[sudo-discuss] Wish list // setting up our own BBS ;)

Thu Apr 18 10:16:14 PDT 2013

The only real purpose for a BBS is to run TradeWars 2002 games.

In other words, *it is essential that we do this*.

Jonesin' for a hit since 1998,
Naomi aka 101101

On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 9:37 AM, Hol Gaskill <hol at gaskill.com> wrote:

> it's not paranoia if they're really after you.  also, we should have a
> screening of They Live at some point, speaking of them.
>
> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/
>
>
> Apr 18, 2013 08:15:03 AM, romy at snowyla.com wrote:
>
> >I like this line. maybe we should set up a BBS!
> >4) The Tin-Foil-Hat Factor -- This one is a bit harder to fully explain.
>  But let's say that you're not happy with the way things are going online
> in terms of privacy.  Let's say that you are paranoid about people snooping
> in your email, reading your browser cache and cookies and monitoring your
> general online activity.  Well.  If you've got a BBS that is only
> accessible via SSH (Secure Shell)... things just got a lot more secure.
>  Heck.  I'd say it's a safe bet that most of the kids in hacker groups
> (like Anonymous) don't even know what a BBS is.
> >
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> >
> http://lunduke.com/?p=2156
> >
> >
>
>             Lunduke.com » How To Set Up Your Own BBS – Be The King of
> 1989… Today!
>
>
>       With the rise of the World Wide Intertubes, in the
> 19-Something-Or-Others, we saw the decline of the old-school, text based
> dial-up BBS.
>
>
>
> Luckily, that hasn't stopped many of us from continuing to use (and enjoy)
> the best that BBS-ing has to offer.  Considering running your own BBS?
>  Read on!
>
>
>
> What is a BBS?
> If you never had the joy of using a BBS (perhaps they were a bit before
> your time), here is the idea in a nutshell:
>
> A BBS is a system that you "call" (in the old days with a modem and an
> analog phone line) and interact with via a text and ANSI graphics (colorful
> ascii with a little animation) interface.
>
>
>
> There were a few key components to a BBS that closely mirror what we
> currently have available today on the internet:
>
>
>
> 1) Message Forums and Networks
>
> 2) Email
>
> 3) Online, multiplayer games
>
> 4) Downloadable files
>
> 5) Real-time Chat
>
> Nowadays it is entirely possible to run a BBS, that looks and acts just
> like a BBS from the 80's and 90's, and have that BBS accessible to anyone
> on the internet.
>
> Why run your own BBS?
> So let's say you decide you want to run a BBS of your very own -- thus
> making you a SysOp (System Operator).
>
> You really need to ask yourself one question: WHY?!
>
> I mean, let's be honest.  It's not for the fame.  And it's not for the
> mega-bucks that are going to come rolling in.  So... why?
>
> 1) The Nostalgia Factor -- There is something inherently enjoyable about
> using systems the way they were used 20+ years ago.  The experience isn't
> all that different from playing a video game you played as a kid and
> finding that it is still just as fun.
>
>
>
> 2) The Fun Factor -- There are some great multiplayer games available for
> BBS's.  Some of the best, in fact.  TradeWars and Legend of the Red Dragon
> being two of the most famous examples.  If you enjoy MUD's and games that
> put game play, thinking, player interaction and, well, text above all
> else... you'll be right at home.
>
>
>
> 3) The Geek Factor -- How many people do you know that run a BBS?
>  Seriously.  Anyone can put up a website.  Your grandma probably has a
> website.  But do any of them run a telnet-accessible multi-node BBS?
>  Instant Nerd-Cred.
>
>
>
> 4) The Tin-Foil-Hat Factor -- This one is a bit harder to fully explain.
>  But let's say that you're not happy with the way things are going online
> in terms of privacy.  Let's say that you are paranoid about people snooping
> in your email, reading your browser cache and cookies and monitoring your
> general online activity.  Well.  If you've got a BBS that is only
> accessible via SSH (Secure Shell)... things just got a lot more secure.
>  Heck.  I'd say it's a safe bet that most of the kids in hacker groups
> (like Anonymous) don't even know what a BBS is.
>
>
>
> In a nutshell: A person decides to run a BBS because he/she wants to.
>
> But, be warned.  Setting up a BBS can be time consuming.  Keeping a BBS
> running can be time consuming.  Administering the users on your BBS... can
> be time consuming.
>
> Setting up a BBS is a lot like adopting a puppy.  Time consuming.  (But
> rewarding... if you like puppies.)
>
> Choosing BBS Software
> So, you're in.  What next?
>
> Next step: figure out what BBS server software you want to run.
>
> Luckily, there are many options to choose from.  Unfortunately... most are
> abandoned and not exactly super compatible with newer systems.
>
> I am going to talk about two of my personal favorite options that should
> cover most people's needs: Synchronet and Virtual Advanced.
>
> Both systems can handle many, many concurrent online users ("nodes").
>  Both support message forums, file downloads, games and chat.  So let's
> look at where they differ.
>
> Synchronet is open source, still updated (though not necessarily all that
> often) and runs on Windows, Linux and FreeBSD.
>
>
>
> Virtual Advanced is closed source (though freely available), no longer in
> development and runs under DOS.  (Yes.  I did say this was one of my
> favorites.  I'll explain a little further down.)
>
>
>
> Despite these, relatively massive, differences both systems are entirely
> capable of running an excellent BBS.  More on getting these two setup in
> just a bit.
>
> (There are many other, very capable, BBS servers out there.  Including
> EleBBS, WWIV, Wildcat! and Mystic.  I am choosing to cover only Synchronet
> and Virtual Advanced here to keep things simple.)
>
>
>
> BBS Door Games
> A BBS "Door" is basically a piece of external software (usually a game).
>  How it works is this:
>
> 1) A person calls your BBS, then chooses to run a "door game" from a menu
> that you have set up.
>
> 2) The BBS server software then generates what is called a "drop file"
> (often called "door.sys" or "chain.txt").  This is simply a text file that
> contains pieces of information that will tell the door software how to
> continue communicating with the person (connection info, user name, etc.).
>
>
>
> 3) The BBS server then launches the door software and instructs it where
> to look for that drop file.
>
> 4) When the user is done playing the game, the door software exits and
> returns control back to the BBS server.
>
> Now that you know the basics of how they work, you'll need to decide which
> (if any) you want on your system.
>
>
>
> This can be a rather huge task.  Not only do you need to find out which
> games you like (and that your callers may like)... but you need to find a
> way to actually BUY these games (which are, often, long since abandoned).
>
>
>
> Luckily there are some games that are still supported (and usually very
> inexpensive), and various resources to get you started:
>
> John Dailey Software - John supports and sells some truly excellent games,
> including Barren Realms Elite (a personal favorite strategy game of mine).
>
>
>
> BBSFiles.com - This is a great collection of downloads of door games (as
> well as add-ons).  What makes this site truly excellent is that it also
> provides many, many public (and legal) registration keys for long abandoned
> games.
>
>
>
> TradeWars - This is one of the most popular games out there (and for good
> reason).  But purchasing a new license for the old (and unsupported) DOS
> door game version can be tricky.  The new TradeWars server is developed and
> sold by EIS.  If you really want a good, legal copy... your best bet is to
> contact them directly.
>
>
>
> Gameport - Want Legend of the Red Dragon?  Hint: Your callers probably do.
>  Gameport owns the rights and can sell you a registration for 15 bucks.
>  They also have a few other BBS door games available for purchase for the
> same price.
>
>
>
> For each game you'll want to read through the supplied documentation for
> how to set it up with your BBS.  Most likely you'll be making your BBS
> available via Telnet... which means you'll be ignoring any settings for
> "Com Ports" and the like for each game and instead relying on something
> called a "Fossil Driver".
>
>
>
> Choosing your OS and Hardware
> Hardware -
>
> The hardware requirements for running a BBS are... very small.  Have an
> old PC lying around that can technically run semi-modern OS?  Should be
> fine.
>
> Operating System -
>
> Choosing the OS you run your BBS server on is entirely personal.  Linux or
> Windows (XP or newer) would be my recommendations.
>
> Here's what I'm running:
>
> Arch Linux running on an old Eee PC netbok (with a roughly 600mhz
> processor).
>
> Small.  Cheap.  Quiet.  Low power.
>
> Linux Notes - I like Linux.  But setting up DOS based Door games can be a
> bit more challenging under Linux (for obvious reasons).  If you elect to
> use Synchronet (which is my recommended approach under Linux) here is a
> great tutorial on setting up door games for Synchronet under Linux using
> DOSEMU.  It is also possible to use DOSBox to run your DOS door games, but
> this can be very problematic as DOSBox caches the file system... making it
> difficult to run games that have multiple, simultaneous online users (but
> not impossible... just very, very hard).  For that reason I highly
> recommend the Synchronet/DOSEMU route.
>
>
>
> Network Connection -
>
> A great speed for using a BBS is roughly equivalent to an old 14.4 or 28.8
> analog modem.  This allows text to appear on the screen rapidly without
> making people wait.  (Man.  The days of 300 baud modems... life was tough!)
>
>
>
> Luckily, if you have any decently modern network connection you should be
> all set.  If you want to be able to have 10 concurrent connections, you'll
> be looking at a maximum usage of about 280 kbit/sec. (And even that is
> unlikely unless people are downloading files).
>
>
>
> For a good example: My BBS (The House of Lunduke) has 20 lines.  Even when
> all 20 lines are full of people playing games I don't even notice the
> network traffic on my FiOS line.
>
>
>
> What *is* important to consider is latency.  While a satellite internet
> connection may have enough bandwidth to handle a BBS... the ping time is
> going to make your BBS almost unusable as you will end up waiting for an
> eternity every time you hit a key.
>
>
>
> The other big consideration here is how people will connect to your BBS.
>  Will you have your own domain name?  A static IP address (recommended)?
>
> If you do not have a static IP address (and your ISP refuses to give you
> one) you can sign up for a Dynamic DNS service.
>
> Getting Up And Running
> Ok.  So you've chosen your hardware, OS and BBS software and you're ready
> to go.  What now?
>
> Synchronet -
>
> So you chose Synchronet, eh?  If you are running Windows go grab the
> installer from the Download page then follow these instructions.  It's
> truly pretty straight forward.
>
>
>
> Running on Linux?  You're going to need to build Synchronet from source
> and do some tweaking.  Luckily there are excellent instructions available.
>  Which I recommend following to the letter.
>
>
>
> Virtual Advanced -
>
> Running on Windows:
>
> 1) Go grab the Virtual Advanced Windows installer.
>
> 2) Then you'll need the VADV32 installer, which is supplied by Aspect
> Technologies.
>
>
>
> Remember when I said Virtual Advanced is no longer being developed?
>  Luckily Aspect Technologies stepped up to the plate and built a great tool
> called VADV32 which acts as a telnet server and configuration front end for
> Virtual Advanced.  Follow the instructions provided with VADV32.
>
>
>
> Running on Linux:
>
> Don't do it.  VADV32 is necessary to have a good experience running
> Virtual Advanced as a telnet accessible BBS.  And it is a Windows
> application.
>
> That said: I am running Virtual Advanced and VADV32 under Arch Linux using
> Wine (and other tools).  It was a royal pain to get working properly.  But
> I'm a stubborn Linux user who used to run Virtual Advanced on OS/2 "back in
> the day"... I chose that route for nostalgic reasons.  So it's possible.
>  If you really hate yourself and want to do this like I did, ask in the
> comments for this article and I will do my best to help with any issues you
> have.
>
>
>
> Additional Considerations
> Does your BBS need a website?  If so, will you allow people to connect to
> your BBS via your website (via something such as FlashTerm or jsTerm).
>
>
>
> Will you promote your BBS on the various BBS list website out there (such
> as BBSFinder)?
>
> How much time/access will you give your users?  How will you handle new
> users?
>
> Will you join a message network (such as FidoNet)?
>
> Lots and lots to consider.  Far too many to list and answer.  But if you
> have questions, just ask here and I (or others) may be able to point you in
> the right direction.
>
> My Thoughts on BBSing
> I feel that BBSing is genuinely important.  Both as a leisure activity (a
> rather nerdy one), a communication mechanism and a way of preserving our
> past (and making that past accessible to everyone to see, experience and
> study).
>
>
>
> I would love to see more BBS's.  If this interests you, dive in and have
> fun.  What's the worst that can happen?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>        Filed under: BBS | 9 Comments
>
>
>
>
> >
> >---
> >Romy IlanoFounder of Snowylahttp://www.snowyla.comromy@snowyla.com
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >sudo-discuss mailing list
> >sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
> >http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
> >
>

-- 
Naomi Theora Most
naomi at nthmost.com
+1-415-728-7490

skype: nthmost

http://twitter.com/nthmost
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20130418/620e85bb/attachment.html>