
"Setting Up Internet Newsgroups and email on a TriBBS Board"

by:  Ben Askew
     Sysop, BHA & Associates BBS
     Houston, Texas
     TriBBS Reg. #17


Before we get started, let me give you some advice.  If you will
try to stay disciplined enough to thoroughly read these "readme"
files in order *before* you try to begin any real work, I
truly believe you will benefit.  Sure, there are some juicy little
config files in this archive and I'll bet you're just itching to
start screwing with them <g> but you will be better off if you
will just humor me and read through all of my drivel before you
jump off the cliff.  Remember, an appropriate subtitle of the
subject line at the top of this page could easily read "My Journey
Through Hell and Back".

Now, let's make sure that you're even supposed to be reading this
stuff.  I have a very particular audience in mind when I'm writing
this story.  If you are a TriBBS sysop who:

        1.) Desires to begin pulling Internet newsgroups and email
            into your board.
        2.) Doesn't know Fido from Spot.
        3.) Doesn't *want* to know Fido.
        4.) Wouldn't know a gateway or a point if it walked up and
            slapped you.
        5.) Dislikes your mother-in-law intensely. (This one is
            optional - I was just checking to see if you're paying
            attention <g>).

If you pass the above test, then this mini-novel might just be of
some help to you.  If you are actually going to be messing with
Fido, then I'm not going to be of any help to you at all.  In fact,
I'm going to do my best to keep Fido out of this.  And, if you
really dislike your mother-in-law.....well, that's your baggage and
you've got to deal with it yourself.

Now, for some thank-you notes:

One of the reasons I'm writing this is because I had to find a way
to thank Mark Goodwin for all of his help in my Internet setup.
I absolutely bombarded him with private messages.  He responded
quickly and completely to every one of them.  I didn't want to come
out and tell him "thanks" in a public message because then even
more people would hound him unmercifully.  I figured if I could put
a good play-by-play book together for other sysops, they might be
able to get their own Internet setup going without bugging Mark all
over again.

Additionally, Jason Fesler (author of GIGO - one of the utilities
we're going to talk about) also came to my rescue several times.

Okay, thanks for listening so far.  Remember, go through the
readme files in order and you should do fine.  If you decide
to go out of order....well, remember, I now know that you dislike
your mother-in-law...and I've got her phone number.

Ben Askew
20 Dec 1994
Revised 6 May 1995
