From: "Strong, Lee" <StrongL at MTMC.ARMY.MIL>
To: "'WSFA members'" <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Geezers of the Computer Age
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 10:42:55 -0400
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

	Yah, I learned word processing on a Wang, and, No, you haven't heard
all possible Wang jokes.  I also have two documents from 1988 in which I
used dBase 2 data base management as a form of word processing.

-----Original Message-----
From: Erica VD Ginter [mailto:eginter at klgai.com]
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 5:18 PM
To: 'WSFA members'
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Netiquette

I can top that! I learned word processing on a Wang; later we upgraded to
Xywrite.

Erica
who has heard all possible Wang jokes

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Walsh [mailto:MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu]
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 9:44 AM
To: WSFAlist at keithlynch.net
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Netiquette

> bnewton at ashcomp.com 04/11/02 09:59PM
>I have a couple of thoughts on style and netiquette, for what they're =
worth:
>
>If I remember correctly, the plaintext style of using _underscores_  =
thusly
>to indicate underlined (or italicized) text might have originated with =
the
>keystroke combinations from CP/M Wordstar. . .anybody remember?

Oh my . . . .WordStar.
For those you too young to have used it, here's a pretty good site: =
http://www.petrie.u-net.com/wordstar/tutorial/tutorial.htm .

According to the referenced site, underline was [Contol]PS.

Having been "upgraded" to WordPerfect 9, there is something to be said =
about a wordproccesor program that does not require ones hands to leave =
the keyboard, and I"m not even that fast of a typist..

In the April issue of Asimovs (http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0204/Ref.html)=
 Silverbob writes:
"So I have never fully made it into the era of Windows. I am writing this =
right now on a quite functional 1991 computer that doesn't even have a =
modem. MS-DOS is its operating system, and a fairly ancient version of =
MS-DOS at that. The word-processing program I use is the same one I've =
been using since 1982, when in fact I was something of a pioneer in the =
use of such things by writers, and it is so old that it's incompatible =
with any program used by anybody else. Which is all okay by me: my =
professional needs are met, I have lost the desire to master a lot of =
complex new gadgetary skills, and so be it."

He also writes about dealing with computer geek talk.  Hmmmm, sounds =
familiar . . .

>
>Bottom quoting is ok with me as long as the entire email is visible on =
the
>screen.  If it gets longer, something a little more sophisticated is =
called
>for.
>
>I *really* no, REALLY hate skipping down through two or three screens =
of
>crap I read two days ago to see where someone agrees.  This is really
>inconsiderate, and we should probably throw things at the guilty =
parties.
>You know who you are!

Remember: The Delete Key Is Your Friend.
It's Easy! It's Fun!
Use It!
It's Calorie Free!

mjw

>
>I think that Keith talks to too many system administrators.  Ted is =
right
>about people liking to be able to make their thoughts look as bad as =
they
>sound/read/smell.  A major source of HTML based email is corporate =
America,
>buying MS Office at huge volume discounts and forcing thousands of =
hapless
>workers to use Express and Outlook.  Then paying for a security staff =
to
>try and filter out the MS-specific viruses, locking out access to the
>Internet for several days a year.
>
>Barry
>