Technical Information File
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Session Log From 1985
Technical Information File
Searchlight Technical Information
HARDWARE: TRS-80 Model III computer
2 40 track/single sided drives (180k each)
1 80 track/double sided drive (720k)
Sprinter III CPU speedup kit
Volksmodem 12 smart modem
SOFTWARE: LDOS 5.1 operating system
Original BBS software written by Frank LaRosa
LANGUAGE: TRS-80 (Microsoft) BASIC, Z80 assembly.
PROTOCOL: 8 data bits, 1 stop, no parity, 300 or 1200 baud.
Christiansen (XMODEM) protocol supported for file
transfer (FILES and TEXT commands).
HARDWARE COMMENTS:
The TRS-80 Model III is a Z80 based computer with 48k of RAM
and 16k of ROM containing the Microsoft BASIC interpreter. LDOS
is a high performance, device independent operating system
used as a replacement to the standard TRSDOS system. The Holmes
Engineering modification kit, Sprinter III, replaces the Z80
with a Z80B operating at 5.1 Mhz with wait states to compensate
for slower RAM and hardware. The effective speedup for RAM
based operations is about 100% from the standard Model III
(disk access and other port based operations are unchanged).
The disk drives in use are two built in, full-height Tandon
drives (standard Radio Shack equipment) and an external half-
height 80 track drive also made by Tandon.
Volksmodem model 12 is a Hayes-compatable, 300/1200 baud
external modem made by Anchor Automation.
SOFTWARE COMMENTS:
The bbs consists of a main program and several external program
modules that load when invoked by the user. From the main
program, the commands FILES, TEXT, POLLS, USER and GAMES cause
the bbs to chain to external programs. It will usually take
several seconds when loading an external module and when
returning to the main program.
The BBS is written in the BASIC language and runs on the
standard Microsoft interpreter built in to the TRS-80 ROM. The
BASIC software is supplemented by several small routines in
Z80 assembly language, most notably the line input routine.
RS232 I/O is accomplished using the LDOS device drivers linked
to a background spooler (written by me).
While the RS232 is officially set for 8/N/1, the system will
also accept characters sent with 7/N/2. It will automatically
convert the data to 8 bit format by resetting bit 7.
A 128 character input buffer is active at all times. A 128
character output spooler is active during 300 baud calls. The
output spooler greatly increases system efficiency at 300 baud,
however it does result in somewhat sluggish reaction to the
pause and cancel control keys.
The following control characters are recognized by the system
at most times:
control-s : pause output
control-q : resume output (or press any key)
spacebar : cancel output
control-c : cancel output (same as spacebar)
control-e : toggle normal/dots echo mode
Note that since the system scans for control codes during most
output, it will consume any characters in the input buffer so
that they may not reach the next input prompt. The input buffer
is also purged at certain times to avoid undesirable typeahead.
The backspace key is control-h (normal ascii backspace key) or
DELETE key (ascii 127). Both are echoed back as "rubout"
(backspace, space, then backspace) to compensate for systems
that do not erase on backspace. The FF code (ascii 12) is
used as a clear screen code. Carriage returns will be followed
by linefeeds if linefeeds are selected at login.
The system line input prompt is written in assembly language
and can take uploaded characters at full speed. During message
input, the system will wordwrap at the 60th character. At other
times a line length limit is imposed in accordance with the
information being requested, and the system will not accept
characters past the limit. In addition, the input routine will
perform case shifting (accepting lowercase characters but
converting them to uppercase) whenever the input is required to
be uppercase only.
All text search strings (SCAN function, Search option in TEXT
files section) will match any combination of upper/lower case.
Xmodem file transfer protocol is supported in the FILES and
TEXT sections of the board. The standard checksum format is
used. Your system must be able to respond with the proper
codes within 30 seconds or the transfer will be aborted. You
can also abort the transfer by sending CAN (control-x). A
full description of the protocol is available in the TEXT files
section.
If you would like to discuss the system in more detail, please
leave a message to the SYSOP or post something on board 'L'.
Frank, SYSOP
top
TRY THE INCREDIBLE SEARCHLIGHT BBS! The Hardware- A truly advanced system, featuring Radio Shack's state of the art Model III Z80 based microcomputer, boosted to a blinding 5.1 mhz! 48,000 bytes of internal memory, and *3* big disk drives with nearly ONE MEG of total storage..! Over 50 programs and text files available for downloading, over 200 active messages! The Software- Custom programmed in the powerful, leading-edge TRS-80 Level III BASIC language! Many powerful and convenient features: Log in with your own personal password! Check your mail! Read and post messages! Download files! Log off! YES FOLKS ITS THE WORLDS LAST SURVIVING ORIGINAL BBS WRITTEN IN BASIC ON AN 8 BIT NON IBM COMPATABLE COMPUTER. DON'T LET THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF HISTORY FADE AWAY CALL THE SEARCHLIGHT BBS TODAY YOU MIGHT JUST BE SUPRISED. 237 USERS CAN'T BE WRONG! SEARCHLIGHT BBS 516-724-0971 1200/300 BAUD NO LESS You've just bought a shiny new IBM-PC compatable computer. Lucky you. Question: What do you do with your old TRS-80 Model III that you paid $2300 for in 1982? A. Sell it and use the proceeds to take your girlfriend to the drive in movies B. Take it apart and use it as spare parts for your radio controlled Batmobile C. Wire it up as a dedecated printer buffer D. Donate it to the museum of modern history E. Create the SEARCHLIGHT BBS, the most powerful and original bbs ever to run on an over the hill Trash-80. Answer: E! Try the Searchlight at 516-724-0971, 300/1200 baud SUMMARY OF SEARCHLIGHT BULLETIN BOARD FEATURES o ORIGINAL bbs software written by the sysop o UNIQUE user interface uses full word commands like Read, Scan, Post, etc. Over 28 commands available on the main menu. o TWELVE sub boards, with topics from programming to advice o TRUE electronic mail system with instant retrieval o LARGE library of text files, including system maintained bbslist o USER polling program with polls on various topics o FOUR on line games: Eliza, Poker, Connect-4, Animals o FILE download section supporting xmodem transfer o THE Searchlight User program, a complete computer dating sub- system. Answer questionnaires, match results with other users, and view other users' responses. o ONLINE help facility documents all system functions o MANY unique features like top 10 caller listing and user definable logon bulletin o FAST, powerful, free public system o 300/1200 baud operation, 516-724-0971 Thank you, Frank LaRosa SYSOP, Searchlight bbs Searchlight BBS Hype File #5 - The Searchlight Games One feature missing from many of today's advanced BBS systems is an online games section. Sysops generally feel that games take away from the "professional" look of their systems, or they can't interface game programs with the newer BBS packages. At the Searchlight, we think that interesting games are an important part of all computer use. Our online games menu includes: Eliza - the classic "computer psychoanalyst". Originally written in the 1970's, this game remains a favorite of computer users everywhere. Poker - A challenging, fast-moving version of five card draw. Play cards against the computer. Connect 4 - The vertical checkers game. An absorbing game of strategy, also available for download in the Searchlight FILES section. Animal - The computer-intelligence guessing game. A simple yet brilliant concept, the game of animals forms a "binary tree" of yes/no questions, allowing it to accurately guess the user's animal. Especially interesting in the on-line situation, Animals grows smarter with each game played! THE SEARCHLIGHT BBS (516) 724-0971 300/1200 BAUD * #5 IN A SERIES
1+]
) READ 1+
Msg 1 From ALADDINSANE on Mon 06-22-87
Subj: ...And lemme get my 2 cents in..
Frank: Pascal great? I'm sorry, they were right when they said PASCAL is
for quiche eaters. As for the ideomatic purity of PASCAL, let me
point out even you know there is a distinct difference between
VAX Pascal, VM Pascal, Turbo Pascal, MS Pascal, USCD Pascal are
quite different syntactically. If anything, there is less syntact-
ical diffences with C. Sure, there is stuff like C++ floating around
but it really is the SAME syntax, just different people with differ-
ideas of device drivers... As for BIG, that might be true, but most
get much better flexibility with C than Pascal, which is indirectly
why C takes up more disks ( more code needed to give more options ).
SLOW? The only fast Pascal compiler is Turbo Pascal, which is also
incredibly nonstandard syntax, and in MANY cases, pretty warped.
( like programs ( 64K, or not being able to carry out STANDARD func-
tions ). And Borland has come out with Turbo C, ( I don't know how
fast it is, but you may not be able to make that SLOW claim anymore )
Finally, MESSY. Sure C is messy. So is ASSEMBLER. Note which lang-
uages are used for Operating Systems and other TIME intensive pro-
grams, and what ones aren't ( like Wirth's Quiche casserole ). Also
note, properly done, C programs can be MUCH more space efficient
than PASCAL programs. An apropro example would be PROCOMM 2.42
( done in C ) and GT-POWERCOMM ( done in Turbo Pascal ). I don't
Finally, you can get MS C to run on one floppy, with perhaps a
floppy swap when CL looks for libraries.
Scott: But is your SUN IBM Compatible? ( Did Frank put up that story yet? )
Msg 2 From SYSOP on Mon 06-22-87
Subj: Pascal, but...
Turbo Pascal is NOT syntactically different from standard Pascal, it merely
provides many EXTENSIONS to the Pascal language. If you ignore the
extensions, which the Turbo manual plainly points out, you can use it to
write totally standard and portable Pascal code. In fact I did all my CSE114
and CSE201 programs in Turbo Pascal and then transferred them to a VAX and
to the IBM mainframe with almost no changes at all.
I can see no reason why 'C' is inherently a more efficient language. The
fact that the Turbo Pascal compiler doesn't produce especially fast or small
object code doesn't mean the language itself is to blame. There are many 'C'
compilers around and they have been under development for decades, whereas
it is only recently that Pascal has become a popular language. I am certain
that the next version of Turbo Pascal will cure most of the problems, and
make more enhancements, and if not, someone else will come out with an
improved Pascal compiler that's compatible with Turbo. By the way, I have
several 'C' compilers and most of them also allow only 64K code segments.
The unfortunate design of the 8088 CPU encourages this, that is why many
early programs have the 64K limitation. Turbo gives you 2 ways to work
around it though, chaining and overlays.
Frank
Msg 3 From ADAM MUNTNER on Mon 06-22-87
Subj: OS's
I have worked in the VMS enviorment, on a vax before.(logged in remotely, he
he he..).
Is it possible to make a new COMMAND.COM to simulate another
enviorment?(also rewriting ANSI.SYS and the other various device drivers).
Can you make the OS emulate a VT-100? or a UNIX?(to BOOT UP AS THE OTHER
OS.)
MS-DOS is a good OS because there is so much you can DO with it. Except link
commands(I think, can you?)
-Adam.
Msg 4 From ALADDINSANE on Mon 06-22-87
Subj: Pascal
...And what fairy land do you live in? I'm sure that Pascal came before
C ( and C has been only around big time since 1970... ). As for limited
C space... 1) You can get around that by compiling functions and then
linking each one separately, 2) you can add functions to look at anything
over 64K, 3) I am quite sure that Microsoft has gotten around that problem
and note that Procomm is WELL over 64K. I don't have the book in front
of me, but I remember quite a few quirky things that turbo couldn't do,
that was standard for most PASCAL compilers. I handed in programs the
same way you did, but I had to be careful about how I programmed because
of the syntax. Oh yeah. Another thing that C and Assembler can do that
pascal can't. Self modifiable code. And can you find turbo pascal for
the Amiga? or the ST? or Macintosh? The bottom line is anything Pascal
can do C can do better, faster, and smaller. Oh, there is one thing
Pascal is better than C at... being a teaching language.
Msg 5 From HARRY SILVA on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: Multi Channel
Mike , sound awesum... but let all of us know.
Is it reentrant.
I have looked at Turbo Pascal and will probably look further..
it does not produce Reentrant code.
Do you know if
Turbo has record locking?
Again let me know about multichannel, and where we can get a legit copy
including docs.
/harry/
Hey frank, If we could get up something for a PC would you?
/harry/
Msg 6 From HARRY SILVA on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: Unix
will unix run on a PC?
Msg 7 From SYSOP on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: Turbo Pascal
#1 -
Borland's Prolog, Basic, and 'C' all support object code )64K, and can
compile Intel format .EXE files linkable with Microsoft's linker. What this
proves is that Borland knows how to do these things. I am disappointed that
Version 4.0 of Turbo, which WILL support these things, is not yet available,
but I am sure it will be soon. There have been so many copies of Turbo
Pascal sold that it has become a standard, and you can be sure that it will
be supported for decades to come.
#2 -
Turbo Pascal *IS* available for the Macintosh. It is also (and has always
been) available for any computer running CP/M, which includes the Commodore
128 and the TRS-80 Model 4, Kaypros, etc. As far as the ST and Amiga are
concerned, I am sure Borland would release versions for these machines if
they thought that these machines were worthy of Turbo Pascal...
Frank
Msg 8 From SYSOP on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: Also...
You don't WANT to write self modifying code.
That's bad programming practice.
Only programmers that aren't smart enough to do things the right way use
such things.
Msg 9 From SYSOP on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: Unix on PC
The PCAT can run a version of Unix called Xenix.
Talk to Scott Barman about this, he's the PC Unix expert.
Msg 10 From RALPH SCOTT on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: hello
First of all, I have MC and it is good. I used it to play off
my othello programs (plus franks). You can get it in the south
of the bauder bbs mentioned in the bbs bulletins.
Saying that you don't want to modify your own code is not an excuse
for not being able to do it. The same argument applies to a flexible
sintax codes that C has, the better(?) programmer shouldn't have to use
it they claim. But that is what took me off pascal and into c.
C has been called "the programmers language", by many, and for good reason
pascal (to my knowledge), has mostly been used for teaching, and that's
it.
---ralph
Msg 11 From SYSOP on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: Pascal/C
So is this it, are we gonna have a full-fledged Pascal vs. C war?
Let me assure you that I know how to write self modifying code. This BBS
program, which I wrote in BASIC, does that plus a whole lot of other
horrible little tricks. However, a good language should allow you to do what
you want to do without having to resort to that kind of nonsense. BASIC, of
course, is not a good language, in fact it's a terrible language, which
makes it ideal for hacking.
Sure, there are some things that Pascal inherintly won't let you do, but the
particular implementation of Turbo Pascal, which has become the standard as
far as the PC, removes these restrictions. Personally I think of Pascal and
C as being fairly similar. Pascal does tend to allow you more elaborate
structures, for example you can nest procedures and functions (ie. declare a
function which is local to another function, can't do it in 'C'). On a more
practical level, if you see a Turbo Pascal source file posted on a BBS, 95%
of the time you will be able to take that file, compile it, and run the
program exactly as it was intended to be run, with no modifications or
understanding of the source code. If you see a 'C' file, you have to know
what compiler it's intended for, what libraries to use, what compiler
options to activate, what memory model to use, etc, etc. Only once in my
life did I ever compile a C program and have it run the first time, and that
was a pretty small program.
Frank
Msg 12 From RALPH SCOTT on Tue 06-23-87
Subj: WAR?
Never meant to be in a war.
But! You are right about nesting fns. But I don't see that as a
drawback, at least not as much as being able to modify your own code.
Nonsense on the C libraries. I have downloaded some good ones that
have none of those requirements. Not once in MY life did I ever compile
a PASCAL program and have it run the first time.
---Ralph
Msg 13 From HARRY SILVA on Wed 06-24-87
Subj: turbo pascal...
If turbo Pascal will not allow programs larger than 64k
then of what use is it. Basic atleast allows programs to be
that large and an additional 64k for arrays and data.
/
I do so much want to get something better than
GW-basic. And while (as a language) I do not like Pascal I was willing to
relearn it and use it to get more from my computer. Mbasic (on the
tandy model 4 and CP/M) did just about anything necessary and it was only
necessary to use another language (usually assembler) when speed required
it.
However the IBM PC started where the model 4 left off and added so much that
apparantely Basic could not keep up.
I have looked at Cobol, Fortran and even Modula 2, each has uses but are in
the $250 range (or more in the case of Cobol) so where do I start.
I have considered C but this is still not a programers language, atleast not
for business or pseudobusiness programing. Forth seems not to have surived
the transision.. Any one tried the other Basics (the Compilers) I want to
write or rewrite a BBS program so I can taylor my system again to my own
personalty. (PC-Board, RBBS-Pc, even ROS (the one I am now using) are nice
systems but so typical, not unique like Searchlight, or My BBS the
Weekender).
So tell me... what's a programer to do??
Anyone got a spare Dec system 10 for sale...
./harry/
Msg 14 From HARRY SILVA on Wed 06-24-87
Subj: UNIX on PC
Well Scott... xenix?
will it run on a standared PC? say in single user mode?
..
also, how about a copy of this Doubble DOS , Public domain
work alike?
/harry/
./
.
Msg 15 From SCOTT BARMAN on Fri 06-26-87
Subj: NO UNIX ON PC's
The lack of protection mechanisms, memory management, proper interrupt
scheme, and overall brain damage of the PC, Unix[tm] of *any* flavor will
never run properly on any machine based on the 8086 or 8088!
For the PC/AT, however, you have Xenix V, which is obnoxiously big, and
Microport's System V/AT, which is a straight System V port for the AT.
While Xenix adds more Berkeleyisms to Xenix, System V/AT seems to be a
better product (even if it's documentation stinks). Both systems have hard
times on machines that are not 100% PC/AT compatible.
Before I forget, IBM offers PC/IX, which is based on System III but will be
upgraded to System V with their new port for the PC/RT. IBM also has Xenix
based on Xenix 3.0 that may never get upgraded.
I still would prefer a MC68020-based machine running Unix. It seems to be
the best micro-architecture (not including the WE320x0 from AT&T) on the
market. Even a machine based on the National Semiconductor 32032 would not
be bad! Machines based on these chips can be found, running Unix, for under
$5000.
Msg 16 From SCOTT BARMAN on Fri 06-26-87
Subj: C
Frank, I will not get into the C vs. Pascal war again, but I will point out
a few things:
C was developed by Dennis Ritchie and came into being in 1973. The common
denominator of all C compilers seem to be the book by Ritchie and Brian
Kernighan (affectionatly known as K&R). C is still the same language as the
1973 release with the following additions (depending on compiler):
variable sizes (16-bit ints vs. 32-bit ints; based on hardware)
the "void" type class (started with BSD)
enumerated types (started with BSD)
volitile storage class (ANSI standard)
passing of structures as parameters--call by value vs. call by
address (this is a messy topic).
The effect of /**/ in macros definitions (started by Berkeley clouded
by ANSI standard).
And type class modifiers (near and far) for use on brain dead
hardware of PC (like microshaft's c).
That is it! Now tell me that Turbo Pascal has *not* piled up the additions
to Wirth's definition and I will lend you a copy of the original book!
Msg 17 From BRIAN B. MCGUINNESS on Fri 06-26-87
Subj: still more...
Turbo Pascal doesn't support standard Pascal file pointers and the Get and
Put statements.
Normal Pascal is a pain to write any serious programs in because it doesn't
have any string handling facilities. String handling is very important if
you want to do sophisticated I/O routines and make your programs user
friendly.
I know that Turbo Pascal does string handling. The problem is that programs
that use these features are not portable. I like to write programs that
will work on both the IBM PC and the SUNY VAX 8600. Doing this in Pascal
would be a pain.
Pascal was never intended to be used as a serious language. It was meant to
be used just for teaching programming concepts. The language that Wirth
intended everyone to use is Modula 2, which features incredible stupidity
like requiring a program to call one function to output integers, another
function to output real numbers, another one to output strings, and so on.
C allows you to write very portable programs with very little trouble. It
provides a wide variety of string operations, as well as powerful I/O
routines like printf() and scanf(). In addition, the ANSI version provides
the useful capability of allowing you to write functions which accept a
variable number of arguments.
--- Brian
Msg 18 From SYSOP on Sat 06-27-87
Subj: Why TPascal is good
Despite it's 64K code limit...
Turbo Pascal is a standard. So many copies of Turbo have been sold, that you
can be assured of continuing support for many years to come. This includes
Turbo 4.0, which will break the 64K barrier. However, even with the 64K code
limitation, Turbo allows you an additional 64K for static variables, the
entire 640K for dynamic variables (heap), plus it gives you overlays and
chaining in order to make larger programs. BASIC has nothing analagous to
the heap, and limits you to 64K code + 64K data.
Speaking of BBS's I have decided to write an IBM based BBS program. It will
not be ready to test for several months. If it works out well I will be
marketing it. The program will be called Searchlight II, it is based loosely
on this program, but with a somewhat different user interface. The initial
version won't have a games or user section, but I am designing it with a
"doors" type of gateway so that others can write programs to interface with
it. I am using Turbo Pascal, naturally.
Frank
Msg 19 From SYSOP on Sat 06-27-87
Subj: Pascal Portability
Well, I use Pascal because it works for me.
As far as portablility is concerned, I am betting that the syntax defined by
Turbo will become the 'de facto' Pascal standard that will be supported by
all Pascal compilers in the future. While there are dozens of BASIC and 'C'
compilers out there, Turbo is the only "real" Pascal compiler that anyone
uses. I think it's a safe bet to assume that Turbo is the standard and that
Turbo or Turbo-compatible compilers will be written for new machines and
operating systems in the future.
Frank
Msg 20 From ADAM MUNTNER on Sat 06-27-87
Subj: Frank...
The BBS program is a good idea, but unless you put in A: the features and
command structure of this bbs(BETTER than PC_BOARD in my opinion) or B: A
totally new concept that is in none or few(preferably none) BBS's around
today, it will fail. Sah-dee...
Adam.
Msg 21 From GUS ALTOBELLO on Sun 06-28-87
Subj: Frank, re: Borland C
Just was speaking to a friend at work, who teaches all the newer language
evening courses (Pascal, C, Ada) at SUNY Farmingdale (I think?). Anyhow,
he's one of those die-hard Ada lovers, and he finds the Borland Turbo C to
be quite a compiler. He says he's finding himself liking C more and more.
This is third-hand info, but hope it helps.
Say, just read in the industry press that DEC just dropped prices for the
VAXstation 2000 monochrome version by 48%, putting it in the $5k-$6k range,
VMS included in the price. This is a diskless workstation, so would be
useless as a standalone PC replacement, but at our site we have Ethernet
running to each cube, so the IBM PCs we have are networked. DEC's Local
Area VAXcluster software is being brought up, which allows these small
VAXstations to run as a cluster over the Ethernet, making the choice of IBM
PC vs. VAX for the same price an obvious win for the VAX. The disk space
resides on a main system ("boot node") and makes backing up dozens of
systems on an individual basis, a thing of the past.
Seems to be a damned good price for the hardware/software, the best I've
seen from DEC. This foreshadows the (almost inevitable) announcement of a
microVAX system with disks and tapes for under $7000. Considering that
everything that runs on a big ()$500k) VAX runs just as well (albeit slower)
on the microVAX, this would be a real event. (Note that not only
application programs run on the entire VAX line, the VMS operating system
does as well! Lacking the microVMS distributions, and having a microVAX I
wanted to bring up, I installed the VMS kit for the 8600 development system
and it worked just fine.)
-gus
Msg 22 From ALADDINSANE on Sun 06-28-87
Subj: Enough of this Pascal garbage...
Frank, if you want to live and die making quiche, so be it.
But get off this Pascal is better than C routine, the bottom line is
that C code by an intelligent programmer, is more efficient than an intelli-
gently programmed TurboQuiche program, sometimes by a factor of 10.
C is just as portable IF NOT MORE PORTABLE than Turbo Pascal code.
Finally, C is much better for making device drivers and handling I/O than
Pascal ( because that was what C was designed to do, and Pascal wasn't ).
Oh yeah, you might think that Pascal will be the language of the future,
but I'll put my money where I can get a job today. I have yet to see a
job advertisement looking for a programmer that can do Turbo Pascal.
Face it Frank, you've been too lazy to learn C, or disappointed when your
program did nothing you expected it to, but I can't say you're qualified to
make an opinion on it when you don't know the language.
Msg 23 From SYSOP on Sun 06-28-87
Subj: Jobs?
You want a job? Learn to 'program' in DBASE III.
Or study Lotus 1-2-3 and Wordstar. That's what will get you a job.
If I were interested in writing someone else's programs, I would learn 'C'.
But for my own programs I would rather use Pascal. Now, with this new Turbo
'C' out, and with the reviews coming up favorable, this could mean that a
decent 'C' compiler now exists. Maybe if they had handed me Turbo C instead
of Turbo Pascal a year ago, I'd be a 'C' head just like you, blindly
following the pack.
Pascal is not the language of the future. Modula-2 is. However, at this
moment in my life I feel like writing programs, not learning a new language.
When I outgrow Turbo Pascal, then I will look for another language, the same
way that I began using Turbo Pascal when I outgrew BASIC.
Msg 24 From SYSOP on Sun 06-28-87
Subj: New BBS
Trust me, I have no intention of making my new BBS look anything like PC
Board, FIDO, or any of those IBM boards. The user interface I am working on
will be a cross between the one-key menus of PCboard and the command line
structure of this BBS. Other than that I plan to keep all the things that
makes Searchlight unique, including the E-mail functions and the sub board
structures.
Frank
Msg 25 From ALADDINSANE on Sun 06-28-87
Subj: Just to be petty...
I don't blindly follow the pack. I pick my languages for specific reasons.
And I learned PASCAL and learned it first ( well, BASIC was FIRST ), so
I can't say I rave about it because its the only language I know ( unlike
some other people who's name will not be mentioned :-) ). I can criticise
PASCAL and see how C is better. As for Modula-2, that is vaporware. You
don't let Quiche eaters set your standards, and from what I read, its a
warped kind of PASCAL with I/O. There will eventually be a standard to
replace C, but it won't be Modula-2. Finally, if it takes a JAPpy turbo
compiler to make you happy, I think you probably still won't like C, Frank.
C programs have a way of doing things you didn't expect ( like assembler )
and you will find that you spend a lot of time nitpicking on I/O. The
benefit of a C program is that it is more efficient and quicker to do than
assembler. Man I wish I could see you in CSE120 next semester... :-)
Msg 26 From SCOTT BARMAN on Mon 06-29-87
Subj: A Decent C Compiler
One exists on the VAX 8650, 11/785, and Sun 3's I use at work. All I have
to do is type cc to access it. Yes, it is the Unix[tm] C Compiler, but it
still is the best I have ever used!
I let you know about others when I get my 68020-based machine.
Msg 27 From SCOTT BARMAN on Mon 06-29-87
Subj: Modula-2 is NOT vaporware!
Logitech has an excellent Modula-2 compiler for the PC, VAX/VMS, and bsd
Unix environment. Plus 4.3bsd is distributed with a Modula-2 Compiler.
Also, UCSD has a Modula-2 for IBM MVS and so does the University of
Waterloo (famous for WATFOR, WATFIV, WATBOL, and Script for MVS). So
Modula-2 does exist.
Oh yea, there is even one for the CDC 6600, the original development machine
of Pascal! This is available from the author's institution for a price (of
course).
Msg 28 From ALADDINSANE on Mon 06-29-87
Subj: Mod
Oh I know modula-2 exists. It being the language of the future is vapor-
ware. Kinda like COBOL becoming the language of the future. Bad choice
of words I guess...
Msg 29 From ADAM MUNTNER on Mon 06-29-87
Subj: What?
What is the CDC(Control Data Corp.) doing these days?
Is there VMS for the PC?
Msg 30 From SCOTT BARMAN on Tue 06-30-87
Subj: Know your terminology
Aladdinsane, I know what you are saying about Modula-2, but vaporware is not
the term! Vaporware is the description of a product that does not exist as
reality. The most recent example of a product being considered as vaporware
is Turbo C. For months we heard of great and wonderful it is, but it did
not exist on the market--vaporware.
The best word for Modula-2 is over promoted! Pascal has too strong of a
base for it to be dethroned. Too bad, Modula fixes all the idiosyncracies
(sp) of Pascal. I would one day like to try it, but right now I am sooooo
busy.......
Adam Munter: As for a VMS-clone on the PC, look for Wendin's product. I
hear the PCVMS is a decent package, but stay away from PCUNX (Unix-clone), I
heard it is slow and combersome.
As far as Control Data, they are putting their efforts into the new disk
technology (800Mb to 1 Gigabyte) to try to regain the market share they had
when the 9766 (300Mb) where popular. They are also marketing the Cyber 180
line, unsuccesfully, and the Cyber 205 supercomputer, also unsuccesfully.
They are also into an expanded field service operation servicing their own,
IBM, Amdahl, Unisys, DEC, DG, et. al. equipment. The field service
operations are doing well.
Msg 31 From BRIAN B. MCGUINNESS on Tue 06-30-87
Subj: Why use Modula-2?
From what I've seen it appearthat the main reason for using Modula-2 is
that it allows definitions to be placed in modules in such a way that their
internal details are hidden. Ada provides the same capability with its
private types. In addition, Ada provides a lot of nice features that
Modula-2 lacks. Finally, with support from the DoD, Ada should become
popular. Ada compilers are not vaporware, either. A validated Ada compiler
exists for the PC AT, although it's pretty expensive (several thousand
bucks).
--- Brian
Msg 32 From SYSOP on Wed 07-01-87
Subj: PC-Ada
What's so special about the Ada language that it takes a PC-AT with megs of
memory and a multi-thousand dollar software package to run it? Why isn't
there a cheap, or at least moderately priced Ada compiler?
I am not going to argue languages anymore, because, as a programmer,
thoughts of programming languages account for only a small percentage of
what I'm concerned with. In other words, I could write in any language you
hand me, which is why I wrote BASIC for so many years, that's what they
handed me. It's ridiculous to argue Pascal vs. C anyway. If my Pascal
compiler suddenly disappeared, I would buy a C or a Modula compiler and be
writing the same programs within a week. In every language, except for non
languages like DBASE, you do pretty much the same thing. Whether you can
pass parameters by value, pointer, global substitution, etc, you end up with
the same flow and structure. It's just a matter of which language you happen
to know best and which works best for you. I have no shame in saying that I
wrote programs in BASIC (including this BBS). BASIC may be a poorly designed
language but the programs I wrote in it are not, and as long as I have a
halfway decent compiler, these programs will run just as well as the same
programs written in some other language. Don't tell me 'C' is inherently
more efficient. Efficiency is the programmer's job. 'C' compilers are
probably more efficent than the average BASIC compiler because of the fact
that more competing C compilers exist, and C programmers demand fast
compilers (to make up for inefficient programs?). But, if you put enough
effort into it, you could develop super optimizing compilers for BASIC or
anything else.
Frank
Msg 33 From SYSOP on Wed 07-01-87
Subj: All Languages are the same.
All the languages we've discussed, C, Pascal, Modula, BASIC, assembler, etc.
are all procedure-oriented languages. There are only a few basic things you
can do in this type of language: assign a value to a variable, execute a
function, and create loops. That's it. On the other hand, there are
languages like Prolog that are very much unlike these languages. I have
never used a language like Prolog, has anyone else?
Msg 34 From ADAM MUNTNER on Wed 07-01-87
Subj: PCVMS
Where can I get PCVMS?
-Ada(m).
Msg 35 From HARRY SILVA on Fri 07-03-87
Subj: C and Pascal
I agree with Brian's assesment of Standard Pascal. When taking courses in
school using a DEC system I found working with files quite difficult. The
more normal classmates of mine were unable to do much more than read from
the terminal. Even I could not get Pascal to read files the way I wanted..
In order to get any usefull work done I was often forced to call Assembler
level routines and to define Functions to such easy things as to read cards,
or even standard ASCII files.
If Tubo Pascal is not a standard Implimentation of Pascal then I do not see
the use of using it for normal programing. I already have the Basics of
Pascal, I thought that they has simply improved the language... much as
Fortran 77 inproved on Fortran 4, and Cobol Level 5 fixed many of the
problems that Cobol Had (unfortunately one still does not have a decent Math
Package).
I have yet to see an affordable Cobol or Fortran for the PC (beyond Ellis
Computings core stuff). Microsoft Cobol cost in excess of $300, Fortran in
Excess of $250 and even Microsoft Pascal is over $200.
C is a good language but I fear that it's convuleted form will not likely
compete with the Cleanness of Cobol, Fortran, PL/1 or even Pascal.
If C were writeable in English there might be a case for it.
Why do you dislike Modula?
/harry/
Msg 36 From HARRY SILVA on Fri 07-03-87
Subj: T-Pascal
Frank,
First, Basic does have Channing. And it also has something else that (at
least standard) Pascal does not have a workable Data file interface.
I hope that You will describe T-Pascal further As I certainly reconize a
programing language more powerful than the one
I now use (Basic) on my PC-compatable is needed. Basic was fine when All I
had was 64k to work with, but now that I have (the potentional of 10) four
times that much to work with (256k, adding 3xxk soon) I want to do more.
./harry/
Msg 37 From HARRY SILVA on Fri 07-03-87
Subj: Cobol
Cobol Will not necessarily be the language of the future but it will be with
us for many years to come.
There will of necessity a language some where between C and Pascal with many
of the features of Cobol, Fortran and BASIC.
Some thing like PL/1 (but smaller).. oh
and it must be under $100
./harry/
/
Msg 38 From HARRY SILVA on Fri 07-03-87
Subj: You finally agree..
I knew that eventually you would come to see my orgional point.
/harry/[D
Msg 39 From SYSOP on Fri 07-03-87
Subj: Cobol Oh No!
Helpme Helpme, the Cobol/Fortran man is here!
Yes, Harry, something DEFINITELY needs to be done about the cost of Cobol
compilers. Fortunately, I heard a super secret rumor that Borland
International is on the problem and will soon be releasing TURBO COBOL!
That's right, this amazing new program combines an editor and compiler in
one program. The editor can handle up to 640K of source code (otherwise you
wouldn't be able to write more than a ten line program) and the compiler can
compile at a blazing, never-before heard of rate of 25 lines an hour!
Imagine! And as if that wasn't enough, I hear they're also secretly working
on another great new program, TURBO FORTRAN...
Msg 40 From SYSOP on Fri 07-03-87
Subj: Turbo's Data File Interface
Turbo has been widely criticized for not implimenting the standard get/put
operations on files, but I think Turbo's method is quite sane. With Turbo,
you can READ a record of any type out of a file, the same way you'd read
characters, lines or numbers. For example, suppose (usertype) is a record of
user information, and (user) is a variable of type (usertype). Then in Turbo
you can say, read(userfile,user) and it will read in the whole record. If
you want to read the file randomly, you use the seek command to position the
file pointer where you want it, example: seek(userfile,1);
read(userfile,user);
In BASIC, you can only have 1 record of a file in memory at once. In Pascal,
you can store as many records of the file in memory at a time as you want.
Msg 41 From HARRY SILVA on Sun 07-05-87
Subj: Turbo.. Cobol...
I dearly wish they were. But unfortunately Cobol is not really a language
for the online environment. Fortran Might be but is not much better than
basic and Is really more difficult to use.. [actually an Instructor once
told me that Basic when it came out was often called Fortran with out the
tears.]
Second, I have dozens of Cobol programs written in the CP/M version of Cobol
and it does not take an especially large amount of memory and certainly
would not take an Hour to compile 25 lines.
[You are apparantely not familiar with Cobol, but a properly written Cobol
program should not be much larger than a properly written Pascal program.
While it is true that once compiled it would be larger, but then Cobol does
so much more easily than Pascal that it must.
You should recall that Cobol was developed in an environment where 512k was
about it.. remember 58]TD9nthen a single Memf0]lmory system could easily
cost 1 million dollars.
]
As to Fortran, or Cobol being made by Borland, this is unlikely. They will
continue to create programing languages for the Hobbiest rather than for the
Professional.
./harry/
Msg 42 From HARRY SILVA on Sun 07-05-87
Subj: What is the point..
Frank,
I realize that you thing that Turbo Pascal is the best thing sence
buttered bread, and perhaps it is especially considering standard Pascal.
Indeed if you had to use a standard Pascal compiler (like on a mainframe)
then you would probably realize that Pascal is not an especially good
language.
I am not sure the reason one would need to keep more than 1 user record in
memory at a time, however one could do that by using arrays, or by
using a RamDisk. This ability of Turbo-P seems inportant why?
I am also a bit disturbed about this Small Memory Module.. does that mean
that you are forever limited to 64k data, 64k program .. or that each module
is... so that you could have each subroutine have it own segment??
Actually I never saw the need to use much memory anyway (My first computer
had 4kram and nearly half of that was used by BASIC.. indeed one early
computer had 256 BYTES and I had it do usefull things.) but I really want
something marketly superior to the Basic I now have?
Any one for Modula 2, found an Interperter/Compiler for $50 sound like a
good price??
./harry/
E-[
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MAIN>? MS Send Mail MR Read Mail L List Boards 1-9 Goto Sub Board C Chat w/sysop I Information R Read Bulletins P User Polls Q Questionaire O Logoff V View Callog U User Search N New User Info W Change Passwd Z Call Eliza F Linefeeds T Time Check X Text Pictures MAIN>L Board Messages 1- Searchlight 14 2- For Sale & Trading 11 3- Movie Reviews 12 4- Music 11 5- Computers 14 6- Dungeons & Dragons 5 7- Strawberry Fields 6 8- Suggestion Box 6 9- Joke Book 19 * indicates new messages. To use a board-- enter it's number. MAIN>1 Searchlight active. 14 messages. [type '?' for menu] B1>? Rn Read mesg #n <CR> Read next - Read previous . Read current Sn Scan from n Sn- Scan reverse N New Scan P Post message E Edit message K Kill message L List boards 1-9 Goto board Q Quit to MAIN O Logoff B1>1 Searchlight active. 14 messages. [type '?' for menu] B1>R1 MESG: 1 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 06/03/85 SUBJ: SEARCHLIGHT board This will be the general information board on the bbs. Leave messages for me- announcements- whatever. I would like to point out that I will be flexible reguarding the board topics, if you have a suggestion please leave it on board 8, the Suggestion Box. I won't have any War or rankout type of boards, but other than that leave suggestions. Enjoy the bbs! Frank LaRosa Arrrgh! a SYSTEM ERROR has occurred! The SYSOP is profusely embarassed... Break in 335 READY >RUN MAIN>MAIN>FLinefeeds (Y/N)? YMAIN> MAIN>1 Searchlight active. 14 messages. [type '?' for menu] B1>R2 MESG: 2 FROM: GYPSY ROSE DATE: 06/22/85 SUBJ: BBS'S HI WHOEVER IS WATCHING. HERE ARE SOME GREAT BBS' TO CALL BASEMENT 365-5168 BLACK FORTRESS 549-0268 DRAGON'S LAIR 374-5071 SIGNED GYPSY ROSE B1> MESG: 3 FROM: CHARLEMAGNE DATE: 06/26/85 SUBJ: CALL !! ******************************* CALL THE WIZARD'S WORKSHOP AT (516) 582-3812!!!!!!!! CALL & POST & SPREAD THE WORD ******************************* L8R COSYSOP CHARLEMAGNE ############################### B1> MESG: 4 FROM: BLACK DOG DATE: 07/02/85 SUBJ: BBS ************************************************ * * * GREAT BBS * * COMPUTER ADAPTATIONS BBS * * 516-931-7940 * * 516-931-8521 * * 24 HRS DAY * * 300/1200 BAUD * ************************************************ B1> MESG: 5 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/05/85 SUBJ: DRUNK DRIVES The following is a public safety message brought to you by your SYSOP. This being the summer holiday season, you've probably been partying with your favorite floppies and had a few too many to drink. Well we'd just like to remind everyone that friends don't let friend's floppy disks drive drunk. If your drives have had too much to drink, don't let them drive. Call a RAMDISK, or use your cassette player. Drunk driving can lead to disk errors, abnormal head wear, and trashed diskettes. So this summer think twice before booting your latest program on a drive that's had too many. B1> MESG: 6 FROM: GYPSY ROSE DATE: 07/14/85 SUBJ: DOES ANYBODY PLAY D&D OK. THIS IS DOES ANY BODY BESIDES ME AND CRIMSON PLAY D&D WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE POSTING ON THIS SUB-BOARD. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR REACTION ON THIS BOARD OR IN E-MAIL TO ME. THANX SIGNED GYPSY ROSE B1>R3 MESG: 3 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/04/85 SUBJ: E.T. What has 3 balls and comes from outer space? E.T., the Extra Testicle B9> MESG: 4 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 07/04/85 SUBJ: Hellen Keller.. Of course the old joke about punishment: they re-arranged the furniture. OK..so it wasn't funny! Sue me! -C.H.E.M. B9> MESG: 5 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 07/04/85 SUBJ: Murphys Computer Laws, Part I. Observations: Murphy Never Would have used one. Murphy would have loved them. Bove's Theorem: The remaining work to finnish in order to reach your goal increases as the deadline approaches. Brook's Law: Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later. Canada Bill Jones' Motto: It's morally wrong to allow naive end users to keep their money. Cann's Axiom: When all else fails, read the instructions. Clarke's Third Law: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistingushable from Magic. Deadline Dan's Demo Demonstration: Every task takes twice as long as you think it will take. If you double the time you think it will take, it will actually take four times as long. Continued....Later. B9> MESG: 6 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 07/06/85 SUBJ: Murphy's Computer Laws, Part II. Demian's Observation: There is always one item on the screen menu that is misslabeled and should read "ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER H HERE." Dr. Caligari's Comeback: A bad sector disk error occurs only after you've done several hours of work without performing a backup. Estridge's Law: No matter how large and standardized the marketplace, IBM can re-define it. Finagle's Rules: 1) To study an ap}iplication best, understand it thoroughly before you start. 2) Always keep a record of Data. It indicates you've been working. 3) Always draw your curves, then plot the reading. 4) In case of doubt, make it sound convincing. 5) Program results should always be reproducable. They should all fair the same way. 6) Do not beleive in miricales. Rely on them. More to come... B9> MESG: 7 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/08/85 SUBJ: Elvis What would Elvis Presley be doing if he were alive today? Scratching at the inside of his coffin. B9> MESG: 8 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/08/85 SUBJ: India Why don't they celebrate Halloween in India anymore? Because they don't got no Ghandi Who killed more Indians than General Custer? Union Carbide B9> MESG: 9 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/08/85 SUBJ: Heaven and feet (a philthy joke) One day in Sunday school the teacher says, "When you die, what part of your body goes to heaven first?" And one student says, "it must be your head, since that is closest to heaven." Another says, "It's your heart, because that is where God lives." And a little boy says, "No, your FEET go to heaven first." So the teacher asks, "why do you say that?" and the little boy replies, "well last night I looked in my parents' bedroom and I saw my mommy with her feet in the air screaming, "God, I'm coming!" B9> MESG: 10 FROM: CLAUDE BROGLE DATE: 07/10/85 SUBJ: jokes Why is Hellen Kellers leg Yellow? Her Dog is Blind TO!! Whats has 3 eyes and is Black and White Samy Davis Jr. and his Wife!! People Reading this joke please do get Mad. Remember its only a joke. B9> MESG: 11 FROM: CLAUDE BROGLE DATE: 07/10/85 SUBJ: Limericks. Here's a Good One. The Soldier became so uncouth.When his cock was shot off in his youth.He screwed with his nose And his fingers and toes And he came through a hole in his tooth. Another good one. A rapturous young fellatrix.One day was at work on five pricks.With an unholy cry.She wipped out her glass eye.And yelled, "Tell the boys I can take six!" Thats it for now! ---->Claude Brogle-- B9> MESG: 12 FROM: GYPSY ROSE DATE: 07/10/85 SUBJ: DAVY CROCKET THERE WAS A MAN NAMED CROCKET WHO STUCK HIS DICK IN A SOCKET HIS WIFE WAS A BITCH AND TURNED ON THE SWITCH AND CROCKET TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET HA HA HA !!!!! HERES ANOTHER ONE THERE WAS A MAN FROM PERU WHO FELL ASLEEP IN HIS CANNOE WHILE DREAMING OF VENUS HE UNSCREWED HIS PEINUS AND WOKE UP WITH A HAND FULL OF GOO. ISN'T THAT DISGUSTING B9> MESG: 13 FROM: GYPSY ROSE DATE: 07/10/85 SUBJ: GROSE JOKES CON'T ONE DAY, HARRY HARD-ON WAS JERKING OFF AS USUAL WHEN HIS GIRFRIEND WALKED INTO THE ROOM.STARTLED AS SHE WAS SHE SAID "HARRY SAVE IT FOR WHEN WE GET MARRIED." THE NEXT WEEK AT THE SAME TIME HIS GIRLFRIEND WALKED IN ON HIM DOING IT AGAIN.SHE THEN SAID"HARRY I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO SAVE IT UNTIL WE GET MARRIED".HARRY THEN REPLIED"I AM, I GOT A WHOLE PINT AND A HALF IN THE GARAGE". NOW THAT'S GROSE SIGNED GYPSY ROSE B9> MESG: 14 FROM: CLAUDE BROGLE DATE: 07/10/85 SUBJ: Limericks There was a yong man most obscene.Who invented a fucking machine,Concave or Convex,It whould fit either sex, With attachments for those in between. Another good one. The streetwaker said to the hick, "I refuse to suck farmers' boys' dicks. I really don't mind The hay dust and the grime But the smell of your balls makes me sick." L8r. ---->Claude Brogle-- B9> MESG: 15 FROM: STILE BLUE DATE: 07/12/85 SUBJ: Dead Baby Why do they boil water when a baby is born ? So t, if it's born deaxd they can have soup. What's red and squirms in the corner? A baby playing with a razor blade. W Why do you put a baby in the blender ffeet first ? So you can watch it's expression. What's the perfectect guift for a dead baby ? A dead puppy. . That's it. (I have Truley Taste Tastless jJokes i I&iI & II ) B9> MESG: 18 FROM: THE BIFFER DATE: 07/13/85 SUBJ: gross y'know the joke: whats worse than being rapped by Jack the Ripper....being fingered by Captain Hook...... whats worse than that? being eaten out by Jaws!!!!! ///(**> The Biffer <**)\\\ B9> MESG: 19 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/19/85 SUBJ: Penguin So, this penguin walks into a bar and says, "let me have a vodka and tonic". The bartender says, "that will be $12, but let me t(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( B9>L Board Messages 1- Searchlight 14 2- For Sale & Trading 11 3- Movie Reviews 12 4- Music 11 5- Computers 14 6- Dungeons & Dragons 5 7- Strawberry Fields 6 8- Suggestion Box 6 9- Joke Book 19 * indicates new messages. To use a board-- enter it's number. B9>88$ Suggestion Box active. 6 messages. [type '?' for menu] B8>R1 MESG: 1 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 06/08/85 SUBJ: Suggesion Box This is the Searchlight suggestion box. Please use this board to communicate your ideas for this bbs to me. I want to hear ideas for new sub-boards, new questions for the "User Polls" section, or any new features you think would be worthwhile. B8> MESG: 2 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/08/85 SUBJ: New Boards I can't make any new sub-boards until I get more disk drives. You'll just have to wait. You know theres a limit to what you can do with 360K of disk space. B8> MESG: 3 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 07/08/85 SUBJ: D&D You can do it however U like. Typically, from what I've seen, the D&D board is normal. (But it's users aren't!) So! Anyone else want to DM, or do I get stuck with it? Scince I won't be here forever and ten years, it would be a good idea to have someone else doing this stuff, eh? -C.H.E.M. B8> MESG: 4 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/13/85 SUBJ: Phreaking & The Stang As for the Stang bbs, the number is 585-9829. Its a pretty good board so why not give em a call. A phreak board I have decided I dont want. Its not that I'm against it, its just that 1) this board is not big enough to have serious phreaking; and 2) I'd rather use the space to do other things which I think are more important. This is still my BBS isn't it? --Frank PS. Sorry about all the imbedded back spaces in the above messages, just a minor bug which I have since fixed. B8> MESG: 5 FROM: PETE SCALER DATE: 07/13/85 SUBJ: phreak on stang does the stang really have a phreak board what is the exact name and is it in the sub-boards . pete scaler B8> MESG: 6 FROM: STEVEN A. HEISLER DATE: 07/20/85 SUBJ: bbs numbers SYSOP, you should have a list of other bbs numbers online for people that call longdistence if you would like a list of other sysems just go on compuserve and write me at 72037,21 and i will send you a list or on DELPHI at TELELEARNING by the way good bbs work Steven A. Heisler Michigan State Programer B8> no more messages. B8>7 Strawberry Fields active. 6 messages. [type '?' for menu] B7>R1 MESG: 1 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 06/10/85 SUBJ: This board speaks The sysop of the Strawberry fields rises and says to the users of his board: "It's Allright". The users are understandably distressed at the brevity of it all, but soon settle down and begin to make up their own theories about the strange sub. "I think it must be deep", said little beau Pete. But still others were not amused. "Poor unhappy Frank", they mubled. "Whatever can we do to make him stop all this?" B7> MESG: 2 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/02/85 SUBJ: THE FAT GROWTH "The Fat Growth on Eric Hearble" adapted from the book "In His Own Write" by John Lennon One fat morning Eric Hearble wake up with an abnorman fat growth a bombly on his head. "Oh Crumb", said Eric Hearble, who was a very, very suprised. Anyway he carried on as Norman for why should he worried? All of suddy he heard a small little voice calling him by name, "Eric... Eric Hearble" it seemed to say though I couldn't say for sure. That night the very same voice spoke saying "Eric, I am a growth on your very head, help me, Eric." Soon Eric became very attached to his fat growth friend. "Call me Scab", the voice said and he was. "Call me Eric," Eric said naturly as he could. From then on you never saw Eric without the big fat scab growth on his head. And that's why Eric Hearble lost his job teaching spastics to dance. "Were not having a cripple teaching our lads," said Headmaster. B7> MESG: 3 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 07/01/85 SUBJ: wOW! Wow man! What a wild trip! B7> MESG: 4 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/08/85 SUBJ: USERS Johnny was a user and his parents knew it. Every day he would sit and talk to the magic box while mum and dad smoked dope and said, "Johnny why can't you be like other kids ?" But he wasn't and to prove it he renamed himself to Edward much to his parents dismay, causing them to trash his room. And Johnny-turned-Edward took away their posting privledges for a whole week. "Its the only way we have of reching you sun", said his father in fits. Eddie enjoyed writing these programs the way other people rioted and grew long hair, and eventually he deleted his parents alltogether to make room for a new sub board about kites. B7> MESG: 5 FROM: MICK FORCE DATE: 07/11/85 SUBJ: AWSSTRUCK & DUMBFOUNDED! First Julian and now Frank!!!! Has his spirit decided to re-incarnate by spreading his inners to as many a folk as possible????? eery---very eery! oh by-the-by "women should be obscene and not herd" B7> MESG: 6 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 07/20/85 SUBJ: Files Bobry had many files some of which were kept secretly in a sock unbeknownst to his mather who had chrisiand him against such things. Breen, who had a large pill, courted Bobry with a hammer screaming, "megaglocks must be free!". And he took it in stride, for it did not he new pretrain to the many important tasks at foot. One day he was clawning out his bobby slocks when several of the files, which were by now old and stinky, crawled over and threw themselves into the dusk drives, and many hackers acrost the notion soon knew of his secrety aflairs with miss Breen, for it was a beebs. This proved much an embarassment on his part and led rabily to his dismember- ment. "Angst philby", he was heard to have said. If there is a lesson toby learn ed by all of this I cannot be sure wether it is to clean your socks or not to have been devolved in the first place. B7> no more messages. B7>L Board Messages 1- Searchlight 14 2- For Sale & Trading 11 3- Movie Reviews 12 4- Music 11 5- Computers 14 6- Dungeons & Dragons 5 7- Strawberry Fields 6 8- Suggestion Box 6 9- Joke Book 19 * indicates new messages. To use a board-- enter it's number. B7>4 Music active. 11 messages. [type '?' for menu] B4>R1 MESG: 1 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 06/03/85 SUBJ: MUSIC SUB This is the Music sub-board. I will welcome any type of useful discussion- opinions- album reviews- etc. Please don't post extensively about how great your favorite band is unless you are willing to tell us why. Otherwisw, I want to see a lot of activity here. Please. B4> MESG: 2 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 01/14/87 SUBJ: In the PLO. In the PLO By Devin Squeri. Appologies Dave (TV). Sing to the tune of: "Just a Jiggolo." I'm in the PLO, And everywhere I go, People know the bombs I'm planting. Pay for every hit, no one gives a shit! Ooohhhh, why do they bother? There will come a day, when Jews will pass away, Ohh, what 'll we do without 'em. But when the end comes I'll know I was in the PLO, BUT Life goes on without me, Cause, IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Aint got no country! No country! Won't Ronnie Reagan take a chance on me, 'cause were low on ammo! Were so sad and lonely! Sad & Lonely! Won't some sweet country take a chance on me.... etc...I think you get the idea. Appolgies to all Jewish people...but it fit the rhyme scheme. Appolgies to all republicans, but your idiots for electing Ronnie! -C.H.E.M. B4> MESG: 3 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 07/01/85 SUBJ: U-68. For everyone like me that doesn't have m-TV. There is now a public comercial channel dedicated to music videos, 12 hrs a day. U-68...channel 68, & Channel 67. I only get channel 67...it bradcasts out of Smithtown. It's pretty good...definately, they play a VERY wide variety of music...otherwise I never would have even claimed to see a heavy metal video. Try tuning your TV in to it sometime. You might be suprised. Then again, you might not get it. -C.H.E.M. B4> MESG: 4 FROM: CLAUDE BROGLE DATE: 07/03/85 SUBJ: Heavy Metal Video's If you like Heavy Metal. Turn to . Chanel 68 or 67 At 11:00 to 12:00 1 Hour of Heavy Metal. L8r. ---->Claude Brogle-- B4> MESG: 5 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 07/03/85 SUBJ: U-68 Hey dudes, what did I say? Is u-68 Wild or what. They repeat 3 hour sections, but they still are good to watch, especially for the first time around. (Besides, you always want to see what you missed before..right?....like the name, etc.) L8R Dudes! -C.H.E.M. B4> MESG: 6 FROM: BLACK DOG DATE: 07/04/85 SUBJ: pictures IF ANY ONE HAS ANY PICTURES (REAL ONES ON KODAK PAPER) OF RANDY RHOADES OR EDDIE VAN HALEN LEAVE MAIL TO ME BLACK DOG OR TO HEADBANGER B4> MESG: 7 FROM: BLACK DOG DATE: 07/07/85 SUBJ: THE POWERSTATION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT I WENT TO SEE POWERSTATION AT JONES BEACH. WHAT A SHOW THEY PUT ON. BEFORE I START POWERSTATION IS MADE UP OF TONY THOMPSON, ANDY TAYLOR, JOHN TAYLOR AND MICHAEL DES BARRES WHO REPLACED ROBERT PALMER WHO WAS RECORDING HIS SOLO ALBUM. THE SHOW WAS GREAT. THEY OPENED UP WITH THE SONG MURDERESS THEY DID ALL THEIR SONGS FROM THEIR ALBUM, TWO DURAN DURAN HITS, A COUPLE OF OTHERS AMD OBSESSION WHICH DES BARRES WROTE. ANDY TAYLOR SUPRISED ME WITH HIS GUITAR PLAYING. IT DID TAKE A FEW SONGS TO GET USED TO DES BARRE'S VOICE BUT AFTER THAT IT WAS A GREAT SHOW B4> MESG: 8 FROM: GYPSY ROSE DATE: 07/08/85 SUBJ: BRUCE!!! DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BRUCE IS COMING TO THE NEW YORK AREA?? IF HE IS, WHEN AND WHERE?? THIS IS VITAL INFORMATION, AS MY FRIEND NEEDS A FIX DESPERATELY!!!!!! ALSO SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF ANYONE WILL KILL HIS SWEET LITTLE JULIANN!! BARF-OLA!!!!!!!! LEAVE E-MAIL TO ME SIGNED GYPSY ROSE (THANX FROM SCUM QUEEN) B4> MESG: 9 FROM: LIZA M HOFFMAN DATE: 07/09/85 SUBJ: Gasping Woman Tour Liza M. Hoffman unleashed her "Gasping Woman" tour on Denmark yesterday and demonstrated once again that she is the most important woman in music today. Some 15,000 Danes poured into Copenhagen's Royal Theatre to see the rock diva's first show in Europe in over two years. The tour, which will take Hoffman to Austria, Sweden and Switzerland, includes eighteen dates and is described in the official tour program as "a highly stylized tribute to the elegance of woman". Addressing the crowd in English, French, and German, the Tony award winning singer said that she had chosen Copenhagen as the site of her first "Gasping Woman" show because "it is so special to me". Hoffman visited the city as part of her honeymoon after her short-lived second marriage to West German soccer star Wilhelm Kreutz. The two-hour long set included many of her early hits, such as "Love Ya Lots and Loads", "I've Got Class", "Delectably Dandy" and "The Lash in a Flash". Also, Hoffman drew from her more recent albums, "Eat Me Bitch", "Portable Punk" and "My, Jamaica Guy". The show ended with a campy version of her "... And a Woman Stood There, Gasping". B4> MESG: 10 FROM: DISCO QUEEN DATE: 07/10/85 SUBJ: madonna i have to say madonna is one of the best singers in life today. shes not only pretty but shes getting married to a gourgous famous actor a nd her self an actrss to B4> MESG: 11 FROM: HEADBANGER DATE: 07/14/85 SUBJ: MADONNA I SAW MADONNA IN PLABOY & PENTHOUSE SHE'S GOT NICE TITS AND EVERYTHING BUT SHE'S GOT THE MOST GODDAMN HAIRIEST ARMPITS MAN WHERE TALKIN APE HAIR BUT SHE IS A REAL BEAVER AND MAN DOES SHE HAVE GREAT TITS AND BODY B4> no more messages. B4>L Board Messages 1- Searchlight 14 2- For Sale & Trading 11 3- Movie Reviews 12 4- Music 11 5- Computers 14 6- Dungeons & Dragons 5 7- Strawberry Fields 6 8- Suggestion Box 6 9- Joke Book 19 * indicates new messages. To use a board-- enter it's number. B4>3 Movie Reviews active. 12 messages. [type '?' for menu] B3>R1 MESG: 1 FROM: SYSOP DATE: 06/03/85 SUBJ: MOVIE REVIEW BOARD OK, I would really like to see some activity on this sub-board. The idea is to write a short opinion of movies that you've seen recently, to be used as a guide to other users. Discussion and any movie or TV related topics are also welcome. I will try to keep the most useful reviews up as long as possible. When giving a review, please type the word REVIEW as the first word of the title, to help other users spot reviews. B3> MESG: 2 FROM: GYPSY ROSE DATE: 06/24/85 SUBJ: RAMBO REVIEW I JUST SAW RAMBO LAST NIGHT ( 6/23/85) AND IT WAS ONE BITCHIN' MOVIE!. THE ACTION STARTS ABOUT 25 MIN. INTO THE FILM AND IT IS NON STOP. THERE IS A LOT OF KILLING AND STALLONE DOESN'T SPEAK MUCH THROUGHT THE FILM. HE IS SENT BACK TO NAM TO PHOTOGRAPH POW'S THAT AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, BUT THEY ARE. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE SEE THE MOVIE BECAUSE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT AND I DON'T WANT TO SPOIL IT FOR ANY OF YOU. SIGNED-- GYPSY ROSE AND THE NUDGE. B.H.B.'S OF L.I. RULE. BYE. B3> MESG: 3 FROM: TIMOTHY FOLEY DATE: 06/25/85 SUBJ: Cocoon = Everyone, go see Cocoon! It's a geratric fantasy gone wild. Actually, it's a really great movie directed by Ron Howard formerly director of Splash, formerlyRichie Cunningham, who was finally formally Opie. It's very enjoyable and you'll leave the theatre with an up feeling. B3> MESG: 4 FROM: KING CRIMSON DATE: 06/26/85 SUBJ: REVEIW: Rambo, Prizzi's Honor, Se Rambo I did not like. Stallone: Grow a brain. The rest of the movie was worth seeing, though. The mud scene was incredible, and the Chicken & Gas showed intelligence. Prizzi's Honor SUC%#$...It was too boring in the begining, and got off to a very slow start. I read the ad in Newsday: "Intelligent", etc. Intellegent & Prizzi's honor just do not go together. It was a story about organized crime. It was dumb, although it had a nice no win ending. The ending was about the only good thing. Secret Admirer...****! Excellent! Very funny, for anyone age 17-20. The notes were as active as the nymph. And her father was hilarious. I did hate to see such awful things happen to one helpless van, though. overall, it was great. P.s. Rambo was too unrealistic, and misleading about veitnam and it's aftermath...for that it should be condemmed. Otherwise, it was 'Entertaining'. -C.H.E.M. B3> MESG: 5 FROM: BLACK DOG DATE: 06/30/85 SUBJ: REVIEW: BACK TO THE FUTURE I WENT TO THE SNEAK PREVIEW OF BACK TO THE FUTURE(6/29/85) LAST NIGHT. IT IS A MUST SEE. HILLARIOUS FROM MOMENT ONE TYPICAL MICHAEL J. FOX HUMOR CHRISTOPHER LLOYD ADDS AN REV. JAMES IGGNATOWSKI TOUCH GOTTA GO BLACK DOG B3> MESG: 6 FROM: GYPSY ROSE DATE: 07/01/85 SUBJ: BACK TO THE FUTURE REVEIW I WENT TO AN ADVANCE PREVIEW OF THE UPCOMING STEVEN SPIELBERG PRODUCED MOVIE BACK TO THE FUTURE ON 6 29 85 IT STARRED MICHAEL J FOX OF NBC S FAMILY TIES HE PLAYS A HOTSHOT TEEN AGER WHO GOES BACK INTO TIME USING HIS PROFESSOR'S DELOREAN TIME MACHINE HE ENDS UP IN 1955 AND MEETS HIS PARENTS AND MUST PUT THEM TOGETHER OR ELSE FUTURE EVENTS WILL BE SCREWED UP CHRISTOPHER LLOYD (JIM FROM TAXI) PLAYS THE PROFESSOR.I CONSIDOR THIS THE BEST SPIELBERG MOVIE THIS SUMMER BUT DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT GO SEE IT ON THE GYPSY ROSE MOVIE SCALE OF 1-10 IRATE IT A 9 HAVE FUN WHEN YOU SEE IT SIGNED GYPSY ROSE .. B3> MESG: 7 FROM: TIMOTHY FOLEY DATE: 07/11/85 SUBJ: Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome I just came from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. It is a fantastic movie, outshowing Back to the Future, and a sure candidate for best picture of the year. It's all about post WWIII life on Earth and the struggle for power and the trials and politics involved in aspiring to form a system of justice, and some form of civilized society. The themes run deep, often paralleling Golding's Lord of the Flies, but it is on a more optimistic level. Movie critics will love the complexities of theme and symbolism the picture presents in not only projecting a post nuclear war situation, but in allegorically characterizing existing institutions as well. On the subject of individual actors, all fared very well with the exception of Tina Turner who still thought she was at one of her concerts, nevertheless her theme song renditions more than made up for her acting deficiencies.(I must admit that I am a hardcore Tina Turner fan). If anyone else has seen the movie and has comments ple please let me know. . B3> MESG: 8 FROM: THE BIFFER DATE: 07/13/85 SUBJ: goonies goonies was funny, but lacked more adult homor. ideal for kids 8-13. Many funny things in this move, plus a deceint plot made this move worth while. A good movie for kids. B3> MESG: 9 FROM: THE WHEELSTER DATE: 07/14/85 SUBJ: RED SONJA SUCKS I WARN EVERYBODY..DO NOT SEE RED SONJA. THE MOVIE MAKES NO SENCE AND DONT ASK ME THE PLOT CAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA! I FELL ASLEEP THE LAST 40 MINUTES, AND I HAVE NEVER FALLEN ASLEEP IN A MOVIE BEFORE IN MY LIKE. A REAL BOMB!!!!!! THE WHEELSTER B3> MESG: 10 FROM: THE WHEELSTER DATE: 07/14/85 SUBJ: ANYBODY SEE DAY OF THE DEAD? DID ANY DUDES OR DUDETS SEE DAY OF THE DAY. LETS GET A REVIEW. IS IT BETTER THAN THE OTHER ONES? B3> MESG: 11 FROM: CLAUDE BROGLE DATE: 07/16/85 SUBJ: Day of the Dead. It a great movie not as funny as dawn of dead. Alsow its not the continuation of dawn fo dead Lots of zombies and Blood and people being eaten. A treat for the whily. Cant say any more you have to see the movie. Claude Brogle B3>N New User Info: New users are always welcome on the Searchlight (well at least as long as my disk space holds out). I am trying to make this a general interest bbs rather than restrict it to a particular topic or brand of computer. To be validated, please do the following: >> Leave mail to the SYSOP with your real name, address & phone number. Also tell me what computer you are using, and anything else you think I may be interested in hearing. Or, try to Chat. >> I will validate your account as soon as possible. This is a free system, so there are no fees. Just don't go trying to trash the thing on me and I'll be cool. MAIN>top