Death of Sync
From
DigitalMam@VERT to
All on Sat Apr 1 16:31:19 2006
The Digital Manifestoã "The Internet Killed the BBS Star"ã (Synchronet: Past, Present, and Future)ã =====================================ã Rob Swindell April 1st, 2006ããIf you're reading this message, then you probably are or have been at someãtime interested in Synchronet BBS software in some way, shape or form. If youãdon't know what Synchronet is, then you'll probably be bored to death. :)ããI'm attempting to address all the questions and concerns about the futureãof synchro.net, DOVEnet, and Synchronet BBS software in one message in a veryãVERBOSE and conversational manor (since my usual terseness is oftenãunappreciated). It is my intention to include WAY more detail than is necessaryãso I won't be accused of leaving anything out. This message is not directed atãany one person or group of people specifically, but will be most interesting toãsysops running Synchronet BBS software.ããMany of the questions answered here-in (however often asked) have never beenãanswered before in the interest of personal privacy (my own), appropriateness,ãprofessional confidentiality, company image, and/or time.ããYou have my permission to re-post this message anywhere, as long as it isãre-posted IN ITS ENTIRETY. It's rather long (over 600 lines and over 32k inãsize) so be sure you can post that much text before you attempt to re-post thisãmessage elsewhere (so it isn't unintentionally cut-off).ããDISCLAIMER: Not everything in this message is guaranteed 100% accurate. If youã find any inaccuracies, please don't correct me, just ignore them.ããChapter 1: A Little History (trivia)ã====================================ããDigital Man is Bornã-------------------ãI've been computing and BBSing since 1982 (age 12). First computer was aãCommodore VIC 20 (2K of RAM and a cassette drive interface!). Started BBSingãwith my brother, Mike (Dr. Seuss) and his Apple II. The popular BBS softwareãwas GBBS (written in Apple Basic). AI (file transfer) lines were popular too,ãbut with a 300bps modem, a lot of patience was necessary.ããI didn't run a BBS back then but I called quite a few regularly, almost (?)ãobsessively (even a couple of boring IBM-PC based BBSs). I've used the aliasã"Digital Man" from the very beginning (inspired by the Rush song of the sameãname on their "Signals" album from the same year). One of my favorite BBSs wasã"The Beast's Domain" run by a character named King Drafus (Allen). We met onceãthat first year when I bartered some fireworks for a paid membership to hisãBBS.ããVertrauen is Bornã-----------------ãI got out of the computer scene for a number of years until I received a 10mhzãXT (with EGA and 20MB hard disk) for a high school graduation gift. It wasn'tãlong at all before I had a 2400bps modem and was back on the BBS scene (Spy vs.ãSpy was the first board this time).ããEveryone in the local area (Orange County, California) seemed to be using theãsame (or similar) BBS software and it was available for download (as shareware)ãon most of the BBSs. The name of the BBS software was "WWIV" and the author wasãWayne Bell (who called me voice years later to ask if Synchronet was a WWIVãhack - HA!). While on this topic, Synchronet does not contain and never hasãcontained one line of WWIV source code. While the user interface was initiallyãintended to look and work identically to WWIV, this was just a starting pointãfrom which I was familiar (the look and feel, not the source code). The WWIVã"clone look" proved to be more of a hassle than a benefit, so I've moved awayãfrom that direction since I got sick of people asking if I had (or accusing meãof) hacking Wayne's code. [Side note: when talking with Wayne on the phone, heãactually divulged that the WWIV user interface was copied from the "NetworkãBBS" (an Apple BBS program). Who knows where the author of the Network BBS gotãhis interface ideas from.]ããI, of course, HAD to run a BBS, so I downloaded this WWIV program (v4.02),ãinstalled it, ran it and liked it (it was pretty simple, and I didn't mind theãabsence of documentation). I wanted to pick a BBS name that was unique (so myãBBS wouldn't be confused with another of the same name). I played drums in aãprogressive rock band with a pretty unique name, so I thought it would serveãwell as a BBS name - "Vertrauen" (German, translated loosely to "Trust").ãPronounced: "ver-trow-en" (or "fair-trow-oon" if you're German). So havingãdecided upon a name and having set-up some message and file areas (andãinstalled Food Fight!) I began to advertise the phone number (714-529-9525).ãThis was 1988.ããDOVE-Net is Bornã----------------ãAfter a month or so of operation, I noticed a new user logging on with aãvery familiar name, King Drafus. Not believing my eyes I popped him intoãchat (F10) and confirmed: It was the same Drafus from the Apple days withãan IBM XT just like me. It wasn't long before The Beast's Domain II was upãand running under WWIV. We soon networked our BBSs together (with WWIV'sãproprietary networking software) and the DOmainVErtrauen (DOVE) Net was born!ã ^^ ^^ãSynchronet is Bornã------------------ãAfter a couple years of running WWIV and honing my own programming skillsã(professionally and for fun), I decided it was time to write my own BBSãsoftware (for my own BBS). The most important feature was the ability to runãmultiple simultaneous nodes (WWIV was not multi-node capable and lacked otherãfeatures I desired - such as batch uploads and bi-directional transfers). Beingãa network specialist and an aspiring C programmer, I knew I could writeãsoftware to work fast and reliably in a multi-user environment on a LAN (Iãalready had a Novell NetWare Advanced Server [v2.1] in my BBS office).ããI worked on "the" BBS software in my free time while still running aãself-modified multi-node/chat WWIV system for Vertrauen until "the" BBS softwareãwas complete enough to replace WWIV. This completion may have taken years,ãbut I had the fortune of an unplanned surgery that left me on disability andãhouse-ridden for two months. I had all the time in the world to work on "the"ãBBS software. I spent nearly every waking moment of that recovery periodãworking on it (obsessively). It was during this time that the name "Synchronet"ãwas suggested by Steve Deppe (Ille Homine Albe), the keyboardist and songwriterãfor Vertrauen (the band). "Synchronet", for its ability to run "synchronously"ãon a "network" (LAN). And it sounds cool. Synchronet it was.ããJuly 1991, I took down WWIV for good and put up Synchronet. All the usersãhad to logon as new, there were no messages, the file bases were in shamblesãand Food Fight didn't work anymore. But we had r0dent write and The Guru! :)ããInterest Brewingã----------------ãThe first outside interest came from the sysop (The Zapper) of a local DOVE-Netãnode (Mid-Nite Hacker BBS). The Zapper soon became the first person to runãSynchronet besides myself (and obviously, the first beta tester). Not longãafter that, Drafus decided to give Synchronet a try.ããI had already started working on a multi-node game (Synchronet Blackjack) andãKing Drafus (a fellow programmer) was interested in writing his own multi-nodeãgame (Domain Poker). So I extracted some of the source code from SBJ and madeãan external program software development kit (XSDK) from it that made his lifeã(and later, the life of many other Synchronet door programmers) a lot easier.ããIt wasn't long before sysops began hounding me for a copy of the BBS softwareã(and the source code). I had been pestered often for a copy of my WWIV-mods,ãbut when I began running Vertrauen with Synchronet, the word got out fast thatãsomeone had finally written a WWIV-like multi-node BBS program and was activelyãimproving it. I began receiving offers of money and favors. I refused all.ãI didn't want to give out Synchronet, it was my baby.ããDigital Dynamics is Bornã------------------------ãAfter months of pestering (and waving money in my face), I finally agreed toãsell copies of Synchronet to local sysops. But before I could sell productsãI had to get a business license, reseller's permit, etc. which required aãbusiness name. After some thought (during a long drive back from San Diego),ãI came up with "Digital Dynamics". It kinda sounds like General Dynamics,ãit uses part of my handle, and being a musician I can appreciate dynamics.ãI liked it.ããI also had to set a price: $100 without source code, $200 with source code. Allãcopies were 250-node capable. I offered no voice support or netmail supportã(Synchronet was not yet network capable) and guaranteed nothing. I sold exactlyã8 copies (two with source code) over two months. Not bad for someone who reallyãdidn't want to sell any at all.ããGoing Commercialã----------------ãAbout this time (April 1992), the software development company that employedãme went out of business. After a few weeks of unsuccessful job searchingãmy brother told me about a magazine he had seen (BBS Callers Digest) andãsuggested I let him put together an ad for Synchronet and see how it doesã(lending me the money to pay for the ad). I told him that another sysopã(The Mad Bomber) had shown me a magazine recently (Boardwatch) and we mightãinvestigate that one too. After examining both and not being able to decide, weãagreed to advertise in both ($325/issue for BBS Callers Digest and $650/issueãfor Boardwatch).ããMike designed a black and white, full-page ad with a list of bullet itemsã(features) and an incredible introductory offer ($49 for competitive upgrades).ã$99 was the regular price (all copies 250-node).ããWe ran the ad and I started getting calls immediately, but sporadically. Itãseemed that all everyone was interested in were DigiBoards and FidoNet. Iãknew very little about either so I didn't sell very many copies those firstãfew months. Synchronet already included batch/bi-dir transfers, internal QWKãoff-line reader support (with bi-dir xfers), CDROM buffering, multi-node chat,ãand great door support (along with a long list of other features unique toãSynchronet and others not-so-unique). It was also fast, reliable, andãrelatively easy to configure, so I still sold a few on those merits. However,ãit was a few months before I was selling enough registrations to even cover theãadvertising expenses.ããWhen communicating with customers, I always tried to live up to theãprofessional image portrayed in our ads. Always referred to the company as "we"ãand "us" and never wanted anyone to know that it was "just me". This type ofãdeception is common in small businesses (smoke and mirrors). I've alwaysãattempted to maintain this image and would even go as far as to out-right lieãto a customer about the size of the company or refuse to answer a directãquestion if it would reveal how small and un-established Digital Dynamics reallyãwas. You'll notice that even in this message I usually refer to the companyãas we/us (old habits are hard to break).ããThe first copy sold commercially (through the ads) was to Las Vegas PlaygroundãBBS. This was June of 1992. Some other early purchasers who have been with us aãlong time are Fire and Ice BBS, The Promised Land BBS, The Rest In Peace BBS,ãDaicom BBS, The Detroit Data Exchange BBS, Popcorn BBS (Alien Systems),ãThe Nerd Escape BBS (Megabyter) and the BBS at the end of the Universe.ããSysops (purchasers and potential purchasers) immediately began making (very)ãstrong suggestions. FidoNet support topped the list, but QWK Networking wasãeasier (since I was already very familiar with the QWK format and had much QWKãpack/un-pack code already written for the internal off-line reader support) soãSynchronet had QWK Networking first. To my knowledge we were the first BBSãsoftware to ever internally support QWK Networks (no external QWK utility orãmail door needed) with v1a rev 10 (06/25/92). Since no front-end mailer orãexternal tosser was necessary, QWK Networking was also simple to setupã(a scripted terminal program, like Telix or QModem was required though).ããOne customer who had attended ONE BBSCON (Online Networking ExhibitionãBBS Convention) in 1992 insisted that RIP (Remote Imaging Protocol developedãby TeleGrafix) was the future and that it was imperative that Synchronetãsupport it. It sounded like a good idea and the customer was persistent, soãSynchronet v1b rev 1 (01/23/93) was the first BBS software to ship withãinternal RIP support and stock RIP menus. Another BBS package (SearchLight)ãclaimed to be the first to ship with RIP support but the facts are Synchronetãwas first (although admittedly, SearchLight had better RIP support). RIPãproved to be marginally successful.ããSince many potential customers were asking about intelligent DigiBoard support,ãI spent about $8,000 on consultant fees having it added to our existingãcommunications driver. I could have written the code myself quicker and forãless, but with a business to run, I simply didn't have the time and it appearedãvery important to customers. As it turns out, DigiBoards (or any proprietaryãserial boards) are not a good choice for most BBS operators and we've probablyãhad, at the most, 10 sysops actually use a DigiBoard for their BBS. Inãhindsight, FOSSIL support was more important and indirectly adds DigiBoardãsupport (with the use of DigiFOSSIL). FOSSIL support was added later (withãadditional consultant fees, of course).ããI wrote a FidoNet import/export program (SBBSFIDO) and released it for free inãSeptember 1992. I released a RelayNet (RIME) import/export program (UTI driver)ãfor free in January 1993.ããVertrauen Changesã-----------------ãFrom the very beginning of commercial sales, sysops complained that theyãcouldn't choose their own password on Vertrauen, the support BBS (I used toãforce random passwords for security). Now that the number of Synchronet ownersãwas in the hundreds, Vertrauen was a pretty busy board and the complaints aboutãhow I ran my BBS (thousands of adult GIF files, new user computer knowledgeãquiz, new user magic word, forced bulletins, etc) were beginning to trickle in.ããSo I began to eliminate the "non-professional" and "user-unfriendly" aspects ofãVertrauen. I ceased to run the BBS that I wanted to run and began running theãBBS my customers demanded.ããDomain Entertainmentã--------------------ãAllen (King Drafus) began selling his Synchronet add-ons (mostly games) underãthe company name Domain Entertainment about this time. I hired him on part-timeãto help with tech support and sales in the summer of 1993 and in 1994 he beganãworking for Digital Dynamics full-time (while still developing and sellingãDomain Entertainment products on the side).ããMagazine Adsã------------ãHaving had received good response from the ads in Boardwatch and BBS CallersãDigest Magazines, we experimented with other publications (Online Access,ãSysop News, and Connect) hoping for similar success, but none of those ads everãeven paid for themselves. Boardwatch and BBS Callers eventually doubled theirãadvertising prices (to $1395 and $650 per issue, respectively) although weãnever saw a representative increase in sales from either.ããConventionsã-----------ãIn August 1993, Boardwatch magazine was having its second annual ONE BBSCON inãColorado and to appear as professional and established as our ads, we had toãhave a booth (and brochures, and demo disks, and manuals, and signs, and suits,ãand demo computers, and a BLIMP!). A very expensive lesson (sold a whopping 8ãcopies of Synchronet). We also had to have a big product announcement to stirãinterest and controversy (we were the new guys): an OS/2 version to ship fourthãquarter that year (even though very little had been coded at that time).ãAnother expensive lesson.ããI was, however, interviewed for the local evening news (I demo'd our RIPãsupport) and I met John C. Dvorak (I demo'd our new ARS security feature - hisãonly interest: When would the OS/2 version ship?). I also met Roy Perierraã(Merlin Systems) there and he showed interest in adding Synchronet support toãhis UUCP (Internet) mail program. I also met a hand-full of Synchronet sysopsã(and I remember each one).ããA few people asked us about Internet support and I had very little experienceãor knowledge of it at the time, so they went elsewhere. SearchLight had theãgood RIP interface, Major had the most simultaneous lines, TBBS had the bestãbooth and professional presence, Robo/FX had the best graphics, TeleGrafixã(RIPterm/RIPaint) had the most interest, and Wildcat had the most customers.ãWe had an upcoming OS/2 version and not that many people cared. We did haveãa huge Synchronet blimp though! You couldn't miss it. Yet somehow, whenãBoardwatch later printed their issue covering the show they managed not toãprint a single picture of, around, or near our booth. There wasn't a singleãplace in the main hall you could stand where you couldn't see our blimp.ãAnd amazingly enough, not one of the printed photos included our blimp.ããNo one from Boardwatch ever came to our booth to ask any questions or takeãpictures. When a reader of Boardwatch wrote to Jack Rickard (the editor) andãasked about the obvious omission of any pictures or editorial about Synchronetãin the BBSCON issue, Jack claimed that when he tried to ask questions at ourãbooth he was ignored. I know damn well what Jack looks like and I was thereãevery minute. He never came by. Jack Rickard is a liar and unfairly excluded usãfrom the press coverage of ONE BBSCON 1993. Had Boardwatch given us equalãeditorial coverage (which we were promised), the BBSCON might have even paid forãitself in public exposure and latent Synchronet sales. Instead, it was a hugeãfinancial mistake for Digital Dynamics. Phil Becker (President of eSoft, makerãof TBBS) is half owner of ONE, Inc. and Boardwatch Magazine (coincidentally).ããIn April of 1994, BBS (Callers Digest) Magazine held their own conventionã(BBS Expo '94) in Washington, DC. I was invited to attend and speak on a panelã(supposedly including the vice president, Al Gore), but still feeling the stingãfrom ONE BBSCON, I decided not to attend (and save the expenses). Al Goreãdidn't attend and due to the poor attendance of BBS Expo '94, there never wasãa BBS Expo '95. Apparently, I made the right decision that time.ããThe last public appearance that I've made to represent Digital Dynamics andãSynchronet BBS Software was at The California Computer Expo '95 (August 19)ãin San Diego, California. I instructed a seminar titled "Setting up anãElectronic Bulletin Board System (BBS)". It didn't cost me anything (otherãthan my time, gas, etc.) and was a pleasant experience for all.ããChapter 2: The First Deathã================================ããSalesã-----ãTo date, I've sold 1584 Synchronet BBS registrations, 318 Synchronet Callbackãregistrations, 85 SBBSecho registrations, and 172 Synchronet Match Makerãregistrations. It has paid the rent for a little over three years and allowedãme to continue to program (one of my obsessions). I've had three full-timeãemployees and two consultants work for Digital Dynamics over the years. Theãbest year was 1994 with gross sales of $124,563. The overhead (cost of payroll,ãphone bill, satellite, utilities, equipment, supplies, printing brochures andãmanuals, mailings, and advertising) brought the net profit (my personal income)ãway down to a more humble amount. I was surviving, not getting rich.ããNearly every customer has had their theories about the one major feature thatãSynchronet needed to become #1. Many of those theories were tested and they allãfailed to produce the sales that the customer had predicted. I can't count howãmany times I've heard "I know several sysops that would buy your program if youãonly added this or that".ããSales have always been up and down, but they dropped off the face of the earthãin 1995. When they started going down in late 1994, I hired another officeãperson (Mark Schuler, singer for Weedpuller) to help defer some of the phoneãtraffic so I could get more programming done and hopefully stimulate more salesãwith new features and/or products. In early 1995, I took a break from the OS/2ãversion of Synchronet and I wrote and released the Synchronet Match Maker toãstimulate some revenue. Its popularity kept us alive for six more monthsã(along with SBBSecho sales, SBBS upgrades, and sporadic Synchronet sales).ããDue to lack of sales, I had to lay off Mark in May of 1995 and told Allen theãfuture was looking grim (it was obvious). By September the sales were barelyãenough to pay the bills and Allen was kind enough to continue working with onlyãthe promise of payment when I could afford it. With the eminent end in sight,ãI began mailing and Faxing resumes. It was a difficult decision to make, but inãNovember, I accepted a full-time position at a hardware company in Irvineã(writing Windows 95 device drivers).ããDigital Dynamics was, for all intents and purposes, bankrupt in the fall ofã1995.ããWith creditors and the IRS demanding their overdue monthly payments, I had toãborrow $5,000 from a family member just to stay out of deep-trouble. Allenãcontinued to work here part-time until he left in December to work on his ownãsoftware company, Domain Entertainment, full-time (Synchronet add-ons are notãhis primary products). And I'm happy to report that both Mark and Allen areãdoing very well today.ããI continued to spend time and money (whatever I had) on Synchronet through theãearly months of 1996 (including a new $1000 4GB hard disk to replace the 2GBãdisk that crashed at the end of 1995). I released a wide-beta of SBBS4DOS v2.3ãin January and an alpha of SBBS4OS2 in February and the public wide-beta inãApril. I've continued through the months to program, print manuals, shipãorders, and answer tech support e-mail as often as possible. I'm still payingãDigital Dynamics' bills for 1995.ããMany customers were unhappy about the disappearance of voice tech support andãthe delays in answering e-mail that started in 1996. I don't blame them. Someãhave switched to other BBS packages, but most stopped running any kind of BBSãsoftware many months ago. Synchronet sales are non-existent (and I don't expectãthem to increase).ããThe Internetã------------ãIt's no secret that the World Wide Web and other Internet services haveãreduced (not eliminated) the attraction of BBSs sitting on an antiquated analogãtelephone network. The Internet is a local call for most everyone and connectsãyou anywhere (with no distance and often no per-minute charges). You can searchãthe World Wide Web for content across the globe and transfer data as fast asãyou can connect to your local service provider (most Internet Service Providersãsupport ISDN, Frame Relay, T1, and other digital connections that make analogãmodems and telephone lines look antiquated, if not prehistoric).ããMost BBS software companies that are still around today are integrating FTPãservers, Web servers, mail and newsgroup servers into their packages (for aãprice of course). Most companies that once ran tech support BBSs have replacedãthem with FTP and WWW sites. The Internet is huge and attractive. Companiesãlike Microsoft and Netscape have made it easier and more powerful. Theãattraction of easy-to-use services like America Online and Prodigy has alsoãbeen reduced by the World Wide Web.ããThe name of ONE BBSCON has been changed to ONE ISPCON (Internet ServiceãProvider Convention) and BBS Callers Digest (later named BBS Magazine) foldedãin 1996.ããDigital Dynamics has been pounded with requests and demands for directãInternet integration for years. Some just wanted internal mail and newsgroupãsupport while others wanted FTP, telnet, MUD and IRC. Some wanted serviceãprovider type features (allowing users to FTP from or telnet to other sitesãfrom their BBS, for example). While others wanted content provider typeãfeatures (allowing users to FTP from or telnet into their BBS, for example).ãMany asked for HTTP/HTML support (again, some wanted inbound, some wantedãoutbound, everyone wanted BOTH!). Many of these things can be done withãSynchronet today with the assistance of third party applications (admittedly,ãnot a great Internet solution).ããI had always wanted to and planned on integrating Internet support but wasn'tãsure where to begin. I designed the SMB (Synchronet Message Base) formatãintroduced in v2.0 (06/02/94) to support multiple network technologies andãexplicitly worked with Roy Perierra (Merlin Systems) on Internet e-mail andãnewsgroup support. I worked closely with the Internet RFCs that document theãnewsgroup and e-mail formats to be sure SMB would be able to store all Internetãmessages types (for now and the future). I was definitely thinking ahead.ããThe first Internet add-on for Synchronet I worked on was an IRC link (linkedãSynchronet's internal multi-node multi-channel chat with multiple InternetãRelay Chat channels). It lost steam when I started working on Synchronet MatchãMaker and I haven't worked on it since.ããBasically there's always been something else that needed to be done that wasãmore urgent or could be completed quicker and generate immediate revenue (aãconstant issue). It would have taken a 100% drop in the development ofãSynchronet BBS Software in order to switch gears and focus on Internetãapplications in time to save Digital Dynamics. And DOS is not the operatingãsystem of choice for developing Internet applications, so the 32-bit,ãcross-platform issue was more crucial than ever.ããI've never wanted to give up on Synchronet. I always knew it could be betterãand just wanted to improve it some more and do "these few things" that sysopsãhave been screaming for before I start on that next big project (OS/2 port,ãWin32 port, Internet e-mail, whatever).ããI, personally, haven't called a BBS other than my own (for testing) in over aãyear. It's been several years since I've had the need to use telnet. If I wantãor need something online, I fire up my Web browser. The Internet is a greatãresearch tool and all the companies I need support from have Web and/or FTPãsites.ããSynchronet for OS/2ã-------------------ãSome might blame the demise of Digital Dynamics on the lengthy developmentãtime of SBBS4OS2. Considering OS/2's current market share, every moment I spentãon it was a waste of time (should have been working on a Win32 version). TheãBBS companies that produced OS/2-only BBS products are out of business. EveryãBBS related company that ever made OS/2 products has not profited from them.ãThe companies that make development tools for OS/2 have stopped supportingãthem. I've sold exactly 23 upgrades to SBBS4OS2 (at $25 each). Hardlyãprofitable.ããSince OS/2 was the predominant 32-bit desktop operating system at the time ofãONE BBSCON in 1993, that's what we committed to. It was a mistake. Certainly, weãwould have sold many more licenses had we released SBBS4OS2 earlier, but itãwouldn't have sustained us. My personal opinion on OS/2 itself, as anãoperating system, is irrelevant.ããSynchronet for Win32ã--------------------ãSome might say if we had a Win32 version, we would be selling tons. I doubtãthat. BBS software isn't dead, but it's dying. I've been working on the Win32ãversion and it's complete, but I question how many people will actually use itãconsidering the dwindling number of BBSs, the fact that I don't advertiseãanymore and my company image is (deservedly) poor.ããGraphical Interfaceã-------------------ãA common argument was one for a remote GUI (Graphical User Interface). Iãattempted to support RIP (Remote Imaging Protocol) and WIP (Windows InterfaceãProtocol) but neither emerged as a standard. WIP was dead before I even addedãthe support. The developers of WIP (Durand Communications Network) saw the fateãof BBS software and began working solely on Internet applications. If eitherãRIP or WIP had become widely used, I would have spent more resources developingãthe stock RIP/WIP interfaces. I am well aware that the stock RIP/WIP menus areãvery lack-luster. Some might say if the interface were better, more would haveãused the RIP/WIP terminals. Considering the instability and poor performance ofãDCTERM for Windows (the only WIP compatible terminal program ever written), Iãdoubt that it would have ever been widely used unless it was overhauled by itsãauthors. DCTERM for DOS was just RIPTERM with a different name (and it didn'tãsupport WIP). I still have a few regular callers on my BBS that use RIP, butãthey're an extreme minority.ããSome have asked if/when/why we couldn't do a proprietary graphical terminalãor Web plug-ins like WorldGroup or WildCat 5. The answer: I don't even haveãa fraction of the resources those companies have. While I may have taken aãfew hundred sales from each of the major BBS companies in the past, theyãleft me in the dust with their expensive advertising campaigns and enlargedãprogramming teams. I'm a good programmer, but I'm just one person and I hadãto handle many more duties here than just programming. Other BBS packages haveãattempted to force their own proprietary remote GUI protocols (Coconet,ãEXEC-PC/ETGC, RoboBoard, FILEX, DarkStar, etc) and failed. And a fewãproprietary GUI BBS packages (MediaHost, Excalibur, FirstClass, PowerBBS, andãMindWire) have had marginal success. While not proprietary, NAPLPS (NorthãAmerica Presentation Level Protocol Syntax) also failed to become a standard inãthe BBS industry (TurBoard BBS software was the first and only(?) to everãsupport it).ããChapter 3: Version 3.xã=========================ããFactsã-----ãFor all intents and purposes, Digital Dynamics is out-of-business. I haven'tãanswered the phone (or returned a voice mail call) in nine months. I knowãthis isn't good news to most of you (though some of you might cheer). As withãany company you do business, they always have the right to go out of business.ãI have never guaranteed life-time support of the product.ããPlansã-----ãSBBS4DOS and SBBS4OS2 v2.3 will be released this fall. All those whoãsubscribed to the auto-update plan will receive their upgrade (with manualãif applicable). The feature set of v2.3 is close to that of the currentãwide-beta release. Some bugs in the current wide-beta have been/will be fixedãbefore its release. Since this may well be the last release of Synchronet, theãbeta test period has been extended (but mainly due to my lack of available timeãto spend testing and coding).ããNo more manuals will be sold or printed after the 2.3 upgrade.ããNo more auto-upgrade plans will be sold. No more products will be shippedãafter the 2.3 upgrade (registration keys will be available for download).ãAll auto-upgrade subscribers will receive free upgrades for the remainingãupgrade life of Synchronet (however long that is).ããIf Vertrauen (the main DOVE-Net hub) is taken down, a one month notice willãbe given so other hubbing arrangements may be made. At this time there are noãplans to take Vertrauen down.ããThings I'd Like To Do (in no particular order)ã----------------------------------------------ãComplete SBBS4W32 (looks and works like Synchronet for DOS, but it's aãnative 32-bit Windows 95/NT console mode application).ããUtilize the WINSOCK API to make SBBS4W32 and SBBS4OS2 support telnet, FTP, SMTPãand possibly HTTP (and who knows what other Internet protocols) internally.ããRun a Web server that integrates the Synchronet Match Maker database (usingãCGIs), Vertrauen's complete file base (available via FTP too), Synchronetãrelated bulletins, Synchronet Chat (using CGIs), etc.ããRelease above mentioned CGIs for other Synchronet sysops to use with theirãWeb servers.ããAdd internal e-mail and newsgroup support to Synchronet.ããAdd MAPI support to Synchronet to utilize Microsoft Exchange for localãmessaging.ããModerate a Synchronet newsgroup (I'm a glutton for punishment).ããContinue the evolution of Baja, multi-node chat (IRC), and Synchronet MatchãMaker.ããConvert Synchronet's local interface to GUI.ããRedesign the Synchronet file base (faster and more flexible).ããWrite a full-screen message editor (I personally don't like any of the onesãout there).ããComplete the documentation for SMBLIB v2.0 and release it.ããWrite a split-screen sysop chat and all the other miscellaneous things thatãsysops have requested.ããFinish the Synchronet Transfer Protocols (STP) program (DSZ replacement).ããInstall professional voice mail menu/FAX on-demand system on 714-529-6328ãfor voice callers to get FAQs, recent news, etc.ããRealityã-------ãAll of the above things cost time and money. While I am making a pretty goodãliving now (much more than I ever did selling Synchronet), as I mentionedãbefore, I'm still forking out money from my paychecks to pay off DigitalãDynamics' bills from 1995. And I have little spare time as I'm currently inãthe studio recording my second CD with the band Weedpuller. I may not haveãthe time or money to do any of the above.ããIf Weedpuller gets a promotional contract (and a tour), I'll be out of theãcomputer industry completely (for a while at least). While this is a long shot,ãit is my life's ambition and (for me) a best case scenario.ããIf I decide (or need) to move for some reason, Vertrauen will not likelyãrelocate with me.ããI may at any time, not be able to afford to run Vertrauen (costs roughly $300 aãmonth) or certain network connections (like FidoNet or ftp.netcom.com) mightãdisappear.ããSummaryã-------ãWhile I realize this is not pleasant news for most of you, it is the truthãand I don't want to attempt to deceive anyone any longer. If I've not livedãup to your expectations in some way, please accept my apologies. I'm gladãI've made a product that interested you at least at some point.ããI've never enjoyed the business aspect of selling Synchronet and actually hateãsales (and salespeople in general). While selling and supporting Synchronet hasãbeen a taxing experience, I don't regret it. It's taught me to appreciateãworking for others where you have limited responsibilities, the ability toãleave your work at the office, and the predictability of working for only oneãboss (hundreds of sysops have been my bosses over the past few years). I metãsome really cool sysops across the states and around the world, had at leastãsome amount of impact on the BBS community, and (most importantly) I've had theãopportunity to further develop my programming skills.ããHowever, I've enjoyed my newfound financial freedom over the past nine monthsãand I vow never to run a business again (applause). Digital Dynamics was myãsecond company (the first was a marginally successful computer sales/networkãinstallation company) and I've had my fill. I love programming and that'sãexactly what I get paid to do now, nothing more.ããWhile I'd prefer to just silently disappear and avoid you all (like many otherãBBS authors have done in the past), I feel I owe you an explanation of myãposition and my (however indefinite) plans. And a thank you for your business.ããIf you plan on running your BBS for years and years (regardless of whatãhappens with the Web and the Internet) and you want a package that is likelyãto be supported for the duration, I'd suggest purchasing a package fromãan established software company like Mustang (Wildcat), Galacticommã(Major/WorldGroup), Clark Development (PCBoard/whatever they're calling theirãInternet suite) or eSoft (TBBS). You won't be hurting my feelings (or myãpocketbook). Beware that even the above mentioned "Old Boys" of the BBSãindustry may be on their way out. The fact that Microsoft doesn't make a BBSãpackage should clue you into something (check out the declining value ofãMustang's stock).ããIf you already run Synchronet and you're not in a big hurry to get integratedãInternet features (or whatever major feature you desire), hang-out and see whatãhappens. This isn't intended as a panic notice. Vertrauen and Synchronet mayãcontinue on for years. Or they may not. I just don't know at this moment andãI'm making no predictions or guarantees.ããIf you hear nothing more from me, you can assume that everything in thisãmessage remains the same (unless Vertrauen disappears for a lengthy time). If Iãdo decide to disappear, I intend to post a warning message stating that factã(at least a month in advance). There is of course, the possibility that I couldãget hit by a bus and never get to post that message.ããPlease do not send me a message in response to this message. I don't requireã(nor desire) any thank you's, f-you's, apologies, condemnations, good-bye's,ãor whatever. I'm all e-mailed out. I hope you'll
understand.ããRob Swindell, Synchro.netãã---ã þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.netã