Lotus Development Corp. has agreed to purchase SoftSwitch Inc., a developer of communications that links disparate E-mail systems. Seems that Lotus thinks they could use some help in making their cc:Mail and Lotus Notes software work with things like the 'Net. Ahhhrrrgggg! another million or so people out there that can fill my mail box with their trash. We hope the resulting software will include a tutorial on how not to annoy the rest of the world.
An interesting item crossed our desk the other day. A RFQ from none other than B.C. Systems Corp. for a bunch of stuff that sure looks like it could be used out in the boonies for hooking up lots of people to something like the Internet. I guess their aging X25 system is going to go the way of the dodo some time in the future.
The keynote address by Howard at the dinner on Thursday the 16th was quite a hit. Howard shared some of the interesting stories he has collected along the way to becoming one of the best known Citizens of the Internet. Included was a touching story about how he came to be the owner of what has to be the only hand painted shoes we have ever seen, and how they have become his trademark, even in Japan!
A wine and cheese party on Friday the 17th announced the opening of Duthie Books' Virtual Bookstore on Wimsey. The Duthie Technical Book store was packed with seminar attendees and invited guests. Celia Duthie presided over one of the computers in the back room showing people the wonderful graphics and layouts put together by John Maxwell of the Digital Co-op and Prescott Klassen from Duthie Books.
The final panel discussion on Saturday afternoon produced what we consider the highlight of the whole event. While discussing the future of the Internet and Cyberspace, and whether authors would have as much influence on the way it evolved as they had had on its progress to date, William Gibson (Neuromancer, 1984. Winner of the HUGO, NEBULA, and Philip K. Dick Awards and wherein was coined the word Cyberspace,) was moved to say
"I feel uneasy with the idea that this is all my fault".
All in all, the conference was judged to be a wonderful success and we look forward to the next one.
The other wanabee seems to have built a road to California in search of traffic and then couldn't figure out how to get the trucks to make the turn to their place. They've torn up the pavement and are looking for a local connection we've been told. Too bad they didn't accept help when it was offered eh?
Even more interesting is that these two groups who would be Wimsey's competitors both have their E-mail addresses with .wimsey.com after them - curioser and curioser.
admin@wimsey.com