Re: METAL is now FREE!!!!!!

[dratzlaf@nyx.cs.du.edu (Norby)]

In article <1993Apr2.064408.3682@news.csuohio.edu> fnet@backus.cba.csuohio.edu (Greg Boh) writes:
>In article <1pg16j$ffs@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> co057@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Steven H. Lichter) writes:
>>
>[Drivel Deleted]
>
>>But I do know it is comming along from just the comments on the
>>net. I'm sure Metal is a fine program just as are many other BBS 
>>programs. It just depends on what the SysOp wants.
>
>Exactly. And power sysops use a power language.
>
>Mr. Lichter, have you -EVER- seen the inside of a FutureVision system? Have
>you ever seen the utilities or the networking platform that comes with it?
>Have you ever Telnetted into a FutureVision system? Have you ever seen what
>METAL is capable of?
>
>I rest my case. Ignorance most definitly is bliss.

Ok.  This is enough.  I cannot keep my mouth shut at this point.

This thread and ones like it started out bashing bbs software.  Now its
turned into bashing sysops because they don't want to run a particular
package.

I think we see disadvantages already of METAL.  Networking in particular. 
If sysops of METAL boards act like 15 year old kids quibbling about
"Mine's better than yours!", what happends when actual 15 year-old kids
calling METAL boards get Usenet access.

If METAL is so damn good, why do you feel you have to ram it down our
throats?  Some people here run a good board, and don't see the need to change.

Not really needing or wanting superior math capibilities, networking
abilities, etc. does not make a person stupid.  Nor does not memorizing
specs on METAL simply because someone could care less.

I'm not bashing METAL.  I really like it!  If my stupid hard drive would
work correctly with it, I'd run it!  But I've also used many different
systems, and looked into a few of them.

I used to run a small Warp 6 board.  I did so because it was free, small
on disk space and memory, and my wierd drive would run it.  The board was
conversation-oriented.  No files, no games, no fancy networking stuff. 
But it was interesting.  Interesting enough that I had 12 users that
called every single day, posting on the average of 8 messages apiece. 
Three times that many users called every other day, also posting quite a
bit.  It was a fun place to be, the software ran fast enough, and people
kept coming back.  I did many modifications to the code, written in BASIC,
that made it unlike any other Warp 6 board.  This is what is fun for me,
to create my own little place that people like to visit.

There are two METAL boards here where I live, and one GBBS board.  The
METAL boards have been modified VERY little, and look almost exactly
alike, as well as almost exactly like the METAL demo passed around.  Sure,
they run fast, have all the 'kewl' little games that people love to play,
but there's nothing unique about the board.  FutureNet feeds are there,
which I think some users do post on, but nothing is ever on the local
topics except an occasional "My spaceship blew up!  Someone rescue me!"

Personally, if I ran METAL, I don't think I would subscribe to the
FutureNet, except maybe a few Usenet topics here and there, based on user
demand.  The reason is, if I did, I'd be basically just another FNet site.
Not a BBS, a network site.  People would call to gain access to the net. 
If I wanted that, I'd invest in a Unix box and charge for access.

But that's just my opinion.  You see, different people want a bbs for
different reasons.  Some people, like me, like just a little place where
people can get together and talk, let loose and get goofy!  If I had
space, I'd like to house PD Apple stuff.  Other people need to have that
Ultra-Mega-Fast-Gigs-O-Files-Tons-O-Games-Networked-To-Mars type of
system.  That's great!  I call them too!  It's always very impressive to
me how easily all these machines are networked together so easily.

My point after all this (if you haven't gotten it yet...):

  You METAL worshippers do have one of the most advanced system ever
  designed for the Apple II.  But not everyone needs to drool over
  it like you do.  Sysops have been maintaining very enjoyable bbs's
  for years before METAL came along.  There is nothing wrong with a
  sysop who's put lots of time and effort into customizing his system
  not wanting to go through the trouble of changing everything around
  just a few bells and whistles.  And, yes, there are other people who
  want to write bbs software.  Maybe in your opinion those other packages
  are not as advanced as yours.  But look at it this way:  How would you 
  feel if you worked months, or years on a program; making it your baby,
  having it take away most if not all of your free time, only to 
  release it and hear hordes of fanatics screaming "It sucks!  It sucks!
  Don't buy it!  It sucks!  The author's a moron!  It sucks!  You're 
  stupid if you don't get ours.  Ours is the BEST!  Theirs SUCKS!"

Please think about it.

And please stop cross-posting to csa2.gno, God knows they don't want to
hear this crap, either.

(Disclaimer:  This post is not intended for any one person in particular,
              and may pertain to several people.  If you are offended by
              the preceding post, it must have been directed at you, eh?)

--
                    Internet: dratzlaf@nyx.cs.du.edu     
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