Xref: utzoo comp.unix.xenix:10157 comp.unix.i386:3011 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!sharkey!indetech!fiver!palowoda From: palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix,comp.unix.i386 Subject: Re: Using UUCP under a BBS system??? Message-ID: <999@fiver.UUCP> Date: 17 Feb 90 09:39:01 GMT References: Organization: Fiver Communications Fremont, Ca Lines: 54 From article , by peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva): > I don't understand this aversion to giving BBS users UNIX ids. You can > make the BBS program their login shell and have all the advantages of > a secure environment, and you won't have to do any special gyrations > to get mail working. > > Sure, there are a handful of interactive programs you have to hack, but > there are more free mailers/editors/pagers that you can hack the way you > like than you can shake a stick at. > > Really, what's the problem? Hmm, I guess I can make a comment here after running a bbs for a while. First when attracting first time users to a bbs specially a UNIX bbs you want to make the editors very easy to use. And you want the editors to resemble what the more popular bbs in dos type world uses. Something like the PC-Board editors. Lots of online menu most likely able to use ansi sequences and ibm graphics characters to format the menus. So far this dosn't exsist. Or I just haven't seen it yet. Also vi is out. Try teaching over 2000 people vi online. There are editor that control security level like 'Fenix'. However last time I checked there was no online default help menu that pops up when entering the editor. As for not createing an account for every user I tend to agree with the other sysops. Not so much as a security reason. But for the fact of system accounting. I would rather have the bbs program maintain itself and not use UNIX to do it. A database of user account info, paths termtypes which also the user could setup through 'none unix account methods'. Try teaching a first time user unix accounting and you will see what I mean. Maybe Karls bbs has this already. I haven't seen it. As for the mail program ELM would be perfect with the shell functions stripped out. I figure I could use some sort of system alais to the bbsuser.first.lastname and let sendmail handle it. Once again this should fit in with the proper editor like I mention above and be coupled into a security level of the user database info. Also the database could control the local users mail in another directory by the user without going to the system. Out of all the UNIX type bbs I have tried none of them meet all the above needs. I use XBBS because of it's user interface. Dosn't mean it's the best. It's a bear to maintain. But I give high marks for the user interface. Does it make a difference. I should think so, it may where your future customers get thier first impression. Or last. ---Bob -- Bob Palowoda pacbell!indetech!palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Home {sun|daisy}!ys2!fiver!palowoda (415)-623-8809 1200/2400 Work {sun|pyramid|decwrl}!megatest!palowoda (415)-623-8806 2400/9600/19200 TB Voice: (415)-623-7495 Public access UNIX XBBS