Synchronet v3.19b-Win32 (install) has been released (Jan-2022).

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person:ille_homine_albe [2021/04/29 01:32] – Better scan of photo of Steve from 1986 Dresden gig digital manperson:ille_homine_albe [2022/01/17 01:48] – [The BBS Years] Add a user editor screen mock up that Steve provided me back in 1991 digital man
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 Having already met Dave at my house, the audition would be my first introduction to both Steve Deppe (the keyboardist) and [[http://www.guitarlessonsriverside.com/|Karl Johnson]] (the guitarist). Elaine Donaldson was the singer of the band at the time and I don't recall her being there the day of my audition. I would only see Elaine a handful of times as her interest in the band seemed to be waning (or was it mutual?) and I would only play with Karl for a couple of years and Dave maybe a year longer than that, but Steve would remain an important musical mentor and important influence in other elements of my life for many years to come. Of course, I didn't know that at the time. Having already met Dave at my house, the audition would be my first introduction to both Steve Deppe (the keyboardist) and [[http://www.guitarlessonsriverside.com/|Karl Johnson]] (the guitarist). Elaine Donaldson was the singer of the band at the time and I don't recall her being there the day of my audition. I would only see Elaine a handful of times as her interest in the band seemed to be waning (or was it mutual?) and I would only play with Karl for a couple of years and Dave maybe a year longer than that, but Steve would remain an important musical mentor and important influence in other elements of my life for many years to come. Of course, I didn't know that at the time.
  
-{{:person:scan0030.jpg?300|Steve Deppe, 1986}}+{{:person:deppe_steve_keyboards_1987_001b.jpg?300|Steve Deppe, 1987}}
  
 The day of the audition for Dresden, I don't recall Steve saying more than 2 words to me. I remember noticing that he was very tall and pale and didn't smile much. Karl said maybe four or five words and at least feigned a grin my way. Dave was much more congenial and did most of the talking. I had learned the songs from the tape and we worked on a few that first day, all instrumentals... or at least played just instrumentally (no vocals). I got a sense right away that if I wanted to join this band, and I did (I felt compelled to), that I would be accepted. The day of the audition for Dresden, I don't recall Steve saying more than 2 words to me. I remember noticing that he was very tall and pale and didn't smile much. Karl said maybe four or five words and at least feigned a grin my way. Dave was much more congenial and did most of the talking. I had learned the songs from the tape and we worked on a few that first day, all instrumentals... or at least played just instrumentally (no vocals). I got a sense right away that if I wanted to join this band, and I did (I felt compelled to), that I would be accepted.
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 {{:person:scan0019.jpg?300|Rob, at home on the phone, 1986}} {{:person:scan0019.jpg?300|Rob, at home on the phone, 1986}}
  
-I didn't immediately join another band though I was jamming with some friends and auditioning for other bands. Eventually Dave called me to say that Dresden had found a singer, Baron Knight, and asked if I would rejoin the band. We had all been screening singers while I was in the band and I remember rejecting a singer named "Baron" because I didn't like his demo tape (in particular, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swfaoa8PJtc|his singing on it]]) and I wondered if this was the same guy.+I didn't immediately join another band though I was jamming with some friends and auditioning for other bands. Eventually Dave called me to say that Dresden had found a singer, Baron Knight, and asked if I would rejoin the band. We had all been screening singers while I was in the band and I remember rejecting a singer named "Baron" because I didn't like his demo tape (in particular, [[https://youtu.be/O_8s1OwyjQs?t=114|his singing on it]]) and I wondered if this was the same guy.
  
 {{:person:baron_knight_with_cassle.jpg?300|Baron Knight (second from left) with his former band, Cassle)}} {{:person:baron_knight_with_cassle.jpg?300|Baron Knight (second from left) with his former band, Cassle)}}
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 Eventually, the band would fizzle, but Steve and I remained friends and Steve would spend a lot of time logged into my BBS and/or talking with me on the phone. In the early 1990's I would ultimately write my own BBS software (to replace the WWIV BBS software I was using). Steve provided technical (e.g. C programming and debugging) tips, but he also gave me the suggested name of "Synchronet", which I liked immediately. Eventually, the band would fizzle, but Steve and I remained friends and Steve would spend a lot of time logged into my BBS and/or talking with me on the phone. In the early 1990's I would ultimately write my own BBS software (to replace the WWIV BBS software I was using). Steve provided technical (e.g. C programming and debugging) tips, but he also gave me the suggested name of "Synchronet", which I liked immediately.
 +
 +Steve would make other suggestions to me for the BBS and its software, like this mock-up of a user information/editor screen that he prepared for me in July of 1991 (you can see his personality and the signs of the times, e.g. 2400bps, here, but definitely see his influence on Synchronet):
 +<code>
 +Acct: Ille Homine Albe #4, bastille, 213-378-4903, 2400
 +User: Steve Deschaine, 32 M 05/22/58
 +Test: 26/25  Propeller-head
 +Syst: 386DX-25 4096K ISA HGC, 2-RLL 115M
 +Actv: 09/10/89, $0 paid 0 days
 +Cmmt: r0dent-terrorizer
 +
 +Main: 99  ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ    Rstr: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
 +Xfer: 99  ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ    Exem: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
 +
 +Stat: total today   last
 +Logn:   214     3   12/17/90 18:01
 +Time:  1281    58
 +Mail:    55     4   12/17/90   10 sysop, 4 pending
 +Post:   112     0   12/15/90
 +
 +Upld: 4,294,967,295 bytes in 65535 files
 +Dnld: 4,294,967,295 bytes in 65535 files
 +Pnts: 4,294,967,295
 +</code>
  
 Around this time period Steve was working as a firmware engineer at General Automation (frequently referred to as "GA"). He worked in the office strange hours and he would sometimes bring me to his work to see the offices, the cube farms and PCB assembly lines all quiet while almost all the employees were home asleep. Steve would tell me about what he was working on, show me code listings and documents he was working on. I was fascinated by Steve's knowledge and programming skills and many years later, I too would become a professional firmware engineer, always reminded of Steve's early inspiration and encouragement to me. Around this time period Steve was working as a firmware engineer at General Automation (frequently referred to as "GA"). He worked in the office strange hours and he would sometimes bring me to his work to see the offices, the cube farms and PCB assembly lines all quiet while almost all the employees were home asleep. Steve would tell me about what he was working on, show me code listings and documents he was working on. I was fascinated by Steve's knowledge and programming skills and many years later, I too would become a professional firmware engineer, always reminded of Steve's early inspiration and encouragement to me.

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