• The Decline of BBSing

    From Allen Prunty@1:2320/100 to Mark Lewis on Fri May 13 16:29:36 2016

    On May 13, 2016 03:15pm, Mark Lewis wrote to Allen Prunty:

    now, what kind of special interface is really needed for a mobile or tablet to access a BBS?? seems to me that one only needs a telnet or
    ssh app... possibly a rlogin one, too... aside from that, what is
    really and truly needed??

    Mark,

    I am going to go where no one will dare to go and I think you will absolutely agree with me on this one. The younger generation has been dumbed down to the point where if I go to McDonalds and the total is 5.06 and I hand the young person a ten and they quickly push the button that says "$10" then I hand them .06 and they look at me with the deer in the headlights look. (Seriously I had a manager tell me I had to take the change the computer said I get back to prevent "short change" scams).

    The young people now are NOT SOPHISTICATED enough to use something without a specifically designed push here click that interface. They have become so reliant on simple systems that they lack basic problem solving skills such
    as how to give a $5 bill back instead of $4.94. The thing that's most horrifying is the cash register at McDonalds tells them to give back 4 $1 Bills, 3 quarters, 1 dime, 1 nickle, and 4 pennies. I've worked as a substitute teacher and was horrified at their writing, and math skills. I am amazed that the average high school graduate who had a "C" average can function in society.

    The reason why Face book (which at it's core is nothing more than a BBS) is so popular is because it has been dumbed down to the point where anyone can use it. People don't have to learn much to use Facebook because everything has already been laid out for them.

    Mark, you are one of the most sophisticated writers online... and there aren't very many left. I can tell you take a lot of time and care in your responses. The crowd today only wants to write a short one paragraph response to a one paragraph post full of emoji's and abbreviations. We are living in a world now where the average person who uses online services lacks the ability to write... or perhaps they are just too lazy to invest the time in creating a good post.

    The thing that horrifies me even more is if we were able to come up with a simple mobile solution that did not require setting up a point (I doubt that the average person who graduated HS with a C average could) would only dilute and degrade the quality of conversation that most of us enjoy.

    Just my $.02 worth here.

    Allen

    ... Buckle up; it makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of the car. --- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
    * Origin: Derby City LiveWire - Louisville, KY - livewirebbs.dy (1:2320/100)
  • From Kurt Weiske@1:218/700 to Allen Prunty on Sun May 22 07:22:40 2016
    Re: The Decline of BBSing
    By: Allen Prunty to Mark Lewis on Fri May 13 2016 04:29 pm

    I am going to go where no one will dare to go and I think you will absolutely agree with me on this one. The younger generation has been dumbed down to the point where if I go to McDonalds and the total is 5.06 and I hand the young person a ten and they quickly push the button that says "$10" then I hand them .06 and they look at me with the deer in the headlights look. (Seriously I had a manager tell me I had to take the change the computer said I get back to prevent "short change" scams).

    I'd add that computer games and systems are built around short attention spans and so they don't get the same experiencing banging your head to figure out a game or a system. I see kids thinking they should be able to pick up sports the first time out, and I have to explain to them that anything worthwhile may take some time and practice to get good at it.

    The kids that will spend long afternoons hitting tennis balls or kicking footballs through goalposts until the sun goes down will go far -- there won't be any competition!
    --- SBBSecho 2.33-Win32
    * Origin: http://realitycheckbbs.org | tomorrow's retro tech (1:218/700)