While the Net and HTML Web authoring tools grab the limelight, the importance of local bulletin board systems should not be overlooked. After you've downloaded that last videogame FAQ from a Japanese site, or broken off your e-relationship with an anonymous Finnish mate, you just might want to log in somewhere that feels like home. New York Online (NYO) should bring you and your modem down to earth - northwest Brooklyn, to be exact.
New York Online's first-class graphic interface, developed by SoftArc, makes the system easy to use. But visuals are only a small part of what makes this system so appealing. Signing on to NYO is a departure from other commercial services with their mall-like atmospheres, and it's a far cry from the vastness of the Internet. NYO is steeped in character and prickling intellect: "Yankeespace," if you will.
What differentiates NYO from other BBSes is the broad social and ethnic "mix" that's cultivated by founders Omar Wasow and Peta Hoyes. However, ethnicity is not the only thing in New York Online. Says Wasow, "New York Online goes above and beyond the usual totems to multiculturalism: we've got some real New York flavor going on here - politics and culture and all those good things jump off the page."
New York Online recaptures the excitement of being online for the first time. Special emphasis is placed on welcoming newcomers to the experience. This inclusive approach has attracted many unique entities, including Vibe, Paper, and KGB, which all host forums on the service. There are even areas devoted to the New York City Parks Department, lengthy conferences on subway experiences, and online chats with hip-hop artists like Public Enemy's Chuck D.
Above all, NYO smacks of a sophistication that is lacking in some on-line communities. Wasow and Hoyes steer clear of amassing gigabytes of downloadables, and likewise discourage the tiresome "it sucks" tirade of many message boards.
New York Online, like New York City, is about actively participating in the culture right outside your door.
New York Online: US$5.95 a month for 10 to 20 hours depending on use, $0.50-$1 per hour for additional hours, +1 (718) 596 6000, e-mail info@nyo.com.
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