Interviews

Interview with Al Lawrence of Sunrise Doors
By Frank Vest

As Editor of the Fidonews, a publication of the Fidonet mail network, I'm trying to interview various Authors of BBS related programs and other software for the Fidonews.

With your permission, I'd like an E-Mail address and Web page, if available, to publish in the Fidonews.

Email: al@sunrisedoors.com
http://www.sunrisedoors.com
ICQ: 14055399

Q: Tell us a little about Al Lawrence. Just who are you? :)

I am a 59 year old father of 2 and grandfather of 2. I live in Atlanta, GA and have since 1988. Prior to that I lived in MD, FL and NY. I am happily married for almost 38 years.

I have worked in the Information Technology filed since 1969, starting on punched card machines (almost like the ones used to tabulate the punched card ballots). I have performed and/or been responsible for people that have performed just about every job function in IT. In 1991 I moved out of the corporate world into my own business and have been there ever since. I have not missed the corporate life, although it presented many many perks to me and my family, I was more interested in prolonging my life without the corporate stress!

Q: What got you first interested in BBS?

Being in the IT field I became very curious about the personal computer, buying one of the first Radio Shack Model I's made. Having already had a heavy background in programming (FORTRAN, Assembler, RPG, etc.) I wanted to delve into the world of Basic programming. I came up something called a BBS and put up my first BBS in 1980.

Q: How long have you been programming?

Since 1970.

Q: What prompted you to begin writing Door programs?

To allow my family to play the games they enjoyed on the kitchen table, on the PC.

Q: What do you see as the strong points of your Doors? Give us a quick review.

Solid coding, challenging and frustrating games, InterBBS capability built into a large number of the products.

Q: Where do you see door games going in the future?

I see them evolving into the HTML/JAVA, etc technology. However, the popularity for the types of Doors I produce will be around for awhile to come. My generation enjoys card games, dice games, word games, etc... and that is reflected in our InterBBS popularity. Will it go on forever, not likely... but my generation is not dead yet .

Q: Where do you see BBS systems going in the future.

They have already begun to evolve from mainly dialup to now mainly Telenetable systems.

Q: Anything else you want to add or tell the readers?

I have always had an interest in acquiring other Door author's work and that interest continues. As long as their work is written in a language I am familiar with (Basic, wcCode/)wcBasic) I would be more than happy to hear from them!

BBSes have been very good to me and I have a special place for them in my life.... we will be around as long as my health permits (and that does not appear to be a concern anytime soon <grin>)

As for those that might be hoping to see our products come out in some sort of Freeware format, my survivors will control that not I ( in other words, don't hold your breath <grin>)

Al Lawrence
Sunrise Door Software
http://www.sunrisedoors.com