Hey Nancy!

> The first and third look identical to me.

Yeah.  Had to try it though.

> If I were to try to use the URL, I'd hope I'd have enough sense
> to put it all back together anyway

Right.  I doubt it is a big deal given that neither of us seems to really care.

> so it may only be 79...

After the BBS gets ahold of it, then 80 with the 80th reserved for the null
terminator.  For these replies I've been setting it to format to 75
characters before posting.  For some I've been doing it less than that and
the BBS honours my settings since they are less than 80.  If I leave it
totally up to the BBS with no wordwrapping at my end then sometimes the
lines get truncated far too soon and it looks sloppy.  75 seems to be the
best but not always.  Your reader/editor seems fine with this scheme.

> My Wizard tells me that except the addition in mine of function
> key macros,

This version has a couple and the rest could be programmed.  I haven't
played with it much yet but noticed that F1 brings down the drop down menus
at the top and F10 fires up a file browser with directories on the left and
the files listed on the right.  The editor/viewer can be split into
vertical and/or horizontal windows with differing files or buffers loaded
into whichever one amuses me at the time.  As an offline messaging thingy
it would be just fine and I'm going to try out the internal ftp client with
a local ftp server here before going any further with that idea.

> it's pretty much identical to the Unix/Linux version.
Okay.  This was the only source I could successfully compile using a pure
64 bit enviroment without jumping through too many hoops, patching and/or
hacking the crap out of it.

> using it at work with a VAX,

Been there done it.  That was a long, long, long time ago.

> and introduced me to the DOS version when

Understood.  I can understand why.

> The Wizard says that vi is good too

I started using vi when I was thrust into the Unix world.  Since then it is
what I am used to but it has gotten vastly overbloated since then. I could
say the same for Emacs which has gotten even more overbloated but
MicroEmacs seems like a good throwback to the good ol' less bloated days.

> except WordStar on my sister's computer before we got ours set
> up at home.

I managed to escape that.  However qedit on DOS was really nice.  It was
the only editor I cared for in DOS world.  HP tried porting it to Unix
world but I don't think it went anywhere and I haven't heard anything about
it since.

> Ok, I understand the telnet for the setting configs

The web interface has a few user configurable things but telnet covers far
more options, and they seem to all work.

> done anything with ftp or http for messages.

For offlining ftp would be the ultimate.  I'd have to write something for
telnet and http can and will drop out if messaging a long message online.
Cutting and pasting a preformatted message is the way to go using http or
at least using a text browser.

> It looks like you are doing it the hard way

It is either this or nothing.

> a real offline reader/door combination makes it easy

Not in linux.  No viable way of uploading/downloading to a DOS based BBS
without hacking a suitable zmodem emulator.  There used to be one but it
was really flakey and I doubt the source will work anymore, especially on a
64 bit system but even 32 bit is debatable these days.

> There also probably is a linux QWK offline reader,

A couple of them.  However the problem with uplaoding/downloading is the
outstanding incompatibilty.  Same can be said with any other Fido
application due to the DOS-think programmers defining integers as 16 bit.
The fools eh?  ;-)

> QWK door...

Won't work anymore.  Dialup has been dead here for over a decade now and I
seriously doubt it'll make a resurgance anytime in the forseeable future.
Heck even dialup using handhelds are using tcpip as opposed to the more
traditional serial connections of DOS based BBSing.

> I suppose you could experiment with it,

I think this might be the best it ever gets.  We'll see.

> when you upload the text in telnet...

Understood.  I doubt it is worth the effort.  If the text offling with ftp
comes to be then would be the ideal.  Otherwise the way I am currently
doing it will be the best it ever gets for as long as it is still doable.

> No clue on that... ;)

It would be netcat without the need for netcat.  Jiggery-pokery as I like
to call it.  :-)

> Have you tried telnetting to Holodeck?  holo.homeip.net

Might try it just because I can.

> there was a problem that came up and he went back to Sync/TG.

Understood.  Neither will work for uploads/downloads with this end but
telnet works fine.  Always has since before DOS except then it was on a
Sparc and running Solaris.  Definetly has worked since I switched to Linux
on ye ol' 486.  That was a real lifesaver for me back then.  gcc.  Gotta
love it although it is probably more of a love/hate relationship with me.
Oh well.  I have yet to see anything better all things considered and it
keeps the grey matter more or less functional these days.

Life is good,
Maurice

--- BBBS/LiI v4.01 Flag