Codefenix wrote to All <=-
Hello and "Huzzah!" good people.
This message serves as a test to determine whether I configured my BBS correctly for DOVE-Net, and since I'm here I'd like to also introduce myself.
My name is Craig, and I've been tinkering with SBBS since late December '19. Having an absolute blast with it, getting everything set up, and seeing new people call in every now and then on my board.
I, like a lot of you I'm sure, have been calling BBSes since I was a teenager over 25 years ago. I was always mezmerized by the ANSI art
that people would create, was obsessed with downloading untold amounts
of freeware and shareware games, and played round after round of LORD.
I got back into calling BBSes a few years back after I saw LGR's video about the WiFi232 device by Paul Rickards. I grew up with Tandy
computers (go ahead, make your jokes), and thought it'd be fun to get
my old CoCo3 online using something like that. Unfortunately, Mr. Rickards apparently stopped producing the WiFi232 around the same time that video went up. However that didn't stop me from learning how to build my own similar device using the now ubiquitous ESP8266 module and
an off-the-shelf TTL converter. Works wonders.
After a while, I finally decided to try my hand at running my own BBS
-- it's something I've always wanted to do, and I love tinkering with
new stuff all the time. I've learned a lot thanks to the wealth of Synchronet info out there.
Anyway, I'll cut this short before I bore everyone. I'll post an add
for my BBS in the Advertisements subboard.
Thanks for reading!
---
= Synchronet = Finding a cure for mundanity...
Hello and "Huzzah!" good people.
This message serves as a test to determine whether I configured my BBS correctly for DOVE-Net, and since I'm here I'd like to also introduce myself.
I've set up a basic Synchronet and Mystic BBS, but the intent is for a private group. In Australia there are more BBS's than there users, so I don't need to be adding another to the mix.
Nightfox wrote to Dennisk <=-
Re: Re: Test and Introduction
By: Dennisk to Codefenix on Thu Jun 04 2020 08:10 pm
I've set up a basic Synchronet and Mystic BBS, but the intent is for a private group. In Australia there are more BBS's than there users, so I don't need to be adding another to the mix.
I don't think it hurts to make your own BBS public. Every BBS has (or should have) its own unique style and personality, so I don't think it hurts to offer your own for users to use.
Nightfox
Also, I grew up on a Tandy 1000. 640k base memory, MS-DOS. While I mostly ran Sierra DOS games at the age of 5 or 6, my father also had a weird GUI called Menu Power. Nowhere near as nice as Windows 3.1 was later on.
This message serves as a test to determine whether I configured my BBS correctly for DOVE-Net, and since I'm here I'd like to also introduce myself.
My name is Craig, and I've been tinkering with SBBS since late December '19. Having an absolute blast with it, getting everything set up, and seeing new people call in every now and then on my board.
I, like a lot of you I'm sure, have been calling BBSes since I was a teenager over 25 years ago. I was always mezmerized by the ANSI art that people would create, was obsessed with downloading untold amounts of freeware and shareware games, and played round after round of LORD.
I got back into calling BBSes a few years back after I saw LGR's video about the WiFi232 device by Paul Rickards. I grew up with Tandy computers (go ahead, make your jokes), and thought it'd be fun to get my old CoCo3 online using something like that. Unfortunately, Mr. Rickards apparently stopped producing the WiFi232 around the same time that video went up. However that didn't stop me from learning how to build my own similar device using the now ubiquitous ESP8266 module and an off-the-shelf TTL converter. Works wonders.
After a while, I finally decided to try my hand at running my own BBS -- it's something I've always wanted to do, and I love tinkering with new stuff all the time. I've learned a lot thanks to the wealth of Synchronet info out there.
Anyway, I'll cut this short before I bore everyone. I'll post an add for my BBS in the Advertisements subboard.
Thanks for reading!
---
= Synchronet = Finding a cure for mundanity...
Hi there,
Like you I used to dial into BBS's as a teenager in the 90s, and several yea ago found they were still running, but not dialling in much. More recently, I've taken to using them more seriously. Back then I was looking for freewa shareware and some DOOR games. Can't remember which ones. I liked the ANSI art too.
I've set up a basic Synchronet and Mystic BBS, but the intent is for a priva group. In Australia there are more BBS's than there users, so I don't need be adding another to the mix.
There is a certain charm that isn't duplicated in social media. Whether its the ANSI art, the fact that discussion here seems better than social media, that its free from all the crap that comes with Farcebook, etc, I'm not sure
... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!
Hello and "Huzzah!" good people.
This message serves as a test to determine whether I configured my BBS correctly for DOVE-Net, and since I'm here I'd like to also introduce myself
It's specifically for a social circle, an online meeting place which isn't mediated by a third party, isn't subject to monitoring, ads, surveillance. It's just for us to hang out and leave messages privately. It's a good way doing that.
Also, I grew up on a Tandy 1000. 640k base memory, MS-DOS. While I mostly ran Sierra DOS games at the age of 5 or 6, my father also had a weird GUI called Menu Power. Nowhere near as nice as Windows 3.1 was later on.
MRO wrote to Dennisk <=-
Re: Re: Test and Introduction
By: Dennisk to Nightfox on Fri Jun 05 2020 07:24 pm
It's specifically for a social circle, an online meeting place which isn't mediated by a third party, isn't subject to monitoring, ads, surveillance. It's just for us to hang out and leave messages privately. It's a good way doing that.
Like you I used to dial into BBS's as a teenager in the 90s, and several years ago found they were still running, but not dialling in much. More recently, I've taken to using them more seriously. Back then I was looking for freeware, shareware and some DOOR games. Can't remember which ones. I liked the ANSI art too.
I've set up a basic Synchronet and Mystic BBS, but the intent is for a private group. In Australia there are more BBS's than there users, so I don't need to be adding another to the mix.
On 06-08-20 15:13, Randers wrote to Dennisk <=-
My board in Australia has been running for about 2 months and I've had eight callers, only one of which is calling back, and it happens to be
you :)
It's a little disheartening, but I shouldn't be surprised. For me it
has been just the fun of setting it up, rather than callers coming in.
I reckon you should open your board(s) to make them public... the more
the merrier etc.
Randers wrote to Dennisk <=-
Re: Re: Test and Introduction
By: Dennisk to Codefenix on Thu Jun 04 2020 08:10 pm
Like you I used to dial into BBS's as a teenager in the 90s, and several years ago found they were still running, but not dialling in much. More recently, I've taken to using them more seriously. Back then I was looking for freeware, shareware and some DOOR games. Can't remember which ones. I liked the ANSI art too.
I've set up a basic Synchronet and Mystic BBS, but the intent is for a private group. In Australia there are more BBS's than there users, so I don't need to be adding another to the mix.
My board in Australia has been running for about 2 months and I've had eight callers, only one of which is calling back, and it happens to be
you :)
It's a little disheartening, but I shouldn't be surprised. For me it
has been just the fun of setting it up, rather than callers coming in.
I reckon you should open your board(s) to make them public... the more
the merrier etc.
The Lizard Master wrote to Lord Gareth <=-
GEOS and GeoWorks were around then too! Great products.
I ran Geoworks Ensemble on a 386SX/16 and loved the fact that it looked just like the AT&T SYSV UNIX boxes with Motif that I ran at work -except it had a word processor and apps that the UNIX boxes didn't!
I've set up a basic Synchronet and Mystic BBS, but the intent is for a
private group. In Australia there are more BBS's than there users, so I
don't need to be adding another to the mix.
Actually, I have a very specific private purpose, and looking to use it for
a small group. Essentially, I'm looking at BBS software for a kind of "private network". Maybe I might create another public one, but I don't really have any good ideas to make it unique at the moment.
I thought the different operating systems & environments were interesting back then. It seems like we don't have as many choices these days.
GEOS and GeoWorks were around then too! Great products.
I ran Geoworks Ensemble on a 386SX/16 and loved the fact that it looked just like the AT&T SYSV UNIX boxes with Motif that I ran at work -except it had a word processor and apps that the UNIX boxes didn't!
On 06-09-20 21:46, Dennisk wrote to Randers <=-
Actually, I have a very specific private purpose, and looking to use it for a small group. Essentially, I'm looking at BBS software for a kind
of "private network". Maybe I might create another public one, but I don't really have any good ideas to make it unique at the moment.
Vk3jed wrote to Dennisk <=-
On 06-09-20 21:46, Dennisk wrote to Randers <=-
Actually, I have a very specific private purpose, and looking to use it for a small group. Essentially, I'm looking at BBS software for a kind
of "private network". Maybe I might create another public one, but I don't really have any good ideas to make it unique at the moment.
Understandable, I started a BBS project for a local radio club,
intended to be a private system for club members. However, my existing systems are all public access, though I am thinking of shutting down
user access to The Bridge and turning it into a mail only system (other than myself). Freeway will be public access for the forseeable future.
On 06-11-20 09:22, Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Citadel may be the better way to go for me. The biggest frustration is that everyone uses computers, everyone has made themselves reliant on
them for communications, but they only know the most basic of
interfaces. This severly limits what you can do with other people.
The biggest barrier isn't the set up, its getting people to use it.
Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Citadel may be the better way to go for me. The biggest frustration is that everyone uses computers, everyone has made themselves reliant on
them for communications, but they only know the most basic of
interfaces. This severly limits what you can do with other people.
The biggest barrier isn't the set up, its getting people to use it.
I looked at the Citadel example posted earlier - the web front end
looks interesting, but the telnet side seemed counterintuitive,
compared to the state of most other BBSes. It reminded me of early
*nix BBSes.
I looked at the Citadel example posted earlier - the web front end
looks interesting, but the telnet side seemed counterintuitive,
compared to the state of most other BBSes. It reminded me of early
*nix BBSes.
that's the way it seems to us. however, those citadel bbses get a lot of traffic. more than we get.
it seems counterintuitive because we are used to our way of doing things.
Years ago (2009 I think), I tried using a Citadel BBS. I hadn't even heard Citadel before. The telnet interface seemed really weird to me, but it seem there were a lot of users online chatting & exchanging messages. But that w the last and only time I used a Citadel BBS.
Vk3jed wrote to Dennisk <=-
On 06-11-20 09:22, Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Citadel may be the better way to go for me. The biggest frustration is that everyone uses computers, everyone has made themselves reliant on
them for communications, but they only know the most basic of
interfaces. This severly limits what you can do with other people.
The biggest barrier isn't the set up, its getting people to use it.
Yeah, true. One complicating factor is that one of those people is me, and traditional web forums are basically a way for me NOT to use it.
We already have that problem with Trello, I'm a rare visitor there, because it's not in my main routine - it's an extra login and not used frequently enough to stay on my radar.
I did look at Citadel, but it was too much like a traditional web forum for me.
Lack of networking was an issue too - FTN and QWK are a huge help in combatting "login fatigue", by allowing me to aggregate mail on to a single convenient pickup point. :)
On 06-12-20 22:58, Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
I don't like using the Web to communicate myself. Web forums can be
OK, but using locally installed software, with a simple interface is so much better. Much of the reason I'm using BBS's is that using MultiMail
is a pleasure and downloading packets for offline responses which I can
do in my own time, using MY OWN EDITOR is great.
I don't like using the Web to communicate myself. Web forums can be OK, but using locally installed software, with a simple interface is so much better. Much of the reason I'm using BBS's is that using MultiMail is a pleasure and downloading packets for offline responses which I can do in my own time, usi MY OWN EDITOR is great.
Vk3jed wrote to Dennisk <=-
Yeah, I like Multimail, and being offline (and therefore isolated from
the network) means no network induced lag. While data throughput is
high nowadays, latency adds up when protocols get chatty, because the speed of light is finite. :/
Hello and "Huzzah!" good people.
This message serves as a test to determine whether I configured my BBS correctly for DOVE-Net, and since I'm here I'd like to also introduce myself.
My name is Craig, and I've been tinkering with SBBS since late December '19.
On 06-13-20 07:25, poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Vk3jed <=-
I like having a full-screen, no distraction experience with MultiMail
(or a decent telnet app, for that matter...)
Some of my best BBS interactions were with a QWK packet and no
internet access - going back a couple of days and bringing a big
packet with me before a long flight, and being able read and post with
no distractions.
I like having a full-screen, no distraction experience with
MultiMail (or a decent telnet app, for that matter...)
Yeah, I do like the offline experience. :)
On 06-14-20 11:23, Nightfox wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Yeah, I do like the offline experience. :)
I never did use an offline mail reader, even back in the 90s when we
had dialup modems and limited BBS time. I read messagebases only a
little back then, as I spent much of my BBS time looking for software & things to download (usually utilities & games).
On 06-14-20 11:23, Nightfox wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Yeah, I do like the offline experience. :)
I never did use an offline mail reader, even back in the 90s when we had dialup modems and limited BBS time. I read messagebases only a little back then, as I spent much of my BBS time looking for software & things to download (usually utilities & games).
I started out downloading files, but over time started reading messages and hooked on it, then I looked into the "offline mail" thingy, found a copy of SLMR on one of the BBSs I frequented, downloaded a QWK packet and I was hook
A little while later, I tried Bluewave and found that even better, so I switched. :)
... Don't wait for your ship to come in - swim out to it.
Only offline mail reader I used was the original Juno mail client. it would dial up their number, send and receive mail, then hang up. I take that back.
I guess Outlook Express and Thunderbird count, but those were tied to POP accounts.
On 06-15-20 09:12, Moondog wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Only offline mail reader I used was the original Juno mail client. it would dial up their number, send and receive mail, then hang up. I
take that back.
I guess Outlook Express and Thunderbird count, but those were tied to
POP accounts.
Vk3jed wrote to Dennisk <=-
On 06-12-20 22:58, Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
I don't like using the Web to communicate myself. Web forums can be
I find web forums slow and cumbersome. It's like trying to wade
through treacle.
OK, but using locally installed software, with a simple interface is so much better. Much of the reason I'm using BBS's is that using MultiMail
is a pleasure and downloading packets for offline responses which I can
do in my own time, using MY OWN EDITOR is great.
Yeah, I like Multimail, and being offline (and therefore isolated from
the network) means no network induced lag. While data throughput is
high nowadays, latency adds up when protocols get chatty, because the speed of light is finite. :/
Good webforums, like vogons.org and forum.dlang.org run quite well. The good thing
about some forums, is they are searchable, very useful for places where people are
asking questions and for help.
Facebook is the worst of both worlds. Not only is it slow, it's not searchable.
The web used to be about distributing documents, and the technology was built around that idea. Then somebody thought websites were supposed to host applications instead, and the Internet was turned into an application supporting platform. That is the reason why document distribution
Good webforums, like vogons.org and forum.dlang.org run quite well. The goo thing about some forums, is they are searchable, very useful for places wher people are asking questions and for help.
Facebook is the worst of both worlds. Not only is it slow, it's not searchable.
I think one drawback of HTTP being used that way is that it seems binary data needs to be Base64-encoded or similarly encoded so it can be transferred as text, and then decoded back into binary at its destination Things like Base64 end up causing the text version of the data to be a bi larger than the binary data, so it can take longer to transfer (though I suppose compression protocols could potentially mitigate that. I don't remember offhand if HTTP or FTP compress on the fly like Zmodem & such di for dialup though).
Arelor wrote to Dennisk <=-good
Re: Re: Test and Introduction
By: Dennisk to Vk3jed on Wed Jun 17 2020 08:35 pm
Good webforums, like vogons.org and forum.dlang.org run quite well. The
thingpeopl
about some forums, is they are searchable, very useful for places where
e aresearchab
asking questions and for help.
Facebook is the worst of both worlds. Not only is it slow, it's not
le.
I am not into web forums myself. In fact, I am not really into web.
The web used to be about distributing documents, and the technology was built around that idea. Then somebody thought websites were supposed to host applications instead, and the Internet was turned into an
application supporting platform. That is the reason why document distribution protocols such as gopher and http 1.x are being kicked
out, and why application centric stuff such as http 2 is taking over.
I will always resent that the web has turned into the dirtiest
whorehouse. Everybody is running client-side code in their websites for cosmetic effect. The industry is demmanding users to enable javascript
and blindy execute every code that is served to their browser, praying
it is benign, without confirmation. That is like asking users to go to
a brothel and have an orgy with random girls with no condom. And users support it. Aaaaargh!!!!!
God, I sound like a grumpy old dude and I am not even forty.
MRO wrote to Dennisk <=-
Re: Re: Test and Introduction
By: Dennisk to Vk3jed on Wed Jun 17 2020 08:35 pm
Good webforums, like vogons.org and forum.dlang.org run quite well. The goo thing about some forums, is they are searchable, very useful for places wher people are asking questions and for help.
Facebook is the worst of both worlds. Not only is it slow, it's not searchable.
it's not slow for me and if you are in a group for a subject, you can search it.
it's not slow for me and if you are in a group for a subject, you can search it.
*IF* you are in the group. So if like me, you are posting a question on how get a 486 motherboard working again, and you get an answer, that answer is blocked to the rest of the world.
On 06-17-20 20:35, Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Good webforums, like vogons.org and forum.dlang.org run quite well.
The good thing about some forums, is they are searchable, very useful
for places where people are asking questions and for help.
Facebook is the worst of both worlds. Not only is it slow, it's not searchable.
Vk3jed wrote to Dennisk <=-:/
On 06-17-20 20:35, Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Good webforums, like vogons.org and forum.dlang.org run quite well.
The good thing about some forums, is they are searchable, very useful
for places where people are asking questions and for help.
I still find them slow and clumsy to navigate and keep track of where
I'm at in the flow of messages. The searchability is sometimes
helpful, I've seen forum search engines that range from excellent to useless. The better ones are a real asset.
Facebook is the worst of both worlds. Not only is it slow, it's not searchable.
Here, a lot of forums are slower. I suspect geography is a major
culprit. Facebook has accelerators all over the world, most web forums
are served from a single site. That 200mS RTT really hurts. :(
I did experiment with FUDForum on my VPS years ago and found that much more responsive (~40mS RTT at the time). Also, its interface is
simpler than some other forums.
But no web forum can remove the effects of the network like BBSs can.
On 06-19-20 20:23, Dennisk wrote to Vk3jed <=-
I don't think it is that. Some forums were quite usable on my older 700MHz machine, with a 56.6K dial up modem. Facebook is slow because
it is so demanding on the web browser. On my laptop, which is old (its still 32bit), typing a message can be so slow, that text takes over 10 seconds to appear after its been typed.
Well, the majority of web forums I've used (vBulletin, PHPBB, SMF, etc) have been a bit sluggish for my liking, for some reason.
Well, the majority of web forums I've used (vBulletin, PHPBB, SMF, etc) have been a bit sluggish for my liking, for some reason.
On 06-20-20 10:14, Arelor wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Just wondering, have you used FluxBB? Too bad it is unmaintained. One
of those rare cases of forums you can use without javascript.
On 06-20-20 12:32, Nightfox wrote to Vk3jed <=-
I imagine there may be a few factors affecting why some people might be okay with a web forum and others don't like them. I think web forums
and other web-based software are always slower than locally-installed software, due to having to interact with a remote server over the internet. Due to that, generally I don't really like internet-based
software if local software could be used instead - One example is
Google Docs vs. something like Microsoft Office, LibreOffice, etc.
installed on your machine. However, there are some web forums (using vBulletin or whatever) that I don't really mind, since there isn't much alternative (also, usually they don't seem terribly slow either). But
you've also said that latency tends to be bigger where you are since
many online forums etc. are far away. So that makes sense too.
On 06-20-20 10:14, Arelor wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Just wondering, have you used FluxBB? Too bad it is unmaintained. One of those rare cases of forums you can use without javascript.
No, I'm not familiar with that one.
... Gone crazy, be back later, please leave message.
On 06-21-20 16:16, Arelor wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Basically, it is a lightweight forum package. I find it remarkable
because it does not require javascript, and even has some "responsive" themes in its catalogue.
Sadly, the developer switched its alliances to a monstruous ajax based mess that he claims to be the spiritual heir of fluxbb. Which of course
it isn't. Too bad.
I think FluxBB is what the Arch Linux forum uses.
| Sysop: | MCMLXXIX |
|---|---|
| Location: | Prospect, CT |
| Users: | 325 |
| Nodes: | 10 (0 / 10) |
| Uptime: | 240:38:15 |
| Calls: | 508 |
| Messages: | 219900 |