[FADCA] RE: New BBS Program Update

[Bill Sinbine]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Sinbine" <n4xeo@bellsouth.net>
To: <fadca@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2004 01:02
Subject: [FADCA] Update on NEW bbs program


 > Hi All
 >
 > I just got this message from Jeff on his workings with the new bbs program
 > that he is working on. I wanted to send this out for comments. Please
reply
 > to the list and lets see what you think and I'll compile your comments and
 > send them on to Jeff for his thoughts. From what he has said, he has done
a
 > LOT of work on this program already. Once I get a alpha copy (or is there
 > something before alpha!!)  up and running I'll let everyone know how it is
 > working..
 >
 >  From what he is saying below it almost sounds like he might be able to
 > build in a FPAC switch. I'll have to ask him about that. That would work
 > out GREAT for us that run co located devises.
 >
 >
 >
 > 73, Bill N4XEO
 >
 >
 > With the loadable modules, they're implemented as Windows DLL's, so
they're
 > always available, but never loaded into memory unless you are actively
using
 > them.
 >
 > I'm making it so you select an interface (com port, ethernet, whatever)
and
 > then attach to it a device driver to create a port (which would be a kiss
 > tnc, regular tnc or serial connection), then configure the port with a
 > number of channels using whatever protocols you want to run on the port.
At
 > the next level you configure static connections to other systems using the
 > ports.  These could be axip/axudp, tcpip encap, straight ax25, netrom, or
 > whatever.  Basically, to configure it, all you do is type in the name you
 > want to give the interface, select the physical device that it uses, tell
it
 > what physical device is hooked to it (tnc type,kiss tnc, serial cable, or
 > network card), bind whatever protocols you want to it, and define the
number
 > of channels you want to have available and the characteristics of each
 > channel.  Once you see it you'll see that it's really way easier than
trying
 > to configure fbb, or bpq.  The config will be all in one place kind of
like
 > AGW.
 >
 > I'm putting in a feature on each port/channel called "route discovery"
which
 > builds a both a protocol specific dynamic routing table and a global
dynamic
 > routing table with information it learns through discovery on the
 > ports/channels you define.  By doing it this way it enables you to define
 > static routes (permanent) and also let the system discover routes on it's
 > own.  The tables are maintained separately for flexibility and to enable
you
 > to "lock in" certain paths.
 >
 > I've also started to do the same thing on the message routing.  I want to
be
 > able to build a routing table for message forwarding based on what the
 > system sees in message R lines.  From that information it will learn both
 > path information and assign a routing "cost" based on the number of hops
and
 > the difference in the time stamps from one R line to another.
 >
 > The version I've been working on is strictly Win32, so it won't run on an
 > older DOS system, but I may be able to do a compile that will work on
those
 > systems also.  So far I've been able to get the base program without any
 > modules to load on Windows 95, 98, 2000, and XP.  A couple of more
features
 > and I should be able to send you a very early copy to check out.
 >
 > _______________________________________________
 > FADCA mailing list
 > FADCA@mailman.qth.net
 > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/fadca
 >
 >


Bill -

First you need to know how impressed I am with Jeff's note - I didn't
understand a word!  The reason I'm impressed is that this is the kind of
note I get from Rick KN6KB who writes the Telpac, Paclink, and much of the
WL2K software - those guys talk the same language - and Rick delivers, so
I'm positive Jeff will also!

I did pick up on one buzz phrase - "bind whatever protocols you want to
it" - that is a large leap into the 21st Century for digital ham radio, and
I'll bet no small step for Jeff.

Sounds like Jeff is moving right along - and I'll offer some comments -
pardon if some of them are the same as before - but at least I'll be
consistent.

Hope this works with AGWPE (at least as an option)  Among other issues, this
should allow the use of sound cards as well as hardware TNC and would also
let other programs share the TNC/Radios (Paclink, Telpac, terminal program,
etc.)

Must work with XP as well as Win98/ME.  Jeff certainly has my permission to
not spend any of his time on DOS.  We really do have to draw the line
someplace, and there is so much on the horizon we need to be able to employ
that will not be DOS compatible.

Some sort of message auto exchange (forwarding) with WL2K PMBO software in
the same machine or LAN.  Telnet would work if nothing else;PMBO has Telnet
Server and Client if needed.

Suggest Rick Muthing, KN6KB, get with Jeff to discuss possibility of B2F
protocol being added to the choices of compression levels during message
transfers. This would lead to full Ham Radio Email compatibility with
WL2K/Paclink.  (Let this be Rick's call)

If a direct dedicated physical device (TNC) is used - and not in cmd: mode,
the program should put the device into what ever operation mode (KISS /
Host, etc) when the port is activated, and take the TNC out and back to cmd:
mode when the TNC is no longer needed by the program.

Oh, yes - if this Windows program could run an FPAC-compatible /work-alike
that would be great - a good first step for updating the Florida Layered
Network for sure.

I highly recommend that Jeff become familiar with the concepts/use of
Paclink and Telpac (as well as the WL2K system) as these programs/system
will be the primary user software/systems and model in the future for Ham
Radio Digital Messaging.  Paclink and WL2K PMBO software require MS Net
Framework 1.1.  With the WL2K model/system we are migrating end user
interface to the user's familiar e-mail client (Outlook Express, Outlook,
Eudora, Netscape, etc.).

We are in a transition period for certain - that is why we hired Jeff!  What
he is doing will tie the ancient methodology of the 20th century to the
modern ways of the 21st century.  Actually, while I have no definitive
information, my crystal ball, while blurry, shows our VHF packet network
running a different protocol one of these days - at lest in some areas ..
where a WinXP computer w/sound cards replaces the FPAC box and the
on-the-air protocol is not AX.25 per se, but something more like what is on
HF - and the effective throughput will be at least 2x 1200b packet, perhaps
approaching 9.6kb packet on all ports.  Just my crystal ball which has not
developed a crack or serious flaw in 52 years of being licensed.

Jeff, you Go, Man!

bud N0IA