`
`SUCCESSFUL BBS
`
`THE 5YSC'lF”S HANDBOOK
`
`V
`
`ALAN D. BRYANT
`
`AI
`
`Author of
`the Bestselling
`Creating Successful
`Bulletin Board
`
`Systems
`
`The CD contains dozens of useful
`
`utilities and programs. including
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`text editors. compression
`
`utilities, door software for
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`multinode BBSs, graphics
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`manipulation utilities, an offline A
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`mail reader, and much more
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`"A
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`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, Cover
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`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, Spine
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`QRYANT
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`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, Spine
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`WING .AND
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`1.1.TA1 NJ LJ
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`Dc
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`.nsIey Pubhshing Coni
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`Menlo Park Califcrnia
`Readrig Massachusetts
`York
`D.on MillS OntEuio Wdkin.gham En.gland .A.rnterdam
`Sydney
`Sa.n Jusn
`Bon.n
`Tokyo Madrid
`Seoul Mdan Mexco Cty Tape
`Pans
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`Sir...gapore
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`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, Title
`
`
`
`Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as
`trademarks Where those designations appear in this book and Addison-Wesley was aware of
`trademark
`claim the designations have been printed in initial capital
`letters
`letters or all capital
`
`The authors and publishers have taken care in preparation of this book but make no expressed or implied
`warranty of any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions No liability
`is assumed for
`incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information or
`programs contained herein
`
`ISBN 0-201-48380-7
`1995 by Alan
`
`Copyright
`
`Bryant
`
`All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced
`retrieval system or
`transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical
`recording or otherwise
`photocopying
`the prior written permission of the publisher Printed in the United States of America Published
`without
`in Canada
`
`stored in
`
`simultaneously
`
`Sponsoring Editor Claire Home
`Project Manager Vicki
`Hochstedler
`Cover design Suzanne Heiser
`Set in 11 point Palatino by Carpenter Graphics
`
`23456789-MA-9998979695
`First printing September 1995
`
`books are available for bulk purchases by corporations institutions and other
`Addison-Wesley
`organizations For more information please contact
`the Corporate Government and Special Sales
`Department at 800 238-9682
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, Copyright
`
`
`
`To
`To Linda Bryant,
`Lr.cti.t
`ftr everyfhhg
`for everything.
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. i
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. i
`
`
`
`
`
`Contents
`
`Acknowledgments .
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`xiii
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`Introduction .
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`What This Book Offers You .
`What This Book Contains .
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`About the CD—ROM Disc
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`xiii
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`. xv
`. xvi
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`Chapter I: BBSs, Today and Tomorrow .
`
`The History of BBSs
`The Future of BBSs .
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`Chapter 2: Dealing With Success .
`Measuring Your Success .
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`Analyzing Your Success .
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`Continuing the Momentum .
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`Financing Your Future
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`Making Dlfficult Upgrade Decisions
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`Chapter 3: Cutting Your Losses
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`Analyzing the Situation .
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`Deciding What to Do .
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`Rescuing the Situation
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`Shifting Gears and Starting Over .
`Getting Out
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`15
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`
`vii
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. vii
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. vii
`
`
`
`VIII
`
`Contents
`
`Chapter
`
`Optimizing Your Success
`Perception versus Reality
`Analyzing Alternative Costs of Expansion
`Paying for Expansion
`The Hobbyist
`to Entrepreneur Transition
`Getting Mainstream Businesses Online
`Expanding Your Telephone Capacity
`
`Online Databases
`
`Chapter
`Why Databases Are Important
`Approaches to Databases
`Types of Database Systems
`Database Implementation
`Marketing Data Online
`
`An Introduction to the Internet
`
`Chapter
`Introduction to the Internet
`Interface Issues and the BBS Environment
`General Approaches to BBS/Internet Connections
`Content versus Connections
`Additional Reading
`
`Chapter
`
`The Nuts and Bolts of the
`BBS/Internet Connection
`How Data Gets from Point
`to Point
`Important Components for Internet Connections
`How the Connection Is Made
`Low-speed Connections
`Moderate-speed Connections
`High-speed Connections
`Frame Relay versus Dedicated Service
`Tariffs and You
`Obtaining Internet Services
`Additional Reading
`
`61
`
`61
`67
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`71
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`76
`80
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`90
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`97
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`135
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`173
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`174
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`175
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`180
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. viii
`
`
`
`Contents
`
`IX
`
`Providing Internet Services
`Chapter
`Service Provisioning as aBBS Adjunct
`Offering Internet Services
`Understanding Required Equipment
`Pricing Internet Services
`Marketing Internet Services
`Additional Reading
`
`Your BBS and the Law
`Chapter
`Understanding Your Rights
`in Writing The Service Agreement
`Puffing It
`The Ownership of BBS Content
`Confidentiality and Privacy Online
`Adult Materials and the Online Environment
`Additional Reading
`
`Chapter 10 Advanced BBS Marketing
`Developing Marketing Plan
`Effective Advertising Ideas
`Beyond Advertising
`Other Marketing Ideas
`BBS Marketing Summary
`
`Code Charts
`Appendix
`ASCII Codes
`ANSI/VT-i 00 Codes
`
`Appendix Wiring Diagrams
`RS-232 Serial Pinouts Twenty-five-Pin
`RS-232 Serial Pinouts Nine-Pin
`V.35Pinouts
`RJ-45 Ten-Pin Serial Cable Pinouts
`RJ-1 Telephone Jack Pinouts
`Null Modem Adapter Wiring
`Macintosh Printer and Modem Serial Ports
`Telephone Wiring Color Codes U.S
`
`181
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`182
`184
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`190
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`266
`270
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`287
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`290
`292
`293
`294
`295
`29á
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. ix
`
`
`
`Contents
`
`Reference Lists
`Appendix
`Modem Lights and Meanings
`Common Bell and ITU-T Modem Standards
`Microcom Networking Protocol MNP Levels
`
`Appendix Whafs on the CD-ROM
`How the CD-ROM is Organized
`Few Cautions
`Reminder about the Shareware Concept
`
`Index
`
`301
`
`301
`302
`
`306
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`309
`
`310
`310
`
`311
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`313
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. x
`
`
`
`
`
`Acknowledgments
`
`The creation of a book is a large undertaking, and although an
`author can take the credit for generating its content, it's hardly a
`lone project.
`
`Rob King and Linda Bryant deserve a sincere thank you for their
`incredible patience with me.
`
`Todd Melka was instrumental in assembling the CD-ROM disc
`included with this book. He worked literally dozens of hours to
`assemble the components and handle a number of ”grunt work”
`tasks, and it just wouldn't have been possible otherwise.
`
`Jim Craig and Nate Harrington have been extraordinarily giving of
`their time in relating their experiences, positive and negative, as BBS
`sysops and Internet providers. Thanks also to the many sysops who
`have provided insights (many who didn't even know it) through
`working and conversing with me. Without their insight, gleaned
`from decades of collective BBS experience, this book just wouldn't
`have been possible.
`
`Also deserving of mention are Phil Becker, Kevin Behrens, Bill
`McCauley, Adam Hudson, Karl Glasgow IV, Bill Gibson, Jay Knut-
`son, Mark Smith, and Scott Sturgis—al1 of whom have made special
`contributions of insight to this project. (My apologies to the people
`I'm sure I've inadvertently omitted from this list; your contributions
`are no less appreciated.)
`
`xi
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. xi
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. xi
`
`
`
`XII
`
`Acknowledgments
`
`book wouldnt be much of book without someone to
`Finally
`publish it The people at Addison-Wesley have truly been extraordi
`nary to work with especially Claire Home and Keith Woliman
`Thanks also to everyone both past and present who was there
`they were incredibly helpful during the writing of this and my pre
`vious book This group of top-notch professionals has made the
`second book rather delightful
`idea of doing
`
`Alan
`Bryant
`Denver Colorado
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. xii
`
`
`
`13135 oper.ator yxu already uriderskmd .ow wWaixifrig being .a
`A.s
`sysop ran he You are at the controls of an information serb ire
`BBS as hobbyist an enhupreneur or in
`whether you re running
`business
`conjunction with
`not
`exciting stuff all nght but it
`witho.ut its ciu.11.c.nges
`
`It
`
`Thats why created this book Once you has your system online
`.que.s ions .ard issues .ou hadn.t expecind My
`you .mi.y be left
`first book on bulletin boards Creating Successful Bulletin Board 5ys
`ferns has helped thousands of people get their systems off the
`ground This book picks up where the first book left off by giving
`ir.1dep.th un
`ou. an ever greater in ..oni
`pn...c..ess of
`nding .of fi
`BBS Its also designed to help sysops who se been
`operating
`online for some time now and may neser have had the head start
`fhai my first hoof pvidLes
`
`While my host book as itself of great
`reference after your
`aloe as
`sstem up and running this book addresses many of the more
`a.dvanced i.s.u.es you .may be facof with..
`
`WFe.ffhe. your UBSIs en track toward soccess or not questions
`keep coming up that you may not be equipped to handle on intu
`if you want
`to add Internet access to
`thon alone For example what
`your BBS How will you pay for the equipmeni How do you know
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. xiii
`
`
`
`XIV
`
`Introduction
`
`what youll need And most importantly how do you plan to
`recoup your expenses from your paying customers This book will
`help you with these and many more decisions
`
`success this book can help optimize that success
`If your BBS is
`and enhance it to its fullest potential
`If your BBS is just not living up
`to expectations material provided here can help you turn things
`around and get them back on course
`
`Ive also included
`chapter covering online databases You may
`have implemented databasing when you started your system but
`often databases are an adjunct whose importance only becomes
`fully realized after youve opened the doors on your BBS Ill
`demystify databasing in the online world addressing the various
`types of databases how they work and what
`they can offer you
`The Internet
`is another hot topic and if youre like most BBS sysops
`youre curious if not in state of outright upheaval about what
`you need to connect your system to the information superhighway
`Ive included three chapters devoted to this topic After reading
`them youll have
`full understanding of the services you can pro
`vide how they are provided and how these connections
`can
`increase your bottom line
`One of the most valuable parts of the book however
`is the sysop
`collection of lists and charts of helpful information you
`reference
`just cant ever find in one place FromASCII charts to ANSI codes to
`serial pinouts youll find this section invaluable in pinch
`Finally with the assistance of Todd Melka Ive assembled CD
`ROM collection of ifies critical
`to the operation of your BBS Some of
`the utilities on the disc you may already have but if you dont
`youll wish youd had them before In addition weve pulled
`variety of freeware shareware and demo add-ons for
`together
`your BBS Many are BBS-specific while others operate with any
`multinode BBS system through
`door or on integrated systems
`gateway door Im certain youll find the CD-ROM valu
`through
`able one-stop place to find dozens of gems to help you and to
`enhance your system
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. xiv
`
`
`
`What This Book Contains
`
`XV
`
`What This Book Contains
`
`This book is arranged in ten chapters as follows
`
`BBSs Today and Tomorrow is
`review of the histo
`Chapter
`ry of bulletin boards along with my vision of whats to come in
`BBS technology The Internet
`is changing the future of bulletin
`boards in big way Ill discuss what you can expect
`in your
`future as
`sysop
`
`Dealing With Success
`addresses variety of issues
`Chapter
`of concern to sysops whose systems have enjoyed success
`Youll find out how to analyze your success and why how to
`continue your momentum and how to expand in logical sen
`sible manner
`
`Cutting Your Losses
`is designed to help sysops
`Chapter
`whose systems just havent lived up to expectations Youll learn
`how to analyze your situation and discover
`variety of tips on
`how to rescue it or shift gears when thats appropriate
`
`helps you fine-tune your
`Chapter Optimizing Your Success
`BBS for optimal results If youre successful now youll find out
`how to optimize that success If youre on the right track but
`things are not going quite as well as they could this chapter
`will help
`
`is devoted entirely to the issues
`Online Databases
`Chapter
`of implementing databases in the online environment From sim
`ple text searching to fully programmable relational databases
`this chapter provides everything you need to know about data
`bases for your BBS
`An Introduction to the Internet
`teaches you the
`Chapter
`basics of the Internet and its offerings from the special perspective
`of the BBS sysop The types of connections you can make to the
`Internet from your BBS are also covered
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. xv
`
`
`
`XVI
`
`Introduction
`
`The Nuts and Bolts of the BBS/Internet Connection
`Chapter
`in more technical detail From the basics of
`covers the Internet
`TCP/IP networking to routers and domain name service youll
`learn everything you need to know to make informed decisions
`about connecting your BBS to the Internet
`
`is your guide to provid
`Providing Internet Services
`Chapter
`ing your current BBS callers with Internet connection
`services
`Expand your profit potential by selling connectivity to your cur
`rent customers and gain new ones with hot new services
`Your BBS and the Law is an overview of the legal
`Chapter
`issues you may encounter in the operation of your BBSfrom
`service agreement to understanding your rights
`creating
`Chapter 10 Advanced BBS Marketing covers the creation of
`comprehensive marketing plan Several new marketing ideas are
`presented to help sell your service to the public
`
`In addition one of the most valuable parts of the book are the
`appendices Here Ive included an array of reference information
`you just cant ever seem to find when you need it From ANSI code
`charts to the wiring of telephone jacks to serial connector pinouts
`youll find variety of useful data at your disposal
`
`About the CD-ROM Disc
`
`The CD-ROM included with this book is
`valuable collection of
`software for BBS sysops Weve worked hard to select modest
`group of top-notch packages From utilities weve found we cant
`live without to demonstration editions of commercial products
`youre bound to find dozens of helpful programs in this collection
`Complete details about the disc and its layout can be found in the
`appendices
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. xvi
`
`
`
`An Introduction to
`The Internet
`
`Never in the history of communications has there been as much
`excitement as has been generated by the recent explosion in popular
`ity of the Internet The media is abuzz with articles and information
`about the grand Information Superhighway the communications
`tool of the future Theres also considerable confusion Telephone
`companies are touting how theyll be with you into the future Cable
`television companies are bombarding you with their vision of the
`set-top box interface to the superhighway But while these compa
`nies and the media are talking about the future the Internet is the
`information superhighway of today its here nowand
`growing
`number of computer-savvy individuals are discovering what it has
`to offer
`
`While some have predicted that the future of BBSs is dim because of
`the Internet the more likely outcome is that BBS operators will dis
`cover new and innovative ways to deliver service to their callers
`Thats what this chapter is devoted totelling you how to get your
`new
`BBS on line with the Internet Ill also give some coverage to
`profit-making opportunity on the Internet for entrepreneurial
`sysops in Chapter
`
`Introduction to the Internet
`
`There are many fine books available that describe the Internet and
`its features in much more detail than is appropriate here But as
`BBS sysop you need
`special outlook on the Internet and its fea
`comprehensive tutorial on
`tures This chapter is not therefore
`
`117
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 117
`
`
`
`118
`
`Chapter
`
`An Introduction to the Internet
`
`What
`is
`the Internet
`
`the Internet its designed to help ground you for the discussions
`is how it
`that follow For greater coverage of what
`the Internet
`works and what
`it has to offer visit your local book or computer
`list of some of my personal choices at the end
`store Ive included
`of the chapter
`
`Before you can understand what the Internet is you need to under
`little about networks Many of us are familiar with local area
`stand
`networks LANs such as Novell Netware or Artisoft LANtastic
`that let you share files printers arid other computing resources
`distributed group of computer users Wide area networks
`among
`WANs are simply LANs on much bigger scale For example
`the networks in particular
`many large companies may interconnect
`buildings with the networks in other buildings in their organiza
`tionsometimes across the street often clear across the country
`WANs are also generically known as internetworks or an internet
`which is where the Internet gets its name By convention internet
`is the generic term for an internetwork while Internet refers to the
`global network that is the subject of this chapter
`Networks whether were talking about Novell Netware or the Inter
`net use pmtocolsstandardized communications methods that
`define how data is moved from computer
`In the area of
`to computer
`networking there are many protocols that cover multitude of
`aspects of the packaging movement and delivery of data In fact
`this is where networking gets very complicated for many people to
`understand Thankfully to understand and use the Internet you
`dont have to worry about every detail of how things work
`But before we move along there is one protocol you should under
`stand While networks we typically see at the office like Novell
`protocol known as IPX and Apple Macintosh com
`Netware use
`puters have long supported
`protocol called Appletalk within the
`protocol known as TCP/IPTransmission Control
`Internet
`Protocol/Internet Protocolis used This networking protocol
`suite of several related protocols is commonly associat
`actually
`ed with UNIX environments but has been implemented for both
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 118
`
`
`
`Introduction to the Internet
`
`119
`
`local and wide area networks on variety of computing platforms
`In fact while Novell might be the brand name most of us associate
`with LANs their IPX protocol
`is but one of many players in the
`protocol game Within the Internet however none of this matters
`is little more than TCP/IPbased computer network
`the Internet
`that is international in its reach
`lot more in common with the Novell LAN you
`The Internet has
`may be familiar with at your office than you might believe at first
`to move data around the
`While it doesnt use the same protocol
`general principles are identical Here are just some of the ways in
`which this is true
`
`Sophisticated Novell LANs in an office environ
`Connections
`ment can connect computers via Ethernet cables dial-up serial
`connections integrated services digital network ISDN leased
`telephone circuitseven infrared wireless linksgiven the right
`combination of hardware and software So can the Internet
`Connection speeds We may associate industry-standard 10
`Mbps megabits-per-second Ethernet connections with local area
`networks like Novell but iii
`reality many different
`types of
`speeds may exist in LAN Next-generation 100Mbps Ethernet is
`becoming more common and of course dial-up LAN links run
`at the speed of the modems in use Speeds can be and often are
`single network with the higher
`mixed quite successfully within
`speed connections being deployed where they are most needed
`All of this is true with the Internet too
`Functionality On Novell LAN you can transfer files from
`from
`computer to computer share printers send electronic-mail
`one LAN user to another share access to computer software pro
`grams play multiuser games and much more You can with the
`Internet as well
`
`Hardware When you build
`sophisticated Novell network you
`may use one or more of LAN adapters such as Ethernet interface
`cards bridges routers modemsand of course wide array of
`wiring You may use one or more of these same hardware items
`to connect
`to the Internet
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 119
`
`
`
`120
`
`Chapter
`
`An Introduction to the Internet
`
`What the Internet
`Has to Offer
`
`The three most important elements of networkthe connections
`that link systems together what you can do with the network once
`you have it and the hardware involvedare all virtually identical
`between that LAN back at the office and the global Internet As you
`can see whether youre trying to connect
`two or three PCs together
`with LANtastic or whether youre trying to connect
`two or three
`hundred thousand computers together the fundamental elements of
`it takes to network are very much the same This is impor
`what
`tant to bear in mind when youre grappling with the concepts of
`is nothing fancy or unusualits just on
`networking The Internet
`an enormous scale
`
`The Internet often referred to as the net offers the computer user an
`incredibly vast range of functionalities Most books dedicated to the
`them all so wont try to
`subject of the Internet dont even cover
`is important however
`here either It
`for you to understand the pri
`they do This knowledge
`mary features available to you and what
`basis from which you can make informed decisions
`will serve as
`later regarding the hows whats and wheres of connecting your BBS
`to the Internet
`
`Electronic Mail
`
`Electronic mail e-mail is probably the most popular and most
`powerful feature of the Internet In fact many people dont even
`is anything more than
`global e-mail net
`realize that the Internet
`work Hundreds of thousands of e-mail messages are carried by the
`Internet each and every day and the volume continues to grow
`
`There are two reasons that Internet e-mail is so popular reach and
`ease of use
`
`While computer visionaries dreamed about global e-mail networks
`for years only relatively recently have those dreams been realized
`reaches so many people true even somewhat
`Because the Internet
`early in the life of the Internet as we know it private and commer
`cial e-mail systems developed gateways between their networks and
`to send e-mail to their
`to allow users of the Internet
`the Internet
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 120
`
`
`
`llulum
`Innate: Syectnl
`can Mailbag Menage
`Null:
`In! No '..
`
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`
`Elle
`£1.
`
`Introduction to the Internet
`
`121
`
`fllndow fielp
`
`I
`a
`I
`@FlIE!l’.'slE:l ::1&mis-M311
`Ta.
`dsonflenvislonet.
`L
`E
`Iron: adb8bxyanr..con (Alan D. Bryant)
`Subject: HP 51::
`Cc:
`Bcc: udbflesocnccl
`Atcuchnents:
`Aden,
`I In: uondeunq It you were planning to past the 2XP4< query rnent on your IT?
`site.
`I emailed the cue to you A couple at days ago, but man‘: hear back,
`and don't see in on your server.
`Let I! know If there’: 5 pxobtu.
`soon‘
`
`I'd like to post A press release about
`
`it
`
`‘mums, A.)
`
`Figure 6-1.
`A typical Internet e-mail
`interface for a
`Windows user
`
`users and vice versa. Of course, every time a gateway is added, the
`number of people reachable via the lntemet grows, increasing the
`desire on the part of others to develop gateways.
`
`A snowball effect led to the current state of affairs today: virtually
`every electronic mailbox in the world can send and receive e-mail to
`and from the Internet, either by being on the lntemet directly, or by
`using a gateway to another e-mail system. By having the ability to
`transact mail with the Internet, a user can exchange mail with any
`e—mail system comiected to the net. CompuServe users can send
`mail to MCI Mail users. MCI Mail users can send mail to users of a
`small FidoNet BBS in rural Idaho. Users of that BBS can send mail to
`
`friends at major universities worldwide. Those students can com-
`municate with family members who use America Online, and so on.
`
`Virtually no publicly accessible, for-profit BBS can exist today with-
`out Internet e—mail capabilities. Nearly every significant BBS soft-
`ware package can support it, and users expect it. But while
`important and popular, e-mail is not the only Internet function you
`may need for your system.
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 121
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 121
`
`
`
`122
`
`Chapter
`
`An Introduction to the Internet
`
`Figure 6.2
`
`typical text-based
`Internet e-mail display
`BBS
`on
`
`Starting number CRFirst
`
`2198 alnterneta
`Mnglt
`041395 091731
`From ELITTLEBENET NET
`To ALAN BRYANT Reed
`Sebj
`85 FILE MANAGER
`13 075051 1995
`Thu Apr
`From k_little0enet.net
`Received from maple enet.net
`by bryant.com
`The
`IPAD 0.S.Sh id 1432000
`with EMTP
`Received from siipZ4.enet.net slipZ4.enet.net
`maple.enet.net 0.6.9/0.6.9
`with EMTP
`Id 1AA12524
`1995 0811 33 0700
`13 Apr
`13 Apr 1995 001133 0700
`Date The
`199504131511 IAAl2S24IImaple.enet
`MessageId
`XEendmr
`h_i ittleBanet .net
`Mimeversion 1.0
`text/plain chareetunasci
`ContentType
`To salesObryant .com
`From hjittle@enet.net Eathy Little
`Subject
`88 File Manager
`PC Eudora version 1.4
`XMailer
`
`net
`
`More
`
`13 Apr
`
`95 075850 IflC
`by
`for sales0bryant.com The
`
`___________________________________________________________
`
`Newsgroups
`
`Originally and sometimes still called Usenet news the public dis
`that we now call simply newsgroups
`cussion areas on the Internet
`news
`are like e-mail one of the most popular features of the net
`group is simply put massive group discussion on particular
`subject Today there are well over 10000 unique newsgroups avail
`able and the number continues to grow on daily basis No matter
`what area of interest you may have youll find one or more news-
`groups available that address it
`
`Newsgroups are somewhat different from traditional public discus
`sion areas of the type you may be accustomed to on BBS In
`newsgroup message is known as
`post and while you can usual
`ly identify the originator of the message its not addressed to any
`one in particular Most software used to access newsgroups on the
`Internet as well as some BBS packages arrange newsgroup posts
`stream of messages that share the same subject as that
`by threads
`subject was typed in the original post by the person who posted it
`While this is not the same as
`conversation thread as typically
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 122
`
`
`
`Introduction to the Internet
` :
`
`‘
`.»
`
`lrum;nlN:u-1'.|h'.u|:'l
`ylew fllndew flelp
`Elle gun fipcdel Group Anlde
`REMIND ME. by ||m.dunmyerOe|oll.eom. Mon. Ill Apt 95 15:34:00
`
`In. 91'.‘
`
`N>Hhat are you doing for electricity? Mina needs a complete redo.
`Ben,
`My barn is a 40' X 60' Butler buildxng. divided into 3 20' bays. One is
`the shop.
`the middle is where I work on my care when necessary. and the
`3rd will be woodehop ':oneday'r It used to have horse stalls and a
`tackrooa. The ‘shop’ has a Zrton electric chain hoist on a rail running
`just about over my computer desk and an overhead door that‘: been closed
`off. The 19' x 54' Leslond lathe sits directly behind the computer desk.
`There’: a 100-amp DC welder, compressed axr, a sink. and a small
`bathroom in the shop,
`too.
`
`I've seen “corn stoves", and would use one if I farmed the land myself.
`As it ie.
`I use a computervcontrolled barrel stove. The eaumlll out back
`provide: plenty of scrap wood. The temperature will fluctuate from < 50
`sometimes to maybe 75 as a high.
`le have A/C in the shop for eunertine,
`something we DON'T have in the house; my wife complain: blttdfly about
`that,
`too. The temperature fluctuation: don't bother anythlng.
`
`I did nothing to "prepare" the ehop tor the 333, but quickly found that
`the bare concrete floor made for a LOT of dust. So,
`I had a Iooduorker
`
`Figure 6-3.
`Reading newsgroups
`using a
`Windows-based program
`
`implemented on a BBS, it can emulate it in a fashion. Still, it's some-
`times difficult to truly have a discussion within a newsgroup
`because it can be difficult to know who said what to whom and in
`what order. Messages can arrive on a particular system in any order;
`sometimes a reply comes in before the original post.
`
`Because newsgroup posts don't carry specific ”to” and "from” infor-
`mation like a BBS, adding newsgroups to a bulletin board can pre-
`sent some unique challenges to BBS software and sysops. Users can
`sometimes be confused by the difference between a newsgroup and
`the way it operates, as contrasted to other message areas on the BBS.
`But newsgroups present unique challenges to the BBS operator for
`another reason: their sheer volume.
`
`In addition to the massive number of newsgroups available, popu-
`lar groups can carry hundreds of messages each and every day. While
`some BBS software can support a heavy message load of this sort,
`most cannot. Among those that do, the processing power and stor-
`age space needed for the job may be unreasonable. For this reason,
`most BBS sysops that carry newsgroups settle for a subset of the
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 123
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 123
`
`
`
`124
`
`Chapter
`
`An Introduction to the Internet
`
`total available groups selecting those that their users want or need
`or that pertain the subject matter of the BBS Carrying all available
`newsgroups is called afull news feed most BBS software cannot be
`realistically expected to handle that At this writing full news feed
`system to handle between two and ten messages per sec
`requires
`ond all day every daya pretty hefty load
`
`Telnet
`
`is the most popular method of remotely logging into com
`Telnet
`user could for example telnet to
`puter system over the Internet
`library catalog system and search the catalog for particular book
`Many sites on the Internet can be accessed via telnet For BBS
`operator there are two aspects of telnet that are important
`inbound
`and outbound
`
`Inbound telnet refers to the ability to have Internet users call your
`BBS by using the telnet protocol This type of access is very power
`conventional modem-to-modem
`ful indeed instead of placing
`dial-up telephone call from their computer to the one running your
`BBS they can use telnet to simply connect without really dialing
`at all With the growing number of people who have the type of
`Internet access that provides telnet many entrepreneurial and busi
`ness BBS want
`this capability in order to extend the reach of their
`services to greater audiences
`Outbound telnet refers to the ability to enable users of your BBS to
`telnet other systems on the net
`caller can dial up your BBS and
`to other systems be they
`host to connect
`library card
`use it as
`catalog weather irformation center multiuser game commonly
`called MUDs or whatever
`user doesnt have any other Internet
`access they can use your BBS as way to get it
`
`If
`
`Issues of cost are strong motivators for telnet access whether
`inbound or outbound Throughout most of the developed world
`consumer-type Internet access is relatively speaking inexpensive to
`obtain At the time this book was prepared the market price within
`the United States for basic Internet access ran between $15 and $30
`per month But if for that $30 per month you can connect
`to
`wealth of information on distant computer systems at no additional
`cost the cost savings far outweigh the small monthly fee Many
`
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation, Ex. 1028, p. 124
`
`
`
`Figure 6-4.
`Telnet session to a
`library catalog using a
`Windows—based telnet
`client program
`
`Introduction to the Internet
`
`125
`
`flfi
`nry..m Irlm-I
` _
`
`;— ----------------------------------------------- "Denver Public Library———— --
`UI|l0R(:):
`Bryant,
`film: D.
`ryant.
`ITLE(s):
`Cnsating :uccIssful bulletin board xyutan: /
`nlam D.
`Reading. Hess.
`: Rddison-Uuluy.
`1991.
`until. 393 p.
`1
`ill.
`:
`23 cu.
`Includes index.
`
`SIRYIJS:
`In trans it
`Computer b