From: John Mehrtens
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2002 2:17 AM
Subject: BBS Memories..

     I'm the SysOp of Drag/Net BBS (Well, it's in a "transition" stage
now) -- an obscure BBS from Northern Rhode Island (1984-1993 in RI,
1994-1999 in NH, 2000- in MA) which had a great following.

     Think of an old cult movie -- there are people still seeing the
movie, no matter how bad it is to critics.  The movie has an endearing
quality to a certain group of people.  They might've had a certain
experience which brought them closer to the movie.  Maybe it was
because it was so zany.  Drag/Net was a lot like that in its heyday.

     First as "Apple-Net", a message-only BBS at 300 baud.  Then
(after a short time under software I can't even remember) it was
brought up under TProBBS, an RPG BBS, hitting 2400 baud with a
vengeance.  Believe it or not, the message areas were very popular.
It morphed to a PC running T.A.G. BBS at higher speeds, until now
where it's under Searchlight v5.1, Telnet only (unfortunately down at
this moment).  Enough of the technical bit.

     In 1986 I decided that it would be great to have everyone on the
BBS gather in one place for a picnic, party, whatever.  A camping site
at Lincoln Woods State Park in Lincoln, RI was rented for the day (I
think it cost $2) and we had our first Drag/Net Fest.

     Drag/Net was less of a traditional BBS and more of a community --
a physical community where people of many interests shared one thing
in common -- the BBS -- and were friends outside of the "online"
community.  Most of us found some of our best friends through "the
board."

     There is so much more I could say about my experience as a SysOp.
I'd be happy to help out in any way, shape, or form.  Drag/Net wasn't
typical of the BBS's -- this in itself might be something nice to
touch upon.

     My web site (http://www.drag-net.com/) doesn't have much
information about Drag/Net; however, you might be interested in seeing
my friend Arthur's site at http://DammitJa.net/dragnet/ for a little
more insight (it's more of a contact page for Drag/Net alumni).