Old online service file areas - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

25 Dec 2000

I do still have an original floppy containing a DOS client for AOL, and
something a little earlier- AOL either used to call their server PC-LINK
or PC-LINK was a seperate service offered by AOL to users of Tandy's
DeskMate software.

But a friend who was the early AOL adopter from whom I got these disks
told me that the reason he had to upgrade to a PC that was Windows-
capable was that AOl was discontinuing the DOS-mode service.

Whether DOS-mode meant text mode or not, I'm not sure.

As to the file collections, I was a CompuServe and BIX user
...
 from '85 to '87, and most of the CP/M stuff was
the same, most of the Mac stuff was the same, etc. I can think of one notable
exception that I preserved- source code for a threaded BIXMail
reader, written in DigiTalk's version of Smalltalk.

It was the forums that set the various services apart. I saved
tons of message traffic, but I lost most of it through platform
switches, crashes, early viruses, etc. I do still have some of
the BIX Smalltalk forum traffic saved.

What I wish I had were either printed or electronic sessions
...
 from my days as a user of Ward & Randy's BBS...

Regards,
-dq

...
  ----------
 From: 	Mark
 Reply To: 	classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
 Sent: 	Sunday, December 24, 2000 8:04 AM
 To: 	classiccmp
 Subject: 	Old online service file areas

 Hi,

 Are the file areas or forums of any of the old online services still
 accessible? I'm thinking of Compuserve, BIX, AOL and any others.

 They probably (used to) contain many files which would be useful for older
 computers, but which are not available on the internet.

 A brief visit to the Compuserve web site didn't turn up anything
 interesting.
 Have all the old file areas/forums been deleted? Is it still possible to
 access any of the online services using a text-based interface?

 This question arose from reading the document at
           http://www.dateq.net/ftp/CD-DRIVE/HITACHI/HIHELP.TXT

 That contains info on old Hitachi CD-ROM drives, including ones which use
 a
 proprietary interface. [Related to this, the most recent MS-DOS drivers
 for
 old Hitachi CD-ROM drives are available from Hitachi's USA BBS but not
 their
 web site. I uploaded the file to
 http://home.clara.net/markk/Hitachi/8bit.zip]

 Anyway, part of the HIHELP.TXT file reads:
   Filename:  HIHELP.TXT 
   Written Feb 93 REVISED 01Jan94 10Aug94

   For CIS distribution only - Permission required for publication
 elsewhere. 

 So this file was originally available on Compuserve. Is it still there?

 -- Mark