        ͻ
                                                    Ŀ
              K E E P I N G   I N   T O U C H        
                      
            SPITFIRE Monthly Support Newsletter      
              for registered SPITFIRE Sysops!        
                      October 1994                   
           Compliments of BUFFALO CREEK SOFTWARE     
             Buffalo Creek's BBS * 515-225-8496      
               38400/19200/9600/2400/1200 Bps        
                          2 Nodes                    
                                                     
        ͼ 
          
                    Edited by Jacque Shipley
       The Mother Board BBS - (515) 986-3464 - 57600 Bps
                Sysop Of The Month by Walt Crede
      Roam This Fertile Land -  (515) 288-8755 - 14400 Bps
         Newly Registered SPITFIRE BBS List by Ann Woltz
                  Other Contributions As Noted


ͻ
    Notes from the author of SPITFIRE!   Ŀ
ͼ 
  

͸
 SPITFIRE v3.5 Report 
;

   I really have very little to report.  I was hopeful that I could
find time to work on SPITFIRE's zmodem this weekend, however, I still
have over 70 messages to answer today (already answered about 30).
As I said in last month's report, I will get the zmodem problems
fixed just as soon as I can find the time to do so.  There are little
changes and fixes being made on a fairly regular basis but none are
really worth a special report.  Thank you.


͸
 LAKOTA v1.4 
;

    LAKOTA v1.4 is still being tested and has not been released.  I
have added an 'auto log off' feature to LAKOTA which I believe to be
a nice addition.  I am hopeful that we will be able to get a good,
clean copy of LAKOTA released this time.

   My offer to allow any registered SPITFIRE Sysop to beta test
LAKOTA v1.4 is still good.  Please let me know if you are interested.


͸
 SFNET - SPITFIRE 'Exclusive' Mail Network Progressing  
;

   We have encountered a few bumps (expected) within SFNET.  I view these
bumps as positive.  I am hopeful that those (and others) responsible
for these bumps will realize that we are serious about operating a
good, family style mail network.  There is certain conduct which
simply is not acceptable within SFNET.  In spite of the bumps and in
spite of those whose conduct is riding on the edge, I believe that
most everyone is working together rather than typical 'flaming and
blaming' which seems so prevalent on mail networks.

   I want to thank all SFNET participants for working to make SFNET a
very special mail network.  SFNET is a SPITFIRE 'Exclusive' Mail
Network that we call can be proud of.  Thank you.


͸
 SHILOH Addition 
;

    I made an nice addition to SHILOIMP ... When a message is
addressed to an SFNET Node ID, then SHILOIMP will convert it to the
name of the Sysop.  For example, if a message was addressed to
A0515001, then SHILOH would convert the A0515001 to Mike Woltz when
the message is imported into Buffalo Creek's BBS message base.  This
is useful when you want to send a message to a Sysop but you don't
know the exact name in which to address the message (i.e. - John Doe
or Jon Doe).

    I trust this addition to SHILOH will be helpful ... 


                         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 
                           

͸
 SFMSGLMR - SF LAST MESSAGE READ UTILITY 
;

  SFMSGLMR is a utility written by Mike Woltz to be used by SFNET's
International Hub and the Area Code Hubs.  When used with SHILOH,
Buffalo Creek Software, QWK mail system software, SFMSGLMR allows
the last message read pointers to easily be reset if an error occurs
during the file transfer.

  SFMSGLMR uses two command line parameters.  The /GET is used with
SFMSGLMR when executed prior to running SHILOEXP.  SFMSGLMR stores
the last read message pointer information of the caller.  The last
read message pointer is then saved to a file on the drive.
  
  After running SHILOEXP and transferring the mail packet through
DSZ, the batch file determines what processing should occur next
based on the errorlevel returned by DSZ.  If the DSZ reports the file
transfer was successful, the file containing the last message read
pointer information of the caller prior to running SHILOEXP is simply
erased.

  However, in the event DSZ returns an errorlevel which indicates the
file transfer was not successful, the batch file processes some
additional commands.  SFMSGLMR using the /SET command line parameter
is used to reset the caller's last message read pointers to what they
were prior to initiating the export.  Then after resetting the
pointers, the file which stores the last message read pointer
information is erased.

  Anyone who has had to reset last message read pointers for a caller
will realize what an important tool SFMSGLMR is.  Not only does it
save time but resetting the pointers automatically, but it eliminates
the guess work of trying to determine exactly what the last message
read pointers were in each conference for the caller.  In other
words, SFMSGLMR ensures the caller will not lose mail as a result of
a bad file transfer from their mail source.
  
  For those who may be a bit hesitant in trying to set up a workable
batch file for using SFMSGLMR, an example is included in the SFMSGLMR
documentation.


͸
 WORLD'S OLDEST SYSOP!! 
;
 
  Prior to reporting the article on the world's oldest Sysop in the
September "Keeping In Touch" newsletter, I had asked Walt for a brief
introduction of himself.  Unfortunately, it did not arrive before the
newsletter was released.  However, I would like to include it as a
follow up in this month's newsletter.
 
  So, from Walt Crede, SPITFIRE Sysop and the oldest known BBS Sysop
in the world:

  "I've often been asked, 'How come, Walt, you got into BBSing and
where'd you get the name you gave your board?'  Early in the
"computer era" I bought one of the machines to make my writing career
lots easier-- and immediately fell hopelessly in love with it.  A nut
I became.
 
  All those fantastic things my new-found toy was capable of doing
had me hooked.  Anything connected with computers became a
fascination.  I even taught myself the fundamentals of BASIC and
began writing my own programs.
 
  Then I heard about bulletin boards and SPITFIRE.  Got me a modem.
Got in touch with Mike Woltz and one day in August back in 1988 that
gracious guy stopped by the house with an early version of SPITFIRE
and installed the same.  That very afternoon Roam This Fertile Land
was born.  To this day, Mike is a dear and valued friend.
 
  Oh, yes, where'd I get my BBS' name?  I once wrote a newspaper
column under that masthead, so I simply carried it over to my BBS.
 
  Believe me, you never get too old for BBSing."

  The September article mentioned that Walt would soon be joining
SFNET.  Well, Walt is now online with SFNET so if you'd like to visit
with Walt, be sure and send a howdy.  I am sure he would enjoy
hearing from you!
 

͸
 SPITFIRE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 
;
 
  Tony Jones, SPITFIRE Sysop of Electronic Innovations BBS in
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, began putting together text files of
SPITFIRE's most frequently asked questions.  Tony monitors SFNET and
compiles together informational messages which relate to the daily
operation of a SPITFIRE BBS.  The topics range from running SPITFIRE
and SFNET, as well as a variety of third party utilities written to
be used with SPITFIRE.
   
  To date, there are four SF-FAQ files which have been made
available (SF-FAQ1, SF-FAQ2, SF-FAQ3 and SF-FAQ4.ZIP) for download.
The intent of the SF-FAQ files is to offer an alternative source of
information to those frequently asked questions related to running a
SPITFIRE BBS.  Mike Woltz, has become so inundated with replying to
messages in an effort to provide support for his products, that it is
difficult for him to find any time to write code for SPITFIRE and the
many other Buffalo Creek Software SPITFIRE utilities.

  Hopefully, SPITFIRE Sysops will use the resources available to
them.  By reading the documentation, reviewing the SF-FAQ files and
seeking help from other Sysops many of these support messages can be
addressed by other sources which are available.  Addressing a message
to ALL in SFNET's SPITFIRE Support Conference is an excellent
resource for receiving assistance.

  Most importantly, please do not misconstrue this to mean that Mike
will not be there to support his programs.  This is merely a
cooperative effort among Sysops to free Mike from the replying to the
same questions time and again when his time could be better spent
programming.  This is an educational process of trying to encourage
Sysops to investigate other avenues of support in an attempt to find
answers to the problems they are experiencing.

  Rest assured that for the those who are not able to find a "ready"
solution to their problems, Mike will be available now and in the
future, just as he has in the past.  But with the ever growing
SPITFIRE support base, Mike's time is at a premium.  Therefore,
please check the sources described above before contacting Mike.
Many times if not most of the time, these sources will be able to
answer your questions.

 
͸
 NOTES FROM DOWNUNDER 
;


  I am Paul Edgar and I operate the SPITFIRE Bulletin Board for
Telecom New Zealand, I have been reading the Sysop of the Month and
have decided to put my own experiences to paper.

  My introduction to computing was with a TRS80 clone (not a very
good one at that) which in 1983 had cassette storage and used a TV as
the screen and had a whopping 16k of ram.  I soon lost patience and
bought a TRS80 Colour Computer, used that for a while and basically
lost interest until about 1987 when a friend of mine showed me his
Commodore 64.  I immediately went out and bought one.  The C64 had
this thing called a modem port and after lots of reading, I figured
this was just the thing.  I conned my father-in-law, who was
holidaying in Hawaii to buy me one - 300 baud unit.

  However I was again disappointed, the modem was set up for the
"Bell" standard not "CCITT", which really meant that the modem was
not suitable for New Zealand, I could ring the USA but the costs were
prohibitive.  So there it stayed till about 1989, I had been made
redundant mid 88 and had picked up another job in the
Telecommunication industry with a company called Mitel.

  Mitel is a worldwide supplier of Private Telephone Exchanges, I was
employed to assist installers with the smaller range.  This meant if
a new feature was required or a software bug was discovered, I would
liaise with the software writers in Canada or the UK to rectify the
situation.  New code would be cut, I would field trial and provided
the software was of commercial quality, fixed the bugs and did not
introduce more problems it would be introduced.  The major problem I
had was the time between a problem being diagnosed and fixed took
months.  No small part of that was getting the software shipped, by
the time customs documents were prepared and the legalities sorted
out the software was on my desk months after the customer had lost
patience.

  After one really nasty experience I had some software modemed to me
as a solution, it was one of these "try this, try that" type of
solutions until the problem was sorted and required a lot of
recutting the software, but as I have found out over the years when
you live in a different time zone it was me who had to be available
at midnight to set up the modem so the software engineers could dial
in and leave me the new code, which would be burnt into eproms and
shipped to site.

  The solution was obvious (yeah use SPITFIRE I hear you say - but I
wasn't that smart yet ... but I learn fast ) find a product that
could  do unattended transfers, found the perfect program "Procomm
Plus" it had a host mode and all the goodies I would need, as time
went by it was certainly an improvement but it became more obvious
that the limitations were hindering the operation.  I tried a couple
of shareware products none of which had the flexibility of what I was
looking for, however with all this dialing into BBS's the guy next to
me took a real interest and decided to set up his own BBS - he choose
SPITFIRE.  So in the interest of continuity it seemed the best
solution and he could administer it.  That was until we were all made
redundant again.

  Due to industry contacts both of us were able to get a job with
Telecom again.  They had decided to set up at high profile Technical
Assistance Centre that would provide technical information on all of
the products Telecom supplied to the market.  I got SPITFIRE
registered and we set up a dial in for all of our staff in the field
about 2000 people although only 100 use it regularly.  All of our
manufacturers worldwide would dial in and leave software,
documentation,notes etc.  The field staff can get a download from a
phone system and modem it to us and we can have a look at the problem
and advise the solution in hours instead of the days it took to mail
the disks.

  SPITFIRE is an integral part of our operation and would be
virtually impossible to replace without mega investment in time and
money, the spin offs have been excellent and often you will hear
someone say, "Have you dialed in and seen the memo relating to this
problem - OK call me back when you have !"

  I have personally benefited from being involved with the SPITFIRE
project and have seen the reliability and strength of the code to be
able to withstand the rigors of a 24 hour operation, every now and
then I quote SPITFIRE to a supplier and say "look - I have a BBS
software written by one guy in the states that is produced without
any drama does what it is supposed to do and never breaks down - have
a closer look at this stuff you have sent me and see if you can at
least try for a similar standard" and usually they try a bit harder.

  Thanks Mike , I appreciate the effort over the last three years we
have been involved with your product and I hope to be still involved
in the future. ( As I speak I have just been made redundant for the
third time and I will have to teach someone else to do all the bits
on SPITFIRE - I may just have to start my own BBS!)

Article Contributed by Paul Edgar

 
͸
 SPITFIRE UTILITY REVIEWS 
;

  SFEMB - SPITFIRE ENHANCED MESSAGE BASE 
  

  SFEMB, the SPITFIRE Enhanced Message Base is a utility / door that
no high speed Sysop wants to be without!  With Enhanced Scanning,
Reading, Writing, this is the SPITFIRE Message Base for the 21st
century.

  Currently in public beta, SFEMB is progressing nicely.  In the
future, it will have full RIP compliance, and give the SPITFIRE
Message base the bloated look that would make Mike Woltz cringe!

  In its latest incarnation, SFEMB gives both the caller and the
Sysop enhanced message scanning and reading.  It also gives SPITFIRE
the long awaited full-screen message editor.  You can configure
special conferences to be "alias" conferences, and SFEMB will keep
track of your alias and alert you when someone sends a message to you
whether you use your real name, or the alias!

  Also, SFEMB gives you Global Messaging, Smart Routing, Command Line
initiation, Multiple Configs, QuoteBOX and FidoNet style quotes, up
to three unique user BIO's for other users to view, custom taglines,
and much more!

  Ever wanted to change a users security after reading a message from
that user?  SFEMB will allow you to locate and change a users
security, message queue, or subscription date straight from the
message base!

  SFEMB is written by David D. Turley and is available at the low pre
1.0 registration fee of $10.  However, as with other programs written
by David D. Turley, there is no set time limit when you have to
register the program.  You may use the unregistered program forever.
However, you are asked to register if you feel it adds to your BBS.

  The latest version of SFEMB can be picked up Sanctuary BBS, (801)
486-8582.  The latest version can also be FREQ'd via CNFD Net#
169:801/0 under the magic name "SFEMB".  Registered users can pick up
free upgrades anytime via the on-line auto-registration door.


Article Contributed by Dave Turley
Sysop of Sanctuary BBS - (801) 486-8582


͸
 SPITFIRE BOARD-OF-THE-MONTH 
;
   
                          The Sounding Board
                     (formerly, The Kid's Corner)
                        (813) 955-5956 / 28.8
                       Sysops: The Alger Family
                        Sarasota, Florida, USA

  It was a typical Saturday morning, (10/8), sitting here reading
through the day's SFNET mail, when a voice came on the answering
machine (odd for this early on a Saturday). The voice belonged to
Mike Woltz, expressing his desire for our BBS to be the "SPITFIRE
Board-Of-The-Month".  This was truly an unexpected surprise and
honor.

  The Kid's Corner officially went online on August 25, 1992 with one
goal in mind: to offer the children of the area an opportunity to
learn about telecommunications, something we all feel is a "must" for
the future.  In our search for BBS software, it seemed we tried them
all and came to the conclusion that SPITFIRE was the obvious choice,
specifically for its ease of use for callers new to BBS'ing.  The
ease of setup and configurability played another major role in our
decision.

  The BBS started as a project for our daughter, Adrienne, age 8 at
the time.  Adrienne, at that time was not new to BBS's, having
participated on several local boards, messaging through both RIME and
Jack Crawford's K12Net (an education-oriented network for students,
educators, and interested parents). Our local K12 board dissolved,
leaving a void.  Investigation led us to members of the K12
administration in Amherst, Mass., and before long, we had established
our own K12Net link.  The BBS then became a "family affair" and all
three of us became quite involved in attaining our original goal.
This goal remained intact as we grew, adding educational files of all
types and offering to our users features they might not find on most
other boards.

  On the occasion of our second anniversary, we took the time to
reflect back on the previous years' activities: the mass-mailings to
all local schools, the personal calls getting people online, the
visits to the schools, Adrienne's interviews with the local
newspaper, even putting together systems so that Adrienne's friends
could come online, and the results from it all. With the welcome
addition of SFNET, and our designation as the 813 Hub, we felt it was
time to extend our service to "kids of all ages".  With a
not-so-simple name change, The Kid's Corner, became The Sounding
Board.  In the last month and a half, our learning and sharing
experiences with all of the people in SFNET have made the revamping
all worthwhile!

  From the humblest of beginnings (8088 and a 2400 USR) the BBS is
currently run on a 386/DX25 and a Supra 28.8 with 550 Megs of
storage.  CD-ROMs are planned for the very near future.

  We are indeed grateful to Mike Woltz for all of his help, support,
and guidance.  Without him, this BBS, our "Family Hobby", would
simply not be.   Thanks Mike!

                                    Bob, LouAnn & Adrienne Alger
                                          -  A0813000  -


͸
 SPITFIRE SYSOP-OF-THE-MONTH 
;        
  
                               Bob St. Cyr
                     The Software Exchange, Carlisle, Pa.
                              (717) 243-9630
                       SF350078 - A SPITFIRE Pioneer

  If a heart attack could be the start of something good...then
something good happened to me in the Fall of 1984!  It was during a
period of recovery that I began to look at other computer bulletin
boards and the hobby sort of fascinated me.  Not only that, but I was
spending too much money calling all those boards, why not start my
own, have everyone call me, and save all that money, right?  Looking
back I can see how naive we all must have been when we first started
any of our boards.

  What is today The Software Exchange was put on-line on November 17,
1984, as the Cumberland Commodore, the name taken from our location
here in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania, and the fact that it
was then a Commodore 64 based BBS.  Somewhere along the line reality
set in and I purchased my first DOS system.  I remember that first 20
meg hard drive!  One user actually asked if I intended carrying the
whole Library of Congress I had so much room!  My, but weren't we
naive in those days!

  Once I had that giant hard drive I began looking for a DOS based
BBS program and tried one or two for short periods of time.  I
believe that one required a seemingly ton of Sysop maintenance to
keep it perky, and another was so unstable as to guarantee a crash
each and every night!  A friend who became a SPITFIRE Sysop at just
about the same time as I recommended that I take a look at SPITFIRE.
I want to give that friend, Lamar Grimsley, all the credit for making
me a SPITFIRE Sysop.

  Nothing that I have done in the BBSing world would have been
possible without the cooperation and encouragement of my wife, and it
was nice of her to remind me to say it now.  She has been my bride
ever since we married as youngsters those 48 years ago.  That was
March 13, 1946, at Ayer, Massachusetts, for any of you who are
keeping score.

  When we married I was a Staff Sergeant in the US Army and we stayed
in the Army until retirement here at the US Army War College in
October '63.  I had my military career finished by the time I was 37
so I had to go to work.  It was by choice, of course, I could have
stayed in the Army for another ten or more years.

  One reason for working was a family of six children.  All of them
are grown now and you know that you're growing old when your youngest
child is himself a retired Air Force non-commissioned officer!

  So, for the first time in my life I had to learn what civilian
industry was all about and I went to work for a subsidiary of the
Ethyl Corporation and stayed with them until another retirement in
October, 1986.  I am fond of saying that the hardest work I have had
to do since then is to run my SPITFIRE BBS!

  The eight years of retirement have been kind to me.  There has been
no other heart attack, medication is handling the high blood
pressure, and I'm working on the cholesterol level.  At the last
reading the doc did mention that if my cholesterol level was my major
league batting average I'd be making over $3 million dollars a year
so that was a hint to get it down.

  Golf is my passion, it has been since the summer of 1946 when I
played my first round in Bad Wildungen, Germany.  It is a game where
you can remain competitive well into your old age and still beat
those even two generations removed!

  Now that I've gotten this far and about to close this out, it just
came to me.......did Mike Woltz say to write something as SYSOP OF
THE MONTH or as SPITFIRE BBS OF THE MONTH?  Geez....he's going to
think I NEVER pay attention to what he says <G>!

  The most exciting thing lately in the SPITFIRE world is formation
of the SFNET mail network.  If you are a SPITFIRE Sysop and not yet
part of that net you're missing something really good!  Get a note to
Mike on Buffalo Creek and he'll point you toward a hub and get you
started.  I'd like to talk to you on SFNET!

  And if you'd like to know more about Bob St. Cyr.....well, it's my
favorite subject!  See you on the net.....SFNET!


͸
  NEWLY REGISTERED SPITFIRE SYSTEMS 
;

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

Starbase 47988................................605-352-6625...14400 BPS
Erik Jepsen, Sysop.................................Huron, South Dakota

LANDOVER BBS..................................616-361-0316...38400 BPS
Marvin Porter, Sysop............................Grand Rapids, Michigan

Terminator BBS................................602-625-1250...14400 BPS
Shane Schmidt, Sysop................................Sahuarita, Arizona

IXTLAN........................................407-259-7050...14400 BPS
Ron Turan, Sysop....................................Melbourne, Florida

Road Runner BBS...............................303-477-0356...14400 BPS
Mark Fairchild, Sysop.................................Denver, Colorado

Ridge Runner BBS..............................303-863-7164...14400 BPS
Larry Nygaard, Sysop..................................Denver, Colorado

Rainbow BBS...................................614-773-9233...14400 BPS
David Schrake, Sysop.................................Chillicothe, Ohio

Red Light District BBS........................910-433-2174...57600 BPS
Brian Ladd, Sysop.........................Fayetteville, North Carolina

CORPORATE.....................................616-668-5505...14400 BPS
Thomas F. Gromak, Sr., Sysop........................Mattawan, Michigan

My Enterprise.................................515-267-1009...14400 BPS
Scott W. Harken, Sysop................................Des Moines, Iowa

The Alliance BBS..............................310-635-7009....2400 BPS
Wayne Zeides, Sysop.............................Long Beach, California

The CyberLord.................................807-737-3699....2400 BPS
John Wyndels, Sysop.....................Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada

The Country Club..............................817-613-1834...14400 BPS
Randy Brown, Sysop..................................Weatherford, Texas

Utopia........................................513-574-8373...28800 BPS
Nicholas Hasselbeck, Sysop............................Cincinnati, Ohio

The Atomik BBS................................803-397-1019...14400 BPS
Perry Wallace, Sysop............................Conway, South Carolina

Blue Chips Collectable Hobbies................912-369-5093...14400 BPS
Carol Surzinski, Sysop.............................Hinesville, Georgia

New York LAN Association BBS..................212-730-7943...16800 BPS
New York LAN Association, Sysop.....................New York, New York

Synaptics Over Drive..........................703-330-8331...14400 BPS
John Woodard III, Sysop.............................Manassas, Virginia

Freebeez BBS..................................916-334-4760...14400 BPS
Keith McCune, Sysop........................North Highlands, California


     In addition, there was 6 new private SPITFIRE BBS Systems
registered.  The private SPITFIRE BBS was registered to Sysops in
San Jose, California; Lexington, Kentucky; Bridgeview, Illinois;
Moreno Valley, California; Mentor, Ohio and Irving, Texas.

     There were 12 registrations for whom registration information
was incomplete.  These included BBS's in: Mims, Florida; Fremont,
Nebraska; Tucson, Arizona; Reading, Pennsylvania; Boulogne, France;
Radcliff, Kentucky, Overland Park, Kansas; Council Bluffs, Iowa;
Cabarita, NSW, Australia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Austin, Texas;
and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

     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.

