NIELAND@FALCON.BERKELEY.EDU.UUCP (12/03/87)
I recently placed a message INFO-VAX about bulletin board software. Here is a summary of what I heard. ****************************************************************************** @WISCVM.WISC.EDU:LOWEY@SASK.BITNET Hi, I'm currently running a bulletin board program on a DEC VAXmate computer. This computer has its own 20MB hard disk, but if I wanted to I could use the ethernet connection and archive the programs on our VAX computers. It has all the features you required: > a) ability to upload/download files > b) ability to leave public messages > c) ability to leave a private message to another > bulletin board user > d) bulletin board users must be authorized. In addition it is public domain and it has: - support for ANSI escape sequences (but not VT100 extensions) - FIDONET and other inter bulletin board mail if you want it - support of modems up to 9600 BPS - 6 security levels (twit, normal, privleged, extra, assistant sysop, and sysop) - passworded areas that allow only people who know the password. - accounting for keeping track of costs for inter-bbs mail based on your local and long distance telephone rates. - hooks for adding optional mail programs, file transfer utilitys, and other file and message administration programs. The files take up three 360K floppy diskettes. It is distributed as version 1.00, then upgrades to version 1.01, 1.02 and finally the latest, 1.03a. I could probably through out the old versions for you and send only the 1.03a stuff, this would take about two diskettes. Probably it would be easier though to try and find an opus bulletin board in your area and ask the sysop there. Hope this helps! Kevin Lowey ****************************************************************************** PKARP@IU.AI.SRI.COM We've developed a sophisticated mailer for VMS that includes a bulletin board system. You'll have to evaluate whether it's "relatively cheap" or not... Peter SRI International is distributing a package called MultiNet+. It includes three components: MultiNet, MM, and Pony Express. MultiNet is an implementation of three network protocols (TCP/IP, PUP, and Chaosnet) for VAX/VMS. MM-32 is a port of the Tops-20 MM program for composing, reading, and managing electronic mail messages, to VAX/VMS and Unix (4.2bsd, Ultrix, SUN, Pyramid). Pony Express is a queued mail (or store-and-forward) network delivery system for VAX/VMS which supports a number of mail delivery protocols, including SMTP and DECnet. These components are available together or seperately in any combination. For more information, contact the person below. Pricing is dependent on the number and type of CPUs you wish to configure. Desiree' Champagne Technology Commercialization SRI International 333 Ravenswood Avenue Menlo Park, CA 94025 415-859-6083 Desiree@SRI-KL.ARPA ****************************************************************************** garrett@udel-ccm.arpa In addition to helping running CCM's multitudinous computing resources, I've been running a public-access BBS on my IBM XT at home - using a public domain BBS package - OPUS. It has everything you were asking for -supports all the new transfer protocols, including zmodem and superkermit, and is the most flexible (ie sysop-reconfigurable) of all the BBS packages in the public domain. You could probably get a copy by calling up any public-access BBS and downloading it. I think that if you are going to use it, they ask for you to make a $50 contribution to some charity, but that's it. The most recent release of the package is 1.03A. Joel Garrett ****************************************************************************** I also received a response from Ray Lnych (HADMIN@NARDACVA.ARPA) and a some floppies containng the RBBS bulletin board software. Someone also pointed out that the UBBS software that I had for the VAX did allow personal messages (if you spelled the persons name correctly, which, by the way, is the way they list them selves in the software). I also recieved some requests about non-remote bulletin board software. Basically, what I have come up with is, that for hosting on a VAX: 1. The UBBS software from the Univeristy of Arknsas Little Rock and available from DECUS is a fairly good software backup for a REMOTE Bulletin Board system (one that a person dials). 2. The BULLETIN Utility by Mark London of MIT and also available from DECUS is a very good BULLETIN Board system for a VAX (as a general message system). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | M. Edward (Ted) Nieland - Systems Analyst | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | US Snail: | Arpa Internet: | | Systems Research Laboratories, Inc. | TNIELAND@WPAFB-AAMRL.ARPA | | 2800 Indian Ripple Road WP 196 | NIELAND%FALCON@WPAFB-AAMRL.ARPA | | Dayton, OH 45440 | | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | A T & T: (513) 255-5156 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------