I found a number of 5.25″ disks at a thrift store a number of years ago (we are talking late 1990s probably). I finally got around to acquiring a 5.25″ disk drive and extracting the contents a several years back. Since then, I have been occasionally posting the content here.
Based on the contents, at least some of these disks were apparently once owned by someone named Connie who used to run the “Close Encounters” Special Interest Group (SIG) on Delphi in the mid 1980s.
A description of this SIG was found in a document on one of the disks: “This SIG, known as ‘Close Encounters’, is a forum for the discussion of relationships that develop via computer services like the Source, CompuServe, and Delphi. Our primary emphasis is on the sexual aspects of those relationships.”
This service was text based and was accessed via whatever terminal program you used on your computer to dial in to Delphi’s servers. Many of these disks have forum messages, e-mails and chat session logs. All of this is pre-internet stuff and I don’t know if there are any archives in existence today of what was on Delphi in the 1980s. In any case, much of this stuff would have been private at the time and probably wouldn’t be in such archives even if they existed.
This post includes the contents of DM0125.DOC. This file is dated September 2nd, 1985. This seems to be a file capture of a mail reading session. While the file is dates in September, the e-mails are dated in late January 1985. Most are requests to join a special interest group. One of them specifically mentions “Friendship Circle” but I suppose the others could be for that or for “Close Encounters” since “CABUYS” seems to have been the admin of both.
There’s also an e-mail from UAP0M about a monthly SIGOPs meeting. I’m not sure what the last e-mail is all about.
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DM0125.DOC
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read 2
MAIL #2
From: UAP0M 24-JAN-1985 19:31
To: WES,DAN,CHUCKG,KIP,@SIGOPS
Subj: SIGOP Conference reminder.
A quick reminder of the first monthly SIGOPs meeting this comin
g sSaturday
01/26/85 at 9:00 pm (ET) in group SIGOPS MEETING in DELPHI CONF
ERENCE. The
passordword is: SGIS Hope you all can make it.
To JOIN a PASSWORD PROTECTED GROUP, do the following:
1) Enter the DELPHI CONFERENCE SYSTEM
2) issue the following command : /PASS SGIS
3) Issue ?/JOIN SIGOPS MEETING or /TALK ,<3# assigned to grou
p>
MAIL>
MAIL #3
From: ARMIAS 25-JAN-1985 22:58
To: CABUYS
Subj: PASSWORD
I would like to become a member of this great sig and receive a
ll the wonderfull
of the oard.
Thanks,
ARMIAS
MAIL>
MAIL #4
From: TEDDY 26-JAN-1985 01:37
To: CABUYS
Subj: MEMBERSHIP
I am a new member of Delphi and would very much like to join th
e Friendship Circ
feel the group could be mutually beneficial. I am free most ev
enings and weeken
Best,
Teddy
MAIL>
MAIL #5
From: DAVROS 26-JAN-1985 13:36
To: CABUYS
Subj: HI AGAIN.
I haven't received your response to my note of last week. I ju
st want
to reiterate my interest in your SIG.
MAIL>
MAIL #6
From: CSG01 26-JAN-1985 14:41
To: CABUYS
Like to join..Sarah..34..Single..
Send reply to CSG01..
Thanks..
Sarah..
MAIL>
MAIL #7
From: JSPLEAR 26-JAN-1985 14:50
To: CABUYS
Subj: USER ACCESS
NEW USER NAME
DOUG CURTIS
MAIL>
MAIL #8
From: JSPLEAR 26-JAN-1985 15:20
To: CABUYS
Subj: MAIL TO SIG MANAGER
?
MAIL>
No more messages
MAIL> ^Z
(Back to Conference)
CONF>w
llist ist dm0126.mai
From: ELLISCO 24-JAN-1985 21:08
To: CABUYS
Subj: Sympathy
Sorry you are in such pain. Best offer
available is
a shoulder <it's soft and it's sanforized>. I share your
problem
to a lesser degree <trear in corner of one eye>. Have not heard
of a cure
for this affliction. Perhaps you will win a
lottery and be able to get lifetime access .
Keep smiling
something good will come of this .
Dick
WC>
