Forum - Information about the computer network SPbZXNet in St. Petersburg.

(C) Alexei Mikhailov, 1997.



  In recent times
around Peter rumors
about the mysterious network SpbZxNet,
which, like Moscow's ZX-Net, is based on the 
Spectrum-compatible machines, but uses to communicate not CDOS 
modem, and the most common in our region Vicomm-modem. In this 
regard, the editors of Spectrum Progress has managed the same 
go to the Coordinator of this network, that is, to me, and 
behold, now you know all ... ;) 


  In the summer of 1996 was created Omega group. In
While in St. Petersburg, there was only
one station bbs - Eldorado, used in
As a server IBM PC. Her system operator was a man Sergey Usov, 
a man who, in principle, and is the creator of the modem type 
Vicomm, and not just the creator, but also the seller. In 
general, he was far from the Spectrum, it main aim was to cash 
in on the sale of modems, and he achieved that goal: over a 
sufficiently long period of time digging with modems

hands and feet, thereby enriching
Vendor ...

  However, for various reasons, after a
time sales have dropped significantly, and things
slowly beginning deaf: do not personally interested in the 
development of modem communication, and Spectrum, Usov closed 
one after another, all of their stations (Leaving only one - 
Eldorado), turned to mass production vikommok, in general, went 
away, leaving Peter with a pile of useless iron: of course, 
interesting to pump his friend from a neighboring dress 
different bend, but you need a modem in primarily for 
communication between all sinkleristami city, and another may 
be on the phone talk ...



  At this point, we met at the kinking Eldorade ... From the 
earliest days of our early reach a terminal program that has 
existed for Vicomm-modem ... As a result, we had make your own. 
On the "Elda" becoming boring and boring, and in order to raise 
the people interest in the modem, started production of gas

 "ZxNews" - it was intended at first to
In order to quickly deliver information that has passed on 
Fido, people who do not have modems, as well as to convince 
them that without a modem further Life Speccy very questionable 
... But only Newskah start their dirty deed, but we

was it turns out, when Eldorado
closed ... It was the last thread that connects St. Petersburg 
modemschikov with the outside world ... 


  And so, on the ruins, the ashes, arranged
Comrade. Usov, began to raise his head a new network
-SpbZxNet. Timidly at first, but then more insistently and 
persistently has heard her voice. Omega group for a month was 
converted terminalku for the network, and most importantly, the 
program was written for the server is not set on the IBM PC, 
but on the ZX-compatible computers. About size and complexity 
is the fact that It is designed for memory 256K and above. Of 
course, ZxNews of fidoshnoy newspaper becomes so far the only 
network SpbZxNet'ki newspaper, Well, as soon plans to release 
more two newspapers ...



  In test mode starts to work first
one station-MAS-BBS, a week later earned
and Tornado station. For a time, until the server
tests were found and fixed many bugs, made some neobhodimmyh 
functions facilitate work as sysop and user, there have been 
the first standards. 


  And so, on Dec. 18, 1996, was held
The first meeting of the System Network Operators
SpbZxNet, not the most numerous and respectable, but for the 
first time people were more than enough. This day is considered 
the founding date of the Peter the global computer network 
SpbZxNet. After sisopnika opened just three Station bbs, and 
literally from the first day had face the problem of standards, 
because and was not selected Network Coordinator, who

could solve all the most important questions in her
development and livelihoods, including this one.


  When the need for a focal point became clear to all, held a 
secret sisopov vote, which unanimously chose me ... ;)



  From that moment began a new phase in the history of
network: to establish contacts with FidoNet, and here
already SpbZxNet users can directly and completely free to 
write to all the former Soviet Union, taking advantage of 
electronic mail address provided by Fido, there is the 
possibility of joint "general" correspondence between the two 
networks in a single echo area. From now on, no longer any 
difference what your modem - Vicomm or Hayes. With equal 
success, you can take part in the network! You can easily 
"talk" with both by users like you of a fairly large part of 
Russia, which comes this echo area, and with the Grand / 
authorities World ZX, such as Glory Mednonogov, for example,

or Mikhail Kondratyev, or Andrew Larchenko (MOA), or LAV - is 
not an exhaustive list Only those with Hayes. And how many 
famous people from St. Petersburg elite sit with vikommkami! AND

XLD, and Virtual Brothers, and Virt'Omega group, and
many, many more!


  Thanks to the steady contact with the Moscow
Network ZX-Net, now can communicate with
any of its users in private correspondence,
almost resolved the question of accession to the Muscovites 
echo area SPB.SPECCY, which, I remind you common among SpbZxNet 
and FidoNet. It seems more and more clear is the question of 
the gate to the Internet Now the search is conducted low-cost 
provider and Gateway Station. But it's not far off. Also

close to completing the feasibility
SpbZxNet users to write and read any
fidoshnye echo conference, and that means more
Hundreds of different themes and styles - from painting
to modern computer graphics, from classical to very modern 
music, from automobiles to airplanes, from anecdotes to Pushkin 
... Well, of course, ZX-Spectrum: and games, programming, 
graphics, and music ... This list is in the truth vast. 
Difficult to find a man that amid all this diversity can not 
find something special, very special. And how many new Friends 
can be found by talking with those who are the same as you have 
interests and hobbies! How many comprehensive, quick 
information you receive, Networking!



  If you do not mind occasionally playing - please. It offers 
all the latest prog, for Except, of course, copyright, lying on 
the ROM stations bbs, which are no longer small, and all of 
which continue to open! And if suddenly the server can not find 
the program you are interested, ask for "all-knowing All'a" in 
the echo, so a someone she (prog) exactly is.



  In order to begin work on a network, you need to
very little:

 - Vicomm-modem at all, in recent years
a lot of talk about the shortcomings of this device, and it is 
impossible not to agree: vikommka - This is not Hayes. But the 
thing is that a normal Hayes costs four times as expensive 
vikommki (about $ 80 worth mediocre Chinese modem), and the 
cheapest Hayes 2400, working with Spectrum is very difficult to 
find because most of these Hayesov for some nobody

known reasons to work at all Speccy
refuse, so they do not so much. AND
Even after you find Hayes, will begin
connection problems. Currently,
Hayes'a almost no soft'a - there is only a primitive terminal 
program, which can be introducing characters from the keyboard 
to manually program the modem using its internal commands. With 
vikommkoy in this sense is much simpler: connected for several 
minutes, with good communications software supports high-speed 
2400, it is possible that in the near future for her

write protocol, something like hayesnogo MNP5.


  One small warning to those who are going to buy vikommku: the 
first sign that before you normally runs Vicomm-modem is that 
it is big. If you offer a handkerchief the size of 4x4 cm, ten 
times think before you buy this: 85% of these

"Modem" just does not work, because people
which makes them even do not really know how to solder,
let alone to understand something in
what they do. That's why I wrote that
I already got this situation: call deceived sysop user and asks 
for her help verify freshly bought "modem". As a result, the 
modem is not works, and sysop only time wasting. In

Basically, these modems are on the market. But my point is
warn you, not intimidate. Not so
scary: there is in normal vikomm modems, all connections are 
reduced to one posting on the +5 V, connected to the fourth

tape-leg jack. All: plugging
wire from the modem to Tape in / out, and another wire
the phone line and everything works! If you
do not know where to buy a modem, call me at
phone, which is given later in this article, I'll post
you to the right person. In this case, you will
insured against loss of money ...


  - The terminal program Macro-Modem, v2.12, and
above. It's all clear: either buy it from our official 
distributors (VIks, Logros, Century), either directly from the 
authors (tel. at the end of the article). 


  That's it! Feel free to call at any station bbs (their
list is regularly published in the newspaper ZxNews,
or, if you do not have this newspaper zvyaknite me
and I will send you the freshest bbs_list)! The fact
how to work with stations bbs - The following article, well 
today, probably all. I further I will tell in the pages of 
Spectrum Progress on how to move things in

Saint Petersburg computer network SpbZxNet.


                   See ya!


                               Alex Mikhailov,

                         Coordinator SpbZxNet.


        198095, St. Petersburg, Stachek 15-13

       tel. (812) 186-1358, from 21 to 23

     SpbZxNet (812/01.00) @ Alex Mikhailov


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