573 lines
31 KiB
Plaintext
573 lines
31 KiB
Plaintext
![]() |
WWIVNEWS Volume 1, Issue 2
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February 1991
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Table of Contents
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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WWIV v4.20: A New Twist In Modem Handling....................Random 1@1
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WWIV and Zygote: The Dynamic Duo......................Tony Godfrey 1@18
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NetZip II Revision 6................................East Bay Ray 1@9964
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Thoughts on a Multi-Line WWIV..........................John Wash 1@8403
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Bug in the Main Menu Prompt....................The Dunghill Fowl 1@2371
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The Pending File.........................................WWIVNEWS Staff
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Letters to the Editor...........................................Various
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Official Jargon..............................................Random 1@1
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The Editor's Corner.................................East Bay Ray 1@9964
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Acknowledgements.........................................WWIVNEWS Staff
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=======================================================================
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WWIV v4.20: A New Twist In Modem Handling
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by Random 1@1
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(Originally captured from Amber: Dec 1, 1990)
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The text at the end of this article is my first cut at a modem
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configuration file. You first notice that it is in ASCII text, for ease
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of editing by users, and it is much easier to expand upon later. In the
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final release, there will be a configuration file such as the one
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below. configurations for will be: USR HST/V.32/DS, Hayes compat. 300,
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Hayes compatible 1200, Hayes compatible 2400, plus slightly modified
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versions of the Hayes compatible ones for modems that have timing
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problems.
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Here is a description of the file. Comments are lines that begin
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with a #. Blank lines are ignored. The first four characters on a line
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(followed by a colon) describe what type the line is. The first section
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has a couple of strings that are sent to the modem (INIT, SETU, ANSR,
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PICK, HANG, DIAL). The SETU string will be sent to the modem when the
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BBS first starts up, setting up various modem parameters. The INIT
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string will be sent to the modem after each user loggs off, the same as
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the current init string. The other strings should be self-explanatory.
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The next part of the file deals with result codes and several
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switches that can be set. It tells what state the modem is in based
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upon the result codes received. These are listed at the top of the file
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for your reference. The first few "state switches" tell what state the
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modem is in (NORM, RING, RINGING, ERR, DIS, CON). The next few set
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various other options, modem speed, com speed, asymmetrical baud rates
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(such as for the USR HST protocol), error correcting protocols (MNP2-4,
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LAPM) and data compression protocols (MNP5, V.42bis). Also, flow
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control is thrown in there, although most likely that will not change
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based on result codes. The "DEFL" line defines the default modem
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switches, which are set before the modem init string is sent. It mostly
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just tells flow control and the com port speed to use.
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The rest of the file defines the result codes or partial result
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codes. A result code from the modem can be split up into numerious
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partial result codes. For example, from the HST, you can get a result
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code such as "CONNECT 2400" as well as "CONNECT 9600/ARQ/V32/LAPM/
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V42BIS". The "SEPR" definition defines which characters to use. It
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separates the full result code into partial result codes. It can be
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nothing, in which case there aren't really any "partial result codes".
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Another possibility is that the characters could not be present in the
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string, in which case the full result code is a "partial result code".
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Here is a working example. Suppose the modem is sitting there at
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WFC, and it gets a string from the modem ("RING"). It finds no "/" in
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it (the SEPR character), so searches the result code listing for
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"RING". It finds it, and finds the state switch "RING", meaning the
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phone is ringing. It then sends the ANSR string, answering the phone.
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At this point, say it gets "CONNECT 2400". It finds no "/", so
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searches for that string, and finds it. It sets the description to
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"2400", sets the modem speed to 2400, the com speed to 2400, and
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notices that it is now connected. At this point, it continues with the
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logon.
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Suppose that it got "CONNECT 9600/ARQ/V32/LAPM/V42BIS". It
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notices a couple slashes, so interprets all the parital result codes
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("CONNECT 9600", "ARQ", "V32", "LAPM", and "V42BIS") one at a time.
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First it finds the CONNECT 9600, so it sets the description to "9600",
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sets the two baud rates to 9600, and notices that it is connected. It
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does not actually consider itself connected until it has processed all
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the partial result codes from the full result code, so it continues.
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Next is "ARQ", meaning we have an error correcting connection (EC=Y).
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Also, the way the modem is configured for all ARQ connections, the com
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port baud rate is locked at 38400. It will set the com speed to that.
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Next comes "V32". This is a symmetrical protocol, so AS=N. Since AS=N
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is the default (as defined at the top of the file), this is not really
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necessary to put in, but puttting it in is clearer that way. Also, the
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string '/V.32' is defined. This is in SINGLE QUOTES, so the "/V.32" is
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added on to the description instead of overwriting it (as would be the
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case if it were in double quotes). The desription is now "9600/V.32".
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Next we get 'LAPM', which adds "/LAPM" on to the description, and sets
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EC=Y again, which is not really necessary. Again, it is clearer that
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way. Finally, "/V42BIS". Adds the string '/V.42bis', and sets DC=Y,
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indicating data compression is in use.
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It is now done with the full result code, so it recognizes that
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it is connected (due to the CON), and continues with the logon. Now we
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notice that the switches are set: MS=9600, CS=38400, EC=Y, DC=Y, AS=N,
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FC=Y. This means:
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The modem is talking at 9600 to the other modem, while we are
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talking to the modem at 38400. Also, we are using flow control (FC=Y).
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This is what we would know using the current setup for the result
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codes. We also get additional information informing us that we are
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using error correction, data compression, and that we have a
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symmetrical baud rate (9600 in both directions). The description at
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this point is "9600/V.32/LAPM/V.42bis".
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In addition to being more free form and more easily extensible,
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we get three additional pieces of information: whether error correction
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is being used, whether data compression is being used, and if we have a
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symmetrical baud rate setup. The symmetrical/asymmetrical flag can be
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used in the BBS to determine if BiModem should be used or not (same
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with the net software), and error correction can be used to determine
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if protocols like YMODEM-G should be allowed.
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So that is the way it will be implemented in INIT, instead of
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entering the modem info and result code info as you do now, you'll get
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a menu of known modem types, and be able to pick one. It will then
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parse through the file and create a machine-readable format for the BBS
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(and net software) to use.
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#
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# NORM normal state of modem
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# RING phone is ringing
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# RINGING remote phone is ringing
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# ERR error encountered
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# DIS disconnected (No connection)
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# CON connection established
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# MS= modem speed
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# CS= com port speed
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# AS= asymmetrical baud rates (Y/N)
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# EC= error correcting (Y/N)
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# DC= data compression (Y/N)
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# FC= flow control (Y/N)
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NAME: "USR Dual Standard"
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# some strings sent to the modem
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INIT: "ATB0H0M0{"
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SETU: "ATC1E0F1H0M0Q0V1X6&A3&B2&C1&D2&H1&I0&K2&N0&R2&S0S0=0S2=1{"
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ANSR: "ATA{"
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PICK: "ATH1{"
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HANG: "ATH0{"
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DIAL: "ATB1DT"
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# separator in result code for partial result codes
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SEPR: "/"
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# default settings of switches
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DEFL: MS=38400 CS=38400 EC=N DC=N AS=N FC=Y
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# list of partial (or full) result codes from modem. Descriptions in
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# double quotes ("") overwrite the previous description, those in single
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# quotes ('') append to the previous description.
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#
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# RESULT CODE DESCRIPTION SWITCHES
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#
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RESL: "OK" "Normal" NORM
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RESL: "RING" "Ring" RING
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RESL: "NO CARRIER" "No Carrier" DIS
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RESL: "ERROR" "Error" ERR
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RESL: "NO DIAL TONE" "No Dial Tone" DIS
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RESL: "BUSY" "Busy" DIS
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RESL: "NO ANSWER" "No Answer" DIS
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RESL: "RINGING" "Ringing" RINGING
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RESL: "VOICE" "Voice" DIS
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RESL: "CONNECT" "300" MS=300 CS=300 CON
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RESL: "CONNECT 1200" "1200" MS=1200 CS=1200 CON
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RESL: "CONNECT 2400" "2400" MS=2400 CS=2400 CON
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RESL: "CONNECT 4800" "4800" MS=4800 CS=4800 CON
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RESL: "CONNECT 7200" "7200" MS=7200 CS=7200 CON
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RESL: "CONNECT 9600" "9600" MS=9600 CS=9600 CON
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RESL: "CONNECT 12000" "12000" MS=12000 CS=12000 CON
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RESL: "CONNECT 14400" "14400" MS=14400 CS=14400 CON
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RESL: "ARQ" EC=Y CS=38400
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RESL: "HST" '/HST' AS=Y
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RESL: "V32" '/V.32' AS=N
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RESL: "MNP" '/MNP' EC=Y
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RESL: "LAPM" '/LAPM' EC=Y
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RESL: "MNP5" '/MNP5' DC=Y
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RESL: "V42BIS" '/V.42bis' DC=Y
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RESL: "NONE" EC=N
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RESL: "SYNC"
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=======================================================================
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WWIV and Zygote: The Dynamic Duo
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by Tony Godfrey 1@18
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One of the nice things about a registered WWIV is that you can
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modify the source code to your heart's content. Sysops modify their
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boards to make WWIV easier to use for themselves and the users. Some
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modifications spice up the board by adding more color, or more ANSI-
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extensive routines. This can decrease the speed of WWIV by a fairly
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large amount, and speed is one of WWIV's strong points.
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Zygote Term is a terminal program on the PD/Shareware market. It
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isn't quite as popular as Telix or Procomm, but it is gaining popu-
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larity every day. Each new version of Zygote contains new features that
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surpass other term programs many times over. The best thing about
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Zygote is that it has special features accessible by a WWIV BBS. On any
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other board, Zygote would act as any other terminal program would
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(except with a few more features that cannot be found on other term
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programs). When Zygote is used on a WWIV BBS that makes use of Zygote's
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features, however, a whole new realm of BBSing is entered.
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The Zygote/WWIV Multitask Chat is the first of these features to
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be released. WWIV currently comes with two chat modes: standard, and
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two-way. Zygote/WWIV Multitask Chat looks much like two-way chat,
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except chatting takes place on one half of the screen. In the other
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half, normal BBS functions can be performed. While the sysop and a user
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are chatting, either the sysop or the user can switch between chat
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window and BBS window. In the BBS window, functions such as reading
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messages, listing files, writing messages, moving, sorting, removing
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files, editing users, etc. can all be performed while the chat window
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remains intact. This is especially useful if you want to discuss a
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certain message or look for a certain file and chat about it, or to
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have something else to do while the chatter rambles on. Version 1.0 of
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this modification was released in October 1990, and version 1.1 is
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scheduled to be released in late December 1990 or early January 1991.
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A new feature still in the testing stages, but very close to
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release, is the Zygote/WWIV Binary Screen Feature. This modification
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gives WWIV a complete facelift. Any part of the BBS can be made into a
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full-screen ANSI picture. With regular terminal programs, WWIV would
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have to send an ANSI picture over the modem, and then send codes to
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place prompts on the screen. With Zygote, WWIV simply tells it which
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binary screen (an ANSI screen saved in binary format) to display, and
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in less than 2 seconds, a full screen ansi is displayed on both ends,
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ready for input. Positioning of the cursor still has to be done, which
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WWIV then takes care of. Since binary screens are only 4000 bytes in
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size, having several of these binary screens on disk would not consume
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a large amount of disk space. If either the BBS or the Zygote user does
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not have a matching screen, then WWIV will simply display the screen
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normally (albeit much slower than the speed of binary screen display).
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WWIV sysops will see this modification released in modules. Each
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module will contain documentation on what part of the board to modify
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as well as a standard WWIV binary screen. The first modules to be re-
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leased will be logon and message bases. Binary screens can be custo-
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mized, but at the same time the customizer must know where to position
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the cursor and make the necessary changes. These features are just the
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beginning in a series of featues to be released. Zygote continues to
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grow, as does WWIV, and these features make them both 10 times as
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powerful as any other term program or BBS.
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Zygote Term by Miguel Sanchez a.k.a. My Nguyen
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=======================================================================
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NetZip II Revision 6
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by East Bay Ray 1@9964
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Many people who have seen how other networks, such as FidoNet,
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use compression to make their net packets smaller. They have been doing
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this for years with the help of SEA's ARC program and PKWare's PKZIP
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program. WWIVnet now has the same opportunity. NetZip, written by East
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Bay Ray, provides network compression for any node in WWIVnet or
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WWIVlink.
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This idea is not a new one to WWIVnet. There were two previous
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tries by Alph 1@8403 and Benny Hill 1@7400. They both were stopped by a
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strange bug that would produce a Divide Overflow on some computer
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systems, but not on others. East Bay Ray was also previously stopped by
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a conflict with Wayne's ZIP routines that resulted in lost mail. At
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last, however, a version was found that worked.
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Installation of NetZip is quite easy. An INSTALL batch file does
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most of what minimal work there is (thoughtfully provided by Filo #1
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@5252). All that is left, after running INSTALL, it to create
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ZIPSYS.NET. This is a plain text file which contains a list of nodes
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you wish to use NetZip with (they must also have NetZip installed, or
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be using NET22). It is that simple.
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How does NetZip work internally? NetZip first takes the un-
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compressed Sxxxx.NET file and renames it to a P*.NET file (one higher
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than the last existing P*.NET file in the current archive). Then it
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adds this to Sxxxx.ZIP. The Sxxxx.ZIP is then renamed to Sxxxx.NET, and
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CONTACT.NET is updated to reflect the adjusted sizes of each Sxxxx.NET
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file that was compressed. If you wish to see the ratio of compression,
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all you have to do is view the Sxxxx.NET with PKZIP or PKUNZIP. NetZip
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is an excellent, which has finally been purged of the bugs present in
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the previous versions, along with the stigma of Revision 3, which lost
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mail. If you have a chance, download it and share it with your
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neighbors. It will save you a lot of transmission time. Over long
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distance lines, it will save money also.
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=======================================================================
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Thoughts on a Multi-Line WWIV
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by John Wash 1@8403
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with input from Richi Shinn 4@8404
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Before I get started, please note that this article was written
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in response to an article of like subject, written by Jeff Garzik
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1@9964, that originally appeared in WWIVNEWS Vol. 1, Issue 1.
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First, I wholly agree with Jeff on possible solutions: You can
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either make the program itself single-tasking but multi-user, or you
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can run it in a multi-tasking -- and optionally a multi-user -- envi-
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ronment.
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At this point, though, I begin to differ with Jeff. A LAN would
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indeed be an expensive solution (as he said, "4 nodes = 4 PCs"), but it
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would NOT be a slow one. The standard in PC networking today is
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Novell's Netware, a distributed-processing system. In a LAN
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implementation, you have a server system and client systems. The server
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controls the shared resources of the LAN--storage, printers, modems,
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etc.--and each client (or workstation) uses its own resources--a local
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hard drive or a local printer, for example. A multi-line WWIV running
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in a Novell Netware environment, and sharing data files with other
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nodes by storing them on the server's drive, would not be noticeably
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slower than individual PCs running individual BBSes--that's the entire
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idea behind distributed processing, and part of the reason that
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educated administrators choose Netware as a networking solution rather
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than packages that run on the server and treat client systems as
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dependents rather than autonomous entities.
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If you MUST run PC-DOS, it is possible to have multiple WWIVs
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running concurrently with, as Jeff said, a "commercial multitasker"
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such as Windows 3.0 or Quarterdeck's DESQview. However, they're going
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to be individual copies of WWIV, sharing perhaps only the FILES in the
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transfer and G-File sections.
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What needs to be done to WWIV is a total re-write. Wayne Bell
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knows this. He hinted at it when he suggested that he wouldn't port
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WWIV to UNIX. He stated that would re-write it for UNIX.
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Internal multi-node capability would not be that difficult to
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implement. If you have handlers processing I/O for all com ports as
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well as the console, half of your battle is over. It remains, however,
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that you have no facilities for file and record locking, an integral
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part of almost any multi-user system.
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So why go the extra step? Don't bother making WWIV multi-line.
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Instead, make WWIV support file and record locking. You'd save oodles
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of memory, because you wouldn't have to allocate a chunk to store a
|
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.SUB file, a .DIR file, or anything like that. If you wanted a user's
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record, open USER.LST, lock the record, read the record, unlock the
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|||
|
record, and close the file. If you wanted to read a message, or upload
|
|||
|
a file, or anything that requires file I/O, you would do basically the
|
|||
|
same thing. If you get file and record locking working properly, there
|
|||
|
would not be any need to "make WWIV a multi-line BBS"-- you'd just need
|
|||
|
a copy of MS-Windows 3.0, or Novell Netware, or PC-MOS, or
|
|||
|
DESQview/386, a good machine and some patience in getting it set up.
|
|||
|
This is my opinion on multi-line systems. Summing it all up,
|
|||
|
making WWIV talk to several com ports at once is a waste of time. Worry
|
|||
|
about file sharing and you'll be set. If anyone would like me to
|
|||
|
discuss file and record locking in a future issue of WWIVNEWS, drop me
|
|||
|
a note at 1@8403 and I'll see what I can do.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
(About the author: John Wash is a professional UNIX zealot and a
|
|||
|
full-time social irritant.)
|
|||
|
=======================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Bug in the Main Menu Prompt
|
|||
|
by The Dunghill Fowl 1@2371
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This problem only happens if you are on a board where you have
|
|||
|
access to all 32 Subs (I don't know about boards with the 64 Sub Mod).
|
|||
|
While at the main menu prompt, at sub #31, if you hit the plus key (+),
|
|||
|
instead of going to sub #32 it will jump to sub #1. However, hitting
|
|||
|
the minus key (-) at sub #1 will bring you to sub #32. For example:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
T - 00:32:48
|
|||
|
[31] [Fred's Fried Fish Sub]:+ <--- Hitting plus from sub #31
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
T - 00:32:26
|
|||
|
[1] [General Messages]:- <--- Skipped sub #32, hitting minus key
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
T - 00:31:53
|
|||
|
[32] [Underwater Basket Weaving]: <--- Now at the long lost sub #32
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Ok, that's all there is to it, it isn't that big of a deal, but it's
|
|||
|
there...
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
[This only occurs on the aforementioned sub numbers EXACTLY. I easily
|
|||
|
spotted the problem in the code, and I notified Wayne about it. - Ed.]
|
|||
|
=======================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Pending File
|
|||
|
(Tips, Tricks, and News)
|
|||
|
by WWIVNEWS Staff
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The next WWIV release will be v4.20. It HAS NOT been released, nor will
|
|||
|
it be released any time soon. Wayne has not set a release date.
|
|||
|
Features will include batch uploads, BiModem support, a complete
|
|||
|
rewrite of the modem handling routines, and several other smaller
|
|||
|
features. For more information on the modem handling routines, see the
|
|||
|
earlier article in this issue.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WWIVnet also has a new SUBS.LST coordinator. 1 @7100 now receives the
|
|||
|
new information for subs and sends out regular SUBS.LST/SUBS.1 updates.
|
|||
|
Do NOT send any e-mail to 1 @6860 regarding sub list changes.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Intel is offering a Sysop deal on their 9600EX high speed modem. It's a
|
|||
|
V.22, V.32, V.42/42bis compatible, and will connect to standard v.32 /
|
|||
|
v.42 modems at speeds up to 38,400 Baud. It WILL NOT connect to a USR
|
|||
|
HST at any speed higher than 2400 Baud, so there is a downside. It's a
|
|||
|
good deal if you can't afford a $699 USR DS or a $675 Microcom, but
|
|||
|
"let the buyer beware." (Charles Boyer 1@9962)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NETEDIT v1.27 by Black Dragon #1 @2380 has just recently been released.
|
|||
|
It fixes a potential bug in v1.26. v1.26 (which was not annouced in
|
|||
|
WWIVNEWS) makes a couple improvements over v1.25, including handling of
|
|||
|
NET22's partial updates, and a technical correction on one of the
|
|||
|
menus. (Black Dragon 1@2380)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WWIVNEWS has some competition on WWIVlink. WWIVlink now distributes a
|
|||
|
newsletter much like this one, called "The Link Post". These will also
|
|||
|
be made available on my board as I get them.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
My new program, NETPURGE, goes through the specified network pending
|
|||
|
data file (defaults to DEAD.NET) and deletes all non-e-mail. It returns
|
|||
|
all E-mail of types 1-0, 2-0, 7-0, and 8-10 to the originator with a
|
|||
|
few extra lines in the header telling the originator what type of
|
|||
|
E-mail he sent, to whom, and that it was undeliverable.
|
|||
|
(Black Dragon 1@2380)
|
|||
|
=======================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Letters to the Editor
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WWIVNEWS,
|
|||
|
I noted with interest the appearance of WWIVNEWS.NET in my data
|
|||
|
directory today. It's an interesting idea, and I hope it works out to
|
|||
|
the benefit of WWIVnet sysops. However, I have a couple of suggestions
|
|||
|
for distribution:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. Announce its presence. I had no earthly idea that WWIVNEWS was
|
|||
|
going to be distributed along with updates. I'm not complaining,
|
|||
|
just suggesting that you flaunt it a little bit more than you have.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
2. Change the name. I assume will to come out once a month, and I
|
|||
|
also assume that volumes change once a year. With that in mind,
|
|||
|
perhaps I can suggest another naming convention:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
a. Do it Fido-nodelist-style. Call it WWIVNEWS.<num>, where
|
|||
|
<num> is the number of days into the year on which that issue
|
|||
|
was released.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
b. Do it Another Way. If you are only going to have 16 volumes
|
|||
|
and 12 issues per volume, then use hexidecimal format. For
|
|||
|
example, WWIVNEWS.1-1 would be volume 1, issue 1, and
|
|||
|
WWIVNEWS.A-3 would be volume 10 (0Ah), issue 3. Or provide 256
|
|||
|
issues per volume: WWIVNEWS.AFF (volume 10 (0Ah), issue 255
|
|||
|
(FFh)).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
c. Here is yet another possibility. How about this:
|
|||
|
0006-0010.NWS (Volume 6, Issue 10, WWIVNEWS).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What this boils down to is that I don't want to lose WWIVNEWS
|
|||
|
every time a new one comes out, and why not make provisions to keep 'em
|
|||
|
rather than having me COPY 'em?
|
|||
|
John Wash #1 @8403
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
[All of these are excellent suggestions. My favorite idea overall is
|
|||
|
naming it WWIVNEWS.v-i (v = volume number in hex, i = issue number in
|
|||
|
hex). However, it will stay the same way basically because Wayne
|
|||
|
already put it in the code that way, and he is reluctant to change it
|
|||
|
so quickly after its birth. I do, however, provide on my board back
|
|||
|
issues for anyone not collecting them. -Ed.]
|
|||
|
=======================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Official Jargon
|
|||
|
by Random 1@1
|
|||
|
(Wayne's All-Mail for January)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A couple things:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. When you wish to be removed from distribution for a subboard, please
|
|||
|
do >NOT< post a message about it on the subboard. The correct thing to
|
|||
|
do is to email the host of the sub and inform him/her that way.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
2. NET22 apparently has some problems receiving net updates. I am not
|
|||
|
precisely sure why this did not also happen in NET21, but it apparently
|
|||
|
doesn't. So, for now, it would be a good idea to use the network2.exe
|
|||
|
file from NET21. NET23 (which fixes that problem) should be out about
|
|||
|
January 27th or so.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
3. Also about January 27th, we will be going to multiple CONNECT files.
|
|||
|
In addition to the CONNECT.0 file, you will find CONNECT.1 through
|
|||
|
CONNECT.12 files in your DATA directory (with the exception of
|
|||
|
CONNECT.6, as there is no group 6). The network will continue to
|
|||
|
function the same, however. This should not affect anyone except GCs
|
|||
|
and maybe ACs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Due to the way the connection updates will be handled, it is now
|
|||
|
REQUIRED that AC's forward connection updates to the GC. You will NOT
|
|||
|
be able to send connection update requests directly to me. So, to
|
|||
|
reiterate, for anything in the network (connection update, bbslist
|
|||
|
update, complaint, etc), the correct order is to first contact your AC,
|
|||
|
then your GC and finally the NC (me). if you have been unable to
|
|||
|
resolve A few people have come to me with things that they should have
|
|||
|
contacted their GC about and I have simply referred them back to the
|
|||
|
GC. Going directly to me tends to slow things down, not speed them up.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
4. Starting with WWIV v4.20 (for which a release date has not yet been
|
|||
|
set, but will be in a few months), the source code to WWIV will also be
|
|||
|
distributed (to registered sysops ONLY) on certain select WWIVnet
|
|||
|
systems. It will work like this:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
a. About 5-10 WWIVnet systems will be selected as source distribution
|
|||
|
points.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
b. I will make up a list, based on inputs from registered WWIV users,
|
|||
|
of which users on those systems are, in fact, registered WWIV users.
|
|||
|
Those users, and only those users, will be able to download the source
|
|||
|
code to WWIV from those systems.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
c. The sysops of the source distribution points will have a special
|
|||
|
file transfer section for WWIV source distribution. The file section
|
|||
|
will have a specific DAR. Only the users listed on the 'master list'
|
|||
|
will have that DAR, and hence be allowed to download the source code.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The list will look something like:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Reg num Accounts
|
|||
|
1 Random #1 @1, Random #2 @1234
|
|||
|
90999 Hector #123 @1, Hector #22 @1234, Hector #67 @1177
|
|||
|
90888 Dude #321 @1, Dude #198 @1177
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Where @1234 and @1177 are the source distribution points.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We are now at step "a": selecting source distribution points. If you
|
|||
|
are a registered WWIV sysop, have been registered for over a year, have
|
|||
|
been in WWIVnet for over a year, would like to be a source distribution
|
|||
|
point, and agree to release the source code to users only on the list,
|
|||
|
then please reply and tell me you are interested. Remember, there will
|
|||
|
only be around 5-10 distribution points, and I'd like to have them in
|
|||
|
various areas of the country, so if 20 people reply from Rhode Island,
|
|||
|
only one of them will actually be selected.
|
|||
|
=======================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Editor's Corner
|
|||
|
by East Bay Ray 1@9964
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
One of the several network subs to investigate this month is the
|
|||
|
"Alternative SysOp's Sub", sub type 9999, hosted by John Hardman @9954
|
|||
|
(send mail to 2@9954 for speed answering), the GC of group 5. It boasts
|
|||
|
less flames than other sysop subs. Check it out, it might make a nice
|
|||
|
Valentine's gift for yourself.
|
|||
|
Observant people will notice that the text is no longer justified
|
|||
|
to the right margin. I wanted to be able to fit more text into less
|
|||
|
space, so the decision was made. Thanks are due to Omega Man for his
|
|||
|
suggestion regarding that one.
|
|||
|
I also decided that I would stop publishing real names unless so
|
|||
|
requested. I thought about it a while and came to the conclusion that
|
|||
|
aliases were for people to hide their real names. I will continue to
|
|||
|
publish their net addresses.
|
|||
|
There has been some flak about my policy on the ownership of the
|
|||
|
articles printed in WWIVNews. I thought the original policy was fair,
|
|||
|
but apparently some people did not. I have modified it, so now my
|
|||
|
position on the ownership of WWIVNews article is that all articles,
|
|||
|
unless copyrighted by the author (whether stated copyright or official
|
|||
|
copyright) become my property. If the article is copyrighted, then the
|
|||
|
article's author retains full ownership and distribution rights of that
|
|||
|
article. He MUST, if the article is copyrighted, give me specific
|
|||
|
written (electronic or otherwise) permission to print the article in an
|
|||
|
upcoming issue of WWIVNews.
|
|||
|
=======================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Acknowledgements
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WWIV (c) 1988 by Wayne Bell.
|
|||
|
NetZip II (c) 1990,1991 by Jeff Garzik.
|
|||
|
PKZip, PKUnZip, and PKLite are registered trademarks of PKWare, Inc.
|
|||
|
ARC is a registered trademark of SEA Enhancement Associates.
|
|||
|
BiModem (c) 1988-90 by Erik Labs.
|
|||
|
USR, USR HST, and USR Dual Standard are trademarks of US Robotics, Inc.
|
|||
|
Hayes is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.
|
|||
|
MNP (Microcom Networking Protocol) is a trademark of Microcom, Inc.
|
|||
|
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
|
|||
|
DesqView is a trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems, Inc.
|
|||
|
PC-MOS is a trademark of The Software Link.
|
|||
|
NetWare is a trademark of Novell Data Systems.
|
|||
|
All other products mentioned are either registered trademarks or
|
|||
|
copyrighted by their respectives manufacturers.
|
|||
|
=======================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The End
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|