Atari 400 User Manual page 237

Talking to CompuServe
Let's assume you have hooked up your modem
and are ready to call CompuSeNe's system of
large mainframe computers in Columbus, Ohio.
Your first step is to phone an access point to the
system. Most large cities in the U.S. or Canada
have a number that links directly to CompuSeNe
as a local call, often through an intermediary
company such as Telenet or Tymnet. Outside
large cities, your cheapest option will likely be to
call a number in the nearest large city in the next
state. (Interstate phone rates are often lower
than intrastate rates, especially at night.) It may
even be cheapest to phone directly to Com-
puSeNe in Ohio.
When using CompuSeNe, try to call at night or
on weekends to minimize both phone company
and CompuSeNe rates. In fact, you may want to
limit your use of the system for the first few
months, until you can estimate your costs for
each use of the system. It isn't unusual for new
customers to get carried away to the tune of
several hundred dollars the first month.
Once you reach CompuSeNe, you will need a
secret password to get into the system. This
password keeps others from charging their use
of the system to you. (You can change your pass-
word if anyone should obtain and use it.) You
may also have to type other messages to reach
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