eMail page My Mac #13, May 1996

Satan

  Proof that Bill Gates is the Devil

The real name of “the” Bill Gates is William Henry Gates III. Nowadays he is known as Bill Gates (III), where “III” means the order of third (3rd.)

By converting the letters of his current name to the ASCII-values and adding his (III), you get the following:

B = 66
I = 73
L = 76
L = 76
G = 71
A = 65
T = 84
E = 69
S = 83
+ 3
————
= 666 !!!!!!!!

Some might ask, “How did Bill Gates get so powerful?” Coincidence? Or just the beginning of mankind’s ultimate and total enslavement???

Before you decide, consider the following:
MS-DOS 6.21
77+83+45+68+79+83+32+54+46+50+49 = 666

WINDOWS 95
87+73+78+68+79+87+83+57+53+1 = 666

Coincidence? You decide……

From: CZEL

 
e-World meets AOL

  Have you seen the eworld version of AOL? e-merica online? Its a trip for all the eworld lovers out there! Check it out in the aloha library in AOL at keyword “eworld”.

Dustin L Roberts
 
Compuserve

  Just read MM#12, and got very excited about something you mentioned. I read that Compuserve had a new unlimited on line time, for under $20. Well, I quickly rifled through all my sign up disks and found one for Compuserve. Of course it was for Windoze. So off to the home page to download the Mac version. Then a quick sign up so I could find out the scoop on this hot new deal. 45 min. later no scoop, looking around I couldn’t find any mention of it. A quick call to customer service (very helpful by the way) confirmed that the new service did exist and was called WOW. Current Compuserve members could join for $14.95 /mo. with unlimited time, and non members could sign up for $17.95 /mo. for unlimited time. So sign me up already I’m screaming. She says …”and are you currently using the darkside?” (or something like that) I reply “Of course not!” Well to make a long story miserable, the software is only available in a Windoze version (it uses their browser). Quickly sign back on to Compuserve, Go Service, cancel membership. So this is not quite the nifty news item it might have been, though clearly a good sign of things to come especially if AOL follows suit. And the Mac version?….sometime this fall -thanx! Double checked with the WOW people, nope I can’t use my Mac version of Navigator sorry. Oh well, guess it’s time for some more Swoop.
Sincerely,
S. Blake

Thanks for the info., Blake! Wouldn’t you just know it is for the Windows side only!
Why am I not surprised. I suppose that this just adds to my reason not to join Compuserve. Any Compuserve member who can convince me otherwise is more than welcome to try…
 
BBS List’s

  Thanks for the ezine, “it’s great” doesn’t begin what should be said about it. I have a question and do not know who else to ask. Is there a list of BBS’s available anywhere?? If so, would you e-mail or publish it??
Thanks and keep up the great work
Remag@aol

On AOL, go to “Internet Connection” and start searching for BBS lists. I have found MANY listings there! The very BEST BBS I have ever seen and visited is called “Zero’s and One’s” in Chicago. It is a First Class Server, which means you will need the First Class software to *really* get the effect. (You can download FC on AOL). The number is 1-312-342-4475. You can call it via ZTerm or Claris, but you will miss much!

And if anyone else out there knows of any really cool Mac BBS’s, please write in and tell us about them! I will publish them anytime someone sends in any info. (Please include a phone number and what type of communication software is needed or recommended)

 
Guy Kawasaki

  Hi Russ……
I read and enjoyed your interview with Guy Kawasaki in “My Mac Online”. Just two complaints: First, it was *much* too brief. Second, the URLs given at the end of the article didn’t work. I got a message telling me that “Server fugax.com has no DNS entry”. Any suggestions?

I’m a recent convert to the Macintosh, having been a PC/DOS/Windows user for 14 years and an Osborne 01 user before that. For the past 6 years I have been publishing a hobby magazine using PC/Windows platform machines and living with the headaches of that platform because I didn’t know any better. When I tried to upgrade to a faster machine (Pentium 166, Windows 95) in January, the nightmare really began.

The machine as delivered was not what I had ordered. For starters, there was no SCSI port to plug in my scanner & ZIP drive. Seems simple enough, but the dealer had my machine for 3 weeks and couldn’t make it work with my peripherals. I got my money back and tried again….and again, and again.

Finally I took the advice of a publisher/editor friend of mine in Denver, and bought a Macintosh. It’s great! I just plugged everything in, loaded my software and started using it. I should have made the switch to Macintosh years ago!

Everything about the Mac is better than any PC I ever saw, and I saw a lot of them during my 25 years as an IBM Customer Engineer and EMC Lab technician.

But the Mac operating system is the real joy. When I found that the Macintosh doesn’t even come with a user’s manual, I was blown away. Could a state-of-the-art computer really be that easy to use? Yes, it could and it is!

I probably sound like some sort of zealot who has found a new religion, but I’m really nothing more than an overjoyed editor/publisher/computer junkie who has found the Holy Grail.

Long live the Macintosh! Long live Apple!
Best wishes,
Ron Brown

*Russ Reply’s*

Ron-
Thank you for the letter, compliments and complaints. 🙂

<<>>
Yes, it was, but as I said in the intro, this interview took place during the palace rebellion at Apple. My original interview with Guy was more then triple this one, but he requested, because of what was going on that I cut it down to the bare minimum. I did and what you see is the result. But, I will let you in on a “secret”; I have already spoken with him prior to it coming to print for a re-interview in the fall. So you will
get more of Guy K.

<<>>
When Guy sent the URL’s to me, the 1st thing I did was try them out. (Hey, I figured maybe the first on the block to try it out) They worked the first time, I wanted to make sure before I put them in print. When I received your message today, I immediately went up on line and tried it out, just like you said, no go. I contacted our Webmaster and asked him to check and see if I had somehow made an error. He couldn’t get up either. I tried again just a short time ago and I had no problem, got right into his
sites. I am going to send another message to Guy and inquire if there is a specific time frame involved with the sites, or if there was a problem. I will have any corrections or notices listed on the web page immediately.

I very much enjoyed your letter regarding the Mac. I have dozens of friends and coworkers who swear by Windows (and at it in the same breath) and rattle on how it’s just like the Mac. Then I listen to them bitch about installing this, that and the other thing and how none of it is working. When I tell them about my Mac, I get the “How can you use that idiot computer system. Don’t you know Windows is better, just like a Mac but on a better computer” But I don’t have the problems they do, I just plug something in, or double click on the installer and I’m off and running. They’re still sitting there days later changing some line in the auto.exec.bat or config. sys., or on the phone long distance trying to get the company to help them out. Me, I just smile a lot.

 
Into the Abyss

  Just read your column “Into the Abyss”. What a hoot. I can relate to it. I got my first Mac in 1985 and never looked back. But few years ago my wife was learning to transcribe Braille. She needed a computer in order to finish her trial manuscript in order to get certified. At that time the only program was a DOS based shareware application. I bought a used IBM 286 and had to teach myself (and my wife) how to use it. It was a very trying experience. I kept reaching my hand along the desk for this phantom mouse. About a year after she got her certification we dumped the 286. She now uses my old Mac][, types in English in ClarisWorks, sends her files over the modem to friend who has a Braille translator application running on her Mac. Everybody’s happy.

I enjoyed your -zine. That was the first issue I had come across.

Larry

I learn more uses for the Mac everyday, thanks to letters from people like Larry. If you do something that most people do not use their Mac for, write in and let us know! We would love to hear from you!