 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group How to set up your own BBS John Karmouche |
An old sysop exposes some myths
There are some people around that would have you believe that setting up your own BBS is a complex process. I would like to debunk some of the myths that surround running a BBS and let you know that setting up and running your own BBS can be quite simple - as long as you follow a few simple rules.
Getting started
Way back in 1991, after purchasing my first modem (2400 bps - slow by today's standards), I logged on to a BBS picked at random from the Australian BBS List. As I looked around, the sysop, David Livingston, appeared for an "online chat". He and I subsequently became friends and he invited me to visit him to have a look at his BBS setup. It was at this point that I decided that I too could set up and run my own BBS.
The three-step process
Step one in the process is to select the right BBS Software (a good rule to apply anywhere if you ask me). I obtained copies of several shareware programs and discovered that most were difficult to set up, and even if you could get it online most were prone to crashes (remember that this was back in 1991 - things may be different today).
Following my first venture I took David's advice and purchased a commercial program called Wildcat! which is available from a company in the USA called Mustang Software. The money spent was well worth it. It took little effort to get online and my BBS has been functioning smoothly ever since. Mustang Software has an auto-update program and I have since upgraded from version 3 to version 4. In my experience I have found that Wildcat! takes care of itself and rarely requires much Sysop maintenance. It is quite easy to configure and comes with its own configuration program called Makewild. You will by now understand that I am a very happy Wildcat! sysop.
Step two is to set up a dedicated phone line. If you want to run a 24-hour operation then this is the way to go, if not, then your online hours will be restricted.
Step three is to advertise your presence to the masses. One way to get new callers is to leave a message on other BBSs. This will get you a few callers. The best way to get lots of callers is to get listed on the Australian BBS Listing, if you want to get to "the masses". Simply download the latest listing and you will find the necessary documentation that explains what to do.
That's about it really. Simple, isn't it? The only obstacles to setting up a BBS are your own fears and a little bit of finance, both of which can be overcome with a little smart thinking. I can honestly say that, my BBS has given me a lot of pleasure over the last few years and I have no plans to take it offline. If you can set up a modem, then there is no reason why you can't set up a BBS. The joys of being a sysop are that you can chat with new callers, help them with problems. People even send you files!
I installed a shareware CD-ROM about two years ago. Subscriptions to my BBS (which I set at $10.00 per year) come in at about two or three a month and pretty well cover the cost of maintaining a dedicated phone line. I now have a fairly solid core of regular users (most of them are subscribers) and a number of irregulars who keep coming back. There are a few harmless morons out there, but I rarely have to worry about them. If I don't like someone, I can just lock them out. There are almost no limits to the configuration of BBSs these days. It's your imagination that determines what it looks like in the end.
Are you a sysop?
Some time ago I suggested to the BBS team that we establish a list of Melb PC members who run their own BBSs and place that listing on the User Group BBS. The Australian BBS Listing is getting so big these days that one BBS tends to get swamped by others when you consider this as an advertising medium. I would like to hear from anyone out there who feels that they would benefit from such a service/listing and what their preference is.
I am available to assist or advise anyone who may want more advice on this subject. You can reach me through the Aust BBS News echo in the message area. I log on to the Melb PC BBS daily and download mail, so I should be able to get back to you fairly quickly.
Reprinted from the April 1995 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
