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Software Vault: The Gold Collection
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Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
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1993-05-23
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│ │ 1stReader for DOS │ │
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│ │ Entire work │ │
│ │ Copyright 1993 by Mark Herring │ │
│ │ All Rights Reserved │ │
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│ │ Special thanks to │ │
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│ │ Dan Moore │ │
│ │ Rob Kittredge │ │
│ │ Tony Elliott │ │
│ │ Rich Geldrich │ │
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│ │ Sparkware │ │
│ │ Post Office Box 386 │ │
│ │ Hendersonville, Tennessee 37077 │ │
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Dedication
----------
Many systems are dedicated to someone or something, and
1stReader will be no exception. There are three groups
of people I wish to thank for their help in getting
1stReader "out the door" and into your hands.
My wife and children have tolerated my working late into
the nights, sometimes as late as 5:00 am, and then not
getting up until 10:00 am the next morning. They put up
with me "having to work tonight" instead of being with
them. Even my youngest, who is only four years old, kept
asking me "Have you released it yet, Dattie?". So for my
wife Fran, daughters Corey, Casey and Katie, "IT'S RELEASED!"
The second group I wish to thank are the beta testers. They
have performed a yeoman's task to make sure everything
actually works inside 1stReader. They called and called and
called, downloaded millions (if not almost hundreds of millions)
of bytes worth of test copies and checking everything out.
Some of the testers are "old hands" who date back to the very
beginning of Qmail in 1987. Others are fresh testers, but ALL
have done an excellent job. 1st is what it is because of them.
The 1stReader Beta Testers Hall of Fame
Maurice Crouse John Nordbo
Brian Hillis Daniel Notowitz
Robert Hoffmann John Phillips
Lou Kairys John Okerson
Rob Kittredge David Pottier
Michael Leavitt Ed Shoulta
Joe Malacria David Terry
Doug Manne Roy Timberman
Mark McCarthy Matthew Waldron
Alastair McIntyre Rick Welshans
Special thanks to Greg Watson, Rich Geldrich
and Tony Elliott
Finally, there is one other person I need to thank. If there
has been one individual who has not hesitated to kick my rear
end when it was out of line, or to offer some help in matters
of programming and other endeavours when it was needed, that
person is Dan Moore.
Many of you may know Dan from the echomail conferences. Dan
is author of "John Hancock", a tagline management system that
works with all of our offline mail readers. With Dan you see
what you get...he holds nothing back. He wrote routines for
me when I couldn't produce them, provided insight when I needed
it, and help when I required it.
He is one of the few people I know who's respect I'd like to
have.
* WARRANTY NOTICE
* Copy Protection
1stReader diskettes are not copy-protected. This
does not mean that you can make unlimited copies
of your diskette. 1stReader is protected by the
copyright laws of The United States of America
that pertain to computer software. You are
allowed to make copies of this diskette for
"backup" purposes. It is illegal for you to
distribute the file named "1ST.KEY" (or
"QMAIL4.KEY") to any other person. This file is
your "electronic identification" that you have
purchased your 1stReader system.
* Limited Warranty
Sparkware warrants that your 1stReader diskette is
free from physical defects for a period of thirty
(30) days from date of purchase. If a defect
occurs during this period, you may return your
faulty diskette to Sparkware along with a dated
proof of purchase, it will be replaced free of
charge.
NOTICE
EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE, SPARKWARE
GRANTS NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, BY STATUE
OR OTHERWISE, REGARDING THE DISK, PROGRAMS AND RELATED
MATERIALS, THEIR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE, THEIR QUALITY,
THEIR MERCHANTABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.
THE LIABILITY OF SPARKWARE UNDER THE WARRANTY SET FORTH
ABOVE SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID BY THE CUSTOMER
FOR THE PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT SHALL SPARKWARE BE LIABLE FOR
ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES FOR BREACH OF
WARRANTY.
SPARKWARE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THESE
PROGRAMS, DOCUMENTATION AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT PLANS AT ANY
TIME WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.
THIS SOFTWARE PROGRAM IS A PROPRIETY PRODUCT OF SPARKWARE
AND IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES.
YOU MUST TREAT THIS SOFTWARE LIKE ANY OTHER COPYRIGHTED
MATERIAL, EXCEPT THAT YOU MAY MAKE AN ARCHIVAL COPY OF THE
SOFTWARE FOR EACH COPY THAT IS LICENSED TO YOU. YOU MAY
DISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE TO OTHERS SO LONG AS (A) THE
1ST.KEY OR QMAIL4.KEY FILE IS NOT DISTRIBUTED, (B) THE
SOFTWARE IS DISTRIBUTED UNMODIFIED. YOU MAY NOT DECOMPILE,
DISASSEMBLE, REVERSE ENGINEER, COPY, TRANSFER, OR OTHERWISE
USE OR MODIFY THIS SOFTWARE EXCEPT AS STATED HEREIN.
SPARKWARE GRANTS YOU THE RIGHT TO USE THIS SOFTWARE FOR
TRIAL PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED THIRTY (30) DAYS. USE AFTER
THIRTY DAYS REQUIRES REGISTRATION AS DOCUMENTED IN THIS
MANUAL.
1stReader
Entire work copyright 1993 by Mark Herring
All Rights Reserved
Sparkware
Post Office Box 386
Hendersonville, Tennessee 37077-0386
USA
(615) 230-8822 24 hour support bulletin board system
(615) 230-MAIL Office (10-12, 1-5 central weekdays)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. GETTING STARTED WITH 1stReader...................... 1
USING THIS MANUAL.............................. 1
OPERATING WITH A MOUSE OR A KEYBOARD........... 2
GETTING HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT.................. 3
2. INSTALLING 1stReader................................ 4
INSTALLING FROM A FLOPPY DISKETTE.............. 4
INSTALLING FROM DOWNLOADED FILES............... 4
REGISTERING 1stReader.......................... 5
3. CHANGING READER SETUP OPTIONS....................... 6
CHANGING SWITCH SETTINGS (DEFAULTS)............ 6
EDITING TAGLINES............................... 10
CHANGING COMMUNICATION SETTINGS................ 10
CHANGING SETUPS FOR COLORS, CALLS, PC-PURSUIT.. 10
CHANGING EDITORS OR PATHS...................... 12
CHANGING FILE PACKERS.......................... 14
4. SETTING UP A BBS.................................... 15
ENTERING A NEW BBS............................. 15
CHANGING THE BBS INFORMATION SCREEN............ 16
DELETING A BBS................................. 16
5. MANAGING YOUR MAIL.................................. 16
CALLING THE BBS................................ 17
READING YOUR MESSAGES.......................... 18
REPLYING TO MESSAGES........................... 22
CHANGING OR DELETING A REPLY................... 23
ENTERING A NEW MESSAGE......................... 24
CREATING A PERSONAL MESSAGE.................... 24
IMPORTING TEXT FILES INTO A MESSAGE OR REPLY... 25
VIEWING SERVICES............................... 25
VIEWING EXTRA FEATURES......................... 25
DELETING A MESSAGE PACKET...................... 26
6. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TERMINAL MODE............... 26
TERMINAL MODE.................................. 26
CALLING A BBS.................................. 27
VIEWING FILE LISTS............................. 28
MANAGING DOWNLOADED FILES AND PROGRAMS......... 28
7. USING MESSAGE OPTIONS............................... 30
SAVING OR PRINTING MULTIPLE MESSAGES........... 31
SAVING A MESSAGE............................... 31
PRINTING A MESSAGE............................. 32
DISPLAYING A MESSAGE THAT CONTAINS ANSI CODE... 32
IGNORING A SENDER.............................. 33
SORTING MESSAGES............................... 34
SEARCHING FOR KEY WORDS........................ 34
REQUESTING AN ENCLOSED FILE.................... 35
DELETING A REPLY OR A MESSAGE IN A FOLDER...... 35
8. USING MISCELLANEOUS FEATURES........................ 36
USING THE VIRTUAL KEYBOARD..................... 36
SHELLING TO DOS................................ 36
USING A THREE-BUTTON MOUSE..................... 37
USING ALIASES.................................. 37
CONFIGURING THE QMAIL DOOR..................... 38
9. GLOSSARY............................................ 39
GETTING STARTED WITH 1stReader
1stReader is an off-line mail reader. It lets you download
messages from the BBS to your computer, then read and
respond to them at your convenience. This way, you can
enjoy "BBSing" without tying up your telephone line, running
up excessive long-distance charges, or worrying about
running out of time on your favorite BBS.
1stReader includes everything you need to manage your BBS
messages and replies, from built-in telecommunication
software to a filing system for messages you want to save.
1stReader works with any QWK-compatible mail system.
However, when you use 1stReader to call a BBS that uses
Sparkware's Qmail Door for PCBoard, you can take advantage
of extra features not found on other systems.
1stReader is designed to be easy to use, even for people who
have limited experience with off-line mail readers. All the
major functions and features are available from a button or
a menu list. If you want more flexibility, please review
Section 8, Using Miscellaneous Features. If these features
still don't give you the power and flexibility you want, see
the Advanced User's Guide to 1stReader. Or consider using
Qmail DeLuxe² from Sparkware. See Appendix A, Other
Sparkware Products, for more information.
USING THIS MANUAL
We recommend that you print this manual and skim through it
before you start using 1stReader.
Of course, we recognize that many people prefer to start
using the program first, and to use the manual only if they
run into difficulties. This manual is set up so that you
can use it either as a tutorial or as a reference guide,
whichever suits your style.
If you like to read the manual first, you can use this
manual to walk you through 1stReader the first time you
use it. The manual covers the major features of the
program in the order you are likely to be using them.
If you don't read manuals until you have a problem,
check the table of contents for the topic you want.
Then simply turn to the page indicated.
Page 1
Throughout this manual, the process of receiving messages or
files from another system, or copying information from
another system to your computer, is called "downloading".
The process of sending messages or files to another system,
or copying information from your computer to another system,
is called "uploading".
OPERATING WITH A MOUSE OR A KEYBOARD
You can use either a mouse or a keyboard with 1stReader. To
keep explanations simple, this manual often says simply to
select an option or enter information.
If you use a mouse:
The left mouse button functions as [ENTER], and
the right button as [ESC]. (If you use a three-
button mouse, see Section 8 for more information.)
"Select" means "move the mouse so that the cursor
is on top of the option you want, then press the
left mouse button". (For items on a list, you may
need to double-click on the item you want.)
"Enter" means "type the required information, then
press the left mouse button". (If you cannot type
on a keyboard, you can use 1stReader's virtual
keyboard; see Section 8 for more information.)
If you use a keyboard:
When choosing an item from a list, "select" means
"use the arrow keys to highlight the option you
want, then press [ENTER]".
When choosing a mouse button, "select" means "hold
down the [ALT] key and press the letter that is
highlighted inside the button".
When choosing an option from the bottom of the
message screen (for example, Join conferences),
"select" means "type the first letter of the
option".
"Enter" means "type the required information, then
press [ENTER]".
Whether you use a mouse or a keyboard, you can normally
select the default option by pressing the space bar or
[ENTER].
Page 2
GETTING HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT
If you need help using 1stReader, you've got several options.
1. Select "Help" where it is available on the screen.
2. Press [F1] to get context-sensitive help anywhere in
the program.
3. Check the table of contents of this manual, find the
topic you are interested in, then turn to the page
indicated for more information.
4. Leave a message in the 1stReader support conference on
your local BBS. You can usually expect a reply within
about three working days.
5. Leave a message on Sparky's Machine, the home of
1stReader. Telecommunication information for Sparky's
Machine is built into 1stReader; if you need to call it
from another system, the number is 615-230-8822.
Again, you can expect a reply in about three working
days.
To become a registered user on Sparky's Machine,
call using 1stReader's terminal mode (see Section
6); at the PCBoard "Command?" prompt, enter
UPGRADE. Then upload your 1ST.KEY file. Once the
keyfile is verified, you will have one hour of
connect time and the ability to download files
from the system.
6. Call Sparkware at 615-230-MAIL between 10am and 5pm central
standard time (the office is closed for lunch at 12
noon). If no one is in to take your call, you may
leave your name, number, and a brief message, and your
call will be returned (collect) as soon as possible.
Page 3
INSTALLING 1stReader
The installation procedure will vary slightly, depending on
whether you received your copy of 1stReader by downloading
it from a BBS or by purchasing it through the mail, as
described below.
In either case, you must have an IBM-compatible system with
a hard disk drive, and at least 640K of memory. A Hayes-
compatible modem is required to call bulletin board systems.
A mouse is also nice, but not necessary.
If you have a demo copy, you may use it without charge or
obligation while you evaluate it. If you decide to continue
using it, please register it with the on-line registration
service described below. A demo copy of 1stReader is
limited to 20 messages per conference; a registered copy can
handle up to 32,767 messages per conference.
INSTALLING FROM A FLOPPY DISKETTE
To install 1stReader from a floppy diskette, do the
following:
1. Insert the floppy diskette into your floppy drive.
2. Change to the floppy drive by entering A: (or whatever
is the appropriate command on your system).
3. Enter INSTALL and follow the prompts.
INSTALLING FROM DOWNLOADED FILES
To install 1stReader from downloaded files, do the
following:
1. Create a subdirectory named \1ST.
2. Uncompress the 1ST-110.ZIP file(s) into \1ST.
3. Change directories to \1ST.
4. Enter INSTALL and follow the prompts.
After installing 1stReader select "1stTutor" from the opening
menu to find out more about 1stReader.
Page 4
REGISTERING 1stReader
To register your copy of 1stReader, do the following:
1. Enter the information requested on the registration
screen. Double-check your credit card number and
expiration date to be sure they are correct.
2. If you own a registered copy of Qmail DeLuxe², select
the "I own a copy of DeLuxe²" button at the bottom
of the screen, and fill in the full path for your
DELUXE2 keyfile.
2. Select "Transmit this order". Then wait while
1stReader calls the Sparkware registration line.
Your credit card information is verified, and the
1stReader keyfile is downloaded and installed on
your computer. The system then hangs up the phone
line and returns you to the 1stReader main menu.
Page 5
CHANGING READER SETUP OPTIONS
1stReader supports a variety of equipment options and
personal preferences. Review the setup options, then
configure 1stReader to work with you and your system.
CHANGING SWITCH SETTINGS (DEFAULTS)
To change a default switch setting, do the following:
1. On the opening menu, select "Setup".
2. Select "Switches".
3. Use the arrow keys or your mouse to select the switch
to change (and use the "Next Screen" and "Last
Screen" buttons to move between screens of
switches). Use the space bar to change the switch
setting. All switches are either ON or OFF.
The switches you can change are:
Advanced Features. Set ON to minimize prompting
and to make a variety of advanced features
available.
Use Bookmark. Set ON to open a conference at the
message you were on when you quit the
conference, OFF to open at the first message
of the conference.
External Editor. Set ON to use an external
editor. (You must also specify the editor in
Advanced Features, as explained on page 3-6.)
Color Monitor. Set ON if you use a color monitor,
OFF for monochrome.
Sound. Set ON to enable audible prompts (beeps).
Auto List Messages. Set ON to automatically list
messages when you join a conference.
Page 6
Sort Systems. Set ON to sort systems so that
systems with mail packets on file are listed
first, followed by systems with reply packets
but no mail packets, then systems with neither
mail packets nor reply packets. Messages
within each group will be in alphabetical
order. Set OFF to sort systems in
alphabetical order, without regard to packets
on file.
Random Taglines. Set ON to select taglines
randomly from your tagline list, OFF to use
taglines in sequential order.
Music. Set ON to enable messages with ANSI code
for music to be "played" through your
PC's internal speaker.
Multi-Media. Set ON to enable messages with multi-
media Sound support to play sound through
various SoundCards. ANSI code for music to be
"played" through your Provides multimedia
support for .VOC, .CMF and .MID (Midi) files.
Use Mouse. Set ON to use a mouse.
Auto Position Mouse. Set ON to automatically
position the mouse cursor on the default
option when reading messages.
FIDO Taglines. Set ON to cause taglines to
conform to FIDONET standards.
Use DTR to Hangup. Set ON unless your modem seems
to have problems hanging up (most common with
modems manufactured before 1987).
PostLink Routing. Set ON to automatically insert
PostLink routing information at the top of
your reply when you respond to a private
message on a PostLink networked BBS.
Load 1STTEXT. Set ON to allow 1stReader to load
the 1STTEXT file into memory. (1STTEXT
contains the text for the 1stReader screens.)
Setting this switch ON makes 1stReader run
faster; setting it OFF frees up 28K of memory
while the program is running.
Top of Form on Printer. Set ON to send a top-of-
form command to the printer after each file or
message that you print.
Page 7
Debug Scripts. Set ON to send the Debug command
to the Qmail Door; used to debug script files
(see the Advanced User's Guide to 1stReader).
When ON, the Kill command will not delete
files, message pointers will not be updated,
and messages that are uploaded will not be
inserted. When you exit a script when Debug
is ON, you will be placed in the script file
in edit mode so that you can
immediately edit the script.
Log Calls. Set ON to log all calls made with
1stReader. The log file, 1ST.LOG is created
in the system subdirectory, and separate log
files are created for each BBS in the BBS
subdirectory.
Save New File Lists. Set ON to save new file
lists that are downloaded with your packets;
set OFF to delete file lists when you delete
the associated packet.
Super Shell to DISK. Set ON to allow 1stReader to
"collapse" and write itself to a disk file
when you use the DOS shell (see Section 8).
If you execute programs from the DOS shell,
setting this ON will help prevent low-memory
problems.
Super Shell to EMS. Set ON to allow 1stReader to
"collapse" and put itself in EMS when you use
the DOS shell (see Section 8). If you set
this ON and you don't have EMS, 1stReader will
execute the Super Shell to DISK option.
Skip Messages You Read. Set ON if you do not wish
to read messages in the "Personal" conference
again when they come up in the conference they
were sent in.
Terminal Alarms. Set ON to sound an audible alarm
when you connect to a system or when you
finish a Zmodem file transfer.
Sort Confs. Set ON to sort conferences in
alphabetical instead of numerical order.
Large MSG Screen. Set to ON then 1stReader does
away with the command menu displayed at the
bottom of the view messages screen. It will
give you an additional four lines of text to
display.
Page 8
Using 4DOS. Set to ON if you are using 4DOS.
1stReader will then use the 4DOS .BTM batch
file extension instead of .BAT files.
Lock Serial Port. Set to ON 1stReader will keep
your serial port opened at the baud rate
specified for the telephone number you are
calling rather than having 1stReader set the
baud rate based on the CONNECT string received
from the BBS.
Auto Alias. Set to ON then 1stReader will
automatically leave messages from you as your
alias name.
Show Packet Names. Set to ON then 1stReader will
display the mail packets by name instead of
the date and time of mail packet. This helps
out users who were familiar with other mail
readers that *did* show the packet names.
Trim Quotes. Set to ON then when you quote text
into your reply 1stReader will trim the length
of the line to 79 characters so it fits on one
line without wrapping.
Disable ANSI Messages. Set to ON then 1stReader
will never display a message as ANSI unless
you press ALT+A to do it.
Quick Scan Messages. Set to ON then 1stReader will
always display the list of messages to you
between each message you view.
Clear Input Fields. Set to ON then 1stReader will
clear the data entry fields when you enter the
first keystroke.
Ask on ANSI messages. Set to ON then 1stReader
will ask you if you wish to view the next
message as an ANSI message.
Skip messages From You. Set to ON then 1stReader
will skip messages that were left by you in
message conferences only. It will not skip
messages left by you in the FOLDERS or
REPLIES conferences.
Page 9
EDITING TAGLINES
You can have as many as 1000 taglines on file. To edit your
list of taglines, do the following:
1. On the opening menu, select "Setup".
2. Select "Taglines".
3. To add a new tagline, select "Insert", type the new
tagline, and press [ENTER].
You can also add a new tagline when you save a
message by entering the tagline on the save
message screen and selecting "Save".
To delete a tagline, highlight the tagline you wish to
delete, then select "Delete".
To change a tagline, highlight the tagline you wish to
change, press [ENTER], change the tagline, and
press [ENTER] again.
To sort the taglines in alphabetical order, select
"Sort".
If you wish to import taglines from a text file press
CTRL+I and enter the name of the file to import.
If you wish to export taglines from 1stReader to a text
file press CTRL+E and enter the name of the file
to export.
CHANGING COMMUNICATION SETTINGS
To change your communication settings, do the following:
1. On the opening menu, select "Setup".
2. Select "Comm".
3. The default settings are shown below. Change them by
positioning your cursor over the item to change and
typing the correct information.
Serial port 1 (values 1-4)
Maximum baud rate 1200 (values 1200-57600)
Modem init string ATZ
Dialing prefix #1 ATDT
Dialing prefix #2
Dialing suffix
Page 10
These settings are based on the assumption
that you are using a Hayes-compatible
modem. Check the user guide that came
with your modem for more information.
For non-standard serial port addresses, enter
the port address as "Base address, IRQ".
For example, port 3 is "3E8,4".
You may follow the letters in the dialing
prefix #1 with any digits used by your
telephone system (for example, a "9" to
get an outside line, or "1170," to block
call waiting). Include a comma for any
required pauses (for example, to wait for
a new dial tone).
Dialing time 45
Redial delay 5
The dialing time is the number of seconds
allowed for the modem to dial and make a
connection before a time-out error
occurs. The redial delay is the number
of seconds the modem will wait after a
time-out error or a busy signal before
redialing.
Maximum attempts 50
This determines how many times the modem will
redial if a connection is not made.
Zmodem upload command. This command should be
"QSZ portx %4 sz %3" unless you choose to
install an alternative communication protocol.
Zmodem download command. This command should be
"QSZ portx %4 rz %3" unless you choose to
install an alternative communication protocol.
CHANGING SETUPS FOR COLORS, CALLS, PC-PURSUIT, AND REPLIES
If you use a calling card or PC Pursuit, a service of Sprint
that lets you call BBSs around the country for a dollar a
minute, you need to set up 1stReader with the appropriate
information.
You can also change the screen colors, add a standard
signature line to append to all your replies, or change the
character that is used in your replies to indicate quotes
from previous messages.
Page 11
To modify any of these features, do the following:
1. On the opening menu, select "Setup".
2. Select "Editors".
3. To change the screen colors, select "Colors" or press
[F10]. Then follow the directions on-screen to
change the colors for the list screen, editor,
dialog boxes, message quoting, and messages.
To set up PC Pursuit, select "PC-Pursuit Info", and
enter your local access number, PC Pursuit user ID,
and PC Pursuit password. (For more information on
PC Pursuit, call Sprint at 1-800-736-1130.)
Calling card number. Insert the number here. You
can then add it to the dialing sequence for a
BBS by putting a pound sign (#) at the end of
the telephone number on the BBS Information
screen. See Section 4 for more information.
Your signature. The text you type here is
automatically appended to the end of each
reply you create.
Quote character. This character is placed at the
beginning of each line of text that you quote
from a message into a reply.
CHANGING EDITORS OR PATHS
Advanced users can select an external editor for 1stReader
to use, or configure the paths to 1stReader's working
directories to suit their preferences. To modify these
features, do the following:
1. On the opening menu, select "Setup".
2. Select "Editors".
3. Position your cursor over the item you want to change
and type the correct information.
Calling Card Number. Insert the number here. You
can then add it to the dialing sequence for a
BBS by putting a pound sign (#) at the end of
the telephone number on the BBS Information
Screen. (See Section 4 for more information)
Your Signature. The text you type here is
automatically appended to the end of each
reply.
Page 12
Quote Character. This character is placed at the
beginning of each line of text that you quote
from a message into a reply.
External List. If you are using 1stReader's
internal file viewer, this is usually blank.
To use an external file viewer, enter the
viewer's executable name such as LIST.
External editor. If you are using 1stReader's
internal editor, this is usually blank. To
use an external editor, enter the editor's
executable name, followed by the parameters
for feeding two files into it. For example,
for QEDIT, enter "Q %R %O". (To use an
external editor, you must also change the
setup switch as explained on page 3-1).
'Original' Filespec. ORIGINAL unless you are
using an external editor that can edit only
one file at a time. Then use REPLY as the
'original' filespec.
'Reply' Filespec. This should always be REPLY.
Mail packet location. 1stReader puts your mail
packets into the directory specified here.
You can change this if you wish.
Files location. 1stReader puts files that you
download into the directory specified here.
You can change this if you wish.
Programs location. 1stReader unpacks .ZIP files
into the directory specified here. You can
change this if you wish.
Work area location. 1stReader uses the directory
specified here as a temporary work area when
unpacking your mail packets. Files in this
directory are erased by 1stReader, so don't
put files you want to keep in this directory.
You can change this if you wish.
Name of Phone Book. You can now group your systems
into phone books and save different setups
with a separate phone book for each setup.
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CHANGING FILE PACKERS
1stReader comes with a file packer (or archiver) called
QZIP and QUNZIP. If you choose to use a different file
packer, install it into the 1stReader directory, then do the
following:
1. On the opening menu, select "Setup".
2. Select "Pack".
3. Enter the information for the packer that you have
installed:
ZIP Pack @API$(5)QZIP %1 %2 /NOCLS /CURSOR_OFF
Unpack @API$(5)QUNZIP -O %1 %2 %3 /NOCLS
ARC Pack PKARC A %1 %2
Unpack PKXARC /R %1 %2 %3
ARJ Pack ARJ A %1 %2
Unpack ARJ E %1 %2 %3
LZH Pack LHA A %1 %2
Unpack LHA E %1 %2 %3
ZOO Pack ZOO -add %1 %2
Unpack ZOO -extract %1 *.*
Page 14
SETTING UP A BBS
Before you can use 1stReader to call a BBS, or to read or
reply to messages you have downloaded from a BBS, you must
enter some basic information about the BBS.
ENTERING A NEW BBS
To enter information for a new system (one that you've never
used 1stReader to call before), do the following:
1. From the first 1stReader screen, select "New
BBS" system.
2. Enter the QWK mail packet name for this BBS.
Confirmation. Some bulletin board systems require you
to occasionally confirm who you are by entering
your birthday (Wildcat! systems frequently do
this). This field is used by 1stReader to transmit
the confirmation information to the BBS.
Enter the remaining information as necessary. You MUST
enter the system name, your login name and
password, and one telephone number.
If you want to use a calling card when calling the
BBS, put a pound sign (#) immediately after
the telephone number. (Be sure that the
number is also entered on the Advanced
Features screen; see Section 3 for more
information.)
For the remaining items, you may enter specific
information or simply use the default values:
Graphics: default is N
Baud rate: default is 1200
Door command: default is QMAIL4
Language: default is 0
Conference: default is 0
ScriptName: default is QMAIL4
FIDO Tags (Y/N): default is N
Prefix #: default is blank
City Code: default is blank
The graphics option determines whether the downloads
will be in color. If you have a monochrome
monitor, or if the setup switch for color is set
OFF (see Section 3), this setting will
automatically be "No."
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The conference option exists for BBSs that have doors
available only from certain conferences. It joins
that conference before using the Qmail door.
3. Exit and save.
CHANGING THE BBS INFORMATION SCREEN
1. From the list of systems on file, select Re"V"ise to
make modifications to the BBS you wish to make
changes for.
2. Make your changes on the BBS Information Screen.
3. Press [F10] to exit and save.
DELETING A BBS
1. From the list of systems on file, select Re"V"ise BBS
for the system you wish to delete.
2. On the BBS Information Screen, select "Delete".
3. Select "Yes" to delete all associated mail packets, or
"No" to save the associated mail packets.
MANAGING YOUR MAIL
You can use 1stReader's built-in communication software
whenever you call a BBS. When you initiate a mail call,
1stReader automatically logs you onto the BBS, uploads your
replies, deletes your reply packet, downloads your new
messages, and hangs up.
Once you've downloaded your messages, you can read and reply
to them when it's convenient for you. You don't have to
worry about running out of time on the system, running up
your phone bill, or tying up your phone line.
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CALLING THE BBS
To download messages and upload replies, do the following:
1. To call systems you have called before:
From the list of "Systems on file", use the spacebar to
tag each system you want to call. Then select "Get
new mail". (If you are only calling one system,
you can highlight it instead of tagging it, or you
can select the system, then select "Mail" from the
"Mail packets on file" screen.)
1stReader logs onto each BBS, uploads your
replies, deletes your reply packets, downloads
any new messages in the conferences you have
selected, hangs up, and takes you to the "Mail
packets on file" screen for the first BBS
called.
1stReader will download new messages and place
them into a QWK mail packet.
If you want 1stReader to complete the call
for you later, you must select the
system. This displays the list of "Mail
packets on file". Then select "Time" and
enter the time that the call should
begin. Be sure to enter the time in
military format (so that 1:00 p.m. is
13:00).
To call a system you have not called before:
From the list of "Systems on file", highlight the
system you want to call. Then select "Get mail".
Or you can select "Get Mail" from the "Mail packets
on file" screen too.
1stReader calls the BBS and puts you in terminal
mode. This lets you log onto the BBS and
complete security checks. (If the BBS
provides the QWK mail packet name during the
initial logon, note it and enter it on the BBS
information screen after you log off; see
Section 4 for more information.) While in
terminal mode, you can manually download
messages, select conferences, and so on. When
you are done, log off the BBS and press
[ALT]+X to go to the "Mail packets on file"
screen.
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READING YOUR MESSAGES
To read your messages, do the following.
1. From the list of "Systems on File", select the system
you downloaded the messages from. This displays a
list of "Mail packets on file" for the system you
selected.
2. From the "Mail packets on file", select the mail packet
you want to read, then wait while 1stReader loads
it.
With a keyboard, use the arrow keys to highlight
the packet you want, then press [ENTER].
With a mouse, select the highlighted packet by
clicking the "Read" button, or double-click on
the packet you want.
3. After you mail packet is loaded, one or more screens
from the BBS are displayed (typically, a welcome
screen, followed by news and a QMail session
screen). Follow the prompts on screen to get past
them to the "Read messages" screen.
4. At the "Read messages" screen, select "Read". This
displays the "Select a Conference" screen.
If the BBS uses PCBoard software, the "Select a
Conference" screen lists all the conferences
available on that BBS. If the BBS uses some
other software, this screen may list only
conferences that contain messages.
You can print the conference list by selecting
"Print".
Conferences that contain messages for you to read are
marked with a box between the conference number and
the conference name.
If the "Sort Conferences" switch is ON, the
conferences will be in alphabetical order,
with conferences that have messages in them
listed first. Otherwise, they will be in
numerical order. See Section 3 for more
information.
Use [PgUp] or [PgDn] to move your cursor from one
conference to the next conference that
contains messages. (If you are using a laptop
computer, you can use [SHIFT]+[ENTER] instead
of [PgDn].)
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These keys don't scroll around the list.
That is, [PgDn] won't take you past the
last conference that contains messages,
and [PgUp] won't take you past the first
conference that contains messages.
5. Select the conference you want to join, then wait while
the messages in that conference are loaded. (This
can take a while for very large conferences; the
graph in the dialog box shows you the progress.)
When the messages are loaded, the first message in the
conference is displayed.
If the message fills up more than one screen on
your computer, use the arrow keys to scroll
around the message, or [PgDn] or the spacebar
to display the next full screen. If you are
using a mouse, click on the small up and down
arrows at the bottom of the screen. With
1stReader, you can read messages up to 32,767
lines long.
At the end of a message, the spacebar or
[ENTER] takes you to the next message.
At the top of each message, you will see the
following information:
Date: Msg#: (Ref#: ) Read
To:
From: Subj #x of y
Subj: Msg #m of n
Date: is the date that the message was posted
by the person it is from.
Msg#: is the identification number assigned
to the message by the BBS you downloaded
it from. The same message will have
different numbers on different BBSs.
Ref#: is the Msg# of the message that this
message is a reply to.
Read. When this appears, you have already
read the message. If you don't want to
re-read your personal messages in the
conference they were sent in, set the
switch for skipping messages you've read
to ON. See Section 3 for more
information.
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To: is the person the message is addressed
to.
From: is the person who posted the message.
Subj: is what the message is about.
Because users may change the subject
without changing this line, it may not
accurately reflect the content of the
message.
Subj #x of y. Displayed only when messages
are sorted by subject. Indicates how
many messages with that subject line are
in the conference, and which one you are
on. For example, "5 of 9" would indicate
that you are reading the fifth of 9
messages on the subject.
Msg #m of n. Indicates how many messages are
in this conference, and which one you are
on.
6. To go from one message to the next within a conference,
you have several options:
Select "Next" or press [ENTER] or the spacebar to
move to the next message.
If you encounter a message that contains ANSI
code for graphics or music, you will be
asked whether you want to display it. If
you answer "No", you will see the
uninterpreted ANSI code (which looks like
random characters) rather than a graphic
or music. (See Section 7 for more
information on ANSI messages.)
Select "Previous" to go to the previous message.
Select "List messages" or press [INS] to see a
list of messages and select a message by
writer, recipient, or subject.
Messages you've already read are marked with
a square. Messages addressed to you are
bright white, and they beep when you
scroll past them.
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With 1stReader, you can change the order in which the
messages are listed and displayed, you can select
messages that contain a particular word, phrase, or
name, and you can choose to ignore particular
senders so that messages from them are not
displayed. To use any of these features, see
Section 7.
7. When you have read all the mail in a conference,
1stReader returns you to the "Select a Conference"
screen so you can join a new conference. The box
next to the conference number changes to a diamond
after you've joined the conference.
If you want to select a new conference before you
have finished reading all the messages in the
conference you are in, select "Join
conferences" to return to the "Select a
Conference" screen.
8. When you are finished with a mail packet, select "Quit"
or press [ESC] to return to the "Read Messages"
menu. At the "Read Messages" menu, select "Quit"
again. At the message, "Do you wish to quit
reading this packet?" select "Yes".
At this point, you may see a goodbye screen from
the BBS. Follow the screen prompts to move
past this screen, then continue.
At the message, "Delete this mail packet?" select "Yes"
or "No", as you prefer. If you select "Yes",
confirm the deletion.
If you have more packets from this BBS on file,
you return to the list of mail packets.
Otherwise, 1stReader displays the "Systems on
File" screen.
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REPLYING TO MESSAGES
To reply to a message, do the following:
1. With the message on your screen, select "Reply to
this message" to display a blank screen. The
recipient and subject line are displayed at the
top of the screen; if you like, you can change
these later, when you save the file.
2. Type your response. Besides the keyboard characters,
you can also use the following key combinations:
[CTL]+Arrow Move cursor one word at a time
[CTL]+A Accents last character typed
[CTL]+T Delete word
[CTL]+Y Delete line
[INS] Toggle between insert and typeover
mode
Replies created in 1stReader can be up to 200 lines
long. If you want to create a longer reply, you
can import a text file from another application;
see page "HERE" for more information.
It is often helpful to quote a portion of the message
you are responding to, to help the readers
understand the context of what you have to say.
To quote a portion of the message, press [F2].
Use [PgUp] and [PgDn] or the arrow keys to
scroll through the message to select the lines
you wish to quote. Then enter the line number
of the first line to quote, followed by the
line number of the last line to quote.
3. When you are satisfied with your response, press [F10]
On the save message screen, make sure the
recipient, subject, and conference are the way
you want them. Change them if necessary.
If you are not sure of the conference number
you want to save the reply to, enter a
question mark as the conference number to
display a list of conferences.
If you want to change the tagline, type the new
tagline or press [F2] to select a tagline from
your list. (See Section 3 for more
information.)
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If you want to save a copy of the message in a
folder, select "Folder", then select the
folder you want to save the message in. (See
Section 7 for more information.)
If you want to send a copy of the message to more
than one person, select "Copy" so that "No"
(immediately above "Copy") changes to "Yes".
If you have aliases set up for that BBS and want
to use an alias for this message, select
"Name." (See Section 8 for more information.)
When you are satisfied with the save message screen,
press [F10] again to save the message. If you
don't want to save the message, press [ESC] to
discard it.
If you are sending a copy to more than one person,
the save message screen reappears with a blank
"To:" line. Enter your second recipient, and
press [F10] again.
When you are done saving the message, 1stReader
displays the next message in the conference.
CHANGING OR DELETING A REPLY
You can change or delete a reply that you have saved but
have not yet uploaded to the BBS.
To change a reply, join the Replies conference and select
"Re-edit this message". Then edit the reply as necessary.
You can't quote additional lines from the original
message when you re-edit a reply. If you want to
quote from the original message, delete the reply,
join the conference with the message you want to
reply to, and create a new reply.
To delete a reply, join the Replies conference, display the
message you want to delete, and press [DEL]. At the prompt,
choose "Yes" to delete just the reply that is currently on
the screen, or "All" to delete all replies. (You can also
delete replies using the Delete message option; see Section
7 for more information.)
Page 23
ENTERING A NEW MESSAGE
To enter a new message, one that is not a reply to a
previous message, follow these steps:
1. At any existing message or reply, select "Enter a new
message".
If there are no message packets on file, select
the BBS, select "Read" from the list of "Mail
packets on file", select "Read" from the "Read
Messages" menu, then select "Enter a msg".
2. Type, edit, and save your message as you would a reply.
When you save a new message, the message is
addressed to ALL and the Subject is blank.
Change the "Message to:" line if necessary,
and enter a subject on the subject line.
The new message can be edited or deleted in the same
way as a reply.
CREATING A PERSONAL MESSAGE
1stReader allows you to designate messages as "Personal".
In general, this means that only the recipient will download
or read the message. But this designation does not mean
that the message is truly private (sysops and co-sysops, for
example, can read anything on their BBSs).
Messages entered in 1stReader (or any other off-line mail
reader) are not protected by the Electronic Communications
Privacy Act of 1986.
To make a message personal, do the following:
1. Create the message as usual (either a new message or a
reply to an existing message).
2. When you save the message, on the Save Message screen
change Private from "No" to "Yes" by pressing the
spacebar. Continue saving as usual.
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IMPORTING TEXT FILES INTO A MESSAGE OR REPLY
To import ASCII (plain or DOS) text files into a message or
reply, do the following:
1. With the message on your screen and the cursor at the
position you want the text to appear, press [F3].
2. Type the name of the file, including the full directory
path, and press [ENTER]. (If you are not sure of
the name of the file, type the directory path to
display a list of files to choose from.) The text
then appears in your message, where you can edit it
as if it were new text you had just typed in.
Messages and replies created this way can be up to 4,000
lines long. However, many BBSs limit the length of messages
they accept. If you have any questions about message limits
on the BBSs you post on, contact the sysop for more
information.
VIEWING SERVICES
When you download a message packet, 1stReader automatically
downloads any services that you subscribe to. To view the
services, do the following.
1. Select a message packet the same way that you do when
you read messages.
2. At the "Read Messages" menu, select "Services" to read
the services that you received.
3. When you are done viewing services, press [ESC] to
return to the "Read Messages" menu.
VIEWING EXTRA FEATURES
When you download a message packet, 1stReader automatically
downloads information about any extra features that are
available on that BBS. To view the features, do the
following.
1. Select a message packet the same way that you do when
you read messages.
2. At the "Read Messages" menu, select "Extra Features" to
read about the features that are available.
Page 25
3. When you are done viewing extra features, press [ESC]
to return to the "Read Messages" menu.
DELETING A MESSAGE PACKET
To delete a message packet, do the following:
1. From the list of "Systems on File", select the system
for the packet you want to delete. This displays a
list of "Mail packets on file."
2. From the list of "Mail packets on file", highlight the
mail packet you want to delete, then select
"Delete".
You can also delete a message packet when you quit reading
the packet. When prompted, "Delete this packet?" simply
select "Yes".
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TERMINAL MODE
In terminal mode, 1stReader lets you control the activities
on the BBS, whether you are downloading programs or playing
on-line games. And 1stReader's built-in file management
tools make it easy to unpack compressed files and put them
where you need them to be.
TERMINAL MODE
When you select "Terminal" from the 1stReader opening menu
you will be asked to enter a telephone number to dial. This
is the main difference between "Terminal" and the "Call BBS"
buttons. "Call BBS" already knows the telephone number(s)
to dial as well as the connect speed.
Press [ALT]+X to exit terminal mode and return to the opening
menu.
Page 26
CALLING A BBS
When you call a BBS with 1stReader's terminal mode, you can
easily download or upload files, play on-line games, or
perform other operations online. To use this feature, do
the following:
1. From the list of "Systems on file", highlight the
system for you wish to upload or download files.
2. Select "Call". 1stReader completes the call and logs
you onto the BBS.
From this point, you can download or upload files, play
on-line games, or perform other operations.
A list of recently uploaded files is downloaded with
each message packet you download with 1stReader, as
explained below. Look over that list before
calling a BBS to reduce the amount of time you
spend online.
3. When you are done with your logon session, press
[ALT]+X to go to the "Mail packets on file" screen.
You can also call a BBS in terminal mode from the "Read
Messages" menu or the "Mail packets on file" screen. Select
"Call" and proceed as above.
1stReader can display help for the bulletin board system if a
copy of the user's manual is available on your system. If
you press the [F10] key while connected to your system then
1stReader will attempt to locate the user's guide for the
BBS (if one has been provided).
Please see the advanced user's guide on how to setup a user's
guide for 1stReader.
Page 27
VIEWING FILE LISTS
When you download a message packet, 1stReader also downloads
a list of the files on the BBS that are available for you to
download. The list of files includes only those files that
have been uploaded to the BBS since the last time you
downloaded a message packet with 1stReader.
To view the list of files, do the following.
1. Select a message packet the same way that you do when
you read messages (see Section 5).
2. At the "Read Messages" menu, select "Files" to display
the list of files. Note that the files themselves
are not downloaded, but only the names and
descriptions.
3. When you are done viewing files, press [ESC] to return
to the "Read Messages" menu. At this point, you
can call the BBS in terminal mode by selecting
"Call".
Please note that when you delete a message packet, the list
of files is deleted UNLESS you select the setup option "Save
file lists". See Section 3 for more information.
MANAGING DOWNLOADED FILES AND PROGRAMS
1stReader's file management function makes it easy for you
to manage downloaded files and programs. It allows you to
display, unpack, copy or delete files on your hard drive.
To use 1stReader's file management function, do the
following:
1. At the initial 1stReader screen, select "Manage Files",
OR at the "System Setup" menu screen, select
"Manage Subdirectories", OR at the "Read Messages"
screen that is displayed when you open a packet,
select "Manage Subdirectories".
2. To display a list of the files and subdirectories in
the directory shown, press [ENTER]. To display a
list of the files and subdirectories in some other
directory, type the full path of the directory and
press [ENTER].
You can go directly to the subdirectories that
contain downloaded files and programs by
selecting the "Files" or "Programs" buttons.
Page 28
3. On the directory listing, directories are listed first,
and are marked off by blocks. Files are listed
after the directories.
Change directories by highlighting a directory
name and pressing [ENTER].
List, copy, edit, unpack, execute, or delete files by
highlighting the file and selecting the appropriate
button.
List: Display the contents of an ASCII (plain or
DOS) text file. To print the file you are
viewing, press [ALT]+P; to cancel printing,
press [ESC]. (1stReader does not support
PostScript printers.)
Copy: Copy the file to another directory. After
you select "Copy," type in the full path of
the directory to copy the file into.
Edit: Edit an ASCII (plain or DOS) text file.
Unpack: Uncompress a ZIP file. Automatically
creates a subdirectory for the ZIP file in
1stReader's Programs subdirectory and
unpacks the file there.
Go: If there is a file named GO.BAT, GO.BTM,
GO.COM, GO.EXE, or GO.CMD in the subdirectory,
execute this file. (It doesn't matter which
file is highlighted when you select "Go".)
Delete: Erase the highlighted file or subdirectory.
Page 29
USING MESSAGE OPTIONS
Because some messages, some subjects, and (let's be honest)
some people are more interesting than others, 1stReader
gives you several options for managing the messages that you
download.
You can save messages, or print them on your printer.
You can interpret and display messages that include
ANSI codes for graphics, music, and the like.
If a particular sender is a nuisance, you can set
1stReader to ignore all messages from that person,
and those messages will not be displayed or listed.
You can sort messages by sender, recipient, subject, or
date and time.
You can search for messages that contain a particular
word, phrase, or name.
If a file has been enclosed with the message on your
screen, you can request that file to be sent to
you on your next call to the BBS.
You can delete replies and messages that you have
saved.
All of the message options can be selected from the Options
list. With any message on screen, simply select "Options"
and the option you want. Or use the [ALT] key as described
below.
Page 30
SAVING OR PRINTING MULTIPLE MESSAGES
To save, print, or file more than one message at a time, do
the following:
1. With any message on screen, press [INS] to display a
list of messages in the conference.
2. Use the space bar or select "Flag Msg" to flag the
appropriate messages. ("Flag All" works as a
toggle to flag or unflag all messages in the
conference.)
3. Press [ENTER] to return to the message.
4. Select "Options" and the option you want.
SAVING A MESSAGE
1stReader gives you two ways to save messages without having
to save an entire packet.
First, you can place the message in a folder. Later, you
can access the folder as though it were another conference,
and reply to the message or quote it in another message. Up
to 32,767 messages may be placed in a single folder, and you
may have as many folders as you wish.
Second, you can save a message as an ASCII (plain or DOS)
text file.
To place a message in a folder, do the following:
1. Make sure that the message is on your screen, or that
the message is flagged on the message list.
2. Press [ALT]+F for "File message(s)".
3. Select the folder you want to place the message in.
If you need to create a new folder, select
"Create". Then enter a folder name (up to
eight characters) and description.
A message is displayed telling you how many message
slots are left in the folder, and you return to the
message.
Page 31
To save a message as an ASCII text file, do the following:
1. Make sure that the message is on your screen, or that
the message is flagged on the message list.
2. Press [ALT]+T for "Save message(s) to Text".
3. At "Save this message to:" type the file name that you
want the message to be saved to. (If you want the
file saved somewhere besides your 1stReader
directory, be sure to specify a path.) The message
is saved, and you return to the message.
PRINTING A MESSAGE
To print a message, do the following:
1. Make sure that the message is on your screen, or that
the message is flagged on the message list.
2. Make sure your printer is on-line. If you have a
PostScript printer, switch it to IBM or HP
emulation mode.
2. Press [ALT]+P for "Print message(s)".
At this point, the message prints, and you move to the next
message.
DISPLAYING A MESSAGE THAT CONTAINS ANSI CODE
Messages that contain ANSI code create graphics or music on
some computers. Uninterpreted ANSI code usually includes
seemingly random numbers and letters, mixed up with spaces,
square braces, and commas.
Whenever you come across a message that contains ANSI code,
you are asked if you want to display it. If you choose not
to, then change your mind, you can display it by doing the
following:
1. Make sure that the message is on your screen.
2. Press [ALT]+A for "ANSI message display". The message
will be interpreted and displayed without the
normal message header at the top of the screen.
When you are done viewing the message, simply move
to the next message as usual.
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IGNORING A SENDER
You're not obligated to read everything that everyone posts,
of course. [ENTER] will take you past the posts that you
don't care to read. But you may occasionally run across
someone who is such a nuisance that you don't even want to
see their posts. When this happens, 1stReader lets you
ignore them completely.
When you ignore someone with 1stReader, you will not see any
messages from them on that BBS, although you will continue
to see messages to them.
To ignore a sender, do the following:
1. With a message from that person on screen, press
[ALT]+I for "Ignore NAME", where NAME is the name
of the person you wish to ignore.
2. Select "Yes" to confirm.
Because messages from people you are ignoring are omitted
when the conference is loaded, you will still see messages
from the person until you load another conference. If you
want to begin ignoring the person immediately, simply select
"Join conferences", join another conference, then rejoin the
conference you were in.
Note that 1stReader keeps a separate list of people to
ignore for each BBS. If the person posts to more than one
BBS that you receive messages on, you must repeat this for
each BBS.
A Zippy text search will find and list messages from people
you are ignoring.
If you change your mind about ignoring someone, do the
following:
1. With any message on your screen, press [ALT]+E for
"Edit ignore list".
2. Delete the name of the person you wish to quit
ignoring.
Then rejoin the conference as above.
Page 33
SORTING MESSAGES
With 1stReader, you can sort messages by number, sender,
receiver, subject, or date and time.
To change the sort order while reading messages, do the
following:
1. With any message on your screen, select "Options".
2. Press [ALT]+S for "Sort order".
3. Select the field to sort by. (Note that if you sort by
"To" or "From", the sort is by the person's first
name, not last name.)
Since this is changed in your setup, all packets and
conferences are sorted in the new order.
SEARCHING FOR KEY WORDS
The subject lines don't always tell you exactly what's in a
message. If you want to find all messages that refer to a
particular subject, you can search your messages for a key
word, phrase, or name by doing the following:
1. With any message on your screen, press [ALT]+Z for
"Zippy text search".
2. The switches on the right side of the screen will be
set OFF. If you want to limit the search to the
conference you are in, include messages you have
read, or include taglines in the search, change the
switches as you like.
3. Enter the key words to search for. The search finds
all matches of the exact sequence of letters you
type (ignoring differences in case), but it does
not find related words. If you enter "Nation", the
search will find nation, NATIONAL, condemnation,
and so on, but if you enter "confidence", it will
not find "confident".
If you want to save the search parameters as your
default search, select "Save".
Page 34
4. Select "Begin", then wait while 1stReader scans the
messages. As soon as all the messages have been
scanned, messages with a matching sequence are
placed in a special "Zippy" conference, which you
automatically join.
REQUESTING AN ENCLOSED FILE
To request a file that has been enclosed (or attached) to the
current message, do the following:
1. Make sure that the message on your screen has a file
attached to it. If you see "File:" followed by a
file name then there is a file attached to the
message.
2. Press [ALT]+G for "Get enclosed file". You will
be asked to confirm if you wish to receive the
file on your next call to the bulletin board
system.
DELETING A REPLY OR A MESSAGE IN A FOLDER
To delete a reply or a message that you have saved in a
folder, do the following:
1. Make sure the message is on your screen or flagged on
the message list.
2. Press [ALT]+D for "Delete message(s)". The word
"Deleted" at the upper left-hand corner of the
message.
The message is erased when you exit the mail
packet. Until then, you may undelete the
message by selecting "Options" and selecting
"Undelete".
Page 35
USING MISCELLANEOUS FEATURES
If you're an "average" 1stReader user, you may never have
any reason to use the following features. However, they are
included as a convenience for those who have particular
hardware or those with some degree of expertise with their
system software and hardware.
If you are looking for features to give you still more power
and flexibility, please see the Advanced User's Guide to
1stReader.
USING THE VIRTUAL KEYBOARD
If a physical disability makes it difficult for you to use a
keyboard, you can "type" with a mouse using 1stReader's
virtual keyboard.
There are two ways to call up the virtual keyboard:
1. Press the left and right mouse buttons at the same time.
2. Move the mouse cursor to the upper left corner of the
screen, then click either mouse button.
SHELLING TO DOS
You can drop to a DOS shell from anywhere within 1stReader
by pressing [F5]. To get back to 1stReader, type "exit" and
press [ENTER]. (If you re-execute 1stReader from the C>
prompt within the shell, you are likely to run out of
memory.)
You can also go to a DOS shell from the "Read Messages"
screen by selecting the "Jump to DOS" button.
If you execute other programs from the shell, you can avoid
running out of memory by setting the Super Shell switches ON
(see Section 3 for more information.)
Page 36
USING A THREE-BUTTON MOUSE
If you have a three-button mouse, the center button offers
two special functions.
1. When you are reading messages, press the center button
to display the list of messages in that conference.
2. When you are on a screen that has a list of items to
select at the top and command buttons at the
bottom, press the center button to "ping-pong"
between the list and the buttons.
USING ALIASES
Some BBSs allow users to log on with an alias. This gives
the user a greater degree of privacy by preventing other
users from seeing his or her real name in messages, download
reports, and other BBS records.
1stReader provides the necessary support for the use of
aliases. To find out whether a particular BBS will allow
you to use an alias, and what you need to do to set one up,
contact the sysop.
Once your aliases have been set up, you may choose to use
them each time you save a message. See Section 5 for more
information.
Page 37
CONFIGURING THE QMAIL DOOR
1stReader allows you to configure the Qmail Door off-line,
reducing the amount of time you have to spend on-line and
simplifying the process.
Please note that if the Advanced Features switch in the
configuration setup is set ON, you will see additional
configuration options. See the Advanced User's Guide to
1stReader for more information on these options.
To configure your Door, do the following:
1. From the list of "Systems on file", select the BBS.
2. At the list of "Mail packets on file", select "Read".
3. At the "Command Menu", select "Door".
4. Select the configuration option you wish to change,
then follow the directions below.
Add a new conference into the Qmail Door scanning list
Use the arrow keys to highlight the conference you
wish to select, then press [ENTER]. (You can
select up to 7,700 conferences.)
Drop a conference from the Qmail Door scanning list
Use the arrow keys to highlight the conference you
wish to drop, then press [ENTER].
If the Advanced Features switch is ON, you
can add or delete conferences from the
conference selection screen when you are
reading your mail. Just highlight the
conference and select "Add Conf" or
"Drop". If Advanced Features is OFF, you
will not see the "Add Conf" or "Drop"
buttons.
Reset a conference to a previous message number
Use the arrow keys to highlight the conference you
wish to reset, press [ENTER], and enter the
new number.
The changes you make are compiled into a command file that
is executed the next time you use 1stReader to call the BBS.
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GLOSSARY
This glossary will help you understand some of the more
frequent terms used on bulletin boards today.
---Numbers---
8N1 - The most common modem format. [See also format].
1200 bps (baud) - In the mid 1980s this was the most common
transmission speed, until 2400 bps became popular/cheaper.
It is roughly equal to 120 characters per second.
2400 bps (baud) - A fairly high-speed transmission speed that
towards the end of the 1980s gained popularity. It is
roughly equal to 240 characters per second.
8250 UART - The UART used for the communications ports on
most older computers.
9600 bps (baud) - This, along with 14,400 bps are the 2
standard speeds for high-speed modems. It can transmit and
receive approximately 960 characters per second (without
compression).
14400 bps - Currently, the fastest standard speed for high-
speed modems.
16550 UART - This is the UART used with most newer computers
and high speed modems. There are several variations, but
they all include one main feature: they include buffering, so
that if data comes in or is sent faster than the
computer/modem can accept it, the UART will hold the data (up
to 16 bytes) until the computer/modem is ready for it.
---A---
abort - [1] The command word used with editors that allows
you to exit, destroying your message. [2] The character used
to stop characters from a block of text appearing on your
screen. Usually the spacebar or CTRL-X are used to abort a
message.
Page 39
access - Refers to an intangible amount (usually represented
by a security level or flags) that indicate to what extent
you are allowed to use a BBS. When used in a term such as
`you will be granted access', it means the amount of access
that new users will generally receive.
account - A term that refers to information that a BBS has
about you. It is usually referred to by an ID number or your
name. The information it contains can include any
information that you have at some point given the BBS,
usually including your name, phone number, and security
level.
alias - A name that users can use on a bulletin board that is
not their own. Aliases are usually used by young BBS users
and those who pirate software or do other illegal activities.
Some examples of aliases are `Cracker Kid', `Starbuck', and
`Midnight Killer'. [Also called handle].
anonymous - Refers to a message, where the author was able to
leave out his name. On some BBS's you are allowed to post
anonymous messages so that others won't know who you are.
The SysOp usually can find out who the author is, however.
ANSI - ANSI is an organization that sets standards. ANSI
graphics, however, is a set of cursor control codes which
originated on the VT100 smart terminal. Many BBS's use these
codes to help improve the sending of characters to
communications programs. It uses the escape character,
followed by other characters, which allows movement of the
cursor on the screen, a change of color, and more.
ARC - When a filename has the extension ARC, it means that it
is an archive that has been compressed with the program
PKARC. To get the files out of the archive, you need to use
the program PKXARC. You should be able to find this program
on many BBS's.
archive - [noun] A group of programs that are together,
usually compressed, in one file. [verb] the process of
combining those files. There are a number of software
packages which will compress files into an archive, and most
programs on BBS's have been archived with one of these
software packages.
Page 40
area code - The 3-digit number used by the telephone company
to designate a geographic area. Each state in the United
States has 1 or more area codes. If you call a phone number
in a different area code, you must dial "1" and then the area
code before the phone number. If you call a number within
your area code, you just dial the phone number (if it is long
distance within your area code, you must dial "1" and then
the number).
ARJ - [1] A file extension that indicates that the file was
compressed with the program ARJ. [2] The program ARJ, used
to archive and un-archive files with the ARJ extension.
ASCII - An acronym for American Standard Code of Information
Interchange. It uses 7 bits to represent all uppercase and
lowercase characters, as well as numbers, punctuation marks,
and other characters. ASCII often uses 8 bits in the form of
bytes and ignores the first bit.
ASCII transfer - When a text file is sent directly as it is,
without any special codes.
AT command - Any instructions sent to a modem that begin with
"AT". See also Hayes AT command set.
at sign - The character @. Often read as 'at'.
auto-baud detect - The ability of a modem to change to a
lower bps rate if the computer it is calling is unable to
communicate at the requested speed.
auto-dial - When a modem is capable of dialing a phone
number, so that you don't have to dial manually. Almost all
modems have this ability.
auto-download - The feature of some file transfer protocols
whereby a BBS can automatically make your communications
program start a download or upload (if your communications
program has this capability too). This saves some time for
the user, who would otherwise have to set up his program to
upload or download.
auto-redial - A feature that allows a modem or a
communications program to dial a number again after it finds
out that the number is busy. This is very handy when trying
to get through to popular bulletin boards that are often
busy.
Page 41
---B---
baud - A term referring to the speed at which modems
communicate. Technically, it is the number of changes in an
electronic signal per second. Since the number of changes
used to be the same as the number of bits sent or received
per second, bps and baud are often used interchangeably.
However, there is a difference, which is very often confused.
For example, many 1200bps modems were advertised as 1200
baud, even though they operate at 600 baud. They send out 2
bits 600 times a second, which means that it is 600 baud.
However, since it is so often misunderstood, you can assume
that when you see "baud" it means bits per second, unless it
is stated otherwise. The term comes from the scientist J. M.
E. Baudot.
BBS - An acronym for Bulletin Board System. Usually it is a
home computer that has a modem attached and is waiting for
calls from other computers. It can, however, also refer to
commercial services (such as CompuServe and Prodigy) and any
other computers that you can call via telephone lines. BBS's
almost always allow you to leave messages for other users.
Most BBS's have programs that you can download and use on
your computer. BBS can also be expanded more simply to
`bulletin board'.
bps - Bits Per Second. The transmission speed of most modems
is measured in baud or bps. Bps is literally the number of
bits sent by the modem every second.
break signal - This is a signal sent from one modem to
another that lasts for about a second. It is sometimes used
to try to clear up synchronization problems. On CCITT V.42
modems, there are more specialized procedures involved with
the break signal, such as regarding the timing. In V.42
there are three kinds of break signals.
bulletin - A special message posted on a BBS, usually written
by the SysOp. In most cases all users are expected to read
any new bulletins that may have been posted since their last
call.
busy - When a bulletin board is being used by as many users
as it can handle, which is when all the telephone lines are
being used.
byte - A group of 8 bits. It usually represents one
character.
Page 42
---C---
caller - Anyone who connects with a BBS. It is usually used
in a phrase such as "You are caller #4328."
caller I.D. - A code that is sent over the phone lines in
some areas when a person makes a phone call. This code
includes the phone number of the person making the call.
Some modems are able to understand this signal, and let you
know who is calling you before you answer the phone.
call waiting - A service that the phone company offers that
allows the customer to hear a special sound on the phone if
there is an incoming call while the customer is talking on
the phone. The customer can then talk with either caller.
This is a nice service unless you have a modem and call
BBS's. If you are connected with a BBS and someone else
calls you, you will be disconnected. In most areas there is
a special 2 or 3 digit number that you can dial before a
phone call that will disconnect call waiting for that call.
If you have call waiting, check your phonebook or call the
phone company to find out how to disconnect call waiting.
capture - To 'catch' text that is being sent to your computer
from a BBS and put it in a buffer or a file.
capture buffer - The area in a computer's memory where a
communications program stores incoming data that is to be
saved. [Also called capture memory].
carrier - The tone that the modem sends over the phone lines
before any data is sent on it. It has a fixed frequency and
a fixed amplitude. It is then modified to indicate data.
carrier detect - The wire in an RS-232C cable that holds the
information as to whether or not the modem senses a carrier
(and therefore is connected to another computer). [Also
called CD].
characters per second - The number of bytes or characters
that can be sent over the phone lines in 1 second. This is
determined by dividing the bps rate by the number of bits it
takes to send one byte (usually 10--the start bit, 8 bits of
data, and the stop bit). So, a 2400bps modem can send 240
characters per second (2400/10). [Same as CPS].
chat - A mode that allows two or more people (almost always a
SysOp and a user on a BBS) to communicate directly with each
other using the modem. Usually, each person can see what the
other is typing at all times and can interrupt them (a
beeping sound with a CTRL-G is useful to interrupt with).
Page 43
chat mode - This is when a communications program is set up
so that the user can "chat" with someone on the other end of
the line. One way this can work is that anything that is
typed by the other person is printed on the top half of the
screen, but anything you type would appear on the bottom half
of the screen.
checksum - A number that represents a larger group of numbers
in order to check for errors in data transmission. It is
commonly used when downloading a program, as well as in error
control protocols. The checksum is the result of a
mathematical equation, such as adding all the numbers in a
block together (although it is usually more complex than
that).
COM port - IBM and compatible computers have the ability to
hook up devices (such as modems and mice) to the computer,
through ports. These ports are called COM ports, and are
numbered 1-8. While all 8 could be used, usually only #1 and
#2 are used, while #3 and #4 are used occasionally.
communications program - A program that controls a modem, and
has features that allow the user to do such things as upload,
down-load, etc. It is similar to a terminal program but more
sophisticated. It used to be used interchangeably with
terminal program. [Same as comm program].
connect - [1] To get to a point where you can start
communicating with a BBS, as in "I have connected with the
BBS." [2] Any point after you have established contact with
a BBS, as in "I am still connected with the BBS" or "I have
been connected with the bulletin board for just over an
hour."
connect speed - The speed, in bps, which your modem uses when
it connects with a BBS. This speed will depend on the speed
of your modem, and the BBS's modem. It will be no higher
than the lower of the two speeds. If you have a 2400bps
modem, and call a 1200bps BBS, your connect speed should be
1200bps.
connection - The actual contact with a BBS. It is used most
often in expressions such as "I have a bad connection,"
meaning that there is line noise.
control character - Any of the 32 ASCII characters that do
not print on your screen or printer. These characters are
usually used to control your computer.
Page 44
copyright - A term meaning that a program or text file is
protected by the government so that it may not legally be
copied, except to make backup copies, or as specified by the
author of the program. You should not upload a copyrighted
program to a BBS, unless it is shareware or freeware.
Co-SysOp - A term similar to a vice president. The Co-SysOp
of a BBS has more access to the BBS than any other user
except the SysOp. The Co-SysOp might check messages to make
sure that they are suitable for the BBS (not containing
illegal messages), and he may be able to validate users.
Sometimes a Co-SysOp is just a title given to someone who
helped the BBS a lot by doing things such as posting messages
and uploading. Also, many times there is more than one Co-
SysOp.
CRC - Stands for Cyclic Redundancy Check. CRC is a system to
make sure that a block of data (usually from a downloaded
program) is as free from error as possible. It is usually 16
or 32 bits long (CRC-16 and CRC-32 respectively).
crash - When a BBS is harmed in such a way that it is
temporarily inoperable. The usual cause is that some files
are destroyed, either by accident or by a hacker. Some
people try to crash BBS's, a fact that most users (and
especially SysOps) think is sad.
crash recovery - This feature of some file transfer protocols
allows a user to continue a download or upload that had been
interrupted. With this system, a user will not have to
receive the data that had already been sent before the
disconnection, which will save time.
CTRL - The abbreviation for ConTRoL. This abbreviation is
followed by a dash and then a character, such as CTRL-C,
meaning the control character C.
CTRL-G - The control character G, which usually causes the
computer to produce a beeping sound.
---D---
default - A setting or an answer to a question that is
automatically assumed. If 80 columns is a default, then you
only have to change it if you want something other than 80
columns.
dial - To send out either the tones or pulses that the phone
company needs to understand what number you are calling.
Most modems will dial automatically (auto-dial).
Page 45
dial modifiers - Any commands that are sent to a modem which
change the way a phone number is dialed. For example: tone,
pulse, and pause.
disconnect - To hang up the phone and cause the connection
between your modem and another computer to be stopped. Most
BBS programs have a way of disconnecting a user who has
called the bulletin board, if it is needed.
disk capture - This is when a communications program will
save incoming information to the disk. This is useful if you
are receiving a text file that you want to read later.
door - A gateway that will allow a bulletin board to run a
program while a user is on the BBS. Games are popular doors
on BBS's, although doors can be used for serious purposes,
too.
down - A word meaning that a bulletin board is not working,
so that you can not connect with it. This can mean that
there was a crash, or it could simply mean that the SysOp is
playing a game on his computer. Often a SysOp will leave a
phone connected to his BBS line off the hook when he is using
the computer so that you will get a busy signal.
download - To receive a computer file from a bulletin board.
It is usually a computer program, but can also be a text
file.
---E---
echomail - This is a technique used by many BBS's that will
allow a message base to be shared by many BBS's. Usually
late at night the BBS's will exchange any new messages. This
way a user on one BBS can interact with users on other BBS's
editor - The part of the BBS that allows you to enter a
message and edit it.
E-mail - Electronic mail. Messages that are sent to
individual people. You choose who to send the message to and
only that person receives the message. (Some BBS programs
allow you to send bulk E-mail, which goes to more than one
person, but the concept is still the same.)
emotion icons - These are groups of several characters that
are used to express emotion over the phone line. For
example, :) is a happy face (when you look at it from the
side). Similarly, :( is a sad face.
Page 46
error - When there is line noise and one or more characters
are changed. This is especially noticeable when downloading
or uploading a program. In this case the error must be
detected, and the data must be re-sent (or else the file will
be destroyed).
error control - The ability of a modem to notice errors in
trans-mission, and have any incorrect data re-sent.
error correction - See error control. (Error control is a
more correct term, since the modem does not correct incorrect
data, it just has it sent again).
escape key - The key marked ESC on a computer keyboard. It
is often used to 'escape' out of a program or procedure in a
program. Also, the ASCII character (ASCII 27) is used by
ANSI to produce limited graphics. [Same as ESC].
expert mode - Many BBS's have this feature, which allows a
user who feels that he knows the system well to save time by
not having menus sent to his system. If he forgets some
commands that are available, he can have the menu appear.
Otherwise, the menus will not appear. This is especially
helpful at slow speeds.
extension - The extension of a filename on an MS-DOS system
is the last three characters, which are separated from the
rest of the filename by a period. For example, the filename
SPREDSHT.WKS has the extension "WKS".
external modem - A modem that is located outside of the
computer. It is hooked up to the computer with a cable, most
commonly an RS-232C cable. [Same as stand-alone modem].
external protocol - This is a file transfer program that is
not built into your comm program, but the comm program is
able to run it anyway (as an external program).
extract - To take out files from an archive.
---F---
feedback - A message that is sent by a user to the SysOp of a
bulletin board. While it is meant to be a way for the user
to let the SysOp know of any complaints or compliments they
may have, it is more often a convenient way of sending E-mail
to the SysOp.
Page 47
flag - A piece of information that is either TRUE or FALSE.
It is used in some bulletin board security systems to
indicate whether the user has access to certain parts of the
bulletin board. It is also used by modems for certain
indicators such as DTR.
format - Information such as "8N1" that describes the way
that your computer and a bulletin board should be connected.
The first digit is normally 7 or 8, the number of data bits.
The second character is a letter describing the parity (N for
None, M for Mark, S for Space, O for Odd, and E for Even).
The last number is the number of stop bits. 8N1 is the most
common format. Data is sent as follows: Start bit (0) - 7 or
8 bits of data - (parity bit, if used) - stop bit (1) - (gap
bits, if used) [Same as settings].
forward - To send E-mail that you received to someone else.
freeware - Computer programs that are copyrighted, but they
may be legally copied if there is no payment involved. They
are almost the same as public domain programs, except that
public domain programs are not copyrighted and may be sold
for payment. Freeware programs often can not be changed when
they are distributed.
---G---
garbage - Unwanted characters that appear because of either
line noise or incorrect settings.
gateway - A connection between one network and another. For
example, on some commercial on-line services, you can reserve
airplane tickets. This usually involves the on-line service
you called connecting to the airline's computer.
guest - When a user is just looking at a bulletin board and
does not want to receive an account there. The user usually
has the same privileges as a new user who has not yet been
validated. Many bulletin board programs allow guests. This
is a good feature, since the SysOp does not have to validate
users who will not be calling the board more than once or
twice.
Page 48
---H---
hacker - [1] A programmer who likes to experiment with
computers (this is the type of person who often will not read
the documentation to software before using it, so he can
figure out how to use it by himself). [2] A person who
attempts to abuse the privileges of computer BBS's and other
services. His activities may range from getting and
exploring an account he is not supposed to have on a
mainframe computer to attempting to crash a bulletin board.
These people are unwanted by most BBS's. They are often not
malicious. The media sometimes confuses them with phreakers
hang - When a bulletin board all of a sudden starts to do
nothing. That is, it will not accept calls or even let the
SysOp type anything until the computer is reset. This can be
caused by a problem with the BBS software, or the computer
itself.
hang up - When someone closes a switch which stops a
telephone connection. This either happens when someone puts
a telephone receiver into its cradle or when the person
instructs the modem to hang up.
Hayes compatible - Any modem which operates in the same way
as the modems developed by Hayes. Most modems up to 2400bps
are Hayes compatible.
Hayes AT command set - This is the set of commands used to
operate Hayes modems and Hayes compatible modems. Almost all
of the commands start with AT.
help file - Many BBS systems will include information on how
to run the system in case you are having troubles. Often
just pressing "H" or a question mark at the main menu will
show you the information, but with some systems you have to
find the help file somewhere, occasionally amidst the files
to be downloaded.
high speed - A modem that operates at a high speed. In most
cases it is assumed to be at least 9600bps.
hot-keys - A term which means that you only have to press one
key at a menu, rather than several. You don't have to hit
the return key. Usually you can do this while a menu is
being sent to your computer (so you don't have to wait for
the whole menu to be sent).
Page 49
HST - High Speed Technology. A high speed protocol developed
by US Robotics. It allows for 14400bps one way, and 450bps
the other way. The two computers can switch when one has
more information to send than the other. It is not
compatible with the CCITT protocol.
---I---
IBM graphics - On IBM computers, there is a group of
"graphic" characters (such as lines, used to make boxes) that
can be shown on the screen. Some BBS's will send these
graphic characters if requested. Most non-IBM computers will
not recognize these characters. These characters' bytes have
their 8th bit set to 1.
initialization string - This is the command that your
communications program sends to the modem when the program is
started. In most cases, it is an AT command just like you
would type in.
internal modem - A modem that is `hidden' inside your
computer. Outside of your computer you will only see the
phone cord. An internal modem can either be on a peripheral
card that is placed inside your computer, or it can be built
into your computer.
internal protocol - A file transfer protocol that comes as
part of a comm program, and is not separate from it.
---K---
K - When K is placed after a number, it means 1024 times that
number. If you computer has 640K that means that it has a
little more than 640,000 bytes of memory. Often
communications software will tell you that you have a certain
amount of free memory to use as a buffer.
keyboard macro - A macro that will allow you to hit one or
several keys and have the program act as though you had typed
a lot directly from the keyboard.
kill - When referring to a message on a bulletin board, it
means deleting that message from the board. Usually you can
only delete the messages that you write (unless you are a
SysOp).
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---L---
leech - A person who downloads a lot from a BBS, and does not
contribute much to the BBS by uploading programs or using the
message bases.
LHARC - A program that will extract archives with the
extension "LZH".
line - [1] A row of characters on your screen, for example,
many computers have screens with 25 lines. [2] The
connection between your computer and a BBS. Most commonly
used in the term "line noise." [3] A phone line connected to
a BBS. For example, a BBS might advertise that it has "4
lines," meaning that 4 people can call the BBS and use it at
the same time. [Same as node].
line noise - This is interference on the telephone lines. It
will cause a character or many characters of garbage to
appear on your screen. In general, the higher the bps rate
of your modem, the more line noise will appear. However,
error control protocols strive to eliminate line noise (and
get rid of most of it).
local - On a computer that is running a BBS, there are 1 or
more phone lines connected to it. However, the SysOp can
usually use the BBS, too, from the keyboard. This is
considered a local connection.
log - A log is a file that keeps track of some kind of use.
In a communications program, it might keep track of what
BBS's you call. A BBS can keep a user log, which is a file
that indicates which users called up and when.
logoff - To leave a BBS. When you choose to logoff, the BBS
will usually ask if that's what you really want to do, then
it will hangup. It may also ask if you want to leave a note
to the SysOp. [Same as exit, quit, goodbye].
logon - The process of connecting to a BBS. The is what
occurs after you have called the computer and the phone
starts to ring, but before you actually start using the BBS.
"Logon" can also include the process of entering your name
and password (which is also called sign-on).
LZH - This file extension refers to an archive that was
compressed with the program LHARC. You need to get the
program LHARC from a BBS before you can un-archive the file.
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---M---
macro - A series of instructions or text that can be entered
by hitting a couple of keys.
mark - When you are looking at the titles of messages to
read, some BBS programs will allow you to choose certain ones
you want to read. This is called marking.
menu - A list of options that you can choose from. A BBS
might have a menu that lets you choose from reading messages,
downloading, or logging off. In reality, there would be many
more options.
message - Any text that is left in a message base on a BBS.
These can range from questions for other users to answer, to
information on new computer programs, to just about any topic
you could imagine.
message base - A group of messages on a BBS pertaining to a
certain topic. For example, a BBS might have message bases
for general messages, computer-related messages, and social
information. Some BBS's have dozens or even hundreds of
message bases. [Same as subboard, board].
MNP - Microcom Networking Protocol. A type of error control
and data compression, created by Microcom, that many newer
modems use. It is built into the modem, unlike software
error correction in file transfer protocols. There are
different MNP levels. Levels 1-4 are error control
protocols, and level 5 is a data compression protocol that
can compress data to about 50% of its original size. A modem
with MNP-5 also has MNP-4. MNP 1-4 is also included in the
CCITT V.42 error correction system.
modem - MODulator/DEModulator. This is a computer peripheral
which allows a computer to communicate over telephone lines.
This is the heart of computer telecommunications. The main
factor that differentiates modems is their speed, measured in
bps.
---N---
network - A group of BBS's that are "linked" together. This
means that the BBS's share messages and sometimes files.
Usually the BBS's will call each other late at night to get
the messages and files.
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new user - When you use a BBS, usually you will have the
status of new user for the first few calls, until the SysOp
verifies your account (at which time you will normally be
considered registered user). A new user usually has less
privileges, such as not being able to download programs.
news - Some BBS programs will have announcements that are
shown when you log on to the BBS. These are often referred
to as news, since they often inform you of changes to the
BBS. [Same as system news].
null character - The ASCII character 0, or CTRL-@. This
character usually will not be printed on the screen. It was
originally used when communications programs were slower and
could not receive information as fast as it was sent, so BBS
programs would send these characters after every line to slow
down the speed at which information had to be received.
---O---
off hook - The state that your telephone is in when you pick
it up. In non-computer life, it usually means when the
telephone connection is accidentally disconnected, such as
"Someone must have left the phone off the hook." A modem
that takes the phone "off hook" is taking control of the
phone line, and it will usually then dial a phone number for
you. When a telephone line is "off hook," you are not able
to receive calls from other people, unless you have call
waiting.
off line - When your computer is not connected to another
BBS.
on hook - When your telephone is not being used, and it is
ready to ring if someone calls.
on-line - When your computer is connected to a BBS. For
example, some communications programs will keep track of how
long you have been on line. This lets you know how long you
have been connected to the BBS.
on-line conference - This is when a group of people "get
together" and have a conference using their computers. Some
of the major on-line services do this. [Same as real-time
conference].
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on-line games - Any game that is played on a BBS. Sometimes
they are played in real time against other players who are
using the BBS at the same time, and sometimes they are played
by making a move and waiting for their opponent(s) to make
their move when they next call.
---P---
packet - [1] A group of bits sent by a modem that comprise a
byte of information. [2] A group of bytes sent by a file
transfer protocol. [3] A collection of messages compressed
and downloaded from an offline mail door.
page - [1] (noun) A page is one screen's worth of
information. Many BBS's will automatically wait for you to
press a key after it has sent you a page of information. [2]
(verb) to alert the SysOp that you would like to speak with
him. Many BBS's will allow you to do this, and it will make
beeping sounds so that the SysOp will know you want to talk
to him. [Same as yell].
PAK - [1] The extension for files archived with the program
of the same name. You need the program PAK to un-arc an
archive with this extension. [2] The archive program itself.
password - A special code that only you should know. This
code will allow you to gain access to your account on a
computer. Different BBS's have different rules as to how
long your password can be and what characters can be used.
You should not use a password that is easy to guess (such as
your name, or "password"), because a hacker might try to gain
access to your account by guessing your password.
PC-Pursuit - A packet switching network that allows people to
save money on long distance calling, if they use modems.
PKARC - The program which will make an archive with the
extension "ARC".
PKUNZIP - The program which will un-arc a file that has the
extension ZIP.
PKXARC - The program which will un-arc an archive created
with PKARC.
PKZIP - The program which will create an archive with the
extension "ZIP". It is one of the most popular archive
programs.
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post - To save a message that you have written on a BBS so
that other people can see it. [Same as leave message].
private - When referring to a message, it means that only a
specific person or several people that you specify can view
the message.
prompt - A character or group of characters that are meant to
remind the user of a BBS that he needs to enter some
information. It might say "What now?" or it might list the
name of the message base the user is currently in, or a list
of possible commands.
protocol - [1] When referring to file transfers, a protocol
is a method of sending and receiving a program. There are
many methods available, each with different advantages and
disadvantages. [2] Protocol is also used to describe the way
that hardware error control is managed.
public - When referring to a message, it means that the
message is available for everyone to see.
public domain - A program that is in the public domain
usually has no copyright, and can be copied legally by
anybody. BBS's often have public domain software available
for people to download.
---Q---
quickscan - An option used by some bulletin board programs
which will let you check several message bases to see if
there are any new messages.
---R---
registered user - This is the most common user level on most
BBS's. It usually allows reasonable usage of the BBS
(perhaps it will give you a time limit of 45 minutes per day,
and let you download up to 200K of programs per day). [Same
as regular user].
reread - After a message is sent to your computer from a BBS,
the reread command will send the message again. This can be
useful if the message is long, and you miss part of it.
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RS-232C - The name of a standard (created by the Electronics
Industry Association) for communication between a computer
and a serial device. The interface consists of 25 wires,
although a variation contains 9 wires. Computers and
peripherals which both have an RS-232 port can be connected
easily with an RS-232C cable.
---S---
scan - To look through messages or file descriptions to
either find new messages or files or look for certain key
words within the messages or descriptions.
script language - Many communications programs allow the user
to write a program, or script, which allows them to use the
communications program without actually typing anything. It
is often used to call BBS's late at night to download
programs or look for new messages. This way, the user does
not have to be there when the communications takes place.
security level - Some BBS programs have different user
levels, usually numbered, which allow different levels of
access. For example, 0 might refer to an unregistered user,
10 a registered user, and 99 for the SysOp. Each has
different levels of access on the BBS. [Similar to user
level].
serial port - A port on a computer that is used to transmit
and receive data in a serial fashion (one bit at a time).
shareware - Programs that can be distributed freely, but you
must pay for these programs if you use them. They usually
allow you to try them for a specified period of time and then
you must either pay for the program or get rid of it. Many
BBS's have shareware programs that you can download without
paying the BBS, but you must remember that if you use a
shareware program you are supposed to pay for it.
speed - This refers to the bps rate of a modem. The most
common modem speeds are 300bps, 1200bps, 2400bps, and
9600bps.
subject - Most BBS's require that you leave a short
description about any messages that you post on the BBS.
This description is referred to as the subject of the
message. [Same as title].
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SysOp - Short for SYStems OPerator. This is the person who
is in charge of a BBS. He has the power to change anyone's
user level, delete users, delete or edit messages. Usually
this is the same person who paid for the BBS equipment and
pays for the phone line.
system - [1] Your computer. When a BBS asks for your system
configuration, it is referring to information about your
computer, such as screen width. [2] A BBS.
---T---
telecommunication(s) - This word has no precise definition,
but is frequently used. Its definition ranges from "any form
of communication over a distance" to "any communication by
electric means" to "two computers 'talking' to each other via
modems." Methods of communications that probably are
considered telecommunications: BBS's, telephones, TV's and
fax machines. The word is used both in singular and plural.
telecommuting - The idea of company employees working from
home, rather than their office. At home, they can
communicate with the office (and other entities) by modem or
voice calls.
telecomputing - Using computers to communicate. This usually
involves using modems to communicate over the phone lines,
but can also involve other media such as the air waves.
Telenet - The packet-switched network that is used for PC-
Pursuit, which is operated by U.S. Sprint.
terminal - A CRT and keyboard that are connected to either a
computer or a modem.
terminal mode - Some modems have a built in terminal program.
On these modems, if that program is running, the modem is
said to be in its terminal mode. It also refers to the state
where a modem is ready to accept commands, although command
mode is the preferred term.
terminal program - A program that allows a person to use a
modem. It is generally very limited. A communications
program is a more advanced version of a terminal program.
Usually a terminal program will simulate a specific brand of
terminal. It generally does not support file transfers.
[Also called term program].
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thread - A group of related messages on a BBS, within the
same message base. If a user posts a reply to a message,
some BBS's will start a thread. If a message is part of a
thread, the BBS will have a command so that you can see the
original message, which started the thread.
time limit - Most BBS's have a time limit, where you can only
be on the BBS for a certain amount of time. On some BBS's
you can only be on for a certain amount of time each time you
call, on others there is a limit of time that you can be on
the BBS per day.
time out - BBS programs often will disconnect a user if he
doesn't type anything for a certain amount of time. Time out
occurs when the time limit is reached and the BBS program
hangs up on the user. This is done so that users do not tie
up the BBS. If a user is connected to the BBS but is not
using it, other callers might not be able to use the BBS.
trojan horse - A trojan horse is a program within another
program, usually on a mainframe or a computer running a BBS.
The original program looks innocent, but when run it will
trigger the trojan horse, which will usually try to gain
access to the main-frame computer system or BBS.
---U---
UART - Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter. This is
a device in a computer or modem that will change serial data
(the way data comes in over the phone line) to parallel, and
vice versa.
unarchive - To take out the files from an archive. [Same as
unarc].
upload - To send a program from your computer to a BBS.
---V---
V.32 - The international standard controlling transmission at
9600bps. It was created by CCITT. It has provisions for
fall-back, if the line is too noisy.
V.32bis - The international standard for 14,400 bps modems,
created by CCITT.
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V.42bis - A CCITT standard for data compression. It can
compress data with about a 3:1 compression ratio, although it
can compress up to 4:1 given the right conditions. Any modem
with V.42bis also has V.42 error control.
virus - Any program which spreads itself secretly. It
reproduces within a computer, and also will go to other
computers if possible (through file transfers). At a certain
point in time, the virus will do something (anything from
saying "Boo" to something destructive, such as erasing all
files on a hard disk drive). They are often hidden inside
legitimate programs that seem to run normally, but contain
the virus. It will usually spread to every program you run.
Viruses became widespread because BBS's can inadvertently
spread virus all across the country. Whenever you download a
program, it might have a virus in it. However, there are
several programs available which find many viruses and can
destroy them.
---W---
word wrap - A function of editors on BBS's (just like that
found in most word processors) which will move a word that
won't fit at the very right hand of the screen down to the
next line.
worm - A program which embeds itself within another program.
Either it tries to find a space in which it won't be noticed,
or it will just stick itself anywhere within the main program
(which will ruin that program). A worm is almost always
destructive.
---X---
Xmodem - A file transfer protocol developed by Ward
Christensen around 1977. It is fairly slow by today's
standards, but was the first widespread file transfer
protocol. It uses blocks of 128 bytes, and after each block
is sent, it sends a 1 byte checksum to check for errors. If
an error is encountered, the block will be re-sent. Almost
every communications program offers this protocol. [Same as
Christensen protocol].
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Xmodem/CRC - The same as Xmodem, but it has a 16-bit CRC
instead of the checksum, which makes it more reliable (it
catches more errors).
Xmodem-1K - This is similar to Xmodem/CRC, except it uses
blocks of 1024 bytes, rather than 128. It is faster than
Xmodem, since it needs to stop less often to check for
errors. This is some-times incorrectly called Ymodem.
Xoff - The CTRL-S character. This is often used to pause
information that is being sent. The information will be
continued when an CTRL-Q is received.
Xon - The CTRL-Q character. This will sometimes continue
paused information.
Xon/Xoff - The flow control method using the Xon and Xoff
characters. It is built into the software, not the hardware.
---Y---
Ymodem - A file transfer protocol which can transfer more
than one file at a time. It transfers both a file and some
information about the file (including its length, and the
name of the file). It is similar to Xmodem/CRC, except that
Ymodem can transfer more than one file at a time. It will
use CRC-16 if possible, or else it will use a 1 byte
checksum. It will use both 1024 byte blocks and 128 byte
blocks.
Ymodem-g - This is Ymodem changed to provide best results
with error-correcting modems. Errors can be discovered by
the protocol, since Ymodem-g uses CRC, but if there are any
errors in the transmission, the transmission will be aborted.
[Same as streaming Ymodem].
---Z---
ZIP - The file extension which refers to archives that were
created by the program PKZIP. You need the program PKUNZIP
to get the files out of the archive.
Zmodem - A file transfer protocol which is known for its
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speed, as well as the ability to transfer information about
the files which it sends. It has crash recovery and auto-
download features, and can use a 32 bit CRC, which makes it
almost error-free.
This glossary is used by permission from R. Scott Perry.
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