Electronic Communications

Computer Communications

I've enjoyed using desktop computers ever since they started to come into widespread use in the early eighties. The department I was in went for Apple II's and that gave me the impetus to buy a computer of my own, a Dragon 32. I followed that with an Atari ST but it wasn't until IBM-compatibles, particularly the Amstrad 1512 and 1640 models, appeared in force in the late eighties that significant changes in office practice occurred.

On the home front, a borrowed modem and a look at the local Bulletin Board scene convinced me that I wanted to do more of this and I spent a lot of money (more than I care to remember!) on a modem that is contemptably slow by modern standards. That was the beginning, though, and by the end of 1991 I was running my own BBS, still running, twenty-four hours a day on 01332-662988.

The amateur networks, Fidonet is the daddy of them all, have been overshadowed by the Internet lately but still have a lot to offer. Fidonet still covers the globe through its network of thousands of boards like mine. It may be slower transferring messages from site to site than the Internet but it's also very much cheaper since few boards charge for access. Please click on the logo to go to the Fidonet International site. From there you can obtain information on your local Fidonet organisation.

You don't need the latest whizz-bang PC to enjoy Fidonet or its sister networks. You can work quite happily and economically on older PC's (386 and above are fine and cheap to buy second hand now) Commodore Amigas, Acorns, Atari ST's as well as Apples (and no doubt other computers as well). The critical thing is to get as fast a modem as you can afford. These days, look for V.34+ on the box and try to make sure that it's upgradable to the new V.90 specification. Don't worry about what it means, just remember the codes! They'll ensure that you connect to the Host system as fast as possible.

Less-used computers, like the Atari machines I use for the BBS, are also catered for by smaller networks using the same technology and NeST is a good example. It's small and very friendly . If you run an Atari ST, TT or Falcon then this is where you should be!