The Twit Filter: The Professional Amateur

 

The Twit Filter: The Professional Amateur

by Dave Bealer

FidoNet has been the largest amateur e-mail network in the world

practically since its inception.  USENET has been the largest public

research/educational network for many years.  Both of these networks

were founded with, and have operated for years with, strict non-

profit policies.  In the early days compliance was not a problem.

Years ago only bit-headed PC communications experts could cobble

together a working FidoNet system from the dizzying array of

allegedly compatible utilities available.  Those who had passed this

initiation were unlikely to simply pass the information on, intact,

to someone who didn't "belong."  While friendlier Fido sysops would

lend assistance and advice to newcomers, the newbies were still

required to complete the FidoNet utility scavenger hunt before their

system was complete.

Early USENET systems ran on UNIX mainframes which could only be

afforded by Universities, government agencies, and large companies.

Most of the early USENET users were therefore students, scientists,

and military/intelligence workers.  Not the kind of group that would

try to conduct big business in the newsgroups.

Today it seems everyone is trying to cash in on the Internet.  An

"Internet Business Journal" recently started up to pander to the

suits who are invading jeans and t-shirt territory and trying to tame

the UNIX command line with their evil GUIs.  The Clinton regime

hijacked the Internet and has offered it up as the core of their 

fabulous solve-all-our-problems "Information Superhighway."  In the 

face of all the money being thrown at the Internet, the "professional

amateurs" howl piteously about how their precious "free" Internet is

being used for evil profit.  Apparently these characters never

realized that *somebody* was paying for the UNIX mainframes they were

using all these years.  As Heinlein would say, "TANSTAAFL."

The most avid professional amateurs inhabit FidoNet (sometimes it

seems as though the people most avid about *everything* inhabit

FidoNet).  "Back in the 'good' old days, I used to pay $5,000/month

in phone bills to import the echoes for me and my three buddies.  Now

these damned cost sharing plans and satellite feeds are taking the

glory out of it."  Sure, paying $50/month for an entire message and

file feed may be efficient, but it's just not sexy enough.  These

guys should go to Las Vegas.  With that extra $4,950/month they could

buy all the ego, glory, and sex they could ever need or want.  The

trouble is that what they really need is common sense, which is not

something you can buy.

The worst professional amateurs are disgruntled sysops who previously

tried to go commercial and failed miserably.  Since these guys tried

to turn professional and couldn't hack it, they delight in leading

witch hunts to root out any evil commercialization of their "beloved"

FidoNet.  They're as bad as ex-smokers.  Eventually all the real pros

will venture forth into the Internet and beyond.  FidoNet will be

left with the true hobbyists, who never had any commercial desires.

Also hanging around will be the pitiful professional amateurs, whom

the hobbyists will have in their twit filters.                  {RAH}