Category : BBS Programs+Doors
Archive   : ZNEWS094.ZIP
Filename : READ.ME
Output of file : READ.ME contained in archive : ZNEWS094.ZIP
ZipNews v0.94á (1/22/93)
Here's a quick review of the features of ZipNews for Waffle:
* Offers high-speed, efficient access to Usenet newsgroups for callers
of Waffle BBSs (as a Door or Waffle "external command").
* Produces a single compressed ASCII text file of all new articles
contained in newsgroups listed in the caller's Waffle JOIN file.
(The ASCII text format is the first of a number of different formats
planned. Future formats may include support for several offline
readers/mailers with any of several formats being selectable by
the caller.)
* Also can serve as a PCBoard Door on systems that are running Waffle as
a door under PCBoard. That is, it is accessed directly from PCBoard
without requiring the caller to log into Waffle each call.
* Updates the last article read pointers in the Waffle JOIN file only
if the download completes successfully.
* ZipNews is SHARE-compatible, and supports multi-node operation
(unlimited simultaneous BBS node access).
* Allows complete system operator and caller freedom in specifying and
selecting from archiver utilities and file transfer protocols.
System operator can configure choices of up to 5 different archiving
utilities and up to 10 file transfer protocols. (Limits are pretty
arbitrary; will increase if there is demand.)
* Handy "local" mode of operation to support system operator testing.
* Individual caller configurations are "remembered" for reference
during subsequent calls.
* Supports RAMDISK work directories for speed and easing the burden
on hard drives. A different directory for each BBS node can be
specified using a single entry in one config file.
* Complete comm port support built-in (supports non-standard comm
ports). Disables FOSSIL communications to use its own comm
routines. (FOSSIL comm is "reset" upon return to Waffle in the
normal way.) CAUTION: Will not work with multi-port boards
requiring special drivers (e.g., DIGIBOARD, ARNET, etc.).
* Includes carrier monitoring & keyboard timeout monitoring. Returns
to Waffle in the event of lost carrier or keyboard timeout (3 mins.).
* No fancy graphics in normal operation -- compatible with any/all
caller platforms -- similar to Waffle in this regard (i.e.,
boringly plain!).
* No charge for upgrades to future versions. (Once you have a
registration number, it may be applied to all future upgrades.)
Registration COST: $19.95
Distributed as uncrippled, fully functional SHAREWARE. The unregistered
version of the product DOES prominently display that it is an
unregistered, evaluation copy, etc., on-screen and in the text files it
produces. (I have avoided making this crippleware, and, I hope, I've
struck a happy medium and avoided "annoyware" as well. Comments
welcome.)
The executable is self-registering in that "Evaluation Copy" and
"Unregistered" remarks are removed by running in "register" mode and
entering registration number supplied when you register the product.
Considerations for the Future
-----------------------------
- In the longer range, we're considering developing an offline news
reader/mailer for ZipNews (this would be marketed as a separate
product). Upgrades to the ZipNews Door to accommodate such input
from a reader/mailer would be free to system operators who have
registered ZipNews.
- Also being considered is the addition of mail to ZipNews' "news"
packet. A caller would be able to download his entire mail "folder"
in each news packet (or maybe just unread messages -- this not firmed
up yet). Until a reader/mailer becomes available, however, this would
be just a one-way process.
Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!
This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.
But one thing that puzzles me is the “mtswslnkmcjklsdlsbdmMICROSOFT” string. There is an article about it here. It is definitely worth a read: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/mtswslnk/