 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group The Modem and I: Part 5 Jean D'Andrea jda@melbpc.org.au |
In case you haven't realised it, having a modem and dialling into a BBS is extremely addictive. I wonder what I did with quite a few hours a week before the little creature moved in. The power bill has certainly gone up a few dollars, and we won't discuss the phone bill.
This addiction crept up on me silently, and pounced when I wasn't looking. One evening in January, I sat at the PC, making one of my regular two or three times-a-week calls to Melb PC BBS. The number rang until the time allotted for a response ended (timing out). After a few tries of the two main numbers, I manually dialled every one of the seventeen lines available. They all did the same. After trying on and off for several hours I was forced to admit defeat. I was not going to get through! "There must be a small problem," I thought, as I switched off the equipment and went to read a book.
The following day, before breakfast, I booted up the PC and gave Telix instructions to start dialling our BBS again. There was no getting through, the lines were timing out. I gave up and departed for the office. That evening, on returning from work, the same result. Muttering evil things, I prepared dinner and watched the TV news - all doom and gloom there. After the meal, back to the PC, with the same result. This happened throughout the evening. Eventually, still muttering, I gave up and retired for the night.
For the next two days, I was completely unable to get my fix. There are other BBSs around, why didn't you call one of those, you might be asking. Yes, there are other BBSs, but I didn't want them. I wanted to get my mail from Melb PC BBS. I had become well and truly addicted.
By this time, I was totally demented. The cat left town, and nobody wanted to speak to me. People walked softly around me and were seen to shake their heads in puzzlement. "What would they know?" I thought. "They have no idea what they're missing. Probably don't even know what e-mail is."
Instead of thinking rationally and accepting that there must be a problem somewhere, I developed rampant paranoia and decided that the BBS, not to mention the world, was out to get me. There was a moment of sanity, when I decided that there was something wrong, and I had better not ring up and bother anyone in case it slowed down the repair work. I was in a very bad way, and even considered taking up smoking again. Television was no substitute and I'd finished all my library books. Severe depression set in.
On the fifth day, a miracle! The modem gave one ring tone, then cheerfully warbled its success at making a connection. With a sigh of relief I logged on to the BBS. The first Bulletin was titled "BBS Crash:" I wasn't suffering from paranoia at all! Apparently an important board in the PC had self-destructed, only allowing the use of two lines. Not a lot of use, considering the large number of members who now use the BBS. Some good came out of this crash though, the PC was replaced with a faster one, which improved the service.
Thinking good thoughts about the communications team, I went to the Mail area and downloaded my mail packet from the Blue Wave Door. It took only a few moments, as did the upload of some replies to previous mail. All accomplished, I logged off. Grabbing a quick brew, I settled happily in front of the PC to enjoy an evening reading the mail.
By the way, the cat has moved back in, and people are now able to speak to me without risking violence. If anyone reading this still believes that BBSing is not addictive, I have to say that you are greatly mistaken. It's great fun. If you haven't already joined us, please do so.
Reprinted from the June 1995 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
