Xref: utzoo comp.misc:6377 alt.bbs:556
Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!pp!milano!bigtex!mybest!moray!flatline!erict
From: erict@flatline.UUCP (J. Eric Townsend)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,alt.bbs,comp.unix.i386
Subject: RFC on large, multi-line bbs/chat system.
Message-ID: <751@flatline.UUCP>
Date: 21 Jun 89 06:41:45 GMT
Reply-To: erict@flatline.UUCP (J. Eric Townsend)
Distribution: na
Organization: Fusion-Chem-Info-Med-Data-Bio-Net-Tech-Quik, Inc. (Ltd.)
Lines: 60



[Please, please email all replies.  I *WILL* summarize to the net.]

I'm working on a proposal for a multi-line chat/bbs system, and I've
thought that a 386-based unix system would be the way to go.
Here're the requirements that I'm looking at:

Basic requirements:
-- Able to handle large number of incoming lines, 16 for right now.
   Up to 32 or more if things work well.  It would be nice if the
   software could be made to handle resources allocated over more
   than one computer.  (ie: can it run as part of a 4 machine
   LAN?)
-- bbs system with threaded message bases, private mail, up/downloads
-- chat system with multiple channels and more features than "who's
   on right now" :-)
-- able to drive full-screen and/or glass-tty terminals (see below)
-- support for multple terminal emulations, and room for customization
   for new terminals.  (At least vt100 and ansi.  If it uses
   termcap/terminfo and/or VDI libs and/or curses, all the better.)

Secondary requirements:
-- access to source code or *good* support from company to deal with
   needed local modifications
-- support for games (single and/or multiple player)
   Some games will be written locally and will need to be accessible
   as well.
-- support for online database searches of cd-rom or other mass
   storage devices
-- if source is available, it be in C or some other 'real' language. :-)

Other things I've thought about:

-- answer-only modems.  Are these made, and are they significantly cheaper
   than, say, a hayes modem.  What speeds/protocols are available?
   What sort of price savings are there with rack mounted modems?

-- buying a used miniframe, so that I can expand in all directions
   later on (ie: CPU, mass storage, serial lines, etc etc)
   (I could just get an 88000 card for the 386, I guess. :-)
   Is this at all practical?  Would the maintenace costs and problems
   defeat the expandable-cpu pluses?

-- other operating systems.  The only other multitasking OS I'm at
   all familiar with is OS-9/68K.  I'm not interested in MS-DOS
   or OS/2 based applications.

I'm interested in any comments you might have about conferencing
systems, chat systems, unix-based bbs'es, 386 Unix or anything else
you feel is relevant.

Lookit all those questions. :-)

Again, please email replies, I'll summarize to the net.
-- 
"But why should i type "rm -r $HOME" if I want to play rogue???"
J. Eric Townsend -- uunet!sugar!flatline!erict  || cosc5zz@george.uh.edu
511 Parker #2, Houston, Tx 77007
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