Many sysops are unfamilure with TSX-Online, a commercial BBS
package marketed as a complete internet information server
suitable for an ISP. TSX-Online includes dial-in and PPP/SLIP
connections, Web server, FTP server, Telnet Server, Email Server,
and NNTP news server. Yet underneth the internet technology
is a very functional BBS. TSX-Online has its own filedatabase,
multiuser chatting, message forums, QWK mail, voting booth,
call-back-verification, RIP graphics, and runs DOS door games.
It includes a Windows client terminal that provides users a
full graphical interface for both local dial-in and people
accessing the system through the internet.
Until now, TSX-Online has been the most expensive BBS program
on the market, priced at $300 for the 2 node base, up to $2050
for the 64 base node base. Add another $1000 for internet
connectivity, plus another $500 for the Web server, and
another $500 for the PPP/Slip server it's no wonder why very
few sysops used it.
Phil Sherrod of S&H Computer systems just announced that they
have desided to make TSX-Online open sourced freeware! The
source code will be made public on March 15th, 2000.
The catch however, is that TSX-Online requires the TSX-32 operating
system to run. TSX-32 is a 32-bit operating system also developed
by S&H Computer Systems. Originally this operating system was
designed with TSX-Online in mind, but over the years its grown to
a complete OS and network server used by many fortune-500 companys.
The TSX-32 OS is NOT being released as freeware, and must be purchased
in order to run TSX-Online. Pricing for the TSX-32 OS starts at $450.
Sherrod explains that the reason they desided to make TSX-Online
open source is simple. They now have roughtly 25 times as many
TSX-32 OS customers as TSX-Online customers. Sales of their
Operating system are strong, while TSX-Online sales dropped
dramaticly yet still require far more support.
http://sandh.com/online.htm
Mystic BBS News:
James Coyle released Mystic BBS version 1.06 on January 30th.
Major enhancments include a new full screen message reader/lister
and many additions to the MPE programming language.
Several minor features were also added, including:
Win32 and OS/2 doors can now be passed the com port handle.
The screen length during a new user login is now configurable.
File can be uploaded blindly (without a description first).
Users are now prompted to post a message in current message
base after the last message has been read.
Enhanced archive viewer can download files within an archive.
Who's Online function can now display users ages/sex.
Mass Mail command allows sysop to send multiple users e-mail.
Users can now search messagebases for keywords.
Users can be forced to post a message (can not be aborted).
Post/Call ratios can now be enforced.
http://www.mysticbbs.com
RGC BBS News:
RGC BBS is being beta tested by a small group of testers this month.
The beta team is now locked, so no more beta applications are being
accepted. The beta cycle is in its early stages, so there is no
projected release date yet for the first public version.
As previously mentioned, RGC BBS will be a full internet server
for Windows, including dial-up/ppp/telnet/web/ftp/email/news/dns
servers all in one package. The DNS server will also support
dynamic DNS as well.
http://www.rgcomputing.com/rgcbbs.htm
The Revolution BBS News:
Scott Duensing released the preliminary version of Revolution on
January 16th. While it's not complete, this release has everything
needed to install it and make it run.
The system currently does not support dial-up users. Scott says that
if there is a demand for it, he will move it up on my list of things
to do. Right now, his main priorities are to finish the teleconference,
message bases, and add native door support.
Scott is looking for someone to help him implement the native door
support, and is willing to offer a free 32 node registration
(module source license too) to anyone who is able to help him
implement this. If you have Windows coding experience and are
interested, contact
scott@jaegertech.com
http://www.jaegertech.com/revolution
Lucid BBS News:
Lucid BBS is now back in development. This DOS based BBS was previously
developed by Steve Chesser (judge dredd), Dennis Martin (zerocode),
and Dan Chase (Burning Chrome. The source code was released
and then abandoned about a year ago. Dennis Martin (zerocode) is now
working on a new version.
No URL yet
EleBBS News:
Maarten Bekers planned to release EleBBS 0.07 gamma last week, but it will
be delayed for a while due to several new bug reports submitted recently
by sysops switching over from RemoteAccess. The beta testers just recieved
the first release canidate today, and the public release is expected later
this month. Unlike previous versions, 0.07 will not offer new features, as
Maarten is focusing on getting all the minor bugs fixed.
http://www.elebbs.com
RemoteAccess BBS News:
The delayed Y2K version of RemoteAccess 2.60 gamma is projected to be
released later this month according to Bruce Morse.
http://www.rapro.com
COM/IP News:
Tactical Software announced in January that they will no longer be
selling their COM/IP Windows Telnet driver software directly to end
users or provide support for COM/IP.
Since then, pcmicro has reached an agreement with Tactical Software
to be a VAR (value added reseller) of COM/IP, and is now selling
COM/IP at a discounted price ($65), and provides direct support.
COM/IP allows BBS software and doors to run telnet nodes under
Windows 95/98/NT/2000 by emulating one or several com ports/modems,
and also includes a 32-bit fossil driver.
http://pcmicro.com/comip/sales.html
ProBoard News:
Telegrafix plans to release an updated demo version of Proboard 2.2x
BBS later this month. The current 2.20 demo will expire on March 1st.
Most Proboard sysops perfer to use the previous 2.16 version along
with a third party Y2K patch, rather then using the less stable 2.20
version which is limited to 2 nodes compaired to the 256 node
support in version 2.16.
An unknown Hacker broke into Telegrafix Web server 2 weeks ago, and
took it down for several days. Telegrafix had it backed up fortunatly,
and it's now back up and running.
There is now a dispute over who owns proboard.com, and the site was
listed for sale for the past few weeks to the highest bidder. Pat
Clawson of Telegrafix was told that the domain would be transfered
to them when they took over Proboard back in 1998, but somehow
another company aquired it from Philippe Leybaert and put it up for
sale.
http://telegrafix.com
If you have any additional BBS related news, please send to mike@pcmicro.com