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- S A P P H I R E B B S
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- UPGRADES HISTORY FILE
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- This file provides a detailed history of Sapphire's product development since
- December 1986. If you are switching from an old version to the current version,
- it helps to understand the precise differences in the intervening versions.
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- Version 4.09A-D
- Enhancements
- Standardized high-baud support (locked baud rate with CTS handshaking)
- See SYSOP:CONFIG:BASIC:MODEM:SETTINGS
- Stock files runnable as doors
- DOORS command now asks if you're adding a batch file or a stock file
- Zoom mode is now switchable even when waiting for a caller
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- Version 4.08A-B
- Upgrade Notes
- No special action is required to upgrade from version 4.04 or later
- For upgrades from earlier versions, see SYSOP:INFO:MANUAL:INSTALL
- Enhancements
- Increased maximum number of users on user list, from 350 to 1000 users
- This increases the size of SAPPHIRE.USR from 76300 bytes to 218000
- The expansion of the old user file is handled automatically by Sapphire
- When using CHANGE on Email, Sapphire now remembers original destination
- Configurable features (via SYSOP:CONFIG)
- Auto-maintenance: set which membership levels are subject to time-out
- Gear-shift can now be globally disabled
- GIVE command
- File destination (S, E, A) and file area can be forced
- Online documentation can be obtained by stock file questionnaire
- Zoom mode (F8 key) lets sysop view user input from 20 feet away
- Added SYSOP:HELP to help people find answers to questions more quickly
- Updates to documentation and trouble-shooting guide
- Fixed operation of the QNY stock file command
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- 4.07A-C
- No special action required to upgrade from 4.04 or later
- Notable Fixes
- Width report in PROBE shows user's width (it was showing PROBEr's width)
- "Permanent SET" was renamed to "Hard SET"
- Corrected error 100 on addition of file when file list is full
- Corrected inability to quit from [L]ong FILES listing
- Fixed incorrect messages
- During GIVE, saying there isn't enough disk space
- During start-up, saying DSZPORT wasn't set, even if it was
- Packaging
- Evaluation period increased from 45 to 99 days
- New CHKFILES program, run by SYSOP.BAT, verifies your package is complete
- New SYSOP:INFO:SEARCH provides hypertext access to operation information
- Notable enhancements
- Full extended ASCII character translation for international characters
- Changed [N]otepad to [J]ot (many users hit "N for No")
- Full ANSI support (.ANS stock files)
- New stock control words: EXP LEV NSK SKI FIL TLN TXT QLN QUE QNM QPH etc.
- LIBRARY files now recognize stock file control words
- Many new configuration items
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- 4.06A
- The file UPGRADES.TXT was renamed to HISTORY.DOC
- Adjustment for consistent COM3 and COM4 support on file transfer
- Cured Error 201 on long modem control strings
- Configurable option to generate an accounting log (for user billing)
- Minor usability enhancements to configuration program
- Sapphire day number adjusted for leap years (important for accounting!)
- Several instances of the word DATE were replaced with "DAY#", for clarity
- Extra file set (usually SAPPHC.ZIP) implemented for optional files
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- 4.05A
- Free disk space correctly detected if file area is on another drive
- Guest user's file date is now set back 2 years (was 90 days)
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- 4.04A
- Auto-maintenance now actually deletes old files at upload time (as documented)
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- 4.03C
- Slight text changes affecting unregistered copies only
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- 4.03B
- Slight text changes
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- 4.03A
- Upgrade Notes
- To retain your existing configuration data:
- Contact Pinnacle to get a serial number BEFORE you install the upgrade
- The serial number will unlock all subsequent v4.0x versions
- This means you can get upgrades locally from another Sapphire sysop
- Apart from getting a serial number, no other action is needed
- New Files
- CONFIGA.MNU For CONFIG: reconfigurable menu (Advanced options)
- CONFIGB.MNU For CONFIG: reconfigurable menu (Basic options)
- CFGHELP.SBT For CONFIG: help (data)
- CFGHELP.SBI For CONFIG: help (index)
- SUSER.INC Turbo Pascal source code showing format of user file
- Updated Programs
- SRUN.EXE Updated to v4.03
- SEE.EXE Updated to v1.33
- GO-MENU.EXE Updated to v1.10 (BAT and MNU files modified accordingly)
- MODEM.EXE Updated to v2.10
- New Programs
- SOUND.EXE Demonstrates the sounds used by Sapphire
- CONFIG.EXE The configuration program has been completely rewritten
- Sign-up
- Annunciator feature: unique arrival sound for each user
- Configurable
- Duration (0 = no sound),
- Trigger (people who don't achieve minimum sign-ons get default tune)
- (Enter = <name>) for Real Name if there is a space in the sign-on name
- Null phone number pattern (e.g. (999) 999-9999) is now handled gracefully
- This is necessary in countries that use more than one phone format
- Pattern for to detect long-distance phone numbers (to sound audible alarm)
- Configurable name of GUEST account
- File Transfer
- In GIVE, configurable value for what "Everyone" means? (1+ or 2+)
- Modem
- Sapphire now supports for 8 user-configurable baud rates
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- 4.02A
- Upgrade notes
- Files in upgrade packet:
- Upgraded programs: SRUN.EXE CONFIG.EXE SEE.EXE MODEM.EXE
- Upgraded batch files: TERM.BAT INFO.BAT INFO.MNU
- New stock files: UPFFXX.STD AREAXX.STD SYFLXX.STD
- Changed stock files: GIMMXX.STD
- Updated documentation: SAPPHTS.DOC FNAMES.FIV UPGRADES.TXT
- Before installing the new files
- Back up your entire Sapphire directory
- Do "print screens" on CONFIG screens --
- You will have to be re-enter your configuration data
- Trouble-shooting guide (SAPPHTS.DOC)
- Added new items
- Improved organization and enhanced searching method
- Upgraded SEE program (SEE.EXE)
- Serial Enhancements
- Time-out on input lengthened to 5 minutes (was 1 minute)
- File Transfer Enhancements
- File areas are now defineable (see AREAXX.STD)
- The "Keep Forever" option of FILES was removed to make room for this
- As a result, all files are now subject to deletion by auto-maintenance
- This is not really a problem, as only very inactive files get deleted
- FILES listing
- Now only scans file list file up to configured max# of files
- This reduces the delay at the end of the listing
- Vastly improved flow of sysop functions (see SYFLXX.STD)
- GET command now ignores abbreviations
- e.g. Won't confuse S for SAPPHIRE
- When existing file is GIVEd at console...
- Offers to simply change date & docu
- More informative error mesage when file list is full (UPFFXX.STD)
- Configuration
- Changed menu structure of CONFIG somewhat
- New options
- Show/hide private/exclusive message headers
- Full-screen editor for sysop
- Last message read is placed in file Q (stands for Quote)
- For enhanced clean-up mode via USERS command (documented below)
- Maximum # of posts and minimum time since last call, for display
- Note: clean-up mode is now enabled only if you are in UltraMode
- Messaging Enhancements
- Originator of a private or exclusive message can always read it
- Upgrade note: removed the "after all, why should it?" comment in GIMMXX
- We now offer EMail users an opportunity to cancel letter at SEND TO:
- This is the default if he hangs up
- You can now Quit on MOVE or SEND when asked for a message base
- In the case of SEND, the text is retained in the notepad
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- EARLIER VERSIONS...
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- VERSION DESCRIPTION
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- 4.01C Highest release of 4.01
- 4.01A Production copy for February 92
- 4.00L Highest release of 4.00
- 4.00F Widely distributed version
- 4.00A Released to all beta sites as SAPPHUPG
- 3.20 Custom development -- not widely released
- 3.10 Custom development -- not widely released
- 3.00 Custom development -- not released to public
- 2.00 Experimental version -- not released to public
- 1.XX Widely distributed version
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