in response to Roger Turk on Compuserve:
I remember Compuserve. It was a super BBS. I used DOSCIM, which with HMI was
more user-friendly than the terminal (ASCII) interface. My modem speed was
2400. Compuserve had Compuserve B+ protocol, in contrast to XMODEM, YMODEM and
later ZMODEM found on BBSes. Hilgraeve also had the proprietary Hyperterminal
protocol, supported by their HyperAccess communications program and the lite
versions for Windows and OS/2.
Compuserve developed OS2CIM for a time; I tried it, but it didn't work as well
as DOSCIM. In 1996 (?) they developed a NISA forum interface but were very slow
converting fora to NISA. I was never able to post a forum message in a NISA
(Nasty Interface Stymies Access) forum, and got frequent timed-outs and
disconnects in NISA fora such as DCIMSUP and OCIMSUP. Whenever I was "timed out
waiting for a response" in Compuserve, it was followed by disconnect, in
contrast to the Internet where, if I fail to connect to a server, I am still
connected to the Internet. In August 1997 I was unable to send outgoing
Internet email except in reply to an incoming message, due to a snafu with both
DOSCIM and the host computers. One area of customer service seemed aware of the
problem, while another area denied it. Then I quit and subsequently went with a
real ISP. Good riddance to the DOSCIM/WINCIM proprietary file cabinet formats.
I received a few unsolicited Compuserve 2000 CDs in the mail, but no way would
I be interested in such a proprietary windoze-only service; same re AOL.
I remember there was somebody anxious to write a LINCIM to access Compuserve
with HMI from Linux, but he was stymied by management's unwillingness to let him
have access to the trade-secret protocols. After a time, I was ready to say
Compuserve, take your trade secrets and shove them!
