werner@utastro.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) (07/24/88)
...when I snarfed the following announcement of a local BBS just now, I just *HAD* to let you know right away ... ----------------------------------- New Features Host 2.0 * Scheduled for Release around August 1, 1988 Downloaded from THE DINER * (512) 836-1420 Files ----- 1K - Block Xmodem File listings maintain: Date of last access Number of times the file is accessed. ---- There are new menu commands that work in conjunction with File transfers: New since last call with Download Search for File with Download List Files from New to Old with Download List files from Old to new with Download These commands append a D>ownload command to the command line to the File list as you list files. ---- There are now 10 lines of description available for every file uploaded or posted in the file sections to more adequately describe uploads. Message Base ------------ Host 2.0 Message bases now support Threading. You can follow a string of messages from beginning to end, including sub-threads that are threads of messages that are replies to replies. You can Show the original message of the thread you are in at any time its applicable to a threaded message. ---- The New Message bases now support variable length messages set by MsgEdit from 1-400 lines per section. ---- There are 4 new menu commands for searching by subject: Read with search by section Scan with Search by section Read with search all combined sections Scan with search all combined sections ---- The Security level set for the Combined Read now sets the access level required by the user to post a new message to that section. This means that even replies cannot be sent if you make it so the new user can read messages,but the access level for the section is higher than the users level. ---- The command line of the Message base, now supports a (CR) as next, and requires an explicit command "Q" hot key to exiting reading messages. (Note: The file sections also work the same way when listing files.) ---- The Userlog now remembers the highest message read, so you can on subsequent logins read messages that you have not read yet, as well as new messages since the last call. ---- Cancelling a message now asks you if you wish to abort message entry or only what you've entered so far and starts the message over at line 1. ---- You are prompted for a new subject for every message, so that the message header will be able to reflect the message contents if you wish. Entering a (CR) will leave the Subject as it was. Entering a Control-X will clear the subject line for a new subject. ---- The Message header now displays when a message has been recieved by the user it was sent to. Menus ----- The Menus now support 24 restriction flags for each menu item. These items can be set to "match" or "not to match" the users restriction flags set by the default settings in the config file for each user as they login. Also any combination of flags can be set giving virtually thousands of combinations of access in combination with the 255 levels of security access. ---- The Userlog supports the restriction flags set for each user and can be edited and maintained with UserEdit. As well as Survey commands and online Sysop editing commands. System ------ You can now choose to set in the config file the following new items for your system: You can support an upload time credit, this adds the time used to upload a file to the users time limit for that call only. For example if a user has a 30 minute time limit, and uploads a file that takes 20 minutes, he will have 20 additional minutes that call. ---- You can support a Chat time Credit, if you break in and chat with a user, or respond to a page, the user is credited for the time in the chat mode with you. ---- Time enforcement: You can now set the amount of time a user can call your system back should his time limit expire during the enforcement period. For Example, you set your system for a 12 hour time enforcement. John Doe calls at 9AM, he is alloted 30 minutes, he uses the entire 30 minutes that call, he will not be able to login again until 12 hours has expired, or 9PM. If he calls at any time during the time enforcement period, say 3PM, he will be logged off, and will not be able to call for 12 hours from 3PM now... or 3AM. If John doe had only used 15 minutes the first call at 9AM, and made a subsequent call at 3PM, he would have his time on the system reduced to 15 minutes, and if his time limit expired, he would not be able to login again until 3:15AM. ---- You can now support 19,200,9600,2400,1200,300 baud, with 300 baud lockout if you do not wish to support 300 baud users. ---- A Network Mail application can be configured for a timed launch in the config file. You set the time in hours, minutes and seconds in the config file and the path to the Netmail application, and Host will reduce any callers time limit accordingly if he calls to close to launch time and will log them off and then initiate the application pathed in the config file. ---- You can now Disable the local Echo, this closes the terminal window for Host, which is a standard movable window. With the terminal Window closed, thruput to the user is much greater and will be faster than 1.4. Downloads are not affected by this. ---- Host can now keep track of the total number of calls your system receives if you keep a file called Cumulative calls in the same folder with Host. ---- Host now supports Desk accesories ---- Status bar now reports the time and date of the last caller online ---- You can only click in the status bar to cancel a file transfer instead of anywhere as before. ---- There is a 3 minute warning to let you know that time is about to expire. ---- There is now a Newuser.msg and a Logoff.msg that are displayed accordingly, the newuser.msg will only display for a new user on his first call. The logoff.msg displays whenever a command 1 logoff command is executed. They are placed in the same folder as Host. ---- MultiFinder compatability & MultiLine: It is now possible to configure Host to share specific files and run independant BBS's, one thru the modem port and the other thru the Printer port under MulitFinder. They share the following files; Message files, Userlog, menus & files by the proper pathing in the config file. Each System will still require its own config file and main menu, Modem files and welcome files to run. Surveys ------- There are additional Survey commands that enhance the current survey commands that are in 1.4 as well as Survey commands that support voting. They are: New command 0 (zero) This command converts last input to upper case. ---- New command 19, place ascii character specified in "Text" to the scratch file ---- New Command 20, clears the scratch file and branches to a label. This is useful for surveys that display a fair amount of text before asking for input and allows the user a second chance to input should he make a mistake. without having to start the survey over. ---- New command 21, If users download to upload ratio is is less than the number in "Text", go to "branch". ---- 4 new Survey commands to set or unset restriction flags either permanently or temporarily for that user which can affect the Menu displays for the user. ---- 4 New Survey commands to initiate the text file read commands that Host supports: cancellable, no prompts. cancellable, all prompts. not cancellable, all prompts, not cancellable, Final prompt only These commands are useful for validation Surveys where you can present validation information to the user and then get his input. They can also be used to display the "Survey Scratch" file so that the user can check his input. ---- 13 new Voting survey commands that can ask the user for specific input, yes or no, or muliple choice, and then display the results of the voting so far in percentages as well as the number of people voting yes or no, or a,b, or c. depending on how you set up the voting survey. There are also commands to prevent the user from voting more than once. ---- Surveys are now time and date stamped in the RES file. ---- Survey interpreter has been speed up to make branches execute faster. ---- Sysop commands that have been enhanced are the user updating commands for time and access level have been modified to set or unset restriction flags. The Maintanence command for the file sections will now physically delete a file if told to do so. As well as delete or move the listing to another specified file section. While not every feature you could have asked for, or has been asked for is here. I think that Host 2.0 adds enough features to keep things lively on your systems for quite a while. ---------- -- -------------------->PREFERED-RETURN-ADDRESS-FOLLOWS<--------------------- (INTERNET) werner%rascal.ics.utexas.edu@cs.utexas.edu (DIRECT) werner@rascal.ics.utexas.edu (Internet: 128.83.144.1) (UUCP) ...{backbone-sites}!cs.utexas.edu!rascal.ics.utexas.edu!werner
jcc@ut-emx.UUCP (J. Chris Cooley) (07/25/88)
[long article detailing RRHost's new features deleted] Wow. Now more than ever it resembles TBBS. I guess it's a good thing that eSoft isn't as "moody" about "look and feel" as some other corporations... [ 1/2 :-) ] --chris -- J. Chris Cooley | husc6! -\ Computation Center (COM 1) | im4u! -->-ut-sally!ut-emx!jcc Univ. of Texas at Austin | uunet! -/ Austin, TX 78712 |