• Commercial Synchronet

    From HusTler@PHARCYDE to Digitalman on Tue Sep 20 20:55:12 2022

    So I'm reading the Synchronet wiki and it says Synchronet was sold commercially from 1992-1996. I remember seeing the ad for Synchronet BBS in PC mag and other computer mags. What I want to know is was it available in any computer stores in the US during those commercial years.? Did it ever reach the big boy COMP_USA? I had a lot of pops and mom computer stores here on Long Island but I wasn't looking to run a BBS on a what we called an IBM compatable back then. I started with the C64 and from there went to the Amiga. I'm curious if I ever saw Synchronet BBS on the shelf at my local store or even Radio Shack. Radio Shack was a big seller of IBM compats in those years. They were waay out of my price range. LOL!

    HusTler

    |07 HusTler


    ... Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)
  • From Digital Man to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 21:41:28 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to Digitalman on Tue Sep 20 2022 08:55 pm

    So I'm reading the Synchronet wiki and it says Synchronet was sold commercially from 1992-1996. I remember seeing the ad for Synchronet BBS in PC mag and other computer mags.

    PC Magazine was out of my budget, but yeah, we advertised in:
    - Boardwatch
    - BBS Callers Digest (I think it was AKA BBS Magazine at one point)
    - Online Access
    - Sysop News and World Report
    - and maybe one or two other even smaller mags I'm forgetting

    What I want to know is was it available in
    any computer stores in the US during those commercial years.?

    Not really. Although we had ads with a shrink-wrapped box image, we never actually sold the software in a shrink-wrapped box (e.g. in a retail store).

    Did it ever reach the big boy COMP_USA?

    Maybe the demo version was included in a CD-ROM that was sold there? That'd be the closest thing.

    I had a lot of pops and mom computer stores here
    on Long Island but I wasn't looking to run a BBS on a what we called an IBM compatable back then. I started with the C64 and from there went to the Amiga. I'm curious if I ever saw Synchronet BBS on the shelf at my local store or even Radio Shack. Radio Shack was a big seller of IBM compats in those years. They were waay out of my price range. LOL!

    Yeah, mine too. I also built my own PCs out of wholesale parts. Now, I do buy HPs or Dells or <gasp> Microsoft computers, especially since Fry's closed down. :-(
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #8:
    BinkP = BinkD Protocol
    Norco, CA WX: 67.0°F, 81.0% humidity, 6 mph SW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 23:49:39 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to Digitalman on Tue Sep 20 2022 08:55 pm


    So I'm reading the Synchronet wiki and it says Synchronet was sold commercially from 1992-1996. I remember seeing the ad for Synchronet BBS in PC mag and other computer mags. What I want to know is was it available in any computer stores in the US during those commercial years.? Did it ever reach the big boy COMP_USA? I had a lot of pops and mom computer stores here on Long Island but I wasn't looking to run a BBS on a what we called an IBM compatable back then. I started with the C64 and from there went to the Amiga. I'm curious if I ever saw Synchronet BBS on the shelf at my local store or even Radio Shack. Radio Shack was a big seller of IBM compats in those years. They were waay out of my price range. LOL!



    only bbs software i ever saw in a store was wildcat! and it was in software ect. never sold.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From HusTler@PHARCYDE to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 07:39:41 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 2022 09:41 pm

    PC Magazine was out of my budget, but yeah, we advertised in:
    - Boardwatch
    - BBS Callers Digest (I think it was AKA BBS Magazine at one point)
    - Online Access
    - Sysop News and World Report
    - and maybe one or two other even smaller mags I'm forgetting

    And if I called the support line I would have spoken to you? I remember talking to the guy from Searchlight. When I had trouble setting up Fidonet he would tell me he didn't support it but for a $100 fee he would. Then the guys from Fidonet wanted money. Geez when I think back I was really taken for a ride. I'm wondering if that's why stores didn't carry a lot of BBS software. They didn't want the headache of people returning the software they couldn't get to work??

    |07 HusTler

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 08:22:01 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 2022 09:41 pm

    Yeah, mine too. I also built my own PCs out of wholesale parts. Now, I do buy HPs or Dells or <gasp> Microsoft computers, especially since Fry's closed down. :-(

    I'm currently working at a software consulting company, and a couple years ago, I was doing work for a company on-site and saw that they had some Microsoft Surface Studio all-in-one PCs, and I thought they looked like fairly nice machines. They're fairly expensive though..

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to MRO on Wed Sep 21 08:22:36 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: MRO to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 2022 11:49 pm

    only bbs software i ever saw in a store was wildcat! and it was in software ect. never sold.

    I saw boxed copies of Wildcat at my local Egghead Software in the mid 90s.

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man to HusTler on Wed Sep 21 10:54:26 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 2022 07:39 am

    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 2022 09:41 pm

    PC Magazine was out of my budget, but yeah, we advertised in:
    - Boardwatch
    - BBS Callers Digest (I think it was AKA BBS Magazine at one point)
    - Online Access
    - Sysop News and World Report
    - and maybe one or two other even smaller mags I'm forgetting

    And if I called the support line I would have spoken to you?

    Possibly. I did have employees 1993-95 that usually answered the phone and Allen (King Drafus) handled most of the voice support questions in the later years (so I could work on getting the damned OS/2 version released).

    I remember
    talking to the guy from Searchlight. When I had trouble setting up Fidonet he would tell me he didn't support it but for a $100 fee he would.

    Ah, I recall Frank being a really nice guy when I met it at ONE BBSCON.

    Then the guys from Fidonet wanted money.

    Yup, I remember paying $5 a month I think it was, for "cost recovery" (FidoNet Zone 1, net 103). And then I paid Planet Connect for a KU-band satellite feed (don't remember how much, but more).

    Geez when I think back I was really taken
    for a ride. I'm wondering if that's why stores didn't carry a lot of BBS software. They didn't want the headache of people returning the software they couldn't get to work??

    I imagine that there were quite a few copies of PCBoard, Wildcat, TBBS, etc. sold in retail stores. A lot of those copies probably just sat on shelves too. But running a BBS fully (e.g. FidoNet-working, door games, CD-ROMs, etc.) required some passion and dedication, which is often in short-supply among the software-buying public. :-)
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Sling Blade quote #26:
    Karl: kaiser blade, ax handle with long blade on it shaped kinda like a banana. Norco, CA WX: 71.4°F, 58.0% humidity, 3 mph E wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
  • From Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 10:58:20 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 2022 08:22 am

    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to HusTler on Tue Sep 20 2022 09:41 pm

    Yeah, mine too. I also built my own PCs out of wholesale parts. Now, I do buy HPs or Dells or <gasp> Microsoft computers, especially since Fry's closed down. :-(

    I'm currently working at a software consulting company, and a couple years ago, I was doing work for a company on-site and saw that they had some Microsoft Surface Studio all-in-one PCs, and I thought they looked like fairly nice machines. They're fairly expensive though..

    The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students and now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features much more than I would have predicted. I think the next closest thing would be an iPad Pro, but my kids still need/use traditional Windows software, so the Surface Pros were the right buy. No regrets. The Surface all-in-ones do look like a nice iMac alternative.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Rush quote #82:
    The clouds prepare for battle in the dark and brooding silence
    Norco, CA WX: 71.4°F, 58.0% humidity, 3 mph E wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 11:34:08 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:58 am

    The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students and now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features much more than I would have predicted. I think the next closest thing would be an iPad Pro, but my kids still need/use traditional Windows software, so the Surface Pros were the right buy. No regrets.

    I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but the thing I didn't like about it was that its keyboard attachment wasn't rigid like a laptop, so it didn't stay in position when it's picked up and moved. I felt like that became more of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus though. Maybe I wasn't the target market for that device..

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 13:48:22 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 2022 11:34 am

    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:58 am

    The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students and now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features much more than I would have predicted. I think the next closest thing would be an iPad Pro, but my kids still need/use traditional Windows software, so the Surface Pros were the right buy. No regrets.

    I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but the thing I didn't like about it was that its keyboard attachment wasn't rigid like a laptop, so it didn't stay in position when it's picked up and moved. I felt like that became more of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus though. Maybe I wasn't the target market for that device..

    Agreed. Microsoft also makes a Surface Laptop (with traditional/rigid keyboard), that looks pretty nice/slim, but I/we haven't owned one. For laptops, I've had really good luck with Lenovos.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Breaking Bad quote #37:
    only the very best... with just a right amount of dirty. - Saul
    Norco, CA WX: 80.2°F, 36.0% humidity, 5 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 16:49:02 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 2022 01:48 pm

    Agreed. Microsoft also makes a Surface Laptop (with traditional/rigid keyboard), that looks pretty nice/slim, but I/we haven't owned one. For laptops, I've had really good luck with Lenovos.

    I tend to like Lenovo as well. I sold that Surface Pro tablet I had and ended up buying a Lenovo laptop afterward (which I still use off and on).

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Gamgee@PALANT to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 20:27:00 2022
    Digital Man wrote to Nightfox <=-

    I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but the thing I didn't like about it was that its keyboard attachment wasn't rigid like a laptop, so it didn't stay in position when it's picked up and moved. I felt like that became more of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus though. Maybe I wasn't the target market for that device..

    Agreed. Microsoft also makes a Surface Laptop (with
    traditional/rigid keyboard), that looks pretty nice/slim, but
    I/we haven't owned one. For laptops, I've had really good luck
    with Lenovos.

    Have never used a Surface, but agree on the Lenovo. Typing this from my
    daily driver ThinkPad T510 that is around 8 years old but still solid.
    I've added memory and an SSD to it and seriously don't think I'll ever
    use anything *other* than a Lenovo again. I'm thinking maybe Santa is
    going to bring me a new one this year. :-)



    ... If not for the last minute, nothing would get done.
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    ■ Synchronet ■ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to HusTler on Wed Sep 21 21:24:39 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 2022 07:39 am


    And if I called the support line I would have spoken to you? I remember talking to the guy from Searchlight. When I had trouble setting up Fidonet he would tell me he didn't support it but for a $100 fee he would. Then the

    well if he's taking time out of his day, whats wrong if naming his price? you could always say no.

    guys from Fidonet wanted money. Geez when I think back I was really taken for a ride. I'm wondering if that's why stores didn't carry a lot of BBS

    you mean that cost recovery thing? CRP i'm not sure if that ever worked well, or if people were profitting from it. maybe in some areas they it worked, some it didnt.

    why didnt stores carry bbs software? because bbses suck.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Moondog@CAVEBBS to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 23:06:00 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Wed Sep 21 2022 11:34 am

    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:58 am

    The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students a now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features muc more than I would have predicted. I think the next closest thing would an iPad Pro, but my kids still need/use traditional Windows software, s the Surface Pros were the right buy. No regrets.

    I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but the thi of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus though. Maybe I

    Nightfox

    At a previous jobsite we deployed Surfaces with a protective rubberized
    sleeve with the keyboard integrated to act as a screen cover. It didn't come loose at all.

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From HusTler@PHARCYDE to Digital Man on Thu Sep 22 07:41:49 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to HusTler on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:54 am

    Ah, I recall Frank being a really nice guy when I met it at ONE BBSCON.

    He was. I just needed someone to help me out as I did not understand the whole Fidonet thing. Searchlight came with preset Fidonet message areas. After I found someone to help me I purchased a commercial mailer (D,Bridge) with an excellent manual and I got things working. I was not expecting the extra cost. The advertisement for Searchlight read: "Everything you need to run your own Bulletin Board System". At the time D,Bridge was $120.00. So yea Frank was nice but I can get anyone to give me support if I pay them. ;-)

    |07 HusTler


    ... A failure will not appear till a unit has passed final inspection.

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)
  • From HusTler@PHARCYDE to MRO on Thu Sep 22 07:53:46 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: MRO to HusTler on Wed Sep 21 2022 09:24 pm

    you mean that cost recovery thing? CRP i'm not sure if that ever worked well or if people were profitting from it. maybe in some areas they it worked, so it didnt.
    why didnt stores carry bbs software? because bbses suck.

    I'll tell you what. I've met a lot of friends that I still keep in touch with. I never would have met them if I didn't run a BBS. So yea BBS's suck when they don't work but the friendships gained fixing them is priceless in my opinion.

    |07 HusTler

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)
  • From fusion@CFBBS to Digital Man on Thu Sep 22 11:36:00 2022
    On 21 Sep 2022, Digital Man said the following...

    The Microsoft Surface Pros were highly-recommended to me for students
    and now each of my daughters has one and they swear buy them for college school work. They use the stylus and tablet/rotation/touch features much

    not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole OS future on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo instead.. seems like they're just making up slowly for lost time.

    ... Light year: 1/3 less calories than your regular year

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Moondog on Thu Sep 22 09:30:53 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Moondog to Nightfox on Wed Sep 21 2022 11:06 pm

    I had a Surface Pro years ago, and I think it was a good tablet, but
    the thi of an annoyance over time. I didn't really use the stylus
    though. Maybe I

    At a previous jobsite we deployed Surfaces with a protective rubberized sleeve with the keyboard integrated to act as a screen cover. It didn't come loose at all.

    It's not that the keyboard came loose.. It was that the keyboard didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard would flop down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it, or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to fusion on Thu Sep 22 09:36:08 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: fusion to Digital Man on Thu Sep 22 2022 11:36 am

    not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole OS future on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo instead.. seems like they're just making up slowly for lost time.

    Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to HusTler on Thu Sep 22 15:49:49 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to Digital Man on Thu Sep 22 2022 07:41 am

    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Digital Man to HusTler on Wed Sep 21 2022 10:54 am

    Ah, I recall Frank being a really nice guy when I met it at ONE BBSCON.

    He was. I just needed someone to help me out as I did not understand the whole Fidonet thing. Searchlight came with preset Fidonet message areas. After I found someone to help me I purchased a commercial mailer (D,Bridge) with an excellent manual and I got things working. I was not expecting the extra cost. The advertisement for Searchlight read: "Everything you need to run your own Bulletin Board System". At the time D,Bridge was $120.00. So yea Frank was nice but I can get anyone to give me support if I pay them. ;-)


    you can expect what you want, but you have to do your homework.
    i knew having fidonet would require extra work and software.

    i wouldn't use d'bridge though. EWWWW

    i use irex and radius. much better.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to HusTler on Thu Sep 22 15:53:16 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to MRO on Thu Sep 22 2022 07:53 am

    well or if people were profitting from it. maybe in some areas they it worked, so it didnt.
    why didnt stores carry bbs software? because bbses suck.

    I'll tell you what. I've met a lot of friends that I still keep in touch with. I never would have met them if I didn't run a BBS. So yea BBS's suck when they don't work but the friendships gained fixing them is priceless in my opinion.

    that was almost 30 years ago. those days are over.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to Nightfox on Thu Sep 22 15:55:54 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to Moondog on Thu Sep 22 2022 09:30 am


    It's not that the keyboard came loose.. It was that the keyboard didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard would flop down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it, or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.


    so how is this a problem.
    that's how it was designed.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Moondog@CAVEBBS to Nightfox on Thu Sep 22 16:29:00 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to fusion on Thu Sep 22 2022 09:36 am

    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: fusion to Digital Man on Thu Sep 22 2022 11:36 am

    not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole OS fut on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo instead.. seems l they're just making up slowly for lost time.

    Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?

    Nightfox


    I doubt Lenovo is selling anything. They picked up IBM's Personal Computing Division in 2005. They've created a good following since then.

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to Moondog on Thu Sep 22 20:25:54 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Moondog to Nightfox on Thu Sep 22 2022 04:29 pm


    Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?

    Nightfox


    I doubt Lenovo is selling anything. They picked up IBM's Personal Computing Division in 2005. They've created a good following since then.

    that's what you find when you google them now.

    i remember like 5-6 years ago there was talk of them falling apart.
    i can't find it, but i remember it.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to MRO on Thu Sep 22 18:59:09 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: MRO to Nightfox on Thu Sep 22 2022 03:55 pm

    It's not that the keyboard came loose.. It was that the keyboard
    didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard
    would flop down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it,
    or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.

    so how is this a problem.
    that's how it was designed.

    Not much of a problem, just a little more annoying to move than a laptop. Laptop keyboards/monitors don't flop around when you move them.

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Charles Blackburn@FBOBBS to Nightfox on Fri Sep 23 07:13:44 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to MRO on Thu Sep 22 2022 18:59:09

    didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard
    would flop down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it,
    or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.

    yea that would suck ass... although in these days of 3d printers, you might be able to print something that stops it :D

    Not much of a problem, just a little more annoying to move than a laptop. Laptop keyboards/monitors don't flop around when
    you move them.

    oh i dunno about that.. I have a couple of dell laptops here with overworked hinges where the screen doesnt stay in one position without a book behind it lol

    regards
    ---

    Charles Blackburn
    The F.B.O BBS 21:1/221 618:250/36
    bbs.thefbo.us IPV4/V6
    DOVE-Net FSX-Net MicroNET USENET
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ The FBO BBS - bbs.thefbo.us - A place for aviation fun....
  • From HusTler@PHARCYDE to MRO on Fri Sep 23 10:19:43 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: MRO to HusTler on Thu Sep 22 2022 03:49 pm

    you can expect what you want, but you have to do your homework.
    i knew having fidonet would require extra work and software.

    i wouldn't use d'bridge though. EWWWW

    i use irex and radius. much better.

    D'Bridge was what Searchlight support recommended. I don't remember if Irex or Radius was free or paid back then. Maybe there were some shareware mailers? Back then everyone was on the software ban wagon looking to make a killing. I was in the Internet side of things working support for an ISP. Once I starting using the net I knew the BBS world would be a thing of the past. ftp and irc took the world by storm. lol

    |07 HusTler

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to HusTler on Fri Sep 23 09:04:34 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to MRO on Fri Sep 23 2022 10:19 am

    D'Bridge was what Searchlight support recommended. I don't remember if Irex or Radius was free or paid back then. Maybe there were some shareware mailers?

    In the 90s, I used to use FrontDoor for my FTN mailer, which seemed like a good one. I think it was shareware. A lot of RemoteAccess BBSes seemed to use FrontDoor, but I imagine it would work for any DOS-based BBS software.

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Moondog@CAVEBBS to MRO on Fri Sep 23 10:20:00 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: MRO to Nightfox on Thu Sep 22 2022 03:55 pm

    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to Moondog on Thu Sep 22 2022 09:30 am


    It's not that the keyboard came loose.. It was that the keyboard didn't stay in position when moved. If you picked it up, the keyboard would flo down, so you had to also hold the keyboard when moving it, or fold it up, and then put it back in place after you move it.


    so how is this a problem.
    that's how it was designed.

    I think he wants some form of tension, like from a spring loaded hinge
    assembly on a standard laptop. A Surface needs a prop or kickstand on the
    back to hold up the display.

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to HusTler on Fri Sep 23 18:19:59 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: HusTler to MRO on Fri Sep 23 2022 10:19 am


    i wouldn't use d'bridge though. EWWWW

    i use irex and radius. much better.

    D'Bridge was what Searchlight support recommended. I don't remember if Irex

    the only person i've ever heard recommend d'bridge is the author of the program.

    or Radius was free or paid back then. Maybe there were some shareware mailers? Back then everyone was on the software ban wagon looking to make a killing. I was in the Internet side of things working support for an ISP. Once I starting using the net I knew the BBS world would be a thing of the past. ftp and irc took the world by storm. lol


    i always liked irex. people said it had issues but those were for obscure versions like the linux beta versions.

    i think they were all shareware.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to Moondog on Fri Sep 23 18:21:57 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Moondog to MRO on Fri Sep 23 2022 10:20 am

    so how is this a problem.
    that's how it was designed.

    I think he wants some form of tension, like from a spring loaded hinge assembly on a standard laptop. A Surface needs a prop or kickstand on the back to hold up the display.

    my ex's father was at the house with us and he had a surface. I don't remember him having any issues. not sure if he had a special stand. it didn't look like it.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Dumas Walker@CAPCITY2 to HUSTLER on Fri Sep 23 16:34:00 2022
    D'Bridge was what Searchlight support recommended. I don't remember if Irex o
    Radius was free or paid back then. Maybe there were some shareware mailers?

    BinkleyTerm.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Quark the Ferengi. Perot the Texan. Separated at birth?

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From Charles Blackburn@FBOBBS to Nightfox on Fri Sep 23 19:04:24 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to HusTler on Fri Sep 23 2022 09:04:34

    In the 90s, I used to use FrontDoor for my FTN mailer, which seemed like a good one. I think it was shareware. A lot of
    RemoteAccess BBSes seemed to use FrontDoor, but I imagine it would work for any DOS-based BBS software.

    I used to run frontdoor on my ezycom and RA bbs' worked great and was pretty much compatible with everything out there


    regards
    ---

    Charles Blackburn
    The F.B.O BBS 21:1/221 618:250/36
    bbs.thefbo.us IPV4/V6
    DOVE-Net FSX-Net MicroNET USENET
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ The FBO BBS - bbs.thefbo.us - A place for aviation fun....
  • From Tracker1@TRN to Nightfox on Fri Sep 23 20:31:43 2022
    On 9/22/22 09:36, Nightfox wrote:
    not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole
    OS future on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo
    instead.. seems likethey're just making up slowly for lost time.

    Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?

    IBM sold the PC segment to Lenovo, which afaik was doing most of the manufacturing anyways.
    --
    Michael J. Ryan - tracker1@roughneckbbs.com
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Roughneck BBS - roughneckbbs.com
  • From Tracker1@TRN to MRO on Fri Sep 23 21:54:55 2022
    On 9/23/22 16:21, MRO wrote:
    so how is this a problem.
    that's how it was designed.

    I think he wants some form of tension, like from a spring loaded
    hinge assembly on a standard laptop. A Surface needs a prop or
    kickstand on the back to hold up the display.

    my ex's father was at the house with us and he had a surface. I don't remember him having any issues. not sure if he had a special stand.
    it didn't look like it.

    There are Microsoft Surface tablets and laptop models... the tablets
    have the plastic keyboard that attaches, some convertable models have a detaching tablet/display to a hard keyboard/stand and others have a
    classic laptop layout.. varies by model.
    --
    Michael J. Ryan - tracker1@roughneckbbs.com
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Roughneck BBS - roughneckbbs.com
  • From MRO@BBSESINF to Tracker1 on Sat Sep 24 04:18:17 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Tracker1 to MRO on Fri Sep 23 2022 09:54 pm


    There are Microsoft Surface tablets and laptop models... the tablets
    have the plastic keyboard that attaches, some convertable models have a detaching tablet/display to a hard keyboard/stand and others have a
    classic laptop layout.. varies by model.

    cant remember it was years ago. it was a tablet with a keyboard.
    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Tracker1 on Sat Sep 24 11:05:34 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Tracker1 to Nightfox on Fri Sep 23 2022 08:31 pm

    not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole
    OS future on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo
    instead.. seems likethey're just making up slowly for lost time.

    Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?

    IBM sold the PC segment to Lenovo, which afaik was doing most of the manufacturing anyways.

    I know IBM sold their PC division to Lenovo years ago. It was suggested Microsoft could have bought Lenovo, so it sounded like Lenovo may have decided to sell the business.

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Moondog@CAVEBBS to Tracker1 on Sat Sep 24 11:35:00 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Tracker1 to Nightfox on Fri Sep 23 2022 08:31 pm

    On 9/22/22 09:36, Nightfox wrote:
    not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole
    OS future on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo
    instead.. seems likethey're just making up slowly for lost time.

    Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?

    IBM sold the PC segment to Lenovo, which afaik was doing most of the manufacturing anyways.
    --
    Michael J. Ryan - tracker1@roughneckbbs.com


    When I was working for ZDS, IBM consulted them to help design one of the
    early Thinkpad models. We were consulting with a company in China or Taiwan that was doing the assembly, then IBM's engineers took us out of the middle
    and worked directly with the manufacturing firm. Since I was on the service side, I didn't know the names of who assembled some our products. I'm
    curious if Lenovo's origin company was that manufacturer?

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From Moondog@CAVEBBS to Tracker1 on Sat Sep 24 11:38:00 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Tracker1 to MRO on Fri Sep 23 2022 09:54 pm

    On 9/23/22 16:21, MRO wrote:
    so how is this a problem.
    that's how it was designed.

    I think he wants some form of tension, like from a spring loaded
    hinge assembly on a standard laptop. A Surface needs a prop or
    kickstand on the back to hold up the display.

    my ex's father was at the house with us and he had a surface. I don't remember him having any issues. not sure if he had a special stand.
    it didn't look like it.

    There are Microsoft Surface tablets and laptop models... the tablets
    have the plastic keyboard that attaches, some convertable models have a detaching tablet/display to a hard keyboard/stand and others have a
    classic laptop layout.. varies by model.
    --
    Michael J. Ryan - tracker1@roughneckbbs.com

    The tablet model had a keyboard that attached via magnets.

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From fusion@CFBBS to Moondog on Sun Sep 25 21:19:00 2022
    On 22 Sep 2022, Moondog said the following...

    not that surprising considering Microsoft is banking their whole O on the concept. bit of a shame they didn't buy lenovo instead.. se they're just making up slowly for lost time.

    Was Lenovo considering selling their PC business?

    I doubt Lenovo is selling anything. They picked up IBM's Personal Computing Division in 2005. They've created a good following since then.

    yeah sorry, misspoke. meant buy ibm's pc business.

    ... When all else fails, read the instructions

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi
  • From Daryl Stout@1:2320/33 to Nightfox on Wed Sep 28 11:09:00 2022
    In the 90s, I used to use FrontDoor for my FTN mailer, which seemed
    like a good one. I think it was shareware. A lot of RemoteAccess
    BBSes seemed to use FrontDoor, but I imagine it would work for any DOS-based BBS software.

    I first used FrontDoor and GEcho, but went to InterMail and InterEcho,
    back when I ran GT Power under DOS 5. GT also required a separate tosser
    called FidoGate, to make things work.

    Daryl

    ... There are many internet scams; send me $20 to learn how.
    === MultiMail/Win v0.52
    --- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (1:2320/33)
  • From Gamgee@PALANT to Daryl Stout on Thu Sep 29 07:31:00 2022
    Daryl Stout wrote to Nightfox <=-

    In the 90s, I used to use FrontDoor for my FTN mailer, which seemed
    like a good one. I think it was shareware. A lot of RemoteAccess
    BBSes seemed to use FrontDoor, but I imagine it would work for any DOS-based BBS software.

    I first used FrontDoor and GEcho, but went to InterMail and
    InterEcho, back when I ran GT Power under DOS 5.

    I did the same thing (FD/GE and then IM/IE) while running PCBoard back
    in the 90's. I actually registered/bought the IM/IE, and thought they
    were fantastic. Believe I was running DOS 6.22 for the most part.


    ... Windows 3.1 - From the people who brought you EDLIN.
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    ■ Synchronet ■ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Daryl Stout on Thu Sep 29 09:18:19 2022
    Re: Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Daryl Stout to Nightfox on Wed Sep 28 2022 11:09 am

    I first used FrontDoor and GEcho, but went to InterMail and InterEcho, back when I ran GT Power under DOS 5. GT also required a separate tosser called FidoGate, to make things work.

    I also used FrontDoor and GEcho in the 90s when I was running RemoteAccess. They were good tools.

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Steve Wolf@1:154/700 to Nightfox on Sat Oct 1 07:46:12 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Nightfox to HusTler on Fri Sep 23 2022 09:04 am

    Irex or Radius was free or paid back then. Maybe there were some
    shareware mailers?

    In the 90s, I used to use FrontDoor for my FTN mailer, which seemed like a g one. I think it was shareware. A lot of RemoteAccess BBSes seemed to use FrontDoor, but I imagine it would work for any DOS-based BBS software. Nightfox

    Getting the mailer to work was more difficult then setting up the BBS software. I remember thinking everyone would want an email address to send messages over the internet. Boy was I wrong. ;-(

    |07 HusTler
    --- SBBSecho 3.15-Linux
    * Origin: thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin) (1:154/700)
  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Steve Wolf on Sat Oct 1 12:02:05 2022
    Re: Commercial Synchronet
    By: Steve Wolf to Nightfox on Sat Oct 01 2022 07:46 am

    Getting the mailer to work was more difficult then setting up the BBS software. I remember thinking everyone would want an email address to send messages over the internet. Boy was I wrong. ;-(

    What does wanting an internet email address have to do with setting up a mailer with a BBS?
    Also I didn't think setting up a mailer was any more difficult than setting up the BBS software.

    Nightfox

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com