From: IN%"bbell19@nwlink.com" "Brian Bell" 23-MAY-1996 11:49:22.67 To: IN%"EZ13942@swt.edu" "Bo" CC: Subj: RE: BBS home page. Return-path: Received: from montana.nwlink.com by swt.edu (PMDF V5.0-5 #10672) id <01I51LK9CBZY8WVZ8P@swt.edu> for EZ13942@swt.edu; Thu, 23 May 1996 11:49:20 -0500 (CDT) Received: from washington.nwlink.com (bbell19@nwlink.com [199.242.23.1]) by montana.nwlink.com (8.6.12/8.6.9) with ESMTP id JAA28832 for ; Thu, 23 May 1996 09:59:01 -0700 Received: (bbell19@localhost) by washington.nwlink.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) id JAA21998; Thu, 23 May 1996 09:49:36 -0700 Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 09:49:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Bell Subject: Re: BBS home page. In-reply-to: <01I50FDKKUWY8WWVW9@swt.edu> X-Sender: bbell19@washington To: Bo Message-id: MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT -------------------------------------------- Omni 128 Overview - Updated 7th of May, 1996 (this file is approximately 21,000 bytes in length) Omni 128 Color Bulletin Board System (c) is a complete online data storage and retrieval program written for the Commodore 128 Personal Computer. It is designed to host all calling computer types, whether ANSI, ASCII, or Commodore (c) Color Graphics, using 40 or 80 columns screen width. The built in operating system allows easy programming of simple or highly advanced special applications that a sysop (system operator) might want or require, using the powerful Commodore BASIC 7 programming language, and the built in machine language subroutines. The complete system is currently comprised of over 100 program modules that are available for use ON or offline by the sysop or callers. A 'Networking' module allows automatic communication between your BBS and others who wish to exchange electronic mail or bulletins with you. Networking can be established between your Omni system and network-compatable Color 64 (c) BBS's, or other Omni 128 Systems (with extended features). A unique 'batch file' command is available which allows an Omni sysop to automatically transfer files to any other Omni system. 'Omni-Link' is included free with the BBS. There is also an extension of the networking system now in place which is called "Echonet". This set of programs allows any system to participate in a selected group of public message bases which are carried on any number of other Omni systems. These "echoed" message base areas automatically adjust and update themselves to contain the same new messages as appear on all other systems. In these times of declining Commodore activity in most areas, this type of network allows any sysop -EVEN one without callers- to have plenty of activity consisting of the latest news and discussions of all types. A sysop can also set their BBS up as a "point" without using an incoming phone line at all, and have it operate as their own personal offline Echonet reader! The sysop and/or family and friends can participate in the discussions going on between people in widely separated areas. Updates for the BBS are available either online, via the Echonet, U.S. Mail, or direct to your own internet mailbox (if you have one). The sysop options on Omni are extremely flexible and can rival or surpass those of other BBSes, regardless of computer type. Each caller can automatically or manually be given one of ten customized 'general' access levels, which defines said callers ability to access up to 120 separate BBS areas (such as message base area #4, e-mail, transfer area #14, etc). Currently, 91 of these are in use. The remaining offer room for expansion, as they are needed. Individual accounts can also be tailored to any combination of these 120 areas, in effect giving you 14,400 possible access levels. In actual practice, you would most likely only desire or require one of the ten customized general access levels when validating new callers. Other unique features of interest to the System Operator or Caller... - Virtual Memory Editor - A system text editor which can hold over 43,000 bytes of text is available online for the sysop. - Zmodem Batch Receive - Omni 128 is the first Commodore 128 program to implement a Zmodem batch receive option. Although not all the features of Zmodem are currently supported (no resume function yet) it is perfectly functional, and provides a way for Amiga, PC or other Zmodem capable computers to send multiple files to your BBS. This capability perfectly compliments Omni's other first - - Ymodem-g - Omni is the first 128 BBS to support Ymodem-g for downloading, a protocol which is acknowledged to be the fastest type of streaming protocol. This works with most terminals tested, including JRComm, BaudBandit, and Terminus for Amiga, and ProComm, Telix, and Q-Modem for IBM. - High Speed Modem Support - The newest version of Omni supports up to 38,400 bps text transfer rates via the SwiftLink-232 serial cartridge, or up to 9600 bps through software. SwiftLink-232 is highly recommended for high speed operation. - Huge Message Base Capacity - Omni supports up to 20 root area message bases, with thousands of branches called "lattices". A total of 990,001 separate sub-boards could theoretically be created, holding up to 99,000,100 separate posts, each with unlimited responses. - External Program Capability - In addition to running modules designed specifically for the system, Omni can automatically call offline programs written in BASIC 7, either compiled with BASIC 128 or plain BASIC, and even CS-DOS auto-exec scripts. These programs run offline, and the BBS can be called automatically after they are finished. This opens up a lot of possibilities for beginning and advanced programmers alike, who want special things done at midnight, for instance. Offline programs can be run at any time or date, determined in advance by the operator. No human intervention is required one this is set-up. - Video Mode Control - Allows local screen printing to be disabled for maximum modem input/output speed. - 40 Column RGB - Lets you select a very vivid 40 column display on the 80 column screen. Especially useful for creating and examining 40 column color graphics. - Screen Capture - In the system terminal, and some other programs, an intelligent 80 Column FULL SCREEN capture option is available, allowing the most efficient method of saving a screen of text OR Commodore Color Graphics being viewed, to disk. The file produced is very compact, without losing any of the color changes or special 80 column control codes (flashing, underline, etc). Especially useful for 'freezing' BBS logon screens or other text or graphics. - Print Spooler - Allows continuous simultaneous printing of whatever you are seeing on-screen, in either Commodore graphics mode or Filtered Ascii mode. Useful for making hardcopy of almost anything! One area of the BBS requires an extra command before spooling can begin. - PrintFile Allows output that would have gone to the printer to be directed to a disk file on any un-used device. VERY useful! - Fast Access - To online features, i.e. quick local login, sysop options, e-mail, sysop program modules, terminal, etc. without having to fully log in. - Fast Serial Support - Since Omni runs in the C-128's native mode, disk drives that support fast serial communication will operate at their top efficiency. These include the HD-Series drives, with or without JiffyDOS, the 1581, 1571, and 'clones' that emulate these drives. The addition of JiffyDOS additionally increases the write and read speed of any serial drives. - Enhanced HD Support - Allows full use the HD-XX series powerful partitioning capabilities, as well as RAMLink and RamDrive's own parallel and RL-DOS modes. RL-DOS and HD-DOS both support any combination of 1541, 1571, 1581, and true Native MS-DOS (c) type sub-directories. - Stability - The system has proved to be very stable, as demonstrated recently by a two-week un-attended run. A Built in 'safety net' routine catches errors that can't normally be trapped by BASIC 7. - Separate Last Call Date/Times - The system maintains three separate 'last call date-time' (LCDT) for each caller. One records the last visit to the system proper, another, the message base visit, and the last, the transfer area. The caller can edit both the message base and transfer LCDT while online, to make different numbers of messages or files appear as NEW. This is very useful when a caller has not been on in a long period, and doesn't wish to read large numbers of messages accumulated during the interval. - Call Back - A feature that is useful for those callers who experience 'noisy' phone lines, but only in one direction is the CALL BACK module. This program calls the person back, usually bypassing the same phone-line that was causing the noise. After this has been used once, it will present itself directly after login, unless the caller toggles the option off in their personal parameters. - Auto-Call Back Validation - At the sysop's option, the system will call a new user back to verify their phone-number. It defaults to non-long distance phone numbers, but can be adjusted to provide long distance call back if desired. - Multiple Login Modules - The sysop can arrange customize programs to execute before the caller reaches the main menu. These can be chained if desired. - Midnight Update - In addition to many standard tasks the system performs at midnight, customized applications can also be run and chained. For instance, a sysop might want to have a certain group of files copied from one location or device, to another, every night, or only on certain days, etc. - Waiting Call - From the Waiting Call screen, the sysop can perform many operations without having to log on. These include entering the terminal, forcing waiting network messages out, selecting video on or off mode, checking on free memory, accessing the main SYSOP MENU, logging on quick, entering the sysop program modules area, validating the main system drive/disk, entering the e-mail section, entering the network section, and putting the modem off or on hook. Also available at waiting call is a full screen editor for writing or launching stacked command strings. These strings can contain up to 159 characters each, which will carry out any operations you wish automatically. Furthermore, these stacks can be stored permanently on-screen for your immediate use. Adding to the power of this arrangement is the ability to run an unlimited number of 254 character scripts, chained together in any way you see fit, providing a nice way to simplify any repetitive task you would like to automate. - Sysop Menu - An exceptionally complete set of options are available here: Access to the message bases, the online CONFIG EDIT program, DOS commands, the USER EDITOR, the new caller FEEDBACK reader, the GROUP ACCESS editor, the ONE-LINER editor, the SYSOP PROGRAM MODULES, the selective system LOG reader, the TRANSFERS area, a 1000 line sequential file EDITOR, a very powerful FILE-COPIER with many options including a built in directory alphabetizers, ascii-pet translator, filelist or transfer area list option for source filenames, the ability to skip through the files instead of stepping one at a time, full support of all standard and device specific patterns, such as the time and date stamp used in CMD's devices and more. Continuing to other sysop menu features: an enhanced 296 file tailored DIRECTORY with multiple pattern capability, file-counter, blocks used by matched files, blocks remaining and screen formatting, a separate fast DIR which displays unlimited files and provides full support of CMD's time and date stamp system, a smart DEVICE SELECTOR that detects the presence of the selected device AND partition or sub-directory. Also accessed from this menu is a USER SEARCH utility that allows searching the caller accounts for patterns. A KILL option is available for selective weeding out of callers that have not called since a certain date. MOVE is used if you want to move a caller account to a new location. Any e-mail, signature, and network account information is also moved. Simple english DRIVE COMMANDS are available for quickly selecting the following device/path combinations; ^^ or MAIN, MENU, BASE, SIGS, PFILE, NET, and GAMES. P$ can be used to print out a directory, including a patterned one. SS allows editing of the Sysop Statement, a small string that appears after login. PRINT allows printing of any sequential text OR system data file. RM will load the file transfer area REMOTE MAINTENANCE. NM loads the complete online NETWORK MAINTENANCE module. Message Base Omni's messaging system is the product of over three years of refinement, and provides the user with quick and easy access to any desired message, while providing the largest potential storage capacity of and standard SEQ file system that I am aware of. Each message has an internal TIME and DATE stamp which the program uses to determine whether it will appear as NEW to you (when using the powerful RA (read all new messages) command). The caller can shift their own 'Last Call Date' and/or 'Last Call Time' forward or backwards to precisely control viewing of 'new' messages from that date/time! This is something that can come in handy if you only want the newest responses, even though you haven't called in a longer period. It isn't used if you call every day or two (unless you are in a hurry!). A caller can re-read a message 'chain' over from any response! This allows random access to any response, even skipping forwards, if desired. A caller can edit any message, providing that they originally entered it. A maintenance helper or other person with 'write/edit' file access can also edit any message, regardless of who wrote it. An 'auto-weeding' program has been developed for sysops who wish to maintain smaller message chains. It can recognize and skip sub-areas that the sysop does not want to be affected. Adding to the flexibility of this option is the choice to weed an area by a percentage of responses, or simply cut to a specific number of new responses. The message base has a maximum capacity of 20 'root' sub-boards, 19 with a possible 99,999 'lattice' subs if desired, giving a maximum of 990,001 separate, independent sub-boards (for most sysops 15 to 30 should be enough!). Each of these sub-boards can hold up to 50 'posts', each with unlimited responses. During a read all new messages cycle, all roots and decimal lattices are automatically scanned (1, 1.1, 1.2 - 1.9, 2, 2.1 etc up to 20). Callers can tailor their own reading method between the several available modes, (pausing ON between messages, Screen clearing ON or off, and 'SP'eed control). The system defaults to a reading system where there is a prompt between each message allowing several options (reply, private mail, edit, etc.) which most new callers are comfortable with. Many people like the Omni Native mode, where the messages scroll with no between message prompt (faster) but the between message option prompt can be invoked by hitting a '/' while the messages are displaying. After using one of the prompt options, the system will revert to your native mode reading method. These modes are saved in the callers personal stats, as is virtually every personal parameter that is adjustable on the system. (SP)eed control is another unique Omni 128 feature, and allows the text of a message to be slowed down to the preferences of the caller. 60 different speeds are available from '0' (no delay) to '60' (very slow output). Another feature usually found only on BBS's written for other higher power PC's is the ability to de-select sub areas that you have no particular interest in. These areas will be skipped when using the 'read all new messages' mode. Network Base (Note: This area is still available but mostly superceeded by the new Echonet.) At the end of a read all new cycle, the special PUBLIC NET BASE is automatically loaded and scanned for all new networked bulletins. This area is unique in that a separate area is maintained for each BBS that you are networked with, making it easy to see where a group of posts came from. If new posts are present, they are rapidly located and read. A reply to a message is sent back through the network to the original sender's location. You can even choose to reply publicly or privately. A private reply to another Omni also allows you to enter a subject, similar to the e-mail section covered below. The sysop can selectively delete out-dated net messages in one easy operation. E-Mail The E-Mail section allows sending mail by name or id number. A 'smart' routine prevents sending or replying to an account that doesn't exist or has a different user then it did when the mail was sent. Omni's email section is fully network compatable, and allows replying directly to the sender on the node which they sent from. You can selectively delete individual pieces of email and retain the rest. Reading mail in order is as simple as hitting return, although you can read out of order too. Before leaving the area, you can recover or 'UN'delete the deleted email if you have made a mistake. When leaving this section, you can delete ALL of your mail at once. Recently added to the email section is the option to download your mail packet directly, using the universal standard xmodem crc or checksum. Uploading of prepared text for use in the system editor is also provided (ascii or petascii). Other new features include off-line sorting of your mail selected for deletion. I try to keep online time to a minimum by performing these type of operations offline, saving the caller time and/or money . Transfers Omni's file transfer section provides the fastest downloads of any C= BBS system available at this time, using the Ymodem-g protocol. Download protocols include: 1) Single file types, PUNTER, Xmodem CRC, Xmodem Checksum, Xmodem 1k CRC, Xmodem-g (IBM or others). 2) Batch file types (multiple files), PUNTER, Ymodem standard (128), Ymodem 1k CRC, and Ymodem-g. Using Ymodem-g from an IBM or Amiga type computer has acheived download speeds up to 1600 or more characters per second at 9600 or 14400 bps, which is equal or faster than Zmodem. Although no 1k upload protocols (except Zmodem!) are available at this time, I am currently working on an Xmodem 1k upload module. TRANSFERS supports searching of some or all areas for patterns of filenames, uploaders names, dates, etc. through the use of the module TRAN SCAN (ts). Descriptions for files can be written before or at any time afterwards by the uploader. Omni also comes with an "exchange" type transfer area which allows direct reading of directories on any type of disk directory, and unrestricted upload or download to these areas. In the interest of keeping this document short, I will finish with hardware information, and ask that any detailed questions be directed to me by email on my BBS. I answer all email within 48 hours (volume is sometimes heavy and I am working alone on the main project). Minimum recommended hardware requirements 1 Commodore 128 or 128D Computer 1 CMD RAMLink with 4 or more megabytes, and/or a CMD HD-XX Series Hard Drive of any size, and/or 1 or more of CMD's high-density FD floppy disk drives, and/or 5 or more Commodore DOS compatable floppy disk drives (5 or more 1581's preferred). CMD's JiffyDOS is an ideal addition to any of the above components. The 1581 drive should only be used if absolutely necessary, because the RAMLink and HD units are much more durable and reliable. The LTKernal hard drive system is not directly supported, but can be connected to a CMD hard drive via a low cost cable called the LTKonnector, (available from Creative Micro Designs at 800-638-3263). 1 Hayes Compatable Modem (14,400 U.S. Robotics Sportster ideal, 9600 bps SupraFAXModem tested, Boca/FastWin 28.8k tested, other high speeds not recommended yet). I will accept non-supported modems by special arrangement for evaluation and possible usage in the system. Throughput of up to 38,400 bps available through the use of the SwiftLink-232 high speed serial cartridge (available from CMD) or up to 9600 bps through software. Use of SwiftLink-232 is highly recommended. 1 80 Column RGB monitor (color recommended) Omni 128 is constantly evolving. For the latest information, drop by Omni World 128 and see what's cookin'! A complete printed text of the this article and registration information will be available by mail to those who leave e-mail or network-mail to id#1 on Omni World 128 BBS (206-536-9353 - 1200-28,800 bps, V.34/V.32/V32bis, V42/V42bis,MNP2-5). With the recent aquisition of my own internet mailbox, I prefer being e-mailed at "bbell19@nwlink.com". Any copyrights or trademarks are the property of their respective companies. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -eof-