 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Editorial Ash Nallawalla ash@melbpc.org.au |
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The PC Update BBS has had a short but turbulent history, in keeping with club BBS tradition. As many of you found out, the BBS was switched off before you received the previous issue. The details of this sad saga need not be mentioned because the problem has been cleared as a result of a special committee meeting. I apologise for the inconvenience caused.
I am about to get a telephone line installed at my home at the Group's expense. The PC Update BBS will live at this number. Watch the main BBS for a connection date (1 June, if Telecom obliges). I found it difficult to run the BBS from a distance, and was tying up my private phone for PC Update business. The inevitable happened: a family member had an accident and was unable to reach us, so my long-suffering wife put her foot down and asked me to get a second line.
If you wish to use this BBS you will have to re-register online, regardless of how long you have been a user of the main BBS. You get different privileges here, so we can't just copy the 1300+ user file. Don't waste your time using a pseudonym, as there is nothing to download.
Authors, Please Note
I ask reviewers of commercial software to send a printed copy of their review to the local distributor, particularly if the review is overly critical. This is simple courtesy and it will avoid allegations of one-sidedness from the aggrieved party.
We are not in the business of victimising products or businesses. I believe that most products have some merit, which must be mentioned. If you cannot find anything nice to say then it might be better not to write the review at all. Emotional outbursts in a review lessen its credibility and that of the author. Anonymous articles are not acceptable any more.
We still have some unidentified articles where the author has not sup-plied a name in the disk file. If your item has not appeared in print, you should ring Peter Smith to check.
Whither Melb PC?
Charles Wright submitted in the previous issue a forward-looking article concerning the future directions of our group. His thrust is valid in the main, even though minor points are being challenged. He has certainly helped to make us think about where we are heading. I also agree with John Beck's vision for large, group-owned premises, but not if we have to service a large debt, hire more staff and defer purchasing new equipment for the office and other operations. A subcommittee was formed some months ago to study this particular question, so your input will be valuable. It is sometimes good that people have different views. If you have not written to him with your comments, here is another reminder.
Windows 3
By the time this issue reaches you, Microsoft Windows 3.0 will have been released. Like many new packages it needs a 286- or 386-based PC and promises to brighten up your computing.
Reprinted from the June 1990 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
