Possibilities - Letters to Phil 11/90

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LETTERS TO PHIL 11/90
---------------------

*** From November 1990 Possibilities Newsletter ***
*** Copyright 1990 by eSoft, Inc.  All Rights Reserved ***

Letters TO Phil

It has been a long long time since I've written to you.  Because of the 
fine, very reliable software products eSoft sells, I very seldom have 
anything to say.  Today UPS delivered my copy of TDBS.  However, after 
installing the product and writing my FIRST program I felt compelled to 
complain about the following:

1) The new eSoft binders are very smart and modern looking.  It may not sell 
more software, but it is certainly a step above the old basic blue/gray 
binders.

2) TDBS is definitely everything I expected and then some.  Worth all those 
missed lunches saving up for it.

Although ... it is very embarrassing to see a grown man running up and down 
the hall screaming "it works, it really works!"  I guess I can't expect any 
mods to fix these "problems" in the near future, huh?!?

George Thomas
Houston, Texas 

[The only MOD I can suggest is to place a paper bag over your head before 
you run up and down the hall screaming.  It isn't a complete "fix" but it 
does minimize the side effects. - Phil]

Congratulations on the birth of another brilliant brainchild (TDBS 1.1).  I 
put in a proposal to my employers to buy both TBBS and TDBS today.  It would 
solve all the problems caused by this $80,000 Xenix software-from-hell [we 
now use].  That price is just for the software -- add Ethernet hardware and 
16 Mb of memory to support 8 users. Then add $100/hour for the systems 
apologist who comes out to "fix it" and instead tells us why we "don't need" 
what we want.

I've been trying to think of an office environment in which TBBS/TDBS would 
not be appropriate.  Right now, heavy word processing seems to be about the 
only application that can't really be satisfied.  I would imagine that the 
minds that created Card Guppies could come up with a dBase spreadsheet, 
wouldn't you?

David Hakala
Denver, Colorado

I am a management analyst for the  Internal Revenue Service.  I recently 
acquired a copy of TBBS to put up an 8 line bulletin board for people who 
are required to file information returns.  This BBS has stirred a great deal 
of interest within the service and there is a lot of talk about instituting 
similar systems for other projects.

My first week or so with TBBS was difficult.  It made me stomp and snort. I 
had read all the way through the manuals (which I never do) before I even 
tried to install it.  I got to the place where making myself get back to 
work on it took a major effort.

Finally, I convinced my boss to let me come in one Saturday and work on it 
when there would be no interruptions.  In one eight hour period I created 
all my menus, set up my entire system, and had it operational. Now I wonder 
why I didn't understand it.  This is not a complaint, just a testimonial.  
If I had a complaint it would be that I find the manual a bit obtuse.

Peter Peer
Martinsburg, West Virginia

[Your comments on the need for an introductory tutorial are valid.  TBBS can 
appear more intimidating to the new user than it really is.  I will be 
addressing that problem in future releases by developing a complete 
tutorial.  In the meantime thanks for giving it one more try and discovering 
that it really is easy once you see what it is all about - Phil]

The [Buzzwords] series by Alan Bryant in your newsletter [June, July, and
August Possibilities - Ed.] was excellent. I was wondering if you had it in 
download form so that I could post it for my users. I am continually getting 
calls from new users (also new to communications) about problems and if they 
could get these articles, they may be able to help themselves thru better 
understanding.

Lynn Herder
Muskegon, Michigan

[Due to the tremendous number of requests for an electronic form of this 
series, it has been made available.  You can download it from the support 
BBS file area.  It is named BUZZWRDS.TXT - Phil]

- END -
PS1190-4
Rev. 11/90

Copyright (C) 1994 eSoft, Inc., All Rights Reserved.  Permission granted
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