From: kjv@exucom.com (Karl J. Vesterling)
Newsgroups: alt.bbs,alt.bbs.allsysop
Subject: Re: BBS Development ideas.. Some thoughts..
Date: 22 Jan 93 10:19:34 GMT
Organization: ExuCom Multimedia Inc.

In article <1993Jan19.212134.1@acad3.alaska.edu> nsmca@acad3.alaska.edu writes:
>Some basic ideas on what a new style BBS shold have.
>
>Easy of use..
>Nettable to two or more networks (drivers?) (WWIVnet, Fidonet, Internet,
>Usenet).

Why?  Isn't UUCP simple enough??  Besides, it is reliable as well...
In my opinion, get rid of the ANSI login screens, and replace them
with a normal ASCII text login, UNTIL the user logs in, and it's
determined that they have/want that capability.

>QWK and like offline readers (two or more types).

QWK w/ Internet E-Mail & USENET...  I don't think so, QWK is far to
restrictive when it comes to that.

>Source Code available for right price to make modifications.

Ooooohh..  Now that spells trouble...  Eight million versions running
around...  Nahh...  Just make it USER customisable.

>Doors (drivers?) for different game types.. Also maybe some graphics
>interfaces..

Well, how about a terminal program that does the graphics, this
reduces the ammount of traffic over the modem.  For instance, Falcon
3.0.  Needless to say, this is not possible to supply at a reasonable
cost to the user...

>Fax? Maybe be able to send FAXes or recognize FAXs (wierd?)..
>

Not entirely...  I like the idea of BBS's being able to do bulk
faxing...

>Move Around BBS Ease: ease to get from file area to doors area and 
>then discussio areas..

Hmmmm...  How about something like ELM, and TIN on the UNIX side,
along with something along those lines for the transfer section.

>Sysop changes and personnel changes: Make it a pop up screen for Sysop
>and user even remote..File Requests: Able to request files..
>

Ooooohhh...  Bad, very bad...  I don't think a net like Fido would
want to transfer Echomail and Remote Transfers...  If this was a
feature I'm almost certain that any SYSOP would turn it off.

>Color? More than ANSI color, maybe some form of VR color.. 

VR Color?  No...  Make the terminal program do the color...  This
tactic saves time..  Also build into the terminal program that when iy
logs in that it checks it's version automaticly, and if it's out of
date, it automaticly downloads the newer version.

>Versions: Be able to run BBS on different Operating Systems or atleast have
>different versions.. NAmely MSDOS, Apple/MAC, OS2, UNIX (main version?),
>Amiga and ?..

Hmmmmm...  If you went with UNIX, you would have most of the stuff
done already...  You'd have support for hundreds of different
terminals, UUCP, and USENET...   Heck, even the multiple user stuff is
built into it...  Go check out LINUX..  PD UNIX OS.

>Ease of Upgrade..

make install

>Host Mode? Maybe a way to dial out.. Also maybe a was to recognice the CIS(?)
>(where the phone tells you what number is called..)
>

ANI you mean..  Write a new "getty", and have a modem that's capable
of it.

>Terminual Emulation: atleast 5 different types.. ansi, VT52+, and a few
>others.. to handle main terminal types.. maybe a 132 cpi emulation.
>

Hmmm...  UNIX, and after they log into the machine, and the terminal
has been determined, a simple:

eval `resize`

	Should work just fine...

>File Intergration/Fille Screen Editor: Maybe have a way to feed
>GIF files and such into the text file to allow for?? (Future idea?). 
>Full Screen Editor, works well and has different modes for different person
>likes and dislikes..

NeXT Mail has this capability...  Once again..  Old news... I suggest
B&W TIFF documents...  (Fax for instance.)

>
>Any other suggestions?? Please post them here on alt.bbs or  suggest a better
>place to post...
>

Yes...  Get rid of MS-DOS & Windows Whoahs...  If you're going to run
a BBS, run it on UNIX...  It solves a lot of problems...  The other
problems that other people may bring up are irrellivent.  UNIX does
automaticly in the OS what the BBS applications are attempting to do.

>
>Anyone into a BBS development newsgroup.. 

Yes, very interested...

>alt.bbs.develop or comp.bbs.develop  ??
>

How about, "comp.unix.bbs"

In my opinion, Waffle isn't a BBS...  It's easier just to give people
ELM, TIN, and a transfer section program..  (Not yet completed, but
working on it in my spare time.)

>
>Michael Adams
>Alias: Morgoth/Ghost Wheel 
>nsmca@acad2.alaska.edu

How's Alaska anyways?  My old girlfriend lives in Healy Alaska now...




-- 
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kjv@exucom.com				| I was better, but I got over it.
Karl J. Vesterling			| On my door I have a sign;
(716) 634-6550 Work			|	INTeL OUTSIDE!