Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!res-nova-software
From: res-nova-software@cup.portal.com (Greg Paul Herlihy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Re: BBS software
Message-ID: <36012@cup.portal.com>
Date: 17 Nov 90 04:15:46 GMT
References: <1990Nov15.154405.11150@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
  <1990Nov15.204031.3749@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 36

scott@scotty (Scott Howard) writes:

>Take a look at First BBS and Telefinder.
>Nova Link Pro will probably get mentioned in the discussion,
>but forget it- its been beta since '88.
>Neither package allows access to FidoNet or Externals.
>Both will cost several hundred dollars for the number of users
>the board supports.

To be a bit more precise NovaLink Professional (NLP) has been under
development since '88. The beta period refers to the interval between the
time the program reaches full functional specification and final release.
In our case, the departure of one of the two original developers, and 
our undertaking a contract version slowed the progress considerably.

When I assumed co-responsibility for NLP's development in February,
I revised the functional spec to make the program more competitive by 
adding ZMODEM, Tabby support, a retooled interface in keeping with Apple's
human interface guidelines, an on-line product ordering service, graphics
sound support, file attachments in mail -- it was essentially a complete 
rewrite.

This is the version that is running at our customer sites
and our support board currently. In fact the nature of BBS software is such
that it is hard to test in secret.

Back to the original poster's question, there is no product that really
fulfills his request (yet). Writing BBS software is a difficult undertaking,
they assume features more of operating systems than of applications.

For niche markets, a product like Telefinder fits the bill, if cost is not
a great consideration.

Greg Herlihy
Co-developer of NovaLink Professional
Res Nova Software