Grex Computer Shopper listing?

Feb 21 23:59 UTC 1995

Idea
----
How do people feel about getting a free listing in Computer Shopper's
BBS list?  CS is an 800pg monthly magazine, mostly ads, $5 cover price,
published by Ziff Davis.  They have a large BBS list by state and area
code (15 in Grex's area code).  I don't know if we could list a telnet
address; they may take only the phone number.
 
Policy Details
--------------
I've entered their BBS listing policy, some sample listings, and their
notice to advertisers in /home/ajax/cs, if you want details.  The basics
are: free BBS listings, the BBS must have computer-related topics, and
be a full-time BBS (e.g. not "call evenings only").
 
Their ad policy doesn't impact the BBS listings, but may affect some
peoples' opinions: they say they may refuse to carry any ad.  What they
don't say is that being a Ziff-Davis magazine, they don't allow X-rated
CD-ROM and BBS ads that show suggestive pictures or something.  (I don't
know the exact policy.)
 
Similar Discussion
------------------
This discussion may be similar to the the Michigan Computer User listing
discussion in coop item #19.  Since many relevant issues have already been
discussed, if you want to save time, feel free to use the handy EZ-Think
codes below; just give the letter(s) that express your opinions:
 
 A - I do support this
 B - I don't support this
 C - Grex needs new users like a hole in its CPU
 D - Grex should stabilize/expand before actively attracting new users
 E - Their ad policy is yucky
 F - Their ad policy might deter open-minded readers
 G - Computer Shopper's size is an affront to the environment
 H - Is not
 I - Is too
 J - EZ-Think is stupidest thing I've ever seen!

response 2 of 35:

Feb 22 02:26 UTC 1995

A.  Computer Shopper makes a great emergency weapon, when sitting in
a hotel room on a business trip in NYC and a large rat appears from
nowhere.  (If I can find the article I read several years ago, which
is a scream, I'll post it in Agora!).

response 4 of 35:

Feb 22 10:50 UTC 1995

1.) Your EZ Thing codes are a stitch. I love it. (Especially H and I)
2.) Steve, so that's what you've done with all those CS's you've "borrowed"
    from me over the last couple of years! Rat guts! Yuck! Keep 'em.

response 6 of 35:

Feb 22 12:21 UTC 1995

Gee, I like A with the caveat of C and D. And I'd like to add H: Grex
needs more +members+ like it needs five new cpus and 20 gig more space.

response 8 of 35:

Feb 22 15:28 UTC 1995

G and probably A.

response 10 of 35:

Feb 23 15:07 UTC 1995

        Let me clarify;
        My position is C- we need new users like a hole in the CPU, contingent
upon D- we should expand before we even think of attracting new users.
        And I take J back.. I don't like EZ-Think <newspeak, anyone?>, but
I've seen much worse.

response 12 of 35:

Feb 24 16:13 UTC 1995

        The point being that, like newspeak, we should not rely on a system
that limits how we express ourselves! Like I said, though, EZ-Think only
makes me uneasy.. I'm not for calling the inventor a totalitarian, or
anything.

response 14 of 35:

Feb 24 17:37 UTC 1995

Hey, I didn't give those last two respondents permission to think that!
Guards!  GUARDS!!!  :)  (Yes, EZ-T is tongue-in-cheek, and isn't intended
to stifle other ideas if you have 'em!)

response 16 of 35:

Feb 24 18:42 UTC 1995

        In a manner of speaking, I am playing along. I mean, I used it,
right? I understand it wasn't your intent to stifle creative discussion,
but you must realize that there will be some of that occurring, just
because we don't have to think about if there is any nuance of a
particular view that we do or don't like.. we just pigeonhole it, and on
we go.
        No, I don't like EZ-Think, and not because of its' title.. that is
actually, in my mind, its' one saving grace.. it hints at the fact that
you really don't have to think much to use it.
        That's really not necessarily a good thing...

response 18 of 35:

Feb 24 21:01 UTC 1995

                  _      _|                              ^
 It's interesting /| how  _|      serious     people     |   get   about
                 /         _|                            |
#17 of 17: by Gr/g Cronau (gr\gc) on Fri, Feb 24, 1995 (1|:12):
 Oh, come on guys! EZ-think was just a joke! He wasn't se|ious about it as
 a real system. It was a parody\of mul>>>>---------->tems. Sometimes I think
 we're really/getting too seriou\ around here.           |
          _ /                    \                       A
   how   _ |     people    are    \    getting   too    /A\  serious!  ;-)
        _ |                        _|                   /A\
         |
 
Btw, srw, I liked your syntax in response 11 - you'd never guess you were
a computer scientist!  :)

response 20 of 35:

Feb 25 08:39 UTC 1995

Thanks, Rob. In my own way I was using the powerful richness of EZ-think
to demonstrate that it can be used in ways far beyond its inventor's
intention. This is indeed the way it is in the computer sci. biz.

I liked your graphic embellishments to Gregc's response. Nice touch.
No one will miss the *point*.

response 22 of 35:

Mar 2 08:34 UTC 1995

g
h
i
*h*
*I*
*H*!!
**I**!!!
***H***!!!!!
*****I*****!!!!!!!
*******H*******!!!!!!!!!
*********I*********!!!!!!!!!!!
***********H***********!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(j)

response 24 of 35:

Mar 3 05:18 UTC 1995

(Same here! :)  I called up the Computer Shopper BBS just to see what
info is needed to get an entry.  They reiterated the 120-day lead time
before a listing goes to print, and that you need to call up again every
3 months to maintain your listing.  Here's the data they request:
 
< 1>    Title: Grex
< 2>     City: Ann Arbor
< 3>    State: MI
< 4>  Country: USA
< 5>    Sysop:          (I'd just leave blank; they don't list in CS anyway)
< 6>    Phone: (313) 761-3000
< 7> Hardware: Unix
< 8> Software: Picospan (They want the name of "BBS" software)
< 9>    Modem: 8 lines, Supra 2400
<10>  Started:          (When was this?  They want MM/YY)
<11>      Fee: No fee
<12>     Desc:          (100 characters allowed, but in CS, they seem to list
                         about 20-30 chars)
 
They don't list all of the info they ask for...stuff omitted in CS is
sysop, software, modem brand, started, and they must truncate the
description.  Maybe they use the extra data in other lists?
 
My suggestion for Desc., based on other entries in CS:
"Forums, chat, Internet E-Mail, telnet cyberspace.org."
 
In CS's listings, no others mention a telnet address.  Also, almost no
entries exceed three features.  Examples are "Internet E-Mail, chat,
Star Trek" or "C++, anime, games."  I think adding more just allows
them to decide what to cut, so we're better off doing it ourselves.
 
I'd suggest "forums" as opposed to "conferences" because it's more common
terminology.  In the listings, I saw "messages" and "forums," and no
other synonyms for public postings (well, Usenet for Internet groups).
 
Other possible words to use in place of those in the description above:
Communications, open access, messages, discussion areas, on-line games,
Internet, Unix, SIGs.
 
Most people seem to support a listing.  After the above info is decided
(or some options proposed), the board should probably give its approval
before it's entered (both whether to enter it, and what wording to use).