"Information highway" has become one of the buzzwords of the '90s, but for many, the road remains unfamiliar.
There are obscure onramps, few road maps and disjointed destinations in this unseen electronic community.But as personal computers and modems drop in price, more and more Utahns are venturing on-line. In any given week, thousands of Utahns can be found talking politics, playing games, shopping and even finding love on the electronic frontier. Newer, high-speed modems and point-and-click software for on-line services are also helping make on-line access more efficient.
Along with subscriptions to commercial national on-line services such as CompuServe, Prodigy, GEnie and America Online, there are an estimated 150 computer bulletin boards in Utah. More than a dozen are operated by businesses, and a hundred more home-grown boards cater to interests ranging from genealogy to Star Trek.
And then there is the Internet (see related article), a vast network envisioned to serve as the backbone of the planned information superhighway.
It's no surprise that Utahns are becoming quick studies of the electronic highway. According to one report, Utah is No. 1 in the United States in per capita personal computer penetration. More Utahns per capita have access to a computer either at home or on the job than in other states. Another study ranks the Salt Lake City-Ogden metro area among the top 10 for the percentage of households with computers. Another report shows about 27 percent of Utah's 650,000 households have computers.
Initiatives by Gov. Mike Leavitt and President Clinton are intended to make it easier for Utah's computer users to get more government information and transact government business on-line. In Utah, most of the government on-line access remains in the planning stages.
Already, citizens can access government information via a handful of on-line services including electronic property tax records in Salt Lake County, corporate listings maintained by the Utah Department of Commerce, federal court records and a gateway to the Utah Legislature maintained by the private Capitol Hill Services. (A bulletin board used by state agencies and legislators remains off-limits to the public.)
Businesses and hobbyists also hope for a day of greater "connectivity" among government, education, business and privately operated bulletin board services, known as BBSs.
Currently, users can explore the electronic world in several ways. The first is by subscribing to commercial services. Such services can cost the average user upwards of $20 a month. New graphical interface programs allow users to point and click their way through services and have helped increase their popularity. CompuServe now counts 6,600 Utahns among its members.
Services like GEnie, Prodigy and America Online offer an amalgam of data bases and conferences of forums where people with similar interests can exchange information or just talk to each other. Users of such services can search a topic in newspapers or exchange recipes with other cooks. They can also receive support on-line for their computer software from software developers, book a flight to Tahiti or buy and sell stocks.
For more esoteric interests, there are thousands of data bases worldwide, ranging from the National Videotex Network, a database of newsletters, to LEXIS/NEXIS, frequented by lawyers doing legal research.
Users can also use a less-costly and less-sophisticated route to electronic information through local BBSs. Many are linked together and share messages. Some also provide limited access to the Internet.
Those operating and using bulletin boards cover a wide spectrum. Most report sharp increases in popularity. One of Utah's most popular bulletin boards reports nearly 4,000 new callers this year.
Bulletin boards boards may seem daunting to computer novices. The bulletin boards use several different kinds of software with differing sets of commands.
There is also a large turnover of boards. Nearly half of the bulletin boards checked on a year-old list are no longer in operation. Those who are unfortunate enough to get the phone numbers of defunct bulletin boards may be greeted by high-pitched screeches when they call.
The world of bulletin boards also has its underside. Dana Snow, president of the Utah Computer Society, says that the bulletin boards mirror society and there are bulletin boards on the fringe. Many system operators say abuse by a few has given bulletin boards a bad reputation.
In the past, bulletin boards have been the target of law enforcement investigations, particularly regarding computer piracy and pornography. A small percentage of the Utah boards have "adult" sections where pornographic images or sexually oriented talk are tolerated. Others tolerate vulgar language. Most who operate these boards say they require copies of drivers' licenses and a voice check. They say this limits access to adult areas by underage teens and children. Still, Snow says, parents should monitor computer activity by their children.
Futhermore, private information provided during the BBS logon procedure could be abused by operators. BBS users should also be aware that it is difficult to keep messages on a system private. Users should assume that all messages will be public.
Snow said users should also be wary of on-line requests for money. Before paying, users should ask questions about how long the BBS has been operating.
Many boards offer limited access for free, giving increased access for donations, while others charge for their services. Snow, whose organization operates the Utah Blue Chips BBS, said most people aren't in it for the money. His organization charges a $20-per-year fee for access to its bulletin board and other services.
"It is a labor of love," he said.
Snow said the boards can offer inexpensive learning tools for children. On Jolene's BBS in West Valley City, users can download a Japanese or German language computer program.
Most BBSs offer public domain software that can be duplicated without infringing on copyrights. One BBS in Kearns, Public Domain, focuses on such free software.
In Vernal, the Uintah County Library has connected 300 residents to a BBS operated by a volunteer.
Marilyn Terry, Midvale, operates the Family Castle BBS as a family project. She started the board a year ago. There are sections, or conferences, for children, teens, Mormons and Jews. Information is shared on women's issues and cuisine. There's a place for women to chat and for others to play games.
In Orem, Fen Eatough operates a board called Random Lunacy. On-line callers know Eatough only as "Podkayne of Mars," her on-line handle. Her board is devoted to science fiction as well as general computer information and programs.
She also notes that she's an anomaly in the male-dominated on-line world. There are few women system operators. CompuServe notes that 90 percent of its members are men.
Even given those numbers, BBSs continue to be a place for social interaction and places for male-female relationships.
Some boards, like Lower Lights, cater to "chatting" and attract flirting singles. More than half of the users of this popular board are teens.
Suzanne and Curtis Houghton first "met" on Random Lunacy and later at modem party for its BBS users. The on-line relationship ended in marriage for the couple, who are both employed at WordPerfect Corp. in Orem.
Terry says she's made a lot of new friends on-line.
"It's interesting to see what they look like when you finally meet them in person," Terry said.
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(Chart)
Hitching a ride on the information highway
Commercial On-line Services
General Interest
Call specific services for pricing options.
America On-line
(800) 827-6364
CompuServe
(800) 848-8199
Delphi
(800) 695-4005
GEnie
(800) 638-9636
Prodigy
(800) 776-3449
Utah On-line Services
Set your communications program to 8 bits, no parity and 2400 baud except where indicated. Many services offer connections at higher baud rates. $
fee charged.
Geographic identifiers are based on telephone exchanges to help readers determine whether a bulletin board number is long distance.
Government-related services
Capitol Hill Services,$
Salt Lake City
The bulletin board is operated by a private interest to track the Utah Legislature. The bulletin board includes full texts of bills and agenda, minutes of committee meetings, status sheets and journals. The cost is $450 a year. To subscribe call 366-7708.
U.S. Employment and Training Administration
Salt Lake City
1-800-828-5912
This bulletin board serves Utah, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. The board includes U.S. Census, labor market, agriculture and affirmative action statistics.
U.S. District Court Pacer,$
Provides civil/criminal docket information for U.S. District Court for Utah through a local phone number. Another 95 federal district and bankruptcy courts are available through separate phone numbers. The cost is $1 per minute plus any long-distance charges. For more information call 1-800-676-6856.
Public Utilities Hotline
Salt Lake City
530-6007
The bulletin board is operated by the Utah Committee of Consumer Services. The board concentrates on consumer-related issues involving utility cases heard by the Utah Public Service Commission.
Public Access System,$
Salt Lake County
Salt Lake City
The system allows on-line access to county property and property tax records. To register call 468-2684.
Uintah County Library
Vernal
781-1100
The bulletin board offers games and software.
Utah Datashare,$
Salt Lake City
537-1347
This database is operated by the Utah Department of Commerce. It provides current listings of incorporation records of Utah businesses. The cost is $10 per month and 10 cents per on-line minute. To register call 530-6643.
General Interest - Business
Armadillo Brothers
Draper
572-1431
Bulletin News Network
Midvale
562-9488
The network is operated by Swanson Computer Consultants. The board uses similar information found on KSL's Teletext 5.
Deseret News
Salt Lake City
A database of the Deseret News since 1988 is available on-line to institutions such as libraries and schools. Check your local library for availability. Call 237-2155 for more information.
Excell Enterprises
Bountiful
298-5617
ETS Inc.
265-0919
Obtain shareware programs and upgrades from the firm on-line.
Kinkos
Salt Lake City
322-0562
Customers can download files for typesetting and other services offered by the copy center.
Professional Executive Connection
Springville
489-3558
Supports users of CamSoft Software.
The Repair Shop
Kearns
967-8738
Salt Air
Murray
261-8976
Offers support to customers of Clark Development. The company produces PC Board bulletin board software.
Teletext 5
Salt Lake City
575-5911
A promotional service offered by KSL-TV which provides news briefs, weather information, financial information, television and movie listings and software reviews.
General Interest - Private
BBS-Cedar City
586-3935
Southern Utah Computer Users Group headquarters. The board has been open 10 years.
Bear's Den
Bountiful
292-1898
The board offers support to Macintosh users.
Drivers Seat BBS
West Valley City
973-0193
Edge of the Century
Bountiful
295-8211
Family Castle
Midvale
255-4613
A family-oriented bulletin board.
Fox's Den
Murray
268-1763
Jolene's BBS
West Valley City
963-8555
Provides support to educators.
Gazelle System BBS
Provo
375-2548
The Giftep Zone II
Magna
250-8156
The Hidden Variable
Riverton
254-9850
Ishtar Terra
Draper
571-6919
LDS Hospital PC-Users Group
Salt Lake City
321-5030
Includes Scouting, ancestry and space files.
Land of Hyrule
Bountiful
298-5821
Described as a "family bulletin board."
Lower Lights
Holladay
272-5451
Bountiful
292-6041
A bulletin board mainly for conversation. At least half of the users are teenagers.
Mac Shack BBS
292-5810
Macintosh users
MsgPort
Midvale
569-2240
The Only BBS
Murray
261-9372
Describes itself as a place for "intelligent computer users to gather, converse and exchange information."
Only A Test
Midvale
568-1521
PC Amiga
Kearns
963-4660
Public Domain
Kearns
964-2429
Specializes in public domain software. Must set modem at 9600 baud per second or higher to access.
Random Lunacy
Orem
221-0928
A message board with emphasis in science fiction.
Rat Trap
Kearns
965-0401
Sanpete DataNet
Mt. Pleasant
462-3084
Score Board,$
Murray
$24 a year
269-9575
Snord BBS
Provo
224-0882
A message board.
Software Exec II
Cottonwood
942-0711
Times Metro
Salt Lake City
487-5555
Calls itself "social, recreational habitat for human contact."
Total Perspective Vortex
Layton
546-8347
Treasure Island
Midvale
566-5039
Utah Blue Chips BBS
Salt Lake City
521-5009
Home of the Utah Computer Society.
Special Interest Services
Deaf
Utah Valley Deaf-Net
Provo
373-7262
Games
Adventurers Keep
Murray
268-0069
Chess Board
Kearns
966-1168
Graphics
Ad Vance Graphics
Salt Lake City
366-3090
The board offers Macintosh graphics.
Genealogy
Instant Relatives
Salt Lake City
466-5374
Downloaded information on ancestral lines.
FamilySearch Support
240-3909
Provides support to users of LDS Church's Personal Ancestral File computer software.
Family Ties
Provo
374-8080
A board with information about the Family Ties genealogy software.
Everton Publishers,$
Nibley
752-6095
Everton Publishers offers access to genealogical databases and its magazine for various subscription rates. First five minutes are free.
Outer Chaos
Brigham City
723-2455
Genealogy, utilities, local histories and conferences
Your Roots BBS
Salt Lake City
359-0925
Popular genealogy bulletin board.
Ham Radio
Ham Radio Bulletin Board
Salt Lake City
486-5457
A bulletin board for amateur radio operators and those interested in becoming one. Board has ham-related files and a database with all of the call letters of ham radio operators in the United States and Canada.
MARS/HAM/CAP
Salt Lake City
220-2731
LDS
Zion's Cache
Logan
752-5059
Mexico Trade
MexNet,$
Salt Lake City
486-8833
Programming
Sense/Net
Salt Lake City
364-6227
The bulletin board offers support to IBM programmers.
Star Trek
Lcars Alpha
Kearns
963-9772
A bulletin board for those with interest in Star Trek.
Caution and disclaimer
The Deseret News has made every reasonable effort to screen out bulletin boards that allow sexually oriented language and pornographic computer-generated images. However, parents are encouraged to be aware and informed of bulletin board use by children and teens.
The Deseret News verified all of the bulletin board numbers listed during the first two weeks of December. However, bulletin boards frequently come and go and their numbers are reassigned to others quickly. Before dialing with your computer please test the number on the telephone, preferably before 9 p.m. This will protect unsuspecting residents from being bothered by strange modem noises.
Although slight, there is some risk involved in using bulletin boards. Personal information, including home address and phone number, is usually required to log on to systems and there is a risk that the information could be misused by some system operators. The Deseret News is not responsible for anything that happens to users as a result of calling any bulletin board number.
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Glossary
Baud: the speed at which telecommunication data are transmitted, measured in bits per second.
BBS: computer bulletin board service
CPU: acronym for central processing unit.
Download: to transfer data from a remote computer to the one you are using.
E-mail: electronic mail or messages.
Flame: a virulent and (often largely personal attack against someone who posts a message on Internet. People who post such messages are flamers.
GIFs: graphic information files. These contain photos, arto or other images.
GUI: graphical user interface, such as Windows.
Internet: a vast unorganized link of computers and databases worldwide.
Hacker: two meanings - a highly talented computer user or a person who gains access to a computer without authorized access.
Logging on or logging off: the process of connecting or disconnecting between the computer and a user.
Modem: acronym for modulator/demodulator. A communications device that allows a computer to use phone lines to "talk" to other computers.
Protocol: an agreed set of communication parameters between computers.
Snail mail: regular mail.
Text file: a file containing textual information.
Upload: transferring data from the computer you are using to a remote one.