BBS Express Pro question

[Alfred]

There are a number of WaitCall modules for Pro and it's not clear what they all do. Some I can recognise the specific device like UDS or MSS, but others are a bit of a mystery. If anyone knows what device these specific suffixes specify, can you let me know.

 

The last couple of letters for each are:

 

96 - ? presumably 9600 baud  but why

DU

HS - highspeed ? For what ?

NU

PG

PP

QB

23

LN

LT

HALFW

 

Also, what is the TCPIP one used for, the Lantronics devices ? There is no native TCP/IP stack for the Atari.

 

 

 

[+bf2k+]

I don't recognize any of those, but then I am running Pro 2.1a which only had a Waitcall.cmd module for it.  I may have acquired a newer one that blanks the screen when a user is online.  It works well at 9600 baud.

 

All of these extensions may have been done by later owners of the system and that is why I would not be aware of them.

 

Steve Carden calls his version TCPIP Express.  Maybe he knows about them...

 

Or maybe other Pro Sysops like @JohnPolka or @moonlight_mile know about them...

[Alfred]

The module suffixes I listed are from the Pro 5.0b system.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

The Pro! 5.0b manual doesn't show very much about the different waitcall cmd's...

 

A special note to Avatex 1200 owners

The Avatex 12 0 0 (non-HC) is a non-standard, yet very popular
modem. Unfortunately, it does not understand most "Hayes Compatible"
commands. There is a special "WaitCall" module on your PRO disk that was
written specifically for the Avatex 1200 modem. This file is named
WTCALLAV.CMD. If you plan on running PRO on this modem, you should copy
this command module to your PRO>COMMAND>A> subdirectory under the name
WAITCAL0.CMD. This special module takes the place of the standard
waitcall module.

With VS.Ob, the WAITCALL.CMD, you use must now be renamed to
WAITCALO.CMD. If you are using a MUX, system then it must also be

copiedtoWAITCALl.CMD, WAITCAL2.CMD, etc.

 

 

Edit:

The individual CMD-headers of the modules have more to offer:

 

Waitcall.cmd Copyright 1995 K-Products
Wtcall96.cmd 9600 baud Hayes Modem Copyright 1995 K-Products
Wtcallav.cmd for the 1200 baud Avatex modem Copyright 1995 K-Products
Wtcalldu.cmd Waitcall for the USR dual Standard Modems Copyright 1995 K-Products
Wtcallhc.cmdCopyright 1995 K-Products
Wtcallhs.cmd for courier hst Written by Keith Ledbetter & Stephen J. Carden
Wtcallnu.cmd Null Modeming Written by Stephen J. Carden
Wtcallpg.cmd Programable waitcall  written by Stephen J. Carden
Wtcallpp.cmd Practical Peripherals Modem  Written by Stephen J. Carden
Wtcallqb.cmd for QBLAZER 9600 MODEM Written by Stephen J. Carden

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Fox-1 / mnx

[Alfred]

Thanks for that. Looking at the LOGONx.CMD I see that the Pro! nodes 230, 53 and 47 are special in that if you call one of those three system, they will ask you for your Pro! serial number when you apply to be a user. Only those nodes ask, so I'm guessing maybe they are original support bbs systems ? Do these nodes even still exist ?

[_The Doctor__]

ah, more random protection schemes... yum

 

5 original support boards were as follows with

node x1 being one of them.

BBS PRO Support Board (804) 744-9987
Midnight Express BBS (804) 379-4156
M.O.U.S.E. BBS (219) 674-9288
Network Atari BBS (512) 662-9765
01’ Hackers BBS (515) 884-4140

 

there is a snippet matching some of the nodes up with their numbers and names floating around.

if the numbers do not match those, then it's something added later on. I don't remember having an issue connecting to the Sysop Support file areas or sysop message base.

Edited March 16, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[JohnPolka]

From an old Pro! node list in https://ia800801.us.archive.org/26/items/PROBBSnews/pbnv1n2.txt

 

Node 47: Inside the 8-Bit 404-798-2474

Node 53: The Repair Shop 801-967-8738



-JP

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by JohnPolka

[+bf2k+]

47: Inside the 8-bit was Steve Carden... correct?

[_The Doctor__]

so it's support protection added later on. as to weather it just keeps one out of sysop support areas, or to activate a protection of some kind, well that's another ball of wax. Maybe it could be used to watermark a downloaded module, but that's probably a bit far to go.

[Alfred]

No, it's nothing to do with copy-protection, that's in the Stage 1 vertical blank and the startup-code. It will be simple enough to remove that, and the system will just accept whatever node number is in the sysdata.dat file.

[_The Doctor__]

I meant without serial number you don't connect to the sysop support network on those node/serial numbers

so I guess that really can go. It appears to be a waste to do that since anyone could host their own sysop support network and files anyway. So it being yanked is a good thing. Leaner code is a good thing.

I'd suspect with the changes you're making that the BBS will work faster as it won't be checking crap every vertical blank, it will be free to catch every key stroke or serial data more accurately... maybe less occasional dropped or missed character keystroke happening. Tired typing time for bed.

Edited March 17, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[Alfred]

Yes, the BBS50.COM code is atrocious, jump to branches, all sorts of nonsense. I have my marked up disassembly that produces an exact duplicate of the BBS50 exe. Now I just need to do the same to the main modules, and confirm they don't have any internal dependency on the bbs50 code, and then a vanilla express can be released.

[Marius]

Bad idea. At least try to cooperate with Stephen J. Carden. The whole express net Networking system (which is AWESOME) depends on the fact that all nodes are unique.

 

Messages can travel between Pro boards. You even can see where a message has been before it reached the board where you are reading the post. 

 

When there will come a wild growth of Pro boards where people have no idea of this and node #'s will be no longer unique, this rather brilliant technique won't work again.

 

So please don't release a hacked version of Pro and instead contact Carden.

[Alfred]

It’s my understanding that there is some sort of process in place that deals with adding a node to the network. You can’t just blindly join, if the existing group says no, you’re out. If that is true, that would seem to take care of duplicate nodes.

[_The Doctor__]

Alfred is correct in that you can't blindly network.

Both BBS's have to set up for each other and both network machines have to have ID's as well as passwords reciprocal node #'s etc etc. right on down to the appropriate calling time window.

Carden moved on and does TCPIP Express, it won't talk to BBS Express Pro! Different network handshaking etc.

Edited March 20, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Each message has an array of node#'s where the msg has been.  If it's a local posted one only your own node# will be there.  When preparing a network file for, let's say, node "ABC" it will only include msg's that won't have "ABC" in that array.

 

Messing around with the array may lead to duplicate messages (yes, I tried!).

 

As a side note:

Tom Hunt made an alternative message-exchange system named "QWK-net".  It was mainly to network between Pro- and non-Pro message boards but Pro-2-Pro is possible too of course.

[Atari8man2004]

I ran pro for 11 years in Florida

Star NET BBS pro node 449  - 305-868-0211 off line since 1999

 

I still have all the hardware the BBS may comeback someday.

[Atari8man2004]

On 3/20/2023 at 2:34 AM, Marius said:

Bad idea. At least try to cooperate with Stephen J. Carden. The whole express net Networking system (which is AWESOME) depends on the fact that all nodes are unique.

 

Messages can travel between Pro boards. You even can see where a message has been before it reached the board where you are reading the post. 

 

When there will come a wild growth of Pro boards where people have no idea of this and node #'s will be no longer unique, this rather brilliant technique won't work again.

 

So please don't release a hacked version of Pro and instead contact Carden.

Steve Carden pass away last year.  

[Marius]

1 hour ago, Atari8man2004 said:

Steve Carden pass away last year.  

Hi! Yes I know. It is so sad. But when i wrote this, I believe this tragic event did not happen yet. I am wondering whether he published his sources and other related tools somewhere. The guy leaves us a very valuable heritage. I really liked him. Years ago we pioneered the technique with Lantronix device servers. It was a pleasure to work with him on this hobby.

[Tillek]

7 hours ago, Marius said:

Hi! Yes I know. It is so sad. But when i wrote this, I believe this tragic event did not happen yet. I am wondering whether he published his sources and other related tools somewhere. The guy leaves us a very valuable heritage. I really liked him. Years ago we pioneered the technique with Lantronix device servers. It was a pleasure to work with him on this hobby.

Arrangements were made and everything was transferred to another individual.  However since I am not that individual I don't feel it is my place to say much more... just to reassure everyone it wasn't lost to the sands of time.

[Tillek]

20 hours ago, Atari8man2004 said:

I ran pro for 11 years in Florida

Star NET BBS pro node 449  - 305-868-0211 off line since 1999

 

I still have all the hardware the BBS may comeback someday.

If you ever decide to do that and need any help, just let us know (the Atari BBS Gurus club here is a decent place to start).