34 new of 87 responses total.
The thing that I love about SDF's bboard is specifically that it's not on the web. I believe monochrome BBS had a similar debate in the past and decided to keep their content off the web. The web is so overrun with forums and every other kind of mass communication. I'm not against progress or technology, but I'm not sure having a web-accessible BBS is important to the kind of people that would use grex. Maybe what we should look at are the things that are working well for other public access unix systems. IRC seems to be very popular on several of them. Command-line social tools are what I personally love (com, party, bbs, bboard, writo, bbj, botany, feels). What else are the other public unix systems doing well that draws in users?? I don't think a web forum is it.
I was more or less thinking of ways to attract "NEW" users. To me a new user is someone that recently came on line. Not seasoned veterans. Hey..I'm getting kick out of reasearching backttalk. I would just like to spruce up the web side to attract the newbie. I have no problem keeping things as is. I'm a big advocate for "If it aint broke, don't fix it".[A[A[D[D
Don't get me wrong, I think it's awesome that you're actively trying to find ways to help promote, keep it up!
I'm just trying to get a feel for what type of users to bring in. Would you say users looking for a minimal approach to online services? I've been browsing the gopher sites and I can see where gopher would like to go. I need to change my thinking. Meantime I have a lot of reading to do. Spent all day reading the Backtalk manual. The script language makes sense to me. Probably cause I'm not a programer. I would really like to get Backtalk functional with Lynx but I'm not sure if a login is possible using lynx. I can read the messages anonymously but that's it. Is there anyway to get color into the text?
Ok. I get it. Agora and Coop still work on the Web side of BackTalk.The others are DOA. Just for "Argument Sake" What would it take to "fix it" f the Web side is going to be down a while I'll let people know. If BackTalk is only usable from CLI I can let people know that too. This a reply from the my Web browser. (Note for me). I agree tfurrows. The Web is polluted with message boards but people like the point and click stuff. If you visit these boards, even the free shell accounts and IRC is fading away. I think the internet craze over . They want YouTube and Music Videos. That said what's the attraction at Grex? Why would someone SSH to a prompt and go through the validation process to get a Grex account? For the memories of the good old years? Is Grex just another BBS on the list of thousands?? Is it place for programmers or folks that want to learn programming? Help me out here. I'm "Dazed and Confused" LOL The ad is in my Gopher site if you want take a look at it.
Some things from the past (vinyl records, muscle cars, crystal Pepsi) come back and people enjoy them. But the reality of BBS is that most people are unfamiliar and the numbers of people that would care are dwindling. I don't see young people caring. I tried to teach my teenager Linux but he'd rather play his PS4. Realistically, I don't expect anyone to care when I re-cap a Commodore or get it on the Internet with a NIC+ adapter. Tinkering and reminiscing is a mostly solo effort. It may even be unhealthy. I'm guilty of it but I don't expect most people to care or understand. There are lots of twitter accounts dedicated to such things. I tried to engage but it got exhausting really quick. There are a lot of people who can't move on. It's sad.
AND MY LOCAL TELCOMAKES IT UNFRIENDLY TO USE THIS HAYES MODEM CARTRIDGE ON THIS COCO2 WITH THE OLD B&W TV. ARE THERE ANY MODEM DIALOUT BANKS STILL AROUND FROM MERIT?
Hi folks. This is my first time using fronttalk (I just noticed someone else using it while w'ing the current users, and had to test it out). Looking back on this recent discsusion, I would love to talk more to all of you about this. I think there is a big opportunity for the reinvigoration of Grex around people who see the value of command line social computing as an alternative to commercial social media. I have my own particular concerns about corporate media -- that it is killing democracy -- so I think that alternatives are very important. But I also think that text-based social computing is just fun; and from what I see (sdf.org, tilde.town, blinkenshell.org, many others) a lot of other people do too. Now I only have to figure out how to really use fronttalk so I can find this thread again. If you don't hear from me, someone please email me at cmccabe@sdf.org
Well, I'm up to the task Carl. Whatever that may be. If you're having trouble with fronttalk try using "gboard" at grex. It's very similar to "bboard" on sdf so you might have a smaller learning curve using it. Meanwhile let's keep the conversation going on how to attract new users to grex.
Ok, I figured it out. No need to email me @SDF :) Cross mentioned in response 43 about the hackerspace model like hashbang.sh. I love that idea. tfurrows seems interested too (off-board discussion). How can we most effectively go about fleshing that idea out? cross and kentn, I see both your names on the Grex staff list. Is that list up to date, and is there a way we can engage the others in this discussion?
#60 Ha ha ha ha ------- This is Major Tom to Ground Control I'm logged into an old BBS And I can't get back to fronttalk this way And the modem lights are fading fast today For here Am I am typing on a terminal Far above the world Planet Earth is blue And there's nothing I can do. #CrystalPepsiForever
Having (hopefully) finally figured out how to get Fronttalk to keep track of my conference reading progress (see resp:garage,45,17), I am now face with the task of catching up with 25+ years of accumulated items and responses. I was thinking that I needed a program to catch-up my conference reading status by automatically going through the conf's and marking every item and response as "read". That way I could then use the NEXT and READ NEW commands in FT to easily scan the conf's for new items and responses since my previous visit. However, since yesterday in spare moments I've been using READ NEW to skim part of the backlog in dribs and drabs selected by FT's mysterious algorithm, and have found myself enjoying exploring Backtalk's dusty and ancient corridors. Of course a lot of garbage has built-up over the decades and many items are worth no more time than a glance at the opening post, but there are a lot of well-hidden gems in there. Today I have been exploring conf:Language and conf:International. Feel free to join me in exploring Grex's Backtalk catacombs!
"fixseen" is your friend. :-)
FIXSEEN is useful to know. Thanks.
re #64 #CrystalGravy
Grex has a conf:Laundry conference!
:D You are pure class papa! After you have finished mining Grex for gold; if you get bored - there are 25+ years of conferences to read at mono.org (monochrome BBS) ssh mono@mono.org :)
No rest for the wicked. ;)
papa: you havn't time to be wicked - with another decade of conference posts to read still (or the inclination even if you hadn't: still good to keep busy eh? :) ) .
btw: Happy New Year!! :)
Happy 2021!!
resp:74 It only took us six-and-a-half months to notice!
yes, HIGH FIVE, very nice
What are everyone's latter half of 2021 plans?
resp:77 Immanentize the eschaton!
That seems so pedestrian. What about botanicals or intangibles?
"Lying on stained, wretched sheets with a bleeding virgin We could plan a murder Or start a religion." ― Jim Morrison, An American Prayer Plans for 2021? Definitely plan to do a light sand on my little toyota and reapply clear coat. There's always another project determined by a complaining wife. She wants me to nail these rubber tiles to our porch (which is a deck material). Some other misc misery soon to follow. We ordered new doors months ago. Where are they? Construction is a wait and see thing nowadays.
re #80 Are the rubber tiles to keep from slipping on ice?
#81 mostly for appearance. She bought them over a year ago and they are sitting in the garage. Cringe I think it's a dumb idea. The porch is a deck material which is painted. I think it looks fine. Not in favor of over complicating things. But obviously I need to get it done before there's trouble. ;)
How will you adhere the tiles? Finish nails?
#83 Likely deck screws.
How did the deck screws work out?
#85 Uh... it's still on the list! LMAO
re #86 TOMORROW Tomorrow tomorrowww
You have several choices: