Please read and print out for reference...
____________________________________________________________________


ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD
VER 1.00

EVALUATION COPY

Electronic Message Board  Peter Glasson 1994

Peter Glasson,
P.O. Box 429,
Burwood,
Sydney,
NSW 2134,
AUSTRALIA.

InterNet E-Mail Address: 100036.560@compuserve.com

CompuServe E-Mail Address: 100036,560

___________________________________________________________________


EVALUATION TERMS


The Electronic Message Board can be installed on a PC or LAN and
evaluated under full working conditions for 30 days.

If a decision should be made to purchase, payment should be made
not less than 7 days after the 30 days evaluation period.

Payment should be made to the above address. Please note that
payment should be by International Money Order or overseas bank
draft. Personal and company checks are generally not negotiable
outside the country of origin. Cash can be sent, as the sum
involved is not large, though a paper trail does offer insurance.

The cost of the application is US$30.

On receipt of payment, the following will be sent by air-mail on
disk:

1. Application and system files.

2. An alternative LAN version, with faster loading times. The
evaluation version carries a large overhead unconnected to
LAN needs. If the evaluation version runs satisfactorily on
your LAN, with the user environment variable being used as the
ID, then you would certainly be interested in the LAN version.
 
3. Manuals in Word format for User and Administrator. These can
be adapated for internal training purposes. Bitmaps used in the
manuals are also included.

4. 12 months support from date of purchase.

5. Licence authorising unlimited use of the application within
the organisation purchasing the application. If an individual,
a single site licence will be issued. On the order form below,
nominate a company or put in your own name. This detail will be
put in the About... box. If you want nothing to appear in the
About.. box, then mention the fact on the order form. Company
logos in the form of an icon or BMP can be sent on disk, and
will be included in the About... box, if so desired.

* A free copy of the next upgrade will also be sent on disk as
part of the purchase. Any change of mail address in the interim
should be notified.


SOURCE CODING

If changes need to be made to the application to suit your LAN's
configuration, or company policy, then these changes can be
negotiated.

However, in view of the large number of different LAN
configurations, it is suggested that you avail yourself of the
source coding and make any changes in full knowledge of how your
LAN is structured.

This should prove easier and cheaper. 

Conversely, if you have no knowledge of LAN programming, the
coding could prove helpful.

The language used is Visual Basic, the most commonly used
language.

Porting the coding to other languages, such as C, should not
be problematic for experienced programmers, who can deal with
the VB coding as prototype.

The programming package for the evaluation version is available
for US$40.

The programming package will be sent by air-mail on disk and
includes:

1. Data Dictionary
2. File Structure Diagram
3. Forms, Modules, Coding
4. Original Help files with bitmaps
5. Icons

___________________________________________________________________


PURCHASE ORDER FORM

ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD
VER 1.00

TO:

Peter Glasson,
P.O. Box 429,
Burwood,
Sydney,
NSW 2134,
AUSTRALIA.


FROM:

NAME OF PERSON OR COMPANY__________________________________________

                         __________________________________________

MAIL ADDRESS             __________________________________________

                         __________________________________________

                         __________________________________________

                         ZIPCODE___________________________________

			 COUNTRY___________________________________


Payment is by: International Money Order
	       Overseas Bank Draft
	       Cash
  	
Payment is for:

APPLICATION:   US$30     __________

SOURCE CODING: US$40     __________


TOTAL:               US$ __________



Date:__________________


DISCLAIMER: Purchase of the source coding in no way places its
author under any obligation or commitment whatsoever. In purchasing
the coding, the purchaser accepts full and total responsibility
for use of the programming data in whatever way he or she may use
it. Similarly, while every effort has been made to ensure the
integrity of the application, its use on any computer platform
whatsoever must remain the user's reponsibility.

___________________________________________________________________


ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD
VER 1.00


SETUP

1. Preliminary
2. Features of Electronic Message Board
3. File List
4. LAN Installation
5. PC installation
6. Accessing the Administrator's Menu
7. Technical

___________________________________________________________________


1. Preliminary

The Electronic Message Board is designed to let users post
messages onto Boards for other users to read.

It is ideal for semi-permanent and permanent information and can
cut paper costs considerably.

Files can be attached to messages for users to copy to their
directory, view within the application or print out.

Comment can also be added to messages designated by the author
as interactive, rather than static (no comment can be added).
 
One source of inspiration for naming Boards is to consider
what paper circulating around the office can be centralised
on the Electronic Message Board.

The Electronic Message Board can be installed on a Local Area
Network or a standalone Personal Computer.

Setup will configure the software for the hardware platform you
select: LAN or PC.

Once installed on a PC, the files, and any messages created, cannot
be transferred to a LAN platform, and vice-versa.

The configurations differ. Unpredictable results will occur if
files configured for one platform are transferred to the other.

It is suggested that you first install the files on a PC and run
SetUp, keeping the original files safe on a disk.

When you are ready to install the software on a LAN, create a
directory for the application on the LAN and install the original
files. Then run SetUp.

The application has been found to run without problems on LAN's
where Windows or a similar interface is either the primary or
secondary user interface.

The application is self-contained. Neither SetUp nor the
application writes to any file outside its own directory.

Once the application has been installed, click on HELP in the
User and Administrator menus for further information.

Although the application will run quite happily on a PC, it has
been primarily designed to run on LANs, and to handle those
problems which people, whose misfortune in life is to manage a
LAN, know only too well.

Thus, I have tried to give good value for money...

__________________________________________________________________


2. FEATURES OF ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD

1. Expiry Date - users must nominate an expiry date for every
message they create, including messages put on HOLD in their
Filing Cabinet. Once the expiry date is reached, there is no
way to get a message back. Users can, however, extend the
expiry date at any time by clicking on a message in their
Filing Cabinet and then on the Expiry button. A new expiry date
can then be selected. The default, or the maximum length of
time a message can exist, is set at 90 days by SetUp. An
Administrator can choose another default through the
Administrator's menu (the application requires at least one
Administrator).

2. There are two types of messages: text and graphic. Text
messages can be static or interactive. Graphic messages can
be Window Metafiles (WMF) or Bitmaps (BMP). 

The 3 categories of messages are indicated in the application
by their initials:

S = STATIC - users cannot add comment to a text message.
I = INTERACTIVE - users can add comment to a text message.
G = GRAPHIC - BMP or WMF files.

Interactive messages are indicated by the appearance of an
ADD button when viewed. To add comment to the end of a message,
the user clicks on ADD and then types in their comment. The Add
Comment window is a floating window. If it disappears at any
time, clicking on the Add button again will restore it.

It should be maintained to users that they are responsible for
any messages they put on. They own the message, and only they
can edit or delete a message they have nominated as InterActive.
Another user cannot edit comment he or she has added. The
exception is Administrators, who can edit or delete any message
through their menu.

3. Graphic Messages - 2 graphic formats are supported: BMP
(Paintbrush) files, and WMF files, which can be created in
Powerpoint. There are also many excellent freeware and shareware
packages for creating WMF files (Window Metafiles).

Graphic messages should be kept in perspective. Ten BMP files
being accessed, say, 20 times are day, are unlikely to bring
down your LAN. However, 10 BMP files may be equal to 1.4 MB
disk space. Anything over this figure may be undesirable. To
assist Administrators with graphics, a Graphics Monitor displays
a list of current graphics and authors. A ceiling can be put on 
the total bytes allowable for graphics. Choosing a ceiling of
0 MB disables the create graphics message choice.

Rather than exclude graphics altogether, Administrators
should encourage the use of Powerpoint or other paint
programs to create WMF files. These are small in size and give
colour and variety to messages. And they offer a minor means of
relief on sometimes austere LANs...

4. Application Title - You can give the application whatever
title you or your company considers suitable. This can assist
users to relate to the application and the information it holds.

5. Links - the means for users to open up a document,
spreadsheet or Help file on a remote server in another
building or location. It should be noted that this has been
designed to run with LANs using Microsoft's LANMAN 1.00 +. Use
of this feature should be referred to your LAN Manager if
you are uncertain.

6. News Flash! - If Administrators wish to bring some new
feature to the attention of users, e.g., a new Board or
important message, they can activate News Flash! through
their menu. News Flash! will appear to users when they log in.
Such things quickly lose their appeal if left on for too long.
So an expiry date can be set for News Flash! to switch
itself off. It is suggested that 2 to 3 days is sufficient.

7. Menu Help buttons - little grey help icons will bring
up an explanation of what a menu choice is about. These
are meant as initial guidance only, the Help files and manuals
being available for detailed procedures.

8. Some sample messages have been included in SetUp. These
messages have been included as belonging to the initial
Administrator. They have been grouped under the Board
listing, SAMPLE MESSAGES. Click on this Board to view them.

9. Documents can be attached to a message, and saved to
the user's directory or viewed within the application.
The button ATTACH appears whenever a message has attachments.
      
10. There is an emphasis on the visual side, with pictures and
picture buttons freely used. The Administrator's menu is a
full MDI (multi-document interface), working like File Manager
or Excel. The User's Menu was also originally an MDI interface.
During its trial, users found this interface confusing. So the
User's Menu has been confined to one-step-at-a-time controls.
The means to manipulate individual windows has been removed,
and replaced with floating windows. That, I am afraid, is
the result. It seems that not all users are familiar with
the windows mechanism of File Manager or Excel. On the other
side of the equation, however, is that users will probably find
the application simple to use, and training, if any, will be
minimal.
  
__________________________________________________________________


3. FILE LIST

			APPLICATION FILES:

These 15 files must be present in the application's directory
before SetUp is run. They are included in EMB100.ZIP.

MB_SETUP.EXE
MB_1.MB$
MB_2.MB$
MB_3.MB$
MB_4.MB$
MB_5.MB$
MB_6.MB$
MB_7.MB$
MB_8.MB$
MB_9.MB$
MB_10.MB$
MB_11.MB$
MB_12.MB$
MB_13.MB$
MB_14.MB$

			SYSTEM FILES:

The following 2 system files are included in EMB100.ZIP:

CMDIALOG.VBX
THREED.VBX

These 2 files are Microsoft Visual Basic Extensions which are
fully compatible with Windows or similar interfaces.

VBRUN300.DLL is also required.

It is not included in EMB100.ZIP. It can be downloaded from
CompuServe and most Bulletin Boards. 

VBRUN300.DLL is included on the disk sent out on registration.

On a PC, the DLL and the 2 VBXs must be installed under
WINDOWS/SYSTEM.

On LANs, the 3 files should go with all other DLLs in the user
path.

For best results, do not put these 3 files in the application's
directory, whether on a PC or LAN.

It is recommended that MB_SETUP.EXE be deleted after SetUp has
run.

___________________________________________________________________

  
4. LAN INSTALLATION


1. If your LAN supports logical drives, then create a directory
for the application on a server which has few users. Do not
use a sub-directory. Any name for the directory will do, e.g.,
 
			c:\EMB
	
If your LAN does NOT support logical drives, then do NOT create
a directory for the application, but put all the setup files in
the root directory of a drive, e.g.,

			c:\

2. Note that ALL 15 files listed must go into a directory or
root directory for SetUp to be successful. The 3 system files
should be put into the user path on all servers. SetUp will need
the 3 system files.

3. If you use modularisation, remember that the application is in
reality a database. So it must reside on one server. It cannot
reside on several servers.

4. Out of Program Manager or File Manager, run MB_SETUP.EXE.

5. You will be prompted to provide the following information in
	this order:

	1. Whether your hardware platform is a PC or LAN. Choose
		LAN.

	2. The method of user access:

		1. Password and ID unique to the application
			and the user. It could be irksome
			to users to input a Password and ID
			every time they use the application.
			If the second method below is available,
			use that. Identification is necessary
			so the application knows which messages
			belong to whom.

		2. The application identifies the user's LAN
			ID from the user environment. The
			LAN ID can take many forms, depending
			upon the system being used, i.e.,
			USER, USERID, USERLOG, etc. Use this
			method if it is available.

	3. The date format required, e.g., Month-Day-Year.

	4. A title for the application. Electronic Message
		Board is not the most exciting title. It is
		suggested that you invent a title suitable
		to your organisation, e.g., ACME GRAPEVINE,
		ACME BULLETIN BOARD, ACME INFOBOARD. The
		title nominated can be changed at any time by
		clicking on MISC/APPLICATION TITLE in the
		Administrator's menu.
		
	5. The name, department and telephone number of the
		initial Administrator of the application. If
		the method of user access is through an
		environment variable mentioned in Point 2,2
		above, then the Administrator's LAN ID will
		also need to be input.

		If access is through Password and ID, then
		the ID for the Administrator, as the first
		user, will be 1.

6. Once Setup has completed its work, it will automatically
run the application. If a problem occurs, then you may have
chosen the wrong platform, or a file, as listed above, is
missing.

7. If the test is successful, set up the application on the
LAN as you would any other application. MB1.EXE is the
activating file. 

8. Delete MB_SETUP.EXE to avoid it being accidentally
activated and overwriting files.

_________________________________________________________________


5. PC INSTALLATION


1. Create a directory for the application. Any name for the
directory will do, e.g., EMB.

2. Put all 15 application files listed above into the directory.
Note that ALL 15 files listed must go into the directory, or SetUp
will be unsuccessful. The 3 system files should be put into
WINDOWS/SYSTEM before SetUp is run.

3. Out of Program Manager or File Manager, run MB_SETUP.EXE.

4. You will be prompted to provide the following information in
	this order:

	1. Whether your hardware platform is a PC or LAN. Choose
		PC.

	2. The date format required, e.g., Month-Day-Year.


	3. A title for the application. Electronic Message
		Board is not the most exciting title. It is
		suggested that you invent a title suitable
		to your organisation, e.g., ACME GRAPEVINE,
		ACME BULLETIN BOARD, ACME INFOBOARD. The
		title nominated can be changed at any time by
		clicking on MISC/APPLICATION TITLE in the
		Administrator's menu.
			
	4. The name, department and telephone number of the
		initial Administrator of the application. 

		The ID for the Administrator, as its first
		user, will be 1.

5. Once this information is input, SetUp will create some
files and then automatically run the application. If a problem
occurs, then you may have chosen the wrong platform, or a file,
as listed above, is missing.

6. If the application runs successfully on your PC, you can then
create a new item for it in a Program Group on your desktop. The
activating file is MB1.EXE.


7. Delete MB_SETUP.EXE to avoid it being accidentally
activated and overwriting files.

___________________________________________________________________


6. ACCESSING THE ADMINISTRATOR'S MENU


Once SetUp has been run, and access gained to the application,
the initial Administrator nominated in SetUp can access the
Administrator's Menu.

The only way to access this menu is through MISC/ADMINISTRATORS
in the User's Menu.

In this menu choice, a button appears for Administrators which
does not appear for users.

It is labelled Admins, and its icon is a key. 

Administrators can click on this button to gain access to their
menu.

The duties of an Administrator are few, as the application
virtually looks after itself:

	1. Run the Maintenance choice once a month. This will
		delete the files of users who have not accessed
		the application for a certain period of time, and
		all messages which have expired. This is an
		important duty, as it checks files and frees up
		disk space.
	
	2. Create/approve Board names under which messages are
		grouped for easy access. If users could create
		any Board name they wished, this could become
		chaotic. So this is included as a duty of an
		Administrator.

	3. Change User Access Levels. There are three levels of
		access:

		1. Administrator
		2. User
		3. Deny User Write Access; Read Only

	4. Arranging with IT staff to have the application's
		files backed up on a regular basis.

There is no limit on the number of Administrators. In some
organisations it may be useful to have an Administrator in each
department.

The initial Administrator should have a backup. This can be done,
once the application is installed, by having a user access the
application and inputting their details. The Administrator can
then change the user's access level to Administrator through the
choice USERS/EDIT USER DATA in the Administrator's menu.
 
___________________________________________________________________


7. TECHNICAL


1. The approximate limits are:

	1. Number of Users - 3000
	2. Number of Boards - 1500
	3. Number of Messages per Board - 1500

	These limits can be deleted to encompass indefinite
	numbers. Most organisations, however, do not have
	servers which allow for more than 600 accesses at the
	same time. The hardware platform would have to be
	considered in expanding the application to cater for
	larger or unlimited numbers.

2. Calendar DLL expires 2078 AD.

3. Minimum User Hardware Configuration

	1. 386
	2. 4MB of memory
	3. Standard VGA video monitor
	4. Laserjet printer or similar type

If large monitor screens are used, then the coding can be
modified to run the application on any sized screens.
	
4. User Desktop Configuration

	Windows 3 or similar interface
	
5. The application is a relational database. No files, other than
messages, are ported across the LAN in their entirety. The
application takes what information it needs, and no more. This
results in efficient response times, and a minimum of LAN traffic.
___________________________________________________________________

 	