11/10/88

Dear T/TalkNET SysOps,

(REPRINTED FROM TELEBITS/REVISED)

First off, I'd like to take a sec and say thanks for everything all of you have
done for TeleTalk OnLine and us.  Without your support, our job of getting TTO
out to the public would be much more difficult.  Your efforts are most
appreciated.

TeleTalk OnLine Magazine is currently undergoing a few format changes many of
which are obvious, others are subtle.  No, we're not disbanding T/TalkNET, just
streamlining it, making it faster and more efficient for us and you.  In fact,
we are making these changes so that we can add several new cities to our
circuit.  Some of the changes we are making are:

1) Each issue is now just one file instead of two or three.  The size of each
issue in the former format has averaged a low of 40K and a high of around 70K.
This will not change.

2) We will no longer require you to have TeleTalk OnLine as a readable text
file and a file available for downloading.  Either method is satisfactory.

3) After much thought, we have decided to not require you to have a TeleTalk
message base.  The bases are not being used as much as we had thought they
would.  This is optional and some of you may want to keep the message base
intact.  If a file or message is left for us, please pass it along or let us
know where to find it.

4) The major changes are in the way we will package and distribute the issue to
you.  We will continue to offer each issue with the special carriage return
characters.  The carriage return formats available are ^M^J for the MS-DOS,
IBM, Atari ST, CP/M, and Amiga boards, ^M for the Apple and TRS-80 boards and
the ACSII 155 character for the Atari 8bit boards.

5) Issues are now available in 80 column format only.  98 percent of the boards
carrying TeleTalk OnLine are 80 columns.  Most 40 column boards are able to
wordwrap so formatting should not be a problem.  A special file to help those
board who are using 40 columns is available.  (See below.) As always, you are
free to re-arrange and/or re-format the issue to fit your needs.

6) To speed up the process of transferring files, the file will now be uploaded
in ARC format.  Each month, you will receive the following files.

     1) TTO_xx.TXT - Current issue of TeleTalk OnLine Magazine.

     2) SYS_NEWS.TXT - A newsletters for the T/TalkNET SysOps which will
include bulletins, updates etc.  After receiving and unARCing the package, be
sure to read this file first for important info and news concerning you.

     3) SUPPORT.40 - As of now, issues will be released in the 80 column format
only.  This will only affect two T/TalkNET boards, Denver and Boston.  A LOT of
work went into reformating every issue to 40 columns and was much of the reason
for delays in getting out the issue.  Not to totally abandon the 40 column
boards, this file contains the headers and footers in 40 column format.  Feel
free to re-edit the issue as you deem necessary to fit your format.

     4) TTOSYSOP.TXT - Is a general information file that is directed toward
other SysOps who are interested in becoming a T/TalkNET board.

How you offer TTO to your members is entirely up to you.  You can offer these
files as a complete package, or individually or just the magazine itself.  As
stated above, it can either be a read online file or a file to be downloaded
(or both.)

                              [*][*][*]

We want to keep the T/TalkNET circuit intact.  Other changes are in the works
and will be implemented in the near future.  By making these changes, we are
able to concentrate more on putting together each issue, (the enjoyable part!)
and will be spending much less time on distributing it, (the not-so-fun part).
The changes outlined here are not set in concrete.  If you have any suggestions
or comments, please feel free to let us know.

                                           Sincerely,

                                           John Peters
                                           Bob Connors
