Learning to ride the bike again...

[CorpPorThis]

It's been very informative, interesting and exciting to have stumbled across this community. As it has being given the option to do something I've wanted to do, for a very long time, which is to bring back the old school BBS experience and gaming to my community. I cannot begin to count the number of hours spent playing these classic games... or the credits.

I am trying to get a feeling for which is the best way to go and could really use a little help or clarification in the process. I've tried to search the forums, but am not finding exactly the information I am looking for. So, please forgive me if I am asking something(s) that have been answered elsewhere.

1) I installed WG3.2 from files as that's the last one I was familiar with using. For the LIFE of me, I cannot remember how in the heck we modify the main menu to add/remove directories, modules, etc and no forum, google or doc search has yielded anything. I am sure it's something VERY simple and I am just not seeing it.

2) Should the client/server packaging work for the WG3.2NT version? I know I read elsewhere that it was turned off but I wasn't sure if that was ONLY for MBBSv10 or just overall in general. If I stick with WG3 -- the client server is a nice interface for people to use -- especially while I search for a web-based or lite, configurable, telnet client to provide end users.

3) I think I am beginning to understand a bit more about MBBSv10.. so, would someone help clarify for me if I am on the right path? It looks like MBBSv10 has been written to be the most modern incarnation of MBBS/Wgroup and has the ability to run WGroup3.x modules (like many of the games for example?) -- if this is the case, then it likely makes the most sense to utilize MBSSv10 rather than Wgroup??

..outside of simply remembering how to modify menus :-D .... I want to make sure I am utilizing the best option to help realize the end goal of creating a retro gaming community of GComm/ISV/etc content.

Appreciate any insight members here may want to share! Thanks!

[Duckula]

Hi and welcome back to the sysop community!

1) Run WGSRUNMT.EXE to edit menus

2) I would not expect the client/server programs to run on any modern OS reliably and they have been removed for MBBS v10 with no plan to upgrade them to work with v10 as we would like to take a more modern approach

3) MBBS v10 is a port of the WG3.2 code to use a Microsoft compiler instead of Borland. When we did this, we did it knowing that for a lot of modules the source code has been lost and therefore v10 had to be compatible with WG3.x modules. While there may be some WG3.x modules that have issues, the vast majority run fine under v10 because of this compatibility work. My advice is to use v10. If you are starting a new BBS there is no point using WG3.x unless you have a specific module that won't work with v10 and it will be a deal breaker for you (although I recommend you tell us what it is and we can see what can be done from our end to make it work). If you have an established WG3.2 BBS I recommend upgrading to v10 once you have validated all your modules work as expected (again, reach out if you find any don't). While we will continue to help people with WG3.x systems, there will likely come a time when this is not viable and an upgrade to v10 will be required.

Hope this helps.

[CorpPorThis]

Duckula wrote:
> Hi and welcome back to the sysop community!
>
> 1) Run WGSRUNMT.EXE to edit menus
>
> 2) I would not expect the client/server programs to run on any modern OS
> reliably and they have been removed for MBBS v10 with no plan to upgrade
> them to work with v10 as we would like to take a more modern approach
>
> 3) MBBS v10 is a port of the WG3.2 code to use a Microsoft compiler instead
> of Borland. When we did this, we did it knowing that for a lot of modules
> the source code has been lost and therefore v10 had to be compatible with
> WG3.x modules. While there may be some WG3.x modules that have issues, the
> vast majority run fine under v10 because of this compatibility work. My
> advice is to use v10. If you are starting a new BBS there is no point
> using WG3.x unless you have a specific module that won't work with v10 and
> it will be a deal breaker for you (although I recommend you tell us what it
> is and we can see what can be done from our end to make it work). If you
> have an established WG3.2 BBS I recommend upgrading to v10 once you have
> validated all your modules work as expected (again, reach out if you find
> any don't). While we will continue to help people with WG3.x systems,
> there will likely come a time when this is not viable and an upgrade to v10
> will be required.
>
> Hope this helps.


Thank you Duckula, your reply is a HUGE help and much appreciated. Yeah, I haven't had my actual BBS and Webcast server operational for decades -- so there's nothing keeping me connected to running WG3 versus MBBSv10 other than just what I remembered. I also did try to run the WG client/server software on my desktop and found that it wasn't operational - which obviously would be a deal breaker to end users who are unable to utilize the software easily.

So, I am going to take your advice and install the MBBSv10 and get to work with finding my way around that. I am going to try and get as many legacy add-ons as I can find and/or afford, so as I go through that process I will certainly reach out if I run into any challenges. Sadly, as I've seen mentioned here a few times, Metropolis and Gameport don't seem to respond to any request for their products like MajorMUD, Rose, etc. Is any one in contact with them anymore? I may try to place an order through their website and see if that captures a response... I had a brief discussion with them several years ago, but no recent contact has gone answered.

I'm also going to follow what I've read elsewhere in the forum and re-install Windows 2019 as the OS on our VS to run MajorBBS.

Thanks for the welcome back... I really am happy to be here and would love to help with the continued development and modernization of this project in any way that I can. Being able to find a way to enable the new generation of web users to easily access the system and get that great ANSI feel, in a more "now" kind of way would be a huge benefit.

Appreciate everyone being so welcoming and helpful -- enjoy your weekend!

[CorpPorThis]

Alright...so I have things working, but have noticed something that I cannot find any answers to online.

I am thinking that I may not be using the proper windows version or have missed something that's causing display issues.

For example, when I load MajorBBS the console appears perfect. However, I notice I cannot "Alt-W" (nothing happens) or use an Alt-Highlighted key to access any console options (e.g. (A)ccount, Aud(i)t) -- If I attempt to use TAB to move between the different console views, it works but the entire console screen gets messed up and everything is out of whack. The same happens if I were to try and expand the console window.

I notice the same problem occurs when I try to run the menu editor. Once the screen opens, if I expand the window (which I need to...to see all the options, etc.) it gets messed up.

How are others getting around this? Or, perhaps it's only me -- that does tend to happen :-D -- If you have any insight for me, please let me know. MBBS is hosted on a VPS running W2019 which I remote desktop into for access.

Thanks!!

[BlaZ]

The out of whack console screens is thanks to Microsoft's "brilliance." Just go into your console window properties and set it to "Legacy Console" mode, and set the screensize to 80x25. That should fix you.

BlaZ

[CorpPorThis]

BlaZ wrote:
> The out of whack console screens is thanks to Microsoft's
> "brilliance." Just go into your console window properties and
> set it to "Legacy Console" mode, and set the screensize to 80x25.
> That should fix you.
>
> BlaZ

Awesome, Mate! Thank you -- that's got everything working perfectly... can get around and get stuff accomplished. Appreciate you.

J

[sduensin]

This helped immensely with displaying the console... but I still have no functional cursor keys, shift-TAB, ALT-W, etc. Help!

(I seriously despise Windows!)

[Ragtop]

I believe it's ctrl-tab and ctrl-alt-w. Ctrl-alt and whatever letter is highlighted.

[Frank Dux]

For cursor keys, use your num pad to navigate up, down, etc and use the PG UP and PG DN for sub components such as User-ID fields, Audit trail scroll, Stats, etc.

[sduensin]

I can live with this! Thanks all!