        ͻ
                                                    Ŀ
              K E E P I N G   I N   T O U C H        
                      
            SPITFIRE Monthly Support Newsletter      
              for registered SPITFIRE Sysops!        
                      December 1993                  
           Compliments of BUFFALO CREEK SOFTWARE     
             Buffalo Creek's BBS * 515-225-8496      
               38400/19200/9600/2400/1200 Baud       
                          2 Nodes                    
                                                     
        ͼ 
          
                    Edited by Jacque Shipley
       The Mother Board BBS - (515) 986-3464 - 19200 Baud
                Sysop Of The Month by Walt Crede
      Roam This Fertile Land -  (515) 288-8755 - 2400 Baud
         Newly Registered SPITFIRE BBS List by Ann Woltz
                  Other Contributions As Noted


ͻ
    Notes from the author of SPITFIRE!   Ŀ
ͼ 
  



+++ MERRY CHRISTMAS +++
-----------------------

   And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 
   And, lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory
of the Lord shone round about them; and they were very much
afraid.
 
   And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

   For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.

   And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manager.

   And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host, praising God, and saying,

   Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men.

                                             Luke 2:8-14


   God gave each of us the most wonderful gift possible, a
Saviour named Jesus Christ.  This CHRISTmas, let's take the time
to thank God for our Saviour.  Without Him, there would be no
hope.  Let's put Christ back into CHRISTmas.  Merry CHRISTmas
to each of you from the Woltz family.

                         Until next time, may God bless you...
                         Mike, Ann & family

                         ͻ
                           Glory to God in the highest,     Ŀ
                           and on earth peace, good will     
                           toward men.                       
                                               Luke 2:14     
                         ͼ 
                           



͸
 SPITFIRE UTILITY UPDATES 
;

 LAKOTA v1.1i was updated to fix some bugs reported in the 1.1h
 release.
 
 SFTOPTEN v1.4 has been updated so that in addition to the .BBS/.CLR
 top ten bulletins, a .RIP top ten bulletin is also created.
 
 SFLASTEN v1.5 was revised so that a .RIP last ten caller display
 file is created.

 SFTOPMSG v1.1 was revised so that a RIP bulletin is created to
 show statistics on the top ten message posters on the BBS.
 
 SFLOG v2.0 was revised so that a .RIP statistics bulletin is created
 in addition to the .BBS/.CLR bulletins. 

 SFUSERS v1.5c was updated so that it creates a .RIP bulletin of
 caller statistics in addition to the .BBS/.CLR bulletins.
 
  
͸
 LAKOTA / MICROQWK PROJECT UPDATE 
;

   Mike Woltz and Joe Hardy, a local Des Moines programmer and author
of the MicroQWK mail reader, continue to make progress with their QWK 
mail project.  

   The latest versions of these programs, Lakota v1.1i and MicroQWK
v1.2d will allow messages contained in a QWK mail packet to be marked
for deletion.  This is a revolutionary concept which Mike hopes other
offline mail readers will incorporate in the future.

   When replying to messages, MicroQWK will prompt the caller as to
whether the message should be marked for deletion.  A message can only 
be marked for deletion when it is replied to.  Then when the reply packet
is uploaded using Lakota, Lakota recognizes the deletion indicator and 
marks the message for deletion so that it will be purged when the message
base is packed.

   In addition to the message delete feature, MicroQwk allows the user
to indicate whether the message to be uploaded to the SPITFIRE BBS
is intended as a local message or whether it should be marked as a
netmail message.

   Lakota and MicroQWK also provide the capability of sending routed
messages on the CircuitNet netmail system.  The user has the option
when replying to messages using the MicroQWK reader of whether the
reply should be sent as a routed CircuitNet message.  Lakota recognizes
a message uploaded as being marked as a routed message and stores this
information in the message pointer.  

   Lakota v1.1i and MicroQWK v1.2d are available for download from
Buffalo Creek's BBS for anyone interested in trying the features
available through these programs.


͸
 SPITFIRE INTERNET INTERFACE 
;

   Mike Woltz is interested in writing a utility that will interface
Internet with SPITFIRE.  However, Mike needs additional information
regarding the specifics of Internet before such a project can be
undertaken.  Anyone who has this information and would like to
be an active participant in the creation of the SPITFIRE/Internet
program should contact Mike on Buffalo Creek's BBS.


͸
 COLUMBIA SPITFIRE MERGES WITH THE BYTE HOUSE 
;

   Steve Newman and Emmett Perdue recently announced the merger of
Columbia SPITFIRE and The Byte House BBS.  From this partnership 
emerges The Columbia Byte House BBS.  Plans for the venture include
expansion to 9 nodes with 16 CD Rom drives online.  The Columbia
Byte House will be a subscription board with free access extended
to all registered SPITFIRE Sysops.  New callers will be granted a 
two week trial period.  This will be done to give new SPITFIRE
Sysops a chance to download any SPITFIRE utilities from the BBS.
The BBS can be reached using the (205) 222-3097 number which will
automatically roll over to the other nodes.

   Steve currently remains located in Oregon, awaiting the sale of
his properties before moving to Alabama.  Steve expects to be able to
relocate early next spring.  In the meantime, he can be reached on
The Columbia Byte House BBS where he regularly logs on to download
messages and reply to mail.


͸
 CONGRATULATIONS JERRY! 
;

     Special congratulations are sent to Jerry Schneider, Sysop
of Black Dragon's Lair - (602) 327-5601, who was married
November 24, 1993.  Buffalo Creek Software and the SPITFIRE
Sysops send their best wishes to you both!
   

͸
 SPITFIRE BOARD-OF-THE-MONTH 
;


                           Chuck Eisenmenger
                           In-Side In-Fo BBS
                             519-756-8079
                        Brantford,Ontario Canada

 
  I am not very good at this but here goes.

  In March of 1991 I downloaded a file that I thought was a
communication's program. I started to set it up and found that I
could only receive files and not send any..I was wondering what
kind of software would allow you to do this..So I started to
read the DOC's and found out that it was a bulletin board..ok..
What is a Bulletin Board ?  And now what am I going to do with a
BBS program that can only receive files but not send any..  and
how can I log on to other BBS's with this software.

  I then discovered that SPITFIRE is a Bulletin Board and the
purpose is to have users call you...ooK..

  So I set it up any way just to see what I could do with it..I
started to like what I saw and I meet 3 Sysop's that were
already running a SPITFIRE Board.

  SPITFIRE Operators are a special type of people..that when
ever you need a lost file or help with a script file or just to
say hi..they are as close to you as your dialing directory.

  At that time I was running a 286 and a 2400 bps with a 100 meg
hard drive I learned alot from them and am still learning.

  I have attended the last two SPITFIRE conventions and have met
sysop's and family's from all over North America.

  I have met with Mike Woltz and family and enjoy their
company..I have logged on to alot of SPITFIRE boards and have
always been treated with the utmost respect, SPITFIRE Sysop's
seems to me to be one big happy family.

 Since I started SPITFIRE a few years ago In-Side In-Fo has
grown to 3 nodes.. 3 net mail systems..8 CD-roms.. 2.5 gig hard
drives and 3 USR 16.8

  I wish to thank Mike and Family for their kindness and
help..and for giving me this opportunity to say thanks to all of
the SYSOP's that have helped me over the years and I am looking
forward in seeing them again soon.


͸
 SYSOP-OF-THE-MONTH 
;        

                               Bob Dunn
                           The Glass Onion
                            (203) 732-5746

  
      My name is Bob Dunn. I run the Glass Onion in Ansonia, Ct.
I began my interest with computers back in 1973 when I took a
programming course at a State Technical College.  All that I
remember from that course was the keypunch machine that I had to
use to input the basic programs I had learned.  I did not stick
with it though, and got a job as an apprentice electrician.  My
computer experience was invaluable in that it taught me how to
think out problems in a logical way.  I became an electrical
trouble shooter and acquired my license as a master electrician.
As the company grew (building was booming at the time), I went
into the office, setting up a database for project management on
a IBM XT.  As it became impossible to keep all that information
on 5 1/4" low density disks, the company bought an AT.  It gave
me a great opportunity to learn.
       
       We bought a 286 for home in 1989.  My wife, Candy, got a
job inputting federal tax records onto disk which in turn was
copied onto tape and put into the governments computer.  I
bought a 1200 baud modem and found a list of BBS's in a
magazine.  The first BBS I called was Carol Rex's Airshow.  I
was hooked.  I spent very little time sleeping and a lot of time
on-line.  I found that the boards I spent most of my time on,
Airshow, Robert Fiero's Darkside and Mike Robinson's Soft Parade
were all running SPITFIRE.  I downloaded a copy, just to check
it out.  Pretty soon (that night!), I began putting "Glass
Onion" up after ten o'clock using my voice phone number.  I
learned how to set up doors and draw ANSI screens.  After a few
months of phone calls during the day with "nobody there", I got
a dedicated line for the computer and haven't looked back.
       
       Pretty soon, I tied into Circuit-Net and Fido-Net,and the
40 meg hard drive was getting too small.  I've upgraded piece by
piece, and now, the only thing left from my old 286 is the
keyboard.  I found the more I learned, the more I needed to
learn.  SPITFIRE was the perfect BBS software for me.  It was
easy to set up when I first started, and as I add more and more
it hasn't limited me in any way from doing the things I've
always wanted to.  It has also been a great learning experience
for my kids, Blake, 13, Kate,11, and Trevor, 9.  They have all
helped me set up doors, answer user questions and messages, and
all three have become quite good at drawing ANSI screens.  Blake
has even drawn ANSI screens for other BBS's.  (I'm still better
with RIP.)

       I wish to thank Mike Woltz, and all the other SPITFIRE
SysOps for their help and patience with me and the various
problems I had while expanding the BBS.  It sure was easy to
blame SPITFIRE for something, when I didn't know what I was
doing. <G>


͸
  NEWLY REGISTERED SPITFIRE SYSTEMS 
;

   A hearty welcome is extended to the following, who have
recently become public registered SPITFIRE Bulletin Board Systems:


JuxtaPosition................................708-578-9608...14400 Baud
Eric Schmidt, Sysop..............................Great Lakes, Illinois

C:\*. BBS....................................503-690-8968...14400 Baud
Jim Schinman, Sysop...................................Portland, Oregon

Computer Freaks BBS..........................812-897-5751...14400 Baud
John Howard, Sysop..................................Boonville, Indiana

Starfleet Command.............................219-493-1093...2400 Baud
Chad Ellis, Sysop...................................New Haven, Indiana

Deimos BBS...................................419-495-2805...14400 Baud
Scott Mcdaugh, Sysop........................................Wren, Ohio

Living Water BBS.............................205-347-3672...14400 Baud
Bruce Pratt, Sysop.................................Enterprise, Alabama

Madlands BBS.................................502-943-8328...14400 Baud
Russ Maxwell, Sysop.................................Ft. Knox, Kentucky

Bare-Bones BBS...............................504-732-5655...14400 Baud
Timothy Duncan, Sysop..............................Bogalusa, Louisiana

The "No" Ratio BBS...........................312-776-2383...14400 Baud
Richard Biehl, Sysop.................................Chicago, Illinois

CCC..........................................671-734-8706...14400 Baud
Michael Pierotti, Sysop...................................FPO AP, Guam

River's Edge BBS.............................706-576-5297...14400 Baud
Everett Miller, Sysop................................Columbus, Georgia

Moonbeam BBS.................................313-329-8532...14400 Baud
Antoinette McWain, Sysop.........................Saint Clair, Michigan

J. A. & W. BBS...............................803-542-9834...38400 Baud
Mark Johnson, Sysop........................Spartanburg, South Carolina

The Shack....................................602-887-4678...14400 Baud
David K. Hansen, Sysop.................................Tucson, Arizona

The Birthday Board...........................407-339-6964...14400 Baud
Bill Hendrix, Sysop.................................Fern Park, Florida

Rock 'n' BBS...............................+331-6906-7736...14400 Baud
Sebastien Chatard, Sysop................................Grigny, France

Wild Side....................................219-693-1714...57600 Baud
Bruce Witzenman, Sysop.............................Churubusco, Indiana

Micropolis BBS...............................089-859-5096...14400 Baud
Michael Unglert, Sysop....................Planegg bei Munchen, Germany

The ENHANCER BBS.............................812-331-1255...14400 Baud
Mark Goveia, Sysop................................Bloomington, Indiana

The Computer Guys.............................708-426-1990...9600 Baud
The Computer Guys, Sysop...........................E. Dundee, Illinois

HOMICIDE BBS.................................503-357-1231...14400 Baud
Jeff Anzaldi, Sysop...............................Forest Grove, Oregon

Japanese Animation BBS.......................213-661-9012...57600 Baud
Gabriel Brooks, Sysop..........................Los Angelos, California

Blue's Place.................................804-531-9739...14400 Baud
Frank Holmes, Sysop..................................Norfolk, Virginia

The CHRISTIAN'S Workshop BBS.................615-481-0651...14400 Baud
John Benton, Sysop................................Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Delta Information Group.......................707-425-2943...9600 Baud
Robert Mauchin, Sysop............................Fairfield, California


   In addition, there were 3 new private SPITFIRE BBS Systems
registered.  These private SPITFIRE BBS's included registrations
from: Portland, Oregon; Crystal River, Florida; and Whangarei,
New Zealand.

   There were 15 registrations for whom registration information was
incomplete.  These included BBS's in: Crawfordsville, Indiana; Kansas
City, Missouri; Fort Myers, Florida; Red Bank, New Jersey; Portland,
Oregon; Ashburn, Virginia; Lindale, Texas; Midlothian, Illinois;     
Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Tucson, Arizona; Loveland, Ohio; Hanover,       
Pennsylvania; Alexandria, Kentucky; Marlow, New Hampshire; and    
Markham, Ontario, Canada.

   The increase in registrations where information is incomplete is 
largely due to Buffalo Creek's Software's policy of accepting on-line
Mastercard and Visa credit card registrations.


   JUST A REMINDER...the newsletter is always looking for contributions!  
Please forward any articles in ASCII text to either Buffalo Creek's BBS 
or The Mother Board BBS.  
