Subj : BBS History
To   : Patch
From : Sam Alexander
Date : Mon Oct 03 2005 09:10 am

  Re: BBS History
  By: Patch to Sam Alexander on Fri Sep 30 2005 05:31 pm

 >   Re: BBS History
 >   By: Sam Alexander to Queen on Fri Sep 30 2005 11:34 am
 > 
 >  > I can literally trace every huge event of my life back to my time on the
 >  > BBSes, and really back to one magazine.  Read below:
 >  >
 >  > July 1989 - My mom brings me a copy of Austin's Computer Connection
 >  > magazine, a free computer circular about computers and such (has Steve Jo
 >  > showing NeXT system on cover).  It had a list of BBSes in my area, so thi
 >  > sparked the curiosity to see what they were about.
 >  >
 >  > December 1989 - Folks got me my first modem for my TRS-80 Coco 2 and star
 >  > calling BBSes in the Computer Connection magazine
 >  >
 >  > January 1990 - Met Chris, a fellow Coco user who lived one town over and 
 >  > my age.  We're still best friends to this day.  through him and his
 >  > connections I started learning everything I could about comptuers, BBSes,
 >  > and networks.  He knew some of the larger board's sysops and I started go
 >  > to meet-ups with him.  THis is what really got my life in computers going
 >  >
 >  > July 1995 - Through Chris I met Debbie (his girlfriend at the time) and s
 >  > got me a job that allowed me to work around my crazy school schedule.  IF
 >  > not for this job, I'm not sure when I'd have gotten into school.
 >  >
 >  > Jan 1996 - Debbie introduced me to a girl who would eventually become my
 >  > fiancee and soon wife (in 3 weeks).
 >  >
 >  > So though I'm sure I'd have gotten into BBSes and chose computers as a
 >  > career anyway, through that one magazine given to me in July 1989 and the
 >  > BBSes, my life was greatly complimented.  I'd not have the best friend I
 >  > have now nor the love of my life, and quite possibly my career in compute
 >  > and education.
 >  >
 >  > Crazy, huh?  All thanks to BBSes :)
 >  >
 >  > Sam
 > 
 > That in itself could be a spin that should be advertised on your BBS.
 > Something that maybe you can place in your GFiles, or part of your new user
 > login.  The reason that the BBS and its community means so much to you, your
 > personal life, etc.
 > 
 > It has to make a connection to others, as it did with you.  I too have some
 > fond memories of my BBS days and get togethers, been having a lot of fun
 > reminiscing about them with friends and such.
 > 
 > Dunno, what do you think?!
 > 

I'll probably write-up something to post on my board, though it's sappy :)  
But when I tell folks that BBSes changed my life, I'm totally telling the 
truth.  I'm sure I'd have gone down a much similar path if not for BBSes or 
if I hadn't gotten into them when I did.  

Just really neat :)  Oh, and I still have the magazine my mom brought me in 
1989 with those BBS listings.  I've considered framing it, but for now it's 
in my box of printouts and such from that time.

Sam

---
"Data is not information, Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not
understanding, Understanding is not wisdom." -- Cliff Stoll

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