anyone using BBS express Pro?

[Anthony]

I have been running an Express BBS for about 19 years first as a private board and then networked as a member of IAN. This has recently fallen apart and I am left only networking with the other Atari board in Vancouver. Does anyone know of any Pro boards still up and within reasonable phoning distance. I know about some Dutch and German boards but hesitate spending the long distance charges

[Guy Ferrante]

Hi,

 

I ran BBS Express Pro Multi-line for 11 years

I was at one time picking up the IAN and other message bases. The BBS was names Star NET pro node 449 in South Florida.

 

I plan on setting up the system early next year, I have the cmd to Network over the internet so it will not cost a dime to Network.

 

/| Atari8Man /|

[Anthony]

Hello Guy,

 

Well I'm interested. I not sure how to network using the net except manually so I would like to hear how you are doing this. Node 86 ready and waiting

[Guy Ferrante]

Hi,

 

The set of cmd will take the packed message bases and convert it to a hex file then you just and paste it in a message on the internet, the reciver just drops this text file and put it into his pro>network> sub and pro will convert it back to a bin and thread it, It works perfectly. Tom Hunt programmed the cmd about 10 years ago. Tell me did you ever use his CGS color graphics for Pro bbs?

 

Nice to hear from you!

 

/| Atari8Man /| aka Guy

[Anthony]

Hello Guy,

 

I have heard of the command file you mention but haven't had the opportunity to see or use it. I don't have a particularly active board as its primary purpose was as a communal answering machine for a small group of friends. I have picked up a few users when I started networking but I don't advertise. I haven't had an 8bit connect in a while. I'm interested in more details so that we might network when you get your BBS up.

 

As the tide of time flows on towards bigger, better and faster technolgical marvels it leaves in its wake little pools of festering activity where ancient technology not only still thrives.

 

IT REIGNS SUPREME.

 

This is one of them

Cutters Eclectic Collective (604)873-1131

[mos6507]

Tom Hunt's CGS was a really cool system. It allowed for a kind of X-windows like access to the Atari 8-bit's graphics to draw images in a programmatic way (draw line, fill, etc...).

 

It's too bad it came around too late in the 8 bit bbs era.

 

It would have been great for online games.

[Anthony]

Yup, CGS colour installed

 

Cutter

[Guy Ferrante]

Yes Tom Hunt CGS Xlation for Pro BBS was great, I had lets see ASCII/ATASCI/RIP/CGS/IGS/ANSI/VT52 on Star Net Omaga BBS node 449. Im missing a few CGS files like the converter program that converts koala files to CGS files. anyone have them please send asap.

 

Tom Hunt wrote some of the most awesome PRO util ever and he still is pushing the 8bit!!

now with his new ATOS gui Desktop.

 

Atari8man

[_The Doctor__]

I just found a couple of my old CGS disks....

Not sure what density the disk are but they came up in the XF551 box...

Will Ape work an XF properly?

[AtariGeezer]

I just found a couple of my old CGS disks....

Not sure what density the disk are but they came up in the XF551 box...

Will Ape work an XF properly?

APE doesn't play well with an XF551. I talked to Steve Tucker a few years ago about why APE doesn't see an XF551 and he was aware of the problem, but didn't have a solution back then...

[_The Doctor__]

only solution would be to make single density disks and do one be one file copy... that's no fun and a repeating theme

[Marius]

I have been running BBS PRO 5.0 for a few years. Was a lot of fun.

 

I have suffered from several harddisk crashes and instable Atari's.

 

The last time I run my BBS it was seriously hacked, so I decided to quit. Although sometimes I really miss it. It is so much fun running a BBS on atari 8bit.

 

Perhaps I will return someday, but for now no plans.

[_The Doctor__]

Your Atari 8 bit bbs got hacked?

I thought you still ran a tel-net connected BBS?

 

I get so confused.

[Marius]

Your Atari 8 bit bbs got hacked?

I thought you still ran a tel-net connected BBS?

 

I get so confused.

 

I got posts on my BBS from a person that obviously knew me in person, and sent me messages that gave me an unpleasant feeling. Suddenly I found running my BBS no fun anymore due to that. I called it hacked, but it was not really hacked. Everyone could create an account.

 

If I come back (IF!) I would change the name. But there are no plans of coming back, so don't count on it too much

[_The Doctor__]

As Sysops / Moderators we have to develop tough skins. It is what it is. People can be mean or can be interpreted the wrong way. Sometimes it's not personal, other times it can be. My suggestion... ease up let it go... don't let the person rob you of what you enjoy. Clearly you miss it.

I have had people try to rub the hurt in on things, like when something got stolen and then they ask for a piece they know goes with it I still have. Clearly I can see they are not serious and are trying to hurt me further... so piss on them. Either they only can think of what they can gain from me or can hurt me with... these are the lowest of the low in any teachings I have read in books of philosophy, life, the Bible or Qur'an القرآن

 

You are a good person at heart, you know it, I know it, so do many others... don't be so quick to shut everyone out. Have fun and enjoy yourself, restore what has been taken. That person only wins if you let them...you can be above all that. Do what is good and don't let someone take away your right or desire to do a thing. I'm not leaving neither should you!

[Pokey800]

Amen!! brother , I know this shouldn't be the very first message I should be posting but couldn't help. Nice place by the way, registered months ago but i just recently found the chance to visit.

[Kyle22]

Welcome to AtariAge Pokey800. Good to have you here.

 

It's good to hear from people who know about tall tales of telecomputing told by insects that produce honey

 

 

Edited December 8, 2014 by Kyle22

[Kyle22]

Bump!

 

And REALLY? I didn't get a single 'Like' in over 2 years on my last post "Tall tales of telecomputing told by insects that produce honey". Think about it.

 

Bee BS.

 

Anyhow, I am attempting to bring node 455 back up. I have had less than good luck finding info online. It's been 20 years since I have used Pro. I have it sort of working, but I am still missing some .CMD files.

 

For example, if I hit 9 for Pro_term, it just crashes because that file is missing. Is there a way to make it gracefully recover from a missing file?

 

Is there a repository of .CMD files somewhere?

 

A good .PDF technical manual would be AWESOME.

 

I have (among others) 4.0b and 5.0b. Are there advantages to version 5, or is Mux support the only extra feature?

 

Anyone have info? This stuff needs to be documented before it is forgotten!

[Stephen J. Carden]

Hi All you bbs Pro Sysops.

The only problem Pro has it is owned by Lance Ringquest who has no info on how to build Pro Commands. I still have all the source and can build any of it for myself but I no Longer OWN the name or compiled files of BBS Express Professional.

 

I have gotten several e-mails from old sysops who want to get there PRO BBS Back up and are looking to me to provide files and tech support. While I detest Lance and think next to Mike Holman is one of the people who have hurt the Atari 8-bit. it is still against copyright LAW for me to distribute software I no longer own the copyright too. While I do not own the name BBS Express PRO I do still own the copyright to the source. The Source and the Name BBS Express Professional were copyright separately. What this means is I can not send you a CMD and Lance can no longer has permission to use my source to build you a cmd. I would need to check and see if I could send you the source so you could compile your own but I am not sure I want to do that either.

 

I have written a new bbs Called TCPIP Express which works on the internet. Yeah no long distance charges! I have a few Beta Testers running it and it will run old BBS Express Professional CMD. for that matter if you have a working BBS Express Pro bbs only a few files need to be changed. But with only 5 to 10 people showing any interest I am not sure if it is worth my time selling it. It is still really cool that people still love the software that Keith and I wrote. Just so you know we have cadded the MUX Cart and may start selling it soon.

 

Take Care!

Stephen J. Carden

[Tillek]

Just FYI I would be very interested in the MUX system and I'm happy to hear you're still around working on it.

[_The Doctor__]

Glad to see your still around I was worried for a bit. Still hangin in myself. It shouldn't be a problem for and old sysop to get copies of his old software.. that's not piracy that's replacement and sometimes maintenance...

If you own the source and spread it, someone compiles it that's also fine and it can modified as you or they see fit. If the source is compiled and then sent as exactly what Lance's has you can't sell it. You can not alter the command in its compiled form.. If it has a mistake in spelling and you change it with an editor in that final form he can get you. Change that spelling using source and it's all fine.... this is the legal way of things, splitting hairs down to procedure.. end result is the same... but oh what a pain in the *ss!!!!!!!

 

The even more crazy part.... the BBS tells you how to write you own commands and modules as well etc etc.. in fact only some core key parts were kept on a number of BBS's were stock.... Modified to the hilt most boards were... and if the SYSOP couldn't do it... gracious people such as Stephen J. Carden did it for us! He wrote the waitcall for our BBS when we got one of the first U S Robotics Courriers online on our BBS. It was a masterpiece. HE CHARGED US NOTHING!

..

Back then that was unheard of, this is one great guy. He even checked up on it, made it better and faster. It helped make our BBS a success. The BBS manual and notes had it written in them and indeed encouraged the sharing of our discoveries and modules/doors/games etc. modify and share was the norm. but what BBS sysop shared his prize custom rolled door game.. the reason for some of his callers stopping by, surprisingly more than expected. Not as many as you might have hoped

 

I don't think he was even on the payroll any longer, I don't think any of us can remember that far back.... but as a consultant he was and still is priceless!

 

I might add that from time to time depending who was running the company in charge, a simple call to them about doing this or that or so and so node and phone number needs blah blah and it was like this ... okay so give it to him why are you calling me for permission..

 

I used to get excited when the courrier picked up and the screen went blank... and all the lights on the BBS pegged full bright on the modems and interfaces during file transfers and the like.. never saw it like that since I miss it. He had tweeked the timing for BBS and certain parts to the limit and had to shut the screen off to allow for the flow to be as fast as possible. This was using the black box and large ramdisks with fast large hardisks.....the idea to push the data flow without pause or interruption. He made the modifications. He took no money. I should send him a gift! In fact pm a paylpal link..

Edited April 15, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[BillC]

Glad to see your still around I was worried for a bit. Still hangin in myself. It shouldn't be a problem for and old sysop to get copies of his old software.. that's not piracy that's replacement and sometimes maintenance...

If you own the source and spread it, someone compiles it that's also fine and it can modified as you or they see fit. If the source is compiled and then sent as exactly what Lance's has you can't sell it. You can not alter the command in its compiled form.. If it has a mistake in spelling and you change it with an editor in that final form he can get you. Change that spelling using source and it's all fine.... this is the legal way of things, splitting hairs down to procedure.. end result is the same... but oh what a pain in the *ss!!!!!!!

 

The even more crazy part.... the BBS tells you how to write you own commands and modules as well etc etc.. in fact only some core key parts were kept on a number of BBS's were stock.... Modified to the hilt most boards were... and if the SYSOP couldn't do it... gracious people such as Stephen J. Carden did it for us! He wrote the waitcall for our BBS when we got one of the first U S Robotics Courriers online on our BBS. It was a masterpiece. HE CHARGED US NOTHING!

..

Back then that was unheard of, this is one great guy. He even checked up on it, made it better and faster. It helped make our BBS a success. The BBS manual and notes had it written in them and indeed encouraged the sharing of our discoveries and modules/doors/games etc. modify and share was the norm. but what BBS sysop shared his prize custom rolled door game.. the reason for some of his callers stopping by, surprisingly more than expected. Not as many as you might have hoped

 

I don't think he was even on the payroll any longer, I don't think any of us can remember that far back.... but as a consultant he was and still is priceless!

 

I might add that from time to time depending who was running the company in charge, a simple call to them about doing this or that or so and so node and phone number needs blah blah and it was like this ... okay so give it to him why are you calling me for permission..

 

I used to get excited when the courrier picked up and the screen went blank... and all the lights on the BBS pegged full bright on the modems and interfaces during file transfers and the like.. never saw it like that since I miss it. He had tweeked the timing for BBS and certain parts to the limit and had to shut the screen off to allow for the flow to be as fast as possible. This was using the black box and large ramdisks with fast large hardisks.....the idea to push the data flow without pause or interruption. He made the modifications. He took no money. I should send him a gift! In fact pm a paylpal link..

I didn't find any paypal links, but Stephen does give his email and street address on his website.

 

http://www.realdos.net/