941 lines
33 KiB
Plaintext
941 lines
33 KiB
Plaintext
This is the UNIX (TM) compatible BBS Frequently Asked Questions Answers.
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It is posted monthly.
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The FAQ is in Message Digest Format, so that various newsreaders can
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automagically decompose it into its component parts. These are the
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parts of the digest.
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1. What is a BBS?
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2. What is UNIX?
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3. What is Usenet?
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4. What BBS Software is covered?
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5. Acknowledgements
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6 - N. The packages
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These listings are provided for informational purposes only. I am not
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making recommendations (con or pro) here, simply telling what I know
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about each package that I have information for. You are encouraged to
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evaluate each package for yourself to see if it matches your needs.
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Gregory G. "Wolfe" Woodbury
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us (G. Wolfe Woodbury)
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Subject: 1. What is a BBS?
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Date: Mon Sep 28 23:00:00 EDT 1992
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BBS is an acronym for Bulletin Board System. This is software that allows
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a computer to be used as a message posting and reading system that has
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some similarities to a bulletin board like you might find in an office
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or in a grocery store. Users of the system can post messages and read
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messages posted by others. Many computer BBSes also allow the users to
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send private messages to other users, andor to "download" files that are
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stored on the computer. Some BBSes also allow users to run other
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programs (such as games) in addition to the BBS program.
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Some BBS programs allow the individual BBS systems to share messages by
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using a communications medium to exchange the messages via a standard
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protocol which the BBSes understand. Such systems are "networked"
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BBSes. There are several BBS Networks around the world. Among them are
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FIDOnet, WWIVnet, RIMEnet, VNET and Usenet.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us (G. Wolfe Woodbury)
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Subject: 2. What is UNIX?
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Date: Sat Apr 3 00:53:29 EST 1993
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UNIX is a trademark of Unix System Laboratories, Inc. (*) for its brand of
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multi-user, multi-tasking operating system software. UNIX was developed
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at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the late 1960's and has become the most
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portable operating system ever developed. This portability means that
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UNIX (or Unix-like) operating systems can run on nearly any computer
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that has been developed since 1975. Unix-like operating systems run on
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computers from the Intel 80286 through the gamut to computers like the
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Cray X-MP and the Connection Machine 5. Programs written for one
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Unix-like system can be moved (fairly easily, if written with portability
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in mind) from one Unix system to another with some minor editing and
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re-compiling of the source code on the new machine.
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The history of Unix-like operating systems is quite complicated, and
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there are several versions of Unix-like operating systems in existence.
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The two major divisions of these are AT&T UNIX systems, and BSD Unix
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systems. There are lots of others, but these two versions cover most of
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the territory in terms of portability issues. Truly portable Unix
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software packages can examine the software environment and automatically
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configure themselves when the user compiles the package.
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Unix operating systems are flexible and portable for many reasons, and a
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detailed examination of that issue is not relevant here. For more
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information see the Unix-FAQ posted regularly to comp.unix.questions.
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(*) Just who *is* the actual holder of the TradeMark on UNIX is
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something that can change with bewildering rapidity. At various times
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it has been the "offical" property of: AT&T, Bell Laboratories, Western
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Electric and other groups. These names, of course, are also probably
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registered TradeMarks of their respective owners. :-)
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Sat Apr 3 00:43:56 EST 1993
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Subject: 3. What is Usenet?
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Usenet is a network message sharing system that exchanges messages in a
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standard format. Messages are arranged into topical categories called
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newsgroups. The messages contain plain text information (which may
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include encoded binary information) and a series of headers that define
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who the message came from, when the message was posted, where it was
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posted, where it has passed, and other administrative information.
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Usenet/NetNews is merely the netnews messages, being passed from machine
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to machine, and the readers and posters of those messages. Usenet should
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not be mistaken for any underlying transport mechanisims that provide
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other services in addition to the transfer of the messages. That is,
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Usenet is not UUCP, Usenet is not a particular network or set of
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networks (e.g. the Internet).
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One should also be careful to not confuse Usenet with any particular
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group of users. That is, Usenet is *not* an american network, Usenet is
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not a network of computer scientists, and Usenet is not a network of
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system administrators. It is a complete cross-section of all the sorts
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of folks who use computers either for work or play. English *is* the
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common language of Usenet, but there is no guarantee that the users
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*know* english particularly well. :-)
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Properly speaking, Usenet is defined as newsgroups in the major
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categories of comp, misc, news, rec, sci, soc, and talk. There are a
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number of other major "hierarchies" which may be worldwide (alt, bionet,
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vmsnet), regional (usa, can, triangle), or even organizational
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(duke, ut, sun). These message hierarchies use the NetNews protocols,
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and are colloquially called "Usenet", but purists can (and do) argue for
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days about the distinctions. I tend to use the term "NetNews" to refer
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to the whole suite of programs and all the newsgroups in conglomeration.
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There is not enough room here to fully discuss the ins and outs of
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NetNews. There are several NetNews groups that are dedicated to
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discussion of NetNews itself. (news.* and alt.culture.usenet are
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examples, the `*' refers to any newsgroup that begins its name with a
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string of "news.")
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Wed Jun 9 22:43:49 EDT 1993
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Subject: 4. What software is covered here?
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The following packages are covered in this FAQ.
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AKCS
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bbs_bk
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brand-x
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Caucus
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Coconut
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Commune/IX
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EBBS (Eagle's Nest)
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GDXBBS
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ix/MBox
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Magpie
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MBS
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QueBBS
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pbbs (Pink BBS)
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PBBS (Pirate BBS)
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PNN (Princeton News Network)
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TEAMate
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UBBS (Ultimate)
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Unidel
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UniBoard (UnixBBS)
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VA.PEN
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Waffle
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XBBS
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Z/Max Xchange
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yabbs
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Known, but not covered (yet?):
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(Anyone with information is invited to send email!)
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Citadel/UX
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CIX/CoSy
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EIES
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Freeport
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ISCABBS
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Participate
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Pnet
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PicoSpan
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SBBS (Sigma BBS)
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Sentience
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Obsolete, not covered
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UnAccess
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PNN (still listed)
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To locate the packages listed above in the articles below, search for the
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short name listed in the Subject: headers.
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In the articles below, summary files for some of the received/collected
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information are available for anonymous uucp from wolves.durham.nc.us.
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The file name for the info file is in the Info-file: subheader.
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Wolves.durham.nc.us is located at +1 919-493-7111 (v.32bis/v.42bis/HST)
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login: uanon (no password)
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Also listed are the FTP sites and filenames for known or suspected
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copies of the packages. Space and line-speed limitations prohibit
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the distribution of the packages themselves from Wolves.
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Some of the packages may appear at sunsite.unc.edu for Anonymous FTP.
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(If you don't know about Anonymous FTP, look for the FTP FAQ in news.answers.)
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Corrections and additions to this list are welcome: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Sat Feb 06 23:00:00 EDT 1993
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Subject: 5. Acknowledgements
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This FAQ is the product of a lot of research and correspondence with
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lots of folks. Here is a partial listing of the folks who were kind
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enough to send information and corrections to me for use in this FAQ.
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If I've left someone out, write to me :-)
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Lars Aronsson(!), Bob Baskerville(!), Bill Brown, Lisa Carlson,
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Tom Dell(!), Karl Denninger(!), Aydin Edguer(*), Ken Germann,
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Avrum Goodblat, Judy Hallman, David Holland, Bob Kirkpatrick(!),
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Hilbert Levitz, Michael Lyons, Stephen Manes(!), Bob Peterson,
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Chris Petrilli, Riccardo Pizzi(!), Todd Radel, Gene Saunders,
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Greg Seminara, Jay Snyder(!), Chris Stanford, Bill Fenner(#),
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Jim Tremblay, Alex Wetmore(!), Sanford Zelkovitz(!), Nick Zimmerman(!)
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(!) Authors of packages providing information
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(*) Special Thanks to Aydin Edguer
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(#) Bill is keeper of the Waffle FAQ
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Mon Sep 28 23:00:00 EDT 1992
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Subject: AKCS
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Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/akcs
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AKCS Version 7 commercial product source available
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Usenet compatibility
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contact: karl@ddsw1.mcs.com
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Karl Denninger
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3217 N. Sheffield
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Chicago, IL 60657
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+1 312 269 9058 (voice)
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demo: 300-2400 bps modem line
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+1 312 248 0900
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"AKCS is a threaded BBS/conferencing package with extraordinary versatility,
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ease of use, performance and support." -- Karl Denninger
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Supplied in binary form for SINGLE CPU, AKCS is licensed for a fee based
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on the cpu type. Prices range from $500 to $1500, with a yearly
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support fee of $100 - $250. NFS support is $1000. Source is $5000.00.
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Custom porting is available for time and materials.
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Fully configurable, threaded messages, termcap/terminfo type support,
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private mail, file attachments, upload/download, full screen editor
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(custom), external programs, security system. AKCS newsgroups
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available to licensees.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Mon Sep 28 23:00:00 EDT 1992
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Subject: bbs_bk
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Source-file: /news/Archives/Sources/Misc/bbs_bk/part01.Z
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comp.sources.misc: volume 13 issue 1
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bbs_bk bourne shell freeware source available
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Usenet via unix
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contact: Bob Kirkpatrick
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root@dogear.spk.wa.us
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demo: none known
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bbs_bk is a shell system that provides the primitive functionality for a
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BBS on Unix. Unix commands available determine how much real
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functionality is available. Usenet is available via calls to the
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newsreader of choice on the system. Editors depend on sysop choice.
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Download protocols depend on what is available on the underlying system
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bbs_bk is a skeleton bbs that should allow an experienced unix user to
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provide basic BBS functions in short order when a need arises. A
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special "bbs" user login is needed to start up the bbs capability.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Tue Sep 29 22:00:00 EDT 1992
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Subject: brand-x
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brand-X C source freeware source included
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Usenet via unix
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contact: Bob Kirkpatrick
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root@dogear.spk.wa.us
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demo: none known
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Brand-X is a C language skeletal BBS similar in flavor to bbs_bk (no
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suprize). The sysop needs to know C and Unix fairly well to turn this
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package into something more than a toy. Like bbs_bk, a bbs user id is
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required and the program takes care of its own user names.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Tue Sep 29 23:00:00 EDT 1992
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Subject: Caucus
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Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/Caucus.info
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Caucus commercial package source not generally available
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Usenet via message import
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contact: Camber-Roth
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A Division of Aule-Tek, Inc.
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1223 Peoples Ave
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Troy, NY 12180
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1 518 273 0983 (voice)
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1 518 276 6380 (FAX)
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info@aule-tek.com
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demo: CASTANet
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1 518 273 1467 (300-2400)
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1 518 273 1508 (v.32bis v.42bis)
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login: caucus
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NEWUSER
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voice assistance: 1 518 273 0983
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Caucus is a large and robust commercial package. It is supported on
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several hardware platforms and provides a complete networed BBS
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solution. User customization is supported. I actually got two
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responses to requests for Caucus, from Aule-Tek, the owners, and another
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company that sent me information via paper mail. Despite being asked
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for pricing, no pricing information was sent.
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I do know that the City of Santa Monica (California) selected Caucus as
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its platform for its Public Information System.
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------------------------------
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Subject: Coconut
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Date: Wed Jun 9 22:50:06 EDT 1993
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/COCONET.info
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COCONUT Host v4.? Commercial source available?
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NetNews not available
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contact: Brian Dear
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brian@coconut.com
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info@coconut.com
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Coconut Computing Inc.
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7946 Ivanhoe Ave Suite 303
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La Jolla CA 92037
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+1 619 456 2002 (voice)
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+1 619 456 1905 (FAX)
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demo: unknown
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Coconut is a Unix-based HOST program system that provides
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support to users using a special Coconut Access Program (CAP) on MS-DOS
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and Macintosh platforms. It provides a complete BBS package, with
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conferences, discussion and file bases. It is fully configurable,
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supports multi-level security, internet mail, mailing lists and external
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programs. It seems like a decent package. I have some concerns over
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the unclear status of Usenet import/export functions, and there is a 999
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unit limit on all sorts of configuration parameters.
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A recent report in alt.bbs indicates that CocoNet has no plans
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to implement Usenet message importing/exporting. Looks like a single
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system (or shared file systems) only.
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There have also been some sporadic reports of "hassles" dealing
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with the folks at CocoNut by some sysops. They bent over backwards when
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talking to me, but I make no recommendations here.
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------------------------------
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Subject: Commune/IX
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Date: Sat Apr 3 00:25:03 EST 1993
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Commune/IX for Linux commercial source available?
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NetNews available
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contact: Michael Quigley
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stmq@vm.marist.edu
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mfq@world.std.com
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demo: no
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Michael is developing yet another DOS look-alike UNIX BBS for
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the Linux platform. This implies source availability, but since it
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looks like he wants to make it a commercial product, it is more likely
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to be a binary (object code) distribution rather than source. The
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project sounds ambitious, with replacements for the mailer, and
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additional modules for connecting to FIDO Technology Networks, in
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addition to all the usual BBS features.
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Pricing and availability are not known. MQ comments that it
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will be a "low cost" system, with per-module pricing.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Wed Jun 9 22:43:31 EDT 1993
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Subject: EBBS Eagle's Nest BBS
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FTP-Site: bbs.augsburg.edu:/files/bbs_software/Eagles.BBS.2.0.tar.Z
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EBBS Eagle's Nest BBS source included
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Usenet unknown
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contact: Raymond Rocker
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rocker@rock.b11.ingr.com
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Guy Vega
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gtvega@seabass.st.usm.edu
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demo: Eagles Nest BBS
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seabass.st.usm.edu
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login: bbs password: bbs
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or
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Auggie BBS
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bbs.augsburg.edu
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login: bbs (no password)
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(Wm. Schwartz - sysop)
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This is an Extension of the Mars Pirate BBS code to enhance
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functionality and provide some network access. It now features an IRC
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(Internet Relay Chat) client mode so that users can participate in IRC
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if allowed. Usenet may be supported via shell access, but I haven't
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tried the demo system or read the code that closely. It is in current
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use, so it has some support and merit.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Sat Feb 06 23:00:00 EDT 1993
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Subject: GDXBBS
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Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/gdx.info
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FTP_site: plains.nodak.edu:/pub/alt/gdxbbs
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GDXBBS freeware bbs source included
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Usenet is planned
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contact: Jay A Snyder
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jay@gdx.uucp
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demo: GDX-BBS (home system for GDX)
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+1 717-737-3249 (WorldBlazer/PEP/v.32bis/v.42bis/etc...)
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This seems to be a fairly complete BBS system that is well-integrated
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into Unix (except for Usenet News). The system looks easy to configure
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and provides linkages to standard E-mail (via smail or deliver).
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Usenet can be provided via external functions (doors).
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------------------------------
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Subject: Magpie for Unix
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Date: Mon May 3 03:59:27 EDT 1993
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/magpie.info
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Magpie for Unix Shareware/commercial source available for $$
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NetNews planned
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contact: Steve Manes
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manes@magpie.nucenet.edu
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demo: yes?
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magpie.nycenet.edu?
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Magpie has a good reputation, but its limited availability
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(binaries only for SCO COFF compatible systems) is a drawback. It
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supports lots of nice features that are easy to provide via Unix, and
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seems aimed at K-12 school systems that want a "real product" for use
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with some standard platform.
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Installation is via special login account, and BBS users do not
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have standard "/etc/passwd" accounts. No pricing was posted for Source
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code availability.
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I got a posting from Steve Manes, and he points out that the COFF
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binaries are a "Shareware" version. NetNews support (using NOV
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database) is planned for version 2.4 (no ETA), but version 2.3 has
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UUCP/internet mail available for BBS users.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Sat Feb 06 23:00:00 EDT 1993
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Subject: ix/MBox
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comp.sources.misc: volume 29 and volume 31
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ix/MBox System V Unix BBS source included
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Usenet is basis
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contact: Volker Schuermann
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Volker.Schuermann@uunet.w.open.de
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MBox is an excellent product, marred only by the lack of decent
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documentation in a language other than german. Its basic services are
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those provided by Unix, and Unix services are required to run the BBS.
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The current version is limited to System V r3.2 Intel platforms, but
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should not be too hard to transfer to other System V platforms.
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C-News (or B-News) and a mail package are needed.
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------------------------------
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From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
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Date: Tue Sep 29 23:30:00 EDT 1992
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Subject: MBS
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MBS Unix C language BBS source included
|
|
(In alpha test) Usenet planned
|
|
|
|
contact: Willam Davidsen
|
|
davidsen@crd.ge.com
|
|
|
|
MBS is a new Unix based BBS. Reminiscent of Citadel (there are rooms)
|
|
the implementation is totally new and interesting. All the basic
|
|
functionality for a networked BBS is there, but it's still in
|
|
development. Usenet will be via message importing/exporting programs
|
|
now being developed. (Development has slowed down for a while.)
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Date: Thu Oct 1 00:40:00 EDT 1992
|
|
Subject: pbbs (Pink BBS)
|
|
alt.sources: Mar 04 00:17:00 GMT 1992
|
|
|
|
pbbs "Pink" shell BBS partial source
|
|
Usenet via unix cmds
|
|
|
|
contact: unknown
|
|
posted: izcer@sdf.lonestar.org
|
|
|
|
Pink BBS is a bare bones shell (bourne) BBS that relies heavily on
|
|
external programs for its functionality. The notable missing piece in
|
|
the alt.sources posting was the "mkacct" program which apparently
|
|
collected the information and installed a new unix uid account
|
|
interactively. This is NOT a secure system.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Date: Wed Jun 9 22:43:10 EDT 1993
|
|
Subject: PBBS (Pirate BBS)
|
|
FTP-Site: trantor.ee.msstate.edu:/files/Misc.source/bbs.tar.1.6.Z
|
|
|
|
PBBS "Mars" Pirate Unix BBS source included
|
|
Usenet unknown
|
|
|
|
contact: unknown
|
|
|
|
demo: none
|
|
|
|
The "Hotel Mars" bbs at Mississippi State was a legend in its own time,
|
|
mostly for the furor it created on the internet. Part of this was due
|
|
to the unfortunate choice of name for the software, and the activities
|
|
of a similar nature that occurred at one time. I thought I had a copy
|
|
of this one, but it isn't on-line here, so I apologize for the short
|
|
schrift it is getting. It does provide a complete BBS solution in
|
|
messages, files and upload/download.
|
|
|
|
Once again, the Mars BBS is down, and supposedly for good this
|
|
time. (Boo) The code lives on in EBBS and several others.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Subject: PNN - Princeton News Network
|
|
Date: Wed Jun 9 22:56:07 EDT 1993
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/PNN.info
|
|
|
|
PNN Princeton News Network Freeware? source available
|
|
NetNews supported
|
|
|
|
contact: Tom True
|
|
tdtrue@pucc.princeton.edu
|
|
+1 609 258 6064
|
|
|
|
demo: no?
|
|
|
|
(Late word has it that PNN is no longer available - look to the VA.PEN
|
|
software for a similar large scale system.)
|
|
|
|
[From PNN intro]
|
|
Princeton News Network was developed by the Advanced Technologies Department
|
|
of Princeton University. Project leaders include Howard Jay Strauss, Tom True,
|
|
Joe Studholme, and Steve Albin.
|
|
|
|
"PNN" was originally run in an IBM environment but was converted over to UNIX
|
|
environment. The concept of the program is to have information available to
|
|
all users in a friendly menu-driven environment.
|
|
|
|
"PNN is being phased out in favor of gopher" according to mail from Tom
|
|
True that was remailed to me. The comment was that it's *not* a BBS per
|
|
se, but a Campus Information System. - gww
|
|
|
|
PNN is available for customization by other institutions of higher
|
|
education. Please contact Tom True at Princeton University (609-258-6064)
|
|
or by electrnoic mail (tdtrue@pucc.princeton.edu) to discuss how to get
|
|
PNN on your campus.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Date: Wed 30 Sep 23:00:00 1992
|
|
Subject: QueBBS
|
|
FTP-site: quartz.rutgers.edu:/pub/src/qbbs29d.tar.Z
|
|
|
|
QueBBS Unix C language BBS source included
|
|
Usenet via import/export
|
|
contact: qbbs@milo.ndsu.nodak.edu
|
|
North Dakota State University
|
|
Student ACM - SIGBBS
|
|
|
|
QueBBS was written for the North Dakota State University by members of
|
|
the Studen ACM chapter there. It is a complete BBS service, with
|
|
messages, files and private mail. Usenet support is via special
|
|
programs that import and export articles to/from the BBS and the news
|
|
system on the computer. Upload/download protocols depend on what is
|
|
available, and are configurable. Online help is available, menus are
|
|
hard coded.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Date: Mon May 3 03:52:33 EDT 1993
|
|
Subject: TEAMate
|
|
|
|
TEAMate Commercial UNIX BBS source NOT available
|
|
Usenet by import/export
|
|
contact: bob%teamate@uunet.uu.net
|
|
Bob Baskerville
|
|
MMB Development Corp
|
|
904 Manhattan Ave
|
|
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
|
|
1 310 318 1322
|
|
|
|
demo: supernet.ans.net (147.225.1.51) [telnet]
|
|
1 310 318 8437 (8N1 vt100 1200-9600)
|
|
1 310 318 5302
|
|
login: public
|
|
|
|
MMB is agressively pushing TEAMate as the "premier" Unix based BBS
|
|
system in the country. My inquiries netted me two copies of PR
|
|
materials and several phone calls about the product. The package looks
|
|
complete, with a full-fledged conferencing system, file support, and
|
|
full configuration management. There is a (MSDOS) client program for
|
|
it called TEAMterm, that they say is freely distributable, but I
|
|
don't know where there is a copy on the net. I had some problems with
|
|
the manual, which was obviously written by/for someone with absolutely
|
|
no knowledge of the Unix underpinnings. The system is full screen,
|
|
form oriented, and uses the Unix termcap/terminfo libraries.
|
|
|
|
Prices are steep(*), a single cpu intel license starts at $2000, and the
|
|
full package starts at $5500. More users bring the cost up rapidly,
|
|
with an "unlimited users" full package totalling $63,000. (Price list,
|
|
july 1, 1992) Systems supported include: Intel, Sun, HP-UX, DEC (RISC),
|
|
IBM RS/6000, ATT 3b2, Sequent, DG, Silicon Graphics, and Tandem (UNIX).
|
|
[Sequent 4+ cpu starts at 15,000, total 40,200. Most systems are going
|
|
to be 4000-7500/12,800-21,900.]
|
|
|
|
* - recent mail from TEAMate folk say that a new lower cost (8-line)
|
|
entry-level version is available starting around $2000.00.
|
|
Additionally, they report new educational pricing and discounts.
|
|
|
|
A GUI client/server version is planned for showing in August 1993.
|
|
|
|
User support is friendly and knowledgable, I called to clarify the
|
|
ability to include Usenet messages. It would take a programmer a bit of
|
|
time to do it, but it seems easy enough.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Subject: UBBS
|
|
Date: Sat Apr 3 00:13:49 EST 1993
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
|
|
UBBS (Ultimate) free (?) source available?
|
|
NetNews available (not yet)
|
|
|
|
contact: Jean-Francois Gagnon
|
|
jf@ichlibx.login.qc.ca
|
|
+1 514 253 8649 (BBS)
|
|
|
|
demo: yes
|
|
+1 514 253 8649
|
|
+1 514 253 2753
|
|
|
|
This is a "clone" of Remote Access for Unix, written by JF for
|
|
his public access Unix system in Quebec. It has an email bridge, and he
|
|
plans support for Usenet messages. Write to JF for more information.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Date: Mon May 3 03:56:22 EDT 1993
|
|
Subject: UniBoard (UnixBBS)
|
|
Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/UniBoard.info
|
|
|
|
UniBoard Commercial Unix BBS Source NOT available
|
|
|
|
contact: Riccardo Pizzi
|
|
pizzi@nervous.com
|
|
Rimini, Italy
|
|
|
|
demo: <several>
|
|
+39-541-27135 (bbs.nervous.com in Italy) HST/PEP/V.32bis
|
|
+1 216-481-9445 (wariat.org) [USA Dist. Site]
|
|
+7 351 265 3601 (rich.chel.su!) (Chelyabinsk Russia?)
|
|
see alt.bbs.unixbbs.uniboard
|
|
|
|
UniBoard is a decent Unix BBS according to most reports.
|
|
Price is reasonable, an 8-user license costing about $70 (US).
|
|
Full functions include Usenet news, email, files and online
|
|
chat/conferences. Usenet and mail require the use of the underlying
|
|
Unix systems (C-news recommended.) Security seems good,
|
|
customization seems good. Support for other networks (e.g. FIDO) is
|
|
promised in the future. ANSI character graphics support, color support.
|
|
Support for multiple editors, etc.
|
|
|
|
Latest information is available from Riccardo's mail server. Mail to
|
|
uniboard@nervous.com with "SEND LIST" in the message body.
|
|
|
|
Linux port planned according to Riccardo.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From: unidel@bitsko.slc.ut.us (Unidel Administrator)
|
|
Newsgroups: alt.sources
|
|
Subject: Unidel, a UNIX/UseNet BBS and news/mail reader, part 1 of 7
|
|
Keywords: Citadel, BBS, UseNet, mail, needs work
|
|
Date: 17 Nov 91 23:27:54 GMT
|
|
Organization: Bitsko's Bar & Grill, Public Access, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
|
|
FTP-site: quartz.rutgers.edu:/pub/src/unidel.tar.Z
|
|
|
|
Unidel Unix Citadel-like BBS Source included
|
|
|
|
[I'm simply including the front end of the release notice from its
|
|
posting to alt.sources last year. - gww]
|
|
|
|
Submitted-by: unidel@bitsko.slc.ut.us
|
|
Archive-name: Unidel/part01
|
|
|
|
If I keep saying I'll wait until I get this cleaner before I post it,
|
|
it may never get posted. And prompted by yet another thread of "Where
|
|
can I get a UNIX BBS with UseNet news?" I figured more fuel for the
|
|
fires can't hurt :-). What we have is this:
|
|
|
|
* UseNet news reader
|
|
* UseNet/UNIX/Internet mail reader (w/multiple mail areas)
|
|
* Looks like a Citadel room-based BBS system
|
|
* Secure shell (controlled access to external programs, uses rsh)
|
|
* External editors, file-transfer, chat/talk, CB
|
|
* Newsgroup and file permissions (r, r/w, hidden and invite-only)
|
|
* Freely-redistributable
|
|
* Has compiled once or twice each on SVR2 (Microport), SVR3,
|
|
SunOS 4.1 and UHC SVR4
|
|
* Can be used with CNews, BNews, SMail, Deliver, talk, rz/sz,
|
|
kermit, vi, emacs and more
|
|
* still contains a few, uh, unnecessary, uh, features yea that's it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can play with it and download the source from Bitsko's Bar &
|
|
Grill BBS, +1 801 566 6283 (Telebit), login 'guest', type RETURN for
|
|
password. Source and discussion is in the Unidel room.
|
|
|
|
Questions can be directed to unidel@bitsko.slc.ut.us
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Subject: VA-PEN
|
|
Date: Feb 24 23:30:00 EST 1993
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/VA.PEN.info
|
|
FTP_site: ftp.virginia.edu:oub/VA.PEN
|
|
|
|
VA-PEN freeware source included
|
|
NetNews available
|
|
|
|
contact: Tim Sigmon
|
|
tms@holmes.acc.virginia.edu
|
|
Academic Computing Center
|
|
Gilmer Hall
|
|
University of Virginia
|
|
Charlottesville VA 22903
|
|
|
|
demo: none officially
|
|
|
|
VA-PEN (Virginia Public Education Network) is a message system developed
|
|
at UVa for the state's K-12 computer program. It is based around C-news
|
|
as the underlying conferencing mechanism, and support configurable
|
|
menus, various upload/download protocols, and extensive on-line
|
|
documentation. The software (with modifications) is used on the
|
|
Tallahasee Florida FreeNet machine.
|
|
|
|
(I remember Tim Sigmon as a Duke Grad Student in the early days of
|
|
Usenet. :-)
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
Date: Feb 23 02:00:00 EST 1993
|
|
Subject: Waffle
|
|
Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/Waffle.FAQ
|
|
FTP-site: halcyon.com[192.135.191.2]:~/pub/waffle/waf165.zip (Dos version)
|
|
|
|
Waffle Low Cost Unix BBS Source Included (Unix only)
|
|
Usenet support via OS
|
|
|
|
contact: Tom Dell
|
|
vox@darkside.com
|
|
|
|
Demo site: halcyon.com
|
|
|
|
Waffle is one of the premier Usenet BBSs for DOS, but there is
|
|
relatively little activity about Waffle/Unix on the newsgroup.
|
|
Waffle has a whole Usenet News newsgroup (comp.bbs.waffle) for
|
|
discussion about it, and there is an excellent FAQ that is posted there
|
|
periodically by Bill Fenner. The author of Waffle is Tom Dell.
|
|
Unix Waffle requires the presence of C-news or other native Unix-like OS
|
|
NetNews support software.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Subject: XBBS
|
|
Date: Feb 23 23:10:00 EST 1993
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
comp.sources.misc: Volume 32 Issue 16 xbbs/partNN
|
|
|
|
XBBS v7.2 Freeware(?) source included
|
|
NetNews via external
|
|
commands (doors)
|
|
|
|
contact: Sanford Zelkovitz
|
|
sandy@godzilla.Quotron.com
|
|
sandy@alphacm.uucp
|
|
5852 Maxson Drive
|
|
Cypress CA 90630
|
|
|
|
demo: yes at alphacm
|
|
714 821 9671 (8N1 1200-9600)
|
|
|
|
XBBS is a decent BBS system for System V'ish systems. The code
|
|
is rather monolithic, and the menus are embedded in the code. The
|
|
system has similarities to the WWIV BBS in style. Configuration is via
|
|
static files that are position dependent. Limited access groups are
|
|
available, multilevel security is supported. Access to NetNews is via
|
|
shell escape(!) and might be insecure. There was a small attempt at
|
|
runtime code validation (by checking for the authors id string) in a
|
|
previous version. I ran an XBBS based system until my disks crashed,
|
|
but the code was rather heavily modified for modularity and keyword
|
|
based configuration. The bbs handles its own user base seperate from
|
|
that of the Unix passwd file, so it can be used for guest accounts.
|
|
Supports a wide variety of u/dload protocols, some via "system" command
|
|
execution of external programs (e.g. Kermit, rz/sz)
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Subject: Z/Max XChange
|
|
Date: Fri Apr 2 23:11:20 EST 1993
|
|
From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us
|
|
|
|
Z/Max XChange v3.2 commercial source NOT available(?)
|
|
NetNews available
|
|
|
|
contact: Z/Max Computer Solutions
|
|
sales@zmax.com
|
|
8287 Loop Road, Radisson Woods Office Park
|
|
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
|
|
+1 315 635 1882 (voice)
|
|
+1 315 635 1908 (FAX)
|
|
|
|
demo: yes
|
|
Z/Max Online Demo System
|
|
+1 315 635 1950 (2400)
|
|
+1 315 635 1947 (USR 9600 ?v.32)
|
|
Parameters: 8-N-1 Terminal emulation: vt100
|
|
login: zmax
|
|
Password: xchange
|
|
Fill in new users screen
|
|
call back in 24 hours :-(
|
|
|
|
Z/Max has a very full featured Unix BBS here. The package seems cleaner
|
|
and more "professional" than TEAMate, and the price is also a bit more
|
|
reasonable, even if the hardware supported is less extensive.
|
|
Features: BBS, News (Usenet import supported), Files (upload/download -
|
|
standard protocols plus external protocols), "doors", menu interface,
|
|
graphical (character graphics) interface, on-line conferences, Email
|
|
(internet access), multi-level (per-function) access security, custom
|
|
editor (? vi or emacs access?), and full logging.
|
|
Terminal support is flexible, and the system uses "curses" for its
|
|
character graphics interface.
|
|
Hardware: 80[34]86 Unix boxes (SCO, Interactive, AT&T, SVr4), 88000 BCS,
|
|
NCR, SEQUENT, Sun, IBM RS6000, HPUX, Dec Ultrix (4.2), AT&T 3B2.
|
|
|
|
Typical Prices: (# of users) (1-4) 695.00 (16) 1495 (32) 2495 (>32) 3995
|
|
30-day evaluation: 75.00 (+$25 for tape distribution)
|
|
prices effecive 3/1/93 - subject to change w/o notice (etc....)
|
|
Documents: 34.95, quick ref card - 2.95
|
|
1-year support/upgrades included, additional years - $400/year
|
|
There is a license upgrade cost schedule as well.
|
|
There is a Dos overview/demo disk available. (Bragware)
|
|
|
|
There are a few Internet sites that use XChange as their interface for
|
|
information management. I haven't played with a Z/Max system yet, this
|
|
is written from their poop sheets.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Subject: yabbs - Yet Another (UNIX) BBS
|
|
Date: Wed Jun 9 22:44:12 EDT 1993
|
|
From: aw2t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Alex R.N. Wetmore)
|
|
Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/yabbs.info
|
|
FTP_site: phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu:/pub/yabbs/*
|
|
|
|
YABBS free source available
|
|
NetNews NOT available
|
|
|
|
contact: Alex R.N. Wetmore
|
|
aw2t+@andrew.cmu.edu
|
|
|
|
demo: yes
|
|
telnet to phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu port = 8888.
|
|
(note: down during summer 1993)
|
|
|
|
I have recently put up a new version of the Yabbs (yet another bbs)
|
|
software package on my machine (phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu). This is a small,
|
|
highly portable bbs package for unix that supports:
|
|
* up to 26 public message bases (plus one private area)
|
|
* multiuser talk
|
|
* g-files support (to put text files online, good for mirroring ftp
|
|
servers)
|
|
* up to 3 external editors and one external pager (I include keybinding
|
|
files for less and joe, and have source for a version of elvis with
|
|
some commands removed).
|
|
* has a menued structure (as opposed to command line structure of waffle)
|
|
|
|
So far it has been proven to be very portable across unix variants.
|
|
Comes with full source (all pretty well commented) so changing it around
|
|
isn't too hard.
|
|
|
|
Current platform is 386bsd, portability may be affected by this.
|
|
|
|
If you want to see a copy in action telnet to phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu 8888.
|
|
You can ftp the source from the same machine in /pub/yabbs.
|
|
alex
|
|
(uglymouse.css.itd.umich.edu also has sources.)
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
End of Unix-like BBS Software FAQ
|