The local scene is dying. The board scene is dying. Almost all of the LD boards I used to call are dead. These include Terra Firma, Channel 0, Agora, Free Beer, Belfast, and The Web. It's saddening. The Ansi scene itself is dying. I remember the days when a pack would be out on the 1st of the month. That rarely happens anymore. I'm not going to ramble on, though, about how 'good' the 'olden days' were, because they are gone, they are past. What's real is the NOW.

IRC. blahblahblah, IRC has wrecked the scene, blahblahblah, I'm not going to blab on about what IRC has done. The effects are clear.

What is the Ansi scene? It's sure as hell hard to explain when you think about it. I once tried to explain the scene to someone who had no clue about boards. It was funny. They posed some very good questions, mainly the one that I ask myself often. "WHY?!" Because, it's fun, the people are cool, certainly the most intelligent of BBSers, and probably one of the more knowledgable groups of people using IRC and the internet. (..and the most modest... ;) -ed)

The Ansi scene can actually apply itself to the real world. Some artists with heavy insecurities use it as a shield against life. In actuality, the scene may help to make them more sociable, or more self-confident. For one, the ambition which you can see in the Ansi scene is incredible. Struggling to reach "the top," whatever that is.

Trust me, "newbies," "lamers," etc, all have it easy. To them, the scene is huge. It's filled with mystery and intrigue, and there's nowhere to go but up. I wish I could be filled with that innocence, because, frankly, the scene was a lot more fun, when I was pumping out really bad logos for CIA (some say I still do =) and the senior staff didn't have the heart to tell me that I sucked. When D'mitri D'milo and I released Sinister on December 28, 1994, when Somms was still working on Continuum with T2, and when ACID and ICE were having some of the best packs ever. Now, in Acid, no where to go, CIA is still alive, I am bored, tired of the scene. Maybe some of you will read jz-trem2.cia in the cia pack that was recently realeased. I go into more detail there.

Virtually everyone that I remember from those times has left the scene. Some are still around, but faded whispers of what they once were. And now I will shut up and give some gratuitous greets to people that deserve them and hope they will read this.

pOd : What can I say, man? You probably will never read this, but you rule, you've been around, and always will. Trybe-13 baybee... someday. ;)
Sinned : Bah, you don't deserve a greet. You rule in your own way, you cocky, conceited bastard.
Caine : Dude, you rock. TRN forever. And the stigmobile rules. ;)
Tath : Well, it's your mag, you rule, etc etc. (Errr..righto..whatever you say.. ;) -ed)
Dryad : Hope the married life is good. I haven't seen you in a long long time, and sadly, I will probably never catch you on irc ever again. I know you'll never read this, but it's still neccessary to write. You rule, you always will, and maybe you'll be on Jeopardy the one day I decide to watch.
Ping : Hope penguin palace succeeds. You're ambitious, and I admire that. A little idealistic, but that never really hurt anyone.

Closing note : If you don't know who I am, then that really sucks. You really suck. (I guess we all suck then.. ;) Sorry Jazz..I'll shut up now.. =) -ed) This is my opinion on the scene, just one joe schmoe. To everyone out there that knows who I am, whether you like me or not, I'd have to say "hi." :)

-- Jazz [cia/acid]