Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with a website to their name?

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Hello Spectre!

** On Wednesday 27.05.20 - 22:55, Spectre wrote to Anybody:

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with a website to their name?

Keep posting a reminder. Maybe folks step away from their systems for a
few days at a time?

But I think this project might be best automated somehow. Let the
computer do the work for you. As you mentioned previously, maybe use the nodelist to identify the system, and then "visit" the site automatically
to collect the login/logo screen shot.

BTW, 22 matches for "fsxnet" showed up using IPTIA:

https://www.ipingthereforeiam.com/bbs/?step=search&all=0&query=fsxnet

Then when you look at those one by one, you can practically grab the
little screen shot as a logo.

But I think automation would be the key. You wouldn't want a destination that is nolonger with fsxnet or unreachable.


--- OpenXP 5.0.43
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

Keep posting a reminder. Maybe folks step away from their systems

That be true, I could stick it in for once a week rotation for now..

But I think this project might be best automated somehow. Let the

To far beyond my limitations. Waaaaaaaaay beyond...

Then when you look at those one by one, you can practically grab the little screen shot as a logo.

My thoughts went along the lines, if you don't apply for whatever reason, then my workload is already that much lighter :) IF you do apply, one or two at a time as so far, then the work load isn't so large I can't manage it. And I can keep an eye on Avon's Systems Retired messages to remove people.

Just going by the nodelist concerns me in so far as theres no guarantee of any kind of particular data. Manually adding means I can be certain the application fits the bill on all fronts, and talk to whoever it is applying to fix anything that needs it.

Name Sure its in the nodelist.
URL Quite possibly different to the BBS address
Logo Can't find one of these in there.

Spec.


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

On 27 May 2020, Spectre said the following...

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with a website to their name?

Planning on it, just haven't had the time.

-=>Richard Miles<=-
-=>Captain Obvious<=-
-=>bbs.shadowscope.com<=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/05/17 (Windows/32)
* Origin: * Shadowscope BBS * (21:1/157)

Hello Spectre!

** On Thursday 28.05.20 - 01:04, Spectre wrote to Ogg:

To far beyond my limitations. Waaaaaaaaay beyond...

You took the initiative to build/revitalize something. It can only get
better as you learn more tricks. <G>

My thoughts went along the lines, if you don't apply for whatever
reason, then my workload is already that much lighter :) IF you do
apply, one or two at a time as so far, then the work load isn't so
large I can't manage it. And I can keep an eye on Avon's Systems
Retired messages to remove people.

I hear ya. But you don't want to end up with a directory that requires constant human management either. I say try to let the 'puter do most of
it.

The webring is not unlike a subscription service but in reverse. For both, automation is a time saver. For the webring, you want the vast majority of fsxnet systems represented - and allow the 'puter to figure out who's unreachable or nolonger exists. For a subscription service, the list is
built up by individuals who want to be part of the "feed". But for both systems, you don't want to be left with a job that requires manual subscribe/unsubcribe, or list/unlist.

I don't know how IPTIA or Telenetbbsguide do it, but I doubt that there is
an individual updating those lists manually every day.

Just going by the nodelist concerns me in so far as theres no
guarantee of any kind of particular data. Manually adding means I can
be certain the application fits the bill on all fronts, and talk to
whoever it is applying to fix anything that needs it.

True, the nodelist could be incorrect for at least week until the updated version is released. But a disclaimer of accuracy on the webring would
solve that! LOL Your hands on approach is laudable. +1

Name Sure its in the nodelist.
URL Quite possibly different to the BBS address
Logo Can't find one of these in there.

Yesh, well this is where your hands on approach can encourage the sysops
to get with the program and create specific "logos" instead of just displaying the canned logon screen of their bbs software, and solve the
URL issues.


--- OpenXP 5.0.43
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

Spectre wrote to Anybody:

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with a website to their name?

ATM I don't have a website. I'm tinkering with different things so if I
ever get one online I'll hit you up.


Ttyl :-),
Al

... (A)bort, (R)etry, (P)retend this never happened...

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.15 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (21:4/106.2)

Planning on it, just haven't had the time.

Np, thought it might have gotten a bit more excitement.... so long as its in the back of your mind somewhere waiting for a round-tuit :)

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

Just going by the nodelist concerns me in so far as theres no guarantee
of any kind of particular data. Manually adding means I can be certain
the application fits the bill on all fronts, and talk to whoever it is applying to fix anything that needs it.

Name Sure its in the nodelist.
URL Quite possibly different to the BBS address
Logo Can't find one of these in there.

Yeah, I think it will end up a sort of 'middle-of-the-road thing.
Flags can be implemented to serve items such as 'webfrontend', 'telnetport', and others. If we are using only the fsxnet nodelist then we do have control over these things. Where webring is concerned the logic could be implemented to use these flags to add boards. Avon could change the application process
to include confirming webfrontend, url and port as well as collecting a
logo before inclusion in the nodelist. I cannot think of a scenario where the bbs would use a different url to the BinkD system. If so, one solution might be to create a Region for BBSs where this is a problem. Of course, the existing systems would all have to be resubmitted should a sysop want their system included. How other systems would use this type of nodelist system is up for discussion.

On the logos, probably just create a default 'placeholder' for those who do
not submit one.

...more food for thought?

.\\ichael Batts
a.k.a. stizzed (because, why not?)
SysOp, The ROCK BBS III

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The ROCK BBS III - therockbbs.net - TELNET:10023 (21:4/156)

But I think this project might be best automated somehow. Let the computer do the work for you. As you mentioned previously, maybe use
the nodelist to identify the system, and then "visit" the site automatically to collect the login/logo screen shot.

On this note, I finished a pass at a python script that converts the fsxnet nodelist into JSON, so it can be used for GET requests to automate some of this, particularly in the case of embedded fTelnet (if Avon is able to
utilize the ITN field and we updated the list with anyone who has a non-standard telent port.

Running on an express server:
http://167.172.194.72:1234/fsxnet

Also, Python script here, it's dirty and kludgy, WIP, but I'll clean it up tomorrow.

https://github.com/robbiew/nodelist-to-json

I'll then automate the update when new nodelists are published, so the API stays up to date.

Not sure if anyone else finds this useful, but there it is!


|14▐ |07Alpha
|14▄▌ |13Card & Claw BBS
|06▐ |05cardandclaw.com:8888

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Card & Claw BBS (21:4/158)

Also, Python script here, it's dirty and kludgy, WIP, but I'll clean it up tomorrow.

https://github.com/robbiew/nodelist-to-json
I'll then automate the update when new nodelists are published, so the API stays up to date.

Not sure if anyone else finds this useful, but there it is!

Sure, I have no idea what to do with it :) There's just to much I don't know.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

On 27 May 2020 at 10:55p, Spectre pondered and said...

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with a website to their name?

I have an idea... create some info about this, what to do etc. and send it to me as a .txt file and I can include it in the info pack :) That would help
get the word out I think. What do you think?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/20 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

I have an idea... create some info about this, what to do etc. and

That could work. :)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Quoting Spectre to Anybody <=-

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with
a website to their name?

Fired off an email.

Shawn

... Never step in anything soft.

--- EzyBlueWave V3.00 01FB001F
* Origin: Tiny's BBS - telnet://tinysbbs.com:3023 (21:1/130)

Spectre,

I'm still very interested, but to be honest have NEVER worked with HTML nor putting a webpage online. So .. I signed up for a class I'm taking this afternoon. I'm hoping it'll at least help me get the basic understanding necessary to get my BBS on the webring. If not, I'll break down and ask a neighbor to help. Sorry for any delays!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Underground [@] theunderground.us:10023 <-port (21:1/165)

Also, Python script here, it's dirty and kludgy, WIP, but I'll clean tomorrow.

https://github.com/robbiew/nodelist-to-json
I'll then automate the update when new nodelists are published, so th stays up to date.

Not sure if anyone else finds this useful, but there it is!

No worries! I actually think, after having done this, that using the nodelist by itself for this purpose isn't the best way to manage a BBS List--whether
its used in a webring or in a BBS List script/MPL/Door. Structurally, the FTN spec just it doesn't contain/allow all the data you would need, unless there was a way to add (and keep separately, update, etc.) the data about a BBS's
web url, telnet/ssh ports, etc, allow a sysop to update the info, etc.


|14▐ |07Alpha
|14▄▌ |13Card & Claw BBS
|06▐ |05cardandclaw.com:8888

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Card & Claw BBS (21:4/158)

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more

Fired off an email.

All done :)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Re: Re: Webring Reminder
By: Alpha to Spectre on Thu May 28 2020 08:08 am

No worries! I actually think, after having done this, that using the nodelist by itself for this purpose isn't the best way to manage a BBS List--whether its used in a webring or in a BBS List script/MPL/Door. Structurally, the FTN spec just it doesn't contain/allow all the data you would need, unless there was a way to add (and keep separately, update, etc.) the data about a BBS's web url, telnet/ssh ports, etc, allow a sysop to update the info, etc.

I dont see why it cant.

I dont think we should be "stuck" with how it was designed in the 90's. I do think we must make sure we dont break anything if we make changes - so consideration must be there.

I've talked about using the ITN flag to show the telnet port. I still think that that is possible. (So it with the INA field could represent how a person connects to a BBS.) There are also other existing flags that could hold other data "U" for example. Or we can create our own. "WEB:....", "EML: ...", "SSH:...", etc which I dont think will break existing system, but I'm willing to try if somebody else is.

The only limit that I'm aware of, is that a flag can only be 32 chars in length, so may be limiting for some web urls or email addresses...

...δεσ∩

... Crisis management works beautifully until an actual crisis occurs.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

I dont see why it cant.

Agreed!

I dont think we should be "stuck" with how it was designed in the 90's.
I do think we must make sure we dont break anything if we make changes - so consideration must be there.

Ditto!

I've talked about using the ITN flag to show the telnet port. I still think that that is possible. (So it with the INA field could represent
how a person connects to a BBS.) There are also other existing flags
that could hold other data "U" for example. Or we can create our own. "WEB:....", "EML: ...", "SSH:...", etc which I dont think will break existing system, but I'm willing to try if somebody else is.

Yeap! Kind of what I posted a few days ago...

The only limit that I'm aware of, is that a flag can only be 32 chars in length, so may be limiting for some web urls or email addresses...

Indeed...

I'm not looking to be relevant here (gawd knows Id rather just sit back and
let others do the work) ;) but this ain't rocket science and if enough of the right heads get together this is infinitely be doable. If now is not the
right time to utilize the nodelists for BBS access in addition to mailer connectivity I don't know if/when we ever will... I AM befuddled to see that at least a few developers out there don't get that a good percentage of
SysOps are electing to use non-standard telnet ports to stop the infernal banging on the door...

.\\ichael Batts
a.k.a. stizzed (because, why not?)
SysOp, The ROCK BBS III

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The ROCK BBS III - therockbbs.net - TELNET:10023 (21:4/156)

I dont think we should be "stuck" with how it was designed in the 90's.
I do think we must make sure we dont break anything if we make changes - so consideration must be there.
I've talked about using the ITN flag to show the telnet port. I still think that that is possible. (So it with the INA field could represent
how a person connects to a BBS.) There are also other existing flags
that could hold other data "U" for example. Or we can create our own. "WEB:....", "EML: ...", "SSH:...", etc which I dont think will break existing system, but I'm willing to try if somebody else is.

I'd be happy to be a guini pig on this one, maybe with SportsNet? I'd love
to get a nodelist working as a user interface however understand it was not designed to be so. I just think that a network with 100+ nodes might be a risky test to several BBS's, on a very active network. So maybe a test
network .. I can back up my BBS prior to each test .. so no issues there.
Just let me know and I'm in. I think the more ways to market, the better.
And if can be translated on the webring or other BBS's websites, even better. With my limited knowledge, I see this being a lot of work for Avon with the number of BBS's FSX has ... unless there is a global setting that literally
is adding a single flag once, and the server acquires the info on the next fidopoll. But ... again ... this is beyond my scope of knowledge when we
start talking the server side of things.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Underground [@] theunderground.us:10023 <-port (21:1/165)

I dont think we should be "stuck" with how it was designed in the 90' I do think we must make sure we dont break anything if we make change so consideration must be there.
I've talked about using the ITN flag to show the telnet port. I still think that that is possible. (So it with the INA field could represen how a person connects to a BBS.) There are also other existing flags that could hold other data "U" for example. Or we can create our own. "WEB:....", "EML: ...", "SSH:...", etc which I dont think will break existing system, but I'm willing to try if somebody else is.

I'd be happy to be a guini pig on this one, maybe with SportsNet? I'd love to get a nodelist working as a user interface however understand it was not designed to be so. I just think that a network with 100+ nodes might be a risky test to several BBS's, on a very active network. So maybe a test network .. I can back up my BBS prior to each test .. so no issues there. Just let me know and I'm in. I think the more ways to market, the better. And if can be translated on the webring or other
BBS's websites, even better. With my limited knowledge, I see this being
a lot of work for Avon with the number of BBS's FSX has ... unless there is a global setting that literally is adding a single flag once, and the server acquires the info on the next fidopoll. But ... again ... this
is beyond my scope of knowledge when we start talking the server side of things.

I'm happy to volunteer my assistance on the web side, for what it's worth.
I'm certainly not against change, and if someone is willing to create a new (non-ftn) nodelist spec for the modern age network and test it out, let's f'n do it.

I mean, seriously, the current ftn spec has "phone number" in it and 100% of the nodes I've seen are "-unpublished-" so why not push for some
modernization? The fact is, we pretty much all use the Internet for file/data transfers.

I could see a daily event from the each BBS that gets the latest/updated
BBS nodelist (v2) from a centralized API.


|14▐ |07Alpha
|14▄▌ |13Card & Claw BBS
|06▐ |05cardandclaw.com:8888

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Card & Claw BBS (21:4/158)

Re: Re: Webring Reminder
By: The Godfather to alterego on Thu May 28 2020 10:48 pm

I'd be happy to be a guini pig on this one, maybe with SportsNet? I'd love to get a nodelist working as a user interface however understand it was not designed to be so. I just think that a network with 100+ nodes

So you could do that now, without an "official nodelist".

Just modify your copy of any nodelists you have, and if it works, we can implement it more officially.

So I would suggest changing the ITN field, to be the port that telnet is used to connect to a BBS. Without a value, "23" is assumed, but if your BBS is on a different port, then the format would be ITN:<port>

If you want a target to test against, you can test against me. Add an ITN:10023 to my node entry, and that should teleport you to 1995 and my Ezycom BBS :)

...δεσ∩

... Information deteriorates upward through bureaucracies.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

So you could do that now, without an "official nodelist".

I haven't really been following this thread, but I was reminded of
an idea you had a while back of some sort of mega-net thing which
replaced binkd or something? I think you were talking about using some
sort of database backend..

I don't remember the details well... but do you know what I'm thinking
of? and if you do, did you shelve that or still working on it?

Andrew

--- Ghost v0.0.1
* Origin: Ghost BBS - ghostbbs.hopto.org:2626 (21:1/126.1)

On 28 May 2020 at 06:57p, Spectre pondered and said...

I have an idea... create some info about this, what to do etc. and

That could work. :)

Thanks, got this will add it in. :)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/20 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

Re: Re: Webring Reminder
By: apam to alterego on Fri May 29 2020 04:14 pm

I don't remember the details well... but do you know what I'm thinking
of? and if you do, did you shelve that or still working on it?

That was my idea of having all echo mail going into a cenetral DB (and I was going to use CockroachDB), and thus hubs pull it out as they poll - that one right?

IE: Hubs dont sent to hubs, but rather post to the DB and pull from the DB.

I had it working, binkd was receiving the packets, a script was posting them into the DB, I think I was up to writing the extraction, so a hub/node could get out new mail for distribution. (I remember hoping I could do that on the fly, while the session was connected but then got distracted.)

A benefit of using cockroach, was that multiple systems could host a replica of the DB and thus multiple points to get/post mail. (And you could use any replica.) Also, if it held many "othernet" echos, then it would change the game of FTN...

Another hurdle I had was coackroad was sensitive on latency between replicas - and I needed to research how to deal with that.

I've parked that for now - been too busy with too many things. Its the old case of spending 20% of my time on 10 projects (and only 60% effecient), when I really should spend 100% of my time on 2...

On a plus note, I've got my ANSItex login working, frames rendering, method integration into SBBS (so I can call existing SBBS methods - like messaging - before I write my own frontend to that), and InterBBS frame replication using PGP keys for authenticity [but I need to enhance that, its a bit clunky :( ]...

Still got a little way to go before its crash test ready...

...δεσ∩

... I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

No worries! I actually think, after having done this, that using the nodelist by itself for this purpose isn't the best way to manage a

BBS list

I dont see why it cant.

Maybe I'm looking for problems... :) But the additions if you wanted it to be complete would be...

BBS Name: Might be the same as the system name presently used could be different. Remembering this is a list name.
WWW Url Obvious
SSH/Telnet URL: Could be different if not on the same system.
Port: Problem here is that the port no longer defines the use for telnet/ssh

Thats off the top of my head. But the other thing is, not everyone in the nodelist is going to want to be on the webring. At least thats a guess, or have everything in place for it. I s'pose if you pre process for DB insertion then you could drop or ignore the blanks. Not sure how you'd remove systems either.

I have to say someone else would have to figure this lot out :) As I'm fond of saying "a man's got to know his limitations".

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

I'd be happy to be a guini pig on this one, maybe with SportsNet? I'd love to get a nodelist working as a user interface however understand
it was not designed to be so. I just think that a network with 100+
nodes might be a risky test to several BBS's, on a very active
network. So maybe a test network .. I can back up my BBS prior

I don't think this one will be a problem :) Initially you'd just build a dummy nodelist add the fields you need. After that just a matter of scaling. It shouldn't worry any Mailers, they just ignore what they don't use.

better. With my limited knowledge, I see this being a lot of work
for Avon with the number of BBS's FSX has

I concur.. at least up front. And then the ongoing generation needs to incude said fields also. No idea on the complications there. One of the reasons I like initial non-automation :) There's no immediate incoming overload. You can automate maintenance later.

... unless there is a global setting that literally

I don't see how, it won't provide enough info.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

existing system, but I'm willing to try if somebody else is.

I'm happy to volunteer my assistance on the web side, for what it's worth. I'm certainly not against change, and if someone is willing to create a new (non-ftn) nodelist spec for the modern age network and test it

Chuckle take the lead of Fido's hands :) I think it'd be extended rather than non-ftn. I have to wonder though how many people still use the dialup field for the address/ip when they compile their nodelist. I have to, because I've got no idea how to deal with the extra fields that hold the relevant information.

I don't know how many Mailer styles there are out there, but an effective nodelist compiler for... FD, Binkd, and whatever else is still in use would be useful.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

Re: Re: Webring Reminder
By: Spectre to alterego on Fri May 29 2020 04:02 pm

Maybe I'm looking for problems... :) But the additions if you wanted it to be complete would be...
BBS Name: Might be the same as the system name presently used could be different. Remembering this is a list name.

Yup that is in the nodelist.

WWW Url Obvious

Actually I wouldnt have thought it was a requirement. Not all BBS'es will have a website? But if webring was providing an ftelnet interface to a BBS, then its definately not required?

SSH/Telnet URL: Could be different if not on the same system.

So we talked about telnet "ITN" flag. SSH could be an "SSH" flag that we create?

Port: Problem here is that the port no longer defines the use for telnet/ssh

That's covered above. ITN:<port> or SSH:<port> and if port is omitted it assumes the IANA defaults?

...δεσ∩

... Lubarsky's Law of Cybernetic Entomology: There is always one more bug.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

WWW Url Obvious

Actually I wouldnt have thought it was a requirement. Not all BBS'es
will have a website? But if webring was providing an ftelnet
interface to a BBS, then its definately not required?

If you're going to use it to drive the webring then yes you're going to need a webby URL. My initial thought was to use the fTelnet setup at the remote end. I'm looking into managing it from the webring end, but it requires getting the proxy sorted out. Apparently possible, but the intructions are a tad... thin...

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Might this sucker work?

Well first up.. sorry, I didn't realise so much junk was escaping. Its a tad hard to figure out whats going on.

It seems I have some action between local groups and the jamnntp. There seems to be a VAST delay between something being sent to the server and the server propogating it. Which has been a cause of much consternation as you think something hasn't worked only for it to show up later.

I had to reconfigure suck. I think I was talking to an open server at news.eternal-september.org but either they changed the way it works, or the account I had was removed at some point. I can't find any of my old server scrape script either, quite strange. IT is having trouble posting the collected works to jamnntp though.

When you toss mail with FMAIL, apparently it renumbers the message base every time it tosses. (complete tosser) Apparently this confuses clients, they think there are no new articles. Sooo, anyone one know of something that won't renumber on toss?

Last but not least, FMAIL is presently sharing my IN/OUT directories in FD its fine tossing packets addressed to it, but its renaming packets to other destinations to *.dst which is a problem, that clobbers FSX outbound packets. If I can manage it somehow, I need to have in/out working directories for FMAIL/FastEcho to sit and talk to each other away from FE -> FSX packets.

Spec

PS: time to sit back take a deep breath and see what happens over the servers for a bit.

--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

If you want a target to test against, you can test against me. Add an ITN:10023 to my node entry, and that should teleport you to 1995 and my Ezycom BBS :)

Deo,

I'll reinstall the mod/script later today and test it out! Thanks!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Underground [@] theunderground.us:10023 <-port (21:1/165)

Hello Spectre,

When you toss mail with FMAIL, apparently it renumbers the message
base every time it tosses. (complete tosser) Apparently this confuses clients, they think there are no new articles. Sooo, anyone one know
of something that won't renumber on toss?

I don't and never have run a news server <-> FTN gate so I really don't know but crashmail is a popular tosser to go along with jamnntpd, I think for this reason.

hpt would likely (though I haven't tried and don't know) work also as long as you don't purge/pack your message bases. I suppose at some point you will need to do that and clients are going to get confused at that point.

News article numbers just keep growing where in FTN msg bases after a pack and purge always get renumbered.

Ttyl :-),
Al

--- GoldED+/LNX
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (21:4/106)

Re: Webring Reminder
By: Spectre to alterego on Fri May 29 2020 08:12 pm

If you're going to use it to drive the webring then yes you're going to need a webby URL. My initial thought was to use the fTelnet setup at the remote end. I'm looking into managing it from the webring end, but it requires getting the proxy sorted out. Apparently possible, but the intructions are a tad... thin...

What's the web url for? ftelnet?

If ftelnet, then you could host "the web page" (as you are hosting the webring), point it to a public proxy, and configure it on the fly. Although non standard ports would be an issue...

(The onus would be on the sysop to get the port opened up - which wouldnt be any different from getting to it from the telnetguide right?)

I could probably spin something up...

...δεσ∩

... You! What PLANET is this? McCoy, stardate 3134.0.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

Although non standard ports would be an issue...

Non-standard ports are THE issue!

.\\ichael Batts
a.k.a. stizzed (because, why not?)
SysOp, The ROCK BBS III

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The ROCK BBS III - therockbbs.net - TELNET:10023 (21:4/156)

I don't and never have run a news server <-> FTN gate so I really don't know but crashmail is a popular tosser to go along with jamnntpd, I think for this reason.

I s'pose its already half setup.. in order to create the missing msg bases... I'll have a look into it.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

Hello Spectre!

** On Friday 29.05.20 - 16:02, Spectre wrote to alterego:

Thats off the top of my head. But the other thing is, not everyone in
the nodelist is going to want to be on the webring. At least thats a
guess, or have everything in place for it. I s'pose if you pre process
for DB insertion then you could drop or ignore the blanks. Not sure
how you'd remove systems either.

Why not create a WEBRING entry in the nodelist, and describe a simple set
of rules/commands for processing?

Commands could be addressed to WEBLIST. SUBscribe, UNSUBscribe, etc.

Maybe it could even faciliate a logo update if an attachment is included.

Ofcourse, the weblist system might need a password configuration to
identify valid requests from the owners of the bbses that are requesting changes.

This WEBLIST could be for the webring what ELIST is for echomail.

BTW, I like the way the http://webring.fsxnet.nz/ is taking shape. From a user's POV, it's like having an FSXnet 'zine. It's nice to see the
different www welcome pages providing an overview of their systems, and
good descriptions, and help on the different ways to "connect".

The recent addition of the fTelnet thing is a good place-holder for
systems that do not have www.

--- OpenXP 5.0.44
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

Actually I wouldnt have thought it was a requirement. Not all BBS'es will have a website? But if webring was providing an ftelnet interface to a BBS, then its definately not required?

If you're going to use it to drive the webring then yes you're going to need a webby URL. My initial thought was to use the fTelnet setup at
the remote end. I'm looking into managing it from the webring end, but
it requires getting the proxy sorted out. Apparently possible, but the intructions are a tad... thin...

Hey Spectre,

I just set up a locally hosted fTelnet proxy & client embed, sort of reverse engineered it from Rick's myFtelnet set up so you can pass the URL and Port (and other data) to the embed. LMK if I can help.

It was just a test as I was parsing the nodelist I created, super janky with the frames and layout and all, but basic code works:

http://bbswebconnect.com/

And that's how the site got blacklisted from Agency, heh. Too many tests.


|14▐ |07Alpha
|14▄▌ |13Card & Claw BBS
|06▐ |05cardandclaw.com:8888

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Card & Claw BBS (21:4/158)

What's the web url for? ftelnet?

Web url is for the website. Usually looking for something about your BBS. if there's fTelnet there already it can be used also.

(The onus would be on the sysop to get the port opened up - which
wouldnt be any different from getting to it from the telnetguide
right?)

Pretty much, shrug, I don't like having to rely on third parties :)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Why not create a WEBRING entry in the nodelist, and describe a simple
set of rules/commands for processing?

Commands could be addressed to WEBLIST. SUBscribe, UNSUBscribe,
etc.

Maybe it could even faciliate a logo update if an attachment is
included.

This WEBLIST could be for the webring what ELIST is for echomail.

Ahh you lost me there, whats elist? If you were making alterations via netmail then you could pre-authenticate an account to make the mods, and the passing of the netmail would be sufficient authentication in the first place. How many people run around spoofing netmail?

From a user's POV, it's like having an FSXnet 'zine. It's nice
to see the different www welcome pages providing an overview
of their systems, and good descriptions, and help on the different
ways to "connect".

Not exactly what I had in mind going in, but a good result none the less...

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

I just set up a locally hosted fTelnet proxy & client embed, sort of reverse engineered it from Rick's myFtelnet set up so you can pass
the URL and Port (and other data) to the embed. LMK if I can help.

Now thats what I wuz looking for. Are you using the fTelnetProxy or something else? Either way a look at the setup would be spiffy.

Spec

--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

Hello Spectre!

** On Saturday 30.05.20 - 12:55, Spectre wrote to Ogg:

This WEBLIST could be for the webring what ELIST is for echomail.

Ahh you lost me there, whats elist? If you were making alterations via netmail then you could pre-authenticate an account to make the mods, and the passing of the netmail would be sufficient authentication in the first place. How many people run around spoofing netmail?

ELIST is a fidonet robot that manages the listing of echos and moderators.

WEBLIST obviously wouldn't need to be as complex, but I just wanted to
point out the comparison and automation part.

Re spoofing.. true. FSXnet is a friendly place and no one would ever
think of messing with the robot, eh? <g>

From a user's POV, it's like having an FSXnet 'zine. It's nice
to see the different www welcome pages providing an overview..

Not exactly what I had in mind going in, but a good result none the
less...

It is so much better than a plain webring. I was never really drawn to
the original webring concept. I couldn't even convince my friends to play with them to discover BBSes. People tended to want to know what kind of system they would be landing on and what was there to offer - in advance.


--- OpenXP 5.0.44
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with a website to their name?

I have it bookmarked, and have every intent of adding Storm BBS to it once I fix the webpage aspect of things. But I do occasionally tend to be slow on
such things.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/18 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)

Re: Webring Reminder
By: Spectre to alterego on Sat May 30 2020 12:47 pm

Pretty much, shrug, I don't like having to rely on third parties :)

But if the sysop wants their BBS accessible via ftelnet, using a public proxy, regardless of whether they use ftelnet via the webring or the telnetbbsguide, they may need to request the ftelnet folks to open up their port.

Once that is done, it would work for both use cases. Unless of course you host the ftelnet proxy, then you are in control of everything (but all traffic goes through you...)

...δεσ∩

... The world looks as if it has been left in the custody of trolls.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

I have it bookmarked, and have every intent of adding Storm BBS to it once I fix the webpage aspect of things. But I do occasionally
tend to be slow on such things.

I have to remember not everyone is on my timetable, and do have a life :) This is about what I do now... no work... small unit, so the chores a low.. If I decide to do something, I just do it... unless I procrastinate <chuckle>

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

Once that is done, it would work for both use cases. Unless of course
you host the ftelnet proxy, then you are in control of everything
(but all traffic goes through you...)

Nod.. alll traffic, for what worst case scenario possibly 12 concurrent text sessions? That would be pretty marginal really, I'd expect, but it would still slow things down.. but no proxy is going to be perfect for everyone in the performance dept.

On a side note, I was poking through the webring list tonight, and EVERYONE that is listed already has fTelnet installed. It would be just as easy to collate the pages to the fTelnet logins and just go there.

I find myself in two minds.... if its already there why do it again? On the other hand, if I host the proxy I still have to at least track the port for BBS connect. (ponder)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

I just set up a locally hosted fTelnet proxy & client embed, sort of reverse engineered it from Rick's myFtelnet set up so you can pass the URL and Port (and other data) to the embed. LMK if I can help.

Now thats what I wuz looking for. Are you using the fTelnetProxy or something else? Either way a look at the setup would be spiffy.

Yes, I setup the proxy at this url: https://bit.ly/proxylink

You can see all the URL parameters it takes. Then I just embedded that as an iFrame in bbswebconnect.com. I had some problems with the virtual keyboard display, so I just disabled it in CSS for the demo.

To create the proxy site, I really just viewed the source from the myFtlenet site to grab the index + embed js & css files. I can zip all the
files up if you want them as reference.


|14▐ |07Alpha
|14▄▌ |13Card & Claw BBS
|06▐ |05cardandclaw.com:8888

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Card & Claw BBS (21:4/158)

To create the proxy site, I really just viewed the source from the myFtlenet site to grab the index + embed js & css files. I can zip
all the files up if you want them as reference.

.gz or zip whatevers easy. Yes please!

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more takers with a website to their name?

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Keep posting a reminder. Maybe folks step away from their systems

That be true, I could stick it in for once a week rotation for now..

But I think this project might be best automated somehow. Let the

To far beyond my limitations. Waaaaaaaaay beyond...

Then when you look at those one by one, you can practically grab the little screen shot as a logo.

My thoughts went along the lines, if you don't apply for whatever reason, then my workload is already that much lighter :) IF you do apply, one or two at a time as so far, then the work load isn't so large I can't manage it. And I can keep an eye on Avon's Systems Retired messages to remove people.

Just going by the nodelist concerns me in so far as theres no guarantee of any kind of particular data. Manually adding means I can be certain the application fits the bill on all fronts, and talk to whoever it is applying to fix anything that needs it.

Name Sure its in the nodelist.
URL Quite possibly different to the BBS address
Logo Can't find one of these in there.

Spec.


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

I have an idea... create some info about this, what to do etc. and

That could work. :)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Much lower take up than I thought might happen. No more

Fired off an email.

All done :)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

WWW Url Obvious

Actually I wouldnt have thought it was a requirement. Not all BBS'es
will have a website? But if webring was providing an ftelnet
interface to a BBS, then its definately not required?

If you're going to use it to drive the webring then yes you're going to need a webby URL. My initial thought was to use the fTelnet setup at the remote end. I'm looking into managing it from the webring end, but it requires getting the proxy sorted out. Apparently possible, but the intructions are a tad... thin...

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Might this sucker work?

Well first up.. sorry, I didn't realise so much junk was escaping. Its a tad hard to figure out whats going on.

It seems I have some action between local groups and the jamnntp. There seems to be a VAST delay between something being sent to the server and the server propogating it. Which has been a cause of much consternation as you think something hasn't worked only for it to show up later.

I had to reconfigure suck. I think I was talking to an open server at news.eternal-september.org but either they changed the way it works, or the account I had was removed at some point. I can't find any of my old server scrape script either, quite strange. IT is having trouble posting the collected works to jamnntp though.

When you toss mail with FMAIL, apparently it renumbers the message base every time it tosses. (complete tosser) Apparently this confuses clients, they think there are no new articles. Sooo, anyone one know of something that won't renumber on toss?

Last but not least, FMAIL is presently sharing my IN/OUT directories in FD its fine tossing packets addressed to it, but its renaming packets to other destinations to *.dst which is a problem, that clobbers FSX outbound packets. If I can manage it somehow, I need to have in/out working directories for FMAIL/FastEcho to sit and talk to each other away from FE -> FSX packets.

Spec

PS: time to sit back take a deep breath and see what happens over the servers for a bit.

--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

What's the web url for? ftelnet?

Web url is for the website. Usually looking for something about your BBS. if there's fTelnet there already it can be used also.

(The onus would be on the sysop to get the port opened up - which
wouldnt be any different from getting to it from the telnetguide
right?)

Pretty much, shrug, I don't like having to rely on third parties :)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

Why not create a WEBRING entry in the nodelist, and describe a simple
set of rules/commands for processing?

Commands could be addressed to WEBLIST. SUBscribe, UNSUBscribe,
etc.

Maybe it could even faciliate a logo update if an attachment is
included.

This WEBLIST could be for the webring what ELIST is for echomail.

Ahh you lost me there, whats elist? If you were making alterations via netmail then you could pre-authenticate an account to make the mods, and the passing of the netmail would be sufficient authentication in the first place. How many people run around spoofing netmail?

From a user's POV, it's like having an FSXnet 'zine. It's nice
to see the different www welcome pages providing an overview
of their systems, and good descriptions, and help on the different
ways to "connect".

Not exactly what I had in mind going in, but a good result none the less...

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

I just set up a locally hosted fTelnet proxy & client embed, sort of reverse engineered it from Rick's myFtelnet set up so you can pass
the URL and Port (and other data) to the embed. LMK if I can help.

Now thats what I wuz looking for. Are you using the fTelnetProxy or something else? Either way a look at the setup would be spiffy.

Spec

--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: Scrawled in haste at The Lower Planes (21:3/101)

Once that is done, it would work for both use cases. Unless of course
you host the ftelnet proxy, then you are in control of everything
(but all traffic goes through you...)

Nod.. alll traffic, for what worst case scenario possibly 12 concurrent text sessions? That would be pretty marginal really, I'd expect, but it would still slow things down.. but no proxy is going to be perfect for everyone in the performance dept.

On a side note, I was poking through the webring list tonight, and EVERYONE that is listed already has fTelnet installed. It would be just as easy to collate the pages to the fTelnet logins and just go there.

I find myself in two minds.... if its already there why do it again? On the other hand, if I host the proxy I still have to at least track the port for BBS connect. (ponder)

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)

To create the proxy site, I really just viewed the source from the myFtlenet site to grab the index + embed js & css files. I can zip
all the files up if you want them as reference.

.gz or zip whatevers easy. Yes please!

Spec


--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: (21:3/101)