THE ees BULLETIN oy BOARD “i SYSTEMS MAGAZINE CALLERS DIGEST The Livewire BBS M+. Laurel, NJ ereware Connection: 2 Rios, KS UM ot H74470" 78651 1 This team created a professional BBS for you. Ww e 6 we ee ee eT We're usually a little more modest. But we couldn’t help feeling proud of what this team has created — a pro- fessional, reliable Bulletin Board System — that you can relate to. The Major BBS® Version 6 provides: * ELECTRONIC MAIL with file attachments, carbon copies, return receipts, message forwarding, mes- sage quoting, distribution lists, and user preferences. ¢ PUBLIC FORUM AREAS (up to 3500) with file attachments, message threading, “Quickscan”, keyword searching, and fully configurable security access levels. * MULTI-USER TELECONFER- ENCE with 65,535 channels, confer- ence “moderators”, and a private chat mode. ° FILE LIBRARY supporting over 10,000 sub-libraries and over ~~ 1,000,000 files, file tagging, CD- ROMs, keyword searching, and optional file approval restrictions. ¢ MHS. MESSAGE NETWORKING with DaVinci E-Mail, cc:Mail, MCI Mail, the Internet, CompuServe, X.400 networks, and other third- party message networks. *FULL SCREEN EDITOR with block commands, paragraph format- ting, and message importing. ¢ FILE TRANSFERS via ZMODEM, YMODEM-g, YMODEM-Batch, XMODEM, KERMIT, Super-KER- MIT, and ASCII protocols. ¢ MULTI-USER SUPPORT for up to 256 simultaneous users — all on a single desktop computer — via modems and serial ports at up to 38,400 bps, and Novell LAN channels. ¢ PLUS: questionnaires, global com- mands, a user registry, file displays, remote system management tools, and much more. We went all out to make your life as Sysop easier, too. Installation is super-easy, with automatic modem detection and customization utili- ties. Fully configurable menus, screens, prompts, help messages, and user accounting options, 6 , U. 5 Fal awifl “SS De ae et) ise ee oo ae The Major BBS —>- — Development Team ~ with about 5% of the code they wrote and tested, line by line. From left to right: Bert Love, Edward Bush, Richard Skurnick, Tim Stryker, Bob Stein, | Brian Stephens, | Shert Robert, Les Bird, Chris Robert, Scott Brinker, Chris Kotacka \ ad } | together with our Locks and Keys™ security system, give you total control. Add-on options include advanced LAN support, The Major Database™, X.25 connectivity, a Dial-Out pack- age, a QWK-mail interface, C source code, and dozens of third-party soft- ware products. But The Major BBS is more than just bits and bytes. The design is well thought out from a human point of view. The documentation is thorough and comprehensive, yet “reader- friendly”. World-class tech support is just a phone call away. We want your business. Call now and we’ll send you literature and a free demo disk. Sales & Literature Hotline SESE 7 | al == ee... ae a ar 7 The Major BBS Version 6 requires a '286 or better, with 2MB or more, ninning MS-DOS 3.3 or higher. CTICOMM | / 4101 SW 47th Ave. « Suite 101 ¢ Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314 ' BBS: (805) 583-7808 « Fax: (305) 583-7846 » Voice: (305) 583-5990 Rntecichtanictetieewamtieeet™” — Inadichdienettvertentasiom ene! CALLERS DIGEST Publisher/Advertising Director Richard Paquette Associate Publisher/Editor John Carcione Associate Editor Ted Freeman Design and Illustration Terry Wilson Art Director Jeanne Lorenzo Pre-Press Operations Dever Graphic Arts Newsstand Consultant William A. Townsend BNL Distribution Services, Inc. 100A Centre Blvd. Marlton, NJ 08053 Tel: 1-609-985-8550 Subscription Fulfillment Starr Fulfillment Corp. 900 Haddon Ave., Ste 326 Collingswood, NJ 08108 Joseph Starr, President 1-609-858-4411 Editorial and Advertsing — We can be contacted online at “The Livewire BBS,” which is the support BBS, set modem at 8,N,1 and cali 1-609-235-5297. Voice Office number is: 1-609-953-9110; Fax is: 1-609-953-7961; hard- copy mailing address is: Callers Digest Inc, 701 Stokes Rd, Medford, NJ 08055. Subscriptions USA 1 Yr. (12 issues) $30 2 Yrs.(24 issues) $55 Call our order HOTLINE at 1-800-822-0437 8am4pm EST, Mon-Fri, and charge your subscription to your Visa or MasterCard, or send check, money order payable to Callers Digest, Inc. All material is copyrighted 1990/91/92/93 by Callers Digest, Inc., all rights reserved. Material in this publica- tion MAY NOT be reproduced in any form without writ- ten permission from the publisher of BBS Callers Digest. BBS Callers Digest (ISSN #1055-2812) is published monthly by Callers Digest, Inc., 70] Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055. BBS Callers Digest is not responsible for the opinions expressed by contributors. Questions and com- ments are welcomed. Unless otherwise instructed, we assume all rights to letters, articles, or other communi- cations sent to BBS Callers Digest as unconditionally assigned for publication. Material not accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope will not be returned. Uploads are accepted only in ZIP format at “The Livewire BBS,” 609-235-5297 (HST, 8,N,1). POSTMASTER: Please send all change of address to: BBS Callers Digest, 70] Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Volume 4, Number 4 April 1993 FEATURES SPOTLIGHT ON TESSIER TECHNOLOGIES ............ 4 MY SWITCH TO POWERBOARD BBS SOFTWARE... 28 by Phillip Bailey PCBOARD CALLERS GUIDE! ...................eeeee 30 First of a two part article ERRORS REPORTED WITH PKWARE'S NEW 2.04c ....50 COLUMNS PING SATO SCO ME: & crrie ions: cer ee se irae 10 Computer Business by Laura Bell MICRO MESSAGE SERVICE, THE SOFTWARE........ 14 CONNECTION, & THE LIVEWIRE BBS Notebook by Alan Bechtold GOTGHAL Y:. 2. sete. ik Mates Tere eae weet 20 Tales From the Lighter Side of Computing by Carol Carmichael & Ed Lazarowitz CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND BBSs ................. 22 The Law and BBS Users by Shari Steele ARJBACK AND INFO ON DISNEY WORLD .......... 26 Uncle Hank’s Shareware Review by Hank Hurteau ET CETERA... NEVVSEIN Bios fe acc te ssres.xsyesh eget aati otter 3 BESCDIBBSHUSIM. acti ate as ce cae cet sss en 42 BOO RELEASES ok oi Pacts os os ool 44 GLASSIFIEDS©. sc cose... «Vs Latin a 51 ADVERTISER’S INDEX... 6.2.2.0... .3. .. 2 52 APRIL 1993 © 1 Professional Bulletin Board Software Wildcat! leads the pack when it comes to features, performance and innovation. MSI was the first to include offline mail reading software in a BBS package, the first with MHS support, and is the only company to offer NetWare bindery access and a multiline product that runs eight lines with separate DOS sessions on a singe PC. There’s a Wildcat! version for just about any application from a single-line neighborhood BBS to a wide-area network system. Uidcatt 3, SSP HSI HG EBS Ss 7 ine Database —, Syten Users = 24, Tetal Calla = Drive F 5 < Alrmutes Idle = @ Last caller [ Cay RARMES at 16:37m an 12/21739Z | Status [ Ualting Por calls at 18:37 | © 18985 | Deumloads = 26 14184 | Uploads = 245 Fa-Printer OFF | FS-Bal) on F4-Pags on F2-Kybd On * XMODEM, YMODEM, ZMODEM, YMODEN-G, 1K-XMODEN-G and KERMIT. * Multi-line operation of 250 nodes, up to eight on one PC. DOORS 1,000 message conferences, file areas and security levels. Full-screen message editorwith quoting. File attachments to messages. Text can be uploaded into a message. File marking while viewing for later download. Operates with virus checking software. Full sysop maintenance when system is taking calls. 1,000 configurable events per node. Relational links between the message area, file area, and user databases, allowing the sysop to access related records. Enhanced support for CD-ROM files and changers. CAT’ © = 4 the: iy ay. aS B ‘ We have the best value in BBS software. You don’t have to buy an add-on mail door or add a program to make it do simple Zmodem downloads! The popular remote control program DOORWAY is even included FREE with the IM version of WILDCAT! You not only get the most for your money when you make your initial purchase, but you get full credit for your software investment when you upgrade it to support extra lines. We appreciate our Check out these prices! The Wildcat! Single Line release supports one incoming phone line on a single PC or network workstation. It also lets you run your BBS in the background under DESQview! $129.00 A great entry-level BBS or office system, Wildcat! Multiline handles 1-10 incoming lines. It can operate on a LAN where all ten lines can be dial-in or locall access. Installed on a single PC under DESQview, Wildcat Multiline is able to handle up to four incoming lines plus local access. $249.00 The Professional Multiline release supports 1-250 incoming lines or local LAN connections, and has all the same features of the other systems, including DESQview support. $499.00 The Intelligent MultiPort (IM) version is a special release of WILDCAT! that communicates only with the DigiBoard Intelligent Multi-Port card. Using WILDCAT! IM you can connect up to eight external modems via an octopus cable to a single 486 using the multitasking program DESQview from Quarterdeck Office Systems. Multiple DigiChannel PC workstations can be linked together on a LAN to provide 16, 24, or even 32 or more lines since the IM version supports up to 250 connections. $799.00 If you haven't tried Wildcat! you haven't experienced the best in BBS telecommunications today. With four versions of Wildcat! to choose from, we're sure to have one to suit your needs, give us a call at 800- 999-9619 to find out how you can start using the ultimate in BBS Software. MUSTANG SOFTWALRE Inc. Redefining Telecommunications in ‘93 P.O. Box 2264 Bakersfield, CA 93303 ¢ (805) 395-0223 Fax (805) 395-0713 BBS (805) 395-0650 a fom] fea pt a | . | ; i peed NN Og poe et f i Poked 4 i po | } a Ud } wee ; bod BS} " Releases $205 I Yai) Pe i ER Ge : D ins fa bs fe? So Co teats wea 4 men @ ; ; ; mY if os RY 2 | 4 Sa “y PERELINE 3.2 NETWORK SOFTWARE BRINGS MODEM COMMUNI- CATIONS TO LAN's. Campbell, CA —~ PereLine Data Systems, Inc. announces a new LAN ver- sion of its award-winning modem com- munications software that. supports most popular modem sharing products, communication protocols and pocket- books. New PereLine 3.2 Network soft- ware is available for $149.95 (all prices suggested US resale at participating resellers or, for a limited time, direct, to license unlimited use on one server; inquiries invited). A single-user version is $89.95. PereLine 3.2 Network is a robust communications application, and sharable across a network, but is not itself a modem server. It is designed to work with all of the most popular modem server products, and supports modem sharing under the popular Novell NACS (with NASI interface), NCSI and interrupt-14 standards. It is compatible with products from Novell and Network Products Corporation; Connection Manager from Softwarehouse; the Ungermann-Bass NETCI modem server; Instant Information, Inc., InstantCom/CS 2.0; Synergy Systems’ Modem Assist+; Modem Protocall from Lan Source; Cross Connect from Cross Systems; and TCP/IP products from FTP Software, Inc and James Rivers Group. This new LAN version reflects net- work-aware design, not just network- aware operations. Individual users can each enjoy personalized configurations, phone books, scripts and file libraries; it can also distribute global versions of each of these. This talent for diversifi- cation is not at the expense of compli- cation; even its user and network- friendly installation process is a model of simplicity. PereLine supports a trove of built- in file-transfer protocols: ZMODEM, CompuServe B+, YMODEM-Batch, YMODEM-G, XMODEM-1K, XMODEM (CRC and checksum), MODEM-7, slid- ing-windows Kermit (“SuperKermit”), Telink and ASCII. It can keep a file transfer running in the background while a user shells to DOS to accomplish other tasks. It can even maintain two simultaneous on-line sessions per user, using any combination of its more than 40 terminal emulations. PereLine script language has over 200 command verbs, and every user can enjoy its bounty of included utilities. The PereLine Editor (PED), GIF and RLE graphics viewer (PLGRAPH) and phone book printer (PHONEPRT). For additional information or review/evaluation copies or PereLine 3.2 contact PereLine Data Systems, Inc., 750 Camden Avenue, Suite B, Campbell, CA. 95008-4102; (408) 364- 2770; FAX (408) 364-2788. PROFESSIONAL COMMUN- ICATIONS SOFTWARE Campbell, CA — PereLine Data Systems, Inc. creators of PereLine 3 announced today that starting version 3.2 will start shipping late February 1993. PereLine 3.2 was developed for users who are looking for power without sacrificing ease of use. Experts will appreciate the extensive PereLine 3.2 configuration options and Alt Key func- tions for quick access to commands. Novices will find that PereLine 3.2 isa Continued on page 46 Rusty Edie Dual Eliminator Rusty n Edie’s BBS announces the introduction of our their Dual Eliminator. Simply plug your phone line to the Dual Eliminator and then plug the Dual Eliminator into your modem. This device consists of 2 passive electronic filters that handle both high and low frequency noise from the phone line. Both high and low frequency are independently adjustable with knobs that mount on the front of the unit. Surge protection is provided by an electronic varistor. A light emitting diode, also mounted on the front of the unit, glows whenever the device is eliminating noise from the phone lines. This device can solve the majority of noise problems associated with telecommunications today, and is sold with a 30 day, money back guarantee. They sell for $25 each plus 34 shipping and handling. To order, call Rusty n Edie’s at 216-758-8342 or call their BBS number 216-726-3589, they will accept Visa or MasterCard. Rusty n Edie’s BBS 1480 Fredricksburg Drive Youngstown, OH 44512 APRIL 1993 * 3 ee | COVER STORY | STORY SPOTLIGHT ON TESSIER TECHNOLOGIES An. interview with Owner/Manager of Tessier Technologies, Mr. Yannick Tessier, who was born September 24, 1968 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada BBSCD: Yannick, tell us a little about your years prior to computers. YANNICK: I lived for 7 years in Canada, my parents then moved to Hollywood, Florida. I have lived in Florida since and love it. I got into com- puters in my sophomore year in High School while taking my first basic course. I then got my first computer, a Franklin Ace 1000, in my junior year of High School. BBSCD: Was computing easy for you? YANNICK: Not really, I took more computer classes in high school and I learned to like the Pascal lan- guage. BBSCD: How did modems become part of your computer educa- tion? YANNICK: After using my Franklin computer I installed and learned how to use a modem. Then I started calling every board in town (there weren’t that many at the time). But, it was an adventure to be on every board and call them every day. Yannick Tessier talking with a potential customer. BBSCD: Which board was the first multi line system you called? YANNICE: My first multi-line BBS was called Frezuul, which was at that time the development stage of Galacticomm, Inc. BBSCD: What got you started in running a BBS? YANNICK: Galacticomm started selling packages of their Multi-Line BBS software and I was one of the first peo- ple to purchase that along with a 4 port card with 4 1200 baud Xenon modems on them, these were not regular Hayes compatible modems but a standard made especially for Galacticomm. BBSCD: Where did you go from there? YANNICK: With the flexibility that I had with The Major BBS I started developing add-on products such as Yahtzee and Chess. From there my home business expanded in 2 directions the BBS and the software. I increased the number of lines to 6 lines back in 1987 and created more games and utl- ities for my BBS. BBSCD: How or what happened to get Tessier Technologies started? 4 e BBS CALLERS DIGEST YANNICE: During this time I was attending my first year in college and continued to develop software and run a BBS is a sideline. After going to school for a couple of years, I noticed that Galacticomm had set a stage for a new software market that I was already involved with and that this market would grow rapidly. I decided to rent out my first office which was only 8’ x 10’ in an executive suite building for small businesses. BBSCD: How far along were you with your software developments? YANNICE: At this point I had about 12 software products and my BBS had grown to 8 lines. This was in October 1989, during which time I was attending school during the day and working on new software products at night. BBSCD: When or what happened to turn this “fun” or “hobby” into a busi- ness? YANNICE: Running the BBS and writing the software turned from a hobby into a business as my first large order came from a company called Medcom. They ordered everything I had written and I was amazed because at that time there were only a handful of 3rd party authors. BBSCD: Did you survey the mar- ket? YANNICE: Yes, I did review what kind of market I was in and decided to get more educated in the business world so that I could one day be able toruna proper business. BBSCD: What steps did you make to get this education? YANNICEK: I took a job as the manager for the King Cole Motel on Hollywood Beach so that I could learn how to interact properly with cus- tomers. While working at the King Cole, I was also preparing my life with my fiance Lori Matza, whom I met on the Frezuul BBS a few years ago. I got mar- ried on July 21, 1990 to Lori and we con- tinued to work at the King Cole till November 1990. BBSCD: How did you get involved with the 900 service? YANNICK: In November 1990, I started working for an Information Service Bureau that based its income on its 900 lines. I worked as a software engi- neer developing and running the com- puters that ran the 900 service. After working there for about 5 months, the company got into financial trouble because of their 900 Service provider, Telesphere, which was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Because of these finan- cial troubles, I was laid off from the com- pany, but I had learned many skills including the ability to write programs for voice mails using the Dialogic boards. BBSCD: How did this experience help you? YANNICE: Well, I continued to work on my own company and now my BBS had grown to 16 lines and I had out grew my little office in Miramar. I pur- chased a house and moved in on June 6, 1991. At that I was writing software from my house and running my BBS 20 miles away in my office. I got another software job from Streetwise, a software devel- opment company that was based on voice mail. BBSCD: Is this about the time you started “full time” on your company? YANNICE: Yes, once the project I was hired for was completed, I left Streetwise to work on my own company. Now that I was working for myself full time and with the help of my wife Lori, our company grew rapidly in many directions. Our BBS expanded to 24 Lines and our software customer base grew to over 200 customers worldwide. BBSCD: What focus did you set for your company? YANNICE: The focus that we set out for our software customers was for excellent product, prompt delivery and superb customer service. At this time I had a few sub-contractors that I was reselling for thus increasing the number of products that I could distribute. BBSCD: When did the 900 mod- ule come into existence? YANNICE: I continued to work for myself as the sole programmer, con- sultant and tech support while my wife organized the company, took sales order and handled customer support. I had worked on a module that would interact the BBS with a 900 phone line Continues... Lori Tessier getting working on current orders. APRIL 1993 ¢ 5 "S YOUR CHOICE. A MULTI-USER BBS YOU CONTROL... THIS IS 100°; OF THE HARDWARE REQUIRED TO RUN 64 LINES AT EVENT HORIZONS USING TBBS VERSION 2.2. (503) 697-5100 OR ONE THAT CONTROLS YOU. THIS IS PART OF THE HARDWARE REQUIRED TO RUN JUST 24 LINES AT RUSTY'S & EDIE’S BBS USING PC BOARD SOFTWARE. (216) 726-0737 © 1992 eSoft Incorporated > & You started out to build a multi-user BBS. You had.dreams about the service your system would provide to your callers, the problems you would solve and the money you would make. But you didn’t bargain for the pile of hardware you would live with every day and now it controls your life. As you compared the prices of software you missed the fact that the design philosophy of BBS software forces many hardware deci- sions on you. When all costs are considered TBBS is ALWAYS the least expensive way to build a full function multi-user BBS. And ONLY TBBS allows you to achieve high per- formance with 64 high speed lines on a single CPU with NO custom hardware. True freedom is the ability to spend your time as you wish. For ten years TBBS has provided the freedom to design custom sys- tems you can live with. Talk to real multi-user BBS sysops. You will notice that only TBBS operators talk first about ideas, not hardware and software. No one gets more capability with less impact on their lives than TBBS sysops. 2 user TBBS 2.2 $295.00, 16 users $895, 32 users $1,495 and 64 users $1,995. Add the TDBS expansion module and compiler for true multi-user dBASE language capability. CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO A ge, DEMONSTRATION §_@P cag SYSTEM. 4 (303) 699-6565. ( @ Solt 3 15200 E. Girard Ave Suite 2550 Aurora, CO 80014 version but had never put that to use until Gregory Shaheen, a good customer of ours, decided to run a 900 service for his BBS. I worked closely with Greg in set- ting up his BBS from scratch including new hardware and software and designed the 900 to work in a different manner then I had originally written it for. The 900 number was to work from another office and connect to Greg’s BBS by using special pregenerated redemption codes. After a few months, Greg expressed to me that his 900 provider was not fully satisfactory and suggested that I should run the 900 ser- vice for him. Well I calculated the costs involved and took a gamble and set up my own 900 service for other Sysops. This 900 service would allow any Sysop to accept billing through the 900 service without any major expenses other than our software. BBSCD: What progress did this new 900 service make? YANNICK: After running the 900 service for a month we decided to hire Wally as a full time employee since he had done sub-contract work for us and was experienced in our field. Since we were working from my home it started to become inconvenient especially since our Demo System (our BBS) was 20 miles away, so I rented a larger office a This 900 service would allow any Sysop to accept billing through the 900 service. few miles away from my home to work from. Now we had plenty of room in our new office in Plantation so we brought all of our equipment from my home and the BBS from Miramar. BBSCD: How large has Tessier Technologies become? YANNICKE: We are now one of the largest resellers of add-on products for The Major BBS as well as an authorized dealer for The Major BBS. We started reselling for companies such as Sirius ai Dit VOICE: (604) 526-3373 #320 - 720 SIXTH STREET NEW WESTMINSTER, BC CANADA W / ee ! ! / Fob mor. FAX: (604) 526-0607 Vo De -53 hee 5 Software, Logicom, Mountain Rose Multi-Media, CCN, and many other indi vidual sub-contractors. We expanded our field to sell CD Titles and drives because of the popularity of MajorCD one of the products we resell for Mountain Rose Multi-Media. Our com- pany now has many separate areas such as our BBS, the 900 Service we pro- vide, Software for the Major BBS and now CD utles. BBSCD: By the way, what is the name of your BBS? YANNICKE: High Society BBS and it currently has 32 Lines, 40 online games, hundreds of Public Message bases and over 3000 users. High Society will be expanding to 128 lines in the near future with the addition of 96 national lines. BBSCD: What plans do you have for the High Society BBS? YANNICK: Our plan for High Society is to make it one of the largest Bulletin Board Systems in the country with over 100,000 files, hundreds of Continues... (604) 526-3676 (8n1) APRIL 1993 © 7 THE BEST BBS SOFTWARE IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE BBS SOFTWARE. The Synchronet Bulletin Board System combines the best of multinode and multiuser technologies with it's revolutionary DESQview Enhanced Mode Operation providing up to 20 times improved performance over other BBSs under multitaskers. Intelligent variable timeslicing under DESQview combined with Synchronet's highly advanced interrupt driven output allows up to ten full throughput 9600bps or 14.4kbps connections on a single 486 PC without expensive coprocessed multi-port cards or a special version of the BBS, all while maintaining access to industry standard door applications and proto- cols. And since Synchronet is fully network- able, building a large scale high-speed mul- tiuser BBS just gota lot easier and a lot more affordable. Synchronet exploits its advanced design with the most interactive multiuser environment ever created. After justa few minutes online you and your users are sure to be hooked. With hundreds of leading edge features Synchronet is not only the most advanced and fea- ture rich BBS available, but at $199 for a 250 node license, it's clearly the best value as well. If you're serious about your BBS, you and your users deserve the Synchronet BBS. avy" Pa 2 ae 00 = 2 node license $199.00 for 250 node license Digital Dynamics: P.O. Box 501 Yorba Linda, CA 92686 (714) 529-6328 Synenrona?t BBS “/ Multinode Bulletin Board System Software Multiline Features ue to 250 nodes re to 10 nodes per PC!) fovell Netware & DOS LAN compatible Local LAN node logon access Sysop Conveniences Complete menu driven configuration utility Comprehensive statistical reporting Customization All text and colors configurable w/o source code ASCI/ANSI menus are easily modified User selectable alternate command key sets & menus Wildcat, PCBoard, Searchlight, WWIV, and more! Commercial BBS Support Time and file transfer credits User expiration dates 976/900 automated billing features Optional external program (door) and NetMail charges Security 100 security levels with 52 sysop configurable flags per user User level restrictions and exemptions Message Base Bi-level (group/subboard) message structure OWK offline mail reader features w/bidirectional QWK/REP! Mailbox oriented internal E-mail system Fidonet Message Networking Multiple simultaneous networks Multiple origin lines on a per message area basis Optional user NetMail forwarding addresses QWK Message Networking Multiple simultaneous networks Flexible call out schedules per network Multiple taglines on a per message area basis Multiple archive formats on a per network basis File Transfer Features Unlimited file transfer protocols with DSZLOG support Batch uploads and downloads w/quick file flagging Bidirectional file transfer age User to user file transfers with attached message Built multiuser CD-ROM access features View archives and GIF info online External Program Support Up to 500 online external programs/doors Real-time mulitplayer Blackjack included FREE! Multiple industry standard door file formats supported Ertemal Events Logon and logoff events Multiple automatic upload events Virus scanning, Integrity checking, etc. Node, system, anit time triggered daily events Multiuser Interaction 99 channel multinode chat with channel password protection Private character by character two user chat Real-time activity lew (can be user disabled) List users and send private messages from any BBS prompt Download the Free demo version: (714) 529-9525 2400bps (714) 529-9547 HST/v.32bis All products mentianed are Irademarks of their respective companies. enn Emenee aaa games and national mail forums. BBSCD: How many BBS’s are currently part of your 900 service? YANNICK: Our 900 Service cur- rently runs for 75 other Bulletin Boards around the country and we expect to have over 200 by the end of 1993. We average 125 calls per day on the 900 Service for these BBS’s and operations run smoothly since we started our 900 Service in July, 1992. We expect to col- lect over $1,000,000.00 annually for the sysops in our 900 program, making this one of the most successful BBS collect- ing systems. BBSCD: What software products do you represent? YANNICE: Our Software division is now reselling the entire Galacticomm line. That brings our total number of BBS products to over 100 making us a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to Madem Communication Saftware for WIM CC/XIZAT and Compatibles Send or fax a copy of this add with your order or mention it when you call for a 55% savings. ] This is a limited time offer for BBS Caller's Digest readers. Features: e Connect Directly or Via Modem e 2 Sessions Simultaneously © EGA/VGA Support e 16550 UART Support ® Context Sensitive Help @ Over 30 Terminals Emulated ® Over 100 Modems Supported ® Full Featured Host Mode ® Network Support Included start a BBS. Our products range from Adventure Games, Card Games, Video Games to CD File Libraries, Match- Makers, and much more. We are always in the process of writing new software to help our company line of products grow as fast as any others in the industry. Cur- rently we have over 400 BBS customers from Australia to Belgium to Hong Kong and every state in the union. BBSCD: Have you expanded into Hardware? YANNICK: After expanding our computer market to include hardware, we now sell a full line of computers, modems, cd rom drives, special serial port devices and almost any other hardware related to the BBS Industry. We also stock and sell CD Titles for Sysops who want to put up a huge file library in a short period of time. Our main focus is software but because a majority of our software works with hard- ware, we were pushed into the direction of selling hardware. BBSCD: For more information, where can our readers call? YANNICK: They can write to: Tessier Technologies Inc., 1876 N. University Dr., Suite #200, Mercede Parkview Building, Plantation, Florida 33322 or they can call us at: Voice: 305- 473-5525 BBS: 305-473-2000 (2400) BBS: 305-473-2030 (9600) or they can fax us at: 305-473-2122. BBSCD: Yannick, thanks for tak- ing time to explain a little about yourself and Tessier Technologies to our read- ers, we which you and your company the best of luck for future growth and suc- cess. YANNICK: Thank You and read- ers, please mention that you heard about us here in the BBS Callers Digest. [-azeeas.] PoreLine’ 30 Day Money Back Guarantee IBM PC Special Price For Version 3.2 BBS Caller's Digest Readers ONLY wb BIS o Modem Communications Be7 A apa e Full Screen File Manager e Full Screen Editor e Powerful Script Language e File Transfers in Background e Password Security/Screen Clear ® Lear Mode for Creating Scripts ® ISDN Support ® Remote Control Included — EX Fax: (408) 364-2788 (9:00 am. to 5:00 pm. PST) PereLine Data Systems, Inc. 750 Camden Ave. Suite B Campbell, CA 95008 | 8) 364-2770 eee (408) 364-2789 (BBS) APRIL 1993 © 9 | COMPUTER BUSINESS BUSINESS THINGS TO : COME BY LAURA BELL Beginning next month, Ms. Bell begins a regular column in this space. Here are some excerpts from articles she has written. i playing field in corpo- rate America changed this year. I am get ting fed up with the assumption we are still living in a market which is subject to the same cyclical movements of our historical aggregate economy. We are not living in the same market. You can’t use historical data to analyze Poland’s current market Things are not the same since they changed to a free market. Americans seemed to be emotionally attached to the way things were before deregulation and changes from the recent recession. THESE TIMES ARE CHANGING! We can’t use data gathered during a different time. The picture you get will be fuzzy. The business market changes with every new headline. McDonnell Douglas recently won a court battle which changes employ- er/employee relationships, maybe per- manently. The court backed the com- pany’s decision to take back health benefits promised to their retired employees. These benefits had been a 10 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST part of the package/contract the employees accepted as their exit pack- age from the company. Now, this court decision has effectively told Corporate America that it can null and void a valid contract. We no longer know what we are dealing with. We are in a fluctuation! We now have an entity which is not required to honor its contractual agree- ments. Another piece of this puzzle is the recent development in the IBM story. Everybody who ever went to work for the Big Blue did so with the idea that this was a job which would take care of them forever as long as they didn’t rob the store blind. When times started getting real tough a few months ago, employee numbers shrunk, but this was to be achieved through normal attrition. When the announcements finally came of layoffs, it put the stock market in such a tail spin, things may never be the same. Not only did a record number IBM stock get traded, and the price plummet, the world is now looking at “Blue Chip Stock” with a jaundiced eye. DTP — THE WONDER CAREER Once upon a time, many years ago, the mystical computer was invented. It was designed originally as a tool to aid people in processing complicated numerical problems in record breaking time. As the demand for these marvels of electronic genius grew, so did the demand for increased abilities. These new capabilities, which include word processing, typesetting and spell check- ing, combined with substantial cost reductions, have opened the doorway to a new career opportunity, called “Desktop Publishing.” The opportunities available in this relatively infant career are limited only by ones imagination and determi- nation (and by the amount of capital one has to invest). The basic tools of the business include a computer, a letter-quality or laser printer and a good word-process- ing and desktop publishing software program. These tools enable one to per- form most secretarial tasks required for a small to large business. Many businesses, especially those just starting out, oftentimes have the need for secretarial services, but cannot afford a full time secretary. Larger firms often have extra work that their staff is unable to complete when needed. They Ni a a a seek outside service companies who can perform these tasks well and quickly. One can easily canvas the Yellow Pages and send out letters to the various businesses in your area, informing them of your existence and expertise. If you have prior experience or knowledge in a particular field, such as, medicine, cosmetics, advertising, or whatever the case may be, you should concentrate your initial efforts in that area. Seek those who need a specialized service such as ONLY YOU can provide. Another good opportunity is the local college (if you are fortunate enough to live near one). Most students have reports due throughout the school year and will gladly pay $3 or $4 per page to have their reports typeset and printed. Canvassing local businesses and selling ad space for discount coupons, then setting up the coupons and having them printed and distributed, also can be a very profitable venture. There are software packages avail- able that allow you to custom design office forms and print out camera ready copy to be printed. Many busi- nesses have a special need for forms that they are unable to locate commercially. Prices vary greatly for designing these forms from $10 to $100, depending upon the amount of time and effort you must devote. We all have our own special inter- ests and hobbies. Do you know how many other people have the same interest? These same people will pay good money to learn about their inter- est. Newsletters and special reports are always in demand and offer an excellent source of income. You might also contact the local quick-copy centers in your area and advise them of your particular expertise. Many of these shops don’t have the time to do typesetting or don’t have a com- puter to do it with. Leaving a flyer in their customer area, also may generate added customers who walk in for print- ing work and see your ad posted. Yet another avenue you might look into is writing and/or self-publish- ing. There are thousands of magazines and newspapers that pay for articles obtained from freelance writers. You may even elect to write a full length book and present camera-ready copy to the printer and have it printed and bound in book form. There are cur- rently over 60,000 such businesses in the US today, and growing at a rate of about 100% a year. The world of desktop publishing is still growing. It’s vast frontiers have only begun to be developed. Tickle your mind and explore the many abilities you pos- sess and the potential areas of desk-top If you have prior experience or knowledge in a particular field, such as, medicine, cosmetics, advertising, or whatever the case may be, you should concentrate your initial efforts in that area. publishing that you could settle into. It is a profession of the present, but one that will last LONG into the future. A profes- sion that could be your vehicle in success and prosperity for the next century. A BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW I am going to make an effort to give a mini review of least one business book a month. My latest attempts in this area has been reading The Magic of Getting What you Want, by David J. Schwartz. This sounds by its title something you would find in the “self-help/ psychology” area of the bookstore. Not so. It is to be found in the business section, at least at Crown Books. Following are a few of the areas covered in this bible on the most important axiom this society has long forgotten — thinking positive. During the times of economic chaos (slow downs and cutbacks — sound familiar?), instead of adopting the attitude that most individuals, man- agers and corporations do of cutting back, think instead, of ways in which to increase your salary or add to corporate revenues. Many years ago, I remember complaining to a close friend that I was going to have to move because I couldn't afford the rent. His response was simple, * think of ways to increase your income, so you can enjoy living in a manner which is pleasing instead denying yourself.” If you think about it, once people usually get into a personal financial crunch they immediately reduce their living stan- dards, living under the false assumption that cutting back will get them through this hard time. Nothing in this world is more depressing than living in unfit liv- ing conditions while dealing with bills, job stress, etc. It creates an environment that once entered, many never escape. This not that much different than a compa- ny who counts every cent of expenditure and consistently puts their employees under the gun to “produce more,” while simultaneously they are giving them less. Put under that pressure, employees fall victim to stress-related illness and the corporation is suffering from the same malady. It, however, just takes longer to fold than the staff members. In a situation where you are wor- rying about the economy — think in a new direction. If you are in a market which is suppressed, think creatively on how to open up another market. Moving might be necessary. Otherwise, you may need national connections in order to move your territory while remaining housed in the same geogra- phy. Bbsing is a very positive/cost effi- cient manner in which to increase your business and open up new doors. If an area you are operating in costs more than its netting you, you may have to get rid of it, but spend just as much time expanding your marketing and look towards another profit center as you do towards your cost cutting mea- sures. And, do not neglect the fact that your employees are not unaware of a stressful economy. Putting too much stress on them, will cost you in dollar out- lays from which you may never recover. David Schwartz is very big on elim- inating negative thinkers in your life. He labels them “the living dead.” Think Continues... 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They are spiritually dead. They exist for one reason only, “to make it through another day.” They may have had a spark of life somewhere along the line, but it has long since blown itself out. Bottom line to this small lesson - avoid them at all costs. They are nothing but an emo- tional drain to you and your company. He gave the example of potential employees who speak evil of past employers being in this category. Negative people in general, pro- voke negative vibes around them. This drains workers’ energy which should be used to push both you and your com- pany forward into the positive (plus/rev- enue) side of growth. He also had a whole chapter devoted to what he labels the “Ask phi- losophy” in life. Ask for more; seek it by actively pursuing your goals, and lastly when you arrive at an opening door which may lead the way to additional revenues, knock on the door. David Schwartz besides being an author, trav- els around the country giving lectures. Schwartz relays a conversation If you are in a market which is suppressed, think creatively on how to open up another market. with a woman he met several years ago who attended a seminar. She was frus- trated because she had been passed over for promotion several times. He asked her a basic question. Had she bothered to ask her boss for the promotion? Her retort indicated that she assumed that her hard work had been noticed; and, that in itself, should have been sufficient grounds for upward mobility. Wo uldm’t it be nice There was a time gap between Schwartz’s first meeting with the woman and a follow up. By the time he heard back from her, the woman’s spirits and status had changed in several areas of her life. She had been promoted sever- al times and she was remarried to her husband. She recounted to Schwartz that her achievements had required asking several times before getting anywhere. For those of us, whom wish to move up in life, accepting initial rejection is part of the plan. One has to recognize that people usually don’t take you seriously the first time around; it takes persistence to move anywhere in life. Learn not to take rejection personally. farsa] Laura Bell is the publisher of Bell Business Review which is an electronic magazine avail- able to Sysops (System Operators) by sub- scription only. Some of the material above was taken from issues of Bell Business Review with permission from Laura Bell. Look for a reg- ular column to start in our May 1993 issue from Laura Bell called “Computer Business”. to Dee able to “PLUGS IM" a CDRGrTri ALESIS Ehem take c= I YaAcCeah oy | LCS) None of that "OLD SCITITFUFE" -eramuned— on this disk? In fact we'll ewen give you a FREE Sony Style Cade. to hold th little" JEWEL "Tih MARKetplace! ~——"N P.O. Box 10925 St. Louis, MO 6S log Mrnrstene, wet ns i 800-25 aa aoe ee TEES owes APRIL 1993 © 13 | BBS NOTEBOOK | NOTEBOOK NicRO NESSAGE SERVICE, THE SOFTWARE CONNECTION, & THE LIVEWIRE BY ALAN R. BECHTOLD AS. month we start our elec- tronic travels in one of my favorite places in the country, the beautiful coastal state of North Carolina. We’re stopping in the capitol city of Raleigh, located equidistant from South Carolina to the south and Virginia to the north. It is in this beautiful city we find... MICRO MESSAGE SERVICE Sysop: Mike Stroud Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Phone Number: 919-779-6674 Modem Type: U.S. Robotics 19.2 BBS Software: TBBS 2.2(64) Motto: “The world’s gateway to the future” Sysop Mike Stroud has brought Micro Message Service (MMS) a long way since it was started back in 1982. Mike became intrigued with bulletin boards when he was president of the local TRS-80 computer users’ group, and the club set up a BBS using home- spun software and a most interesting home-made modem. “The club had a hardware project which involved a homemade PC board, a few parts and a water hose from a car,” Mike said. “The water hose was used to make the cups to hold the tele- phone handset to the block of wood from which the modem frame was made. ‘It did work but not that well,” Mike said. Still, “from the first time I called the club’s BBS I saw a valuable tool that could be used to pass infor- mation and to provide learning experi- ences for people.” Software Connection MMS was recently chosen as BBS of the Month by Computer Shopper Magazine Livewire Micro Message Service When the Micro Message Service was born, it was most likely one of the first specialty systems in existence. “The main purpose of MMS'’s first few years was to support the Orc 80/85 music sys- tem for the TRS-80,” Mike said. Indeed, the system had humble beginnings. “MMS began as a floppy- based system with 64K of RAM and two single-sided 35 track single density drives,” Mike explained. “The logon screen dis- played the mes- sage, ‘Wake up, hamsters! Get those drives a spin- ning. Someone wants to use the system.’” But it was Mike’s attitude toward the BBS, an atti- tude that permeates everything he does with the system today, that led to MMS’s monumental growth. “I wanted 14 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST MMS to become not only a system that people could use to exchange files, but a system they could use to exchange techniques in how to code the files,” he said. “The system had to have a profes- sional look and feel. The interface to users had to be clean and easy to use. Users had to be able to depend on the system being online, and on being able to find the programs and information they were looking for, and at no time would users be jerked around because they downloaded too much, posted too few messages or didn’t type the regis- tration Q&A files with their left big toe while standing on their head.” That professional look and feel and Mike’s determination to make MMS the best it could be has endeared the system to literally thousands of reg- istered users. In fact, the layout of the system’s menus reminds me of a super- fast commercial online system, with everything neatly organized into sepa- rate menus. For example, selecting the Echo Conference Message Area option from the system’s main menu brings you to a complete menu of new options, includ- ing a list of available echo conferences, access to another screen of available echoes, and other system options. There are more than 50 different message echoes available on Micro Message Service right now, including the Amiga National Echo, Apple National Echo, Atari ST National Echo, CoCo National Echo, Commodore National Echo, and echoes supporting communications, hard drives, C-lan- guage, Clipper, broadcasting, amateur radio, laser publishing, multi-tasking, music, and satellite TV, to name but a few. Micro Message Service seems to focus a lot of attention on complete cov- erage for users of virtually all computer types. Each popular computer system supported by national echoes also has its own separate menu of options, offering a local message base and the national echoes, access to a menu of download- able files, live conferences (where appli- cable), and private e-mail. The dozens of separate file direc- tories, nestled within each special inter- est area, are supplemented by four CD- ROMs filled with even more files. There are also a variety of non- computer special interest areas on Micro Message Service, each also ...at no time would users be jerked around because they downloaded too much, posted too few messages or didn’t type the registration QA files with their left big toe while standing on their head. equipped with its own menu. These include astronomy, RC modeling, jokes and humor, photography, Scouting, pets, science fiction and more. One of my favorite non-computer areas is Wade’s World. This is actually a BBS within a BBS, run by 14- year-old sysop Wade Coates (yes, I said 14). It’s a place where MMS _seusers can find a nice selection of online games and other interest- ing diversions. “While Micro Message Service has more of a seri- ous feel to it, Wade’s World has more of the feel of a traditional BBS,” Mike said. Indeed, it’s a great little “other- world” you can visit while you're con- nected to MMS, and Wade’s a quality See who makes you feel welcome while you’re there. Still, even with the vast choice of message bases, files and online games, Mike said Micro Message Service's users are the system’s most valuable feature. “In my book, the people who call a BBS make the BBS,” he said. “I know I have an excellent group of people who sup- port MMS. People willing to take the time to respond to people who ask for help with problems.” According to Mike, the users you find on MMS will most likely be 21 to 45 years of age, involved in computers at their work and enjoying their computers at home, even though the system attracts people of all ages and interests. “There are several families who now use the system, for example, to communi- cate with other family members,” he said. “I had one cancer victim who used the system to send messages to other Continues... Join The Club With No Hourly Connect Charges! Featuring. 2 24 Hour A Day Access A Local Call From Over 850 U.S. and International Cities With: Chat... Email... Games... Forums... Matchmaker... Travel... Shopping... Files... GIFs... s, News... Plus More... Bes, ies oe: aa MORE INFO OR SIGNUP CALL: (81 8) 358- 6968 An Occasional User Plan Is Also Available. 3/12/24 8/N/ APRIL 1993 © 15 a Ee a family members while he was away for treatments.” Adda group of interesting, active users like this to the quality mix of files, message bases and other online features and it’s easy to see why MMS was recent- ly chosen as BBS of the Month by Computer Shopper Magazine, and ranked sixth in the latest Boardwatch Readers Choice Top 100 contest. And Mike doesn’t rest on his lau- rels. He plans to continue expanding the system. In fact, that’s one of the things he enjoys most about running Micro Message Service. “I love adding to the system and seeing it grow,” he said. “It's like stamp collecting or model rail- road building. The fun comes when you find a new stamp or add a new hard-to- find car to the model train.” He said he plans to add any fea- ture for which he can find the money. “T want to expand the online areas to sup- port any items people take part in — hobbies, home improvements, health issues, whatever,” Mike said. “For the less immediate future, I also want to connect Micro Message Service to other major databases and computer systems, then to take the system behind the current lim- its of TBBS. If it can be done by an online system, I want Micro Message Service to do it.” Access to MMS is free, but first- time callers are restricted from down- loading or leaving messages. You can look around the system and register for access, however, then Mike will send you The Beil Business Report is in its 4th year of publication. Topics covered have expanded to include: economic and business trends, company news, investment and financial topics, real estate, collecting, management and Start-up issues. It is distributed to over 40 bbses and also uploaded to three libraries on Genie. Electronic and print subscriptions are available along with sample issues. Call for Advertising rates in the electronic version. The Bell Business Report 365 W. Doran, #212, Glendale, CA 91203 Voice: 818-547-1192. E-Mail on Prodigy JXSV65A and Genie L.Bell12. a password by return mail which you can use for subsequent logons. Subscriptions are available, and range from $15 (6 months with limited download ability and time) to $85 (one year, up to 210 minutes’ access and 1.2 megabytes of downloads per day). I suggest you give this one a call. It’s a certified winner! After traveling all over the coun- tryside the way we do month after month, I thought it might be nice next to stop for a little rest. I’m a homebody at heart so, for me, resting means a visit to the old homestead — Topeka, Kansas. It’s the capitol of a state filled with gently rolling fields of wheat, but also spotted with the starkly rotund expanse known as the flint hills, and tree-covered hills in the east that look astonishingly like the English country- side. It’s also home of... THE SOFTWARE CONNECTION Sysop: Mike Ortiz Location: Topeka, KS Phone Number: 913-271-2070 Modem Type: U.S. Robotics 14.4 BBS Software: WildCat! 3.51P Motto: “More than you could ever need — all in one place” If you run a WildCat! BBS, you’ve probably heard of Mike Ortiz, sysop of The Software Connection in Topeka, Kansas. He’s now actually quite well known as the author of a number of very popular WildCat-compatible door pro- grams (software that can be run from the menu of a BBS) and utilities, including CatScan, TVPro, GoMail and his latest release, The File Equalizer. The File Equalizer is a unique program that allows BBS operators to offer access to directories containing lit- erally thousands of programs, even if they have only a small hard disk drive on the system. The door program presents callers with a list of files that are actual- ly available from OTHER BBSes. Users select the files they would like to down- load and the BBS, during early morning hours, calls the systems where the files are actually located, downloads them, then makes them available for download by the caller that requested them. Callers are charged a small fee for each file downloaded, based on the time it takes to obtain the files. Mike says the software saves BBS users a lot of money and that stands to reason. Most BBS operators have modems that are much faster than the average BBS callers’ modems. By using the File Equalizer, callers can, in effect, “rent” the use of those faster modems to get files they wouldn’t otherwise have available to them, from systems that would also charge them membership fees and possibly even hourly connect charges if they were to call them direct- ly. “What this means is that you could have a 40 megabyte hard drive (on your BBS) and still offer over 30,000 files to your users,” Mike said. “And The File Equalizer does all the work for you. Just request your files and the next morning they are available.” GOmail, Mike’s other new pro- gram, is an echomail tosser (a program that handles sorting and addressing of incoming and outgoing messages on echomail message bases, posting them on the right directories on the BBS), also for WildCat systems. Mike started The Software Connection in November of 1987 to support his excellent software and sysops from all over the world were soon calling the system to pick up the latest versions of his programs, and to obtain technical help running them. Things just sort of took off from there, with new users calling in droves. Now The Software Connection has grown into a massive storehouse of tens of thousands of files — many available through The File Equalizer, more in dozens of dif- ferent download directories and even more on five different CD-ROM drives — and hundreds of message bases, both local and echoed. Now sysops call The Software Connection to pick up shareware, text files, and GIFs to put on their systems, too. To offer all these features and eg i re i —=TT 16 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST accommodate the thousands of callers they’re attracting, The Software Connection’s hardware had to do some growing, too. To that end, the system now operates on a local area network consisting of eight machines, including two local machines and a file server, with six incoming telephone lines, five of which are capable of 14400 baud con- nections with a v.32 or HST connection. Many of the 40,000+ files that are available on The Software Connection are stored on the network’s multiple hard disks, but the system’s five CD- ROM drives hold a large number of popular shareware and public domain programs and artwork files (ranging from G-rated children’s pictures to adult XXX animations). It’s a gigantic, almost endless array of programs and files of interest to anyone with any interest. Computers, business, games, programmers’ utilities, artwork, images — whatever you could imagine you would like or want from a commercial quality online service — it’s all here in abundance. If you like to communicate with other computer users, you don’t need to BBS Technologies call anywhere else. The Software Connection plays host to over 100 echoed message conferences, in addi- tion to dozens of local message bases, covering everything from business to hob- bies and every- thing in between. In addition to downloading literally thousands of shareware and public domain games, you can also play more than two dozen of the most popu- lar online games, many of which allow you to play with or against other live users. The selection includes BBS Chess, Golf Solitaire, Box Poker, Puzzle Machine, Ladders Dice Game, Card Sharks, and more. My personal favorites are Two- Card Poker, a fast-moving game that’s easy to learn and a superb test of your 1444 E. Brown Ave. @ Fresno, CA 93704 Your Source for BBS Software & Hardware This Month’s Featured Products Wildcat! ........ Single Line BBS Wildcat! ........ 1-10 Line BBS Wildcat! ........ DigiBoard Major BBS.....2 Line BBS The File Equalizer is a unique program that allows BBS operators to offer access to directories containing literally thousands of programs, even if they have only a small hard disk drive on the system. luck, and an online edition of Monopoly that allows you to test your wheeling and dealing skills against the other users. Best of all, however, is Caribbean Contraband, where players borrow money from the Noriega-owned Bank of Panama to buy a cargo plane (the “Miss Demeanor”). You also must use some of the money to buy your illegal cargo and try to deliver it safely to its des- tination. And you have only 30 “moves” in which to pay off bank and build up a stash of cash to win the game. Fun! If all that isn’t enough, The Software Connection also sports an Continues... Call our BBS for latest Product information and download our complete catalog! e Wildcat! e TBBS e TDBS ® DigiBoard ¢ e The Major BBS BBS Technologies Doors e Searchlight ¢ CD-Discs » U.S. Roboticse Major BBS......Entertainment Collection Searchlight... CD-Disc Orders only (800) 944-9464 Inquiries (209) 222-0733 BBS (209) 222-0227 U1 3335 APRIL 1993 © 17 extensive collection of adult files and message bases guaranteed to shock (or at least surprise) even the most jaded lover of explicit materials. Mike’s very tght-fisted about granting access to this restricted area, but also very free-wheel- ing in his attitudes about what can go on there once you’ve proven you are of legal adult age. That’s the way such sec- tions should be run. All of this is rolled into a system that runs smoothly, with colorful, easy- to-read menus and a structure that is logical and easy to follow. It simply doesn’t get much better than that! And, access to The Software Connection’s main telephone line is free. Of course, you can’t run a system like The Software Connection and ever hope to continue growing with no money. For this reason, Mike Ortiz solic- its donations from regular users — and grants extended system access to those who contribute. You can donate as little as $5 a year or as much as $300. How much you donate will affect your down- load limits, the number of lines you can call and the amount of time you can remain connected to the system each day. $300 gives you lifetime access to everything on the BBS for the life of the DOORWAY TO REMOTE COMPUTING H.-F 32 a: a3 isa 18 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST system. After you log in, I’m sure you'll agree The Software Connection is truly a world class online system, one that stands head and shoulders above what you would expect to find in a city the size of Topeka. Check out what Mike has in store for you. Finally, from my own home port we move on to Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, where we find another kind of home on a BBS run by Richard Paquette, pub- lisher of BBS CALLERS DIGEST. It’s the home of the electronic version of BBS CALLERS DIGEST and, thus, also the home of this column. It’s... THE LIVEWIRE BBS Sysop: Richard Paquette Location: Mt. Laurel, NJ Phone Number: 609-235-5297 (HST) Modem Type: U.S. Robotics 16.8 (Private Nodes) BBS Software: PC Board 14.5a/E10 (7 Active) Motto: “Home of BBS Callers Digest, RealLife(tm) Net and Livewire Doors!” I’m always surprised how many BBS CALLERS DIGEST readers don’t know about The Livewire BBS. BBS CALLERS DIGEST publisher Richard Paquette is the sysop of The Livewire BBS, which he started long before the magazine hit the stands. He runs a fine board, as anyone who logs on regularly will tell you. First and foremost, of course, you'll find the online edition of BBS CALLERS DIGEST online on The Livewire. Operators of other BBSes can also subscribe to carry the electronic edi- tion of the magazine on their own sys- tems, downloading each monthly issue from The Livewire as it becomes avail- able. Of course, readers can also use the system to leave Letters to the Editor online and to interact with the BBS CALLERS DIGEST staff. If you have a credit card, you can also enter your own classified ad online, to appear in an upcoming issue of the printed and online editions of the magazine. Richard also offers a selection of other electronic publications on The Livewire. Some, including Online Digital Music Review, Video Online, Business Sense and Thinking Magazine, are published and/or distributed by my own company, BBS Press Service (hey — a little per- sonal plug’s ok once in a while, right?). Still, I have to say messages are For remote computing, use the program computer professionals have chosen; to access your computer from home, office or any other remote location. Ata programs Available from : TriMark Engineering 406 Monitor Lane Knoxville TN 37922 (800) OPN-DRWY only); (615) 966-3667 System Requirements RAM, modem (up to 38,400bps). Site licensing available. DOORWAY is the trademark of TriMark Engineering. fraction of the cost of other remote access programs! af RR ST a TE DOORWAY Features : » Automatic Callback » Send/Receive Files > Redirect Printer Output > Menus with passwords > No reboot on lost carrier > Compatible with all Comm >» Comm program included > Both keyboards active > Modems up to 38,400 bps » Requires only one copy > Support via Bulletin Board » Supports multiple Com ports DOORWAY Program and Manual (USA $49.95 : IBM-PC Compatible, 640k Samm The Livewire’s real strong point. Message bases abound on The Livewire, bolstered by the large number of echoed confer- ences Richard’s added to the mix. You'll find Ilink, Intelec, SmartNet, AfterDark, PoliceNet, Rime and FidoNet echoes on the sys- tem, and The Livewire is also the home of RealLife, an excit- ing new echomail network. Topics include such diverse subject matter as House Repairs, Astronomy, Quick BASIC, Missing Children, Gay Issues, DeskTop Publishing, For Sale, Hardware, Star Trek, Alternate Lifestyles, and dozens more. This doesn’t mean you won’t find any files here. There are thousands. Being a publisher of online magazines myself, one of my favorite collections on The Livewire is the Magazines, Etc. area, which includes some of the best lesser- known electronic publications current- ly rolling around the online world. Here I found a huge array of interesting text files offering information on topics as diverse as UFO reports, AIDS news, a study of mind control and brain washing techniques used by religious cults, how to be a sysop, over 500 blonde jokes, how child abuse cases are reported, and regular releases of Computer Underground magazine. As a member of The Livewire, it’s clear you won't ever have to go without intriguing reading matter to keep you thinking! In fact, I found some of the most interesting reading matter right in the system’s Bulletins area. Here there is an excellent piece on how to identify a virus, a fact-filled file about hard disk drives, a list of technical support BBSs around the country, an explanation of ZIP files and a list of recommended files you can find on The Livewire. My One of my favorite collections on The Livewire as the Magazines, Etc. area, which includes some of the best lesser-known electronic publications currently rolling around the online world. favorite was the daily horoscope, auto- matically generated by the system each day. It’s surpris- ingly good, if you enjoy that sort of thing. Other files on the system include literally any kind of shareware or public domain software you could imagine: games, business applications, pro- grammer’s utili- ties and much more. Newer uploads are avail- able on the sys- tem’s hard disks as soon as they’ve been verified to be virus-free by a unique auto- matic program that checks out files as they are sent to the system. A wide assortment of the best tried-and true titles are also available on the system’s three CD-ROM drives. Computer art and picture lovers will also appreciate The Livewire’s hun- dreds of downloadable GIF and PCX files, from G-rated to adult XXX (for verified adults only!). As always, one of my favorite fea- tures on any BBS is online games. You’ll find plenty of quality challenges to choose from on The Livewire. I actual- ly won some money betting on the online horse race (well —- not REAL money, but that’s probably why I won!). Talso had a good time playing Feud, an online version of Family Feud, and test- ing my musical knowledge with a round of Name That Tune. These simple play- by-yourself quiz games, fun as they are, only touch the surface of the online games The Livewire has to offer, from detailed adventures to graphics-oriented board games. Richard also wears another hat — that of a programmer. He has written a number of door programs for use with PC Board and many other BBS pack- ages, including the program that dis- plays BBS CALLERS DIGEST online, the online magazine display door, a number of great games and more. With Internet network access just coming online (it was announced but not yet available when I called) and more CD-ROM drives (at least two) coming soon, I think you'll agree there’s a lot here for your money. Even better, The Livewire gives you a unique opportunity to get behind-the-scenes at the magazine itself, meet the people responsible for putting each monthly issue together, and connect with the readers. Subscribing to the system is easy — you can do it right online with MasterCard or Visa. And it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. A one-year entry- level membership is only $35 per year and other options — allowing longer access each day, access to adult areas, and more — are available for $50 and up. Give the system a call and look around (after you finish reading this issue of BBS CALLERS DIGEST cover-to- cover, of course!). I recommend it! es The Black Cat e o Information Service | Based entirety on 14.4K lines Over 2GB of on-line space and 6 CD- ROMS New Macintosh, IBM, Amiga, and Free On-line Commodore files daily! Over 30,000 files ae) On-line shopping Magazines GIFs for the family and aduRs More than 300 varied conferences Tired of Sysops who never answer questions? Call The Black Cat for Sysops} who are there for you. | 30 minutes free daily/downloads instan 716-262-3680 APRIL 1993 © 19 GoTcHa! BY CAROL CARMICHAEL H.. many callers think about avoiding calling into their favorite BBS on April Ist? Several Washington, D.C. area SysOps (ourselves included), had a great time last April Fool’s — at least we can say, WE did — we’re not too sure about our callers though! We couldn't just do nothing that day; the temptation was simply too strong to resist. Our dilemma, however, was in determining the best (kindly) prank to play upon our valued callers. We hemmed and hawed for more than a week, with the first of April rapid- ly drawing closer and closer ... we had strong criteria to meet. The prank had to be original, memorable, and in good clean fun. After all, we didn’t want to scare anyone away. Finally, one of our collaborating ‘SysOps of Prankdom’ came up with the perfect joke! Let’s all exchange initial welcome screens (you know, that screen you see the very first time, every time you log into a BBS with the BBS’s name and logo on it?) on April Ist. Each of us who participated in the prank run busy multi-node systems, so we made sure to have a different wel- come screen on each node — further confusing the issue. As you can probably imagine, yes, there were a lot of hangups that day, only to have the caller immediately dial right back in. Once they went beyond the logon, it soon became apparent to them that they really were on the board they intended to call all along; no, ROTEL...TALES FROM THE LIGHTER SIDE OF COMPUTING their modem and telecom package wasn’t playing nasty tricks on them! Only their SysOps! However, one particular SysOp even went beyond just the logon screen. In his enthusiasm for this prank, he also carried the respective boards NEWS screens as well, making the challenge of We had a lot of fun on Apmnil Fool's and our callers seemed to enjoy the prank too. As a result, all participating SysOps gained some new callers. discovering which board the caller was logged onto just a little more difficult. And yes... all participating SysOp’s not only run PCBoard software, but the same version. The biggest chuckle during the day came from a regular caller of Bob Bakley’s No-Frills BBS. This particular caller just happened to pick April 1 to try out his automated script in unat- tended mode for the very first time. When he came home that evening and read his mail, and saw the welcome screen to Struppi’s BBS, he thought his script must’ve surely entered the Twilight Zone. You see, he had never once placed a call to Struppi’s before! But... you can bet he calls in regularly now! We had a lot of fun on April Fool's and our callers seemed to enjoy the prank too. As a result, all participating SysOps gained some new callers. Therefore, in addition to having fun, this was another unique opportunity to market your BBS too! And you can be sure we're all cooking up something *extra* special for this April Fool’s Day! 20 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST $64,000 QUESTION: “HAVE YOU *SEEN* THAT GIF OF CAROL CARMICHAEL”? Speaking of April Fool’s jokes SysOps play on callers, that last story reminds us of a prank the SysOp of Capitol Connection played several years ago on April Fool’s Day. At that time, Carol was still just an avid caller with nary a thought about ever setting up and running her own BBS. However, she was a-prolific caller and messaged back then like she’d never messaged before ... or since. As always happens, many of Carol’s correspondents began to get very curious about the face (and bod) behind the signature. About two years ago somebody (Carol is *STILL* trying to figure out just who the culprit was...) started a tagline which was comprised of the fol- lowing: “Have you *seen* that GIF of Carol Carmichael?”. This tagline was quickly captured and circulated among many of the RIME conferences. A perennial jokester at heart, the SysOp of Capitol Connection (CAPCON) BBS in Washington, D.C. saw this as an oppor- tunity to have some fun. April Fool’s day was approaching and as we've said, this SysOp loved to play an innocent prank or two on his callers. So lo and behold, on April 1st, when callers logged onto his board, there was a prominent notice in the news screen: “Now available for down- load, Caro] Carmichael’s GIF”. And yes, sure enough, when a caller scanned for new files, there it was for one and all. He had even listed it as a FREE (No Time/No Bytes) download! In just three days that file was downloaded over 500 times! Word had circulated through the RIME network that this file was available and calls came in from all over the place. (Note from Ed: Carol still shakes her head in won- derment thinking about this.) But, alas, it was all in good fun - the joke being on the callers after all. For you see, even though the file had a GIF extension, once you unzipped it, it was actually the Capitol Connection BBS master file list, (which is very extensive by the way), with a note affixed to the end saying “Gotcha.....Happy April Fool’s Day!” IT’S ALL IN HOW YOU READ IT — REALLY, IT IS! Many of us who are active BBSers also participate in other, more product spe- cific online services. The following is an actual alert to IBM Field Engineers that went out to all IBM branch offices. The person who wrote it was very serious, but the rest of us find it rather amusing. ABSTRACT MOUSE BALLS AVAILABLE AS FRU Mouse balls are now available as FRU {Field Replacement Unit}. Therefore, ifa mouse fails to operate or should perform erratically, it may need a ball replace- ment. Because of the delicate nature of this procedure, replacement of mouse balls should only be attempted by od. Mouse balls are not usually static sensitive. However, excessive handling can result in sud- den discharge. (609) 953-7961. PP. RT EERE ne or EL ce RR eek Ree ee ee ee 7 roperly trained ! = ' ae Before | DOn'’t miss another issue — proceeding, deter- | Subscribe Today mine the type of |! 1 mouse ball(s) by pe he Se CALLERS DIGEST examining the | underside of the | C1 1 year USA $30 O 2years USA $55 i mouse. Domestic CANADA $50 CANADA $95 balls will be larger ; = You can charge VISA or MasterCard by | and harder than | calling 1-800-822-0437 (10a.m.—4p.m.e.st.) ! foreign balls. CS eMerillime Ball removal ! 1 procedures differ OQ Enclosed is my check for $ depending upon j () Credit card (circleone} VISA M/C the manufacturer # Fun.date ! of the mouse. ! ; P- a | Foreign balls can |! Signature ! be replaced using Name the pop-off meth- Add od. Domestic balls | Aas 1 are replaced using ! City ' F | 1 Ue Drstor tau State/Zip Code I ! | | t I 1 ! i | ! t i Mouse balls are not usually static sensitive. However, excessive handling can result in sudden discharge. Mail to: BBS Callers Digest, 701 Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055. If paying by credit card, you may FAX this form at Upon completion of ball replacement, the mouse may be used immediately. It is recommended that each replacer have a pair of spare balls for maintaining optimum customer satis- faction, and that any customer missing his balls should suspect local personnel of removing these neces- sary items. To re-order, spec- ify one of the following: P/N33F8462 - Dom- estic Mouse Balls or P/N33F8461— Foreign Mouse Balls. fraceciss| If you have an experience or thought that you'd like to share with us, please do not hes- itate to drop us a line via RIME. Although we prefer to be reached via RIME conference #234 (BBS Callers Digest), We can both be reached via any RIME conference if your local Board does not carry conference #234. Please route your message to node id — >STRUPPI. APRIL 1993 © 21 easy Baew rss) ase — oe CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND BBSs BY SHARI STEELE . 2 A couple of ..{; montas ago, I @{ wrote in this col- umn about min- ors accessing obscene or inde- cent materials on BBSs. To- day’s topic is about a related, but some- what different, area of the law: child pornography on the boards. Child pornography is any visual depiction of a minor (under the age of 18) engaging in any sexually explicit conduct. As Congress found in a 1986 report, “Child exploitation is multi-mil- lion dollar industry, infiltrated and operated by elements of organized crime, and by a nationwide network of individuals openly advertising their desire to exploit children.” In order to combat the “physio- logical, psychological, and emotional harm caused by the production, distri- bution, and display of child pornogra- phy,” Congress passed the the “Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation Act of 1977.” The Act’s title gives a clear insight into what Congress was thinking — and explains why obscenity, indecency and child pornog- raphy are separate subjects. Child 22 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST | —— pornography laws are designed to protect the children depicted in the pornographic materials from sex- ual exploitation. Obscenity and inde- cency laws are not designed to pro- tect the people depicted in the obscene or inde- cent materials. In addition, the obscene and inde- cent materials do not need to be visual depictions at all. Radio broadcasts and “dial-a-porn” ser- vices have both been held to be inde- cent. While this distinction may seem like an insignificant one, the law treats these three areas very differently. CHILD PORNOGRAPRY, OBSCENITY AND INDECENCY The production and distribution of child pornography is completely illegal in the United States under federal statute. Even advertising pornographic materials that depict children is illegal The production and distribution of child pornography is completely illegal in the United States under federal statute. under that statute. The Supreme Court has held that individual states may deter- mine whether the private possession and viewing of child porno- graphic materials is illegal. In con- trast, there is no single federal statute that makes the pro- duction and dis- tribution of obscenity (i.e., sexually explicit materials not depicting children) illegal per se. (Many methods of distributing obscenity, such as through the mails, over the public airwaves or via the tele- phone, are illegal by federal law, how- ever.) The Supreme Court also has held that states may NOT outlaw the private possession of obscene materials. In considering child pornography, the Court explained that a state has a “compelling interest in protecting the physical and psychological well-being of minors and in destroying the market for the exploitative use of children by penalizing those who possess and view the offending material.” On the other hand, the paternalistic view of protect- ing an adult from “obscenity [that] would poison the minds of its viewers” is not legally adequate to justify violating a person’s right to speech under the First Amendment. There is also no one federal law that makes the production and distri- bution of indecent materials illegal. In fact, the Supreme Court has held that indecent materials cannot be com- pletely barred from the public air- waves, for a less intrusive alternative is simply to restrict the times of the day indecent materials may be aired. Indecency laws are also generated by States and are designed to limit the exposure of minors to the final indecent product. So child pornography laws are much stricter than the laws governing obscenity and indecency. The govern- ment fashioned these laws to protect children, not to limit people's access to socially deviant materials. THE FEDERAL LAW AND BBSS The federal law against child pornog- raphy focuses on three types of people: people who create the pornographic materials, parents who knowingly permit their children to appear in porno- graphic materials, and people who advertise pornographic materials. In 1986, Congress amended the advertising provisions to specifically include materials distributed over com- puters. The law now says that any person who knowingly makes, prints or pub- lishes, or causes to be made printed or published, any notice or advertisement seeking or offering any visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explic- it conduct, or any advertisement seeking or offering participation in any act with a minor for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct, shall be fined as much as $100,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 10 years. This pro- vision applies when the person knows or suspects that an advertisement will be transported in interstate or foreign commerce “by any means including by COMPUTER or mailed” or when the advertisement is actually transported in interstate or foreign commerce, whether or not there was knowledge. This does not mean that a SysOp is responsible for any advertisements for child pornography that are upload- ed to or downloaded from his or her The government fashioned these laws to protect children, not to limit people's access to socially deviant materials. BBS if that SysOp had no knowledge of the advertisement. What it does mean is that the person who created the advertisement is legally liable if it gets distributed on someone’s board, whether or not the cre- ator knew the ad was going to be distributed. And I'm using the term “advertise- ment” very broadly. If some- one leaves a mes- sage that says, “I’m making a new x-rated film about teenage sexuality and need girls between the ages of 13 and 17 who are willing to ‘go all the way’ on camera,” the per- son creating the message is in clear violation of the law (if the message wasn’t posted as a joke). old information] Name Address City State/Zip Code NEW Address Name Address City State/Zip Code CHANGE OF ADDRESS Don’t delay your BBS Callers Digest—if you’ve moved let us know! OLD Address (affix your mailing label or fill in the Mail to: BBS Callers Digest, 701 Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055. You may FAX this form at (609) 953-7961. LAMBEY AND DEPEW So far, there only has been one case under this statute that involved the use of a computer for distribution of an advertisement for child pornography. The investigation for U.S. v. Lambey, brought in federal court in 1989, involved over 100 FBI agents and San Jose, California,. police. Dean Ashley Lambey, a 34year-old, Virginia real estate agent, first came under investiga- tion when he conversed with undercov- er police officers on a BBS. A San Jose police officer had placed an ad on the Chaos BBS, which catered to people with diverse sexual interests, seeking children for sex and sexually explicit photographs of children. Lambey answered the ad and expressed interest in sexual contact with pre-adolescent, white males. Over the next several months, Lambey and a friend he met through a second BBS, Daniel DePew, shared with undercover officers their plans to kidnap or buy a boy, videotape the sex- Continues... a a ee + L APRIL 1993 © 23 LOWEST PRICES AROUND @ ON ALLCD’S AND BBS SOFTWARE ® The Following range from $19.95 - $69.95 Nightowl’s 4-8 Shareware Tiger Gigabyte Gold Phoenix 1-4 Bonanza 3 Pack Day Time Express So much Shareware 1&2 America’s Premier So much Screenware The Following are $24.95 or 3 for $59.00 | ateniaalenlaniorderieeealaslealvehnienienleniemeaaan I WC Microsoft Windows WC Amiga WC Garbo MEGA CD-ROM 2 MEGA Win OS/2A | MEGA A/V 1 Il i i l i Na a sR en a D Se a) a i 900 SERVICE If you run a BBS and would like to expand the number of pay- ing accounts, then this 900 service is for you. The entire cost for the setup including the|/‘The Major BBS Version 6 has \ 900 Line and Software is only $150.00. Give us a call to get connected today! Call for our list of add-on products to the Major BBS. TTI is the largest 3rd party vendor and distributor! wa Tessier Technologies,Inc. 1876 N. University Dr. Suite 200 Plantation, Florida 33322 ihe Major BBS , I List ($259.00) l I Now Only Kee been rated as one of the Best Professional Bulletin Board software around the world! And why not since it offers true inter- action with up to 256 nodes, electronic mail, teleconfer- encing, SIGS, FSE, File Librar- ies, MHS mail and much more! et irae) VISA aX astcard} (cop ORDERS) Fantasy CD’s $39.95 i So Much Stareware Storm 2 &3 Visual Fantasies Seedy 1-7 My Private Collection PC PIX 1 & 2 GBL Alternative Ecstasy Private Pictures XXX Extremes Erotic Encounters Busty Babes \ Must be 21 and over to order! ay Call our demo support system at (305) 473-2000 at 300/1200/ 2400 Baud or call at (305) 473- 2030 at 9600/14.4/19.2 Baud. Once you are signed up you can get instant validation through our 900 service or leave the System Operator E-mail. We have over 60 Online mod- ules with a variety of options such as games, SIGS, Chat, a huge File Library and much more. The reason we want you to call our 32 line bbs is to see what your bbs could look like! A All prices in US Dollars. Price does not include shipping and handling. CD Titles are first come first serve while supplies last. To Order call (805) 473-5525 or Fax (305) 473-2122 ual molestation of the child, kill the youth in a sadistic slaying on the tape, wash the child’s body in acid to remove incriminating evidence, dump the body in a swamp and sell the “snuff film” to interested buyers. Both men were arrested before they could carry out their plan. Lambey pled guilty to the charges of conspiracy to kidnap a minor and soliciting to produce child pornography. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for conspiracy and 10 years for the child pornography. DePew insisted he was simply engaging in fantasy and had no intention to actually go through with the plot. The jury believed otherwise, and DePew was convicted of conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to exploit a minor and was given a 33-year prison sentence. You may be uncomfortable with the San Jose police officer’s tactic of leav- ing an ad on a BBS. However, law enforcement officers may legally sign onto bulletin boards in an undercover Capacity to read messages and leave some of their own. It is important to note here, A FREE DEMO available however, that officers may not read pri- vate mail addressed to others on the board without a warrant. And even if someone addresses a message containing a solicitation for child pornography to an undercover officer on a BBS, arresting that person often proves difficult, since many of us on BBSs use “handles,” or fic- titious names, making identification difficult. In the Lambey case, Lambey used a handle, but an arrest could be made because Lambey met with officers in person to discuss his plans. Computer bulletin boards offer people dialing in anonymity and con- nections to people across the world who share common interests. These two fea- tures make them very attractive to those who exchange or sell illegal materials to hard-to-find markets. The crackdown on child pornographic mate- rials is likely to increase as law enforce- ment becomes more familiar with com- puters and the world of electronic bulletin boards. aia Shari Steele is a Staff Attorney with the Washington office of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing freedom and openness in computer-based communications. Send your legal questions to Ms. Steele at ssteele@eff. org (Internet) or c/o BBS Callers Digest. BBS INCOME | Free Report on how to go I | from $0 to $3,000 per month in ] i BBS income in as little as 90 days This valuable report reveals money making information on how to operate | a BBS for profit. It outlines powerful t marketing secrets including unique ways of finding new subscribers and Hl how to get them to pay you top dollar; guaranteed ways to generate other I revenue plus the secrets to getting free © publicity and being able to accept j credit card payments; plus much more. 1 BBS Marketing 56089 29 Palms Hwy. Ste 254-C Yucca Valley, CA 92284 1 (619) 228-9653 FAX 1 (619) 369-1185 | Prepared by the publishers of The BBS Marketing Reena the quarterly newsletter for Sysops. on ee ees ee ee FS 1RSa There Be Light. Sill searching for the ultimate in BBS software? Then step into the light and see more of what you're looking for: Searchlight. While it may be the easiest BBS you can run, Searchlight is packed with serious features that today’s bulletin boards demand. Features like full-screen editing, menu building, and LAN support. Full access to your favorite BBS networks, mail readers and door software. All accessed through an efficient, intuitive interface you and your users will love. And Searchlight is backed by people as fanatical about service as they are about software. So call today. A\nd don’t get left in the dark. @ Create your own menus! O Unlimited mulcinode capacity @ Upto 10 lines per PC © Intelligent Digiboard™ support @ LAN companible © High performance multitasking with Windows, DESQuiew or OS/2 CGH Voice Info/Orders: (800) 780-LITE Support BBS: (516) 689-2566 APRIL 1993 © 25 — UNCLE HANK’S SHAREWARE REVIEWS ARJBACK AND INFO ON WALT DISNEY WORLD BY “UNCLE” HANK HURTEAU ARJBACK ver 1.0 by Gary Chanson ARJBACK.ZIP One of the newest and most talked about compression utilities is called ARJ by Robert K. Jung. Debates about the merits of ARJ over PKZIP can get quite heated, so I’ll stay away from that. Some, but not the majority, BBS’s are switching over from .ZIP to .ARJ. You've probably seen a few files now and then using the ARJ extension so you have an idea of what it is. One of the biggest PLUS’s of ARJ is the registration policy. Although it is shareware and you CAN register it if you want (registration brings added benefits), personal use requires no registration fee. From the ARJ manual: ‘For personal use (away from the office and noncommercial), ARY, ARJSFX, and ARJSFX]R may be freely used and shared with others. There is no REQUIRED registra- tion fee for non-commercial, non- business, non-institutional, non- government personal use.” Aside from being a compression utility for BBS files and the like, ARJ has many other features as well. One of these is the ability to create “multiple vol- ume archives with one AR] command. This allows the user to backup a full hard drive to multiple floppies. Recovery of individual files is convenient because each volume is an indi- vidual archive except for split files” (from the ARJ manual). So, whether or not you use ARJ for compression of individual programs for BBS use or for file storage, it can be an excellent choice for hard drive backups. The problem is that ARJ has so many optional switches that they can be con- fusing and hard to remember. That's when ARJBACK comes in handy. You won’t need to remember any commands or cre- ate complicated batch files as everything is included in this nice little menu driven program. To _ start ARJBACK, (be sure you have a copy of ARJ ver- sion 2.30 or high- erin your PATH) just enter ARJBACK at the command line. Once the program loads, an easy to understand menu is ... whether or not you use Ay for compression of individual programs for BBS use or for file storage, zt can be an excellent choice for hard drive backups. know why the cursor keys don’t work) or choose a menu letter to change a par- ticular item such as source and destina- tion paths. You can even opt to have your floppies formatted while you’re doing the backup. With ARJBACK you can backup your entire drive, individual directories, or just those files that have changed since your last backup. The program also works across drives and networks. This makes it a bit easier to do weekly incremental backups of your important data files and the like. This program may not be the answer to all your backup needs, but's well worth a look if you want something “quick and easy”. Besides, it’s FREE! However, with any pro- gram, if you use it regularly, let the author know. Tell him what you think about his program and suggest ways to improve it. The version I tested was ver- sion 1.0, so you can see that Gary is just getting started on this project. There may be things that you have prob- lems with and I’m sure he’d love to hear from you. presented. Use your mouse (I don’t a 26 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST a THE VERY UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD by Todd McCartney WD Wi###H:.ZIP (Where #H# is the ver- sion number) WDW is a very interesting elec- tronic “book” by Todd McCartney. Todd has painstakingly researched Walt Disney World for the first time visitors or those that have already been, but would like to some day return. Included in this thorough text file is just about all you'll need to make your trip as trouble- free as possible. The book starts off with a short introduction and a history of the Disney theme parks. Todd then goes on to tell you the best time to go (he suggests October), the available resorts, and all the information on making reservations and purchasing tickets. He has included the needed phone numbers and addresses of all the places you will want to contact. He even lets you know about transportation including bus routes, the Monorail, and even boat routes. Current prices are listed. After all the preliminaries, Todd tells you about the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and the as well as a list of places to do your sou- venir shopping. Todd wraps the whole thing up with some very helpful tips, interesting quotes, and “fun Disney Ol —— fact Studio. He lists all Wh WD I’ve seen of the attractions ee day at Ww printed guide books in each section and tells a little about each. He has even included a map in .GIF for- mat that can be viewed or print- ed with your favorite graphic program. When your day at WDW is over, Todd lets you in on some of the “Nightlife” available in the area. Clubs are listed and rated so you won’t have any trouble finding a place that suits your needs. Dining can also be a prob- lem when you’re in an unfamiliar city. The program has a long list of suggest- ed restaurants in the surrounding area is over, Todd lets you in on some of the “Nightlife” available in the area. sell for $10 - $20 or more. Before spend- ing money on one of the “Official” guide books, take a look at “The Very Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” by Todd McCartney. It may be all you need. Then you could take the money you save and have lunch on Todd! Todd has committed to update his book on a regular basis. He asks users for comments and suggestions. Maybe he could eventually expand to include some of the other attractions in the Orlando area. Let him know what you think of his little project. oy Comming Soon 9600 Baud V.32 Speeds - Non-prime time $4.00 an Hour! Global Access™ is a high speed dedicated packet switching network designed for the BBS hobbiest. With Global Access™ you can dial a local phone number, in most major cities, and connectto BBS systems across the US for $4.00 an hour non-prime time everyday! The Global Access menu puts more than 100 BBS systems only one keystroke away. That, plus the ability to dial over 14,000 exchanges manually, means you can reach thousands of BBS's with Global Access™. Our network covers over 98% of the population of the US. Residents of most major foreign countries can also use Global Access™. To find a phone number local to you please call 1-800-377-DATA and ask for instructions to log onto the Global Access™ System. Once online, you can download the latest InfoPak or sign up for Global Access™. Global Access™ accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or your personal check. Mention this ad and get 50% off the $20.00 Global Access sign-up fee! 1-800-377-DATA Global Access, A Service of G-A Technologies, Inc., Charlotte, NC (704)334-DATA APRIL 1993 * 27 COPPADU SCL ALIGN Ny SWITCH TO POWERBOARD BBS SOFTWARE BY PHILLIP BAILEY ha er years ago I had the occasion to set up my own BBS. I read the docu- mentation from all the popular BBS packages available. To me, the novice Sysop, the software was just too compli- cated to set up and maintain. I finally settled on a BBS program that was sim- ple to use but as soon as my experience grew, it became obsolete. I was faced with the dilemma of changing system software. What a hassle. There should be a better way... Now there is a better way. It is called Powerboard BBS Software. I dis- covered this software by lurking in on the BBS Issues Conference on the RIME Network. It sounded like every- thing that a Sysop could ask for in sys- tem software, so I decided to do my own investigation. I obtained a registered copy of the Powerboard BBS Package version 1.20 and set up a BBS on the following equipment: ¢ 100% compatible 386-33mHz. desktop ¢ 4 megs. ram. ¢ 175 mb. IDE Hard disk © 14” super vga monitor ¢ 1 mb. super vga video card ¢ 2400 bps. Hayes compatible modem My first step was to read the man- ual. It is well written and easy to under- stand. Every aspect of the system is explained in detail. There is even a sec- tion on how to pick a name for your BBS. The manual states that you can be online with your own Powerboard BBS in Jess than five minutes. It is correct! The configuration of the board is done through a windowed GUI with mouse support. There are basic and advanced modes so novice sysops are not over- whelmed by the many options. Included in the package, is a menu editor that made modifying options and security levels on any menu a breeze. SCRIPT LANGUAGE Experienced Sysops will enjoy working with the script language that runs the entire BBS. This language was designed for non-programmers and even I learned how to use it by just reading the documentation . I wrote a game for a door in about forty minutes and I am usually lost in programming. Anything on the BBS can be changed with this script language or with any high-level programming language that can be linked into the BBS. Unlike other BBS packages I have seen, the Powerboard BBS package comes with a full host of utilities. This includes a file scanner (for virus check- ing, validity and unwanted files), a file viewer, a newsletter creator, an ansi drawing editor and a QWK mail door for offline messaging. I found my Powerboard BBS could have unlimited message areas. They are fully compatible with QWK, PCRelay, Fidonet and Postlink based message networks. There is an internal full-screen message editor and the users can use color in their messages. Files can also be attached to individual messages. I set up several doors and had no problems. Any standard door can be used. DOOR.SYS and DORINFO.DEF based doors are supported. Also supported are CD-ROM, DESQview (for multi-node use), local area networks and Comm ports one through eighteen. The multi-node ver- sions of Powerboard BBS has all the fea- tures of the best online systems and then some. SHAREWARE VERSION If you like what you see there is a share- ware version on most BBSes. You can convert your existing BBS to Powerboard with a conversion pro- gram that is available on the Powerboard headquarters BBS. As a test, I converted to Powerboard and found no bugs. User files were intact and Powerboard uses the standard FILES.BBS format for the file areas. Technical support is available on the Powerboard Headquarters BBS at #914-834-7830. Don’t want to spend the long distance money? There is now a Powerboard conference on the RIME Network. In my personal opinion, with the large amount of quality BBS Software on the market today, the Powerboard BBS does deserve the title “Top of the Line.” Definitely a BBS program for all types of Boards, BBS Users and System Operators. See You On The boards!!! ial Phillip Bailey can be found in the “BBS Callers Digest” support conference on RIME. 28 ¢ BBS CALLERS DIGEST ‘ f i eee eee! The Best Multi-Line BBS’s in America! The following list contains some of the most popular multi-line BBS’s in America. Allthese boards use an advanced payment method that ranges in price from $.50 per hour to $10 a month memberships. You might want to sign-up and try some of these boards to see what they offer and their rates. Allthese BBS’s have an online teleconference with private and public chat, electronic mail, special Interest groups, various games, networks, and so much more. Unlike the big national boards like Prodigy or Compuserve, these BBS's offer a more personal touch. To join any of these boards simply call 1-900- 454-BBS1 (1-900-454-2271) with atouch tone phone ($10.00 per call). When you call have a pen and paper ready to write down the code given to you. You will be prompted for a System-ID, that is the number located on the right hand side of the BBS names listed below. Once you recieve the Code you must call the BBS and redeem that code for online time. You must be over 18 to call or have parental permission. lf you have any problems contact Tessier Technologies, Inc. at (305) 473-5525. Each BBS is owned and operated by seperate individuals or companies. Lazer Connectlon #9 | House ICHTHYS #27 | Magic Kingdom #18 | Sound of Silence #57 | Spectrum BBS #3 (201) 472-7785 (305) 360-2991 (408) 245-3961 (615) 449-5969 (718) 253-8110 17,500+ Files, MajorNet, | 8 Lines, Rime, Spin, PC | 16 Lines of Chat, Game | 32 Lines, 4+ Gigs of Files, | 24 Lines, NYC Largest 8Lines,Games and More | Relay Networks, Files. | Files,and much more! | Games, Chat and More! | Friendliest BBS Around! Bay Cafe #40 (718) 769-6787 13 Lines Entertainment Largest Adult Library Multi-Comm #36 (702) 362-9224 48 Lines, Chat, Files, Games and More! Pandamonium #54 (505) 298-7000 Family BBS, Games, Files, Chat and More! High Soctety #1 (305) 473-2000 32 Lines, 7.5 + Gigs, Adutt Areas & Games Genesis Online #23 (205) 620-4144 PC Catalog, CD-ROM's Many Games, MajorNet The V.LN.E. #21 (804) 978-4134 8 Lines, 38,400 Baud MajorNET, 4 Gigs of Files Microline #50 (703) 425-7993 32 Lines, with Games, Files and Adult Areas! After Hours #46 (512) 448-3562 20 Lines of Chat, Games, Files and Fun! Cliticom #4 (305) 966-5699 4 Lines for Business and Pleasure! WinPlus! #7 (206) 630-8203 22 Lines and Growing Christian Based Fun! The Round Table #33 (805) 733-0073 10 Lines, MajorNET, Files, Chat and Games! PAL AfterDark #24 (513) 426-2913 Adults Only! Swingers, Hot Chat & Sexy GIFs! A Quiet Place #42 (706) 769-9933 Athens, GA. 50K Files Come grow with us! L’ Alternative #35 (305) 581-3320 Adult's Only, Opento All fantasies and lifestyles! Hello Central #6 (206) 641-7218 14 Lines, Adult Chat Online Games & Files *ASTRO* #43 (813) 277-0906 4+ Gigs of Files, Games, Fidonet, Chat & More! The Times #49 (518) 452-1721 27 Lines, 3 Gigs Internet Developer The Liberty BBS #29 (714) 996-6666 16 Lines, Entertainment Chat, Games and Files! CompuLink #10 (305) 764-3718 10 Lines, 1 Gig of Files, Chat, Games & More! Hodge Podge #8 (206) 884-9747 16 Lines, Over 7.2 Gigs of Files, Games & Chat Baudville #32 (813) 593-0061 16 Lines, Adults Only Games, Chat & Files! Compulline #5 (715) 732-1036 6 Lines, Entertainment Atlanta Chatline #12 (404) 922-2937 23 Lines, Adult Oriented, Friendship Exp. #19 (612) 566-5726 $2 Lines, Adults Only, Emerald Palace #2 (210) 561-8150 (210) 561-8166 Voice See Ad in this issue! Chat, Games & More! | Dating to Swinging! Files and Fido Net! Advanced Data #45 | The Key System #28 | Heartland #53 Heartbeat #16 C.C.0. #20 (301) 695-9116 (407) 951-1900 (614) 846-0277 (716) 392-7009 (904) 376-6480 16 Lines, Online Games, | 14 Lines, Online Chat, 32 Lines, 6.6 + Gigs 16 Lines with Games & | 30 Games, 30K Files N. Va, DC, MD Lines Real Estate Information! | Online Software Store | 3.6+ Gigs of Files! Games, Files & More! —S SPCC C PPP P OPER eee ce eee eee Sade isis dn enn ane mecneeccces PCBOARD CALLERS GUIDE! PART ONE OF A TWO PART ARTICLE When logging on to a BBS that uses PCBoard Software, these are the commands available and their explanations. Enter language # to use: This is an optional question defined by the SysOp. If displayed, it means that the system you are contacting can display its text in several different languages. To respond, simply choose the language easiest for you to understand by enter- ing the number next to the various lan- guage choices available. Do you want graphics (Y/N)? Most callers choose [Y] for this option. By doing so, PCBoard displays all text in ANSI color, making your screen displays more colorful and usually easier to read. In order to take advantage of the ANSI color mode, your terminal program must support ANSI graphics. By choos- ing [N], however, you can slightly increase speed since color codes are no longer transmitted to your machine. What is your First Name (Last Name & Password)? Enter your first name at the prompt. PCBoard will then prompt you for your last name and password. Optionally, you may ‘stack’ your last name and password on the same line (for more information on command stacking please refer to the Command Structure section of this manual) to bypass being asked 3 sepa- rate questions. If you are calling into a system as a new user you should not stack your password with your login name. If you do, PCBoard will interpret your password as part of your name. It’s a good idea to record your password and keep it in a safe place, as PCBoard will not allow you to login with- out your proper password should you forget it. Additionally, it is advised that you keep your passwords secret and use a different password for each bulletin board that you call to prevent unau- thorized use, or ‘hacking’ of your vari- ous bulletin board accounts. If you’ve never before logged into a given BBS, PCBoard will respond in one of two ways depend- ing on the BBS configuration. If the board you are calling runs as a “CLOSED” board, you cannot log into the system unless the system operator creates a record for you. You will be logged off the sys- tem immediately. However, if the BBS functions as an “OPEN” board, PCBoard will recog- nize that you’re a new user and ask if By choosing [N], however, you can slightly increase speed since color codes are no longer transmitted to your machine. you'd like to contin- ue. By indicating [Y]es, PCBoard poses several questions that are relatively straight forward — like your voice phone number, data phone number, etc. Once you have answered all the questions asked, PCBoard will continue with the logon process. Once PCBoard has established your identity, you will enter the Main Board. This is the root of the PCBoard structure, where every caller allowed to enter the system begins his or her session. Don’t be afraid to explore PCBoard! Often people feel intimi- dated by the many commands avail- able to them and thus are reluctant to try commands they may not understand for fear of ‘crashing’ the system or destroying valuable data. PCBoard has eS ee ee ee ee ee a eee 30 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST I I EEE EE eS aE A)bandon Conference B)ulletin Listing CHAT)between Nodes C)yomment to Sysop D)ownload a file DB)Download Batch E)nter a message F)ile Directories FLAG) for Download G)oodbye (Hang up) H)elp Functions I)nitial Welcome J)oin a conference K)ill a message L)ocate file (names) M)ode (graphics) N)yew files (date) NEWS)file display SELECT) a Conference been designed to be friendly as well as safe; if you enter an invalid command, PCBoard will simply ignore the com- mand and return you to the command prompt. Help is always available by typ- ing either [?] or [H] at nearly any prompt. O)perator page OPEN) a DOOR P)age Length Set Q)uick Message Scan R)ead Messages REPLY)to Messages RM)Re-read Memorized # S)cript Questionnaire T)ransfer Protocol TS)Text Search U)pload a file UB)Upload batch USERS)List Users V)iew Settings W)rite User Info X)pert on/off Y)our personal Mail Z)ippy DIR scan Whenever PCBoard prompts you for an answer, it will usually try and ‘guess’ your response and default to that answer when you simply press the [Enter] key. Yes or No answers may sim- ply be answered by entering [Y] or [N] respectively. PCBoard commands are not case-sensitive (i.e. “Y" and “y” have the same effect). The accompanying table is an example of a Main Menu that you are likely to see on a PCBoard BBS. All of these commands may or may not be available to you, depending on your security level. To receive access to commands not listed, consult with either an in-house supervisor responsi- ble for your internal system mainte- nance, or leave a message for the SysOp at the remote location indicating your needs and desires. Following is a detailed description of each command shown. General Information: Like most attributes of PCBoard, the SysOp provides security levels for each command available to you. You will know that you do not have sufficient security for a command if you see a “Menu selection is not available” mes- sage displayed to you after trying to use a particular command. If you do have sufficient security for the command requested, PCBoard will normally dis- play a secondary menu or prompt from which you can choose further com- mands associated with your primary Continues... BBS CALLERS DIGEST ONLINE! Heard of it maybe and not sure what it is or how to get it on your BBS? It’s a monthly with 10 chapters made to operate as a door on almost any BBS software. It is available by subscription only based on the number of nodes your BBS is running. To view it right now, call the Livewire BBS (609) 235-5297 and type BBSCD at the main board prompt. If you would like to order the online! Edition, please contact us at: 609-953-9110 between 10 & 4 (est), or any other time at: 609-231-1757 and leave a message for Richard. We will return your call within 24 hours. Subscriptions accepted online at The Livewire BBS by calling (609) 235-5297. APRIL 1993 © 31 command selection. Command Structure: Following are descriptions of all the user commands available in PCBoard. A com- mand performs a function on the bul- letin board system like reading mes- sages, uploading and downloading of files, etc. This section of the guide details each command, what it does, what you can do with it, and how to help you make the most of each command and the bulletin board system as a whole. Each section that discusses a par- ticular command has four sections: Command: The letter or sequence of letters that you use to execute the command from the main menu — including a brief overview of the com- mand itself. SubCommand: SubCommands further qualify the command and are only available after you execute the com- mand. Additionally, most subcommands may he stacked on the same line as the main command (see Stacking wat ad OC > he - ma Z S al 32 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST z 5 =: 5 = “4 We're #1 in folate You GeatPowertuk OnLine "Databases! 7 Durand Comniinieailie has-developed the: Titge full? . featured on-line photograph-database based on Galacticomm's MajorBBS and the MajorDatahgse. ‘Now you can create your own powerful pictute viewing databases using our DC Net Photograph Database and. -© the DC Terminal program@Create your own r multi-line : database application oruse one of our turn-key applica-’ tions to provide complete database services with on-line ~ abotographay powerful search parameters and much | more.” RIP» Graphical front-end aailable soon. Call . now for information or call t dur Demo BBS and down- load the DC: Terminal program. : Commands, which follows). For exam- ple, on a [RJead command you might want to qualify what messages you You could read all mail addressed tn the current conference by issuing the following stacked commands: RY S (with spaces) or R;Y;S (with semicolons) would like to read by using [Y] for ‘your mail’ only, etc. Postcommands: Postcommands are only available with some main menu commands. If they are, these com- mands normally can only be entered after the initial command and subcom- >. a WEST COAST Tel: 805-964-4899 Fax: 805-683-7690 Fax: 703-556-6593 BBS: 805-964-2833 5276 Hollister Ave, #405 1320 Old Chain Bridge Santa Barbara, CA 93111 Suite 250, Mclean VA mands have been executed. For exam- ple, you may select the [R]ead com- mand and then qualify it with a sub- command by saying you want to read [A]ll new messages in the conference you have selected. While reading mes- sages, you will be issued a postcommand after each message which will allow you to perform other functions — such as [RE] or reply to the message you have just read. See also: This will direct you to other commands whose functions are related to the command in question. The commands may either be variations which accomplish the same task, or com- mands which accomplish tasks similar to the one in question, or may act in the opposite manner of the command in question. If PCBoard needs more informa- tion from you after you have executed a main menu command, you will be prompted for that additional informa- tion. For example, if you were to exe- cute the [L]ocate file command by typ- On- Line Photograph: Database” * Product ra ‘On-Line Catalogs Ye Real Estate A vaifability ee » 4 Contact an and. Sales ‘Tracking: ~ EAST COAST Tel: 703-556-6580 22101 ing [L] and then press {Enter], PCBoard would then display the prompt: Search Filename: (wildcards are OK) (Enter)=none? followed by a sec- ondary prompt that asked you which directories you would like to search for these filenames in. Stacking Commands: By default, PCBoard caters to the novice user. Menus and help files are almost always available. However, PCBoard’s interface is designed to accommodate expert users as well. Once you become familiar with the command structure, you will find that by stacking commands you will be able to easily and quickly get around the bul- letin board system. To stack a command you simply separate the commands and the subcommand by either a space or a semicolon. For example you could read all mail addressed in the current conference by issuing the following stacked commands: R YS (with spaces) or R;Y;S (with semicolons) In PCBoard’s eyes, the space or the semicolon are both separators for commands. You may use either when entering commands. Another advantage of stacking commands is that you may specify a particular subcommand that PCBoard would not normally allow you to use if you just entered the com- mand and press [Enter]. For example, if you wished to [L]ocate files you could further qualify your search by making use of the [N] subcommand. This sub- command allows you to restrict your search to files later than a particular date. This is something that PCBoard would not ask you if you were to just enter the command and then press enter. It is features like this that makes PCBoard so flexible and powerful. Basic Command Usage: In this section, you will find listed all the available user commands for PCBoard. A working knowledge of these com- mands will put the power of PCBoard at your disposal. While the use of each command varies from user to user, each command does provide a uniquely sig- nificant feature. You will probably only require the use of a handful of the com- mands to begin with, but as you progress in your knowledge of PCBoard you will find yourself using each of the com- mands with increasing regularity. * Abandon a Conference * Command: [A] Many bulletin board systems use ‘conferences’ to separate various topics or groups of people. After you [JJoin a conference (see the Join a Conference section later in this guide) you may want to return to the Main Board area. Once you execute the abandon command PCBoard exits the current conference and returns you to the Main Board. If the current conference is the Main Board, nothing occurs. — SubCommands : None — PostCommands: None — See Also: Join a Conference * Bulletin Listings * the bulletin command is executed, PCBoard displays a menu of bulletins available to you. The menu normally consists of a bulletin number, a descrip- tion of the bulletin, and possibly a file name for the bulletin text file that you can download. — SubCommands: [#] This indi- cates the number of the bulletin(s) you wish to view i.e. 1, 2, 3 etc. You may tell PCBoard to view multiple bulletins by stacking your bulletin numbers. (e.g. [1;3;5;6]). (A] All bulletins are displayed or searched. [D] PCBoard enters download mode and prepares to download the chosen bulletin(s). This subcommand must be placed on the line where you enter the bulletin number to view (e.g. {3;D]) would download bulletin #3. ([N] Only bulletins ‘new’ to you are displayed. Each time you login you will be notified if there are any new bul- letins with a ‘Bulletins have been updat- Command: [B] Continues... Bulletins are eh pee = he Be = aoe 1 aa a Don’t miss another issue — ulietin Doar sys- H | i tems. Bulletins are } Sub scribe Today i merely text files i mee wx sit | BBS CALLERS DIGEST | . I letin board system {1 1 | year USA $30 1 2years USA $55 because they likely | CANADA $50 CANADA $95 contain useful } H ‘aformimcenabou | You can charge VISA or MasterCard by a variety of sub. | Calling 1-800-822-0437 (10 a.m.-4p.m.e.s.t.) | jects for all users. O Bill me ae es ae O Enclosed is my check for $ Nila ie pu ~ {| O Credit card (circle one) VISA M/C 1 letins which explain the pur- ! # Exp.date_ pose or theme of | Signature the board, who N the top users are, ! ams and other inter- | Address ' esting informa- City tion. Commercial | I BBS’s will often | State/Zip Code have bulletins {| Mail to: BBS Callers Digest, 701 Stokes Rd., 1 which contain Medford, NJ 08055. ANS Eats Ae If paying by credit card, you may FAX this form at OW ito BECOME 4 15/609). 05007 960 1 subscriber. When iy 1 SS aS Stee 4 APRIL 1993 © 33 ed since last time on’ message. If this message is displayed to you, the line below it will indicate the bulletin num- bers that are new. A bulletin is ‘new’ if it was updated after the date you last called that system. By using this sub- command you can let PCBoard figure out which bulletins are new to you rather than having to manually type in the bulletin numbers. [R} When this sub—command is executed, PCBoard will re—display the complete list of bulletins available. [S] This command searches for text that you specify in the bulletins you wish to search. If the text is found, the entire bulletin is displayed and the text you searched for is highlighted so that it stands out. With this command, PCBoard automatically defaults to search for all bulletins. You would instead rather search through just a spe- cific bulletin you can specify that num- ber by stacking the [S] subcommand with the bulletin number. For example, {B;3;S;HELP] would search bulletin #3 for the word HELP. You may also use boolean text searches as well. To learn more about boolean text searches please refer to the Boolean Text Searches section of the User While you are in CHAT mode and if you are in graphics mode, your text will be colored differently from the other person you are chatting with. Information section of this guide. [NS] The bulletin(s) chosen for viewing are displayed in non—stop mode. At the end of each screen page, PCBoard will not display a MORE? prompt. — PostCommands: None — See also: News * CHAT Between NODEs * Command: [CHAT] or [NODE] If the PCBoard system you are connected to supports multiple nodes (i.e. more than one person may be on the system at the same time), you may CHAT with a person on any other node or group of nodes. PCBoard displays the status of each node. In this way, you can determine who is available for CHAT and who is not. When in CHAT mode, text is sent only in complete lines, either as it “wraps” past the end of a line or when you hit [Enter]. Therefore, you will only see text from the other person or per- sons you are CHATting with as they complete each line. It is often a good idea to send an extra blank line when FC ON-LINE BBO! Proudly Running Wildcat! 3.55 IM BBS Software Multi-Line Access from Same Number Huge Microsoft Windows Collection 10 CD-ROMs Currently On-Line Over 30,000 Premium ADULT Gifsa. Over 1 GIG of Shareware Programs 1000's of Regular Gif Files Massive Font Library Huge Clip-Art Collection Something for Everybody ! FREE Multi-Line CHAT System FREE Regular Access Download on Your First Call for 1 hour 8 Phone Lines All 14,400 V.32 bis oS Us! O71 fremium Quality Gif images for MATURE indiuduals ffm) GIF(tm) be a Copyright of the CompuServe Corporation 34 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST ee you are through typing, so that the other person will know that you are fin- ished and that it is his or her turn to ‘speak’. While you are in CHAT mode and if you are in graphics mode, your text will be colored differently from the other person you are chatting with. Each person is identified in a CHAT session by his or her node number (in paren- thesis) and first name. This information is included on each line along with the colorized lines to help separate text from the people engaged in the CHAT session. CHAT Etiquette. Whenever you join an individual or group CHAT ses- sion, remember that what you say not only affects how you are perceived by others, but also shapes the perceptions that others have of the current system and those who run the system. Never use profanity or unprofessional lan- guage. It harms the credibility of system operators and the telecommunication software as a whole. Please note that all CHAT sessions are captured to disk on the host machine. This means that the sysop can review all CHAT sessions at a later date if desired. Common sense would dictate that you do not engage in CHAT sessions which might contain lan- guage which you feel should be kept pn- vate between you and the other CHAT individual. — SubCommands: [#] You begin CHAT with another person on a one-on-one basis. You select the person you would like to chat with by typing in their node num- ber. [G] This form of chat is similar to the one-on-one CHAT command with the exception that numerous users can be involved in a group chat session. Some SysOps may assign a topic which many users may wish to talk about. In all other ways, group chat is like the normal one-on-one CHAT command except the number of names appearing on your screen will be much larger. [A] This ‘flags’ your node as being available for CHAT. Other users may initiate CHAT with you. {U] This ‘flags’ your node as being unavailable for CHAT. Other users may not initiate CHAT with you. — PostCommands: (Q orE] Quits and returns you back to the main menu or command prompt. [U] PCBoard will display the status of other nodes in the system. This is useful when you have initiated a node If you are leaving a comment because you encountered what you think is a problem on the system, then it is very important that you leave the SysOp as much information as possible. chat to see what other people on the sys- tem are doing or if your chat requested has been answered yet. [H or?] A list and description of postcommands will be displayed. — Ail postcommands for the CHAT/NODE command must be issued on the very first character of your chat line. — See also: None * Comment To SysOp * Command: [C] This command allows you to leave a pri- vate message for the SYStem OPerator (SysOp for short). The system operator is responsible for the maintenance of the bulletin board system you are call- ing. When this command is executed, PCBoard will ask you to confirm that you would like to leave a message to the SysOp. If you answer yes, you will be placed in message edit mode where you may compose a message as you would enter any other message. See the Enter a Message command for more infor- mation about entering messages on a bulletin board system. Please keep in mind that the SysOp is not “all-knowing”. In most cases it is appropriate to leave a message addressed to ALL so you can draw on the experience and knowledge of other callers to that system. If you are leaving a comment because you encountered what you think is a problem on the sys- tem, then it is very important that you leave the SysOp as much information as possible. In these days of large multiple- node systems, it is advised that you notice which node you are logged into and advise the SysOp accordingly. By doing so, you can help the SysOp track down whatever it is that you are report- ing. — SubCommands: None — PostCommands: None — See also: Enter a Message * Download a File * Command: [D] When calling a Bulletin Board, you may download a file from that system to yours. Downloading is simply a process in which a copy of the file on the host machine is transmitted via phone line or other external connection to your Continues... User Group Info lf you are the President or the decision making person in a User Group, you might be interested to know that the BBS Callers Digest has a special program just for you! If you are interested in offering your members a discounted subscription to BBS Callers Digest, then you need to contact us. Along with a group discount for your members, .we will pay you commission to obtain these new or renewal orders. For more information, please contact the publisher, Richard Paquette, at your earliest convenience. Call 609-953-9110 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or write us at: Callers Digest, PO Box 416, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 (attn: Group Sales) ge eee APRIL 1993 © 35 a machine at your request. If your default protocol is a batch protocol such as Ynodem, Ymodem/G, or Zmodem, PCBoard will allow you to request multiple files by simply typing LD] and pressing [Enter], followed by a list of files to be downloaded. Each file in this list should be separated by either a space or a semi-colon and should be entered at the filename prompt. This is similar to typing [DB] to initiate a ‘download batch’ file transfer. Alternatively, you can download a single file and avoid further prompts from the system by stacking the [D] command and filename on the same command line (e.g. [D;FILENAME.EXT]). Beginning with PCBoard v14.5a, if you are logged on locally to the bulletin board system (e.g. you are logged in to an in-house bulletin board connected via LAN) you may download like a remote user would — except the down- load is actually a file transfer from the main file server to your local machine on the network. You can only do this if you are a local user to the bulletin board and you also select an internal protocol (such as Xmodem, Xmodem CRC, IK- Xmodem, Ymodem, or lk- Xmodem/G). When you attempt a local download a box will appear at the top of your screen asking what drive and subdirectory PCBoard should send this file to. You may enter any valid DOS path (e.g. [C\TEMP]). — SubCommands: [file] Multiple filenames may be used on the command line or at the filename prompt. If you enter multiple filenames they must be separated by semi-colons or spaces and must be all be entered at the filename prompt. DOS O16 Nodes IS LLY, 7, [2] (408) 655-8297 usrust Ps 014.9 Gigabytes Online niine Games Fz O DOS O Windows 0 OS/2 O Adult Files O Rime QO ILink QO Intemet O Usenet Email CG) (408) 655-1096 2400 bps OC) (408) 655-8294 v.32bis wildcards are permitted. (ie. Ep) When you enter a filename, do not enter a file path. PCBoard will know where to find the file given only a file- name. [protocol] This command allows you to choose which protocol you would like to use for the transfer. PCBoard will automatically use the default protocol you have selected with the [T]rans. Protocol command or when you first created your account the first time you logged into the system. If When you enter a filename, do not enter a file path. PCBoard will know where to find the file given only a filename. you have selected [Nlone for your default protocol, you will be asked to select a protocol each time you transfer a file. — PostCommands: [GB]/[BYE] After the down- load is complete, you are logged off the system after a 10 second countdown which you may abort. — See also: Download Batch, Upload, Upload Batch * Download Batch * Command: [DB] Like the Download a File command, you may download multiple files at one time from a system that you call. The differ- ence, however, lies in the prompts that are displayed to you. The [DB] com- mand always prompts for a sec- ond filename and asks if you want to edit the list of files to be downloaded. Register Online — Subcommands: {file(s)] This represents the files to download. A prompt is given for each file, and files may be stacked at one prompt. Like in a single download request, DOS wildcards are permitted. [protocol] This command allows you to choose which protocol you would like to use for the transfer. PCBoard will automatically use the default protocol you have selected with the [T]rans. Protocol command time you logged into the system. If you have selected [NJone for your default pro- tocol, you will be asked to select a pro- tocol each time you transfer a file. — PostCommands: {G] Entering [G] at the (G)oodbye After Batch prompt will automatically log you off the system once the batch download has complet- ed and after a 10 second countdown. Once the 10 second countdown has begun, you can abort the automatic logoff by pressing [Ctrl+K]. If you abort the automatic logoff you will be returned back to the bulletin board sys- tem where you may continue with your session. Entering [GB] or [BYE] on the same line where you enter your file- name will also automatically log you off once the transfer is finished (e.g. {D;TESTFILE.EXE;BYE]). [A] The current batch down- load will be aborted. There is no verifi- cation that you wish to abort. All files list- ed in your previously established batch list will be retained as flagged files. [E] The batch list may be edit- ed. From the batch list, you may remove a file, add a file, or list the current files to be downloaded. Once this command is executed you will see that a few new commands are available to you: * [A]dd a file. Executing this command allows you to add more files to the batch without having to retype all of the filenames that are already in the batch. You will be asked for the filename to add to the batch. * [R]Jemove a file. You are asked for the number of the file you wish to remove from the batch. The number of the file in the batch can be found by using the [L]ist batch com- mand below. 36 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST * (L]ist Batch. This command when executed will display a listing of all files in the batch. To the left of each file- name is the batch number that corre- sponds to the filename. You use this number when removing files from the batch. — See also: Download, Upload, Upload batch * DOOR (OPEN a DOOR) * Command: [DOOR] or [OPEN] This command takes you out of PCBoard and into an extended appli- cation called a DOOR. These applica- tions can vary in purpose from an on- line game to an on-line database. You may find some bulletin boards that con- centrate on one particular DOOR type (such as on-line games). When this com- mand is executed, a menu of available DOORs are displayed to you. Though each SysOp may have PCBoard set up differently, the menu typically consists of a DOOR number, the name, and a description of the program. You may execute the DOOR or application by entering either its name or number. of new CyberDoor formats, designs and produces the coda needed to have a functioning door application in minutes. CyberDoor Development Software was written to assist the programmer and non programmer alike in the development BBS door software. — SubCommands: (See OPEN a DOOR Command) — PostCommands: None — See also: None [DOOR] command takes you out of PCBoard and into an extended application called a DOOR. These applications can vary in purpose from an on-line game to an on- line database. * Enter a Message * Command: [E] This command permits you to leave a message for the SysOp, another user, or to ALL users. Entering a message is quite similar to writing a letter. First you must address the message by filling in the To field. Next, you must enter a sub- ject for the message. The subject should be a very brief description of the con- tents of your message. If you have not changed your full- screen editor preferences via the [W]nte user information command, PCBoard will ask if you would like to use the Full- Screen Editor as well. If you answer [N]o, then PCBoard will use the line-by- ine editor instead. Some bulletin board systems carry “echo conferences”. These are confer- ences in which mail travels between sev- eral different various bulletin board sys- tems. These bulletin board systems could span across a city, state, county or even the world. If you are prompted with an: — Echo: Message, (Enter)=Y? (Y) prompt, PCBoard is asking you if you would like this message to stay local to this BBS or if you want it to travel across the entire message network. Unless it is important that your message be ‘echoed’ throughout many systerns, it is recommended that you do not echo Continues... byte produces code in QuickBasic 4.5 to —\ allow the CyberDoor user to modify the code to na foun Caden aude ae specific needs. This is the future of CyberDoor development. Data: 1(801 Computers 1949 N. 400 E. 82% 2279 Utah System Operators Coop Arena Systems BBS (6801}782 2279 BIT Connection [801)399 SESE Blue Wonder (sois94 71569 % Version 1.02 ON SALE March tst 1993 Call Today! Eye we —gos)red oats APRIL 1993 © 37 your mail — since a great deal of long distance phone charges can be incurred by the operating sysop in order to trans- fer your mail to other systems. — To: This prompt indicates the user to whom the message will be sent. If [Enter] is pressed, the message is addressed to ALL. — Subject: This is a brief description of the message content. — Full—Screen: * [TY] Use the full—screen edi- tor. (available with ANSI graphics only) Entering text in this mode is similar to using a full-screen word processor. * [N] Use the line-by-line edi- tor. In this format, you must enter and edit your text a line at a time rather than using the full-screen capabilities. * [U] You enter upload mode. In this mode of operation you can ‘upload’ a pre-written message to the host system which has been created on your system using a normal text editor. This method of writing a message off- line and simply uploading it to the host them want to subscribe, how to publicize advertising that works, which so alread paper -- dont change a wit Chicago Syslink ‘* 2 be & great SUCCESS. Factory RPesss 38 ¢ BBS CALLERS DIGEST xe > With Your Modem The Monthly Guide for Online Entrepreneurs MAKE MONEY WITH A BBS/ Alan R. Bechtold, noted online author, publisher, editor and sysop, will SHOW YOU HOW, step-by-step, month after month. With more than nine years’ experience in the BBS industry, Alan knows the ins and outs of running a BBS for profit. If he doesn’t know the answers, he knows the people who do. In his newsletter, you'll learn how to define a personality for your board, how to latch on to a unique niche in the market, how to pengnycrt board to attract callers and make our are will work best for you, marketing plans and offers that will generate cash on your board, how to avoid legal liability and more! Whether you run a board or plan to In the future, everything in MONEY W/TH YOUR MODEM is geared toward increasing your cash flow and lowering your costs NOW! 4 enjoyed your first issue very much and look rorwatd to eee Gloria La Hay, The Lambda Zone BBS ‘Loved the first /ssue -- he yh inormation. even the --- George Matyaszek, . A good (dea and 2 highly informative read. li sure itil fe -- Karen Birch, The Invention More than a newsteter...its a year-long seminar on making your BBS PA Y/ IBS mee 0125 S.W. 21st Street Topeka, KS 66615 913-478-3157 -- voice ERVICE, INC. HE 913-478-9239 -- data system can save considerably in the amount of time you must spend on-line — since uploading your text is much quicker than typing it in manually while on-line. During the upload of a message, characters are not echoed to your local screen, but are immediately transmitted via MODEM to the upload destination by using the ASCII transfer protocol. — Echo: * [Y] The message is flagged for echo and will appear on all other sys- tems which also carry this conference on their system. * [N]} The message is not flagged for echo and will remain only on the local system. You can use PCBoard’s message security system to control who may read a message and who has the ability to delete a message. The available message security options follow: — Security Flag * [G] Group. A user may assign a password to a message. Only users with ard without spending a fortune, low-cost A 3-ring binder and DIRECT ONLINE ACCESS to Alan and the other readers! SAVE $25/// Mention this ad and get 12 Issues, a $150 value, for... -.-ONLY $125!!! the appropriate password may read the message. * [R] Receiver. The message may only be read by the sender or the recipient. * [S] Sender. Everyone may read this message, but only the author (holder of the assigned password) may kill the message. * [N] None. The message may be read by all users within that confer- ence. Once the message header infor- mation is completed you're taken to either the full-screen editor (Available with ANSI graphics only) or the line-by- line editor, depending on your earlier response to the ‘Use Full-Screen Editor’ prompt. If you have.previously selected the full-screen editor as your default edi- tor, you will not be asked if you want to use the full-screen editor. Line editors were the most popu- lar message editors on the early versions of bulletin board software. Line editors require that you enter one line of you FREE TEXT FOR YOUR BBSI!! BuUSINCSS SENSE Thinking Magazine Weekly Horoscope National Classivieds Online Digital Music Feview Video Online For LESS thar $10 Per month each! CALL FOR DETAILS! Bae Press SeERvIcE, INC. 8125 S.W. 21st Street Topeka, KS 66615 913-478-3157 Voice 913-478-9239 Data message at a time. To save, edit, or abort the message you needed to hit return twice to bring up a command line to which you can choose one of those com- mands to execute. In the more recent versions of BBS software (such as PCBoard), full-screen editors have been added to make message entry easier than ever before. Using the full-screen editor is similar to using a word proces- sor in that you can move around the screen using your cursor keys. This freedom of movement allows you to easily make changes to text with- out remembering cryptic line numbers. In order to use the full-screen editor, your communications program must be capable of ANSI terminal emulation. In addition, your communications pro- gram should have a Doorway mode or some other way to allow you to send cur- sor movement keys. Because the full- screen editor is similar to a word-pro- cessor, many people find it more intuitive and much easier to use than the line editor. At this point, you would enter the contents of your message. Once you have finished entering your message, you need to exit the message editor in order to save it. To exit the full-screen editor, press [Esc]. To exit the line edi- tor, simply press [Enter] on a blank line. If modem carrier is accidentally lost any time during your message entry, PCBoard automatically saves what you have entered before the loss of carrier. Note that when entering text in a message or comment, it is not necessary to ‘format’ your text entry. PCBoard will automatically wrap words which exceed the normal line length over to the next line when typing in your text. In other words, you can continuously enter your text without ending each line with your [Enter] key. On startup, PCBoard's Full Screen Editor defaults to Insert Mode. Insert mode will always move the character underneath the cursor to the left as you type. The allows you to easily insert new information without having to retype entire lines. Typeover mode replaces the character currently under the cursor with whatever you type. If you are edit- ing your text in progress, use [Ctrl+V] or the [Ins] key to switch between Insert and Typeover Modes. In order to get the full range of commands available in the full-screen editor, you will need to make sure that your communications program is not intercepting some commands. It is quite common for communications programs to use the cursor keys as well PCBoard will automat- ically wrap words which exceed the normal line length over to the next line when typing in your text. as [Home], [End], [PgDn], and [PgUp] keys for some of their commands or functions. If you press the up arrow and the cursor does not move up on the screen then your communications pro- message. If you are unsure if your com- munications program has a DOORWAY mode, consult the documentation that accompanied your communications software. To effectively use the Full Screen Editor, familiarize yourself with the fol- lowing control keys and ANSI codes: — PostCommands: {A] Abort. The message entry will be aborted and control will return to the main menu. All contents of your message will be lost. [C] Continue. When executed, PCBoard returns to the line-editor at the end of the message. If you are using the full-screen editor and wish to return to it, you should use the [F]ull-screen com- mand instead. {[D] Delete Line. PCBoard prompts you for the line number in the message to delete. PCBoard will then delete the contents of the line you spec- ify. Full-screen editor equivalent: (Ctrl+y] deletes the current line. Continues... gram is using those keys. In order to over- come this problem, most commu- nications pro- grams have what is called a DOORWAY mode. When you operate in this mode, you can full use of both your cursor keys as well as function keys when working within PCBoard. When you are in this mode you will see just how easy the full-screen editor is to use when entering a EXIECN I "Nowe © 60,000" flee ET o @ Intemet © Bitnet ¢ Send Fax © Technical Databases e e Compuserve/AT&T/MCi Mall e Voice support NFO SYSTEMS The NEW face of BBSing! § HOURS connect time EVERY call! 32 MB download ability EVERY call! Call as many times as you want, any day or EVERY day. Call for (almost) as long as you want. At ExecNet YOU decide how YOU want to use your account! See for yourself what PC World, Byte, PC Week, Business Week and many others have written about. CALL NOW!!! 914 667-4567 (modem, 8/N/1) 914 667-2150 (voice) ® Games APRIL 1993 © 39 [E] Edit. PCBoard first requests the line number in the message to edit. Once entered, you must type the old text to replace, a semicolon, and the replacement text (e.g. [come to;here comes]). (F] Full-Screen. When execut- ed, control is returned to the full-screen editor. See next page for full-screen edi- tor PC Keyboard, Control, and ANSI commands. An on-line list of full-screen editor commands is available by pressing [Ctrl+V] while in the editor. (H] Help. When executed, PCBoard displays help for entering or saving a message. {I] Insert. After entering the line number before which the new text will be entered, you may type the addi- tional text and PCBoard will insert it in the appropriate place. Fullscreen editor equivalent: [Ctrl+n] will insert a line before the current line. [L] List. The current message being entered will be redisplayed in line editor mode. {Q} Quote. (See REPLY com- mand). Full screen editor equivalent: [Ctrl+V] {S] Save. When you have fin- ished entering your message, the mes- sage needs to be saved so that the intended recipients may view it as well. This command will add your message to the other messages that already exist on the bulletin board system. {U] Upload. The body of a message can be uploaded from your sys- UNCLE HANK’S SHAREWARE REVIEW NEWSLETTER Published bi-monthly, this newsletter takes a good look at some of the best Shareware available today. Each issue contains reviews from a wide variety of areas. Always in plain English. For a sample issue, send $2 to: Uncle Hank’s Shareware 8 Hendrick St. Easthampton, MA 01027 Send $10 with this ad, you can subscribe for one year (6 issues) & save $2. Make checks payable to Hank Hurteau tem as an ASCII upload. When PCBoard is in upload mode it will not echo char- acters back to the remote screen so if you see nothing during the upload you should not worry. You should use this command if you have prepared a text file off-line that you would like to upload as a message. This saves time typ- ing and can eliminate some errors that may occur if you were typing informa- tion on-line. By using upload mode you will be able to send just about any text file. Once you select upload mode in PCBoard then all that needs to be done is for you to initiate an ASCII upload on your end. By using the upload mode command, you can prepare messages offline and then upload them to PCBoard thereby expediting the mes- sage entry process. [SC] Save with Carbon Copy. You may send the entered message to more than one person. When executed, PCBoard will request the names of the other users to whom the message should be sent. Although this prompt is displayed only in expert mode, the com- mand is available in non-expert mode as well. [SN] Save and Next. During message reply, this command saves the current reply, skips the re-display of the original message, and proceeds to the next available message. Although this prompt is displayed only in expert mode, the command is available in non- expert mode as well. [SK] Save and Kill. This process saves the reply, kills/deletes the original message, and proceeds to the next avail- able message. Although this prompt is displayed only in expert mode, the com- mand is available in non-expert mode as well. Remember, when entering text on a Bulletin Board System, it is proper eti- quette to use both upper and lowercase characters rather than using all CAPS. Messages left entirely in capitals are dif- ficult to read and are often regarded as “shouting” by other callers. A good rule of thumb is to type your text as you would in a word processor, using capitals only as needed. — See also: Comment to Sysop * File Directories * Command: [F] One of the primary functions of bulletin board systems is to disseminate files and programs among many differ- ent users. To see a list of what files and programs are available on a particular bulletin board system, you must use the [Flile directory command. Upon exe- cuting the command, you will see a list of categories or directories that sepa- rates the available files on the system. — SubCommands: [#] Directory number. Entezing the number of the desired directory at the prompt displays all files available in the directory you enter. You may enter a list or range of directories. For exam- ple, [1 2 37 U] would view directories 1, 2, 3, 7, and the recent upload directory. If you wanted to view a directories 1 through 10, you could specify an entry like [1-10]. [BYE] Once you have finished transferring your files this command will log you off of the system and will skip the Proceed With Logoff? question if the SysOp has enabled it. [D] Download. PCBoard prompts you for a file to download. This commands works just as if you selected [D] from the main menu. [G] Goodbye. This command logs you off of the system and hangs up the phone. {[N] New File Scan. You may search available directories for all files created after the date indicated in the prompt that appears once you execute this command. The default date for this prompt is the latest valid file date that you have seen. If you choose to stack commands and want to specify the last date you scanned for files you may do so by replacing the default date with an [S] for “since”. For example, if you wanted to scan all directories for new uploads since you were on last, you would enter the following stacked command: [N;S;A]. You may find this easy to remember by remembering phrases such as [N]ew files [SJince my last call in [A]ll file directories. [R] Re-List. This command re- displays the menu of directories avail- ee ee aa eee 40 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST ne able in the conference you are current- ly in. Keep in mind that some bulletin board systems store files in conferences in addition to those that are found in the Main Board area. Therefore, you may want to join another conference to see what additional information (if any) is available. [L] Locate by Name. Upon exe- cuting this command you will be prompted to enter a filename to search for. At the prompt, enter a filename or a DOS wildcard specification (“?” or “*). After entering the file specification to search for, PCBoard will prompt you for the directory numbers it should search for this specification. You may choose to search one directory, a range of directories, or all directories. See the Locate Files command for more infor- mation. [U] Upload directories. Displays files that are available for download which have been recently uploaded to the system. If you receive a “Sorry, uploads are private” message, then the SysOp has decided to review all files before releasing them to the public. If you do receive this message it is advised that you search [A]ll directories because sometimes the SysOp will move newly uploaded files to their appropriate directories quite frequently. If you do not scan [A]ll directories there is a good chance you are missing many of the files that get uploaded to that system. [V] View. When executed, PCBoard displays the contents or other information about a particular file. How much information that is available about the file you are viewing depends strictly on how the SysOp has this com- mand configured. [Z] Zippy Search. You may search all file descriptions for the text that you specify. This command is very useful for locating files that you are interested in without having to browse through all of the files online. For more details and examples of how to use the Zippy Search, please see the Zippy Directory Scan in the User Commands section of this guide. {NS] Non-Stop. A file will be displayed in non-stop mode. PCBoard will not stop each time your screen is full. Using this command is handy for capturing file information to a local file on your machine to your printer. — PostCommands: None — See also: None [as "4-:] All information contained in this doc- ument remains the sole property of Clark Development Company, Inc.. This document may be freely distributed by registered users of PCBoard software, but no license is granted to change, amend, or in any way alter the contents of this document. The text, format- ting, and any other distinctive characteristics are Copyright (C) 1993, Clark Development Company, Inc. and permission granted to BBS Callers Digest Magazine fo reprint this in full for it’s readers exclusively. PART TWO OF PCBoard’s Callers Guide to follow in the May 1993 issue. Pics OnLine! MultiUser System 609-753-2540 Looking for a HOT Adult BBS? Pics OnLine! offers some of the best BBS’ing in the country. We have something for everyone, including over 50,000 files in specialized collections including Adult Graphics and Novels, Network Tools, Ham Radio and SWL, and MIDI/MOD/SB Music Files. ...Pics is one of the best BBS‘’s I have ever seen. No matter what I am looking for I Know I can find it here. All the best Files for PC Compatables 5. Oswell - Charlotte NC (1987 \ (5 Years | 1992 400 Fidonet, Usenet, and ThrobNet Worldwide conferences Internet and Fidonet E-Mail plus Outgoing FAX Server Many Modem Types HST V32 V32bis PEP V42 V42bis APRIL 1993 © 41 | BBS CALLERS DIGEST | BBS LIST To register and receive a copy of CD Sub Program, please fill in this form and mail with a check for $30 payable to Richard Paquette, Box 416, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. Nate. se St ei ee 2 Biomevoice-phione Address City Zip BBS name Sysop name BBS access # Check disk type: 0 3600 7200) 1.20 1.4 Password for access on The Livewire BBS As more BBS’s register the CD-SUB program, they will be listed in the next issues. Each registered bbs gets free access to The Livewire BBS 609-235-5297 for newer versions. If you registered and are not listed, please give us a voice call (1-609-953-9110, 8 a.m. — 4 p.m., M —F, EST) to make the correction. 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Ls fesse scunigeeevoccesenserntresisesses SHaWNIGUBPEG: crceheeerr ei isccctersenuiniars acs 412-845-1959 Executive Info Network ...............scseserecesers ANGY Keeves cits cconsittes.c dtc cohscocantretes: 914-667-4567 Griswold's Private Reserve ...........scsecesseees JIU OMAN 2.50-keospccartecreteacexsesthemteruse ceaseceenes 316-788-7520 Wn (nlwled [EES Ce acoccsocaceencecce eee eee eee ee Warren Farrimond ............:-ccssescessorcesssceeoes 918-627-0923 | MINTER DLOV BBS eas. stvtetystscciesseensdvetscensstese Joyce: Kohl ih. elw Abin aie patterned 602-483-0344 | The Last Resort BBS .......cccssssscssssessesecseeseee Bere le Fle eh cesssttshcistetee soe eee ae mn 703-435-8644 | Minewebanonilinkte.-crscrsscseceaesetrst-tsv.tss +. Bruce Richardson ............:sccscsscecsssesvereseveeee 615-399-0707 PVG BADILE TM Rs icrcrssasadeaard aes nsnsesesesunveceee STEORSE DEICMET sserscss.vccatevnescrsencsusenermeteersnnser 314-281-8598 Metroplex BBS ...........scccscsccssscsccssssesorseveesee Rick VAMhOOSEN .....s.sesccccseeceseesserseessssereseneess 901-327-1895 | MicroNet PCBoard ............::.:cccccecessssesseenere MIG GHRTEC Kal Meescssetessescssesteet ss sctccectersessereess 615-690-0428 Mirage Network N.Y. ..........0.00...ceeseeeeeeeeeee BRIAMMEUIhell emma’, fe rc.lssccnecbacoteetacCossgsests- 914-426-0729 42 ¢ BBS CALLERS DIGEST REE EEE EEE ED_EDT ee INWWere F2t¢9) 7ASYALS ope coseoooocecndeccoasccncconeeBeENe-Bndee DWOMMGMCe Saree eee recse ccc saccoessaecnceseanssoeus sees 513-424-7529 The Moonflower BBS ........:.s:csscssssrcssceeeseeee (Profrar (Lith ccccpeetoseneccpeereic acces ceeccncees eee areeene 509-891-6148 Mountain Air BBS ..........:.:::eeceseeneeeseseceeeeees EG WanGhVVOOd bretercnicpcsccestesececcsateccestesooncessses 703-427-0226 MUSIC. GOnNeCtionie.:ccescccceseeetccrccoceseeeses-cee-s Davich@olemiannccccsxcisssscstecs ede cacesctnessacens ons 404-936-0550 Next Generation BBS ..............-.:eeseeeeseeeeeeee OMI Gal ClOMCrcscaea es cet cchew oeiic BBS? Bi Cheek thei ratures! | : Gee ee of THE chat with that special friend from across | iT town or the other side of the country, The | PALACE can meet all your needs! | ' ¥ To obtain your localiaccess number just . ra call 1-800-521-2793. Then call your local Si number with settings at N/8/1 and once . connected hit th RN key twice. Next t Crouns@ | to the COMMANDéjgirompt type, C PALACE ae as follows. COMMAND:C PALACE and you are on. Justi type i o create your unique user oe eal tel 5 | ACS MULTIUSER BBS 10918 Vance Jackson, Suite a * San Antonio, Texas 78230 © (210) 561-8166 voice support * (210) 561-8150 local BBS lines APRIL 1993 © 43 } 1 Book RELEASES THE INCREDIBLE SOUND MACHINE by Mark Andrews 380 pages w/disk $34.95 This book is well worth it’s price if only just for its software. Perhaps the best application on the disk accompanying The Incredible Sound Machine is a full working version of the award winning sound editor, SoundWave from Macromedia, Inc. For Music buffs, this book includes a special musical demo training version of Listen, from Imaja Software that lor BBS's! 400+ Images of Stunning New York Models All Images in True Color TIFFs and 256 Color GIF s 1-800-PIKTURE (745-8873) Never seen anywhere else before, these are originals !! Shareware viewers for Windows and Dos included FAX (716) 262-2257 44 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST Dealers Wanted teaches you to plan an on screen key- board synthesizer, and fret board. With the Songworks demo from Ars Nova Software you can compose musical scores on your Macintosh. More than just software, Mark Andrews provides a firm foundation on how sound works on the Macintosh as well as a crash course in music theory. Power users as well as programmers will benefit from this well constructed book/disk package. For more information, Addison- Wesley Publishing Company, 1 Jacob Way, Reading, MA 01867 or call: 617- 944-3700. SOUND BLASTER: The Official Book by Richard Heimlich 480 pages w/ disk $29.95 Osborne/ McGraw-Hill announced publication of Sound Blaster: The Official Book, covering the entire Creative Labs’ family of sound cards including Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro, the new Sound Blaster 16 & the Sound Blaster Multimedia Upgrade Kit. Bundled with Sound Blaster is a 3.5 inch diskette con- taining top-notch utilities like SPUT- MON and BLASTER Master, along with dozens of sound files, songs and musical jingles — jazz, pop, classics, and more. By reading Sound Blaster, the only book by Sound Blaster’s maker, Creative Labs, users will discover how to get more out of their sound cards and have fun doing it. The authors provide complete instructions for hardware and software installation for all systems; trou- bleshooting tips and techniques on solv- ing joystick problems, interrupt con- flicts, volume problems and more; thorough discussions on software fea- tures in the Sound Blaster family; top tech support with questions and answers from Creative Labs; coupons for deals on third-party products; and much more. Sound Blaster user will discover a wealth of weird, wild, and wacky things that are sure to drive other family mem- bers crazy in this value packed book/disk package. QUARKXPRESS FOR WINDOWS INSIDE & OUT by Emil & Sybil Ihrig 694 pages $27.95 Osbome/McGraw-Hill announced pub- lication of QuarkXPress for Windows Inside & Out, the best all around guide to the new full featured, desktop pub- lishing program. QuarkXPress for Windows, now available for the IBM PC and compatibles. Written by the bestselling authors of several editions of CorelDRAW! Made Easy, Emil and Sybil Thrig apply their winning approach to teaching QuarkXPress users how to achieve pro- fessional, high quality results. The Ihrigs begin with easy to follow instruc- tions that lead users through the fun- damentals quickly. Readers will then learn all about designing and producing layouts and graphics for newsletters, brochures, catalogs, books and other publication materials; creating special effects for photos; becoming an expert on importing, linking, embedding, and manipulating graphics; learning how to exploit color and trapping features to the fullest; getting a professional look when merging text and graphics using Quark’s runaround and anchoring fea- tures; and much more. Packed with examples, exercises, illustrations, and diagrams, QuarkXPress for Windows Inside © Out is a practical, task-oriented guide that’s ideal for every QuarkXPress user who wants great results. MICROSOFT WORD 5.1 FOR THE MACINTOSH MADE EASY by Paul Hoffman 354 pages $19.95 Osborne/McGraw-Hill announced pub- lication of Microsoft Word 5.1 for the Macintosh Made Easy, a new edition of one of the all time, bestselling intro- ductory guides available to the Mac ver- sion of Microsoft Word by best selling author, Paul Hoffman. Mac word beginners can follow Hoffman’s simple, clear, instructions and find out how to take advantage of everything Microsoft Word has to offer. Through examples, exercises, and illus- trations, beginners will learn funda- mentals such as editing, saving, and printing a document. After mastering the fundamentals, readers will also benefit from Hoffman’s coverage of Word’s Windows, using Glossaries, work- ing with graphics and text, and using Styles to simplify formatting. Experienced users can learn all about creating form letters, working with tables and footnotes, customizing Word, using Word's Outlining fea- tures, creating a table of contents and index, and much more. Hoffman also covers the spell checker, thesaurus, grammar checker, sorting text and numbers, plus using Word with other Macintosh programs. Since 1984, Paul Hoffman’s best- selling book has set the standard for guiding Macintosh users through all the features of this popular word processing program for the Mac. MACINTAX MADE EASY by Scott Beamer 338 pages $19.95 Osborne/McGraw-Hill announced pub- lication of MacInTax Made Easy, an up to the minute guide to using ChipSoft’s MacInTax Headstart and Final Edition for 1992 tax returns. With clear instruc- tions and practical examples, MacinTax Made Easy shows users how to complete what-if scenarios; maximizing use of the elaborate Help system build into MacInTax to find answers more quickly and easily; and much more. MacInTax users will discover how to use electronic filing to get quick refunds; learn to use MacInTax for per- sonal financial planning throughout the year; how to import personal data from Quicken and other financial software packages; and setting up record-keeping to save even more time next year. With MacInTax Made Easy, MacInTax users will learn to save money on their taxes, and get their refunds fast. SUBSCRIBE TODAY Call Toll-Free 1-800-822-0437 charge your subscription to your Visa or MasterCard. all the necessary tax forms to file their returns on time. Author Scott Beamer, who has written about MacInTax since its intro- duction eight Name years ago, pro- vides an easy-to- Address follow checklist City to get users ; through software State/Zip Code installation quickly and easi- NEW Address ly. Beamer also Name advises readers on collecting the Address right data, and City identifying the State/Zip Code right set of forms that will save time and effort; taking advantage of tools like item- ization windows, estimates, and Oe a ee ee ee ee eS CHANGE OF ADDRESS Don’t delay your BBS Callers Digest—if you’ve moved let us know! OLD Address (affix your mailing label or fill in the old information) Mail to: BBS Callers Digest, 701 Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055. You may FAX this form at (609) 953-7961. Sone Sen oe ee APRIL 1993 * 45 a eee NEWSLINE Continued from page 3 breeze to use with SAA style Pop-Up menus. Simply tell PereLine 3.2 the tele- phone number the first time you call a system and PereLine 3.2 does the rest. PereLine 3.2 is an easy-to-use full featured commercial communications program that sells for $89.95. Current PereLine customers will be offered an upgrade price of $29.95. Additional features added to Pere- Line 3.2 include background ZMODEM and CompuServe B file transfers with several advanced transfer options, new terminal emulations such as DEC V7T320, HP, UNISYS, AT&T, WYSE 60 (now including block and protected field modes), many new script and con- figuration options, integrated terminal mouse (even on services that do not oth- erwise support a mouse), integrated scroll back buffer, additional support for network COM servers, TCP/IP support, and automatic support for Centrex and PBX dialing. PereLine 3.2 also includes the Virtual Terminal Option which allows ‘ users to run DOS applications remotely and the PereLine Developer’s Kit which allows users to create or modify terminal emulations and other system files. PereLine 3.2 emulates over 40 popular terminals, has 11 file transfer protocols, and has pre-defined settings for 110 modems and 50 popular dial in services. System Requirements: PereLine 3.2 operates on IBM PC/AT/XT or PS/2 and compatibles with DOS 3.0 or higher, 280K RAM (30K for optional background file transfers), at least one floppy disk drive, one serial communi- cation port, and either a modem or a ® wins 1992 Dvorak/Zoom Ist Annual Award for Best General BBS Chann Over 2,500,000 calls! 617-354-7077 2400/1200 617-354-5776 14.4 v.32bis PO Box 338, Cambridge, MA 02238 16 Gigs/ PC Pursuit/Compucom/Telebit/HST 16.8 46 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST direct connection to another computer, or both. Hard disk recommended. PereLine 3.2 includes either 5.25” or 3.5” diskettes, the Virtual Terminal Option, the PereLine Developer’s Kit, a handy Quick Reference Chart, a con- venient Getting Started Guide, and a comprehensive and well-indexed user’s manual that was written with the inex- perienced user in mind. PereLine provides both telephone and BBS technical support to registered users at no charge. If the customer is not completely satisfied, PereLine offers a 60 day Money Back Guarantee. All materi- als must be returned in the original box. For more information, contact: PereLine Data Systems, Inc., 750 Camden Avenue, Suite B, Campbell, CA 95008-4102 —— (408) 364-2770 - FAX (408) 364-2788 - BBS (408) 364-2789 To order for immediate ship- ment or for a review/evaluation copy: Phone 1(800) 359-6612 (9am-5pm PST). Dealer and product reviewer inquiries welcome. GALACTICOM\M, INC. UNVEILS FAX/ONLINE FOR THE MAJOR BBS Fort Lauderdale, FL — The first integrated facsimile product available for commercial bulletin board system software was released by Galacticomm, Inc. “FAX/ONLINE” is an add-on option for The Major BBS which pro- vides a fax service for system operators (Sysops) to offer their users. While a user is online the BBS, he or she can enter the Fax/Online service and get a list of available fax documents in the fax docu- ment database. The user can. also inquire about the charges for sending a fax to a certain number. Once the user decides to send a fax, he/she can type a message into the BBS’s full- screen editor, attach any number of fax database documents and even send copies of the same fax to multiple facsimile numbers. Then the fax is “built” (compiled into one large .FAX file) and sent out using a different BBS channel than the one the user is on. This allows the user to continue to access the BBS independently of the sta- tus of the fax. Users are able to send a fax to any CCITT Group-3 compatible fax device. “The number of possible applica- tions for the Fax/Online module is almost limitless,” says Scott Brinker, VP of Galacticomm. “Whether The Major BBS is used as a customer support cen- ter, a for-profit system, or a workgroup tool, Fax/Online will help make that BBS more successful and efficient.” The Fax/Online Add-on Option requires Version 6.03 of The Major BBS or later, and at least 15MB of free hard disk space and one or more fax modems supporting the EIA Class 2 standard and the CCITT Group 3 standard. For an online demonstration of Fax/Online and The Major BBS, dial into the Galacticomm Demo System. It can be accessed free of charge by dialing 305-583-7808 [N,8,1] with a modem. For more information on Fax/Online or The Major BBS, cal! their toll free sales and information number: 800-328-1128, technical sup- port number is: 305-583-5990. ZONDERVAN UPGRADES ITS SOFTWARE Grand Rapids, MI — Zondervan Publishing House’s (ZPH) Bible refer- ence software for IBM-compatible com- puters is being upgraded. BibleSource 2.0 is faster, smaller, and more capable than its previous ver- sion. Released in January, it features pull down menus and full mouse support to make it easier to find words, link paral- lel passages, and edit personal notes. It does not require Microsoft Windows, but it is Windows Aware, mak- ing full use of the Windows Clipboard when the program is run under Continues... All of the archive files have been re engine which creates a file on the C Perce ove! 7,000 Vius Free Fis - 1 plus Gigabytes Uncompressed! Contains 2 Sound files, 256 Color GIF's, FLI's, Utilities, Programming, Bibles, True Type Fonts, WINDOWS Programs, Electronic Magazines, Communications, BBS Programs, Plus Much More! - 65% different or newer files than Mega CD-ROM 1 », 600 Plus Megabytes Over 4,861 Virus Free Files - 1 plus Gigabytes | | 2. Uncompressed! Filled With Windows and OS/2 Shareware and Public Domain Windows and 08/2 Shareware Files Including Sound files, Utilities, Programming, Plus Much Much More! Over 600 Megabytes Filled With Hundreds of 256 Color .Gif's, .Fli's of all types & Includes our New *Zoom-In Catalog System” with our Built In .Gif Viewer, plus Loads of Sound files, .Mod, .Rol, .Wav, & .Voc, + Utilities for Sounds & Graphics! For Adults Only GOLD - Just The Best of the Best - Many .Gif’s are New and NOT included on FAO 123 ".Gif's with No BBS Logos” Over 600 Megabytes New j “Wife Proof Labels" 256 Color .Gif's with resolutions up to 1280x1024, 256 BAZ, Color Animated Fii’s, Gl's, .DI's, Games, and ASCII Fantasy Text Files. We Release!| Jf = (have also included our New "Zoom-In Catalog System’ with our Built In .Gif (7OQ/ Viewer, plus The FAO Series is the Only Adult CD-ROM Discs with MegaDoor and MegaTerminal plus a True MS Windows 3.1 User Interface! Suggested Retail Price $79.00 for each CD-ROM Disc For Adults Only “Wife Proof Labels" 256 color GIF's, with resolutions up to 1280x1024, 256 Color Animated FLI’s, GL’s, .DI’s, Games, and ASCIl Fantasy Text Files. - This Huge 3 Disc Collection pre eaOnly Contains 1,892 Megabytes with Over (Count Them) 16,180 Files! ae 650 Megs 8,036 Files. Over iplus Gigabytes Uncompressed! Contains Sound files, 256 Color 11 GIF's, FLI's, Utilities, Programming, Bibles, True Type Fonts, WINDOWS Programs, Electronic Supplies Limited! A Af Magazines, Communications, BBS Programs and Utilities, Plus Much Much More! Contains ; PG Shareware Spectacular Many Files Intentionally Not included on Mega CD-ROM 2 - Mastered 1/92 $1 9.00 ea. complete Library, SDN International is the largest not for profit author direct file distribution network in the Special Offer world. Also included is WinNet - Windows Library, DVNet - DesqView Library, LanNet - Lan Library, DDS - Supplies Limited! 600 Door Distribution System Library, SDS - Sysop Library, Digital Gamers Review OnLine Magazine, Plu ine's Online Ecit : 29.00 MegaBytes S Boardwatch Magazine's Online Edition, FIDONet News, ASP Shareware, Genealogy, Cooking, Games, $ . ea. Graphics, and Utilitiesof all types, Plus Much Much More! - Mastered 6/92 SONY Caddies $4.75 ea. with Non Demo CD Purchase - Questions & Dealer Info. Call (602) 577-9696 1 A Must Have for Everyone not just Sysops! - 600 plus Megabytes! Over 7,215 Files. Includes the SDN SDN: All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars, with funds drawn on U.S. banks. The prices listed above do not include shipping and handling. PROFIT PRESS, 2956 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719 7 ORDERS ONLY! Call Toll Free INFORMATION (602) 577-9696 - FAX (602) 577-9624 quite 1-800-843-7990 Windows. It is the fastest program available in searching for any biblical word, phrase, or part of a word. ZPH is also upgrading its biblical reference software for the Macintosh computer, macBible 3.0. It will be avail- able sometime in May 1994. For more information: Zondervan Publishing, 5300 Patterson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530 or call 616-698-6900, Fax 616-698-3454. ASP SHAREWARE LIBRARY AVAILABLE ON NEW BBS NETWORK Muskegon, MI — The Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) announces the establishment of the ASP Hub Network, composed of 7 ASP Approved BBS’s in the United States and Canada. These Bulletin Boards will serve as library sites for Shareware by ASP authors, providing free and imme- diate download access to the latest ver- sions of ASP programs. The ASP Hub Network will be stocked with Shareware obtained direct- ly from the ASP authors, providing a reliable source to get ASP Shareware. For more information, contact: Clint Bradford at 909-681-6210. ZYXEL USA NAMES WINNERS IN BBS CONTEST Anaheim, CA — ZyXel USA, a leading supplier of high-speed data/fax modems and compatible products, announced the winners of its first ever Bulletin Board System (BBS) contest. The contest was held to increase the awareness of ZyXel fax/modems among BBS system operators. Entrants were required to create a color ANSI log-on screen that included the message “this system uses ZyXel high-speed modems.” The winning entry was submitted by David Foy of Santee, CA. Foy’s win- ning screen consisted of a ZyXel modem inside a window frame surrounded by a fishnet background. Foy was awarded $2,500 and ZyXel’s U-1496 top-of-the- line, high-speed fax/modem bundled with ZFAX and WinFax software. Second prize, consisting of $1,500 and a ZyXel U-1496E fax/modem, was awarded to Bernal Schooley from Aurora, IL. Ten runners-up were also selected and awarded a U-1496E modem. NEW VERSION OF TELEFINDER BBS SOFT- WARE FOR MACINTOSH Irvine, CA — Spider Island Software, maker of TeleFinder, a lead- ing multiline bulletin board system (bbs) for Macintosh, announces it is now shipping Version 3.0 of its Group Edition Host software. TeleFinder 3.0 runs on all Macintosh computers from the Plus to the Quadras, and is 32-bit clean, System 7 “Savvy”, and includes full Balloon help. Now capable of managing up to 32,000 users, TeleFinder delivers a powerful communications tool to busi- nesses, information providers, schools, and non-profit groups. For more info: Spider Island Software, 4790 Irvine Blvd, Ste 105-347, PCB-MHS MHS gateway for PCBoard BBS Software Increase your office productivity by using PCB-MHS and PCBoard to connect your office e-mail system with your bulletin board system. Easy to use installation program e Works with personal or network MHS SS) PCBoard. Professional Bulletin Board Software ©)€OMmDEH ¢ Notifies PCBoard users of mail e Easily handles file attachments Clark Development Company, Inc. P.O. Box 571365 Murray, UT 84157-1365 (800) 356-1686 NEW ORDERS (801) 261-1686 Questions/Technical MHS: pcbmhs @ merlin 48 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST Irvine, CA 92720 or call: 714-669-9260, Fax 714-669-1383, BBS 714-730-5785. MAJOR GATEWAY/INTER- NET FOR THE MAJOR BBS Fort Lauderdale, FL. —— Galacti- comm, Inc. announced the release of Major Gateway/Internet, a new Add-on Option for the company’s flagship prod- uct, The Major BBS. Major Gateway for Internet will offer users of The Major BBS the ability to send and receive Internet E- mail and Usenet newsgroup messages. Major Gateway/Internet can run either on a separate PC from the one running The Major BBS, or on the same machine. If a separate machine is used, the E-mail and newsgroup messages can be sent and received in real-time, either manually or according to a preset schedule. If Major Gateway/Internet is running on the same machine as the BBS, the Internet messages can be pro- cessed as a timed-event, which entails a temporary shut down of the BBS. Major Gateway/Internet receives messages from the BBS, either directly or via MHS. The module then queues the messages and prepares them for transfer; then using UULINK software by Vortex Technologies (Topanga, CA), dials out and connects The Major BBS to a UUCP host. The outbound messages are sent and inbound mes- sages are imported, processed, and transferred to the BBS for distribution. “The Internet is the most pervasive message network on the face of the earth right now,” says Scott Brinker, VP of Galacticomm. “The Major Gateway for Internet provides a convenient and affordable way for Major BBS Sysops to offer their users access to the most pop- ular InterNet services.” The Internet is an interconnection of national and international networks, representing hundreds of thousands of “host” machines, which are interfaced to special-purpose message processing com- puters. The Internet developed out of a U.S. government-funded research pro- ject and continues to be a hub for research and development, and educa- tional information worldwide. Most of the major online services offer electronic mail connections to the Internet. For more info, call Galacticomm’s toll free sales and information number: 800-328-1128, technical support can be reached at: 305-583-5990. YET ANOTHER CORRECTION Medford, NJ — In the Nov./Dec. 1992 issue of BBS Callers Digest, we reviewed Chicago Syslink BBS and some- how omitted the access phone number. Then in the Feb. 1993 issue we inserted a correction here in the Newsline area with what we assumed to be the correct access number. As things go, we published a voice support number for Chicago Syslink rather than the actual BBS Access number, so without error, the CORRECT access number for Chicago Syslink is: 708-795-4442. sanz. Win A US Robotics 16.8 Dual Standard! Yes, each month DATABANK is giving away a Modem lover's dream, to the Winner of our monthly drawing. Only Registered Subscribers are eligible. Starts January 1993. Join today the growing list of users who have found one of the fastest growing boards in the country. We offer what YOU want! On-line Shopping CD-Roms, Complete Systems, Hardware and Software at the Right prices. USA Today, Boardwatch, BBS Callers Digest, Newsbytes, Closing Stock Prices E-Mail Galore including USENET and FIDO Play a Game, Chat with your Friends Browse our 12.5 Gig of Files You will find it ALL Here DATABANK 913-842-7744 You can BANK on It 12.5 gigs and growing Bob Oyler, DATABANK, Lawrence KOA, Inc. RT 3 BOX 175, Lawrence, KS 66044 Voice 913-842-3877 » FAX 913-842-8518 APRIL 1993 © 49 Rusty Edie Call a different kind of BBS, “We are the Friendliest BBS in the World” Our name says it all. Edie and | are a couple of burn outs from the 60’s. We didn’t like rules then and we don’t now. Come on in and relax you will be among friends. We have a huge adult section, including over three gigabytes of adult graphics, as well as a fine selection of public domain and shareware programs, includ- ing over a gigabyte of family type graphics. But that’s not what sets us apart. When you call the first time, you'll know what no amount of words can tell you, you are home. That’s right, put up your feet and enjoy yourself. We live by the three no’s: “No Censorship, No Rules, No Hassle” You'll find us like no other BBS: @ We answer your messages and comments @ We answer your on line pages ® We post our address ® We post our voice phone number Rusty n Edie’s BBS 1480 Fredricksburg Drive Youngstown, OH 44512 VOICE ie tok we 216-758-8342 LER Gb Heads cobounane 216-726-3595 2400 baud........... 216-726-2620 HST 14.4K / V32bis . . . 216-726-3589 Hayes V-Series ...... 216-726-3619 Compucon ......... 216-726-3620 ERRORS REPORTED witH PKWARE’s New 2.04c The PKWare forum on CIS is full of reports of file corruption, memory allocation problems, CRC errors, disk span problems, AV problems, and more. This article tries to pull out the most significant reports and summarize them. Reported PKZIP 2.04c bugs/problems/anomalies/ caveats: 1. The Volume Label (“$”) switch does not work. 2. The Norton anti-virus program will report the “Maltese Amoeba” virus when scanning PKZIP. It’s a false report, nota virus. 3. If you have problems running PKZIP/UNZIP from Windows 3.1, you may have to follow the steps outlined in MANUAL.DOC to disable the DPMI detection/use. 4. Please report any corrupted files here. One user reports 60 megs worth of files destroyed due to corruption after converting ARJ to ZIP 2.04c files!!! Another user reports some corrupted files after using 2.04c on a network. 5. Be careful using the “-&f” and “ &fl” switches. The “quick format” can be a nasty trap for the unsuspecting. The quick format zeros the FAT and the directory area of a previously formatted diskette. The problem is that if a user quick formats a diskette that has bad sec- tors marked in the FAT, these sectors are no longer marked and DOS will eventually write over them. DOS will routinely write to a bad area on a disk but will refuse to read such areas. BEWARE! 6. If you are restoring from a mul- tiple disk backup set, PKUNZIP will prompt you to put the next disk in the drive. It does NOT properly detect and trap the DOS “Drive not ready..” error. It will NOT detect the situation where the user places the wrong sequence diskette into the drive and will erro- neously report that the ZIP file is cor- rupt! 7. The PKWare strategy to backup disks is flawed and dangerous. It requires that _all_ of the backup disk set be present and undamaged. If first disk is damaged, the entire backup set is lost. 8. If you use the “rp” switch to zip files recursively and store the paths, PKZIP 2.04c will now place an entry in the ZIP file directory for EACH subdi- rectory recursed into that looks like this: 0 Stored 0 0% 01-07-93 09:30 00000000 —wD ONE/ 9. Lots of reports of file corruption and unexplained CRC errors. = 50 ¢ BBS CALLERS DIGEST nen CLASSIFIED ADS The classified ads are for Pre-Owned items & Software, and for BBS ads only. Ads for new equipment must be inserted in the regular display advertising sections. No logos, or photos, or any other illustrations can be used in the classified ad section. INSTRUCTIONS are provided to keep the ad rate low and to ensure accuracy. Use the form on the next page to type or print your ad. Ads received that are diffi- cult to read will be returned. Write the desired category at the top of each ad. Ifa category is not specified, the ad will be placed in the Misc. section. If more than one ad is submitted, use a separate piece of paper for each ad. Ensure that your BBS ADS 100,000 FILES. The House of Files BBS has more software than you will use in a lifetime. Browse our system for free. Call 516-938-6722. AAG BBS, almost anything goes BBS: Located in Jackson, MI, running Galacticomm’s Major BBS, is an 8-line system with 15 gigs. Yes that’s right 15,000 Megs of files. Supporting 8 Gigs of Adult files, and 7 Gigs of IBM, Unix and Amiga files. Over 700 online adult stories, Online Chats, Games, Forums, and Daily Lotto. There is absolute- ly no file ratios, and no time limits on the sys- tem. The price is right, only .08 cents/hour, or $30/year. Come see for yourself, and enjoy all we have to offer. 1-517-789-9826 (2400), 1-517-789-8608 (9600). ADLINE, U.S.A! (708) 260-8818 80386 w/330MB, 2400bps, Free Service, over 2,000 programs: Business, Games, Graphics, Pictures, Adult. Free Classified ads. Ads from local businesses. “The Future of Information Services.” BCS BBS, (213) 962-2902, Four High Speed Modems(DS) and growing. Gigs of files with the latest files added every day. Qsoftware support, Intelligent Conversations, Excellent Conferences, ever expanding on-line ser- vices. One week FREE access! CAREER DECISIONS BBS: 909-864-8287 - If you are job hunting, be sure to give us a call. Employment listings, Recruiter Directory, Resume Services, Book Reviews, Job Profiles, Salaries, Relocation Tips, related share- ware, and more. New features being added daily. Free Access. Running Wildcat at 14.4kbps,N,8,1 CHANNEL 1 ONLINE, 617-354-3230 - Using PCBoard. “The Best Files in the USA”, complete name and address is at the bot- tom of each ad sheet. CLASSIFIED RATES as of February, 1993— $25 per month or $250 for the entire year. Ads can contain up to 300 characters. The name of the BBS is set in boldface capitals. All other type is plain only. Fill out the form on the next page and FAX your ad to 609-953-7961 or MAIL it to BBS AD, Callers Digest, Inc., 701 Stokes Rd., Medford, NJ 08055 with check, money order, or credit card information, or call 609-953-9110, 10 am — 4 pm EST. 90 lines, v.32bis support. 96 IBM file libraries; Amiga; Macintosh; Unix; Adult. Massive Windows, .GIF’s, sound files collec- tions. Online games and shopping. Echo Nets. InterNet. Over 2,500,000 calls and growing. Come Join us! COMPU-EROTICA BBS: 312-902-3599 - 11 lines of Adult Chat and Fun. Online Adult Lifestyle Conferences, games, member- GIF's, and more. If you like your chat hot, you'll - love - CEBBS! 2400/1200/300 baud. Women receive FREE access. Men - $45.00/yr. Visa/ MC/CK/MO. Sysops: Tiger and Ronnie. Voice info: 312-902-3591 THE INNER SANCTUM BBS: 813-648-6055 - Six lines, v.32bis. Large download library, including CD-ROM's, online games, chat, active message areas, including FIDO and US Political Nets. ISLES OF SHAE BBS, (305) 321-2410, 1.3 Gigabytes and 32 lines of fun! All types of computers are supported. Enjoy Teleconferencing, Multi-User Interactive Games, Online Shopping Mall, Forums, Online Trivia, File Library, Adult Section and much much morel Call for a free demo account! THE LIVEWIRE BBS, (609) 235-5297 (HST) using PCBoard v14.5/10, Support BBS for several door programs such as: LiveStore, Feud, Lucky-7, Facts, Songs, SexQuiz, Races, Lottery, TvTrivia, WordPlay, CD-Sub, Choice, Match, Colors, WordMath plus much more. Also support BBS for “BBS Callers Digest Magazine” both print and Online Version. Member of ILink, Intelec, Rime, SmartNet, PoliceNet (150:350/29) and FidoNet (1:266/36), Internet: Publisher@bbscd.com.. Home BBS for new Network called “RealLife Net” looking for more nodes to join with PcRelay or QWK msg format. Free Access to look around and subscriptions accepted online with Visa/MasterCard with immediate upgrade. Attempt to WIN a FREE subscrip- tion to BBS Callers Digest with the CDSUB command or buy a subscription with your credit card. Sysops can call 609-866-2551 (DS) to register doors using Visa/MC only. Special access for writers, cartoonist or pub- lishing related callers. MAC LINE 608-233-1798 Firstclass system at 14,400bps. Mac files, messages, news, chat etc. Playmaker Football league. Mac Guru Conference. MAIN FRAME BBS, (301) 654-2554, Online since 1984. Now with 8 lines and growing, thousands of files. Close to 300 networked con- ferences. Options to join for free or subscribe online. Please find our BBS listed in the dis- play Ad for PCBoard elsewhere in this issue. MICRONET PCBOARD, 1-615-690-0428 —PCBoard v14.5e/E3, Sysop: Ted Freeman. We are back online in Tennessee. Home of DoorFrame, DoorBill, Real Time Chess, Real Time Checkers, Real Time Othello, Eliminate, Total Recall, Pegjump, 4Square and Quizard Mtn. Member of RIME Network. New versions of all door programs now available along with updates to DoorFrame for programmers. THE NEXT GENERATION BBS, PCBoard 14.5a/E3. Home of Trek Trivia Online. 1.5 Gigs files, 750 Megs of the latest adult Gifs. Message Networks; RelayNet, Intelec and After Dark Adult Network. Visa/MasterCard accepted online. Sysop: John Carcione. 1-609-482-7345. NITELOG BBS, 14 Nodes, 4.9 Gigs, Dos, Windows, OS/2 files. Large adult section. Visa/MC/Discover/Amex accepted. Online registration 408-655-1096 (2400), 408-655- 8294 (v.32bis), 408-655-8277 (HST). NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS BBS, (718-845- 3392) 1.5+ Gigs of Adult software. Free BBS, no charges at all. 2400/14400 bps. PD/Shareware also immediate d/ling on first call. Online adult games. PINECLIFFE BBS, (303)642-7463, Pinecliffe, Colorado since 01/82. Sysop: Craig Baker. Using UltraBBS 2.09 Beta with 14 lines on MS-DOS 80386 with 9500 MB storage. USRobotics at 14400 pbs. No fee. Largest BBS in RockyMtn area. FREE ($20/yr gets 2hrs/day. $100/Lifetime membership.) 60,000 zips. CD-Roms online. Games. Home of CDBREG - allows immediate upgrades with credit card. Sysop also a computer store. NightOw! Rom $59. Help us grow. Continues... APRIL 1993 © 51 ee a CLASSIFIEDS Continued from page 51 PRIME NETWORK, the only real Christian Network on earth, PreRapture BBS 919-286- 3606, Acts 2:38, John 3:5 download prime.zip for Network kit. SHAREWARE EXPRESS, 1-301-963-4453. Running PCBoard hosting thousands of files and over 200 conferences. Many new and exciting doors available. We carry the MegaROM CD which contains over 74,800 files. Small annual fee, receive immediate access with your credit card. SMALL BUSINESSNET BBS: 1-404339- 1101 - America's favorite home and small business BBS! Database, Point-of-sale, Invoicing, Inventory, Communication, Spreadsheet, Financial Management, Customer Tracking, Utility, etc. software to support your growing business! SUBURBAN SOFTWARE, PCBoard Ver 14.5/E3, Sysop: Chuck Valecek, 1-708-636- 6694, RelayNet, MetroNet, Home of: King of the Board, Strike 93, Word Nerd, Ansi-View, Text-Read, plus many sysop utilities. TRI-STATE, Northeast’s Largest Growing System, 7 lines, 1-201-935-8634, Up to 19,200, Mail, BBS Links, Live Conferences and more. VIEWLINK BBS, 1-714-650-4612, PM9600 v.32/v.42bis, 24 hours. Five Dating con- ferences with GIF pictures of subscribers. Four For Sale conferences with GIF pic- tures of items for sale. Free samples for new users. IBM SHAREWARE IBM SHAREWARE: For free catalog send LSASE to: Sexton Sales, 3580c South Atlantic Ave. Ste. 11, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118 MISC. CLASSIFIED AD(S) College Degree without Classes/Study: I suc- ceeded at major school, you can get credits too! Comprehensive guide $5. Grants, bonus included. William Kemble, Dept. BBS- 50, POB 4352, Kingston, NY 12401. Li. ee ee ee ee ee ee ee + CLASSIFIED ORDER FORM Classified Dept., Callers Digest, Inc., 701 Stokes Rd, Medford, NJ 08055 I J The rate is $25 per ad up to 300 characters long. Save money and send $250 fora full year , of advertising. The BBS name or first two words are set in bold capitals. All other type is plain. | If you wish to have a heading category not listed, simply write in this new category and we |! will create it for your ad. PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT. ‘ Run this ad under the heading of eee eee, (For additional words, use separate sheet of paper) Signature I I NAME ADDRESS. CITY. STATE ZIP. I I Run class ad for issues. Payment of $ enclosed. I If paying by credit card, you may FAX this form to (609) 953-7961. M/C VISA (circle one) # exp. date : I BOARDS/ADD-ON CARDS 16 bit 16550 I/O Cards, 4-COM, RS-232 Serial card. 16bit/FIFO, 4-ports, 8-addresses, 8-IRQs, Independently selectable, $119.00 delivered UPS in USA or Canada, send check or money order to: PreRapture Solutions, 1806 Albany, Durham, NC 27705. 16550 Uart chips and double socketed AT I/O boards. Reasonable prices, online orders accepted by calling (301) 654-2554. If your favorite computer retailer, new- stand, book store etc.. doesn't carry BBS Callers Digest then have them call us at: 609-953-9110 for more details on how they can have BBS Callers Digest in their store. SUBSCRIBE TODAY Call Toll-Free 1-800-822-0437 (10am-4pm EsT) Charge your subscription to your Visa or MasterCard. ADVERTISERS INDEX BELL BUSINESS REPORT BLACK CAT INFORMATION SERVICE DIGITAL DYNAMICS. DURAN COMMUNICATIONS. EMERALD PALACE MULTIUSER BBS.. GALACTICOMM, GA TECHNOLOGIES... PERELINE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PICS ONLINE UNCLE HANK'S NEWSLETTER 52 © BBS CALLERS DIGEST nes ln ge Wii ; —— PIXURE ROM™ PRODUCTS ——_ [| VOLUMEI_| "General Appeal & Nudes" "Hedonistic Tendencies’ VOLUME I "Perversia Galore" 510+ Megs of GIFs 600+ Megs of GIFs 600+ Megs of GIFs People / Scenery 40+ Megs of PC Animation 25+ Megs of True Color Animals / Machinery COMPLETELY Adult COMPLETELY Adult 1/2 Classic Nudes 3300+ Images 2000+ Images 3100+ Images 175+ 800x600x256 450+ 1024x768x256 Primarily 640x480x256 50+1024x768x256 Avg. Image Size 300K+ "Triple Exposure": 3 Disc Set (Volumes I, II, & I) $139* ASS GULERTON, CALIFORy SEQ The nature of some of the images require that the purchaser certify that he/she is at least 18 years of age. @Primarily 640x480x256 @No Filename Duplication Between Volumes @©PCBoard BBS Support PC & MAC @Catalog on Disc compatible. Non GIF images may ©Printed Users ISO 9660 not be MAC Manual FORMATTED compatible. alice OSI, / *Suggested prices Requires a referenced are in CD Player, an \ U.S. Dollars. Pay- appropriate video SSE a a ment methods, ship- system, and a viewer “ ping policies, and actual or paint program that prices are set by each supports the GIF image dealer. Prices do not include format. any applicable sales tax. PIXURE ROM™ DEALERS Rd 323 TN Nursery Rd. Cleveland, TN 37311 KANDY SHACK 12531 Strathmore Drive Garden Grove, Califomia 92640 (800) 638-1170 [Voice] (714) 638-7308 [Voice] (714) 636-2667 [BBS] M.O./COD/Visa/MasterCard RAMSOFT 1501 East Chapman Avenue #338 Fullerton, Califomia 92631 (714) 738-5665 [Voice] (714) 738-0841 [BBS] Check/M.O./COD Free U.S.Shipping (615) 339-0235 [Voice] (615) 478-2890 [BBS] M.O./COD/Visa MasterCard Amex/Diners/Discover | DigiBoard, ARNET, Intel, AST.and others. As manufacturers introduce new. cards Only one BBS allows you to intelligently determine your multi-port needs. | deel mn z Naess ¥, PCBoard/M, ‘the Intelligent Advantage in bulletin board software, now. supports many intelligent and non-inteHigent serial ports from manufacturers suchas. : . Brey Lae eae, a simple driver replacement i is all that will be needed to support the new hardware. PCBoard/M allows you to run multiple ports on a 386 or 486. Intelligent boards such as the ARNET SmartPort Plus™ provide 4, 8 or even 16 nodes on a 386 or f 486 based computer. PCBoard/M allows you to mix and match any combination 4 of intelligent and non-intelligent cards in\the same system== even cards from Sr different vendors. Best of all, you retain network compatibility and the full versatility that PGBoard has to offer. Hundreds of third-party programs already, support PCBoard with y many of them offering PCBoard/M compatibility today and many more tocome. 2% The Multiport upgrade for PCBoard is available for all versions of the software , supporting 10 nodes or more for only USD $100. New purchasers and customers. upgrading from the /2 (two node) package pay. the same low $100 for SE Gel 3 in addition to the new package or version-upgrade price. = + For more details about P@s card an the Multiport version; orto purchase ARD Intelligent MultiPort hardware, call us today! = DF VU) D Boar O “2 ‘Professional B /iD Board Software) g Authorized Reseller lar 5 Oopment| Company; Ince ay FXo 971.365) Murray) Ul & ARNET g NE For|nformation=)(801))261= 5 ForiNew)0jders)-.800-356" 6% A = | F fp 7 Multiuser Connectivity Solutions