Allen,

GT Power had a LOT of things going for it back in the day. It was very AP>simple in it's setup and operation, but it stored it's messages in a AP>format that made it very easy to write utilities for. Sometimes simple AP>is good... I did leave GT power for a more robust messaging system.
What made it easy to write utilities for also made it very wasteful with AP>disk space since every message took up 8k as the older hard drives were AP>terribly inefficient.

I liked the description one user noted about Synchronet -- it's "the
Swiss Army Knife" of BBS packages. Indeed, compared to GT Power and
Virtual Advanced, one control panel does it all.

Daryl

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrement.
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

I liked the description one user noted about Synchronet -- it's "the
Swiss Army Knife" of BBS packages. Indeed, compared to GT Power and
Virtual Advanced, one control panel does it all.

Synchronet's biggest strenght is and always will be Rob... he pours a
lot of energy and heart into the software. I'm sorry, it's not for me.
I'm just not at a place where I can resist the temptation of monkeying
with the source. After my brain injury I have to realize that I am not
the same person I was and I've forgotten so much... I wouldn't say
forgotten it's more like thinking through a cloud.

Rob, as far as I am concerned, was a visionary back in the day. I
remember getting floppies in the mail with a trial version of synchro.
The LiveWire in those days ran on 10 lines... we couldn't switch without
major network re-works... not to mention that we would have had to
invest in more hardware as it was dos based back then.

But for such a small company as the group that sold synchronet... they
sure did have their Shi-tuff together.

Allen



---
þ Derby City LiveWire - Louisville, KY - livewirebbs.ddns.net

Re: BBS Software
By: ALLEN PRUNTY to DARYL STOUT on Wed May 18 2016 02:10 am

Synchronet's biggest strenght is and always will be Rob... he pours a
lot of energy and heart into the software. I'm sorry, it's not for me.

Rob, as far as I am concerned, was a visionary back in the day. I
remember getting floppies in the mail with a trial version of synchro.

But for such a small company as the group that sold synchronet... they
sure did have their Shi-tuff together.

Very nice words... thank you. :-)

digital man

Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #9:
CVS = Concurrent Versioning System
Norco, CA WX: 73.6øF, 59.0% humidity, 6 mph E wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Synchronet's biggest strenght is and always will be Rob... he pours a
lot of energy and heart into the software.

I agree that Rob puts a lot of energy and heart into the software, and I appreciate all he has done with Synchronet.

I'm sorry, it's not for me.
I'm just not at a place where I can resist the temptation of monkeying with the source. After my brain injury I have to realize that I am not
the same person I was and I've forgotten so much... I wouldn't say forgotten it's more like thinking through a cloud.

Although it's nice that the Synchronet source code is available, I don't
think it's necessary to customize the source if you run a BBS with
Synchronet. Synchronet is fairly customizable via scripting and by making custom menu files, etc.. Also, one major downside to customizing the Synchronet source for your system is that if you want to update to a newer version of Synchronet, you would have to re-apply your customizations each time, which could be tedious and error-prone.

Nightfox

---
þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Allen,

I liked the description one user noted about Synchronet -- it's "the AP>-> Swiss Army Knife" of BBS packages. Indeed, compared to GT Power and
Virtual Advanced, one control panel does it all.

Synchronet's biggest strenght is and always will be Rob... he pours a
lot of energy and heart into the software. I'm sorry, it's not for me. AP>I'm just not at a place where I can resist the temptation of monkeying AP>with the source. After my brain injury I have to realize that I am not AP>the same person I was and I've forgotten so much... I wouldn't say AP>forgotten it's more like thinking through a cloud.

Even the HTML docs with the Wiki are so helpful. It beats constantly
asking how one should do something. I usually can figure out things for
myself, because I want to do the work, and it for it to be "my system".
I heard of one Sysop who had another Sysop basically set up this guy's
BBS, then he took all the credit, but he didn't do a bit of work on it.

Rob, as far as I am concerned, was a visionary back in the day. I AP>remember getting floppies in the mail with a trial version of synchro. AP>The LiveWire in those days ran on 10 lines... we couldn't switch without AP>major network re-works... not to mention that we would have had to
invest in more hardware as it was dos based back then.

I even have the review and a reply to The BBS Documentary in my files
area. Rob wrote an EXCELLENT review of it.

Daryl

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ 113 grams, 10 milliliters -- He's lead, Jim.
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

I even have the review and a reply to The BBS Documentary in my files area. Rob wrote an EXCELLENT review of it.

I found BBS: The Documentary in 2007, and that's what inspired me to start up
a BBS again.

Nightfox

---
þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

custom menu files, etc.. Also, one major downside to customizing the Synchronet source for your system is that if you want to update to a newer version of Synchronet, you would have to re-apply your customizations each time, which could be tedious and error-prone.

Which is why I have to choose something a little more hard coded. With
my vision being oor the color choices of Synchronet make it hard for me
to read the text on the BBS. Winserver is easier for me to read. I
know that Synch has their wildcat emulation. The commands are the
message display just aren't the same.

Allen
---
þ Derby City LiveWire - Louisville, KY - livewirebbs.ddns.net

Nightfox wrote to Daryl Stout <=-

I even have the review and a reply to The BBS Documentary in my files area. Rob wrote an EXCELLENT review of it.

I found BBS: The Documentary in 2007, and that's what inspired me to
start up a BBS again.

I found this too and had to order a copy when it came out. Although somewhat US centred, it still brought back good memories of my earlier BBS days. At the time it came out, I didn't think I'd be running a BBS again, but technology, both in software (e.g. Synchronet, BonkD, etc) and hardware (Raspberry Pi), has made it feasible. :)


... Don't try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes time and annoys the pig.
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.

Re: BBS Software
By: Digital Man to ALLEN PRUNTY on Wed May 18 2016 12:10 pm

Synchronet's biggest strenght is and always will be Rob... he pours a
lot of energy and heart into the software. I'm sorry, it's not for

me.

I couldn't agree with you more! I've been following the software since version 2.3 and I've never seen such dedication to one project ever. Usually software is created, and once it's done, it's nearly forgotten about by the author. Instead Rob continously answers questions nicely and in enough depth to get your answer. It's definately appreciated.

Rob, as far as I am concerned, was a visionary back in the day. I
remember getting floppies in the mail with a trial version of synchro.
But for such a small company as the group that sold synchronet... they
sure did have their Shi-tuff together.

Once again you hit it right on the head. With all the BBS Programs I've played with, WWIV, Renegade, PowerBBS, WinServer, MajorBBS, Oracle, and I'm sure there's others, Synchronet always seemed to outweigh all these other packages in features, as well as functionality.

Great job DM, (and Deuce!)

-Ktulu

---
þ Synchronet þ Realm of Insanity - telnet://roi.synchro.net - Racine, WI

Re: BBS Software
By: Ktulu to Digital Man on Wed May 18 2016 11:12 pm

Great job DM, (and Deuce!)

Thanks! <blush>

digital man

Synchronet "Real Fact" #77:
Synchronet Match Maker had at one time over 4000 profiles of men and women. Norco, CA WX: 57.6øF, 92.0% humidity, 3 mph SE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: BBS Software
By: ALLEN PRUNTY to DARYL STOUT on Wed May 18 2016 02:10 am

Rob, as far as I am concerned, was a visionary back in the day.

Thanks man I appreciate it

---
þ Synchronet þ Capitol Shrill BBS - Washington, DC - capitolshrill.com

I even have the review and a reply to The BBS Documentary in my files area. Rob wrote an EXCELLENT review of it.

I found BBS: The Documentary in 2007, and that's what inspired me to start up N>a BBS again.

I started mine in 1990 on a Radio Shack 32K Model 100 laptop, then
went to an IBM system in 1992. Hard to believe my BBS is the last one
left in Arkansas.

Daryl

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ You have my 2 cents worth. Now, can I have my change??
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

I found BBS: The Documentary in 2007, and that's what inspired me to
start up a BBS again.

I started mine in 1990 on a Radio Shack 32K Model 100 laptop, then
went to an IBM system in 1992. Hard to believe my BBS is the last one
left in Arkansas.

It would be strange to be the only BBS running in your state.. I think there are a couple other BBSes running in Oregon besides mine.

I originally ran my BBS from 1994-2000; started out running it on a 386SX-16 home-built PC, which got upgraded/replaced over the years.

Nightfox

---
þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: BBS Software
By: ALLEN PRUNTY to NIGHTFOX on Wed May 18 2016 10:05 am

Which is why I have to choose something a little more hard coded. With
my vision being oor the color choices of Synchronet make it hard for me
to read the text on the BBS. Winserver is easier for me to read. I
know that Synch has their wildcat emulation. The commands are the
message display just aren't the same.

you can change the colors and text of most options.

also you can change the commands and the command keys.
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

I originally ran my BBS from 1994-2000; started out running it on a 386SX-

16

Love this, I bet most of us did this, thinking "we don't need no stinking
math co-processor!" Ahh.. the corner you once could cut..

---
þ Synchronet þ Universal JoiNT BBS - Running madly into the wind and screaming - bbs.ujoint.org

I originally ran my BBS from 1994-2000; started out running it on a
386SX-16

Love this, I bet most of us did this, thinking "we don't need no stinking math co-processor!" Ahh.. the corner you once could cut..

Well at the time, it was more that I couldn't afford a better PC yet (and the 386SX-16 was already a hand-me-down PC). I thought it would have been great to put a math co-processor in it. :) I never had a math co-processor though.. After that machine, I had a 386DX-40 (AMD), which also did not have a math co- processor.. My next machine after that was an AMD 486DX4-133 (which I found out could safely be overclocked to 160MHz). I believe the 486DX had the math co-processor functionality integrated into the CPU (whereas the 486SX did not), but I could be mistaken.

Nightfox

---
þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Nightfox wrote to Hemo <=-

I originally ran my BBS from 1994-2000; started out running it on a
386SX-16

Love this, I bet most of us did this, thinking "we don't need no stinking math co-processor!" Ahh.. the corner you once could cut..

Well at the time, it was more that I couldn't afford a better PC yet
(and the 386SX-16 was already a hand-me-down PC). I thought it would
have been great to put a math co-processor in it. :) I never had a
math co-processor though.. After that machine, I had a 386DX-40 (AMD),

I never had one in those days either, it was always something I thought I'd never have, until the 486DX came along with it integrated. :)

which also did not have a math co- processor.. My next machine after
that was an AMD 486DX4-133 (which I found out could safely be
overclocked to 160MHz). I believe the 486DX had the math co-processor functionality integrated into the CPU (whereas the 486SX did not), but
I could be mistaken.

Yes, that was the difference between the 486DX and SX - the math co-processor was integrated into the 486DX CPU. OTOH, the difference between the 386 SX and DX was the bus width, the DX was full 32 bit wide, IIRC.


... Gone crazy, be back later, please leave message.
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.

Re: Re: BBS Software
By: Vk3jed to Nightfox on Sat May 21 2016 08:29:00

which also did not have a math co- processor.. My next machine
after that was an AMD 486DX4-133 (which I found out could safely be
overclocked to 160MHz). I believe the 486DX had the math
co-processor functionality integrated into the CPU (whereas the
486SX did not), but I could be mistaken.

Yes, that was the difference between the 486DX and SX - the math co-processor was integrated into the 486DX CPU. OTOH, the difference between the 386 SX and DX was the bus width, the DX was full 32 bit wide, IIRC.

Yes, I remember it the same as well. I believe the 386 SX was 16 bits externally (similar to a 286) but was 32 bits internally.

Nightfox

---
þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Nightfox wrote to Vk3jed <=-

Yes, that was the difference between the 486DX and SX - the math co-processor was integrated into the 486DX CPU. OTOH, the difference between the 386 SX and DX was the bus width, the DX was full 32 bit wide, IIRC.

Yes, I remember it the same as well. I believe the 386 SX was 16 bits externally (similar to a 286) but was 32 bits internally.

Yes, that's my recollection as well. The 386SX was to the 386DX what the 8088 was to the 8086.


... We got a situation where someone's got a button connected to a bomb!
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.

Re: BBS Software
By: Daryl Stout to ALLEN PRUNTY on Wed May 18 2016 12:24 am

I liked the description one user noted about Synchronet -- it's "the
Swiss Army Knife" of BBS packages. Indeed, compared to GT Power and Virtual Advanced, one control panel does it all.

I first started running Synchronet in 2004, after several years of consulting - mostly setting up Linux environments for startups.

Setting up apache, an LDAP server, POP/IMAP service, Sendmail (and that was a task unto itself!) Majordomo for list server management...

WIth an old Windows box I configured Synchronet and got all that in one sitting.

---
þ Synchronet þ realitycheckBBS -- http://realitycheckBBS.org

Re: BBS Software
By: Daryl Stout to NIGHTFOX on Thu May 19 2016 09:07 am

I started mine in 1990 on a Radio Shack 32K Model 100 laptop, then
went to an IBM system in 1992.

I would have loved to see a M100 BBS. Great little systems.

---
þ Synchronet þ realitycheckBBS -- http://realitycheckBBS.org

Re: Re: BBS Software
By: Hemo to Nightfox on Thu May 19 2016 09:59 pm

Love this, I bet most of us did this, thinking "we don't need no stinking math co-processor!" Ahh.. the corner you once could cut..

I remember the showoffs who bought a math co-processor. Admittedly, a 286 with a 287 did compile a hell of a lot faster than my plain ol' 286.

---
þ Synchronet þ realitycheckBBS -- http://realitycheckBBS.org

Re: BBS Software
By: Poindexter Fortran to Daryl Stout on Sat May 21 2016 07:03 am

WIth an old Windows box I configured Synchronet and got all that in one sitting.

that's because with synchronet all you do is run setup.exe

now all those softwares you described do their respective jobs better than synchronet and are more configurable.
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Poindexter Fortran wrote to Daryl Stout <=-

I first started running Synchronet in 2004, after several years of consulting - mostly setting up Linux environments for startups.

I've been running Linux for 20+ years, but a late start of 2015 for Synchronet. :)

Setting up apache, an LDAP server, POP/IMAP service, Sendmail (and that was a task unto itself!) Majordomo for list server management...

Yep, still do that for myself from time to time. :) And yes, Sendmail was a pig to configure, some authors describing its configuration file to be akin to "line noise". :D But I got quite good at configuring Sendmail, when I was using it all the time.

WIth an old Windows box I configured Synchronet and got all that in one sitting.

I did it on a Raspberry Pi. :)


... Those who think they know it all, often upset those of us who do.
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.

Mro wrote to Poindexter Fortran <=-

now all those softwares you described do their respective jobs better
than synchronet and are more configurable.

True, Synchronet is more "generalist", like a "jack of all trades", while the old school software is like the specialists - Apache is a specialist web server, Sendmail is a specialist MTA, etc. Each can be configured to do a myriad of things Synchronet will never be able to do, but none will ever achieve the breadth of functionality.


... What can one expect of a day that begins getting up in the morning?
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.

Re: Re: BBS Software
By: Vk3jed to Poindexter Fortran on Sun May 22 2016 08:50 am

I did it on a Raspberry Pi. :)

I want to find a cool enclosure with a eight to ten inch screen screen for an all-in-one Pi I can put in the corner.

---
þ Synchronet þ realitycheckBBS -- http://realitycheckBBS.org

Poindexter Fortran wrote to Vk3jed <=-

Re: Re: BBS Software
By: Vk3jed to Poindexter Fortran on Sun May 22 2016 08:50 am

I did it on a Raspberry Pi. :)

I want to find a cool enclosure with a eight to ten inch screen screen
for an all-in-one Pi I can put in the corner.

Who needs a screen? :P I tend to run my Linux boxes headless. :)


... Have you checked your smoke detector batteries & Fire Ext, LATELY?!
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.

I started mine in 1990 on a Radio Shack 32K Model 100 laptop, then
went to an IBM system in 1992.

I would have loved to see a M100 BBS. Great little systems.

I still have the software for the 2 BBS programs in the file area over here...in the file MDL100BB.ZIP -- SoftMail and Mini-Net.

Daryl

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ ReinCarnation: Reconstituting Evaporated Milk.
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

Mein Gott, I barely have time for one!

That's what I was thinking.. I'd rather put my time into making one great BB N>rather than running several BBSes.. Unless perhaps if I was experimenting wi N>different BBS software.

I ran GT Power under dial-up for 13 years, then went to Synchronet for
a short time, then to Virtual Advanced, and back to Synchronet, where
I'll stay.

Daryl

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ Beauty is skin deep...but ugly goes clear to the bone.
þ Synchronet þ DoveNet: The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org