• BBS "ping" like protocol...

    From xqtr@21:1/111 to All on Mon Sep 10 17:04:44 2018
    I was building a new mod and for that to come alive, i need info coming from BBSes, like address,sysop,email,location, what echomails supports, how many users it has, how many files etc and even an ASCII version of a flyer/advert for the BBS.

    So, because the data, for some, may be "sensitive" and also the same data,
    can be used by other tools/mods, i would like to ask proposals on what data
    the package should have, in what format and if it should be encoded or not.

    Each BBS that will use this script, will send once per day a message to a specific message base (perhaps a data or bot base). It will be something like
    a "ping" request, that the BBS is alive, connected and has specific features.

    Do you find it useful? What kind of data the message should have? encoded or not? and what encoding algorithm to use? in what type of format the data
    should be? one field/record per line? XML? something else?

    From a previous mod i made, i used ROT13 for the encoding and the format was, one record/field per line, something like a DOOR/32 file.

    Any suggestions are welcome. :)

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Another Droid BBS # andr01d.zapto.org:9999 (21:1/111)
  • From nristen@21:1/161 to xqtr on Mon Sep 10 10:24:40 2018
    I was building a new mod and for that to come alive, i need info coming from BBSes, like address,sysop,email,location, what echomails supports, how many users it has, how many files etc and even an ASCII version of a flyer/advert for the BBS.

    That sounds interesting... Did you have a specific use for this or is your intention to have a more auto/dynamic generated BBS list?

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: The Search BBS (21:1/161)
  • From xqtr@21:1/111 to nristen on Mon Sep 10 20:20:40 2018
    That sounds interesting... Did you have a specific use for this or is
    your intention to have a more auto/dynamic generated BBS list?

    My first intention was to build an app/mod that will collect this kind of data from a jam base and make a database from them, with an easy to navigate ui, something like Gryphon's script. This way, all data will be fresh and verified and we will forget once and for all, non updated bbs lists. :)

    .----- --- -- -
    | Another Droid BBS
    : Telnet : andr01d.zapto.org:9999 [UTC 11:00 - 20:00]
    . Contact : xqtr@gmx.com

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Another Droid BBS # andr01d.zapto.org:9999 (21:1/111)
  • From Deon George@21:2/116.1 to xqtr on Tue Sep 11 02:06:46 2018
    On 09/10/18, xqtr said the following...
    Any suggestions are welcome. :)

    I was thinking it would be great to have a "ping" routine and I was imagining that it would be via netmail not echo mail. And yes, it should auto respond.

    So at a minimum, a ZC would have a responder so that nodes could send a
    "ping" and the ZC sends back a reply - and that way the node knows that everything is OK. The ZC could record the last time a ping was received.

    Sometimes I am wondering whether netmail is working - and I'm sure that it is intermittent from a point. (I've sent myself some netmails from other BBSes, and some have made it, some havent and the stats are worse when the netmail
    is too my point address.)

    Perhaps this "ping" could be in the BinkP session itself, then ZCs could poll nodes (who are listed as supportingn BinkP) and confirm those systems are
    still up as well.

    Just ideas ;)

    ...deon

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Chinwag | MysticBBS in Docker on a Pi! (21:2/116.1)
  • From apam@21:1/125 to xqtr on Tue Sep 11 13:55:28 2018
    So, because the data, for some, may be "sensitive" and also the same
    data, can be used by other tools/mods, i would like to ask proposals
    on what data the package should have, in what format and if it should
    be encoded or not.

    In my opinion, "sensitive" user data (like email addresses) should not be shared between BBSes at all. Regardless of whether or not it is encoded,
    it's not for the sysop to make decisions about the users data. If I sign
    up to a BBS, I do so knowing that I hand some personal information to the sysop, and I trust that the sysop keep it personal.

    Personally I dislike things like BBSes that tweet out when I call them or
    the interbbs last callers mod, what's next hey everyone here's a list of
    files apam downloaded.

    As for encryption, I wouldn't bother. Stuff like ROT13 is just a slight obfuscation and easily read, and what's the point hiding the information
    in the message base if it's available via a mod anyway.

    Andrew

    --- MagickaBBS v0.11alpha (FreeBSD/amd64)
    * Origin: The Fat Sandwich - sandwich.hopto.org:2023 (21:1/125)
  • From xqtr@21:1/111 to apam on Tue Sep 11 19:31:38 2018
    In my opinion, "sensitive" user data (like email addresses) should not be shared between BBSes at all. Regardless of whether or not it is encoded, it's not for the sysop to make decisions about the users data. If I sign

    For the email address, i was referring, for the sysop/admin email or an email for the BBS that someone could come in contact. You are right about users
    data. This mod/protocol, its all about the bbs/system and no user data should be included. If we come to an agreement, maybe we could include a number of total users of the bbs, but now days this is irrelevant, as most users
    register once and appear very rare again.

    Personally I dislike things like BBSes that tweet out when I call them or the interbbs last callers mod, what's next hey everyone here's a list of files apam downloaded.

    Maybe yes, maybe no... there is a red line, that we should draw. But whats
    this line limits?

    For example my interbbs mod, shows to all connected bbs who logged and nothing else. But when you log into a bbs, the system itself may show, your IP, in which menu you are, the time last logged, perhaps the last file you downloaded etc. So, whats the line? The data? or that the data will be inter bbs, available? or both? Also... is it valid to worry about privacy in bbses when
    we also login to facebook and give tons of info about ourselves to a much
    wider "audience"?

    As for encryption, I wouldn't bother. Stuff like ROT13 is just a slight obfuscation and easily read, and what's the point hiding the information in the message base if it's available via a mod anyway.

    Agree.

    .----- --- -- -
    | Another Droid BBS
    : Telnet : andr01d.zapto.org:9999 [UTC 11:00 - 20:00]
    . Contact : xqtr@gmx.com

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Another Droid BBS # andr01d.zapto.org:9999 (21:1/111)
  • From apam@21:1/125 to xqtr on Wed Sep 12 10:31:20 2018
    For example my interbbs mod, shows to all connected bbs who logged
    and nothing else. But when you log into a bbs, the system itself may
    show, your IP, in which menu you are, the time last logged, perhaps
    the last file you downloaded etc. So, whats the line? The data? or
    that the data will be inter bbs, available? or both? Also... is it

    I think what's important is consent. For example I show the last 10
    callers on Magicka, but perhaps I should allow users to do an invisible
    login. Perhaps sysops should use the new user ansi to describe what they
    will do with the users data, so then he/she can abort signup if they
    disagree.

    valid to worry about privacy in bbses when we also login to facebook
    and give tons of info about ourselves to a much wider "audience"?

    Yes it is, we make decisions on facebook only for ourselves, we are
    making decisions on our BBSes for ourselves and any current or potential
    users as well.

    --- MagickaBBS v0.11alpha (FreeBSD/amd64)
    * Origin: The Fat Sandwich - sandwich.hopto.org:2023 (21:1/125)
  • From Avon@21:1/101 to xqtr on Thu Sep 13 20:12:42 2018
    On 09/10/18, xqtr pondered and said...

    I was building a new mod and for that to come alive, i need info coming from BBSes, like address,sysop,email,location, what echomails supports, how many users it has, how many files etc and even an ASCII version of a flyer/advert for the BBS.

    Sorry I'm a little late to this party but will try to offer some feedback :)

    So, because the data, for some, may be "sensitive" and also the same
    data, can be used by other tools/mods, i would like to ask proposals on what data the package should have, in what format and if it should be encoded or not.

    I like your idea but agree with Apam I would not share any BBS user specific information. If the mod allows for some contact info to be pre-populated from the BBS end then that would be go. So the sysop could offer a contact name, email etc. Total number of files and/or users I don;t mind sharing. Is it helpful to know that? Not sure.

    Do you envisage the mod would auto-scan echos and message groups and create a report? If yes, what if the sysop has an echo they don't want scanned and reported on?

    I would suggest basic obfuscation through some encoding. I think that works well enough for the inter-bbs stats mod etc. running now and should be kept.
    I accept some can easily decode it and indeed the mod recompiles and displays the current data being shared, but as an individual update being posted to a FSX_DAT style echo I'd still opt for the status quo encoding.

    Each BBS that will use this script, will send once per day a message to a specific message base (perhaps a data or bot base). It will be something like a "ping" request, that the BBS is alive, connected and has specific features.

    Just having a ping mod that can be run every x hours and a list compiled of who was last heard from and when/time would be great. The ability to post to echomail as a BOT report would be good too.

    So for this to work would nodes running the script all just send data to say FSX_DAT and a HUB take care of compiling a daily report?

    Do you find it useful? What kind of data the message should have?
    encoded or not? and what encoding algorithm to use? in what type of
    format the data should be? one field/record per line? XML? something
    else?

    I have no firm views over layout of data but think encoding is good to do.

    Any suggestions are welcome. :)

    Thank you for working on this and asking for feedback :)

    Best, Paul

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From xqtr@21:1/111 to Avon on Thu Sep 13 19:16:02 2018
    I like your idea but agree with Apam I would not share any BBS user specific information. If the mod allows for some contact info to be pre-populated from the BBS end then that would be go. So the sysop could offer a contact name, email etc. Total number of files and/or users I don;t mind sharing. Is it helpful to know that? Not sure.

    No share of any user information, will be included in the data package. The only email, will be the one provided by the sysop as a way to contact him and only if the sysop will provide one. Any info in this data package will be optional.

    Do you envisage the mod would auto-scan echos and message groups and create a report? If yes, what if the sysop has an echo they don't want scanned and reported on?

    Nope... the script will only populate a data package as a message in a
    specific echomail, with data provided by the sysop. Nothing else.

    I would suggest basic obfuscation through some encoding. I think that works well enough for the inter-bbs stats mod etc. running now and
    should be kept. I accept some can easily decode it and indeed the mod recompiles and displays the current data being shared, but as an individual update being posted to a FSX_DAT style echo I'd still opt for the status quo encoding.

    Agree also.

    So for this to work would nodes running the script all just send data to say FSX_DAT and a HUB take care of compiling a daily report?

    Nodes that run the script will actually say to the Net... "hey, i am here and this is my info". Another mod will be build, that will collect this data and create a BBS List in a Tree-like UI, that the users of the BBS that runs this mod will use a way to find new BBSes, get info about them and connect. Something like Gryphons script but the data collected for the BBSes will be always 100% accurate and fresh, as they'll be collected from the echomail. The mod will also keep a track, of how many days it has to "hear" from a BBSes and if its older than a specific number of days, it will exclude the BBS from the list.

    Best, Paul

    Thanx for the feedback. :)

    .----- --- -- -
    | Another Droid BBS
    : Telnet : andr01d.zapto.org:9999 [UTC 11:00 - 20:00]
    . Contact : xqtr@gmx.com

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Another Droid BBS # andr01d.zapto.org:9999 (21:1/111)
  • From Avon@21:1/101 to xqtr on Fri Sep 14 12:15:32 2018
    On 09/13/18, xqtr pondered and said...

    Nodes that run the script will actually say to the Net... "hey, i am
    here and this is my info". Another mod will be build, that will collect this data and create a BBS List in a Tree-like UI, that the users of the BBS that runs this mod will use a way to find new BBSes, get info about them and connect. Something like Gryphons script but the data collected for the BBSes will be always 100% accurate and fresh, as they'll be collected from the echomail. The mod will also keep a track, of how many days it has to "hear" from a BBSes and if its older than a specific
    number of days, it will exclude the BBS from the list.


    Sounds good, I think do give some consideration to multiple options as to how you allow whatever data is presented to be laid out. It might be you can
    offer a template or .ini style file so if folks want to post reports to their local system or to a FSX_BOT echo they can determine what of the available
    data elements they wish to post and/or customise the header/footer - just a thought :)

    Thanx for the feedback. :)

    Most welcome, sounds really good Xqtr - happy to test and support this :)

    Best,Paul

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From xqtr@21:1/111 to Avon on Fri Sep 14 16:47:50 2018
    to how you allow whatever data is presented to be laid out. It might be you can offer a template or .ini style file so if folks want to post reports to their local system or to a FSX_BOT echo they can determine
    what of the available data elements they wish to post and/or customise
    the header/footer - just a thought :)

    I agree with the INI format. Its more usable and easy readable. Thanx :)

    .----- --- -- -
    | Another Droid BBS
    : Telnet : andr01d.zapto.org:9999 [UTC 11:00 - 20:00]
    . Contact : xqtr@gmx.com

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Another Droid BBS # andr01d.zapto.org:9999 (21:1/111)
  • From HusTler@21:4/10 to All on Tue Nov 3 05:57:48 2020
    Damn I Love this BBS SHIT!

    ... We Are Open Seven Days A Week, Including Sundays.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Havens BBS havens.synchro.net
    * Origin: fsxNet FTN<>QWK Gateway (21:4/10)
  • From Rants@21:1/125 to HusTler on Tue Nov 3 09:14:04 2020
    Damn I Love this BBS SHIT!

    Ha, me too. Was my life in the 80's and early 90's. Then the internet hit and we all gained a great tool but lost a little something too.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: CrNet BBS (bbs.crnet.net) (21:1/125)
  • From HusTler@21:4/10 to Rants on Tue Nov 3 14:51:56 2020
    Re: Re: BBS
    By: Rants to HusTler on Tue Nov 03 2020 09:14 am

    Damn I Love this BBS SHIT!

    Ha, me too. Was my life in the 80's and early 90's. Then the internet hit an we all gained a great tool but lost a little something too.

    Yea well it was a big cause of my divorce back then. She couldn't compete with




























































































    my PC. lol Today it's still my life. There's nothing more I enjoy more. Yea it's sick but I live alone and I'm not hurting anyone. I only wish I could afford more routers and shit. Watching those christmas tree lights gives me a woody. Lol!

    ... To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Havens BBS havens.synchro.net
    * Origin: fsxNet FTN<>QWK Gateway (21:4/10)
  • From Rants@21:1/125 to HusTler on Tue Nov 3 17:52:22 2020
    Yea well it was a big cause of my divorce back then. She couldn't
    compete with my PC. lol Today it's still my life. There's nothing more I enjoy more. Yea it's sick but I live alone and I'm not hurting anyone. I only wish I could afford more routers and shit. Watching those christmas tree lights gives me a woody. Lol!

    Yeah no doubt, you should see my server room/office. I even have philips
    lights that change colors based on network activity.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: CrNet BBS (bbs.crnet.net) (21:1/125)
  • From HusTler@21:4/10 to Rants on Wed Nov 4 14:02:10 2020
    Re: Re: BBS
    By: Rants to HusTler on Tue Nov 03 2020 05:52 pm

    only wish I could afford more routers and shit. Watching those christmas tree lights gives me a woody. Lol!

    Yeah no doubt, you should see my server room/office. I even have philips lights that change colors based on network activity.

    Oh, I'd love hanging at your place!. If I had the money I'd provide free interent access just to piss off the big boyz. lol

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Havens BBS havens.synchro.net
    * Origin: fsxNet FTN<>QWK Gateway (21:4/10)