February 22, 2003
Why ETC?
I was in the military, stationed in Germany, and needed a way to vent my frustrations at being so distant from the family, and I had more time on my hands than I needed. Besides, there were worse things to get into in downtown Nuremberg at the time, and I wasn't about to get caught up in anything that would jeopardize my marriage or military career. So I bought a computer...
As my interests grew in on-line communications, and being the closet geek that I was, I went a step further than just going on line and visiting other sites. I learned code, integration of multiple operating systems (os), and put up site of my own, resulting in a long-term investment of resources, telephone expenses, and expensive hardware.
Soon, people were calling from all over the world. It was amazing, and you have to understand, it wasn't like the Internet of today. Each call was to a specific terminal, using very slow modems, and unusually high long distance charges piled up... and since all of this was taking place in space, over phone lines and the air, the nickname em>Ethereal Trade Co. / ETC was born.
Enter Fidonet ... a group of hundreds put together a method of communicating en-masse, and combined resources behind "hubs" in cities all over the world, usually a co-op. Then there were satellite dish transmitters/receivers that circumvented using Ma Bell, and expenses began to fall. It was still another 3-5 years until the Internet would be available to the general public. Other networks sprung up; Nurses Net, MedNet, SafeNet, to name a few I was directly involved in. Here is an excerpt from a Google® search of the name:
ETC's MedNet -------- 1:387/801
Phone: --------- (210) 829-0346
SafeNet RC ------------- 44:500/0
For years ETC's MedNet has been one of the premiere medically specific bbs's in the nation, specializing in hard to find medical files, online CEU's (Continuing Education for professionals), and over 75 medically related echoes for nurses, physicians, and those whom may be afflicted with specific problems and needs.
SafeNet is a network linking EMT/Fire/Emergency Services in a nationally recognized public service network. Firefighters, Paramedics, and Emergency Room professionals.
Brought to you by Ethereal Trade Co., my dedication to profession education, and my wife's utter distress.
ETC's MedNet - SAN ANTONIO, TX (1987-1993)
ETC's MedNet - SHREVEPORT, LA (1994)
ETC's MedNet, S'port/Bossier Net - SHREVEPORT, LA (1994-1997)
Ethereal Systems - SHREVEPORT, LA (1996)