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Atari 8-bit related BBS(s)


svenski

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12 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said:

This is the kind of stuff that needs to be on the BBS library... call it 'The story of this BBS' or something...

folks appreciate the backstory these day!

 

I agree...RobVWA, please consider posting the back story in the Atari Age BBS Club (see link below).

 

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12 hours ago, RobVWA said:

I have the disks but very buggy... I have not seen an actual AMIS running BBS..

It would be cool to see AMIS again...I first put up an AMIS BBS in 1986...shortly afterward, I switched to original BBS Express! I found some AMIS disks, but they were unrecoverable. I also found the BBS Express! disks which were recoverable. And of course, I was able to recover the BBS Express Pro! version of my BBS (The Basement) which is what I put back up in 2017.

 

One can see some of the message bases from the original BBS Express! version of my BBS (as well as the Pro! version) on my website (http://basementbbs.ddns.net:7000/basement-msgs/index.html). 

 

-JP
 

Edited by JohnPolka
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12 hours ago, RobVWA said:

Agreed and just like most of us these days, many projects and well if it wasn't for the current disruption and so much behind the keyboard time, I would not have ventured this far.. I'm intrigued by the current increase of BBS's overall as the social change from the big platforms to the smaller groups and forums is giving a space back to the people who started all of this with message boards and the excitement of cracking a game.. So many great innovation during the time which have not been published and gave foundation to a generation and built the backbone of the technology today... Legends to us and unknowns to the generations.. The documentaries on the topic don't even touch the surface.. 

 

There's also been a recent interest in BBSs by a younger generation too. That pleasantly surprises me. 

 

-JP
 

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6 hours ago, JohnPolka said:

 

Not sure how stable it is tonight.... the message base isn't working:

 

[1 Min] Command: To Board #1


Going To Board #1

Invalid Board Number

[4 Min] Command:
 

 

And I tried to leave you feedback about it, but the 'F'eedback option didn't work:

 

[4 Min] Command: Feedback To Sysop

Hold On...
[5 Min] Command:
 

 

-JP
 

 

Think I messed up increasing your security level.. I’ll check it again.. 

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Making some progress to well make the board usability for wider use:

 

-southernamis.ddns.net - still on port 23. Since this is not hosted on my network, does the port matter? easy enough to change..

-sorting the files - creating 4 drives and cleaning up ATR's - moving utilities, msg bases, working files basically for a cleaner run of the bbs

-Increasing Message Boards - We have a wide area of 3D Atari 3d Printing STL files thought maybe a way of sharing the builds of SD cases, WiModem Cases, replacement 8-bit parts..

-Finalizing some new screens, creating the back story to publish, etc to make things more interesting

-Keeping all things legacy - tried a few enhancements but the idea here is a tribute to the BBS world legacy and original innovation (JP - your right)

-Any other suggestions from the group?

 

Thanks - RS

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On 7/5/2020 at 9:59 AM, RobVWA said:

Making some progress to well make the board usability for wider use:

 

-southernamis.ddns.net - still on port 23. Since this is not hosted on my network, does the port matter? easy enough to change..

-sorting the files - creating 4 drives and cleaning up ATR's - moving utilities, msg bases, working files basically for a cleaner run of the bbs

-Increasing Message Boards - We have a wide area of 3D Atari 3d Printing STL files thought maybe a way of sharing the builds of SD cases, WiModem Cases, replacement 8-bit parts..

-Finalizing some new screens, creating the back story to publish, etc to make things more interesting

-Keeping all things legacy - tried a few enhancements but the idea here is a tribute to the BBS world legacy and original innovation (JP - your right)

-Any other suggestions from the group?

 

Thanks - RS

Made serious progress this weekend.. A few backend upgrades to fix the scanner bots from crashing the board, increase of elastically to improve buffer output and smooth scrolling, message boards, menus, and some clean up work to the overall file structure and disks for improved I/O.. More visitors each day.. With all this I was also able to near completion of the backstory and content for sharing with our community.. will be posted shortly in Atari BBS Guru's.. Thanks to JP for checking in on the board and the recommendations. Great project while time consuming, with a few more hours and getting my atascii screen builds perfected, my hope is this project is another bbs built in the original form.. 

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On 7/11/2020 at 5:55 AM, rcamp48 said:

Does anyone know how to run a real modem with either altirra or atari800 emulators?

Russ

 

Atari800 has a selection for a serial port in the preference settings. Might be a place to explore the port options.. 

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After what I think is a 30 year hiatus, thanks to JP, we have a fully functioning BBS Express! 1.X online game - 3D Maze.. Interesting backstory, as JP locates the physical disk with the Maze builder program which much have been a hunt.. The program built in Turbo Basic uses a really slick algorithm to build a custom set of files which are the 200+ screens for the game. Multiple levels, complexities, and typically 3 to 4 options of direction in this 3D rendering.. The tool set brings together the custom build including directories for Sparta. With a bit more effort and a 64M disk, drive 5 of Southern AMIS is dedicated to the online game.. The libraries function of BBS Express with a minor adjustment to the base loading instructions just knew exactly how to work with the start and image files. A few improvements needed and over the next couple of weeks will add some additional features.. Couple of screen shots attached.. Its live on southernamis.ddns.net:23 

Screen Shot 2020-07-25 at 7.17.51 PM.png

Screen Shot 2020-07-25 at 7.17.14 PM.png

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22 hours ago, RobVWA said:

After what I think is a 30 year hiatus, thanks to JP, we have a fully functioning BBS Express! 1.X online game - 3D Maze..

 

The other neat thing about this game is that the rooms are rendered with simple, but effective, ASCII. So, non-Atari users can play the game too.

 

It's really cool playing this game again...it brings back memories! 

 

-JP

 

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On 7/26/2020 at 6:19 PM, JohnPolka said:

 

The other neat thing about this game is that the rooms are rendered with simple, but effective, ASCII. So, non-Atari users can play the game too.

 

It's really cool playing this game again...it brings back memories! 

 

-JP

 

Working on completing the text for the game this weekend. Anyone recall original themes context? Would like to keep 3D Maze as authentic to the original as possible..

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  • 1 month later...

Working on collecting and archiving the collection of Atascii break cartoons on the web and posting on southern amis bbs. So far I have located about 10. Mouse BBS has 20 or so.. I know the number is much greater.. Are these gone with the times or hiding somewhere and with a collective effort located and preserved?

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I now have my BBS up and running with all of the Atari Computer files you will ever need. A bonus is online streaming of any wave or MP3 file including documentaries, Old Time Radio Broadcasts, etc. MP4 and MKV video streming is coming soon. Russ.

 

Atari files for download on Spy Visits Spy BBS with bonus audio streaming.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just Came Across this file as Im cleaning up some disk - The MACE Amis Docs for building a ring detector.. Remember the trip to RadioShack for the relay and the awesome feeling for not having to hit the joystick fire button each time the BBS phone line rang..

 

 

          M.A.C.E. AMISXM10

         -------------------

          Ring Detector DOC

 

 

 

 The following text describes how to build a 'Ring Detector' for the Atari 835 or 1030 modem.

Failure to build or install  correctly can result in damage to your computer.

 

The joystick lines must never come in contact with the phone line!!

 

BUILD AND USE THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

 

 We DID NOT design this device and

are in no way responsible for it.

 

 CAUTION! CAUTION! CAUTION! CAUTION! 

 

This device is NOT FCC APPROVED! Use at YOUR own risk!!

 

 

There are only four parts required to build a ring-detector:

 

 1) A phone wire to connect to your phone line. Plug-in type is best.

 

 2) A joystick replacement cable. Gemini VG150 or equivalent.

 

 3) A 125 Volt AC relay. Radio Shack # 275-217B or equivalent.

 

 4) A 20 MF or greater capacitor of at least 70 volts.

 

 5) Optional plastic box. Do NOT use metal.

 

 

   This is an electrical diagram of the ring-detector.

 

 

 

                N.C. O

  Green               \    Orange

------------         4 O------------6

          7 >              Joystick 2

            >   N.O. 6 O------------8

Phone  Relay>               Black

Line    Coil>

          8 >

            |+

            = 20MF

            |

------------

   Red

 

 

 

 1) Connect the Green phone wire to pin 7 of the relay coil.

 

 2) Connect the + end of the 20MF Capacitor to pin 8 of the relay coil.

 

 3) Connect the Red phone wire to the - end of the Capacitor.

 

 4) Connect the unit to the phone line and test to see that it responds.

 

 5) REMOVE IT FROM THE PHONE LINE!!

 

 6) Connect the Orange Joystick wire to the Common Relay Contact pin 4

 

 7) Connect the Black Joystick wire to the N.O. Relay Contact pin 6.

 

8 With a meter or circuit tester, check that no connection between the phone wires and the joystick wires. Cross check all four wires

 

 9) Package up, to protect the unit and install into Joystick port 2.

 

 10) Plug the unit into the phone jack. You may need a Y-Connector

 

 You are now ready to boot up your BBS program. When the phone rings the ring detector will force the program to answer the phone.

 

NOTE: The RING DETECTOR must be plugged into joystick port 2 of your computer for this program to work on the 835 or 1030 modem.

 

If you don't feel you can build this unit your self you can get a ring detector built and ready to go from,

 

     Sector One Computers

     3685 15 Mile Road

     Sterling Heights, MI  48310

     (313)-978-2208

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I actually built one of these, even though mom and dad wouldn't let me run a BBS (only one phone line and too young to get a job to afford my own).

 

I'm pretty sure I still have it somewhere too, though I might have scavenged a switch or light for another project after the 1030 died and I went the Supra 2400 route.

 

I actually added a "hold" button to mine (which probably wasn't done well) and a pass through to my phone along with a big red light that went on when the phone rang.

 

Now that's some good morning memories... thank you.

 

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2 hours ago, Tillek said:

I actually built one of these, even though mom and dad wouldn't let me run a BBS (only one phone line and too young to get a job to afford my own).

 

I'm pretty sure I still have it somewhere too, though I might have scavenged a switch or light for another project after the 1030 died and I went the Supra 2400 route.

 

I actually added a "hold" button to mine (which probably wasn't done well) and a pass through to my phone along with a big red light that went on when the phone rang.

 

Now that's some good morning memories... thank you.

 

I think about the engineering mind set which came from these types of hack, now called solutions. Combine the self taught knowledge of programming with the critical thinking to at a young age find such solutions and it explains a lot about our community and the Atari 8-bit Sysop generation..

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  • 3 weeks later...
2 hours ago, Jacques said:

Isn't DarkForce getting down from time to time, lately?

 

I haven't had any problems logging onto it. Once in a while I can't connect but that's because someone else is logged on. Maybe that's what is happening with you. You're trying to connect when someone else is logged on.

 

-JP

 

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