The FidoNet Star Wars Echo was a FidoNet "echomail" message forum distributed on bulletin board systems in the 1990s. Discussing George Lucas' Star Wars saga and pre-dating the Internet, it was one of the earliest forms of Star Wars on-line fandom. Representation of the traditional ASCII FidoNet dog logo FidoNet is an inter-connecting file and message transport system that was used by bulletin board systems. ... A bulletin board system or BBS is a computer system running software that allows users to dial into the system over a phone line and, using a terminal program, perform functions such as downloading software and data, uploading data, reading news, and exchanging messages with other users. ... George Lucas George Walton Lucas, Jr. ... Star Wars is a series of science fantasy films created by writer/producer/director George Lucas. ... Keen aficionados of any phenomenon such as authors, hobbies, ideologies, genres or fashions can collectively manifest as fandom. ...

Founded on February 25, 1991 by Eli "Skip" Shayotovich, the Star Wars Echo quickly became one of the most popular forums within FidoNet. Launched a few months before The Thrawn Trilogy novels, the Echo was uniquely placed to become a focal point of on-line Star Wars fandom just as the Expanded Universe was coming into focus, and leading up to the announcement and discussion of the prequel trilogy. 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Thrawn trilogy (also known as The Three Book Cycle and The Heir To The Empire Trilogy) are the three novels, Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command, written by Timothy Zahn and set in the Star Wars galaxy about five years after Return of the... The Expanded Universe (or EU for short) is an extensive collection of fictional background material from the Star Wars universe that is derived from official novels, comic books, and various other media besides the movies themselves. ...

Noteworthy participants in the Echo message forum included Star Wars authors Kevin J. Anderson (who included a reference to FidoNet in his early Star Wars novels), Brian Daley, L. Neil Smith, Kathy Tyers, Tom Veitch, Timothy Zahn, and occasional Lucasfilm representatives. FOR ACTOR, KEVIN ANDERSON, GO TO Kevin Anderson (actor) Kevin J. Anderson (born March 27, 1962) is a prolific science fiction author. ... Brian Daley (born Brian Charles Daley, 22 Dec 1947, Englewood, NJ; died, 11 Feb 1996 in Maryland, of pancreatic cancer) was an American science fiction novelist. ... L. Neil Smith (full name- Lester Neil Smith III, also known by his nickname El Neil or The Sage of the High Plains) is a libertarian science fiction author and political activist. ... Kathy Tyers was born on July 21, 1952 in Long Beach, California. ... Tom Veitch is an American writer, best known for his contributions to the Dark Horse line of Star Wars comicbook titles, notably Dark Empire and Tales of the Jedi. ... Timothy Zahn (born September 1, 1951) is a science fiction novelist. ... Lucasfilm Logo Lucasfilm Ltd. ...

Other important contributors included Brent Lynch (co-moderator), Kevin Cox (FAQ keeper), Mike Farnham (member listing) and Dave Thomer (RPG game master).

In November 1994, the Echo launched a monthly newsletter/fanzine entitled Out of the Maw, edited by Mike Schwab. Echo member Rich Mason also compiled his own fanzine, entitled Starfighter Command. 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... A fanzine (see also: zine) is a nonprofessional publication produced by fans of a particular subject for the pleasure of others who share their interest. ...

In late 1994, some members of the Echo attempted to compile a CD-ROM containing all of the Star Wars digital media -- images, sound files, text documents, etc. -- that were available on-line at that time (very little by modern standards). It was a non-profit endeavor, asking members to pay only the cost of the blank CD-ROM. However, when members approached Lucasfilm's licensing department for permission to create the CDs, that permission was denied, and the CD-ROM was never distributed. (Though this attempt by the fans did encourage LucasArts to later create some similar commercial Star Wars media compilations.) Official LucasArts logo LucasArts Entertainment Company (sometimes shortened to LEC), is a video game developer and publisher. ...

Echo moderator Skip Shayotovich later served double-duty as President of the Star Wars Fan Club on America Online, but was unsuccessful in having his personal BBS, "Star Wars Central", officially sanctioned by Lucasfilm. (A letter from Shayotovich was printed in Star Wars: Dark Empire #1, which is now a highly collectible comic.) America Online, or AOL for short, is a U.S.-based online service provider and Internet service provider that is owned by Time Warner. ... Dark Empire was a comic series produced by Dark Horse Comics set in the Star Wars universe. ...

References

• Out of the Maw #1, November 1994
• Out of the Maw #2, December 1994
• Out of the Maw #3, March 1995
• Chris Knight. In The Beginning... Star Wars Comes To A Wired World. TheForce.Net, May 9 2001.

See also

• Star Wars
• Science fiction fandom
• FidoNet
• Bulletin board systems

Star Wars is a series of science fantasy films created by writer/producer/director George Lucas. ... Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is the community of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy literature, and in contact with one another based upon that interest. ... Representation of the traditional ASCII FidoNet dog logo FidoNet is an inter-connecting file and message transport system that was used by bulletin board systems. ... A bulletin board system or BBS is a computer system running software that allows users to dial into the system over a phone line and, using a terminal program, perform functions such as downloading software and data, uploading data, reading news, and exchanging messages with other users. ...

External links

• Star Wars official website
• Eli "The Mad Man" Shayotovich's GamerFeed blog