This is the UNIX (TM) compatible BBS Frequently Asked Questions Answers. It is posted monthly. The FAQ is in Message Digest Format, so that various newsreaders can automagically decompose it into its component parts. These are the parts of the digest. 1. What is a BBS? 2. What is UNIX? 3. What is Usenet? 4. What BBS Software is covered? 5. Acknowledgements 6 - N. The packages These listings are provided for informational purposes only. I am not making recommendations (con or pro) here, simply telling what I know about each package that I have information for. You are encouraged to evaluate each package for yourself to see if it matches your needs. Gregory G. "Wolfe" Woodbury ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us (G. Wolfe Woodbury) Subject: 1. What is a BBS? Date: Mon Sep 28 23:00:00 EDT 1992 BBS is an acronym for Bulletin Board System. This is software that allows a computer to be used as a message posting and reading system that has some similarities to a bulletin board like you might find in an office or in a grocery store. Users of the system can post messages and read messages posted by others. Many computer BBSes also allow the users to send private messages to other users, andor to "download" files that are stored on the computer. Some BBSes also allow users to run other programs (such as games) in addition to the BBS program. Some BBS programs allow the individual BBS systems to share messages by using a communications medium to exchange the messages via a standard protocol which the BBSes understand. Such systems are "networked" BBSes. There are several BBS Networks around the world. Among them are FIDOnet, WWIVnet, RIMEnet, VNET and Usenet. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us (G. Wolfe Woodbury) Subject: 2. What is UNIX? Date: Sat Apr 3 00:53:29 EST 1993 UNIX is a trademark of Unix System Laboratories, Inc. (*) for its brand of multi-user, multi-tasking operating system software. UNIX was developed at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the late 1960's and has become the most portable operating system ever developed. This portability means that UNIX (or Unix-like) operating systems can run on nearly any computer that has been developed since 1975. Unix-like operating systems run on computers from the Intel 80286 through the gamut to computers like the Cray X-MP and the Connection Machine 5. Programs written for one Unix-like system can be moved (fairly easily, if written with portability in mind) from one Unix system to another with some minor editing and re-compiling of the source code on the new machine. The history of Unix-like operating systems is quite complicated, and there are several versions of Unix-like operating systems in existence. The two major divisions of these are AT&T UNIX systems, and BSD Unix systems. There are lots of others, but these two versions cover most of the territory in terms of portability issues. Truly portable Unix software packages can examine the software environment and automatically configure themselves when the user compiles the package. Unix operating systems are flexible and portable for many reasons, and a detailed examination of that issue is not relevant here. For more information see the Unix-FAQ posted regularly to comp.unix.questions. (*) Just who *is* the actual holder of the TradeMark on UNIX is something that can change with bewildering rapidity. At various times it has been the "offical" property of: AT&T, Bell Laboratories, Western Electric and other groups. These names, of course, are also probably registered TradeMarks of their respective owners. :-) ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Sat Apr 3 00:43:56 EST 1993 Subject: 3. What is Usenet? Usenet is a network message sharing system that exchanges messages in a standard format. Messages are arranged into topical categories called newsgroups. The messages contain plain text information (which may include encoded binary information) and a series of headers that define who the message came from, when the message was posted, where it was posted, where it has passed, and other administrative information. Usenet/NetNews is merely the netnews messages, being passed from machine to machine, and the readers and posters of those messages. Usenet should not be mistaken for any underlying transport mechanisims that provide other services in addition to the transfer of the messages. That is, Usenet is not UUCP, Usenet is not a particular network or set of networks (e.g. the Internet). One should also be careful to not confuse Usenet with any particular group of users. That is, Usenet is *not* an american network, Usenet is not a network of computer scientists, and Usenet is not a network of system administrators. It is a complete cross-section of all the sorts of folks who use computers either for work or play. English *is* the common language of Usenet, but there is no guarantee that the users *know* english particularly well. :-) Properly speaking, Usenet is defined as newsgroups in the major categories of comp, misc, news, rec, sci, soc, and talk. There are a number of other major "hierarchies" which may be worldwide (alt, bionet, vmsnet), regional (usa, can, triangle), or even organizational (duke, ut, sun). These message hierarchies use the NetNews protocols, and are colloquially called "Usenet", but purists can (and do) argue for days about the distinctions. I tend to use the term "NetNews" to refer to the whole suite of programs and all the newsgroups in conglomeration. There is not enough room here to fully discuss the ins and outs of NetNews. There are several NetNews groups that are dedicated to discussion of NetNews itself. (news.* and alt.culture.usenet are examples, the `*' refers to any newsgroup that begins its name with a string of "news.") ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Wed Jun 9 22:43:49 EDT 1993 Subject: 4. What software is covered here? The following packages are covered in this FAQ. AKCS bbs_bk brand-x Caucus Coconut Commune/IX EBBS (Eagle's Nest) GDXBBS ix/MBox Magpie MBS QueBBS pbbs (Pink BBS) PBBS (Pirate BBS) PNN (Princeton News Network) TEAMate UBBS (Ultimate) Unidel UniBoard (UnixBBS) VA.PEN Waffle XBBS Z/Max Xchange yabbs Known, but not covered (yet?): (Anyone with information is invited to send email!) Citadel/UX CIX/CoSy EIES Freeport ISCABBS Participate Pnet PicoSpan SBBS (Sigma BBS) Sentience Obsolete, not covered UnAccess PNN (still listed) To locate the packages listed above in the articles below, search for the short name listed in the Subject: headers. In the articles below, summary files for some of the received/collected information are available for anonymous uucp from wolves.durham.nc.us. The file name for the info file is in the Info-file: subheader. Wolves.durham.nc.us is located at +1 919-493-7111 (v.32bis/v.42bis/HST) login: uanon (no password) Also listed are the FTP sites and filenames for known or suspected copies of the packages. Space and line-speed limitations prohibit the distribution of the packages themselves from Wolves. Some of the packages may appear at sunsite.unc.edu for Anonymous FTP. (If you don't know about Anonymous FTP, look for the FTP FAQ in news.answers.) Corrections and additions to this list are welcome: news@wolves.durham.nc.us ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Sat Feb 06 23:00:00 EDT 1993 Subject: 5. Acknowledgements This FAQ is the product of a lot of research and correspondence with lots of folks. Here is a partial listing of the folks who were kind enough to send information and corrections to me for use in this FAQ. If I've left someone out, write to me :-) Lars Aronsson(!), Bob Baskerville(!), Bill Brown, Lisa Carlson, Tom Dell(!), Karl Denninger(!), Aydin Edguer(*), Ken Germann, Avrum Goodblat, Judy Hallman, David Holland, Bob Kirkpatrick(!), Hilbert Levitz, Michael Lyons, Stephen Manes(!), Bob Peterson, Chris Petrilli, Riccardo Pizzi(!), Todd Radel, Gene Saunders, Greg Seminara, Jay Snyder(!), Chris Stanford, Bill Fenner(#), Jim Tremblay, Alex Wetmore(!), Sanford Zelkovitz(!), Nick Zimmerman(!) (!) Authors of packages providing information (*) Special Thanks to Aydin Edguer (#) Bill is keeper of the Waffle FAQ ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Mon Sep 28 23:00:00 EDT 1992 Subject: AKCS Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/akcs AKCS Version 7 commercial product source available Usenet compatibility contact: karl@ddsw1.mcs.com Karl Denninger 3217 N. Sheffield Chicago, IL 60657 +1 312 269 9058 (voice) demo: 300-2400 bps modem line +1 312 248 0900 "AKCS is a threaded BBS/conferencing package with extraordinary versatility, ease of use, performance and support." -- Karl Denninger Supplied in binary form for SINGLE CPU, AKCS is licensed for a fee based on the cpu type. Prices range from $500 to $1500, with a yearly support fee of $100 - $250. NFS support is $1000. Source is $5000.00. Custom porting is available for time and materials. Fully configurable, threaded messages, termcap/terminfo type support, private mail, file attachments, upload/download, full screen editor (custom), external programs, security system. AKCS newsgroups available to licensees. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Mon Sep 28 23:00:00 EDT 1992 Subject: bbs_bk Source-file: /news/Archives/Sources/Misc/bbs_bk/part01.Z comp.sources.misc: volume 13 issue 1 bbs_bk bourne shell freeware source available Usenet via unix contact: Bob Kirkpatrick root@dogear.spk.wa.us demo: none known bbs_bk is a shell system that provides the primitive functionality for a BBS on Unix. Unix commands available determine how much real functionality is available. Usenet is available via calls to the newsreader of choice on the system. Editors depend on sysop choice. Download protocols depend on what is available on the underlying system bbs_bk is a skeleton bbs that should allow an experienced unix user to provide basic BBS functions in short order when a need arises. A special "bbs" user login is needed to start up the bbs capability. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Tue Sep 29 22:00:00 EDT 1992 Subject: brand-x brand-X C source freeware source included Usenet via unix contact: Bob Kirkpatrick root@dogear.spk.wa.us demo: none known Brand-X is a C language skeletal BBS similar in flavor to bbs_bk (no suprize). The sysop needs to know C and Unix fairly well to turn this package into something more than a toy. Like bbs_bk, a bbs user id is required and the program takes care of its own user names. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Tue Sep 29 23:00:00 EDT 1992 Subject: Caucus Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/Caucus.info Caucus commercial package source not generally available Usenet via message import contact: Camber-Roth A Division of Aule-Tek, Inc. 1223 Peoples Ave Troy, NY 12180 1 518 273 0983 (voice) 1 518 276 6380 (FAX) info@aule-tek.com demo: CASTANet 1 518 273 1467 (300-2400) 1 518 273 1508 (v.32bis v.42bis) login: caucus NEWUSER voice assistance: 1 518 273 0983 Caucus is a large and robust commercial package. It is supported on several hardware platforms and provides a complete networed BBS solution. User customization is supported. I actually got two responses to requests for Caucus, from Aule-Tek, the owners, and another company that sent me information via paper mail. Despite being asked for pricing, no pricing information was sent. I do know that the City of Santa Monica (California) selected Caucus as its platform for its Public Information System. ------------------------------ Subject: Coconut Date: Wed Jun 9 22:50:06 EDT 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/COCONET.info COCONUT Host v4.? Commercial source available? NetNews not available contact: Brian Dear brian@coconut.com info@coconut.com Coconut Computing Inc. 7946 Ivanhoe Ave Suite 303 La Jolla CA 92037 +1 619 456 2002 (voice) +1 619 456 1905 (FAX) demo: unknown Coconut is a Unix-based HOST program system that provides support to users using a special Coconut Access Program (CAP) on MS-DOS and Macintosh platforms. It provides a complete BBS package, with conferences, discussion and file bases. It is fully configurable, supports multi-level security, internet mail, mailing lists and external programs. It seems like a decent package. I have some concerns over the unclear status of Usenet import/export functions, and there is a 999 unit limit on all sorts of configuration parameters. A recent report in alt.bbs indicates that CocoNet has no plans to implement Usenet message importing/exporting. Looks like a single system (or shared file systems) only. There have also been some sporadic reports of "hassles" dealing with the folks at CocoNut by some sysops. They bent over backwards when talking to me, but I make no recommendations here. ------------------------------ Subject: Commune/IX Date: Sat Apr 3 00:25:03 EST 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Commune/IX for Linux commercial source available? NetNews available contact: Michael Quigley stmq@vm.marist.edu mfq@world.std.com demo: no Michael is developing yet another DOS look-alike UNIX BBS for the Linux platform. This implies source availability, but since it looks like he wants to make it a commercial product, it is more likely to be a binary (object code) distribution rather than source. The project sounds ambitious, with replacements for the mailer, and additional modules for connecting to FIDO Technology Networks, in addition to all the usual BBS features. Pricing and availability are not known. MQ comments that it will be a "low cost" system, with per-module pricing. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Wed Jun 9 22:43:31 EDT 1993 Subject: EBBS Eagle's Nest BBS FTP-Site: bbs.augsburg.edu:/files/bbs_software/Eagles.BBS.2.0.tar.Z EBBS Eagle's Nest BBS source included Usenet unknown contact: Raymond Rocker rocker@rock.b11.ingr.com Guy Vega gtvega@seabass.st.usm.edu demo: Eagles Nest BBS seabass.st.usm.edu login: bbs password: bbs or Auggie BBS bbs.augsburg.edu login: bbs (no password) (Wm. Schwartz - sysop) This is an Extension of the Mars Pirate BBS code to enhance functionality and provide some network access. It now features an IRC (Internet Relay Chat) client mode so that users can participate in IRC if allowed. Usenet may be supported via shell access, but I haven't tried the demo system or read the code that closely. It is in current use, so it has some support and merit. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Sat Feb 06 23:00:00 EDT 1993 Subject: GDXBBS Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/gdx.info FTP_site: plains.nodak.edu:/pub/alt/gdxbbs GDXBBS freeware bbs source included Usenet is planned contact: Jay A Snyder jay@gdx.uucp demo: GDX-BBS (home system for GDX) +1 717-737-3249 (WorldBlazer/PEP/v.32bis/v.42bis/etc...) This seems to be a fairly complete BBS system that is well-integrated into Unix (except for Usenet News). The system looks easy to configure and provides linkages to standard E-mail (via smail or deliver). Usenet can be provided via external functions (doors). ------------------------------ Subject: Magpie for Unix Date: Mon May 3 03:59:27 EDT 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/magpie.info Magpie for Unix Shareware/commercial source available for $$ NetNews planned contact: Steve Manes manes@magpie.nucenet.edu demo: yes? magpie.nycenet.edu? Magpie has a good reputation, but its limited availability (binaries only for SCO COFF compatible systems) is a drawback. It supports lots of nice features that are easy to provide via Unix, and seems aimed at K-12 school systems that want a "real product" for use with some standard platform. Installation is via special login account, and BBS users do not have standard "/etc/passwd" accounts. No pricing was posted for Source code availability. I got a posting from Steve Manes, and he points out that the COFF binaries are a "Shareware" version. NetNews support (using NOV database) is planned for version 2.4 (no ETA), but version 2.3 has UUCP/internet mail available for BBS users. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Sat Feb 06 23:00:00 EDT 1993 Subject: ix/MBox comp.sources.misc: volume 29 and volume 31 ix/MBox System V Unix BBS source included Usenet is basis contact: Volker Schuermann Volker.Schuermann@uunet.w.open.de MBox is an excellent product, marred only by the lack of decent documentation in a language other than german. Its basic services are those provided by Unix, and Unix services are required to run the BBS. The current version is limited to System V r3.2 Intel platforms, but should not be too hard to transfer to other System V platforms. C-News (or B-News) and a mail package are needed. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Tue Sep 29 23:30:00 EDT 1992 Subject: MBS MBS Unix C language BBS source included (In alpha test) Usenet planned contact: Willam Davidsen davidsen@crd.ge.com MBS is a new Unix based BBS. Reminiscent of Citadel (there are rooms) the implementation is totally new and interesting. All the basic functionality for a networked BBS is there, but it's still in development. Usenet will be via message importing/exporting programs now being developed. (Development has slowed down for a while.) ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Thu Oct 1 00:40:00 EDT 1992 Subject: pbbs (Pink BBS) alt.sources: Mar 04 00:17:00 GMT 1992 pbbs "Pink" shell BBS partial source Usenet via unix cmds contact: unknown posted: izcer@sdf.lonestar.org Pink BBS is a bare bones shell (bourne) BBS that relies heavily on external programs for its functionality. The notable missing piece in the alt.sources posting was the "mkacct" program which apparently collected the information and installed a new unix uid account interactively. This is NOT a secure system. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Wed Jun 9 22:43:10 EDT 1993 Subject: PBBS (Pirate BBS) FTP-Site: trantor.ee.msstate.edu:/files/Misc.source/bbs.tar.1.6.Z PBBS "Mars" Pirate Unix BBS source included Usenet unknown contact: unknown demo: none The "Hotel Mars" bbs at Mississippi State was a legend in its own time, mostly for the furor it created on the internet. Part of this was due to the unfortunate choice of name for the software, and the activities of a similar nature that occurred at one time. I thought I had a copy of this one, but it isn't on-line here, so I apologize for the short schrift it is getting. It does provide a complete BBS solution in messages, files and upload/download. Once again, the Mars BBS is down, and supposedly for good this time. (Boo) The code lives on in EBBS and several others. ------------------------------ Subject: PNN - Princeton News Network Date: Wed Jun 9 22:56:07 EDT 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/PNN.info PNN Princeton News Network Freeware? source available NetNews supported contact: Tom True tdtrue@pucc.princeton.edu +1 609 258 6064 demo: no? (Late word has it that PNN is no longer available - look to the VA.PEN software for a similar large scale system.) [From PNN intro] Princeton News Network was developed by the Advanced Technologies Department of Princeton University. Project leaders include Howard Jay Strauss, Tom True, Joe Studholme, and Steve Albin. "PNN" was originally run in an IBM environment but was converted over to UNIX environment. The concept of the program is to have information available to all users in a friendly menu-driven environment. "PNN is being phased out in favor of gopher" according to mail from Tom True that was remailed to me. The comment was that it's *not* a BBS per se, but a Campus Information System. - gww PNN is available for customization by other institutions of higher education. Please contact Tom True at Princeton University (609-258-6064) or by electrnoic mail (tdtrue@pucc.princeton.edu) to discuss how to get PNN on your campus. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Wed 30 Sep 23:00:00 1992 Subject: QueBBS FTP-site: quartz.rutgers.edu:/pub/src/qbbs29d.tar.Z QueBBS Unix C language BBS source included Usenet via import/export contact: qbbs@milo.ndsu.nodak.edu North Dakota State University Student ACM - SIGBBS QueBBS was written for the North Dakota State University by members of the Studen ACM chapter there. It is a complete BBS service, with messages, files and private mail. Usenet support is via special programs that import and export articles to/from the BBS and the news system on the computer. Upload/download protocols depend on what is available, and are configurable. Online help is available, menus are hard coded. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Mon May 3 03:52:33 EDT 1993 Subject: TEAMate TEAMate Commercial UNIX BBS source NOT available Usenet by import/export contact: bob%teamate@uunet.uu.net Bob Baskerville MMB Development Corp 904 Manhattan Ave Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 1 310 318 1322 demo: supernet.ans.net (147.225.1.51) [telnet] 1 310 318 8437 (8N1 vt100 1200-9600) 1 310 318 5302 login: public MMB is agressively pushing TEAMate as the "premier" Unix based BBS system in the country. My inquiries netted me two copies of PR materials and several phone calls about the product. The package looks complete, with a full-fledged conferencing system, file support, and full configuration management. There is a (MSDOS) client program for it called TEAMterm, that they say is freely distributable, but I don't know where there is a copy on the net. I had some problems with the manual, which was obviously written by/for someone with absolutely no knowledge of the Unix underpinnings. The system is full screen, form oriented, and uses the Unix termcap/terminfo libraries. Prices are steep(*), a single cpu intel license starts at $2000, and the full package starts at $5500. More users bring the cost up rapidly, with an "unlimited users" full package totalling $63,000. (Price list, july 1, 1992) Systems supported include: Intel, Sun, HP-UX, DEC (RISC), IBM RS/6000, ATT 3b2, Sequent, DG, Silicon Graphics, and Tandem (UNIX). [Sequent 4+ cpu starts at 15,000, total 40,200. Most systems are going to be 4000-7500/12,800-21,900.] * - recent mail from TEAMate folk say that a new lower cost (8-line) entry-level version is available starting around $2000.00. Additionally, they report new educational pricing and discounts. A GUI client/server version is planned for showing in August 1993. User support is friendly and knowledgable, I called to clarify the ability to include Usenet messages. It would take a programmer a bit of time to do it, but it seems easy enough. ------------------------------ Subject: UBBS Date: Sat Apr 3 00:13:49 EST 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us UBBS (Ultimate) free (?) source available? NetNews available (not yet) contact: Jean-Francois Gagnon jf@ichlibx.login.qc.ca +1 514 253 8649 (BBS) demo: yes +1 514 253 8649 +1 514 253 2753 This is a "clone" of Remote Access for Unix, written by JF for his public access Unix system in Quebec. It has an email bridge, and he plans support for Usenet messages. Write to JF for more information. ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Mon May 3 03:56:22 EDT 1993 Subject: UniBoard (UnixBBS) Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/UniBoard.info UniBoard Commercial Unix BBS Source NOT available contact: Riccardo Pizzi pizzi@nervous.com Rimini, Italy demo: +39-541-27135 (bbs.nervous.com in Italy) HST/PEP/V.32bis +1 216-481-9445 (wariat.org) [USA Dist. Site] +7 351 265 3601 (rich.chel.su!) (Chelyabinsk Russia?) see alt.bbs.unixbbs.uniboard UniBoard is a decent Unix BBS according to most reports. Price is reasonable, an 8-user license costing about $70 (US). Full functions include Usenet news, email, files and online chat/conferences. Usenet and mail require the use of the underlying Unix systems (C-news recommended.) Security seems good, customization seems good. Support for other networks (e.g. FIDO) is promised in the future. ANSI character graphics support, color support. Support for multiple editors, etc. Latest information is available from Riccardo's mail server. Mail to uniboard@nervous.com with "SEND LIST" in the message body. Linux port planned according to Riccardo. ------------------------------ From: unidel@bitsko.slc.ut.us (Unidel Administrator) Newsgroups: alt.sources Subject: Unidel, a UNIX/UseNet BBS and news/mail reader, part 1 of 7 Keywords: Citadel, BBS, UseNet, mail, needs work Date: 17 Nov 91 23:27:54 GMT Organization: Bitsko's Bar & Grill, Public Access, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA FTP-site: quartz.rutgers.edu:/pub/src/unidel.tar.Z Unidel Unix Citadel-like BBS Source included [I'm simply including the front end of the release notice from its posting to alt.sources last year. - gww] Submitted-by: unidel@bitsko.slc.ut.us Archive-name: Unidel/part01 If I keep saying I'll wait until I get this cleaner before I post it, it may never get posted. And prompted by yet another thread of "Where can I get a UNIX BBS with UseNet news?" I figured more fuel for the fires can't hurt :-). What we have is this: * UseNet news reader * UseNet/UNIX/Internet mail reader (w/multiple mail areas) * Looks like a Citadel room-based BBS system * Secure shell (controlled access to external programs, uses rsh) * External editors, file-transfer, chat/talk, CB * Newsgroup and file permissions (r, r/w, hidden and invite-only) * Freely-redistributable * Has compiled once or twice each on SVR2 (Microport), SVR3, SunOS 4.1 and UHC SVR4 * Can be used with CNews, BNews, SMail, Deliver, talk, rz/sz, kermit, vi, emacs and more * still contains a few, uh, unnecessary, uh, features yea that's it. You can play with it and download the source from Bitsko's Bar & Grill BBS, +1 801 566 6283 (Telebit), login 'guest', type RETURN for password. Source and discussion is in the Unidel room. Questions can be directed to unidel@bitsko.slc.ut.us ------------------------------ Subject: VA-PEN Date: Feb 24 23:30:00 EST 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/VA.PEN.info FTP_site: ftp.virginia.edu:oub/VA.PEN VA-PEN freeware source included NetNews available contact: Tim Sigmon tms@holmes.acc.virginia.edu Academic Computing Center Gilmer Hall University of Virginia Charlottesville VA 22903 demo: none officially VA-PEN (Virginia Public Education Network) is a message system developed at UVa for the state's K-12 computer program. It is based around C-news as the underlying conferencing mechanism, and support configurable menus, various upload/download protocols, and extensive on-line documentation. The software (with modifications) is used on the Tallahasee Florida FreeNet machine. (I remember Tim Sigmon as a Duke Grad Student in the early days of Usenet. :-) ------------------------------ From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Date: Feb 23 02:00:00 EST 1993 Subject: Waffle Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/Waffle.FAQ FTP-site: halcyon.com[192.135.191.2]:~/pub/waffle/waf165.zip (Dos version) Waffle Low Cost Unix BBS Source Included (Unix only) Usenet support via OS contact: Tom Dell vox@darkside.com Demo site: halcyon.com Waffle is one of the premier Usenet BBSs for DOS, but there is relatively little activity about Waffle/Unix on the newsgroup. Waffle has a whole Usenet News newsgroup (comp.bbs.waffle) for discussion about it, and there is an excellent FAQ that is posted there periodically by Bill Fenner. The author of Waffle is Tom Dell. Unix Waffle requires the presence of C-news or other native Unix-like OS NetNews support software. ------------------------------ Subject: XBBS Date: Feb 23 23:10:00 EST 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us comp.sources.misc: Volume 32 Issue 16 xbbs/partNN XBBS v7.2 Freeware(?) source included NetNews via external commands (doors) contact: Sanford Zelkovitz sandy@godzilla.Quotron.com sandy@alphacm.uucp 5852 Maxson Drive Cypress CA 90630 demo: yes at alphacm 714 821 9671 (8N1 1200-9600) XBBS is a decent BBS system for System V'ish systems. The code is rather monolithic, and the menus are embedded in the code. The system has similarities to the WWIV BBS in style. Configuration is via static files that are position dependent. Limited access groups are available, multilevel security is supported. Access to NetNews is via shell escape(!) and might be insecure. There was a small attempt at runtime code validation (by checking for the authors id string) in a previous version. I ran an XBBS based system until my disks crashed, but the code was rather heavily modified for modularity and keyword based configuration. The bbs handles its own user base seperate from that of the Unix passwd file, so it can be used for guest accounts. Supports a wide variety of u/dload protocols, some via "system" command execution of external programs (e.g. Kermit, rz/sz) ------------------------------ Subject: Z/Max XChange Date: Fri Apr 2 23:11:20 EST 1993 From: news@wolves.durham.nc.us Z/Max XChange v3.2 commercial source NOT available(?) NetNews available contact: Z/Max Computer Solutions sales@zmax.com 8287 Loop Road, Radisson Woods Office Park Baldwinsville, NY 13027 +1 315 635 1882 (voice) +1 315 635 1908 (FAX) demo: yes Z/Max Online Demo System +1 315 635 1950 (2400) +1 315 635 1947 (USR 9600 ?v.32) Parameters: 8-N-1 Terminal emulation: vt100 login: zmax Password: xchange Fill in new users screen call back in 24 hours :-( Z/Max has a very full featured Unix BBS here. The package seems cleaner and more "professional" than TEAMate, and the price is also a bit more reasonable, even if the hardware supported is less extensive. Features: BBS, News (Usenet import supported), Files (upload/download - standard protocols plus external protocols), "doors", menu interface, graphical (character graphics) interface, on-line conferences, Email (internet access), multi-level (per-function) access security, custom editor (? vi or emacs access?), and full logging. Terminal support is flexible, and the system uses "curses" for its character graphics interface. Hardware: 80[34]86 Unix boxes (SCO, Interactive, AT&T, SVr4), 88000 BCS, NCR, SEQUENT, Sun, IBM RS6000, HPUX, Dec Ultrix (4.2), AT&T 3B2. Typical Prices: (# of users) (1-4) 695.00 (16) 1495 (32) 2495 (>32) 3995 30-day evaluation: 75.00 (+$25 for tape distribution) prices effecive 3/1/93 - subject to change w/o notice (etc....) Documents: 34.95, quick ref card - 2.95 1-year support/upgrades included, additional years - $400/year There is a license upgrade cost schedule as well. There is a Dos overview/demo disk available. (Bragware) There are a few Internet sites that use XChange as their interface for information management. I haven't played with a Z/Max system yet, this is written from their poop sheets. ------------------------------ Subject: yabbs - Yet Another (UNIX) BBS Date: Wed Jun 9 22:44:12 EDT 1993 From: aw2t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Alex R.N. Wetmore) Info-file: wolves!/news/Archives/UnixBBS/yabbs.info FTP_site: phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu:/pub/yabbs/* YABBS free source available NetNews NOT available contact: Alex R.N. Wetmore aw2t+@andrew.cmu.edu demo: yes telnet to phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu port = 8888. (note: down during summer 1993) I have recently put up a new version of the Yabbs (yet another bbs) software package on my machine (phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu). This is a small, highly portable bbs package for unix that supports: * up to 26 public message bases (plus one private area) * multiuser talk * g-files support (to put text files online, good for mirroring ftp servers) * up to 3 external editors and one external pager (I include keybinding files for less and joe, and have source for a version of elvis with some commands removed). * has a menued structure (as opposed to command line structure of waffle) So far it has been proven to be very portable across unix variants. Comes with full source (all pretty well commented) so changing it around isn't too hard. Current platform is 386bsd, portability may be affected by this. If you want to see a copy in action telnet to phred.pc.cc.cmu.edu 8888. You can ftp the source from the same machine in /pub/yabbs. alex (uglymouse.css.itd.umich.edu also has sources.) ------------------------------ End of Unix-like BBS Software FAQ