Xref: utzoo alt.bbs:206 comp.sys.ibm.pc:20922
Path: utzoo!hoptoad!amdcad!apple!rutgers!labrea!decwrl!hplabs!motsj1!mcdchg!ddsw1!karl
From: karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger)
Newsgroups: alt.bbs,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: BBS Software
Summary: Software requires support.  You can buy it or do it yourself.
Message-ID: <2069@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 4 Nov 88 21:36:01 GMT
References: <956@galaxy> <5802@hoptoad.uucp> <6569@spool.cs.wisc.edu> <2054@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <109@otishq.UUCP>
Reply-To: karl@ddsw1.UUCP (Karl Denninger)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Macro Computer Solutions, Inc., Mundelein, IL
Lines: 49

In article <109@otishq.UUCP> guardian@otishq.UUCP (Harry Skelton) writes:
>In article <2054@ddsw1.MCS.COM>, pete@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Peter Franks) writes:
>> In article <6569@spool.cs.wisc.edu> thaler@speedy.cs.wisc.edu (Maurice Thaler) writes:
>> (It's priced reasonably, too.)
>
>Too many BBS software packages are "Priced".  I agree that shareware should 
>exist but when there is a freedom of information exchange, I feel that the
>software should be too.  This is one of the main reasons I like USENET rather
>than some BBS software.

But Usenet, for all it's greatness, costs you money (and I mean REAL money)
to operate.  Regardless of whether you pay for the transport of the material
or the software used by it (or both), you do pay to do this (or to run a
bbs).  What's the big difference between handing money monthly to the big
bad telephone company, and handing it once (or annually, or whatever) to
someone else who provides a useful product/service?

>(Yes dear readers, USENET is being ported to DOS (as all the guru's squeel in
>terror).  I'll post it as soon as I get the UUCP end of it done.)

Too many bbs software packages?

Can I ask you what you do when you need to fix some piece of the news
software?  When it breaks (as with the runaway articles not long ago)?  Or
when a feature you'd really like just isn't there?

Why, you get to fix/enhance it yourself!  And we all know how much fun
mucking around inside of inews is! 1/2 :-)

Now, the people who sell this bbs/conferencing software are willing to do
this maintenance and enhancement work for you.... for a price.  I guess if
your time is free (and worthless), then the decision is easy -- you go with
the package that's out there, free, and works most of the time.

But what if you don't like that product's features/misfeatures?  What if you
want more?  What if you want someone to yell at when it breaks, someone who
will fix it and quick?

Well, I guess you can either write it yourself, or pay someone else to (or
pay for someone else's solution that's already written).

The Usenet software is not bad, for what it is.  But it's not a bbs -- it
contains no access control, no security, nothing but the interface to the
net itself.  _Everything_ else you get to add yourself.

--
Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, ddsw1!karl)
Data: [+1 312 566-8912], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910]
Macro Computer Solutions, Inc.    	"Quality solutions at a fair price"