Unforunately, none of the existing utilities out there can do the job
properly.

In Memory I have:

* My BBS written in Turbo Pascal (100K .EXE and 165K OVERLAY)
* BNU Rev.5 Fossil Driver (TSR)
* Novell Netware Lite - and the various TSRs that go with it.
* Dos v6.22 and Dos v5.0 on some nodes
* 286 and 386 machines
* 640K ram (no ems or xms)

But no one can seem to help.  I've e-mailed shareware authors of these
utilities and haven't received responses.  I've even e-mailed
Timo Salmi - and he told me he couldn't help me.

If your an expert - help me out of this jam.

PLEASE!

ap...@torfree.net
bail...@canada.com

Voice: 905-676-9352

I would appreciate *ANY* and *ALL* e-mailed responses that MAY be a
shred of help...

For the record, I've tried SHROOM.COM EXEC33B.ZIP and SWPUNIT7.ZIP

Thank you Duncan. There is also a further point to this. Many gentle
readers sometime grossly overestimate my Pascal knowhow. No undue
modesty here. I have some practical experience in straight-forward
Pascal programming, but I am no expert in the intricacies of
programming. My expertise on the net is in gathering the information
and make it available from the site (Garbo) I run together with my
comaintainers. It is up to the gentle readers to utilize the
information directly. Please remember that, inf fact, I am not a CS
person by profession.

I'll try to be polite towards emailed questions, but I'd very much
prefer if the gentle readers always posted rather than emailed their
"how do I solve this TP problem" and "where do I find this and this
material". In most cases I reply to such emailed questions by a
prerecorded answer. Here are the standard ones for general
information.

---
Dear Fellow User,

I was very pleased to get your emailed question. I would very much
like to help you, but I just can't take the time from my other
numerous activities to be a general advisor and look at this
particular problem on an individual email consultation basis.
Besides it is always possible that I would not know the answer. I
would warmly suggest considering the option of posting your question
to a suitable UseNet newsgroup where both the question and the
potential answers will have a wider forum. The added advantage is
that the potential answers on the news might well benefit also other
interested readers.

You may have been encouraged by the fact that I frequently answer
questions on the UseNet news. It is not impossible that I might end
up answering yours on the news if I can. But please note a
difference. On the news I can pick the familiar questions to answer.
Even more importantly one gets to answer the same question for the
hopeful benefit of a number of users at one go.

Please don't be put off by this response. I always look forward to
hearing from fellow users, and I hope that you do not hesitate to
contact me also in the future.

   All the best, Timo

....................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi   Co-moderator of news:comp.archives.msdos.announce
Moderating at ftp:// & http://garbo.uwasa.fi archives  193.166.120.5
Department of Accounting and Business Finance  ; University of Vaasa
t...@uwasa.fi http://uwasa.fi/~ts BBS 961-3170972; FIN-65101,  Finland

---
Dear Garbo User,

Thank you for you enquiry concerning finding material for a
particular purpose.  Please let me respond by this edited extract
from

 28891 Jul 9 23:37 ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/pd2/pd2aw092.txt
 pd2aw092.txt Frequently asked Garbo questions with answers, T.Salmi

Please do not be put off by the necessity of my giving a canned
response to your query.  I always look forward to hearing from
fellow users, and I hope that you do not hesitate to contact me also
in the future.

-Subject: Looking for particular programs

14. *****
 Q: I am interested to know if there exists a program for such and
such purpose.  Would you point me in the right direction.  (This
question also often occurs in the news postings, especially in the
comp.binaries.ibm.pc.wanted and comp.archives.msdos.d newsgroups.)

 A1: Most often the best answer is to look through file lists. We
have several such lists which should together have quite a good
coverage of the PD programs in circulation. These lists include
ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/INDEX.ZIP and Timo's index file
ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/INDEXTS.ZIP (these are the MS-DOS file lists
for Garbo), and ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/filelist/simlist.zip (SimTel
list).

 A2: How to find MS-DOS files on Garbo: If you are looking for a
particular program at garbo.uwasa.fi you should start by getting the
following files:
   /pc/INDEX.ZIP       (the general annotated /pc files index)
   /pc/INDEXTS.ZIP     (ts-package contents)
 For seeing what is new in the /pc and /pc/ts directories, get
   /pc/pd2/news-pd2    (selected news on all MS-DOS directories)
   /pc/ts/0news-ts     (all news on ts-programs)

 A3: There is more advice on finding files in the Frequently Asked
Questions collection ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/ts/tsfaqn43.zip (or
whatever version number is current), and the Garbo feedback files
ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/pd2/tspost??.zip (where ?? = 01,02,...  etc.
ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/pd2/tspost00.zip contains the subject index.
Also see the Frequently Asked Questions for the newsgroup
news:comp.archives.msdos.announce. This FAQ collection is available
as ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/pd2/camfaq.zip.

 A4: Please do not email "looking for a program" questions lightly
to Garbo moderators.  We are pleased to try to help, and your email
is welcome, but we are extremely pressed for time.  We simply cannot
afford the effort to find programs for the users on an individual
email consultation basis.  Preferably post these questions to the
UseNet news.  E.g. comp.binaries.ibm.pc.wanted is a good newsgroup
for looking for PD and shareware MS-DOS programs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

   All the best, Timo

:Worse yet, you chose to put me down in the general public, WHILE
:wasting bandwith like I am.  The next time you wish to act high and
:mighty, at the very least use e-mail.

I am very saddened by this characterization, which I am sure, is
partly my own doing. But I can assure you that no one is putting you
or anyone else down. What happened here is that Duncan and I
explained why we for practical reasons we strongly prefer posted TP
consultation questions to emailed ones. There is NO slight to
anyone. Please don't take it personally. It was for general
information. If you experienced it as a personal putdown, that is
highly unfortunate, since it most definitely was not meant as such.
I apologize for any misunderstanding.

:Now that this is out of the way, lets get back to normal discussions.

Gladly, and looking forward to seeing you on both media.

   All the best, Timo

I did post to the newsgroup TWICE.  I scanned the various FAQ files available,
and even wrote to shareware authours.

Nothing seemed to work.  I am really sorry that I seem to look up to Timo
Salmi as someone that knows what he is doing - and I tried that avenue.
I've e-mailed him before in the past and did it in such a fashion that I
did not get him upset, nor did I get an automated response.

I am also a FAQ maintainer believe it or not.  I created alt.fan.samantha-fox
and I tend to get e-mailed requests for information, or copies of my FAQ, etc.
Never was I rude to someone, by saying "I hit the delete key".  People are
people, and just because everyone doesn't follow the same guidelines you do,
doesn't mean they are "less of a person" or more uninformed.  To each their
own, and everyone is different.

Worse yet, you chose to put me down in the general public, WHILE wasting bandwith
like I am.  The next time you wish to act high and mighty, at the very least
use e-mail.

But thats your choice, and hey, I guess your equal to me in a sense.

Now that this is out of the way, lets get back to normal discussions.

I figured you to be a role model, and to see the work that you do without
compensation really intrigued me.  I figured that if I could not find
the answer I was looking for, after viewing the FAQ files and leaving
posts to the newsgroups, at the very least I might be able to send
a message your way to ask you directly.

If it bothered you so much, why didn't you hit the "Delete key" as Duncan
suggests?   Why not send me one of your automated messages that has a
{*word*193} tone?

Is it really that terrible that when someone needs help with a particular
subject that isn't covered in FAQs or answered in newsgroups that they
go ask a public figure on the net?

Believe me, I will not bother you again, and I am sorry I wasted so
much of your time..  I understand that you label people like me "a general
reader" - now that I have this new found knowledge, maybe I could put
it to some use.

Maybe I should have sent a query letter simply asking "may I send a message
to you - or would that be too much of a strain on you?"  Why not keep a
list of people you would like to hear from (since your good at e-mail
automation) and bounce back all messages from unknown addresses?

That way you can pick and choose who you wish to hear from and not be
bothered by "general readers" or the "general public".  I think this
may just be a good idea!

I'm always looking to help someone in need, and I don't have to try
to be polite -- I usually am.

So thank you for your response, it will help me to realize the position
you prefer to be in with regards to e-mail from "general readers".

You were very helpful, and its appreciated.

All the best,
- Shiloh Costa

... a general reader.

     Remove your t...@uwasa.fi e-mail address at your signature, I know
     this may sound terribly crazy, but it almost seems like you are
     inviting anyone to correspond with you if they choose.

     Otherwise, what reason would you advertise your e-mail address if
     it is private, and not to be used by "general readers" or "the
     general public"?

     I have CC'd a copy of this message to you to make sure that you
     received it.  I would be very e{*word*277}d to receive one of your
     automated messages in return - if that wouldn't be a strain.

Also, e-mail is the wrong place to post questions. A reply only helps one
person, and can only be answered by one. Timo is, by his own admission,
not a programmer, and I expect is prone to mistakes, if not as frequently
as this writer. Asking a public question means getting several viewpoints
and means helping other people.

If you have found this letter to have a {*word*193} tone, I apologize. It was not
intended as a rebuke, merely as an explanation of my opinions, developed
over a fairly short amount of time in this group.

Alan

Prof. Timo Salmi is a "public figure" as you said so he should answer your
mail like any other mail. Did you write to Mick Jaegger lately ? What was
the answer ?

The only difference is that Timo is sharing his knowledge on his spare time,
moderating newsgroups and ftp sites on his spare time, writing free
programs, etc. Mick jaegger gets (well) paid for this.

About his address in the signature... Did you write to him for something
else than a "consultation" ? As you said it's for "corresponding" not
"consulting".

Now something about your original message. It seems like you did not post
your question in the newsgroup ? What do you think about the persons reading
the newsgroup ? Do you think persons like Texeira or Duncan are not at least
as experts as Timo to solve your problems with Turbo Pascal ? Don't you
think there also are other excellent Turbo Pascal contributors here ? Don't
you think your question's answer could interest somebody else ?

As you seem to be an "EXPERT" (your original message was addressed to
EXPERTS), I keep your address for when I have EXPERT questions. I'm dying to
read the answers.

:If it bothered you so much, why didn't you hit the "Delete key" as Duncan
:suggests?   Why not send me one of your automated messages that has a
:{*word*193} tone?

On rereading this from the news I am more and more taken aback by
your message. Your emailed question did not "bother me so much" and
hitting delete key, while I sometimes do it, is something I try to
avoid. As for sending _{*word*193}_ automated replies to TP questions, why
on earth would I want to do that?

:Is it really that terrible that when someone needs help with a particular
:subject that isn't covered in FAQs or answered in newsgroups that they
:go ask a public figure on the net?

Of course not. I most certainly have not cried '{*word*76}y {*word*190}' about
emailing. What I did I send you prerecorded email explaining why
posting your question was highly preferable.

:I am really shocked that you must "try to be polite".  I really don't

I prefer politeness to rudeness. Simple as that.

:Believe me, I will not bother you again, and I am sorry I wasted so
:much of your time..  I understand that you label people like me "a general

You did not waste my time nor bother me. But for practical reasons I
simply cannot afford the time for every private consultation
question.

:Maybe I should have sent a query letter simply asking "may I send a message
:to you - or would that be too much of a strain on you?"  Why not keep a

Oh come on. Please don't be sarcastic. There was no personal putdown
in my response.

:list of people you would like to hear from (since your good at e-mail
:automation) and bounce back all messages from unknown addresses?

That is not a practical suggestion with my email volumes. Besides I
am sure you got also to the part where is say:

"Please don't be put off by this response. I always look forward to
hearing from fellow users, and I hope that you do not hesitate to
contact me also in the future."

:I'm always looking to help someone in need, and I don't have to try
:to be polite -- I usually am.

But now, I am sorry to say bluntly, dear Shiloh, you are
substituting politeness with an unnecessary tantrum.

:P.S. A GREAT recommendation to you:
:     Remove your t...@uwasa.fi e-mail address at your signature, I know
:     this may sound terribly crazy, but it almost seems like you are
:     inviting anyone to correspond with you if they choose.

Please don't be absurd. Email addresses do belong to signatures. The
fact that I replied to your consultation question with the
prerecorded suggestion of posting, and explaining my preference, is
certainly no reason to alter my signature.

:     Otherwise, what reason would you advertise your e-mail address if
:     it is private, and not to be used by "general readers" or "the
:     general public"?

Not taking the time to answer each and every question I get with
personalized consultation does not make my email address private.
Besides have you any idea of the number of questions I have
answered.

:     I have CC'd a copy of this message to you to make sure that you
:     received it.  I would be very e{*word*277}d to receive one of your
:     automated messages in return - if that wouldn't be a strain.

I am baffled, Shiloh, why you are so terribly upset of my genuinely
being pressed for time and telling you so by the request to post.
There is no reason to take it as a snub to your ego, which, deducing
from your concluding sarcasm, is clearly bruised. I find this
unfair.

As you will know by now I replied to your copy individually since
this (even if not pleasant) is two-way correspondence.

   All the best, Timo

P.S. My apologies to all for continuing this, but I wished to
respond to the posting even if it has momentarily taken us away from
Turbo Pascal.