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ü$$$$$Zz  $$$$$    z$$ü   $$$$$  ,z$$$$$zzüø'`øü    $$$$$ z$. $$$$$    ü ,zzz$$
z$$$$ûü' ,$$$$$    `$ü    $$$$$  `ü$$$$ü'  z,z$$$$$ $$ü $$$$$.   zz$'   ü
`üü',zZ ~ü$$ûüü~z_x$$$$$ü~z   ü$$$ûü    $$$$$ `'_z$$$$$$z_ `ü'  _z$
$$$$$$$$ü~ ü~~ü$$z   `ü$'  züü  ,$$$üz
$$$ü~~  ,z@Zü~~üZ@z.~ü$$$z.   z$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$z. ~ü$ü ,z$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$z
$$$$  üüü,$ü    $$üü$@.`ü$$üüü
$$$$$z  ü$$zz$$$$$z `$ scii art.. what is it really? is it a bunch of kids
$$$$$$ü  zü`$$$$$üü ,$  who love to draw, going out and expressing their
$$$$ü' ,zz@$$ü~ü$$$$zz$ ü$$ ideas through a bunch of characters on the screen?
$$' ,z$$$$$ü$$$$$$$ `$ is it a "scene" of people, who wish to get their
$ü z$$$$zzüü$ü $$ $$ feelings across to their peers? is it a rebellious
$   üü$$ü$$zzzz$$ $$ underground cult trying to rebel in their own maner
$. `$$zz$$$z    zz`$$$$$ $$ or is it a bunch of geeks trying to further their
$$z `ü$$$$$$z,z$$$$z$ûü',$$ own ends in a fictitious, made up reality? why do
you draw art (if you do), why do you feel the need, to combine characters into
little slogans, proclaiming your group, or some board, or whatever? why are you
in an ascii group? do you do it to further your own ends, or do you do it as a
way to get your art to more people than you could without? why do you download
packs to view ascii art, do you do it so you can see others art, and understand
do you do it to see if you got some ascii for your board, or a greeting or two?
why do you spend countless hours in irc, chatting away with other artists?
Art in general, should be a global community, there should be no groups
there should be no crews, there should be no founders, co founders, seiniors to
lord over other artists. Look upon why you are in a group, why you are drawing
ascii, and what it does for you. do you do it as a hobby, or is it more than
that? do you have passion for what you are drawing, or is it a chore? are you
worried if other people are going to like it? are you concerned about who hates
you in irc? do you hate sombody in irc?
Like it or not, we are the underground of the scene today, sure there
are still a few warez pups out there who want to spend the time leeching 300
disk releases, and care about beign able to put THG or INC or TDT behind their
handles, gleaning them false respect. But we the artists, are we not the ones
who shoot down the "juarez hounds" as beign to eleetist, as beign to concerned
with the next release of leisure suit larry, as beign unfriendly, unsharing and
generally egotistical? So we branched off into our own scene, where we have
created the exact same things we despise in our founding warez scene. and trust
me, warez started the computer underground scene. back in those days, artists
and warez puppies were one and the same. then we grew up, and realized games
are not as fun as they used to, trying to keep up with the latest software is
next to impossible, and its just a waste of time. Enter the new blood: you...
(generally speaking of course) you came into the scene, and saw two choices,
both equally as grand, just one a little bit easier to do than the other. art
was the easier choice, because it takes a lot more time to find warez ftp sites
to trade then it does to find an art channel.

oh well i ran outta room, here is line 50, i'll continue my ranting and attempt
at martyrdom. I dont expect any of you to really listen to me, since i never am
on irc, but e-mail me your responses sh_amen@hotmail.com! shamen/NONAME/QUADP;>