Invasion of the File Snatchers

Late April was a rather busy time for me. I was in Delhi setting up PCQ Online. Now Delhi is a hot place in the month of April, but that wasn't really bothering me (I could even live with the fact that PCQ got hit by a 440 volt surge and that PKR's air conditioner didn't like me and blew every time I walked in).

What really bothered me was a series of meetings I had with the growing number of BBS sysops (system operators) in Delhi. They had some really disturbing statistics for me.

These statistics were about the growing number of people who log into BBSs only to download files, completely disregarding the very principle behind the concept of BBSs.

Dana Smith, the mysterious and elusive sysop of the DelhiCom BBS, called these guys "File Suckers" and has even built up a genetic hierarchy describing the genus. During dinner (yes guys - not only do I own one of the best notebook computers in the country - I have also had dinner with Dana. Now you can REALLY eat your hearts out !) Dana recited some pretty horrible statistics - more than 80% of his BBS users call to download files ! Kishore of ECTCnet echoed the same concerns, and sadly even I have to report similar statistics from my BBS.

When I started writing for PCQ, few people had heard of BBSs - today everyone and his uncle has. Surprisingly, many of them have even bought modems and are busy logging into BBSs around the country.

Almost all of them (sadly) head for the file libraries and start downloading everything in sight. Then log off.

Very condusive to information exchange, right ?

Wrong.

Settle in - this is another of those notorious "Atul Chitnis Litanies".

Why start a BBS?

Let's look at some background here.

Take a guy like Kishore Bhargava, the sysop of ECTCnet in Delhi. He puts up a 386, with a modem and a telephone line, to run a BBS from his home. He didn't do it because he wanted to get rich on it (he doesn't charge for access), nor did he do it because he wanted to become gun-bait for some perverted DoT policy.

He (like Dana [DelhiCom], Suchit [LWBBS, Bombay], myself [CiX, Bangalore] and now PKR [PC Quest Online]), did it because he wanted to help people share information, and be a part of ongoing discussions, etc.

Unfortunately, most of the BBS users in India haven't quite got the drift of things yet, and in the process are killing the concept.

Downloading files isn't what BBSing is all about - it's interaction!

Many BBSs abroad do not even have file libraries. They are simply central meeting points for discussions, and they are very successful at it.

The soul of a BBS

I have had many interesting discussion threads on my BBS, as well as on other BBSs. Good examples are the "Windows v/s Macintosh", "Unix v/s DOS", "C v/s Pascal" wars. Some of them ran into hundreds of messages, with various angles being reviewed, and in many cases some solid good has come out of them (I learned to respect the Macintosh, installed Unix tap its power, have had users switch from C to Pascal to be more productive in their development).

In recent times, I have been involved in a discussion about the DoT's brain damaged BBS policy - a discussion that ran simultaneously on both ECTCnet and CiX. It helped all of us to understand the policy better, and we managed to find a lot of loopholes in it. You should have seen Harsha of Knoxware take off on the policy ! (Read it in the DoT forum on CiX or ECTCnet).

Take a look at the PRG (Programming) forum on my BBS next time you pass by my BBS. There we have programming heroes like Harsha (Knoxware) answering technical queries, veterans like Siddhartha (PSI Data) arbitrating highly animated technical discussions about C and Pascal and embedded systems professionals like Mahi (Innovex) floating new and revolutionary ideas.

On Delhicom, you can find Anindo Ghosh (Active Solutions) solving problems for desperate users, while Dana Smith bends over backwards solving tricky communication problems for his users. ECTCnet has Dr.Arun Mehta (Delhi Management Association) giving the mature angle to discussions ranging from Unix v/s DOS to DoT bashing, with ECTCnet sysop Kishore taking time off to educate people on all sorts of things, including tricky WordPerfect macros, Windows installations, etc.

Then there is Suchit's LWBBS, which has the distinction of being the only one currently on the FidoNet (a worldwide network that echoes discussions from all over the planet earth).

And then we (finally) have PKR of PC Quest Online - his thirst for interaction has lead him to start up the first BBS sponsored by an Indian publication. Though it is the "newest kid on the block", PCQ Online is already beginning to see discussions about BBSing, modem usage, reader submissions, review-bashing, etc. Look into the LET (Letters to the Editor) forum to get a taste of things.

Making it worthwhile

As a user of BBS, you have responsibilities, too. Many BBS users seem to think that it is their "right" to come in and block the line downloading files, without contributing anything at all to the BBS.

This is as damaging to the BBS as any weird DoT policy could be. A lot of us went up in arms when the DoT policy taxing BBSs was proposed - but have you seriously thought about your own policy ?

Look, put yourself into the shoes of the average sysop. He (or she) takes all the trouble to set up a BBS for the users, hoping to see it become a center of focussed interaction. If it was just to handle file distribution, then there are better ways of doing it, like saying "come over with a diskette and take a copy". This is much cheaper because you don't have to block a phone line, a machine and a modem for it.

File snatchers can be really disheartening. Picture this: you write a book, slaving over it for months or years. Then you make it available free of charge. People pick it up by the droves, but they don't read it - they use the paper to wrap "channas" ! This isn't what you dreamt about when you spent all that time writing the book, right ? Well, sysops have dreams too.

You, as the user of a BBS, have to help make the sysop's dream come true, otherwise the sysop will lose interest and the BBS may just go off the air. And nothing encourages a sysop more than seeing his users thrashing out issues, resolving problems, having group discussions and actually benefitting from using the BBS.

Let me give you an example:

Some months back, the DoT "leaked" its infamous policy to tax BBSs. Horrified, all sysops all over the country asked their users for reactions. The response was stupendous. In an online-uproar, users began pouring in their views. Other users reacted to these messages by putting in their own messages. This triggered off a chain-reaction that had to be seen to be believed.

The outcome was rather phenomenal. Massive discussions among the online community (which the DoT naturally didn't officially partake in, but was watching nevertheless - make no mistake about it) saw the word "BBS" disappearing from the policy just 48 hours before it was officially announced.

The sysops on whose BBSs these discussions took place really felt a warm glow in their bellies. Their labours of love had actually produced results at the national level that could be attributed to their BBSs. These are things that make it all seem worth the while.

Read your mail !

Another nasty thing done by many users is to ignore the "You have mail waiting" notice and the system bulletins. They immediately head for the file libraries and start downloading.

This means that they miss all the news, announcements and any mail that may have been sent by the Sysop and/or other users. Since they do not read mail and do not reply, the other users lose interest and hence will not attempt again to establish contact.

The FileSnatcher mentality

While I was in Delhi, I floated an idea at a sysop meeting. Simply put, it involved knocking off all file libraries from the BBSs and making them discussion-only systems. We decided to ask a couple of users. The reactions ?

"Pleeeaassee sir, don't do that ! Without files the BBS will surely die."

"Ridiculous ! What do I have to gain from calling your BBS then?"

"I wouldn't know what to write in a message. Why should I write a message then ?"

"I am not a technical person. I just want the games."

Good grief !

When PCQ Online went on the air, complaints immediately came in because there weren't many files - only those that were talked about in PC Quest. Tell me, did you really think that PCQ set up a BBS to cater to FileSnatchers? Not at all ! You don't become India's best loved computer publication by doing that. PCQ Online is supposed to cater to discussions, issues, news, etc. - NOT to supply the lates games !

Changing colours

How then do you become a "good" BBS user ?

It is simpler than you can imagine. To start off, head for a forum/area that is meant for general discussions. Post a message introducing yourself, and let people know what your interests are. You are sure to get responses, which will allow you and other users get to know each other.

Next, read all the messages in forums that cover a topic you are either familiar with or are interested in. If you see a message that asks a question you feel you can answer - do so ! If you have a question yourself - post it in a forum, no matter how silly you think it may be. BBS users are there to help you. Being stupid isn't defined as asking silly questions - being stupid is defined as NOT asking questions !

Be regular - once people realise that you are willing to interact, they will wish to continue doing so.

And don't type your messages online. I am not saying that to save you online time - there are better reasons.

When you type a message online, it is usually on the spur of the moment, and not very well thought out. This can lead to misleading responses or even errors in your message - not exactly a shining example of a good message.

Instead, capture all messages to a log file (use Alt-L or Alt-F1 to do this in your comm package). Then log off, and read the messages carefully. Fire up a text editor (Norton Editor, Teddy, WordStar in non-document mode, etc.) and carefully write your reply. Take your time - there is no hurry. After you finish, read your entire reply again. Find places where you can shorten sentences, check spellings and make sure that your reply in fact answers the original question.

Then go back online, and choose to reply to the message. When the BBS asks you to start typing your message, simply ASCII upload the prepared text file into the editor. Then save the message, and there you are! Now sit back and watch while people start reacting.

+++ATH0

Right, that's it for this time. Just before I go - PCQ is running a BBS now (called PCQ Online, running at Delhi-6451734), and there is a forum called COL (Columnists Den). If you wish to ask your first questions online, why not do it there ?

Cheerio !