MV> dang the maximus online chatting system! 
 MV> when is the author of maximus gonna learn :) that its a 
 MV> _good_idea_ to be able to send inter-node online msgs 
 MV> to others on the BBS? 
 GM> I have a system like this setup here. You can hit /p 
 GM>   from the menu and the next time they 
 GM> see a menu the message is displayed (at the bottom of 
 GM> all my menus (custom) it checks for the flag tellign it 
 GM> the node was paged).
i'd love a util for Maximus that isn't restricted to sending "you are being 
paged by node " but could actually send online messages that would 
not interfere with the the other user's current activity or during non-idle 
times (ie. at menu prompts after the user has finished downloading, writing 
messages, exitted their xternal programs etc).
 MV> regardless of whether they're 
 MV> preoccupied XFERING A FILE, 
 GM> design a new protocol that supports messages being 
 GM> transfered while a user is transfering a file, and then 
me ? program ANYTHING ? bwahahaha.. you've got to be joking :)
 GM> get support for it in maximus (fairly easy via 
 GM> protocol.ctl) and in all your users terminal programs, 
 GM> and get people to use it.
 MV> or is ENTERING A MSG, or is 
 GM> write a new message editor that accepts pages while 
 GM> they're writing a message.
                                                          
now that's pointless :) because well, the user will eventally receive the 
page request anyway! although if he was writing one of those thoughtful-type 
ESSAYS, well... i wouldn't mind waiting as i'd probably have other things to 
do! :) but yeah, it'll be pesky if my time runs out before his does :)
 GM> Personally, i think it would be *EXTREMELY* annoying if 
 GM> while i was writing a message i got messages like "Hey! 
 GM> Can you help me with something please????" on my 
 GM> screen, but maybe that's just me.
well, have MaxED report a [Page] indicator in lightred foreground on blue 
backgrond next to that magenta "Insert" flag. i love using MaxED :) it's 
hardcore and does whatever i want it to, and is probably the most compatible 
fullscreen editor used with maximus, considering all the echomail 
switches/flavouring which i utilise often.
 MV> in XTERNAL PROGRAM etc.
 GM> ok, get all the door game authors to rewrite their 
 GM> doors so they check for the pages, and display them 
 GM> while a user is in the door.
well, apparently your problem solutions are to program your own (preferably 
in MEX). i'm looking for solutions at the source (ie. Maximus), as other 
software such as Ezycom can handle internode online messages :)
 GM> There is a bbs system that does all this btw (well, at 
 GM> least with doors).. it's called Major BBS. Mainly 
 GM> designed for (yech) pay-only bbses, probably because it 
 GM> costs over a thousand dollars for the actual bbs, then 
 GM> for each little add-on (like paging, or a bad-words 
 GM> filter, etc) it'll cost you around $100. Then each 
 GM> door, (which btw, have to be specially written for 
 GM> major bbs) you're gonna pay a few hundred to get ahold 
 GM> of.
ah. the Major BBS package is a pain in the arse to setup. and i really don't 
understand why its exhiliary software is so expensive.
 GM> Personally, i like Maximus, i like freeware, and i like 
 GM> free-access bbses (because hey, if i'm gonna pay for 
hey! i run Maximus too. i think its the best software ever.
 GM> anything, might as well pay for internet and get access 
 GM> to lots more than any Major bbs has to offer).
true.
 MV> and i'd appreciate a way of reducing the "[ name>]" field identifying people during CB/private 
 MV> chats to the essential 'user initials'! the darn thing 
 MV> eats half my chatting screen/line!
 GM> write a new Who Is Online thingy (i assume that's what 
 GM> youre talking about) or get StarWho. I'm using StarWho 
 GM> (although modified a bit :) ) here, it works great. 
 GM> When a user runs an external program/door game, i have 
 GM> a program i wrote setup to change their status, so it 
 GM> says something like " .. Playing LORD" or 
 GM> "Logging In" or "Logging off" or "Browsing door games" 
 GM> etcetc..
psfft. those sorts of utilities don't appeal to me, they're extra's that are 
next to useless. i don't like cluttering my bbsoftware with unessential 
"commodities". 
besides, you probably misunderstood my disposition. i wanted to be able to 
cutdown on the [] field in the CB-Chats or Private Chatrooms in 
Maximus as they take up a large portion of each 80column line.
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