The opening screen on this EUG comes from Wayne Skinner, who has also written a letter in the Mailbag section.

The current cost of each EUG disk (for members in the UK) is £1.30. For a year this works out at £7.80. I say this because every so often I am sent amounts which are not multiples of £1.30. I have tried putting "iop xxp" on the address labels but since I never get a reply, I just assume that the excess is to be donated to EUG funds. Now EUG funds can always do with an occasional donation though I'm not touting for any. But it is getting a little complicated remembering which labels to put "iou" onto. If you want to donate a few bob to EUG, it will be put to good use. If you have sent too much and you want it credited to your totals then work out what you've sent, whatever the excess is short of £1.30, send that amount and I will credit you with an extra issue.

I know a number of people have tried to contact me recently without success. Well, the truth is that my wife and I have been away on holiday for four weeks. OK, so nobody wants to hear about my holiday but it was good. My wife and I know people who live in Mauritius so every few years we save everything we can for the airfare and go. This time was after a three year gap as I had some extra work though normally it takes us four years. I'm not going to bore you about the cool winter temperatures of 25 degrees C or the trees with every type of fruit you can think of and more besides, have you ever eaten a really fresh pineapple or a banana picked from the tree? I won't even mention the sea where you can walk up to your neck and still see your feet then lean back and float for hours while the waves bring the occasional warmer current and the only sound is the splashing of water. No, that wouldn't be fair, but it was good.

This is a so-called third world country where technology has caught on in a big way. Computers are everywhere, and the reason is simple. The Mauritians want the best things in life like the rest of us and they are going out and getting it. In the three year gap since I was last there I've seen the most amazing developments: Magnificent shopping centres, large office blocks where the architecture wouldn't be out of place in the city of London, and it seems as if everyone is into some sort of business or other. I saw shops stocking wide ranges of goods in spaces which we would call cupboards.

Unemployment is non-existent and migrant workers are regularly brought in to fill the labour shortage. The geographical location of Mauritius makes it an attractive base for many international companies (which are everywhere) but the real reason for this boom is the attitude of the people. They are just going out and getting it.

I have one complaint though. Their electrical standards are so bad.

Recently, I read a report in a tabloid about some thirteen year old boys who put a recipe for Napalm onto the Internet. The usual call was made for controls needing to be made on the internet. Now it seems to me that the point here is not that this item appeared on the internet but rather how did some thirteen year old school boys apparently work out how to make Napalm? Controls on the internet are frankly a little unlikely since it is already so big that this would be a bit like trying to stop the tide but it's ironic that the press should be calling for censorship. Have they got nothing better to do?

Information of any kind should be made freely available to as everyone who needs or wants it. This was the incentive which drove people to establish public libraries. As a technically-minded person, I have long since given up on public libraries as a decent source of information.

Librarians now, like many publishers, tend to have Arts degrees and simply have little or no interest in technical subjects. This is why the internet is so exciting; a source which isn't limited by concerns for increasing sales since most subscribers are using it primarily for transferring information to other users. Elk users can't access the internet but plans are being made by a number of organisations to provide terminals so that everyone can. It would be a shame if some of these plans were abandoned because of the silly worries generated by the same people who prevented this country from fully adopting computer technology until 1980 and put our economic progress back.

Anyway, as I said I've been away for a while. I'm really behind with many things and EUG is no exception. I will catch up. If I promised you something, please nag me. And most important, submissions for EUG. Send them in.

The next EUG will have the equipment review. I have a lot of details of what people own but not much yet on how good/bad what you have is. It doesn't need to be too much - even marks out of ten for each item would be better than nothing though most of us would like more. And I will try to dig out all the information which has already been sent but don't be afraid to send me something again.

And of course remember any other items or programs. Send them in.

Gus Donnachaidh, EUG #20