Using UUCP under a BBS system???

Bob Palowoda palowoda at fiver.UUCP
Sat Feb 17 20:39:01 AEST 1990


>From article <LER1FK4xds13 at ficc.uu.net>, by peter at ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva):
> I don't understand this aversion to giving BBS users UNIX ids. You can
> make the BBS program their login shell and have all the advantages of
> a secure environment, and you won't have to do any special gyrations
> to get mail working.
> 
> Sure, there are a handful of interactive programs you have to hack, but
> there are more free mailers/editors/pagers that you can hack the way you
> like than you can shake a stick at.
> 
> Really, what's the problem?



  Hmm, I guess I can make a comment here after running a bbs for a while.
First when attracting first time users to a bbs specially a UNIX bbs you
want to make the editors very easy to use. And you want the editors to
resemble what the more popular bbs in dos type world uses. Something
like the PC-Board editors. Lots of online menu most likely able to use
ansi sequences and ibm graphics characters to format the menus. So far
this dosn't exsist. Or I just haven't seen it yet. Also vi is out. 
Try teaching over 2000 people vi online. There are editor that control 
security level like 'Fenix'. However last time I checked there was no
online default help menu that pops up when entering the editor. 

  As for not createing an account for every user I tend to agree with
the other sysops. Not so much as a security reason. But for the fact
of system accounting. I would rather have the bbs program maintain itself
and not use UNIX to do it. A database of user account info, paths termtypes
which also the user could setup through 'none unix account methods'. Try
teaching a first time user unix accounting and you will see what I mean.
Maybe Karls bbs has this already. I haven't seen it. 

  As for the mail program ELM would be perfect with the shell functions
stripped out. I figure I could use some sort of system alais to the 
bbsuser.first.lastname and let sendmail handle it. Once again this should
fit in with the proper editor like I mention above and be coupled into
a security level of the user database info. Also the database could
control the local users mail in another directory by the user without
going to the system.

  Out of all the UNIX type bbs I have tried none of them meet all the above
needs. I use XBBS because of it's user interface. Dosn't mean it's the
best. It's a bear to maintain.  But I give high marks for the user 
interface. Does it make a difference. I should think so, it may where
your future customers get thier first impression. Or last.

---Bob
   
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