So I'm reading the Synchronet wiki and it says Synchronet was sold commercially from 1992-1996. I remember seeing the ad for Synchronet BBS in PC mag and other computer mags.
What I want to know is was it available in
any computer stores in the US during those commercial years.?
Did it ever reach the big boy COMP_USA?
I had a lot of pops and mom computer stores here
on Long Island but I wasn't looking to run a BBS on a what we called an IBM compatable back then. I started with the C64 and from there went to the Amiga. I'm curious if I ever saw Synchronet BBS on the shelf at my local store or even Radio Shack. Radio Shack was a big seller of IBM compats in those years. They were waay out of my price range. LOL!
So I'm reading the Synchronet wiki and it says Synchronet was sold commercially from 1992-1996. I remember seeing the ad for Synchronet BBS in PC mag and other computer mags. What I want to know is was it available in any computer stores in the US during those commercial years.? Did it ever reach the big boy COMP_USA? I had a lot of pops and mom computer stores here on Long Island but I wasn't looking to run a BBS on a what we called an IBM compatable back then. I started with the C64 and from there went to the Amiga. I'm curious if I ever saw Synchronet BBS on the shelf at my local store or even Radio Shack. Radio Shack was a big seller of IBM compats in those years. They were waay out of my price range. LOL!
PC Magazine was out of my budget, but yeah, we advertised in:
- Boardwatch
- BBS Callers Digest (I think it was AKA BBS Magazine at one point)
- Online Access
- Sysop News and World Report
- and maybe one or two other even smaller mags I'm forgetting
Yeah, mine too. I also built my own PCs out of wholesale parts. Now, I do buy HPs or Dells or <gasp> Microsoft computers, especially since Fry's closed down. :-(
only bbs software i ever saw in a store was wildcat! and it was in software ect. never sold.
Re: Commercial Synchronet
By: Digital Man to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 2022 09:41 pm
PC Magazine was out of my budget, but yeah, we advertised in:
- Boardwatch
- BBS Callers Digest (I think it was AKA BBS Magazine at one point)
- Online Access
- Sysop News and World Report
- and maybe one or two other even smaller mags I'm forgetting
And if I called the support line I would have spoken to you?
I remember
talking to the guy from Searchlight. When I had trouble setting up Fidonet he would tell me he didn't support it but for a $100 fee he would.
Then the guys from Fidonet wanted money.
Geez when I think back I was really taken
for a ride. I'm wondering if that's why stores didn't carry a lot of BBS software. They didn't want the headache of people returning the software they couldn't get to work??
Re: Commercial Synchronet
By: Digital Man to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 2022 09:41 pm
Yeah, mine too. I also built my own PCs out of wholesale parts. Now, I do buy HPs or Dells or <gasp> Microsoft computers, especially since Fry's closed down. :-(
I'm currently working at a software consulting company, and a couple years ago, I was doing work for a company on-site and saw that they had some Microsoft Surface Studio all-in-one PCs, and I thought they looked like fairly nice machines. They're fairly expensive though..
The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students and now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features much more than I would have predicted. I think the next closest thing would be an iPad Pro, but my kids still need/use traditional Windows software, so the Surface Pros were the right buy. No regrets.
Re: Commercial Synchronet
By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:58 am
The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students and now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features much more than I would have predicted. I think the next closest thing would be an iPad Pro, but my kids still need/use traditional Windows software, so the Surface Pros were the right buy. No regrets.
I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but the thing I didn't like about it was that its keyboard attachment wasn't rigid like a laptop, so it didn't stay in position when it's picked up and moved. I felt like that became more of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus though. Maybe I wasn't the target market for that device..
Agreed. Microsoft also makes a Surface Laptop (with traditional/rigid keyboard), that looks pretty nice/slim, but I/we haven't owned one. For laptops, I've had really good luck with Lenovos.
Digital Man wrote to Nightfox <=-
I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but the thing I didn't like about it was that its keyboard attachment wasn't rigid like a laptop, so it didn't stay in position when it's picked up and moved. I felt like that became more of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus though. Maybe I wasn't the target market for that device..
Agreed. Microsoft also makes a Surface Laptop (with
traditional/rigid keyboard), that looks pretty nice/slim, but
I/we haven't owned one. For laptops, I've had really good luck
with Lenovos.
And if I called the support line I would have spoken to you? I remember talking to the guy from Searchlight. When I had trouble setting up Fidonet he would tell me he didn't support it but for a $100 fee he would. Then the
guys from Fidonet wanted money. Geez when I think back I was really taken for a ride. I'm wondering if that's why stores didn't carry a lot of BBS
Re: Commercial Synchronet
By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:58 am
The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students a now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features muc more than I would have predicted. I think the next closest thing would an iPad Pro, but my kids still need/use traditional Windows software, s the Surface Pros were the right buy. No regrets.
I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but the thi of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus though. Maybe I
Nightfox
Ah, I recall Frank being a really nice guy when I met it at ONE BBSCON.
you mean that cost recovery thing? CRP i'm not sure if that ever worked well or if people were profitting from it. maybe in some areas they it worked, so it didnt.
why didnt stores carry bbs software? because bbses suck.
The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students
and now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features much
I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but
the thi of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus
though. Maybe I
At a previous jobsite we deployed Surfaces with a protective rubberized sleeve with the keyboard integrated to act as a screen cover. It didn't come loose at all.
not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole OS future on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo instead.. seems like they're just making up slowly for lost time.
Re: Commercial Synchronet
By: Digital Man to HusTler on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:54 am
Ah, I recall Frank being a really nice guy when I met it at ONE BBSCON.
He was. I just needed someone to help me out as I did not understand the whole Fidonet thing. Searchlight came with preset Fidonet message areas. After I found someone to help me I purchased a commercial mailer (D,Bridge) with an excellent manual and I got things working. I was not expecting the extra cost. The advertisement for Searchlight read: "Everything you need to run your own Bulletin Board System". At the time D,Bridge was $120.00. So yea Frank was nice but I can get anyone to give me support if I pay them. ;-)
well or if people were profitting from it. maybe in some areas they it worked, so it didnt.
why didnt stores carry bbs software? because bbses suck.
I'll tell you what. I've met a lot of friends that I still keep in touch with. I never would have met them if I didn't run a BBS. So yea BBS's suck when they don't work but the friendships gained fixing them is priceless in my opinion.
It's not that the keyboard came loose.. It was that the keyboard didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard would flop down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it, or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.
Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
By: fusion to Digital Man on Thu Sep 22 2022 11:36 am
not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole OS fut on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo instead.. seems l they're just making up slowly for lost time.
Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?
Nightfox
Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?
Nightfox
I doubt Lenovo is selling anything. They picked up IBM's Personal Computing Division in 2005. They've created a good following since then.
It's not that the keyboard came loose.. It was that the keyboard
didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard
would flop down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it,
or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.
so how is this a problem.
that's how it was designed.
didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard
would flop down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it,
or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.
Not much of a problem, just a little more annoying to move than a laptop. Laptop keyboards/monitors don't flop around when
you move them.
you can expect what you want, but you have to do your homework.
i knew having fidonet would require extra work and software.
i wouldn't use d'bridge though. EWWWW
i use irex and radius. much better.
D'Bridge was what Searchlight support recommended. I don't remember if Irex or Radius was free or paid back then. Maybe there were some shareware mailers?
Re: Commercial Synchronet
By: Nightfox to Moondog on Thu Sep 22 2022 09:30 am
It's not that the keyboard came loose.. It was that the keyboard didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard would flo down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it, or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.
so how is this a problem.
that's how it was designed.
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