[oclug] Re: Who are members anyway?

[Johnathan Hicks]

It all makes sense now! A truly insightful, and enlightening tale to be
sure! ;->

--John

bbarnett at l8r.net wrote:
> 
> On 12-Aug-2001 Chris Herrnberger wrote:
> > On August 11, 2001 08:02 pm, you wrote:
> >>
> >> If that's not the case, then obviously that isn't a list of members, and
> >> Rod is still looking for one.  Additionally, there are 6 private members on
> >> that list.  Private members? ;).
> >>
> > Thats precisely the issue I was raising in my previouse post. There is little
> > consistancy in implementation.
> >
> > Chris
> 
> Many years ago, when I was a small lad, my father brought me to the big city.
> He brought me to Ottawa, to see the focal point of political power in Canada.
> Back then I was very interested in computers, of course, but they were few and
> far between.  Since we were in the "big city", we had hoped I would get a
> chance to see one.  We were quite happy to find out, after calling a local
> government office, that they gave tours of their computer rooms if booked in
> advance.
> 
> The next day was a happy day, because even back then I knew that Unix was a
> wonderful thing, and that most of the government departments ran one derivative
> of it or another.  My small mind had spent hours reading up on the commands and
> the structure of Unix, from books that my local library had special ordered in,
> just for me.  Finally I would get to see a real computer, not just Vic20!
> Perhaps I could talk to someone who actually _used_ one for a living!  This was
> to be a day of happiness, and a day of learning.  Unfortunately, it was not to
> be so!
> 
> About 1/2 way through the tour, I noticed an empty terminal, and I snuck away
> from the tour to get a closer look at it.  This is when my heart broke, and it
> was the first _real_ let down of my young life.  On this desk, in the heart of
> UNIX land itself, was a horrible book.  I would later call it the Anti-Christ's
> bible,  and it was titled "Let's ask Bill Gates - Is Unix for you?".  It was
> open, and highlighted with the word "INSIGHTFUL!", was a sentence that read
> "Unix is doomed to fade into non-existance within 20 years".  It was at this
> point that I started to emit a painful sounding cry, much like the sound a Moose
> makes during mating season.
> 
> Now, many years later, I can look back on the tormented days that followed, and
> almost laugh.  I can sit back and have a beer, and smile over the past, or at
> least I could, until now.  You see, while reading this email about Private
> members, a flash of insight erupted through me, and I remember one crystal
> clear picture of that moment I described above.  On that desk, sitting beside
> that horrible book and its comment, was a name plate and it read Francis
> Penteric!!!!!
> 
> I see it all clearly now!  I now know who these "private" members are.  After
> reading that book, Francis must have started a pen pal relationship with Bill
> Gates!  Over the years, 100s of letters must have passed, from here to Seattle,
> where Francis' mentor lives!  After a long and mutually benificial friendship
> with each other, Bill found out about OCLUG because of our dear "friend"
> Francis, and immediately asked to join.  Suddenly wrought with fear and concern
> over his dirty windows secret becoming public, yet forced to honour his
> friendship, Francis snuck Bill in as a "private" member.
> 
> For shame Francis, for shame!!!!