http://bbs.electronicchicken.com Bulletins 21-1271378101 From: echicken To: All Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:35:01 -0400 I've been offering dialup access to the electronic chicken bbs for some time]]>now, but so far because of the limitations of our VoIP hardware & service]]>dialup connections have been limited to 2400bps. After tweaking some settings]]>on the analog terminal adapter (a Linksys PAP2T-NA) I've been able to]]>consistently establish much faster (up to 31200bps) connections to other]]>boards. I've removed the 2400bps speed limit in the hopes that my dialup]]>users (yes, there are a few of those, believe it or not) can achieve more]]>usable connections to this board.]]>]]>My ability to test dialup access to the BBS is fairly limited. I can call from]]>one of my two VoIP lines to the other, but given that they're on the same]]>connection and the VoIP service for each line is provided by the same company,]]>I can't consider the results that I experience to be typical of what a remote]]>user would see. If you're a dialup user, please drop me a line and let me know]]>some details about the connection you received to this board (speed, garbage]]>characters, whether your line is VoIP or POTS, etc.) If you're not normally a]]>dialup user but you've got a modem and a phone line and would like to help me]]>out, please give us a test call at 416-273-7230.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 20-1267038980 From: echicken To: All Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:16:20 -0500 My previous onelinerz scripts for Synchronet BBSes relied on an external]]>application (GNU wget) to communicate with the bbs-scene.org webserver when]]>fetching & posting oneliners. I've now written HTTP GET and POST functions in]]>javascript for Synchronet and rewritten my onelinerz scripts to use these]]>functions in place of wget. (The httpget() and httppost() functions that I]]>wrote will also be very useful to me in other places, and you're welcome to use]]>them for your own purposes if you're a Sync sysop.)]]>]]>Eliminating the call to wget removes a tiny security risk. In the previous]]>version of the onelinerz scripts I tried to minimize the chances that someone]]>could craft a oneliner that could lead to execution of other shell commands,]]>but I don't know for a fact that I left it an impossibility. This is no longer]]>a concern.]]>]]>A javascript running on Synchronet Win32 is unable to read the result of a ]]>system.exec() call into a variable (however on Linux this apparently works.) ]]>This required the use of temp files in previous versions of the script, which]]>slowed down the whole process slightly (probably hardly at all.) My new]]>httpget() function gets rid of this inefficiency, so now hopefully the fetching]]>of onelinerz will be a bit faster.]]>]]>eclnrz16.zip is available in the Synchronet Mods section of the main file]]>library on this BBS.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 19-1264094445 From: echicken To: All Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:20:45 -0500 The Oneliners Wall is, in my rarely-humble opinion, a classic and integral part]]>of the BBS experience. Users passing by it during the login process post]]>one-line comments ranging from witty to annoying to simply confusing, the next]]>user to come along can respond, and after a while a sort of mini-conversation]]>happens. It's like a scaled-down message area, and it is in no small part]]>responsible for that much vaunted sense-of-community we BBSers prize (even if]]>it has faded significantly over the years.)]]>]]>Your average oneliners setup is local to the particular BBS you're viewing it]]>upon. This is good, as I say above, for that sense of a local community on a]]>board, but there's no reason in this day and age why those same]]>mini-conversations can't also be taking place across multiple bulletin board]]>systems, encouraging that same sense of community across the entire scene. To]]>that end I am now running my own local oneliners wall as well as the new]]>Onelinerz service offered by Netsurge's bbs-scene.org.]]>]]>A part of the growing bbs-scene.org family of services, and using the new]]>bbs-scene.org API, Onelinerz is a RESTful service that exposes oneliner data as]]>XML, and accepts new oneliner submissions via POST. BBSes and websites]]>everywhere can now share a common oneliners wall, adding a new dimension to the]]>communication that happens on bulletin boards every day.]]>]]>Coincidentally enough, I had just started working on a networked oneliners wall]]>when I heard that Netsurge was adding such a service to bbs-scene.org. Instead]]>of having to figure out a way to implement such a service on my own, I decided]]>to scrap my half-written script and jump on the bbs-scene.org bandwagon. I've]]>produced scripts that will allow Synchronet BBSes to take advantage of this new]]>service both on the console and web sides, and they are available for download]]>in the Synchronet Mods file secton on this BBS as well as at]]>http://bbs-scene.org/download.php. If you're a Synchronet sysop, you'll find]]>my scripts easy to implement, configure, and modify to your liking, and you're]]>welcome to take them and do with them what you wish. If you're any other kind]]>of sysop, I encourage you to find some way to make your BBS participate in this]]>new venture.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 18-1263494731 From: echicken To: All Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:45:31 -0500 On almost every BBS I visit, the local message areas are dead quiet. This is]]>understandable given the state of BBSing today, when most boards have but a few]]>regular (daily or weekly) users and most callers are either new users just]]>visiting for a nostalgia trip or returning users who call once or twice a year]]>for the same reason. I'm not criticizing the nostalgia-trip as I do many]]>things on a once-in-a-while basis for the same reason, but it is a fact of life]]>in this scene that sysops should acknowledge.]]>]]>I have three, count them: three, local message areas, only two of which are]]>visible to my users, the other one serving as the backend for this bulletin]]>listing system that I wrote. I have a "General" sub board, in which visitors]]>can say "Hi, I'm Jimbo, just stopping by to check things out, gee I remember my]]>very first modem and boy was it slow, LOL." I have a Sysop Notices sub board]]>in which if I ever felt the need to post a notice that showed up in your new]]>message scan, I would do so. That is all that is required, probably more than]]>what's required, and even then my local message area sees few postings. I'm not]]>crying about that; I mean, why would you post stuff there if it's likely to be]]>months, if ever, before you see a reply?]]>]]>That's why message networks are important to this BBS. While I do have other]]>things to offer that you don't find on every system (browseable online textfile]]>and ANSI art libraries, vintage computer downloads, dialup access, a nice slick]]>interface) it would all seem pretty static and stagnant if there wasn't]]>evidence of *some* kind of activity around here. Active message networks see]]>lots of new postings flying back and forth every day and engage people in]]>participation. Message networks will hopefully keep you coming back to read]]>what other people are saying and contribute your own thoughts to the]]>conversation.]]>]]>There are probably one or two dozen BBS message networks left in the]]>English-speaking world, and from what I've seen many of them are just as dead]]>as the local message bases on your average board. I could join them all just]]>to have them, but that would be the equivalent of having fifty narrow-topic]]>local sub-boards that nobody ever posts on. Instead I'm trying to limit this]]>boards membership in message networks to those nets that actually see a lot of]]>posting (with one exception.)]]>]]>Here's the breakdown:]]>]]>DoveNet is both the lamest and most active BBS message network that I'm aware]]>of. This is because of the popularity of Synchronet as a BBS package and]]>because of its ease-of-setup and the ease by which one can join their Sync]]>board to the network. The network has tons of member boards with tons of users]]>among them, and so there are piles of messages being posted every day. At]]>least half of the people on DoveNet (and probably more) are completely]]>retarded, but I keep this network around because it is active, and because]]>there is the occasional attention-worthy conversation that takes place on]]>there.]]>]]>FidoNet is the granddaddy of BBS message networks, generally regarded as the]]>first and largest BBS message net, and its technology is used on most other]]>networks. FidoNet is a mess, with about ten thousand message areas to choose]]>from, most of which are completely silent these days. Some boards carry all of]]>these areas, and it will take you a year to set your preferences so that you]]>only scan those bases that you're interested in. I have chosen to only carry]]>the vintage computer and BBS-related echoes, with a standing offer to add on]]>any other echoes that my users may request. Even the echoes that I do carry]]>only see occasional posts. I mostly keep FidoNet around as an exception to my]]>rule that a network on this board must be active, and I keep it because it is a]]>big part of this scene's history.]]>]]>SciNet is a relatively new FTN, a part of the bbs-scene.org family of services.]]>It sees a decent amount of activity and has so far avoided being invaded by]]>retards. It's a free speech network where the use of real names is]]>more-or-less forbidden, and the conversation generally remains friendly and]]>casual. I highly recommend adding all of the SciNet echoes to your new message]]>scan.]]>]]>Zeronet is a long-standing underground-style FTN, another free-speech network]]>where it would be shocking to see somebody post using their real name. It's]]>where you go to talk about the stupid things you've done, to rant about the]]>stupid things that you've seen and heard, and to abuse and be abused by the]]>other participants. This means, in short, that it's a lot of fun provided]]>you're not too sensitive.]]>]]>These are the message networks that we currently belong to here. I encourage]]>all users to visit often and participate as it can be quite a lot of fun. If]]>you find that you are disallowed from posting on a certain message area, just]]>send me an email and I will upgrade your access level.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 17-1263490938 From: echicken To: All Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:42:18 -0500 We've joined Zeronet! Zeronet is an "underground-style" message network, where]]>the sub-boards include areas for the discussion of hacking, phreaking, warez,]]>and general anarchy. While there are also more typical sub-boards like what]]>you would see on other nets ("entertainment", "gaming", "chat") the tone of]]>this network remains one of free speech, and people there certainly do feel]]>free to speak their minds. I've been following and participating in]]>discussions on this network via the Diskshop BBS (bbs.diskshop.ca) and am happy]]>to have joined it here at home.]]>]]>I call this network "underground-style" because, let's face it: if you can find]]>it via a Google search, or log onto some boards and just start posting to it]]>without needing to be validated up to some elite security level, it's not]]>exactly hidden. That said, membership is ostensibly limited to sysops who a)]]>have gone to the trouble of setting up a decent, unique bulletin board, and/or]]>b) can bring a decent level of conversation to the network. I'm told that my]]>occasionally hilarious, frequently abrasive, and often vulgar postings to this]]>and other nets scored in my favour when I applied to join this one.]]>]]>Everyone here has read access to the Zeronet subs, but if anybody wants to be]]>able to post messages to this network they will have to send me an email]]>requesting this before that will happen. This applies to all new users as we]]>ll as all existing user accounts. If I think you're an idiot and that you]]>might embarass me on that network, I'll tell you so, but otherwise all requests]]>will be granted. Zeronet is as good as it is because quality-control measures]]>have been applied to it, and so I am carrying on that tradition in the small]]>way that I can.]]>]]>Don't hesitate to contact me if you want access or anything else. I'm an]]>active sysop, I'm on the board several times each day, I'm always in #ecbbs on]]>the bbs-scene IRC network, and I love to hear from my users.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 16-1263422155 From: echicken To: All Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:35:55 -0500 I've reorganized the main menu a bit and added a Text Files section. The Text]]>Files area uses a modified version of my ANSI viewer, which makes it easy to]]>browse through a library of documents. At the moment the library is mostly]]>populated with stuff that I leeched from textfiles.com, but in time I will add]]>whatever documents of interest I find in my tours of the BBS scene and the]]>internet in general.]]>]]>My text files library is largely focused on documents related to hacking,]]>phreaking, warez, humor, art, sex, fiction, and bulletin board systems. If you]]>like what you see here, I highly recommend a visit to textfiles.com where a]]>larger archive of files are available under an even broader range of topics. ]]>In the meantime, I hope you enjoy browsing the files I have available here, the]]>way they should be viewed: in an 80x25 textmode window.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 15-1260217785 From: echicken To: All Mon, 7 Dec 2009 15:29:45 -0500 We've joined the Barren Realms Elite game in League 77!]]>]]>Personally I'd never played this game until setting it up recently. Seems like]]>a lot of fun, provided you can dedicate ten or fifteen minutes each day to]]>staying on top of your game. If you haven't tried it yet, I suggest you do so]]>immediately.]]>]]>More league games coming soon!]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 14-1259168086 From: echicken To: All Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:54:46 -0500 Just a quick post to bring to your attention some recent changes I've made to]]>the BBS (some you will have already noticed, some you may not be aware of.)]]>]]>I've added a login menu, which doesn't yet add any functionality to the BBS but]]>does make the new user signup process a bit more obvious and accessible and]]>allows visitors to email me without the need to log in or create an account. ]]>Not too exciting yet, but still pretty spiffy looking. More menu options will]]>appear there in the near future, specifically a choice of available bulletin]]>board systems to connect to once I finish work on a couple of new systems.]]>]]>I wrote a couple of oneliners scripts (one for the console, one for the web)]]>which are now in place. The web side script lists the oneliners that console]]>BBS users have posted. I'd make oneliners postable from the web, but I'm still]]>fairly set on keeping this a mostly-telnet/dialup BBS. Anyway, it's nice to]]>have a oneliners wall again; classic.]]>]]>SlyEdit by Eric Oulashin (Nightfox) is now available and is in fact set as the]]>default full-screen editor for new users. FSEditor is still around, but I much]]>prefer the quoting function in SlyEdit and recommend that you give it a shot as]]>well. SlyEdit can operate in IceEdit and DCTEdit emulation modes, so pick the]]>look and feel that you like best.]]>]]>I, am going to, do, an spidy impression, for the bitches, during this,]]>paragraph, in honour of, an new artpack, released, by ocean5. It's, almost]]>entirely, done, in the Ami/X, style, which probably looks, cool, on Amigas. ]]>Maybe try, an Amiga font, in your terminal, when you're viewing it. It's,]]>available in the ANSI, library, off the main menu, for the bitches. Please,]]>note that, I have nothing to do, with, ocean5, but I maintain an ANSI, library,]]>so I put, their pack, in, there. ;)]]>]]>Speaking of ANSIs, I corrected some issues with many of the screens on this]]>BBS. 80 column ANSIs were appearing correctly in SyncTerm, but users of many]]>other clients may have noticed that some things didn't line up correctly or]]>that some chickens were coming out garbled. I've reduced my ansis to 79]]>columns (which I remember having to do back in the Mystic days as well) and all]]>screens appear to draw correctly in SyncTerm, mTelnet, Windows telnet, PuTTY,]]>and Telix. Presumably they're fine in most other clients as well.]]>]]>Things are always changing. More League 77 inter-BBS door games will be]]>appearing shortly. Other aspects of the BBS will see changes and updates. New]]>features will appear. I'll keep you posted.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 13-1259166149 From: echicken To: All Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:22:29 -0500 The electronic chicken bbs has now joined the League 77 (SciNet) inter-BBS]]>door-gaming league! Look for League 77 games on the door games menu.]]>]]>echicken]]>electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230]]> 12-1255758928 From: echicken To: All Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:55:28 -0400 I've been sick all week and away from work, which has given me a lot of time to]]>lounge on the couch under a blanket with my Macbook, distracting myself from]]>wishing I was dead by working on my BBS. I think I've gotten about as far as I]]>can with my tweaks and customizations of the console and web interfaces for]]>now, and I like the way I've got things set up at the moment.]]>]]>The website is fairly basic as far as Synchronet BBS websites go, but I'm not]]>terribly interested in offering web access to the message bases. This is on]]>the whole a BBS that is more centred on the classic BBS experience, and that]]>means it's best interfaced with on the console (telnet or dialup, textmode)]]>side. To that end the website for this BBS offers some vital stats, current]]>"who's online" info, a list of the most recent bulletins, and then a big]]>honking flashterm embed taking up the focus of the page.]]>]]>The console side of the BBS is tweaked and customized as much as I feel like]]>doing for now. The lightbar command shell that I wrote has been in place for]]>quite some time and runs very smoothly. I've customized some of the prompts]]>and may comb through the rest of them at some point to give the board a more]]>uniform look. The default Who's Online and User List functions have been]]>replaced (I don't remember what I didn't like about the stock ones, but I]]>modified them or wrote my own at one point.) There's an ANSI art library]]>available from the main menu, which uses a browser / viewer that I wrote.]]>]]>Dialup access to the BBS is now available (has been for a while.) It's gotten]]>a few calls so far which is good to see. Dialup is provided via a VoIP line,]]>so due to quality and reliability issues your connection speed will be limited]]>to 2400bps. You can try it out by calling 416-273-7230, if you still have a]]>modem around.]]>]]>Coming soon will be a oneliners wall viewable both on the console and the web,]]>a better "last few callers" function likewise viewable on both ends, more door]]>games, inter-BBS gaming, and door scores available on the console and the web.]]>After that I plan on setting up additional BBSes on vintage machines that I]]>have kicking around, and making them available via telnet gate through the main]]>BBS (this may take the form of a lightbar login matrix.) Additionally, I've]]>been doing a bit of writing which may turn into a series of textfiles on BBS]]>related topics, which may lead to a textfiles section on the board.]]> 11-1253026381 From: echicken To: All Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:53:01 -0400 I've replaced the default BullsEye! bulletin system that ships with Synchronet]]>with something of my own devising: Bullshit. Bullshit allows me to post]]>bulletins to a message base here on the BBS and then presents them to users]]>during the login process as well as in a Bulletins section on the board's]]>website. Bullshit and other Synchronet add-ons and modifications that I've]]>written will be made available in the near future somewhere in the Files]]>section of this BBS.]]>]]>Bullshit has been updated to v1.1. Bullshit v1.0 was installed and running a]]>week ago but had a bug that caused it to shit out under certain circumstances]]>in a message base that had been packed by smbutil.]]>