[Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Sun Jul 22 17:35:11 CDT 2007
Actually, the NFB-Net BBS was part of what was known as Fidonet -- a
series of BBS's running on IBM PC's and compatibles linked by telephone
lines. It was a spoke-and-hub arrangement with BBS's calling one another
in a systematic way to pass message traffic along. Instead of email
lists, there were "conferences" -- batches of messages pertaining to a
single subject, much like UUCP and Internet's Usenet was and still is.
Fidonet began to die when NSF stopped operating the Internet backbone in
1994 making large-scale commercial and personal exploitation of the
Internet possible.
For a while, you could Telnet into NFB-Net and operate the BBS via the
Internet just as you did when calling it.
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: crichardson at nfbny.org
To: NFB Webmaster's List
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 8:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
BBS were not always on any kind of network. They were basically a
single
computer running whatever brand BBS software. Most only had one phone
line
which meant for a lot of redialing to get into a system. Once on you
could
read public messages, send emails to users on that system, yes, just
that
one computer, play some online games and download files.
A system like WWIV started to assign network numbers to its systems
and had
to be registered to Wayne Bell's computer to be put into the network.
Then
at night mainly when users were less likely to be using the systems,
the BBS
would call out to other systems and transfer emails. Some would be
incoming
to your own system, or just passing through to another on the system.
Unlike nowadays were someone would receive an email in minutes of me
sending
it, it sometimes took 1 to 3 days for an email to be received through
the
early BBS networks. I believe David used Telnet work NFBNET and he
could
probably tell you any differences in that system.
What became more like the internet we know today and was the beginning
of
the end for BBS was the online services, like CompuServe and Genie. I
use
to have an account on Genie, which stood for General Electric network
for
information Exchange. Along with it's many public message boards you
could
send messages to people around the country in minutes, but not from
Genie to
CompuServe. Online shopping was first introduced in these systems
also.
later on CompuServe and AOL became internet service providers and a
lot of
their services became moot as they became a part of the internet.
Gosh, this makes me feel like a computer dinosaur, but what's worse is
I
have written programs on Holarith cards. No, not some digital memory
cards,
but paper keypunch cards. Also not having a keypunch machine we use
to use
a guide and blacken out the parts of the card that would be punched
with a
number 2 pencil, kind of like the lottery game cards nowadays. You
know
what it was like to almost know the ASCII value for every character on
the
keyboards of today and for output I knew a lot of special characters
above
the 127 value for formatting documents.
We just forget sometimes how much easier it is today.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "NFB Webmaster's List" <nfb-web at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 7:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
> Hello everyone,
>
> Can you please explain how BBS'S differed from the Internet?
Although
> it
> may not have been a part of the Internet as we now know it the NFB
Net BBS
> opened possibilities for members and others interested in our work
to
> communicate with each other and to exchange information
electronically. I
> could use a refresher on this subject to ensure that what I write is
> accurate.
>
> Peter Donahue who prefers to get it right the first time to avoid
> informational gotcha's!
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <crichardson at nfbny.org>
> To: "NFB Webmaster's List" <nfb-web at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 5:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>
>
> I hate to disagree, but BBS were not a part of the net. Not the
internet
> anyway.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "NFB Webmaster's List" <nfb-web at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 4:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>
>
>> Hello Gary and listers,
>>
>> I began writing what I hope will become the first article in
this
>> series
>> last night. Perhaps the best place to begin the series is to review
a
>> brief
>> history of the development of the Internet and its use by the NFB.
I
>> believe
>> the NFB Net BBS was our earliest use of the net. Also does anyone
>> remember
>> the years our national Web site was launched and when NFB Net was
>> converted
>> from a BBS to a Web Site? Dave does the BBS still operate or has it
>> become
>> a
>> part of NFB and Internet History?
>>
>> Beginning in this way would be a good, "Jumping-off point" for
>> launching
>> the series. In addition to encouraging more folks to become tech
savvy,
>> the
>> series should also serve to familliarize members with the work of
our
>> Webmasters Group. I'll write the first article to launch the series
and
>> will
>> post a draft here when it's finished. We can then decide who wants
to
>> write
>> the next one in the series. Gary since you're our fearless leader
perhaps
>> you could do an article that discusses the work of our Webmasters
group
>> and
>> the services we offer to affiliates to help them establish or
enhance
>> their
>> Internet presence. As I said I wish I could have brought this idea
up
>> during
>> our meeting in Atlanta.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Wunder, Gary" <WunderG at health.missouri.edu>
>> To: "NFB Webmaster's List" <nfb-web at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 10:16 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>>
>>
>> I think this is a good idea. We'll need to write in a way which
>> encourages people who are not technically inclined to take on some
of
>> the things we find most beneficial.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Peter Donahue
>> Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 5:09 PM
>> To: nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> Here's hoping those who attended this year's national convention
had
>> a
>> great time as Mary and I did. We had another great Webmasters
Seminar
>> and I
>> was privileged to be one of the presenters. I thought the topics
were
>> informative, and was pleased to hear about the template being
created
>> for
>> our state affiliates.
>>
>> There's an idea I forgot to bring up, but didn't and whish I
had
>> thought of it so we could discuss it during the meeting. Given all
of
>> the
>> discussion and questions folks have about how the Internet can be
>> utilized
>> to spread the federation's message I was going to bring up the idea
of
>> some
>> of us writing a series of articles for the Braille Monitor
explaining
>> the
>> nature of the Internet, and the different facilities the net
affords us
>> to
>> spread our message and philosophy about blindness. While many
members
>> are
>> aware of our use of the Internet they're not acquainted with how it
>> works,
>> and how best such facilities as e-mail, discussion groups, Web
Sites,
>> podcasts, and of course everyone's favorite subject audio streaming
>> work,
>> what's involved in operating them, and which of these net
communication
>> methods are best for different communications needs among members,
local
>> chapters, and other affiliates.
>>
>> I find that many folks are aware of our use of the Internet, but
>> they
>> don't quite understand how it all works. I'd like to suggest that
we
>> write a
>> series of articles dealing with various aspects of the Internet for
>> publication in The Braille Monitor to inform members of what the
>> Internet
>> is, what means of information sharing are available to the NFB via
the
>> Net,
>> and how we can best utilize these facilities to spread our message,
and
>> to
>> grow and build the federation. I wish I thought to bring this idea
up
>> during
>> the meeting so we could discuss it, and to perhaps formulate a plan
>> where in
>> each one of us could write an article discussing one particular
aspect
>> of
>> the Internet, and how to create and use its variety of
communications
>> tools
>> to our advantage. I'll be interested in hearing feedback concerning
this
>> idea.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten"
>> Joel 2-25
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfb-web mailing list
>> Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfb-web mailing list
>> Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfb-web mailing list
>> Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-web mailing list
> Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-web mailing list
> Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>
_______________________________________________
Nfb-web mailing list
Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
-------------- next part --------------
Actually, the NFB-Net BBS was part of what was known as Fidonet -- a series of BBS's running on IBM PC's and compatibles linked by telephone lines. It was a spoke-and-hub arrangement with BBS's calling one another in a systematic way to pass message traffic along. Instead of email lists, there were "conferences" -- batches of messages pertaining to a single subject, much like UUCP and Internet's Usenet was and still is. Fidonet began to die when NSF stopped operating the Internet backbone in 1994 making large-scale commercial and personal exploitation of the Internet possible.
For a while, you could Telnet into NFB-Net and operate the BBS via the Internet just as you did when calling it.
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:crichardson at nfbny.org crichardson at nfbny.org
To:
mailto:nfb-web at nfbnet.org NFB Webmaster's List
Sent:
Saturday, July 21, 2007 8:47 AM
Subject:
Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
BBS were not always on any kind of network. They were basically a single
computer running whatever brand BBS software. Most only had one phone line
which meant for a lot of redialing to get into a system. Once on you could
read public messages, send emails to users on that system, yes, just that
one computer, play some online games and download files.
A system like WWIV started to assign network numbers to its systems and had
to be registered to Wayne Bell's computer to be put into the network. Then
at night mainly when users were less likely to be using the systems, the BBS
would call out to other systems and transfer emails. Some would be incoming
to your own system, or just passing through to another on the system.
Unlike nowadays were someone would receive an email in minutes of me sending
it, it sometimes took 1 to 3 days for an email to be received through the
early BBS networks. I believe David used Telnet work NFBNET and he could
probably tell you any differences in that system.
What became more like the internet we know today and was the beginning of
the end for BBS was the online services, like CompuServe and Genie. I use
to have an account on Genie, which stood for General Electric network for
information Exchange. Along with it's many public message boards you could
send messages to people around the country in minutes, but not from Genie to
CompuServe. Online shopping was first introduced in these systems also.
later on CompuServe and AOL became internet service providers and a lot of
their services became moot as they became a part of the internet.
Gosh, this makes me feel like a computer dinosaur, but what's worse is I
have written programs on Holarith cards. No, not some digital memory cards,
but paper keypunch cards. Also not having a keypunch machine we use to use
a guide and blacken out the parts of the card that would be punched with a
number 2 pencil, kind of like the lottery game cards nowadays. You know
what it was like to almost know the ASCII value for every character on the
keyboards of today and for output I knew a lot of special characters above
the 127 value for formatting documents.
We just forget sometimes how much easier it is today.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Donahue" < mailto:pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net
>
To: "NFB Webmaster's List" < mailto:nfb-web at nfbnet.org nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 7:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
> Hello everyone,
>
> Can you please explain how BBS'S differed from the Internet? Although
> it
> may not have been a part of the Internet as we now know it the NFB Net BBS
> opened possibilities for members and others interested in our work to
> communicate with each other and to exchange information electronically. I
> could use a refresher on this subject to ensure that what I write is
> accurate.
>
> Peter Donahue who prefers to get it right the first time to avoid
> informational gotcha's!
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: < mailto:crichardson at nfbny.org crichardson at nfbny.org
>
> To: "NFB Webmaster's List" < mailto:nfb-web at nfbnet.org nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>
> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 5:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>
>
> I hate to disagree, but BBS were not a part of the net. Not the internet
> anyway.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Donahue" < mailto:pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net
>
> To: "NFB Webmaster's List" < mailto:nfb-web at nfbnet.org nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>
> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 4:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>
>
>> Hello Gary and listers,
>>
>> I began writing what I hope will become the first article in this
>> series
>> last night. Perhaps the best place to begin the series is to review a
>> brief
>> history of the development of the Internet and its use by the NFB. I
>> believe
>> the NFB Net BBS was our earliest use of the net. Also does anyone
>> remember
>> the years our national Web site was launched and when NFB Net was
>> converted
>> from a BBS to a Web Site? Dave does the BBS still operate or has it
>> become
>> a
>> part of NFB and Internet History?
>>
>> Beginning in this way would be a good, "Jumping-off point" for
>> launching
>> the series. In addition to encouraging more folks to become tech savvy,
>> the
>> series should also serve to familliarize members with the work of our
>> Webmasters Group. I'll write the first article to launch the series and
>> will
>> post a draft here when it's finished. We can then decide who wants to
>> write
>> the next one in the series. Gary since you're our fearless leader perhaps
>> you could do an article that discusses the work of our Webmasters group
>> and
>> the services we offer to affiliates to help them establish or enhance
>> their
>> Internet presence. As I said I wish I could have brought this idea up
>> during
>> our meeting in Atlanta.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Wunder, Gary" < mailto:WunderG at health.missouri.edu WunderG at health.missouri.edu
>
>> To: "NFB Webmaster's List" < mailto:nfb-web at nfbnet.org nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>
>> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 10:16 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>>
>>
>> I think this is a good idea. We'll need to write in a way which
>> encourages people who are not technically inclined to take on some of
>> the things we find most beneficial.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: mailto:nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Peter Donahue
>> Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 5:09 PM
>> To: mailto:nfb-web at nfbnet.org nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [Nfb-web] Web Articles for Braille Monitor
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> Here's hoping those who attended this year's national convention had
>> a
>> great time as Mary and I did. We had another great Webmasters Seminar
>> and I
>> was privileged to be one of the presenters. I thought the topics were
>> informative, and was pleased to hear about the template being created
>> for
>> our state affiliates.
>>
>> There's an idea I forgot to bring up, but didn't and whish I had
>> thought of it so we could discuss it during the meeting. Given all of
>> the
>> discussion and questions folks have about how the Internet can be
>> utilized
>> to spread the federation's message I was going to bring up the idea of
>> some
>> of us writing a series of articles for the Braille Monitor explaining
>> the
>> nature of the Internet, and the different facilities the net affords us
>> to
>> spread our message and philosophy about blindness. While many members
>> are
>> aware of our use of the Internet they're not acquainted with how it
>> works,
>> and how best such facilities as e-mail, discussion groups, Web Sites,
>> podcasts, and of course everyone's favorite subject audio streaming
>> work,
>> what's involved in operating them, and which of these net communication
>> methods are best for different communications needs among members, local
>> chapters, and other affiliates.
>>
>> I find that many folks are aware of our use of the Internet, but
>> they
>> don't quite understand how it all works. I'd like to suggest that we
>> write a
>> series of articles dealing with various aspects of the Internet for
>> publication in The Braille Monitor to inform members of what the
>> Internet
>> is, what means of information sharing are available to the NFB via the
>> Net,
>> and how we can best utilize these facilities to spread our message, and
>> to
>> grow and build the federation. I wish I thought to bring this idea up
>> during
>> the meeting so we could discuss it, and to perhaps formulate a plan
>> where in
>> each one of us could write an article discussing one particular aspect
>> of
>> the Internet, and how to create and use its variety of communications
>> tools
>> to our advantage. I'll be interested in hearing feedback concerning this
>> idea.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten"
>> Joel 2-25
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfb-web mailing list
>> mailto:Nfb-web at nfbnet.org Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfb-web mailing list
>> mailto:Nfb-web at nfbnet.org Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfb-web mailing list
>> mailto:Nfb-web at nfbnet.org Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-web mailing list
> mailto:Nfb-web at nfbnet.org Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-web mailing list
> mailto:Nfb-web at nfbnet.org Nfb-web at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-web
>
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