
>Are you reading to switch from Paragon to Starnet to MEBBS?
I'm all set.  Thanks.  Just waiting, waiting, waiting.

> Paragon/Starnet/MEBBS VS the competition...
It is really a shame to see 2 very different car manufacturers issuing
press releases:
1) Our cars *now* include at *no* extra cost, computer/satellite guidance
   systems in addition to everything else.
2) We finally got our car's engine to start.  Yeah!!!!!

#1 is CNet BBS and others.
#2 is MEBBS.

This is my fault, your fault, NOT anyone's fault, and certainly not
MEBBS/Bill Bowling's (BB) fault.

Getting it to compile, getting it beta-tested, fully debugged, then
v1.0 released, screen/accepting/adding 50 major requests, adding 100
minor requests, adding 20 eye-popping features, v1.1, v1.2, v2.0.  If
each step takes "only" 6 months.  We are talking several YEARS before
#2 is even EQUAL to #1.  And more time before it vastly surpasses it.
(At which time #1 will also have made several years of MORE progress
into the future.)

Here I am worrying about 2-3 yr 'catch-up' problems.  When we don't
even have a MEBBS v1.0 AT ALL yet.

Things like:
Starnet has 20-30 ~codes for variable expansion.  BB probably won't
even think about added any new ones for the next 6-12 months while
debugging.  And then maybe another 6-12 months working on adding 'The
Big Stuff'.  And then maybe after 6-12 months, get around to adding
minor things, like "new ~codes".  And maybe 6-12 months of begging him
for 20 new ~codes.  Maybe a few more months of begging for 50-100 new
ones.  Maybe he'll just never consider adding that many AT ALL.

CNet-BBS already has 490 such codes.  Today, not 2-3 years from now.
Fully debugged, 100% working, fast, instant call-up of #1 or #490.
(And dozens of new ones are added r-e-g-u-l-a-r-l-y.)

If my MEBBS assumptions (or timetable guesses) are wrong, please let
me know.  I would like nothing better than to eat my words and apologize
for misinterpreting things.
"BB will not have any problem adding 500 new ~codes."
"This will be done in the next few DAYS, not MONTHS/YEARS."

My mention of "new ~codes" is just 1 small example of an overall view.
CNet-BBS has taken everything I've ever seen and carried to an
unbelievable and unreal degree of power, beyond those that would ever
be needed in the real world.  But if you need ~code #476, it's there
waiting for you.  I could site example after example.

You can have 1000+ msg or file bases.  Or 1000+ SIGS each containing
1000+ msg or file bases.  Or 1000+ SUBSIGS each containing 1000+ SIGS
or 1000+ msg or file bases.  Or 1000+ SUBSUBSIGS, etc, all nested an
infinite # of levels deep.  1 or billions of areas.  But all well
organized online into dirs.  As simple/small or large/complex, like
DOS's own hierarchy file system.  Lift all artificial software limits.
As always, "It's there if/when you need it."

And all in an executable that is 159,280 bytes SMALLER than Starnet.
(387864 VS 228584)
And 100% c:resident'able.
Node #24 runs that same one c:resident copy of the BBS that node #1 is
running.

My typical day is:
Reading a msg in the Paragon/Starnet/MEBBS Echo about maybe getting
compiler warning and error msgs to stop occurring soon.

Then reading msg in the CNet Echo about 21st century support of ISDN
at 200,000+ bps connections.  Or the best ways to plan for future
Caller-ID, distinctive ringing, voice-mail support.  Or improving
CNet's current "limit" of daisy-chaining 2-100 Amigas together, each
with 2-24 phone lines ('locally' in your home, or 'remotely' across
town/country/world), for real-time 1000-2000 user chats.  Do we need
more (490 or 590) ~codes today?  Might we need drop-in support for
more than 100 protocols, 100 line/screen editors, etc?  Maybe 25 new,
powerful arexx commands, today?  Maybe we need to allow sysops to
'wedge-into' the BBS with new-strings/new-files/doors/DOS-cmds/arexx-
scripts/etc at 3000 different places, instead of the current
"limiting" 2000 places?  Talk of greatly expanding and improving areas
of the CNet, that other BBSes don't even have at all.

I then go back to reading Paragon/Starnet/MEBBS Echo about delays in
the release even being issued because of FULL (not partial) RE-WRITES
(not touch-ups) of major (not minor) parts (plural) of existing code.
(I applaud BB's honesty with us about this.  I hope it continues.)

I don't know what else to say.  Is BB willing to do all this?  (And
then some.)  By next week?  Next month?  Next year?  Ever?  You can
have it all today (actually, months/years ago) with other Amiga BBS
software.

I'll leave it up to your trusted discretion regarding which parts of
this text you wish to echo-post, or mail, or voice to BB.  Edit, omit,
leave intact, mention all, in-part, none, etc.  Whatever you feel will
best fit the situation.

Paragon, Starnet and I have all slept far too long.
I would love BB to prove me wrong.  We'd all benefit greatly.
Maybe a sleeping giant will awaken in full force.
I'll 'hang-on' as long as I can.
Impress me.
Soon.

-Bill Allen Beogelein, 313-473-2020, 1:2410/207
