Yes, I like to do the strange stuff from time to time.

https://pasteboard.co/JhAqzxH.png

Obviously the BBC isn't really made for ANSI displays. It would be interesting to see if it's possible to get sbbs to become a viewdata (7E1) host at best
or at least supporting BBC and grahics in 8N1 at least. Maybe Deuce and/or DM can give me some guidance on how to accomplish such a feat based on the recent PETSCII additions.

Anyway, for anyone interested in this, it was accomplished using the BeebEM
BBC emulator with tpcser running on the PC as a gateway to the internet, and CommStar.

Reference here: https://acorn.huininga.nl/pub/software/BeebEm/BeebEm-4.14.68000-20160619/Help/serial.html

---
þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: SBBS on a BBC Micro
By: Nelgin to DOVE-Net.Synchronet_Sysops on Tue Jul 14 2020 03:50 am

Obviously the BBC isn't really made for ANSI displays. It would be interesting to see if it's possible to get sbbs to become a viewdata (7E1) host at best or at least supporting BBC and grahics in 8N1 at least. Maybe

I'm actually interested in this, and its on my list to see if I can do it.

My approach was to see how DM has done the PETSCI stuff, and then just add a ViewData port, and logic to send viewdata pages.

(I'm actually putting a viewdata shell to synchronet - but with ANSI, and once I have the "server" logic worked out, I plan on seeing if I can get it to render the original 40x25 7E1 frames...)

Anyway, for anyone interested in this, it was accomplished using the BeebEM BBC emulator with tpcser running on the PC as a gateway to the internet, and CommStar.

I've used BeebEM (on a MAC) - and since it can do tcpip, I've used their viewdata emulator to render viewdata frames from a Pi running VHOST (RISC OS).

...ëîåï

... The God's play games with men as balls.

---
þ Synchronet þ Alterant | an SBBS in Docker on Pi!
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: SBBS on a BBC Micro
By: alterego to Nelgin on Thu Jul 16 2020 16:50:23

My approach was to see how DM has done the PETSCI stuff, and then just add a ViewData port, and logic to send viewdata pages.

Easier said than done. I did a fair amount of work on it and ditched in favor of writing a service. It's working nicely and I'm populating it with content from rss feeds, just to give it something for people to look at. Some of the pages don't parse correctly for now, but otherwise it's a good starting point.

I have an interface that responds to 0-9 or # key pressed, directly *number# pages and a keywords system. For example *NEWS# will take you to *100# which is the news index.

*00 will refresh rather than just redraw the page, since I figure line noise isn't going to be an issue. I will make *09 do the same. I will eventually incorporate the *# page history, that's on the todo list. Oh, it also handles the auto generation of subframes, so when writing content if I was to get to page 1000z then it'll create 1000aa. True to the original interface, you cannot go directly to a subframe so page on through!

I've used BeebEM (on a MAC) - and since it can do tcpip, I've used their viewdata emulator to render viewdata frames from a Pi running VHOST (RISC OS).

Can't say I've ever noticed that BeebEm can do notice natice tcp/ip. I'll have to look into that.

---
þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: SBBS on a BBC Micro
By: Nelgin to alterego on Thu Jul 23 2020 11:09 am

Easier said than done. I did a fair amount of work on it and ditched in favor of writing a service. It's working nicely and I'm populating it with content from rss feeds, just to give it something for people to look at. Some of the pages don't parse correctly for now, but otherwise it's a good starting point.

What did you write your service in?

I originally started writing a viewdata service in PHP - had it functional too - that handled both ANSI and Viewdata char sets. I have the viewdata char set running off my website (although I should bring it up again).

I ported everything to run in javascript via Synchronet, and the reason I went that path is I wanted to leverage the mail and mailer functions that Synchronet provides (for sending data between nodes and echomail) as well as user administration and access controls.

My goal is to make this InterBBS - I have a crazy idea of having a "BBS Internet" - where many nodes run the interface and page updates make it to each node (hence using mail in Synchronet). IE: You could be the "owner" of prefix "123" and as you update pages in that prefix on your BBS, it is sent to all other nodes as well - so any user on any BBS can see your frames in "123".

My Sychronet implementation is working - I've made it available with ANSI, since I thought that would be easier for folks to consume (eg: using just a Syncterm), and with better real-eastate (80x22 cols and ANSI colors - although I'd like to extend that to ANSI 256 colors).

You can navigate to frames *xxx# and 00 09 *# ** are working as well. I've also just finished frame edit so *04# or *04page[a-z] enables you to edit/add new frames. (Edit is not complete, because I need to have page configuration online as well - but you edit the resulting frame file at the moment.)

We should combine efforts - and then get DM to enable a viewdata port :)

...ëîåï

... A diplomat is a man who thinks twice before saying nothing.

---
þ Synchronet þ Alterant | an SBBS in Docker on Pi!
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

alterego wrote:

Re: SBBS on a BBC Micro
By: Nelgin to alterego on Thu Jul 23 2020 11:09 am

Easier said than done. I did a fair amount of work on it and ditched in favor of writing a service. It's working nicely and I'm populating it with
content from rss feeds, just to give it something for people to look at. Some of the pages don't parse correctly for now, but otherwise it's a good
starting point.

What did you write your service in?

Javascript.

I originally started writing a viewdata service in PHP - had it functional too - that handled both ANSI and Viewdata char sets. I have the viewdata char set running off my website (although I should bring it up again).

I ported everything to run in javascript via Synchronet, and the reason I went that path is I wanted to leverage the mail and mailer functions that Synchronet provides (for sending data between nodes and echomail) as well as user administration and access controls.

That's my plan.

My goal is to make this InterBBS - I have a crazy idea of having a "BBS Internet" - where many nodes run the interface and page updates make it to each node (hence using mail in Synchronet). IE: You could be the "owner" of prefix "123" and as you update pages in that prefix on your BBS, it is sent to all other nodes as well - so any user on any BBS can see your frames in "123".

I wouldn't be up for that. I wouldn't want people I don't know adding content to my system beyond which is already available on the 'nets unless I give them some sort of authorization.

My Sychronet implementation is working - I've made it available with ANSI, since I thought that would be easier for folks to consume (eg: using just a Syncterm), and with better real-eastate (80x22 cols and ANSI colors - although I'd like to extend that to ANSI 256 colors).

If it's ansi then it's not really videotex.

You can navigate to frames *xxx# and 00 09 *# ** are working as well. I've also just finished frame edit so *04# or *04page[a-z] enables you to edit/add new frames. (Edit is not complete, because I need to have page configuration online as well - but you edit the resulting frame file at the moment.)

We should combine efforts - and then get DM to enable a viewdata port :)

Maybe but it seems like we're taking different approaches. I'm going for the complete look and feel and it seems you're emulating it via ansi?

---
þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: SBBS on a BBC Micro
By: Nelgin to alterego on Fri Jul 24 2020 03:55 am

I wouldn't be up for that. I wouldn't want people I don't know adding content to my system beyond which is already available on the 'nets unless I give them some sort of authorization.

Right - so "anybody" cannot add content. They need to apply and request a prefix ownership (how it was done in the day) and once approved can edit any pages within their assigned prefix.

I'm controlling this with GPG - ie:
* You apply for access and provide your public key - encrypted by the "systems" public key.
* If your access is approved, your public key is sent to all nodes in the network, signed by the systems public key. Nodes recognise the system public key and thus accept the new key.
* When you author pages, you sign the page and post it in echomail.
* Systems that recognise your public key - and the signature matches will extract the page from the message base and make it available for viewing (replacing the existing copy if it existed).

Maybe but it seems like we're taking different approaches. I'm going for the complete look and feel and it seems you're emulating it via ansi?

Actually, I want both - I would like to have the original look and feel as well. I'd even like to reload Viatel pages, but my searches for anybody who may have them havent yielded any results. Rob O'Donnell has a DB of Prestel pages.

The reason I'm going down the ANSI path as well, is to build out functionality and its easier to test. Also I think folks who use it will find using an ANSI terminal emulator (eg: Syncterm) and little easier to get and use. I have put in a request of Deuce to support viewdata, not sure if he'll get there... That said, I could package up my viewdata web terminal...

...ëîåï

... All things are possible. Except skiing through a revolving door.

---
þ Synchronet þ Alterant | an SBBS in Docker on Pi!
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: SBBS on a BBC Micro
By: Nelgin to alterego on Thu Jul 23 2020 11:09 am

I've used BeebEM (on a MAC) - and since it can do tcpip, I've used
their viewdata emulator to render viewdata frames from a Pi running
VHOST (RISC OS).

Can't say I've ever noticed that BeebEm can do notice natice tcp/ip. I'll have to look into that.

I think I told you a lie here - I wasnt using BeebEM after all - I was using the BBCBasic emulator...

https://www.bbcbasic.co.uk/bbcsdl/

Running the emulator, there is a telstar client which works well...

...ëîåï

... I installed a skylight in my apartment... the people who live above me are furious!

---
þ Synchronet þ Alterant | an SBBS in Docker on Pi!
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: SBBS on a BBC Micro
By: alterego to Nelgin on Tue Aug 18 2020 11:44:23

I think I told you a lie here - I wasnt using BeebEM after all - I was using the BBCBasic emulator...
Running the emulator, there is a telstar client which works well...

Yes, it does. ANd that's what I've been using to test my videotex service. I've had to put the project on hold for a while because I need to shift my BBS to another system that is being shifted to another system, so lots of moving and reconfiging. Once I'm done then I'll be back working on the editor.

---
þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)