks,
 CM> whoop-dee-doo or other recognition of some kind. I've been around
 CM> long enough to see loads of BBS's come and loads more go away.
 CM> Lots of software authors come and more leave. It's getting a
 CM> little bit harder to justify the extra costs with the phone
 CM> lines, and other costs, when there's no one left to use it. :^(

SA>         I dunno.  I've been around in bbsdom for over 2 decades and
SA>         seen the same bu ti do it for a hobby for fun.  I don't worry
SA>         about the rewards or back slaps or even the cost.  I do
SA>         it for myself.

Pretty much what I've done, too. Though an occasional word of
thanks from the users, or a comment about the job you've done, is
greatly appreciated...

 CM> I _HAVE_ enjoyed the run, from the inception of my BBS back in
 CM> late 1986, through its' many iterations and changes, to it's
 CM> likely final appearance as a full multi-node dial-up system
 CM> running a very solid commercial grade of software. With the
 CM> distinct lack of affordable broadband coverage in my home area,
 CM> it very likely won't appear anytime soon as a telnet system,
 CM> though that capability is here (SIO/Vmodem under OS/goo). I just
 CM> don't know at this time what direction I'll take with it.

SA>         Well I figure you make a BBS enjoyable to others they will
SA>         come no matter what.  I still have enough users to make
SA>         me happy and even some daily LD callers not cause its just
SA>         around but cause its a good place for users.
SA>         They know its a big active posting board and not a dead one.
SA>         [Not saying yours is dead just how i see things]

The only users I have, are LD ones.. :*)  Apparently there aren't
any more locals (thank you WEB). ALmost to a "T" everyone I ask
about old-fashioned BBS's, says "Huhn? Wazzat?" and when I tell
them about using a terminl program like HyperTerm (included with
Winx) they give blank stares.. At least I can be gratefull for
the few that still call in.

Chris Martin, The MARS Station BBS

 * WCE 2.1G1/2419 * ... A big enough hammer fixes anything

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