BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News COPYRIGHT 1989 June 1989 Volume 2, Issue 6 Table Of Contents ----------------- Article Title Author Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Mark Maisel Editorial Column...............................Randy Hilliard Insights.......................................Ron Albright SQL: The Roots Of OS/2........................Kelly Rosato Another Top Ten List...........................Tyros Profile: Kathy Maisel.........................Chris Mohney Our Local BBS Systems..........................Mark Maisel From The Kitchen...............................Chez Stephan Message Board..................................Barry Bowden Known BBS Numbers..............................Mark Maisel ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- /*****************************************************************\ ==> ** EFFECTIVE JUNE 1 ..... America OnLine's phone number will be ** <== ==> ** ** <== ==> ** 323-2016 ** <== ==> ** ** <== ==> ** (Node 4 will remain on it's current number.) ** <== \*****************************************************************/ /*****************************************************************\ ==> ** EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY ...... ** <== ==> ** ** <== ==> ** PINSON VALLEY BBS IS OUT OF SERVICE FOR ** <== ==> ** AN UNSPECIFIED LENGTH OF TIME ** <== ==> ** ** <== \*****************************************************************/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Semi-Editorial by Randy Hilliard Tah-tah-tah-TAH-TAAA! Believe it or not, this months issue of BTN should be on time! (Assuming that Mark can find it on his hard disk -- last month it took him 5 days and a phone call.) This is indeed a rarity in the last few months and should be cheered. Hopefully we can make a habit of it but-I-ain't-betting-on-it. Ron Albright makes his debut in BTN this month (this is hardly the most auspicious place this gentleman has debuted) with an article on information networks and where they may be going in the near future. Kelly Rosato is back in BTN again this month. This time he has provided us with an article on OS/2 / SQL. This should prove interesting to those thinking of getting their feet wet with a newer operating system (before they part with the bucks). Our profile this month should prove interesting to those of us who know our Idiot-in-Chief (or have just heard some about him). The profile is on his wife! Now we can get a glimpse of what it may be like to be married to an editorial protegee (or Mark anyway). Tyros has once again returned to BTN; this time with a semi- satirical Top Ten List of statements that Birmingham natives are likely to hear from visitors to our fair city. Our local BBS spotlight this month focuses on what I believe to be the longest continuously running BBS in Birmingham today: Ziggy Unaxess, and its sysop, Ziggy Powers. Chez Stephan has pulled his grill out again to prove to us that shrimp and oysters make a wonderful, tasty meal when cooked out. I wish I'd had this recipe Memorial Day! Barry Bowden has this months Message Board ready and for once we seem to be early enough for it to be of maximum use. One other announcement remains to be made: Despite approximately one year of successful operation on six systems EzNet has shut down due to difficulties that arose shortly after the the code was modified to interface with PC Board version 14 and EzNet began expanding to include more systems. Personality and policy conflicts arose shortly after the expansion and decorum went out the window on all sides. Due to this public lack of restraint the BUS withdrew from EzNet and EzNet Central announced its intention to withdraw its support within 36 hours. The purpose of EzNet was to better communications and understandings between Sysops and Users alike. The authors of the EzNet code never intended it to be used for public displays of baiting, name calling, and innuendo, thus both Eznet authors withdrew their support from the Net. As a Node Operator of EzNet and as a user on other systems, I feel as if we came very close to losing a very useful tool. EzNet Central notified me this evening that the Central system will indeed stay up. EzNet is a way to reach either one or many people very rapidly with information, news, announcements, and such. It was not intended for slip fights. If you have a problem with another user, then please seek another route other than EzNet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- INSIGHTS Confessions on a Communications Fanatic by Ron Albright Well, since this is the first installment of "Insights," it's probably a good idea to introduce myself and explain what I hope to accomplish. Bear with me while we get through these preliminaries. My name is Ron Albright, 38 y.o., an M.D. by trade and a computer fanatic by preference. I use PC-based hardware and software. I am a contributing editor to Computer Shopper magazine and have been (at one time or other) assistant sysop on CompuServe as well as Delphi. I have written 3 books on computers and have a fourth in the "it's at the publisher" (Chilton Books) stage. My passion is communications applications and that is what the books are about. The only thing of interest to you (since you are, obviously, skilled in computer-to-computer communications) is that one of the books was totally self-published and computer-generated. Word Perfect 4.2 => Ventura Publisher => Okidata LaserLine 6 proofs => printer (in Michigan) => plates => print & bind. I had 1500 copies printed, and have just about sold out using mail order ads. It has been a fun "experiment" in self-publishing, mailing list management, and other computer applications. My best effort to date was done by a "legitimate" publisher, Information Resources Press, (Virginia) and called "The Guide to Online Information resources for Health Care Professionals." It, on the other hand, is quite nice (hardcover, 300 pages) and, better still, I didn't have to pay for it. As mentioned, I have finished another book that is on small business applications for communications (email, voice mail, fax, information retrieval, etc). It will be out in Waldenbooks and Daltons, God Willing, this fall. I have experience with PC fax, voice mail, email, and database access, among other things with the trusty PC. I love this machine and were it not for having to make a living doing something else, I would do computer consulting and writing for a living. But, then, I guess a lot of us fall into that basket. Anyway, the "Insights" column will focus on communications by computer. Principally, the national networks - CompuServe, GEnie, Delphi, and The Source. Dedicated email carriers - MCI Mail, AT&T Mail, Western Union EasyLink will be mentioned as we go along. Since the local BBS scene is already covered by more knowledgeable writers in this newsletter, I will stick to commentary on the commercial nets. Occasionally, other technology - fax and voice mail, for example - will creep into things as well. So, here we go. What's wrong with the information networks? While the electronic communication and information systems now in place offer exciting potential, they remain underutilized. The electronic information industry, alone, is growing by leaps and bounds (revenues are at $2 billion and predicted to double in the next 5 years), but these systems are still much too alien for the general public. While there are an estimated 22.8 million PC's in U.S. homes alone, the total user base for commercial networks is estimated at 1.5 million or so. The complexities of the technology just to access these networks can be overwhelming for the beginner. It still requires some degree of study and work to set up a computer for telecommunication. For the new user, it is not easy. And their reluctance is understandable. Until it is easily accessible, those who take advantage of what is available will remain a small percentage of the total computer users. While I realize I am preaching to users who already have mastered the technology, bear with me while I lament. The barriers to effective use of the system do not stop with the technology itself. The networks can be as difficult to use for the novice as they are to connect to. Each system has a unique structure and there is no continuity. While the basic functions - email, electronic conferencing, downloading, etc. - are the same, technologically speaking, how to do them varies from network to network. Learning one system's commands does little to simplify successful use of another system. The third aspect which has limited the effective use of the existing information systems is their cost. The systems are expensive to use. Particularly when compared with the public library or the telephone. The network providers argue that these electronic libraries save you time over the traditional shelves and card indexes of the library and that electronic mail is more efficient than endless games of telephone tag. While this is certainly true for the frequent user, it remains difficult for the ordinary user to realize such advantages in efficiency and time savings. Finally, there is an educational gap. There is a serious lack of awareness among the general public and professionals in all fields of what can be accomplished through online information systems. The commercial database systems have not produced an adequate public education campaign. Most potential users may have an idea that information can be accessed by a computer but have little understanding of the speed and efficiency with which it can be retrieved. With these four barricades separating the public from the electronic information systems, it is easy to see where things must move for the two to come together. And they will come together. What you will see in the future is a marked relaxation of the technological hurdles users must overcome to access the networks. The Minitel story... The success of the Minitel system in France is a prime example of how things can be done. Certainly, France is not traditionally recognized as a high-tech nation. But, with Minitel, a videotex service, they have taught their American counterparts a few lessons. Hopefully. After all, with 4.5 million users on Minitel they must be doing something right. Rather than sell information and leave it up to the subscriber to find a way to access it, Postes Telephones and Telecommunications, the state-owned monopoly that controls France's postal and telephone services, provides a complete system to its subscribers. A simple terminal is lent to subscribers and installed without charge. The tiny terminal (the basic unit is 12 by 9 inches) does not have the power and data storage of a PC, but that is not its purpose. There are no modems or RS232 cards to install, no parity settings to deal with, and no complicated software to learn. It's a plug-in and go setup. The public has instant access with no technological preparation required. Once connected, the services provided are simple to use. Everything is menu driven. If you can order in a restaurant or choose your floor in an elevator, you can use the system. The access charges are cheap. They are based on services accessed, more so than time online. You are not penalized for being a new, inefficient user. You pay for what you retrieve. And retrieve the French did - from sports reports, to weather, to food prices, to online "chatting" (probably the most popular feature with the flirtatious French) - to the tune of 2.33 million access hours per month. PTT earned $70 million in 1985, and profits have, undoubtedly, increased in succeeding years. Projections are for terminals to be added at the rate of 1 million per year. Expansion is limited only by the rate at which France can produce the terminals - not by user demand. The message for the American information industry is clear. Yes, there is a market for online information resources. But it can only be tapped by relaxing the technological toll inflicted on its potential users. By making a system easy to access and use, and reasonably priced, and full-featured, people will flock to the door. What you can expect in the very near future is an increasingly simple interface between the information systems and the user. The emphasis will switch from the technology to the purpose; from modems and baud to communication and information access. The systems themselves will simplify and, eventually, move toward standardization. They will allow functioning at two levels online. In a menu-mode, for the infrequent user - guiding them along every step of the way - and a command mode for the experienced - taking advantage of the efficiency and speed that will bring. Systems will increasingly move toward lower access rates and these charges will be based more on information retrieved than on connect time. You will be charged $2 per hour, but, perhaps, 10 cents for every 1000 characters that cross your screen. These changes will probably take place in the next few years. The first move? The much ballyhooed joint venture, initially with CBS, IBM, and Sears involved and dubbed Trintex, should finally produce a product in 1988. After a few false starts and loss of one of the original players (CBS), IBM and Sears have rolled out their system - called "Prodigy" in several of the largest U.S. cities. The closest to us in Birmingham is Atlanta. The network will expand to nationwide within 2-3 years. Sears and IBM have set the monthly fee for residential users of their service at $9.95. Subscriptions are sold through retail stores. Hayes Microcomputer Products has announced it is producing a modem for the system that will be a "plug-in-and-go" setup, making getting started with Prodigy almost as simple as with Minitel. All cables will be provided with the modem and you will buy a specific setup for your particular computer brand. There will be no access charges for Prodigy - only the flat, monthly fee (sound familiar?). The consumer services offered will include home shopping, banking, ticketing, messaging and information/entertainment services. No terminals are offered and access will be by a traditional computer/modem/phone line interface. Until the American communications and information industry wakes up and eases the burdens on new users, "modem jockies" like us will continue to be a small minority of computer users as a whole. But I see the first yawns of the sleeping giant as it begins to awaken. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SQL: The Roots Of OS/2 by Kelly Rosato Like the rumble of distant thunder, the term OS/2 makes us look uneasily up from our terminals and peer off into the near future. We've heard that all this new technology is going to make all of our old favorites in software obsolete, or that it was going to be the renaissance of computers. The truth lies somewhere in between. OS/2 has it's origins in a language called SQL (Sequential Query Language) referred to from here as SQL, or Sequel, developed in 1976 By IBM. IBM has used SQL on mainframes and minicomputers for several years and now on micro- computers. Not an application itself, SQL acts as an interpretive language like BASIC. SQL statements pass through a SQL "engine" to the underlying database, where they are executed. Before we discuss the system itself, we need to examine the reasons for the growing popularity of the SQL language. It's smart: the SQL engine knows where the data is, what indexes to use and the most efficient sequence to find the information. By contrast, a procedural language like dBASE must be told what information you want and how to get it, step by step. Another large advantage is it's potential as a standard for database query language, as it is already well established in the mainframe and minicomputer markets. Most important, with SQL it's possible for a single inquiry from a mainframe, mini, or micro computer to search several different computers of any of the three sizes mentioned in a single query. This is an especially important point for corporate users. You may say "Thats all well and good for a corporation, but what will it do for the personal user and more specifically, the bbs's?". With it's power and flexibility, a personal user can make use of the extensive search and find capabilities of the SQL commands. I also foresee a time when by using "Grant" and "Revoke" commands (See command explanations), the sysop and user will be able to utilize the power of SQL languages with no lengthy work on either parties end, therefor simplifying and making bbs's even more user and sysop friendly. And no you don't have to learn the language either, but it's worth the time it takes to learn. Anyone with a fairly logical mind and the manual open can run a SQL system proficiently in an hour or two. Also, programs can be written in C or Pascal with SQL commands embedded and be OS/2 and SQL compatible, so your favorite programs and software aren't dead or obsolete, you'll simply see new versions that have been interlinked for OS/2 compatibility. Now for a brief summary of some of the SQL and OS/2 commands and what they do in conjunction to operate the system. IBM's SQL OS/2 uses 14 basic commands to operate the system, these are: SELECT: Roughly equivalent to dBASE's LIST. SELECT is SQL's most used command. SELECT can be nestled into subqueries, where a single statement has many levels and retrieves a complex set of data from a variety of different tables. Most databases require several queries to get the information that SQL obtains in a single statement. INSERT: This command inserts new data records, or rows into a database. UPDATE: Allows a user to modify field values for a single or multiple record. DELETE: Deletes one or more data records, or rows from a database. CREATE TABLE: Creates a new data table. CREATE INDEX: Creates a index, and attaches it to the system catalog. DROP TABLE: Deletes a specified data table from the system. DROP INDEX: Deletes a specified index from the system. ALTER TABLE: Allows you to insert new information to an existing table to restructure that specific database. CREATE VIEW: View is a way of creating virtual and interlocking databases that can do the functions of both (or more) tables. GRANT: This allows the system supervisor to give access to specified tables and databases, and the right to use SQL commands on them. REVOKE: Opposite of GRANT. COMMIT: One the most powerful of the SQL commands, it allows the stringing of SQL commands in a group for a single transaction. ROLLBACK: Another data integrity command, ROLLBACK work with a COMMIT. In case of a system crash or other problem, it allows a transaction to be "ROLLEDBACK", returning the information back to the exact state before the problem. The best thing about SQL is that it's a nonprocedural. That means that it's smart. It knows exactly where information is and how to get it. The drawback to these wonderfully simple commands and "smart" system is that it's a memory devourer. An average dBASE type program requires 640to 1.2 megs to run, plus another 2-4.7 megs for SQL or OS/2. Also an irritating fact that really slows OS/2 and SQL down is that they use "Sequential Query". That means that if you ask it to search for a file using a SELECT subquery, then even if that file is the first one in the database it will go through all the files even though it's found the file already. Don't expect SQL compatibility to be cheap either. A basic database program (Ingress, for instance , the most inexpensive on the market right now) starts at $1450.00 for the basic package. All together the OS/2 seems to be a good operational system for a large computer due to it's database abilities and simple use for a large corporate datanet, but it seems rather wasteful for the small user that doesn't want to buy a system that will run DOS and SQL or OS/2, and not only in dual compatibility between the two, but to also have to pay the price for a larger memory capacity needed. Many users seem to express a desire for an Operating System that will give them the flexibility and smarts of SQL, but with the size and speed of DOS. This is not it but perhaps OS/2 and SQL will lead to that end. References: PC World Feb '88 McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Top Ten Things Heard From Out-Of-Town Vistiors On The Streets Of Birmingham By Tyros 10. Where are all the other tourists? 9. Oh, all right Mr. Arrington, here's my last five bucks. 8. Boy, I'm glad we're all on the same side now, aren't you? 7. Look honey, running water and everything. 6. What exactly IS the "Alabama Reunion"? 5. What do you mean by "racism"? We got this parking space FIRST, Congressman Reed! 4. Could we get this changed to Confederate money? 3. What happened to that horse track that was here last time we came through? 2. Can you give us directions to Martin Luther King's gravesite? 1. IT REALLY IS A SLEEPY SOUTHERN TOWN. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- PRO FILE by Chris Mohney The Pro File is a short, half-serious biographical sketch given to various computer telecommunications personalities around Birmingham. Victims are selected randomly from a group of names put into the notorious Hat. Anyone who thinks himself brave or witty enough may petition for admittance to the Hat by leaving E-Mail to me (Chris Mohney, most boards around town) to that effect. Anyone who wishes to suggest more questions or sneakily nominate someone without their knowledge may take the same route .... --------- Pro File on KATHY MAISEL --------- Age: None of your business Birthplace: Bellefont, PA. Occupation: Electronic Data Processing Auditor, are you impressed? My hobbies include: sex, computing, cards, reading, more sex, writing, and sleeping Years telecomputing: 5 Sysop, past/present/future of: Don't be silly. I'd never work that hard. My oddest habit is: putting on a suit and talking like I know what I am doing for 5 days out of every week. I think you call it a job. My greatest unfulfilled ambition is: to get my husband's attention away from the computer without having to yell,"FIRE!" The single accomplishment of which I am most proud is: staying married to Mark Maisel for over 7 years. My favorite performers are: Rick Moranis, Cheech and Chong, Julie Andrews and Captain Kangaroo. The last good movie I saw was: The Princess Bride The last good book I read was: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Bradley If they were making a movie of my life, I'd like to see my part played by: Yoda My pet peeves are: Malls, Grocery Store Layouts, Soap Operas, and people who don't know how to MERGE on the highway. When nobody's looking, I like to: Hehehe -- CENSORED! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Local Bulletin Board Systems Number Five In A Series by Mark Maisel Name: Ziggy's UnaXess Sysop: Ziggy Powers Software: UnaXess Been Around: 7.5 years Baud Rates: 300-1200 Bulletins: brief explanation of the system seen when you log on Conferences: created by users and they vary with use. they die after 3 months of inactivity Computers Supported: any and all who can call Files Available: variety of shareware and public domain offerings Doors Available: none Special Information: the oldest continuously running bbs in Birmingham Q. Why did you start your BBS? A. To study and communicate with my house. I set up remote control for the lights, etc. It also has given me the opportunity to meet new people. Q. What has been your greatest reward from running your BBS? A. Meeting people and exchanging ideas. Q. What are your greatest regrets and annoyance associated with running a BBS? A. The uncompensated expense is my greatest regret. There have been some annoyances in the form of bad users. This has for the most part, cleared itself up. Q. What are your future plans for the BBS? A. I really don't have any plans. As long as it keeps running, it will remain. Q. What is the funniest thing that has happened on your BBS? A. Nothing funny comes to mind. I have had some excitement from hackers trying to break into the system over the years. They always seem to approach it in the spirit of challenge. Q. What is your favorite hobby/pastime outside of your BBS and computers in general? A. I like to do woodworking. Making furniture and clocks has been a good hobby for me. I also like to work in my Japanese style garden. Q. What do you think your system offers that might cause someone to prefer your board over others? A. I offer complete anonymity and the crowd is pretty laid back. There is almost always some good discussion to be shared. Q. Why? A. I run the system this way to make things easier for me and the users. The folks who call seem to enjoy this. I feel like my responsibility is to provide the service and the rest is up the users. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- From the Kitchen by Chez Stephan With we Alabamians being in the throws of summer, it's time for Chez Stephan to get the old grill out and start with some of my summer favorites. Most of these will be extremely easy to fix and some of them might even taste pretty good. There will not be any burgers this time but there will be something for almost everyone. Fasten your seat belts, pop a cold one and be prepared to go to grill heaven. First off is something so easy anyone can do it. We're gonna grill some shrimp. 3 or 4 pounds of shrimp enough skewers to hold the shrimp Tony Chachere's powdered Creole Crab Boil or Paul Prudhome's Blackened Seafood Spices Clean and peel the shrimp. For those of you that are lazy, you can buy them already cleaned and peeled. Place the shrimp on the skewers and then sprinkle liberally with either of the spices. Grill over high heat until done. Brush with butter while they cook. After they are done then remove shrimp from skewers and serve on a warm platter. Please don't overcook the shrimp. They get rubbery when cooked to long. These shrimp are great as munchies while the main meal is cooking or even as a main course. They can be served with a melted butter, lemon, and tarragon mixture or with a red sauce, or really good with just about anything. They are even good with the prepared horseradish and bacon dip you find in they dairy section of the grocery store. Next were gonna steam some oysters or clams These are also too easy All the fresh oysters you can eat and then some One or two heavy burlap bags Some old or very cheap beer ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT OYSTERS SHOULD BE EATEN FRESH AND IN FACT THEY SHOULD BE EATEN ALIVE WHETHER THEY ARE COOKED OR RAW. Oysters will live for about 3 days if they are kept iced down real well. Get a nice hot fire going and then soak the burlap bags in beer. Place them on the grill ( not the fire, the grill ) and pile the oysters up on top of the burlap. Add another can or two of beers and close the top of the grill. Check the bag about every 5 minutes or so because you don't want to catch the darn thing on fire. When the Oyster shells pop open they're done. Serve these with a red sauce or melted butter and some crackers. Either give each person a knife ( or if your guest can't be trusted with one; as many of Mark's guest are; you'll have to do it yourself ) so that they can cut the oyster from the opened shell. These are also good as munchies while the main course cooks. A Sauce for Ribs and Steaks Also good on fish 1 cup of water 1/2 cup of white vinegar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 clove minced garlic 1 stick of butter Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Use to baste meat while cooking. Any left over sauce can be sealed in a mason jar and stored in the refrigerator. This sauce can be made weeks in advance of usage and stored. What I usually do is make a triple recipe and store the stuff in mason jars in the fridge until I'm ready to go at it again. Grilled Shrimp From Captain Anderson's Kitchen Make this marinade first. 1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup of vinegar 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup fine chopped onions 3-4 drops Tabasco 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 tablespoon lemon juice Clean and peel shrimp ( large ones, 1/2 pound per person served ). Let shrimp rest in the marinade for at least 2 hours. Thread them on skewers with small mushroom cap between each and grill over slow fire for about ten minutes. Baste with marinade while shrimp cook. Horseradish Sauce Grill your favorite steak and serve on the side 4 tablespoons of heavy cream 1 tablespoon vinegar 3 tablespoons grated horseradish salt and paprika Whip cream stiff. Mix the other ingredients together and beat gradually into cream. This is enough for one serving so make this according to the number of people you need to serve at any given time. This should be enough to get things started until next issue. Anyway I don't want to take up valuable space with a few simple recipes. I'm quite sure that most of you would rather get on to the real meat of BTN anyway. So Ciao for now. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- MESSAGE BOARD by Barry Bowden JUNE 1989 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 June 3 BIPUG --> This months meeting will be at 1:00 PM. BAC June 16 BEPCUG June 11 BCCC June 13 CCS June 25 BCCC June 27 CCS BCCC BIPUG Birmingham Commodore Computer Club Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group POB 59564 Room 535/541 UAB Nutrition Birmingham, Al 35259 Science Bldg UAB School of Education, Rm 153 First Sunday 3:00 PM 2nd and 4th Sundays, 2 PM (delayed one week if meeting Rusty Hargett 854-5172 falls on a holiday) Marty Schulman 967-5883 Jim Caldwell 870-4729 Carolyn Daffron 969-1748 BEPCUG CC-S Birmingham East PC Users Group Commodore Club South Jefferson State Jr. College Springville Road Library RUBY Carson Hall 114 (Meeting) Huffman, Alabama 3rd Friday of Every Month 2nd and 4th Tuesday (C64/C128) 7:00PM to 9:00PM 3rd Monday (Amiga) Paula Ballard 853-1200,ext 1463 (Work) 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM 251-6058 (Home) Maurice Lovelady 684-6843 BAC Birmingham Apple Corps POB 5542 Birmingham, Alabama 32555 Regular meetings - 1st Sunday UAB Building #2, Rm 115 at 2PM Informal get-together every Saturday morning at 8:30AM at the Kopper Kettle in the Brookwood annex next to AC3 If you belong to or know of a user group that is not listed, please let us know by sending E-Mail to me, Barry Bowden, on EzNet. Please leave the following information : User Group Name Meeting Place Meeting Time(Day/date,Time) Contact Person Any Other Important Information ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Known BBS Numbers For The Birmingham Area NAME NUMBER BAUD RATES SUPPORTED MODEM TYPE America Online Nodes 1-3 323-2016 300, 1200, 2400 America Online Node 4 251-2344 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST *American BBS 674-1851 300, 1200, 2400 Amiga Alliance 631-8367 300, 1200, 2400 *Byte Me 979-2983 1200, 2400 *Bus System BBS 595-1627 300, 1200, 2400 *Channel 8250 744-8546 300, 1200, 2400 Club Phoenix 942-0252 300, 1200, 2400 *Crunchy Frog 956-1755 300, 1200, 2400 D3 Systems BBS 663-2759 300, 1200, 2400 Duck Pond BBS 822-0956 300, 1200, 2400 Gizmo's Atari BBS 854-0698 300, 1200 Fortress BBS 664-9040 300, 1200 I.S.A. BBS 995-6590 300, 1200, 2400 Jim's Place 787-5512 300, 1200, 2400 *Joker's Castle 744-6120 300, 1200, 2400 LZ Birmingham 870-7770 300, 1200, 2400 *Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST ProSoft Systems BBS 853-8718 300, 1200, 2400 Psycho's Den 592-2545 300, 1200 *Role Player's Paradise 631-7654 300, 1200, 2400 Smitty's BBS 849-7349 300, 1200 Sparta PCBoard Nodes 1-5 979-0193 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST Sparta PCBoard Node 6 979-0196 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 Hayes Sperry BBS 853-6144 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 Hayes *ST BBS 836-9311 300, 1200, 2400 *The Connection Node 1 854-9074 1200, 2400 *The Connection Node 2 854-2308 1200, 2400 *The Outer Limits 969-3262 1200, 2400, 9600 HST The Islands BBS 870-7776 300, 1200 *The Professional's Board 856-0679 300, 1200, 2400 Twilight Zone 856-3783 300, 1200 Willie's DYM Node 1 979-1629 300, 1200, 2400 Willie's DYM Node 2 979-7739 300, 1200, 2400 Willie's RBBS 979-7743 300, 1200, 2400 Ziggy Unaxess 991-5696 300, 1200 Boards with a "*" before their name are members of our local network, EzNet, and public messages left in the EzNet Conferences of any of these boards will be echoed to all members.