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README_2.XFD
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1992-05-31
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5KB
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90 lines
Dear (potential) FileDoor user,
It has taken some time between the previous release (2.03) of FileDoor
and this new release (3.01) but as you can see, when you take a quick
look at XFD.NEW, much is fixed, changed, extended and added. The whole
FileDoor beta-team has tested FileDoor for almost a year and have done
many suggestions. Some of these are implemented, others are not, some
come in a different way and many of them have to wait for the next
minor release (3.10). I can promise that the 3.10 won't take as much
time as the 3.01 but I needed the 3.01 right now. If we always wait
with a release until all suggestions are implemented, we can wait
until 1996 !
At the expense of some of some of my BETA-testers, I didn't let myself
push into a way that I dislike. That is why some of the 'features'
(currently available in other 'clones') don't appear (yet) in FileDoor.
For a few of them, I will explain why:
- Language support
There are a couple of reasons. First (and most important) there is
no 'standard' format between QuickBBS, Remote Access and SuperBBS.
Now, as you all know, FileDoor (the XFD version) tries to be as
compatible to all these BBS-types as possible. What I CAN do is to
create a format of myself (which will be the case in 3.10), but in
that case I must also create the maintenance of this format. This
will take time. A second point is, that most BBS's (and most users)
use the English language. Just making language-support for gadgets
as StarTrek-english, dialects and such, is nice but a wast of time.
Those SysOp's that run a plain one-language board in another language
will also have to support only files in that language. Most shareware
files only contain an English doc, so the user is more or less forced
to read english.
This all does not mean that language-support isn't addressed for next
releases but the priority is not as high as some of the other gadgets
that are in this release.
- Quick CD-ROM support
The CD-ROM support SHOULD work in this release (at least for RA and
QBBS 2.75), in the same way as it works in these BBS programs. I am
still working on a quick CD-ROM support (I will combine it with the
support for tapes as well), but it will go in combination with the
new releases of RFW (windowed file-list) and QFV (less-attended
maintenance for SysOp's). These releases are not ready yet, so there
isn't much use in implementation in 3.01;
- Resumed uploads
There are some programs in the arena that can do resumed uploads.
But most of them have large holes in the security. You can't
simply allow a user to append (resume) an upload for a file that
is present in the upload directory. What if user does a resume for
a good file and resumes with a 'sick' file ? All this is already
addressed for FileDoor and large chuncks of code are already
sitting on the right location in the current release but they are
not active until everything works ok (and secure !);
- Customized setup
3.10 will address this option. Users will (if installed, as ever,
the Sysop is able to make the option active or not) be able to
setup their default protocol, their default search areas and so
on. Also this code is almost ready but still somewhat failing in
certain cases, thus not activated;
In general, all options that have to do with a flexible setup (both
for the Sysop AND the User) had a bigger priority. And operations
as safe as possible were more important than unsafe (but nice looking)
features.
As you can see, FileDoor isn't dead, releases will follow soon. We
tried to make FileDoor as bug-less as possible (hell we had the time)
but there will still be bugs. Support is (again) quick and when the
problem is general, a 3.02 (or 03, 04, 05 and so on) will follow. YOUR
input is MOST important.
The nicest of FileDoor is the price. All this for NOTHING at all. Yes,
there are some extra gadgets when you install exits like MTA and yes,
these will cost a small fee (like MTA) but FileDoor is FULL functional
AND does more (much more) than most internal protocols for US $ 0,--
and without the exits !
In the past months I have read and answered hundreds of messages about
FileDoor and I will continue to do so. So when you have questions, bugs
or suggestions, please write to Rob van.hoeven at 2:512/100 or enter
a message in the intl. DISP echomail area (to the same person).
Thank you, and lots of fun with FileDoor,
Robert W. van Hoeven