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Conference System Notes

  Most people in the company are now using the MJK teleconference system to interchange messages. As requested, I've added the conference system user names to the ``Names and Addresses'' directory at the end of this letter (after the phone numbers).

The conference system has been afflicted by the recent times of tribulation in TYMNET. TYMNET has been installing new software, and we've been through yoyo reliability, double spaced input lines, character delete that comes and goes, etc. All we can do is put up with it. The problems are in TYMNET, not the conference system.

Please note that charges for the conference system, including TYMNET connect time (the largest component of the cost), drop by more than 50% in non-prime time, that is, 18:00 to 07:00 Pacific local time (the time that's displayed when you log on). The reduced charges also apply on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays all day. Please help us save money by using the system when it's cheap. Note also that MJK's preventive maintenance remains from 17:00-17:30 Pacific time, so if you try to log on at that time you'll get ``Can't initiate new sessions now''.

To further reduce charges on the system, I've reversed a change made to the system some time back and made the system store messages for people in files keyed with their names. This means you can check whether there are any messages for you without calling the CONFRX program and incurring the charges to load and execute it. At the point you're about to type RUN CONFRX, type LISTF instead. You'll see a file directory listing. If you see a file with your user name preceded by ``MF'', then you have messages. If there's no such file, and you don't want to send any messages, you can type BYE immediately and log off. Thus, if you user name were GONZO, you would look for a file ``MFGONZO'' in the file directory.


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Editor: John Walker