================================================================ USBBS132.LST News A List of PC Bulletin Boards for DOS Users May 1995 Editor: Bob Breedlove ---------------------------------------------------------------- Home BBS: BOBsBBS 916-929-7511 (Messages to SYSOP) bob@bobsware.com or breedlov@netcom.com ================================================================ --==[[ Expiration of BBS's on USBBS [[==-- One of the major problems I have with the list is finding out when boards go out of existence. They do this quite often and without notice. It's coming! I will phase in expiration of BBS listings during 1995. I will "grandfather" existing boards and will probably give the current list one year rather than 3-6 months. I'm still working out the details, but, things will probably start sometime around June 1995. Check out "The A-List" article below for another reason to update your BBS every three months. Your comments are always welcome. --==[[ The A-List ]]==-- BBS Magazine now prints an annotated list of BBS systems derived from updates to the USBBS list for the last three months. Updates made to BOBsBBS (916-929-7511) or created by USBBSUP.EXE are the only updates considered. The "A-List" contains all the information from the USBBS list *plus* the FOCUS and COMMENT lines entered by the updaters. This makes it a very valuable list for callers searching for a board with a particular focus. BBS Magazine is published monthly and is available wherever magazines are sold, or by calling 800-822-0437. Email subscribe@bbsmagazine.com. --==[[ FIDO ACCESS ]]==-- Mark Robbins of Second Sanctum in Dallas/Ft. Worth has volunteered to be the FIDO distribution point. Mark also produces the original Dallas/Ft. Worth BBS list. Here is the information: Second Sanctum 817-467-1175 TX Dallas/Ft. Worth FREQ with magic filename "USBBS" to 1:130/607 or 1:130/610. The USBBS List is distributed over FIDO FILEBONE name DFWTXLST for all TIC file users in FIDO-style networks. --==[[ COMMERCIAL/SHAREWARE PRODUCTS SUPPORTING USBBS ]]==-- If you have a commercial or shareware product which supports the USBBS List, I'd like to list it here. Please send me a (registered) copy of your product to I can check it out. I will list it here so the thousands of BBSer's who use the USBBS List can know that you support the list. Upload shareware to BOBsBBS (916-929-7511) and I will post it on the board. Or send a copy of your commercial software to: Bob Breedlove 3196 Swallows Nest Dr. Sacramento, CA 95833 Keep me informed of the new version numbers and I will keep the software list at the end of this document up to date. Thanks for you cooperation. --==[[ INTERNET CONTACT POINTS ]]==-- Please send messages to the following addresses: LIST REQUESTS: usbbs@bobsware.com Automated Processor. Send message with "HELP" (no quotes) in the body for instructions. LIST UPDATES : update@bobsware.com Automated processor, updates created by USBBSUP.EXE ONLY, PLEASE! (ftp://oak.oakland.edu/SimTel/msdos/bbslist/usbup103.zip) OTHER : bob@bobsware.com Comments to the editor. BOBsBBS (916-929-7511) is still the best way for updates or to reach the USBBS. --==[[ LIST KEEPERS TAKE NOTE ]]==-- Many of the local list keepers verify BBS's continued existence. Something that I feel is one of the shortcomings of any list. The proposal is to create an easy way for listkeepers to reformat their lists for submission to the USBBS national BBS list each month. This has the advantage of gaining national exposure for the boards on the list and gives our national readers exposure to more BBS systems. The boards on the list will have to meet the minimum requirements for posting to USBBS. Thus, the listkeeper would have to collect the basic information, at a minimum. This information includes: - Phone number including area code - City, State - Sysop's REAL Name - BBS Software - Modem Speed and type - BBS Name - Disk Space devoted to the BBS - Number of nodes (phone lines) I will provide, as my part of the process, a free formatting program which will format from a text version of the local list to the submission format for USBBS. The edition field on the USBBS list will contain an indication of the source list from which the information was taken. A list of listkeepers is provided along with the other information in the USBBSxxx.ZIP. As you can see from edition 129+, I have made arrangements with the first of the local listkeepers. This listkeeper decided to format the entries since he already had the software to do so. Contact me at BOBsBBS or bob@bobsware.com for more information. --==[[ USBBS DOWNLOADS AT BOBSBBS ]]==-- BOBsBBS supports a set of special ID's which are for downloading the USBBS list ONLY. Here they are: ID PROTOCOL USBBS ZMODEM Zmodem USBBS YMODEM Ymodem USBBS XMODEM Xmodem-Checksum USBBS CRC Xmodem-CRC USBBS Xmodem1k Xmodem-1K These ID's have no passwords and go through a special script which starts the download immediately after logon. To help you automate your downloads, here are the phrases to wait for and the responses to enter: WAIT FOR ENTER Graphics LAST name {id};; Protocol starts immediately start protocol download Wait approximately 1 second after detecting each phrase. Notice that there is a set of two semi-colons (";;") after the {id}. This by-passes the password prompt. You MUST enter this or you will get the "PASSWORD" prompt. For example, you would enter "USBBS ZMODEM;;" in response to the "LAST name" prompt. The connection is terminated immediately after the download is completed. --==[[ RELEASE SCHEDULE ]==-- This is a release schedule for USBBS for the next several months. The list is released on the last weekend of the month, unless there is some reason to revise this schedule. Here are a couple of known exceptions: - If the first of the next month is on a weekend, the list is released on that weekend. - If the last weekend of the month is a holiday weekend, the list distribution will be adjusted. - If I will be out of town or otherwise occupied on the release weekend, the list distribution will be adjusted. The list is usually available sometime on Sunday afternoon of the release weekend. If you want to avoid long distance calls, I'd suggest that you call Sunday after 6p, Pacific Time. Of course, since this is my hobby, there are no guarantees. All revisions for the list should be in by the Monday before the release date to help assure that I get them and add them to the list. Although some parts of this effort are automated, much is manual. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to get revisions received after Monday into the next list edition. PLEASE NOTE: Because I do this for free, I reserve the right to change this schedule without notice. Notices about distribution are posted on BOBsBBS (916-929-7511). Sorry for any inconvenience this causes. SYSOPS, please note: I sometimes have difficulty reaching the remote update points before the release date. If the board is down or constantly busy, I may not be able to collect the information before the update for that month. Call BOBsBBS (916-929-7511) to be assured that your update will be considered for the next edition of the list. Edition Weekend Notes 133 5/27/95 134 7/01/95 First on a weekend 135 7/29/95 136 8/26/95 137 9/30/95 138 10/28/95 139 12/02/95 Thanksgiving weekend 140 12/27/95 --==[[ FILES IN ARCHIVE ]]==-- USBBSxxx.LST The USBBS National BBS list itself. USBBSxxx.TXT Information about distribution and update points for the USBBS list. Contact points for local listkeepers who contribute to the list. This file is always included with the list. USBBSxxx.NWS News about the USBBS list. This file is only included when there is news to pass on about the list. FILE_ID.DIZ An extended description for the USBBS list archive. Always included. --==[[ PROGRAM VERSIONS ]]==-- PROGRAM DESCRIPTION VERSION USBBSUP.EXE The USBBS offline update program. 1.03 --==[[ COMMERCIAL/SHAREWARE PRODUCTS SUPPORTING USBBS ]]==-- This is a list of verified programs and services supporting the USBBS List. PROGRAM/ARCHIVE DESCRIPTION VERSION USBBSDOR.EXE List/download the USBBS List. 5.3 USBDOR53.ZIP From YCS computing. BBS Magazine A-List, Annotated BBS List Monthly Subscribe: 800-822-0437. Email subscribe@bbsmagazine.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------- END of USBBS.NWS