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RBBS-PC's AUTOMATIC SUBSCRIPTION/TIME MANAGEMENT 9-1
9. RBBS-PC's AUTOMATIC SUBSCRIPTION/TIME MANAGEMENT
---------------------------------------------------
RBBS-PC has support built into it for managing access based on the date of
the call, and the time of day. As with the other RBBS-PC features, this
support is optional. The primary uses of this facility are:
- to make it very easy to control access based on subscription dates.
- to give callers a temporary, date-limited boost in privileges.
- to vary the amount of time that a caller has for a session based on
the time of day.
Once subscription management is configured, RBBS-PC handles all
subscription maintenance. After a user is registered, RBBS-PC will
automatically:
1) warn users before their subscription expires
2) reduce the security of callers whose subscription has expired.
The SysOp can send a message when the subscription is about to expire, by
creating the file RGXPIRE.HLP and placing it in the RBBS-PC help file
directory. The number of days before expiration to warn is set with CONFIG
parameter 50. When a caller's subscription expires, their security will be
updated, and the help file RGXPIRD.HLP (if it exists) will be displayed.
The subscription and time management system can also be used to grant
callers a temporary boost in privileges. For example, giving new callers a
"free" trial period.
Just as cable TV channels sometimes have a free week of viewing to attract
new subscribers, a SysOp of a subscription RBBS-PC can set up limited free
offers. By setting up a default subscription period of say, 5 days, all new
callers can be let onto to see whether they want to subscribe. After 5
days, security drops back down to a more limited level. This "free" period
can be made a standing offer, or turned off after a two week period. Or, a
user who requests a trial period can be individually added with a short
subscription period.
Limited trial subscriptions also are an attractive alternative for those
SysOps that do not give full privileges until after a caller is verified.
These callers are either asked to fill out a registration form or leave a
comment, and the SysOp later decides whether to increase the security
level. By letting new users have a short registration period with higher
privileges, say 3 days, a SysOp may choose to give new callers immediate
access, so the caller is not penalized while waiting for the SysOp's
decision. The SysOp need do nothing if a caller cannot be verified, as
RBBS-PC will automatically reduce their security in a few days. The SysOp
will manually raise the security of callers who are verified.
9.1 Setting It Up
-----------------
The subscription management system is turned on by specifying in CONFIG to
limit callers by subscription date. After access is so limited, RBBS-PC
automatically records the date of the first call. For old users, this will
be the first call made since RBBS-PC began to limit access. This recorded
date is the base registration date. The SysOp then needs to specify in
CONFIG:
- A default subscription period (the number of days a new user gets).
RBBS-PC 17.3A TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL 9-2
- A warning period (which determines when callers will get an advance
warning that their subscription is about to expire. The warning
period is the number of days left before triggering a warning.)
- The security level expired subscribers get.
In the PASSWRDS file, the SysOp designates different subscription periods
for each security level (other than the default security level). This
needs to be specified only if a subscription period is desired that will
override the default.
RBBS-PC determines when the subscription will expire by adding the
subscription period to the base registration date. Persons calling after
this expiration date are reduced to the expired security level set by the
SysOp in CONFIG.
The time management of RBBS-PC is automatically activated when the presence
of the PASSWRDS file is detected. See section 15.3 for a complete
description of the PASSWRDS file.