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______________________________________ |////////////////////////////////////| |////////////////////////////////////| |//SYNDICATE ZMAGAZINE ISSUE #97//| |//--------------------------------//| |//PUBLISHER/EDITOR| March 14, 1988//| |// RON KOVACS |Special Edition//| |////////////////////////////////////| |////////////////////////////////////| |(c)1988 SPC/Ron Kovacs /////////////| |____________________________________| |SPC | |Post Office Box 74 | |Middlesex, New Jersey 08846-0074 | |____________________________________| |ZMAG HEADQUARTERS: Syndicate BBS | |(201) 968-8148 300/1200 24 Hours | |____________________________________| |************BBS SOFTWARE************| |____________________________________| |Contents: | |____________________________________| |*|Editors Desk | |*|BBS Express! Professional | |_|__________________________________| ______________________________________ Editors Desk ______________________________________ by Ron Kovacs This entire issue has been dedicated to the new BBS software from Keith Ledbetter. In this issue are the text files and menu areas captured from the BETA test site, The MOUSE BBS. I want to thank Jerry Burke and Keith Ledbetter for the opportunity to see the program in action. What you are going to see are SOME of the features along with a few help files that were available on the system. If you are or were an Express BBS sysop, you will be amazed at the changes made here. If you are an OASIS BBS sysop, you will see things that are not even available yet to you. I have suspended ALL news and feature stories this week to allow space for the special edition. I hope you find this atleast interesting and worth- while to your eyes. In the weeks ahead, we will give room to Carina II and other BBS software for the 8 Bit Atari. The information enclosed here has been edited for publication here. Except for the Pre-Order blank that appears at the end of the issue, all the text has been re-adjusted for columns. The Main Menu of the BBS is printed once, reprinting more would cause havic with the size and flow of material here. I logged onto the system and have used my account information, this info has since been changed. If you want access on MOUSE, give them a call at the number below. Personal Review Thoughts ------------------------ I was impressed with the amount of commands and speed of the system. If you are a former Express SysOp, you are going to be amazed at the amount of features and changes incorporated! Keith has done it again with this release and you will NOT be sorry you have invested in one of the best BBS programs ever written. With programmable functions, possible networking, add on ML features, simple addition of commands and the speed of machine language, you can help but wonder what cant be done with this software. I highly recommend you spend some time looking at the beta test sites running the program and ask the sysop to take you around the system. Any questions or features not discussed here are sure to be answered. Due to the large amount of capturing and quantity of the renovations, it is impossible for ZMAG to include everything here, we have included most new areas. The best way for you to decide is call and check them out for yourself. Keith you have done it again!! ______________________________________ Logging On! ______________________________________ Captured by Ron Kovacs 1200: Press Return.. 1200 baud connection Go ASCII/ATASCII, press <return>.. | You have connected to | | MOUSE BBS | | | | BBS Express! Professional | | (c) 1988 by Orion Micro Systems | | BETA Test Site | | Please leave any comments or | | suggestions in message base #7. | You have logged onto the exciting new BBS Express! Professional by Keith Ledbetter. Please take a moment to read Bulletin # 1 and the doc files about how to use this new program which are located in the [E]xpress command from the Main Menu. Welcome to the Wonderful World of PRO Enter your user number or NEW if a new user: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- New User Information =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Welcome to the wonderful world of BBS Express! Professional. This is an ATARI based system and will be of most interest to ATARI users; however, others are certainly welcome also. If you just want to look around or get information about BBS Express! Professional or any of the other Express! programs, you do not need a password. All Express information is available to -Visitors-. Even the special -PRO- message base can be read by -Visitors-. If you want to become a regular member, then pay close attention to the following: -*= IMPORTANT =*- So you want a password validated... You must use your real name for your handle. NO EXCEPTIONS Do you want a permanent password? y Is your terminal 80 columns? n What is your REAL name? -> Ron Kovacs What handle would you like to use? (<return> for Ron Kovacs) -> What is your address? -> PO Box 74 Enter your city, state -> Middlesex, NJ What is your zip/postal code? -> 08846 What country are you from? -> USA What is your phone number? -> 201-968-8148 What type of computer do you have? -> Atari What is your age? -> 30 Enter a password of your choice -> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Here is the information that you have entered. Press a letter to change any item. [A] Real Name: Ron Kovacs [B] Handle: Ron Kovacs [C] Address: PO Box 74 [D] City: Middlesex, NJ [E] Zip Code: 08846 [F] Country: USA [G] Phone: 201-968-8148 [H] Computer: Atari [I] Age: 30 [J] Password: ************* [K] V. Width: 40 [L] Auto-read Email at logon: Yes [M] Clear screen after msg : Yes [N] -Hotkey- 1-key commands : No Enter letter to change, OK when done, or <return> to list: ok Wait, finding a slot for you... Bulletins: * [1] - MOUSE BBS goes -Pro- * [2] - Info on Express Programs * [3] - MOUSE Passwords * [4] - Stormy Weather Select Bulletin # to Read Welcome How Are Things In Middlesex, NJ? |# Of Callers Today__24 |You: | Are Caller_____#24462 | Have Called____ 1 Times | Are Calling____ 1200 Baud | Last Called On_ | Are in_________ ATASCII Mode |Your: | Uploads are_______ 0 | Downloads are_____ 0 |Time On Today______ 0 Mins |Daily Time Limit___ 20 Mins |Today's Date_______ Wed Mar 9, 1988 |The Time Here Is___ 6:46:43pm |Last Caller Was Sysop*Jerry Checking for mail... Sorry, there is no mail for you. [ED. At this point Jerry went to validate my password] [Path] D1:> [Command]> ueditor Edit Which User? [U] by User number [O] Online user [H] by Handle [F] First new [R] by Real name [A] Add new user [V] Visitor rec [1-7] Edit mask [N] New User rec [X] Exit Your choice: h Enter user handle: ron kovacs Searching... Editing: Ron Kovacs (#90) Status: Active/Validated/Unlocked Edit What? [T] Textual data [L] Lock user [U] Usage data [D] Delete user [C] Command sec. [1-7] Apply mask [M] Message sec. [X] Exit [F] File sec. Your choice: t [Command]> ...entering Chat mode... Hi Ron Kovacs, this is Jerry | MOUSE BBS | |Main Command Menu| -<BBS Express! Professional>- [A] Atari/ASCII Mode [O] Other BBS #'s [B] Browse D/L Files [P] Set Parameter [C] Call for SysOp [R] Read E-Mail [E] EXPRESS Menu [S] Send E-Mail [F] Feedback Sysop [T] Title Page [G] Goodbye-Log Off [U] Users List [ ] Not Used [W] Who's Called [M] Message Section [Y] Your Stats [N] News/Bulletins [Z] ZMagazine [4 Min] Command: E ______________________________________ Message Base Processor ______________________________________ Message Base Commands All commands work on the -current- message A - Show message again B - Set direction backward D - Delete current message E - Edit current message F - Set direction forward G - Goto a specific message J - Same as -G- L - Lock current message M - Statistics on this base N - Position at first new message P - Post a new message Q - Quit reading this thread R - Reply to current message S - See replies to this message T - Read thread (from TOP) U - Unlock current message V - Verbose mode toggle X - Exit message processor / - Goto next base w/ new msgs = - Goto another message base The message base processor in Pro! is quite a bit different than the existing versions of Express!. In Pro!, there is no seperate -base name- and -read function- prompts; they are both the same. In Pro!, you are always shown 4 major things in the command prompt. For example: (5/56+) General Base: The above prompt is telling you the following things: o the -CURRENT- message is #5 o the total messages on this base are 56 o your read direction is FORWARD o you are on the -General Base- All of the commands in Pro! work on the -current- message; using the above example, pressing -a- for again would re-show message number 5. Pressing <return> would move you FORWARD one message and display message number 6. Pro! has no -quickscan- command built in because it doesn't need one. The board is intelligent enough to know where it needs to take you; in other words, just pressing <return> will do an -automatic quickscan-. Here's how it works: when you log on and press -M- to enter the message bases, Pro will automatically take you to the first message base that contains new messages to you. Not only that, but whenever you enter a new message base, Pro will also always position you so that pressing <return> will display the first new message for you. This, in conjunction with the -/- command (which takes you to the next message base with new messages) provides an automatic, easy- to-use quickscan. The -thread- commands in Pro work much like the ST version of Express!; pressing -S- after reading a message will show you the rest of the message thread FROM THAT POINT DOWN. Pressing -T- will take you to the TOP of the thread; thereby showing all messages in that thread. After reading all of a thread (or, if you -Q-uit out of it), you will be returned with the original message that started it all as the -current- message. There is also no special -title scan- command in Pro; this is accomplished through the use of the -V-erbose toggle. If Verbose mode is on, you will be shown the message header AND the message body; if Verbose mode is off, then you will only see the message title. If you are in non- verbose mode and see a message that you would like to read, simply hit -a- for -again- and you will be shown the message in verbose format. All other commands are pretty straight -forward; +/- (or F/B) will set your direction to forward or backward; R allows you to reply to a message; P allows you to post a new message. You can edit a message you wrote by using the E command, and deleting of messages you wrote is done with the -D- command. You can jump around the base using the -J- or -G- commands. If you were on message number 5 and wanted to delete msg #45, you would do: -G <cr> 45 <cr> D <cr>- While posting a message in a base, the message editor is almost identical to the current 8-bit version with one exception. That is that the current versions will prompt you for a starting and an ending line number for most commands (ie: list, delete, etc). Pro works differently in that you key in either one number or two numbers as a range. For example, if you hit -/L-, Pro will respond with: [10] Edit: List _ the [10] says that there are 10 lines entered so far; Pro then waits for you to key in one or two numbers. For example, -4 <cr>- would list only line 4; -4,9- (or -4 9- or -4-9-) would list lines 4 through 9 (-4-99- would accomplish the same thing). All other functions are basically identical to the current versions of Express. Pro gives you the ability to edit a message (only if you wrote it) AFTER it has already been saved, or even during a subsequent call to the BBS. This is very convenient when you read a message that you wrote and you either made an error or you say to yourself; -That isn't what I meant to say.- ______________________________________ File Section ______________________________________ If you have called ST Express! boards, then you will feel right at home with Pro's file browsing functions. Pressing -B- will do a browse of the files with full descriptions. Pressing -C- will catalog the files; that is, a short listing with no descriptions. From the catalog command, you can download/read files by pressing D or R, and then entering the letter that appears next to the filename. That's all there is to it! B - Browse files with full descriptions C - Catalog files U - Upload a file = - Goto another file SIG X - Exit file processor ? - This menu ______________________________________ Sysop Area ______________________________________ Since Pro is much more powerful than anything else on the market today, I thought that you sysops or 'would be' Sysops might like to see some of the power 'behind the scene'. From these commands, you can completely maintain the BBS without ever having to take the system down to perform maintenance or prepare files for the system. Keep in mind that the following commands are ALL contained within the BBS and are NOT Dos commands. Therefore, you have all of these commands at your disposal, many of which are not even in Sparta Dos. In addition to these, you can write and run your own Commands also. | BBS Express! Professional | | Dos Shell Menu | | Orion Micro Systems(1988) | | Directory Commands | | | | [ ] denotes Optional Parameter | | | | Dx: - Change Drive | | Dir [Dx:] - Long Dir. | | Dirs [Dx:] - Short Dir. | | PDir [Dx:] - Print Long Dir | | PDirs [Dx:] - Print Short Dir | | Credir Path - Create Dir. | | Deldir Path - Delete Dir. | | CWD Path - Change Dir. | | Count [Path] - Count Files | | | | File Commands | | | | Erase Dx:Fname - Delete File | | Delete Dx:Fname - Delete File | | Rename Dx:Fname - Rename File | | Type Dx:Fname - View File | | View Dx:Fname - View File | | Copy Src Dest - Copy File | | Print Dx:Fname - Print File | | Lock Dx:Fname - Lock File | | UnLock Dx:Fname - Unlock File | | | | Disk Commands | | | | ChkDsk [Dx:] - Disk Statistics | | Protect Dx: - Protect Disk | | Unprotect Dx: - Unprotect Disk | | | | Misc.Commands | | | | To Run A .CMD file, simply key | | the filename to run. | | I.E.Ueditor - To Run User Editor| | Editfile - To Run File Editor| | | | Settime - To Set Time | | Setdate - To Set Date | | | | Chat [On/Off] - Turn Chat On/Off | | or Display Current| | Setting | | | | ShutDown - Shutdown BBS | | | | Help or ? - Help Menu | | Exit or X - Exit Sysop Mode | | | An example of one of the more unique commands is 'SHUTDOWN'. When you run this command... WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! Pressing [Y] Will Shutdown The System Until A Key Is Pressed From The Local KeyBoard... Do You Want To ShutDown? y Last Chance. Are You Sure? y System Is SHUTDOWN... * * * This is great for a remote Sysop or if you are at work and a storm comes up; simply call your board from the office and shut it down remotely. Not shown above is the 'Event Scheduler'. You can program up to 20 different 'events' to take place automatically, each at a prescribed time. For example, you could set your BBS to back itself up at a set time each day or save the Ramdisk at another time. One of the most exciting possibilites of the Scheduler would be have your board go offline and call other boards in the wee hours of the morning and upload and download certain message bases or files and place them on your board. Yes, we are talking about Networking here, and it is going to be available with BBS Express! Pro. Those of you that are already familiar with the User Editor of Express and how the User Log functions, simply will not believe the options at your disposal with Pro. The parameters for every user can now be set individually. Your flexibility here is virtually unlimited. Another powerful feature is the ability to use the Message Base Editor for writing and editing system files such as bulletins, text files, menus, etc. You have all of the Editor commands at your disposal. The above is merely a brief look at the some of the power of Pro with much more than there is room for here with more to come.....after all, this is just the first version. ______________________________________ Message Bases ______________________________________ Go To Base #1 There are 4 messages: New messages (0/4+) Bits and Bytes: Message: 1 (#98) Title: Bits and Bytes Author: Sysop*Jerry To: All Posted: at Replies: 0 This message base is designed to be a general type base for whatever you might want to discuss or ask others questions about. This would be the place to talk about current events, ask others for information, most anything whether computer related or not. This is your area, so feel free to use it as long as messages are not offensive or abusive to others. (1/4+) Bits and Bytes: ? Message Base Commands A - Show message again B - Set direction backward D - Delete current message E - Edit current message F - Set direction forward G - Goto a specific message J - Same as -G- L - Lock current message M - Statistics on this base N - Position at first new message P - Post a new message Q - Quit reading this thread R - Reply to current message S - See replies to this message T - Read thread (from TOP) U - Unlock current message V - Verbose mode toggle X - Exit message processor / - Goto next base w/ new msgs = - Goto another message base @ - Mark base for scan (toggle) (1/4+) Bits and Bytes: m Message Base Statistics Current active message : 1 Current number of messages: 4 Total messages posted here: 7 Maximum messages allowed : 60 Total locked messages : 0 (1/4+) Bits and Bytes: = Go To Base #2 There are 1 messages: New messages (0/1+) TeleCommunications: b ______________________________________ File Descriptions ______________________________________ Enter which file area (0 = List)? 0 1. Games 2. Utilities 3. Applications 4. Education 5. Music 6. Communications 7. Crider Synthesizer 8. AMS Music 9. Movie Maker 10. Graphics/Demos 11. Koala Pictures 12. Print Shop 13. BBS Utilities 14. Miscellaneous 15. Atari ST 16. Private Enter which file area (0 = List)? 6 [6] Communications: ? | File Commands | B - Browse files with full descriptions C - Catalog files U - Upload a file = - Goto another file SIG X - Exit file processor ? - This menu [6] Communications: b Enter filemask to search on (Return for '*.*'): SX212COM OBJ 3328 3-09-88 6:40p Use this program with the new SX212 modem and 850 Express. Place Express on a disk named EXPRESS.850 and run this program which will in turn load Express [D]ownload [R]ead [E]dit Desc [A]gain [C]ontinue [Q]uit: c EXP850V3 OBJ 32157 3-09-88 6:40p This Keith Ledbetter's 850 Express version 3.0. [D]ownload [R]ead [E]dit Desc [A]gain [C]ontinue [Q]uit: q End of files... ______________________________________ ZMagazine (DataBase Area) ______________________________________ ZMagazine [1] Read current issue [2] Read last week's issue ZMazagine is published the first of every week. It is usually online by Tuesday. Select Issue to Read [12 Min] Command: ______________________________________ Userlog Search ______________________________________ [* User Log Search *] [1] List All Active Users [2] Search By User Handle [3] Search By User City/St [4] Search By User Cpu <Return> To Exit Enter Selection ==> 3 Enter Partial <CITY/ST> for Search ==> nj Handle: Carlos Hernandez City: HACKENSACK, NJ Computer: 576K 130XE Last Call: Sun 6-Mar-88 Handle: Ron Kovacs City: MIDDLESEX, NJ Computer: Atari 130XE Last Call: Tue 8-Mar-88 (2) Match(s) Found [15 Min] Command: ______________________________________ Configurations ______________________________________ You are logged on the very first live BBS Express! Professional test of the newest member of the Express family. It is anticipated that this version of the BBS will be available after about 2 months of solid beta testing. Stay tuned here for progress reports. The 850 version of BBS Express is currently shipping. It supports Hayes/ Compatibles modems at 300/1200/2400 baud. Also available is the Atari 1030/301/ 835 modem version. Both versions look and operate identical. The program is written in ACTION! and provided in a run-time format (ACTION! cart not necessary). Listed below are some of the features of BBS Express! <*> The board NEVER crashes <*> All message bases are pre- allocated so no message base -compaction- is required. <*> The system automatically deletes -old- messages, without any sysop intervention required. <*> The sysop can control the maximum number of messages by msg base, as well as the maximum size of each msg by base (ie: base 1 could have messages up to 1400 bytes in length while base 2 could have only 500 bytes per message). <*> Up to 25 message bases, with up to 75 messages per base. <*> A base FULL with 75 messages can be loaded in under 2 seconds. <*> 0 - 8 security level by message base. <*> 0-8 security level for download files. <*> The best message editor available! <*> Multi-level libraries (databases) <*> 255 key input buffer. <*> Sysop has access to all variables in your TEXT files and menus! For example, here is a file that you can make using these variables: Hello, Ron Kovacs! How Are Things In Middlesex, NJ? You Are Caller #24462. Today's Date: Sat 12-Mar-88. Current Time: 7:01:46pm. Your Time On Today: 0 Mins. Time Limit For Today: 90 Mins. Hi Message In System: 151. You have been connected: 15 Min. <*>Supports ATASCII only or ATASCII and ASCII callers. <*>Use with or without a printer. <*>The following SYSOP commands while the user is on-line: * Change a user's security level * Change a user's time limit * Do any XIO command to delete files, format disks, etc. * Turn CHAT mode on or off. * Hang up any user immediately. * Copy From/To any device * Read any system file Plus many more features than there is room to list. If you would like to order this great program, please send $39.95 + $4.00 shipping/handling (check or money order) to: Orion Micro Systems 2211 Planters Row Drive Midlothian, VA 23113 Virginia residents whould add 4% sales tax. Be sure to specify which version you are ordering: 1030/301 or 850 version. If you run the BBS with a 1030 modem, you will need a -ring detector- also which is very easy to make for less than $10 in parts. ______________________________________ Express Professional! ______________________________________ by Keith Ledbetter Since everyone seems to be asking me all the time what the new version of BBS Express! is going to be like, I thought I'd throw together a little overview of the new system. First, let's talk about the upgrade. This upgrade is for the *850 VERSION* of the BBS first, and is being called 'BBS Express! Professional'. This version is targeted at the serious, big-system SysOp. Also, this upgrade will ONLY run on SpartaDOS 3.2x or greater. TDLINE and ZHAND must be installed. This means that the RTime 8 is fully supported (along with SpartaDOS's 'internal' software clock if you don't have an RTime 8 cartridge). What do I mean by 'big-system'? Well, the MOST important thing with BBS Express! professional is that you have a RAMDISK, since every command (and I mean *EVERY* command -- even ASCII/ ATASCII toggle!) is an 'external command', and must be loaded from a disk. Without a RAMdisk or a Hard Disk to load these commands from, the BBS is going to be painfully slow (you might be able to survive with a US Doubler'ed 1050 in high speed). With a ramdisk or Hard Disk, all commands load almost instantaneously. Now, don't get me wrong -- you don't HAVE to have a large ramdisk or a Hard Disk to run BBS Express! Pro, but it is highly recommended because of slow floppy disk access times. BBS Express! Pro is written in 100% machine language. The main 'shell' of the BBS sits in memory from $3000 - $6000. This shell contains common routines that are accessed a lot by the external, chained programs (such as the routines to display strings to the modem, get input from the modem, view text files, etc). Also, there are system vectors that you machine- language-programming sysops can use to access these shell commands to easily and quickly write your own commands! All of the 'external commands' (such as the message base processor, the call-for-sysop command, the browse downloads command, etc) are loaded into memory at $6000 when they are needed. The beauty in this type of a system is that we are now no longer limited by the machine's memory space. Each external command can be up to 16K in length (larger than just about any DOS you'll ever run!). The BBS is currently in Beta Test on MOUSE BBS, the original Express BBS site in Indiana 219-674-9288) and hopefully a long BETA-test period will not be needed... (you haven't really lived until you write a fully threaded message base processor in machine language! yuk!). Another nice feature of the 'modularized layout' is that if there happens to be a bug in one of the external commands, only THAT command has to be changed. This sure makes it convenient for putting updated or modified commands in the download section of the support BBS. OK, enough of this garbage, you say? You want to know what it CAN DO!?!? Well, here's a list of the currently in and proposed functions. Don't hold me to all of these; like I said, some are currently in, and others in this list are pure blue-sky and may not be out in the INITIAL release. But, then again, they can easily be written later as modules, put on the support BBS, and be downloaded by you. You would then just add the letter of the command to invoke the new module to your 'command table definition', and you now have a new command! The ones marked below with an '*' will DEFINITELY be in the initial release. Those marked with an '-' are planned to be initially released or be available for download sometime after the initial release.