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Any Active Commodore BBS's?

billdeg

billdeg

Technician
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
Messages
3,885
Location
Landenberg, PA USA
Are there any Commodore BBS's currently running in the US/Canada?

I would like to experiment with a BBS of my own. Let me know if anyone has interest in such a project.

I have set up a test board using the ARB BBS System, but it's not publicly available, yet.
 
I came across this on comp.sys.commodore64:
UNITED STATES:
==============

Telephone Number ......... 209-754-1363
Location ................. San Andreas, California
BBS Name ................. Silicon Realms
BBS Software/Networks .... Image/CommNet, XNet
BBS Platform/Hardware .... C64, CHD
System Operator Name ..... Larry Anderson (larry@portcommodore.com)
System Operator Handle ... Joe Commodore
Maximum Modem Speed ...... 2400 BPS
WWW Presence .............
http://www.portcommodore.com/commodore/bbs/slrinfo.html
Open Status Verified ..... 01 Feb 2003 - SnakeMan
Comments ................. I did not connect on 02 Apr 2005
the hone just rang and rang and ...

Telephone Number ......... 303-985-3980
Location ................. Lakewood, Colorado
BBS Name ................. Land of Oz
BBS Software/Networks .... C-Net 128/CommNet
BBS Platform/Hardware .... C128, LtK
System Operator Name ..... Don Koblischke (dkoblis@worldnet.att.net)
System Operator Handle ... Gandalf the Gray
Maximum Modem Speed ...... 2400 BPS
WWW Presence ............. None
Open Status Verified ..... 02 Apr 2005 - SnakeMan
Comments ................. Received a modem connect signal on April 2,
2005

Telephone Number ......... 503-325-2905
Location ................. Astoria, Oregon
BBS Name ................. THE VILLAGE
BBS Software/Networks .... Centipede
BBS Platform/Hardware .... C128D,CMD 1GB, SCPU, FD-2000, Zoom 28.8
System Operator Name ..... Sensei David O.E. Mohr
(lordronin@videocam.net.au)
System Operator Handle ... Lord Ronin from Q-Link (ID#1)
Amiga Sysop & Webmaster .. Mark Edward Reed (alberonn@harborside.com)
Amiga Sysop's Handle ..... Lord Alberonn I (ID #4)
Maximum Modem Speed ...... 28.8K BPS
Open Status Verified ..... 02 Apr 2005 - SnakeMan
Comments ................. Official BBS for the Amiga Commodore
User's Group #0447. Open to the public
24 hours/ 7 days. Play-By-E-Mail Games
are welcome and currently running.
Over 2,000 files and over 68 Online
Games.
Message base, E-Mail, Over 200 Geos
Files. Militant and Fanatical C= BBS.
Accepting all Platforms. Very good C=
to Ansi translation. C= & Amiga help
for Emulator users and files. This is
also the area for the "Meeting
Commodore 64/128 users Through The
Mail" west coast hardware and
software depository.
Comments #2 .............. Received a modem connect signal on April 2,
2005

Telephone Number ......... 931-648-0577
Location ................. Indian Mound,TN
BBS Name ................. The Dungeon
BBS Software/Networks .... C*Base v3.2/C*Base Specific Network
BBS Platform/Hardware .... C128-64/4MB RL parallel to 120MB CHD
System Operator Name ..... Currey (scorpio@usit.net)
System Operator Handle ... Scorpio
Maximum Modem Speed ...... 33.36K BPS
WWW Presence ............. http://www.public.usit.net/scorpio/
Open Status Verified ..... 02 Apr 2005 - SnakeMan
Comments ................. Files section, games, message bases
Comments #2 .............. I received a modem connect signal on April
2, 2005

Telephone Number ......... 973-376-0816 (Temporarily Down - 03/01/03)
Location ................. Springfield, N.J.
BBS Name ................. Northlink BBS
BBS Software/Networks .... Color64 v7.35
BBS Platform/Hardware .... C-64 w/RamLink and a CMD-200
System Operator Name ..... Bruce E Travers (betravers@juno.com)
System Operator Handle ...
Maximum Modem Speed ...... 1200 baud
WWW Presence ............. None
Open Status Verified ..... 02 Apr 2005 - System Operator
Comments ................. Per my conversation with the system
operator
he is having phone line problems with his
BBS
disconnecting during online sessions and if
he
gets the phone company to get the problem
fixed
he'll be back good as new. For those of you
who use this BBS hang in there.
Comments #2 .............. Every time I call this BBS I get a busy
signal.
Click to expand...

Apparently outside of Telnet there aren't a whole lot out there. If you did set up a BBS people from nearby (such as myself) would probably check in periodically.
 
Active Commodore BBS's ?

Active Commodore BBS's ?

I have found some lists, dialed every number I could find, so far no dice. I will try these as well..

I will let everyone know when my BBS is up and running. I will probably set up a schedule for availability and try to stick to it. The BBS not going to be anything spectacular, but I will at least try to make it useful. I have enough material for a good board, lots of programs (downloaded from old BBS's).

bd
 
BBS Software

BBS Software

Did you like using CNET 4? What other BBS's did/do you like best. I believe I have a copy of CNET, but I was planning on using "ARB Bulletin Board" mostly because I have a good documentation.
 
Bill,

You may want to hack together a way to make it accessible over "the intarnets".
I mean, nobody dials anymore.

P.S. I ran a Citadel system for a long time (although not on a Commodore, sorry).
 
Re: BBS Software

Re: BBS Software

billdeg said:
Did you like using CNET 4? What other BBS's did/do you like best. I believe I have a copy of CNET, but I was planning on using "ARB Bulletin Board" mostly because I have a good documentation.
Click to expand...

C-Net 4.0 was very easy to use, and yeah, I did enjoy running it. I tried C*Base, and even knew the programmer...he was about as reliable for support as Micro$oft.
I'll admit, I tried many of the "X-fer" BBS programs...where the main function was u/d, and the actual posting areas were secondary(if it even had one), but my main focus on setting up RotG was actually an online game, called "Main Event Wrestling". The main BBS programs were in basic(with SYS calls to the ML in high memory for more complicated functions), and VERY easy to completely customize. You could also turn most text based games written in BASIC into an online game, with very little editing. Since the coding is modular(meaning, each individual function was a separate program...Posting area(Sub-Boards), General-text/graphic files(G-Files), online games and programs(P-Files), Upload/Download section(U/D)...were loading into memory as needed(and deleted from memory when another section is loaded). Giving a lot more functionality in the memory of the system. If it was completely coded into one program, a lot of features would have to be cut out.
Of course, Commodore C/G was supported, as was ANSI(both IBM and generic), and ASCII.
 
ahm said:
Bill,You may want to hack together a way to make it accessible over "the intarnets".
I mean, nobody dials anymore.
Click to expand...

No hack necessary! I've written a little Windows program that does all the work for you for getting an 8-bit BBS on Telnet. :wink: Download it here:

http://home.ica.net/~leifb/bbs/

I set up my own board with it (thanks for the plug, Chris!), and now many others have done the same.

Check out http://www.telbbs.com for a list. Mostly Commodore, but Atari and Apple too.
 
Is there anything like this yet for Linux or BSD ? (ie. "shim" code to handle the telnet session on the one side and emit appropriate Hayes modem codes to the serial port with the BBS computer attached). I just checked on freshmeat.net and only found full-blown BBS software.
 
Commodore BBS

Commodore BBS

billdeg said:
Are there any Commodore BBS's currently running in the US/Canada?

I would like to experiment with a BBS of my own. Let me know if anyone has interest in such a project.

I have set up a test board using the ARB BBS System, but it's not publicly available, yet.
Click to expand...

I am looking for a copy of cmbbs 5.2 or cnet. I used to run a commodore bbs a very long time ago and would like to do it again. Its very hard to find actual bbs software on disk.
 
I have a copy, contact me via private message to make arrangements. I have ten or so different versions of BBS software for the Commodore 64/128 platform, including CNET.
 
Commodore BBS Info

Commodore BBS Info

Okay folks, as a Sysop I feel obliged to offer as much information as possible on the new wave of Commodore Telnet BBSes. It's important for us to start building a bigger user base, and I feel that while people may or may not know about the movment they may not always know where/how to get started. If this is you, please read on....

For a list of commodore BBS software packages, please visit :
http://www.zimmers.net/bbs/

For lots of info on what we're doing (commodore BBSes via the internet and how to do it) Please visit : http://www.petscii.com/

You may also visit these commodore BBSes via hyperterm or your favorite windows term program. But if you'd like to see CG graphics you may want to check out this term program :
http://www.paradroid.net/cgterm/

Well good luck and I hope I was a little helpful. Please visit madworld BBS and let me know you found it via here!

telnet://madworld.bounceme.net

Enjoy!

CJ
 
Wow, today was the first time in a very long time I actually talked to a sys op on a bbs. Keep up the awesome work, and lets rejuvenate this dying past time.

Ya, btw, I am looking to host my own bbs but I have a few questions.
I have a a vicmodem1600, which is just a telephone interface cartridge, does anyone have any ideas to connect my commdore to my pc via this modem. Basically chain would be my commodre to my computer via telephone line then from my computer to the internet via ethernet. I figure this should work, but does anyone have any idea for the kind of software I would use on my computer. I did check out petscii but i think that only works with serial cards.

Also does anyone have any manuals or anything to make your own terminal or server program on the commodre? I knwo you can download them, but I think it would be fun to make my own. Thanks for the help!
 
Last edited:
Hey amedic, I'm Excalibur, sysop of Excalibur's Stone running DMBBS v5.3 (DMBBS HQ). If you are looking for straight up advice then I would say forget using the vicmodem. Go to oldsoftware.com or even better get their number off their website and give them a ring. I got an Aprotek RS232 adapter from them and they have a couple of different ones from time to time. See what they've got and order one. You can also build Jim Brain's interface posted on petscii.com but I would recommend just buying one. Take that and connect it to the PC with a null modem cable. Then download BBS Server or TCPser4j (look on petscii.com). BBS Server has a nice gui interface but it doesn't work with DMBBS so I use tcpser4j which runs from a dos window. Once you get it together you can contact me or any of the several members on petscii.com if you need additional help and we'll do what we can.
 
Huhh???...??While I didn't understand most of Excalibur's comment, at least I do agree with the one point that managed to force itself through the fog that passes for my thought processes these dayz. That thought being: You can't do shit at 300 baud anymore. Get yourself a PC <--> C= 64 system of some kind, and get yourself caught-up into the 20th century.

--T
 
Although the C64 natively can do 2400 or even 4800 baud, and using SwiftLink RS232 interface can reach 14k4 or even better I think.
 
Ok, I'll try to break it down a little clearer. If you want to run a commodore bbs that is accessible via telnet you need the following...

1. Commodore Computer DOH!
2. RS-232 Userport adapter or a Swiftlink/Turbo 232 Cartridge.
3. IBM PC running Windows or Linux. (For now let's assume Windows).
4. A null modem cable. Depending on what you are using you'll need 25db to 9db or 9db to 9db. I recommend a standard cable then put a 9db to 9db null modem adapter at the end of the cable that's plugging into the PC.

Keep in mind that if the BBS software you are going to run does not support high speed cartridges like Swiftlink or Turbo232 then you'll be using the built in Commodore User Port with an RS232 adapter. The user port in a 64 or 128 in 64 mode can only reliably handle 1200 baud. It can handle 2400 baud if the rs232 routines in whatever BBS software you'll be running are very well written. In 128 mode the User port can handle 4800 reliably and 9600 if the routines are well written. If your bbs software supports Swiftlink or Turbo232 then you can mathematically run at 38,400 with the Swiftlink and up to 230,000k with the Turbo232. I have not seen any Commodore 64/128 BBS program running faster than 38,400.

5. You'll now need a Telnet Server program for connecting inbound connections to your Commodore BBS. The two available are BBS Server and TCPser4j. Check out petscii.com for download links. BBS Server is probably easier to configure but it doesn't work with some BBS programs. Either way you'll download one of them and load it onto the IBM PC. Once configured it will accept the inbound telnet calls and forward them to the Commodore via Com1 or Com2 depending on which port you plugged your Commodore into. Once this happens the Commodore "thinks" it's a modem and negotiates the connection just as it would if it were a real modem. The important thing that makes this work is that BBS Server and TCPser4j both emulate actual hayes modems so your Commodore doesn't know the difference.

At this point you may run into glitches. If you do then post on petscii.com and there are several there that can offer assistance.

Make sense now?

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do this then just like any other device DO NOT HAVE YOUR COMMODORE TURNED ON when connecting it to the IBM. Start up order is IBM first then power on your Commodore. Plugging it in in reverse order can potentially blow one of the CIA chips. And yes, I found this out the hard way :).
 
ahm said:
P.S. I ran a Citadel system for a long time (although not on a Commodore, sorry).
Click to expand...

A little off topic.. but I loved Citadel. I wrote a Citadel version for the Apple // that ran only on my Laser 128, I never got it to the point where I would have been comfortable distributing it. It wasn't exactly stable. I later broke down and got a 286 box and ran both a Citadel-like BBS and Telegard.

I just realized that with Vonage now... I could dialup any BBS anywhere in North America I wanted... if it made any sense too... then I thought about the fact that I'd use a modem to dialup over a broadband/internet based phone service... and my head exploded.
 
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