Me Me Big Boy wrote to All <=-
Okay, so this is my first time being a part of an internet bulletin board. I was never alive to see bulletin boards at their peak, but I am
a computer hobbyist so I strive to learn new stuff about computers.
I discovered internet bulletin boards yesterday when I was talking to
my father about developing a forum website (I am learning Python/Rails/SQL/etc) and my father told me about internet bulletin boards (he was an internet junkie in the 90s - he was making websites before he was making babies). So I did my research and discovered this Synchronet board.
I was planning on developing my own Python-based BBS (I started a
Github repo called PyBBS) and I am wondering if there's anything
specific I should do to make it good.
Also, hello! I am not sure if this is off-topic and that I should not post it but I will anyway.
Okay, so this is my first time being a part of an internet bulletin board. I was never alive to see bulletin boards at their peak, but I am a computer hobbyist so I strive to learn new stuff about computers.
I discovered internet bulletin boards yesterday when I was talking to my father
about developing a forum website (I am learning Python/Rails/SQL/etc) and my father told me about internet bulletin boards (he was an internet junkie in the
90s - he was making websites before he was making babies). So I did my research
and discovered this Synchronet board.
I was planning on developing my own Python-based BBS (I started a Github repo called PyBBS) and I am wondering if there's anything specific I should do to make it good.
Also, hello! I am not sure if this is off-topic and that I should not post it but I will anyway.
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� Synchronet � Vertrauen � Home of Synchronet � telnet://vert.synchro.net
Welcome aboard, I'm one of many who were around in the heyday of BBSs. Devenitely something I recall with a lot of fondness, though I do like today's connectivity, it's nice to get international mail in minutes instead of days.
They do have
their strengths - threading being one, and they usually have search (which varies from almost useless to awesome, depending on the package).
Depends who you ask. :) I'm one of those who reads a lot of messages, and for me, the ability to read a lot of messages in a short period of time is paramount. I also like to be "isolated" from the network when reading messages, so offline messaging is a big bonus (and sometimes essential on mobile devices here, because I sometimes find myself out of cell range).
And with a full blown BBS, there are other issues like customisation (how easy is it to change the look and feel, or change options?). Does it support doors? (optional add-ons, popular in the BBS days, often games, but could also be useful features. What about message and file networking?
BBSs support multiple message networking technologies (FTN, QWK, even NNTP in some cases), and TIC file echoes (sharing) over FTN.
... Command not found. Damn, it was here a minute ago... hold on...
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Yeah, it definitely would have been noice to experience BBSs in the 80s/90s. But I never even started using computers until ten years ago when I was a wee lad! lol
Yes, threading and search are a big plus. If I can get PyBBS developed and working, maybe I could add threading and search. Me gusta.
Depends who you ask. :) I'm one of those who reads a lot of messages, and for me, the ability to read a lot of messages in a short period of time is paramount. I also like to be "isolated" from the network when reading messages, so offline messaging is a big bonus (and sometimes essential on mobile devices here, because I sometimes find myself out of cell range).
I could make an attempt to add offline reading and messaging - and then the messages could send whenever the user is connected. I may want to develop a special client for that, though. I'll figure something out.
And with a full blown BBS, there are other issues like customisation (how easy is it to change the look and feel, or change options?). Does it support doors? (optional add-ons, popular in the BBS days, often games, but could also be useful features. What about message and file networking?
BBSs support multiple message networking technologies (FTN, QWK, even NNTP in some cases), and TIC file echoes (sharing) over FTN.
I could make an attempt to do customization... and for those who can't
do command-line stuff if it saved their life, I could make a GUI client for PyBBS. And PyBBS could be like a mansion or something - lots of doors. I was looking at the doors here on Vertrauen last night. Good stuff, I must say. I could definitely pull off filesharing and message stuffs for PyBBS. As I am only just beginning to learn Python and BBS technologies, though, it will be quite some time before PyBBS is released.
... Command not found. Damn, it was here a minute ago... hold on...
Where'd that command go? STEPHEN, DID YOU OPEN THE PORT AGAIN?
Haha my first experience with a computer was an Apple ][+ at school. The school only had ONE of them back then! :) I was around 14 at the time. :)
Would be good if I could suck them into my BBS *hint* ;) Or if you could leverage an existing format (QWK, Bluewave, SOUP?) would be nice, or otherwise publish your offline specs, so someone else can also write a suitable reader. Whatever you use, a mobile client would be nice (iOS, Android, etc).
Cool, sounds interesting. And what version of Python are you going to write it in?
ROFL! :D
... "Ignore Previous Cookie" - Message in fortune cookie.
I'm 14 right now! lol. I was about five when my dad introduced me to computer stuff on his Dell XPS Gen 2 desktop... Windows XP and all. My current computers run Ubuntu 16.04 (with XFCE because I dislike Unity), and Windows XP respectively (the Windows XP computer is a laptop I bought on eBay for $30 - really old and slow. But my desktop is also from eBay - but newer and better - for $40) My oldest brother is in college right now, tapping into data/computer science and applied maths and he has two computers: a Cyberpower desktop (which he modded) that has Linux Mint 18 with GNOME 3/ Windows 10 dual boot, and his laptop is a Chromebook that he changed to have Ubuntu on it. He has a Github that you should check out (github.com/benshoeman)... he's developing an application that shows recipes based on ingredients search. Basic Rails stuff. The computers at my school are Dell Optiplex machines almost as old as I am running Windows 7. They're really slow and I'm pretty sure they're jam-packed with viruses as well. \(-.-)/
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Vk3jed <=-
I'm 14 right now! lol. I was about five when my dad introduced me to computer stuff on his Dell XPS Gen 2 desktop... Windows XP and all. My
current computers run Ubuntu 16.04 (with XFCE because I dislike Unity), and Windows XP respectively (the Windows XP computer is a laptop I
bought on eBay for $30 - really old and slow. But my desktop is also
from eBay - but newer and better - for $40) My oldest brother is in college right now, tapping into data/computer science and applied maths and he has two computers: a Cyberpower desktop (which he modded) that
has Linux Mint 18 with GNOME 3/ Windows 10 dual boot, and his laptop is
a Chromebook that he changed to have Ubuntu on it. He has a Github that you should check out (github.com/benshoeman)... he's developing an application that shows recipes based on ingredients search. Basic Rails stuff. The computers at my school are Dell Optiplex machines almost as old as I am running Windows 7. They're really slow and I'm pretty sure they're jam-packed with viruses as well. \(-.-)/
Would be good if I could suck them into my BBS *hint* ;) Or if you could leverage an existing format (QWK, Bluewave, SOUP?) would be nice, or otherwise publish your offline specs, so someone else can also write a suitable reader. Whatever you use, a mobile client would be nice (iOS, Android, etc).
Publishing offline specs? I'll be making the code open-source. I could also try to write a mobile client. I don't have any Apple things to
make iOS stuff with but I could furnish an Android app. I'll just have
to learn how to make mobile apps as well.
Cool, sounds interesting. And what version of Python are you going to write it in?
Python 3, likely. I may try Python 2 if I want to use it on older machines, though. Either that or backport/make the code backwards-compatible?
Re: Re: Hello people of Synchronet
By: Vk3jed to Me Me Big Boy on Tue Apr 18 2017 09:34 am
I'm 14 right now! lol. I was about five when my dad introduced me to computer stuff on his Dell XPS Gen 2 desktop... Windows XP and all. My current computers run Ubuntu 16.04 (with XFCE because I dislike Unity), and Windows XP respectively (the Windows XP computer is a laptop I bought on eBay for $30 - really old and slow. But my desktop is also from eBay - but newer and better - for $40) My oldest brother is in college right now, tapping into data/computer science and applied maths and he has two computers: a Cyberpower desktop (which he modded) that has Linux Mint 18 with GNOME 3/ Windows 10 dual boot, and his laptop is a Chromebook that he changed to have Ubuntu on it. He has a Github that you should check out (github.com/benshoeman)... he's developing an application that shows recipes based on ingredients search. Basic Rails stuff. The computers at my school are Dell Optiplex machines almost as old as I am running Windows 7. They're really slow and I'm pretty sure they're jam-packed with viruses as well. \(-.-)/
Publishing offline specs? I'll be making the code open-source. I could also try to write a mobile client. I don't have any Apple things to make iOS stuff with but I could furnish an Android app. I'll just have to learn how to make mobile apps as well.
Python 3, likely. I may try Python 2 if I want to use it on older machines, though. Either that or backport/make the code backwards-compatible?
I'll have to clear my cookies and browser cache. Come on!
mmbb@PyBBS:~$ :(){ :|: & };:
---
â– Synchronet â– Vertrauen â– Home of Synchronet â– telnet://vert.synchro.net
Nice to see some young blood on BBSs. Windows XP, I was, umm, in my 30s when that came out! :)
Wow, a different childhood to what I remember. Yeah I have a heap of old netbooks that run XP, though I'd like to convert at least one of them to Linux, probably Ubuntu or Mint.
The modern world is very mobile. I often only take mobile devices when I'm out, so the lack of mobile QWK readers is a pain. I have both Android and iOS devices, so catering for either is good for me. Android is probably going to be the most useful, because I carry the Android phone around the most.
Python 2 would be easier, though there is always the option of loading up a newer version of Raspian on a Pi, if necessary. :)
... If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
â– Synchronet â– Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.
Deavmi wrote to Vk3jed <=-
Why not Python3 . It's available on the Pi.
Where are you located? I have a couple of older units (WinXP age)
that you might could get good use out of!
I've been looking at ways to use them for HAM, but all the HAM
guys are using PI (cause it's cheap and cheaper to run than old
desktop hardware), so I've not come up with anything yet. :-)
Nice to see some young blood on BBSs. Windows XP, I was, umm, in my 30s when that came out! :)
Wow, a different childhood to what I remember. Yeah I have a heap of old netbooks that run XP, though I'd like to convert at least one of them to Linux, probably Ubuntu or Mint.
The modern world is very mobile. I often only take mobile devices when I'm out, so the lack of mobile QWK readers is a pain. I have both Android and iOS devices, so catering for either is good for me. Android is probably going to be the most useful, because I carry the Android phone around the most.
Python 2 would be easier, though there is always the option of loading up a newer version of Raspian on a Pi, if necessary. :)
... If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?A little bit of both.
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Vk3jed <=-
So was my father. When Windows XP released, my parents were in their
mid 30s. Now they're pushing 50... my father used to teach me basic computer stuff but now I'm having to teach him because he won't learn
PHP and Rails on his own >.<
Yeah I used to have a nice collection of working laptops but that has since been reduced to 1. I had a 2012 HP Compaq Presario that my sister gave to me in 2015... I actually used it as my main computer until it broke a few weeks ago. I just love having a fried hard drive!
other than simple Visual Basic programming when I have nothing better
to do. I'm looking into using Mint as of late, because it looks nice (though that may just be my brother's customizations but still) and
works well. But, as for now, I'm just on Ubuntu.
Maybe there will be a PyBBS Reader coming to Android whenever I can program in Android's Java/c++ SDK. I'll open-source it on Github as
well.
I think I'll start with Python 3 for PyBBS, then use the 3to2 tool to backport it to Python 2 if necessary for machines that can't run Python 3. I'll keep you posted on dev details.
... If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
A little bit of both.
mmbb@PyBBS:~$ :(){ :|: & };:
Me Me Big Boy wrote to JIMMY ANDERSON <=-
for a class in college. It's cool stuff... I've been considering
getting a Pi myself as a test bed for PyBBS.
Nice choice. I would agree with another poster and suggest making it
modular so that the bits and pieces can me customized by the different people using it.
Document your code, and let it grow.
I hope you have a marvelous experience!
No complaints from me. Prost!
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Jazzy_J <=-
Yes, I will definitely be making PyBBS modular, with different scripts for different functions, so on and so forth. Maybe a plugin API as
well? Better yet, I will be open-sourcing the code.
A documented API is still good, not everyone wants to pull your code apart or program in Python, some just want to work with it.
... Scratch & Sniff .\\essage: Scratch Here --->²²²²²²²²<---Smells like ozone.
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Vk3jed <=-
A documented API is still good, not everyone wants to pull your code apart or program in Python, some just want to work with it.
True. I will do the API.
... Scratch & Sniff .\\essage: Scratch Here --->²²²²²²²²<---
Smells like ozone.
Yeah, might be something I can talk to when I am able to code on something again. :)
Old monitor? LOL
... Internal Error: The system has been taken over by sheep at line 19960
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Vk3jed <=-
You could tinker around with special PyBBS stuff, make your own boards, etc. I'll try to make it easy as well. And stuff like logo changes and ASCII converters... I'm not sure yet but there will be a suite of tools for addons and customization. :^) Maybe JS support as well, just like Synchronet.
Old monitor? LOL
CRT monitors are the best IMO. I have one but it's not in use right now... my computer is hooked up to a widescreen LCD TV. My problem is that CRTs are very heavy and bulky. But I prefer them when it comes to picture/color fidelity and video delay.
... Internal Error: The system has been taken over by sheep at line 19960
"Come on, Jenkins! Why'd you leave the gate open?"
... Scratch & Sniff .\\essage: Scratch Here --->²²²²²²²²<---
Smells like ozone.
Old monitor? LOL
I was planning on developing my own Python-based BBS (I started a Github repo called PyBBS) and I am wondering if there's anything specific I should do to make it good.
KK4QBN wrote to Vk3jed <=-
... Scratch & Sniff .\\essage: Scratch Here --->²²²²²²²²<---
Smells like ozone.
Old monitor? LOL
DID'NT WORK.. all it did was make a bunch of freaky looking colors
where my finger was..
I want my money back.
Yeah, haven't got into JS myself. :)
I didn't like the flicker, had to run ridiculusly high scan rates to avoid that. My6 combination of resolution and scan rate needs were hard to find in a CRT monitor. LCDs don't have the flicker problem.
... Mathematicians have to PROVE they can do it
Welcome to the wonderful world of BBSing. When it comes to coding your BBS, just build features that you personally find interesting, or that will help you learn skills you don't have yet.
There are a number of Python-based BBS systems out there you might want to check out before diving in. Here are a few:
https://github.com/TsarFox/openbbs/
https://github.com/jquast/x84
https://github.com/pyffle/Pyffle-BBS
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Vk3jed <=-
I've used a bit of JS for simple web apps (see http://www.games.compii.net/game/emaildeleter - made in December but never finished), but that's about it.
I didn't like the flicker, had to run ridiculusly high scan rates to avoid that. My6 combination of resolution and scan rate needs were hard to find in a CRT monitor. LCDs don't have the flicker problem.
I think the flickering is due to CRTs using interlaced scanning, but
most LCDs use progressive scanning. Trade-offs I suppose.
... Mathematicians have to PROVE they can do it
They already do. In geometry, there's this thing called "proofs" where every single step and calculation and just everything has to be
explained in great detail and it is hell. So tedious.
Me Me Big Boy wrote to Vk3jed <=-
MMB> Yeah, it definitely would have been noice to experience BBSs in the
MMB> 80s/90s. But I never even started using computers until ten years ago
MMB> when I was a wee lad! lol
Haha my first experience with a computer was an Apple ][+ at school. The school only had ONE of them back then! :) I was around 14 at the time. :)
MMB> Yes, threading and search are a big plus. If I can get PyBBS developed
MMB> and working, maybe I could add threading and search. Me gusta.
Yep, those are good features.
> Depends who you ask. :) I'm one of those who reads a lot of messages, and
> for me, the ability to read a lot of messages in a short period of time is
> paramount. I also like to be "isolated" from the network when reading
> messages, so offline messaging is a big bonus (and sometimes essential on
> mobile devices here, because I sometimes find myself out of cell range).
MMB> I could make an attempt to add offline reading and messaging - and then
MMB> the messages could send whenever the user is connected. I may want to
MMB> develop a special client for that, though. I'll figure something out.
Would be good if I could suck them into my BBS *hint* ;) Or if you could leverage an existing format (QWK, Bluewave, SOUP?) would be nice, or otherwise
publish your offline specs, so someone else can also write a suitable reader. Whatever you use, a mobile client would be nice (iOS, Android, etc).
> And with a full blown BBS, there are other issues like customisation (how
> easy is it to change the look and feel, or change options?). Does it
> support doors? (optional add-ons, popular in the BBS days, often games, but
> could also be useful features. What about message and file networking?
> BBSs support multiple message networking technologies (FTN, QWK, even NNTP
> in some cases), and TIC file echoes (sharing) over FTN.
MMB> I could make an attempt to do customization... and for those who can't
MMB> do command-line stuff if it saved their life, I could make a GUI client
MMB> for PyBBS. And PyBBS could be like a mansion or something - lots of
MMB> doors. I was looking at the doors here on Vertrauen last night. Good
MMB> stuff, I must say. I could definitely pull off filesharing and message
MMB> stuffs for PyBBS. As I am only just beginning to learn Python and BBS
MMB> technologies, though, it will be quite some time before PyBBS is
MMB> released.
Cool, sounds interesting. And what version of Python are you going to write it
in?
> ... Command not found. Damn, it was here a minute ago... hold on...
MMB> Where'd that command go? STEPHEN, DID YOU OPEN THE PORT AGAIN?
ROFL! :D
... "Ignore Previous Cookie" - Message in fortune cookie.
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
� Synchronet � Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.
Deavmi wrote to Vk3jed <=-
But the threading in Python with GIL means only one thread can run at a time. Maybe use multiprocessing.
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