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               ___________________________________________________
              |                                                   |
              |      )[> [F]requently [A]sked [Q]uestions <](     |
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              |      Revision Level: 1.01  /  Valid: 11/19/92     |
              |___________________________________________________|
              (c) Copyright 1992, Phantom Access Technologies, Inc.



  WHAT IS VOX?  
  ============

       MindVox was created out of  our  desire  to  bring  an  innovative  and
  creative  gathering-place  to  the online universe, or "Cyberspace" as it is
  being termed.  While we are a full-featured service provider, our main  goal
  is  one of creating and constantly evolving a unique online community, which
  combines all the features you'd expect from  any  multi-national  commercial
  network or large-scale public access Unix site; coupled with a diverse array
  of individuals and groups who have made their home on MindVox,  weaving  to-
  gether  the threads of countless ideas and dreams, into the social fabric of
  a thriving community.

       To put it simply: we are a PLACE, not just  a  collection  of  services
  grouped  together  with  a price list and termed "system."  There is a great
  deal of text available on us in various periodicals, both hardcopy and elec-
  tronic,  and  a  cross-section of this material is available online.  People
  who are interested in what we are, and how MindVox began are  encouraged  to
  login as guests and read the EDITORIAL.


  FEATURES 
  ========

  MindVox is "live" on the Internet and easily accessible  from  over  100,000
  machines  all  over  the  world,  through  the  use of telnet; as well as 24
  direct-dial lines located in NYC, NY.

  A sampling of the features we offer include:

  )> Local MindVox Forums covering topics that span the range from the  evolu-
  tion  of  Cyberspace,  Virtual Reality, Legal Issues, and Security and Virus
  updates and discussions, all the way to Health, Drugs,  Beauty,  Alternative
  Medicine, and Erotica.

  )> Over 1700 Usenet Newsgroups.  We receive a full  newsfeed  with  over  35
  megabytes of news every 24 hours.

  )> Archives containing hundreds of megabytes of  files  and  messages,  from
  systems  that were active from 1978-1991.  These are the collected inception
  of what we now term as "Cyberspace."

  )> Security and Virus conferences and  programs  are  available  online  for
  edification and easy downloading.

  )> Custom front-end user interface that allows Members easy  access  to  the
  power  of  the  underlying  MindVox  operating system, without the learning-
  curve.

  )> IRC Live REAL-TIME Conference system.  An average of 500 people from  all
  over the world are online 24 hours a day.

  )> A wide variety of single and multi-player games are online for  your  en-
  joyment.

  For complete information, prospective Members are encouraged  to  login  and
  take a look around using the GUEST account.


  ACCESSING MINDVOX 
  =================

  MindVox is physically located in New York City, and a local  call  from  the
  212 or 718 area codes.  We can be reached through telnet, by typing:  telnet
  phantom.com  -- we are also accessible via PC Pursuit, Sprintnet,  and  most
  other discounted data carriers within the United States and Canada.

  Our hunt group begins at 212/988-5030.  Our dialups support  speeds  ranging
  from 1200 baud to 19.2Kbps.


  MINDVOX HARDWARE 
  ================

  MindVox usually runs on a NeXT Turbo equipped with 64 megabytes of RAM,  and
  at  present a little over 3 gigabytes of disk storage space are allocated to
  its use.  At times Vox is moved to a  SparcStation2,  also  fitted  with  64
  megabytes  of  RAM.   This  usually happens when we are working on something
  NeXT-specific and need to test things before putting the  system  back  onto
  the central machine.

  Towards the end of 1992 MindVox will permanently move to a SparcServer based
  set-up,  with  2-3  other machines on the network reserved for the exclusive
  use of various system features.


  MINDVOX SOFTWARE 
  ================

  MindVox runs  on Voice -- Waffle ][+ the  NeXTSTEP.  In  addition to being a
  silly   name   that  we  somehow  still  manage to  find amusing, Voice is a
  continuously evolving  environment  that  presents  you  with  a  tremendous
  amount  of   flexibility   and  power,  while  providing a comfortable layer
  over  the native  operating  system that Vox runs on.  This allows   you  to
  easily  make  use  of various Unix functions, without needing to  understand
  shell  scripts, Unix syntax, or query formats for obscure programs.

  While Voice is very  powerful and full-featured, it's main  priority  is  to
  provide an easy-to-use and intuitive overlay, that  allows you to make  full
  use of it  without reading  any help files, or  syntax guidelines.

  FEES 
  ====

  For a flat-rate $15 a month fee, you are provided unlimited  access  to  all
  services available on the system.  This includes  the MindVox  Forums, local
  Chat system, The Archives, Single and Multi-Player  Games, Mail, the  Usenet
  Newsgroups, IRC International Conferencing System, and all basic services.

  Internet Memberships are also $10 a month, and  provide  access  to  Usenet,
  Software,  Mail,  and  other  services that would fall under the auspices of
  "public access unix".

  New Members receive two  weeks of  free online  use, which  they can  use to
  better orient themselves and become familiar  with everything that is avail-
  able on MindVox.  Thus, your first month of time, actually last for 6 WEEKS.


  Q & A's 
  =======

  [Q]: Are you a hacker board?

  [A]: MindVox is *NOT* a "hacker" board.  Although our Members  include  many
  former  members of various underground cliques such as Knights of Shadow and
  Legion of Doom, none of them are active in the "underground" at the  present
  time.

  Conferences that deal with the topics of system security,  operating  system
  flaws  and  weaknesses  & how to patch them, and various quirks of Unix, are
  available online, as are a collection of some of the world's foremost  secu-
  rity  experts,  including  frequent contributors to CERT, and former writers
  and editors of now defunct security mailing lists such as ZARDOZ,  SPLINTER,
  and  CORE.   However,  the exchange or solicitation of others, to perform or
  take part in, any illegal activity is strictly prohibited.

  Learning = Good, Crime = Bad.  Screwing with computer systems that don't be-
  long to you, isn't very nice, it's also illegal -- if this is the reason you
  are logging into MindVox, don't bother calling.  We  believe  wholeheartedly
  in  the underlying principles of the hacker ethic, at the same time, the old
  excuse of "I just want to get into system X to learn . . ." no longer  holds
  true  in this day and age of VERY affordable hardware and FREE software.  If
  it's not yours, and you haven't been invited; you have NO  right  to  access
  it.


  [Q]: Do I have access to telnet, irc, internet games and mail and Unix  type
  of things on MindVox?

  [A]: In a word, YES.  Although we are not a "public access  Unix"  we  offer
  all the services of one under our VOICES wrapper.


  [Q]: Is usage limited in any way?  Are there  additional  charges  for  any-
  thing?

  [A]: No.  flat-rate, is exactly what it states.  You may login as often, and
  as long as you want with NO additional sur-charges.


  [Q]: How can I make voice contact with Phantom Access, if I am having  prob-
  lems, or want to talk to someone voice about something?

  [A]: Dial +1 (212) 988-5987.  There is someone available to help you  during
  normal  office  hours,  or you can leave a message and we'll get back to you
  the next business day.


  MISCELLANEOUS 
  =============

  For more information, prospective Members are encouraged to login to MindVox
  using the GUEST account and take a look around.


                         Thank you for your interest!
  
                       Phantom Access Technologies, Inc.
                        175 Fifth Avenue,  Suite:  2614
                              New York, NY 10011

			       Voice: 212 989 2418
			     2400bps: 212-989-4141
			    14.4kbps: 212-989-1550
			         fax: 212-989-8648
				     
