Text 22655, 85 rader
Skriven 2011-10-23 22:19:14 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
  Kommentar till text 22653 av Richard Webb (1:116/901.0)
Ärende: FidoNews Vol. 28 No. 43 Editorial
=========================================
Hi Richard,

>> Richard takes on the big boys we deal with every day in his
>> article,      The RISE AND FALL OF THE AMATEURS.  He queries whether
>> the days of      the amateur are done?  I can't imagine that.

> I'm hoping i don't ever have to, but I'm concerned that my
> grandson, and the grandchildren of many of us could easily
> see that day.  Within public service and humanitarian ham
> radio we see some of the same battle we see in FIdonet, the
> battle for meaningful work to do.  Without that meaningful
> work, in the case of FIdonet that means files and messages
> to move; structures to maintain; we lose our reason to
> exist, and before that, our reason to care if it exists.
> That bbs machine just sits in the corner in the basement.

Ah.. Well, I can hope that with the designs that the internet brings us we'll
see more innovations - there is still software to be written - such as software
that will allow people to pack up messages on a web forum, reply offline, and
upload them to the source like qwk mail.  Vince Perellio was recently inquiring
about just that for a friend of his, in the the facebook fidonews group.

>> much rather think      of our "today"'s entrepreneur's as the body
>> of fidonet, finding ways      to make things better for the
>> community they love.

>Indeed, I would too, and think entreprenurship will survive, but wonder if the
> telecom giants will be so adept at
> delivering service "right here right now" to us that we'll
> eventually lose the desire to innovate in the telecom world.

hehe.. could be.. but then sometimes you see silly commercials on TV for things
like Iphones.. (I'm locked out of my house!  I don't know how to change a
tire!) Eh.. Can people get any lazier or less responsible ??? <bg>  Like the
Iphone will be their saviour...

[...]
> expect.  Their cellular carriers brought in portable cell
> sites to the sports stadium where they were temporarily
>located, and they had their e-text and their phones.  But as I posited in that
> piece, they can't always ramp up fast
> enough or with enough infrastructure.

Yeah, I can believe that.

> I'll tell you a little story here from my week marooned on
> hospital Island in NEw ORleans.  I'd slip out to the little
> patch of cement that was above the water where us evil
> smokers congregated, and on the way I'd see folks bartering
> or paying good money, not just for cigarettes, but for use
> of somebody's cell phone if they had a carrier that could
> give them a dial out.  THE going rate seemed to be a $5 bill for a chance at
> getting a connection.  You'd see a nurse
> borrow somebody's phone, punch in her number, hit send, get
> the usual "all circuits are busy" response and the tears
> roll down her face.  THen I'd walk over to her, put an arm

Oh yeah..I can only imagine what that was like.

> across her shoulders and tell her to come up to the radio
> room on the fourth floor and we'd get her fixed up with a
> message to whoever she was wishing to contact, no money need change hands.
> I had plenty of takers that week believe me <grin>.

No doubt in my mind there will always be a place for ham radio.. though I guess
as you say, it's getting younger people interested in it that is the problem. I
think Fidonet is more fortunate in that respect.. we do still draw young folks.
 We need to get them involved _in_ fidonet though.  I try to do this every
chance I can.

>> I have to admit though, I did love Richard's line about
>> Scotty's      transporter :) :) :)  (being a trekkie and all that
>> <grin>)

> YEah I know, I'm more like BOnes, I'm not sure I'd want my
> atoms scattered around by that thing, maybe it wouldn't put
> me back together correctly <grin>.

hahaha :)

Take care,
Janis

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Dada-1
 * Origin: Prism bbs (1:261/38)