



                                RANT


        Ok, I'm sick and tired of hearing about the demise of BBS's. We
 are not dead, and we never will be. True, we have taken a hit, a big
 hit, from the Internet. But did we take this hit because the Internet
 is so much better than us, or because we just got lazy and did not keep
 up. I personally believe it was because we got soft, and lazy.


        We all knew the Net was coming. We were probably the first ones
 to know. We were on the top of the Online world, we all read Board Watch,
 and other trade magazines. We knew what it had, what it could offer, and
 we knew that they were making it easier every day for new folks to log on.
 What did we do ? We sat there. We allowed it to take callers from us
 because we could not believe it would be that much better.

        Now, every computer sold has software installed to log onto the
 net. Many of them include free trials so that they can hook the new
 owner on the "state of the art" Information Supper Highway. In the past,
 BBS's would be the first place a new computer user would discover online.
 This is no more.

        So, what are we going to do ? Well, I've got several ideas and I
 would like to share them with your.

        First off, get off your lazy butts and work on your BBS. Don't just
 let it run on automatic. Continually improve it, add doors, conferences,
 networks, and files. Add new screens so a user does not see the same thing
 over and over. Ask you users what they want, and then, if you are able to
 provide it for them, Do so. If it cost money you can't afford, tell your
 users that, and maybe they will help you pay for it. The idea is to offer
 your users a continually changing board so they will not be bored.

        Add Email and Usenet. Hey, the old saying goes if you can't beat
 them, join them. Most of us have an Internet account anyway, use it, and
 one of the many new programs available and add email and usenet to your
 board.

        Advertise !!!  If nothing else, this is the most important thing
 you can do. Do the people in your area even know that your board exist ?
 There are many things you can do to promote your board which will cost
 little if anything. Use your printer and print up a flyer, ask your local
 Computer and Software stores to put it up. Bring a disk with a shareware
 communications program to your Local computer store. Add your Board, and
 the others in your area to the Dialing directory and ask, or persuade
 them to add it to the installed software on the computers they sell.

        Offer to speak on Local BBS's at community events. Watch the paper
 for meetings of local clubs. Contact them and show them how they can use
 BBS's for information and communication for their group. Offer to speak
 at their next meeting.

        And most important, quit blaming the Internet for all your hard-
 ships. The fault lands on us, all of us. We allowed the Internet to
 overshadow us, and its time we take back our callers. There is room out
 there for both of us, we just need to change and adapt. It can be done.

        I would love to hear from anyone who uses these suggestions, or
 have some of their own ideas. We can discuss them in a latter edition.


                                                        STEVE


