• Time limits

    From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to All on Tue May 5 13:32:56 2020
    Hi, I'm quite new in bbses, but I don't understand one thing: Why time limits still exists? I mean, I understand why it was back then, but today even raspberry pi can hold a lot of connections for a long time
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Vincent Coen@2:250/1 to Ali Mans on Tue May 5 22:05:27 2020
    Hello Ali!

    Tuesday May 05 2020 13:32, you wrote to All:

    Hi, I'm quite new in bbses, but I don't understand one thing: Why time limits still exists? I mean, I understand why it was back then, but
    today even raspberry pi can hold a lot of connections for a long time

    IT is not for the one remotely logged in user but to allow for other to also log in where the
    system cannot copy with much more than one at a time.

    For example my system has a limit of 5 users at any one time but that also allows for a similar
    number that can be polling the mailer and a few via the web interface.


    Here the limit is my upload speed which is only 17 - 20 Mb.

    Now I know this is higher than many systems have but it still requires some limits as I have other
    systems that do still require a connection to my systems outside the BBS.

    And yes my BBS limits is around 1440 minutes which should be more than enough for any one but at
    least if some one has fallen asleep at the terminal my system will log them out.

    My mainframe login ins is one hour with a no activity of 30 minutes again to help control
    resources as some will login use the system for a few minutes then go to lunch for a hour or more.

    OR on old money if a boss was walking through an empty office and see's terminals/ screens
    connected they will asssume the employee is around and even more so if there jacket is over the
    chair.
    This limit kind of put the kibosh on such behaviour.

    Vincent

    --- Mageia Linux v7.1 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.13/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20180707
    * Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)
  • From Alan Ianson@1:153/757 to Ali Mans on Tue May 5 14:47:22 2020
    Hello Ali,

    Hi, I'm quite new in bbses, but I don't understand one thing: Why time limits still exists? I mean, I understand why it was back then, but
    today even raspberry pi can hold a lot of connections for a long time
    Take me to the underground.

    Yep, BBSs came from a different time and place. Back in the dial-up days we needed those limits but today they are not needed but most BBSs are built that way.

    I don't currently have a BBS online but my last one had a time limit of 1439 minutes a day per user, so there wasn't really any time limit but I had to enter something in the configuration of that BBS.

    Ttyl :-),
    Al

    --- GoldED+/LNX
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
  • From Oli@2:280/464.47 to Ali Mans on Thu May 7 13:57:50 2020
    05 May 20 13:32, you wrote to All:

    Hi, I'm quite new in bbses, but I don't understand one thing: Why time limits still exists? I mean, I understand why it was back then, but
    today even raspberry pi can hold a lot of connections for a long time
    Take me to the underground.

    i wonder why the BBSes with their inflexible 80x24 screen, ridiculous login and
    registration procedures an terrible user interfaces still exist. TUI doesn't mean it has to suck.

    If you are a new user to the system, type "New" now.
    Otherwise, enter your user name or number now.

    Enter User Name or Number or 'New' or 'Guest'
    Login: Guest
    [/] Does your terminal support IBM extended ASCII (CP437)? No
    Logging on to Vertrauen as Guest
    For our records, please enter your full name: John Doe
    Please enter your e-mail address:
    Please enter your e-mail address:
    Please enter your e-mail address:
    ...


    * Origin: kakistocracy (2:280/464.47)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Alan Ianson on Thu May 7 06:38:13 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Alan Ianson to Ali Mans on Tue May 05 2020 02:47 pm

    Yeah, I see. But is it possible to run some BBS on the manufactured server with
    time limit=0 in the config? Just interesting.

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Vincent Coen on Thu May 7 06:42:07 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Vincent Coen to Ali Mans on Tue May 05 2020 10:05 pm

    Yeah, but I'm not exactly about it. I meant why no one created software part of
    nfiguration for modern PC architecture

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Vincent Coen on Thu May 7 06:45:48 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Vincent Coen to Ali Mans on Tue May 05 2020 10:05 pm

    Sorry.
    I'm not exactly about it. I meant, why no one created BBS with modern configuration for modern machines?

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Oli on Thu May 7 06:46:09 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Oli to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 01:57 pm

    ?

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From mark lewis@1:3634/12 to Ali Mans on Thu May 7 11:08:58 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Ali Mans to Alan Ianson on Thu May 07 2020 06:38:13


    Yeah, I see. But is it possible to run some BBS on the manufactured
    server with time limit=0 in the config? Just interesting.

    accounts with time limit zero are blocked... there's only 1440 minutes in the day so setting the time limit to 1440 is the only way to allow "unlimited" access but that will still need a logoff and logon each 24 hours...

    remember, too, that visiting a BBS is like visiting someone in their home...


    )\/(ark
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12)
  • From Vincent Coen@2:250/1 to Ali Mans on Thu May 7 16:00:44 2020
    Hello Ali!

    Thursday May 07 2020 06:45, you wrote to me:

    Re: Time limits
    By: Vincent Coen to Ali Mans on Tue May 05 2020 10:05 pm

    Sorry.
    I'm not exactly about it. I meant, why no one created BBS with modern configuration for modern machines?

    Mbse is !


    Vincent

    --- Mageia Linux v7.1 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.13/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20180707
    * Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)
  • From Dan Clough@1:123/115 to Oli on Thu May 7 11:06:00 2020
    Oli wrote to Ali Mans <=-

    Hi, I'm quite new in bbses, but I don't understand one thing: Why time limits still exists? I mean, I understand why it was back then, but
    today even raspberry pi can hold a lot of connections for a long time
    Take me to the underground.

    i wonder why the BBSes with their inflexible 80x24 screen,
    ridiculous login and registration procedures an terrible user
    interfaces still exist.

    Because callers (and sysops) still like them. Duh.

    TUI doesn't mean it has to suck.

    Correct.

    Go troll somewhere else. This is a BBS echo, after all.


    ... Ignorance can be cured. Stupid is forever.
    === MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (1:123/115)
  • From Alan Ianson@1:153/757 to Oli on Thu May 7 09:35:36 2020
    Hello Oli,

    i wonder why the BBSes with their inflexible 80x24 screen, ridiculous login and registration procedures an terrible user interfaces still
    exist. TUI doesn't mean it has to suck.

    Yeah, our heritage. It's not helpful today.

    If you are a new user to the system, type "New" now.
    Otherwise, enter your user name or number now.

    Enter User Name or Number or 'New' or 'Guest'
    Login: Guest
    [/] Does your terminal support IBM extended ASCII (CP437)? No
    Logging on to Vertrauen as Guest
    For our records, please enter your full name: John Doe
    Please enter your e-mail address:
    Please enter your e-mail address:
    Please enter your e-mail address:
    ...

    That looks like a Synchronet login. I don't think SBBS is limited to an 80x24 screen. My terminal is 80x30 and Synchronet looks good in there. I'm not sure about a wider screen. My laptop doesn't run in 80x30 becuase I can't get that to happen there running slackware-current. I have adjusted the font on that setup to make it look like that, it's 32 lines long and I'm not sure but I think it's wider than 80. I'll have to try some BBS logins from there and see what I get.

    I doubt if SBBS sysops care about a guest users e-mail, just enter none@today.com or something and see what it looks like and give the sysop feedback. What a BBS does or doesn't do for a remote user is important and as a
    sysop I would want to know about things like user experience.

    Ttyl :-),
    Al

    --- GoldED+/LNX
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
  • From Alan Ianson@1:153/757 to Ali Mans on Thu May 7 09:44:44 2020
    Hello Ali,

    Yeah, I see. But is it possible to run some BBS on the manufactured
    server with time limit=0 in the config? Just interesting.

    My BBBS has the new user time set to 0, meaning unlimited in BBBSs case. In all
    other cases I have run into I need to set that to some limit users won't run into, I hope.

    Ttyl :-),
    Al

    --- GoldED+/LNX
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to mark lewis on Thu May 7 09:59:35 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: mark lewis to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 11:08 am

    Well, I meant more like software design, but thanks for the information. That's
    really interestiong.

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Vincent Coen on Thu May 7 10:03:36 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Vincent Coen to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 04:00 pm

    Mbse?

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Alan Ianson on Thu May 7 10:04:57 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Alan Ianson to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 09:44 am

    Sounds cool, can I get an address please? If you don't mind, of course^^

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Rob Swindell@1:103/705 to mark lewis on Thu May 7 10:54:23 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: mark lewis to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 11:08 am

    accounts with time limit zero are blocked... there's only 1440 minutes in the day so setting the time limit to 1440 is the only way to allow "unlimited" access but that will still need a logoff and logon each 24 hours...

    With Synchronet, at least, there are exemption flags that can be set on user accounts to disable any/ever limitation, including time-on.

    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #106:
    You're missing the action in #synchronet at irc.synchro.net!
    Norco, CA WX: 87.5øF, 24.0% humidity, 3 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Rob Swindell@1:103/705 to Alan Ianson on Thu May 7 11:00:06 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Alan Ianson to Oli on Thu May 07 2020 09:35 am

    I doubt if SBBS sysops care about a guest users e-mail, just enter none@today.com or something and see what it looks like and give the sysop feedback. What a BBS does or doesn't do for a remote user is important and as a sysop I would want to know about things like user experience.

    The reason that a Synchronet BBS "guest" login asks for the user's email address is so that if/when the guest sends an email (e.g. feedback to the sysop), the reply-to address will point to the Guest's actual email address. Otherwise, there would be no method to reply to the guest's comments or questions.

    And of course, all of this is completely configurable and disable-able. Another
    option would be to just disallow guest users to send any email messages at all.

    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #6:
    Synchronet version 3 for Linux and FreeBSD development began in 2001.
    Norco, CA WX: 87.5øF, 24.0% humidity, 3 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Alan Ianson@1:153/757 to Ali Mans on Thu May 7 13:10:16 2020
    Hello Ali,

    Sounds cool, can I get an address please? If you don't mind, of
    course^^

    I have been running just the mailer here for some time now but as it happens I just installed Synchronet last night. It is running at trmb.ca and I just opened the default telnet, rlogin and ssh ports. Untested at the moment.

    There is not a single user there yet and the only net is DOVE-Net, I think that
    setup is complete but I haven't posted an outbound test yet, I should do that now!

    I haven't yet looked over all the setup, smtp, ftp, http, https and there are more but I'll be doing that as I go.

    Your welcome to have a look if you like, you can use the guest account if you are just looking or create an account if you would like to do that.

    Ttyl :-),
    Al

    --- GoldED+/LNX
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
  • From Alan Ianson@1:153/757 to Rob Swindell on Thu May 7 13:17:30 2020
    Hello Rob,

    The reason that a Synchronet BBS "guest" login asks for the user's
    email address is so that if/when the guest sends an email (e.g.
    feedback to the sysop), the reply-to address will point to the Guest's actual email address. Otherwise, there would be no method to reply to
    the guest's comments or questions.

    I have never been shy about providing my email address just for those reasons although I usually create an account.

    And of course, all of this is completely configurable and
    disable-able. Another option would be to just disallow guest users to
    send any email messages at all.

    I think it's good that SBBS asks for an email address. Maybe it could accept a blank entry for those who are shy or simply looking and want to remain annonymous.

    Ttyl :-),
    Al

    --- GoldED+/LNX
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
  • From James Coyle@1:129/215 to Ali Mans on Thu May 7 16:20:43 2020
    Sorry.
    I'm not exactly about it. I meant, why no one created BBS with modern configuration for modern machines?

    If you don't want a time limit, then give them unlimited time. If you don't want an inactivity timer, then don't set one. I think most of the current BBS packages can do these things.

    Having the option to have time related stuff doesn't mean its not for a modern machine. Its just a feature that you can choose to use or not.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/04/29 (Windows/64)
    * Origin: Sector 7 (1:129/215)
  • From Vincent Coen@2:250/1 to Ali Mans on Thu May 7 23:10:59 2020
    Hello Ali!

    Thursday May 07 2020 10:03, you wrote to me:

    Re: Time limits
    By: Vincent Coen to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 04:00 pm

    Mbse?

    https://sourceforge.net/projects/mbsebbs



    Vincent

    --- Mageia Linux v7.1 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.13/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20180707
    * Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)
  • From mark lewis@1:3634/12 to Alan Ianson on Thu May 7 16:45:32 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Alan Ianson to Oli on Thu May 07 2020 09:35:36


    I don't think SBBS is limited to an 80x24 screen.

    it isn't, per se...

    My terminal is 80x30 and Synchronet looks good in there. I'm not
    sure about a wider screen.

    my (konsole) terminal is 226x70 and everything looks alright in it ;)


    )\/(ark
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12)
  • From Tony Langdon@3:633/410 to Oli on Fri May 8 14:03:00 2020
    On 05-07-20 13:57, Oli wrote to Ali Mans <=-

    i wonder why the BBSes with their inflexible 80x24 screen, ridiculous login and registration procedures an terrible user interfaces still
    exist. TUI doesn't mean it has to suck.

    You can change the new user questions to suit your needs, at least in some packages.


    ... New Mail not found. Start whine-pout sequence? (Y/N)
    === MultiMail/Win v0.51
    --- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
    * Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
  • From Tony Langdon@3:633/410 to Alan Ianson on Fri May 8 14:05:00 2020
    On 05-07-20 09:35, Alan Ianson wrote to Oli <=-

    I doubt if SBBS sysops care about a guest users e-mail, just enter none@today.com or something and see what it looks like and give the
    sysop feedback. What a BBS does or doesn't do for a remote user is important and as a sysop I would want to know about things like user experience.

    While the sysop may not care, the user does get benefit from supplying their email address, because incoming private mail can be forwarded to their email address, and the user can even reply from their email account.


    ... Klingon Thanksgiving Grace: "Let us prey..."
    === MultiMail/Win v0.51
    --- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
    * Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
  • From Tony Langdon@3:633/410 to Alan Ianson on Fri May 8 14:06:00 2020
    On 05-07-20 09:44, Alan Ianson wrote to Ali Mans <=-

    Hello Ali,

    Yeah, I see. But is it possible to run some BBS on the manufactured
    server with time limit=0 in the config? Just interesting.

    My BBBS has the new user time set to 0, meaning unlimited in BBBSs
    case. In all other cases I have run into I need to set that to some
    limit users won't run into, I hope.

    1440 usually works. ;)


    ... Post may contain information unsuitable for overly sensitive persons.
    === MultiMail/Win v0.51
    --- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
    * Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
  • From Tony Langdon@3:633/410 to James Coyle on Fri May 8 14:11:00 2020
    On 05-07-20 16:20, James Coyle wrote to Ali Mans <=-

    If you don't want a time limit, then give them unlimited time. If you don't want an inactivity timer, then don't set one. I think most of
    the current BBS packages can do these things.

    Having the option to have time related stuff doesn't mean its not for a modern machine. Its just a feature that you can choose to use or not.

    Yep, I don't use file quotas and tend to make my file areas free, but someone else might want to use those features. I don't really use time limits either, mine are very relaxed. :)


    ... An optimist is a man who starts a crossword puzzle with a fountain pen.
    === MultiMail/Win v0.51
    --- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
    * Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
  • From Tony Langdon@3:633/410 to Alan Ianson on Fri May 8 14:13:00 2020
    On 05-07-20 13:17, Alan Ianson wrote to Rob Swindell <=-

    I have never been shy about providing my email address just for those reasons although I usually create an account.

    Yeah I wouldn't have issues on a BBS, unlike sites run by commercial entities.

    And of course, all of this is completely configurable and
    disable-able. Another option would be to just disallow guest users to
    send any email messages at all.

    I think it's good that SBBS asks for an email address. Maybe it could accept a blank entry for those who are shy or simply looking and want
    to remain annonymous.

    That could be handy for some.


    ... Young gorillas are friendly but they soon learn.
    === MultiMail/Win v0.51
    --- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
    * Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to James Coyle on Fri May 8 08:13:13 2020
    Re: Re: Time limits
    By: James Coyle to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 04:20 pm

    Wow, nice. Thanks for the information, didn't know that

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Alan Ianson on Fri May 8 08:15:05 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Alan Ianson to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 01:10 pm

    I think it's a nice start, keep it up!^^

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Vincent Coen on Fri May 8 08:17:26 2020
    Re: Time limits
    By: Vincent Coen to Ali Mans on Thu May 07 2020 11:10 pm

    Souds pretty nice! I'll definitely check it out one day. Thanks

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Dan Clough@1:123/115 to Ali Mans on Fri May 8 11:31:00 2020
    Ali Mans wrote to Vincent Coen <=-

    Souds pretty nice! I'll definitely check it out one day. Thanks

    What sounds pretty nice?

    You didn't quote any context, so nobody knows what you're even
    talking about...

    Please quote when you reply to messages.


    ... All the easy problems have been solved.
    === MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (1:123/115)
  • From Ali Mans@1:103/705 to Dan Clough on Fri May 8 12:48:32 2020
    Re: Re: Time limits
    By: Dan Clough to Ali Mans on Fri May 08 2020 11:31 am

    What sounds pretty nice?
    You didn't quote any context, so nobody knows what you're even
    talking about...
    Please quote when you reply to messages.
    Sorry. I meant, you're going to run your own bbs, right? Sometimes I can't understand the full meaning because of language barrier(-_-;)...
    Sorry.

    ------------------
    Take me to the underground.
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)