C O N T E N T S I. Traders' Connection II. Quick Facts & On-line Services III. An Overview IV. Internet V. Corporate Services VI. Special Classifieds Services VII. Classified Ad Publications VIII. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) IX. Testimonials Traders' Connection - The Company Traders' Connection (or "T-CON" for short) is the "World's largest classified ad database," according to the Wall Street Journal. With over 500,000 individual ads on-line, the distinction is well-deserved. Since 1979, T-CON has offered classifieds on-line over a computer out of its corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. Today, T-CON is a collection of dozens of networked, independent classified ad papers from across North America, Canada, and Europe (coming soon), all conveniently located in one place Using T-CON you can easily and quickly search for virtually any item, at any time, in any single or any combination of ad papers from all over the continent. Of course, because T-CON is a network of independent ad papers, we also offer the seller the unique opportunity to place, cancel, even edit classified ads in any one or combination of ad publications we offer on-line. T-CON is much more than just classified ads - it offers a complete array of on- line services at your fingertips including such features as downloadable software for almost any type of computer, worldwide electronic mail, worldwide Chat (talk to anyone, anywhere on T-CON live), information resources like satellite weather images and National Daily News, industry news with Boardwatch Magazine and Online Access among others, buyer's services like PC Catalog, entertainment like over 80 of the best multiplayer real-time on-line games, share opinions in Special Interest Groups (SIGs) with topics ranging from politics to medical matters to Star Trek, get technical support for all your software and computer questions, and much more... With all these amazing features, one might think that T-CON's content to serve you as it is. However, T-CON is aggressively expanding to deliver even more of what its users want with upcoming features like the addition of global electronic mail networks like RIME and FidoNet with conferences on every conceivable topic, FAX and beeper notification of new e-mail, and more. Traders' Connection is your complete on-line service now and for the future. That's why they say, '"We're not just part of the communications highway, we're paving it as we go." Traders' Connection - Quick Facts - On-line since 1979. One of the first, oldest, and largest BBSs in the world. - Over 60,000 calls per month. - Over 500,000 classified ads on-line. "World's largest collection of computerized classified ads" - Wall Street Journal - Electronic version of over 40 ad papers from all over North America. - Full BBS Services access for $4.95 per month for unlimited usage. (see note) - Full Internet access for $3.95 extra per month for unlimited usage. (see note) - Full-color, real-time on-line photographs. - Nationwide local access as low as 3¢ per minute ($2/hr). - Special Interest Groups (SIGs) on many topics from computers to religion to United We Stand America. - Gigabytes of downloadable software for almost any computer system. - Worldwide electronic mail. - Worldwide live Chat. - Over 80 of the best multiplayer games on-line. - On-line publications include Boardwatch, CONNECT, BBS Magazine‡, PC Novice‡, Daily News, PC Catalog, Hi-Tech Home, and more. - Editor's Choice - Online Access magazine - 1994 - Top 25 BBSs in the U.S. - Boardwatch Magazine - 1994 - Board of Directors and Standards Committee, Association of Online Professionals (AOP) - Member, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) - Member, Internet Society (ISOC) - Member and Approved BBS, Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) - Member, IEEE Computer Technology - As seen in The Wall Street Journal, Computer Shopper, Plane & Pilot, Internet News, Boardwatch Magazine, BBS Magazine, Online Access, CompuServe Magazine, Windows Magazine, U.S Aviator, Flying, CONNECT, Sysop News & Cyberworld Report, NetGuide, Patriot Press, DC On-Line, Florida Times Union, CompuTrader, ComputerUser, Indianapolis Star, Nuvo, Indy PC News and more! ‡Coming Soon (Note: Subscriptions cost much less with Annual Subscription Modem 1 (800) FUN-TCON Telnet "trader.com" E-Mail "info@trader.com" Traders' Connection - An Overview Your Electronic Newsstand!TM T-CON's Worldwide ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ T-CON is a collection of independent ad papers from all over North America, Canada, and Europe (coming soon) networked together in one convenient place. In fact, because of all these individual ad papers - T-CON has the largest classified ad database in the world! Using T-CON you can search any one, or all, of the ad papers we have available for just about anything you'd want to find, quickly and easily. And because we are WORLDWIDE we can offer an even greater advantage. Want a good rust-free car? Check out what Atlanta has to offer. Want Indy 500 tickets? Look in the ad paper for Indianapolis. Using T-CON opens up whole new realms of possibilities for the businessperson, serious bargain hunter and casual browser alike. Global Searching ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Now, here's where things get really interesting... The powerful search tools we offer make it so easy to find the items you want. Searching can be as simple as just using a single word (or "keyword" like "BLAZER") or it can be as advanced as creating a full database query using multiple search words, model years, and advanced logic like "and", "or", and "not" (like [Blazer or Bronco] and [Red or Blue] and NOT [AT or Automatic]). You can use our new Global Searching to look across ad classifications on the entire ad paper. You can even search through any or all the on-line ad papers at once! Preview Ads ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In addition, only on T-CON can you actually look at the ads before the paper comes out! That's right - many of the ad papers on T-CON offer you the chance to preview many ads before the actual paper reaches the newsstands. Sometimes this can mean T-CON users get to see an ad days before it ever reaches print! Issues or Subscriptions ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ T-CON's Electronic Newsstand gives you maximum flexibility - you may instantly purchase and read this weeks issue of any on-line ad paper without further obligation or sign up for annual subscriptions for even greater savings. Combine the added convenience of T-CON with its powerful search tools, preview ads, and purchase options and you'll see that nothing could be easier, faster or more flexible than T-CON for finding exactly what you're looking for, all over the World. On-Line Publications Daily Happenings ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ T-CON offers more than just ad publications on-line. You can read today's issue of The Daily News, on-line each morning while you check your electronic mail. This will keep you up on all the sports scores, stock quotes, and daily business happenings. Industry News ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Check the best prices on new computer equipment using PC Catalog. For those interested in Home Office issues or just want to see if that computer of yours can be used for more than calling T-CON, be sure to read each issue of High Tech Home. For the avid BBS'er on T-CON, keep up with the latest in the on-line world with both the major industry publication, Boardwatch Magazine, for you to browse or search each month. Historical Documents ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ For those interested in history, we have some of the most famous documents in the world available in electronic format - the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Magna Carta, the New Colossus, and more. The King James Bible is also on-line with the same full searching capabilities as all historical documents. Monthly Magazines ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Users who have a more contemporary interest have their choice every month of the electronic version of 5 different publications. Recent months have included magazines like Omni, U.S. News and World Report, Off-Road Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Ladies Home Journal, and more. And, of course, we offer full text searching capabilities for all the articles so you can find those topics of interest to YOU without having to thumb through the entire article. As you can see, Traders' Connection is MUCH more than just ad papers! E-Mail, Files & Special Interest Groups T-CON's a complete on-line service! ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ T-CON is much more than just the ad papers. We offer a wide range of services. Think of T-CON as one big party with lots of different conversations, from all over the World, going on at the same time. Over in this corner, we have people talking about Religion, in this room there's a conversation about Politics, over here they're talking about IBM-compatible computers and even swapping programs! The lifeblood of any BBS, these conversations are called Special Interest Groups (or SIGs for short). SIGs are very special places in T-CON. They provide a place where people who share a common interest, such as IBM computers or a love of the lively art of discussion, can gather and compare notes. We have 1000's of such groups on T-CON. Join In the E-Mail ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Electronic mail is the perfect tool for communication across the globe - it's instantaneous, it's a local call virtually no matter where the receiver is, you can carry on conversations with several people from all over the world at once, and you can answer your messages at your convenience, 24 hours a day. You can even download your messages - or any message - for reading or responding offline to save you both time and money! Our Movie SIG is unique in the industry. In addition to reading the reviews of our professional reviewer, Roger Ebert, you can read the reviews of fellow T-CON members to get the real lowdown on a particular movie. We encourage you to leave your own reviews for others to enjoy. Our Discussion group is open to any and all topics and can get quite lively as people discuss everything including "solving" the great problems of the world. Other SIGs let you exchange ideas on virtually any topic - from Religion to Photography to Aviation and everything in between. If you don't see a SIG dedicated to the topic you're interested in - propose one! We'll be happy to set one up for you. It's easy to get involved - just choose the SIG you want to check out and enter a message. It's that easy. Need help on a particular computer? Ask one of the many helpful experts, from all over the United States, in one of our computer- related SIGs. Want to express your concerns about the latest budget battle or congressional snafu? Join the fray in our Political Discussion SIG or United We Stand America's Conference Area. T-CON has one of the most active message bases in the business. You can talk to people from all over the World as if they were on your own computer! Files, Files, Files! ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ What about software? Many users have discovered that electronic services, or computer bulletin board services (BBS's), are a great source of not only information and help but files and software for your computer. No matter whether your interested in games, productivity, or programming, you'll find what you need - and more - in any one of our computer-related SIGs or Shareware Testing Laboratories (STL). And our file areas are different. Only on T-CON will you find complete reviews and descriptions of the programs available - including comments and suggestions from users like you. With no duplicates! New files are added everyday - be sure to check often. Our IBM SIG is especially popular, not only as a great source of files and shareware for IBM-compatible computers, but also for technical questions, help, and information. The IBM SIG alone offers gigabytes of the latest and best in software for your PC. And be assured - T-CON thoroughly scans all its files before posting to ensure your downloads are safe and virus-free. Unlike most other BBS's, Macintosh, Commodore, Amiga, and CP/M users need not be left out either on T-CON. We carry SIGs dedicated all those platforms with technical support, files, and a wealth of current information shared from users Worldwide. It's all for you! ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ So take advantage of the terrific files and resources these SIGs have to offer. It's just about the easiest way to get help and have fun with your computer. Worldwide On-line Chat What's Chat? ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Ever see someone online - a friend, and aquaintance, a knowledgeable user - that you wanted to talk to right then? That's what Chat is for - you can use Chat to talk real-time with anyone on T-CON, anywhere. It's sort of like a phone call, without the long-distance cost. See, because T-CON is a Worldwide service, it doesn't matter whether you're in Nashville, TN and the other person you want to talk with is in Sidney, Australia. You can communicate easily and quickly using Chat. What's more, Chat's especially designed so (unlike your phone) you can speak with several people at once! Also, unlike the phone, you get to retain your anonymity if you choose by using a Chat name or handle. No one needs know who you are unless you want them to. Is it Easy to Use? ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Using Chat is as easy as writing messages - easier, in fact. You can direct private messages that no one else can see to a user, you can send a message to everyone, you can even start your own conversations. T-CON's Chat is built around a "house" and "room" metaphor. Each particular conversation area in Chat is called a "room." Some rooms are permanent - like the "Lobby" - and are always there, even if no one's in them. Other rooms, like the ones you can create, disappear as soon as the last person leaves. You can even specify whether you want your room to be public (anyone can enter), private (by invitation only, but someone may "knock" on the door and ask to be invited), or "do not disturb" (by invitation only - no knocking allowed). What Options do I have? ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ While in Chat, you can even invite anyone else who's currently on T-CON into a room - or answer invitations from other users, eager to speak with you. You can change rooms, or leave them, with ease. You can even specify that you do not wish to be invited to any room if you like - but you'll be missing out on a terrific time! Unique to T-CON, we've also built-in a variety of features which make Chat more personal like avatars and emotes. An Avatar is your alter-ego in the world of Chat - the world also known as "Cyberspace." Use this command to enter your own, personalized description of yourself for others to see. You may also view others' Avatars. Your Avatar is a personalized representation of yourself. The description of your Avatar may be virtually anything - it can be true-to-life, totally made-up, just a quote from you, or your philosophy of life. In short, the Avatar description allows you to breathe some life into your Avatar, to give other users a hint as to how you'd like to be seen or remembered. An emote is a command that briefly conveys an important emotion, action, or state of mind regarding the sender. You may choose from any of the public emotes that others have contributed but we know that everyone out there will develop their own personal favorite emote, too. So, we provided for that. You may enter your own personal emotes! Once you create your new emote, you may choose whether to make it public or private - that is, whether can anyone use it (public) or just you (private). Emotes add a great deal of personality and life to Chat. We feel confident when we say try our Chat - it's the best in the business. On-line Multiplayer Games If it's entertainment you're after, check out our huge collection of over 80 of the best multiplayer games and are adding more all the time. That's right - play games against other T-CON members while they're on line! Build a pan-galactic empire, slay dragons, gamble your wallet away, check your horoscope, see what's happened today in history, try your hand at making your own commercials, or even undergo psychological therapy at the hands of our computer psychologist. We take pride in offering games for almost any interest! And, because T-CON is worldwide, who knows who will be on the other end of your modem when you play against them! How Much Does T-CON Cost? You'd think that with all we have to offer, T-CON would be a very expensive service, right? Wrong! Traders' Connection is not only the best service around, but one the least expensive! In Short ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ You can buy a paper or papers (Commercial Services) or our BBS Services or Internet Services or any combination of these services. The paper, any paper online, can be purchased for for the cover price of that current issue. For example, The Trader is 99¢ per week when you want it. No long term commitments are required. Simply buy the issues you want, when you want them. Or you can subscribe to the online edition of the paper for an entire year to save 20% or more off the cover price. For example, The Trader is $41.95 per year. Neither purchase entitles the user to any of TCON's BBS Services like electronic mail, file downloads, games, Chat, etc. TCON's BBS Services can be purchased for $4.95 a month or $49.95 per year. These services include electronic mail, file downloads, games, Chat, other non- ad publications like The Daily News and more. BBS Services do not include any ad papers. There are no other costs associated with TCON if you call Indianapolis or Nashville directly or if you choose to telnet in on the Internet to trader.com. We also have a free interactive demo of TCON that you may try by having your modem dial (317) 359-5199 or 1(800) FUN-TCON and signing on as a guest. Payment Options ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ We accept Visa or Mastercard for on-line sign ups, or will bill you for a $1 surcharge per bill. Of course, you may cancel your subscription or cancel automatic billing at any time, without obligation. Call us (voice) toll-free at (800) 753-4223 (Indianapolis (317) 322-2000) between 8:30am and 5:30pm, EST, if you have questions or wish to arrange a billing plan. Keeping Tabs on your Account ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ It's easy to track your T-CON account balance. We offer a centralized, free, section on T-CON for all your account needs. You can check or pay your account balance, change your billing option, see your account detail, change your account information, even give T-CON subscriptions as a gift all from one central place. We also offer a FREE feedback and technical support area for all your questions, suggestions, and concerns. Your satisfaction is our primary goal. We're as concerned about costs as you are and do everything we can to make becoming and staying a T-CON member as inexpensive and simple as possible. What's in Store for T-CON? We get a lot of suggestions and comments here at T-CON. We do listen to our users and have plans to implement many of your suggestions and even try to keep ahead of them! A few of the new services currently under construction include: - Fax your E-Mail to any Fax machine - even your congressman! - FAX and Beeper notification of new e-mail - "Ad Watch" - A service that will notify you of new ads for items that you are trying to find. Be the first one to call the advertiser! Traders' Connection - Internet Service TCON is proud to offer FULL Internet access to all its users - not just e-mail, but ftp, telnet, WAIS, gopher, and more. In keeping with TCON's past of offering access for ALL computer types, we don't require any additional software or complex set-ups. Use your normal communications program and the all vast resources and power of the Internet is yours. What IS the Internet? Put simply, The Internet, or "The `Net" as it's often called, is a giant computer network made up of smaller computer networks all across the world. This type of setup is called an `Inter-Network' because it connects one network to another. `Inter-Network' when shortened becomes `Internet'. There are many different things you can do with this Network of Networks, like exchange e-mail messages with anyone in the World that is on the Internet, copy files from any Internet connected computer database (ftp, or File Transfer Protocol), log on to any Internet connected BBS or computer system in the World with no long distance charges (telnet), and more. Some of the key features which will make our Internet access unique include: - Full Dial-up Internet Access for $3.95 per month with BBS Subscription. - User-definable lists of ftp, telnet, archie, gopher, WAIS, WWW, veronica, irc, etc. sites. You can have public and private lists. Want to go somewhere? Pick a number from the list... Your favorite sites not on the list? Add them - you'll get a cash credit on your account! - User-definable address books, both public and private, with aliasing. - Private file storage areas. - Off-line Internet Mail. - Pass-through ZMODEM transfers, including batch. You can, from ftp, directly download a file to your computer using ZMODEM instead of using `get' to transfer it to our system, then downloading it. - EASY USENET mail, including automatic UUENCODE/UUDECODE and rot13 encryption. No file length limits - easy picking of news groups! - Public and private mailing lists. - `Expert' commands to circumvent the menu - like a mini UNIX shell. - Telnet in, use pass-through ZMODEM, download like a regular dial-up BBS. - T1 access speeds - Not just 56k, like a lot of BBS's. And, we can open it up to burst-mode T3 when it becomes necessary. In short, no one can offer an easier or less expensive Internet interface, period. Traders' Connection - Corporate Services Put your Business or Association on the Internet. Traders' Connection offers a full complement of professional on-line services for Clubs and Businesses. From Internet e-mail, to your own private BBS, to a full blown Web Page on the Internet, Traders' Connection is your one stop service provider. Not only will your clients, members, and prospects be able to access your information on the Internet, but they will be able to access you from any computer. This is an important point to remember since less than 20% of the people that have computers currently (March 1995) have Internet access. Anyone with a computer, a modem, and a terminal software package will be able to access your information. That's over 100 million people in the United States alone! World Wide Web - Full World Wide Web Home Page capabilities Private BBS for Businesses and Associations - Private Special Interest Group (SIG) on the TCON Network - Set up to your specifications - Take advantage of our existing International Network - Relieves the headaches and expense of running your own BBS - Full featured on-line service. * E-Mail * Internet - Including World Wide Web * Classifieds with "Instant Ads" * Security - Only your Members can access. Information Retrieval - On-line text about your products or services - E-mail to your company for questions and feedback - Files section for your prospects/customers to download information - Everyone with a computer and a modem has access to your information * The MOST important factor in choosing an On-line provider * Access through the Internet - Yes, we have that, but... * Access through US/Canada network of local numbers in over 600 cities * Access with US/Canada too 800# Color Photos On-line - Fast and simple with the largest database! - Special terminal package provided for on-line viewing - Multiple photos to view for each ad - Photos may be saved to your system for later review - Off line viewing available with your terminal package Traders' Connection Special On-Line Classifieds Services Traders' Connection is proud to be the leader in online classifieds. Over the years, we have listened to our customers, and developed new and exciting services to meet their needs and desires. Three of the enhanced services offered at Traders' Connection are highlighted in this section. These services are Color Photos On-Line, Ad Operator, and Instant Ads Edition. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Color On-Line Photos With a Windows based computer, you may choose to view the color photos from the World's largest collection of on-line photo classifieds. Traders' Connection has developed a self installing terminal software program to make it all possible. This technology may also be used to develop a custom on-line photo application for your company or organization. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Ad Operator Ad Operator is Traders' Connection's live operator classifieds service. For many years, computer users have had the advantage of searching and reading classifieds over their computer. Now, through Ad Operator , anyone with a telephone can call and, through a live operator, search through our on-line database of over 500,000 classified ads. The results of the searches can be read over the phone, mailed, or faxed. Each ad is accompanied with a header containing the publication and area from which the ad came. This new service costs $2.00 for the first minute, then 50 for each additional minute. A credit card will be required. Each time a caller accesses an ad through Ad Operator , it is considered an electronic sale of the publication and the publisher of that publication will be paid for the sale. Instant Ads Editions For what seems like years now, many Traders' Connection members have been clamoring for instant access to every preview ad a paper gets, as the paper receives the ad. With Instant-Ads service, the electronic editions of The Trader & Traders' Post offer T-CON subscribers the chance to view each and every ad constantly - as the paper receives the ad. These ads are made available on the system as soon as they are received and entered by the paper. The new Weekly Edition of The Trader and Traders' Post includes all the expired ads plus all active ads which are currently in print. The electronic Instant-Ads Edition issue of these publications is the "snapshot" version of the paper, displaying every ad that has been accepted by the paper in addition to all the active ads which are currently in print. The electronic Instant-Ads Edition is updated in real-time ads are posted immediately as they are entered into the ad paper's computer. Subscribers to these Commercial Services on T-CON will get the choice to choose between the new electronic Instant-Ads Edition or the traditional Weekly Edition of the publications. They may, of course, buy either or both of these publications. TRADERS' CONNECTION ON-LINE CLASSIFIED PUBLICATIONS Currently On-line or In Process Indianapolis, IN Denver, CO Troy, NY The Trader Sell it! Want Ad Digest Nashville, TN Edmonton, Alberta Los Angeles, CA The Traders' Post Bargain Finder Recycler Classifieds Knoxville, TN Boston, MA & New San Gabriel/Pomona Bargain Mart Classifieds England Area Los Angeles, CA The Want Advertiser Recycler Classifieds Blountville, TN Vancouver, BC Inland Empire Trading Post Classifieds Buy & Sell Victoria Island Los Angeles, CA Recycler Classifieds Atlanta, GA Vancouver, BC San Fernando Valley Trader Publishing Co. Inc. Buy & Sell Metro Los Angeles, CA The Atlanta Advertiser Vancouver Recycler Classifieds Washington D.C. Vancouver, BC Orange County Trader Publishing Co. Inc. Buy & Sell Fraser Valley Los Angeles, CA The Want Ad Weekly Recycler Classifieds Jacksonville, FL. Winnipeg, Manitoba Ventura County The Coastal Trading Post Hebdo Mag Los Angeles, CA Buy & Sell Recycler Classifieds Tucson, AZ. Regina, Saskatchewan South Bay/Mid Cities Lee Enterprises, Inc. Hebdo Mag Los Angeles, CA Dandy Dime Buy & Sell Recycler Classifieds Hammond, IN. & Windsor, Ontario San Diego County Northern Indiana Hebdo Mag Las Vegas, NV The Bargain Finder Buy & Sell Recycler Classifieds Scranton, PA. Stockton, CA Baton Rouge, LA Paper Shop Mini Merchant The Shopper International Norfolk, VA Augusta, ME Classifieds America The Tidewater Uncle Henry's Trading Post San Francisco, CA Richmond, VA Macon, GA Bargain Classifieds The Mid Virginia Penny Pincher Trading Post Traders' Connection Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) This list is an attempt to address some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Traders' Connection and its services/policies. TCON's Technical Support department may be reached at (800) 753-4223, Monday through Friday, 8:00am through 5:30pm, EST. - What is Traders' Connection? Traders' Connection, or TCON for short, is a worldwide on-line information service providing classified ad information and more to tens of thousands of subscribers. Subscribers access this service via computer using a modem or the Internet. TCON offers a diverse array of services including classified ads from all over the world, news and information, downloadable software, real-time Chat, full Internet access, on-line interactive games, and more. For information, contact TCON's Technical Support department at (800) 753-4223 to request a brochure or try our free on-line demo by having your modem dial (800) 386-8266. - What's available on TCON? We're much more than your local ad paper - we offer ad papers from all over North America. We also have some of the best BBS (Bulletin Board Service) features around including files for downloading, electronic mail, on-line Chat, full Internet access and other publications like Daily News and more. Call TCON's Technical Support department to request a brochure or try our free on-line demo. - What do I need to use TCON? Any computer, any modem, and almost any communications software. If you're unsure about your software, call TCON's Technical Support department for help. - Is there a demo of the service? Of course. There is a free demo available by dialing TCON using your local access number and logging in as GUEST. You can even sign-up on-line. You may contact TCON's Technical Support department to find your local access number. - Can I subscribe to TCON without a credit card? Of course. TCON can set up a pay-by-mail account. Contact TCON Technical Support for more information. - Do I need more than one account if I want more than one ad paper? No. One account on TCON is all you need to take advantage of all our many features. - If I want to look at another ad paper in another city, do I need to call them? No. All information is available in one place - on TCON. Your local access number is the only number you'll need to call. - Does TCON have an 800 number? Yes. That number is (800) 386-8266. If you do not have a local access number in your area, you may use this number in lieu of dialing Indianapolis directly, long-distance. Members using this number are assessed connect-time fees of roughly 9¢ per minute ($5.50 per hour) which will be billed to their TCON account. - Is Internet access available on TCON? Absolutely. TCON offers full Internet access. The cost for Internet access is $3.95 per month or $39.95 per year for unlimited usage with a BBS Services subscription. Certain other restrictions or connect-time fees may apply. Call TCON's Technical Support department for more information. - Where did this charge come from on my account? A complete, detailed and up-to-date account history is available on TCON. Choose Accounting from the Main TCON Menu. - Additional Questions? Call Traders' Connection at (800) 753-4223, M-F, 8:30am - 5:30pm Testimonials "We signed up with TCON around the 1st of September this year and within a week joined AOL for our Free 10 hours. It took absolutely no time at all to use the 10 hours. Boom - it was gone. Yes, they have a lot of things not on TCON but to find and really investigate some of my interests would have been far to costly for me to pursue." "Take Chat for example -not my interest but my son's - he would try to participate in the conversation and no one would answer! You had to move from group to group until you found a friendly bunch and it cost you for every minute you spent looking for group that was interesting or friendly. I don't know much about BBS's but we have been delighted with TCON and we have learned so much about Computers etc. Everyone I have "spoken" with has been very nice and have bent over backwards to be helpful. We think TCON is a bargain and it costs a whole lot less than what I pay for no frills Cablevision which has a whole lot of nothing on it. "Maybe to someone that has been with TCON for a long time may think its expensive. Put it in perspective - TCON is a form of entertainment, education, advice and place to exchange ideas. How much do you pay for entertainment, education, software etc. in a year? Myself? I think its a heck of a deal." "Very clean and easily read. Congratulations and keep up the great work. We love it. The best plane I've ever owned I bought through here, thanks!" "If you found your way to this message then you have figured out about the hardest thing on this BBS" "I love those *Instant* ads, I have bought two cars off them already and tomorrow is Friday the deadline so I hope to find one or two more. I have logged on the regular ads and noticed the ones I bought was strictly from the *instant* they weren't available on the regular ad system. I love those INSTANT ADS!" "I'm really happy with the service. I see improvements being made in the menu options providing more flexibility on a fairly regular basis. Keep up the good work!" "T-Con is very user friendly and is greatly appreciated by myself. I have been a long time reader and have always received great service... I will subscribe to T-Con soon." "Glad to be a part of such a great BBS!!!" "You guys are doing a really great job!!!!!!" "Your the greatest! Gosh I just adore ya to death!" "Yall are great and I really appreciate it!" "Thanks a lot!!! You are the greatest!!!!!!!!!" "This is a great service, even though I've not found a truck yet, I enjoy logging on. You've done a good job making it user-friendly." "This BBS provides excellent education on how to use computers and how to solve PC trouble. It also provides news, information, advertisement of used goods, weather etc... etc... As you can see, most of that is brought to you by people just like you, that play the games, ask questions and entertain themselves here." "T-Con....... it is a great board one can spend a LOT of time in the IBM Sig. There is always help available if one should strike a computer problem and it is just plain fun to look over all the files. I have enjoyed the Discussion Sig.....and from time to time there were quite interesting debates. The sysops there are usually pretty active and keep things going.... as do the sysops of the IBM Sig. You won't regret membership ... partake of the rest of what T-Con offers." "You can spend months just exploring the IBM SIG. Go and explore the rest of TCON ... There are some fine folks on here." "I renewed two friendships, and made others. Kind of hard to measure the value of that!" "...check out Prodigy or Compuserve and see what that costs them! There is NO BBS in this city that offers what Tcon does..." "...it looks great!! I like it a lot. It's neat, and sophisticated... Plus, TCON is the best around! Keep up the GREAT work!" "I am leaving you a message just to let you know that I think that your rates are very reasonable. Before I joined this BBS, I ordered a lot of shareware through the mail. Each program was anywhere from $3.00 to $5.00. At only $49.95 per year, TCON is offering a real bargain." "I have really enjoyed watching this BBS grow like it has.... every time T-Con adds something... you can't wait to see what it is and how works. I feel I will be here for quite awhile..... how would I keep in touch with all the friends I have made on T-Con......" "...thru T-CON we made some good friends... and that alone has a value by itself." "...this system is great." "...there are a lot of other bbs's that don't offer half of what T-Con offers for the same price. ...I have renewed my subscription for another year. So I guess that makes this my 3rd or 4th year on here. All I can say is that I think you guys and gals are doing a great job....so keep it up let see how far T-Con Can grow!!" "I am very happy that everyone here on TCON has always been very helpful, even if my questions must make you all doubt if know the 1st thing about what I doing. Which I don't! Sure am glad you all know what your doing and can bail be out." "Have you ever subscribed to any other local boards? I have paid up to $30.00 for access to other boards. For that I could kick myself in the posterior side. I can get more out of T-Con in one night, than can be had on these other boards in a years time! And with what's to come, I can't see the value on this board going anywhere but up." "...it's quite obvious from the total number of users here on TCON, and the need for more expansion ... that TCON is providing what the majority of its customers really want." "I think it's a combination of TCON staff, sysops, and users that make TCON such a popular and successful BBS." "Just going over my monthly Compuserve charges...let's see...$14.23 on 9/26/94...$6.23 on 10/10/94. Hmmmm...that's a total of $20.46 and less than 500K of download...and that's just 1 month. I think I'll keep TCON and divorce C$erve." "I really enjoy this BBS " "Everyone has been soooo patient with me asking my dumb questions but I've learned a lot since I joined TCON and I have a lot more to learn. PC's are relatively new to me and I really do appreciate the help you all have given me!" "I LOVE YOUR SERVICE IT'S JUST WHAT I NEEDED!" "I just wanted you to know how convenient on line Trader is. Even if we don't buy anything it is still fun to look at." "I still try to get others involved with this BBS.....I have seen it go through a lot of changes and it is really taking off....good job!!!!" "...my subscription was a gift from my best friend. Sure am glad he thought of me." "...spend all my time playing with the Computer - and now with TCON I can always find something to do on it." "I've enjoyed your magazine for years, and am grateful for this computerized service." "You and the other TCON sysops has made this board wonderful for me, I am VERY thankful to be able to keep in touch with my Indy friends on a day to day basic." "Those BBS addresses that Fido, Internet, Compuserve, etc. use are so complicated!!! Are those boards really worth that much trouble? I tried Palnet for a while and it didn't even have color or graphics. I never really understood it either. It didn't seem as user friendly as TCON." "...this is almost the only board I call anymore." "I've been looking at the new price structure going on here. I had thought about joining AOL but I like things here better." "Wanted to tell you thanks for telling me about TCON - we have been on about a week and a half and have met a lot of nice people. Also signed onto AOL for the free hours but doubt I will stay with it... I have enough to learn about right here without spending that much green stuff." "I love the service you provide!!!!!!!" "I really like your BBS so far. It is unlike anything I have ever encountered before. And chat is a blast with communication going on in two levels." "I like the way the system works - easy to learn - easy to cut through to the nitty gritty. I like being able to look at the ads by putting in price limits and searching for keywords - GREAT idea!" "I think the $49.95 ticket for admission to TCON is still a whopping bargain, especially when compared to a zillion of the other upscale BBS's which are very pricey." "Good deal... my check's in the mail!"