Welcome to the BulkRate 2.0. This is the final public release of BulkRate 2.0. It is no longer considered beta. Please read this document.
If you re-upload BulkRate to other BBS or services, please include all the files that came with it, especially the documentation.
Send bug reports to greg_neagle@pop.com or to the OneNet BulkRate conference.
I have added a new way to register BulkRate. If you live outside of California, you may register BulkRate by Visa or MasterCard through DigitalPopcorn Online Services, a Los Angeles-based online service that is an authorized reseller of BulkRate. The cost is slightly higher: $24. I will still collect the information and distribute the registration codes; I will forward the credit card info to DigitalPopcorn.
Fixed or changed since 2.0b8:
• The disappearing floating palette now appears to be fixed.
• Removed the serial port status check added in 2.0b7, because it annoyed people with fax software and PowerBook 500-series owners. It may return in the future with a preferences setting to turn it on and off.
• BulkRate now strips escape characters from any outgoing mail, which cause the FC CLUI text editor to abort.
• "Save as..." suggests the Subject name once again; a bug introduced in 2.0b7.
• Changes to script routines should now allow a script to quit or shutdown if a connection fails.
Fixed or changed since 2.0b7:
• Fixed a bug that affected non-registered copies of BulkRate 2.0b7, resulting in a dialog that claimed that resources has been altered, followed by a crash.
• Minor speed-enhancing tweaks to the message read process.
• Improved display of message lists when an item is too wide for its column.
• Should now be compatible with FirstClass BBSs running the F1 front door (for FidoNet). (This was actually added in 2.0b6, I simply neglected to mention it.)
Fixed or changed since 2.0b6:
• Changed how BulkRate handles timeouts when waiting for message lists or messages. With any luck, those of you who had frequent timeout errors using BulkRate on some BBSs will find this version an improvement.
• BulkRate now splits the rare incoming message that is over 32K in length into two (or more) messages.
• BulkRate now splits large outgoing messages into multiple parts so as not to run afoul of the CLUI text editor, which cannot deal well with messages over about 5K in length.
• Address Book window is wider, allowing more characters to be visible.
• General fixes and tweaks to the Address Book which should make it less flakey.
• Mail log now "autoshrinks" down to under 32K each time you quit BulkRate.
• BulkRate Help menu item should now appear under the Apple Menu with System 6 - it will still be under the Help menu in System 7.
• Creation date is now displayed in the Outgoing message list window.
• BulkRate now checks the status of the serial port before using it, and asks if you want to override if it's busy.
• BulkRate should now deal with disk full situations with more grace.
• Exchange status window now indicates how many messages remaining to be read in the current conference.
• Better "View by Subject" algorithm, thanks to John A. Wasser of BMUG Boston.
• 2.0b6 "broke" the Next in Thread function, it should be working again.
• Fixed (I hope) a subtle problem when sending long addresses (typically Internet addresses) that triggered multiple matches (typically mulitple Internat gateways).
• Many other minor tweaks and enhancements.
Fixed or changed since 2.0b5:
• Fixed the major bug affecting 68000-based Macs (Plus, SE, Classic, PowerBook 100, Portable) which resulted in frequent crashes while trying to read or otherwise manipulate messages.
• Hold down the option key while deleting to skip the confirmation dialog.
• The Help file is now accessible via the Help menu under System 7 or the Apple menu under System 6.
• Fixed problem with horizontal palette causing other windows to not activate fully.
• Registration window now waits for you to dismiss before opening a Service window.
• When launching BulkRate by double-clicking on a Script, instead of opening an 'untitled service," the first service in the exchange list is opened.
• Hitting Delete or Next Thread on an empty list no long crashes BulkRate.
• Fixed a subtle problem that could crop up when closing a window that resulted in a rather nasty crash.
• Many other minor fixes and enhancements.
Currently known problems:
• Zoom box on Incoming and Outgoing lists zooms out but does not zoom in properly.
• Text does not always scroll a full "page" when you click in the gray area of the scroll bars.
• BulkRate will choke on conferences that contain "bare" uploaded files (files that are not attached to messages). Do not instruct BulkRate to read any conferences that may contain these files.
• Under System 6 on machines with 68000 processors (and perhaps other processors), windows do not redraw properly if the Palette is open. They only workarounds currently are to either not use the Palette or to upgrade to System 7.
Features planned soon:
• An option to delete all read or sent mail.
• Mailboxes remember their sorting preferences.
Features further out:
• True threaded replies.
• File transfers (at least downloads - it appears that CLUI uploads may be too flakey to implement.
Features that I cannot add, but must wait for SoftArc to address:
