• Tag Archives digital archaeology

  • Digital Archaeology: Codex (Floppy Disk) #8 (part 13)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    A summary for those that haven’t been keeping up with this series:

    I found a bunch of 5.25″ disks at a thrift store a number of years ago. I finally got around to acquring a 5.25″ disk drive and extracting the contents a while back. Since then I have been posting the contents here.

    Based on the contents, at least some of these disks were apparently once owned by someone named Connie A. Buys who used to run the “Close Encounters” Special Interest Group (SIG) on Delphi in the mid 1980s.

    A specific definition of this SIG was found in a previous 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.”

    Everything was text based from whatever terminal program you used 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 some of it is quite personal.

    I’ve been splitting up the contents of this disk (descriptively labeled “File Disk”) since it contains a number of documents, some of which are pretty long. A 5.25″ floppy disk can still hold an impressive amount of info when it is just text. (see the previous parts here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12).

    The contents of this post includes the contents of a document called PEGGY.DOC. I believe this was later pasted into an e-mail (from “Connie” to “Peggy”) because I think the contents showed up in one of the earlier (and much longer) posts in this series that had a bunch of e-mail. Any time you were composing such an e-mail you would have wanted to do it locally on your computer because the risk was too great that you might be disconnected or something else might go wrong. Plus, you might very well be paying by the minute for your connection time.

    ===
    PEGGY.DOC
    ===

    Dear Peggy,

I got your letter, card, and stickers today. Thanks for the stickers -
they are some I haven't seen around here!

Since you've asked me twice what Rod called you about last week, I'm
going to *try*  to explain here and now.
I just hope that we are still friends afterwards.  (By the way, Rod
now understands that he was out of line by calling you about this!)
And *please* believe me, I'm not saying these things to hurt you - it
is just how I feel 

No, Peggy, I'm not upset over the fact that you have not split up with
Stu.  And yes, to some extent, I am upset over the changing that is
taking place within you because I don't see much change for the
better. 

What I have seen is one who was once very positive in her feelings and
thinking, who had so much confidence about her dealings with people
especially on line - I've seen that person become more uncertain, more
unsure, and not very pleased with herself.  In the words of another,
you once had it all together but you don't any more.  

I have tried to be very patient and very understanding of what you
were going thru.  But, Peggy, do you realize that you have turned your
back on what we once held to be very important to the three of us
(You, John, and me).  I counted so much on your help on line, within
the sig because you have this marvelous personality that makes people
feel at ease and allows them to talk. You *know* how to bring them out
of their shells, so to speak.  

I tried to separate your withdrawal from the sig from my personal
feelings about what was going on but I just can't do that.  The sig is
too much a part of me and I still value it's importance.  I told
myself that you had the right to do as you wished.  I tried to
convince myself that perhaps John and I had both pushed you too much
with this sig stuff or had taken for granted that you would want to be
a part of it all.  I kept as silent as I could and made every excuse
in the book but still it hurts.

I want so much to be rid of this feeling of betrayal but I guess time
will have to handle that.  I do hope that we are still friends and I
will keep in touch as often as I can.  But the very mention of Stu's
name brings this all back; altho I understand your need and desire to
talk about him, I can't deal with it.  I am sorry, so very sorry but I
don't know what else to do.

I do love you, Peggy, more than you may realize. You're my special
sister, my family, my friend, my confidant.  I hope that you can
forgive me for all this.

Love,
Connie

P.S.  Peggy, I know that at times it has looked like I've forgotten
the importance of the sig but I am very aware of this and with Rod's
help, I am working on it. It's mostly a case of setting my priorities
where Rod and the sig are concerned. And thank goodness, Rod supports
and encourages me to make this sig successful.

    📂This entry was posted in Computer Arcana 📎and tagged

  • Digital Archaeology: Codex (Floppy Disk) #8 (part 12)

    Posted on by Azrael 1 Comment

    A summary for those that haven’t been keeping up with this series:

    I found a bunch of 5.25″ disks at a thrift store a number of years ago. I finally got around to acquring a 5.25″ disk drive and extracting the contents a while back. Since then I have been posting the contents here.

    Based on the contents, at least some of these disks were apparently once owned by someone named Connie A. Buys who used to run the “Close Encounters” Special Interest Group (SIG) on Delphi in the mid 1980s.

    A specific definition of this SIG was found in a previous 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.”

    Everything was text based from whatever terminal program you used 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 some of it is quite personal.

    I’ve been splitting up the contents of this disk (descriptively labeled “File Disk”) since it contains a number of documents, some of which are pretty long. A 5.25″ floppy disk can still hold an impressive amount of info when it is just text. (see the previous parts here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11).

    The contents of this post includes the contents of a document called OMNITERM.RCV. It appears to be a raw log of a terminal session where Delphi was dialed up, the current users in the “Close Encounters” group were listed, and some mail was read and written. Some of it looks a little odd because the edits are shown as they happened so you see everything as opposed to the final edited e-mail that was sent.

    ===
    OMNITERM.RCV
    ===

    
6597|Jyu
DISCONNECT
*dt 3561115x
DIALING...t 3561115
RINGING...
ON LINE ORIG
~x|
UNINET PAD 3EC0 PORT 00
service : gvc


*u001 000 connected to 61703051


Username: CABUYS
Password: 

            You have 1 new Mail message.




Hello CABUYS

Welcome to DELPHI
Copyright (c) 1985
General Videotex Corporation


Logon at   :  2-NOV-1985 17:51:35
Last Logon :  2-NOV-1985 15:03:59



*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Close Encounters - The Intimate Side
   of Computer Telecommunications
       (c) 1985 SLG Associates
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*


There will be a conference tonight at the usual
time.  I have no planned topic but am open to
suggestion(s).

ENCOUNTER> w

Close Encounters Members online:

CABUYS        

ENCOUNTER> ent *

 2-NOV 17:52  Connie - Sig Manager (CABUYS)
 2-NOV 17:40  Willie Boger (WIL1)
 2-NOV 17:34  John - Asst. Manager (JOHNMYSELF)
 2-NOV 16:36  greg (SCOT)
 2-NOV 16:13  Bob (RBS)
 2-NOV 16:01  PATRICK MCINTYRE (OSPAT)
 2-NOV 14:49  HAL (PAKWAX)
 2-NOV 14:35  Santiago (PARAGUAY)
 2-NOV 14:34  Lee Veal (LVEAL)
 2-NOV 13:58  John Peterson (JOHNP)
 2-NOV 13:50  Frank Curl (MACULA)
 2-NOV 13:47  Elizabeth (WILLARD)
 2-NOV 13:31  pegasus (MARS)
 2-NOV 13:24  Steve Mencik (SMENCIK)
 2-NOV 12:03  Lin Koeppel (DORA)
 2-NOV 12:03  Marti (ILLUSION)
 2-NOV 10:14   (BERTUS)
 2-NOV 09:02  mark sarisky (SARISKY)
 2-NOV 08:26  Joe - SysOp (JOEY)
 2-NOV 07:20  B. Robbins (TEVA)
 2-NOV 06:42  Bob (FRIED)
 2-NOV 06:13  Jon (DAVROS)
 2-NOV 03:20  LARRY (KB6HFQ)
 2-NOV 02:53  karen winnett (HOTLACE)
 2-NOV 02:25  Stan Krute (STANKRUTE)
 2-NOV 02:23  CHRIS (CDVARN)
 2-NOV 02:19  Rod (RODM)
 2-N*OUTPUT OFF*
ENCOUNTER> 
ENCOUNTER> ma


You have 1 new message.

MAIL> 
    #1           2-NOV-1985 16:08:53                                     NEWMAIL
From:   BOS1A::WIL1        
To:     CABUYS
Subj:   


Okay, just get me some info soon, if you don't mind.

Willie (WIl1)

MAIL> ^Z

ENCOUNTER> ma
s
rod
m
MAIL> 

To:     
Subj:   very important I think!


Enter your message below. Press CTRL/Z when complete, or CTRL/C to quit:
Darling,

I was in computer room for                                                                                  As I walked into the computer room after getting home from work today, I
noticed a white noteb               three-ring binder on the floor near the closet door.

I picked it up and it has all             a lot of stuff in it about WCPX-TV, Orlando.
Looks mighty important to me!!!

Hard to believe for the first time you forgot something here!  

I love you!!

Love,
Connie
^Z
New mail on node BOS1A from CABUYS       "CONNIE"

MAIL> s

To:     rodm

Subj:   working Sunday


Enter your message below. Press CTRL/Z when complete, or CTRL/C to quit:
Honey,

I'll be working Sunday in the office too.  Not sure for how long or what time
I/   'll even get there. sigh.

By the way, we'll have to postpone any trips to the Laundromat for a while 
 because I finally gave up and bought a used washing machine that should
 hold me for a while - at least until I have            am better able to buy a
new one.

Love,
Connie
^Z
New mail on node BOS1A from CABUYS       "CONNIE"

MAIL> s

To:     rodm

Subj:   testing something

Enter your message below. Press CTRL/Z when complete, or CTRL/C to quit:
I'm testing something out on you! 

   I Love You!
   Lick Kiss Nibble Lick Hugs and Squeezes Lisses
   /s rodm I Love You!!!
   /s johnmyself I Love You!

End of test! 
 

Love,
Connie
^Z
New mail on node BOS1A from CABUYS       "CONNIE"

MAIL> rean   d newmail

Unrecognized command verb - check validity and spelling
 \REAN\

MAIL> read newmail

    #1           2-NOV-1985 17:55:30                                     NEWMAIL
From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
To:     RODM,CABUYS      
Subj:   very important I think!


Darling,

As I walked into the computer room after getting home from work today, I
noticed a white three-ring binder on the floor near the closet door.

I picked it up and it has a lot of stuff in it about WCPX-TV, Orlando.
Looks mighty important to me!!!

Hard to believe for the first time you forgot something here!  

I love you!!

Love,
Connie

MAIL> 

    #2           2-NOV-1985 17:57:01                                     NEWMAIL
From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
To:     RODM,CABUYS      
Subj:   working Sunday


Honey,

I'll be working Sunday in the office too.  Not sure for how long or what time
I'll even get there. sigh.

By the way, we'll have to postpone any trips to the Laundromat for a while 
 because I finally gave up and bought a used washing machine that should
 hold me for a while - at least until I am better able to buy a
new one.

Love,
Connie

MAIL> 

    #3           2-NOV-1985 18:03:13                                     NEWMAIL
From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
To:     RODM,CABUYS      
Subj:   testing something

I'm testing something out on you! 

   I Love You!
   Lick Kiss Nibble Lick Hugs and Squeezes Lisses
   /s rodm I Love You!!!
   /s johnmyself I Love You!

End of test! 
 

Love,
Connie

MAIL> s

To:     rodm

Subj:   another test 

Enter your message below. Press CTRL/Z when complete, or CTRL/C to quit:
Honey,

Just in case you don't know it:

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
l   I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
l   I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

So there! 

Love,
Conneie 
^Z
New mail on node BOS1A from CABUYS       "CONNIE"

Press RETURN to return to reading your mail

MAIL> 

    #3           2-NOV-1985 18:03:13                                     NEWMAIL
From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
To:     RODM,CABUYS      
Subj:   testing something

I'm testing something out on you! 

   I Love You!
   Lick Kiss Nibble Lick Hugs and Squeezes Lisses
   /s rodm I Love You!!!
   /s johnmyself I Love You!

End of test! 
 

Love,
Connie

MAIL> 

No more messages

MAIL> read newmail

    #1           2-NOV-1985 18:06:56                                     NEWMAIL
From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
To:     RODM,CABUYS      
Subj:   another test 

Honey,

Just in case you don't know it:

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

So there! 

Love,
Conne ie

MAIL> 

No more messages

MAIL> ^Z

ENCOUNTER> w

Close Encounters Members online:

CABUYS        

ENCOUNTER> ma

MAIL> s

To:     rodm

Subj:   lost disk found!

Enter your message below. Press CTRL/Z when complete, or CTRL/C
 to quit:
Honey,

I can't believe this!

This morning I looked everywhere for that missing disk! I couldn't find it!

I looked again when I got he   ome because I thought a file I needed might be on
it and again could not find it!

Just *not*      w* I realized the B drive was not closed - yet there was a disk in it
and you                     and I feel so silly because that      e disk I was looking for was in there!

I might            ust not be fully awake even it   f it is the end of the day!

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 


Love,
Connie
^Z
read newmail
New mail on node BOS1A from CABUYS       "CONNIE"

MAIL> 
    #1           2-NOV-1985 18:10:10                                     NEWMAIL
From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
To:     RODM,CABUYS      
Subj:   lost disk found!


Honey,

I can't believe this!

This morning I looked everywhere for that missing disk! I couldn't find it!

I looked again when I got home because I thought a file I needed might be on
it and again could not find it!

Just *now* I realized the B drive was not closed - yet there was a disk in it
and I feel so silly because the disk I was looking for was in there!

I must not be fully awake even if it is the end of the day!

I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I
 Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I
 Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I
 Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I
 Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I
 Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 
I Love You! I Love You!! I Love You!!! I Love You!!!! I Love You! I Love You!! I
 Love You!!! I Love You!!!! 

Love,
Connie

 MAIL>

    📂This entry was posted in Computer Arcana 📎and tagged

  • Digital Archaeology: Codex (Floppy Disk) #8 (part 11)

    Posted on by Azrael 5 Comments

    A summary for those that haven’t been keeping up with this series:

    I found a bunch of 5.25″ disks at a thrift store a number of years ago. I finally got around to acquring a 5.25″ disk drive and extracting the contents a while back. Since then I have been posting the contents here.

    Based on the contents, at least some of these disks were apparently once owned by someone named Connie A. Buys who used to run the “Close Encounters” Special Interest Group (SIG) on Delphi in the mid 1980s.

    A specific definition of this SIG was found in a previous 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.”

    Everything was text based from whatever terminal program you used 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 some of it is quite personal.

    I’ve been splitting up the contents of this disk (descriptively labeled “File Disk”) since it contains a number of documents, some of which are pretty long. A 5.25″ floppy disk can still hold an impressive amount of info when it is just text. (see the previous parts here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

    The contents of this post includes the contents of a document called NEWFORUM.DOC. It appears to be a message about some new commands available on Delphi when in a Forum. It is dated October 11th and I believe this is from 1985.

    ===
    NEWFORUM.DOC
    ===

    list newforum.doc
File NEWFORUM.DOC was not found.

WS> list newforum
 
6568 11-OCT 13:22 FLAgShip Archives
     NEW Forum Commands
     From: DEB          To: ALL
 
 
   Delphi has made some (long requested) changes to the DIRECTORY command in
the FORUM.  The two new options are a directory of a range of messages
(specified by two numbers separated by a colon) and for messages
containing a particular group of characters, word, or phrase in
the subject.
 
   You can also string options together on one command, such as
 
   DIRECTORY FROM DEB TO ALL SUBJECT "new forum commands"
 
which should list this message!
 
In short, all the DIRectory options are:
 
* FROM 
* TO   
* WAITING
* NEW
* SUBJECT  -- this will search for specific strings withing the
message header itself.  Those strings with imbedded spaces need to
be enclosed in quotation marks. Search strings which include one word
will not need the quotes.
* :  -- will scan a range of lines.  Reasonable abbreviations are
allowed, such as
 
DIR 100:200 - scans message headers for numbers 100 to 200.
DIR :200 - lists messages below and including 200
DIR 200  - lists messages starting with 200.
THREAD - when used with a number or range, lists the thread containing
the specified message.  When used alone, lists the thread containing
the current message.  It can also be used with the SUBJECT qualifier.
 
 
   In addition to these exciting new search parameters within the DIR command
on the FORUM, You can now also use WHO and SEND from any FORUM> prompt, just
the same as it can be used at the *FLAGSHIP* prompt.


WS>

    📂This entry was posted in Computer Arcana 📎and tagged