
1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask....
2 ********************** INSTALLED: 29 DEC 84 ************************
3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System)  Mike Day system operator
4 ************************************************************
5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION
6                     PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM.
7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privately owned
8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public.
9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is
10 privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which
11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be
12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved)
13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the
14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the
15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace
16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up.
17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system.
18 ************************************************************
19 
20 Leonard: The disk in question is being removed from service, actually,
21 it isn't 'old and worn out'. It was a generic. The best disks I've got
22 are the 'old' disks. They just keep running forever. I did have to
23 retire two old disks, but not because they were defective, instead
24 it was because my CPM system uses 40 track double sided disks, and
25 they were an old 35 track dysan, and a 35 track shugart disk. The CPM
26 system puked its guts just looking at them.
27 L'homme: What was the last Archive date? I've lost track. I forgot to
28 mark them down last time.
29 PAM: Is something wrong? We haven't heard a peep out of you since the 10th.
30 ***************************** CISTOP MIKEY ********************************
31   i am at the top...? gee, er well...? now what...? perhaps you get a free case of utter disbeleif with every visit to the top
32 or so...? i expected fanfare... oh well, off to porsfis and pcs... see you all soon...
33 
34 To Prometeus and Zippy:
35 
36                   ooo
37                  o   o
38                   ooo
39                    o
40                   ooo  o
41                  o o oo
42                 o  o oo
43                o   oo  o
44                    o
45                   oo
46                  o o
47                 o o o
48                o  o o
49                  o   o
50                  o   o
51                 o     o
52                 o     o
53 
54 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
55   3:38 P.M.  Saturday December 29, 1984
56 
57 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
58 To prometheus:
59 
60   Hey lets set the record strait, the slashman clan is not some mischievious
61 Little group.  True it is a newly formed group but has a large number of members
62 none the less.  We like to think of ourselves as a hacker's cooperative.
63 Our members are mostly from the University of portland.  And we meet once a
64 month.
65 
66 We are trully sorry if some of are members, like the one who entered the above
67 message have created a problem, and if we dicover who they are they will be
68 removed from our group.
69 
70 Note: Please excuse the spelling!!!
71 
72                THE SLASH CLAN
73 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
74 ....
75 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
76 Voyeur: Yes, I hate 80 columns.  Most of my sentences run about 90 characters,
77 and so I end up with a bunch of little
78 short lines that could have been filled.  This works better.
79 About the Risk rules, hmmm... I don't think L'homme is coming down here anytime soon... by the looks of things I won't
80 get to the next PorSFis meeting, either... I'll leave my address in level 1 code later tonight.
81 Ian: Aloha is long distance for me.  I'll call to get the message you left but don't count on my being able to get
82 on there all the time.  How about CBBS/NW?
83 L'homme: No call?
84 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
85 The night passed uneventfully.  I awoke fresh and ready to tackle the problems of the new day.  I felt good enough 
86 to be able to hunt down Godzilla, much less Joshua.
87 I dressed, and ate.  I didn't trust the food served at the hotel, so I ate more of the rations.  They somehow tasted
88 better than they ever did before.
89 My eyes scanned the room.  The XD-40 lay on the table beside my bed, next to the .45 that had saved my life over and
90 over again.  I fell to cleaning it, whistling as I went along.
91 The XD-40, as far as I could tell, was fine.  Somehow I knew different.  I wouldn't fire it until it was checked.  In
92 the meantime, it was back to Betsy here.  Later, perhaps my cash would go so far as an UZI.
93 The time quickly passed, and 2:00 rapidly approached.  "Fred, link me through to the bug we planted.  We'll start a 
94 little early."
95 No reply from Fred this time, but I began to hear the mumblings of a group of people.  Faint greetings.  Names....
96 Yes, NET agents were there!  I heard "L'homme", "Ian", and perhaps a few other names.  "Joshua" was mentioned 
97 frequently but I did not hear Joshua himself speak.
98 The meeting was called to order.  After a bunch of silly discussion was done with, the last phrase I was able to hear
99 was "PC&S".  Great, another cryptic remark.
100 They left the building, or at least the room I had been listening to.  I asked Fred to find out about PC&S and to 
101 keep working on the logbook.  I laid comfortably on my bed, deep in thought.
102 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# Farley #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# 12/29/84 - 04:44 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
103 P.S. Voyeur: I liked the phony NET idea better.  I'm responsible for the UNDERGROUND entry... I know a better idea
104 when I hear it (or read it, as the case may be).
105 
106 ------------------------------------------------
107 Well, Prometheus, it looks like you're right,
108 the twits are back again. God I'll be glad 
109 when school starts again so they'll start 
110 thinking about something other then messing
111 up BBS systems.
112 ------------------ jeffrey
113 
114 ***************************************************************
115 Gee, nobody out there wants my cold? You try to be generous
116 and give away something, and they ignore you. sigh...
117 ********************* CISTOP MIKEY ******************************
118 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
119 Gee, sorry to hear about your cold CISTOP MIKEY but that is what
120 you get for living in this place.   Now drink lots of liquids and . . .
121   
Porsfis was interesting.   A loud long  AAHHHHHH  filled the room
122 when I announced myself.  During Break, Cathy charged right over to say
123 'HI', after talking a few minutes with her I joined Sondagaard and met
124 MiG and Prometheus.  All in all the day has been very rewarding.
125 At the PC&S, the board was pulled forth and the score was ...
126   Prometheus  2  ---- Cathy 0
127   Prometheus  2  ---- PaPa  0
128   Sondagaard  0  ---- PaPa  2  or was it only one?
129 Then the board turned into a map, which Cathy had fun with.
130   Well I really must be going now....  I hope you all had as great a
131     time as I did.     And the next time the street lights turn on,
132     oh well,  I did feel a little light would help right then.
133 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PaPa Smurf ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12-29  18:00
134 :::::::::::::::O O::::::::18:46:::::::::::::12/29::::::::::::::O O:::::::::
135 What?  PaPa Smurf & Sondagaard were there?  I must habve missed the introductions.
136 Drat.
137 Farley: *YOU* are responsible for the UNDERGROUND?  Oh, if you could have heard
138 the stir that created at PCS.  'Tis a good thing you were unable to attend.
139 (well, not really, but it _was_ discussed with much vigor)
140 (Hmmm... Leonard's *emphasis* _marks_ come in handy some times.  Catchy, too).
141 By the way, the meeting wasn't held in conference room A.  It got bumped to
142 that little room at the end of the hall.  I would expect an entry detailing
143 the feeding to false information to a discovered bug in the library.
144 (just a warning so you know the reasons.  No Deus Ex Machina HERE).
145 ::::::::::::O O:::::::::::::::::::voyeur::::::::::::::::::O O:::::::::::
146 
147 hi! my name is richard ness 
148 FARLEY! DO NOT BOTHER CALLING CBBS/ALOHA! THAT MSG IS  INOPERATIVE.
149 	CBBS/NW DOESN'T SUPPORT PRIVATE MESSAGES, CBBS/PCS DOES BUT THEY CAN BE
150 DIFFICULT TO LOG ON TO.
151 		ADA LOVELACE (FOR MR. MACHINERY)
152 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
153         Well, I see that Ian has delegated things to his secretary again...
154 To the person on drive B: The NET has had some problems with people both
155 insiders AND outsiders, who would drop in anachronistic storylines. 
156 (ie Farley being tracked with a crystal ball by a wizard... it just doesn't
157 fit!) After some argument it was decided that people would be left to write
158 themselves out of any problems they had gotten into. 
159         This allows interchanges to be restricted to only a few people at a
160 time. We are actually trying to AVOID having the stories "written by 
161 committee". The references to checking things out was to allow you to find 
162 out if the person or persons involved that _particular_ sub-plot were 
163 willing to allow someone else to "muddy the waters".
164         Think of the sub-plots as private duels of wit. Nobody likes a
165 stranger who interferes in a duel!
166         If a character is just wandering around or carrying out a routine
167 survielance (sp?) 
168 then it's probably ok to "interact" with him. If he is ACTIVELY doing 
169 something with another character then it would be polite to ask if they 
170 mind before you go barging in on THEIR story.
171 ___________________________________________________________________________
172 WHY IS THE MESSAGE THAT I LEFT NOT HERE?
173 I THOUGHT IT A FRIENDLY SORT OF 'FIRST TIME' MESSAGE.
174 ANY WAY I'LL TRY AGAIN.
175 I'M NEW AT THIS AND I'D LIKE TO MEET PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME INTEREST
176 AND SYSTEM AS I DO. SO I HOPE THIS MAKES IT ON THE BOARD.
177 I'M ELLIOT AND I'M USING I.B.M. AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND USERS TO EXCHA
178 NGE INFO ETC. ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS (M OR F)
179 SO, PLEASE LEAVE MESS. AND I'LL BE ELATED 
180 I JUST GOT ON-LINE AND DON'T KNOW THE PROPER ETIQUITE SO SOMEWONE
181 ENLIGHTEN ME 
182 THANX!
183 
184 Elliot: there are only two real rules
185 for this system other than the ones
186 listed in the first 18 lines.  They
187 are: 1. Use CTRL-C to exit ENTER mode
188      2. ALWAYS type "OFF" before you
189         hang up your phone...
190 ------------------------------Mad Max
191 -==--==---==----==-----==------==-------==--------==---------==----------
192 Hi all,
193 	What's new in game controlers?  Paddles leave your wheels spinning?
194 No _Joy_ (Gee, this is _fun_!) in joysticks?  Face it, the only new 
195 concept in controllers has been Coleco's "Joy Knob". (I don't think it
196 is an improvement, just about as original as taking the engine out of a car
197 because it would be a lot quieter.)  How about some new controllers?
198 Here goes....
199 	Zap-Stick:  This one really helps to learn a game.  When you make a
200 mistake, it lets loose with about 75 volts.  Zap!
201 	FoneFun:  Practice your phone dialling and play games too.  For differnt
202 commands, just press different sequences of numbers.  Great for BBS sufflin
203 -==--==---==----==-----==
204 Elliot:  I'm using an IBM.  I think you'll like it here.
205 	Saturday, 21:38                      - Friar Tuck -
206                     (A black jellybean in the candybowl of life.)
207 ----------==---------==--------==-------==-------==-----==----==---==--==-
208 DESPERATION AHAB'S THE NAME AND I'VE BEEN ON THIS ROAD A LONG TIME BUT
209 NEVER ON THIS SIDE ROAD.WHERE IS THIS PLACE. I'VE GOT TO GO. I'LL CALL
210 
211 ***************************************
212 17                               
213 16                           :::
214 15                        :  ::::   
215 14                       :::::::::  
216 13                       ::::::::: ::
217 12                   : : ::::::::: ::
218 11                  :: ::::::::::::::
219 10                  :: ::::::::::::::
220 09                  :::::::::::::::::
221 08                 ::::::::::::::::::
222 07                 ::::::::::::::::::
223 06                :::::::::::::::::::
224 05               ::::::::::::::::::::
225 04             : ::::::::::::::::::::
226 03         ::: ::::::::::::::::::::::
227 02   :     ::::::::::::::::::::::::::
228 01 : : ::  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::
229  JFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASOND
230      1982        1983        1984
231 
232 Usage graph for BWMS.  The numbers at
233 the left are the number of disks used
234 for the month indicated at the bottom
235 December is current usage.
236 *********** CISTOP MIKEY ************
237 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
238 I see from Mickey's graph that the system has had a lot more use than
239 was it currently has.  I suppose that *NET* has bumped it up a bit.
240 What's the average, a disk once every 2.5 days currently?
241 ~~~~~~~~~~~
242 Voyeur:  Sorry to hear that you were not paying attention in class, you
243 flunked your mid-term by-the-way.
244 ~~~~~~~~~~~
245 So, Farley is now being tracked by a crystal ball!??!... Boy this is 
246 getting interesting.   Really folks, I do agree on keeping the SCI-FI
247 *NET* stories and the Fantasy stories apart.  Just think how wiered
248 they could get ... Hummmmm!  Jashua is helped by a Pegasus with a Piper
249 on the back, then finds two magic-users to spell him a 3+ XP40 magic
250 thingie....   Boy oh Boy .............. I don't think the INN could take it.
251   This is for every BackWater person that ever was:
252       "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
253                            - Einstein
254 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PaPa Smurf ~~~~~ 12/29  23:00 ~~
255 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
256 An open letter to the NET:
257      Upon my recent return to the Backwater, I made a resolution not to antagonize any members of your organization.
258 However, with the recent discussion of your guidelines and objectives, I feel the urge to speak out.
259      I have no objection to your organization using a closed storyline.  Your adventures are amusing and 
260 entertaining, but sometimes you carry your isolationism to the extreme.  In the past, you have felt free to integrate
261 plot devices and characters created by others into your stories, i.e. Leroy McKane, Petrov, and the Phoenix's Egg.
262 I have no objection to this, but it is only natural that the creators of these ideas would like to join in the fun.
263 Unfortunately, some of us were rebuffed harshly by a few members of your organization.  If perhaps, someone had taken
264 the time to explain your constraints a year ago--sharp words and ruffled feathers on several personna's parts may have
265 been avoided.
266      Also, I would like to speak about Leroy McKane.  Although Leroy and I have only met at the Backwater, I consider
267 him my friend.  It seems Leroy has, in the past, been subjected to severe and unwarranted attacks not only against
268 his personna, but against his real person.  Leroy is a vital part of the Inn--too vital to be driven away as some
269 seem to want.  If you read the Archives closely, you will discover he did little to deserve the shabby treatment he has
270 received.  He may have spoken harshly to some, but only in rebuttal.  I have been attacked also, but those attacks were
271 probably warranted--I did tread on the NET storyline and put some personnas in difficult situations, but then I didn't
272 know the rules of the game.
273      On the positive side, I find most NET agents to be excellent writers, with good command of the language, and an
274 ability to hold the reader's interest.  I enjoy your plots and characters.  If I didn't have a job that required me
275 to work nights and weekends, I would have made an appearance at PorSFis meetings long ago.  I hope your organization
276 takes this letter, not as a putdown, but as an indication of where some of us stand.
277                                                Mohammed Wassir
278                                           <The Outspoken Albanian>
279 P.S.  Pam:  First you invite me to return to the Inn... then disappear.  What's a poor AlBanian to do?
280 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
281 
282 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
283 And just think, I've only been around for a very small portion of that graph...
284 Voyeur: Well, I tried.  Let's see *YOU* write about a meeting that you didn't attend.  I wrote as I have always seen 
285 it.  Ah, and here's a small message:
286 NET level 1 (no Alex, no funny twists for you to puzzle over):
287 CGDSE WTERL PNWIC ZNJNW UGQET PSTVR FGIGF DRXPN IUYRS JXJPW UCPMQ BGVTB CEECQ IOEWF XHNAE VPVZO UHVFG VTPPJ BTOEZ EREFI
288 I just hope I got it typed right, and that you still have your program...
289 NET: Well, you *SAID* that you'd welcome competition, so what's the matter with UNDERGROUND?  Anyone who wants on the
290 'bad' side has a fairly good basis to work from if he/she wants.  I entered it because  A) I was bored  B) I was 
291 listening to Men at Work's song "Underground"  C) $200 million is a little much to ask from someone you don't work for.
292 I mean really, why don't you embezzle or spirit it away or cause it to 'disappear' mysteriously?  D) All of the above  
293 E) None of the above  F) Only D and E.
294 Ian: I called Aloha, and got your message (a little late to do anything about it).  I left one for you.  CBBS/PCS
295 is hard to get on, but I'm patient (and have an autodialer).
296 NET debate, (good/bad rules, restrictions, etc.): As I see it, most of the NET knows each other.  They know what is 
297 acceptable.  Common sense dictates whether something would interfere with someone else's entry.  The NET's "rules" are
298 guides to help you along without the aid of common sense until you can sense by instinct what would be considered a 
299 great entry.  How many of us here at BW were reading trash before coming, and now have a sense of what sharper wit
300 may do if properly motivated?  I, for one, consider myself lucky to have found BW.  My writing has improved, and all
301 because I gradually learned the nuances of the writing here, the unwritten rules whose results are seen but nature we
302 cannot directly explain.
303 I have seen a period or two of turmoil here.  The NET survived both periods.  As has been written before, it is a
304 body of writers whose creativity has reached new heights because of the support and clashes of wit that have been 
305 exchanged.  I wish it good luck, and long life.  May it endure.
306 #$##$##$##$##$##$#
307 Perhaps I'll try to recover from my bugging mistake late tonight (now the 30th).  Goodnight, all.
308 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# Farley #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# 12/30/84 - 12:14am #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
309 
310       It was a dark night, much to dangerous for a young man to be walking
311 about by himself. There were many legions about the creatures that stired
312 in the night. But he walked along, not caring what jumped out at him. He
313 was finally going away, away from that place they called 'home'. We was
314 going to walk until they were so far gone they could never congure him up
315 and use his magic. He was tired of around the clock, suddenly popping up
316 in the lab before all the elders to show hem what he could do. But he never
317 showed them all he could do, he had to escape and that is what he is doing
318 now. A small smile cracked the dim face as he walked on. It was getting
319 darker, he had only been out a small while. Time went slow and each step
320 became harder than the last. In his pack he took out his shinning gem he
321 brewed a few days ago. It created enough light for him to see at least
322 twenty five feet ahead. He walked on into the night, stopping now and 
323 then for a few barries on the trail. Each one was ripe and tasted fine.
324 no more of that grub back 'home' he though eating another barry. He
325 was on his way, he was going to make it all the way this time, they will
326 never find him.
327 
328 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
329 
330 WHO LEFT THAT?
331 
332       I sit here and stare at a green glow in a dark room.  A room full of
333 love and hate. Mixed emotions float by as the small cursor creates a new line
334 of text. Some of that text has feeling and meaning, others are as cold as ice.
335 These emotions come here as a place of hope and a place for dispare. There is
336 no emotions here, just words without feeling. The text rolls by and I wait,
337 wait for something to happen. Then the cursor creates its last dance and the
338 emotions continue to stir in this barren room. I try to speek but no sound
339 is heard. No sound is here when no one listens. I sit here and think of the
340 times long since past, times that I wish were here but then I see that small
341 glowing cursor, sitting, waiting for something to happen. It doesn't know what
342 it is doing, what it once did. It doesn't know who it is hurting or who is
343 making something happen, it just moves along in it's continuing dance. The
344 dance that has a silent audience. It must get confused by the spectators,
345 they don't seem to act the way other spectators do, espeacialy the one who
346 wrote the dance. It sits in it's own cold room, it has no where to go and it
347 just watches the emotions that never were or will be.
348 
349 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
350 
351 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
352  Nothing quite matches the sounds of a desperate man, running for his life,
353 from an enemy he only partly understands. The panting sounds from deep within
354 his chest, where the lungs labor to keep up with the demand the body makes
355 when in a flight-for-life situation, make for an eerie symphony indeed.
356  The unsteady footfalls, guided by the most basic of survival instincts,
357 continue to mark the passage of a man alone in the world, alone at a time
358 when sheer terror overwhelms the other emotions. The mind is on a different
359 level. The subconscious begins to exert its force; flex its hidden muscle. The
360 body is its kingdom, and if that kingdom is in danger, the subconscious mind
361 may be the last bastion of defense the man can offer.
362  His mind was like the outer fringes of a hurricane. Awash with the warning
363 signals from the rest of the body, warnings of lassitude and exhaustion. But
364 the complex organ of the brain was also controlling. Fellows ran by instinct.
365 The adrenaline pumping to the muscles; the lungs laboring with even more vigor,
366 all in order to save himself.
367  Fellows was too caught up in the immediacy of the situation to think much about
368 the bizzare trail of events that had lead to his desperate flight. It was enough
369 to know that the end was near, unless...
370  Years of training had inbred abilities to survive almost any situation. Top
371 physical and mental conditioning were elemental to his very existence. Yet
372 nothing had prepared him for the desperateness he now found himself in. NET
373 had taught him much, but not even the enlightened teachings he received there
374 could offer him a suggestion. He was completely on his own, and come what may,
375 it was on his shoulders the outcome rested on.
376  Finally the body could take no more. And as if the mind that before was
377 passing through the outer layers of a terrible storm, it now entered the
378 eye of that same storm. A strange sense of peace came over Fellows, and he
379 ceased his running. He lungs still hurried to catch up, even though the
380 rest of the body now stood in a relative stillness. It was here he would
381 make his stand, unprepared as he was. The terror of the run gripped him for
382 a moment, but then subsided as quickly as it came. NET was said to invest
383 nearly half-a-million dollars in every one of its top agents. It was time
384 to see if the money was well spent. 
385  The sounds of the approaching pursuers met Fellows' ears like a hammer on
386 an anvil, but he did not flinch. Suddenly, for some strange reason, a
387 song popped into his mind. A song from his youth. The words flooded his mind,
388 as if it were trying to tell him something.
389  'It's now or never. Our day has come...'
390 A searchlight probed the darkened street. The song played on in his head. It
391 was high noon for NET agent Fellows.
392                                                 Fellows
393 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
394 JoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshua
395 My dear Mr. Wassir - I read your open letter to NET with much interest.
396 It prompted me to respond, hopefully without putting my foot into my mouth
397 (or elsewhere).
398 The use and misuse of characters/objects: I don't recall the Pheonix Egg,
399 so I won't comment on it.  Petrov was taken by a newcomer to BackWater, who wanted
400 to get in on the story and thought the Petrov character sounded interesting.
401 He was totally unaware of any previous use of the character by Grand Dragonmaster.
402 (As was I, as it must have been more than a year ago {when I first began accessing
403 this board}).
404 McKane - that's a complicated subject.  He had always appeared to be the
405 'bad guy', so when we were looking for a purpose for our stories, he was the
406 obvious choice.  As you know, that didn't work out very well, so we dropped
407 the 'McKane' story and decided to tackle the totally fictional Rajneesh Dangerfield.
408 From the end of that episode last summer, to the present date, McKane has
409 not been given more than passing reference, and in those occasions, it has been
410 at least neutral, if not somewhat complimentary.
411 You must admit - it's somewhat of an honor to be the one against which all others
412 are measured. (you don't see IBM complaining, do you?)
413 Next, the NET itself, and its 'closed storyline'.  When it started back in
414 July (or thereabouts), it was Ian, L'homme and myself.  Gaudy Minsky joined
415 shortly thereafter.  The Petrov character entered a little later, but he is not
416 an official NET agent.  Now, we have Farley, who is also not a NET agent,
417 but meshes well with us.  The major reason for what appears to be our snobishness
418 is that we seem to work together rather well.  There is no doubt that your
419 and McKanes stories are very good, and you work together well.  As you have seen,
420 though, your styles and ours are drastically out of sync .  Ian, L'homme, Gaudy,
421 Petrov, Farley, and myself have similar styles, and we feel 'comfortable' with
422 each other's entries.  We have 'found our niche', as you and Grand Dragonmaster
423 have found yours.  I realize it's restrictive in that it can exclude talent,
424 but we are only human.  I put a lot of work into my entries, and I have seen
425 Petrov spend even more on his.  I hate to see it wasted by someones thoughtlessness.
426 (or ignorance).
427    I hope I have not offended you or anyone else, or given the impression that
428 we feel we are 'better' than you all.  We are just a group of people who take
429 pleasure out of being creative on this bulletin board, and have found that we
430 can achieve this goal better together. (as most of us have multiple personas,
431 we can still play around in the rest of Inn, too).
432 I thank you for your comments on the quality of our writing.  I know that I have
433 benefited greatly by practicing here.
434 I hope I addressed everything which should have been mentioned.
435 Ideally, all this hoopla about the NET membership will go away now and we can
436 get back to serious spying.
437 			Until we meet again in some other reality..
438 JoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshua
439 66 66 66
440 The communications between Portland and the rest of the state are pretty bad; the folks in Klamath Falls have a joke
441 about the Portlander's map with the southern border marked "Here there be Dragons". Nevertheless, in certain circles
442 information always travels quickly. The stories of seemingly random killings were correlated in the regular course
443 of things at several of the intelligence-gathering agencies operating from behind comfortable fronts in the north.
444 The information was not released to the news media. Officially, the killings were totally random, unconnected. 
445 A farmer in the field. A travelling bible salesman. The head of the local D.A.R. chapter. Nothing in common other 
446 than a gruesome common form of demise. Except. Except that behind closed doors in Portland and Salem men were sweating.
447 Men who worked for Agencies and Bureaus and orginizations known only by sets of initials, or not at all. They'd
448 worked out the connection. The farmer who brought home more than brochures from the goodwill tour of China, the bible
449 salesman who specialized in conversions of a strictly non-denominational sort, the matron who developed new codes 
450 on the back of her shopping list... they and the others were all members of various espionage agencies. It looked 
451 to those agencies like someone wanted them all out in no uncertain terms. Someone they'd never heard of, who seemes
452 able to tackle their toughest agents, who left no witnesses. They were scared.
453 It is a given in the espionage business that agencies don't share files, which is too bad. That one blind spot kept
454 them from spotting the other unifying factor behind the killings: the victims had all, at some time and in some way,
455 impersonated agents of the NET.
456                 
457      66 Gaius 66
458 mMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMm
459   There is a certian air to most job hunters.  It's an air of desperation,
460 compounded of a little too much attention to grooming, a forced jauntiness, and
461 most of all, the haunted quality of the eyes.  I think it's fear mostly.  
462 Fear of failure, fear of not getting the job, and most of all fear of 
463 starvation.  Oh, yes, I realize that there is some help out there, but how much
464 chance do you have to improve yourself if your only meal each day comes from
465 Baloney Joe's, or one of the missions?  I mean, it's a one-way street.  If you
466 once lose a job and cannot land another before the buffer runs out, you're
467 lost, brother.  Down for the count. Out, washed up -- finished.
468   Take this young fellow that just pushed his way in the door -- he's one of
469 the desparate ones.  From the way he's clutching that paper, our ad is about
470 his last chance.  Better polish up my "Big Sister" act for him.  He might do.
471 ........................
472   The sign on the door read:
473          Machrioness Enterprises
474 in rather subdued type.  Dan hesitated for a moment before pushing through the
475 door.  He could see a woman seated at a desk leafing through a pile of papers,
476 examining some, setting some aside.  "God," he thought to himself.  "Don't let
477 me blow this one!  Please!"  Straightening his tie (it had taken several 
478 careful evenings work to get the stains out of the fabric) he pushed open the
479 door, and walking with a false confidence, he strode in.
480   The woman at the desk looked up as he entered.
481   "Yes, can I help you?"
482   Dan found himself pierced by a direct gaze from two lovely hazel eyes.  
483 Framed by dark curling lashes, he began to sink into their depths until:
484   "I said, can I help you?"  The tone was slightly sharper now.
485   "Umm, oh!, yes, umm, mumble job" he mumbled, waving the paper he held.
486   "I'm sorry, sir, but our employment requires close contact with the public, 
487 and a speech impediment would make you unfit for the position..." she began.
488   A bolt of panic shot through him.  "No!  Wait!" he said quickly.  "I wanted 
489 to apply for the position in your advertisement.. the one.."
490   She looked frostily at him.  "I am perfectly aware of the contents of our
491 advertisements.  We are looking for resourceful persons willing to undertake
492 rather dangerous assignments.  You, sir, seem to have run out of resources."
493   Dan was close to panic now.  "Please," he pleaded, "I didn't mean to make
494 a bad impression on you.  It's only..." his sentence trailed off at her look.
495   "I don't do the hiring here," she said.  "I only screen the applicants."
496 She pulled a keyboard closer and flipped up a portion of the desktop to reveal
497 a computer display.  "Let's get this over with quickly, shall we?  Name?"
498   "Spade, Daniel Spade," he replied with the growing feeling that he was
499 wasting his time.  He gave the other answers with only part of his attention,
500 and was greatly surprised when she motioned him to a door in the back.
501   "But.. I ... Thank you!" he said starting to the door.
502   "Don't thank me, I only work here," she replied, but as soon as he was out of
503 sight she pressed a button on the keyboard.  A female face appeared on the 
504 display, a strikingly beautiful face, clearly used to obedience.
505   "One coming back we might use."
506   The face in the display allowed itself one slight smile, then faded out.
507 MmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMm The Machrioness MmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMm
508 
509 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
510 Bit Bucket BBS is now back in service
511 at it's new location.  The new number
512 is 254-xxxx.  It's running a new 
513 version of the software with some
514 improvements and new features.
515 24 hours, 7 days a week, 300/1200 baud
516 Rick Bensene SYSOP-Bit Bucket
517 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
518 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
519   The piper was having trouble focusing on the world around him, and from
520 the tremors he felt, the pegasus wasn't doing too well either.  He seemed to be
521 in the center of a circle of armed men, all dressed in black pants, white 
522 shirts with a curious black blotch over the chest, and holding large and 
523 exceedingly sharp spears pointed at him.  A very striking young lady, in a
524 most unique costume (it seemed to consist mostly of jewelry and imagination)
525 seemed to be giving the orders.
526   "I don't think they're any danger."  He heard her say.  "They both look like
527 they've been through a lot.  Give them both some medical attention, get them
528 fed and healed.  We'll get their story later -- we may be able to use them."
529   The piper's protest that he did not care to be used slipped unspoken from his
530 lips as his conciousness slipped from his mind.
531 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
532 <<:*********************************************************:>>
533 Joshua: Well said. I thought you clarified the misunderstanding
534 very well. By the way, Petrov was originally Mohammeds 
535 character not mine.
536 
537 Mohammed: I too consider you a friend...even though we've 
538 never met. Too bad neither of us have time to bring our two
539 great organizations into conflict once again.
540 
541                          Grand D.
542 <<:********************************************************:>>
543 010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101
544 CPPAL PFXL[ ND_CR RDLAP DCZAL PE[MD _AEVA NFCRR UD[TV SCVX\ D_PTF EDFED 
545 CDPAE PDXMD XGJDL ASDNF VTAJH BVRAC EADJA VXJPD JAGRP EHBPA EPFLZ DHB[W
546 SAJPU GFXVC ^HBMK TIKKZ KORKQ HB_WS AJPUG FXV[K HB_CE IZZTK OR[KE HB_Q]
547 N^YL\ [L\]Y NKHB_ ALIDX MDPJC LE\FE EFXLH BSDER
548 010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101
549 HAVE FUN ALEX....
550 ........................................................................
551 ALL AGENTS: COPY ABOVE TRANSMISSION. IF FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVE NOT 
552 ECEIVED THE KEY YET, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL OFFICE.
553 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
554 ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
555 To the "SLASH CLAN": I'm sure I speak for everyone on this system when I ask you to please stop drawing pictures with 
556 letters, as every line of text, be it 1 or 126 characters, is saved to one sector of the disk, and though you may 
557 condider yourself an artist, the practice is extremely wasteful.
558 Next point: On this system, everyone has their own individual border, and I would appreciate it if you refrained from 
559 using my Zs. 
560 To Elliot: If you are new to modeming, you might want to call Le Nerd(283-2983), and read a message left there for 
561 new modemers, for it tells about basic BBS ettiquite(II believe it's no.96). Now I must tell you that I am NOT implying
562 that you have no manners, the message is simply things you should know about what to do and what not to do.
563      Have Fun!!!    Zippy
564 ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZip
565 
566 KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKallistiKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
567 I knotice that somebody is using 126 column format in their entries. Maybe
568 I am the only one with the problem, but there is no auto wrap and the last
569 40 letters are all flashed on top of each other and not saved. Their message
570 is virtually unreadable. I will see if my machine is at fault but if it isn't
571 then maybe the 126 line (or anything more than 80) is inoperable, not a good
572 idea, etc.
573 	I will attempt to spend more time on the system, maybe even learning how
574 how to access the other disk.....what do you mean you go through a disk every
575 2 1/2 days? Are all these old messages stored and filed away for hackers'
576 posterity or are they actually worn out....maybe you should go over to Nickel
577 Ads and relieve them of their 1979 tech hard-disk washing machines. Primative,
578 but certainly lots of storage.
579 	"It was a bright and crowded night. There was a knock on the phone. I
580 turned on the system and it sat up, spat a disc in my face and printed "ON
581 STRIKE" before shutting down in a puff of bold, magenta smoke. For this, I 
582 hocked my aunt?....
583 tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
584 
585   line lengths...
586   i am sorry if my line length caused too much trouble... i remember some people
587 remarking about using it once... and it always seemed inoffensive to me... so
588 after eight months of simply watching, for my first entry with a name i was
589 going to use again, it seemed the proper thing to do... in any case, i am now
590 typing in 80 columns... it now seems the proper thing to do...
591 
592   gaudy minsky...
593   i was leafing through the pages of a particularly old set of Encyclopedia and
594 i came up with an odd reference to your name... is it intentional? if it is not,
595 i am sorry for making you get out the m volume... especially considering the
596 size of my edition... and the symphathetic size of yours... i digress...
597   intriguing delivery...
598   i intended the note to be delivered by a rather nice barkeep of pcs' employ...
599 in stead of this plan, i delivered it myself... i must remember to plan for all
600 contingencies... i wonder if i misspelled that...?
601 
602   the existence of thrike...
603   i entered a segment of a story... quite possibly on the second disk by now...
604 it detailed the ideals of a fictional agency nemed thrike... and i was wondering
605 how the whole bit came off? allright i hope...
606 
607 tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
608 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
609   From Prometheus; Ammends
610   I made some comments in my last message, which probably sounded like an across
611 the board downmouthing of everyone who ever got confused after typing enter, or
612 who didn't know about the constraints of space, or any of the other pitfalls of
613 newness to modeming. Which are many, especially to someone new to adolescence.
614   And I speak from experience, on both accounts. It *is* easy to simply throw
615 courtesy to the wind, and do all sorts of twitfull things both courtious and not
616 at all.
617   But I also realize that there is little tolerance of their sort, people who
618 press return when they are confused, or even foul mouthed little scum like some.
619 
620   I confess to showing this prejudice, and intolerance of these people. It is so
621 often the case, however that they do not and will not apologize, or stop doing
622 those things. It is so often the case, that I simply expect nothing better of
623 them, as a whole. I even make the desparaging comments about the twit burnings...
624  
625   Instead of simply apolgizing here, I entered all of this to perhaps make some
626 people understand the actions of the other 'Group' if that is the right word. In
627 any case, one side has been *plagued* by people who make the wrong decision after
628 typing enter, and the other side, who usually lacks the sense, and knowledge of
629 this system, to do much else. I dislike eighty columns... End of disk.

TOTAL NUMBER OF LINES = 629 
