As a Sysop, you will now have to put up with some stuff you may not like:
(that doesn't mean give up now, I just want you to be aware from the start)
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COMMENT IN NEWSPAPER: There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there is an ample supply of free software that's yours for the asking. All you have to do is dial up, make a connection, browse through a couple of menus, check over long lists of available software, make your choices and start downloading.
SYSOP TO USER: I just went through the last two months of logs and came up with some interesting statistics. During that time you have logged on 23 times, downloaded 66 file and uploaded NONE. You have called for chat twice, and left a total of two messages on the board, one requesting a specific program and the other informing me of a disk error in a download file. I can only draw the conclusion that you are interested in this board for ONE REASON ONLY -- to rap hell out of the download menus. I've left plenty of messages regarding PARTICIPATION in the BBS and the Message Base, but you either haven't the or else you ignored them. Sorry, but one-way streets just don't hack it around here.
SYSOP ATTITUDE: The "GIMMEE" attitude has pervaded the whole arena of BBSing, with callers interested in nothing more than material gains in the way of software. Whatever happened to the COMMUNICATIONS in telecommunications? Who took the BULLETIN BOARD out of Bulletin Board System? The file transfer section of my board is shiny from daily use, but the bulletin section is obscured by cobwebs. Along with all the other goodies that have bitten the dust, there's good old APPRECIATION.
PROBLEM USERS: Hackers. Or so they'd like to believe. Vandals, pests, yes. Hackers? I'm spending a lot of time and money trying to provide people a service for free, and they want to go and spoil it for everyone.
WASTEFULL USERS: Another caller successfully downloads a file. Sit. Wait. Wait some more. System eventually times out and drops him.
OK ENOUGH!!!! >>>>>
The above is still true after all these years, but notice that there are still some good BBS's out there. When you become a "new age 1990" BBS'er you will have to put up with GIMEE or don't start a BBS!
YOU WILL HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT, TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD!
I wonder what ever hapened to those people who would write their own BBS software. It seems that anyone that thinks they can make a buck on a BBS just buys software and puts it online. I think if you wrote it yourself you would put up with more, and maybe make some changes so that you could get what you wanted out of your BBS (now you're gimee'ing with what you want).
But maybe someone will write a good BBS program so that it's easier for people to participate.
I have found that it's difficult for people to justify uploading when they feel that they are the only one doing it. Let them know others are contributing. Make it real easy for anyone to upload.
GIVE THEM THANK YOU's for uploading. Even go as far as to accept a program that you will have to add a description to. You may have to spend some time on weekends doing your "hobby". Some sysops expect to just put it online and let everyone do all the work.
I have even seen sysops then sell the PD programs on disk for a fee!
Nuf Sed..
Nate...
Sysop: Space Sciences BBS
Valencia CA written 8/1990
More.....
If you want POSTS to your discussion area, then don't have a files section!
If you don't want to worry about uploads, get a CD ROM and then you will have ALL the programs people want. Most people will upload any new stuff they find so then it's not such a problem.
The WORST thing to do is set up "just another mac BBS". Do something SPECIAL! this will attract the people you are interested in.
Most of all, PUT UP WITH IT, LET IT RIDE. Most problems go away in time....
