P R ░o D░ u C T i o░N S

oCToBeR  ░  ReLeaSe 25!
Every cl░oud has a silve░r lining!

Wow... FLiP cranks out its twenty-fifth pack!!!  Woohoo!
Consider this our 'silver' pack. I've been with the group
for as long as I can remember... Let me share with you a
little FLiPtrivia and FLiPhistory (consider it 'tales from
the FLiPside'), I'll have to think real hard... it's been
about two and a half years! ;}

Well, FLiP started out as a loose association of artists and
writers in the 313 (soon to become 313/810/???) area code to
express the local talent of the Detroit Metropolitan scene.
FLiP released it's first pack in June 1994.  Then, Cyberspace
Research Labs (CRL) sysopped by Menace was the common
gathering ground (hq?).  The first four packs were really
rough (i'd like to call them pre-releases), there musta been
a huge screw up because I think pack three and four were the
same <shrug>... Anyhow, but in September 1994, pack five was
released (i suppose that the best works of packs one through
four were also included in this one) and things started
coming together (no more pre-releases?). Unfortunately stuff
happens and Menace moved away making it very difficult for
Cyberspace Research Labs to remain a favorite hangout, so...
by pack six (Oct94-Nov94), The Flip Mafia (TFM) sysopped by
San Miguel becomes the new world headquarters for FLiP. Pack
seven (Dec94-Jan95) rolls around and FLiP Productions
officially splits into departments.  Kid Terrific (KT) and
The Psycho Ninja (TPN) officially form the FLiP Senior Staff.
Wolfgang Krauser was the first FLiP tracker and with Dinugz
(DI) [known as Voyeur (VO) back in the day] formed the FLiP
Tracking Department. Dinugz (being very ambitious) along
with The Hitman (TH) and High Risk (HR) [formerly known as
A. Hudson (AH)] form the FLiP Literature Department though
both Dinugz and TH released lit for pack two (July 1994).
Boomin' Civics (BC) coded FLiP's first Application
Generator and along with TPN formed the FLiP Coding
Department. I suppose the rest (me included) formed the
FLiP Art Department. Major drum roll... Pack eight
(Feb95-Mar95) DI joins the senior staff.  As a senior
staffer, he's had the MOST impact on the group's development,since joining as one of KT's cronies<EG>. Also during this
period we see the formation of the FLiP Couriering Department by Ray The Retard (RTR) and The Psychedelic. Pack
nine (Apr95-May95) Kid Terrific releases a bbs mod and forms
the FLiP Modding Department along with me (Catastrophe) and
TPN. During this time the FLiP I-Net Department is formed by
Dinugz and Dragoon (DR).  Dinugz kinda surprised me with the
first setup of the FLiP Webpage and enjoys about over a
thousand hits a month (who knows nowadays...maybe more)!
Pack eleven (July 1995) Silent Cry does the first intro
for FLiP. Unfortunately TPN resigns and goes off abroad
to continue his education.  Guess what... I become a
senior by pack twelve (Aug95-Sept95)!  At the same time,
Kid Terrific is elevated to the 'founder' position and
becomes semi-retired to devote more effort to his
education and/or girlie friend.<G>  For pack thirteen
(October 1995) I can't remember much happening but me
writing my last NFO for a while<EG>.  I suppose also
about this time FLiP started releasing 'more' on a
monthly basis rather than bi-monthly (cuz we're a
buncha layed back buncha homies).  Pack fourteen Voyuer
(VO) officially undergoes some sorta 'change'<G> and
becomes Dinugz (DI) [figure that one out for
yourself<G>].  Pack fifteen (December 1995) the coding
genius Dire Wolf puts out FLiP's first Viewer! I guess
pack sixteen through nineteen (and above) recieve
primary distribution by way of the i-net.  During this
time, FLiP began to strenghten it's prescence on the
net and drawing countless applications from the webpage
(ahahah.. more than Dinugz could bear reading).<G>  Pack
twenty (May 1996) saw Boba Fett (BF) and Maldoror (WA)
[formerly James (JA) and Nothing (NO)] became an
extension of the FLiP Senior Staff as FLiP Coordinators
(Communications and Literature respectively). Pack
twenty-one flew by and pack twenty-two (July 1996)
Arsenik (AR) hooks FLiP up with an Official FLiP FTP
Site courtesy of Mid-Island Communications. We are very
greatful. Yes, Arsenik is also the Site-Op Coordinator
for the FLiP FTP Site. Pack twenty-three flys by and
pack twenty-four (September 1996) the FLiP World
Headquarters moves AGAIN!!!  No, TFM did NOT go down,
but it would only be fitting that the Founder's (Kid
Terrific's) board (Entropic Doom) be the World
Headquarter's.  So TFM switches with Entropic Doom and
becomes the FLiP United States Headquarters. Prospective
applicants are urged to apply on Entropic Doom by
logging on as a NEW user and filling out the appropriate
infoform, but still may do so on TFM and Entropic
Doom through the 'flip guest' account (though it is
strongly discouraged...how are we suppose to give you
your acceptance letter?).  And well, pack twenty-five
(October 1996...Halloween pack) is this one!<G>

So this pack... yes, It is I Catastrophe!<G> I believe
that the last NFO file I wrote was back in pack 13
(October 1995...a year ago?!)<G>  Anyhow, the group's
grown quite a bit over that time.  Many of you might
not know me too well... This is due to the fact that
I did not have i-net email (now I do...catastrophe@
hotmail.com) and I tended to mostly the BBS side of
the group whereas Dinugz faded from the BBS scene and
conveniently took care of the group on the internet.

Anyhow, there are few changes this month... we are no
longer accepting bbs distribution sites.  The reason
why is because it has been extremely tiresome and expensive
(yes, ld calling) to maintain an accurate listing of
current distro sites.  So, POOF... no more.  With primary distribution shifted to the internet and member boards
that double as distro sites (yes, we're encouraging more
member boards... so join on as a courier if you previously
were or wanted to distro for flip).  That leads me to member
boards, I kindly ask all members to leave me email if they
sysop a bulletin board so we can update the member bbs listing.
(I also attempt to honor the requests of any flip member boards
for art when time permits).
Okay... new members this month!  Just one... Rat Rink is from
the local 810/313 area joining the flip modding department. He
also sopz Gates Of Orion (810)646-6158.  This month we have a
buncha name changes: Solar Seven -> Terrakomm and Suicide -> Geek.
There are also many new email addresses (check the member listing)
If you do check the member listing, there are many missing area
codes and email addresses... Please leave me email so I may
correct list.  More newz... San Miguel reports that The Flip Mafia
is experiencing 'mechanical' difficulties and apologizes if has
caused any inconvenience it has caused members who were trying to
upload material for this pack.

I suppose that's it... I've never been more proud of the group.
FLiP is composed of members who both care and know how to have
fun.  FLiP always welcomes new talented members who recognize that
belonging to a group shouldn't be a full-time responsibility, but
rather an avenue for fun and a means to express their talents to
others...

Catastrophe
FLiP Senior/Artist/Modder
inetEMAIL://catastrophe@hotmail.com
bbsEMAIL://catastrophe@810-347-2523 (entropic doom)