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RBBS in a Box Volume 1 #3.1
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1990-02-10
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FEATURES IN RBBS-PC
CONTENTS
1. General
2. Messaging
3. File System Management and Exchange
4. The User Interface
5. SysOp Protection
6. SysOp Functions, Features, and Support
7. System Access Management
8. Communications
*9. Multi-User/Network Support
Over the years RBBS-PC has received many accolades. PC World says "For
electronic mail and bulletin board applications, the RBBS-PC software is
the best choice." EDP Analyzer says "RBBS-PC is the easiest to use."
RBBS-PC was the origin of PC Magazine's "Interactive Reader Service." PC
Magazine writes that RBBS-PC "is one of the most popular BBS programs for
the IBM PC" and has called RBBS-PC "an industry standard." INFOWORLD, in a
comparison of the most popular PC-based bulletin board systems rated
RBBS-PC the highest. Almost as if in confirmation, the U.S. Department of
Commerce's National Bureau of Standards report on Electronic Bulletin
Boards (publication NBSIR 86-3356) is devoted entirely to RBBS-PC.
RBBS-PC CPC17-3 is a significant enhancement to RBBS-PC and will be the
36th release of RBBS-PC CPCxx since July of 1983. RBBS-PC's policy of
freely distributing the source code and continually expanding it's range of
capabilities throughout these last five years represents not only the very
best that is embodied in the concept of "users helping users" but an
expectation of excellence that NO product in the PC industry has ever even
approached. Here is a brief summary of the major features of RBBS-PC.
RBBS-PC is the Remote Bulletin Board System for the IBM (or compatible)
personal computer. One of it's two primary purposes is to foster the free
exchange of information by allowing a microcomputer to be turned into a
"host" computer that people can "dial" into and use. It is a full featured
Bulletin Board System that supports:
o bulletins
o electronic mail (public and private)
o file exchange (uploading and downloading)
o on-line questionnaires based on "scripts" written by the SysOp
o access to other applications from RBBS-PC (i.e. "dooring"), and
o letting authorized callers drop into the operating system to run
programs remotely from the caller's computer.
RBBS-PC is unique among host communications programs in that it is made
available under a limited license which requires that no charge for RBBS-PC
be levied -- only a minimal copying fee is permitted. RBBS-PC is unique
also in that ALL the source code for each release is also made available.
Those who wish to make contributions for RBBS-PC are asked to contribute
enhancements to RBBS-PC itself or make contributions to the Capital PC
Users Group. The authors and contributors neither ask for, nor accept,
money for RBBS-PC. Upgrades, which average about three a year, are free.
There is no extra charge for a multi-user version. In fact, there is only
one version of RBBS-PC released! It runs either single or multi-user.
The purpose of this section is to provide a check list of RBBS-PC's major
features. After all, being free and including source code means that
RBBS-PC is the "industry standard" against which systems with similar
functions can be judged by end-users.
RBBS-PC has been around since 1983, and many people may not realize just
how extensively it has evolved and been enhanced over these last six years.
One advantage of distributing source code is that those who run RBBS-PC
systems are able to contribute improvements to it. Many people have
contributed to RBBS-PC over the years -- over 80 are listed in the RBBS-PC
documentation itself. The check list of major features and enhancements
that follows are just part of this on-going tradition.
1. General
-----------
Number of different "conferences" or messages areas -- unlimited
Number of messages that can be left -- unlimited
Number of files that can be uploaded or downloaded -- unlimited
Number of bulletins that can be posted by the SysOp -- unlimited
Number of different file transfer protocols supported -- unlimited
Number of external applications that can be "DOORed" to -- unlimited
Number of on-line questionnaires -- unlimited
Number of questions in on-line questionnaires -- unlimited
Number of levels of security -- 66,536
Number of registered callers -- 32,767
Maximum number of characters in a single file -- 32,767
Maximum baud rate supported -- 19,200
Maximum number of characters in a single message -- 6,128
Maximum number of lines in a single message -- 99
Maximum number of simultaneous callers or users -- 36
Maximum number of communications ports supported on a one PC -- 8
Donation to CPCUG for a copy of RBBS-PC (4 diskettes) -- $16
Is the multi-user version included in the price -- yes
Is technical support included in the price -- yes
Is ALL source code distributed with each release -- yes
Are fixes and patches promptly made available -- yes
Is extensive technical documentation (220+ pages) including
file descriptions and record layouts distributed
with each release -- yes
Is there an OPTIONAL -- but professionally written and
published (Bantam Books ISBN 0-553-34552-4),
startup guide (430+ pages) for first time
bulletin board system operator (SysOp) -- yes
2. Messaging
-------------
Within a conference or message area:
The user's last message read is remembered -- yes
A user's security level can be unique to each conference -- yes
User's "preferences" (expert/novice) can be unique -- yes
A user can have privileges different from other areas -- yes
Conferences can be:
Public (anyone can join) -- yes
Private (only pre-registered users can join) -- yes
Semi-private (users with sufficient security can join) -- yes
Each conference or message area can have unique or different
Bulletins -- yes
News -- yes
On-line help files -- yes
Files available for downloading -- yes
mixtures of commands -- yes
menus -- yes
"Doors" (i.e. external applications that are exited to) -- yes
When callers log on they can (at the SysOp's option) be
Automatically notified of all mail waiting for them -- yes
Automatically notified of only NEW mail waiting for them -- yes
Automatically notified which conference has mail for them -- yes
ONLY notified of mail in conferences the caller belongs to -- yes
Automatically notified of the messages that they have left -- yes
Automatically notified of the files they uploaded -- yes
Automatically notified of the files that they downloaded -- yes
Automatically notified of their profile of preferences -- yes
Automatically notified of any new "bulletins" -- yes
Automatically notified of any new files -- yes
Immediately download files -- yes
Immediately list the new bulletins -- yes
Immediately go directly to a specific area (turbo logon) -- yes
Specific messages can be:
Public (readable by all) -- yes
Private (to a specific individual) -- yes
To a "group" (readable by a specific collection of users) -- yes
Password protected (readable by supplying the password) -- yes
Public but available to others after the SysOp reads it -- yes
Private but available to addressee after the SysOp reads -- yes
Read by only those with a high enough security level -- yes
"Quick" scanned by subject only -- yes
"Quick" scanned with 69 messages displayed at a time -- yes
"Scanned" by sender, addressee, date, subject, and date/
time it was received by the addressee -- yes
"Scanned" with 23 messages displayed at a time -- yes
Read while "quick" scanning -- yes
Killed (i.e. deleted) one at a time -- yes
Killed in multiples -- yes
When a message is read the software provides
Name of caller who entered the message -- yes
Date and time the message was entered -- yes
Name of caller to whom the message is addressed -- yes
Date and time the message was received -- yes
Subject of the message -- yes
Minimum security level needed to read the message -- yes
Conference the message is in -- yes
Messages can be searched via "threads" (for specific strings)
By message subject only (i.e. "static" threading) -- yes
By sender, receiver, subject, or (i.e. "dynamic" threading)-- yes
By text within a messages (i.e. "turbo" threading) -- yes
And read while threading without disturbing the search -- yes
Messages can be read
Forwards -- yes
Backwards -- yes
Singularly, by specific message number -- yes
Multiply, by specifying a series of message numbers -- yes
While "static" threading (i.e. matching on subject) -- yes
While "dynamic" threading (i.e. match on all header info) -- yes
Matching on a string in the header or body -- yes
That are only addressed TO the caller -- yes
That are only FROM the caller -- yes
Or re-read immediately after the last screen of a message
has been read (useful for long messages) -- yes
Messages can be
Forwarded to others -- yes
Re-edited after being saved -- yes
When entering or replying to a message
The message subject can be edited -- yes
The sender is notified if the addressee has not logged on -- yes
The caller can see if the mail has been received -- yes
After replying only the message header is displayed -- yes
After replying the caller can re-read the message -- yes
After replying the caller can kill the message replied to -- yes
The built-in message editor has
Automatic "word-wrap" -- yes
Allows any character as a separator for replacing strings -- yes
Text files to be uploaded remotely as a message -- yes
Text files to be imported by the local SysOp -- yes
Block deletion of lines -- yes
Character strings to be searched and replaced -- yes
Margin widths that can be set by the caller -- yes
Supports downloading from over 10,000 subdirectories -- yes
Sub-second look up whether file exists for up to 32,767 files -- yes
3. File System Management and Exchange
---------------------------------------
The software automatically maintains a list of files
available to callers containing: -- yes
Name of the file -- yes
Size of the file -- yes
Date the file was created -- yes
One-line description of the file -- yes
Extended (multi-line) file description -- yes
Unlimited number of categories in which to classify files -- yes
Categories can have multiple line descriptions -- yes
A file can be associated with multiple categories providing
the capability of having a complex, tree
classification system for files -- yes
Callers can search the list of files available -- yes
By category -- yes
By date (most recent first) -- yes
By match on a string in one-line description -- yes
By match on a string in extended description -- yes
By "wildcards" -- yes
Callers who upload files can be asked to:
Categorize the uploaded file -- yes
Provide a one-line description of the file -- yes
Provide an extended description of the file -- yes
Authorized callers can add file descriptions without uploading-- yes
On an unsuccessful upload, the partial file is deleted -- yes
Files may be made available for "personal downloads" (i.e.
limited to a specific user or security level) -- yes
Archived files in ZIP, ARC, PAK, LZH format may be viewed by
the caller before downloading -- yes
Can install support for viewing any library format -- yes
Files may be separated into different DOS subdirectories
for callers to download from -- yes
The software can search 7,000 file descriptions in 60 seconds -- yes
Files can be downloaded when searching the list of files -- yes
File can be downloaded when listing the file descriptions -- yes
File listings can be resumed after a download -- yes
Multiple file downloads/uploads can be requested -- yes
The software supports a "LIBRARY" file subsystem in which:
files of the same name are in different DOS subdirectories -- yes
files within a single DOS subdirectory can be .ARCed
together into a single file and downloaded -- yes
PC-SIG's CD-ROM can be made available for downloading -- yes
The software allows file transfers with both
"Internal" protocols (handled by RBBS-PC source code):
ASCII -- yes
Xmodem (checksum) -- yes
Xmodem (cyclical redundancy check) -- yes
Ymodem -- yes
and "External" protocols (i.e. handled by separate .EXE files):
Xmodem (checksum) -- yes
Xmodem (cyclical redundancy check) -- yes
Ymodem -- yes
YmodemG (used when MNP exists in the modem) -- yes
Imodem (used when MNP exists in the modem) -- yes
Windowed Xmodem -- yes
Kermit (as defined by Columbia University) -- yes
Windowed Kermit (as defined by The Source) -- yes
Zmodem (batch) -- yes
Sealink (by System Enhancements Associates) -- yes
Megalink -- yes
Unlimited number of external protocols can be added -- yes
Uploads can be made unavailable to callers for downloading -- yes
The SysOp can specify:
A caller's minimum security level required to:
download files -- yes
upload files -- yes
overwrite existing files -- yes
categorize files -- yes
view uploaded files -- yes
An upload time credit be applied to a caller's session
time for time spent uploading -- yes
To apply the upload time credit to the maximum time per day-- yes
To automatically track the ratio of uploads/downloads
for all callers -- yes
for no callers -- yes
for each of the 65,000 security levels -- yes
To base the ratio of uploads to downloads on the
number of files transferred -- yes
or characters transferred -- yes
To allow callers access to file downloading based on the
caller's ratio of uploads to downloads -- yes
To allow callers to download files only after they
have been logged on a certain number of
minutes in each session -- yes
4. The User Interface
----------------------
The interface shown to the caller allows the SysOp to:
Substitute any letter for any command -- yes
Disable commands -- yes
Restrict specific commands to some security levels -- yes
Only show callers the commands available to them -- yes
Group commands into any sections -- yes
Specify how callers can move between sections -- yes
Group all commands into a single section -- yes
Create whatever prompt required to request user commands -- yes
Create any on-line help files -- yes
Create and design all menus -- yes
Make commands words (i.e. ENTER to enter a message) -- yes
Make commands single letters (i.e. "E" to enter a message) -- yes
Make commands a number (i.e. "1" to enter a message) -- yes
Make commands "macros" (i.e. a series of valid commands) -- yes
Make any item on a menu a "sub-menu" (i.e. selecting the
item displays another menu) -- yes
Have an unlimited number of submenus -- yes
Highlight strings found in searches with colors -- yes
Support colored prompts -- yes
Allow the prompts to be different colors -- yes
Allow menus to be ASCII, graphic, or colored/animated -- yes
Provide personalized text files (help, etc.) -- yes
User "friendly" features are that the software
Allows callers with unusual names (hyphenated) -- yes
Allows callers with similar names (J. Joe and J. M. Joe) -- yes
Allows the SysOp to accept callers with the same names
(i.e. two John Jones) and still distinguish
between them by and field in the user record
(e.g. city/state) -- yes
Allows the prompt for the caller's first and last name
to be configurable by the SysOp -- yes
Addresses the caller by the first name -- yes
Thanks the caller for uploads -- yes
Thanks the caller for messages -- yes
Thanks the caller for calling -- yes
Shows all defaults with [] (i.e. brackets) -- yes
Allows callers to "see and do" (i.e. not have to back out
of current section or command to do something) -- yes
Allows users to choose "novice" or "expert" modes -- yes
Provides short reminders of the commands in prompts -- yes
Provides on-line help for any command -- yes
Provide different help levels for "novice" and "experts" -- yes
Allows "command stacking" -- yes
Accepts unlimited type ahead from remote users -- yes
Provides a fast logon (directly locates the user's record) -- yes
Automatically pages the SysOp when a specific user logs on -- yes
Prevents text from scrolling off the top of a user's screen-- yes
Wipes off prompt for next screen when caller continues -- yes
Takes the phone off the hook (so callers get a busy signal)
when the SysOp is on locally doing maintenance -- yes
Informs the caller who "pages" the SysOp of the times that
the SysOp is normally available -- yes
Automatically logs off a caller who is inactive based on
a time period set by the SysOp -- yes
Allows callers to see log of others who called that shows:
Name, date, and time other callers logged on -- yes
City and state other callers were from -- yes
The software remembers the "preferences" set by the caller for:
Preferred file transfer protocol -- yes
Type of displays to be shown (ASCII, graphic, colors) -- yes
Lines per page (or screen) at the user's terminal -- yes
Margin width when entering messages -- yes
Upper case only or upper & lower case -- yes
A prompt bell with each command prompt -- yes
Padding end of lines with nulls (for hardcopy terminals) -- yes
Sending a line feed after every line -- yes
End-to-end echoing of characters (normally turned off by
a caller using networks that have relay delays
like PC-Pursuit) -- yes
"TurboKey" - acting on first letter entered at prompt -- yes
Reviewing files immediately upon logging on -- yes
5. SysOp Protection
--------------------
Because a SysOp is absolutely and personally responsible for what is
communicated, the software protects the SysOp by:
Recording all caller activity by caller, date, and time -- yes
Recording all communication among callers -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to preview messages between callers -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to preview files that are uploaded
before they are available to other callers -- yes
Automatically locking out callers who attempt to break
the system -- yes
Automatically denying access to callers who use names
that the SysOp deems unacceptable -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to "chat" directly on-line with
a caller -- yes
Preventing callers from chatting directly on-line
with each other outside of the SysOp's control -- yes
Assigning each caller a specific security levels -- yes
Designating the minimum security level to use each command -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to assign security levels to commands -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to assign security levels to callers -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to change any caller's security level -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to assign a security levels to files
or groups of files that a caller must have in
order to access them -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to require callers to know specific
passwords to access files or groups of files -- yes
Allowing the SysOp to require callers to have BOTH a
specific security level AND know a specific
password in order to access a file or a
group of files -- yes
Allowing files to be protected (by requiring a password
and/or a minimum security level to access) based
on any combination of
subdirectory, -- yes
disk drive, -- yes
fully qualified names, -- yes
file extensions, -- yes
"wildcards" -- yes
Allowing "personal" files (i.e. files that only a specific
caller can access -- yes
Allowing each command to have a specific security level
that designates the minimum security level
needed to use the command -- yes
Automatically paging the SysOp when a specific caller
logs on (without the caller knowing it) -- yes
Instantaneously allowing the SysOp to lock out and
immediately disconnect an on-line caller -- yes
Enabling the SysOp to display the on-line caller's
profile (i.e. all the information about the
caller) anytime a caller is on-line without
the caller being aware of it -- yes
6. SysOp Functions, Features, and Support
------------------------------------------
The software can be set to automatically drop to DOS at a
specific time of day (i.e. to do system maintenance, etc.) -- yes
The software can support and interface with store-and-forward
electronic mail systems (i.e. FIDO, BINKLEY TERM, SEADOG) -- yes
From the local keyboard's function keys, the software allows
the SysOp to:
Exit to DOS -- yes
Toggle on or off if callers can "page" the SysOp -- yes
Toggle the local print on and off -- yes
Log on locally to the system without calling in -- yes
Cause the system to immediately answer the phone -- yes
Enter input from the local keyboard on the caller's behalf -- yes
Grant a caller temporary SysOp privileges -- yes
Temporarily increase or decrease a caller's security level
in increments of one or five -- yes
Permanently change a caller's security level -- yes
Temporarily change the elapsed time of the current
caller's session by one or five minutes -- yes
Display on the local screen what the caller sees -- yes
Invite the caller to "chat" with the SysOp -- yes
Immediately lock out and log off the caller -- yes
Automatically log the SysOp on next after current caller -- yes
The commands a SysOp can execute locally or remotely are:
Exit to DOS -- yes
Toggle on or off if callers can "page" the SysOp -- yes
List the comments that have been left to the SysOp -- yes
List the log of the caller's activities that shows
Name, date, and time a caller logged on -- yes
City and state the caller was from -- yes
Date and time a caller logged off -- yes
If the caller was logged off due to inactivity -- yes
If the caller was logged off due to carrier lost -- yes
Baud rate and communications parity caller used -- yes
Files downloaded and uploaded -- yes
Success or failure of file transfers -- yes
Protocol used for file transfers -- yes
Number of characters transferred -- yes
Which bulletins a caller read -- yes
Which conferences a caller entered -- yes
Which messages a caller read -- yes
Which messages a caller left -- yes
Which messages a caller killed (i.e. deleted) -- yes
If the caller left a comment -- yes
If the phone was answered but nobody logged on -- yes
Caller was a newuser -- yes
A newuser changed their name/address -- yes
If caller changed password (and to what) -- yes
Questionnaire answered by the caller -- yes
Restore a message that was killed (i.e. deleted) -- yes
Erase the comments file -- yes
Maintain the file of users by:
Adding a user -- yes
Listing the file of users -- yes
Printing the file of users on a local printer -- yes
Deleting a specific user's record -- yes
Scanning every user record for a specific string -- yes
Scanning every user record for a specific user -- yes
Modifying a specific user's password -- yes
Modifying a specific user's graphics preference -- yes
Setting a specific user's security level -- yes
Changing the beginning of a user's subscription -- yes
A SysOp can identify callers by:
Any field in the user's record (i.e. account code) -- yes
Supplying a configurable prompt for the field used to
uniquely identify callers (i.e. employee number) -- yes
Allow interior blanks in caller's names -- yes
A SysOp can have on-line questionnaires that
All users are required to answer -- yes
Only new users are required to answer -- yes
Are unlimited in number -- yes
Contain an unlimited number of questions within each -- yes
Record all answers to a different file -- yes
Automatically raise or lower a caller's security level
based on the caller's answers -- yes
7. System Access Management
----------------------------
The SysOp can specify:
A maximum time per session for callers -- yes
A maximum time per day for callers -- yes
A different session time be allowed for each of the
65,000 different security levels -- yes
A different maximum time allowed callers on the system
each day based on the caller's security level -- yes
A minimum baud rate for new callers to logon with -- yes
A different minimum baud rate for existing callers to logon-- yes
A different maximum time per session based on time of day
(hour and minute) the user logged -- yes
A maximum time per day that is different from the maximum
time per session -- yes
To allow callers access to other applications (i.e.
doors) only after they have been logged on a
certain number of minutes in each session -- yes
To allow all callers access to the entire system (open) -- yes
To allow only pre-registered calls access to the entire
system (closed) -- yes
To allow automatic and instant access to the system for
for new users without pre-registering them
based on information pre-loaded into the system
(i.e. account codes, employee numbers, etc.) and
issued to callers before they access the system -- yes
The software provides an optional subscription management system that:
Is built-in -- yes
Is automatic (i.e. requires minimum SysOp effort) -- yes
Is optional -- yes
Bases the subscriptions on the date of the caller's
first access to the system -- yes
Subscribers are given temporary, date-limited, "trial
periods" that allow them to access more features -- yes
The number of days prior to a caller being warned that the
subscription expires can be SysOp-specified by -- yes
Automatically warns subscribers before their sub-
scriptions expire -- yes
Automatically reduces the subscribers system security
level upon subscription expiration -- yes
8. Communications
------------------
The software will automatically
answer the phone and adjust to a caller's
communications settings -- yes
allow the modem to adjust to the caller's communications
settings while maintaining a higher data
transfer rate (19200 baud) between itself and
the modem to which it is attached -- yes
recognize a caller who calls at:
300 baud -- yes
1200 baud -- yes
2400 baud -- yes
4800 baud -- yes
9600 baud -- yes
19200 baud -- yes
recognize the MNP (automatic error correction) protocols
built into the modem it is attached to -- yes
recognize Hayes' pseudo LAP-B (automatic error correction)
protocol if the modem it is attached Hayes is a
Hayes modem with such protocol -- yes
recycle if no calls are received in a specified period -- yes
switch to N/8/1 for binary file transfers without
disconnecting the user -- yes
The software will allow a 300 baud caller to shift to
450 baud while on-line without disconnecting -- yes
The software supports modems that do not handle modem
commands but which can automatically answer the phone -- yes
The software handles "flow control" via:
Clear-to-send (CTS) -- yes
XON/XOFF -- yes
The software supports attachment directly to
a private branch exchange (PBX) -- yes
a public data network via an X.25 PAD -- yes
The software has optional, configurable modem commands to:
initialize the modem's firmware -- yes
initialize the modem each time the software recycles -- yes
set up the modem to answer the phone on each recycle -- yes
set the number of rings to answer the phone -- yes
answer the phone -- yes
take the phone off the hook -- yes
The software can be configured to wait a specified number of
seconds:
after initializing the modem on recycling -- yes
wait after issuing a modem command -- yes
before logging off an idle caller -- yes
after answering the phone for a carrier -- yes
The SysOp can set the number of rings the software answers on -- yes
The software can be set to wait to issue modem commands
when the phone is not ringing -- yes
The software can utilize external communications drivers
(for communications ports not supported by BASIC) -- yes
9. Multi-User/Network Support
------------------------------
Supports multi-tasking under
MultiLink (Version 4.0 and earlier) -- yes
DESQView -- yes
Windows -- yes
DoubleDos -- yes
Under multi-tasking, minimizes its resource demand by
freeing resources when waiting under
DESQView -- yes
DoubleDos -- yes
Supports file and record locking in
MultiLink (Version 4.0 and earlier) -- yes
OMNINET from Corvus -- yes
PC-NET from Orchid -- yes
DESQview from Quarterdeck -- yes
10NET from Fox Research -- yes
any environment compatible with NETBIOS -- yes
