Comments on: R.I.P. CompuServe http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/ General interest observations and true web-log. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:27:13 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Herbert Highstone http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1596686 Herbert Highstone Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:41:30 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1596686 All these comments make me feel like the Ancient Mariner! I'm still using Compuserve 2000 and I usually get a connection at 45,000 byte/sec which is fast enough to do quite a lot of things. Naturally I don't try to download movies! But I can still do one heck of a lot of shopping via Amazon. Having a telephone land line is also extremely retro, isn't it? Herbie in Oakland CA All these comments make me feel like the Ancient Mariner! I’m still using Compuserve 2000 and I usually get a connection at 45,000 byte/sec which is fast enough to do quite a lot of things. Naturally I don’t try to download movies! But I can still do one heck of a lot of shopping via Amazon. Having a telephone land line is also extremely retro, isn’t it? Herbie in Oakland CA

]]> By: dick78sucpalum http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1558639 dick78sucpalum Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:31:25 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1558639 Just wanted to mention that though original Compuserve has shutdown its old servers and no longer operates as an ISP--Many of the forums still exixt on a hosted site. These forums are open and feee to anyone using any browser. http://community.compuserve.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=MyForums&webtag=ws-travel Just wanted to mention that though original Compuserve has shutdown its old servers and no longer operates as an ISP–Many of the forums still exixt on a hosted site.

These forums are open and feee to anyone using any browser.

http://community.compuserve.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=MyForums&webtag=ws-travel

]]> By: Edda R. http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1553555 Edda R. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:35:25 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1553555 I suppose I could be described as the one subscriber who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. I came online in 1995 with both AOL and CIS. Quickly learned to LOVE CIS but kept AOL for the convenience of being able to give screen names to relatives. When I discovered CSNAV I was in hog heaven and set up scripts that retrieved and/or delivered e-mail every 3 hours whether I was there or not. With the migration I have experienced all sorts of problems such that I now have more than 10K messages in my inbox! I suppose I could be described as the one subscriber who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

I came online in 1995 with both AOL and CIS.

Quickly learned to LOVE CIS but kept AOL for the convenience of being able to give screen names to relatives.

When I discovered CSNAV I was in hog heaven and set up scripts that retrieved and/or delivered e-mail every 3 hours whether I was there or not.

With the migration I have experienced all sorts of problems such that I now have more than 10K messages in my inbox!

]]> By: cheese http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549815 cheese Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:41:16 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549815 Wow, I'd have to fire up my old Zenith PC to find my Computserve ID. I still remember my password, though. I always wondered when this day would come... I saw the writing on the wall when we jumped ship to this new and promising service that had a $20/mo flat rate. It was of course Prodigy. My days of writing automated scripts to download, upload, and send/retrieve mail using the least amount of time to be billed for were finally over. I'm surprised it made it this long. I still think AOL ruined the internet. :-) Wow, I’d have to fire up my old Zenith PC to find my Computserve ID. I still remember my password, though.

I always wondered when this day would come… I saw the writing on the wall when we jumped ship to this new and promising service that had a $20/mo flat rate. It was of course Prodigy. My days of writing automated scripts to download, upload, and send/retrieve mail using the least amount of time to be billed for were finally over. I’m surprised it made it this long.

I still think AOL ruined the internet. :-)

]]> By: Uncle Patso http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549667 Uncle Patso Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:17:13 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549667 Oh, man, what was the name of that terminal program for the C-64? I used it to call all my favorite local BBSs as well as CIS. As late as the early-to-mid '90s, as newsletter editor for my computer user group, I could get lots of scoops and keep up with the breaking international news on the Forums (and download cool fonts!). It was great for tech support when there would often not be a single person in your entire town or city who knew the answer to your question. Heck, in those days, with all the different systems, there might only be a few dozen people in the entire world who could answer your question. And it was very informative, even educational, to talk to people from around the world. I remember 300 baud modems, where you could easily keep up with the text as it came over the line. Once 1200 came along, you had to pay attention to paging, or capture everything to read later. We used to go through the thread headers on the discussion boards of our favorite SF shows, pick out the likely ones, log back on and capture all those messages and spend an hour or two reading them. Sometimes (rarely) we'd log back on afterward to reply to a few. Six dollars an hour doesn't sound like much when you're talking about, say long distance or cell usage (ten cents a minute), but consider how many hours a week you spend online right now -- multiply that by six, then multiply that by 4.33 to get the montly and you've got a car payment! Or a house payment! So we had to be careful. (More than once I gasped when opening the bill.) R.I.P., CIS Classic! 74246,1077 (I'm amazed -- it took no time to remember -- as soon as I saw the story header, there it came, unbidden. I guess if you type something like that enough times, it _sticks_.) Oh, man, what was the name of that terminal program for the C-64? I used it to call all my favorite local BBSs as well as CIS. As late as the early-to-mid ’90s, as newsletter editor for my computer user group, I could get lots of scoops and keep up with the breaking international news on the Forums (and download cool fonts!). It was great for tech support when there would often not be a single person in your entire town or city who knew the answer to your question. Heck, in those days, with all the different systems, there might only be a few dozen people in the entire world who could answer your question. And it was very informative, even educational, to talk to people from around the world.

I remember 300 baud modems, where you could easily keep up with the text as it came over the line. Once 1200 came along, you had to pay attention to paging, or capture everything to read later. We used to go through the thread headers on the discussion boards of our favorite SF shows, pick out the likely ones, log back on and capture all those messages and spend an hour or two reading them. Sometimes (rarely) we’d log back on afterward to reply to a few. Six dollars an hour doesn’t sound like much when you’re talking about, say long distance or cell usage (ten cents a minute), but consider how many hours a week you spend online right now — multiply that by six, then multiply that by 4.33 to get the montly and you’ve got a car payment! Or a house payment! So we had to be careful. (More than once I gasped when opening the bill.)

R.I.P., CIS Classic!

74246,1077 (I’m amazed — it took no time to remember — as soon as I saw the story header, there it came, unbidden. I guess if you type something like that enough times, it _sticks_.)

]]> By: KneeJerk Optimist http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549535 KneeJerk Optimist Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:13:50 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549535 Ah yes, my old green-screen long gone XP box, dumb old DOS, modem phone Late nights, new thing, contentious posts Typing text, watching next for flaming roasts Moved on, but just couldn't get my fill Ranting still, forgot my pill Found a new venue On places like DU Ah well, what the hell were we fighting for? Oh, but those days of yore... Ah yes, my old green-screen long gone
XP box, dumb old DOS, modem phone
Late nights, new thing, contentious posts
Typing text, watching next for flaming roasts
Moved on, but just couldn’t get my fill
Ranting still, forgot my pill
Found a new venue
On places like DU

Ah well, what the hell were we fighting for?
Oh, but those days of yore…

]]> By: pedro http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549534 pedro Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:13:28 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549534 #27 Well, I don't know how much better would have done with that deal with Commodore. After all, where's Commodore now? And not that AOL has done that good either. #27 Well, I don’t know how much better would have done with that deal with Commodore. After all, where’s Commodore now?

And not that AOL has done that good either.

]]> By: Ken S http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549435 Ken S Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:12:28 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549435 Compuserve actually made the big mistake back in the early 80s when it refused to cut a deal with Commodore and be included with every machine. AOL (Quantum Computer Services) took the opportunity and less than a decade later purchased the CompuServe for pennies. If I remember correctly CIS was originally owned by H&R Block and ran on their excess computer capacity...charging a large price during primetime and more affordable rates after 6PM (ET) (Q-Link was only open after 6PM). It was a very small industry, but much of what people depend on today (email, instant messaging, online music, news, weather, "blogging", sports, fantasy games, online gaming, forums, auctions) started back then. The Source, PlayNet, PeopleLink, CompuServe, Delphi, Q-Link, Viewtron and a couple of years later, Prodigy all played a large part in the beginning of the online industry. Most importantly, it was the beginning and understanding of online communities. RIP CompuServe Ken 74125,167 TheRef (Q-Link) Compuserve actually made the big mistake back in the early 80s when it refused to cut a deal with Commodore and be included with every machine. AOL (Quantum Computer Services) took the opportunity and less than a decade later purchased the CompuServe for pennies.
If I remember correctly CIS was originally owned by H&R Block and ran on their excess computer capacity…charging a large price during primetime and more affordable rates after 6PM (ET) (Q-Link was only open after 6PM).
It was a very small industry, but much of what people depend on today (email, instant messaging, online music, news, weather, “blogging”, sports, fantasy games, online gaming, forums, auctions) started back then. The Source, PlayNet, PeopleLink, CompuServe, Delphi, Q-Link, Viewtron and a couple of years later, Prodigy all played a large part in the beginning of the online industry. Most importantly, it was the beginning and understanding of online communities.
RIP CompuServe

Ken
74125,167
TheRef (Q-Link)

]]> By: James Hill Knows More Than You http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549431 James Hill Knows More Than You Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:00:08 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549431 All of these posts, and I have to state the obvious. Q-Link > CompuServe All of these posts, and I have to state the obvious.

Q-Link > CompuServe

]]> By: pedro http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549402 pedro Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:23:48 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549402 RTFA RTFA

]]> By: pedro http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549401 pedro Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:23:15 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549401 #23 It's Compuserve Classic which was taken down. Compuserve 2000, which runs on the AOL platform, will still be available. Try calling any of the compuserve classic connection numbers and tell us what you get. Afterwards, come back here. I'll copy the goodbye letter sent by AOL. #23 It’s Compuserve Classic which was taken down. Compuserve 2000, which runs on the AOL platform, will still be available. Try calling any of the compuserve classic connection numbers and tell us what you get.

Afterwards, come back here. I’ll copy the goodbye letter sent by AOL.

]]> By: Mike Strong http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549392 Mike Strong Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:37:53 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549392 Is this for sure? I checked Google tech news and found numbers of articles on the end of Compuserve. On the other hand, maybe someone should tell Compuserve's web monkeys? I just went to "compuserve.com" (redirect goes to: http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/menu/default.jsp) and they still have a front page. There is no announcement saying they are ending and they still have the sign-up page with a signup form at the "$17.95" a month rate. And the news and floating announcements are up-to-date events and news. Is this for sure? I checked Google tech news and found numbers of articles on the end of Compuserve. On the other hand, maybe someone should tell Compuserve’s web monkeys?

I just went to “compuserve.com” (redirect goes to: http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/menu/default.jsp) and they still have a front page.

There is no announcement saying they are ending and they still have the sign-up page with a signup form at the “$17.95″ a month rate. And the news and floating announcements are up-to-date events and news.

]]> By: pedro http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549369 pedro Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:34:48 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549369 Yeap, Cserve was created on PDP-10. No doubt, that was the computer that changed the world as we know it. Yeap, Cserve was created on PDP-10. No doubt, that was the computer that changed the world as we know it.

]]> By: daav0 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549343 daav0 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:08:18 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549343 76711,2314 (the seventy six prefix designated me both a wizop and an overheaded account) I ran a number of forums (fori?) on Ci$, including the Norton Antivirus Forum, the McAfee AV forum, and the Cybermedia forum. These were great for tech support because a user could look at the existing thread and figure out their answer without need to be answered individually. Compuserve was the gold standard for threaded conversation. To sysop on CI$ meant learning how to navigate in TOPS 10, the world's most abstruse operating system! I still own my original gray binder Compuserve manual, and my sysops manual, both printed in the mid eighties. AOL (where I was an area producer) was better at group chat. I still maintain my AOL account because of the large number of online AA meetings (which I can attend while travelling, no lie! sixteen meetings per day) AOL was (and still is, in part) written in a proprietary language known as RAINMAN. This is nothing at all like any markup language you have ever seen, and is not about making pages or links or views, but rather about publishing an online service. Go figure. Support via the internet is much more difficult. Email support automation comes with many many problems. CIS was better for providing tech support, but nobody would put up today with being a number. Now let's talk about hte WELL... 76711,2314 (the seventy six prefix designated me both a wizop and an overheaded account)

I ran a number of forums (fori?) on Ci$, including the Norton Antivirus Forum, the McAfee AV forum, and the Cybermedia forum. These were great for tech support because a user could look at the existing thread and figure out their answer without need to be answered individually. Compuserve was the gold standard for threaded conversation.

To sysop on CI$ meant learning how to navigate in TOPS 10, the world’s most abstruse operating system! I still own my original gray binder Compuserve manual, and my sysops manual, both printed in the mid eighties.

AOL (where I was an area producer) was better at group chat. I still maintain my AOL account because of the large number of online AA meetings (which I can attend while travelling, no lie! sixteen meetings per day)

AOL was (and still is, in part) written in a proprietary language known as RAINMAN. This is nothing at all like any markup language you have ever seen, and is not about making pages or links or views, but rather about publishing an online service. Go figure.

Support via the internet is much more difficult. Email support automation comes with many many problems.

CIS was better for providing tech support, but nobody would put up today with being a number.

Now let’s talk about hte WELL…

]]> By: Martin http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/04/r-i-p-compuserve/comment-page-1/#comment-1549334 Martin Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:10:55 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=52362#comment-1549334 Lot's of good memories about Compuserve. I remember using it to convert critical files from my Apple //e's format to my first Windows PC's format. I'd mail the file from the Apple and retrieve it with my new PC. Not the most elegant solution but it was effective and got the job done. Lot’s of good memories about Compuserve. I remember using it to convert critical files from my Apple //e’s format to my first Windows PC’s format. I’d mail the file from the Apple and retrieve it with my new PC. Not the most elegant solution but it was effective and got the job done.

]]>