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1993-06-15
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Announcing PostLink(tm) from the creators of PCRelay!
Summary:
PostLink is a new BBS networking program from the creators
of PCRelay.
It is a complete rewrite, merges the PCRelay HUB and NODE
software into one integrated program, and is not compatible
with PCRelay.
It contains many new or enhanced features, including greatly
enhanced file requests, the ability to route messages to
more than one site ("multicasting"), much greater
flexibility in configuration, integrated communications
including built-in communications protocols, full support
for multiple compression programs and external
communications protocols, including bi-directional protocols
such as HS/Link, and greater support for LANS and
multitasking BBSs.
PostLink continues to support the UTI specification, and has
been designed to be able to support more BBS's internally,
although at this time the only BBS that is supported
internally is PCBoard.
For More Information contact Kip Compton on his BBS at (617)
494-1366, or Bonnie Anthony on her BBS at (301) 229-5623/5342
or voice (301) 229-7244.
More Detailed Information:
PostLink is the next generation of networking software for
BBS's. It picks up where PCRelay leaves off, greatly
enhancing many of the features that have made PCRelay one of
the most popular networking options for sysops everywhere.
PostLink was redesigned and rewritten from scratch in
standard C++. It has been designed with larger capacities
and greater portability in mind. As a result of this, it
is not compatible with PCRelay.
Unlike PCRelay, PostLink was designed from the ground up
with large networks and a multitasking/LAN environment in
mind. However, thanks to its extremely flexible
configuration system, it can efficiently run small networks
just as well, while providing room to grow.
While PCRelay was designed to be able to handle a network of
1,000 to 1,500 sites, PostLink was designed to be able to
handle networks of 10,000 sites or more. Where PCRelay only
supports 511 conferences, PostLink 1.0 will support around
16,000 conferences, and is designed to be able to support up
to 4,294,967,296 conferences, which should be able to
support networks well into the future.
PostLink has been specifically designed to be able to
perform well on multi-node BBS's. PostLink locks resources
for writing on a conference by conference basis, and allows
simultaneous reading of conference files for maximum
efficiency in a multitasking or LAN environment. PostLink
is even smart enough to go work on another conference and
come back to the original conference if a particular
conference's files are busy at the moment! This means that
less online time is spent waiting for someone who is on
another "node" of the BBS to finish getting their mail, and
it makes it feasible to have much larger hub systems.
PostLink integrates the NODE and HUB versions of PCRelay
into one package. This means that mail can be imported
directly onto the BBS when mail is uploaded into the hub.
Separate EXPORT and IMPORT programs are also provided in
case it is desirable to control when mail is exported and
imported.
In addition to integrating the NODE and HUB portions of the
software, PostLink adds a built-in communications module
which can learn how to log onto your hub. Thus, it is no
longer necessary to use a "script" file with another
communications program; you can now simply "teach" (by
logging on and entering the PostLink door) PostLink how to
get to the door on the board you call, and from then on
PostLink can handle all the communications itself! PostLink
also retains the flexibility of being able to use an
external communications program, allowing even unusual
communications situations to work. (i.e. diskette copying,
etc)
PostLink adds _extensive_ error detection and logging,
including leaving the SysOp of the BBS messages when there
are non-fatal errors. In addition, if a user enters a
message that is not exported or that is misrouted, PostLink
sends back a detailed message explaining what happened, and
often suggesting what to do about it.
PostLink now allows both the compression and communication
protocol options to be configured by the SysOp, allowing new
protocols and compression programs to be implemented as soon
as they are released.PostLink fully supports bidirectional
protocols such as HS/Link. In addition, PostLink has a
number of built-in protocols, including ZModem. Postlink
can be configured to use just about any compression program,
including none. Using no compression can be desirable in
situations where the modems being use have good compression
already.
PostLink utilizes the UTI 2.x specification to get mail onto
and off of BBS's, so any BBS that has a UTI 2.x driver (such
as RBBS, Wildcat!, GAP, etc) can use PostLink. In addition,
PostLink has built-in support for PCBoard 14.5, including
updating mail waiting flags and the call waiting screen
statistics, if desired. PostLink has been designed to make
it as easy as possible to add built-in support for other BBS
programs, so you should definitely expect built-in support
for other BBSs in the future!
PostLink attaches "audit records" to every message and file
as it passes through the network, allowing for detailed
debugging and performance information. Now you can find out
why a message took 3 days to get somewhere -- the audit
information will show you all of the systems that the
message went through, and what time it arrived on each of
those systems! These audit records are utilized in the
Return Receipt mail option to show you not only that your
message has arrived at its destination, but how it got there
and why it got to the destination system when it did.
PostLink provides advanced mail functions such as automatic
encryption of all routed mail, full reference number
support, multicast routing, and automatic routing.
Multicast routing is the ability to route a message to
several different systems. The message will only show up on
the systems you specify. Automatic Routing is a unique
PostLink feature which supersedes the PCRelay private
mailbox system. Automatic routing will automatically route
private replies back to the BBS where the message the reply
refers to was written. This means that it is no longer to
setup and maintain a private mailbox system. Automatic
routing is both more efficient and more secure than the
PCRelay private mailbox system. Automatic Routing is more
efficient than the PCRelay private mailbox system because
the message is routed once by the site sending it -- it is
no longer necessary for the hub software to look through
long lists of user names at each step of the way to find
out where to send the message. Automatic routing is more
secure than the PCRelay private mailbox scheme because
sysops can no longer add users to their PRIVATE.NET files in
order to "snoop" on their private mail. Since the messages
are routed and encrypted, only the origin and destination
sites can see the message.
It's not only the message facilities that have been improved
in PostLink, however. The file request system has been
greatly enhanced, now allowing as many directories to be
requestable as you like, with ability to associate passwords
and/or site numbers with file directories or even individual
files to control not just what files can be requested from
your system, but who can request them.
For More Information contact Kip Compton on his BBS at (617)
494-1366, or Bonnie Anthony on her BBS at (301) 229-5623 or
(301) 229-5342 or voice (301) 229-7244.
Pricing is as follows:
New Software
PostLink $50
(acts as HUB and NODE, includes 1 year support)
Support/PostLink Upgrades
PostLink (1 year) $15
NOTE: The $15/year fee includes BBS and telephone
support and free upgrades via BBS. 1 year of
support is included in the upgrade or new software
purchase price, including free upgrades.
** PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. **
PostLink(tm) by Kip Compton
Copyright (C) 1992 by Kip Compton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
This information is provided without warranty of any kind and is
subject to change without notice.