CompuServe Messages

Don, I had problems with the local numbers — I told you about this in co — and I also got a 'form letter' suggesting checks to make. I made those checks and wrote back with further info, and got a letter from a real person (gosh!). This led to a chain of letters which finally, apparently, solved my problems. Keep in mind that feedback receives _lots_ of complaint and problem mail, and although you know what you are doing, a lot of new users do NOT. I'd consider the "form letter" a self-preservation measure, and do not take offense when I receive them (not implying that you _did_ take offense). For whatever reason, I didn't expand on my comments in CO the other night, so let me do that now. Each node has several phone numbers on a rotary, each with a modem; sometimes the problems are in the phone lines, but sometimes they are in the modems. In the latter case, you can obtain enough information to finger the culprit and get it fixed. The way to do so follows: When you log on, do NOT hit ^C to get the Username: prompt; instead, hit <RETURN>. This will give you the full node number (I.E., 09RIC), then the prompt Host:… enter CIS, which will give you "Username:"… log on normally. When you get a garbled session, mark that node as being a bad connect. After several sessions you will probably have a good idea of which numbers are bad, and can report them to feedback. For example, I had problems with 09RIC and 11RIC; 09 was first in the rotary at 358-8274, so by dialing in at 358-8277 I came in on 12RIC and avoided the bad lines until they were fixed. One point about the changed login procedure: when you login with ^C, and subsequently log off, CIS drops their carrier, which will cause your modem to disconnect. By using <RETURN> to get the Host: prompt, you are informing CIS that you may want to use the net for other services too (CISnet supports lots of services, such as VideoLog). Therefore, when you log out, CIS will _not_ drop carrier; instead, it will return to the Host: prompt. You will have to drop YOUR carrier to terminate the session. — Rick