*alpha* version of telnet bbs for apple II folks.. (testing)

[Chris Morse <chris@sorry.no.spam.com>]

Hi all.. 

For anyone interested, I'm trying to build a new telnet bbs system for
us apple II folks.  It's a windows .net app, not anything that's
running on a real apple II, though.  I'd like to make it a useful
resource and recreational playground for anyone interested in the
apple II.  Your input is most welcome, since it's you that this is
ultimately built for.  Now that I am pretty settled, I don't see why
this bbs couldn't stay around for a long time.

For those working on it with me, and for anyone else that wants to
check out how it's coming along, I've put it online.  It's running on
a seperate machine in my 'home office' that doesn't do much except
host an sql server database..  Now it's got some else to do.

I hope to get a bunch done in the next few weeks, making it usable.
It will take a little while, but it'll mature in time.

The version running now has the whole login, new user registration,
and lost password recovery system working.  So you can connect and
create a new account.  When you create a new account, the bbs will
e-mail you a "validation code" that you type in the first time you log
in.

Once logged in, there's not much there right now.  It welcomes you
with a few stats and then shows you the main menu.  From the main
menu, right now, only (Q)uit/Disconnect works.  I am working on the
(N)ews area, which (like most of the BBS functionality) is being
implemented in "plugin" DLL libraries - seperate from the actual
server program.  This will allow the server to be configured at
run-time with new or different functionality.  For example, I will be
writing a multi-user chat system for the BBS, but later on someone
else could decide to write a new one.. then the BBS could use either
one or both at the same time.  Kinda cool, actually.

Anyhow, hitting "N" from the main menu will actually load the
SystemNews plugin and execute it.. Right now I only have it displaying
its internal bbs-plugin properties, then displaying a message that
it's not implemented yet, and waiting for you to hit enter.  Then
control returns from the plugin and returns to the server [main menu].

So I'm implementing the system (N)ews area first, as it's less
complicated than the other modules.. and I'm doing this for the first
time, so I'm learning new tricks as I go along.  After that, my
schedule is to implement more modules in pretty much the following
order:

- (W)ho's Online (working on it now)
- (A)ccount Info
- (U)ser List
- (C)hat System
- (M)essage Area
- (E)lectronic Mail
- (V)oting Booth
- (F)ile Area
- (G)ame Area

You can check it out using telnet:  telnet://apple2.no-ip.org

If you have any ideas for the bbs, feel free to let me know.  I'm sure
I haven't thought of everything.  

Cheers!
// CHRIS