BBS AUSTRALIA ============= G'day out there to all you BBS go'ers and users from the land down under. I'm on the spot again with another BBS report for you. Well, for the past couple of issues I've been covering all sorts of stuff like FIDOnet Mail and On-Line Games. It's fine to take a look from the Users point of view of a BBS but what about the SysOP..??? Hopefully this issue I'll achieve some sort of view of a BBS from a SysOP's eye.... how hard it is to set up.. how hard it is to keep going... and seeing that I've just set up my own BBS then what better time to cover this topic than now!!! Okay.... now, if you've interested in setting up a BBS then one of the first things you will have to consider is the hardware. It's possible to setup a Bulletin Board, although a quite limited, on your standard Amiga 500 with only two disk drives. Pretty inexpensive but then again it's also pretty limited. But first things first it's best to get yourself a modem!!! The cost of these depends on what speeds you wish to support. 2400 BPS seems the standard these days although it's easily possible to support up to 19200 BPS if you have the money. Once you've got yourself a Haynes-compatible modem, then you're part of the way there already! One of the perhaps ESSENTIALS to setting up a BBS is a Hard Drive. It doesn't have to be a BIG Hard Drive... even something like the A590 HD is okay for beginners.. So go out there and take a look at the HD's available. Once you've set yourself up with a good HD (reliable) and it's working okay with your computer then the next thing to consider is the software to use. I set up my BBS on the TransAmiga software, which is a very good yet cheap BBS Program... as a matter of fact you can get a crippled version of the TransAmiga BBS system in the PD arena!! Although this version (which you should be able to download from any Amiga BBS) you can still perform FIDOnet Mailing with it and provide a full range of Files & Message areas. Other software running about varies. There is Star-Net (which use to be called Paragon) which could cost you quite a hefty amount of money. It's quite a good program and has certain advantages over TransAmiga (it is also multiple-line) but it's price is high and I fear it's this fact which is causing Star Net to slip in it's market place. Okay.. so you've got the HD.. and the software.. you know how it works.. now it's time to go into creativity mode. Most major BBS programs allow you to have custom menus and screens, so it's your task to create these to give your system it's own appearance. Creative and easy-to-read menus can add great enhancement to any BBS. You also have to decide what Message and Files areas you want to set up. These vary depending on the nature of your BBS. (For example if you're an Amiga Support system then naturally you're Files and Message areas are going to be largely Amiga-based areas). So.. you have your MODEM, HD, BBS PROGRAM (Complete with menus and areas set up) and it's all tested... it's time to go On-Line! Although you may wish to recieve FIDOnet Mail to and from your BBS I recommend letting the system run for a few days to check how it goes. If you decide to become a FIDOnet system then there are certain procedures you will have to take. For example, you will have to notify your Net Co-Ordinator (Usually reachable on the FIDOnet address of :/0, but ask a local FIDOnet SysOP for more information).. You must also make sure you have: A Fidonet compatible Bulletin Board Program. A Mail Processor/Tosser/Scanner. This is used to process your mail in preperation for it to be sent away. Your Mail Processor is also used to bring mail you've RECIEVED into the actual Bulletin Board message areas. A Mailer. This is the program which will call / recieve calls to perform the actual transfer of the mail by the telephone cables. Just as you Download / Upload files the same procedure goes on during the Mailing. I'm not going to go into in-depth description about these here, there are plenty of documents available and manuals which can help you in the working of the above. Some of the more common programs used on the Amiga include Trapdoor (the latest version is 1.50 or maybe a new one is out by the time you read this) which is used as the Mailer, and Fastpoint (Fastnode I think should be available now or shortly) which is the Mail Processor. Both programs work well with TransAmiga, although it's recommended you REGISTER all three to get going properly. And there it is.. a fully operational BBS system. Of course you will have to constantly maintain the message and files areas, the Bulletins, User Files and news to make sure everything is kept up to scratch, but that's only part of the fun!!! If anybody out there happens to be interested in calling my BBS, then I will give you a little info about it. The name is Golden Circuits Bulletin Board System. (GC-BBS) It's currently running on an Amiga 3000/25Mhz with a 100Mb Hard Drive. I only support 300/300 1200/75 and 1200/1200 BPS but hopefully in the future, funds permitting, I will upgrade. It operates between 7 PM - 7 Am Eastern Standard Time (EST), 7 days a week. The number is: +61-060-593506. Remember if you're calling International then you'll need to add the appropriate Inter-national numbers.. All calls are extrememly appreciated and welcome. I'm almost always available for a Chat, and will upgrade your access on the spot if I am there. Currently I do not have any FIDOnet mail but I am working on setting it up. Anyway, if you want any information on games, you'd like an on-the-spot review, help with anything to do with the Amiga or just want to talk Amiga then give me a call I'll help all I can! Anyway, I will be back next issue with an update on the BBS.. and also some info on how much it has costed me so far and how successful my FIDOnet setting up has gone. Until then, stay cool.. stay Amiga. Darren Vukasinovic.