Denial

Hi everyone,

I was trying to resurrect my old VIC-20 BBS that I ran back in 1983 - to the best of my knowledge, I was only the 2nd person to write a BBS program for the VIC-20! My original program was entirely written in ML, and was very basic - just bulletins, messages and general info. No files area or online games. It ran on an 8K expanded VIC. I now have a 16K expanded VIC and it looks like I'm going to reprogram the BBS, as I can't find my floppies from yesteryear. What I'm wondering is should I try to do the whole thing in ML again, or should I just do the IO routines in ML and do the rest of the logic in BASIC. I've got plenty of RAM, and I'm just trying to avoid speed issues that happen when the software doesn't keep up with the 1200 baud modem! (I will be setting up a TelBBS that will use port 23 and allow people to connect using CGTerm)

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Rick in Barrie (Canada)

why not try it all in ML first.

If you did it once, you can do it again!

and if it gets messy, resort to some BASIC?

You could also buy a Mega-Cart and then you could have 32k to play with.

A vic BBS program would be awesome!!

BBQedIguana wrote:I was trying to resurrect my old VIC-20 BBS that I ran back in 1983 - to the best of my knowledge, I was only the 2nd person to write a BBS program for the VIC-20!

Shezam! I've been working on BBS software for VIC-20 which means if I can finish the project (hey, there's a first time for everything) then I'll be #3. Oh well. At least it's a medal.

My original program was entirely written in ML, and was very basic - just bulletins, messages and general info. No files area or online games. It ran on an 8K expanded VIC.

That's another way in which you've bettered me. I've been doing it in BASIC save the I/O which I intend to do in ML. RAM expansion isn't much of an issue these days so I figured I could get away with doing it the easier way.

What I'm wondering is should I try to do the whole thing in ML again, or should I just do the IO routines in ML and do the rest of the logic in BASIC.

Great minds and all that.

Are you planning flat text or full PETSCII graphics? My goal is the latter. I'd like to create something that could hold its own with some of the wonderful BBS software available for the 64.

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Here's my thought: We gotta have a beer sometime.

Welcome! Another Ontarian too!

Should we bug MagerValp about making a 22-column mode for CGTerm?

What we would really need would be a terminal program for the VIC-20 capable of handling PETSCII graphics...

gklinger wrote: Here's my thought: We gotta have a beer sometime.

You gotta watch them guys from Barrie...they try to mix lesbians at Retro Gaming parties up there you know

Beer can be on in King City anytime as a 1/2 way meeting point just let me know

Welcome to the forum and yes it's great to have another Ontario person here

Do 100% ML if at all possible. Basic is merely driving the car - ML is building the engine.

That said, I am merely a "driver" at the moment.

Well, I would do it all in ML, but I'm also trying to build it quickly - I don't have the free time I did as a youngster! Besides, ML is really only required for the I/O stuff (IMHO) - but we'll see!

Sorry it took me so long to circle back on this thread - in the last week I've signed up on like 5 Commodore BBS's and a few forums!!! But this one is certainly the BEST!

I've set up http://vicworld.dyndns.org/ and put a web page up there. The Telnet bridge is running, but so far, no BBS is on the other end on my VIC! But SOON!

(Can you say "vapour-ware"? I knew you could! LOL!)

Schema wrote:Welcome! Another Ontarian too!

Should we bug MagerValp about making a 22-column mode for CGTerm?

THAT is a friggin AWESOME idea!!!

Are you planning flat text or full PETSCII graphics? My goal is the latter. I'd like to create something that could hold its own with some of the wonderful BBS software available for the 64.

For sure full PETSCII!! And I'm going to build 22/40/80 column support (user choosalbe!) (Okay, now I'm just making up words!). I may even have ASCII support for those without CGTerm - but since it is available on so many platforms, and it's free... NAH! Screw the PC world! LOL!

Here's my thought: We gotta have a beer sometime.

YESSSSSSSSSSSS! Anyone interested in yacking about VIC BBS's should show up for beer. Someone suggested half way between Toronto and Barrie? I'm IN! Let's set something up!

BBQedIguana wrote:YESSSSSSSSSSSS! Anyone interested in yacking about VIC BBS's should show up for beer. Someone suggested half way between Toronto and Barrie? I'm IN! Let's set something up!

I'd have to take a look at a map, but I'm pretty sure that Ottawa is just about halfway between the two. I'll even buy the first round!

amramsey wrote:I'd have to take a look at a map, but I'm pretty sure that Ottawa is just about halfway between the two. I'll even buy the first round!

First round on you then!!

I do suggest you look at a map though. Ottawa is kind of between the two, only about 300km or so east. More like a triangle.

Crap cakes! Talk about drifting down memory lane! I spent the weekend snuggling up with the VIC-20 Programmer's Reference Guide and I'm simply dumb-founded by how much I remember from almost 30 years ago!

I remember being stumped about using the Kernal table and function $FFD2 which outputs a character to a channel. I could use it to fire my bytes out the RS232 port, but then I was stumped about how to turn around and put stuff back on the screen. I vividly remember scouring my Compute's Gazettes and programming books I had looking for a hint. Finally I did figure out that I needed to just direct my output to the screen (device 3) instead of the RS232 port (device 2). And same with input, I had to toggle between the keyboard (device 0) and the RS232 port. But I tell ya, it took me a while to get that figured out (I was scholastically challenged as a youngster!). But when I was going over this stuff on the weekend, I remembered that RIGHT AWAY! NICE! Neural pathways are still intact despite all the stuff I did in the late 80's! LOL!