›              o=o=o=o=o=››           PRO Rides Again!›            by Alan Sharkis›       Editor, OHAUG Newsletter›› It isn't difficult to notice that the› number of BBSs running on Atari 8-bit› machines    has    been    decreasing› steadily, and that networking on  the› remaining  BBSs  has  certainly dried› up.  However,   recent  announcements› in the›           comp.sys.atari.8bit› › newsgroup  and in the mailing list to› which I subscribe give me  hope  that› the trend may soon reverse itself.›› First  a  little background.  I began› calling BBSs in 1985 or so.  At  that› time,  the  BBSs ran on many hardware› platforms.    Atari    was    heavily› represented,  with  software like BBS› Express   and  Express  PRO,  Carina,› FoReM and Oasis on  the  8-bit  side,› and  Michtron,  ST  PRO and others on› the  ST  side.   FidoNet,  which  ran› principally   on  PCs,  and  was  the› biggest network of all,  had  several› "echoes"  (their  term  for   message› bases)  devoted  to Atari  computing.› Networking soon began to be a reality› on   boards   running   Atari   8-bit› software   as   well.   In  addition,› information   services  like  Delphi,› Compuserve   and   GEnie   saw  great› expansions in the activity  of  thier› Atari-related message and file bases.› Certainly not to be  overlooked  were› the  brave  souls  who  wrote and ran› their own 8-bit based BBS software --› guys  like BOB PUFF and our own FRANK› WALTERS.    Frank's  board,  T.A.C.O.› Bell BBS, is  still  up  and  running› today, at (850) 785-2333.›› Although  the  Internet,  through its› various components predated  many  of› those  Atari BBSs and their networks,› it didn't seem  to  make  a  dent  in› their      activity     until     the› popularization of the World Wide Web.› Ironically,  while  the  Web   really› doesn't  compete  directly  with  the› BBSs, its popularity brought Internet› e-mail,  Usenet  Newsgroups,  mailing› lists and  IRC  to  the  point  where› these  components began to steal many› callers from the BBSs.›› Ironically   too,   an   older,  more› primitive component of the  Internet,› called  Telnet,  is  the  reason  I'm› writing  this column today.  The idea› behind   Telnet   is  simple.   While› connected   to   your   ISP,  whether› graphically   in  a  Web  browser  or› through a simple terminal program and› a  Unix  "shell"  connection, you can› contact a "telnettable" bbs  anywhere› in  the world for the cost of a local› phone call.  If  you're  using  a  PC› with  a  Web browser, a window with a› simple terminal program pops up  when› you  type  in  a  telnet address.  If› you're using a shell connection,  you› type in the same thing, and the ISP's› PINE program will take you where  you› want  to  go.  For example, if you're› at the  prompt  for  a  URL  and  you› type:››      telnet://bbs.docsplace.org›› you're   connected  to  Doc's   Place› BBS in Clearwater, FL, which  carries› all of the Fido echoes, including the› Atari 8-bit echo.   I've  been  doing› that  since  my  relatively local BBS› got   disconnected    from    Fidonet› somehow,  and I'm able to participate› in the echo.›› The rights to  PRO,  until  recently,› were  owned  by  BOB  KLAAS.  Bob had› programmers working on a new version,› the  so-called PRO GOLD, but tired of› the effort and  sold  the  rights  to› LANCE  RINGQUIST  of Video 61.  Lance› got other programmers to  work  on  a› number of projects, but was receiving› almost daily requests from people  in› the newsgroup and the mailing list to› put some effort into reviving PRO.  A› few  days  ago,  there  was  a simple› announcement that a  new  incarnation› of  TOM  HUNT's  PRO BBS -- Closer To› Home   --   was   up   and   running,› telnettable,  and  its telnet address› is:››         telnet://cth.tzo.com›› It turns out that this version is not› running  on  an Atari, but is running› in emulation on a PC.  However,  when› you  connect  to  it,  it  looks  and› responds  just  like a PRO BBS.  Talk› about nostalgia!  But this  goes  way› beyond  a  nostalgic look back.  This› is a test version of  what  had  been› called  PRO  Gold, but which Lance is› now calling version 6.0b.  It will be› sold  to  Atari  8-bit sysops for $35› (new installs), and $15 as an upgrade› to an existing PRO node.  Target date› for the release will be some time  in› April.   The modified versions of the› Atari800  and  Atari800Win  emulators› that can run it on a PC. will also be› made available.  Since these emulator› programs are freeware,  the  modified› versions  of  them  shoud   also   be› freeware.›› So,  who did the coding modifications› for the emulators?  Tom modified  the› code of  Atari800 _AND_ is sysop-ing!› He'll often break  in  to  chat  with› you.   If  you  can't  connect,  have› patience  and  try  again.   At  this› time,  the BBS is set for single-user› only, and if it  doesn't  connect  to› you,  it  means that somebody else is› currently calling the BBS.›› At this point, if you use an Atari 8-› bit to telnet to Closer To Home, your› session will  look  as  if  you  were› calling a PRO  BBS via the telephone.› One piece of advice, however.  If you› call  with a PC running Windows 95 or› 98, set your Telnet  software  to  be› Hyperterminal  and  put Hyperterminal› in its  ANSI  emulation.   You'll  be› glad  you  did!   If  you are or ever› were   a  sysop,   especially  a  PRO› sysop, you'll really get a thrill out› of this demo!››              o=o=o=o=o=›››