---------------- Continued from previous message ----- PART 6 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HARDWARE NEEDED TO RUN A MACINTOSH BBS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHAT HARDWARE IS NEEDED TO RUN A MACINTOSH BBS? ==================== 3.10 - THE BASICS ==================== Almost any Macintosh from a Macintosh Plus on can run a BBS, but the most powerful packages require a 68030 and higher to run effectively. Speed on BBS's can be increased by getting a faster drive, because much of what a BBS does is access the hard drive to gain information. ========================== 3.11 - A MINIMUM MACHINE ========================== Using text only (ANSI or VT100) packages, you can use almost any Mac with 1 meg of memory. Using the graphical BBS's can be used on a Mac Plus and up, but performance severely degrades. The bright point is that being the Mac, most packages will run on any machine from a Plus up. ================================================ 3.12 - HARD DRIVES & ACCESSING INFORMATION ================================================ The hard drive will be the most important factor in speed on you BBS. With a BBS you are accessing information. Information available from your hard drive. Thus the fast the hard drive used, the faster your BBS will be. ======================================== 3.13 - ACCELERATING YOUR MACINTOSH BBS ======================================== As much of your BBS as possible should be loaded into RAM in order to speed up access. RAM is much faster than any hard drive available. ============================ 3.14 - CD ROMS & YOUR BBS ============================= Most of the BBS packages will allow you to easily add a CD ROM to your set-up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SETTING UP PHONE LINES ON A MACINTOSH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ============================ 3.15 Serial ports on a Mac ============================ "I'd like to start my BBS with a few phone lines, how do I setup multiple phone lines on a Macintosh? " ========================================================= 3.16 Multiport cards for expanding the number of lines ========================================================= What hardware is needed?" -------------------------- To go beyond two phone lines, you will need to add a multiport serial card or a SCSI. Hurdler Nubus cards from Creative Systems -------------------------------------------- Dual and Quad serial port cards for the Mac. Capable of up to 57,000 baud performance per port. COST: 2 port $299 4 port $379. Hustler Nubus cards from Creative Systems ------------------------------------------- A card designed for the new V.Fast modem. Capable of speeds up to 230,000 baud on one port, or 115,000 baud on two ports. Available in two port versions only. COST: $329 QuadraLink -------------- ===================================== 3.17 - SCSI interfaces for expansion ===================================== Creative Systems - Hurdler standalone - SEQS - Adds four serial ports to any Mac with a SCSI interface in a standalone box. COST: $695.00 Creative Systems 4701 Randolph Road, Suite #12 Rockville, MD 20852 USA (301) 984 - 0261 Fax (301) 770-1675 ================================================= 3.18 - Other connection types for the Macintosh ================================================= TCP ---- The standard Internet connection type. To be built into version 7.5 of the Macintosh system. UUCP ---- UNIX to UNIX protocol. Used for receiving batch news and mail from the Internet. X.25 ---- ISDN ----- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MODEMS & THE MACINTOSH BBS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3.19 - Modems 3.20 - Carrier detect and the Macintosh 3.21 - Hardware handshaking and the Macintosh 3.22 - High speed modems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE MACINTOSH & PUBLIC NETWORKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ =========================== 3.23 - N o v a W o r l d =========================== INTRODUCTION TO NOVAWORLD -------------------------- Unlike any other network, NovaWorld is breaking ground revolutionizing the electronic communication networking with an simple to use, yet every powerful linking system. Integration into the Internet. Any system can link into the master hub, InfoPort in Denver via Telnet and exchange messages, mail and files. By using the Internet as a backbone, the speed of the system increases and the costs decrease. Of course systems can also call via modem to link into the system on regular phone lines. NOVAWORLD FEATURES -------------------- - Internet E-Mail for any network connection. No other software needed. No fancy scripts need to find the Internet, just address your mail and link into your hub. - Multi-hop mail to any system (or the Internet) simply by putting the user name/ system name. Replies are automatically routed back to the originating system. - Any Internet newsgroup needed can be gated to your BBS. Replies are sent seamlessly as a reply, with no special characters needed. Easy linking through InfoLink. Just a few mouse clicks and a SYSOP can link a message forum or file forum. - Subscription to the system forums is easy. No need to have your network hub set your distribution, It is all automatic. Thus a SYSOP can start or stop forums automatically, without human intervention. - Files can be shared with ease among all of the system, making it a good shareware system for authors. - PC compatible as well as Macintosh shareware will be distributed. - Multiple interface options to call into the net with a Macintosh GUI, RIP graphics for the PC, ANSI, or VT100. NovaWorld the first Network designed with a human in mind. Hub sites have been established in Europe, and Canada. Over 50 systems have joined since its 3/94 inception. NovaWorld inquiries should be sent to: ---------------------------------------- James Barry Internet: jmbarry@infoport.com jmbarry/InfoPort on any NovaWorld system InfoPort BBS (303) 429-0291 telnet infoport.com Snail Mail to: P.O. BOX 620805 Littleton, CO 80162-0805 Voice messages (303)657-9667 ============================ 3.24 - THE ONENET NETWORK ============================ ABOUT THE ONENET ------------------ The OneNet Member Network is an organization of private individuals around the world who own FirstClass systems and hook them together to exchange mail and conferences. While OneNet members use FirstClass and take advantage of its built-in gateway features, the OneNet is completely arm's-length from SoftArc which has nothing to do with its operation. A core set of conferences is shared by all systems in the network and contains discussions of interest to all computer users. These conferences cover a wide variety of topics and include networked support conferences from many computer industry vendors, including SoftArc Inc., developers of FirstClass. One of the most popular conferences on the network is one in which Apple employees routinely log on to give unofficial advice to other users. Gatewaying systems can pick their choice of conferences they wish to carry from the backbone hub systems, which already distribute more than 400 forums (much as a magazine distributor gives retailers many choices from which to pick.) The OneNet Member network now includes more than 500 systems across the world. There are regional hub sites in Europe, Japan, Australia, Africa, North and South America and Hong Kong. More than a half of a million people use the OneNet at the time of this writing. CONTACTING THE ONENET ----------------------- The OneNet Member Network Primary Hub is located in Boulder Colorado. For questions on how to find your local OneNet Member Network system, or how to get a 'feed' into the OneNet, call 303-444-2205. To get more general information about the OneNet, call the OneNet Los Altos system by modem at 415-948-1349 or by using the voicemail system 415-948-4775. Earthmail inquires should go to: --------------------------------- Scott Converse, OneNet Executive Director 4546 El Camino Real, # 127 Los Altos, California 94022 USA Internet address: OneNet@OneNet.com or Scotto@OneNet.com Scott Converse, Executive Director, OneNet Member Network Contact via modem @ 415-948-1349, via voice line @ 415-948-4775 ============================ 3.25 - Fido Net on the Mac ============================ - Info for this topic will be available in future versions of this FAQ. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMPRESSION OF FILES TO SAVE DISK SPACE ON YOUR MAC BBS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3.26 - Why compress files? 3.27 - Stuffit format 3.28 - Compact Pro Format 3.29 - Binhex 3.30 - Zip format ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RIDING A MAC ON THE INTERNET ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - Not provided at the time of this release. ********************************************************************* CHAPTER 4 - UNIX AT YOUR SERVICE ********************************************************************* =========================== 4.01 - What's a Unix? =========================== UNIX is an operating system. The original version, called Unics, was written by Ken Thompson at AT&T's Bell Laboratories in 1969. In 1973, Thompson and Dennis Ritchie (co-creator of the C programming language) rewrote it in C. Since C compilers are available for many systems, UNIX has been "ported" or rewritten to run on various systems under various names. If you've ever used Solaris or SunOS on a Sun workstation, HP/UX on a Hewlett-Packard, AIX on an IBM, AUX on a Mac, IRIX on a Silicon Graphics workstation, or Xenix or Linux on a PC, you've used a version of UNIX. =========================================== 4.02 - The Pro's & Cons of a Unix BBS =========================================== The greatest strength of UNIX is that it was written from the ground up, as a multi-user system for networked computers. Therefore, almost any BBS running on UNIX automatically has multi-user capabilities, and providing network and communication services is also simple. UNIX is not a system for the novice, though. It's a fairly technical system, and for a BBS written on one version of UNIX to run on another version, the source code usually must be reconfigured and recompiled. Also, the cheapest UNIX systems usually cost $3000 or more - too much to spend unless you know what you're getting into. =================================================================== 4.03 - What factors should I consider when starting BBS on UNIX? ===================================================================== First and foremost, you should consider what sort of service you want to provide. If you want fast-moving message areas, perhaps a small chat area, and possibly a link to some sort of informational system, one of the Citadels would be your best choice. If you want to focus on the informational system, with the BBS as part of it, PANDA would be best. For e-mail and net-news, XBBS is the way to go, and if you have a Linux PC, you can use UniBoard or DOC. Secondly, you need to consider how large a system your UNIX computer can support. A fast PC can probably handle four or five users at once. A ten-thousand dollar workstation can probably handle twenty or thirty. If you want to handle a thousand users at once, you'd better have deep pockets. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, you need to consider how users will connect to your system. You can connect modems to your UNIX computer and let them dial in, or you can establish a connection to the Internet and let them connect over the network, or both. The Internet lets multiple users from around the world connect over the same link, so its appeal is obvious, but if you just want to serve your local community, you might do just as well without it. You can even go halfway, and have your computer call the network just to send and receive electronic mail every night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SHAREWARE/FREEWARE BBS SOFTWARE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What shareware BBSes are available for Unix? ================== 4.04 - Citadel/UX ================== Citadel/UX runs on UNIX, but looks and feels just like a Citadel on a PC, Amiga, or Atari ST. At least a half-dozen BBSes on Internet run versions of this software. It focuses on fast-moving message bases. ================ 4.05 - DOC ================ DOC - short for "Dave's Own Citadel" - is descended from Citadel/UX. It adds a few new functions, and supports more users. Internet's biggest DOC BBS can handle nearly 1,000 users at once. =============== 4.06 - PANDA =============== PANDA is an information server developed at the University of Iowa. It's not explicitly a BBS, but it can provide BBS-style message bases within a larger information system. It isn't truly shareware, but it doesn't have a set price either - you get to work out your own deal. ========================= 4.07 - UBBS 1.01 (Linux) ========================= - No information provided for UBBS at the time of this release. ======================= 4.08 - UniBoard 1.12 ======================= UniBoard is a BBS package for Linux, a free version of UNIX that runs on PC's. =================== 4.09 - XBBS 7.21 =================== XBBS is a menu-driven system which offers message bases, e-mail, and Usenet news-reading capabilities. Users can't move through it quite as quickly as they can in Citadel, so it's easier to keep up with the discussions. ================== 4.10 - Magpie BBS ================== Magpie BBS, (212)420-0527 Support/Demo System for Magpie BBS/Conferencing Software Steve Manes, New York, NY ===================== 4.11 - UnixBBS v1.03 ===================== Introduction -------------- UnixBBS is a complete USENET-compliant BBS package for Unix SYSV R3/R4 on Intel platforms (386/486). For more info, send e-mail to pizzi@nervous.com. UnixBBS v1.03 is available on Akademia Pana Kleksa Public Unix by calling: (216) 481 9445 HST,V32 Log in either as 'bbs' (for [x,y,z]modem download) or 'nuucp' (for an uucico session) and request these files: UBBS103a.tar.Z # PD archiver programs UBBS103b.tar.Z # the UnixBBS binaries UBBS103c.tar.Z # the config files and dirs UBBS103d.tar.Z # documentation UBBS103p.tar.Z # PD file transfer protocols If you are in Europe, you could call the Development Site instead: +39 541 27135 HST,PEP,V32 log in as 'bbs' and download from file area #8. What's new in UnixBBS 1.03 -------------------------- - Added support for carbon copies in email section when sending mail. - Added support for carbon copies in email section when replying to mail. - Multiple newsgroups posting is now allowed. A new token named 'AdditionalGroupsAskLevel' in Config.bbs is used to declare the minimum access level required to be asked for additional newsgroups when posting new messages. Also, the 'a' flag in the message base definition files should be used to designate the groups that allow this feature. To post to additional groups as well as the current one, the user should have access and post permissions to all the groups specified. - A new token in Config.bbs 'EnableQuestionnaire' can be used to turn the questionnaire function on or off. If disabled, the questionnaires can still be accessed from the Main Menu, but new users will no longer be prompted for questionnaire compilation when they first log in. - Support for four different outbound mail address formats have been added. The new token 'MailboxAddressFormat' should be used to specify which format to use for outgoing email. - An RFC822 "Reply-To:" header has been added to outgoing news articles. - The separator character used in mailbox names is now definable from the Config.bbs file by modifying the value of the 'MailboxNameSeparator' token. Although the dot '.' used by UnixBBS 1.02 is correct from the RFC point of view, it has been reported to that some mailers are not compatible. - A minor bug in bbsmon was fixed that caused the input command in chat or kill screen to be executed even if no ENTER key was pressed if the refresh timeout occurred while some value was being entered on the input line. The bbsmon release id was changed from 1.20 to 1.21. - A check on the device names given on bbsmon command line has been added to make sure the names correspond to existing devices. - A serious bug in the preferred newsgroup reading routine has been fixed. Now the program shouldn't dump core when removing newsgroup from the preferred list. Please note also that disabling the preferred newsgroup reading via the Config file switch will now save some run-time memory. - Followups to other newsgroups are now allowed when posting an article. A new token named 'FollowupToAskLevel' in Config.bbs is used to declare the minimum access level required to be asked for followups when posting new messages. Also, the 'w' flag in the message base definition files should be used to designate the groups that allow this feature. To be able to follow up to a certain newsgroup, the user should have access permissions to that group. The keyword 'poster' in either upper or lower case is parsed correctly and is used to redirect followups to the original article's poster by means of e-mail. NOTE: only a single newsgroup can be specified for the followup. Also, when following up to an article who has the "Followup-To" header specifying several newsgroups, only the first one is used for the followup. - Fixed a bug that caused the info regarding the last newsgroup visited to be lost when an user was choosing the 'Top Level' listing from the Message Menu and then aborting with the 'Q' option. - The message base navigation system has changed slightly. Now the user is automatically asked for subgroups (if any) without having to see the message section menu and to choose the own command once for each group in the path. - The file list command in the file section now shows even files without a description entry (those files without the mirror file in the description directory) - The file list command now displays long file descriptions correcty, pausing after the selected number of screen lines. - New "Messages Of The Day" function that allows you to create a file similar to the Unix /etc/motd, useful for telling user news about the system. - The 'WelcomePathname' token in Config.bbs has been changed to 'WelcomeExtProgram' for the sake of clearness. - A new token 'LogoffExtProgram' has been introduced to allow a sysop- defined program to be run *after* an user has been disconnected from the BBS. Its main use is to run some dtr-dropping program if for some reason your serial port driver doesn't drop DTR when the process dies (i.e. HUPCL doesn't work properly). - Fixed a bug that caused an error to be reported when a 'Who's on line' command was issued while another user was logging in. - If colors were enabled, the message editors used to appear colored when posting or replying in the email section. Now their color will default to white. - The sender information in the email section is now correctly displayed even if the name or address is longer than the reserved screen size. - The low-level I/O routines have been optimized - Fixed a bug that made some newsgroups hierarchies not specified in the msgroot file visible inside UnixBBS. - New "Message Dump" function allows users to pack and compress unread messages in the preferred groups and to download them using the available transfer protocols. This new option is available from the Main Menu and should be specified in the mapkey file as 'Main::MsgDump'. Contacing the author of UnixBBS: -------------------------------- Riccardo Pizzi @ the Nervous XTC Public Access Unix System, Rimini, ITALY E-Mail -> pizzi@nervous.com Nervous XTC, the home of the UnixBBS package Data: +39-541-27135 HST/PEP/V32 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMERCIAL UNIX BBS SOFTWARE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ =-=-=-=-=-= TEAMate =-=-=-=-=-= TEAMate Unix Bulletin Board, (310)318-5302 Demo/Support for TEAMate BBS Software for Unix Bob Baskerville/MMB Development Corp., Manhattan Beach, CA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNIX HARDWARE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ===================================================================== What would I need to start a small dial-up BBS to run on a UNIX box? ===================================================================== The simplest UNIX system consists of a '286, '386, Amiga or Macintosh running a small version of UNIX. You could install one of the freely available BBSes for UNIX (scaled down to reflect the somewhat limited capabilities of the system), connect a modem, set things up, and away you go! Obviously, that's a very simplistic arrangement - only two people (you at the keyboard, and one user calling in) could be online at the same time. If you wanted to get a little more elaborate and had a '386 or better, you could get 4 serial ports (COM1 through COM4), and put modems on at least three of them (leaving the fourth one free for a mouse). You'd need to get a telephone line for each modem, of course. For example, you could have a high-speed modem on one port, and a lower speed modem on another port, so that lower speed users wouldn't keep tying up your high-speed modem. =============================================================== What hardware & software do I need to network my Unix BBS? ================================================================ - no outline provided ------- continued in next message -------