2 Wednesday March 29, 1995 |

|\BETYOU | DIQNT YNOW WE WERE BERE!

Phone us to get your name on our contact list for upcoming Doom Tournaments (!) and get on our list for shuttle service to and from the Campus at night?

Johone: 563-4583 Fax: 563-4280

L-Mnil:

russ@vortex.nethistro.com

* Com Computers Warehouse, hooked to a

Bringing the world north

Sippin’ ’n’ surfin’ in Prince George cafe

Well, if | ever find myself in Prince George, I’ll certainly know where to go for a quick latte or two. Actually, they just may be a little drawn out. You see, Prince George now boasts its own Internet Cafe. And this is no little installation. Proprietor Russ WinterBotham has networked eight computers into the Net for custormers to “sip ‘n surf.” For demonstrations, he has a Pentium 90, sponsored by the local branch of V-

In case you haven’t guessed already, Winterbotham sees his cafe as a way of connecting the people of prince George with the rest of the world through a number of media as well as a way to promote local performers and artists.

In fact, he has an online magazine n the works which will feature native artists who find things a little slow in the winter.

46-inch TV. Sounds good, eh? But there pi iy | However, you don’t have to got to

is much more -Winterbtham obviously is nde of ge Prince George for a taste of the Internet not a man to do things in half measures. eof ee Cafe’s Offerings. The Cafe has a

He has also set up his own commercial tall World Wide Web site at

Internet provider -Synaptic Communi- i ee http://vortex,netbistro.com/cafe.html cations. This guy’s not slow. Cafe ein) ee which was set up by Kris Benson. customers pay $5 an hour to explore the 5 eh It’s an interesting spot in its own right, ‘net or play networked games like Descent TERRY | with links giving information about and Doom but he allows free access to the TAYLOS prince George and area activities. You Prince George Freenet. 5 Cybertaik can even listen to song clips by local And he also allows free time for newbies guumemees = Performers.

“until they know what they are doing and { are hooked.” At that point, of course, they can sign up for their own dial-in accounts on

Synaptic -a great marketing move, if you ask me.

Again, there is more. The cafe is a big place (6,000 square feet -it can seat 80 people but has room for 200, Winterbotham said) so, if you have to wait for a machine, you can always browse the Third World items he has for sale though the non-profit organization Self-Help Crafts of the World in the arts and crafts store. (Self-Help Crafts, by the way, helps underdeveloped communities establish businesses to pay for food, education, health care and housing.)

Or maybe you will be lucky enough to be there when he has entertainment on. He is always on the lookout for multicultural or ethnic performers and artist to entertain or display their artworks:

If you are already in Prince George or are planning a trip there (in this case, a visit to the cafe’s Web site is a must before you go), you'll find the Internet Cafe Downtown at 1363 Fourth Ave.

As interesting as all this is some of the people involved are even more so. you see, Winterbotham is actually Dr. Winterbotham, a 44-year-old clinical psychologist who is also director of the Prince George spousal assault treatment program.

And Kris Benson? He’s a 15-year-old “whiz kid” high-school student who works pert time for Synaptic. They have a lot of big plans and I’ll pass them on in future columns.

If you have any comments or suggestions for Cybertalk or would just like to say hello, [’m at terrly.taylor@deepcove.com or ttaylor@wimsey.com

1363 4th ae Downtown, J).G-

7 emporarily: (only) OPEN 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

YYVjon to Sat Sunday 12:00 pm to 5:00