Ruth...
I think it's wonderful that you've benefited so greatly since those first,
tentative steps you made on the PC. My virtual hat's off to ya!
One of the negatives on "life in Cyberspace" that's becoming ever-, more
prevalent, unfortunately, IS the proliferation of individuals pushing products
(often of dubious distinction) as well as pushing religion - their own, of
course.
There are also people who prey on the less sophisticated, the new, and/or the
youthful Net users.
For all the tremendous expansion, the sheer numbers of individuals crowding
onto the Internet seem to increase hourly instead of monthly.. Heck... lately,
it there seems to be a minute-by-minute expansion of this already overburdened
network!
The Internet's THE place to be right now! It's hot and it's IN! You are the
seeing the very beginning of what is GOING to be an influx... a huge flood...
a virtual tidal wave of users and information hitting the Internet!
For many it's also a place to try to control others. When you run into these
kinds of individuals while online, being "nice" usually will get you nowhere.
You MUST be firm, concise, and in the end, you'll prolly also have to be what
you and I would consider to be RUDE, and just quickly bale out of the chat
with a fast "bye."
At that point, if you have the offensive individual's email address, you might
consider - should you feel the need to explain your actions via email,
however, it's likely they'd understand or even care what you feel, and could
just as easily then continue to do their "religion-thing" at ya via email once
they have YOUR email address.
Finally, I think you must try to take the type of negative experience you have
(and sadly, it prolly won't be he first) and consider it to have been your
trial-by-fire introduction to the REAL Internet, and that you've lost your
innocence in a way. Hang in there, 'cause as you become more adept at
recognizing the people online whom you'd care to have nothing to do with,
you'll find it becomes easier and less painful to deal with them promptly and
with less inner pain.
Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]
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From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Ruth Spielberger
Sent: Sunday, October 26, 1997 12:51 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
Subject: Not the place for THAT
The computer has slowly changed my life for tne better...My husband used
to download these letters for me. I enjoyed them but sometimes they were
a week old and I did not know how to respond. One day I typed a letter on
word perfect and he sent it that evening, for one week we received replies.
I could not answer them; he was giving me that NO look.
This summer my daughter who is 13 showed me how to get the letters each
day. That entertained me while she was at camp. Soon I wanted more.
When she returned we began talking on the chat line. This was fun
for awhile but I wanted to talk without her. I needed privacy.
On Sept.2 my 54th birthday my husband got me a computer with windows 95..He
set it up in our bedroom. I am making great progress because today I am
witing a complaint.
The reason I love the chat line is it is the only place I have found
in the 10 years that I have had PD where people accept me. We laugh at each
other, encourage each other. We have never met yet there is a closeness
that is very special. I know if I have had a bad day it's allright to be a
litle bitchy. That's the mood I was in the other night when I found myself
in a private chat room with another member. I was being told the gospel. I
listened; I know she meant well.
I have had the same conversation many times. The decision that I have
made is personal. If I was looking for spiritual answers I would brose the
net. This was not the place. I no longer feel that the chat line is a
place where I can relax. That is not right.
Ruth Spielberger
