Net-Works II

Nick Naimo (born {{circa}} 1945 in New York City{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=October 14, 1982 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117665990/maplewood-councilman-resigning/ | title=Maplewood Councilman Resigning | work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch | page=2S | via=Newspapers.com}}) developed Net-Works II independently in the early 1980s as a member of Computer Station, a BBS provider based in Missouri.{{rp|61}}{{cite book | last=Hildon | first=Karl J. H. | date=1985 | url= | title=The Complete Commodore Inner Space Anthology | publisher=Transactor Publishing | isbn=0-9692086-0-X | via=the Internet Archive}}{{rp|87}} He split amicably from Computer Station to work full-time for Advanced Data Systems,{{rp|61}} a start-up software developer in St. Louis, Missouri, who developed exclusively for the Apple II.{{cite journal | last=Michels | first=James | date=March 26, 1983 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117665830/tri-staters-find-wide-range-of-tasks-for/ | title=Tri-Staters find wide range of tasks for their computers | work=Evansville Press | page=3 | via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite journal | last=Needle | first=Dave | date=June 7, 1982 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XDAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6 | title=Applefest draws 20,000 | work=InfoWorld | publisher=CW Communications | volume=4 | issue=22 | pages=1, 6 | via=Google Books}}{{rp|6}} Version 2.2 of Net-Works was released by the company in June 1982.{{rp|56}} While working at Advanced Data Systems, Naimo also served as city councilman for the suburb of Maplewood, Missouri. Naimo quit Advanced Data Systems sometime in 1982 to work for the IT department of a printing press in St. Louis before relocating in Newburgh, Indiana, to work for Better Business Computers & Systems, a computer store and software publisher based in nearby Vincennes. Net-Works II was one of several applications Naimo wrote for Advanced Data Systems;{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=December 26, 1982 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117665871/business-computer-store-open/ | title=Business computer store open | work=Evansville Courier and Press | page=2-E | via=Newspapers.com}} others included a accounting program for small businesses and an inventory program for retailers.

A year after its introduction, Advanced Data Systems transferred the publishing rights for Net-Works II to High Technology Software Products of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=October 10, 1983 | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_computerworld_1983-10-10_17_41/page/63/ | title=Micro notes | work=Computerworld | publisher=CW Communications | volume=17 | issue=41 | page=63 | via=the Internet Archive}}{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=November 1983 | url=https://archive.org/details/aplus-v1-no1/page/n199/ | title=Product News: Net-Works II | work=A+ | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=1 | issue=1 | page=198 | via=the Internet Archive}} High Technology Software continued selling Net-Works II into the late 1980s.{{cite journal | last=Musgrave | first=Bill | date=January 16, 1987 | url=https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_Datamation70115_56941607/page/61/ | title=Bulletin Boards and Business | work=Datamation | publisher=Reed Business Information | volume=33 | issue=2 | page=61–63 | via=the Internet Archive}}

Features of Net-Works II include:{{cite journal | last=Prather | first=John | date=November 22, 1982 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DzAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA55 | title=Net-Works: bulletin-board system for Apple II | work=InfoWorld | publisher=CW Communication | volume=4 | issue=46 | pages=55–56, 61 | via=}}{{cite book | last=Dewey | first=Patrick R. | date=1987 | url=https://archive.org/details/essential-guide-to-bulletin-board-systems/page/n73/ | title=Essential Guide to Bulletin Board Systems | publisher=Meckler | page=1987 | isbn=9780887360664 | via=the Internet Archive}}

• Text-based user interface
• Individual usernames and passwords
• Message boards, called forums
• Support for the Thunderware ThunderClock and compatible cards
• Chat mode between the sysop and user
• Administrative tools
• Applesoft BASIC, Integer BASIC, and binary program downloading

Net-Works II received a rave review in InfoWorld, with John Prather writing that the "combination of the personal computer and software such as Net-Works II may well be responsible for a phenomenon that will be the 80s equivalent of the CB radio of the 70s".{{rp|55}} He gave top marks to the software's performance, error handling, and ease of use, calling it "an extremely easy-to-use program, both from the standpoint of the sysop and of system users".{{rp|56}} Author Dean Gengle in his book The Netweaver's Sourcebook (1984) called Net-Works II "the best general-purpose bulletin board system" for the Apple II family.{{cite book | last=Gengle | first=Dean | date=1984 | url=https://archive.org/details/netweaverssource00geng/page/274/ | title=The Netweaver's Sourcebook : A Guide to Micro Networking and Communications | publisher=Addison-Wesley | isbn=0201052083 | via=Google Books}}{{rp|274}} The software package by the mid-1980s was a massive success, with the 1986 edition of Stewart Brand's Whole Earth Software Catalog calling it "the most popular of nearly a dozen Apple II bulletin board programs". In July 1984, roughly sixty BBSes were running Net-Works II, according to Softalk.{{rp|97}} Writer Matt Yuen wrote that the quality of the Net-Works-based BBSes varied greatly.{{cite journal | last=Yuen | first=Matt | date=July 1984 | url=https://archive.org/details/softalkv4n11jul1984/page/n98/ | title=Keys to the World | work=Softalk | volume=4 | issue=11 | pages=97–102 | via=the Internet Archive}}{{rp|98}}

The gambling personality Jerry L. Patterson opened a BBS running Net-Works II out of South Jersey in March 1984.{{cite journal | last=Petzold | first=Charles | date=March 20, 1984 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1817418818/ | title=Count on It | work=Philadelphia Daily News | publisher=Philadelphia Media Network | page=36 | via=ProQuest}}

• List of Apple II BBS software

{{reflist}}

Category:1980s introductions

Category:Apple II software

Category:Bulletin board system software