Galacticomm, Inc. presents

A Report on Worldgroup

(a.k.a. "Project Victory")

for Sysops of The Major BBS















Disclaimer: The information contained in this document represents the

current view of Galacticomm, Inc. on the issues and products discussed

as of the date of publication. Because Galacticomm must respond to

changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a

commitment on the part of Galacticomm, and Galacticomm cannot guarantee

the accuracy of any information presented within _ the product in

discussion here is in beta test, and all technical specifications,

marketing information and prices are subject to change without notice.

The Major BBS is a registered trademark of Galacticomm, Inc., and

Worldgroup is a trademark of Galacticomm, Inc. All other marks are

trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. This

document is Copyright a 1995 by Galacticomm, Inc., and all rights are

reserved.







Scott J. Brinker

President & CEO



Jeff Torello

Beta Coordinator





Introduction



The future is clear: to compete, online services _ both commercial

and private _ must provide their users with a graphical user

interface. But it is not enough to be "pretty," it must be fast,

functional, ergonomic, and 100% intuitive. Above all else, it must

have the property that both novice and advanced users will prefer to

use it, by saving them time, offering them better services (available

through total multimedia integration), and providing solid reliability

under varying line conditions.



Achieving these goals mandates a client/server approach. Instead of

a "dumb terminal," the client-side software should have application-

specific intelligence. This gives you the benefits of offline

operation, dedicated processing power on the user's computer, and

the ability to take full advantage of local multimedia capabilities,

including video and high-fidelity sound. In addition, with control of

both sides of the link, you can establish a multi-threaded, error-

correcting protocol for reliable synchronization between the host

system and the caller (i.e., no dropped characters or marred menus,

as ANSI and linear graphical languages are susceptible to).



Background file transfers can be executed, not only for

convenience, but for auto-updating of applications and eventually

for AI-ish "look ahead" on menus and services.

The mission of Worldgroup is to integrate this level of client/server,

and hence multimedia, computing into the next generation of The

Major BBS. Imagine the ultimate merge between Microsoft Mail,

Lotus Notes, CompuServe, America Online and existing BBS

platforms. Worldgroup combines the best of electronic mail,

workgroups, and commercial online services, and packages it into

an off-the-shelf solution that is viable for launching any private or

consumer-oriented online service.



In the spirit of Galacticomm's emphasis on extensibility,

Worldgroup is designed to be an open platform for third-party

applications, such as games, databases, shopping malls, document

systems, accounting services, mail and file gateways, and more. In

addition to server-side "agents" (similar to modules for The Major

BBS Version 6), developers and advanced Sysops will have the

ability to create and modify "apps" for client-side operation.

This document will briefly sketch out both the server and client

sides of Worldgroup.  Screen shots of certain areas are included to

allow for a better understanding and first-hand view of the client

applications.  A complete client is available for download (or ftp)

from the Galacticomm Demo System at 305/583-7808

(gcomm.com _ 199.227.15.16).  The file is located in the WG

library/directory and is called WGCLIENT.ZIP.



Background



Where did the concept of Worldgroup originate?



The first incarnation on Worldgroup began in 1990, when Tim

Stryker began work on something called BBScript.  It started out as

a scripting environment, but it put too much load on the BBS host

machine.  In the beginning of 1993, Stryker discovered Visual

Basic.  Suddenly, the picture was clear.  The best way to do

BBScript was to move to a client/server architecture  _ where each

script, if you will, would run on the client (user's) machine.  Rather

than create a custom scripting language, we would use Visual

Basic.  Development was started around this time, and the

client/server engine was completed late that year. After the release

of 6.2, we shifted into high gear on Project Victory and

concentrated all our efforts on getting the client-side applications

written.



Why "Worldgroup"?



The name itself is an intersection between workgroups and the

outside world.  Workgroups imply drudgery while the word

"worldgroup" conjures up images of people interacting with each

other.  Everyone who was shown a preview of the product during

design stages invariably made the comment that this was much

more than just a BBS.  After lengthy debate, we decided to give the

product a new name, to really emphasize the paradigm shift we're

about to unleash on the market.  However, you could also think of

it as The Major BBS Version 7.



How is Worldgroup more than just a "pretty face"?



Worldgroup isn't just a Windows "front-end" to The Major BBS.

Instead of the BBS machine _ the server _ driving the

applications, the actual program executables are running on the

user's machine; the client.  The server just becomes more of a data

server, from which the client requests things.  In this way, the server

can deal with any arbitrary data, compressed images, distributed

database records, or whatever, and pipe it down to the client, which

then handles all the real work.

This opens up a universe of possibilities that were unfathomable

under the traditional BBS-to-dumb-terminal model.  There's good

reason why the rest of the computing world is migrating in flocks to

the client/server paradigm:  it maximizes power for the users and

flexibility for the host server.



Client Side Operations



The Galacticomm "Worldgroup Manager" is the user-side tool that

will run the show.  It is a Windows application.  Future ports to

Macintosh, PowerMac, PowerPC, native OS/2, and UNIX

platforms are under consideration.  Tailored after the Windows 3.x

Program Manager, the Worldgroup Manager will group all of the

services that the user connects to, with each service represented by

an icon.  The user can organize these into groups as he chooses.

First-Time Connection



There are three ways in which a user can first access the

client/server features of an online service running the Worldgroup

server software.



" The Sysop distributes a disk to the user which he will install in

Windows with "A:SETUP".  This disk could have both the

client, as well as that particular service's information and main

menu EXE.  (It is even reasonable to consider distributing a

CD-ROM, which might include various multimedia video and

sound clips to enhance the experience.)  If the user already has

the client installed, then the new service will just be added to it.

The Sysop can preassign an account and password, or have the

user sign-up when he first connects.



" A user who already has the Worldgroup Manager, and uses it

for other services, hears about a new system he wants to call.

He creates a new entry in his client, labeling it as either a

modem, serial, LAN, or Telnet connection.  He then connects to

the system, which senses him as supporting the client/sever

protocol, and proceeds to download all of the relevant EXE and

data files _ automatically.



" A user connects to a Worldgroup-based service with a regular

ASCII/ANSI (/RIP) terminal program.  He can take advantage

of almost all of the regular BBS features in this mode, just like

previous versions of The Major BBS.  At any time, he can

choose to download the client and the relevant files for that

system, and switch over to client/server.



It is this open distribution that the first key advantage Worldgroup

has over regular Windows e-mail and workgroup packages

becomes clear.  You want to make it easy for new people to join,

whether you're catering to a private group of individuals or to the

public at large. To this end, the Worldgroup Manager is planned to

be marketed as shareware, at a fraction of the cost of other off-the-

shelf terminal programs, and at a tiny fraction of the cost of other

workgroup client licenses, such as Lotus Notes.

X.25 connectivity will be handled through the dial-up modem

support in the client.  Direct TCP/IP support (via Winsock) will

allow the client to be used over the Internet as well.



Use of Worldgroup Services



Once a user has set up an account on a Worldgroup-based service,

and installed the Worldgroup Manager, he can use it like any other

Windows application: click on the service icon he wants to launch,

and he's ready to go.



The Sysop of each service will be able to provide a Windows icon

to represent his service in the user's client.  The Sysop will also

have the option of displaying a welcome screen when the user

selects his service.  The welcome screen will be a fixed layout, very

much like a standard Windows About box: icon on the left, text on

the right, an OK button on the far right.  The Sysop will be able to

configure this text.  In future versions _ or even in Worldgroup 1.0

if he has access to Visual Basic programming talent _ the Sysop

will have the option of assigning an EXE file to be executed at this

time, to launch intricate logon sequences, with multimedia

animation, video and sound.



Once the user has selected a service, but hasn't yet initiated a

communications connection over a modem or LAN, he is

considered to be "on deck."  In this state, he can perform offline

operations related to that service: sort through messages in his In

Box; place new  messages and files into his Out Box; and so forth.

The service's main menu, which consists of a menu bar, a toolbar,

and "program" icons grouped on a floating window, is available at

this time.  As soon as the user selects a feature that requires a

connection, such as retrieving new mail, scanning a remote

database, or distributing a file to other users, the client

automatically dials the service (or connects over the Internet or

LAN) and brings him on line.  The user can also manually initiate a

connection at any time.  This is the essence of the client/server

architecture.  Not only does the user get a graphical interface, the

server machine is not required to do "everything" as it has in the

past.  The user's computer, the client, now does its share of the

work.  In some instances a connection to the server is only required

to transmit a message, and nothing more.



After the user is connected and identified by the server (i.e. has

been accepted as a valid account with a correct password),

mandatory updates to the client software can be automatically

detected and downloaded to the client.  Updates to that server's

main menu, including new applications, will also be transmitted at

this time.  Messages and files waiting in the user's Out Box are sent

to the server; new messages and files addressed to him on the server

are brought into his In Box (actually, each user can configure

whether or not he wants these actions to be automatic or upon his

explicit request).



Worldgroup Baseline Applications



Worldgroup will include a complete suite of client/server

applications in the baseline package.  Special attention has been

paid to providing easy online help for novice users throughout all of

the applications. As an example of the baseline conversion to

client/server, the next few sections will show the new e-mail and

forums modules.  For further details and a first hand experience of

all the baseline changes, you can download the client software from

the Demo System.



New Messaging Subsystem



In addition to the client/server capabilities, Worldgroup will also

include a significant upgrade to the Galacticomm messaging

subsystem.



For performance improvements, Worldgroup forums can be split

among multiple data files, at the option of the Sysop. In addition,

the directory where files attached to forum messages will be stored

can be specified _ including the option of overlapping forums in a

single directory _ to cut back on the number of subdirectories

created.  Cleanup of forums and e-mail has been moved online, in

real time.  Also, Re-indexing is no longer required.

Other significant messaging improvements will include: thread

identification (with support for threads over networked forums as

well); a flag to identify high-priority mail; the option of adding

comments when forwarding or copying a message; and the option

of displaying or not displaying a complete cc: list in the body text

of a mail message.



Perhaps most importantly, Galacticomm will introduce the

capability for "plug-in mail handlers," that can be developed by

third parties. This will allow for seamless integration of networked

forums, such as USENET groups and FIDO echoes, without having

to piggy-back on the MHS handler.

The architecture will target realistic support for 10,000 Forums.



Electronic Mail



When writing a new message, the user will have check box options

for requesting a return receipt when the message is received,

tagging the message as "priority mail" (which will alert the reader

of its urgency), and deciding whether or not the list of carbon copy

addresses will be shown to each addressee. Buttons at the bottom of

the window will let the user attach a file to a message (and in

Windows fashion, a common file dialog box will open for this

purpose), set options for saving the message in his filing cabinet,

send the message immediately, or save the message in his Out Box

for later transmission.



To address a message, a user can either type directly in a "To:"

field, or click on the address book icon to bring up a common

address book dialog box that will let him select local and networked

addresses (including distribution lists) from a list box. The user can

add entries to this list either by manually typing them in, or by

"clipping" addresses from other e-mail or forum messages. A

"Details" button will display any comments that the user associated

with an entry. A "Find" button can be used to search the user

database on the connected server.  And to help clarify network

messaging (i.e., the Internet, MHS, etc.), a "Carriers" button will

display information on addressing schemes for each "gateway"

supported by the server. The cc: list can also be built from the

address book.



When a user reads mail in his In Box, icons will identify new

messages that haven't been read yet, as well as "priority" messages.

The In Box is displayed as a list of these messages, with the author,

date, and topic. A user can then click on a button (or double-click

on a list item) to read a particular message. A button to manually

"Get New Mail" from the server is also available on the In Box

window. (Note: thanks to the new, error-correcting, multi-threaded

protocol, downloading mail and files can be accomplished in the

background while the user performs other tasks online, such as

teleconferencing or taking a poll.)



After reading a message, which is displayed in a scrollable window,

the user can select from a group of buttons to reply to the message,

delete it, file it in his filing cabinet, forward or copy it (and

optionally add comments to it) to other users, download any

attached file, follow the thread of a topic, clip the "From" address

to his address book, or move to the next or previous message.  The

user can also use the common Windows clipboard to copy text

directly from the message to other Windows applications.

Replies and new messages that are stored in the user's Out Box can

be viewed in a list box with the destination, "To:" field, topic, date,

and message status (either holding or ready to upload). Buttons at

the bottom of the window let the user edit a message, delete it, send

it, hold it, or send all messages.



Additional e-mail features include the multi-folder filing cabinet and

an e-mail Preferences window. In Preferences, a user can set

advanced options for how outgoing mail is sent, auto-filing

directives, an "auto-forward" address, etc.



Forums (Group Discussion Areas)



Message forums (based on the accepted "bulletin board" model)

provide the ideal venue for asynchronous group discussions, both

inside the company, through a LAN, as well as wide area, through

modems, X.25, and the Internet. It is a many-to-many tool for

sharing information, ideas, and related files.



This application is designed to securely support both internal group

coordination and external discussion areas for customers, beta

testers, prospects, vendors, the press, etc. (It's through this open,

wide-area support that the key advantage of participation by the

outside world is achieved over internal-use-only products such as

Lotus Notes and Microsoft Mail.)



As many as 10,000 forums can be created on one system, including

both "local" (messages stored only in that system's database)  and

"networked" (e.g., Internet, FIDO, MajorNet, etc.) forums.

Each Forum will have its messages organized in both chronological

order as well as by topic "threads." Reading a message would look

something like this:



When reading a message, the user could choose to post a public

reply in that forum, send a private e-mail reply to its author, file it

in his filing cabinet, copy the message to someone else, download

any attached file, clip the addresses of the author or the directed

recipient, or display a map of the conversation's thread. If he was

the author, or a forum-Op, he would also have the options of

modifying or deleting the message. Buttons at the bottom of the

window let him move to the next or previous message, either

chronologically or by thread.



A powerful "scan" feature is also included, which provides the

equivalent of the BBS feature known as "Quickscan," as well as

offering a sophisticated keyword search engine. The user can

choose only new messages, messages directed to him, messages

with a particular starting date, messages with only specific

keywords in them, etc., as well as specify which forums to scan in

the process. He can also save a search set up as his "default," to

initiate Quickscan-type searches on a regular basis. From this

window, he can also look up "Info" on each forum, such as its

description, Forum-Op, number of messages, number of files,

number of threads, any surcharges, message lifetime, etc.



If the user prefers to work offline, he can now initiate a "download

messages" command to collect the new messages and threads he

has tagged online. Check box options let him specify whether or not

to disconnect when the download is complete, and whether or not to

include file attachments that may be associated with his new

messages.



The user can also access his filing cabinet from the forums

application (both the filing cabinet and the address book are shared

among multiple applications in Worldgroup). In addition, a "set

preferences" option lets him specify advanced configuration

information for message quoting, auto-clip of addresses, auto-delete

of offline messages after "x" number of days, auto-filing of

messages into his filing cabinet, etc.



The Worldgroup Server



The Major BBS Version 6 is the foundation for the "server" side of

the Worldgroup client/server architecture. All hardware and

connectivity options will continue to be fully supported, as will

regular ASCII/ANSI/RIP interaction by non-Worldgroup users.

Performance



A highly-tuned OSI model was used to create the client/server

"layers" for Worldgroup. Although client/server agents on the

server side will tend to be very database intensive (most of the work

agents perform will be reading and writing from Btrieve databases

and regular DOS files), this should be balanced by the off-loading

of work to the client. (In fact, while the user is working offline,

which may be the majority of the use in workgroup scenarios, he

will be contributing zero load to the server.)



In addition, the users perception of performance may be quite

higher than it actually is, due to the multitasking capabilities of the

Windows environment. While a file transfer is being conducted in

the background, the user can be doing something else, while at the

same time listening to an audio CD being played from his CD-

ROM, or any other common Windows task.



Connectivity



Galacticomm's strength in modem, serial, X.25, Internet, and LAN

connectivity will continue in Worldgroup. The client software will

initially support modem, serial, Novell SPX LAN, and TCP/IP

Internet connections, andX.25 access can be achieved by using a

modem connection through an X.25 network to the server.

The recent introduction of Galacticomm's Internet Connectivity

Option will also provide regular WWW, telnet, and ftp services, as

well as providing the opportunity for Worldgroup clients to work

with servers through the Internet.

At the same time, Galacticomm's new Galacticomm Custom

Device Interface (GCDI), will allow selected third-party developers

to create additional connectivity add-ons for the Worldgroup server

platform.



Security



Because of the open distribution of the Worldgroup client software,

all security access issues will be addressed solely by the server.

Client/server database variables requested by client programs will

do a server-level check to make sure that the user requesting that

variable has verified authorization. For some applications, this may

just be a positive match between the client's identified User-ID

(which must be established by a successful password check at

connect time) and the User-ID associated with that database

variable. Or, in more sophisticated situations, a Locks and Keys

check will be made, as it is now under the Version 6 architecture.

The important point that must be stressed is that at no time can a

user compromise the security of the server without having the

password to a Sysop-privileged account. Regular password

changes and physical security to the server system remain the best

prevention against any such illegal breach.



Through these mechanisms, it becomes safe and practical for a

company to distribute the Worldgroup client to its customers and

prospects without risking the integrity of its LAN security or the

confidentiality of its internal workgroups.



Automatic Client/Server Version Control



Another key feature of Worldgroup will be the ability for the client

programs to automatically update themselves from the server. This

will save the Sysop from "redistribution" headaches every time a

new version is released.



Each system will have a unique "sysid" code. Each file associated

with a client application will also have a version code incorporated

in its name. Every released version of a file should have a new

unique file name (for example, GCSEM100.EXE vs.

GCSEM101.EXE).



When a physical connection is established between the client and

the server, the server will first verify the user's Worldgroup

Manager version code. If the local Worldgroup Manager version

number is less than the server's, the user may have to update. If just

the last digit is different between the two, the user is given a choice

whether he wants to update or not. Otherwise, an update is

automatically initiated.



After the client is verified to be the correct version, the main menu

application will be verified. If a new main menu needs to be

transmitted, the user will be notified that his main menu is being

"refreshed," and the appropriate files will be downloaded to him.

Whenever the user selects an application from the main menu, all of

the apps files will be verified synchronously before it is spawned. If

files need to be updated, the main menu will calculate the total

number of bytes needed to update, and either get all the files

synchronously or pop up a window to let the user know to try back

later (meanwhile it will update in the background).

Any given application will only need to have its files verified by the

server once per online session. The main menu will keep track of

which applications have already been verified.



Development Environment and Toolkits



The Worldgroup server has been developed in Borland C and

Assembly, using the Btrieve database engine and the Phar Lap 286

DOS Extender. To modify the server source code, or to write the

server-side code for applications, a developer will need Borland C

3.1 or 4.02 and the Phar Lap 286 DOS Extender. A Btrieve

developer's kit and an 80x86 assembler are optional.

The Worldgroup client has been developed in Borland C and

Assembly for the low-level code and communications utilities.

Visual Basic was used to create most of the client user interface.

The Btrieve Windows DLL provides the basic client-side database

services. Visual Basic extensions by Sheridan Software and

Crescent Software were also used for specific enhancements.

To modify or develop Worldgroup client-side code, a developer

will need Visual Basic Pro 3.0 and 3-D Widgets by Sheridan

Software (this latter requirement may change before release).

Borland C 3.1 or 4.0, an 80x86 assembler, the Btrieve for Windows

developer's kit, and other Visual Basic third-party toolkits are

optional.



The power and simplicity of the Visual Basic environment will give

a very broad audience the opportunity to customize Worldgroup

online services.



Galacticomm Developer Products



Galacticomm currently plans to offer four developer kits for

Worldgroup:



  Client-side Development Kit, which will include the client-

side engine in DLL form and the Visual Basic code for all

the client-side apps and main menu. Documentation will

include an overview of client/server, the client-side engine

API, and the dynapak reference guide.



  Client/Server Development Kit, which will include the

client-side Development Kit, along with the server-side

engine in LIB form and the source code to all of the server-

side applications (equivalent to the Developer's C Source

Kit for Version 6 of The Major BBS).  Additional

documentation will cover the server-side engine API for

agent development.



  Extended Source Kit, which will contain further C source

code associated with the offline utilities for the server

(similar to the existing product for Version 6) as well as the

client-side Worldgroup Manager source.



  Client/Server Engine Source Kit, which will provide the full

client-side and server-side engine sources. This will be

particularly well-suited for approved developers to port the

client capabilities to other platforms.

The specific contents of these kits are tentative at this time, and

pricing is not yet available.



Visual Basic Third-Party Toolkits



Over 200 custom controls and other companion products are

commercially available for Visual Basic for Windows _ giving

client/server developers instant access to megabytes of specialized

tools and programming libraries. Some examples include:



  MicroHelp High Edit, an integrated word processor that lets

developers include WYSIWYG, desktop-publishing

features into applications via a custom control.



  RoboHelp, by Blue Sky Software Corp., which integrates

bitmaps, sound clips, and video clips be included into

Windows help files.



  ImageKnife/VBX, a custom control package for

manipulating images of all kinds (TIFF, PCX, GIF, DIB,

JPEG, etc.) in any application.



  SpyWorks-VB, a powerful tool for both debugging

Windows apps, as well as incorporating features such as

"subclassing" for intercepting any Windows message going

to a form or control.



  Visual/db Database Manager, a complete relational DBMS

that creates, reads, and writes industry-standard dBASE-

type database (DBF), index (NDX), and memo (DBT) files.



  NeuroWindows, a neural network DLL for Visual Basic

that gives applications the capability to simulate the

recognition abilities of the human brain in problem-solving

scenarios.



A product directory of add-ons is included with the Visual Basic

package. Also, the magazine BasicPro features ads and reviews of

popular enhancement products. A number of good books are

available on Visual Basic programming techniques, as is a yearly

VBITS technical summit.



Potential Third-Party Products



The Worldgroup platform will open the possibilities for new,

multimillion dollar third-party applications built on its foundation.

With the ease of Visual Basic, stunning results may be achieved in

record time. And the dynamics of the Windows market should give

developers a longer product cycle, resulting in higher profits and

more resources for expansion.



Several "killer" apps that are envisioned include:



  Client/server database engines, which manage "differences"

between the central and remote databases _ giving each

user full data manipulation capabilities, even in intermittent

online circumstances.



  Online catalog shopping, bidding, and browsing; color

photographs could be downloaded, as could AVI movies

and sound clips. The user could keep local records of

products. When he's ready to order he simply enters his

credit card in a client-side form, connects, and kicks off an

invoice on the server.



  Workgroup suites, including project management, meeting

schedules, contact management, and personal information

databases.



  Local/remote sales and inventory systems, where field staff

could enter orders _ perhaps even allow customers or

dealers to work with restricted aspects of the system.



  Awesome multiplayer games, with stunning graphics,

animation, video, and sound; joystick, mouse, VR gloves

and helmets, etc.



  Collections of specialized "global" commands combined

into a floating toolbox _ sort of a Norton Desktop for the

online services on the extreme side.



  Document management and real "whiteboard" software,

either for internal-use only, or possibly with outside world

participation.



  A complete technical support center, with bug tracking,

feature voting, knowledge database, customer activity

threads, update file downloads, etc., which could be used by

company management, support staff, and customers to

automate the technical support process.



  The ultimate "matchmaker in cyberspace" software, with

special chat support for photographs, movies, sound clips,

animation, etc.



  Investment management packages: stock quote feeds for the

server, and tracking and portfolio tools for the client.



  Mail gateways to cc:Mail, Microsoft Mail, DaVinci; and

shared database gateways with Lotus Notes, Microsoft

Schedule+, etc.



And that's just the beginning!



Conclusion



Online services are the wave of the future. They will provide the

critical networks by which PC users will gather information and

communicate with the world. Already, the concepts of enterprise

computing and mobile computing have made email, remote access,

and workgroup applications a major success. Worldgroup

technology will certainly cater to those internal communication and

coordination markets, but will reach far beyond the physical and

conceptual walls of an organization: call it "worldgroup," or

"customer-company interactive services." Ultimately, though, it is

the bridge and merger between the multibillion dollar

email/workgroup market and the multibillion dollar commercial

online service market.



Worldgroup is currently scheduled to begin beta test in January

1995. The final shipping product is excepted to be released in late

March 1995. There will be a significant, wide-area gamma release

in early March 1995. These dates are tentative and subject to

change.



Specific pricing is not available at this time, although a two-user

copy of  the Worldgroup server is expected to have a significantly

higher list price (around $795) than the current Major BBS Version

6. The retail price should remain under $500. The Advanced LAN

Option will also be integrated into the baseline two-user product.

There will be a very competitive upgrade option for existing

Version 6 customers (around $199).  There will be a developers

source upgrade as well (around $149) that will include a complete

client/server kit, minus Visual Basic Pro 3.0.



The Worldgroup client software will be offered as shareware; there

will probably be a separate charge for the client user's manual.

Support for clients may be handled through a support contract with

the Sysop or possibly an independent 900 number. The details of

the Worldgroup support plans will be available after beta test.

Future versions of the Worldgroup client and server software, as

well as Worldgroup add-on options, will be released over the 1995

calendar year.



This project will be the most exciting release ever introduced by

Galacticomm _ or for that matter any other manufacturer _ in the

ready-to-explode BBS market. It is the true integration of

client/server and multimedia into a market that has been the leader

of interactivity, but a slow starter in interface. It is high time to

bring these services into the mainstream, the way Prodigy and

America Online have at a broad level.



After careful analysis, Galacticomm strongly believes that no other

BBS industry player will be able to match these capabilities until at

least late 1995. By then, new advancements will keep Galacticomm

customers, dealers, and third-party developers at the head of the

pack. Your success will help make that happen.

Based on announced product plans by Microsoft and Lotus,

Galacticomm also believes that the big giants in the workgroup

market will fail to successfully reach the "outside" world, primarily

due to license restrictions and to a lesser extent inexperience in the

open online community, until at least 1996.



This is the ultimate window of opportunity.



Common Questions and Answers



Are Version 6.x modules and Add-ons compatible with Worldgroup

?



Add-on modules written for the Version 6 platform should work

fine under Worldgroup, except for any product that uses the

messaging system.  Due to the extensive changes in the messaging

architecture, products that fall into this category will need to be

updated.  We've done our best to get early copies of Worldgroup

and the messaging API  to all of our third party developers and we

hope to see Worldgroup versions of  most products shortly after we

ship.



What if I have Add-ons that don't have a C/S interface?



Since the client has a built in ANSI terminal, and can automatically

detect when a module doesn't have a C/S interface, all of these

products should still be accessible to your client/server users.  Of

course, we're encouraging all of our vendors to write C/S

compatible products from now on.

Does the server have to run under Windows now?

Absolutely not. Worldgroup can be considered The Major BBS

Version 7.0, in this respect.  Maximum performance is achieved by

running the server under DOS.



Does the Sysop have a client/server interface?



For the most part, yes.  The remote sysop (system management)

module has not been converted to C/S, but just about everything

else has.  The console will still support ANSI only, of course.



What about Windows `95?  Will the client work with it?



The existing client works under Windows `95 (tested with the

Windows `95 Beta 2 release). Galacticomm plans to port the client

to a 32-bit, Windows `95 application when it becomes feasible.

Does Worldgroup support RIP and ANSI ?

Worldgroup supports the full Version 6 suite of interfaces,

including RIP and ASCII/ANSI. Any other languages that you may

have should continue to work as well.  Of course, you should

encourage your users to switch to the client. New modules will

move to the client/server platform, and there are more

features/functionality with the client than there can be with ANSI or

RIP.



Will the new offline capabilities affect my income potential ?



Actually, they can increase your income.  If you look at your

system statistics, you will most likely find that the module with the

highest system usage is an interactive, online module.  Most users

don't spend the majority of their time in e-mail and forums.  With

the offline capabilities of the client, users will be able to spend even

less time writing messages (or write more message in the same

amount of time) and spend more time doing  interactive things

online.  In addition, users can now download in the background, so

you can charge them for doing more than one thing at a time (e.g.

100 credits per file download, 60 credits per message written ).

Instead of a user just downloading four files and leaving, they can

now download four files, and while they're waiting,  write a few

messages, play a game or two, chit chat in Teleconference, etc.



What about Pre-orders?



Although Worldgroup is still in final beta testing, we'd like to give

you the opportunity to launch one of the first Worldgroup systems.

We are currently taking orders for shipments in the April to May

time-frame.

When you order, we'll immediately put your name into our queue.

When Worldgroup development is finalized, we'll start shipping

from the pre-orders on a first-in, first-out basis.   We'll need to take

your credit number at the time you place your order, so we can ship

Worldgroup as soon as it's available.  But we won't charge your

card until the product ships.  Unfortunately, we won't be able to

accept COD orders for pre-order.

By instituting this new program, we hope to make it as convenient

as possible to get Worldgroup in your hands.  You can order it

today and relax, knowing that Worldgroup will arrive on your

doorstep at the earliest possible date.



What about the Automatic Software Update Program (ASUP)?



We have increased the ASUP price to $599.  This has been done to

provide you with better service.  As an ASUP customer, you will be

placed in the front of the sales queue when Worldgroup ships. As

updates are released, you will once again be given priority and

placed first in the queue.  Also, all ASUP shipments will be via

Federal Express so you will receive the updates in a timely manner.

If you are currently an ASUP customer, you will receive all of

these benefits as well.  Should you choose not to purchase an

ASUP, you can still purchase upgrades at the one-time price.



GALACTICOMM, INC.  REPORT ON WORLDGROUP