IFX Group 1993 Web Log

1993 Blog Entries

1. Use it. (January)
2. Need it. (February)
3. BBS and Security. (March)
4. Happy Birthday. (April)
5. The last place you look. (May)
6. Curiosity is a very powerful force. (June)
7. Disease. (July)
8. Pizza Party. (August)
9. The Real TCO. (September)
10. The Video Game Generation. (October)
11. Looking for VSysop? (November)
12. New VSysop Distribution. (December)

January, 1993 - Use it.

A photographic memory but with the lens cover still on. Why is it that the memory fades over time? Maybe it is something like why our bodies sag over time. It is way too easy to simply coast on with little or no exercise for our bodies or minds. What have you done lately to push your mind past the point where it feels comfortable? No pain, no gain.

 

February, 1993 - Need it.

The hardest part about creating software is seeing the need. Sometimes that need is small, sometimes very large. Most often we can't see it at all, and someone like you must tell us what you see. Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.

 

March, 1993 - BBS and Security.

The Bread Board System (TBBS) is the software that runs this online service. We have chosen this software after many years of sometimes disappointing experience with other, much less powerful and much less secure packages. We tell you this because we have received many requests for our online games and utilities from sysops running other BBS software and it is simply not available. Over the past few years we have actively invited hackers into our system and even offered a cash reward to anyone that can show us how they hack through our system to access anything personal about our members or operators. To date nobody has been able to claim the reward. Many have tried. All have failed. This is the development platform of choice for IFX Group software. How much do you trust your BBS?

 

April, 1993 - Happy Birthday.

The IFX Group celebrates our 5th birthday this year. In honor of this milestone, we are giving you a present by offering a special package on all of our online entertainment software for one very low price. Check out the special offers choice on the main menu this month.

 

May, 1993 - The last place you look.

Why is it that you always find your car keys in the last place you look? Why can't we start looking in the last place and forget all of those places in between?

Quit Happens. The saying quitters never win and winners never quit is common in sports circles, but how does that apply to things like smoking?

 

June, 1993 - Curiosity is a very powerful force.

Curiosity might even be one of the key basic forces that makes this world tick. If you ever find yourself lacking curiosity, spend some time playing tourist in your own back yard. Notice what other tourists do and try to see the world through their eyes.

 

July, 1993 - Disease.

Some say that life is a sexually transmitted disease that always proves to be fatal. While it may be true that nobody gets out alive, does it have to be a disease? Maybe there is a way to make it through with less dis and more ease by finding what unique strength or ability you bring to the game. Do you know what is unique to you?

 

August, 1993 - Pizza Party.

Please join us for our all member pizza party the last Thursday of this month. The IFX Group will buy the pizza, you buy whatever you want to drink. This is the best place to put a face with the names you already know. Special awards and prizes will be given in a small ceremony as our way to thank those members that have made contributions that you may not have noticed.

 

September, 1993 - The Real TCO.

It is strange what some people will accept as normal. Think about local area networking. Is it normal for it to take a trained technical person several days to install networking software? It is normal for that software to require a full time person to nudge it back into operating every day? Is it normal for this software to require regular updates just to keep doing the exact same thing it did last year? While this may be the normal way you do business, it does not need to be the only way. When you buy networking software, be sure to get the whole price including all of the labor and add-on prices they normally don't tell you about until after you have written several checks. The term Total Cost of Ownership is not just for corporations anymore.

 

October, 1993 - The Video Game Generation.

Not so long ago there was a time when a pile of wooden blocks in front of a child inspired endless imagination and entertainment. Put that same pile of wood in front of a child today and what will they do?

Have we done something bad by making push button entertainments like video games too graphic and too reactionary? If the games a child plays has any reflection on the skills they have when grown, are we training the next generation to turn their thinking over to a computer and simply react to whatever happens with calloused violence and apathy? Where is the personal creativity in the entertainment? It sure looks like the only requirement for creativity is on the part of the programmer to come up with something more graphic than the next programmer.

For the record, all IFX Group games require the player to read and comprehend messages and situations. Many also require the player to plan, to think of consequences for actions and even potential reactions from other players. We work hard to create games that don't have a single path to a solution to reward those that may think of creative ways to solve the problems they find. We openly challenge all entertainment software authors to do the same. Force your players to think rather than simply react. Inspire creativity, such that the player will still be entertained given a pile of wood blocks.

 

November, 1993 - Looking for VSysop?

We are working to make it easier to order our software and utilities. There has been some confusion lately with some resellers making claims that just are not true. Please watch our news file for the latest information as we do our best to clear up this confusion while making it faster to receive your orders no matter where you are.

 

December, 1993 - New VSysop Distribution.

The IFX Group is very happy to announce that we have signed deals with Zone One and Bryant Software to distribute all IFX Group software. This deal includes the wildly successful Virtual Sysop along with many other games, tools and utilities.

These two companies are the only source for IFX Group online software. You should know that no other company is authorized to be an outlet for our software. Please call one of our two authorized outlets today at: