Underground Informer Volume 4 Issue 5 May 1, 1993 Page 10 [Reprinted with permission of the Editor] ----==( FROM THE CONSOLE: the Sysop's View of BBS'ing )==---- EBBS Plus (:) Through My Eyes by Joe Newton (c) 1993 Joe Newton I'm NOT new to BBS'ing. I've been at it since the original Commodore 64 came out, and I've been with CompuServe for probably ten years now. I am, however, a NEW Sysop with new BBS software, and I'd like to share some of my excitement over one of the *best* BBS programs around, EBBS Plus. I've been a regular caller of EBBS Plus boards for the past year or so, and have always enjoyed the intuitive user interface, but now, from the sysop's chair, it has proven to be one of the most enjoyable programs I've EVER had the pleasure to use. Bruce Murphy, the author of EBBS Plus, is a programming maniac who stands behind his creation 300%, so tech support is ALWAYS only a call away. Registration almost buys you a friend, not just a program, so read on :) In a nutshell... -----------> EBBS Plus is an easy to use, very stable BBS program which was written for DOS, but somehow is able to *scream* under Windows 3.1 as well. It's real easy to maintain, well thought out, has a crisp, fresh look, is practically ready to run right out of the box, and yet is fully customizable. It comes complete with docs, suggestions, menus, and text files that make it easy to get up and running fast. Most of all, though, it's LOTS of fun to play with! If *you* are looking for new BBS software, or considering a BBS for the first time, EBBS Plus is a GREAT place to start. <------------- The stock (out of the box) configuration is a great starting place, so you can get up and running fast and do your customizing on the fly... The stock menus (ANSI & Text) are pretty much ready to go, too, but you're free to make changes there, as in most areas of EBBS Plus. EBBS Plus In DETAIL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The MAIN MENU is the place you land after log-on. This is where you send or receive e-mail, let the Sysop know how great his or her board is, access a powerful (yet easy-to-create) database, configure your own system preferences, read online documents from the Text Section, search user files (in more ways than you could imagine), look over system stats, view a multitude of system logs, review the opening and special bulletins, scribble on the Graffiti Wall, leave anonymous suggestions, access online door games and, of course, branch off to the Conference & Transfer areas. Most of these features are fully configurable by the sysop. The CONFERENCE AREA is easy to navigate, with forward & backward thread tracking; header scans; quote features; continuous message read; ARJ/Zip and download of new messages; a narrowed "only to you" message read; an anonymous Conference feature; and up to 26 different Conference areas. There's even the ability to set up a private conference area with restricted access. Like the Conference area, the TRANSFER SECTION may have as many as 26 unique directories and is configurable for multiple access levels. It's a breeze to peruse and offers an excellent file search as well as batch upload & download features. Other perks include: online archive conversions between ARJ (my favorite) and ZIP (that "other" compression program); archive viewing and extraction; multiple NO CHARGE DL sections; automated integrity and virus checks of new uploads; and masked (hidden) or unmasked uploads. ----------> QUESTION: What's it like to be a sysop??? <-------------- ======> ANSWER: It depends on the BBS software you choose! <========== A BBS is probably best described as a HUGE database that happens to be pumped through a modem. If the software that manages this database is lame, YOU, the sysop, are in for a TON of work! EBBS Plus is ANYTHING but lame! The Sysop Menu, available only to sysops, gives you the ability to take care of virtually ALL aspects of your BBS. For the automated maintenance stuff (known as the "EVENT"), external utilities are included. Additionally, support for a couple of other real nice add-ons is built in, too. As briefly as possible, here's the Sysop Menu: A) Log Viewer......... TWENTY-SIX ways to view what's happening on YOUR BBS B) UserFile Editor ... Complete search & editing features with individual caller info at your finger tips. C) XferFile Editor ... Again, full search & editing features, along with a special "Batch Add" feature which allows for adding new files to one or ALL directories, with OR without individual descriptions--a *killer* time-saver. D) The ability to peek inside archives, and even extract and view individual archived files! You're free to MOVE files from one directory to another or directly to a floppy. You can delete files from the BBS listing and/or from the disk as well--either/or! E) Simple navigation. You can "step" backward or forward through the file list on all search & edit features. You're even able to create or change the XferFile header. EVERY descriptive field is editable from this menu. The Sysop Menu also allows you to: 1) Shell to DOS 2) Check free memory 3) Read & reply to feedback 4) Check a disk directory 5) Load and edit files 6) Read AND write text files 7) Create or edit the opening bulletin 8) Create special bulletins for ALL of the major areas of the BBS. These bulletins can be directed to a certain access level and made to display always or once. 9) Create or edit database, doors or text menus 10) Search UserFiles (multiple field search options) 11) Print UserFiles, XferFiles, and logs 12) E-mail a User--and if you're on a LAN (Local Area Network) or doing maintenance via a second installation of Plus via Windows (as I am)--you can flag the caller if he or she is currently online. They, in turn, will be notified of the new mail on the next hard return, 13) And finally, you're able move readily to ALL other areas of the BBS as if you had logged on as a caller. It's difficult to articulate just how handy all this mobility is. Since PLUS is pretty much self-maintaining, you're not going to need many of the features very often (whew!), but when you do, you'll be glad they are built in. Best of all, they use the same intuitive interface that any EBBS Plus caller is familiar with, so you're not likely to need to refer to the documentation to use them. For EBBS Plus info, use your modem and call: (818) 766-7669: Bruce Murphy [Sysop], The Murph Zone, Studio City, CA (818) 752-8040: Robert Miljkovic [Sysop], LV-426, Studio City, CA (703) 361-7565: John Gallik [Sysop], TMK/EC BBS, Dale City, VA (416) 725-1593: Gerry Phillips, The Board With No Name, Oshawa, Ontario, Can (206) 452-5882: Brian Bettger, The DataBase BBS, Port Angeles, WA Or write: Bruce Murphy 4161 Tujunga Ave. #105 Studio City, CA 91604 *I* can be reached via modem at (818) 789-9931, The Jouster BBS, Encino, CA. [Ed. Note: In addition to being a sysop and enthusiastic supporter of EBBS Plus BBS software, Joe Newton is a man of many talents. As a vocalist and guitarist, he fronted a rock band that had one top-20 single, but never quite made it to major fame. As a songwriter, he has some 30 published songs to his credit, including three co-written with fellow band members for the movie, "Carrie." About eight years ago, he established one of the first small, independent MIDI-based music production studios. Although his MIDI studio is still active, it has suffered because the artistic community on which it relies has had a very difficult time in the current economy. Joe also stays busy as a shareware author and music/MIDI/computer consultant.]