User:Greythorn

The U.S. Air Force introduced this Sci-fi crazy kid to a Sperry mainframe computer in 1978. I was hooked! I bought an Atari 800 in 1979 and a TI 99/4A in 1981. I learned to program in BASIC on the 99/4A. I later learned Assembly/Machine language in Electronic Warfare school. I purchased a used PC clone and a PCjr in 1983, but couldn't find much software that I could afford.

While stationed in Las Vegas, I attended meetings of UNLV's "PC Users Group" in 1983, but was bored with the club's spreadsheet accounting orientation. Many club members wore "I Love Lotus 1-2-3" buttons. No, I don't know where the VisiCalc lovers were at the time! Equally boring guest speakers were from subcontractors trying to sell things like case hardened portable PC's to the university or military. The club members mostly wanted to pirate copies of the software installed on the demo computers.

In an attempt to create a users group for a broader base of users and home enthusiasts, I purchased copies of the entire Santa Clara PCSIG Public Domain Software Library (DOS & CP/M) and used it as the primary resource to found the Las Vegas PCjr Users Group. Our first meeting was at Entre Computer Center, Las Vegas in early 1984. Later that year, we let the Tandy 1000 owners join so they could access the software library.

After two years of rapid growth (and political infighting) within the renamed PC/PCjr users group, I resigned as president to permanently run the group BBS that I started on a PCjr using a Racore external hard drive/RAM expansion unit that included a 1200 baud modem. My Sysop handle "Greythorn" was derived from my gaming name (Greythorn = Old Prick.) I started to learn Borland's Turbo Pascal and (later) Turbo C.

I later upgraded to a PC, then XT, then swapped in an NEC V20 CPU, and finally a bleeding edge Zeos 80286-12. I used that platform to start the first 2400 baud, PC DOS based BBS in Las Vegas (and most of western U.S.) thanks to the U.S. Robotics "Sysop Program". Also, (using various and Nochange BBS software) ran one of the first ANSI graphics, multi-user (multi-modem cards), online games, chat capable BBS's in the U.S.

In the mid-80's, the PC/PCjr Users Group merged with the UNLV PC Users Group and is active to this day. No current members have any idea who I am.

After donating thousands of dollars of time, software, and gear to the PC community I had to shut down the BBS because of time constraints and family obligations. I'd collected a total of $55 in donations for the BBS during it's operation. This allowed users to double their online time from 30 to 60 minutes on one of my 4 modem/phone lines.

Only one user requested that his $5 donation be returned. I invited him to my "on-base" military housing for a cup of coffee and to return his $5. He brought his 8 year old son with him and proceeded to abuse me in order to teach his son how to deal with "cheats". He was a wealthy businessman. I suspect that he's continued to try and teach his son how to be a complete a**hole.

My later careers in IT and the military are another long story. I did later found another non-profit group called GAEL (Gaelic Arts and Education League). GAEL was a much more pleasant experience.

I'm retired and currently live in Australia with me Aussie girl. I ride with motorcycle clubs and remote control my laptop with my phone or tablet when I'm on the road.