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DMAC's BBS Switches to LINUS Operating System Most readers know that the DMAC bulletin board system is a test bed for the bulletin board at the local Handley library. Over a year ago, a public domain (GNU License) bbs, mbox, was installed on a UNIXWAREE 1.0 box. All bbs features could be accomplished but when it came time to attach to our local provider of internet no public domain point-to-point (ppp) interface could be found for UNIXWARE.

This summer DMAC's UNIXWARE 1.1 system was upgraded to the latest UNIXWARE 2.0. Still no ppp software could be found which worked on UNIXWARE 2.0.

Summer intern Rick Tarbox found that LINUS, a public domain UNIX like POSIX system, has a PPP interface. He set up a LINUX server and proved that the internet link could be made. We at DMAC think this was a great step forward. Cost of software, with manuals, was less than $100.

Now BBS Based On Eagles

More choices came with LINUX than we at DMAC expected. Rick reviewed the now eight public domain bbs provided with the LINUX system and declared we should switch to a new bbs software based on the Eagles bbs. Naturally, all the features we wanted from mbox and the internet connection had to be strapped into the Eagles bbs. Rick accomplished this before returning to school this fall.

New Board In Service Now

So, if you log in to our bbs at 540-667-2162 you will see a new look and feel. We think it is the best yet. Modems at 9600 baud and lower are supported. Before the end of the year the original DMAC bbs will be retired and its 8086 box donated to the library.

We are looking for a better opening picture than the current cow; send us one if you have a nice character mapped one. We are not sure why Rick chose the cow.