BBS packages for coherent
Duane Davis
---
sys...@micromed.com (Duane Davis) voice (408)293-3299
Micro-Medic public access usenet (408)279-5240
711 Lincoln Avenue public access pcboard (408)280-1610
San Jose, CA 95126 FileServer - FTP...@micromed.com
Superuser
I've been coding on a new interactive BBS package for about 2 months.
It is written entirely from scratch under Coherent and for Coherent.
It is menu driven. The things I hope to achieve are:
1. Easy to install and maintain.
2. Easy to use for users who aren't unix literate.
3. Flexible enough to allow a complete set of menus and commands
for each different user. Commands are sysop configurable.
4. Usable over slow datalinks. Usable with LANs (as they become
available.)
5. Able to support languages other than English.
I hope to distribute a first version by Nov. 15. The bbs will run under
3.x coh, but a sysop program that configures user menus will not. If
there is interest in version for 3.x, I will probably make a 3.x version.
The bbs should work well with ka9q's telunix facility, as well as standard
serial connections.
Yours Truly,
Randy Wright
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ro...@rwsys.wimsey.bc.ca (Randy Wright) | Exporter BBS 2400 bps
or | (604) 581-0518 8N1
Randy_...@Mindlink.bc.ca | uucp ogin: uguest
| interactive login: guest
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brian Dear
going to release a Coherent-compatible version
of its multi-user, graphics-based BBS/conferencing
COCONET(R) system. COCONET is a client/server system
in which the server, called the COCONET HOST, runs
in a UNIX environment, and the client, called the
COCONET Access Program, runs on the user's PC.
The COCONET Access Program is free and sysops can
freely distribute copies to all users or make it
available for downloading. The new 4.0 release of
COCONET will include support for Hercules, EGA,
VGA, and SuperVGA (all the way up to 1024x768x256
colors) resolutions.
COCONET for Coherent is scheduled for release on
16 November '92.
Also being developed for Coherent is CocoTalk,
an API C library tool designed to help you create
any kind of custom application (i.e. "door" program,
game, business application, etc.) and have it
integrated into a COCONET system at the server side.
Since it is a precompiled, ready-to-link archive
file, you can mix it with your own C functions as
well as those from other third parties (i.e., for
advanced database applications, etc.).
CocoTalk is 1/2 graphics functions ( MoveTo, LineTo,
Circle, Ellipse, Polygon, Rectangle, FloodFill, etc)
and the other half higher level user interface
objects (ListView, PopUpMenu, MenuBar, TextView,
ButtonGroup, etc.) for building real GUI-style
interfaces for the custom "door" programs.
Another product being released for both SCO UNIX/XENIX
and COHERENT is CocoMedia, an add-on product that will
support JPEG-compressed graphics and SoundBlaster
audio on PC's.
Later this year Coconut Computing will be releasing
an awesome (if I say so myself) new COCONET Access
Program for Macintosh computers. The Mac program
will also be free and freely distributable.
I am posting this note not as a shameless plug, but
in an effort to help Coherent users know of a really
neat product for running online information services
on a machine running the $99 Coherent OS.
If anyone would like to receive further information
about any of these products, feel free to send me
e-mail (br...@coconut.com) or call 619-456-2002.
Brian Dear
Coconut Computing, Inc.
La Jolla, CA
br...@coconut.com
Duane Davis
> Coconut Computing recently announced that it is
> going to release a Coherent-compatible version
> of its multi-user, graphics-based BBS/conferencing
> COCONET(R) system. COCONET is a client/server system
No thanks. I've looked at Coconet BBS and didn't care for it for the
following reasons:
1. I wasn't impressed with the format when logging into the support bbs.
2. I support more than just IBM compatibles (and MACs).
3. The price.
Howie Michalski
on a $100 operating system. [$395 - 2 user, $2495 - unlimted user license].
Porting COCONET to Coho is definately a step in the right direction, but with
such an expensive pricing structure it is apparant that the target customer
for this product is not you average hobbyist, or basement sysop. And if
one could afford to purchase COCONET, I would think they could also afford a
more robust OS to run it on. This is not to say that Coho is not one of the BEST
*nix ports available, but without solid networking capability it is restricted
to less than commercial applications.
Perhaps a readjustment in pricing strategy to make COCO affordable to the hobbyist
and home-based system operator is in order. $400 for a two-line system, with
the cheapest third party programs running from $200 (for a USA Today on-line reader)
to $700 (for an on-line sales module) is just too expensive. I do not understand
the reasoning of the Coho port without price cuts to support it.
How can the average sysop expect to recoup his investment of $400 plus expensive
add-ons with only two lines?? And if you were to take away simple add-ons, COCONET
is not at all impressive - pretty screens alone make not a top rate online system.
My $.02,
Howie
---
#include <std_disclaimer.h> /* Howard Michalski */
#define OPINIONS "My own" /* ho...@fnma.COM */
/* Fannie Mae */
main()/*iac*/{for(;/*hire*/;);} /* Washington, DC, USA */
Brian Dear
I might add that since Coherent has a built-in 32-user limit (that is
what Mark Williams Company told us), we won't be selling the 64-user
or unlimited-user versions for Coherent. So the price range is $395.00
for a 2-user up to $1395.00 for a 32-user (though we kind of doubt that
Coherent will be able to support 32 users even though they say it can).
COCONET is not a hobbyist software program. It's very, very different
from being a "UNIX BBS" program, too. If that's what you need, then
you probably shouldn't consider COCONET. However, if you are considering
setting up an online information service, conferencing system, or some
kind of bulletin board system that needs online graphics, audio,
and an easy-to-use graphical interface that does not require user training,
then definitely consider COCONET.
-- brian
Brian Dear /// Coconut Computing, Inc. /// br...@coconut.com
harr...@memstvx1.memst.edu
> in an effort to help Coherent users know of a really
> neat product for running online information services
> on a machine running the $99 Coherent OS.
>
> If anyone would like to receive further information
> about any of these products, feel free to send me
> e-mail (br...@coconut.com) or call 619-456-2002.
>
> Brian Dear
> Coconut Computing, Inc.
> La Jolla, CA
> br...@coconut.com
>
>
DBMAN V had an ad in the newest Byte with a version of DBMAN V
for Coherent priced at $99. I'm hoping this will be a trend to
price software for Coherent like the price of Coherent.
Also, would it be possible for people calling in to Coconut to
access DBMAN V?
Could you also give some details about hardward requirements for
Coconut, and how many lines it can handle. I'd like to hear more
details in general. I was considering Wildcat! and a DOS machine,
but with the advent of Coherent, I was thinking that it might offer
an easier solution to letting users run other programs. I'm looking
for a way to combine BBS services and database functions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James W. Harris, Memphis State University, Education - 200, Memphis, TN 38152
901-678-4632 harr...@memstvx1.memst.edu
Howie Michalski
I agree that COCO is NOT a hobbyist-grade program. That is my point. In porting
the product to Coherent it seems that CCI is targeting hobbyists. [At least
that's how it appears at this end of the advertisements.]
Why do I care so much?, you ask. Probably because I would like to run a COCO
system - but can't afford it <grin>. Actually, even if I could afford it I
probably wouldn't purchase it due the limitations on configurability without an
expensive API (not to mention the pain of writing all of your BBS mod's in C!).
Drop the cost of a 16-line Coherent setup to under $500, and throw in the API
at no cost and I would be tempted! As there are only about 300 installed COCONET
sites, one would think that CCI could try something!
On a related topic, how goes the plan to offer a MS-Windows set of terminal
software -- most needed features are offline mailing, etc... And what about
the ability to build functionality into the terminal program itself (perhaps
include that with the API).
Cheers,
Tony Porczyk
>COCONET is not a hobbyist software program. It's very, very different
>from being a "UNIX BBS" program, too. If that's what you need, then
>you probably shouldn't consider COCONET. However, if you are considering
>setting up an online information service, conferencing system, or some
>kind of bulletin board system that needs online graphics, audio,
>and an easy-to-use graphical interface that does not require user training,
>then definitely consider COCONET.
Actually, I consider graphical menu to be a sign of a hobbyist.
Anyway, since this is not what I want, can someone tell me if there are
simple BBS packages around for Coherent, something that would have a
base resembling Wildcat! for DOS and added capabilities such as chat
(should not be too difficult on Un*x).
Thanks,
t.
Ps.: Yeah, I know, there is always a possibility of writing it myself,
but I have long since given up on doing everything myself - takes way
too much time...