NAME:
Ian Smith (aka Merls)

COMPUNET ID:
GWS2

WHAT HE DID:
That's an easy one - burned up the phone bill (didn't we all?)and got a good bollocking from my parents, lurked in Partyline arranging game swaps and played MUD. Also had my own small area for a while (See claim to fame).

CLAIM TO COMPUNET FAME:
Nowt really. As I mentioned when I moved up to a GOLD subscription and got all those free pages I started my own area. The only things I can remember uploading were short stories I'd written and spoof adverts from a made-up company called SPAWN (Sophisticated Perversions And Weird Non-descripts). Nothing any worse than some of the dross you find on the internet.

WHAT'S HE UP TO NOW:
Well, having been so inspired by Compunet and the 64, I followed a sad path of doing a BTEC course in Computer studies followed by a degree in Computer Studies (young internet users be warned! Save yourselves while you still can!). After four years of that, a career in computers was the last thing I wanted, and yet I now find myself to be a self-employed analyst/programmer (or 'contractor scum' if you like). No whizzy stuff mind, just creaky, old IBM mainframe technology. I'm one of the 'them' who's trying to get us past the year 2000, so empty that bank account now. Aside from work, I've recently become engaged and am looking forward to impending marriage, kids and death.

OTHER STUFF:
I still have my 64 (those black modems were huge weren't they?). It's all neatly boxed up in my parents loft. One day I'll get round to digging it out again and looking at some of those demos. That is assuming the disks are still okay and the power adapter isn't playing up.

TOP THREE FAVOURITE PROGRAMS/HARDWARE:
1) I loved the game ARCHON on the 64 and the sad thing is I still play it occasionally on my PC using a 64 emulator. 2) I think the trusty, old 64 TAPE DECK should get a mention. Ah, the hours lost while waiting for things to load. In particular, I remember waiting quietly for 'Way of the Exploding Fist' to load and then jumping a mile when the first kung-fu-type FX shout sounded. 3) I remember that before I got a cartridge with a reset button I used to reset the 64 using a BIT OF WIRE on the connectors of one of the rear ports - remember doing that? So the trusty, old bit of wire gets a mention.

BETWEEN WHICH DATES WERE YOU A MEMBER OF COMPUNET:
Let's see, I was around 16-18, so around 1986-1988 I think... well, it is over a decade ago now! I'm now an old git 28 year old and it's a cliché, but kids today don't know how lucky they are! Imagine using a CHAT facility whereby you uploaded your message in a whole text frame! And uploaded files using 1200/75, yes, 75! Apart from the bills, those were great days and I'd love to know what happened to people like DICEMAN, JT7 and ERYTHEMA. I've recently got into the whole multi-player thing (look for user ID 'KYGS') and games like Jedi Knight are just amazing, but I still remember being just as amazed with MUD and Partyline ten years ago...

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