ML> I'd personally keep running Maximus on x86 Windows. 
 ML> Maximus v3.01 (DOS) is stable. All the other platforms are bodgey. 
 ML> As long as they keep making VMware work for Windows 2000 I'm happy.

 RdL> I might end up doing that.  I plan on retiring my 
 RdL> current desktop to replace it with a Sun workstation, 
 RdL> and could use the old desktop to run Max on Windows.  
 RdL> It's much newer than the old PII450 that runs my bbs 
 RdL> now. It just would have been so nice to be able to use

Mate I run my BBS on a Compaq Deskpro Pentium 100, 64 mb ram & 2 gb
disk. No hardware failures for me for half a decade plus.
 
 RdL> the Linux maximus :/  I'll still give the linux 
 RdL> version a try to see where it's at.

I'm sure it'll be an interesting challenge.

I used to be pro-Linux pro-Unix everything ... until I realised I was
caught in Linux elitist hype I grew out of it. Even the anti-MS jokes
became lame. 

These days I'm a cost-driven enterprising maniac. I live to make $$$.

Like most people I build upon existing skills, and I have a bigger Windows
skill base than Unix due to employment opportunity outcomes. Time is
precious, which explains my natural ignorance towards learning anything I
won't use to make money :) (via employment, capital growth or business
ventures) which includes Solaris. Except the BBS.

My guess is your Solaris fanaticism is derived from finding some Java job
in a large company that purports an high employee valuing atmosphere and
provides strong job security and career progression opportunities so you
see yourself easily vested for the next 5 - 10 years. 

Heh. Excuse my blatant cynicism :P

It's a wholesome feeling. I've experienced it. I suggest proceeding with
caution if this is the situation you're in and avoid being trapped.

But I'm ultimately a realist :) My only loyalty on earth is towards all
thingsMaximus. It doesn't want anything from me - The only innocent
relationship I got. Everything else are a means to an end.

I'm going to retire before I'm 35 or 40, and burn bridges in spectacular fashion.

 ML> Hmm. The whole DOS EMU part may be entirely independent of Maximus.

 ML> Because Maximus can run doors after being unloaded from 
 ML> memory (eg. via Xtern_Erlvl) it could be reasonably 
 ML> assumed that running doors only require the same 
 ML> process of passing hot com ports/handles/sockets (for 
 ML> DOS/NT/Linux respectively) to DOS EMU - assuming 
 ML> Xtern_Erlvl works the same under Linux as DOS or OS/2.

[...]

 RdL> I've always used Xtern_Dos in my menus.ctl to execute 
 RdL> batch files to start doors. Is that any different?  

Not really. Only in how much memory is used.

Table 6.1 in Max.doc explains the different execution methods.

Basically with Xtern_Dos you're swapping to shell by starting another shell
(or command intepreter (ie. command.com/cmd.exe in Windows)). With
Xtern_ErLvl you exit the BBS program entirely.

I only mention it because socket handling should be the only important
aspect of running external programs. DOS EMU shouldn't be any different.
Which means theoretically (because I haven't tested or don't know for sure)
the BBS has nothing to do with running doors. You don't even need a BBS to
run doors. Its all got to do with sockets. The client and the server.

 RdL> I'm sure the Synchronet guys will have useful 
 RdL> information.  Even if Max needs some tweaking to work 
 RdL> with DOSEMU, it will be well worth it.  There are 

So far Deuce tells me there were some adaptations in Synchronet code to
make it run smoother with DOS EMU. Apart from that nobody's maintaining
that part of the source anymore and it's not "needed". I'm still
seeking clarification.

 RdL> external programs people use other than doors such as 
 RdL> EZ-ROM, one liner programs during login, etc... there 
 RdL> is more to a bbs than doors, but people won't call my 
 RdL> bbs without doors.  I would imagine any other 
 RdL> potential Maximus/Linux sysop would agree.

When I said "doors" I meant anything communicates through its own
coms layer eg. FOSSIL/winsock etc.

 RdL> Thanks for taking the time to look into this.

No worries. I'm curious too; might need to run Maximus on Solaris one day ... :)

 RdL> You asked earlier why anyone would want to use 
 RdL> Solaris, and hinted that you are a big Red Hat fan.  
 RdL> I'll admit I'm a big Sun fan.  Some big plusses about 
 RdL> Solaris 10 : 

 RdL> 1) ZFS lets you expand your file system by adding more 
 RdL> drives to the "pool".  

But this is generally RAID and slicing. A lot of filesystems support it.

 RdL> 2) TCP/IP stack in Solaris 10 is up to 300% faster 
 RdL> than any other OS because of a complete redesign. 

. Do you notice the difference ?

I run my network on 10 mbits :)

 RdL> 3) Solaris containers (virtual servers) are very fast, 
 RdL> easy to configure and very secure.  Even if an app 
 RdL> crashes the whole virtual OS in a container it can't 
 RdL> affect other containers or the main system.  US DoD, 

Yeah but this is a typical aim of VMware-like designs. Except for the
speed. But I'd imagine if VMware had its own native hardware it'd run fast
too.

 RdL> military and banks trust Solaris containers.  

If that's a fact I won't argue it :)

 RdL> 4) DTrace lets you monitor and debug any running 
 RdL> application without the source, recompiling or 
 RdL> restarting the app or OS. 

Hmm. I'm sure there'd be similar apps for Linux / Windows. I just use
compiler profilers :)

 RdL> 5) It's been around since 1982.  Rock solid security, 
 RdL> performance and scalability.

Mainly because of its proprietary nature. You're describing a state of
Solaris that requires it to be running on Sun hardware.

 RdL> I'm a Java developer.  I love Sun's Java, IDE, 
 RdL> application server, developer support, hardware, 
 RdL> Solaris, and other products like directory server, 
 RdL> etc... I'm a brand loyal guy and want to change my 
 RdL> network of various linux distros and OS's to Solaris 
 RdL> on everything.  I'm sure there are many people who 
 RdL> would not want to do this for whatever reason.  This 
 RdL> is just my home network and my opinion. Everyone is 
 RdL> free to use whichever distros and programming languages they want. 

I hear there's a mass exodus from Java (back) to C++ :)

 RdL> BTW Sun is running a campaign trying to convert Red 
 RdL> Hat Enterprise Linux users to Solaris.  I think some 
 RdL> of their points are:

[...]

I use RH 6.2 because it's the last pre-xinetd release. And I have heaps of
printed LDPs, and Rh 6.2 specific security .PDFs etc. and it's a relatively
small 1.2 gb full install. And some attached sentimental value.

I never used anything beyond 6.2 beause I'm paid to be a Windows man these days.

 RdL> I predict your reply will have a bunch of pro-Red Hat, 
 RdL> anti Solaris information :)  FYI, I don't want to 
 RdL> engage in a flame war.  You asked why anyone would 
 RdL> want to use Solaris, so I answered. 

Man you should be an embassador for the UN :)

--- Maximus 3.01