Commodore Mania BBS

By

Don Snider

Introduction:

This program is near and dear to my heart since I did at one time run this software. I was attracted to it because of its cools prompts, its full support for color graphics, and the fact that it had remote SysOp access. Of course, the cools prompts didn't hurt either.

The Commodore Mania Bulletin Board System

In the scheme of things, this poor program is terribly lacking. However, it was one of the pioneers of the Multi-Punter protocol, even to the point of having a variation of Multi-Punter named after it. It also had full color support, which was well implemented in the hard coded parts of the system.

A colorful and easy to use waiting for call system.

CMBBS (at least this version) also had some bugs related to its use of relative files, which caused it eventually to corrupt your user file. Most annoying, however, is the long questionaire the sysop had to go through to get the system booted. All of the questions (such as what modem you were using, and whether you wanted to engage the credit system) belonged in a setup file of some sort.

The only annoying thing about CMBBS is
the rigamarole in getting too this point.

The program is certainly colorful, and pleasing to use and run (when it will), however, it is in dire need of a few more configurable options, and a more stable user file system. As you see below from my old partial menu, everything is easily available from the main area.

Almost all options are available from the main menu.

The documentation for this version of CMBBS is available here for reading.

The Facts:

Hardware Information

Computer    :   Commodore 64 or 128 in 64 mode
Video       :   40 columns
Drives      :   CBM, limited CMD (no parts, no subdirs)
Modems      :   1650, 1660, 1670, Hayes (300-1200)
Input       :   Keyboard
Output      :   Printer optional
RAM use     :   N/A
Special     :

General

Pgm Struct  :   Single program
Menu Struct :   Mostly single menu system, keyword entry.
Translation :   ASCII, PETSCII
Access      :   10 levels, limited definability
Handle/ID   :   Handles not allowed, users listed by ID
User info   :   Name, Access, Up/Downloads, Posts, Phone, Computer, etc.
User Logs   :   Important activities, up/downloads, name, time, id
Calls/Time  :   Calls hard coded, time limit for all levels
Network     :   N/A
Customizing :   Not terribly customizable
  Programs  :   Program is compiled BASIC, not changable
  Displays  :   Displays are SEQ files, easy to change
  Commands  :   Not changable
Areas       :   Almost all selections from main menu
  E-mail    :   Separate menu
  Messages  :   From main menu
  Transfers :   From main menu
  Network   :   N/A
  Programs  :   N/A
  Text      :   Separate menu
  User Cmds :   From main menu
  SysOp     :   Separate menu
  Voting    :   N/A
  News      :   From main menu
  Help      :   From main menu
Other       :

SysOp Utilities and Support

Offline     :   Configurator only
Online      :   Chat, access change
Remote      :   User/File editors, some drive access
On-L Display:   Line of text only
W.F.C. Utils:   Terminal, maintenance.
Chatting    :   From any prompt
User        :   Full editors available
Msg Bases   :   Offline configurator only, some integrated sysop options
Transfers   :   Integrated sysop functions available
Programs    :   N/A
Network     :   N/A
Drives      :   Limited functions
Terminal    :   Simple punter terminal

News

Structure   :   Single opening file
Header      :   No set header
Weeding     :   By SysOp only
Display     :   At logon

Messages

Structure   :   Linear style, unlinked
Bases       :   Named bases, listed by number
Limits      :   Overall post limits set per base
            :    Weeded by system
Reading     :   By number and local new
Headers     :   Name, subject, time, date, location
Format      :   Text and color/graphics
Writing     :   New posts only
Anonymous   :   Not allowed
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Message Editor

Structure   :   Line editor
Commands    :   Control code gives a menu, uppercase graphics, word wrap
Editing     :   Line replacement and deleting
Formatting  :   Word wrap
Graphics    :   Supported, including uppercase graphics

Transfers

Bases       :   Open directory system
Storage     :   In a file listing all downloads
Limits      :   Enforced by SysOp only
Credits     :   Ratio system implemented
Protocols   :   Punter, multi-punter
Headers     :   Filename, blocks, date
Selection   :   By number
Listing     :   Directory only
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Text Libraries

Structure   :   Named libraries listed by number
Storage     :   As standard text files, filenames in a list file
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

E-Mail

Structure   :   On separate menu, and from message reading
Sending     :   By ID number
Receiving   :   As logon, or on demand
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Program Libraries

Structure   :   N/A
Programs    :   N/A
Network     :   N/A
Other       :


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