From: ANGEL To: *.* Subject: soundwaves Date & Time: 12/30/89 03:11:35 Message Number 1101 Hey, this is neat! All of sudden I'm picking up an AM music station on my modem! Wow, bad bubblegum whenever I dial. What the heck is causing this; anyone know? And if I can't stop it, how can I go about tuning to a better station? =========== From: RUFUS To: ANGEL Subject: soundwaves Date & Time: 12/30/89 13:44:03 Message Number 1103 Don't feel bad. I pick up CB on my phone (and it's not even cordless!). And it always seems to be the same people talking about "Shootin' us some posum." =========== From: SPELLWIND To: TURTLE Subject: Mists of Avalon Date & Time: 12/30/89 17:06:47 Message Number 1104 Well, Mists tells the best story in my opinion, and I'm different from others, so, blah on you! =========== From: SPELLWIND To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Styx Date & Time: 12/30/89 17:09:58 Message Number 1105 Groovy... =========== From: CYBERPUNK To: TURTLE Subject: life Date & Time: 12/31/89 13:08:21 Message Number 1107 ahhhhhh, i see.... =========== From: KEN OBER To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/01/90 14:41:33 Message Number 1108 I've always been interested in that...Ieven got an Assembly programming book for my C=128, but Ican'T get my hands on an assembler to try it out..... =========== From: TURTLE To: KEN OBER Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/01/90 16:58:53 Message Number 1110 >I can't get my hands on an assembler... So be a Real Programmer and assemble your programs by hand! Geesh, seems obvious to me. --A real Turtle =========== From: FORPLAY To: TURTLE Subject: NEW YEAR Date & Time: 01/01/90 22:05:55 Message Number 1112 HOPE YOU HAVE A HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!! ENJOY YOUR SYSTEM.. KEEP UP THE GOOD WOR WORK... =========== From: ANGEL To: WHATEVER Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/02/90 01:23:33 Message Number 1114 Anyone out there subscribe to OMNI. I've subscribed since issue one. Am I the only one who seems to think they've weirded-out on us? I've always enjoyed it, if only for the fact that it is one of the few mass publications that is written above an eighth grade level. I forgave them when they added the UFO update section; at least they prominently advertised the section as belonging to the bizarre, and psuedo-scientific. But their choice of interviews lately has seemed less than inspired. I suppose that in ten plus years of publication you run out of great scientific minds to interview, but please... an interview with an astronomer who now supports portions of astrology, followed by an interview with Richard Dawkings re: his 'selfish gene' theory of evolution. Granted, it's a fascinating theory -- but he came out with it 1974. Hardly the cutting edge of scientific speculation! =========== From: SAURON To: TURTLE Subject:  Date & Time: 01/02/90 12:58:46 Message Number 1115 Shopping for Christmas cards? isn't "Print Shop" available for the TRS-80? =========== From: SAURON To: ASTRAL PRINCESS Subject: . Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:04:11 Message Number 1116 Thank you princess, for your relevant reply. Don't forget today's secret word...non-sequitur. =========== From: SAURON To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: capital revenge Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:06:17 Message Number 1117 I am against it. Your kid chokes on a piece of lettuce...you don't put out a contract on Caesar Chavez. =========== From: SAURON To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: . Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:09:05 Message Number 1118 She has the sexiest voice in Sarasota county and the funniest typos in SW Florida. A nice lady. =========== From: SAURON To: ANGEL Subject: RU-426 Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:11:43 Message Number 1119 The BEST oral contraceptive is oral sex. =========== From: SAURON To: ANGEL Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:16:55 Message Number 1120 Oh YES! I LOVE Omni. I especially like rubbing the glossy back covers on my wrists. Omni is one of about 5 periodicals worth selecting out of the garbage -heap of current monthlies. =========== From: TURTLE To: SAURON Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:35:07 Message Number 1121 Problem is, Omni is in fact sliding into the depths of mush...an unfortunate tendency, but lately a very apparant one. They seem to have gone off into the Twilight Zone of squishy New Age-ism--if I see one more Omni issue about "Dreams: How to Have 'Em, How to Interpret 'Em, How to Contact Extraterrestrials With 'Em, How to Rule the World With 'Em" or any more of their fascinating stories about homeopathy, dowsing for water, or interviews with individuals who attempt to use tortured and wildly innacurate arguments to demonstrate the plausibility of astrology, I'll scream. The Games section is still good, though. --A disillusioned Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: SAURON Subject:  Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:40:51 Message Number 1122 Print Shop? Hmm. Well, actually, I have this deep, dark secret I've been hiding for years. You see, the thing is--and I blush whenever I say this--I like cards that are in...uh...well, COLOR. Call me quirky. --A Technicolor Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: SAURON Subject: capital revenge Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:42:23 Message Number 1123 >Your kid ckhokes on a piece of lettuce...you don't put out a contract >on Caesar Chavez. And you must always be careful to keep your dog on a leash whenever you walk him in a city. Interesting observation; also, TOTALLY IRRELEVANT! When one talks about capital punishment, one is normally discussing an individual who deliberately and maliciously murdered someone else, not someone who served an unfortunate individual a meal which he subsequently chokes on. Presumably, the trivial and insignificant fact that murder is a deliberate act may put a small kink in your analogy. --A relevant Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: SAURON Subject: RU-426 Date & Time: 01/02/90 13:46:15 Message Number 1124 From a practical standpoint, that's not necessarily true, although I can certainly sympathize with that view... =========== From: SPELLWIND To: ANGEL Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/02/90 14:52:24 Message Number 1125 Astronomy is a branch of Astrology. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: SAURON Subject: Women Date & Time: 01/02/90 14:55:46 Message Number 1126 You must not like your mother, or had a very bad past life with a woman, Art. Seriously, what've you got against women? I mean, I cheer them for striking out from thier opression. They are confronted by patriarchy everywhere, politics, sociality, religion, I think they're trying to form a real balance instead of the false one that we always insist. Sure they can do everything males can, but until they start getting treated better by the opposite sex (us), I'm all for thier additude, and with statements made from people like you constantly flowing, I suspect them to remain the same for a long time. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: -- Subject: Spelling Date & Time: 01/02/90 15:04:52 Message Number 1127 See what happens to grammar and spelling when you drop out of school? =========== From: DONTHEN To: SPELLWIND Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/02/90 18:47:22 Message Number 1128 > Astronomy is a branch of Astrology. In what sense? The same way wildlife management is a branch of praying to dryads? Astronomy is based on observable facts--Astrology is a mix of observable facts (taken from Astronomy) with a lot of mysticism trying to connect astronomical observations with human behavior. It's a fascinating idea, but it's somewhat like predicting the movement of subatomic particles with a wind sock. =========== From: RUFUS To: ANGEL Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/02/90 19:01:47 Message Number 1129 I subscribe, but have never had the chance to go from cover to cover. I suppose I'll get to my stack eventually ( yea Rufus, like your gonna get to your 20 books to read, and that short story, and those 40+ hours of taped shows ). =========== From: SPELLWIND To: DONTHEN Subject: Astros Date & Time: 01/02/90 19:18:25 Message Number 1130 Astrology was first, and some of the ideas in astronomy were taken from astrology. Don't even think your parade of sly analogies will make me pass up a fight on any metaphysics/Occult/Religion topic. =========== From: RUFUS To: ANYONE Subject: Heavy Metal Date & Time: 01/02/90 20:58:44 Message Number 1131 Well, not like anyone could care, but Heavy Metal will become a 'permanent' at the Midnight Movies. Another useless fact from RufusNews. Watch out CNN! =========== From: ARTIMUS To: ALL Subject: HI Date & Time: 01/02/90 21:29:29 Message Number 1132 HI ALL, I'M NEW HERE ON ALTER REALITY. HOW ARE YOU DOIN'? =========== From: CRYSTAL To: ANGEL Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/02/90 23:58:55 Message Number 1133 I sucribe to OMNI and in the last issue about Armogeton was an enlighting to my evening. Please forgive my typing I just came from the male review and had a wonderful time. Had a little to drink to I guess I will comment on it more when I can type and think in a more logical way. * A very pleased gem * =========== From: ANGEL To: ARTIMUS Subject: HI Date & Time: 01/03/90 00:53:22 Message Number 1134 Hi, Artimus. Welcome to the bizarre! Run, quick! Escape while you still have the chance! =========== From: TURTLE To: SPELLWIND Subject: Women Date & Time: 01/03/90 02:42:04 Message Number 1135 >Sure they can do anything males can, ... Well, for the most part, yes. I can think of two or three things they can't do, but that has more to do with anatomy than anything else... =========== From: TURTLE To: SPELLWIND Subject: Astros Date & Time: 01/03/90 02:43:38 Message Number 1136 Hey, Spellwind, propose to me a system by which the apparant position (not the real position by a long shot...stars are, like, lots O' light years away and like, they move around and stuff, and they, like, aren't really where they seem to be) of a group of astral bodies--you know, balls of fusing hydrogen and helium, the occasional mass of dirty ice-- can have any influence on my business contacts today. Lessee here. I was born in a closed hospital room, so their light didn't reach me. Their gravity did, but so faintly that the gravity field around the doctor's body utterly overwhelmed it. No radiation from that star reached me, none, zip. So how did it determine what sort of person I would be? Last time I looked, it was genetics and familial environment that made me what I am today, not the position of Jupiter in the seventeenth house of the eleventh conjunction of Mars and some small, insignificant solar body that would be utterly unregarded but for the fact that it'd be a good place to build a hyperspace bypass... --A skeptical Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: ARTIMUS Subject: Like, hello! Date & Time: 01/03/90 02:49:30 Message Number 1137 Like, I'm the sysop 'round these here parts. Like, hi, dude! Like, welcome aboard! Like, hit me or something so I stop using the word "like" and lots of exclamation points and drivel! Scuse me... ...I'm back. Had a mild problem with my operating system. Anyway, welcome to aLTER rEALITY, hope you have a good time...Praise be to the Way of the Aardvark. Never mind. --A friendly Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: ALL Subject: Well... Date & Time: 01/03/90 02:51:59 Message Number 1138 ...you know, I couldn't help but notice that the storyboard here seems to have died a slow and painful death. In the interests of ressurecting it again, I will probably be re-posting the first storyboard post soon, along with a brief rundown of what a storyboard is and how it works (in case there's anyone left in the BBS community who doesn't know by now.) I will also probably be trying a few new things, like perhaps requiring that anyone who wishes to join run at most one character, unless he/she talks to me first. (No "I walk in to the tavern surrounded by eleven characters," please...hint, hint...Spellwind...) I am also considering (a) making the storyboard limited-access, like the one on the Wyvern's Den, and (b) placing a background for the setting, and a "what a storyboard is" thing, in the download area and/or the S]how Neat Stuff area. Opinions, anyone? =========== From: SPELLWIND To: ARTIMUS Subject: Spelling Date & Time: 01/03/90 09:03:55 Message Number 1139 If your name is of the greek goddess of similar name, it's Artemis. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: TURTLE Subject: Women Date & Time: 01/03/90 09:05:29 Message Number 1140 Ugh. Can't you be serious? If not, you're going to end up at McDonalds for the rest of your life! Don't get technical on me, young man. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: TURTLE Subject: Astros Date & Time: 01/03/90 09:07:46 Message Number 1141 Their movement is controlled by the gods. Whatever faith you have, (except cChristianity, which tosses out anything that is not the same as their god.) There is always a god that controls the heavens, and therefore controls men's lives from afar, the ancient egyptians had astrology, first astrology, each sign represented by a lesser god, and then astronomy, which in actuality was part of the use of a pyramid, though if an egyptian was buried in a chamber with that hole to the top, it might have been for an easier trip to the heavens. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: SPELLWIND Subject: Gods/Religion Date & Time: 01/03/90 09:15:25 Message Number 1142 OOPS! not just christianity. judaism, and alot of the other monotheis- tic religions. Though not Buddah, who is just about everything to his followers. Feel free to start more religion talks, the one subject I study intensely on. =========== From: DONTHEN To: SPELLWIND Subject: Gods/Religion Date & Time: 01/03/90 12:29:48 Message Number 1143 Buddha is not a god and has absolutely nothing to do with the stars. This all still has very little to do with astrology. Astrology was around before astronomy? Depends on the way you look at it. There was no separation at first. However, the only provables in astrology are the foundations of astronomy. It could also be pointed out that chronology is somewhat irrelevant; the geocentric view of the solar system came long before the heliocentric view, but that doesn't make the people who believe the other planets revolve around the earth rather than all of them revolving around the sun correct. You may personally believe that the movement of the planets and stars is controlled by some nebulous "gods", but there is no more (in fact, some would say there is considerably less) evidence to support that than there is to support Christianity's suppositions of the Holy Trinity and the Virgin Birth. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: DONTHEN Subject: Gods/Religion Date & Time: 01/03/90 12:43:47 Message Number 1144 Did I say Buddah was a god? nono. I said he was everything to his followers. I believe his name was Sidharta Guatama. =========== From: TURTLE To: SPELLWIND Subject: Astromush Date & Time: 01/03/90 16:29:06 Message Number 1145 The movements of the stars are controlled by gods? Last time I looked, they were controlled by certain observable--and provable--laws of physics, and their motions were regular and predictable. They can no more influence my destiny than the observed path of a baseball that's just been knocked out of the park...both the baseball and the stars move according to the same laws. You also still haven't addressed the point that apparant astrological configurations are, for the most part, illusory. THE STARS ARE NOT WHERE THEY APPEAR TO BE. To make an observation like "Saturn is within Orion" is meaningless; the stars in that constellation haven't been in that particular pattern for millions of years, and in the case of Orion it's highly likely that at least one of those stars has been burned out for a very long time. So by what mechanism can this particular configuration possibly influence me? --A /really/ skeptical Turtle =========== From: SPELLWIND To: TURTLE Subject: The Subject Date & Time: 01/03/90 18:54:42 Message Number 1146 I'm finished explaining astrology, though I may come back to it later, now the subject is religion. =========== From: RUFUS To: ANGEL Subject: HI Date & Time: 01/03/90 20:26:10 Message Number 1148 It's no use telling him to run. He's trapped! Forever! HAHAHAHAHA!!! =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: Well... Date & Time: 01/03/90 20:28:48 Message Number 1149 Sounds good to me. Looks like I'll need another character. Fester, the aardvark monk who likes large weapons, wouldn't fit in. Oh well..I can think tommorow during class. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: RUFUS Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/03/90 22:21:24 Message Number 1151 Artemis (Artumis or whatever) is the greek goddess of the hunt. a her, not a him. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: ALL! Subject: Noriega Date & Time: 01/03/90 22:23:09 Message Number 1152 The man gave himself up voluntarily to the americans, and is on his way to Homestead (Fl.) Air Force Base. He will face drug trafficing charges here. =========== From: TURTLE To: SPELLWIND Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/03/90 23:14:59 Message Number 1153 >Artemis...is the greek goddess of the hunt. And the goddess of the moon; Roman equivalent is Diane. This, of course, has nothing whatsoever to do with diatoms, which are microscopic sea creatures and not gods at all; or with diatomic molecules; or even of digraphs, dipthongs, dogs, DECsystem-20's, Da Vinci, dial tones, digits, dump trucks, dismay, doomsday, digitalis, doors, dipsticks, diamonds, Donald Trump, disk drives, dates, drones, DeBeers', dimes, deer, Different Strokes, duffel bags, doormats, dreams, drugs, dolphins, delight, disenfranchisement, Donthen, disorder, Dear Abbey, droplets, digging, defeat, Disney World, domination, death, donuts, or digression. --A disheartened Turtle =========== From: SPELLWIND To: TURTLE Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/04/90 10:43:58 Message Number 1154 And Diane is one of the names of the Triple Goddess as well. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: Dumb reptiles Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:00:36 Message Number 1155 > You know, that reminds me. I was hacking this pirate once, and the > little phreak ran away! I was so pissed I dropped my French toast. A few questions: 1. With what were you hacking? And why were you using it? 2. Who was the pirate you were hacking? And why were you hacking that particular pirate? 3. When, exactly, did you do this sidpicable act? 4. How often do you hack at pirates? And, why don't you do it more frequently? 5. Why, perchance to tell, were you carrying French toast? In what were you carrying the toast? How frequently do you bring French toast to your pirate-hacking adventures? What is the significance of French toast, over... say, a bowl of Cap'n Crunches' Christmas Crunch? Why did you not catch the French toast before it reached the ground. And, most importantly, what did you do to the French toast after it was dropped? 6. What happened to the pirate after the escapade? Did he seek revenge? Or, had he allowed the hacking to take place? Did he seek a secret sexual thrill from the experience? Was he paying you for this experience? Or, did you receive the sexual thrill from this? Is neither correct? 7. Why, precisely, was the pirate also a phreak? Had he been a phreak before, after, or concurrent to his time of piracy? What prompted him to become a phreak or pirate in the first place? Had he seen the error of his ways? Has he converted to Christianity/ Buddhism/ Wicca/ The Great White Pumpkin? ANxiously awaiting, Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: catchy slogans Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:10:32 Message Number 1156 Ru-426 is only between 90%- 95% effective, as well. The 'pill' is much more effective, at least. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: CYCLE Subject: TECH TALK Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:14:40 Message Number 1157 Yes, what about you CPM drones? =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: MR. BUSTER Subject: Heh, Heh... Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:16:17 Message Number 1158 > What 'ya feel about hackin', phreakin' and krackin'? Rather queasy, actually. (Psssst! Ya see that plant over there? He's recording your every move. If you listen real close, now, you can hear the Police song "Every Breath You Take." He usually alternates that with "Private Eyes.") Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: CYBERPUNK Subject: life Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:22:50 Message Number 1159 >what does Awqk mean and how do you pronounce it Awqk (A*) (interj.) (ME: Awack. OE: Aewacqk) Expressive of the feeling that ones auto has been entirely the wrong shade of puke green for exactly twelve months, fourteen days. Yarg (yarg) (interj.) (Turtlespeak: Yarg) Expressive of the feeling that none of the previous information given may have any relation to reality, surreality, or irreality. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: KEN OBER Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:28:40 Message Number 1160 Real programmers know how to write their own. Seriously, if you're interested, I have a book back in WPB (well, two books, actually) that will give you a fairly complete (and the best-documented in the world!) assembler. Next time I drop home, I'll bring it back for you -- if you remind me. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: ANGEL Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:30:59 Message Number 1161 Dear Angel, I, too, subscribed to Omni, but left them when they began to "weird out" on me. Personally, I think Omni is really aiming for the "New Age" people more than the scientific community -- it's aiming for pseudo- science, and trying to make it sound scientific. It's no longer a magazine that tries to branch science fiction with science fact; it's now more of a magazine for pseudo-science. (Though I do like their articles on dreams.) Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SAURON Subject: Astral Princess Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:35:06 Message Number 1162 > She has the sexiest voice in Sarasota County... Oh. Of course. How COULD I have missed this? Silly of me. (As you know, I'd love to be able to place faces behind the names on the BBS's... but we've never met.) Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject:  Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:37:40 Message Number 1163 >I like cards that are in...uh...well, COLOR. You mean they don't have colored paper out for the TRS-80? Sheeeeesh; I knew they were behind, but not THAT far behind... Yarg! Yarg! Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SPELLWIND Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:39:29 Message Number 1164 > Astronomy is a branch of Astrology. Absolutely false. Astrology and astronomy have little, in reality, to do with each other. Astrology was based on the ideas of the heavens before about 1600. (Actually, well before that... Try the Babylonian times.) It is based on a geocentric idea of the universe -- the Earth is the center of the universe, and everything goes around it. It's not terribly accurate for predicting the positions of the real planets (especially Pluto, but also Mercury.) Its predictions for human lives are necessarily vague. (One of my friends as a birthday present gave me an astrological chart of myself, and tried to explain how it fit my personality. Unfortunately, he only knew one the facets of my personality, and his explanation fit that facet perfectly. It did NOT fit my whole personality terribly well.) Astrology cannot tolerate change; it has remained virtually the same since the time of the Babylonians. Astronomy continues to change. Astrology is terrible about predicting positions of planets; astronomy predicts their positions with near perfection. (Notice I didn't say total perfection.) Although astronomy pretends to be a science, it is not. Astronomy is the only science of the two. "The easiest intelligence test I've ever found: ask someone what he thinks of astrology." - Lazarus Long. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SPELLWIND Subject: Astros Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:48:46 Message Number 1165 > Astrology was first, and some of the ideas in astronomy were taken > from astrology. Excellent rebuttal, Spellwind. (Pardon me if I'm dripping sarcasm on your keyboard...) I agree that astrology is older than astronomy, and I agree that astronomy stole at least one idea from astrology ("wisdom can be gazed by studying the stars.") So what? I disagree with the idea "Older = better." (I also disagree with the idea that "Progress = good." Some new ideas, shouldn't survive, and some old ideas should be scrapped.) Do we farm by the same methods our forefathers used? Do we still use whale-oil in lanterns to read at night? Do we still write with quill and ink? Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: ARTIMUS Subject: HI Date & Time: 01/04/90 11:54:23 Message Number 1166 Well, hello, howdy, and pleeeeeeeeezed ta meetcha! Doin' just fine, just fine. How'z the wife and kids? Sit down, sit down... you're among friends! Care for a lemonade? An orangeade? A serenade? We're jes' friendly ol' folk here on aLTER rEALITY who love to debate with each other. There's only been a little blood lost, and only a few wars have been started; but we really love each other, deep down inside. Join in with the discussions -- Don't be shy! -- and, most of all, have fun! Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SPELLWIND Subject: Gods/Religion Date & Time: 01/04/90 12:02:54 Message Number 1168 If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him for me. =========== From: RUFUS To: SPELLWIND Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/04/90 15:49:28 Message Number 1169 Whoops...silly me. I really hate when I confuse the goddess of the hunt with the god of lunch meats. =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: ...... Date & Time: 01/04/90 15:55:44 Message Number 1170 Rufus enters the small room, looking around for Turtle. He spots him in the corner screaming for some more Mountain Dew. He walks over to the reptile. "Hiya Turtle, how's it going." Turtle notices the evil grin on Rufus' face and says "Don't tell me you let another non- furry read 'Satisfaction' and look at Lance Rund art." "Well, not exactly, I went to my mail box this afternoon and found this." Rufus reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a tape with the word CALART on it. Turtle's eyes widen, looking like he's just seen a furry version of Christy Brinkly and starts jumping up and down several times. This scene brought to you by the "I have the tape and you don't, so naaa!" foundation. Well, me and Fester stocking up on food this weekend and are going to watch the tape. =========== From: TURTLE To: SPELLWIND Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/04/90 17:14:40 Message Number 1172 >And Diane is one of the names of the Triple Goddess as well. And the name of an English teacher I had in high school once. I have it on personal knowledge that it's not Darth Vader's nickname, though. Nor is it the name of a type of beverage containing apple juice, nor is it the code name for novice CIA agents. It also isn't a breakfast food, a modem protocol, or a best-selling book by Isaac Asimov. --An irrelevant Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/04/90 17:18:04 Message Number 1173 >Real programmers know how to write their own. Real programmers can assemble programs by hand. (Hey, don't laugh, I've actually done it. Didn't feel like breaking out my assembler, so I wrote a short program in machine language directly on disk with a sector editor. I don't remember the whole thing, but I DO remember it started 01 82 26 00 3E 08 ... ) Seriously, though, the guy who wrote the CP/M version of UUCP really did write an assembler for it...he said all the commercially available CP/M assemblers didn't have powerful enough library features. So it goes. (Did you know when the CDC Cyber 7600--the very first true supercomputer ever--was first powered on, Seymour Cray toggled in the bootstrap program with front panel switches from memory? Seymour Cray is a Real Programmer.) --A real programmer Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Date & Time: 01/04/90 17:23:57 Message Number 1174 >You mean they don't have colored paper out for the TRS-80? Well, I've seen it for MS-DOS; the box it comes in stands four feet high and it only contains twelve sheets. You also need Option #GLCS-1102322, IBM Colored Paper Interface Adapter, to use it (available at extra cost). Of course, the Colored Paper Interface Adapter requires that you have at least 1 megabyte of RAM installed on your motherboard and only accepts four different colors, and it takes up an AT expansion slot... --An eight-bit and proud Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: RUFUS Subject: ...... Date & Time: 01/04/90 17:27:45 Message Number 1175 Turtle suddenly gets a sly look on his sauroid features, and he says "You have the Cal Arts tape, hmm? Well, I still know where your copy of Heavy Metal is. If you want to see it alive again, you'll put that aardvark down and carefully consider your future actions..." (c) 1990 ACME Tape Disposal Services, Inc. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: TURTLE Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/04/90 18:28:18 Message Number 1176 Will you shut the fuck up and be serious a while! =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/04/90 19:40:46 Message Number 1177 Turtle, all the schools are getting new computer systems. All I know is they are called AS/400. The one part I saw looked like one of those systems in the 'tower' design. Know anything about 'em? =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: ...... Date & Time: 01/04/90 19:42:43 Message Number 1178 Rufus gets a look on his face that says "a large brick just materialized in my shorts." Rufus, giving his toothy insurance salesman school grin, says "Well, we'll have to get together sometime and make you a copy of this little gem." Rufus stares at THE WALL and comments "Gee, I'd like to go to BRAZIL sometime." Rufus walks away, waving Turtle to follow him. They walk over to a door on the opposite wall. The door, which has a sign over it thats reads "EXIT STORY HERE", opens when Rufus punches in a number on the white security pad. Turtle, I got to watch part of the tape. It's a copy of the tape that was shown at Necro. It's not too bad in quality (seeing how it is kinda darkish to begin with), but could use some 'cleaning up'(if they make such an electronic beast). We will get together sometime. I may be gone this weekend, and maybe next weekend. =========== From: TURTLE To: SPELLWIND Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/05/90 00:42:03 Message Number 1180 >Will you shut the fuck up and be serious for a while! I beg your pardon? I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt here and assume someone hacked your password to leave that post. I would hope it wasn't you who told the sysop of a bulletin board you use to "shut the fuck up." In addition to being unspeakably rude, since you ARE in essence a guest in my house when you call here, it's also pretty damn stupid to tell a person who runs a BBS what he can and can't talk about. I suggest you learn some tact before a sysop who's less tolerant than I am cans your fucking account for being a fucking idiot. Is that fucking serious enough for you? =========== From: TURTLE To: RUFUS Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/05/90 00:48:22 Message Number 1181 AS/400? Never heard of it. Gods, it sounds like some ghastly Mush-DOS 386 machine or something. Yikes! I'd hope the state of Florida wouldn't force its students to learn programming on some IBM clone or some such useless thing. There's too many people already who've been brain- washed into thinking that Mush-DOS machines are good for something. --A "Down with Mush!" Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: RUFUS Subject: ...... Date & Time: 01/05/90 00:51:03 Message Number 1182 Hmm. I won't be around for part of this weekend; I'm heading for Ft. Myers on Sunday to visit some friends, and won't be back until quite late. Give me a call (by modem or voice) sometime to let me know when you'll be around, preferably beforehand, since I'm generally difficult to track down on weekends. =========== From: TURTLE To: ALL Subject: TCG Date & Time: 01/05/90 00:56:11 Message Number 1183 Ray Hines has graciously uploaded the latest edition of The Telecomputer Generalist, an electronic newsletter containing articles of interest to BBS users and computer users in general. This month's TCG is largely devoted to the issue of computers, bulletin boards, and the law. For example, did you know that hacking into someone else's account on a BBS is a third degree felony, or that E-mail on a BBS is protected by privacy laws the same way Post Office mail is? I highly recommend downloading a copy to anyone who regularly uses bulletin board systems. The file is available in compressed .ZIP format; if you don't have a DeZIP program available and want an uncompressed copy, let me know and I'll make one available. --A telecomputing Turtle =========== From: BARTHOLOMEW FOX To: BEATLE Subject: Jolly Roger Date & Time: 01/05/90 01:14:25 Message Number 1184 THE TAPE has both The Fox and the Hound and 101 Dalmations on it, and strangely, this tape is still in my posession since I've been out of town since the 15th of the last month of last year... but anyway, that should go back to its owner soon (uncopied). I really would like to see Fox/Hound on a letterbox prerecorded tape, though. Anyone know off-hand if Disney has their animated Robin Hood on tape available? I don't see it in their catalog, but have heard that it is (was) out (maybe just for rental? limited time release? something?). =========== From: BARTHOLOMEW FOX To: BEATLE Subject: Disney Releases Date & Time: 01/05/90 01:17:48 Message Number 1185 Just as a note, I found the name of the next scheduled theatre release. THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER, to be followed by BEAUTY AND THE BEAST the following year. I hear they are supposed to re-release FANTASIA in the theatres later this year, but that's still unconfirmed. I have no clue as to what we can expect out on tape next.... =========== From: BARTHOLOMEW FOX To: CORWYN OF AMBER Subject: Wizards Date & Time: 01/05/90 01:25:24 Message Number 1186 I'll hafta look for that one of these days (actually, I haven't really rented a movie in ages). There is no lack of movie rental houses here. =========== From: BARTHOLOMEW FOX To: TURTLE Subject: AND RUFUS Date & Time: 01/05/90 01:31:25 Message Number 1187 Now there's an odd way to double-address a message (a feature sadly lacking in many BBS packages). Uh... oh yeah. I talked to Juan Alfonso this evening (he sais "Hello" to the gang, by the way, Chip, Watts) and he mentioned the Cal Arts tape he sent to Rufus (which I think I should have a copy of... it should be waiting for me when I show up sometime next week). He sent me a package, but having omitted the last digit of my Box number, he got it back (today) (grumble). He's sending a larger one with some "suprise" stuff from some of his other artist friends. (Which reminds me... I should be receiving a box of YARF's from Lance rather soon.) I also need a copy of Heavy Metal... and Rock & Rule... and the Tex Avery tape... and The Wall (anyone have that?) -- hell, maybe I should just bring a pack of twenty blank tapes down there to that tape duping place you mentioned.... I've now added Bambi, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and The Land Before Time to my collection of originals (Christmas presents... I got three Roger Rabbits). Keep furry. =========== From: BARTHOLOMEW FOX To: RUFUS Subject: The AS/400 Date & Time: 01/05/90 01:37:17 Message Number 1188 Why, yes I do actually. (I know, I'm not Turtle, but what the hell.) Actually, I have a dungheap of literature on it from IBM (they think I like them or something inane like that so they send me lots of stuff, including an AIX/RT demo diskette that made a nice new blank floppy). Basically, it not in the least bit IBMPC compatible, but rather a true IBM box, running under OS/400, an OS slightly less evil that system/36. The name, by the way, stands for Application System ### (typically exciting and creative IBM nominclature). They come in all sorts of versions with varying degrees of utility (from none at all to moderate) CHAT terminated\ ridiculously high to even worse). Actually, it's a really nifty looking box they come in. =========== From: BARTHOLOMEW FOX To: TURTLE Subject: Programming? Date & Time: 01/05/90 01:43:41 Message Number 1189 You mean they're spending money on the AS/400 to teach PROGRAMMING? Gods... =========== From: ANGEL To: TURTLE Subject: Astromush Date & Time: 01/05/90 03:02:51 Message Number 1190 Oh, Turtle, you have ruined my evening! One of the stars in Orion is most likely dead? Damn, and I didn't even send flowers. Which one? Did he leave much family behind? Is there a fund we can donations to? =========== From: ANGEL To: TURTLE Subject: TCG Date & Time: 01/05/90 03:12:21 Message Number 1191 Put me on the list for an unZIPped version of the newsletter. I just don't have any ZIP in my life. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: TURTLE Subject: --- Date & Time: 01/05/90 03:17:41 Message Number 1192 It's about time you got fucking serious! =========== From: SPELLWIND To: ALL Subject: ??? Date & Time: 01/05/90 12:15:12 Message Number 1193 Why has the Wyvern's Den been busy all day today? =========== From: SAURON To: SPELLWIND Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/05/90 12:49:49 Message Number 1194 Although, it seems to me that the second lead role on the old 60's TV series "The Wild Wild West" was also named Artemis, and he was decidedly male. Go figure. =========== From: SAURON To: TURTLE Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/05/90 12:52:04 Message Number 1195 Diana, not Diane. Phillistine! =========== From: SAURON To: SPELLWIND Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/05/90 12:52:56 Message Number 1196 Et Tu Spellwind? My ex's name is Diane and she'd be horrified to be confused with a pagan goddess. (Diana) =========== From: SAURON To: SPELLWIND Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/05/90 12:56:54 Message Number 1197 Do you have any idea what you're asking? Personally, I'd rather be poached in Diet Pepsi while being forced to watch Jane Fonda movies than to be se... ser... the S word. =========== From: SAURON To: TURTLE Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/05/90 13:00:46 Message Number 1198 As an old gent named Macintosh might say... "Waaaaaaannnnnnnnkkkk!" =========== From: SAURON To: SPELLWIND Subject: --- Date & Time: 01/05/90 13:04:07 Message Number 1199 You have some kind of deathwish, Spellwind, or are you tapping into the silly-sauce at 3 in the morning? (an activity I've been known to indulge in from time to time.. (but I have an excuse - I'm Irish) =========== From: SAURON To: TURTLE Subject: capital revenge Date & Time: 01/05/90 13:09:31 Message Number 1200 I don't deal in relevance. Simply smart-ass emotional jargon. Except on those rare occassions when being S...... (the S word) =========== From: SAURON To: SPELLWIND Subject: Women Date & Time: 01/05/90 13:12:05 Message Number 1201 It's tempting to give a 9-paragraph reply to that message, but would be far too tiresome. What with Fem Lib, NOW, Alan Alda, TV in general, Oprah, Sally Jesse, M.A.D.D, and a constant bombardment 24 hours a day from all sides attempting to complete the emasculation of the American Male; I think maybe at least a small whisper ought to be heard in retaliation. If anyone wants to think of me as the ultimate Chauvinist pig - fine. Actually I kind of relish the notoriety. ( I mean, who wants to be AVERAGE) The fact is, I was happily married for 19 years, have enjoyed the company of quite a few ladies since divorcing, have a great relationship with my ex-wife, have a daughter who is my chief pride and joy, have a sister who I both love and respect, and am continually in a state of lust to meet more persons of the female persuasion. (not for conquest - but because I LIKE WOMEN) Does that give you an idea where I'm coming from? I sure hope so. Having said all that, you can look for zero change in any outrageous statements I might make on this subject. It's a terrible burden to have to be the advocate for vanishing male honor but hey - someone's got to do it.{ =========== From: SAURON To: TURTLE Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/05/90 13:32:16 Message Number 1202 Yeah, maybe, but when you look at the typical rack and see all the wrestling, fashion, buildin A Frames in oregon, Guns Monthly, Chrome Muffler, Make-up, Cracked, etc. stuff jumping out at you...it makes Omni look pretty good by comparison. =========== From: SAURON To: DONTHEN Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/05/90 13:36:38 Message Number 1203 Quit being so S word. There's no conceivable way Spellwind was being S word with that post. Astrology is about as scientific as a coin-toss to decide a war. Maybe that was a bad example; that's a pretty GOOD way to decide a war. =========== From: SAURON To: SPELLWIND Subject: Astros Date & Time: 01/05/90 13:39:55 Message Number 1204 Leaping asteroids! The lad WAS being (S word)! The only thing astronomy and astrology have in common is you have to look up in the sky when engaged in either. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: SAURON Subject: --- Date & Time: 01/05/90 14:52:29 Message Number 1206 I'm Scots-Irish, so there! =========== From: YNGLING To: ALL (THIS MEANS YOU) Subject: Please read!!! Date & Time: 01/05/90 15:16:00 Message Number 1207 Every 2.5 minutes a dolphin is killed! For some unknown reason the huge yellowfin tuna, also known as "chunk light tuna" in the little round cans at your local grocery store, swim beneath the schools of dolphins (dolphins stay together in "families"). The canneries pay a premium for yellowfin tuna, because they are cheaper to process. So, for the last three decades fishermen have used a method known as "set- ting nets on dolphins" to catch them. The fishermen spot the dolphins leaping above the waves, round them up, capture them in nets a mile long and 100 feet deep, throw out the dolphins and keep the tuna. Some of the dolphins drown, some are killed by the boats, some fatally injure themselves trying to escape, and most of the few who do escape die from the shock of being separated from their school or from exhaustion. In 1972 the Marine Mammal Protection Act excepted the tuna industry, in 1976, when a lawsuit forced the fishery service to determine the status of the dolphin population, the figures were falsified (proven fact! not paranoid rhetoric), and in 1981 Congress set a "kill quota" on dolphins at 20,5000 annually (the foreign fleet kills an estimated 100,000 plus). A "body count" on marine mammals...another undeclared war. Keep in mind that only 95% of the world's tuna is caught WITHOUT "setting nets on dolphins!" We are exterminating a species for 5% of our total tuna consumption! PLEASE DO NOT BUY OR EAT CHUNK LIGHT TUNA!!! I know it is more expensive to buy albacore/fancy white tuna but isn't it worth it? If you would like to express your opinion to some of those responsible: Mr Anthony J.F. O'Reilly, Chairman,President,& CEO, H.J. Heinz Co., P O Box 57, Pittsburgh, PA Mr William Stiritz, Chairman & CEO, Ralston Purina Co., Checker- board Square, St Louis, MO 63164. For more info contact: Center for Marine Conservation PO Box 96003 Washington, DC 20077-7172 Thanks for reading. Now DO something, please! =========== From: YNGLING To: SAURON Subject: Oz Date & Time: 01/05/90 15:42:57 Message Number 1208 I know this discussion was a while ago but, just for the record, Ballantine lost a bundle on that printing of the Oz books. I was the manager of a bookstore at the time and we couldnt give 'em away! But you're right about the cover art - magnificent! =========== From: YNGLING To: SPELLWIND Subject: Mists of Avalon Date & Time: 01/05/90 15:47:17 Message Number 1209 Have you ever READ _The Once And Future King_ by White? You couldnt prefer Bradley over that...could you? =========== From: YNGLING To: SPELLWIND Subject: The Subject Date & Time: 01/05/90 15:53:36 Message Number 1210 Youre finished explaining astrology? Did I miss something? Very neat sidestep there Spellwind. The only thing I've read so far is that you know what Buddha's name is (which only proves you may have an Encyclo- pedia up to the B's in your house somewhere). Answer the question, pal! =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/05/90 16:09:11 Message Number 1211 No, these are for the staff to use. And I saw several items marked IBM, including a 2400 baud modem about the size of..well, lemme say it was a big modem. Our computer lab is MS-DOS stuff, and I got to take Pascal ( the language from hell ) on IBMs ( the computer from hell ). I may not know programming, but I know what I don't like. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: YNGLING Subject: Mists of Avalon Date & Time: 01/05/90 17:53:51 Message Number 1212 The way the story is written in Mists makes it better to ME if noone else. . . .. .. ... ... .... .... =========== From: TURTLE To: ANGEL Subject: TCG Date & Time: 01/05/90 20:11:55 Message Number 1213 >I just don't have any ZIP in my life. What? You mean you don't have the complete collection of archiving programs instantly available (you know, PKARC, PKPAK, PKZIP, PKCHOKE, PKDIE)? I'm afraid your name has been submitted to the special Meese Commission Subcommittee for Investigation of Failure to Conform to the Latest MS-DOS Fads, and you will be expected to justify your lack of conformity and status as an IBM Zombie... Anyway, I will put the unZIPped version up some time in the next few days. It's about 120K long, though, so I'd rather not leave it online indefinitely. It also will take about half an hour to download with XModem, so don't d/l it when you're in a hurry. --An obliging Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: SAURON Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/05/90 20:16:54 Message Number 1214 >Diana, not Diane. Phillistine! Philistine, not Phillistine. Hun! =========== From: TURTLE To: YNGLING Subject: Please read!!! Date & Time: 01/05/90 20:21:55 Message Number 1215 Hear that, people? Now quit sitting on your asses and DO something! =========== From: TURTLE To: RUFUS Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/05/90 20:23:17 Message Number 1216 >I got to take PASCAL ( the language from hell ) on IBMs ( the computer >from hell ). Cheer up, it could have been worse. You could have been learning RPGII on a system/36 under SSP, the most evil, vile, festering, hideous mound of dung masquerading as an operating system I've ever seen in my life. SSP makes MS-DOS look downright useful. A typical SSP command is an incipherable acronym followed by a dozen commas and non-sensical parameters, but at least there are a whole bunch of commands that don't do very much. Plus it comes on thirteen eight-inch disks, and the last version I installed had five disks' worth of "Program Temporary Fixes" (translation: bug patches) that didn't fix all the bugs. It's pretty amazing; when the manual starts talking about using MSRJE (Multi-Station Remote Job Entry--ie, the modem program) under DSPT (Display Station Pass-Through), you want to throw the entire heap of garbage out the window...which is probably why the machine is about the size of a small refrigerator and weighs a thousand pounds. Lord knows it's not even as powerful as a microVAX 3100 that sits on a desk. Oh well, I'm rambling. I'll stop now, and let you count your blessings. --A computer-literate Turtle =========== From: ANGEL To: TURTLE Subject: Zipless Date & Time: 01/06/90 02:05:49 Message Number 1217 Thanks ever, oh obliging Turtle! The nice man from the Meese Commission visited. I was fined for having only archaic ARC. Gee, for the good old days of BBSing (I've been indulging in rampant BBS behavior for 'bout 8 months... Gee, the good old days keep getting closer all the time). Seems just this past summer, you only needed one program to archive and de-archive.  Made it very friendly when calling all the BBSs. Now, every board has a different format and some mix them, forcing you to keep dozens of versions of programs you don't use! Moan, whine, whimper! =========== From: DONTHEN To: SAURON Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/06/90 14:28:51 Message Number 1218 Actually, Spellwind /was/ being quite s*r***s with his astrological beliefs, or at least he seems to believe he is. =========== From: RAVEN To: *:*.* Subject: YARG! Date & Time: 01/06/90 16:18:13 Message Number 1220 What, I fail to call for 6 days and there are 100+ new messages? Some on (gods forbid) s****** topics!!! What is this board coming to? At least someone, who we all know and (ahem) love chose to spew on about astrology! YARG! By the way Turtle, you should really finish that story. -R- =========== From: TURTLE To: ANGEL Subject: * Date & Time: 01/06/90 18:32:11 Message Number 1221 The Telecomputer Generalist is now available for downloading in .ARC format. The .ZIP file has been taken off-line; if anyone wants this file ZIPped, let me know and I'll put it back on-line. I'd rather not have both versions on-line at once... --A helpful Turtle Me? I like .LBR--call me deviant. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: DONTHEN Subject: Beliefs Date & Time: 01/06/90 21:06:47 Message Number 1222 I'm serious in all my beliefs. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: RAVEN Subject: YARG! Date & Time: 01/06/90 21:07:54 Message Number 1223 What in the goddesses name is wrong with astrology!!! I hope you don't feel this was about Tarot, because I'm even more serious about it. =========== From: ANGEL To: TURTLE Subject: * Date & Time: 01/07/90 01:13:53 Message Number 1224 Thanks for the .ARC version of the Generalist. I'll be attempting to download it after reading messages, but machine is actin' up again... might not be able to get it (and, yes, I'll have the problem fixed early this week, at long last!) By the way, what is the .LBR format? How is it different from all the other weird formats that seem to be breeding at a frightening rate? (And if the explanation is overly complicated, don't bother, I'm really not that interested in the nuts-and-bolts aspect). =========== From: ANGEL To: SPELLWIND Subject: Tarot Date & Time: 01/07/90 01:17:18 Message Number 1225 Oh, goodie! I was just waiting for someone to bring up Tarot! Now, are you going to give us a good explanation for the validity of Tarot Cards? Personally, I like Nordic runes. They are a truly useful divining tool... if you don't like the reader's interpretaton, the stones can be used as a weapon against her. =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 01:30:58 Message Number 1226 I was looking at a catalog for UCF, and they said one credit of computer programing in high school would be helpful, esp. if it was FORTRAN. I wanna know how many high schools teach FORTRAN. I've talked to several people, all of whom got stuck with Pascal. Just how bad it FORTRAN compared to Pascal? =========== From: RUFUS To: ANGEL Subject: Zipless Date & Time: 01/07/90 01:33:10 Message Number 1227 Funny thing happened to me one time. I wanted this game off a BBS. This game was packed, so I had to obtain the unpacker. Well, seems the packer was also packed. So I had to unpack a packer to unpack a game. I'm glad it was a pretty good game, otherwise I would killed something. =========== From: RUFUS To: ANGEL Subject: Tarot Date & Time: 01/07/90 01:36:03 Message Number 1228 I like those 8-balls you can buy that has the little multi-sided thing inside with answers like YES, NO, MAYBE, ONLY IF YOUR NOSE IS PURPLE. They rank up there with my horoscope. "You will have problems with a partner today." Gee, what kinda partner?? Oh well, I guess I'm just a skeptic. After having Santa, the tooth fairie, the Great Pumpkin, and the Easter Bunny dashed to bits, I have a right to be a skeptic. =========== From: SPELLWIND To: ANGEL Subject: Divination Date & Time: 01/07/90 05:00:41 Message Number 1230 I have the runes and Runecards, so they don't break. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: RUFUS Subject: ...... Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:10:41 Message Number 1232 Shadowed by the darkness of the bar, the unicorn was unseen by the two. He walks over (carefully!), and glances at the tape. "Sorry," he says, "but I couldn't help noticing your conversation. What is this?" pointing with his horn to the tape. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:14:04 Message Number 1233 Dear Turtle, If you're a "real programmer Turtle," why don't you toggle in some interesting programs on Colonel Dave? Yarg! Yarg! Yarg! Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:15:54 Message Number 1234 Yes, but what's your point? Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:18:19 Message Number 1235 Dear Turtle, My old high school used TRS-80's to train their students. Gods! Cured me of ever wanting to use them again... Yarg! Yarg! Yarg! Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: BARTHOLOMEW FOX Subject: Disney Releases Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:21:05 Message Number 1236 Whenever they re-release Fantasia to the theatres, we MUST have a "furry fest" gallop out to see it! FILL an unsuspecting movie theatre with furry fans... Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SAURON Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:27:47 Message Number 1237 >Astrology is about as scientific as a coin-toss to decide a war. Who ever used astrology to decide a war? Might have been used to decide when to start the war... or where... but they still lost. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SAURON Subject: Astros Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:30:09 Message Number 1238 Dear Sauron, Not really. Astrolgy uses an idealized version of the "planets" -- employing little or no looking at the REAL positions of where one is. For example, try to ask some astrologer what exactly ones "sign" means. And be very insistant on asking for real information. Chip P. Unicorn P.S. If he won't say, I will. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: RUFUS Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:35:01 Message Number 1239 There are nothing wrong with either IBM's or Pascal. That is, it depends what you're comparing them to. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: Please read!!! Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:36:29 Message Number 1240 > ...quit sitting on your asses and DO something! Did I miss something? The purpose of Yngling's message was supposed to be to NOT do something: buy chunk light tuna. First, we're supposed to sit on our asses and not do something, then we're supposed to do something. What? Buy chunk light tuna? The irreverent Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SPELLWIND Subject: YARG! Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:40:28 Message Number 1241 Dear Spellwind, Okay! That's it! That quote did it! THIS MEANS WAR! > What in the goddesses name is wrong with astrology!!!! Gee, I'm glad you asked. There are many things wrong with it. First of all, what does one's "sign" mean? If you are an educated astrologer, you would say that due to the planet revolving around the sun, the sun appears to travel through a portion of the constellations called the zodiac. Whichever constellation of the zodiac the sun was in when you were born, you'd say, is one's "sign." Okay, I'd reply, that was the original intention of astrology. Unfortunately, the "days" which the signs correspond to were determined more than two thousand years ago. Since then, the sun has seemed to shift position, and where the sun is in relation to the constellations has changed. In other words, one's sign really has less than nothing to do with the original idea. Less than nothing? Yes. If one had nothing to do with the other, then occasionally they'd be aligned: ones "sun sign" would occasionally match where the sun really was. This is now impossible. This is true for ALL of the other signs: if you claim that the moon was in Libra when you were born, it really would have been in another sign (probably Virgo.) Okay, what's my point? Simply this: astrology isn't even self- consistant. It doesn't deal with real planets; it only deals with imaginary ones. Even if a "mysterious force" eminated from the planets which could determine our lives, astrology hasn't found it. It's too busy dealing with imaginary planets. (This is entirely due to having formed astrology several thousand years ago... and not having changed one iota of it, since.) Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: ANGEL Subject: Tarot Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:53:04 Message Number 1242 Dear Angel, I'm not so strongly opposed against either the Tarot or the I Ching as I am against astrologt. The Tarot and I Ching are fabulous for calming a person down, and forcing him to look at his problem in a different light. They're too general to try to specify exact routes to try -- all they do is give a random message which one's intuition can try to make into something coherent. Their real value is forcing one to stop and think before acting. Notice I didn't say that there's any mystical power behind them. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: RUFUS Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 13:57:30 Message Number 1243 Dear Rufus, Fortran isn';t that bad of a language. Basically, it's a precursor to BASIC that was extremely useful for working with math formulae. If you speak BASIC, you should be able to read Fortran with no problems. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: TURTLE To: ANGEL Subject: LBR Date & Time: 01/07/90 14:04:04 Message Number 1244 .LBR is one of the very first archiving formats. It's dramatically different from ARK, ZOO, PAK, ZIP, etc, etc, in that a library file is structured kinda like a "virtual disk"--it has space reserved in the file for a directory, and stores files in the library the same way files are stored on a disk. ARChives et al store the files as a linked list...each file's header is stored immediately after the file before it. The .LBR format is less flexible han ARC, etc, because there's a limit to the number of files you can put in a library. (I believe .LBR directories only have room for 128 files...some limitation.) On the other hand, you can get a directory of a library without scanning the entire library; all you need to do is look at the directory. Also, if a file in a library is damaged, only that file is lost; if a file in an archive is damaged, frequently an unarchiving program will not be able to locate the start of the file after the damaged one, so all of the remaining files in the archive are also lost. Finally, to clinch the argument in favor of .LBR, there are Z-system utilities like VLU (Visual Library Utility)--a screen-oriented, powerful, point- and-shoot library and file management utility that simply has no equivalent in the ARC-ZIP-PAK-CHOKE-DIE world. (There are .LBR programs available for VMS, MS-DOS, UNIX, etc, but for the most part they're bad--about at the level the CP/M programs were when file archiving was a brand-new idea.) --An LBR Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: RUFUS Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 14:18:16 Message Number 1245 >Just how bad is FORTRAN compared to Pascal? It isn't. No comparison at all. FORTRAN can actually be used for real- world applications outside the sterile world of CompSci classes; Pascal generally can't. FORTRAN is the first high-level language ever, and at first glance doesn't seem that powerful (it reads like a brain-damaged dialect of BASIC); however, it allows variable types like complex numbers, recursion, subroutines with parameter passing, and other generally neat-O things. It's also infinitely more flexible than Pascal, doesn't require everything to be forward-declared, doesn't require you to declare all your variables beforehand, and allows for some amazingly efficient code. A skilled programmer can also use FORTRAN to modify the operating system in a mainframe environment, do direct device I/O and direct memory swapping, and other tricks that would make Niklaus Wirth foam at the mouth and come chasing after you with a meat cleaver, despite the fact that these are all things a computer program might want to do. The Voyager and Viking spacecraft were both guided by very large FORTRAN programs (in the case of the Voyagers, their guidance systems alone were over two million lines of FORTRAN code). If you're really curious, download the file REAL.TXT from here (I think that's what it's called; the file about "Real Programmers Don't Use PASCAL.") --An anti-Wirth (Wirth-less?) Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 14:25:52 Message Number 1246 >My old high school used TRS-80's to train their students. Gods! >Cured me of ever wanting to use them again. Yarg! Yarg! Unfortunately, that is absolutely true, and not uncommon. I've talked to a /large number/ of people who say something along the lines of "Eew! You have a TRS-80? My high school BASIC class used Model III's. Those computers suck! Yuck! Get away!" It's the same sort of reaction you see in people who won't use an Amiga because they've used Commodore 64's before and figure the Amiga must be the same sort of computer. =========== From: TURTLE To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 14:29:24 Message Number 1247 >There are [sic] nothing wrong with either IBM's... Except that they're expensive, inflexible, slow computers that don't take full advantage of their microprocessors and have a really bad operating system. >...or Pascal. Except that it's so structured it's anal retentive, it's not very powerful, it's inflexible and awkward to use, it has no string handling ability to speak of, its language specs call for an inefficient one- pass non-optimizing compiler, and it's really difficult to imagine using it to do any sort of serious programming. In whole, a language ideally suited to IBM computers. What's your point? --A hacker Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Please read!!! Date & Time: 01/07/90 14:33:07 Message Number 1248 Dear Chip, >Did I miss something? Yes. Did you read ALL of Yngling's message? I suggest you get in the habit of reading the entire message before you respond to it. Go back and try again. =========== From: TURTLE To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: FORTRAN Date & Time: 01/07/90 14:34:40 Message Number 1249 >Basically, it's a precursor to BASIC... Since when? FORTRAN was intended to be a compiled, highly scientific, technical language. BASIC was designed as an interpreted beginner's language. Other than the fact that both languages are fairly easy to understand, there's no real relation between the two. >...that was extremely useful for reading math formulae. And still is. By the way, this bulletin board software was written in FORTRAN. --A historian Turtle =========== From: TURTLE To: ALL Subject: aLTER rEALITY Date & Time: 01/07/90 14:38:15 Message Number 1250 Well, gang, my message base is filling up again. At this rate, I expect to see a MESSAGE BASE FULL. MESSAGE PARTIALLY SAVED. pop up sometime this week. Therefore, it seems I have no choice but to get off my lazy butt and start doing some system main- tenance and stuff. *sigh* Anyway, the BBS will likely be down for maintenance and message base purging and neat stuff like that sometime tonight or tomorrow. Thank you for your support. --A reluctant Turtle =========== From: CYBERPUNK To: ALL Subject: bbs Date & Time: 01/07/90 16:46:18 Message Number 1251 new bbs up!! it was once Damage Inc. BBS!!! now it's..... H Y P E R C O M P!!!!!!! Call now!!! 813-371-0888 300/1200 baud =========== From: RUFUS To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: ...... Date & Time: 01/07/90 17:02:53 Message Number 1252 (o.k. so it's a bit late, but what the hey ) Rufus spins around to face the unicorn, at the same time covering the sacred tape. "This, my fine furred friend, is a tape of a whole bunch of pencil tests done by Cal Arts students. It was shown at Necronomicon and will be shown at the next RufusCon." Rufus proclaims. =========== From: RUFUS To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Disney Releases Date & Time: 01/07/90 17:05:25 Message Number 1253 >FILL an unsuspecting movie theatre with furry fans... That thought makes me shudder (and stutter, but I do that all the time anyways). We could tape picture on the outside of the door to keep non- furries away. Now, what pictures. Maybe...Lance Rund? :) =========== From: RUFUS To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 17:08:10 Message Number 1254 They rank above having dental work performed on you with Black & Decker power tools. =========== From: RUFUS To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: YARG! Date & Time: 01/07/90 17:11:13 Message Number 1255 Now Chip, you havn't looked at the positive contributions made by Astrology. 1) It gives you the horoscope, which files up space in the paper. What would they have there otherwise? A really skinny comic going down? 2) It gave the world a wonderful pick-up line. ( I'm glad I wasn't around for that ). =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 17:15:24 Message Number 1256 Wow, kinda like Basic, and useful. That's why school doesn't offer it! Well, thanks for all the info. I just hated Pascal. I think it worsened my speech problem! :) ( o.k., so it didn't, but I always had this urge to organize pencils...) =========== From: DONTHEN To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 18:26:52 Message Number 1258 Although to be fair, FORTRAN sucks eggs compared to BASIC for doing string-intensive work (yes, I know there are languages better than that than BASIC is, but they're usually weaker than BASIC on math, harder to use and at any rate, aren't from the same era--FORTRAN and BASIC both are very close in age). That considered, you have to wonder if Patrick MacDonald--not to mention Crowthers and Woods--are Real Masochist Programmers, or just brain-damaged. Hard to think of more string-intensive applications than a BBS and Original Adventure.... =========== From: ANGEL To: RUFUS Subject: 8 ball Date & Time: 01/07/90 18:51:12 Message Number 1259 Oh, I'd forgotten all about those wonderful fortune-telling-eight-balls! I loved those as a kid. I wonder if they still make them? =========== From: KEN OBER To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 21:10:52 Message Number 1260 SOunds spiffy-keen....Ican do was assemble-less people do...USE BASIC to assemble... 1 POKE15,8:POKE162,7:POKE2843,9 2 PEEK(158):POKE158,X Sounds nifty to me! heheheh =========== From: KEN OBER To: RUFUS Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 21:14:29 Message Number 1261 ACK! My school got a few 386's with VGA for $3000 each...they got a 16 bit data-path with a 32 bit chip! Anyways, all this IBM junkies in the programming class are gawking over the VGA, and I'm like, sheesh My C=128 get's better graphics than that! And their like, why do you always have to put down IBMs? I'm I'm saying "because they are junk, and they deserve to be put down, and fools like you need to learn some- thing about REAL computers." ANyways, my teacher says that if Ikeep putting down IBMs, She's gonna'give me a detention for insubordiance (sp)......That's funny! =========== From: KEN OBER To: BARTHOLOMEW FOX Subject: Programming? Date & Time: 01/07/90 21:18:03 Message Number 1262 BART! WHen do Iget me MSTF appliaction!?!?!?!?!?! REMOTE CONTROL! #1 - 378-2218 - 300/1200 Baud =========== From: RUFUS To: ANGEL Subject: 8 ball Date & Time: 01/07/90 22:05:12 Message Number 1263 Lesse, I picked one up about 8 years ago. I think I've seen them around in stores. They now make those electronic ones which have 6-8 lights and next to the lights are YES, NO, MAYBE, etc. etc. I figure if it's electronic, it /has/ to be right. :) =========== From: RUFUS To: KEN OBER Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 22:07:13 Message Number 1264 Gee, $3000 each. And what will be done on them. Pascal and Logo?? hehe...I think the best thing we have in our lab is a set of Legos and an interface to hook it to an Apple. The language to talk to the interface is Logo (yuck!), but it's still pretty neat. They have motors and optosensors which can detect light/no light and tell if something is white or black. And they have normal pushbutton switches. =========== From: DONTHEN To: KEN OBER Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/07/90 23:11:43 Message Number 1265 Actually, VGA graphics /are/ pretty good, it's just that most of the software out there doesn't take advantage of it. In resolution and color it's pretty close to the Amiga (around 640x400 resolution, often up to 800x600, w/256 colors out of 4096 on-screen at once [I suspect the hardware can do a hold-and-modify mode--almost every computer with that type of graphics processor can--but knowing MS-DOS designers, they probably didn't leave any way to get to it from software]). It falls flat on its face compared to the Amiga when it comes to update speed, which is probably why nobody makes games for VGA. (As to why nobody makes games for EGA, which is somewhere inbetween a 128 and an Amiga and is about as fast as a 128, well, because they're stupid?). Of course, a bozo thing about VGA is that most of them have all sorts of neat extended modes, but every company's products use different extended modes so almost nobody writes software to use them, except for one or two paint programs. Another neat bozo IBM "upgrade": the Apple II has a sound board called the Mockingboard that adds 16-voice stereo sounds, and about 95% of the games for the Apple made since '81 will use it. IBM PC's finally followed suit, except there are no less than three incompatible sound adapters out there being pushed by their respective companies: all of Sierra's games use the Game Blaster and nothing else; Activision uses some other one but not the Game Blaster; Epyx has their own which will only work with their games; etc. You can get sound better than the Amiga's, but only on 10% of your games. =========== From: TURTLE To: RUFUS Subject: 8 ball Date & Time: 01/08/90 00:09:39 Message Number 1267 They do indeed still make the old-fashioned 8-balls, too. I've seen 'em in places like Circus World and Toys 'R' Us--you know, all those places that are famous primarily for having billions of Nintendo cartridges being avidly pawed through by Nintendo zombies (the immature form of the IBM zombie). =========== From: TURTLE To: KEN OBER Subject: Grafix Date & Time: 01/08/90 00:13:40 Message Number 1268 >My C=128 get's better graphics than that! Not really. The newer enhanced VGA cards actually give you slightly better resolution than standard Amiga graphics, and just as many colors. Problem is, in addition to being a LOT more expensive, they simply don't have the software support that the Amiga does. I see IBM zombies whining all the time about this or that VGA card and how trhey can't understand why anyone would get an Amiga for graphics work when their VGA is better; they simply don't realize that programs like DigiPaint 4 and Sculpt-Animate 4D just plain don't exist for the IBM, and you can't get all the nifty graphics-intensive hardware and professional video editing systems for the IBM that you can for the Amiga. There are public domain graphics programs for the Amiga that are better than $200 IBM graphics packages I've seen. The IBMers who whine have never used an Amiga graphics package and are totally ignorant of what the Amiga can do. --An Amiga-phile Turtle, still wishing he had one (that and a PC-Z...or maybe a Sun graphics work- station, or...never mind.) =========== From: RUFUS To: TURTLE Subject: 8 ball Date & Time: 01/08/90 15:29:51 Message Number 1269 I'm still waiting for the Nintendo clone. Colecos had an adapter to run Atari 2600 games. And who remebers the Adam? =========== From: SAURON To: TURTLE Subject: Artemis Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:15:24 Message Number 1271 Phyllis maybe even. Phillip Morris? Phil Donahue? Fill it up? =========== From: SAURON To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:17:41 Message Number 1272 Anal Retention? =========== From: SAURON To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: YARG! Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:22:02 Message Number 1273 Gee Chip, maybe you'd like the local franchise for telling kids that the Easter Bunny is a hoax? =========== From: SAURON To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: Tarot Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:23:39 Message Number 1274 >...fabulous for calming a person down... So is Valium. =========== From: SAURON To: KEN OBER Subject: anyways Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:28:56 Message Number 1275 Two anyways for the price of one. =========== From: SAURON To: DONTHEN Subject: IBM's Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:31:53 Message Number 1276 The more I learn about IBM's and their clones, the less I want one. =========== From: SAURON To: RUFUS Subject: 8 ball Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:34:15 Message Number 1277 Oden remembers the Adam...only he calls it an "adim" ...or something. =========== From: SAURON To: YNGLING Subject: Oz Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:37:14 Message Number 1278 Yeah, I thought so too. A big improvement over the original artwork. (which I've heard some old folks rapture over) Then again - I've heard people raving over the original drawings in Lewis Carrolls' stuff in "Alice" ....must be nostalgia. =========== From: SAURON To: DONTHEN Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:44:34 Message Number 1279 Naaaahhhh! =========== From: SAURON To: CHIP P. UNICORN Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:45:54 Message Number 1280 Would you please get your horn out of your ass and READ the messages you're replying to? I said A COIN TOSS TO DECIDE A WAR ---------------------------- Not Astrology. =========== From: SAURON To: YOU SCHOLARS Subject: hours Date & Time: 01/08/90 18:50:33 Message Number 1281 Okay Rocket Scientists; if you want to visit the Dark Tower (BARAD DUR 484-9139 you have to wait until after 10 PM, since that's when it goes online. Since most of the users here seem to be halfway erudite, most of you are invited to call. Those of you who have trouble tying your shoes are urged to call 'Remote Control' instead. =========== From: KEN OBER To: DONTHEN Subject: VGA Date & Time: 01/08/90 20:33:37 Message Number 1282 HHmmm, well, Iwas under the impression that the AMiga could do 800X600 (around there) with 2.5 million colors.....in lower resolution it can get up to 16 million (not on one screen, of course, and you reallu need a MULTISYNC monitor with the flicker fixer installed in your computer to get those pictures to come out right.) HHmmm, anyways, Iknow you can have atleasy 4096 colors on screen at once with higher resolution than VGA....and, like you said, the animation is awesome! =========== From: KEN OBER To: TURTLE Subject: Grafix Date & Time: 01/08/90 20:36:20 Message Number 1283 ALl Iknow, is that the games they were OOHHing and AAHHHing over didn't have much better graphics than my 128, the sound was HORRIBLE, and it wasn't really that smooth movement.... =========== From: KEN OBER To: RUFUS Subject: ADAM! Date & Time: 01/08/90 20:37:34 Message Number 1284 I remember the ADAM! I was gonna'get one, but got a 64 & a 1541 instead! =========== From: RUFUS To: KEN OBER Subject: ADAM! Date & Time: 01/08/90 22:07:36 Message Number 1285 Weird but true tales: Some Adam club in New York (or was it Rhode Island) sent me a letter asking me to join. This was a loooooong time ago, and I didn't even own an Adam (but then again, I get stuff like "Dear IBM owner:", "Dear parent") =========== From: ANGEL To: RUFUS Subject: 8 ball Date & Time: 01/08/90 23:29:13 Message Number 1286 Yes, I've seen the electronic decision-makers. Don't like them. Takes all the fun out of it (and besides, you have to trust whoever programmed it to have a good random-number generator). And when you turn them upside-down, you just don't get the same satisfaction. =========== From: ANGEL To: TURTLE Subject: download Date & Time: 01/08/90 23:39:21 Message Number 1287 Having the worst time trying to download TELEGEN.ARC. Can't get my system to even start accepting the file. Ah, well. Noticed Donthen's got the text version available on the DEN. I'll have to try there when I've got a LOOOOOONG time to sit in a download loop. Thanks for putting the ARC version up there for me. I appreciate the effort. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: FORTRAN Date & Time: 01/08/90 23:57:41 Message Number 1288 Variables: User: NameType Begin Message Dear $User, There is nothing wrong with pre-declaring all variable names before using them, $User. All that Fortran can do, Pascal can do... albeit more slowly, and possibly with a different method. REAL Pascal is able to use recursion, $User. Turbo Pascal is not Pascal. Sincerely, Chip P. Unicorn End Message =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:01:59 Message Number 1289 Model III, Model 4. Same difference. Yarg! Yarg! Yarg! =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:03:20 Message Number 1290 There is nothing wrong with either IBM's or Pascal; if you compare them with Atari 800's with Atari Basic. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: TURTLE Subject: FORTRAN Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:05:03 Message Number 1291 BASIC is extremely similar-looking to Fortran. In fact, BASIC is a simplified and interpreted version of Fortran. If one can read one language, one can read the other. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: RUFUS Subject: Disney Releases Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:07:12 Message Number 1292 If anyone enters a movie theatre after seeing Lance Rund pictures, outside, that person is a true furry. Especially if he enters a Disney flick after seeing them. On the other hand, we'd better not cover the movie poster. Someone might think THAT was the film... The "Obedience School for Equines" C.P.U. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: RUFUS Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:09:07 Message Number 1293 >They rank above having dental work performed on you with Black & >Decker power tools. Yes. And better than having dental worked performed on you with Smith & Wesson tools. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: RUFUS Subject: YARG! Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:10:18 Message Number 1294 The first objection is TERRIBLE! The world NEEDS more comic strips! By the way, one conversation in that era: "Hi! I'm George. What's your sign?" "Liberty General Hospital." "No... no... I mean, under what sign were you born?" "Liberty General Hospital. I was a premature birth by twelve minutes." Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: DONTHEN Subject: Assembly Langua Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:13:11 Message Number 1295 LISP is even better with string (and list-) intensive work, AND was the second programming language ever to exist. Scheme, a close relative, is fairly good with math. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SAURON Subject: YARG! Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:20:22 Message Number 1296 What? The Easter Bunny is a hoax? Shucks; next thing you know, you'll be telling me there's no Santa Claus. Chip P. Unicorn =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SAURON Subject: Tarot Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:21:57 Message Number 1297 Yes; but Valium's effect decreases with time. =========== From: CHIP P. UNICORN To: SAURON Subject: OMNI Date & Time: 01/09/90 00:23:12 Message Number 1298 Dear Sauron, I believe the whole quote was something like astrology is no better than a coin toss to decide a war. I assumed you meant that astrology might have been used to try to decide a war beforehand. (Astrologers, I assumed, promised their kings that if they entered war, they would gain victory.) Chip P. Unicorn P.S. My horn in my ass? OUCH! =========== From: CRYSTAL To: ANGEL Subject: 8 ball Date & Time: 01/09/90 11:06:08 Message Number 1299 Yes they still make them. In fact Eckerds sells them. I can't walk down the toy isle without asking it how my day is going to go, or how my manager is going to react to the store in the morning. I will have you know that is usualy wrong, but I can't help doing it anyway. * CRYSTAL * =========== From: TURTLE To: KEN OBER Subject: Grafix Date & Time: 01/09/90 12:19:40 Message Number 1300 >...the games they were OOHHing and AAHHHing over didn't have much >better graphics than my 128... That's because they weren't VGA graphics. There aren't too many games out there that actually use a VGA card in VGA mode; most of them use CGA (4 colors, 320 x 200) or EGA (16 colors, approximates C= 128 graphics) mode instead. And sound effects on an IBM are essentially non-existant, unless you want to get one of those weird Incompatibility Devices (tm) sound board that will only work with certain software and WON'T work with anybody else's sound boards at all. *sigh* IBM Zombies never could get /anything/ right. --A non-IBM Turtle ===========