langz@athena.mit.edu (Lang Zerner) (11/23/87)
Well, I'd been spending so much time tying up the phone with my new Amy that my fiancee requested I get a separate line. I accepted her request, and then realized that as long as I have a separate line, I might as well start up a BBS to take advantage of all the idle time that line will have while I'm at work, etc. Typical of tales in comp.dcom.telecom, attempting to get the line listed under "Nocturnal Transmission" (the name I wanted for my BBS) got "I'm sorry, but that's a business name. You'll have to pay business rates" from the local BOC. "You mean, even if I legally changed my name to Nocturnal Transmissions...?" "Yes. I'm sorry." (Uh-huh..;-) Well, anyway, I ended up calling a second time, to a different sales rep, and got the line listed under the name of my "roommate", Max Elbowroom. Now, in order for the Max Elbowroom BBS to start, I need to get some decent BBS software, and I'd like to get some recommendations and maybe see a little debate. Here are my minimal requirements: Multi-tasking, so I don't have to shut down the BBS to use the machine. Source included and CLEAN, so I can study it. My first major programming project is a BBS with some special features for callers who have Amigas, so I need to get a handle on BBS system basics. BTW, the system is still in early design phase, so I'd be happy to answer questions and I'd love to get some tips and discussion. In addition to comments on BBS software, I'd also love to hear from you about what you find does and doesn't work on BBSs. My intention is for the Max Elbowroom BBS to support the Amiga community, but it seems as though a BBS needs a little more diversity to have lasting appeal. Of course, I realize that the ultimate judgement comes from the callers, but the better I give them to start with, the better off the BBS will be when the users' ideas are incorporated. Looking forward to a lively stream of "Re: BBS software and content". Keep those postings coming! Ta. Lang Zerner langz@athena.mit.edu ...ihnp4!mit-eddie!mit-athena!langz "No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the only misfortune is to do it solemnly" --Michel de Montaigne
page@ulowell.cs.ulowell.edu (Bob Page) (11/25/87)
langz@athena.mit.edu (Lang Zerner) wrote: >got the line listed under the name of my "roommate", Max Elbowroom. Too cool. I called information, they had no listing in either business or residential for Mr. Elbowroom. >I'd like to ... see a little debate. Sounds like USENET! :-) Check out BBS on Fish Disk 30 - shareware, no source, but you might talk to the author. ..Bob -- Bob Page, U of Lowell CS Dept. page@ulowell.edu ulowell!page "I've never liked reality all that much, but I haven't found a better solution." --Dave Haynie, Commodore-Amiga
langz@athena.mit.edu (Lang Zerner) (11/27/87)
I'm doing some research into what software to use for my yet-to-be-born public information service, the Max Elbowroom BBS. See article <1870@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> for more details. page@swan.ulowell.edu (Bob Page) wrote: >langz@athena.mit.edu (Lang Zerner) (<-- hey, that's me!) wrote: >>got the line listed under the name of my "roommate", Max Elbowroom. > >Too cool. I called information, they had no listing in either business >or residential for Mr. Elbowroom. Actually, Bob, the line won't be *installed* until 1 December, and knowing NET the listing won't be available in directory assistance for a couple of weeks afterward. Anyway, thanks to the zillions who responded to my initial posting. Apparently, the only BBS worth using is part of or has a gateway to an existing, large network (such as, for example, Usenet :-). So now the big question is: is there any BBS software that runs on the Amiga and has built-in connectivity (oooh! I just *love* using those buzzwords) to some kind of network. For example, an Amiga FidoNet node would be OK (Echomail works). A BBS that has a gateway to Usenet would be ideal, since I can get feeds for all the best groups. Does anyone know of such an animal, or perhaps of a way to integrate this capability into an existing BBS system (perhaps by incorporating the uupc utilities somehow?)? (Experienced Amiga hackers, this is your dream project and you know it! :-) Be seing you... --Lang Zerner langz@athena.mit.edu ...ihnp4!mit-eddie!mit-athena!langz "No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the only misfortune is to do it solemnly" --Michel de Montaigne