From: rhythmnp@THRWHITE.remove-ipn-this   
      
     To: alt.bbs.allsysop   
   >No wonder   
   >BBSes continue to decline and eventually will be stone dead even though the   
   >"new" technology could be used to make them even more prominent and powerful   
   >than before   
      
   Actually, in the past two years, more BBS's having been popping up than have   
   been disappearing.  Nostalgic users are coming back.  It may not be the heyday   
   of the past, but it's no longer a decline.   
      
   >I've tried contacting people who appear to have claim over some of the old   
   >legacy software.  I've been ignored or received vague or dismissive answers.   
   >I've tried planning on running purely free-ware, public domain, etc.   
   >software, and frankly, that's the fastest way to put together a crappy BBS   
   >that I've found so far.   
      
   You're being rather vague.  If you want answers regarding the fate of specific   
   bbs software, mention what software you're talking about.   
      
   Many of the new, freeware packages are actively supported and have more   
   features than the old packages ever did.  For a good freeware package check out   
   Synchronet, Mystic, or EleBBS.  As for the commercial packages, WorldGroup and   
   Wildcat Winserver are still supported but cost a bundle.  Those packages   
   include a crazy amount of stuff now (including web servers with https/SSL   
   support for running businesses) so if the cost is somewhat understandable.   
      
   >I got a speech recently in email about how some of these door developers are   
   >"mom-and-pop" businesses just trying to survive.  Bullshit.  They are   
   >opportunists taking advantage of the fact that we have nowhere else to go if   
   >we want to attempt to revive the communities we remember back then.   
      
   What in holy hell are you talking about?   
      
   Most door developers ARE "mom and pop" businesses, pulling in very small   
   amounts of money compared to the time put into the door.  When you average out   
   the time I put into my doors vs the registration money I receive, it comes out   
   to under $3/hour.  And you're trying to call that being an opportunist?  You've   
   got to be kidding me!   
      
   >If they   
   >cared about us, they'd make stronger moves to adjust the BBS platform to   
   >WIN32 or *Nix   
      
   All of my doors are Win32... many other authors have begun porting old DOS   
   doors to Win32 and/or *nix, or are simply ONLY making 32bit doors now... the   
   platform move is definitely happening, you're just apparently too cluelness to   
   have noticed it.   
      
   >not just a server here, or a door there, but the whole damn   
   >kit-and-kaboodle   
      
   Almost of the actively-supported BBS software have purely 32-bit versions for   
   Windows and/or *Nix, so again, you simply have no idea what you're talking   
   about.   
      
   >So, yeah, ok, I'm pissed.  Those of you that these comments don't apply to   
   >know who you are, and won't sweat it.  I don't want to wantonly rip off mom   
   >and pop, but neither do I want to start sending $15 checks off into the   
   >postal wilderness to end destinations that may no longer exist   
      
   Most of today's active door authors have web payment registration (TradeWars,   
   LORD, John Daily Software, DoorMUD, many others).  Other old door authors have   
   reappeared to make their doors freeware (Usurper).   
      
   Yet other door authors have passed away (like the author of The Pit -- R.I.P.)   
   Same thing is true with some BBS authors (MajorBBS and one or two others that I   
   can't think of).  So please don't tell me you're harboring all this anger at   
   deceased software authors, it's understandable that they can't support their   
   software anymore!   
      
   >Yes, it seems that   
   >gameport.com still supports lord, and that John Daily still supports some of   
   >the programs from the Patel brothers, but what have they done with it?   
   >Adapted it to the current OSes?  Come out with part II, or an add on, or   
   >basically anything to justify putting the effort and money   
      
   Some door authors still put a lot of time into their doors, and some don't.   
   It's commendable that the current LORD guy is porting LORD to win32, espcially   
   since I get the impression that GamePort pays him little or nothing for his   
   efforts, and also considering the source code to LORD is rumored to be the   
   ugliest beast every created.   
      
   As for John Dailey, he mentioned a year ago that he was going to make all his   
   doors freeware, but apparently he didn't get around to it.  No idea what's up   
   with that.   But you shouldn't use his flakiness as an excuse to whine at all   
   door authors, many of whom still put quality time into their products.   
      
   For example, the current TradeWars author did exactly what you said, made a   
   Win32 stand-alone version of his door which he actively worked on for quite a   
   while.   
      
   >But I'm not going to pay first   
   >for what might amount to a few extra zip files in the far reached of my   
   >drive if a BBS proves to be something that just wants to die.   
      
   So then run the unregistered/demo versions.  That's what they're designed for.   
   Most of them aren't horrendously crippled, they're designed so that they can be   
   run up to a certain point to see if you want to continue using them or not.   
      
   If you insist on using/making cracks though, make sure it's truly abandonware.   
   Personally, if I find people using cracks of my software, I would contact their   
   ISP and have their internet cut, at minimum, without hesitation.  I put a lot   
   of time into my doors; and my doors have large unregistered versions and also   
   have reasonable registration prices. So I really have no tolerance for people   
   who steal from me by using cracks because there really is no excuse for it.   
      
   I think most of the other *active* BBS-related authors feel the same way.   
      
   ---   
    * Synchronet * The Whitehouse BBS --- whitehouse.hulds.com --- check it out   
   free usenet!   
   --- Synchronet 3.15a-Win32 NewsLink 1.92   
   Time Warp of the Future BBS - telnet://time.synchro.net:24   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)