Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!ogicse!clark!pro-hindugods.cts.com!apollo From: apollo@pro-hindugods.cts.com (Amrit Chauhan) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: Re: Lets sum up! (was: Apple II BBS discussion) Message-ID: <1991Jun5.003237.27796@clark.edu> Date: 4 Jun 91 22:44:54 GMT Article-I.D.: clark.1991Jun5.003237.27796 Sender: usenet@clark.edu Organization: The lazy sysop did not think we needed one. Lines: 147 In-Reply-To: message from szatezal@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu >In Article <1991Jun2.151552.9445@clark.edu> appolo@pro-hindugods.cts.com >(Amrit Chauhan) writes: >>szatezal@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu writes: > YOU GET ALL THE PROLINE UPDATES OVER THE PHONE LINES, VIA MODEMS, FOR >ABSOLUTELY NO MONEY EXECPT WHAT THE PHONE CALL COSTS YOU! >>Well tell us something we /don't/ know. >>I'm getting REALLY sick of this Proline is *IT* deal. PROLINE IS *NOT* god. >>For YEARS I had never even heard of Proline. When I first called >>a proline system, I was NOT impressed. Why? For many years, I hadn't heard of GBBS. I've called a few, and I'm not overwhelmed by it. It's also NOT GOD. I'm not extremely impressed by it either. I have my ProLine board set up to do almost anything now. I've received tons of MOD's from the net, and I made my OWN WITHOUT MD-BASIC. I can handle AppleSoft...sure it's EASIER with MD-BASIC, but what did you do when you didn't have MD-BASIC? AppleSoft isn't so bad that you can't even program in it. I don't particularly like AppleSoft, but I can still program in it. I have successfully done so as well. If you don't have MD-BASIC, then so what...make due with AppleSoft until you can get it. How many programs are you going to try to write in AppleSoft anyway? If you're serious about rewriting ProLine (and it never really needed any programming), then go get yourself a GS and MD-BASIC. If you want to make a few MOD's, then just use AppleSoft. >>Because: >>1) The interface is /not/ that user friendly. I like the interface and PLUSH is hardly that bad. It's just a menu system. What the hell does GBBS use?! What's wrong with PLUSH? Is it slow? I don't think so! What are you talking about...PLUSH is just fine. You can NOW, because of a new update, set up PLUSH to do EVERY command in the unix shell. Do you need to...NO...do you want to...well if you really want, you can. >>2) If you don't know unix, you get stuck using PLUSH. That sucks. Most >>people (not me) don't know unix, and get stuck using it. What sucks about PLUSH? >>3) No Protocols. Ok, Proline has since received some, and will receive >> others in the future, I'll admit it. Damn straight! Z-MODEM coming out soon. >>4) The file transfering system on standard Proline boards stinks. Maybe >> the author of Supertac should be contacted about this! :) It was never built around a file transfer system. It was written as a conference system. The transfer system it uses is at the very least unique, and it could be improved. It does the job, and you can get what you want from it. I don't see what's SO wrong with it. GBBS's is better...ok... I'll give you that. >>5) Proline's networking.... isn't unusual. The ONLY aspect of it that amazed >> me was usenet feed grabbing. I don't know of an Acos based system that >> can do it. I have seen Macos boards do it. Metal can too. Ok..wait a minute...how many messages can you store on a GBBS system that runs on a couple of 3.5 disks? ONE..MAYBE? GBBS's message base really SUCKS...It may have a good file section, but ProLine has a half-way decent one too. ProLine has an EXCELLENT message base...GBBS doesn't even have a competitive one. IT REALLY SUCKS for messages. >>6) Metal & Proline get free-updates. OK...that's true. >>7) Acos & Metal boards ARE user friendly. Each board is different in some >> way than another. Some have total Proterm Special Effects/Animation, >> some have ANSI emulation. Most are customized. Like all the ProLine boards are THE SAME! Get real. ProLine isn't a DO-IT-UP and use as much special effects and animation that may be neat the first time you see them, but hell, do you have users that call everyday and just stare at animation sequences? If you do, you've got some sad, and lonely users. ProLine has MANY, MANY on-line games that do, however, use "special effects" but no color. Color slows down the speed of EVERYTHING on the modem, and if you try and get a page of color in ANSI, how long does it take to see it at 2400? Surely not as fast as simple text. Why do you complicate things even more with graphics over a modem. Let's face it, but modems don't have good rates w/ graphics. Can GBBS do something useful with special effects?...like maybe a full screen text editor? You can use arrow keys and everything with the "vedit" module. Can GBBS do that? I didn't think so...what a waste of ANSI capabilities. >>8) When I helped a sysop write things for Proline, it was a HASSLE. I >>thanked god when the sysop purchased MD-BASIC. Changing your Proline >>system w/o >> MD-BASIC is hell. Are you trying to re-write ProLine? I use AppleSoft because I can't afford MD-BASIC, and I've already made myself a MOD that was effective and I think it took me about 30 mins. Geee...that's real hard. |It is NOT based on AppleSoft Basic entirely. It has AmperWorks and |ModemWorks to give it commands AppleSoft could NEVER have otherwise. As |for ACOS, what the HELL is it? If I bought a BBS, I'd buy one based on a |language I already know. I also think the GBBS compiler is no better than >> >> Do you know BASIC? Then you practically know Acos. >> So I take it that you already knew Proline's ways of doing things, and had >> to learn nothing... and you didn't have to learn &**** commands either. >>NOT. "NOT"...grow up...It took me about 10 mins to figure out all the variable ProLine uses, and the ampersand comands...I don't even have a manual...i did just fine. With anything you have to take a little time to get used to it...but when you do, you know how it works. Like you just can load up GBBS and start programming without looking at ANYTHING first, right...ok..here's one for you...NOT. |BTW - I know a few BBS sysops who have dropped GBBS for ProLine, don't |underestimate AppleSoft basic's flexbility. Have you ever written a ProLine |application? I have. >> Applesoft basic's flexibility? Ha... that's like saying a cement block >> is flexible!! I've gotten a cement block to bend...guess I'm pretty strong...maybe strong willed is more the word. >>There are EASILY 3 or 4 times as many Acos/Macos boards out there than >>Proline. >>It is very much easier to start a new Acos/Metal board than it is Proline. >>Think not? TRY IT. It took me about 1 week to totally PERFECT..not set up...but PERFECT and CUSTOMISE my ProLine...that's long? How many GBBS boards are there out there, and how many are legal GBBS boards? ProLine boards are 1) all networked together, and 2) have about 4 to 5 times as many network bridges than GBBS. If you're trying to say it's EASIER to start an ACOS board... try this bud...it takes at least the same amount of time unless you just unpack and go with it like it came out of the box without even trying to customize it. Both GBBS and ProLine are "easy" to start...it's what it can do after that that counts. Amrit ==The Hindu Love Gods BBS - - - - Bloomfield Hills, MI - - - - 313/644-0481=== ProLine:apollo@pro-hindugods | Internet:apollo@pro-hindugods.cts.com | UUCP: crash!pro-hindugods!apollo | ARPA: crash!pro-hindugods!apollo@nosc.mil | ==============================================================================