Underground Informer
Volume 4 Issue 5
May 1, 1993
Page 10

[Reprinted with permission of the Editor]


        ----==(  FROM THE CONSOLE: the Sysop's View of BBS'ing  )==----

                         EBBS Plus (:) Through My Eyes
                                       by
                                   Joe Newton
                                                            (c) 1993 Joe Newton

I'm NOT new to BBS'ing.  I've been at it since the original Commodore 64 came 
out, and I've been with CompuServe for probably ten years now.  I am, however, 
a NEW Sysop with new BBS software, and I'd like to share some of my excitement 
over one of the *best* BBS programs around, EBBS Plus.

I've been a regular caller of EBBS Plus boards for the past year or so, and 
have always enjoyed the intuitive user interface, but now, from the sysop's 
chair, it has proven to be one of the most enjoyable programs I've EVER had the 
pleasure to use.

Bruce Murphy, the author of EBBS Plus, is a programming maniac who stands 
behind his creation 300%, so tech support is ALWAYS only a call away. 
Registration almost buys you a friend, not just a program, so read on  :)

In a nutshell...

-----------> EBBS Plus is an easy to use, very stable BBS program which was 
written for DOS, but somehow is able to *scream* under Windows 3.1 as well. 
It's real easy to maintain, well thought out, has a crisp, fresh look, is 
practically ready to run right out of the box, and yet is fully customizable. 
It comes complete with docs, suggestions, menus, and text files that make it 
easy to get up and running fast.  Most of all, though, it's LOTS of fun to play 
with!  If *you* are looking for new BBS software, or considering a BBS for the 
first time, EBBS Plus is a GREAT place to start. <-------------

The stock (out of the box) configuration is a great starting place, so you can 
get up and running fast and do your customizing on the fly... The stock menus 
(ANSI & Text) are pretty much ready to go, too, but you're free to make changes 
there, as in most areas of EBBS Plus.

EBBS Plus In DETAIL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The MAIN MENU is the place you land after log-on.  This is where you send or 
receive e-mail, let the Sysop know how great his or her board is, access a 
powerful (yet easy-to-create) database, configure your own system preferences, 
read online documents from the Text Section, search user files (in more ways 
than you could imagine), look over system stats, view a multitude of system 
logs, review the opening and special bulletins, scribble on the Graffiti Wall, 
leave anonymous suggestions, access online door games and, of course, branch 
off to the Conference & Transfer areas.  Most of these features are fully 
configurable by the sysop.

The CONFERENCE AREA is easy to navigate, with forward & backward thread 
tracking; header scans; quote features; continuous message read; ARJ/Zip and 
download of new messages; a narrowed "only to you" message read; an anonymous 
Conference feature; and up to 26 different Conference areas.  There's even the 
ability to set up a private conference area with restricted access.

Like the Conference area, the TRANSFER SECTION may have as many as 26 unique 
directories and is configurable for multiple access levels.  It's a breeze to 
peruse and offers an excellent file search as well as batch upload & download 
features.  Other perks include: online archive conversions between ARJ (my 
favorite) and ZIP (that "other" compression program); archive viewing and 
extraction; multiple NO CHARGE DL sections; automated integrity and virus 
checks of new uploads; and masked (hidden) or unmasked uploads.

    ----------> QUESTION:  What's it like to be a sysop??? <--------------     

   ======> ANSWER:  It depends on the BBS software you choose! <==========

A BBS is probably best described as a HUGE database that happens to be pumped 
through a modem.  If the software that manages this database is lame, YOU, the 
sysop, are in for a TON of work!  EBBS Plus is ANYTHING but lame!  The Sysop 
Menu, available only to sysops, gives you the ability to take care of virtually 
ALL aspects of your BBS.  For the automated maintenance stuff (known as the 
"EVENT"), external utilities are included.  Additionally, support for a couple 
of other real nice add-ons is built in, too.

As briefly as possible, here's the Sysop Menu:

A) Log Viewer......... TWENTY-SIX ways to view what's happening on YOUR BBS
B) UserFile Editor ... Complete search & editing features with individual 
   caller info at your finger tips.
C) XferFile Editor ... Again, full search & editing features, along with a
   special "Batch Add" feature which allows for adding new files to one or ALL
   directories, with OR without individual descriptions--a *killer* time-saver.
D) The ability to peek inside archives, and even extract and view individual
   archived files!  You're free to MOVE files from one directory to another or
   directly to a floppy.  You can delete files from the BBS listing and/or from
   the disk as well--either/or!
E) Simple navigation.  You can "step" backward or forward through the file list
   on all search & edit features.  You're even able to create or change the
   XferFile header.  EVERY descriptive field is editable from this menu.

The Sysop Menu also allows you to:

 1)  Shell to DOS
 2)  Check free memory
 3)  Read & reply to feedback
 4)  Check a disk directory
 5)  Load and edit files
 6)  Read AND write text files
 7)  Create or edit the opening bulletin
 8)  Create special bulletins for ALL of the major areas of the BBS.  These
     bulletins can be directed to a certain access level and made to display
     always or once.
 9)  Create or edit database, doors or text menus
10)  Search UserFiles (multiple field search options)
11)  Print UserFiles, XferFiles, and logs
12)  E-mail a User--and if you're on a LAN (Local Area Network) or doing 
     maintenance via a second installation of Plus via Windows (as I am)--you 
     can flag the caller if he or she is currently online.  They, in turn, will 
     be notified of the new mail on the next hard return,
13)  And finally, you're able move readily to ALL other areas of the BBS as if
     you had logged on as a caller.

It's difficult to articulate just how handy all this mobility is.  Since PLUS 
is pretty much self-maintaining, you're not going to need many of the features 
very often (whew!), but when you do, you'll be glad they are built in.  Best of 
all, they use the same intuitive interface that any EBBS Plus caller is 
familiar with, so you're not likely to need to refer to the documentation to 
use them.

For EBBS Plus info, use your modem and call:

(818) 766-7669: Bruce Murphy [Sysop], The Murph Zone, Studio City, CA
(818) 752-8040: Robert Miljkovic [Sysop], LV-426, Studio City, CA
(703) 361-7565: John Gallik [Sysop], TMK/EC BBS, Dale City, VA
(416) 725-1593: Gerry Phillips, The Board With No Name, Oshawa, Ontario, Can
(206) 452-5882: Brian Bettger, The DataBase BBS, Port Angeles, WA

Or write:  Bruce Murphy
           4161 Tujunga Ave. #105
           Studio City, CA 91604

*I* can be reached via modem at (818) 789-9931, The Jouster BBS, Encino, CA.

[Ed. Note: In addition to being a sysop and enthusiastic supporter of EBBS Plus 
BBS software, Joe Newton is a man of many talents.  As a vocalist and 
guitarist, he fronted a rock band that had one top-20 single, but never quite 
made it to major fame.  As a songwriter, he has some 30 published songs to his 
credit, including three co-written with fellow band members for the movie, 
"Carrie."  About eight years ago, he established one of the first small, 
independent MIDI-based music production studios.  Although his MIDI studio is 
still active, it has suffered because the artistic community on which it relies 
has had a very difficult time in the current economy.  Joe also stays busy as a 
shareware author and music/MIDI/computer consultant.]


