Hello mark,

On Tuesday June 09 2020 08:06, you wrote to me:

 AA>>> What is the point software that those point systems are using?

 MvdV>> Binkd, Fmail, Golded.

 ml> that's not "point software"... that's a full blown FTN mailer and
 ml> tosser with a sysop message base reader/editor being used as a point
 ml> ;)

Most point software only differs from full blown node software in the configuration.

 ml> "point software" is (generally) a dedicated purpose-written package
 ml> much like QWK/BW offline mail clients...

Not in this part of the world. āointing was born with the idea to give users direct access to the boss node system by using the same ārotocols as used between nodes. So it is no miracle that āoint software looks a lot like the software used by nodes. Some "āoint packages" were merely āreconfigured āackages of node software. Some authors of commercial software offered point version that were stripped down version of the node sofwtare. E.g by restricting it to connect only to one Boss node. Ever so often just by another (cheaper) key. Upgrading to node software could be done by buying a new key.

Also, many mailers were sold in single and multi line versions. Point always used the cheaper single line version.

Nowadays - now that commercial Fidonet software has gone the way of the Dodo, there is no reason for points not to use the full versions...

QWK/BW was never popular ere and AFAIK was never used by points. (I ave been the R28 Point Coordinator since 1996 or so.) In 1996 R28 had some 5500 registered points.


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303