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1994-05-18
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The Major BBS
Professional Bulletin Board System
Quick Start Booklet
Galacticomm, Inc. Offices: (305) 583-5990
4101 SW 47th Avenue Sales: (800) 328-1128
Suite 101 Tech Support: (305) 321-2404
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314 BBS: (305) 583-7808
U.S.A. Fax: (305) 583-7846
Copyright (c) 1993 Galacticomm, Inc.
All rights reserved. No portion of this document, The Major BBS, or the
Test Drive of The Major BBS may be reproduced or stored in any medium
without prior written authorization from Galacticomm, Inc., except by a
reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review for
a newspaper or magazine.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. This
document and any related software are sold "as is". Galacticomm, Inc. makes
no representations or warranties with respect to the contents of this
document, or to the software described, and specifically disclaims any
implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose.
Liability for the information in this document, and for the software
described herein, shall be limited to the purchase price of the document or
software.
The Major BBS is a registered trademark of Galacticomm, Inc. Galacticomm,
the Galacticomm logo, Advaned LAN Option, BBSDRAW, CNF, Dial-Out,
Entertainment Collection, Fax/Online, GalactiBoard, GalactiBox, Locks and
Keys, Major Gateway/Internet, Menu Tree, RIPaint Add-on Option, Search and
Retrieve, Shopping Mall, The Major Database, User Six-Pack, and X.25
Software Option are trademarks of Galacticomm, Inc. RIPscrip is a trademark
of TeleGrafix Communications, Inc. All other products are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
ii
════════════════
C O N T E N T S
════════════════
Chapter 1 GET YOUR BBS UP AND RUNNING ............................. 1
What Do I Do First? ..................................... 2
Install The Major BBS Software .......................... 2
Which Model BBS Fits You? ............................... 4
The Major BBS Introductory Menu ......................... 4
Give Your BBS a Name .................................... 5
"GO!" -- Bring Your BBS Online .......................... 6
The Sysop Console: A Summary ............................ 6
A Room with Many Views .................................. 8
Commands at the Sysop Console ........................... 9
Local Login as Sysop ................................... 10
Change Your Sysop Password ............................. 11
Things You Can Do Online ............................... 12
Remote Sysop Control ................................... 13
Shutting Down .......................................... 13
Chapter 2 INTRODUCTION TO SECURITY AND MENUS ..................... 15
Things You Can Restrict ................................ 16
As Simple as Locks and Keys (tm) ....................... 16
How Do Users Get Keys? ................................. 17
Every User Has Class ................................... 17
Switching a User's Class ............................... 18
Modifying and Creating Classes ......................... 19
Security and Accounting Options ........................ 20
Your "Menu Tree" ....................................... 20
What's on the Menu? .................................... 21
Editing Menu Pages ..................................... 22
Editing Module Pages ................................... 23
Editing File Pages ..................................... 24
Adding New Pages ....................................... 25
Deleting Pages ......................................... 26
Editing How Your Menu Looks ............................ 26
Editing Other Text in Your BBS ......................... 27
iii
Chapter 3 DOING THINGS WITH YOUR BBS ............................. 28
Signing Up New Users ................................... 28
Electronic Mail ........................................ 29
Attachments and Transferring Files ..................... 30
Forums (Public Message Areas) .......................... 30
A Quick Tour of Forum Commands ......................... 31
Creating New Forums .................................... 32
The File Libraries ..................................... 33
Things You Can Do in the Library ....................... 33
Creating New Libraries ................................. 35
Teleconference ......................................... 36
Registry of Users ...................................... 36
Polls and Questionnaires ............................... 37
A Little Bit about Doors ............................... 37
Other Things to Reference .............................. 38
Chapter 4 COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ........................... 39
My modem doesn't seem to work. What do I do? .......... 39
Should I backup my BBS? When and how? ................. 39
What is "Auto-Cleanup"? ................................ 40
Can I use a CD-ROM with The Major BBS? ................. 40
How do I check uploads for viruses? .................... 41
Can I run my BBS under Windows? ........................ 41
Can I connect to the Internet with The Major BBS? ...... 41
How do I use add-ons with my BBS? ...................... 41
Where can I get free sample add-ons for my BBS? ........ 42
Can I use RIPscrip graphics with my BBS? ............... 42
If I have the Test Drive, should I buy The Major BBS ... 42
iv
┌───────┐
┌─────────────┤ 1 ├─────────────┐
│ └───────┘ │
│ Get Your BBS Up And Running │
│ │
└───────────────────────────────────┘
Hello, and thank you for choosing The Major BBS!
The BBS is a wonderful tool for allowing people to communicate with each
other at their convenience. Whether you intend to use it to build contacts,
share ideas, distribute computer files, conduct market surveys, publish
documents, support customers, or create a profitable info-tainment service,
you will find it friendly, flexible, and powerful.
This Quick Start Booklet will get you on-the-air fast. It will also explain
some of the basic concepts of security and menus, and tell you ways you can
tailor the BBS to your needs.
Throughout this booklet, we will occasionally refer to pages in The Major
BBS System Operations Manual. If you want a more in-depth discussion of a
particular topic, you will find it there.
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You do not have the System Operations Manual │
Test │ yet, as we only provide it when you purchase │
Drive │ the full package. However, this booklet will │
Users │ tell you everything you need to give the BBS │
│ a good "test drive." │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
You must have a 386/486/Pentium class computer with MS-DOS 5 or higher, a
minimum of 4MB of memory, and a hard disk drive with at least 30MB of free
space remaining.
Now, let's get started...
1
What Do I Do First?
First, you should hook up your modem(s) to your computer. If you already
have an internal or external modem installed, skip to the next step.
Otherwise, make sure you have a Hayes-compatible internal or external modem.
You can use modems with speeds of up to 57.6K bps, including those that have
data compression and error correction features.
Internal modems get installed in a slot in your PC. External modems get
connected by a serial cable to an available serial port on your PC. The
Major BBS works equally well with both types of modems, and the software
setup procedure is the same. See your modem's manual for details about
physical installation.
NOTE: Make sure that you don't configure two devices on the same COM port.
For example, if you already have a mouse connected to a COM1 serial port,
configure your internal modem for COM2, COM3, or COM4 instead.
Tips & Tricks
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You will need a separate phone line for each │
│ modem you want to connect to your BBS. Make │
│ sure the "line" jack on each modem is │
│ connected to an active phone jack on the wall. │
│ │
│ Also, to support more than two simultaneous │
│ users, you will need additional User Six-Pack │
│ licenses from Galacticomm. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
If you are going to use multi-user hardware to connect lots of modems to
your BBS, please consult the installation manual for that hardware. This
applies to GalactiBoards, GalactiBoxes, and other multi-port serial cards.
Install The Major BBS Software
BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Modify your CONFIG.SYS file to have a line that reads:
FILES=127
This will allow the BBS to open many files at the same
time.
NOTE: You will also want to remove any memory managers or TSR programs in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. They might conflict with The Major
BBS's own memory management. We also recommend that you do not use hard
drive caching software for disk "writes."
Be sure to reboot your computer after you make these changes.
This next step is the easiest! Just take DISK 1, put it in your floppy
drive and from the DOS prompt on your hard drive type:
A:INSTALL
Or, if you're installing from B:, type:
B:INSTALL
The installation process will ask you which drive and directory you want the
BBS located. It will recommend \BBSV6 on your current drive. Just hit
<Enter> to continue.
Along the way, you will be prompted to insert the other floppy disk(s).
Next, you will be asked for your activation code, which is located inside
the front cover of your System Operations Manual.
┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ The default directory for the Test Drive │
Test │ Drive is \MBBSTD. │
Drive │ │
Users │ You will not be asked for an activation │
│ code. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘
After that, BBSetup will run to automatically detect the communications
hardware on your computer. You can interactively choose which devices your
BBS will use. (Make sure your external modems are turned on for this.)
Finally, you will be asked to choose one of the five Model BBSes that we
have preconfigured for you.
3
Which Model BBS Fits You?
To get your bulletin board operational fast, we've prepared five model BBSes
for you to choose from:
PUBLIC MODEL Anyone can call and get access
immediately
CUSTOMER-SERVICE MODEL Support your customers and get
their feedback
SIGN-UP MODEL New callers can sign up, you
approve them later
PRIVATE MODEL You specify exactly who can log on
FOR-PROFIT MODEL Users pay for using your service
Each of these is like a model home, fully furnished and ready for you to
move in. You aren't constraining your system at all when you choose one of
these. (In fact, you can change to another model later, and reasonable
things will happen.)
So for now, pick the one that you think most closely matches your needs. A
little bit further on, we'll explain how you can modify it to your exact
requirements, if you need to.
o For more detailed information about these
models, see pages 98-107 in the System
Operations Manual.
The Major BBS Introductory Menu
Now your installation should be complete, and you will be at the BBS
Introductory Menu. This is the "offline" part of your BBS. From here you
can choose to configure your BBS, run a number of reports and utilities,
bring your BBS "online," or return to DOS. Your BBS won't answer incoming
calls until you go online.
For now, select "0" to end the program and return to DOS.
Whenever you want to run The Major BBS, just type "BBS" from the DOS prompt
in your BBS directory. This will bring you back to the Introductory Menu.
Go ahead and type it now.
4
Give Your BBS a Name
Configuring the way your BBS looks and works is very easy. We'll take a
quick tour of the Configuration Options now by giving your BBS a name.
From the Introductory Menu, select "4" for Configuration Options. The first
option will ask you if you want to default to "expert mode" when you use the
configuration utility.
DEFINED: Expert mode in the configuration utility means that each option
will only be shown with a one-line description. The advantage
of this is that you can see a lot of options in your configuration
window.
When you are not in "expert mode," each option will also have an
explanatory paragraph or two above it.
You can hit <F1> in the utility to toggle "expert mode" on and off.
For now, just hit the <Down arrow> key once to move to the next option.
This will be your "BBS Name." Hit <F2> to clear the option and type in the
name you want your BBS to be called.
You can now hit the <Down arrow> to browse through more configuration
options. The next few let you enter your company name and address for use
throughout your BBS.
Once you've made these first couple of changes, hit <F10> to save and exit.
Now it's truly your BBS.
o For more detailed information on
Configuration Options, see pages 141-176
in the System Operations Manual.
5
"GO!" -- Bring Your BBS Online
All right, you're ready to go on-the-air. Select "5" for GO! and bring your
BBS online.
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ If you want to bring the BBS online │
│ from a batch file, maybe even your │
│ AUTOEXEC.BAT at boot time, you can │
│ use the command: │
│ │
│ BBS GO │
│ │
│ This will bypass the Introductory │
│ Menu and bring your BBS on the air │
│ right away. │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
The BBS will crank away for 10 seconds or so as it initializes and then you
will be up and running. On your console, you will see the Sysop "Summary"
screen, giving you an overview of system activity. We'll take a closer look
at what everything means on that screen next.
DEFINED: The System Operator of a BBS (you!) is referre to as the Sysop
(pronounced: s-is-op, where the "i" is short). We will use
that name throughout this document, and it is the User-ID you will
be known as on your BBS.
The Sysop Console: A Summary
The Sysop console is one of the most impressive aspects of The Major BBS.
It gives you a lot of control in monitoring what is happening on your
system. From here you can log into the BBS (just as if you had dialed in
over a modem), examine usage statistics, edit user accounts, "peek over the
shoulder" of a user, and much more.
When you bring the BBS online (GO! from the Introductory Menu) the Sysop
console will be set on the Summary screen. This is the most complex screen
because it offers short-hand versions of many things. Here's a brief
explanation of what is displayed:
6
User Matrix: Audit Trail Summary:
This box shows the This box shows the nine
status of all channels most recent audit trail
on the BBS. entries.
| |
\|/ \|/
╔═ Users ════════════╦═ Audit Trail ═══════════════════════════════════╗═══════╗
║ ┌0123456789ABCDEF┐ ║ 11:39 06/01/92 USER LOGON AT 2400bps ║Account║
║0│?#.■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 11:40 06/01/92 NEW USER SIGNUP ║═══════╝
║1│*?■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 11:41 06/01/92 E-MAIL ATTACHMENT DOWNLOAD ║ Audit ║
║2│...■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 11:42 06/01/92 NEW USER SIGNUP ║═══════╝
║3│*?.■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 11:55 06/01/92 USER LOGON VIA LAN (IPXD) ║Emulate║
║4│*T.■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 12:18 06/01/92 LIBRARY FILE DOWNLOAD ║═══════╝
║5│.■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 12:25 06/01/92 USER LOGON AT 2400bps ║ Stats ║
║6│#..■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 12:33 06/01/92 FORUM ATTACHMENT UPLOAD ║═══════╝
║7│!..■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 12:34 06/01/92 USER LOGON AT 2400bps ║Monitor║
║8│...■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ╠═ System Usage ═════════╦═ System Variables ═════╩═══════╗
║9│..?■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║100 ║ 07:48 05/17/94 Summary║
║A│-..■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 80 ▄▄▄ ║ System Loading: 16% ╔═══════╝
║B│-..■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 60 ▄██▄▄ ▄▄█▄████ ║ HD Room Avail: 47 Mb ║ Users ║
║C│.T■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 40 ▄▄▄████████████████ ║ Memory Avail: 2338 Kb ║═══════╝
║D│..■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 20████████████████████ ║ Active Accnts: 1684 ║ About ║
║E│!..■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 0████████████████████ ║ Tot Dnloads: 5692 ║═══════╝
║F│?..■■■■■■■■■■■■■│ ║ 45 00 15 30 ║ Tot Uploads: 43787 ║ TAB
╠═╧════════════════╧═╩════════════════════════╩════════════════════════╩═══════╗
║ Detail info on User-ID: Donald P. Brinker ║
║ Post 18000 FREE credits to User-ID: Christine Stryker ║
║ Display current system loading in position 1 ║
╠═══════╤═══════╤═══════╤═══════╦══════╤═══════╤═══════╤═══════╦═══════╤═══════╣
║ help │ send │display│ post ║detail│set msg│ login │ ║ │ kill ║
╚═ F1 ══╧═ F2 ══╧═ F3 ══╧═ F4 ══╩═ F5 ═╧══ F6 ═╧═ F7 ══╧═ F8 ══╩═ F9 ══╧═ F10 ═╝
/|\ /|\
| |
System Usage Graph: Real-Time Statistics:
This graph shows what This box displays stats
percentage of the BBS was for memory available, number
in use for the preceding of open E-mail messages, etc.,
60 minutes. as well as time and date.
You can hit the <F1> key to see context-sensitive help about the Summary
screen. Help also includes a legend of what the short-hand characters in
the User Matrix box represent.
There are other function-key commands displayed at the bottom of the screen
that let you do things like look up accounts and disconnect channels. We'll
get to those in a little bit.
7
A Room with Many Views
There are seven other "screens" on the console. You can use the <Tab> key
to flip down through them, or the <Shift-Tab> key to flip upwards. You can
also get directly to any of the eight screens with a single <Alt-letter>
keystroke.
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Key Screen Description │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-A User Account Detail Displays information about the last │
│ user account you looked up with the │
│ "detail" command. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-D Audit Trail Detail Displays an audit trail of events that │
│ happened on your BBS, such as logons, │
│ logoffs, menu selections, and more. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-E Emulate a User's This lets you "peek over the shoulder" │
│ Channel of a user by showing on your screen │
│ exactly what the user sees on his. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-T Statistics and You can use the arrow keys to flip │
│ Graphs through a number of graphs for │
│ lines-in-use, demographics, user class │
│ statistics, etc. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-M Monitor Input Activity This shows you all input coming from │
│ all channels on your BBS, a line at a │
│ time. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-S Summary This is the Summary screen we described│
│ in the last section. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-U Online User Zooms in on the User Matrix, shows you │
│ Information the name of who is on each channel, as │
│ well as more detailed status messages. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALT-B About The Major BBS Includes some information that is │
│ particularly helpful if you need to │
│ contact Galacticomm technical support. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
8
o For more detailed information about the
Sysop console screens, see pages 193-219
of the System Operations Manual.
Commands at the Sysop Console
At the bottom of each screen are several function key commands (sometimes
called "softkeys" because they have different commands under different
circumstances).
There is also a small "command window" right above these commands, where you
will type additional information for some commands. (For example: when you
hit <F5> to show detailed information about a user account, you will be
prompted to type the User-ID you want to look up.)
Unless you are in the middle of doing something already, the Sysop commands
displayed will be:
<F1> help get context-sensitive help for current
screen
<F2> send send a message to users currently online
<F3> display choose real-time statistics for Summary
screen (there is also a screen saver
option from here)
<F4> post post credits to a user's account
<F5> detail look up/edit details about a user's account
<F6> set msg set a brief login announcement message
<F7> login log in to the BBS from the console
<F8> <reserved for future use>
<F9> <reserved for future use>
<F10> kill delete accounts, reset channels, shut
down BBS
When you choose a command, you may be given additional choices. (For
example: when you hit <F2> to send a message, do you want to send it to
just one specific channel or everyone on the BBS?) These choices will
appear in the function key boxes at the bottom of the screen.
To back out of a command, just hit the <backspace> key.
9
DEFINED: Everyone who uses your system has a User-ID. This User-ID is used
to identify each user's account. A User-ID can be (and usually is)
the person's real name, or an alias if you allow it.
DEFINED: Credits are units of time (usually where 1 credit = 1 second),
often used on For-Profit Model BBSes. A user buys a certain
number of credits, which he can use up in online time, transfer to
other users, or use to cover surcharges for mass mailings, fax-mail
services, multi-player games, or other services.
For most other BBS models you won't use credits, so the "post"
command will not apply.
o For more detailed information about the
Sysop console commands, see pages 220-229
of the System Operations Manual.
Local Login as Sysop
Now, let's log in to your BBS for the first time!
Just hit the <F7> command for "login". Your screen will clear and show you
exactly what you would see if you called in with a modem.
The very first thing you will see is a short "Auto-sensing ANSI..." message.
(This is a feature of The Major BBS that detects the capabilities of the
caller's computer.) You will be asked to select your language and terminal
protocol. Just enter 1 for "English/ANSI".
Next, you will see the "welcome banner," which will have the name of your
BBS as you typed it in the Configuration Options. A little later in this
booklet, we will see how you can completely customize this message to your
own "look."
The next prompt you see will ask you for your User-ID or "new". We've
already created a special operator account for you, so go ahead and type
"Sysop". When it asks you for the password, type "Sysop" again. (We will
see how to change that password in the next section.)
Yea! You are officially logged into your BBS. You will have new E-mail
waiting (we left you a brief message congratulating you on your BBS). Go
ahead and read it now (press "Y" and <Enter>).
10
After you finish reading your mail, you will be asked for your date of
birth. (The BBS defaults to asking users this question for demographics.
You can disable it offline in Configuration Options.) It only asks this
question once.
Now you will arrive at the TOP menu. We'll explore each of the options on
this menu. But before we go any further, let's take a very important
security step...
Change Your Sysop Password
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! You should change your Sysop password immediately,
so that no one else will be able to log in with your account.
To do this, select the "Account Display/Edit" service from the TOP menu.
Then choose "Display or edit account information." This will put you in a
full-screen account editor. You can use the up and down arrow keys to move
between the fields, as well as the <Enter> key.
Go down to the Password field and type in a new password. It should be
memorable, but something not easily guessed by anyone else. (For example,
you would not want to use your real name as a password.)
Move down to the Exit field and choose SAVE (just press <Enter>). Your new
password is now in effect, and you will need to use it the next time you log
in to your BBS.
Hit X and <Enter> to go back to the TOP menu.
NOTE: Do not tell anyone your Sysop password or write it down on paper.
The Major BBS has airtight security, but if your Sysop password
falls into the wrong hands, that person will have full access to
your system.
You will also want to change your password regularly, say once a
month, just to make sure.
o For more detailed information about the
Account Display/Edit service, see pages
371-377 of the System Operations Manual.
11
Things You Can Do Online
Now that you're back at the TOP menu, why not take a look around? Go into
the Teleconference, the Information Center, the Forums, and so forth, just
to get a feel for how the BBS works and what it can do.
Teleconference real-time chat with other callers online
Information Center info files about you and your BBS
Forums public message areas for different topics
Electronic Mail send/receive private messages and files
File Libraries organized file upload and download areas
Account Display/Edit edit your account (such as your password)
Polls & Questionnaires great for marketing surveys, opinion polls
Doors access DOS applications on a separate
computer
Registry of Users sort of a "yellow pages" of your users
QWK-mail read mail and reply offline
Exit System (Logoff) disconnect from the BBS
If you get stuck, you can press "?" and <Enter> to get detailed help at most
prompts in the BBS. Remember too, you can use "X" to back out of what you
are doing until you return to the TOP menu.
Chapter 15 of the System Operations Manual (pages 292-378) is dedicated to
explaining all the online services of The Major BBS.
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ When you are logged in locally, you can hit │
│ <Esc> at any time to jump back to the Sysop │
│ console screens. This is handy if you want │
│ to quickly look up a user account or check │
│ something in the audit trail. │
│ │
│ Just hit <F7> ("login") again to return to │
│ where you left off in your online session │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
12
Remote Sysop Control
There is one additional service on the TOP menu that only you as the Sysop
will see: System Management. This will lead you to a menu that offers a
lot of the same commands available on the Sysop console. You can use this
menu to control your BBS when you call in with a modem from a remote site.
You can also do some special things from here, such as create new "classes"
of users and designate Co-Sysops. But we'll talk more about that in the
next chapter.
DEFINED: A Co-Sysop is a co-system operator. With The Major BBS you can
delegate certain responsibilities and access privileges to other
users.
o For more detailed information about the
Remote Sysop Menu, see pages 230-238 of
the System Operations Manual.
Shutting Down
Okay, now that you've had a look around, let's bring the BBS down so we can
explore more of the offline features in the next chapter.
First, log off from your local session by going back to the TOP menu and
selecting "X" to "Exit the System." This will prompt you to confirm your
choice, and after you enter "Y" your local session will end. (If you had
called in using a modem you would be disconnected at this time.)
Hit <Esc> to return to the Sysop console. And now choose "kill", "system",
and "now" and hit <Enter> or <F9>. (If you had other people on your BBS,
you might want to give them a few minutes to finish up and log off instead
of selecting "now".) The BBS will crank away for about 10 seconds and then
bring you back to the Introductory Menu.
13
Tips & Tricks
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ When you shut down your BBS, you can have it either │
│ busy-out the phone line(s) or leave them to ring │
│ until you bring the BBS back online. This is │
│ configurabale in the Configuration Options from the │
│ Introductory Menu. │
│ │
│ Usually it's best to busy-out the line(s) so people │
│ trying to call your BBS don't think it's down. But, │
│ if you need to use your modem on that computer for │
│ another program, you will want to change this to │
│ "no answer". │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Congratulations! You've done a great job so far. In the next chapter we'll
take a look at how you can tailor your BBS's menus and security.
14
┌───────┐
┌─────────────┤ 2 ├─────────────┐
│ └───────┘ │
│ Introduction to │
│ Security and Menus │
│ │
└───────────────────────────────────┘
This chapter will introduce you to the security and accounting features of
The Major BBS. We will also take a look at how you can customize your menus
and control exactly what your users will see when they call your BBS.
Security and accounting are bundled together, since they both deal with
managing your users. Security is primarily concerned with what you will
allow your users to do. Accounting is more focused on keeping track of who
can do those things, for what price, and for how long.
We will also take a look at some of the other "offline" options that let you
tailor your BBS to your specific needs.
DEFINED: You will often see the terms offline and online used in
reference to doing things with your BBS.
Offline refers to things you can do when the BBS is not up
and running. The Introductory Menu, for example, is entirely
offline. The menu editing, configuration, and report
facilities are therefore offline.
Online means only things you can do when the BBS is up and
running and you are logged in as the Sysop. It doesn't
matter if you logged in at the Sysop console, or if you
called in remotely with a modem. Most of the security and
accounting control is done online.
15
Things You Can Restrict
You have a lot of flexibility in deciding what users can and cannot do.
Some of the things you can restrict include:
o whether or not a user can log in on "reserved" lines
o which menu options a user will see on his TOP menu
o which Forums a user has access to, and whether he has permission
to read, write, download a file, or upload a file in each Forum
o which File Library areas a user can access
o whether a user can participate in the Teleconference, only watch,
or not be allowed in at all
And that's just to name a few. We'll show you specifically how to do these
things in a short while. But first, let's try to get a clear picture of a
few security concepts.
As Simple as Locks and Keys (tm)
The Major BBS uses a method of "Locks and Keys" to decide who can do what.
This works like you'd expect it to: if you put a lock on a feature, a user
must have the appropriate key to use that feature.
Really, a lock is just a name up to 15 characters long. When you are
configuring features on your BBS, you will be asked if you want to place
locks on them. To do so, just enter the name of the lock you want to use.
Each of the five BBS models is supplied with a bunch of default lock names.
You can use these names or create your own.
Some default lock names provided with The Major BBS:
DEMO for prospects just taking a look
NORMAL to use regular services on the BBS
MODERATE to moderate a Forum or Teleconference
MASS_MAILING to send an E-mail message to everyone
SUPER for staff and privileged users
SYSOP for things only the Sysop should see
16
A key has the same name as the lock it opens. For example, if a user has
the MODERATE key, he can use any feature that has a MODERATE lock on it.
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ To create a new lock, just make up a new name │
│ when you are asked which lock you want to use. │
│ That's all there is to it. │
│ │
│ We recommend that you don't make too many lock │
│ names, only because you'd have a huge number of │
│ keys to keep track of. You can use the same │
│ lock name for many different features; one key │
│ will then access them all. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How Do Users Get Keys?
There are two ways users can get keys.
You can give a specific key to a specific user. You can do this from the
online System Management menu (remember: online means the BBS is up and
running and you are logged in as Sysop). Select the "ACCOUNT" option and
then choose to "EDIT" a user's keys.
The preferred way, however, is for users to get keys by being a part of a
"class" of users.
o For more detailed information about Locks
and Keys, see pages 107-1107 in the System
Operations Manual.
Every User Has Class
Every user belongs to a "class." A class contains a bunch of security and
accounting information that applies to everyone in that class. It specifies
how long those users can stay online and which keys they possess, among
other things.
Each of the five model BBSes comes with a set of default user classes. For
example, the Customer-Service Model BBS has the following classes:
PROSPECT for new sign-ups, allowed only 30 minutes
per call, and only given the DEMO key
17
CUSTOMER for validated customers, allowed unlimited
time per call, and given the DEMO and NORMAL
keys
STAFF for company personnel, allowed unlimited time
per call, and given the DEMO, NORMAL, MODERATE,
MASS_MAILING, and SUPER keys
SYSOP for the System Operator, who can basically do
whatever he wants.
o For more detailed information about the
default classes provided with each model
BBS, see pages 98-107 in the System
Operations Manual.
This is the preferred way of giving keys to users because placing someone in
a class gives him the same "keyring" as his peers. Also, it's easier for
you to keep track of a few classes instead of a lot of individual keys.
DEFINED: The keys associated with a class are sometimes referred to as the
class keyring. (Imagine a ring of keys that each member of that
class automatically owns.) Each user can also have individual
keys granted to him, in addition to his class keyring.
Switching a User's Class
When the BBS is up and running, you can switch a user's class right at the
Sysop console. Just do a "detail" look-up of the User-ID, then use the
arrow keys to move down to the class field. Type the name of the new class
you want to place him in and hit <Enter> to update his record.
You can also switch a user's class online from the System Management menu.
Select the "ACCOUNT" option and then choose "SWITCH".
Note that users can be automatically switched to another class based on how
their current class is set up. For example, in the For-Profit Model BBS, a
user in the PAYING class will return to the DEMO class when he runs out of
credits.
18
Tips & Tricks
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You can switch everyone in one class to another │
│ with the BBSSWTCL program in the Basic Utilities │
│ list (option #7 on the Introductory Menu). │
│ │
│ You can also change the underlying "model" of │
│ your BBS with BBSSETCL, also available in Basic │
│ Utilities. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Modifying and Creating Classes
It's very easy to alter the default classes or create new classes of your
own. From the online System Management menu select "ACCOUNT" and choose the
"CLASS" option.
You will be asked which class you want to alter. If you type in a class
name that doesn't exist, the BBS will ask you if you want to create it.
When creating a new class, you will be asked a series of questions:
o how much time per call can users in this class spend
online?
o how much time per day can users in this class spend online?
o are users in this class exempt from credit charges?
o after how many days should an inactive account in this
class be automatically purged?
o when do users in this class switch to another class? after
so many days? when they run out of credits?
o are users in this class allowed to go into "debt," to be
billed for time at the end of the month?
o which keys are included on the class keyring?
When you are modifying an existing class, you have the option of just adding
to or removing keys from the class keyring. You can also delete the class
entirely.
CAUTION: If you delete a class, all user accounts in that class will also
be deleted! You may want to first switch all users in that class to another
class with the BBSSWTCL utility (used offline).
19
o For more detailed information about
modifying and creating user classes, see
pages 111-120 in the System Operations
Manual. There is an excellent diagram of
this process on pages 112-113.
Tips & Tricks
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ To see how many users are in a class, go to the Stats│
│ screen on the Sysop console (<Alt-T>) and select │
│ "Class Stats" with the arrow keys. │
│ │
│ You can also get this information online by choosing │
│ CLSSTATS from the System Management menu. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Security and Accounting Options
Now that you know about Locks and Keys, you can tweak many of the security
features of The Major BBS to your exact taste. A good place to start is the
Security and Accounting option on the Introductory Menu (option #3).
You will notice that this uses the same facility as the Configuration
Options, so you should feel comfortable scrolling around.
o For more detailed information about the
offline Security and Accounting options,
see pages 123-137 in the System Operations
Manual.
o For more detailed information about the
offline editing facility (known as CNF),
see pages 141-146 in the System
Operations Manual.
Your "Menu Tree"
Let's take a look at your BBS's menu configuration. Select "Design Menu
Tree" from the offline Introductory Menu (option #2).
Your screen will show a diagram that looks like a sideways family tree or a
company's organizational chart. This structure is known as your BBS's "Menu
Tree." It consists of a bunch of names connected by lines to each other in
a hierarchical way that represents the services on your BBS.
20
At the upper left corner you will notice the word "TOP", which should ring a
bell. It is the TOP menu you were at when you were online. You can see
that it branches out to other names such as TELE, INFO, FORUMS, and EMAIL.
These names are the leaves in your tree, so to speak, known also as "pages."
Each page refers to either a menu or a service on your BBS. You can
rearrange these pages however you like, change what they do, and add new
ones. We'll see how to do that in just a bit.
o For more detailed information about the
Menu Tree, see pages 59-83 in the System
Operations Manual.
What's on the Menu?
The Menu Tree is a collection of pages. Each page is either a menu, a
service (known as a "module"), or a text file to be displayed. They are
color-coded in the tree diagram to help distinguish them at a glance.
DEFINED: A menu page displays a menu to the user with
choices that lead to either other menu pages,
module pages, or file pages.
Menu pages appear in white or yellow in the
Menu Tree.
Examples: TOP and INFO are both menu pages.
DEFINED: A module page invokes a service in the BBS,
such as Electronic Mail or the File
Libraries.
Module pages appear in green in the Menu
Tree.
Examples: EMAIL and LIBRARY are both module
pages.
DEFINED: A file page displays a text file to the user.
File pages appear in purple in the Menu Tree.
Examples: ABOUTUS and YOURBBS are both file
pages.
21
Tips & Tricks
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Once a user enters a module page, the │
│ module may display other menus of its │
│ own. These menus cannot be changed in │
│ the Menu Tree. You can override these │
│ menus with your own by using command │
│ strings (more on this later). │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘
Editing Menu Pages
Let's take a closer look at these pages. You can use the arrow keys to move
among them, and you will see your current page highlighted in reverse video.
Make sure you are at the TOP page and hit <F2> ("edit"). The Edit Menu
window will pop up.
This is how a menu page looks. At the top half of the window you will see a
bunch of statements that apply to the entire menu. Here you can decide if
users can jump ("/GO") to this page, and choose how the menu will look on
the users' screens. (For now just display the default menu.)
Tips & Tricks
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ There is an online global command that can be used to │
│ jump to any page in the BBS's Menu Tree. You or your │
│ users can just type "/GO <page name>" from anywhere │
│ on the BBS. │
│ │
│ You can restrict users from doing this if you wish. │
│ If you do let people "go" to pages, you will want to │
│ choose page names that make sense. (For example: │
│ "/GO EMAIL" to jump to the Electronic Mail module │
│ page.) │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
In the bottom half of the Edit Menu window is the list of menu select
options on that menu. Each menu can have up to 25 options on it. The
select character and a short description are shown for each option. Unused
option slots are shown with dots.
NOTE: Use the <Enter> key to move to the next option, instead of the <Down
arrow> key, or you may accidentally change an option.
22
Tips & Tricks
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ To edit the properties of a menu option, hit <Alt-E> while │
│ you are at that option (either the select character or │
│ the short description is in reverse video.) │
│ │
│ Here you can chage the select character and the short │
│ description. You can also specify a "key required" for a │
│ user to access the option (and if he doesn't have the key │
│ you can optionally dim or hide that option from him). The │
│ last field is the name of the "destination "page" the user │
│ will be taken to when he selects this option. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Hit <Esc> from the Edit Menu window to return to the Menu Tree.
Editing Module Pages
Now move over to a module page (say FORUMS, for example). Remember: module
pages invoke the actual services of the BBS. Hit <F2> to edit it, and the
Edit Module window will pop up.
You have the same option of allowing users to "go" directly to a module page
as you do with menu pages. If you want to, you can restrict this by
requiring the user to have a certain key.
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ There are two ways a user can get to a page: either │
│ by selecting it as an option from a menu, or by │
│ jumping directly to it with a "/GO" command. │
│ │
│ If you are going to restrict access to a page, you │
│ must require a key in two places. The first place │
│ is at the select option from the parent menu that │
│ leads to the page (use <Alt-E> to edit the option). │
│ The second is at the "/GO" command on the page │
│ itself. You will probably want to require the same │
│ key in both places. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The most important property of a module page is the service it will invoke.
When you reach the "Module Name" field, a pop-up box will appear to let you
choose which one you want to use. (You can add more modules to your BBS
with add-on options.)
23
After you select a module, you can optionally pass it a command string. You
can just leave this field blank by hitting <Enter>. When you're done, you
can return to the Menu Tree.
DEFINED: A command string is a set of instructions that tell a module to
automatically do something. For example, you could pass a
command string of "RT." to a module page that invokes Electronic
Mail. This would go directly to Reading mail To you, starting
with new (.) messages.
o For a list of command strings, see pages
69-72 in the System Operations Manual.
Editing File Pages
Last, but not least, let's take a look at a file page. Use the <Up arrow>
and <Right arrow> keys to move to the ABOUTUS page off of the INFO menu.
Hit <F2> to edit it, and the Edit File window will open.
Again, you have the option of restricting users from directly jumping to
this page with a "/GO" command.
Since all a file page really does is display a text file to the user, the
only other thing you need to specify is the name of the file. You can
specify the entire DOS path to the file if you like. Otherwise, the file is
assumed to reside in the main BBS directory, typically \BBSV6.
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ To create or modify text files for use │
│ with file pages, you must use an editor │
│ or word processor that can save files │
│ in plain ASCII format. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
24
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ The Major BBS is supplied with a bunch of sample │
│ files for your Information Center: │
│ │
│ GALAIC.TXT tell users about your company │
│ GALGIC.TXT some help on using global commands │
│ GALHIC.TXT info about starting your own BBS │
│ GALSIC.TXT boast about your BBS's configuration │
│ BBSUSER.DOC help with the services on your BBS │
│ │
│ You will probably want to edit these files to talk │
│ about your company and your configuration. Or, you │
│ might want to delete these pages and add your own. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Adding New Pages
To add a new page:
1. First, go to the menu page you want to branch from in your Menu Tree
diagram and press <F2> to edit it.
2. Move down to an unused slot in the list of select options and hit
<Alt-E>.
3. Fill in the select character, short description, and security
restrictions (if any) for the option and make up a name for the
new "destination page."
4. Return to the Menu Tree diagram, move over to the new page name, and
press <F2> to edit it.
5. A new page defaults to being a menu page. If you want to make it a
module or file page, hit the <Up arrow> key and use the <Spacebar>
to change it.
6. Enter the information specific for your new page (see the previous
sections for details).
That's all there is to it!
25
Deleting Pages
To remove a page, just go to it in your Menu Tree diagram and hit <F6> to
delete it. You will be asked to confirm your decision.
If you delete a menu page that has pages branching off of it, those pages
will be "orphaned." Orphaned pages appear on the far left of the Menu Tree
diagram, and aren't connected to the TOP menu. You can either delete
orphaned pages or use them elsewhere in your tree.
DEFINED: An orphaned page is a page that is not connected to a menu and can
only be reached via a "/GO" command.
Tips & Tricks
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You can connect orphaned pages to other menus. │
│ To do so, follow the same procedure for adding │
│ a new page. However when you are asked for │
│ "destination page," type the name of the │
│ orphaned page. │
│ │
│ You can use this trick to move or copy pages │
│ throughout your Menu Tree. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Editing How Your Menu Looks
You don't have to create your own menu screens. The default menus are easy
for users to navigate, and when you modify your Menu Tree, the menu
displayed to your users will automatically be updated.
However, you can make your own screens if you want to. To do this, answer
"Yes" to the question "Edit the way this menu looks?" when you are editing a
menu page.
This will put you in the BBSDRAW utility, where you can draw your menu the
way you want it to appear. Make sure that you show the same select
characters that you used in your menu page option list. You can hit <Alt-H>
for help. When you're finished, hit <Alt-X> to save and exit.
You can create separate menu displays for ASCII users, ANSI users, and users
that support the extended IBM character set. See page 66 of the System
Operations Manual for details about these different flavors.
26
Tips & Tricks
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ If you already have existing ANSI screens, │
│ possibly drawn with a separate program like │
│ TheDraw, you can import them. Just hit │
│ <Alt-L> in BBSDRAW to load in the contents │
│ of any ANSI/ASCII file in the BBS directory. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
o For more detailed information about
BBSDRAW and editing the way menus look,
see pages 84-91 in the System Operations
Manual.
Editing Other Text in Your BBS
Now that you are familiar with the way menus work, we'll take a look at one
more way you can customize your BBS offline.
From the Introductory Menu, choose to Edit Text Blocks (option #6). There
are over a thousand editable text blocks in The Major BBS that you can
customize. Just use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the list
and hit <F2> to edit any of the ones you want to change.
Tips & Tricks
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ The most common text block to be changed is │
│ the HELLO message that is displayed when a │
│ user first connects to your BBS. │
│ │
│ In the CNF configuration editor, you can hit │
│ <F8> to search for a string among the names, │
│ descriptions, help messages, and body of │
│ text of the options. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
o For more detailed information about
editing text blocks, see pages 177-1881in
the System Operations Manual.
27
┌───────┐
┌─────────────┤ 3 ├─────────────┐
│ └───────┘ │
│ Doing Things With Your BBS │
│ │
└───────────────────────────────────┘
There are so many different things you can do with The Major BBS that it's
impossible to squeeze them all into an introductory booklet.
In this chapter we'll just take a brief look at some of the more important
things you'll want to do, such as configure additional Forums and File
Libraries. We'll also point you in the right direction to find more
specialized information in the System Operations Manual.
Let's start by taking a closer look at the services available on your BBS...
Signing Up New Users
When a new user calls your BBS, he will have the option of signing-up as
"new", unless you are running a Private Model BBS. If you want to create
accounts for people before they call, it's easy to do.
CREATE A NEW From the Sysop console, hit <F7> to log in. Type "new"
ACCOUNT: at the prompt for your User-ID. You will be asked for
the name, address, and other information for the account.
At the end you will be prompted to choose a User-ID and
password, and then you're done!
You can change the account's class with the "detail"
command on the Sysop console.
o For detailed information about changing
the sign-up questions users are asked,
see pages 289-290 in the System
Operations Manual.
28
Electronic Mail
Electronic mail allows you and your users to exchange private messages with
each other.
You can do many of the same things you can do with real mail: request a
return receipt, make carbon copies, and forward it to someone else. You can
quote from a message when you reply to it. You can also attach a computer
file directly to the message (called a "file attachment").
WRITE ELECTRONIC When you are online, choose the Electronic Mail
MAIL: service from your TOP menu. Select "W" to write
a message and type the recipient's User-ID.
Enter the topic, then write your message in the
Full Screen Editor. Press <Ctrl-G> to save the
message when you are done. You will then be asked
if you want to attach a file, request a return
receipt, or send carbon copies to other User-IDs.
READ ELECTRONIC To read mail in your mailbox at any time, go to
MAIL: the Electronic Mail service and select "R" to read
messages. You can choose to read messages to you
or from you. You can start with the first message,
the last, or just messages you haven't read yet.
After you read a message, you will have the option
of replying to it, erasing it, forwarding it,
downloading the attached file (if there is one),
or moving on.
For exchanging mail with a group of people on a
regular basis, you may want to create a
"distribution list" (see reference below).
o For more detailed information about using
the Electronic Mail service, see pages
340-353 in the System Operations Manual.
o For more detailed information about
messaging on The Major BBS, see pages
304-308 in the System Operations Manual.
o For more detailed information about using
the Full Screen Editor, see pages 353-361
in the System Operations Manual.
29
o For more detailed information about
setting up distribution lists, see pages
250-253 in the System Operations Manual.
o For more detailed information about
exchanging mail with other applications
via MHS, see pages 182-186 in the System
Operations Manual.
Attachments and Transferring Files
When you attach a file, you "upload" it to the BBS. When you grab an
attached file from a message, you "download" it.
To upload or download a file, you will have to choose from a list of file
transfer protocols. If you are calling in with a terminal program, you must
use a protocol that is supported by that program. We recommend using the
ZMODEM protocol, and most terminal programs support it.
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ When you are logged in locally at the Sysop │
│ console, you cannot use file transfer │
│ protocols. However, as Sysop, you have the │
│ option of copying a file instead. Select │
│ "F" for file import/export. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
o For more detailed information about
transferring files, see pages 308-315 in
the System Operations Manual.
o For more detailed information about file
importing/exporting, see pages 248-249 in
the System Operations Manual.
Forums (Public Message Areas)
Forums can be used for many types of applications.
The most common use is to host an ongoing conference on a particular topic.
Users who have access to the conference can read messages from other people
and contribute their own thoughts. Privileged users can attach files to
their messages. This is a wonderful tool for project brainstorming,
30
interactive customer feedback, community discussions, political debate, and
so forth.
You can use a Forum as a public "bulletin board" (the old-fashioned cork
kind). People can post questions, classified ads, job opportunities,
notices about upcoming events, and so forth. A reply to a message can be
either posted on the "bulletin board," or sent to the advertiser in private
electronic mail.
You can also make a Forum read-only. This means only you as the Sysop (or
assistants you assign as "Forum-Ops") can write messages. Other people can
read messages and do keyword searches for particular information. This is
ideal for distributing the same information to many people. (For example,
you might have a "Tips" Forum on your BBS that gives callers answers to
common questions about your product.)
DEFINED: A Forum-Op is someone you delegate to manage a Forum for you. He
can change the properties of the Forum and decide who has access
to it. If you don't assign a Forum-Op, you (as Sysop) are it by
default.
A Quick Tour of Forum Commands
The Major BBS comes with one pre-configured Forum: /Hello. When you select
the Forums service from the TOP menu, you will be in the /Hello Forum.
There is only one message in there to start off with, the "Forum Header",
but let's take a look around...
READ FORUM You can read messages by selecting "R". When you
MESSAGES: do, you will be asked whether you want to:
S ... scan through messages one at a time
L ... list messages non-stop
K ... keyword-search for specific messages
If you select "S" to scan, you can start with
either new messages you haven't read yet, or with
the first or last message in the Forum.
WRITE FORUM Just select "W" to write a message. This is very
MESSAGES: similar to writing an electronic message, except
you can address the message to "** ALL **" users
in the Forum.
31
SELECT A NEW After you create new Forums (discussed in the next
FORUM: section), you can switch between them by selecting
"S" from the main Forum menu.
Commands such as the Quickscan, Filescan, and Teleconference are not needed
for basic Forum use. For that reason, we will not discuss them here, but
you can find a full description of them in the System Operations Manual.
DEFINED: The Forum Header is always the first message in a Forum. It is
written when the Forum is created and contains a description of
the Forum's purpose and other Forum-management information.
o For more detailed information about using
the Forums, see pages 321-339 in the
System Operations Manual.
Creating New Forums
As the Sysop, you will see a few additional commands on the Forum menu to
"Configure users" and to go to the "Operations menu." We'll take a quick
look at a couple of the things you will want to do with these commands.
CREATE A NEW Select "O" for the Operations menu and choose "C"
FORUM: to create a Forum. Enter the name of the Forum;
it can be up to 9 characters long and must begin
with a "/" (forward slash). You will then be
guided through creating the Forum Header message.
When you finish, your new Forum will be created!
After you create a Forum, you will want to decide which users have access to
it. There are seven access levels available, and you can grant them to
individuals or a group of users who hold a certain key.
Forum Access Levels
-------------------
Zero user cannot see or use this Forum
Read user can only read messages in this Forum
Download same as Read, but user can also download files
Write same as Download, but user can also write messages
Upload same as Write, but user can also upload files
32
Co-Op same as Upload, but uploads are instantly approved
Forum-Op can approve files, maintain messages, change access
CONFIGURING To grant access to a Forum, select "C" to
USERS: configure users from the main Forum menu. You can
then choose to grant global access to users who
have a certain key and different access to users
who don't. Or you can enter a User-ID whom you
want to give a specific access level. For online
help here, just hit "?".
o For more detailed information about Forum
management, see pages 238-248 in the
System Operations Manual.
The File Libraries
The File Libraries lets you offer files for your users to download. You
make as many files available as you want, and you can organize them into
different individual "Libraries." Each Library refers to a subdirectory
on your hard drive where its files are stored.
Each file can have a description, which is used to build a keyword data-
base. Users can search through a large number of files very quickly by
using keywords.
You can also allow users to upload files here as well. You can restrict
this to only particular Libraries, if you wish.
When you installed The Major BBS, it automatically created a default Library
called MAIN to get you started. You can create more Libraries, as we'll see
in an upcoming section.
Things You Can Do in the Library
Let's take a look at some of the basic things you can do in the File
Libraries...
FIND FILES: Select "F" from the Library menu. You may then
choose how you want to search for files:
alphabetically, by date, by popularity, or by
keyword(s). You can scan just the current
Library you are in or all Libraries. While
looking at files, you can opt to download them
immediately, or tag them to be downloaded later.
33
DOWNLOAD A FILE: From the Library menu, select "D" to download.
You can either type in the name of the file, if
you know it, or specify a keyword. (If you
specify a keyword, the BBS will let you choose
from a list of files that match your request.)
After you have selected the file to download, you
will be asked to choose a file transfer protocol
(as described earlier in this chapter).
UPLOAD A FILE: Select "U" from the Library menu. First, you will
be asked to name the file. Then you can choose
the file transfer protocol and initiate the upload
from your term program. (Note: at the Sysop
console you can only use the "F" protocol.) After
the transfer is complete, you can add a file
description.
SELECT A LIBRARY: After you create additional Libraries, you can
switch between them by selecting "S" from the
Library menu.
MANAGE TAGGED FILES: If, while finding files, you elected to "tag" one
or FILES: more of them for later download, this
option will appear on the menu. From here, you
can download or "untag" one or all of the files.
DOWNLOAD LISTS OF Select "L" from the Library menu to download OF
FILES: FILES: file listings for one or all Libraries.
You can then conveniently review them offline.
SET YOUR PREFERENCES: To tailor features of the File Libraries to your
PREFERENCES: taste, such as an automatic transfer
protocol choice, select "P" from the Library menu.
OPERATIONS MENU: This option is only available to the Sysop and
users you delegate as Lib-Ops. Select "O" from
the Library menu to access maintenance features
for that Library.
o For more detailed information about using
the File Libraries, see pages 365-368 in
the System Operations Manual.
34
Creating New Libraries
From the Operations menu, the first command you'll probably want to use is:
CREATE A NEW LIBRARY: From the Library menu, type "CREATE". You will
then be asked to name your new LIB (up to 8
characters). Next, you will be placed in the LIB
editor, where you can set the LIB description,
security restrictions, download surcharges, and
so forth.
You can also specify which subdirectory the LIB
will look in for its files. This "alternate path
prefix" can refer to a drive on your network or
even a CD-ROM drive.
When you are finished, just go to the bottom of
the screen, select "SAVE", and your LIB will be
created!
Tips & Tricks
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ "DOS-only" Libraries make files in that Library's │
│ subdirectory available for download, without having │
│ having to be logged in. However, they will not │
│ have file descriptions or keywords associated with │
│ them. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
NOTE: When deleting files from a Library, and the Library is not a
DOS-only Library, use the "Remove (unlog) or rename files"
option - this will also remove the descriptions and keywords
from the file database.
o For more detailed information about
Library management, see pages 254-268 in
the System Operations Manual.
35
Teleconference
Teleconferencing allows multiple users to talk to each other in real-time.
This service tends to be more popular on BBSes that support four or more
simultaneous users.
Users can whisper, engage in one-on-one private chats, switch to other
"teleconference channels," moderate topic-based discussions, and page other
users on the system. For a complete list of Teleconference commands, just
hit "?" in the Teleconference.
Tips & Tricks
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ From the Sysop console, if you are emulating a │
│ user (you can do this from the <Alt-U> Online │
│ User Information screen), you can bring him into │
│ into "Sysop Chat mode". Just hit <Shift-F2>, │
│ and the user will be interrupted into a special │
│ one-on-one chat with you. Hit <Shift-F2> again │
│ to end Sysop Chat mode. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
o For more detailed information about using
Teleconferencing, see pages 315-320 in
the System Operations Manual.
Registry of Users
This service lets your users advertise a bit about themselves for other
users to see. It can be used as a company directory, a talent database, or
a match-making reference. Each user has the option of participating, but he
isn't required to.
The Major BBS comes with a default Registry template suited for a
professional reference exchange. You can change this offline, if you wish.
o For more detailed information about using
the Registry of Users, see pages 369-370
in the System Operations Manual.
o For more detailed information about
changing the Registry of Users, see pages
268-270 in the System Operations Manual.
36
Polls and Questionnaires
The Polls and Questionnaires service can be used for surveys, votes, opinion
polls, customer feedback, and general data acquisition. We have included a
sample poll, TECHIE, to introduce you to this facility.
You create as many questionnaires as you want with up to 100 questions in
each. You can insist that users take a poll when they log on, your you can
let them participate at their leisure.
o For more detailed information about using
Polls and Questionnaires, see page 371
in the System Operations Manual.
o For more detailed information about
configuring and reporting Polls and
Questionnaires, see pages 270-277 and
page 391 in the System Operations Manual.
A Little Bit about Doors
Doors allow your users to execute DOS programs on adjacent computers
connected to your BBS by serial cables. This is a very powerful service, as
it allows your BBS to provide almost any application online. However, since
it is a bit involved to set up, we will not discuss it here in the Quick
Start Booklet.
o For more detailed information about
setting up and running Doors, see pages
277-288 in the System Operations Manual.
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
Test │ You cannot use "door" programs with │
Drive │ the Test Drive. Full door support │
Users │ is provided when you purchase the │
│ full package. │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
37
Other Things to Reference...
By now you should have a clear understanding of all the basic services of
your BBS. We'll give you a few pointers to other topics in the System
Operations Manual that you might want to know:
Running your BBS under Windows .................. pg. 12-16
Changing your hardware setup .................... pg. 23-45
LAN access ...................................... pg. 34-39
Multilingual capabilities ....................... pg. 49-58
RIPscrip graphics ............................... pg. 92-96
Configuring MHS support ......................... pg. 182-186
Timed Events and Auto-Cleanup ................... pg. 191-193
QWK-mail ........................................ pg. 253
Global commands on your BBS ..................... pg. 291, 296
"File tagging" .................................. pg. 312, 366-367
Getting a report of your users .................. pg. 379-386
Generating mailing labels for your users ........ pg. 381
Other offline utilities ......................... pg. 387-393
If you have any questions that aren't answered by this booklet or the System
Operations Manual, you can contact our technical support department:
o by modem at (305) 583-7808 on the Galacticomm Demo System
o by fax at (305) 583-7846
o through CompuServe by sending a message to
INTERNET:support@gcomm.com
o through the Internet by sending a message to
support@gcomm.com
o by voice telephone at (305) 321-2404, Monday through
Friday, 8:30 A.M. through 6:00 P.M. Eastern Time.
Thanks again for choosing The Major BBS, and good luck with your BBS!
38
┌───────┐
┌─────────────┤ 4 ├─────────────┐
│ └───────┘ │
│ Common Questions │
│ and Answers │
│ │
└───────────────────────────────────┘
Q. My modem doesn't seem to work. What do I do?
A. Here's a brief checklist of things you should try...
1. If it's an external modem, make sure that the power is on
and the modem is firmly connected with a working serial
cable.
2. Run BBSetup again (type "BBSETUP" at the DOS prompt in
your BBS directory).
3. Make sure that the modem works with a regular terminal
program, such as Procomm, Telix, or Crosstalk.
4. Check the Hardware Setup for the modem (available from the
Introductory Menu). Make sure that the I/O base address
for the modem is set correctly:
COM1 = 3F8 COM3 = 3E8
COM2 = 2F8 COM4 = 2E8
5. Make sure that two devices (other modems, mice, serial
cards) are not configured for the same I/O base address
or COM port.
6. Try changing the modem's initialization string (refer to
your modem's manual and pages 26-29 in the System
Operations Manual).
Q. Should I backup my BBS? When and how?
A. Yes, you should backup your BBS at least once a month, and preferably
once each week. For critical applications, you may even want to backup
every day.
39
You should backup all files in your BBS directory (usually \BBSV6). This
will cover all your BBS's data files and configuration setup. You can
optionally backup files from the subdirectories of your BBS, such as
files in your File Libraries.
You can do this manually, when the BBS is offline. Or, you can create a
batch file called BBSCLEAN.BAT in your BBS directory. This batch file
will be executed each night when the BBS does its "Auto-Cleanup." You
can put commands to backup your BBS here.
Q. What is "Auto-Cleanup"?
A. In the middle of the night, your BBS will go into a "housekeeping" mode
to delete old messages, calculate statistics, and perform user
accounting tasks. While the BBS is in this mode, it will not accept
incoming phone calls.
You can configure what hour of the day you want the BBS to perform its
cleanup by changing the MCUHR option in the Configuration Options (it
defaults to 3 A.M.).
At this time, the BBS will also run the DOS batch file BBSCLEAN.BAT, if
it exists. You can create this file and run your own programs at this
time.
Auto-Cleanup usually takes about 10-15 minutes on a small BBS, and up to
30 minutes or more on larger systems.
Q. Can I use a CD-ROM with The Major BBS?
A. Yes. As long as the CD-ROM has its files laid out in subdirectories, you
can use it directly with the File Libraries.
To log in a whole bunch of files automatically, refer to page 390 in
the System Operations Manual. If the CD-ROM comes with a FILES.BBS file,
you can use a program to convert it for import into the File Libraries.
Several of these programs are available on the Galacticomm Demo System,
which can be reached with your modem at (305) 583-7808.
If you want to run something like an online encyclopedia CD-ROM, you will
probably need to run it through a "door" (see pages 277-288 in the System
Operations Manual).
40
Q. How do I check uploads for viruses?
A. First, you can rest assured that no one can infect your BBS computer with
a virus just by uploading a file. The only way you can "catch a virus"
is if you execute an uploaded file before you check it.
You can check a file out by downloading it and running a virus-scan
program on it. You can also assign Library Operators (similar to
Forum-Ops) to do this for you in the particular Libraries.
You can also put virus-scanning software in your BBSCLEAN.BAT file. At
Auto-Cleanup, it can scan your File Library subdirectories which contain
new uploads.
Q. Can I run my BBS under Windows?
A. Yes. However, even Windows 3.1 does not provide good support for
high-speed communications. We do not recommend using Windows for more
than one or two lines at 2400 or 9600 baud.
For information about setting up your BBS under Windows, refer to pages
12-16 in the System Operations Manual.
Q. Can I connect to the Internet with The Major BBS?
A. Yes. If your organization is already hooked up to the Internet and runs
Novell's MHS on your network, you may be able to communicate with the
Internet just by configuring your BBS's MHS support (pages 182-186 in
the System Operations Manual).
Alternatively, you can purchase the Major Gateway/Internet Add-on Option
for The Major BBS. For more information, see your local software dealer
or call Galacticomm at 1-800-328-1128 (or 305-583-5990 outside the U.S.
and Canada).
Q. How do I use add-ons with my BBS?
A. Most add-ons only require "A:INSTALL" to plug into your BBS. You can
purchase add-ons developed by Galacticomm or third-party developers.
These add-ons include databases, online shopping, fax-mail, and more.
For a list of available add-ons, call us at 1-800-328-1128 (or
305-583-5990 outside the U.S. and Canada).
41
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
Test │ You must purchase a copy of The Major │
Drive │ BBS before you will be able to install │
Users │ and use add-on options. │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘
Q. Where can I get free sample add-ons for my BBS?
A. The Galacticomm Demo System is our own BBS that we run for customer
support. You can find technical support answers on there 24 hours a day,
7 days a week. Also, in our File Libraries, we have many free add-ons
and utilities for your BBS. To take a look around, give it a call with
your modem at (305) 583-7808.
Q. Can I use RIPscrip graphics with my BBS?
A. Yes! The Major BBS comes with a standard English/RIP language (in
addition to English/ANSI). When a user calls into your BBS with a
terminal program that supports RIPscrip, the BBS will automatically
switch him into graphics mode. All your menus and prompts will be
displayed in a default graphical layout -- you don't have to change a
thing!
A free copy of RIPterm is located in your \BBSV6 directory. You can make
this terminal program available to all your users at no charge.
If you want to customize your RIPscrip interface, you will need a copy of
the RIPaint Add-on Option for The Major BBS.
Q. If I just have the Test Drive, should I buy The Major BBS?
A. Yes. We want your business and we think you will agree that The Major
BBS is the most powerful and professional bulletin board system
available. We even back it with a 30-day, no-questions-asked money-back
guarantee.
To pick up a copy, visit your local software dealer, or call us at
1-800-328-1128 (or 305-583-5990 outside the U.S. and Canada).
42
═════════
I N D E X
═════════
/GO command, 22, 23, 24, 26 Doors, 12, 37, 40
Account information, 11 DOS, 4, 40
Accounting, 15, 19, 20 Edit Text Blocks, 27
ANSI, 10, 26, 27 HELLO text block, 27
Auto-Cleanup, 38, 40 Electronic mail, 24, 29
AUTOEXEC.BAT, 3, 6 file attachment, 29
BBSDRAW, 26, 27 Locks and Keys, 16
BBS GO, 6 reading, 29
BBS Name, 5 writing, 29
BBSetup, 3, 39 Expert mode, 5
BBS Models, 4, 19 File
CUSTOMER-SERVICE, 4, 17 attachment, 29, 30
FOR-PROFIT MODEL, 4, 10, 18 download, 30
PRIVATE MODEL, 4, 28 transfer, 30, 34
PUBLIC MODEL, 4 upload, 30
SIGN-UP MODEL, 4 File Libraries, 33
CD-ROM, 35, 40 approve files, 34
Classes, user 17 CD-ROM, 35, 40
account, 19 creating new Libraries, 35
class keyring, 18, 19 deleting Libraries, 35
creating, 19 DOS-only Libraries, 35
credit charges, 19 download, 33, 34
keys, 19 finding files, 33
keyring, 19 MAIN Lib, 33, 34 3
modifying, 19 selecting new Libraries, 34
removing keys, 19 tagging files, 34, 38
statistics, 8 upload, 33, 34
switching, 18, 19 Forums, 30, 31
time per call, 19 /Hello, 31
time per day, 19 access levels, 32
CONFIG.SYS, 2, 3 configuring users, 33
Configuration Options, 5, 11, 14, 40 creating, 32
Co-Sysop, 13 Forum-Ops, 31
Credits, 10 header, 32
Distribution list, 29, 30 reading, 31
Quickscan, 32
selecting, 32
43
Forums (continued) Security (continued)
uploading files, 33 restrictions, 16
writing, 31 Locks and Keys, 16
GO!, 6 Shutting Down, 13
Installation, 3 Sysop console, 13
Locks and Keys, 16, 20 Introductory Menu, 13
class keyring, 18 Configuration Options, 14
creating a new lock, 17 busy-out, 14
default lock names, 16 Sysop, 6, 10, 32
Electronic Mail, 16 Sysop console, 6, 9, 12, 13, 20
giving users keys, 17 commands, 9, 32
Sysop, 16 copying files, 30
System Management, 17 emulating users, 36
Offline, 4, 15, 38 login, 9, 10, 12
Online, 4, 6, 15 summary screen, 6, 7, 8, 9
bringing BBS online, 6 shutting down, 13
Menu Tree, 20, 21, 22, 25 signing up new users, 28
adding new pages, 25 switching user class, 18
copying pages, 26 Sysop chat mode, 36
deleting pages, 26 uploading files, 34
editing look, 26 User-ID look-up, 9
file page, 21, 24 System Management, 13, 17, 20
menu page, 21, 22, 26 creating user class, 19
module page, 21, 23, 24 giving users keys, 17
moving pages, 26 modifying user class, 19
orphaned pages, 26 switching user class, 18
security, 25 Test Drive Users, 1, 3, 37, 42
Menus, 15, 23 Technical support, 38
Introductory Menu, 4, 6, 13, TOP menu, 11, 12, 21
20,27 Account Display/Edit, 12
see also "Top Menu" Electronic Mail, 12
MHS, 30, 38 Exit System (Logoff), 12
Modem(s), 2 Forums, 12
Multi-port serial card, 2 Information Center, 12, 25
Password, 11 Library of Files, 12
QWK-mail, 12 Polls & Questionnaires, 12, 37
Remote Sysop Menu, 13 Registry of Users, 12, 36
see "System Management" Teleconference, 12, 36
Requirements, 1 User account, 10
RIPscrip graphics, 38, 42 User-ID, 10
Security, 11, 15, 20 User Six-Pack, 2
44