Hi, Gang- As promised, here is the first part of the article "The Electronic Ferret Comes of Age" Part Two should be ready in about a week or so. The Electronic Ferret Comes of Age by Roger D. McMillian Somewhere between the "real world" and Cyberspace lies a vast expanse known as the Electronic Frontier. To the uninitiated, it is as inaccessible as the files of the NSA, but to the growing numbers who have learned the hows and whys of online access, it is but a few keystrokes away. Many special interest groups have availed themselves of the myriad of services that reside in Cyberspace, from the serious business person seeking tips on planning a stock portfolio to the avid sci-fi enthusiast seeking info on upcoming productions or conventions, there is room for all beyond the frontier. Perhaps one of the most interesting exchanges of information occurring in Cyberspace is between the growing number of pet ferret enthusiasts that inhabit the "Big 7" online networks. These little furry creatures have garnered quite a following among the intelligent bipeds that daily 'log on' to one of several 'ferret forums' to ask questions, post information or comment on past postings. Until a few years ago, these were just random postings in generic "pet forums" on a few major online information services such as CompuServe, Delphi, Genie and Fidonet. FERRET FORUM On May 28, 1986, the first online service dedicated solely to the Domestic Ferret was established on a computerized Bulletin Board System (BBS) in Chicago called "Syslink". At that time, "Ferret Forum" was a local message base, with a private file section devoted to ferret related text files,but had callers from many states. A few months later, Syslink switched to another brand of software and joined a network called , oddly enough, "The Network". This meant that "Ferret Forum" could spread its wings and become an "Echomail Conference" (or simply, an Echo - a message base that is shared by more than one BBS - in this case, one in Yuma, Arizona). Traffic increased a little, but it wasn't until Syslink switched to FIDOnet that it was able to really fly. Soon it was being seen on BBSes in Yardley PA, Madison WI, Springfield MO, Wichita KS, Hartford CT and Rockville MD. Plans are in the works to expand to Nationwide Distribution as soon as the bureaucracy at FIDOnet is satisfied that there is sufficient interest to warrant National Echo status. Additional plans call for expansion to other compatible networks with the help of "Gateways" BBS systems that handle more than one network. One such network, WWIVnet, already has a 'clone' of Ferret Forum running on two systems and plans to link up with FIDOnet by the time this article is published. Connecting with Ferret Forum There are currently ten systems carrying the Ferret Forum Echo. To access them, you must have access to a computer with a modem. Once you have accessed the BBS, take time to familiarize yourself with the system and check out the other features the designers have provided. Then check out the Ferret Forum section and, if you have posting access, leave a message. Introduce yourself, tell them about your ferrets and the extent of your interest in them. If you like what you see, tell your friends. Location BBS Name Phone # Berwyn, IL Chicago Syslink BBS (708) 795-4442 Chicago, IL I-CAN BBS (312) 736-7388 Lake Villa, IL Nessy Lochs BBS (708) 356-6897 * Hartford, CT Gurps Connection (203) 239-7359 Yuma, AZ Cactus Patch BBS (602) 342-5180 Springfield, MO Galactic Starbase BBS (417) 833-2273 Wichita, KS BJ's Brass Monkey BBS (316) 945-7860 Yardley, PA US Telematics BBS (215) 493-5242 Rockville, MD Coral Sea Park BBS (301) 424-2383 * Charlotte, NC Imminent Front (704) 554-1041 G * = At press time these systems had not yet connected to FIDOnet. Estimated date of connection for these systems is August 1, 1993 G = This system has the connections to act as a "Gateway" between Fidonet and WWIVnet.This should occur on or about July 21, 1993. --- [WeaseLink 1.1 - Be Politically Correct - Legalize Ferrets!] -- =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= (Gated via FidoNet Node 1:1/31) Roger Mcmillian Internet: [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 0520]