FWKCS(TM) Contents_Signature System, Version 1.19. (C) Copyright Frederick W. Kantor 1988-1992. All rights reserved. SALE Low Prices The FWKCS series was introduced to protect the bulletin board community against the problem of duplicate files. It was the first, and was originally designed to serve the needs of large boards. This included the design of a special "contents_signature", which, experimentally, has provided a typical statistical pairwise error rate of less than one part in ten trillion. ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This statistical resolution is far better than the best which is mathematically possible for systems based on the 32_bit CRC. The 32_bit CRC does not provide the accuracy needed for large systems -- but this does. Experimental data is provided in FWKCS119.REF, part of FWKCS119.ZIP. A recent message has started me on an interesting line of thought, about what each of these two families of programs is doing: re PCBoard: Basically, the amount of work done by PCBoard is approximately proportional to the number of nodes; and CDC's price structure provides a drop in price per node for large systems. re FWKCS: For mid_ to large_size systems, the amount of work done by FWKCS is roughly proportional to the square of the number of nodes, and FWKCS is designed to serve the needs of large boards. As a result, FWKCS has some very powerful features to meet the needs of large bulletin board systems. As the needs of small systems increase (for example, the important increase in the size of file collections, from CDROMs), they need such functions, too, such as the greatly improved statistical resolution provided by the FWKCS contents_signature. Along with the availability of bigger file collections from CDROMs, has come the wide availability of computers based on Intel's 80386 and 80486 chips, or on related products by other companies. These have provided small bulletin boards with the computer power to run multiple threads, enabling them to take advantage of other special multitask / multiprocessor functions which already exist in FWKCS. And, because FWKCS is running day and night on large systems under heavy use, it has already been tested "under fire". Pricing: The price for registering FWKCS has for a long time been a simple one_fifth of PCBoard's, partly as a matter of respect on my part for the quality of their work. Meanwhile, the grouping of prices and node_capacity of PCBoard has changed dramatically, so that an 11_node BBS is now running on a 100_node version of PCBoard. And, other BBS operation programs have appeared on the scene. Also, the use of FWKCS is not just for BBS's: FWKCS has important applications related to system efficiency, finding files, etc., for individual use and for networks -- even when there is no BBS operation. So, the time has come to make a new price structure for the FWKCS(TM) Contents_Signature System. Based on the functionality discussed above, it appears to me to be reasonable to offer a special new set of prices for a limited period of time. These prices are explained in the enclosed file, ATTACH.FRM. To use these new prices, you must have FWKCS119.ZIP. After you install FWKCS, there will be a file, REGISTER.FRM, in your \CSA directory. Print out REGISTER.FRM, read it, fill it in according to the instructions. Then print out ATTACH.FRM, read it, fill it in according to its instructions, and attach it to the printed copy of REGISTER.FRM. Then, sign and date the combined papers in the places provided on the printed copy of REGISTER.FRM. For small systems, these prices are much lower than the prior current pricing. For example, if you are in Kansas, have a 5 node system which you are thinking of possibly expanding, agree to provide 1 hour of help, and mail your registration with payment on or before December 21, 1992, then you can register for a 10 node key for $18.00. If you are in Utah, have an 11 node system, agree to provide 1 hour of help, and mail your registration with payment on or before December 21, 1992, then you can register for an 11 node key for $20.00. Or, looking ahead, you could register for a 12 node key for $22.00. If you are in Wyoming, have a 103 node system which will never grow, agree to provide 1 hour of help, and mail your registration on December 21, 1992, you can register for a 103 node key for 103 * 1.50 + 50.00 = $204.50. If you are in Virginia, have a growing 14 node system, registered FWKCS over a year ago, are thinking of using the powerful new automatic text_ interpretation functions, and agree to provide 1 hour of help, you could register for a 15 node key for $10.00 and start a new year of support for questions re FWKCS; or you might take this opportunity to get an 18 node key for $12.00 with a view to future expansion. (The mailing address and other instructions are provided in REGISTER.FRM.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Errata: If, when you are on the screen which says "Menu for installation" near the upper left corner, you happen to choose the option "0", and have more than 1 Megabyte of free space left when finished, disregard the message saying that there was not enough space. (that option "0" is not used in the automatic installation of FWKCS) After installing FWKCS, if you wish to get online help about FWKDG111.BAT, type FWKDG111 /* for direct help (rather than using only CSAM to get that information). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The home board for FWKCS is The Invention Factory. Here are modem groups for getting FWKCS119.ZIP: generic 2400 bits/sec 212-274-8110 N 8 1 generic V32.bis 212-274-8298 N 8 1 Hayes 9600 212-274-8118 N 8 1 USR 9600 212-274-8390 N 8 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FWKCS is a trademark of Frederick W. Kantor, author of this message. PCBoard is a trademark of Clark Development Company, Inc.