From: jingoro@tcp.com (Jingoro)
Subject: Re: I want to start a MUD
Keywords: servers ferkel.ucsb.edu Okay_Mike_Huang_don't_yell_at_me
Organization: Jingoro's House of MUD
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 05:58:13 GMT

(In this article, the pronoun 'you' is in reference to anyone wondering how
to start a MUD, not to Tony.)

In <1992Sep11.022755.8764@ncsu.edu> tony@jim.csc.ncsu.edu (TB) writes:
>	If you don't know HOW to start up a mud I wouldn't try it.

In order to run a MUD you need to know how to:
   - ftp files
   - uncompress .Z files
   - unpack tar files
   - edit C code and header files and Makefiles to set options
   - use make to compile the mud
   - read the docs on the mud and set up the necessary config files,
     minimal dbs, etc.
   - start the mud up, shut it down, etc.

Although it is not always required, it's a good idea to know the C
programming language and to also be familiar with the system you are trying
to compile on.  Most muds are written primarily for BSD based systems and
require Berkeley Sockets to run.  It's also not uncommon to encounter
incompatibilities in the way different UNIX systems operate.  If you don't
have access to a UNIX or compatible system, your choices are much more
limited.

As well as those, you need know which type of MUD you want to run.  You
should also have the permission of whoever's machine you are using to run
it, especially if it is going to be used by other people.  As you can see,
this is going to be a lot of work, and learning, especially since you
already seem to be starting from scratch.

>	Knew you wouldn't listen, so here's what I assume you do (I
>haven't tried it):
>	I would recommend anonymously ftping to ferkel.ucsb.edu. If you
>can't ftp then I can't help you. OK. That's finished.

If you don't know how to ftp, 'finger ftp@ferkel.ucsb.edu' and it'll give
you the basics.  If you can't ftp, but you can send and receive email, send
the message 'HELP' to ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com and it'll tell you what you
need to know.

>	Head for the /pub/mud directory. See all those directories? They
>all have the server code, in .tar format, to the M* they name; e.g.
>the TinyMUCK directory hold TinyMUCK code. If you can't untar a .tar
>file I won't try and rewrite the manual.

This is covered in the /pub/FTP-FAQ file on ferkel.  There's also the 3
standard MUD FAQ files as well as a semi-current MUD Listing in /pub/mud.
If you are still having questions, read ALL of these, and you should be
set.

>	Now. get the stuff, stick it in its own directory, tar it and
>let it rip! Get ready to watch it eat up your space... nyahahaha...

Yet another sad reality you may have to face...  Most MUDs take up quite a
chunk of disk space and memory to run.  We're talking multiple megabytes
here for most MUDs.  It's possible to get by with less, but you're not going
to be able to do much.

                            Jim Lick		       
Work: University of California	| Play: 1236 Camino Meleno
      Santa Barbara		|       Santa Barbara, CA 93111-1007
      Dept. of Mechanical Engr. |	(805) 964-2088 voice/msg
      2311 Engr II Building     |	(805) MUD-SPY1 data
      (805) 893-4113            |       jim@tcp.com
      jim@ferkel.ucsb.edu	| This space intentionally left blank
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