> BBSing in general is dead. There may be 10-20 VADV boards left that I could
> find if I looked hard. Synchronet may be the most popular now but most of the
> systems are bone stock. Mystic has a decent following compared to the other
> softwares. I feel that SysOps of all software rally to form whatever communit
> that is left. There really isn't big communities of each type of software lik
> there was in the old days.
>
> I'd just pick whatever software you like and customize it as much as you can.
> notice a lot of the SysOps today don't really care to know how to make batch
> files, how to work in DOS (or even Windows for that matter), or to do basic
> scripting. There is so much cool stuff that could be done that I don't have
> time for now.

From what I've seen, at least on the Mystic side of things, many SysOps are
running their BBS's on Linux.  It has limitations for doors, but it's not
something that can't be overcome with some additional utilities.  The draw is
the technical aspect of Linux.  Many are using Raspberry Pi's for their BBS's,
which brings a whole new aspect of tinkering into it.  It's reviving the BBS in
a small way.  I think the reason Mystic has such a following right now is
because of its protocol support and its multi-platform availability.

It's amazing that Free Pascal can create apps in just about any format you
could want.  Given time and effort, you could program your own BBS.  The shell
of it would be easy, it's the networking of messages and file bases and ANSI
support that would be the bear.  And that's just Free Pascal. There are many
other languages that would be equally up to the task.

I ran a VBBS BBS from 1991-1995 (registered, of course).  My VirtualNET number
was @1614001.  I would love to run a VBBS-based bulletin board and connect to
the network(s) again.  I've already put one on the hard drive and tested it.
It just needs configured to my liking.

I came here first, because I still love VBBS and probably always will.  The
draw of other packages is alluring, but I haven't made the decision which will
win me over in the end.  I may just have to have multiple ones running at the
same time.


--
[AT2k] -- Your VBBS/VADV Support Center -- [www.at2k.org] -- [bbs.at2k.org]