Xavian BBS

By

Star Tech Software

Introduction:

Xavian was originally written by Daniel J Guinan, who then licensed the program (on unfavorable terms to him) to Star Tech for distribution and enhancement.

Xavian, like U.E.S., is a BBS program built on a solid foundation: with tremendous potential that was simply pulled short. It is an op-code driven system, which means that menus are nothing more than a displayable part and a programmed part. The programmed part is an activation sequence (the command the user enters) and a series of commands executed when this sequence is encountered. As mentioned above, U.E.S and Zelch 128 both use this system, although only Zelch 128 has fully implemented the possibilities entailed in such a system.

A programmable system needs to be have sufficiently low level op-codes to allow flexibility, while also having the power to compete with large programs. U.E.S. and Xavian do neither of these, which is a real shame. It is like writing a programming language, and making the language too high level to do new things, or not including enough commands such that your computer's resources are not fully utilitized.

Anyway, Xavian is a program with potential, but unrealized. It is an ASCII only program with a handfull of op-codes all implemented on a very high level. It is not terribly powerfull, though it is fairly easy to use for a op-code BBS program.

Xavian does, however, have the best BBS intro screen I've seen.

The Facts:

Hardware Information

Computer    :   Commodore 64 or 128 in 64 mode
Video       :   40 columns
Drives      :   CBM, limited CMD (no parts, no subdirs)
Modems      :   1650, Hesmodem, 1670, Hayes (300-2400)
Input       :   Keyboard
Output      :   Screen, printer optionally
RAM use     :   N/A
Special     :

General

Pgm Struct  :   Single program
Menu Struct :   Programmable hotkey menus, with generated displays
Translation :   ASCII only
Access      :   99 levels, somewhat customizable (incremental only)
Handle/ID   :   Handles allowed, users listed by ID
User info   :   Handle, name, access, last call
User Logs   :   Not implemented
Calls/Time  :   No call limit, time limit hard coded by level
Network     :   N/A
Customizing :   Somewhat
  Programs  :   Compiled BASIC, not changable
  Displays  :   Menus are derived and unchangable, others are SEQ files
  Commands  :   Limited programmability, menus are customizable
Areas       :
  E-mail    :   Commands appear on any menus in which they are placed
  Messages  :    "
  Transfers :    "
  Network   :   N/A
  Programs  :   N/A
  Text      :   Commands appear on any menus in which they are placed
  User Cmds :    "
  SysOp     :    "
  Voting    :   N/A
  News      :   Single file
  Help      :   N/A
Other       :

SysOp Utilities and Support

Offline     :   Menu and SEQ editors available
Online      :   Access change, chat
Remote      :   User, SEQ file editors
On-L Display:   User information window
W.F.C. Utils:   Parameters, simple terminal program
Chatting    :   From any prompt
User        :   Full editor available
Msg Bases   :   From offline menu editor only, plus delete msg function
Transfers   :   From offline menu editor
Programs    :   N/A
Network     :   N/A
Drives      :   DOS prompt available
Terminal    :   Simple ASCII terminal, no transfers

News

Structure   :   Single file only
Header      :   No set header
Weeding     :   But SysOp
Display     :   At logon

Messages

Structure   :   Linear style, unlinked
Bases       :   Bases linked to menu commands (1 base per msg base cmd)
Limits      :   Enforced by SysOp
            :
Reading     :   Individual messages only
Headers     :   From, to, subject, date
Format      :   Text only
Writing     :   New posts only, no replies
Anonymous   :   Not allowed
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Message Editor

Structure   :   Line editor
Commands    :   Hitting return on blank line gives a menu
Editing     :   Rewrite a line, delete
Formatting  :   No formatting supported
Graphics    :   Not supported

Transfers

Bases       :   Open directory system, commands associated with bases
Storage     :   As marked files
Limits      :   Enforced by SysOp
Credits     :   No credit system implemented
Protocols   :   Punter
Headers     :   Filename, type, blocks
Selection   :   By name
Listing     :   Directory only
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Text Libraries

Structure   :   As constructed in a menu, the display of defined files
Storage     :   As standard SEQ files
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

E-Mail

Structure   :   Commands appear in any menu
Sending     :   By ID
Receiving   :   At logon, or on demand
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Program Libraries

Structure   :   N/A
Programs    :   N/A
Network     :   N/A
Other       :   N/A


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