Hello community

I'm researching the necessary steps needed to launch a board. I'm a linux guy and intend to rig the hardware on a recovered corporate workstation with a core
I5 and 16gb of RAM. I haven't settled
on a distro but it'll likely by Ubuntu (what I'm accustomed to) but it's not set in stone. I may go with Debian who knows.

Anyway, naturally I have a ton to learn but this isn't unfounded. I was co-sysop for a number of boards during the nineties and Iknow much has changed over that last twenty years.

Can someone point me to a good resource that compares bbs systems compmatible with linux or should I just ask away in here?

Meanwhile, I have an ex-sysop friend who i'm hoping will hop onboard withi me an cosysop with me while helping create ansi art. There aren't many messages in
this channel so any advice yall can
dispense would be most appreciated.

You can also email me personally on my home bbs email: calcmancan@digitaldistortionbbs.com

Ummm, just so yall know I'm ust at the start of planning so I have little else figured out. I do know I'll want door games so I'll have to figure out how to get dosbox runnning and working with a
linux board. Oh I know this is going to be such fun.

Thanks in advance,

Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Daniel to All on Wed Aug 07 2019 09:18 pm

Anyway, naturally I have a ton to learn but this isn't unfounded. I was co-sysop for a number of boards during the nineties and Iknow much has changed over that last twenty years.

Actually, I dont think much has changed - other than interactions are done over IP now, instead of a phone line.

There are a lot of choices out there - and lots of help in a variety of FTN groups (and there are still lots of those as well).

I've recently turned off my MBSE, and am using Synchronet - my main motivation for doing that was the active development, and features. Email comes into my BBS (and goes out), and I get alerts when I'm online that messages are addressed to me.

Mystic is also another popular one (which I've also used) and there are some great youtubes by "Mystic Guy" that will help you get started with it.
...ëîåã
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Linux
* Origin: Alterant | An SBBS in Docker on Pi! (3:633/509)

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Deon George to Daniel on Thu Aug 08 2019 03:26 pm

I've recently turned off my MBSE, and am using Synchronet - my main motivati for doing that was the active development, and features. Email comes into my BBS (and goes out), and I get alerts when I'm online that messages are addressed to me.

Thanks for the advice. I've learned a bit over the last few days. The computer store I purchased my old workstation no longer has retired corporate workstations on sale, they're all gone and they have no idea when they'll be doing another auction run.

So, currently I'm thinking of building a PI rig with a 4tb drive and run the system on that. Also searching through amazon for fair priced retired workstations. My firewall is built on one. My email server is my mother-in-law's old home computer. My cloud server is possibly the last desktop I'll ever build from scratch. But I think a PI rig may be cheaper than a retired desktop.

Anyhoo, options options. Have you heard of bbbs.net?

Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

Daniel wrote to Deon George <=-

Anyhoo, options options. Have you heard of bbbs.net?

You can't run DOS doors under Linux or Win32 with BBBS. BBBS is $90 for a two-node registration. I'd stick with MBSE or Synchronet if you're going to run a BBS under Linux.

Later,
Sean


... When women go wrong men go right after them.
--- MultiMail/Win
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

Re: Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Sean Dennis to Daniel on Sun Aug 11 2019 08:32 pm

You can't run DOS doors under Linux or Win32 with BBBS. BBBS is $90 for a two-node registration. I'd stick with MBSE or Synchronet if you're going to run a BBS under Linux.

Oh ok. That's alot of money for two nodes.
Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

Hello Daniel!

Saturday August 10 2019 23:15, you wrote to Deon George:

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Deon George to Daniel on Thu Aug 08 2019 03:26 pm

I've recently turned off my MBSE, and am using Synchronet - my main
motivati for doing that was the active development, and features.
Email comes into my BBS (and goes out), and I get alerts when I'm
online that messages are addressed to me.

Thanks for the advice. I've learned a bit over the last few days. The computer store I purchased my old workstation no longer has retired corporate workstations on sale, they're all gone and they have no idea
when they'll be doing another auction run.

So, currently I'm thinking of building a PI rig with a 4tb drive and
run the system on that. Also searching through amazon for fair priced retired workstations. My firewall is built on one. My email server is
my mother-in-law's old home computer. My cloud server is possibly the
last desktop I'll ever build from scratch. But I think a PI rig may be cheaper than a retired desktop.

Anyhoo, options options. Have you heard of bbbs.net?

If you are referring PI as a raspberry Pi then I have a 3B+ running mbse as a back up system. It runs a rsync against the main server for the mbse directory
less ./bin and a few others every 6 hours i.e., 0, 6, 12 & 18 hours.

When my main box was shutdown due to a rewire and the decorators (over 3 months
worth) I had the Pi running as it would run 24+ hours on the UPS (1000VA).

I got it really for dev work using Heirlooms Cobol compiler which on the Pi is free but found a fair number of issues with it with zero response from the company - so just as well that I did not buy the compiler :)

All in all the Pi has worked well which is connected to a x830 board and case holding a 1Tb HDD in place of a SD card.

As and when a x830 set becomes available for the Pi 4B 4Gb Ram version I will move it over - subject to testing of course!

As for bbbs it is expensive for a home system 90+ dollars which is too rich for
my blood and retirement wallet.

mbse works well, it is still in active development at least in bug fixes and minor updates as it does work well as been tested over many years.

Doors - yes you can run them but I never have - not my cup of tea but it is hooked up to apache web server, ftp and am currently playing with changing
the internal database over to MySQL but that is a mid term project.


Vince

--- Mageia Linux v6 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.12/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.501-b20150715
* Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Vince Coen to Daniel on Mon Aug 12 2019 05:34 pm

mbse works well, it is still in active development at least in bug fixes and minor updates as it does work well as been tested over many years.

I still have to create a feature grid and compare mbse with others. Narrowing down my theme, which will lead to the name. And then speciality. I know I want to focus on aviation (i'm a
pilot), amateur radio, makers, watch repair.


Thanks for all the information, I"m steadily getting more confused over which system to run it on to start.

I do have some redesigning to do, starting with launching a security box and consolidating my log management, security, and database functions to it. I have
cable management stuff to deal
with too. Ohhh joy.
Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

Hello Daniel!

Monday August 12 2019 13:00, you wrote to me:

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Vince Coen to Daniel on Mon Aug 12 2019 05:34 pm

mbse works well, it is still in active development at least in bug
fixes and minor updates as it does work well as been tested over
many years.

I still have to create a feature grid and compare mbse with others. Narrowing down my theme, which will lead to the name. And then
speciality. I know I want to focus on aviation (i'm a pilot), amateur
radio, makers, watch repair.

Likewise - well a commercial pilot any way.

I released my flightlog program (as O/S) for all flight crew a few months back in SF as flightlogc. As it is written in Cobol you will need to install the GnuCOBOL compiler which is free to use also on SF.

Thanks for all the information, I"m steadily getting more confused
over which system to run it on to start.

I do have some redesigning to do, starting with launching a security
box and consolidating my log management, security, and database
functions to it. I have cable management stuff to deal with too. Ohhh
joy. Daniel Traechin

Let me try and help you a wee bit :

For me as a long time Linux user having move to it from OS/2 after IBM dropped it I only use native running software to maximise performance as I have a lot of server type products also running including apache for web services, ftp, MySQL, accounting and some others.

The first two are used with mbse as they are integrated with it with only a few
changes.

The other criteria is that the software must be available in source form as I need to verify there is no back doors or other security issues and this did eliminate some bbs tools such as Mystic which is now closed source.

Also wanted a bbs that was self contained as far as bbs, mailer, echo & file tossing, systems management etc along with a IBM mainframe point, and that thinned down a lot of them. Next was is it still actively being supported with fast-ish turn around of problems and here many fail!

While Mbse is no longer supported by the original programmer it is supported by
3 - 4 of us including myself in a small way if bugs are found or extra facilities are needed (most that do not involve heavy work loads).

All reported issues have been fixed quickly i.e., matter of days on most cases but with a couple of weeks as no one has reported a critical bug of any kind.

Mbse works on a wide range of Linux and *nix platforms including (at least by me) Normal Linux on a X64 based CPU, a back up running on a Raspberry Pi 3+ and
a 2008 Mac Pro (this is not up normally though) and the Pi runs a rsync process
to grab the file space used by mbse on the main system but without the bin directory along with a few others that would clash with each other.

My system runs via a 1000Va UPS and mostly (when not having house rewired or decorators in) is up 24/7 and was up well over a year between reboots despite system updates ( only reboot for a major critical Linux Kernel update or special system libraries such as libc etc and that only takes 15 - 30
seconds).




Vince

--- Mageia Linux v6 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.12/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.501-b20150715
* Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Daniel to All on Wed Aug 07 2019 09:18 pm

Back in the 90s I was a member of a few boards that had local message boards similar to today's forums.

I'm toying with this idea. Is there a feature where attachments can be uploaded
to a post so others can see it?
Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Daniel to All on Wed Aug 14 2019 00:19:30

Back in the 90s I was a member of a few boards that had local message boards

similar to today's forums.

I'm toying with this idea. Is there a feature where attachments can be

uploaded

to a post so others can see it?

not in public mail, no... some systems may offer it in private user-to-user mail, though... sbbs does... it is easy enough to do, though... if the file is local to the BBS, post a message with a pointer or link to it... otherwise, upload the file to a hosting service and provide a link to it in the message...


)\/(ark
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Linux
* Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12)

Hello Daniel!

Wednesday August 14 2019 00:19, you wrote to All:

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Daniel to All on Wed Aug 07 2019 09:18 pm

Back in the 90s I was a member of a few boards that had local
message boards similar to today's forums.

I'm toying with this idea. Is there a feature where attachments can
be uploaded to a post so others can see it? Daniel Traechin

To my knowledge there is no support for this in echo mail.

This is more likely due to echo policy that has been in force for 10+
years regarding echo areas in Fidonet.

That said a local echo area should not have that restriction BUT this
could cause various issues/problems for a sysop to control the size of
such attachment - What is to stop a user uploaading a TB of data
multiple times ?

The next issue is where such attachments go?

As it is users can subject to the correct permissions for a user
upload files to the inbound directory or even others using the URL
associated with the bbs.

This works as it is used on my system on a single permission basis but
all uploaded files still are vetted by myself before moving them into
areas available to all web / ftp & ssh users.

All this is down to the way the sysop has set up mbse and it's file
areas etc.

Vince

--- Mageia Linux v6 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.12/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.501-b20150715
* Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: mark lewis to Daniel on Wed Aug 14 2019 11:26 am

not in public mail, no... some systems may offer it in private user-to-user mail, though... sbbs does... it is easy enough to do, though... if the file

is

local to the BBS, post a message with a pointer or link to it... otherwise, upload the file to a hosting service and provide a link to it in the

message...

I'd prefer to keep the media within the bbs. I'm not talking about echomail, which I'm assuming means fidonet and all the other services. I'm speaking on local bbs messaging.

So add a pointer. huh, ok. is that easy to do?
Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

On 2019 Aug 14 23:02:06, you wrote to me:

not in public mail, no... some systems may offer it in private
user-to-user mail, though... sbbs does... it is easy enough to do,
though... if the file is local to the BBS, post a message with a
pointer or link to it... otherwise, upload the file to a hosting
service and provide a link to it in the message...

I'd prefer to keep the media within the bbs. I'm not talking about echomail, which I'm assuming means fidonet and all the other services.
I'm speaking on local bbs messaging.

ok... so make sure the file is in the BBS message areas and...

So add a pointer. huh, ok. is that easy to do?

point them to it by telling them where to find it... that's one way to do a "pointer"... if the BBS has a web server and the web server can access the files areas, pasting a link to the file into the message would be another way...

some systems do allow files to be attached to local messages but the one's i'm aware of do this only in private messages... mainly because in local areas with
public messages, when you download the file, you are offered an option to delete it and you don't want the first person to delete it while others haven't
gotten it... but as mentioned, it really depends on the code and what the operator has configured...

)\/(ark

Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set
them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
... Dragon? What dragon? You said we were looking for a worm.
---
* Origin: (1:3634/12.73)

Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: mark lewis to Daniel on Thu Aug 15 2019 11:33 am

some systems do allow files to be attached to local messages but the one's

i'm
[snip]

Okay I will plan accordingly.

On another note, the old wildcat server used to give ip addresses and the user could surf the web with that modem connection. That's how I got my internet during college (I was REALLY poor).

I understand that dial-up internet speeds no longer suffice for surfing the web. Many middle-america rural citizens still utilize dial-up services due to the lack of broadband services.

On a somewhat-related note, I was considering porting the lynx text-based browser as a bbs application that could provide those with low bandwidth the ability to access web content through
the board. Has anyone explored this concept? Yes, I understand that this is nothing like the old wildcat server, it's a different beast.

I ask this because I often use lynx at home for no other reason that I like its
speed and low memory footprint. And I thought it would be really cool to expand
a bbs in this way. Even if the
feature never becomes popular, I think it would be worth attempting.

Is this even possible?


Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

You can't run DOS doors under Linux or Win32 with BBBS.

I haven't tried that myself, but I have a howto around here somewhere dealing with running doors with BBBS.

BBBS is $90 for a two-node registration.

Back in the 90's that was so, today you get 2 nodes for $60 or 7 for $80.

I'd stick with MBSE or Synchronet if you're going to run a BBS under Linux.

Both good choices also.. :)

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-4
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)

Re: Re: Launching new BBS and conducting research
By: Alan Ianson to Sean Dennis on Sat Aug 24 2019 01:25 pm

You can't run DOS doors under Linux or Win32 with BBBS.

I haven't tried that myself, but I have a howto around here somewhere

dealing

with running doors with BBBS.

BBBS is $90 for a two-node registration.

Back in the 90's that was so, today you get 2 nodes for $60 or 7 for $80.

I'd stick with MBSE or Synchronet if you're going to run a BBS under

Linux.

Both good choices also.. :)

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-4
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)

Thanks for the advice. I will be testing both options in a vm while I gather the hardware. Going for the pi solution and external hdd. But also studyin assembly for c64 because i have a wild hair
to create a new game for that retro system.

And, so it goes i have too many hobbies.
Daniel Traechin
--- SBBSecho 3.09-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (1:340/7)

Hello, Alan!

Replying to a message of Alan Ianson to Sean Dennis:

Back in the 90's that was so, today you get 2 nodes for $60 or 7 for
$80.

I have an email from Kim himself from April of this year that says $90 for two nodes.

On a side note, I am hoping to have ported my doors to a Linux-native version soon. I've switched doorkits to Manndoor and I'm hoping to offer my doors in DOS, OS/2, Win32, and Linux native versions though my Linux compiles will be 64-bit since I run Slack 64 here.

Later,
Sean

--- FleetStreet 1.27.1
* Origin: Outpost BBS Local Console (1:18/200)