 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Editorial Carol Daniels cad@melbpc.org.au |
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The theme this month is communications. When the PC Update team met last year to set the themes for 1997, we expected this to be an interesting issue and we were right. Communications generates a lot of interest amongst our members. For that matter, it's not just our members that are interested in electronic communications It's almost everyone - as even a casual scan of any commercial publication will show. We had a most respectable number of members put their hands up to volunteer to write something for this issue. (So much so that some articles are being held over to use in future months, including my wrap-up on the Fall APCUG vendor presentations).
It hasn't always been that way. In fact it wasn't that long ago that "bulletin boards" conjured up images of push pins - not modems - for the average computer user.
As with most subjects the scope of our members' interests is wide and diverse. Where once connecting to a BBS defined comms for the PC hobbyist, today we're connecting to bulletin boards, the Internet and, increasingly intranets. What we're doing once we connect is even more varied, from sending messages, to getting files, doing research, playing games, having meetings, buying books, listening to music, and even making phone calls. The list grows longer every day.
Whatever the specific task, we share the desire to communicate better and faster. We're looking for ways to cut down on our frustration and improve our efficiency. If we pay attention while we're searching for answers to those questions, we're discovering ways to do things we never dreamt of being able to do with our computers.
How many of us knew what a web browser was five years ago? How many of use have a web browser on our desktops today? The web isn't just the most common metaphor used to describe access to information in today's computing environment. It's what made the Internet accessible to the average computer user. Contrary to much of what is written in the popular press, the Internet isn't synonymous with the World Wide Web, not by a long shot. Even so, for many of today's computer users, it's the Web that made the Internet come alive.
Of course not everyone is excited about the Internet. Some of our members have no interest in comms or the various types of "nets." Others are turned off by the whole concept, although sometimes this is the result of confusing the tool with its uses.
But as a group, it's safe to say that we are interested in electronic communication, or what we can do with it. No matter what we want to do with in the process, connect to a BBS, access a remote file server, shop on line, check a bank balance, or make a phone call, for all but the most techno-savvy amongst us, making and maintaining a connection can seem to have more in common with black magic than physics.
It's almost in spite of its history as one of the more arcane branches of computing activities (and the language of modems and electronic communication does much to preserve that legacy) that communications has developed into a major draw card for newcomers to the word of computers.
It's easy to forget the (relative) ease of today's electronic communication when you can't connect, and you can't figure out why. That's one of the reasons the following message on the Melb PC BBS caught my eye.
From: Stan Horvat
To: John Cumming
Subject: Assistance
Hi John,
Thought I'd drop you a line to thank you for giving me so much of your time on chat mode last week and helping me in resolving my ABC-MODEM problem. I wanted you to know that I tried your suggestion of using the ATZ command. I ended up editing the "init." line in host mode setup of XXX software and the modem now works perfectly on voice, fax and data under host mode. After each call, the modem resets itself ready for the next call.
BTW, the latest advice I received from ABC (USA) was that XXX software may be having a conflict with my 'puter and that I should try an alternative software package. The technicians at ZYX-Modem Sellers (ABC-Modem's distributors) still don't know what the problem is. Just comes to show what great value the Melb PC User Group membership is.
Once again, thank you for your help.
Cheers.
When I saw this message I immediately wrote to the author asking him if I could use it in PC Update. To me it captures the essence of Melb PC...
...users helping users...
That's what we're about. Everything the group does reflects back on that motto. That's the attraction of membership and that's what makes user groups unique. Everyone has the opportunity to participate. Everyone has something to contribute. Today I help someone. Tomorrow someone will help me.
I urge members to keep that motto in mind, when they use the BBS, take a course, or read PC Update. As you look for help, keep your eyes open for ways you can help others.
Reprinted from the March 1997 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
