UniBoard (UnixBBS) Ftp-Site: ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/BBS/bbs/* Gopher-site: wariat.org) [USA Dist. Site] Login: bbs (no password) +7 351 265 3601 (rich.chel.su) (Chelyabinsk Russia?) see alt.bbs.unixbbs support: svr3 - SCO, ISC and other SVR3 on INTEL processors svr4 - Unixware and other SVR4 on INTEL processors sun - SunOS 4.1.3 or Solaris 2.3 on SUN SPARC processors linux - Linux 0.99.14 or greater FreeBSD - FreeBSD 2.0 UniBoard is a decent Unix BBS according to most reports. Pricing is reasonable, ranging from $50 to $500 (2 user to unlimited), with an 8-user license costing $140 (US). Here is the current blurb (as of 11/14/94) UniBoard is a BBS package with Usenet and Email capabilities that looks very similar to most popular DOS-based BBS systems like Opus, RA, etc. If you are looking for a unix BBS software that doesn't scare your users, this is what you need! Even the most inexperienced user can read/post news and mail, without having to learn how to use mail(1), rn(1), or any other UNIX program. In addition, all the other well-known BBS features as file upload/download, doors (games), bulletins, and so on are available. UniBoard is not a true "commercial" program, but you will have to register it if you want to use it on a regular basis. Prices are as low as $50 for a 2 users licence, with full unlimited upgrades + email support (I would prefer to call this "donation" instead of "price"). It is distributed in executable form only. Please do not ask for sources, they will not be released! The package requires a customized activation key in order to run. A demo key is supplied with the package, but you will have to change your nodename and clock setting to use it. If you cannot (or don't want to) change anything you can email me and I will send you an evaluation key with a limited lifetime that will let you use all the program's features while you decide whether to buy it or not. The key will work on the licensed host only and includes info like sysop name, key licensee, etc. that will be customized for you. Where to get it? Latest version is always available from the development and support site: "the Nervous XTC Public Access UNIX", located in Rimini, Italy. The number is +39-541-27135 (14.4k/V32bis) or, if you are on X.25, just call the NUA (2222) 954123111. Just log in as 'bbs' and register with us, then go to file area #8: UniBoard can be downloaded from the 1st call. If you are located within the continental US, you may want to get the stuff from the US distribution site. This site has also an anonymous FTP access, so that you will be able to get UniBoard via FTP instead of downloading it via modem. For further info about the US site, please see the 'avail' file . Upgrades will be made available on those sites as soon as they are released. Usually, it takes from one to two weeks for a new version to appear on the US mirror site. If you are impatient, get it from nervous and do not stress the US sysop (he is helping me for free in his spare time -- thanks, Zbig). The features list (quite out-dated): - available with 2, 4, 8, 16, 64 and 254 users licence; - pretty robust code, no core dumps; - easy-to-use and highly intuitive interface for unexperienced people; very similar to the popular MSDOS program "Opus"; - runs on top of the popular netnews packages, either B-News or C-News are supported, full/true Usenet support; - very easy setup and configuration; a complete system can be set up in roughly 30 minutes (if you already have the netnews package up and running); - Fidonet support provided (still in alpha version, though); - tree-structured message base, access privileges and other parameters are assigned in hierarchical fashion (child newsgroups inherit all parameters from their parents if not otherwise specified); unlimited # of newsgroups supported; - logoff message area can be either a news group or a user mailbox; - Internationalization support: the user will be able to choose his/her preferred language at the beginning of the bbs session; up to 99 different languages can be added by the sysop, two are supplied with the package (english and italian); - all constant strings in UniBoard are customizable, including colors, using a normal text editor (e.g. 'vi'). - 65536 different privilege levels; - 16 additional access flags for all bbs options, for file areas and external programs; - activity monitor program supplied with the bbs; uses IPC and can show from 1 to 16 users simultaneously on any tty; sysopuser chat function included; - indexed user database with error recovery and automatic backup; a separate maintenance program 'bbsmaint' is used to add/delete users, modify users access level/status/parameters, etc. - unlimited file areas with independent up/download directory, access level, download level, unlimited download feature for specified areas, per-area "download forbidden" time slots, CD-ROM "copy-before-download" support, etc; - private user file areas, allow users to exchange files privately; also useful for programs that need a work directory, like uqwk. - /bin/sh is not used in any way, external programs are spawn using the exec(2) family system calls; the bbs program is directly spawned by init(1) through getty(1)/login(1), without any parent shell; - the Sysop can define what ttys can be used for bbs and the working time of each port; minimum access level settable to avoid newcomers if desired; - full color support using ANSI sequences, if the caller supports them; - true multi-user, dynamic Chat, features automatic capture of called user into chat mode (no need for the paged user to go to Main Menu and enter the Chat Room), virtually unlimited users can chat simultaneously, "do not disturb" option available in the Setup Section to avoid the chat; - separately definable time-per-call, calls-per-day, time-per-day and download limit for each of the 65536 available privilege levels; - all Menus are user-definable, can have ANSI color sequences in it that will be skipped if the caller does not support them; an ansi compiler/decompiler is supplied with the package; - different menu sets can be specified for each of the 65536 privilege levels; - several different Sysop-definable support texts are shown in some circum- stances, like file upload/download, login/logoff, and so on; ANSI color is supported within these text files too; - extended character support is provided in menus and text files; - full 8 bit input can be enabled, allowing UniBoard to run with extended charsets when needed (e.g. ex-SU countries) - each menu option is sysop-definable: minimum privilege level and key required to activate the option can be changed; - the unix system "sees" the bbs as a remote system; each bbs user can send and receive unix mail and has his own private mailbox. No need to add entries to your /etc/passwd file for bbs users! - message base maintenance directly handled by the netnews package (expire, addgroup, etc); - external programs (doors) menu with definable access level, ANSI flag and interactive or batch mode; full user data dump in /tmp allows you to write your own interfaces to popular utilities and programs; - any number of external programs can be defined for each menu; - customizable transfer protocols menu, sysop can add or remove protocols as need arises; - batch file transfer security: uploads will have path forced to a temporary directory; - customizable archivers menu, sysop can add or remove archivers as need arises (archivers are programs used to show contents of archive files e.g. unzip, arcl, unarj, etc); - detailed logging of all events in a log file; the verbosity level is sysop-definable; - both full-screen and line-oriented editors supplied; sysop can choose his own preferred editor (e.g. 'vi' or 'emacs') to edit messages; - unread messages download feature, can be used to save callers connection time (messages are compressed before download); - built-in "Preferred Groups" reading mode, very similar to the 'rn' interface (although very simplified); - "motd" feature allows you to set up (using a single file) messages regarding the system that will be shown to each caller ONLY ONCE, based on their last login date; - bbs email and news traffic can be monitored by the sysop, including contents; - Session logging utility included (dumps a session to file); - Full accounting includes account expiration dates and usage counters on a per-user basis; these can be combined i.e. you can assign both an expiration date, and an usage limit in minutes to each user. Upon expiration the user's access level can be lowered to a specified value or its status can be changed denying him/her access to the board; - "Wheel of Fortune" gadget allows users to play with their time limit, daily download amount, etc, adding more fun to a bbs call; - Handles (nicknames) can be enabled where desired on a per conference basis; - File tagging allows users to tag files and download them throughout several calls; - Amazingly fast keyword search allows instantaneous searches throughout the entire BBS file system; - Sending from a personal file is allowed for both email and news articles... uuencode is automatic if file is not ASCII; - and more... Many features are probably missing from this list. The best thing I can suggest is to grab the package and try it out yourself! For any additional info, question, etc. feel free to email pizzi@nervous.com .