Subj : Re: something new..
To   : Nick Andre
From : Kurt Weiske
Date : Tue Feb 07 2023 07:44 am

-=> Nick Andre wrote to Nigel Reed <=-

 NR> That's a bit harsh. There's a lot of sysops, I'm sure, who wouldn't be
 NR> here today if they didn't get help setting their board up and getting
 NR> connected. I would be one of them.

 NA> Sometime in 1993, '94... I was required to read Policy 4 and recite
 NA> certain sections like a bible, answer a voice-telephone call from NC252
 NA> where I was treated like I was applying for an IT job. What type of
 NA> mailer I'm running, BBS software, was I sure I had things configured
 NA> correctly etc.

My net was never that bad, but I do miss requiring a netmail from the
/9999 address to ensure that the person has at least a bare minimum
understanding of the systems and concepts. The rest can be learned as
they go along.

 NA> there were no
 NA> how-to guides or really help from anyone. What did exist for
 NA> documentation was halfassed or not exactly user friendly.... in other
 NA> words you had to "figure it out".

I joined Fidonet and helped form an othernet at the same time, so there
was a lot of help with FTN on the othernet side. I even did "house
calls" for sysops in the area when they had problems.

 NA> I now receive automated emails in the form of scripts from Synchronet
 NA> from people who want a Fidonet address. Thats okay but there is no
 NA> longer that level of expectation. The vast majority do not even include
 NA> a reply-email.

Yeah, I've seen the "I just want to get the address, I'll work on
getting the BBS set up next..." requests, and they typically never get
the BBS up if they don't have at least a BBS running when they apply.




.... Move towards the unimportant
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
 * Origin: http://realitycheckbbs.org | tomorrow's retro tech (1:218/700)

.