MiniNet Version 1.03

          Sysop Documentation

    Copyright (c)1983 David J. Ulmer


  Since     I     recently     noticed 
documentation   for  an  Auto   Answer 
circuit for the Model 100 being placed 
here  in this SIG,  I decided I  would 
put  up  my BBS software system to  go 
with it.   I have been running Mininet 
with  my  own cluged  up  auto  answer 
circuit  for many months now with good 
success.  Documentation  for the  Auto 
Answer circuit can be found in XA4: as 
TELECO.DO   and  SCHEM.TEL  and   this 
should  work fine  with  MiniNet.  The 
auto  answer  circuit can be built  on 
less  than  a square  inch  of  vector 
board and either pasted inside the 100 
on  top  of the two relays or  outside 
soldered to the phone connector.

 I  have  uploaded  two  versions   of 
MiniNet  that  I am using,  Version  3 
automatically  saves the oldest  files 
to cassette when the memory gets full. 
This makes the User wait quite a while 
sometimes during upload but makes sure 
nothing  geDs  lost.   Version  4   is 
smaller  and  doesn't  save  files  to 
cassette,  the Sysop is expected to do 
this  manually and not burden the User 
with  waiting for this time  consuming 
cassette save operation.

 1.  To  use MiniNet you will need  an 
operational  auto  answer  circuit  as 
mentioned above. 

 2.  Create a file MENU.DO to  contain 
the  title block and main menu for the 
MiniNet  sytem.   The  format  is   as 
follows:
(Title Block)
  ************************************
  *        MiniNet Main Menu         *
  ************************************
  *  1. Goodbye         2. Upload    *
  *  3. Delete          4. Help      *
  ************************************
(Blank Line)
(Main  Menu  Items  go  from  here  on 
like:)
5. DAVE's     10:02:35 on Fri 12/09/83
6. DEBBIE's   08:31:21 on Sat 12/10/83
(etc...)
 You  can put any text you want in the 
title block to identify your  personal 
network.

3.  Create user names and passwords in 
your ADRS.DO file separating them with 
commas.  You can place other ADRS info 
after the password
 Format like this:

JOHN,BAREFOOT, :5551234 <>:
SALLY,SLEEPS
DAVE,NETWORKING, 70125,532 etc...

 Mininet  doesn't  check for upper  or 
lower  case  so I recommend  that  all 
users  have their NAMES and  PASSWORDS 
in upper case.

4. Setup a function key like:

 KEY1,"RUN"+CHR$(34)+"MINET3"+CHR$(13)

 This  is so that you can restart  the 
network with a single keystroke.

5.  Load  MINET3 into ram and save  it 
with  that name.  Change the  text  in 
line 135 to say whatever you want. Add 
any other opening messages here too.

6. You can change the U=18 in Line 110 
to  a lesser value to limit the number 
of files MiniNet uses in your machine. 
This  number should be one  more  than 
the  maximum number of items you  want 
in the menu.

7.  Using  TEXT create a file MU  4.DO 
(don't  forget the space!) and load in 
the MINET3.USR help file.

8.  Swith the modem switch on the side 
of the 100 to ANS and RUN MINET3. Your 
own personal network should now be  up 
and running!

THEORY OF OPERATION:

 MiniNet    was    designed   as    an 
experimental Simple Social Network for 
use by beginning Networkers.  The fact 
that  the  100 has only a  maximum  of 
about  21K of network database  space, 
information  overload  is   prevented. 
This  small  memory also acts to  keep 
the  network lively since  it  doesn't 
remember  things too long,  this helps 
keep users logging in  regularly.  The 
fact that MiniNet quickly forgets past 
messages   makes   the  system   quite 
forgivable to novice networkers.

 When   operating  MiniNet  you   will 
notice  that the first  file  uploaded 
will  be menu item #5 the next will be 
#6  and so on until (U-1 in Line  110) 
is reached.  When the menu is full the 
oldest   file  #5  will   be   deleted 
automatically   and  all  other  files 
renumbered (ie.  #6 becomes #5 and  so 
on). You will notice on the 100's MENU 
that  these  menu files are  named  
MU #.DO and as Sysop you can read  the 
files in TEXT mode.

 Be  careful  not to muck with the  MU 
#.DO files too much because it is easy 
to mess things up.  Deleting the  last 
file  on the Menu is easy,  just go to 
MENU.DO  and CUT off the  last  entry. 
Then  you  can KILL"MU #.DO" for  that 
last  entry.  Never delete any of  the 
middle   numbered  files   this   way. 
Actually  its  best  to  do  all  file 
deletions  as  a User,  using  the  #3 
Delete   function   (Of  course   this 
assumes you have two computers and two 
phone lines as I have).

 As sysop of a MiniNet system with two 
100's and phone lines,  I always  call 
up MiniNet and upload my messages just 
like  any other user.  If all you have 
is a single phone line,  uploading  is 
going  to be a real problem.  You will 
have  to create the next MU #.DO  file 
in TEXT mode and enter its ID line  in 
the  MENU.DO  file manually.  THE  BIG 
CAUTION here is that in TEXT mode  you 
must   keep  your  LINE  LENGTH  under 
control.  I  recommend that all  users 
send their text with a line length  of 
38  characters,  so as Sysop you  will 
have  to learn to hit ENTER at the end 
of each line so that excessively  long 
lines  aren't  sent out to  the  users 
(this  can  cause errors).  A  utility 
program  should  be written  to  allow 
Sysop's to do simulated uploading.

 When  in operation  MiniNet  displays 
the  Time,  Names and Times that  your 
users  called  in,  #'s and  Names  of 
files deleted, and  any Error messages 
issued.

 Errors  can be caused by many  events 
like  users  not logging off with  #1, 
calling  the network  without  logging 
in,   sending lines that are too long, 
hitting Control-Z, etc...

DISCLAIMER:

 I'm putting this MiniNet software out 
in the public domain as an unsupported 
prototype.  I'm  sorry but my time  is 
short these days and I may not be able 
to  answer  all questions  about  this 
software.  I'm  hoping the user  group 
will  pick up MiniNet and help support 
it,  you will probably find it in need 
of some modification.

 Enjoy MiniNet!  Dave Ulmer 70125,532