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BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News
COPYRIGHT 1989
September 1989 Volume 2, Issue 9
Table Of Contents
-----------------
Article Title Author
Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Idiot-In-Chief
Editorial Column...............................Randy Hilliard
User Interfaces: MicroSoft Windows............Eric Hunt
Insights.......................................Ron Albright
Battle Chess...................................Randy Hilliard
Top Ten List...................................Chris Mohney
Cybernetic Languages...........................Dr. EBCDIC
ProFile: Steve Turner.........................Chris Mohney
Gun Control & Computer Wizards.................Douglas Reinsch
Gamer's Corner.................................Eric Hunt
Our Local Bulletin Board 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Editorial Column
By Randy Hilliard
The people who attended Woodstock were lucky (at the time) because
it lasted only three days. We have now been inundated with Woodstock
stories, musicals, paraphernalia, talk shows, articles etc... for a
month or more! I mean... Look, I am of the generation of people who
attended Woodstock (I was not there though) and at the time it was a
great thing to have imagined yourself to have been at but geeze! this
thing has stuck around longer this time than a chili belch!
Woodstock happened in the late sixties; they were into free love,
beads, bathtub chemistry, and "No more war!"
This is the late eighties: we are into safe sex, stocks, vitamins,
Money (speaking of which, where is my raise Mark?) , and "Let's kick
Khadaffy square in the butt!"
A bit of a difference eh? Could you imagine Woodstock if it
happened today?
Instead of walking, hitchhiking, and VW minibuses we would arrive
in Winnebagos, Saabs, and Lincolns.
Instead of asking "What's your sign?," we would be asking "Who is
your broker?"
Instead of taking hallucinogens to see 'butterflies in the sky' we
would be booting up the latest graphics package on our laptop computers
so we could view the butterflies in VGA.
Meanwhile back at the BTN ranch...
We have a good issue this month; lots of really good articles and
one mediocre one (mine).
Ron Albright is back this month with Insights. This time Insights
is a thought provoking article dealing with our mental image of who is
on the other side of the modem.
Doug Reinsch also returns to grace the pages of BTN (I love these
return writers; they're such masochist). Doug's article is on Gun
Control & Computer Wizards. Only one paragraph dedicated to gun control
and the rest dedicated to the wizards of our industry.
Eric Hunt has two articles this month: the first is User's
Interface and covers MicroSoft Windows. The second is a rebirth of the
Gamer's Corner which Osman Guner wrote for us until he left the
Birmingham area.
Want a Rolling Stone ticket? Chris Mohney tells us of 10 possible
methods of obtaining these scarce items.
We have a newcomer! Dr. EBCDIC has donated an article this month on
the arcane and obscure art of cybernetic languages.
We have one article on Battle Chess that we included just as a
filler and because we felt sorry for the author. Let's see, its by...
Whoops! Me. Disregard all of the above, its a fine article.
Chez Stephan has given us the details for a new gastronomic
experience that I cannot pronounce but sounds good.
Oh wow, lemme see... We also have Chris Mohney's Profile (on Steve
Turner this month) and out Idiot-in-Chief's local BBS spotlight (on Role
Players Paradise this month).
I can't stand it; I feel as if I have to add just ONE more
'instead' to close this out: instead of "Turn on, tune in, drop out," we
now say "Boot up, dial in, log on."
My Gawd... just think of what might have happened had these people
had an issue of BTN to read while they waited for the next band to come
on... I mean, this stuff melts in your mind, not in your mouth (or is it
melts your mind... I'll have to check).
.
.
.
SPEAKING OF MASOCHISTS: Now that I have your attention let me close
with one more item: I have finally found a suc... er, I mean volunteer
for this editorial who is on a one issue contract with an option to
continue depending on the abuse. I may do some editorializing in the
future, probably some editing, and certainly some writing. I would like
to take this moment to tell you that despite all of the complaints I
made that I actually enjoyed it (if you have a mind capable of believing
that, I have a wonderful deal for you. Cash only and in small
bills...).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
User Interfaces: MicroSoft Windows, an Overview
by Eric Hunt
As I sit in front of Q&A Write writing this, I am thinking about
the future of computers and more importantly the future of the user
interface, that part of the computer that the user sees and works with.
Also, I am thinking (and hoping) that Mark will be receptive to the idea
of a Windows column or series, and use this column for the betterment of
his BTN readers.
(Please note that I am not writing this using a Windows application due
to hardware constraints, mainly the fact that Ami requires an AT or
better machine and I am stuck with a lowly XT)
Windows is an attempt by software developers to ease the initial
computer shock that so many first time users are faced with. These new
users have a brand new computer that is capable of changing their life
if they let it. When one is faced with a manual five inches thick and a
very unfriendly c: prompt, the productive nature of the computer is
decreased greatly until the user has waded through the manual and fully
understands the in's and out's of the particular operating system, be it
MS-DOS, UNIX, or whatever. Software developers now see that the cryptic
character based systems have a much greater learning curve and are
slowly being rejected by the buying public at large. Windows is an
attempt to change this situation by introducing an intuitive, icon-based
user interface that the new computer user can pick up and run without
having to pour through tons of documentation. While I am not saying that
Windows can be fully exploited to its highest potential and fully
understood without reading the thorough documentation that accompanies
it, I am saying that Windows is a giant step forward toward that
ultimate goal: No documentation needed.
Windows: Graphics!
Windows attempts to accomplish the goal of smoothing the user
learning curve by designing a "shell" of sorts that bypasses the DOS C:\
prompt and replaces it with a graphical interface that allows one to do
the usual file maintenance and other things and also allows programs to
be run from the graphical interface, and, if designed specifically for
Windows, to retain the exact same interface during the execution of the
program, thereby standardizing many common functions.
Windows: No more keyboard.
To make the interface much easier to use and learn, Windows
implements the use of a "mouse", a hand held device that controls the on
screen cursor. My moving the mouse and pressing the buttons (usually two
or three), all of the functions within Windows can be accessed. Of
course, if a mouse is not available, keyboard equivalents of all
functions are available.
Windows: Applications abound.
With the graphical interface and mouse, most users can go around
the screen clicking and selecting and experimenting without having to be
bothered with manuals. The consistent interface across applications
helps. There are many applications available to Windows users in many
fields. The Windows program itself comes with several, including a
limited yet powerful word processor with true **WYSIWYG word processing
(WYSIWYG is true of all Windows applications, since Windows is not
constrained by hardware characters. Windows makes use of the HiRes
graphics display to display text as bit mapped graphics), a small note
card filer, a handy on screen analog clock that has to be seen to
believed, a B&W graphics paint program that has some extensive features,
and other small maintenance programs. Commercial programs available
under the Windows interface are numerous. Here is a short list with a
description of each:
* Ami - Word Processor with spell checker.
* CrossTalk for Windows - Windows version of popular
communications program
* Xerox Presents 1.0 - Presentation quality graphics
* hDC Windows Express - Enhances user interface
* Adobe Illustrator - Draw program for the serious
artist
* Aldus PageMaker - Desktop publishing powerhouse
* Tempo for Windows - Powerful macro processor
* Q + E 2.06 - dBASE utility
* Excel - Advanced spreadsheet capabilities
While this list is far from complete, it does represent a wide
variety of applications available to the Windows user. Various
applications are also springing up on the Shareware front and are
proving their worth once again as valuable software.
Windows: A look back and ahead.
In the coming months, I will be reviewing Windows itself, the
applications contained in it and commercial and shareware applications.
If you know of a shareware application and would like me to review it,
send me E-mail on The Crunchy Frog, 956-1755.
If you have any comments about Windows, this article, or the future of
graphics based user interfaces, leave me E-mail at the above BBS.
**Editor's note - WYSIWYG is pronounced "whizywig" by those in the know
and it stands for "What you see is what you get".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Insights: Electronic Friends
by Ronald G. Albright, Jr., M.D.
Copyright (c) 1989
When John Naisbitt discusses one of the imperatives of the coming
"Megatrends", he coined (I think) the term "high-tech/high-touch". The
term, as Naisbitt defines it, means that "the more technology we
introduce into society, the more people will aggregate, will want to be
with other people." His examples relate to the popularity of shopping
malls, which have now become the third most frequented space in our
lives (behind home and work place), and the relative lack of success of
computer shopping and electronic banking (as we appear to want the
"high-touch" experience of meeting with a familiar bank teller and
visiting our favorite storefronts). He briefly touches on
teleconferencing by predicting its failure as an adequate substitute for
meeting face to face.
Naisbitt neglects one aspect of "high-tech/high-touch" that has
made the electronic medium a success - if not for business, certainly
for pleasure. Charles Bowen, a contributing editor to "Online,"
CompuServe's monthly magazine, touched on the same activity in his
November, 1985 column called "Computerized Conversations". He states:
"Friendships grow quickly because of the environment, you are what you
think - or, at least, what you say you think. You just can't get much
closer to people than inside their thoughts."
Bowen's comments primarily relate to the "CB Simulator" segment of
CompuServe where "conversations" are carried out on several electronic
channels by participants from their keyboards which are sent through
phone lines to CompuServe's Ohio mainframes and, in turn, transmitted to
the other participants computer. It has been a regular popular feature
of CIS for several years. So popular that CIS themselves sponsor a
party each year for the regular CB'ers in Columbus, Ohio. Attended by
hundreds of users, it is the first chance for most to meet their
computer companions from across the country. Surely, the electronic
conversations thereafter were soiled, at least to some extent, with the
stark realities of the physical, social, and economic attributes of the
previously faceless friends. While, to my knowledge, the effects on the
subsequent exchanges by these attendees through telecommunications after
meeting in person has never been studied, one would suspect that they
would be altered in some measurable way.
Am I proposing that electronic friends never meet face to face? No,
for I think, over time, people with shared interests will form
friendships that can "survive" and even flourish after personal contact.
There are examples of both successes and failures after real-life
meetings. What I am proposing is that there is something pure and
uncluttered about relationships fostered in a completely electronic
environment.
There are a number of factors that inhibit the formation of
friendships in the sphere of face to face contact. Our biases on age,
hair length, social class, and, yes, even race (still) inhibit exploring
most of those that we meet in our daily contacts. We pick and choose
with whom we exchange our thoughts with based, at least initially,
entirely on physical appearance and that critical "first impression." We
may be forced to spend time with others we do not particular enjoy due
to job or other pressures but the majority of the time we follow these
prejudices. We deny ourselves what could be incredibly close
relationships due to superficial incompatibility. That person is 15
years old and, therefore, there is nothing we could have in common, or
that I could learn from him. That person appears to be a blue-collar
laborer, what could we have to share? We walk away (mentally or
physically) before exploring the possibilities any further. With
electronic communications, we are blind to all physical attributes. All
we are privy to are the thoughts (in the form of words on a computer's
monitor) of the other party. Certainly, you can judge as the words flow
back and forth perhaps the age of the person, his marital status, and
other socioeconomic data, but not the voice or the habitus. We can make
inferences about more detailed characteristics as the conversations
progress and even, out of curiosity, may ask specifics about religion,
political party, birthplace and the like, but the limits exist on the
physical. What we exchange through this medium is ideas and only the
most cursory attention to the non-mental is possible. Thus, the
exchanges are unadulterated information - true conversation.
A further attribute of the electronic medium is that the exchanges
are assimilated well. Teachers and lecturers for years lamented the
lack of attention devoted by the audience to the spoken work. It is
estimated that we are only about 25 per cent efficient at retaining and
understanding what we are told. In the electronic medium the efficient
appears much higher. We have a case of forced attention - the eyes used
to acquire the information more than the ears. The focus is on the
small computer rather than the entire room and background. We are not
forced into being distracted by gestures and facial expressions. While
these surely are additive in the overall efficiency of communication -
no one would play poker by electronic mail - they are not imperative and
do force a division of our cognitive abilities. The ideas flow at a
variable speed (undoubtedly slower than the spoken word even with the
fastest of typists) and we are able to comprehend and reflect on them
with more ease and leisure. Vocal inflections can be mimicked
adequately with the liberal use of exclamation points and capital
letters judiciously applied. As the medium is used more frequently, one
can even suggest that unique symbols will be developed to convey at
least the rudimentary elements of physical expression - for example, a
series of symbols to denote a laugh, or a frown, or a head nod.
Eventually, as we become more proficient at using non-verbal
communication, we will transcend the need for even these symbols and be
able to convey emotional responses simply by our choice of words, but
the symbols will help the process until that occurs. We are only
beginning to operate in an electronic culture and, with time, will
become much more skilled in it.
The underlying fact remains that the qualitative content of
communication can, even today, be conveyed without the aid of vocal
inflections or body language for the most part(despite the import given
this skill by social psychologists). The medium forces the clear
expression of ideas literally without the benefit of the "easier"
application of vocal intonation and the posturing. Because the
facilities used for this new form of conversation is a relatively
expensive one, and charges by the hour for it's use, the electronic
medium forces (to all but the wealthy) succinct and concise
communication skills. When "the meter is running", the exchange of
information becomes, by financial necessity, organized and clearly
stated. We are forced to think about what we are about to "say" and
what we intend for our statement to be interpreted as meaning. For
every time we have to restate or clarify, it costs us money.
That is not to imply that frivolity will die on the computer
networks. There is a place for humor in the digital world. It is to
say, however, that when information is to be exchanged, it will be more
lucid. Clarity is the imperative. With clarity comes, what computerists
are fond of calling "transparency", meaning, literally, the ability to
see through to the essence. In personal conversations, most of us have
become adept at skirting issues through either circumferential rhetoric
or physical distraction (even as a child we could use, "I think I hear
my mother calling me") On-line, if we are to honestly participate in the
conversation, we have to bear up to the private and the uncomfortable
with either a reply or refusal (always an option). If we are to transfer
our ideas, notions and feelings, rhetoric becomes more "transparent" to
the recipient and distractions are useless. One could argue that vocal
inflections and the gestures themselves are strong clues to getting at
the truth, and they are to the perceptive listener. But the very
process of having to concentrate on these extraneous clues is a
difficult vigil to maintain. The electronic medium allows one to direct
this mental effort to the gist of the exchange.
A final attribute of electronic friendships is that they can be
formed by the introverted individual. Almost as a form of therapy, the
shy individual is allowed to foster relationships with others
unencumbered by some of the reasons why they may shun face to face
meetings (for example, self-perceived physical unattractiveness, a
speech impediment, or whatever reason). Devoid of the features which the
individual perceives as hindering in-person contact, the shy individual
is able to gain confidence in himself and the information he has to
offer to others. Once the individual has had conversations on-line,
they might gain higher self-esteem and come to realize that, despite
what they believe is a hindering personal quality, they are, indeed,
interesting people and have something to share with others. Electronic
conversations could, conceivably, help to "cure" some participants of
their shyness. I am unaware of this being used as a form of
psychological therapy but, certainly, it appears to be worthy of
exploring.
So, where else can we have a 55 year old electrical engineer
discussing information about the world around him with a 15 year high
school student or a 38 year old physician sharing the latest computer
gossip with a 26 year old house painter? The electronic forum allows
unlikely interchanges to occur. As we have seen, they are possible
because of the medium itself, Open, free, and uncluttered. The methods
will continue to evolve and become even more efficient as our
experiences with it progresses. The friendships formed over the
computer terminal are no less personal than those formed in our day to
day lives. They are different, though, in ways we have yet to explore.
And where they will lead us in the future will have an enhancing effect
of all our lives.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Battle Chess
By Randy Hilliard
I had heard a few friends talking about Battle Chess so when I went
into a software store looking for a particular LAN program I also asked
if they had Battle Chess. I blew out on the LAN but the Battle Chess
was in stock. I'm not much of a games person but I do enjoy a good game
of chess and the price was reasonable so I bought a copy of it.
I came home and made a backup copy of it (it is not copy protected)
and ran the simple install program. It made a sub-directory on my hard
disk called (what else) CHESS and copied the programs to it.
Like most people, I immediately went to the executable file and ran
it; a lovely intro screen came up which I admired for a few moments
before hitting a key to move on. A chess board appeared on the screen
tilted toward me (far end high, near end low) to give it a 3-D effect.
Before I could spend much time admiring the new board an overlay
appeared on the screen with a more than somewhat cryptic message: (3)
Spassky -- Ghitescu, 1967. White (12).
(?) Beg pardon? Thinking I had done something wrong I hit a few
keys expecting the screen to go away or at least a help message to
appear; no such luck. It continued to ask me esoteric questions and I
could not get out of it except to reboot. I tried again with the same
results. My wife was reading the instructions and with a few curt words
to her I managed to get it away and began to read.
Within a few moments of reading I discovered that although Battle
Chess is not copy protected, the authors did manage to put in a neat
twist; in the back of the book is a table of twenty famous world class
games between masters. What the program had asked for was for me to
enter the correct move from the back of the book. Once I entered the
move the program set up a normal game in 3-D. Think of it as a password
from a book.
I began playing the computer and examining the animation. The game
plays along strict chess rules with the pieces walking from square to
square as you (or the computer) directs them to. Where in an actual
chess game one piece is said to 'capture' another, within Battle Chess
one piece 'kills' another. As you move a piece onto an occupied square
the two pieces face off and a battle follows. The 'incumbent' piece
always loses but the battle is amusing complete with groans, screams,
and explosions (I forgot to mention it had sound effects, didn't I?).
All of the pieces have their own personalities and it may help you
to understand the flavor of the game a bit if I describe them.
Pawns - Low and underhanded when attacking, scaredy-cats when
attacked. They fight with a sort of spear.
Rooks - Appear as stone castles when stationary but change into
stone behemoths when moving or fighting. They fight with
their hands.
Knights - Big tough guys who remind you of street punks on
steroids. They fight with a sword.
Bishops - Sneaky characters who fight with staves. The sneaky part
occurs when the knife blade snaps out of the end of the
stave.
Queen - Has a lovely sashay when she walks. She fights with
spells.
King - Plods along as if he were an old man. Watch out when he
reaches in his coat; anything from a 45 to a bomb may
come out.
The game supports IBM, Tandy, and 100% compatibles in operations.
EGA, CGA, Tandy CGA (same as PC jr, I think) and 16 colors in VGA & MCGA
modes are available as are mouse, joystick, and keyboard movements. I
tried the game on my wife's Tandy 1000 (4.77, 20 MB 68 ms and Logitech
mouse) and it worked fine. For CGA the graphics were very good but
Tandy uses a proprietary CGA (like I said, I think it is the same as PC
jr graphics). I also ran it on my Packard Bell PB 900 (16 mhz AT, 40 MB
28 ms, VGA, and Logitech mouse) and although it worked fine and a little
faster, I was somewhat disappointed in the quality of the graphics. The
display on the Tandy was almost as good as the VGA. (This machine will
display VGA GIF pix that are as good if not better than a photograph
blown up to the same size so it is the program, not the machine.)
The 3-D graphics are nice but due to the height of some of the
figures, I had a difficult time playing a serious game. I found myself
toggling between 3-D and 2-D mode so I could be sure what pieces were
where. I tended to blame lack of clarity on the computer winning for a
while till I started playing almost exclusively in 2-D mode. After that
I didn't know what to blame it on.
Ten levels of play are recognized by the program to provide a game
within most people's playing needs. Like I mentioned before toggling
2-D to 3-D and back is available as well as: playing another human,
having the computer play itself, playing another human across a modem
connection, saving/restoring a game, forcing a move, taking back a move,
board set up, and suggesting a move.
Battle Chess provides good 3-D graphics, good 2-D graphics, and
plays a good game of Chess. At a local purchase price of $40 I feel as
if I got a good deal and would recommend it to anyone who is into both
chess and graphics.
Battle Chess is a trademark of Interplay Productions.
Battle Chess
$39.95 for an animated 3-D chess game
Interplay Productions
1575 Corporate Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 549-2411
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP TEN LIST
by Chris Mohney
This feature is an unashamed copy of the regular sketch of the same
name on "Late Night with David Letterman". The entire thing is a joke,
and should be seen as such; no offense is ever intended, it's just
something to laugh about. If you do have any complaints, write them on
the back of a postage stamp along with return address and I will do my
best to ignore them. Thank you.
TOP TEN WAYS TO STILL GET TICKETS FOR THE UPCOMING
"ROLLING STONES" CONCERT
10 - Successfully open the "Safecracker" Door on Wells American BBS.
9 - Become an elected city official.
8 - Walk around the stadium at odd hours with a "Stage Crew" T-shirt
on.
7 - Put the names of all the EZNet nodes into a single sentence that
has nothing to do with EZNet.
6 - Drop Jay Enterkin's name at the door, then slip in unnoticed in the
ensuing barrage of assault rifle fire.
5 - Show up at the band entrance claiming to be the glockenspiel player
(bring glockenspiel).
4 - Set your wargames dialer to call I-95, Rock-99, and Kicks 106 every
three seconds.
3 - Walk around Southside with your elbow in your ear screaming
"Cheetohs! Cheetohs! Cheetohs!" This probably won't get you
tickets, but it might get you on Oprah Wynfrey.
2 - Have a love affair with Mick Jagger, but then dump him after the
concert.
1 - Threaten to plant a charge of plastic explosive to Vulcan's groin
unless the tickets are mailed to your house.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cybernetic Languages
by Dr. Ebcdic
What is CYBERNETICS you say? Does it really have its own Language?
To begin with I should give a definition of Cybernetics. Cybernetics is
the science that deals with the principles of control and communication
as they apply both to the operation of complex machines and the
functions of organisms. In other words, Computer Programming could fall
into the category of Cybernetic Engineering. Therefore, Cybernetics
does have its own Languages.
I have been avidly going over past issues of BTN noticing there
are not many articles that deal with Programming, per se. After all
with out the capability to talk to your modem, Telecommunications would
not be possible. There are a myriad number of Programming Languages
available to write communications packages in. Today we will discuss
one such Language.
Let's take a stroll back in time to the Institute Fur Informatik of
ETH Zurich. Once there we meet a man named Niklaus Wirth. Niklaus is
the programmer who designed and implemented the Programming Language
known as Pascal. Pascal was designed as a teaching aid for Niklaus, and
since it's implementation in 1970 has gained wide usage. Another
Language called Modula had been defined and implemented experimentally
by 1975, Modula had emerged from experiments in Multi-programming.
In 1977 a Research Project with the goal to design a Computer
System (Hardware & Software) in an integrated approach was launched at
the Institute. This system (later called LILTH) was to be programmed in
a single High-Level Language including Low-Level Programming of parts
that closely interact with the giving Hardware. Modula-2 emerged from
this Project as a Language that includes ALL aspects of Pascal and
extends them with the important MODULE concept and those of
Multi-programming. Since its syntax was more in line with that of
Modula, the chosen name was Modula-2.
A first implementation of Modula-2 became operational on the PDP-11
Computer in 1979, and the Languages definition was published as a
Technical Report in March 1980. Since then the Language has been in
daily use at the Institute. After a year's use and testing, the
Compiler was released for outside users in March 1981. There are a
number of Public Domain versions of the Compiler. Some of these PD
Compilers have modules for communications including XModem Transfer
Protocols. Modula-2 is a powerful Language with English like Syntax,
for instance there is a REPEAT UNTIL command and a LOOP command. There
is an IMPORT command to include library Modules, and much much more. An
example of a Program to find the Greatest Common Divisor of two numbers
X and Y would look like this.
MODULE gcd;
FROM InOut IMPORT ReadInt,WriteString,WriteLn,WriteInt;
VAR x,y:INTEGER;
BEGIN
WriteString("X= ");ReadInt(x);WriteLn;
WriteString("Y= ");ReadInt(y);WriteLn;
WHILE x#y Do
IF x>y THEN x:=x-y
ELSE y:=y-x
END
END;
WriteString("gcd= ");WriteInt(x,6);WriteLn;
END gcd.
Where the symbol # means "unequal" and the symbol := means
"Equals". WriteLn,WriteString,ReadInt and WriteInt are not part of the
Language itself. They are defined in another Module called InOut. The
Procedure WriteString outputs a sequence of characters (enclosed in
quotes). The Procedure WriteLn terminates a line in the output text
(ie. ends the line on the screen and moves to the next line). ReadInt(x)
will read whatever the user inputs into the Variable X, and ReadInt(y)
will read input into the Variable Y. WriteInt(x,6) will write up to 6
digits of the number X out to the screen. Some of you Programmers or
would be Programmers should consider giving Modula-2 a try.
LATER ALL, ========== THE DOC ==========
A.K.A. Ferlin Scarborough
References.
Programming in Modula-2 4th Edition By Niklaus Wirth.
Reader's Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PROFILE
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 STEVE TURNER
---------
Age: Pushing 40
Birthplace: Birmingham
Occupation: Senior Customer Engineer for XEROX Computers and Laser Printers
My hobbies include: Trying to run a BBS, Camping, Taking long Sunday drives
through the country and playing with electronics.
Years telecomputing: 4
Sysop, past/present/future of: The ST BBS / ST's 'Nother Node
My oddest habit is: PYROTECHNICS
My greatest unfulfilled ambition is: Earning a college degree.
The single accomplishment of which I am most proud is: Finding the perfect
wife!
My favorite performers are: Jessica Lange, Margot Kidder, my wife!
The last good movie I saw was: ALIEN
The last good book I read was: HOW TO AVOID AUTO-INCENERATION WHILE
USING A FRY-DADDY
If they were making a movie of my life, I'd like to see my part played by:
Henry Winkler
My pet peeves are: Telephone Solicitors and grass that needs cutting.
When nobody's looking, I like to: (too personal to answer, but it's fun!!)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gun Control and Computer Wizards
by Douglas A. Reinsch
You know how things are. You're just bopping along minding your
own business, and up pops Mark Maisel. He asks politely, "Well, where
is your next article for BTN?" You answer with one of many excuses that
you simply haven't done one this time. Mark proceeds to pull out a gun,
but its not JUST a gun....ITS AN ASSAULT RIFLE!!!! This, my friends, is
the ultimate justification for gun control. Would you sell a gun to
this man? Moreover, HAVE you sold a gun to this man? If so, my attorney
would like to talk with you.
Now that I have your attention, we can get to the REAL story.
It seems to me that in recent years we have begun a shift in the
computer education "caste system" if you will. The evolution of
personal computers to become the dominant class of computers, replacing
mainframes and minicomputers in the marketplace, is helping to fan the
flames of change in corporate America. "Oh Wow!", you think, "this is
too deep for me." Well it isn't. We are witnessing the death of the
"Computer Middle Class".
Corporations want their employees to be generic, capable of
fitting any task which is placed in front of them and capable of
adjusting to the computer equipment for that job quickly and easily.
This has necessarily caused rapid growth in the area of office
automation and user interfaces which are also generic. Essentially, the
computers are being required to provide more and more friendly user
interfaces, which in turn require less and less thought/training on the
part of the user.
Here is the problem though. In our haste to create the perfect
user environment we have built a wall, and with that wall we have
created two separate definitions for the term "computer literate". On
the one hand, someone is called computer literate if they know how to
operate computers in a fundamental way. On the other hand, we call
someone computer literate only if they are capable of extensive,
complicated surgery on computer hardware, software or both. You may not
think this to be a major change, but really it is. The knowhow required
to create and build these marvelous new computers requires a tremendous
amount of specialization in a handful of computer related fields. Each
designer must know his/her part of the final product intimately, but the
end result is a powerful, fast, user friendly tool, one that can be used
even by children to do things that they could not possibly have done
several years ago.
Because of the nature of computers however, we see a great
distinction between "gurus" and "novices". Anyone unfortunate enough to
fall between those categories is often termed as having dangerous
knowledge, and in fact they do. They know almost enough to handle any
computer problem, which is just enough to get them into a lot of
trouble.
Recently, I witnessed an argument concerning the merits (or lack
thereof) of Microsoft DOS. It was argued that DOS is just too limiting
and not friendly enough. I would like to propose that these are
features which we may want to encourage. With the proper tools and
guidance, a novice or novice-guru can perform complicated computer tasks
adequately with DOS. There may be a better way to do a certain task, but
there is no requirement for that user to try the better way. A
structured but less than perfect backbone provides an excellent training
ground for these new users, and it will guarantee that computer gurus
will never become some elite, closed society who control the world due
to their essential expertise.
The MacIntosh is a prime example of where the end-user has been
completely divorced from the technology used to generate a computer.
Consequently, MacIntosh users can usually pick up the required knowledge
to run their computer quickly, but they never evolve into true power
users (some do, but the environment discourages this).
Basically what I am driving at is that having what we want (the
perfect user interface) may not really BE what we want, and may
ultimately undermine the technology surge that brought computers to
where they are today. The joy in life is the journey, not the
destination, and the same holds true for computers. Problem solvers
will only evolve from an environment where existing problems (which have
known solutions) can be used to prepare them for the unknown problems of
the future. If all users are given the perfect tool (with no knowledge
of the inner workings), then they will never (can never) help that tool
evolve into something even better.
Perhaps we should be trying to make operating systems more
fundamental but provide them with extensive tools to become whatever the
user is capable of creating. It might actually save the next generation
of computers from an unwanted abortion.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gamer's Corner
by Eric Hunt
Backgammon Door
It's back! Revived from the dead and back in full force, the
Gamer's corner is back. When I volunteered (gasp!) to write for BTN,
Mark ran down his wish list and Gamer's corner caught my fancy. In each
issue I will review one or two of the game doors currently available on
the various Birmingham BBS systems.
The first game I will look at, my personal favorite among all the
classic games, is Backgammon, and only one system to my knowledge has a
copy of the Backgammon door, the ST BBS. Backgammon is a classic game
that people of all ages and skill can play. One doesn't play a computer
in this version of Backgammon, but another real life opponent. When you
first enter the door, the program searches its records to see if you are
involved currently in a game and if so, it notifies you if it is
presently your turn. If you are not involved in a game at that time, you
have the option of either starting a new game yourself and waiting for
an opponent or joining a game that is waiting for an opponent. Once a
game is started, the computer rolls the dice and you decide your moves.
Each point on the board is labeled with a letter of the alphabet and
the ever famous bar extends down the middle. To make a move, you simply
type the letter of the point to which you wish to move and the game will
indicate if the move is legal or not. Other options include quitting
(throwing the game), leaving a message for your opponent to see the next
time he plays, not moving at all (in the case of you being barred with
no open spots to de-bar to), and removing a chip (when that time in the
game comes.)
After you are finished with your moves for the day, the main menu
of the program has other options for you:
* SEE A GAME THAT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
This option allows you to choose a game that is presently being
played and observe its game board, number of moves, etc.
* LIST THE CURRENT GAMES, PLAYERS, AND WHO'S WHO.
* (The all important) INSTRUCTIONS
* PAGE THE SYSOP FOR A GAME.
To start an online game with the sysop.
ST does not know how to play Backgammon, don't try this. The
best you can do is get a conversation going with ST.
* LIST YOUR CURRENT STATUS.
This checks all the games and determines in which games it
is your turn.
Summary: This game is an excellent rendition of Backgammon and
hopefully will be enjoyed by many people.
Next month: Battleship!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Our Local Bulletin Board Systems
Number Five In A Series
by Mark Maisel
Name: A Role Player's Paradise
Sysop: Todd Simmons
Software: PCBoard 14.0 /D
Been Around: 1 year
Baud Rates: 300-2400
Bulletins: Bulletins 1-3 are rules for the bbs. remaining bulletins
describe conferences, list scores in the various games, etc.
Conferences: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Middle Earth Role Playing,
Star Trek, Hints Hotline, Diplomacy, TROAD, Geraldo
(discussion), EZNET node #10
Computers Supported: IBM & compatibles but not very much as we are
oriented about games.
Files Available: Documentation for the online games
Doors Available: Trade Wars 200, T W 500, T W 1000, Masters of the
Universe, Planet Busters, Turbo Chess, PCB Verify
Door, ProDoor 3.0b
Special Information: We are devoted to games
Q. Why did you start your BBS?
A. Basically, I felt that there was a need for a games oriented bbs.
There are very few in the southeast and they are popular elsewhere.
Q. What has been your greatest reward from running your BBS?
A. I have met many interesting people.
Q. What are your greatest regrets and annoyance associated with running a
BBS?
A. Hard drive space runs out far too fast. Other than that, nothing
worth mentioning.
Q. What are your future plans for the BBS?
A. Move up to a 386 based machine and a 9600 baud modem. I would
eventually like to add another line.
Q. What is the funniest thing that has happened on your BBS?
A. Mr. Williams, supposedly from the FBI, called and accused two young
men, who shall remain nameless, of running a pirate bbs and told
them to turn themselves in.
Q. What is your favorite hobby/pastime outside of your BBS and computers
in general?
A. I enjoy playing role playing games.
Q. What do you think your system offers that might cause someone to
prefer your board over others?
A. We provide conferences and games that other boards don't. We are one
of the only gaming oriented bbs' in the southeast.
Q. Why?
A. Because I fulfill the needs of game players in this area with the
services of the board.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From The Kitchen
by Chez Stephan
Well guys and dolls, if you have never tried anything we had to
offer here, then now is the time to start. This meal is served at the
famous French restaurant Chez Francois. It is a marvelous dinner and
will impress the king and queen if you are having them over for a dine
and a bit of chat. Give it a try as it is the top of dining pleasure.
Serves 4
Les Mignous de Bouf, Veau et Ligneau Gourmandise:
(Tenderloins of Beef, Veal and Lamb)
1 1/2 pounds veal tenderloins
1 1/2 pounds lamb tenderloins
1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloins
Salt and Pepper
1 1/2 sticks of butter
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons finely minced shallots
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 pound mushrooms, washed and quartered
Sauce:
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon finely minced shallots
1/8 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1 cup of beef or veal stock
1 tablespoon butter
Pinch finely minced garlic
2 to 3 drops lemon juice
Salt
Trim any fat and silver skin from the tenderloins. Slice each lion
into 8 strips, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Lightly pound the veal to
1/4 inch thickness. Season all the meat with salt and pepper, and
dredging only the veal in the flour, shaking off the excess.
Saute the three meats individually as follows: Using a heavy
skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil
over high heat. When the butter begins to brown, quickly sear the veal.
Brown one side, then the other, approximately 1 1/2 minutes per side.
Just before removing the meat, scatter 1 teaspoon shallots and 1/2
teaspoon garlic over the meat; toss several times, allowing the shallots
and garlic to cook a few moments. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each of the
parsley and lemon juice on the meat, toss once or twice and transfer the
meat to a shallow platter. Wipe out the pan and saute the lamb and beef
in the same manner.
Lastly, heat 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil over
a high heat. Saute the mushrooms 3 to 4 minutes, season with salt and
pepper, and add the remaining shallots, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice
in the same sequence as for the meats.
To Prepare The Sauce:
Pour the fat out of the skillet in which the meats were prepared.
Add the wine, shallots, and peppercorns; place over high heat and reduce
to a glaze. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat;
stir in butter, garlic and lemon juice with a whisk. Adjust seasonings
and keep warm. If a thicker sauce is desired then thicken the sauce with
a small amount of cornstarch.
Alternate the six slices of meat down the center of each oven
proof plate.
Divide the mushrooms evenly around the meats.
Warm the plates a minute or two in the oven.
Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the warm sauce around the meat. Serve
the extra sauce separately in a warm sauce boat.
The vegetables that go with this meal:
Carottes et Petits Oignous Glaces:
(Glazed Carrots and Onions)
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons salt
1 pound Pearl Onions
1 pound carrots, pared and cut into 1/2-by-2 inch sticks
8 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon minced shallots
Salt and Pepper
Bring salted water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Drop in the
onions and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK. The onions
must remain slightly firm. Lift the onions out of the pan with a slotted
spoon and plunge into cold water.
In the same water used for the onions, boil the carrots for 5 to 7
minutes. Again, keep them slightly firm. After cooking remove with a
slotted spoon and plunge into cold water.
Drain the vegetables well prior to sauteing.
Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saute pan. Add the
onions and a pinch on salt. Cook over high heat tossing once or twice.
Then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Keep tossing and cooking
for 4 to 5 minutes or until the sugar is slightly caramelized. Add 1/2
teaspoon of the shallots and give a final toss or two to evenly
distribute. Remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl and keep warm while
you saute the carrots.
Wipe out the saute pan used for the onions and repeat the same
procedure for the carrots.
Cover and keep warm until time to serve.
Pommes de Terre Sautes Lyonnaise:
(Sauteed Potatoes and Scallions)
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 scallions, finely minced
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Wash potatoes. Place unpeeled in a 2 quart sauce pan and cover
with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 15
minutes. Potatoes must be only partly cooked. Cool the potatoes under
cold running water.
Peel the potatoes, cut them in half and then into slices 1/4 inch
thick.
Heat the oil and butter in a heavy skillet. When the butter begins
to brown, add the potato slices. Cook the potatoes until well browned
and crisp, tossing frequently, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the scallions, a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss and Serve.
This is a meal that is sure to please. I suggest this a meal when
entertaining but it will do nicely when you want to please that certain
someone.
Next issue I will try something a little lighter and easier for
you home bodies. We might even get the grill out that one last time.
Until Later
Ciao,
Chez Stephan
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MESSAGE BOARD
by Barry Bowden
SEPTEMBER 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
September 3 BIPUG
September 2 FAOUG
September 12 CCS (C64/C128)
September 10 BCCC
September 11 BACE
September 19 CADUB
September 15 BEPCUG
September 25 CCS (Amiga)
September 26 CCS (C64/C128)
September 24 BCCC
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
Maurice Lovelady 684-6843
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
CAD Users of Birmingham
Homewood Library
3rd Tuesday, 6:30PM-8:30PM
Bobby Benson 791-0426
If you belong to or know of a user group that is not listed, please let
me know by sending E-Mail to me thru EzNet or on The Bus System BBS.
Please leave the group name and a contact person/phone number.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Known BBS Numbers For The Birmingham Area
NAME NUMBER BAUD RATES SUPPORTED MODEM TYPE
America Online Nodes 1-4 323-2016 300, 1200, 2400
America Online Node 5 251-2344 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
*American BBS 674-1851 300, 1200, 2400
*Bus System BBS 595-1627 300, 1200, 2400
*Byte Me 979-2983 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
Eazy's Playhouse 870-0434 300, 1200
Elite Fleet 853-1257 300, 1200
Gateway BBS 854-5131 300, 1200, 2400
Gizmo's Atari BBS 854-0698 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
Radio Free TROAD 592-2545 300, 1200, 2400
Role Player's Paradise 631-7654 300, 1200, 2400
Smitty's BBS 849-7349 300, 1200
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 Islands BBS 870-7776 300, 1200
The Modem Mission 491-8946 300, 1200
*The Outer Limits 969-3262 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
*The Professional's Board 856-0679 300, 1200, 2400
Twilight Zone 856-3783 300, 1200
Ultra-Vision BBS 856-1593 300, 1200, 2400
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.

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