An Elite Loader Screen
My programming partner for Zelch 128, and founder of Elite Software, was a Man with Ideas when he made this attempt at a BBS program from scratch for the Commodore 128. He dearly loved the look and feel of C-Net 128 (which he ran loyally for many years, even to the detriment of Zelch 128 for awhile!), but dreamed of the programmable BBS system-- the opcode menu system. When we met, I was a guy with extensive knowledge of BBS programming, but with very little imagination or style as far as appearances or possibilities go. Our combined efforts produced Zelch 128 eventually, but before this was Bill's Elite Bulletin Board System for the Commodore 128.
A very Elite Waiting for call Screen
The premise behind it is the same as Zelch 128: flexibility, flexibility, flexibility. Programmable menus, op-coded system, as little as possible is hard coded, and the main program becomes little more than a parser for the event driven menu "programs". The program, another mark of Bills, is nice to look at-- very stylish and well organized visually, if a little formal in some places (al la C-Net 128?).
Since I'm the one writing these pages, and Bill has no say, I will also note that the code sucks! Rem statements with comments?!?! Puh-leez! :)
Despite not being able to get it to run on my own, I do recall some of it, and poked through the code for the rest.
Computer : Commodore 128 in 128 mode Video : 40 or 80 columns Drives : Any CBM, limited CMD (partitions, but no subdirs) Modems : 1670 and Hayes only, 300-2400 baud Input : Keyboard Output : Screen only RAM use : CBM Ramdrive compatible Special :
Pgm Struct : Single program Menu Struct : Programmable menus, no set structure Translation : ASCII, PETSCII Access : 14 levels, completely definable over level 1 Handle/ID : Handles allowed, users listed by ID User info : Name, handle, computer, age, phone number, etc. User Logs : Name, date Calls/Time : No idle timer, calls/time definable per each access Network : N/A Customizing : Extremely customizable Programs : Uncompiled BASIC, changable Displays : Standard SEQ files, changable Commands : Commands are op-code "programs", very changable Areas : E-mail : From the main menu Messages : Separate area Transfers : N/A Network : N/A Programs : N/A Text : N/A User Cmds : N/A SysOp : From the main menu Voting : N/A News : N/A Help : N/A Other :
Offline : SEQ file utility only Online : Chat only Remote : Full drive access, user editor On-L Display: Complete user info window W.F.C. Utils: Local logon only Chatting : From any prompt User : Full editor available Msg Bases : Some integrated functions Transfers : N/A Programs : N/A Network : N/A Drives : CBM-DOS prompt available Terminal : Offline only
Structure : Single opening file? Header : N/A Weeding : N/A Display : N/A
Structure : Linear unlinked style system (uncompleted)
Bases : Named bases, listed by number
Limits : Enforced by SysOp
:
Reading : Local new, or individual
Headers : Name, date, subject
Format : Text and color/graphics
Writing : New posts only, replies are new posts
Anonymous : Not allowed
Network : N/A
Other :
Structure : Line editor Commands : Meta character commands from blank lines Editing : Rewrite, insert, delete Formatting : Word wrap Graphics : Supported
Bases : N/A Storage : N/A Limits : N/A Credits : N/A Protocols : N/A Headers : N/A Selection : N/A Listing : N/A Network : N/A Other : N/A
Structure : N/A Storage : N/A Network : N/A Other :
Structure : Main menu sending option Sending : By ID, from main menu Receiving : At logon Network : N/A Other :
Structure : N/A Programs : N/A Network : N/A Other :
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