[comp.sys.cbm] comp.{binaries source}.cbm

lalonde@helios.misemi (Terry Lalonde) (04/15/88)

	A friend of mine just purchased a C-64.  I'd like to
be a good guy and get him all kinds of Public domain, shareware
(ie. inexpensive) software.  Where can I get some.  
The first place I looked was comp.binaries.cbm, but no 
such group exists.

	Any help would be apprieciated.

Thanks in advance,
Terry

anderson@c10sd3.Comten.NCR.COM (Joel Anderson) (04/19/88)

In article <314@helios.misemi> lalonde@helios.misemi (Terry Lalonde) writes:
>
>	A friend of mine just purchased a C-64.  I'd like to
>be a good guy and get him all kinds of Public domain, shareware
>(ie. inexpensive) software.  Where can I get some.  
>The first place I looked was comp.binaries.cbm, but no 
>such group exists.
>
>	Any help would be apprieciated.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Terry
I am sure that many will point out other sources, but this is an endorsement
of Quantum Link -

Pro:
   1.they will give you a free modem
   2.they give you the download software (significant point - how do you
     download telecommunications software if you don't have any?)
   3.they are an official source of GEOS related services
	    1> user/BSW written extensions, fonts,conversion routines
	    2> graphics
        3> laser printer services
   4. they have an extensive library of thousands of programs, tips, languages
	graphics, etc, etc.
CON:
   1.they will give you a free modem
							well, yes, but it is a 300 Baud modem - since the 
							charge for download time (.08/minute) is the
							same for 300 | 1200 why pay 4 times as much?

		On cost, the monthly charge is $10.00, which includes one hour of 
		plus (read download) time.  Some (but not most) services (upload
		for instance are free.  The best of this is the encyclopedia (Grolier's)
		which can be used as much as you want for the $10/month fee.  There
		are also a lot of user groups, interest groups and such.


   2.they give you the download software 
		unfortunately, this is the only download software you can use - when
		the X.25 nets are slow in response time this can mean looong download 
		times.

   3.they are an OFFICIAL source of GEOS related services
		The downside is that often you get the "party-line" response re Geos
		(welll... the interest boards have lots of anti-BSW flames).   This 
		is where BSW does their customer support, so you can get a lot of 
		immediate word on things.  Supposedly some people have gotten
		harassed for doing 'bad' things (telling how to break BSW's copy
		protection) 

I have to say, that by and large what I have gotten from Qlink is lots and lots
of interesting software.  This has included a complete Forth83 system, ARC 
software, Lisp interpreter, numerous vt52 and vt100 packages - including 
a good kermit.  There are games, applications and by and large a good collection
of interesting things.... I cannot say how this compares to the other networks
(which I assume are similar) but as a Commodore source, I think it is worth
considering.

----------------------------------
Joel Peter Anderson
NCR Comten
Software engineer
(612)-638-7692 voice
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seven@nuchat.UUCP (David Paulsen) (04/19/88)

From article <314@helios.misemi>, by lalonde@helios.misemi (Terry Lalonde):
> The first place I looked was comp.binaries.cbm, but no 
> such group exists.

Yeah, what about this??!  Where's comp.binaries.cbm?  Where's the
Q-Link gateway?  (only 1/2 :-)          


-- 
David Paulsen - CHARTER MEMBER, WILLIAM WINDOM FAN CLUB    ..uunet!nuchat!seven

"You stand in the shadows or reach for the sky;  This time the promise is not
 just illusion;  I'm heading for glory, I'm learning to fly..."  --E.L.P.