BTN:  Birmingham Telecommunications News

COPYRIGHT 1992            ISSN 1055-4548

December 1992    Volume 5, Issue 11

Table Of Contents
-----------------
Article Title                                  Author
Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Staff
From The Editor................................Scott Hollifield
Letters to the Editor..........................BTN Readers
The BBS: Business or Hobby - Response & Comment...Mark Maisel
Life on the Lines II...........................Chris Phillips
Changes........................................Lurch Henson
Grocking the Gestalt II........................Scott Pletcher
The Amiga Connection...........................Jeff Vaughn
December Music Events..........................Judy Ranelli
Poetry Curve...................................Chris Mohney
The Desktop Publishing Association.............Chris Phillips
Special Interest Groups (SIGs).................Barry Bowden
Known BBS Numbers..............................Staff

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Disclaimer and Statement of Policy for BTN

We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and
information in our publication.  We assume no responsibility for damage
due to errors, omissions, etc.  The liability, if any for BTN, its
editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions,
etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN,
even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood
of such damages occurring.

With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our
policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles.  We publish
monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to
publication.  If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any
time but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear
in a particular issue.  It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise
harm a person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the
content of the articles prepared by our writers.  Our writers own their
work and it is protected by copyright.  We allow reprinting of articles
from BTN with only a few restrictions.  The author may object to a
reprint, in which case he will specify in the content of his article.
Otherwise, please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as
the source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the
article's original title are retained.  If you use one of our articles,
please forward a copy of your publication to:

Mark Maisel
Editor, BTN
221 Chestnut St.
BHM, AL 35210-3219
(205)-956-0176

We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that
you like it.  We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing
all of this and not get too serious about it.

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         F R E E B I E :  G E T  I T  W H I L E  I T S  H O T !


The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is with no
charge to any existing upload/download ratios.

ADAnet One              Alter-Ego               Bus System
Channel 8250            Crunchy Frog            DC Info Exchange
Darkhold BBS            F/X BBS                 Joker's Castle
Lemon Grove             Martyrdom Again?!       The MATRIX
Milliways BBS           Night Watch             The Outer Limits
Owlabama BBS            Owl's Nest              Playground
Safe Harbor             Teasers BBS             Thy Master's Dungeon
Weekends BBS

(Please note that this list includes some systems which are not local to
Birmingham and therefore not included on our BBS Numbers list.)

If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let
me know via The Matrix or Crunchy Frog so that I can post your board as
a free BTN distributor.  Thanks.  SH


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                           N E W S  F L A S H

                BTN's OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON DEC. 25
                and indeed every other day of the month
                  since BTN doesn't have any offices.

                            Happy holidays!


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From The Editor
by Scott Hollifield


    Well, I've made it three whole months as editor of BTN, and come out
not much worse for the wear.

    To paraphrase Mel Brooks, it's good to be editor.  I'm running into
perks even *I*, ambitious rascal that I am, didn't even foresee.  Allow
me to run the gamut as I see it:

    First of all, one of the drawbacks I originally thought came with
the job was that I would be obliged to write something every month,
rather than merely the occasional brilliant epiphany.  This turned out
not to be so bad, because whatever I write gets lumped under the title
"From The Editor".  See it up there?  Adds a special sorta gleam to the
column, doesn't it?  Which saves me from having to worry about being
"legitimate". As editor, I automatically qualify as legitmate!  I've got
it already!  I'm sold out!  And that helps me out even when I'm bankrupt
of ideas, like this month, because I can write pretty much anything I
see fit, such as this column, which the surgeon general has determined
to be completely lacking in any kind of intellectual or social value.  I
guess I'm kind of like the tobacco lobby, then.

    Also, I get my own conference.  This is not such a big deal anymore;
even Gwendolyn Norton has her own conference, and I'm surprised they
even let her out during the day.  Just the same, there it is, on the
Crunchy Frog - it's called BTNWA, and it's strictly for people whose
writing appears here.  Go ahead, try to access it.  You can't.  (If you
can, it means that you're still in trouble, because you should be
spending your time writing articles instead of fooling around.)

    Another thing is that I get an extra notch in my social status on
BBS's.  People are starting to recognize my name.  Just yesterday, I was
calling a new board and the sysop anxiously broke into chat with me, to
ask "Are you the BTN guy?"  I felt like I was delivering pizza, but the
idea is there.  Not only that, but I now have something to put down in
all those awful mandatory feedback messages you have to type whenever
you log onto a new BBS.  I can pretty much say, "Hi, I'm calling on
behalf of BTN.  That means I don't HAVE to have a real reason to call!
Hah!"

    And, of course, there are all the old routine standbys, like
realized lust for power, authority to make people jump when I give the
word, control over public media, etc.

    Speaking over control (mine) of the media (yours), let's run through
this month's agenda, shall we?  We have a surprisingly hefty issue,
despite the lack of either a BTN ProFile or BBS Spotlight (so much for
making people jump).  Mark Maisel returns this month with a follow-up
to his much-discussed article on the State of BBSing 1992.  Chris
Phillips (also known as Bernie Starchaser) and Lurch Henson turn in
articles, both of which make reference to me, so they can't be all bad.
(Lurch even publicly, unashamedly, calls on you, the public, for
suggestions on what he should write about!  Why didn't I ever think of
that?)  We also inject a bit of culture - right into the vein - with a
new poetry feature by local expatriate Chris Mohney, and with an
informative and not at all objective musical calendar by Judy Ranelli.
Add to that the latest in Amiga news by Jeff Vaughn and two - count'em
two - promotions for the Desktop Publishing Association, and yeah, we're
talking big enough.

    Yes, I know - just what you wanted for Christmas, right?


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Letters to the Editor

    Yes!  Can you believe it?  We got a letter!  And it only took three
issues!

    This month's missive is from David Moss, sysop of Weekends BBS.

                                  ******

Scott,
     I just finished the November Issue of BTN and feel a comment is in
order.  First let me say that I am a relative newcomer to the BBS
world. I read the issue every month, and have been for almost a year.
    Now for the comment.  Mark Maisel's article, The BBS: Business or
Hobby, was a brief history of how the "Old-Timers" learned this hobby.
They had it easy!  I mean, just think, no choices!  They were limited to
everything!  Us new rookies who start in this are faced with an ocean of
different decisions!  Modems, hardware, software, off-line readers,
thousands of different files for downloading or (in some cases
uploading), yes, even dozens of different boards to choose from.  Back
then everyone knew evryone else, so there was no problem with to pay a
fee or not to pay a fee.
    Also, I'm glad the article pointed out the possibility of paying a
fee to a board and then have that board disappear!  The newcomer should
seek advice from as many people as possible before making that decision.
    I also like the new lay-out of the BBS list.  A little longer
perhaps, but also a little easier to read.

                                               David Moss


                                  ******

    If YOU have something you want to say about BTN, or indeed, about
anything at all, leave me a message on Crunchy Frog or The Matrix.
Those are the best and fastest ways to contact me, and the greasiest
path to having a letter published.  - Scott Hollifield

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The BBS: Business or Hobby?
Response and Comment
by Mark Maisel
with commentary from Rocky Rawlins and Michael Davidson

     This article is a follow-up to the one I wrote for BTN052.  I got
two responses in message form and thought I'd reply to them here. Rocky
Rawlins, sysop of MATRIX, and Michael Davidson were kind enough to read
what I had to say and then let me know it.  The following are their
comments mixed with my own in response. Perhaps more of you will express
an interest and keep this dialogue going.

RR=Rocky Rawlins    MD=Michael Davidson      MM=Mark Maisel

                               ----------

RR   "Mark, I read your article in BTN52. Pretty good. A couple of
things though I wanted to comment on and to ask you about."

MM   Thank you.

RR   "First one of the things we have always done here to encourage the
growth of other boards is routinely pass on the equipment we pull out of
service to other folks for their boards. We recently gave both Jeff
Vaughn and Roderick Horton complete systems to bring up boards. I think
the spirit of cooperation around Birmingham is quite a bit different
from a lot of other cities and board communities. The conscious effort
of the Sysops around here to avoid "competition" give this are a
different culture from many areas."

MM   I have always found that curious, from an outside point of view. I
would argue that while not unique, your habit of sharing "the wealth" as
we computer geeks would put it, is the exception and not the rule.  It
is fascinating to me, and it is always surprising as I recall when you
offered Greg Roberts those XT's when we were in east Alabama.  I am
familiar with many other occasions where folks, including myself, have
benefitted from your generosity.  Of course, you now must realize that
you are going to be deluged with requests for hardware, and yes, even
you may be reduced to a state of no spare parts.

RR   "Second, I agree with you on the problem of volume and new users
particularly being overwhelmed by the sheer size of some boards. Any
ideas on how to solve that? We've been looking at it trying to figure
out a way to make things easier for people especially novices. Maybe
it's the structure of PCBoard or perhaps just overfamiliarity. If you
have any ideas, concepts or have seen anything anyone else is doing that
is a new approach let me know. One of the things we're doing is setting
up a dedicated voice line for the board for people to call with problems
or questions. (Yes, a Technical Support number <grin>)"

MM   I really haven't given much thought to methods for making things
easier for users in regards to the complexity and size of bbs' these
days.  The Internet is a big monster.  There are many efforts under way
to try and make it easier but it is growing faster than the speed of
progress on the part of those folks.  I think that saturation will
eventually be reached and that organization will come out of chaos.  I
think the same will hold true for bbs', especially whoppers like yours.
The problem of complexity, at least on MATRIX, might be something well
worth examining.  I'm sure we'll get around to talking about it soon. PC
Board's interface isn't a problem, as I see it.  I do think that the
future is in offline mail, for those who are interested in mail.  It
also makes things a bit easier for the user, who can read and explore at
their leisure.  The problem for the moment is that downloading huge
amounts of mail is still a major time consumer. It will stay that way so
long as the majority of users run at 2400 baud or less.  With the advent
of much lower prices for 9.6 and 14.4 kilobaud modems, I expect this is
already changing, but it will be some time yet.  The mail readers sport
a variety of interfaces and I think those are going to become more
sophisticated, versatile, and customizable in order to accommodate a
rapidly growing and diversifying audience.  The BBS interface is going
to have to keep up, at least in so much as it can so long as ASCII and
ANSI are the terminal standards. Beginners are probably going to
continue to spend time logging on and doing things online till they
decide what they want.  I answered a question in my MATRIX mail packet
today in regards to just what an offline mail reader is and what
advantages they may have for the questioner. Innovation is going to be
the key to the "BBS business", I think.  You certainly have been making
moves in the right direction, even though your primary alternative isn't
necessarily to make a living from the bbs.  I expect the MATRIX to be
around for a long time and pretty much financially supported by users.
It certainly makes it easier for you and your cohorts to service the bbs
and its users.  The voice line offering help is an interesting idea, and
one that certainly takes a lot of courage.  It will probably pay off in
the end, but I know lots of sysops who guard their voice numbers and
some even their true identities in order to keep users from bothering
them with phone calls.

RR   "And on the 30 minutes issue, We've been set at 30 minutes for over
5 years. It's not so much to attempt to get those people to subscribe as
to try and handle the largest number of people. About 80% of the folks
find that enough time and when we call new users and they ask about
subscribing, as a matter of policy we make it clear to them that there
is no cost involved. We encourage them to work with the system for a
while before even thinking about subscribing and point out that unless
they plan on being a heavy user that 30 minutes should be plenty of time
for normal use."

MM   This policy, I feel certain, has brought you quite a few
subscribers.  I've been on systems where logging on was the only
activity you could indulge prior to subscribing.  There are also those
who will never subscribe, but they can only tie up 30 minutes per day,
and probably wouldn't subscribe if you didn't offer the 30 free minutes.
This is an interesting approach, quite comparable to the free time
offered to potential users on CompuServe, America Online, and other
commercial online services.

RR   "The PRIMARY goal of the system is to provide a communications
gateway for Birmingham. So that people don't need to be PC gurus to get
on the Internet and out into the online world. Compuserve is too
expensive by far and we can provide something that otherwise wouldn't
exist on this scale. If it makes a profit, great! We can expand or add
new services. If it makes so much money that I can live on it fine. That
means I'll have more time to devote to it and make it better. But what
I've said all along is still true. I make money to run the board not the
other way around. The day I look around and realize I'm putting profit
ahead of the purpose of the board is the day I reach over and pull the
plug."

MM   I would suggest that you are running a hybrid system, though I
recall a time when it wasn't. I am certain that if it ever came to it,
you'd simply shrink the board to fit your budget or shut it down.  It
certainly is an attitude that attracts users and subscribers.  No one
feels any pressure and that is a good thing. Marketing hammers at us
from every medium and it is nice to find an escape.  The MATRIX provides
such an escape.  I think this is an exception to the trend toward
business for bbs' and I hope it stays that way.

MD   "About the pay bbs', just letting you know that both Baudville and
Genesis Online give you 30 min. of free time, but many people subscribe
because of the superior chatting functions available on the Major BBS
system. I think that bbsing should remain a hobby for the most part,
especially for those of us who are young and cannot waste income on
computers, especially something so trivial as this. I like having free
time and an option of subscription, but if the bbs community were to all
of a sudden go subscription, I must admit I'd probably give up the hobby
completely. Sure, there is lots of information and good files available,
but the same goes for the public library downtown, and I have free
access there."

MM   Is the time a one time gift or perpetual on a regular basis?  I'm
familiar with some of the advantages for chat fiends that are part of
Major BBS.  I know quite a few folks who love it. It has never done much
for me, but to each his own.  As for bbs' remaining the domain of
hobbyists, I don't know that I can agree with you.  There are sometimes
substantial costs involved in running a bbs, especially if it becomes
popular and the sysop decides to expand it.  Should he bear the entire
cost if so many derive benefit?  I've always felt that if one couldn't
afford to pay, then one shouldn't play.  I think that true for both
users and sysops.  To me, if someone wants to run a bbs as a business,
that is great.  They should run it like a business and deal with me in a
businesslike manner.  Hobbyists ought to run their bbs' as hobbies and
not solicit (read whine) for money.  I understand your sentiment in
regards to your lack of money, but it almost sounds insulting to hear
you talk about what you get from a bbs being wasteful.  I doubt that is
what you mean, but I can only judge what I read. I've found bbs'
anything but wasteful. Honing your skills in public debate, learning
about people, their diverse specialties, quirks, etc., certainly are not
to be found in a library.  If you are inclined and able, you can learn a
great deal from libraries as well as collect files, but it certainly
isn't a replacement for bbs' or other online services.

MD   "About offline mail. Offline mail has been a saving grace for me.
Before I was told about it one faithful day at lunch in seventh grade, I
never had time to read mail. My studies occupy most of my free time,
especially this year entering high school, and I have no way to sit down
for hours on end reading and replying to mail. Now, it takes just half
an hour to call the half-dozen or so boards that I grab mail from and
pull it to read at my leisure. I can now, thanks to my new modem,
download about three megs of compressed mail in 30 minutes. That's
enough to keep me satisfied for weeks. Also, with the dawn of offline
readers, I can skip a whole thread of messages with the push of a
button, or read only the ones to or from a certain person if I wish, or
weed all of those out to or from a certain person. It is much more
enjoyable to find a reader suitable to my reads, configure it to my
liking, then read only the mail I choose than to go into a pre-selected
environment and have to wade through all of the messages to find the
ones that interest me. I think that the increase in convenience is well
worth any sacrifice made in quality of messages. Besides, after a few
weeks, one usually gets bored with entering hundreds of messages and
reverts to only entering ones that count. (Just look at the change in
Ricky's behavior on the Frog.)"

MM   My experience with offline mail mirrors your own.  It makes life
much easier, at least in so much as I am able to remain active on bbs'
much more easily.  The high speed modem also makes bbs usage better.  I
know exactly what you mean.

MM   As for Ricky, I don't about that.  I think that many factors have
influenced his volume.  I see that he is nearly as active on other
boards in town as he was on the Frog.  Look at Bob Crawford.  Now there
is a man who likes to leave messages, and he doesn't mind where he
leaves them either.

MD   "I think your article was the highlight of the issue, I know that's
not much considering that there were only a few articles, but it was
really though-provoking and I enjoyed it immensely."

MM   Thank you very much.  I appreciate your response and am glad to see
you gave some thought to it.

                               ----------

     If any of you reading this would like to add or respond to Rocky,
Michael, or myself, please feel free to do so on MATRIX in the main
message base.  Do it publicly or privately.  Let whichever of us know if
we may use your response as part of another article on this topic.
Thanks.

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    (Gentle readers, due to an INCREDIBLE administrative snafu, this
article, which was intended for the November ish, never made it in [you
noticed, huh?].  Thankfully, our editor is accurate, even if a little
slow...so here it is again for the first time.)


                        LIFE ON THE LINES   - #2

                           by Chris Phillips




    Well!  Ish #51 just hit the hard-drives, and BOY am I embarrassed! I
cannot believe I wrote that!  More importantly, I cannot believe Scott
accepted it!  Anyhow, I am now extremely motivated to improve my future
offerings.

    For the next few columns or so, I want to take a look at the things
about the BBS scene which have changed since Way Back When It All Began.
I think the best place to start is offline.

    Offline?  Did he just say OFFLINE???

    No, actually I typed it.  However, we won't quibble. Yes, offline.
As in Offline Mail Readers (Oh, God.  Not again!) Those of you who read
ish #50 will remember a memorable (it must have been if you remember
it!) piece of fiction (or prediction of the apocalyptic future, take
your pick) written by our illustrious editor and BTN God, Scott
Hollifield.  The piece was called "The Scene", for those who may have
skimped on their reading.  In it, Scott brought up an interesting theme.

    As part of his story, he likened the Mail aspects of BBS'ing to drug
use.  Well, it has been said that "many a truthful word is spoken in
jest", and this seems to be one of those times.  I have never been a
drug user, so my comparisons are merely conjecture, but I definitely
feel a NEED to read and reply to mail EVERY DAY.  I get cranky and
irritable if I miss a day or if there's no new mail.  I get a rush
whenever there's personal mail (even flames).  So far, I haven't gotten
to the point where I reset pointers or leave messages to myself
(although I've seen this done on The Matrix recently by another user),
but there's enough evidence to support the comparison.

    We've even got the paraphernalia.  The Offline Mail Reader, of
course, is the primary tool.  Naturally, there are many forms, and users
tout the advantages of one or the other.  I use Speed Read, because it
allows me to archive old messages and go back and read them later (is
that like re- using hypodermics?).  Integrated with this are two other
little gems.

    My John Hancock tagline manager is the absolute tops! I've got files
full of stolen taglines (and a FEW originals) for most any purpose, plus
a special file set up solely for Star Trek taglines.  I'm always on the
lookout for new tags to steal (they DO say that drug use can lead you
into other crime!).

    Finally, there's my quoting utility, which is a little program that
activates after any message I enter, emitting a satisfying little BEEP
each time.  Besides that, it also dresses up the parts of my message
which are quoted from the message I'm replying to.  Much nicer than all
those colons and initials and ">"'s.

    That's not enough, though.  In order that, with my busy schedule and
lifestyle, I don't miss a SINGLE day's fix, I've got no less than TWO
different automated telecom systems. These are terminal programs which
have a menu-driven system allowing "scripting" BBS mail runs.  For those
of you new to the scene, this means the computer can get my mail all by
itself, WHILE I SLEEP!  When I get off work the next day, my fix is all
set and waiting for me.

    Finished yet?

    Not hardly.  My next acquisition is going to be a database system
which will allow me to take ALLFILES listings and create databases
through which I can browse the file sections offline, also, and select
those files I want.  After that, I need only to instruct my automated
communications package to download the file when it calls the
appropriate BBS for mail.  Again, ultimate convenience (and a LOT easier
than getting a Sysop to meet me at the corner with a disk! Cheaper
too!).  Just so I don't start getting the reputation of being a total
leech, the same thing operates in reverse, so that I can upload files as
well as download.

    What's the point to all of this?  Well, if nothing else, I can
probably make a fortune doing Markmail Rehab!

    (If any reader wishes assistance in locating or figuring out
    any of the software I've mentioned above, please do not
    hesitate to ask.  I can be reached under my nom de plume (or
    is that nom de keyboard?) Bernie Starchaser on Crunchy Frog,
    Byte Me!, and Datalynx.  On Alter Ego, 8250, and Matrix I'm
    Chris Phillips.  For those out of state (I've heard BTN gets
    around!) I can be reached via Internet EMail.  The address is
    chris.phillips@the-matrix.com.)

    And, as promised, here is my closing music quote:

         "And the people bowed and prayed,
          To the neon god they made,
          And the sign flashed it's warning
          In the words that it was forming,
          And the sign said, 'The words of the prophets are
          written on the subway walls,
          And tenement halls,
          And whispered in the sounds of silence.'

         Paul Simon/Art Garfunkel - "Sounds Of Silence"
         :^Q - Bernie D. Starchaser

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                              Changes

                                or

                  Why do these things happen to me?

                                by

                           Lurch Henson


    Politically hip?  <<GRIN>>  I haven't been "hip" since high school,
when I was an honorary "head", even though I didn't do drugs, because I
was "cool" and interesting to be around.  At least now I'm still semi-
interesting.  <<Smile>>  (The preceeding was in reference to the
Editor's disclaimer for my article in last month's BTN.  If you read it,
good for you.  If you didn't, shame, shame, shame.  Report to Monty for
punishment detail.)

   Anyway, on to my ravings for this month..... So, what shall I rave
about this time around?  Pity this isn't interactive, then YOU could
suggest something you'd like to see me rave about.  Hmmmmmm...... wait a
second....you CAN do that, can't you?  Enough of you  have been telling
me lately how much you like reading this drivel I've been pouring out
the last few issues, you could just as easily say something like "Hey, I
think you should takl about...." and suggest something interesting....
I can't think of any subject that I won't hold an opinion on, though I
CAN think of a few that the Editor WON'T allow to be printed here.....
<<GRIN>>

   Go ahead, make a few suggestions to me on the BBSs that I frequent.
I'm sure the Editor would love the added articles, I'd POSSIBLY get a
kick out of writing them (that's the only reason I do this stuff, BTW),
and who knows, you might ACTUALLY enjoy reading them.  Think of it as
the computerized version of Lewis Grizzard, but with a little reader
input......  <<GRIN>>  You can find me as Monster on Willie's, Teasers,
and AlaNet, as Lurch Henson on the Crunchy Frog, The MATRIX, and the
main board of FX/BBS, and very soon now, probably before this makes it
to you, as Jim Henson on Alter Ego.  Anyway, enough of that, let's see
if I can entertain you a little this month.....

    Some of you may have heard of my recent loss....some of you haven't.
I recently had to do something in the name of survival....something so
terrible and unthinkable that no man should ever be forced to bare (good
choice of word here) such a thing.  I had to remove my beard.  Now, some
of you might chuckle and say "So what?" (I know you're doing it, I can
hear you already).  I'd be willing to bet that most of you holding that
opinion are women or males not yet old enough to grow a full beard.
Those males out there that DO have a beard have most likely cringed when
they read of the loss, not unlike how most males tend to cross their
legs when they see or hear of another guy being injured in a "sensitive
area" (I think we all know which one, don't we?).  A recent Star Trek
episode even dealt briefly with this sensitive and painful subject.
Needless to say, beards are very important to those males that possess
them.

    Now.....why?  Some women say they are masks, something for men to
"hide behind".  Even if you're Santa Claus, there STILL isn't enough fur
on your face to hide behind, so that's not it.  Another guess is that it
is the male version of make-up.  I guess this one is a little closer to
true, since most guys with beards will tell you they look better with
them than without them (and most people will agree with them if they are
used to seeing them WITH the beard), but that's not all of it either.
Why?  Well, for me, simply because it's ME.  I feel RIGHT in my beard.
I feel MYSELF in my beard.  Without it I am adrift to some extent.  I
feel like I'm pretending to be something I'm not.  I also feel I would
be able to do this job alot better WITH the beard, since I am now a
security guard, and am much more intimidating with my beard.....

    Do beards REALLY make a difference?  Yes, they do.  Even if it's
only to the extent that it gives the guy wearing it more confidence,
which reflects in the way he relates to others, and how they relate to
him.  Guys, if you've never had one, why don't you give it a shot for
awhile?  They are easy enough to get rid of if you decide it's not for
you, and who knows, you just might find out what it's all about.....
Women, be patient with the guys, they'll only be scratchy for a few
days, then you'll have something new to play with....  <<GRIN>>  I've
been told by more than one woman that it's fun to be tickled by a beard
in some places.... <<GRIN>>  Who knows, maybe if fur starts popping up
all over, my bosses will change company policy and allow their officers
to grow their sacrified beards back?  What have you got to lose, guys?
Think of it!  Women burned their bras to demonstrate their freedom, you
can throw out your razors for your repressed brothers that have no
choice in the matter!  Show your support for those of us that CAN'T go
bearded any longer by doing it for us!  Go out there and prove to the
world that beards can and DO look good! Feel Good!  ARE GOOD!

    (One thing you might want to think about, guys....it's winter, the
wind is getting colder and colder.  A beard keeps the bite of the wind
and cold off of your face, and your Lady will like cuddling up to it
once you get it long enough not to scratch anymore.....)

                                                    9211.24

    (The author of this article is recovering nicely in a "rest
     facility" after suffering from the tramau of having to remove his
     beard against his will.  The article you have just read was part of
     his therapy.  Showing your support for him, and others like him
     can't hurt, and who knows, it might help.  (Besides, my wife likes
     the way I look in my new beard.  <<Smile>>   Dr. Warren Neufur.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Grocking the Gestalt II
by Scott Pletcher

(Author's note: Ack!  This sudden burst of "on-time"-ness from
the BTN crew has taken me by surprise!  October and November
elapsed as quickly as defecation from a prune-ladened bovine.  Oh
well, I guess I'll try for December...)

[Editor's note: Seems like I recall October was the month I took over
as editor of BTN!  Some coincidence, eh...]


<James Earl Jones narrates>:
     Fall has arrived.  As the sun lurches lower on the horizon,
the seemingly eternal days of summer have been replaced with the
trademarks of autumn.

<Fade into wide shot of hills>:
     The lush green foliage of the Appalachian foothills is
fading into the warm glow of gold, red, and yellow.

<Shot of cotton fields>:
     The cotton fields look as if they were just dusted with a
mid-winter snow as the tufts of white floss bursts forth from
their muddy brown casings.

<Wide shot of lawn with leaves about>:
     The  crisp dry breeze has its way with the parched leaves
writhing on the fading Bermuda grass.

<High aerial shot down upon Scott as he walks>:
     He methodically plods across campus hoisting over the right
shoulder a backpack ladened with books, pens and various other
tools of the trade.

<Rapidly zoom down and behind him at a distance>
     It has begun.

<Watch as he walks away>
                           *  *  *  *

     Well, o.k.  I admit that may be a little dramatic.  But who
doesn't like to fantasize about their life story being made into
a feature-length movie?  Just name one...  Who?  Jimmy Swaggart?
Well, o.k...name another!  That guy fat in speedos who always
paints his face and belly green for the N.Y. Jets games? Hmm...I
see your point.  Oh...shut the hell up, smart ass!

     But anyway, lemme give you a quick update on my adventures
at UAH.  I moved in on Sept. 19.  My roommates had already been
their for four days.  Here's a quick introduction.

     Tom - Tom is from Clearwater, Florida.  He's a nice guy, but
           his jokes sound like they come from the book, "Bazooka
           Bubble Gum's Best Wrapper Jokes."
     Mark- Mark is a 20 year old Canadian from Windsor (in 'I
           have no idea what' province).  He's getting a full
           scholarship to play on the UAH hockey team.  (UAH has
           the southern-most team in collegate hockey.)  Big.
           Not to bright, though.
     Wade- See Mark.

     Now, before you start jumping to conclusions about
Canadians, let me put some things to rest.  All Canadian DO say
"Eay" (pronounced like HEY without the H) after EVERYTHING!  They
DO drink Moosehead.  And, yes, Canadians feel that Bush screwed
them too.

     Life's been pretty slow in the Rocket City.  The bulletin
boards here suck.  Keep in mind that 99% of all the boards are
run from 11pm to 7am by prepubesent teens on daddy's Tandy with
some demo BBS software they got from Marvin's Mail-Order
Shareware Emporium for $3.25 + S&H.

     The social life here DOES NOT EXIST!  The most excitement
we've had around here lately is when the Indian down the hall set
his microwave popcorn on fire by nuking it for 20 minutes.

     They say Hell is what each person hates most.  If Hell bears
any resemblance to UAH social life, then I'd better start
snapping off Rosaries an regularly swimming sprints with the Pope
in a vat of holy water.  ("Pay no nevermind to him Myrtle...he's
just one of them damn Catholics.  I bet'cha he's drunk right
now!")

     Speaking of religion, that reminds me of something else very
interesting I've noticed lately.  (What a segue, huh?!)  Um...well...
I'm not sure if I can launch off in tangents.  Lemme check my BTN
contract.  Let's see...."Be pulled at any time".... "Dental
Plan"....."Herbicidal Products Discount."  Ah, here it is:

          "The author shall be allowed to launch tangents
           as long as (s)he provides an adequate segue, AND
           administers a peanut butter rubdown to the
           editor."
                         Article III, Section 7, Line 12

     Well good.  I guess that means I can.  That's funny, I don't
remember that last part being in there when I signed this thing.
Hey...wait a second...it's in pencil too!  Oh well, let me get to
my point.

     Is it just me, or have you all noticed the sudden increase
of religious propaganda files turning up BBS's lately?  Now wait
just a moment before you rebuke me in the name of "Jesus
Chraaaaast."  I know.  Your having a fit with the word
"propaganda", right?  By propaganda, I mean anything with the
purpose to sway an opinion--good or bad.  Now go give yourselves
a group enema.

     Most seem to be Christian oriented.  Besides, how often do
you see files like "The True Way to Salvation With Mohammed" or
"The Seven Fallacies of Taoism."  Are our BBSs becoming religious
battle grounds?  A few of my friends insist that "...we (the
Christians) are constantly fighting a great war with the forces
of evil..."  Of course, these are the same people who adamantly
oppose the death penalty, but wanted to nuke Iraq until even the
roaches were fungus food.  Are we really this bad?
Well...ok...bad question.  I've know people who thought the
Second Coming was supposed to be a Tom Jones Comeback Tour.

     Maybe salvation through BBSs isn't such a bad idea after
all.  Why sure...delllldelllldelllldellll <Cheap Wayne's World
Dream Sequence>

          "DOOR 1: Be Saved On-Line
           DOOR 2: On-Line Reconciliation
           DOOR 3: Give a love gift (Visa, MasterCard Accepted)
           The Pastor is currently NOT AVAILABLE for chat.
           Be sure to join conference 69 for our Bible-Quoting
               Marathon now in its 5th month
           We are now echoing ChristNet with KosherNet coming
               soon.
           Check out BLT 12 for a current listing of the top ten
               deadliest sins (Updated weekly)"

     Now, far be it from me to start a religious skirmish, but
I've learned that whenever anyone expresses his opinion publicly,
no matter how innocent it may seem, it WILL offend someone
somewhere.  I'm sure that someone right now is praying for God's
mercy on my soul, or worse yet, reciting an incantation to turn
me into a Macintosh Classic.


-----
     Scott Pletcher is currently serving a life without parole
     sentence for blasphemy.  He also is nursing a Messiah complex and
     a nasty case of Tourette's syndrome.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Amiga Connection
contributed by Jeff Vaughn

Electronic Arts has announced the upcoming release of Deluxe Paint IV
AGA, the latest addition to the DeluxePaint line of innovative paint and
animation products.

DeluxePaint now offers more colors and better screen resolution to
Amiga owners using Commodore's new AGA (Advanced Graphics Architecture)
chip set. For owners of the Amiga 4000 or Amiga 1200, DeluxePaint IV AGA
now offers 256 color support and access to over 262,000 colors (HAM8) at
any resolution, including hi-res. The program also reads and coverts
24-bit IFF files, supports all Amiga screen resolutions, and includes
all the features of its predecessor, DeluxePaint 4.1.

DeluxePaint's vast range of easy-to-use paint and animation features
such as a LightTable, animation control panel, metamorphosis,
animbrushes and animpainting, color cycling, and a Move requester makes
the program accessible to the basic needs of amateur artists, while
satisfying the rigorous requirements of graphics and video
professionals.

"Commodore's new technology is designed to meet the needs of today's
creative professionals," noted Dallas Hodgson, designer of DeluxePaint
IV AGA. "Electronic Arts is excited to take advantage of the machine's
new capabilities, and offer our paint and animation program
simultaneously with Commodore's launch."

DeluxePaint IV AGA requires Workbench 2.04 or greater and at least 2MB
of memory. Electronic Arts will continue to market DeluxePaint IV 4.1
to users who do not own the new chip set, or do not meet the memory and
system requirements.

Electronic Arts is offering a $30.00 upgrade to DeluxePaint IV owners.
Details for ordering the DeluxePaint IV AGA upgrade can be obtained by
calling Electronic Arts at 800/245-4525 Monday through Friday between
8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time.

Category: Paint/Animation              Suggested Retail Price: $199.00
Platform: Amiga                            Availablity: December, 1992




Blue Ribbon SoundWorks, designers of Music software and hardware
projects, and Music For Life, a Los Angeles-based non-profit
organization of musicians and computer artists, have joined forces to
benefit abused, underprivileged, and seriously ill children.

Using software donated by The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks, Music For Life
volunteers its talents by offering educational computer workshops using
the Commodore Amiga. Young "artists" can participate in a hi-tech music
recording session, smear digital "paint," and even feature themselves in
computer animation.

Goals of the Music For Life program include:

 o  Hastening the healing process through creative and socially
    rewarding activities;

 o  Instilling a sense of personal accomplishment and heightened
    self-esteem;

 o  Exposure to computers, stimulation of curiosity, and motivation to
    learn more; and

 o  Increased aesthetic values through participation in the creation
    process.

"Music For Life seeks to apply the spirit of those endeavors to a
variety of worthy causes on an ongoing basis," comments Vinnie Tieto,
founder and director of Music For Life. "We feel that building a firm
foundation of self-esteem and hope for the future in underprivileged and
abused children is a top priority."

The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks, makers of leading music software and
hardware products for the Commodore Amiga computer, has announced the
upcoming upgrade release of its best-selling interactive composition
software, SuperJAM! Version 1.1, which will replace version 1.0c, and
includes the following new additions:

  o  Stereo TurboSounds
  o  Two octave chords
  o  Split chords with Bass on bottom, other instruments on top
  o  Visual volume and pan mixing
  o  Multiple grooves per Style
  o  Existing Styles enhanced to support multiple grooves
  o  Additional Styles
  o  Improved interface design, including Workbench 2.0 style front/back
     buttons
  o  2.0 feature support including ASL file requester, public screen and
     virtual screen size

Version 1.1 will be released December 10, 1992. The price of SuperJAM!
will remain at $149.00. Upgrade information will be sent to registered
owners of SuperJAM! in late November.


The PatchMeister V1.0c

Blue Ribbon has released version 1.0c of The PatchMeister, its
universal MIDI patch librarian. This version, which replaces all
preceding versions, includes the following enhancements:

  o  The Stand-alone version can default to interlace mode upon start up
  o  The SysEx command lines in the Driver Creator window have been
     expanded to contain 75 characters
  o  A Clock gadget has been added to the Driver Creator window
  o  A Sort Bank option has been added to the Bank Menu
  o  The Settings Menu now includes a Catalog option
  o  The Save Patch List and Transfer Patch List menu items have been
     changed to insert a bank's patch names at a specific location in
     the list
  o  This version can send individual Note Off commands for all 128
     notes on each of the 16 MIDI channels

In addition to these changes, The PatchMeister includes these new
synthesizer drivers: Art DRI, Ensoniq Mirage, E-mu Procussion, Alesis
QuadraVerb, Yamaha SY22, Yamaha SY55, Yamaha TG33, Yamaha TG77, Tascam
644 and Tascam 688.

Registered owners of The PatchMeister can upgrade to version 1.0c
directly through Blue Ribbon for $9.50.

For more information, contact Blue Ribbon SoundWorks at Post Office Box
8689, North Highland Station, Atlanta, GA 30306, or call 404/377-1514.

-*-

Three-Sixty, Inc. has announced the immediate availability of
Megafortress: Operation Sledgehammer for the Amiga. For use with the
award-winning Megafortress game based on the nationally acclaimed
best-selling novel "Flight of the Old Dog," this first mission disk
exposes you to new territory, new threats, and new targets in the Middle
East. Along with confronting numerous threats from enemy fighters and
SAMs, the player must master the art of resource management, knowing
when, for example, to rendezvous for flight refueling.

Author and military aviator Dale Brown collaborated with Three-Sixty's
developers to produce 25 new missions with over 1000 square miles of
territory in Iran and Libya. The player will be flying a fully
renovated "super" B-52 Bomber with all the latest in weapons and
avionics high technology. New weapons features in this data disk are:
ASM-119A Penguin anti-ship missile (ASM), the CBU-95 Fuel Air Explosive
(FAE), the Iranian SA-12A and HAWK SAMs, the Libyan SA-10, MiG-25s, and
Mirage F-1s. Operation Sledgehammer's missions are portrayed in stunning
256 color VGA three-dimensional graphics.

Operation Sledgehammer is distributed exclusively in North America by
Electronic Arts Distribution under its Affiliated Label program.
Three-Sixty, Inc. is a privately held developer and publisher of
personal computer entertainment software for the IBM PC and
compatibles, the Commodore Amiga and the Macintosh.

Three-Sixty Pacific, Inc. has announced the release of the Harpoon
Challenger Pak Signature Edition and the Megafortress Mega Pak. Each
offers a value added incentive for the end user.




Harpoon Challenger Pak Signature Edition

This new Challenger Pak is autographed by Larry Bond and Tom Clancey and
includes the Harpoon Master game, BattleSets 2, 3, and 4, and the
Harpoon Scenario Editor. Conceived by Larry Bond, naval analyst and
author of "Red Phoenix" and "Vortex," the Harpoon Master game delivers
the excitement and tension of naval battle in a fact based simulation.
Harpoon's three additional BattleSets, North Atlantic Convoy, The Med
Conflict, and Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf, provide over 250 additional
platforms and 48 new scenarios. Finally, the Harpoon Scenario Editor,
the same tool used by Harpoon programmers to create new scenarios, gives
players the capability to modify existing scenarios or create new ones.
This attractively priced collection of Harpoon products can provide
unlimited hours of play and makes an excellent holiday gift.

Suggested Retail Price: $79.95
Format/Compabitilies: IBM PC 286 or better & 100% Compatibles; Required
DOS 3.3 or 5.0 Requires EGA or VGA 640 x 350 (16 color); 640K and Hard
Drive required; High Density Drive Required, Mouse Recommended. Also
available in Macintosh and Amiga formats



Megafortress Mega Pak

The Megafortress Mega Pak is a compilation product that includes the
Megafortress Master game, Mission Disk One: Operation Sledgehammer, and
the Megafortress Mission Editor. Based on the best seller "Flight of the
Old Dog" written by Dale Brown, the Megafortress Master game is an
adventure into the complex world of modern strategic air assault in the
Persian Gulf and Soviet threatres. Operation Sledgehammer, the first
mission disk, allows the player to take on a power hungry Libyan general
in 25 new missions in the Libyan and Iranian theatres. To complete the
Mega Pak, Three-Sixty has included the Megafortress Mission Editor which
enables the player to modify existing missions or create new ones. The
Mission Editor will not be sold separately. This quality Three-Sixty
product is available now and will be included in Electronic Arts' Buy 2
Get 1 Free holiday promotion.

Suggested Retail Price: $59.95
Format/Compatibilities: IBM PC 286 or better & 100% Compatibles;
Requires DOS 3.3 or newer; Requires 256 color VGA; 640K, Hard Drive,
and Mouse required, Ad Lib and Sound Blaster Sound Support.

-*-

Great Valley Products, Inc. has announced that it has developed a very
affordable, high quality, verstile genlock that will rival even the most
expensive genlocks on the market.

Called G-Lock, this feature-packed unit is completely software
controllable through its user friendly control panel software, or
through ARexx or the CLI. It can accept two composite or one Y/C inputs,
and provides composite, Y/C, RGB or YUV outputs at all times. Many
adjustable parameters affecting the incoming video are available,
including brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, sharpness, filtering,
and gain. Full audio support is provided through two audio inputs which
can be switched or mixed, and the output volume, bass and treble can
also be adjusted.

The G-Lock software also allows all of the Amiga's custom chip genlock
control features (including EGS and AGA) parameters to be utilized, and
can also load and display IFF images.

"G-Lock is the best value in genlocks for the Amiga, providing a high
quality audio/video solution and powerful control software," commented
Paul Higginbottom, GVP's Senior Director of Technical Services. "I
predict it will quickly become the most popular genlock for everyone
from the video hobbyist to the full-time professional videographier."

G-Lock is scheduled to ship at the end of September and will list for
$449. It will be available in both PAL and NTSC versions.

Great Valley Products was founded in 1988 and is today the world's
largest third-party suppier of peripherals for the Amiga. For more
information, contact GVP at 600 Clark Ave., King of Prussia, PA 19406 or
call 215/337-8770.

-*-

           Reprinted by Permission from the 5-MINUTE Weekend
         News Network, a *StarShip*(tm) Production on GEnie(R).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

December Music Events Worth Seeing.  Trust Me.
by Judy Ranelli


Wed. 2
    SPACE CAMP at Zydeco
    Don Tinsley of Primiton/Mortals fame has teamed up with Vova Nova's
rhythm section to perform his very melodic and catchy tunes.

Wed. 2
    MATT KIMBRELL at Texas Taco and Chili Co.
    Apparently an acoustic act, which for Matt is a new situation I
think.  He is such a good songwriter that other Birmingham bands have
covered his songs.  He is also appearing in the Ho Ho Men show on the
23rd.

Fri. 4
    WEBB WILDER/THE URBAN SHAKEDANCERS at the Stardome
    I have no idea what the Urban Shakedancers are like, but Webb Wilder
is cool and this show would be a good excuse to check out the new
Stardome.  Well, it's a better excuse than "Poco".

Sat. 5
    VOVA NOVA at Flamingo's
    I've seen them so many times I probably won't be there, but they are
definitely worth seeing.  It might be interesting to see if they are
developing any new material post-album release/being dropped from their
label.  They may opt for a radical stylistic change from the
funky/rappy/jazzy stuff they've been doing.

Sun. 6
    CRYPTOGENIC/SKELETAL EARTH at The Nick
    I will be there, if only for a second, to confirm that this is
indeed a thrash metal show.  Bring ear plugs.

Thurs. 10
    FIVE EIGHT at The Nick
    Great great great great band from Athens.  Energetic and barefoot,
Five Eight have a new album and were so good the first time I saw them,
along with four other people in the bar, that I bought a tape from them
for gas money back home.  With A Met Z opening - friends of mine making
cryptic, subconsciously disturbing music.

Tues. 15
    PINKY THE STABBER at The Nick
    THE BEST BAND IN BIRMINGHAM.  Authentic, 1982 sorta hardcore sorta
punk rock.  Not for everybody, but to me it's heaven.  Those who own My
War, Zen Arcade, anything by The Dickies, flock to this.

Wed. 16
    MISSISSIPPI HIPPIES/SHALLOW at The Nick
    I'm listing this for Shallow, having not heard the Hippies.  Shallow
is the newest version of one of my favorite new bands, Volume.  Unfortu-
nately, Volume broke into pieces and this will be the first time I'll
see Shallow.  Features Ann Marie Griffin, a woman I would gladly be in a
band with.

Wed. 23.
    VOVA NOVA/THE HO HO MEN at The Nick
    The Ho Ho Men is one of Birmingham's great triumverate of bands
from the mid-80s when we had several decent bands in Birmingham to
choose from.  They are funny and obnoxious and are reuniting for this
show which will be packed with strange people like me.

Sat. 26
    SUGAR LA-LA's/THE TICKS at The Nick
    Yes, I'm playing this month.  I chose to list this show because the
Sugar La La's, who many people think are the Best Band in Birmingham and
who seem to be the major source of debauchery in this area, will be the
headliner act and this will be a big show full of costumed, mind-altered
people.  And the band will be weird too.  And I will be weird, because
crowds make me weird.

Mon. 28
    ITCHY WIGS at The Nick
    Mark Kimbrell, visiting home from New York, is an incredible
guitarist and this is his band when he is in town.  Think Belew and
Fripp.


        -----
        Judy Ranelli is a local musician and strange person.  She and
        her band, The Ticks, will be playing at The Nick on December
        26, like she already told you, as well as December 3 and 25,
        which she didn't tell you.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Poetry Curve
with Chris Mohney

This is a new feature which, I, in my finite wisdom, saw fit to implement
into this, your reason for living, BTN.  Normally I'm not wild about
poetry, but the stuff that's been coming out of Tuscaloosa since our friend
Chris Mohney fled Birmingham to go to UA there has been interestingly
twisted, if you know what I mean.  Longtime and detail-obsessed BTN
readers will remember Mr. Mohney as the faithful if faceless minion who
brought us our monthly user ProFile (currently being handled, or maybe
not, by The Bishop).  If the spirits are willing, hopefully I'll be able
to squeeze something out of Chris for this space fairly regularly.  I've
seen some of his other stuff, and in my opinion, it fits fairly snugly
into the bold, slightly askew new vision I have for BTN.  (If you're
wondering about the column title, it's this: Like Poetry "Corner", but
instead.. - right, got it.) - Scott



                              Mob Sestina


    Vittorio aimed the gun at his brother and said, "Give me the keys."
    "No!" screamed Angelo, but he gave them, and was naked
    when they found him in the woods tied dead to a tree,
    two shots in the skull, two in the heart.
    Vittorio was soldati.  How could he not?  Back to the grind
    and midnight walks on cement that was slippery

    with dirty ice and old, bad blood.  Slippery
    like his Uncle Juilio's fat fingers on piano keys
    after cooking his famous primavera, when he'd grind
    up peppers and onions after peeling them naked
    for a sauce so good your heart
    might skip a beat.  Vittorio's family tree

    has roots in the homeland, in Sicily, where a tree
    might hold as many nooses as its slippery
    branches could bear, for un-men who had filled the heart
    of the don with spite or envy, who had the keys
    to a power or thing he desired.  Vittorio's son is naked
    now and screaming with birth, and because Vittorio feels the grind

    of guilt he names him Angelo.  And soon the grind
    of family and Family makes him grim and hard as a tree
    stripped of its leaves and bark, naked
    but unflinching and unshirking despite the slippery
    slope of his newfound responsibilities, the keys
    to himself locked away in his armor-plated heart.

    Calendars are thrown away and soon Vittorio is the heart
    of the Family, his second son Remi adapting well to the grind
    and gristle of working for his older brother, selling keys
    or grams of coke through the Loggers' Labor Alliance, under trees
    and men who cut them.  Skimming union dues is a slippery
    business at best, and Vittorio feels less naked

    to mishap with his sons there to be his naked
    eyes and careful ears.  Then Remi comes quietly with a sad heart
    and worse news of his sibling's infidelity and slippery
    fingers, tales of theft and lies, and Vittorio grinds
    his teeth and pounds his desk carved of a tree
    shipped from Greece.  He gives Remi the order and the keys

    to his own limousine.  The grind must be personal and naked.
    Vittorio feels the slippery metal of the keys
    as he tells his son "two each in skull and heart, tied to a tree."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

An Introduction to the Desktop Publishing Association
by Chris Phillips


    There is no doubt that the "information age" has brought us all
closer than anything else in history.  You, being of the select few who
already know about BBS systems and networks and so forth, can see this.
To log on and answer a message from a BBS user in Ontario or California,
or even Australia, is common.  There is no doubt in this writer's mind
that in the world of the future the home computer will play a central
role.

    That said, I'd like to introduce all of you to a gentleman I
recently "met" by way of a BBS system here in Birmingham.  That man is
Mr. Ron Albright, who is the Sysop of the Disktop Publishing Association
BBS and a founding member of the Disktop Publishing Association.

    Ron is a writer who has written in conventional media for about 11
years.  His credits include articles in "Computer Shopper", "Computer
Monthly", five books of his own, and editing work.  Somewhere in all
this, Ron began to notice something.

    What he noticed, early in 1991, was there were MANY good writings
available ONLY in digital format.  But these talented people worked in a
vaccuum.  Each had to learn the same things on his or her own without
any contact or organized voice.  Having by this time done several
electronic works of his own, Ron decided to remedy that situation.

    From that effort, the Disktop Publishing Association, or DPA, was
born.  It's members hail from all over, including as far away as Canada
and Denmark.  And these people are beating the drums LOUDLY for their
organization and for the electronic medium.  According to them, before
the year 2000 publishing on disk (or Disktop Publishing) will be MORE
prevalent than conventional paper publishing.

    So just what is the DPA?  The DPA is an organization for those with
interest in Electronic Publishing.  Authors, publishers, and consumers
are welcome as members, and there are currently no fees involved.  For
those who wish to join, the DPA can be contacted through Ron Albright
by

        1.  On Compuserve you may leave mail to 75166,2473.  Also, mail
        can be sent via an InterNet server.  Ignore the TO and FROM
        fields in your message and make the FIRST line of the message

                  "TO: 75166.2473@compuserve.com"
         (The lowercase letters are neccessary if this is to work.)

         2.   If you are a GEnie user, you are in luck!  GEnie is the
         national home for the DPA.  You can leave Ron mail on GEnie
         by addressing it to RALBRIGHT (all caps here).

         3. If you use MCI MAIL, Ron's address there is 370-7474.

         4.   Or simply call the Disktop Publishing Assn. BBS at 205-
         854-166

    The purpose of the DPA is to promote the benefits of Electronic
Publishing.  The organization is a forum for discussion about publishing
and marketing.  Also, it serves to bring those interested in PUBLISHING
together with AUTHORS, with sharing of resources to get the end products
to the masses.

    Are there really many consumers for such products? Well, by reading
this article you have become a consumer of disktop publishing.  Let me
throw a few statistics at you.

    Did you know that 34% of U.S. households have either an MS-DOS
computer or an Apple Macintosh?  64 million Americans regularly use a
computer at home, work, and/or school.  Of these, 4 out of 5 use MS-DOS
machines only.  Five percent use a Macintosh.  About 13% use BOTH.
Sounds like a market to me!

    (By the way, the statistics I have quoted were provided by the DPA
and are from PC-Watch, which is produced by TechScan of Northbrook, IL.)

    Electronic publishing gives more room creativity than the paper
environment.  There are three formats within the medium.  Which is best
depends upon the information, it's intended audience, and the whim of
the publisher.

    TEXT is the most basic.  The words appear on the screen in much the
same way as they would on paper.  The format of BTN falls under this
category.  While not allowing much visual appeal, the Text format does
have advantages.  One is the simple fact that you can enjoy a text work
without the need for special equipment.

    HYPERTEXT is a neat little invention.  It is an ENVIRONMENT in which
the text is presented.  It allows linking the text in ways other than
the linear methods applied by Text and by paper publishing.  It mimics
human thought-processes, but preserves the OPTION of normal reading if
that is desired.

    The hypertext book runs like software.  Only graphics capability is
needed.  Sometimes the entire work is encoded into a single .EXE file.
Others will have a reader and several data files.  Hypertext is paving
the way for the eventual superiority of electronically-published
material.

    MULTIMEDIA is a real buzzword lately.  To disktop publishing,
multimedia is a gold mine!  It combines hypertext with graphics and
sound.  This takes the reader out of the page and into the story.  At
present, only those with high- speed machines and some special equipment
can enjoy all the aspects of a multimedia work.  Technology is slowly
moving towards the point where this will no longer be true. Multimedia
will propel disktop publishing into the 21st century at warp factor 9!

    Some of you may still be saying, "I still want to know WHY this
'disktop publishing' is better than paper books. Why should I even
bother with it?" Well, that's easy.  The first benefit of electronic
publications is INSTANT ACCESS. They can be had through local BBS
systems (how did you get this copy of BTN?), Information Networks such
as CompuServe and GEnie, or simply traded or purchased on diskette.

    Production time is cut when publishing digitally.  It can take a
year to produce a finished book by conventional methods.  Also, there's
a roadblock. You can't GET published unless you've already BEEN
published.  These are no longer concerns with disktop publishing.  You
can do the work yourself, if all else fails.

    UPDATES are easier to obtain and cheaper.  If you have a tech manual
for a piece of software, and you buy an upgrade to that software, you've
got to buy a whole new book!  With electronic publishing, it is possible
to obtain ONLY the parts that have changed, and at lower cost than the
original work.

    It's far less expensive than with paper.  Thus, the price of the
work can be less for the consumer, and the publisher can still make a
profit.  Everybody wins!

    For those who are environmentally-minded, it takes a huge amount of
trees to make paper.  Electronic works can be published and sold without
using ANYTHING but electricity. So disktop publishing is good for the
planet!

    So what does all this mean?  Simple, join the wave of the future!
Experts say that disktop publishing will be as widespread as paper in
FIVE years.  Check out your local BBSs.  If they don't have electronic
publications, ask them about it.  Ask your favorite bookstore if they
carry books- on-disk.  If they don't, put them in contact with the DPA.

    The DPA has declared November, 1992 "Disktop Publishing Awareness
Month".  All month, members of the DPA will be spreading the word to as
many people as possible. Bookstores, libraries, networks, BBS's, and
anyone else.  Want to help?  Join the DPA today.


[Information quoted from DPA source materials by permission of Ron
Albright]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SIG's (Special Interest Groups), Computer Related
-------------------------------------------------

BEPCUG                              CCS
Birmingham East PC Users Group      Commodore Club South
Jefferson Sate Jr. College          Springville Road Library
Ruby Carson Hall, Rm 114            2nd & 4th Tuesday (C64/C128)
3rd Friday, 7-9 PM                  3rd Monday (Amiga)
Paula Ballard 251-6058 (after 5PM)  7:30-10 PM

BCCC                                BIPUG
Birmingham Commodore Computer Club  Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group
POB 59564                           UAB Nutrition Science Blg
Birmingham, Al 35259                RM 535/541
UAB School of Education, Rm 153     1st Sunday (delayed one week
2nd and 4th Sundays, 2 PM              if meeting is a holiday)
Rusty Hargett 854-5172              Marty Schulman 967-5883

BACE                                FAOUG
Birmingham Atari Computer           First Alabama Osborne Users
Enthusiast                          Group
Vestavia Library, downstairs        Homewood Library
2nd Monday, 7 PM                    1st Saturday, 1PM
Benny Brown 822-5059                Ed Purquez 669-5200

CADUB                               BGS/CIG
CAD Users of Birmingham             Birmingham Genealogical Society/
Homewood Library                    Computer Interest Group
3rd Tuesday, 6:30PM-8:30PM          Birmingham Public Library
Bobby Benson 791-0426               3rd Floor Auditorium
                                    2nd Sunday, 2:30 PM
                                    Robert Matthews 631-9783 or
                                    Bone Yard BBS

RAHSPCUG
Ramsay Alternative High School PC Users Group
Ramsay High School
1800 13th Avenue South
last Wednesday of each month (September-April)
from 3:02-3:35
Lee Nocella 581-5120

SIG's, Non-Computer Related
---------------------------

BBC                                 Birmingham Astronomy Club
Blue Box Companions                 Subject: Astronomy
Subject: Dr. Who                    Red Mountain Museum Annex
Hoover Library                      4th Tuesday, 7:30PM
1st Saturday, 2PM-5PM

If you belong to or know of a user group that is not listed,
please let us know by sending E-Mail to Barry Bowden on
The Matrix BBS.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Known BBS Numbers For The Birmingham Area



NAME                    NUMBER     BAUD RATES   MODEM    BBS SOFTWARE
                                   SUPPORTED    TYPE

ADAnet One (Nodes 1-3)  854-9074   1200-2400             PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, fi, ad]
ADAnet One (Node 4)     854-5863   9600-14400   USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, fi, ad]
Alter-Ego BBS           925-5099   1200-9600    USR HST  PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml]
Asgard                  663-9171    300-9600    V.32     WWIV 4.21a
        [ez, al, te]
Baudville (Node 1)      640-4593    300-2400             Major BBS 6.02
        [none]
Baudville (Node 2)      640-4639    300-2400             Major BBS 6.02
        [none]
Baudville (Node 3)      640-7243    300-2400             Major BBS 6.02
        [none]
Baudville (Node 4)      640-7286    300-2400             Major BBS 6.02
        [none]
Baudville (Node 5)      592-4684    300-2400             Major BBS 6.02
        [none]
Bert's BBS              424-2872    300-2400             WWIV 4.21
        [none]
Bone Yard, The          631-6023    300-9600    USR HST  PCBoard 14.5
        [fi, bh]
Bus System              595-1627    300-2400             PCBoard 14.2
        [none]
Byte Me!                979-BYTE!  2400-14400   USR HST  WWIV 4.12
        [ez, th, al]
Castle, The             841-7618    300-2400             C-Base 2.0
        [none]
Castle Rock             995-9900   1200-19200            VBBS 5.52
        [vi, al]
Channel 8250 (Node 1)   823-3957   300-14400    USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, un]
Channel 8250 (Node 2)   823-3958   300-14400    USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, un]
Christian Apologetic    808-0763   300-14400    V.32bis  Wildcat! 3.55
        [wi, bc]
Crunchy Frog (Node 1)   956-1755   300-14400    USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml, lu]
Crunchy Frog (Node 2)   956-0073   300-14400    USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml, lu]
Darkhold                681-0002    300-2400             Telegard 2.7
        [none]
DataLynx                328-7688    300-2400             WWIV 4.21
        [ez]
Deep Space 9            980-1089   300-14400             Wildcat! 3.51
        [di, fi]
Den, The                933-8744    300-9600    USR HST  ProLogon/ProDoor
        [ez, ml, il]
Disktop Publishing      854-1660    300-9600    V.32     Wildcat! 3.01
        [pl]
Drawing Room            951-2391    300-2400             Wildcat! 3.02
        [di]
EcoBBS                  933-2238    300-2400             WWIV 4.21
        [al]
Elysian Fields          620-0694    300-9600    V.32bis  VBBS 5.52
        [al]
F/X BBS (Node 1)        823-5777   300-14400    USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ri, cc]
F/X BBS (Node 2)        822-4570   300-14400    V.32bis  PCBoard 14.5
        [ri, cc]
F/X BBS (Node 3)        822-4526   300-14400    V.32bis  PCBoard 14.5
        [ri, cc]
Family Smorgas-Board    744-0943    300-2400             PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, fi, mj, bc, fa, ic, cf, cd, np, ag, hs, ve]
Flip Side               798-3961    300-2400             Renegade 8.27
        [none]
Gateway BBS             425-8772    300-2400             Image 1.2
        [none]
Genesis Online (Nodes 1-4) 620-4144 300-14400   V.32bis  Major BBS 5.3
        [mr]
Graphics Zone (Node 1)  870-5306    300-2400    MNP4     TBBS 2.1(16)
        [none]
Graphics Zone (Node 2)  870-5329    300-2400    MNP4     TBBS 2.1(16)
        [none]
Hacker's Corner         674-5449   1200-2400    MNP4     PCBoard 14.5
        [none]
Hardeman's BBS          640-6436  1200-14400             Wildcat! 3.51
        [wi, di]
HellBound BBS           444-9043  2400-14400             VBBS 5.52
        [none]
Hoots With Owls         520-9540    300-2400             TriBBS 3.0
        [none]
Illuminatus BBS         871-0489   1200-9600             VBBS 5.52
        [vi, al]
Infinite Probability    791-0421   2400-9600    V.32     VBBS 5.52
        [vi, al]
Intruder Enterprizes    969-0870    300-9600    V.32     VBBS 5.52
        [vi, al]
Island                  870-4685   2400-9600    V.32     Hermes 2.0
        [fi]
Joker's Castle          664-5589   300-14400    USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml, un]
Lemon Grove             836-1184   300-12000    V.32/42bis  Searchlight
        [fi, sl]
Lion & The Unicorn      424-1599  1200-57600             VBBS 5.52
        [none]
Magnolia BBS            854-6407   300-14400    USR HST  PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml]
MATRIX, The (Nodes 1-10)  323-2016 300-2400         PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl]
MATRIX, The (Nodes 11-14) 323-6016   9600-14400  USR DS PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl]
MATRIX, The (Node 15)     458-3449  9600-14400  V.32     PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml, th, il, in, al, sh, sc, gl]
MetaBoard               254-3344   300-14400    USR DS   Opus
        [fi]
Milliways BBS           956-3177  2400-14440    V.32     VBBS 5.52
        [none]
Missing Link            853-1257   300-14400    USR HST  C-Net Amiga 2.31
        [none]
Night Watch             841-2790  1200-14400    USR DS   TriBBS 3.3
        [cc, tr, di]
Nirvana                 942-6702    300-2400             VBBS 5.52
        [al]
Outer Limits            425-5871   1200-9600    USR HST  Wildcat! 3.01
        [fi]
Owlabama BBS            856-2521   300-14400             GTPower 17.00
        [gt]
Owl's Nest              680-0851   300-14400    USR DS   PCBoard 14.5
        [ez, ml, lu]
Party Line              856-1336   300-14000    V.32bis  TriBBS 2.11
        [cc, tr, di]
Penny Arcade            699-4625    300-2400             Running Force! 3.75
        [none]
Playground              836-4200    300-2400             TriBBS 2.11
        [tr, di, cc, ez, al]
Pooh's Korner           980-8710   300-14400    USR DS   Wildcat! 3.5
        [none]
Posys BBS               854-5131    300-9600    V.32
        [none]
Pro-Electric            980-8836    300-9600    V.32     Proline 2.065
        [none]
Quiet Zone, The         833-2066    300-9600    V.32     ExpressNET
        [none]
Raven's Manor           681-4096    300-9600    V.32bis  VBBS
        [vi]
Safe Harbor (Node 1)    665-4332    300-2400             GTPower 17.00
        [gt]
Safe Harbor (Node 2)    665-4355   300-14400    USR DS   GTPower 17.00
        [gt]
Safety BBS              581-2866    300-2400             RBBS-PC
        [none]
Sperry BBS              853-6144    300-2400    V.32     PCBoard 14.5
        [none]
ST BBS                  836-9311    300-2400             PCBoard 14.2
        [ez]
Teasers                 987-0122    300-2400             WWIV 4.20
        [al]
Thy Master's Dungeon    940-2116    300-9600    V.32     TriBBS 2.11
        [none]
Torch Song              328-1517    300-2400             Wildcat 3.01
        [pr, se]
Trauma Room             823-9127    300-9600             VBBS 5.52
        [vi, al, ww]
Viper's Pit             856-2464    300-9600    V.32     WWIV 4.21
        [al]
Wanderer, The           836-0603   300-14400    V.32/42bis  Wildcat! 3.00
        [th, lu]
Waste Lands             991-5184    300-2400             WWIV 4.21
        [ww, al]
Weekends BBS            841-8583   300-14400    USR DS   Wildcat! 3.50
        [none]
Willie's DYM (Node 1)   664-9902    300-2400             Oracomm Plus
        [or]
Willie's DYM (Node 2)   664-9903    300-2400             Oracomm Plus
        [or]
Willie's DYM (Node 3)   664-9895    300-1200             Oracomm Plus
        [or]
Willie's DYM (Node 4)   664-9896    300-1200             Oracomm Plus
        [or]
Word, The               833-2831    300-2400             WWIV 4.12
        [al, ez]
Ziggy Unaxess           991-5696    300-1200             Unaxess
        [none]

The many symbols you see prior to the names of many of the bbs' in the
list signify that they are members of one or more networks that exchange
or echo mail to each other in some organized fashion.

ad = ADAnet, an international network dedicated to the handicapped
ag = AgapeNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
al = AlaNet, a local network, multi-topic
bc = BCBNet, a local network, religion-oriented
bh = BhamTalk, a local network, multi-topic
cc = City2City, a national network, multi-topic
cd = CDN, a national Christian network for file distribution
cf = CFN, a national Christian network, multi-topic
di = Dixie Net, a regional network, multi-topic geared toward the south
     eastern United States
ez = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network
fa = FamilyNet, an international network, multi-topic
fi = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic
gl = GlobalLink, an international network, multi-topic
gt = GTNet, an international network, multi-topic
hs = Home-School-Net, a national network for home schooling
ic = ICDM, an international Christian network, multi-topic
il = ILink, an international network, multi-topic
in = InterNet, an international network, linking businesses,
     universities, and bbs', multi-topic
lu = LuciferNet, an international network, adult oriented
ma = MAXnet, a local network, connecting WWIV and VBBS systems
mj = MJCN, an international network for Messianic Jews
ml = Metrolink, an international network which echoes RIME, multi-topic
mr = MajorNet, an international network, multi-topic
np = NPN, a national network for new parents
or = OraNet, a national E-mail network
pl = PlanoNet, a national network, multi-topic
pr = PrideNet, a local homosexually oriented network
ri = RIME, an international network, multi-topic
sc = Science Factor Net, a national network, science and technology
     oriented
se = SEC, a regional network, homosexually oriented geared toward the
     southeastern United States
sh = Shades N Shadows Net, a national network for role-playing games
sl = SearchlightNet, a national network, multi-topic
te = TECHnet, a local network, hardware and utility oriented
th = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented
tr = TriBBS Net, a national network, multi-topic
un = Uni'Net, an international network, multi-topic
ve = VETLink, a national network for military veterans
vi = VirtualNet, national network, multi-topic
wi = WildNet, a national network, multi-topic
ww = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic


If you have any corrections, additions, deletions, etc., please let me
know via a message on the main board of The Matrix or Crunchy Frog.


The following BBSs did not answer the last time I tried to verify their
existence.  If you have any information on their status, please drop me a
line.

        Bus System          The Castle          Hoots With Owls
        Island BBS          Lion & The Unicorn  Owl's Nest
        Viper's Pit
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

