Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpcc05!hpcc01!drudman
From: drudman@hpcc01.HP.COM (Drew Rudman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: MD-BASIC (was:Re: Apple ][ BBS Software)
Message-ID: <1520025@hpcc01.HP.COM>
Date: 30 May 91 19:24:48 GMT
References: <16292@darkstar.ucsc.edu>
Organization: HP Corp Computing & Services
Lines: 26

I'm sorry, but any system that is based on Applesoft basic is definitely NOT
the best.  Pro-Line has its merits, but it is lacking in many respects.  Sure,
if you want a system straight out of the box - maybe Pro-Line is for you.

GBBS on the other hand provides you with a completely new programming language
(very similar to basic so the transition is not that difficult) that offers
text file based source code and a compiler.  No run-time interpretation of
your system segments.  This results in a faster system.  I looked at Pro-Line
when I began investigating starting a BBS, but I made the decision to go
with GBBS because of its programming flexibility.  The ACOS programming
language does have its quirks, but with improvements such as MACOS and METAL,
the language has become quite robust and very quick.

As far as networking goes, it is very easy to set up networking modules for
GBBS (take a look at Ogg-Net, a 30 system network, hubbed across the US.)  It
may not have Internet support, but creating support for it would be very easy
for a decent ACOS programmer.  Pro-Line may have a better installed base for
Networking, but it is not the ONLY networking Apple II software.

I'm not stating that GBBS (ACOS or METAL) is the end-all BBS software for
the Apple II, but it does excel in some areas that Pro-Line doesn't.

[ Call...              9600bps/60meg ][ Drew Rudman                          ]
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