jamesd@qiclab.UUCP (James Deibele) (12/23/89)
I'm setting up a Bell/Intel UNIX 3.2 system and I have some questions which I can't seem to find answers for. (1) I have looked at Sandy Zelkovitch's XBBS, and it seems like an excellent program for someone who wants to run a UNIX-based BBS. What I would like to do, however, is to have a menu-driven system for UNIX neophytes, something that will let them read and post news, read and send mail, and transfer files without having to worry about learning UNIX. I think people should learn to use UNIX (some part of it, anyway), but at their own speed. I'm using shell scripts to make things easier for neophytes (I'd be interested in swapping scripts or looking at anyone else's scripts if they want to mail or post them, especially Bourne (because it's faster than the C shell) scripts). (2) Because I'm dealing with UNIX neophytes, I'm afraid that they'll find having all the newsgroups shoved at them at once too overwhelming. I would like them to be given a subset (local, city, state) of the newsgroups to start with, then later let them add groups as they get acclimated. I have found that rn will use a file called "authorized" to limit the number of groups that the user first gets, but then the user is prompted on whether or not to add other groups on subsequent calls. Also, this would prevent users who are lost from posting messages asking me for help in a worldwide newsgroup (this happens at least once a week on FidoNet). Is there a way of customizing rn (or another reader) so that an individual could be assigned increasingly more power as they grow accustomed to netiquette? (Read local, read + write local, read world, read + write world). I have scanned (and am rereading) _Using UUCP & Usenet_, _Managing UUCP & Usenet_, and _UNIX Communications_ as well as anything I can find that talks about setting up serial ports on a UNIX box. I've also been reading this group for several months hoping that someone else would ask the same basic questions, but no one has. What I am trying to do is set up a public access system where users are introduced as gently as possible to the power of electronic networking. I've been doing this with FidoNet for quite a while, holding meetings where people can come, ask questions, and get help with telecomm. That way, they have at least a shot at acting like good net.citizens. I'm switching to UNIX because the e-mail is more powerful and I can customize things more for people who have just gotten their first modem. Thanks in advance! -- James Deibele jamesd@qiclab BBSs: (503) 760-1473 or (503) 761-7451 TECHBooks: The Computer Book Specialists --- Voice: (503) 646-8257 12600 SW 1st Beaverton, OR 97005 --- Book reviewers wanted for computer science & electronics - contact us for more information.
larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (12/24/89)
> (1) I have looked at Sandy Zelkovitch's XBBS, and it seems like an excellent > program for someone who wants to run a UNIX-based BBS. What I would like to > do, however, is to have a menu-driven system for UNIX neophytes, something > that will let them read and post news, read and send mail, and transfer files > without having to worry about learning UNIX. I think people should learn to Check into AKCS from Karl@ddsw1. AKCS is not free, but is very flexible and appears to do what you are looking for. -- Larry Snyder, Northern Star Communications, Notre Dame, IN uucp: root@nstar -or- ...!iuvax!ndmath!nstar!root
paine@fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) (12/24/89)
In article <511099@nstar.UUCP> you write: >> (1) I have looked at Sandy Zelkovitch's XBBS, and it seems like an excellent >> program for someone who wants to run a UNIX-based BBS. What I would like to >> do, however, is to have a menu-driven system for UNIX neophytes, something >> that will let them read and post news, read and send mail, and transfer files >> without having to worry about learning UNIX. I think people should learn to > >Check into AKCS from Karl@ddsw1. AKCS is not free, but is very flexible and >appears to do what you are looking for. I thought AKCS is excellent conference bbs system on interfacing between usenet news and mail but this is NOT really good file management at all. At present version, AKCS does not use real filename at all and it is just converting to message filename using process number. It is near impossible to find the right filename. Also it is not easy to look for file for filetransfer from inside bbs. AKCS does not link any usenet mail and this can use up alot of disk spaces. I do really like AKCS but I am still looking for more improvement on this bbs. I am running both XBBS and AKCS. AKCS is NOT shareware at all and you have to buy this to try out AKCS. willy - -- ................................................................ . Willy Paine BBS/FAX +1-206-822-4615 . . willyp@seaeast.WA.COM FidoNet 1:343/15 . . uunet!nwnexus!seaeast!willyp fungus.enet.dec.com!paine . ................................................................ . It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain . . why you did it wrong - Longfellow. . ................................................................
larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (12/25/89)
> I thought AKCS is excellent conference bbs system on interfacing between > usenet news and mail but this is NOT really good file management at all. > At present version, AKCS does not use real filename at all and it is > just converting to message filename using process number. It is near > impossible to find the right filename. Also it is not easy to look for > file for filetransfer from inside bbs. AKCS does not link any usenet mail > and this can use up alot of disk spaces. I do really like AKCS but I am > still looking for more improvement on this bbs. I am running both XBBS and > AKCS. Willy - I agree with you to a point - the way AKCS appends file attachments to messages can be "abnormal" based on the way other bulletin board packages have a file area with the traditional downloading areas - but for the user who hasn't seen some of the other systems - I think AKCS offers a more logical choice. Couldn't you exit AKCS to a script and from there offer your users another way to transfer files? How about using the ELBS option as a file database? -- Larry Snyder, Northern Star Communications, Notre Dame, IN uucp: root@nstar -or- ...!iuvax!ndmath!nstar!root
paine@rust.dec.com (Willy Paine) (12/25/89)
In article <511107@nstar.UUCP> you write: >> I thought AKCS is excellent conference bbs system on interfacing between >> usenet news and mail but this is NOT really good file management at all. >> At present version, AKCS does not use real filename at all and it is >> just converting to message filename using process number. It is near >> impossible to find the right filename. Also it is not easy to look for >> file for filetransfer from inside bbs. AKCS does not link any usenet mail >> and this can use up alot of disk spaces. I do really like AKCS but I am >> still looking for more improvement on this bbs. I am running both XBBS and >> AKCS. > >Willy - I agree with you to a point - the way AKCS appends file attachments >to messages can be "abnormal" based on the way other bulletin board packages >have a file area with the traditional downloading areas - but for the user >who hasn't seen some of the other systems - I think AKCS offers a more >logical choice. Couldn't you exit AKCS to a script and from there offer >your users another way to transfer files? > It is rather tough decision on how to run BBS. 1. I have several people using shell access (not many, usually friends) 2. Some want easy to use bbs include mail and chatting. 3. Majority of bbs users want files much more than messages. I think my board is probably the only one unix board that offers good unix files in Seattle area. I am little bit scared to give shell access because there is some permission problems. I think AKCS is very safe bbs to read and post messages. I wish I have more time to work or learn more about AKCS. >How about using the ELBS option as a file database? Can you explain more about ELBS option? Do you still have problem with getting mail from root instead of real sender? willy -- ................................................................ . Willy Paine BBS/FAX +1-206-822-4615 . . willyp@seaeast.WA.COM FidoNet 1:343/15 . . uunet!nwnexus!seaeast!willyp fungus.enet.dec.com!paine . ................................................................ . It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain . . why you did it wrong - Longfellow. . ................................................................
stripes@eng.umd.edu (Joshua Osborne) (12/30/89)
In article <3526@qiclab.UUCP> jamesd@qiclab.UUCP (James Deibele) writes: [stuf deleted] > Is there a way of customizing >rn (or another reader) so that an individual could be assigned increasingly >more power as they grow accustomed to netiquette? (Read local, read + write >local, read world, read + write world). rn uses a shell script called Pnews to post. It has info on the distribution (usa, na, local, md, dc, whatever), and newsgroup the original article had. You could add any sort of checking (number of logins, days since account was opened, name in a speical file) you wanted. (I don't know if theis is the best way, but it seems like it would work!) -- stripes@wam.umd.edu "Security for Unix is like Josh_Osborne@Real_World,The Mutitasking for MS-DOS" "The dyslexic porgramer" - Kevin Lockwood