Category : Communication (modem) tools and utilities
Archive   : CD01JULY.ZIP
Filename : CD01JULY.DOC

 
Output of file : CD01JULY.DOC contained in archive : CD01JULY.ZIP







ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
³ ³
³ ³
³ C A R R I E R D E T E C T ³
³ ³
³ The PC Communications Journal for Every Modem User! ³
³ ³
³ Volume 1, July 1991 ³
³ ³
³ ³
ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ



Table of Contents:

Welcome ............................................. 2

Product Evaluations ................................. 3

Telemate Version 2.11 ........................... 3

Protocol Prowl ...................................... 6
Super Z Modem 1.44 .............................. 6

Sneak Preview ....................................... 10
Quick BBS 2.75 .................................. 10

Bonus Files ......................................... 14

Feedback ............................................ 15

Product Information ................................. 16











Carrier Detect is published bimonthly by Michael W.
Crosson. Contents may not be reproduced without written
permission from the publisher. All brand and product
names mentioned in this publication are trademarks and
registered trademarks of their respective companies.

(c) 1991 Michael W. Crosson. All rights reserved.














W E L C O M E

Welcome to the second edition of Carrier Detect - The
Bimonthly PC Communications Journal. I am very happy to
report that the first issue was a huge success! Wherever
I uploaded the Journal it proved to be a very popular
file. Even more encouraging, Carrier Detect spread like
wildfire to systems all over the country where it was also
eagerly received! Many thanks to all the people and
sysops who helped to distribute the first issue. Without
your support Carrier Detect would never have gotten off to
the great start that it has. I would also like to thank
everyone who has contacted me. Keep those letters coming!
All of your comments are appreciated and welcome. I want
to provide the PC users with the best Telecommunications
Journal anywhere and to do so I need your feedback.

Many of the letters I received were enthusiastic about
the content of Carrier Detect but suggested that I pay
more attention to spelling and grammar. For the record, I
did use a spelling checker with the first issue. In fact,
I changed word processing programs near the end of the
issue so it passed through two of the beasts! Apparently,
this method of proofreading is not reliable and from this
point on I will make a special effort to stamp out all
errors before I distribute the journal. To those of you
who trust in these electronic dictionaries like I did -
Beware!

Besides being the first issue that is proofread by
RightWriter, this edition is also the first to contain
articles that have been submitted to me by readers. I
hope that you will enjoy the contribution that these
people have made and find the material to be as
informative and entertaining as my own articles. Unless
otherwise noted, the authors are very familiar with the
subject or software they are writing about and you can
trust their opinion to be a experienced. If you are
interested in writing a piece for Carrier Detect, please
contact me by one of ways listed in the Feedback section
at the end of this issue. If there are enough quality
submissions from readers, there is the possibility of
making Carrier Detect a monthly publication!

There is one more item of interest this time around.
I am pleased to announce there will be a Carrier Detect
Reading Door for sysops to install on their bulletin board
systems! With this door, callers will be able to select
individual articles to peruse while online. The reasons a
caller might want to do this are numerous, but perhaps the
most useful would be to help decide whether or not to
start downloading a large software package. The door will
be distributed FREE of charge and will work with most
major BBS systems. Chances are by the time you read this


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 2









the Reader Door is completed and available on the Carrier
Detect Home BBS or GEnie. For more information on how to
contact the Carrier Detect Home BBS read the feedback
section at the end of this issue.


Sincerely,

Michael Crosson
Editor



P R O D U C T E V A L U A T I O N S


Each month Carrier Detect contains several product
evaluations. Most of these will be software reviews but
from time to time hardware will be discussed as well. The
opinions expressed in Carrier Detect are solely my own or
the respective author of the article. Carrier Detect
strives to be as objective as possible when evaluating
software. Judgments to suitability are made with the
"typical" modem enthusiast in mind and are not geared
toward the complete novice nor the power user. Exceptions
to this are noted as such in the article.


* Telemate V2.12
Review by Thomas O'Hara

Pros: Multitasking capabilities
Multiple window environment
Built in text editor
Shareware with an attractive price

Cons: High memory requirements
Transfers prone to errors if multitasking
Technical support by BBS only



There are many GOOD telecommunications packages
available these days. ProComm Plus, HyperACCESS/5, Commo
and Z Comm are just a few of the choices facing the
consumer. All of these packages have supporters and
detractors. And for each BBS user, there probably is an
ideally matched Comm program, one that fits your
particular needs. I chose, as my best match, a program
called TeleMate. No, I don't believe the author spells
the name that way, but I do, since it is nearly a perfect
mate to my needs. What drew me to it and away from the
others, such as Q-Modem, Telix, and Boyan, was that it
allowed me continue working with my computer while I was


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 3









transferring files.

My favorite use of a BBS is as a file transfer point.
Many other users probably look at BBSes as places for
carrying on remote conversations in the message bases. I
prefer to read the message bases as soon as I log on to a
board. Then I go directly to the file sections. For my
use, TeleMate is the perfect communications package. My
normal approach to a board with good message bases is to
read them non-stop. Though I only have a 2400 bps modem,
this is far too fast, so obviously I am not really reading
the bases. However, TeleMate faithfully stores everything
that scrolls past my eyes in the "back" window, so I
haven't lost anything. You may ask, "What is a back
window?" And to that I would have to say just ONE of the
great features in TeleMate.

We should take a closer look at the program.
TeleMate, like many recent communication packages, has a
set of internal transfer protocols that include at least
one of the new, high speed streaming ones. In the case of
Telemate, it is Z Modem. Also, like other progressive
programs, it allows easy access to a set of external
protocols. The difference is that if the protocol is
internal, the program retains control of the computer.
Everything the program needs to perform the transfer is
built into the term. When the protocol is external, the
transfer is handled by a separate program dedicated to
this purpose. The Term program must transfer control of
the computer to the protocol for the duration of the
transfer, usually by shelling to DOS. When using external
protocols, TeleMate is no better or no worse than any
other. However, since Z Modem, a reliable and popular
protocol is internal, TeleMate often proves to be more
convenient and easier to use than its rivals.

Among its many attributes, TeleMate has a set of
windows that allow the user to do lightweight multitask-
ing. I mentioned the back window already. What this
window does is keep a "memory image" of everything that
has scrolled through the terminal window since the program
was first started. The number of lines that is retained
in this "memory image" is configurable, and, in my case,
is set for 2000 lines. This is how I am able to scroll
through the messages and respond to those that I would
like to before I log off. TeleMate has other windows too!
In addition to the "back" window, there is, of course, the
terminal window. The terminal window is where you work
while you are actively on a board. A third window, is
called the "view" window. With this window, you can
browse through any text file, including file lists, and
*.doc files. Yet another window, the "edit" window, is
what makes TeleMate so useful to me.



Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 4









With the edit window I can compose a response to a
message that I am reading in the back window. And since I
can use "cut and paste" from either the view window or
back window to the edit window, I am able to "quote" from
messages without having to use the BBS's quote feature (if
it has one at all). The effect is similar to responding
to messages off line. In addition, you can draw
information from the view window as well, allowing you to
"quote" material from a *.doc file or file list. All of
this while a file transfer is taking place. Any of the
windows can be resized and repositioned to whatever
arrangement is most pleasing to you. One possibility is
to have a small window opening into the "back" window, and
have another small window where you are working - perhaps
writing a response to a message visible in the reduced
sized "back"window.

So how do the "messages" get from the edit window to
the BBS? It's simple really. After you are done with
your transfers, you go back to the message base that you
wish to post on. Once you have logged to the base, you
either go to the message you wanted to answer, or just
post to the person. Either way, once have the base ready
to receive your post, you go to the "edit" window, and
mark the text for copying. Then you switch back to the
terminal window, and paste the copy to the message base.
It will go out through the terminal as if you were typing
it, only much faster.

And, since you write your message while the system is
performing a file transfer, you can take your time and
even check your spelling - with a bound dictionary, of
course, not from within TeleMate. It has a good word
processor built in, but no provision for a spell checker.
Nor can one be run as a TSR, since TeleMate takes up
nearly all available memory - it requires at least 500K to
run properly. However TeleMate can swap itself to disk,
EMS, XMS, or to unused RAM on the video card to free up a
larger amount of free memory when it shells.

As with all modern comm programs, TeleMate comes with
a script language that makes it easy to log onto boards
unattended. I have never used the script capabilities of
the program since I don't like to leave the computer
running unattended. As a result, I cannot comment on how
good the script language is compared to its contem-
poraries. Rest assured though that Telemate does include
what seems to be a robust script language and an easy to
use script learn function to learn log on sequences.

With the upgrade from V1.20 to 2.00 and beyond, the
program started using overlays, which means that all its
functions are not in memory at the same time. To this
end, the program has been downgraded, not upgraded.


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 5









Telemate incorporates its own multi-tasking kernel and
when portions of the program are swapped in and out, the
program must cease all data transfer at this time. Since
I am not privy to the best time to decide when to use a
different TeleMate function, I may make the switch near
the end of a block of data being transferred. This would
cause the program to suspend receiving, cause an error,
and force the block to be resent. With a Z Modem
transfer, that could be a 1K block, adding a considerable
amount to the transfer time if this occurs frequently. In
many ways version 1.20 may have been the best, since it
was the last version not to use overlays.

There are some who claim that TeleMate has problems
running on slower machines. I have found that TeleMate
WILL run on an XT. In fact, if it didn't, I would not
have been using it for all this time. If you prefer to do
something - ANYTHING! - while doing a file transfer,
TeleMate may be the ticket. You can write the "great
American novel" while downloading the latest copy of List.
Of course, you can do this with many others, but if you
own an XT, your choices are limited. Most people can get
the same effect using a multi-tasking environment such as
DesqView. They can run a small communications program in
one window and work on something else in the other. Commo
comes to mind as perfect for this. However, if you are
running on an XT, performance may become so sluggish that
you may wonder if you are running at all!

Which is why TeleMate works for me. It performs all
the functions I need and does it without the heavy
degradation of performance that you get in a true
multitasking environment. I highly recommend that anyone
interested in pseudo-multitasking give TeleMate a trial.
It is big, a RAM hog and a trifle slow, but it may keep
you happy while you are doing file transfers. Telemate is
available as shareware and I was so pleased with it when I
first saw it a few years back that I registered it and
haven't looked back. If there is something about TeleMate
that I might be able to help you with, please leave a
message for me at the home board for this journal. If I
can help, the information will be posted as quickly as
possible.



P R O T O C O L P R O W L


Protocol Prowl is the place to look to keep up with
the latest protocols that hit the streets. In this issue
Super Z Modem by Scott Baker is reviewed.

* Super Z Modem Version 1.44


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 6









Reviewed by Michael Crosson

Z Modem is fast becoming the protocol of choice for
most people when it is available for use. If one was to
imagine what the perfect protocol might be, Z Modem might
come pretty close. It is fast, tolerant of poor commun-
ication conditions, and best of all, ultra reliable. Many
communication programs and BBS programs now have Z modem
built in and those that don't are scrambling to add it in
a future upgrade. While the number of communications
programs that do not incorporate Z Modem internal is
shrinking, by no means does everyone enjoy this luxury.
In fact, there are quite a few popular communication
programs that do not support Z Modem internal including:
Bitcom, Boyan, Commo, Crosstalk XVI, MicroPhone, Relay
Gold and SmartComm III. And for BBS software, having an
internal implementation of Z Modem is more the exception
rather than the rule. Of the major BBS packages only
Quick, Remote Access, and Wildcat! contain this feature.

For those that do require an external Z Modem protocol
driver, there have been few choices traditionally. The
large majority of people installed DSZ by Omen Technology.
DSZ has proven to be the absolute best all around protocol
- bar none. The communication routines in DSZ are as
rock solid as external protocols come and if that was all
people wanted in a protocol this review would end now.
However, I believe that there are times when people *do*
want more out of their transfer protocol. While DSZ is
admittedly the most reliable and technically excellent, I
also think it is one of the most pedestrian and utili-
tarian protocols at the same time.

In contrast, Super Z Modem is an attempt at creating
what is perhaps the most ambitious protocol engine ever.
It contains the same reliable 32-bit CRC Z modem routines
that other Z modems use but the philosophy behind the
design is completely different. Super Z Modem was
designed around the idea that you should be able to do
other useful things with your computer while a transfer is
taking place. To this end Scott Baker has added chat
capability, single and multi-player games, and a simulated
DOS environment that can be used while the transfer is in
progress. As such, Super Z Modem has become the
"Veg-A-Matic" of protocols.

Installation of Super Z Modem (or SZ Modem for short)
is a straight-forward process for those that have
installed external protocols in the past. A program
called SZconfig is included to make the installation even
easier. SZconfig creates a default settings configuration
file that stores port, baud, modem, and directory
information so the actual command line to call Super Z
Modem is as simple as possible. Any of these defaults can


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 7









be overridden on the command line transfer time. Scott
Baker also thoughtfully made the command line parameters
as similar as possible to DSZ's, making the most vital
settings instantly familiar to thousands of users. Many
advanced options can be specified on the command line
including: packet compression, a "turbo" mode, hardware
handshaking, long transfer blocks, EGA/VGA video mode, no
paging and more.

So after you get this new package configured and
installed on your system, how useful is it? To judge the
practicality of SZ Modem, we have to consider two
criteria, the performance of the protocol in the actual
transfer of files and the value of the enhancements that
Scott Baker added. Let's discuss the performance of Super
Z Modem first since the package would be of little use to
anyone regardless of the quality or quantity of
enhancements if the engine did not transmit files in an
acceptable fashion.

Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised at SZ Modem's
performance in handling file transfers. After several
months of use, (and several version later), I can feel
confident that SZ Modem is a reliable and efficient
implementation of the Z modem protocol. In my testing I
tried SZ Modem in a wide variety of situations and
installed it on several different BBS systems. I used it
at bauds rates from 1200 to 9600, with and without a
locked comm port. In most cases the latest version of
Super Z Modem worked as it should and with a minimum of
fuss. I tested Super Z Modem transfers with a variety of
Z Modem drivers without compatibility problems. The
protocol drivers I tested it with included DSZ, PCZ, and
the internal Z Modem options in Crosstalk Mk4 V2.0 and
HyperAccess 5 V2.0.

The one area that SZ Modem does have intermittent
trouble relates to a Timeout problem. This was especially
true when I attempted to use the protocol over PC Pursuit,
a networked outdial system. In this instance, SZ Modem
worked fine until it needed to retransmit a packet that
was not sent properly. At this point the protocol
unsuccessfully attempts to restart the transfer or else
just sits there idle until it "Times Out." I understand
that the author is aware of this problem and is working on
a solution. This mysterious glitch aside, the protocol
otherwise achieves excellent results. In fact, my
transfer speeds were compatible to DSZ! File Compression
can boost the already excellent throughput even higher on
files that are not archived. Reliability of transfers is
on par with other Z Modems as Super Z uses the same CRC-32
error checking as others. And finally, SZ Modem's resume
feature, auto-DU, and "turbo" modes all work exactly as
promised.


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 8










Now that we've discussed the technical side of SZ
Modem, we can turn our attention to the goodies it offers
that may persuade you to use it, rather than your normal Z
Modem. The three major means Super Z Modem contains to
detract your attention from passively watching a file
transfer progress screen are Chat, Simulated DOS, and
Games.

Chat allows you to carry on a conversation with the
user on the other side of the connection while the
transfer is taking place. The chat facility in SZ Modem
is rather basic however. In SZ Modem, the top third of
the screen is devoted to transfer information. When you
call up the chat function, the bottom two-thirds are split
in half into a local and remote conversation window. This
split screen design makes it easy to keep track of the
conversation. Some characteristics of this chat are
slightly troublesome and could stand some improvement.
The inward flow of characters as they appear on your local
screen is very choppy. So, sentences sent from the remote
computer do not usually appear on the screen smoothly as
they are typed, instead they are sent in bursts. This
does not really detract from the usefulness of the Chat
enhancement though, and if you find yourself chatting to
the sysop often you probably will find this feature to be
wonderful. Please note that this feature requires the use
of Super Z Modem on both sides of the connection.

Several games are built into the SZ Modem protocol
engine including, Blackjack, Four In A row, Guess A Number
and a Trivia Quiz. While including games in a protocol
engine is novel, the actual implementation here is
disappointing. Most of these games could be hugely
improved with making better use of graphics. In this
release there really are no graphics to speak of!
Blackjack probably has the most potential for long term
interest but currently it would fascinate only the most
die-hard blackjack fan. Hopefully in the future Scott
Baker will revamp the game section entirely or else scrap
this part of the project. With users increasingly spoiled
by games with VGA graphics and Sound Blaster support it is
getting harder to entertain the masses.

Finally we come to what I consider the most useful
feature that SZ Modem offers, access to DOS commands in a
simulated DOS window. Some of the DOS commands available
are copy, erase, zipview, dir, browse, debug, and zipview.
There is online help for each command simply by typing
"Help" and then the command you want help on. The
routines incorporated in these DOS commands are careful
not to step on the transfer in progress and generally do
not cause errors in the transfer when using them. Of
course if you are doing something very disk intensive,


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 9









(such as copying a huge file), it is impossible to prevent
all errors and some packets may have to be resent. The
command line implementation of these DOS functions is
excellent and if not for the smaller display space and
blue background, you could forget you are even in a
simulated DOS! All kinds of long and obscure DOS command
line conventions are accepted with no need for modifi-
cation. Not every DOS command is implemented however and
SimDos could be made stronger with more commands in its
toolbox. An Archive Viewer that supported archives other
than ZIP, Move command, Format command (limited to
floppies), Whereis command, Tree command, and Command Line
Editor and History are some examples. A Zoom mode would
also be welcome. At times the DOS window is too small to
see everything unless you are using Super Z Modem in it's
EGA/VGA line mode.

Is Super Z Modem a contender in the neverending battle
of the protocols? The answer is an unqualified yes. SZ
Modem is a fast and safe choice to transfer files from one
PC to another. Is Super Z Modem for you then? Well, the
answer to this one is maybe. Some people are adventurous
and like bells and whistles, and if you one of these kinds
of modem fanatics then SZ Modem is a dream come true. On
the other hand, other people may be happier using
conventional Z modem. I think the largest group of people
that will adopt SZ Modem are those that are happy with
their current communications package and do not want to
get involved in Desqview or Windows. For this group of
people it makes what is often thought of as a tedious task
more fun. The chat feature especially can help to take
the drudgery out of long transfers. Productivity can
increase when using the program too. I've found that the
browse command is perfect for reading the documentation of
newly downloaded shareware. Finally one last benefit that
everyone can appreciate is that Super Z Modem could help
reduce your phone bill. If you call out to long distance
BBS systems for files but frequently find yourself
chatting away with the sysop at all hours of the night -
get this program today!



S N E A K P R E V I E W

Occasionally Carrier Detect will describe forthcoming
releases of popular software. Often this information is
difficult to obtain because software publishers can be
reluctant to reveal the direction of their products.
However, future enhancements should be of great interest
to the end users running the software. It can help
determine whether or not a program will continue to meet
an individual's needs in the future or if the upgrade will
address a deficiency that the owner has perceived. In


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 10









short, it can heighten anticipation or alert someone it is
time to go shopping. Please remember that products in a
testing stage are likely to change. The public release of
the software may or may not be similar to what is
described below.


* Quick BBS V2.75 (soon to be released)
Reviewed by Secret Sysop

PROS: Very flexible bulletin board
FidoNet compatible (with front end mailer)
Large amount of third party software
Now Multi-Node capable
Built-in Call Back Verification

CONS: Initial installation difficult
Hard coded commands throughout message area
File system is still done with ASCII files.
Poor external protocol support


I have been a registered user of QuickBBS since
version 1.64. This was back in the days when the original
author, Adam Hudson, was still developing it. I am also a
beta tester for V2.75. Amazingly, though much has been
added with each new version, QuickBBS has remained true to
it's name. It is still the fastest operating BBS package
I have ever used. I am always interested in trying new
BBS software and have yet to come across a better func-
tioning program for electronic communication.

What follows is simply the new features found in the
upcoming release of version 2.75, currently in beta
testing. If you have never run QuickBBS some of the
following may seem difficult to follow. However, I hope
that it peaks your curiosity enough to take a close look
at QuickBBS if you are thinking of starting a BBS. Most
of what follows are excerpts from beta site documentation.
Since the program is still in testing, any of the
following information could change before the actual
release.

NEW FEATURES OF QUICKBBS V2.75

As mentioned above, this version is multi-node capable.
Some of the added commands that go along with this feature
are:

* Type 52 - Show users currently on line.
* Type 53 - Toggle "do not disturb" flag.
* Type 54 - Send on-line message to other node.

Alt-C is now an internal split-screen chat.


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 11










Type 60 - An internal callback verifier has been
added.

The local status bar has been enhanced and now includes
4 screens.

Internal file ratio support has been added.

The format of the nodelist files has changed completely
making for a much smaller file. This also speeds up the
search for a node in the nodelist when sending NetMail.

QuickBBS now swaps itself out to disk or EMS on a shell
and when loading the full screen editor.

Shell commands can now be performed from a text file.

Type 57 - Change home/voice telephone number.

Type 58 - Change business/data telephone number.

The "EXITINFO" file is now reloaded after a shell.(Type 7)

Passwords are now case insensitive.

Entering a null password to get back to the user name
prompt works only in local mode.

OUTRATIO.A??" files are displayed when a users ratio is
out of balance.

Auto-ANSI detect. (Automatically detects if the remote
system is capable of displaying ANSI codes).

New control codes have been added to the text files.

* ^F2 will display the current setting for the "do not
disturb" flag.
* ^F3 will display the user's download ratio.
* ^F4 will display the user's download K ratio.
* ^KW will display the node number, as determined by
the -N parameter when you fire up QuickBBS as
a multi-node system.

The capability to change the destination or subject of
a message has been completely revamped.

Type 42 - Alias support has been added. This menu type
allows the users to pick one "registered" alias each.
Once a user picks an alias, nobody else on the system
Is allowed to use it until it's owner decides to start
using a different one. Any mail addressed to an alias
will be picked up on a new mail scan in addition to


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 12









mail addressed to the user's real name. The alias may
be used to log onto the system instead of the user's
real name.

A different message can be displayed at logon for each
node in a multi-node system by making a "NODExx.A??"
file.

Point support has been added in the netmail section.
* ^F5 - in a text file now displays the user's alias.

Message base "Templating"

* ^KY - Displays name of currently selected message
area.
* ^KO - Displays the number of messages in the
currently selected message area.
* ^KO - Displays the number of the currently
selected message base.

Overlay Version is available and uses only 185k of RAM.

Type 44 - Prompts users for their Birthday and Sex.

* ^F6 - Displays the users age.
* ^F7 - Displays "BIRTHDAY.A??" if the caller happens to
call on their birthday.

Questionnaire language now has IF statements with ELSE
capability.

An all new User Editor with mouse support has been
created.

A new Configuration Editor is planned also. It too
supports a mouse.

Questionnaire language has a command that makes a log
entry.

ALT-E pops up an edit screen for editing the user record
of the user currently on-line.

Type 59 - will update your last message read pointer as if
you had logged off the system and then logged back on.

The "Barefoot" version will now send an ATA to the
modem for answering the RING. No more need for setting
the modem to auto-answer.


That wraps up the new features of V2.75 so far. As
you can see, the authors are working hard to offer their
users the types of features they have requested. QuickBBS


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 13









is no slouch. It is as powerful as any commercial BBS
package on the market that I am aware of. In many
respects QBBS is also easier to use than several that I
have looked at.

Future versions of QuickBBS will deal with the
problems that I mentioned at the start of this article
in the CONS section. As BBS software becomes more
sophisticated and the number of large systems continues to
grow, the need to revamp QuickBBS's file handling and
message handling is increasingly important. If the
development patterns of the past are any indication, I
feel certain that these deficiencies will be addressed
soon by the QuickBBS development group.

The current release version of QuickBBS is V2.66 and
can be found many bulletin boards. If you are looking
for a BBS that you can be as creative with as you
want then take a good hard look at QuickBBS. It can look
like any BBS package, but more importantly, it can look
like no other BBS package. With this software I can have
a BBS that is unique. For me this is the single most
important selling feature of the system.

Please remember, QuickBBS is not a free program. It
is distributed as shareware. If you like it and use it,
you should pay for it.



B O N U S F I L E S


In each issue of Carrier Detect you will find some
accompanying files within the ZIP archive. The files will
usually be related to the products discussed in the
current issue. Hopefully the files will find a niche in
your telecommunications toolbox and make your day more
productive, easier or fun!

For this edition I've included an alternate Trivia
File for Super Z Modem that will please music fans. The
file contains roughly 150 trivia questions, all dealing
with rock or pop music! These are original questions that
have never been seen anywhere else. Billboard Magazine
was the source for all chart information. To use this
trivia file instead of the standard one distributed with
Super Z Modem, simply copy the file SZMODEM.TRV found in
this ZIP over the old one.

To test your Pop Music I.Q. install Super Z Modem in
your communications package as described in the SZ Modem
documentation. Then call your favorite BBS that supports
any kind of Z Modem transfer. Start a Z Modem upload or


Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 14









download and fire up Super Z on your side of the
connection. Press (F8) for "GAME" and then (4) for
"Trivia Master". The first question should be visible!
If SZ Modem reports that SZMODEM.TRV could not be found
change to that directory before starting the transfer and
try again.



F E E D B A C K


I am interested in getting as much feedback as
possible regarding Carrier Detect and welcome suggestions
or any other comments you may have. If you are a software
publisher or shareware author and would like to submit
your program for possible inclusion in future issues you
are welcome to do so. Finally, if you are interested in
writing an article or review please let me know!

To make it as easy as possible to reach me I have set
up a NEW Bulletin Board System that is based in my home.
The BBS listed in the first issue is no longer affiliated
with Carrier Detect as it was not practical to support the
journal and its readers at the level I wanted to with a
remote system. In addition I have purchased an Intel
9600EX V.32/.42 Modem and an 2nd 40 Meg Hard Drive
dedicated to the BBS. I would really like to be able to
offer callers 100 Megs of files but have spent my BBS
budget already. If anyone who finds this Journal valuable
would like to support my efforts and send me a donation I
will start a fund that will be put toward the purchase of
a larger Hard Drive. Then you could be assured of getting
the file you need on your first call without delay or
inconvenience.

Carrier Detect Home BBS:

Call Today and Download the Carrier Detect Reader Door!

Symmetry BBS (602) 296-2248
1200/2400/9600 V.32/.42 bauds supported
24 Hours a Day (unless I am programming!)
First Call Access to all Telecommunications and BBS Files
Sysop: Michael Crosson

Home Mailing Address:
640 Avenida Princesa, Tucson, AZ 85748

I can also be reached on GEnie as (M.CROSSON) - since
Electronic Mail is covered under GEnie's flat rate *Basic
Services this is the cheapest way to contact me (provided
you do have a GEnie account).



Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 15









P R O D U C T I N F O R M A T I O N


Following is product information for the products
reviewed in this issue of Carrier Detect. If you are
interested in purchasing or evaluating any of the products
please note the publisher's address listed below. In
addition, all shareware programs featured in Carrier
Detect will be made available to first time callers the
Carrier Detect Home BBS:

Symmetry BBS - Tucson, Arizona, (602) 296-2248
1200/2400/9600 V.32/.42 supported, 24 hours a day.
All communications files are available to first time
callers!

TELEMATE
distributed as shareware
version 2.11 (latest at time of distribution)
cost - $40 registration fee
published by - Tsung Hu, Post Office Box 938, Unit 105,
St Catharines, Ontario, L2R 6Z4 Canada,
(416) 682-2342 (fax).
Available for download on GEnie as files 18762,18763,18764


SUPER Z MODEM
distributed as shareware
version 1.44 (latest at time of distribution)
cost - $25 registration fee
published by - Scott Baker, 6431 Tierra Catalina #48,
Tucson, AZ, 85718.
The Not Yet Named BBS
(602) 577-3650 (node 1) 1200/2400/9600 V.32/.42
(602) 577-3419 (node 2) 1200/2400/9600 Dual, V.32BIS
Available for download on GEnie as file 23478


QUICKBBS
distributed as shareware
version 2.66 (latest at time of distribution)
cost - $45 registration fee
published by - Steve Gabrilowitz and Richard Creighton
P.O. Box 678255, Orlando, FL, 32867
Support BBS (407) 380-1701
Available for download on GEnie as files 3494,3496










Carrier Detect - July 1991 - page 16





  3 Responses to “Category : Communication (modem) tools and utilities
Archive   : CD01JULY.ZIP
Filename : CD01JULY.DOC

  1. Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!

  2. This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.

  3. 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/