Fuzzy memories from BBS's of old...

[Omega-TI]

I do not recall if it was a single BBS system, or if it was written into the the BBS software.  But does anyone remember being asked to, "Press FCTN P to continue" as a way of determining if a caller was truly a TI user? 

[Tursi]

I vaguely remember that...

[+arcadeshopper]

possibly a baud rate check, on my ti net bbs you had to hit enter a few times, as with older modems we had no way to figure out what baud rate the user connected at easily SO at carrier detect it would spew hit enter in the 3-4 baud rates supported then cycle baud rates waiting for a proper enter key

 

Later modems would lock their comms to a single rate which made things easier, by then I was on to pc based bbs's so i could have my TI back for my daily use

 

[Omega-TI]

Sounds possible, but I remember that if you did not specifically press FCTN P ("), but another character instead the BBS would hang up on you.  I'm thinking it was a way verify TI users.

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Yes, it was a weak attempt to weed out non-TI users based on their lack of knowledge that FCTN-P was equivalent to a double quote.  I don't believe this lasted too long...

 

Edit: Some BBSs ask you to press a specific key - e.g., some C64 BBSs do this to 'request/enable'  PETSCII, some BBSs ask you to select (4)0 or (8) columns -  though I've not seen these methods employed to block specific systems.

[+FarmerPotato]

I remember Apple GBBS would stay in ALL CAPS if you didn’t use any lower case at the login prompt. Maybe it was some other board? Or a dialup access point? (University of Colorado was very loose about who could dial up and telnet out.)

 

 

[+FarmerPotato]

As for TI-Net BBS, I only knew to make it cycle through baud rates when it received garbage other than CR. I was copying FidoNet. Later, I seem to recall that modems had a config register, which made the connect return code 0 or 5 To indicate the baud rate? It’s fuzzy but y’all make me remember long buried memories! (Matt only had a 300/1200 modem and I had 300 Hayes)

 

there are techniques for looking at the first bits or framing error, to guess the baud rate. I read that somewhere recently...

 

I have read the 9902 data book now. No way I could have understood that when I was 14 trying to struggle through the E/A manual.
 

Back then I cribbed everything from the TE3 source and later the XMODEM and Fast-Term source. Nothing original in the TI-Net serial routines. 
 

[+OLD CS1]

Color64 draws a red box in PETSCII and asks "Do you see a red box (y/n)?"  Answering "y" will start the session in PETSCII mode, otherwise ASCII.  Other BBS programs will ask you to press DEL, and use the code returned to select the mode: PETSCII, ASCII, or ATASCII (Atari.)  IIRC, DMBBS (also Commodore 64) sends some ANSI string to query the terminal, RIP query, then falls back to the key-press detection.

 

I do remember some BBSes asking about 80 column mode, but most PC/DOS- and Amiga-based just assume 80 columns.  I cannot ever recall dialing into an Apple BBS.  I did not use 40-column mode but for my very early days.  Novaterm introduced an 80-column mode which worked just fine for my eyes (even on a TV,) then I moved to the DesTerm on the C128, then JRComm on the Amiga.

 

As for baud rate, if using a smart modem (Hayes-compatible,) there are the numeric return codes when answering a call, or verbose messages like "CONNECT 1200," &c.  The HS line in RS-232 can also signal speed depending upon the modem.  I used a 300 baud dumb modem which could connect at 110, and its HS line was set for 300, unset for 110.  The meaning of the line generally indicates a carrier at the highest speed of the modem.  I cannot say I ever had a modem which violated this (at 300, 1200, 2400, 9600, 14.4, &c.)