I felt the writing bug today, and wrote up a quick bit of "fan fiction", for lack of a better term. The BeOSJournal is quite open to submissions of "fan fiction" by anyone in the BeOS Community, so if you know someone who has a good story to tell, please let us know.

Enjoy my own bit of creativity...


Hello, my name is Chris Simmons, and I'm

...

a BeShare Addict.

Today, I come here to tell you story...

You see, it all started so innocently one day in early 1998. I was a typical windows user and didn't know any better! I was looking for a way out, a way to escape my hell, and find freedom from the digital chains of repression which had harboured my dreams of late about a spectacled maniacal madmen hellbent on controlling the IT industry one desktop at a time.

I found BeOS. I thought I was saved, neigh, delivered unto digital bliss with abandon, and life was good. Life with BeOS was only starting, and I was compelled towards the oasis I saw in the desert, replete with tall Frenchmen offering me wares.

I thought life couldn't get better, until one day, I stumbled upon an innocent chat program. That, ladies and gentlemen, was BeShare, and at first glance, looked harmless enough to the untrained eye. Therein followed a complete life-changing experience, and I will relate to you as best as can be remembered from the dream-like state of reality that encompassed my every waking moment.

At first, it was only a few minutes at a time, a quick logon to ask some "newbie" questions about BeOS, and oh, how is the weather there, eh? Then one day I left BeShare running, because well, I had no reason to reboot the computer, so might as well leave it connected, right? If I had the experience then which I have now, I would have chosen wisely and averted disaster.

I spent more and more time on BeShare, gaining knowledge and precious "Be Tips" from the more knowledgable users, including the author of BeShare who would dole out programming instruction like candy. Then I reached the tipping point, where *I* was knowledgable enough to answer newcomer's never-ending supply of questions. That is when the trouble started.

Hours would go by, sitting at my computer; the warm light from the screen basking my keystrokes in blissful radiation, as I conversed with "the others". I lost all track of time; days would go by before I typed in "afk" and explained to my boss why the workplace was missing my presence.

Then, it got worse. Every month a new version of BeShare would hit the digital download shelf, and I felt obligated to try it, for fear of losing out on all the new features! Not just a little number of new features either. The author was a coding madman, and surely had legions of programmers to complete the list of changes cited in the "changelog" attached to every new release.

The growing adherence I felt to this new world was exhilarating and even compelled me to contribute ideas as time went on. I was under a hypnosis, spurred on by the author, to participate in the programme of making his creation into a well tamed "uber" chat monster, far beyond mortal endeavors.

It was an through an intervention that I was forcibly removed from using BeShare. Close friends and family helped me make the first steps, and realize the depths of my passion was a prison to my persona. From that mental battlefield I clawed my way back to reality, and am here today to tell my story.

Take heed, friends. BeShare. You are not just sharing files. You are sharing your very soul.

-Chris Simmons,
Avid BeOS User.
The BeOSJournal.