Intro to Comms

The 42nd protocol

Colin Fisher-McAllum, SysOp of 42BBS, offers some encouragement and advice for anyone considering their first logon...


Main menu on 42BBS

Atari enthusiasts are a rare commodity. If a PC goes wrong and you shout loud enough someone you'll get plenty of help. Getting help setting up an Atari isn't so easy. Magazines are a vital source of news and reviews and user groups have their role to play but if you need help urgently by far the best way of getting is to ask on-line. Modems have never been cheaper with state of the art modems costing less than œ200 and perfectly adequate 14,400 modems changing hands for around œ50 second hand. Messaging in the local or networked areas is one of the easiest ways to make contact with people who have a common interest.

Despite the techie image comms has most newcomers don't seem to have much trouble logging on to a BBS using one of the terminal programs given away on cover disks or supplied by PD libraries. Once connected most everyone seems to figure out how to find and download files but only a few get into messaging.


QWK Setup menu on 42BBS

All you need to get started is a modem and some terminal software. There are various alternatives to choose between, ConNect, STalker, Teddy Term, Freeze Dried Terminal and many others. Most people seem to find Teddy Term easy to setup and use and it supports the Zmodem transfer protocol which is the de-facto standard transfer protocol these days so why not give it a try first?


Dial options in Connect

Time spent reading the documentation saves time on-line. The most common problems new users face are setup errors in the terminal program. Leave the defaults unchanged but make sure the upload and download paths point somewhere sensible. Select an appropriate baud rate (19,200 is a safe bet), screen emulation (VT52) and make sure the transfer protocol is set to Zmodem. It's worth jotting these down because the first time you logon to a BBS you'll be asked some questions about your terminal settings. While most SysOps are happy to help new users make sure you read the terminal program manual/readme.

First contact

Just like learning any new application it takes time to find your way around a BBS - don't expect to run before you can walk. The first screen after the logon procedure usually contains all the options to navigate the board and access other areas. Look for the Bulletins or Information options, these usually contain text files to help you get the best out of the BBS.

The single biggest mistake people make is to read messages live on-line and it's one of the main reasons people believe being on-line is expensive. Almost everyone these days uses an off-line reader (OLR) to keep the telephone bill under control. Basically you select message areas you fancy reading and the BBS packs the messages into an archive which you download and then log off. Off-line your OLR extracts and files the messages in the appropriate areas ready to read and reply to.

The most common OLR system in use today is called QWK. All Atari BBSs support this system so you'll need a QWK compatible OLR. KiviQWK is the most popular OLR, it's actively supported and works in a multitasking environment. The older MT-QWK is still very good for use on single-tasking STs so the choice is yours. Setting up a QWK session with a BBS is straightforward if you follow the on-line prompts and remember to read any help texts the SysOp has made available.

I'd recommend anyone new to comms "lurks" for a while before posting messages. Lurking gives you a chance to familiarise yourself with the conversations, the other participants and how things are done. This should ensure your first comments are "on topic", relevant and welcomed. Every message area has its own "Echo rules" which must be obeyed and these are posted regularly. People paying to download a DTP area are likely to get upset if you start wibbling about the National Health Service. There's an appropriate message area for every imaginable topic so there's really no excuse.

After writing your first replies they are archived into a reply package with a REP file extender and this is uploaded to the BBS next time you log on. Your messages are posted into the message areas where everyone taking the areas can read them. Some messages areas are networked and bounced between BBSs on the network whereas local message areas are restricted to callers to the BBS.


Message area selection in Kivi

Restrict yourself to a few message areas until you get a handle on how the system works, some areas can be huge and you'll be in for a lengthy wait while your messages and packed and downloaded if you're not careful. Some BBSs offer an off-line packing option which means you don't have to hang around on-line while your QWK packet is archived and it's worth investigating this when you become a regular on a particular BBS.

With a little thought and planning using a BBS is not expensive. Remember you're a guest of the SysOp and other callers may well be waiting to logon so look after your BBS and it will prove an invaluable resource.


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