Maximus-CBCS v1.02 -- not just a bug-fix! (or: The only BBS with a built-in Oracle!) Maximus-CBCS v1.02 was released on 08/07/90. In addition to a general cleanup of everything in v1.00, version 1.02 offers the following NEW major features: * An internal multi-line chat and paging system. We believe that Maximus is the first free BBS to incorporate this feature. These routines are DESQview, DobuleDOS, and NetBIOS-compatible, so no matter what type of multi-line system you're running, Maximus can handle it. * SOURCE CODE! Maximus includes the C/ASM source for MAX.EXE itself and the system utilities. The code is available NOW, after a long time of post-1.00 waiting. (See below.) * One of the most flexible menu handlers available. Although Maximus is configured to look like Opus by default, the distribution kit also comes with a set of PCBoard-emulating menus, just to show that Maximus can stand on its head and tapdance at the same time. New menu structures can be defined easily, so you aren't restricted to either the PCBoard or Opus designs. Although the default menu design requires little effort to maintain, you can optionally have a different menu for each message/file area, or even create entirely new menu structures, ala' QBBS. This gives you the best of both worlds, allowing you to use the "canned" menus if you're short on time, but also enabling you to use customized menus if you DO have the time. * Ability to change messages after entering. Maximus allows one to re-edit an already-saved message, with either the built-in full-screen editor, or the line-oriented editor. * Even though Maximus 1.02 included over 400K of documentation, they have been revised and expanded, so Max 1.02 now comes with over 650K of docs! Maximus is one of the only BBS programs whose documentation can be accurately measured in POUNDS! * Max now includes built-in generation for several door files, including DORINFOx.DEF, CALLINFO.BBS, CHAIN.TXT and DOOR.SYS. Maximus can also generate ANY other ASCII-based door information file. * Maximus now supports hotkeys, independant of help level. If you don't like the HOTFLASH bar, you can still use hotkeys. Hotkeys will now even work in TTY mode! * Maximus now supports a status line at the bottom of the screen, when using the fast Video IBM mode, which displays the user's name, phone number, real name, priv level, and time remaining. * Maximus now optionally allows high-bit characters in message areas, which is an ideal situation for non-English languages. * Several new system utilities have been added. Version 1.02 includes ACCEM, a decompiler for MECCA screens and scripts. This version is complete, and will even correctly decompile forward-referenced labels. * Max 1.02 includes Oracle, which is an external viewer for compiled MECCA files. It supports all of the new MECCA tokens, and displays files exactly as Maximus does. * An ANSI2MEC utility is now included, which performs a similar function to ANSI2BBS, except ANSI graphics will be converted to MECCA codes. This allows one to edit an ANSI file after conversion, instead of fiddling around with the binary ANSI2BBS output. * The message-area menu can now be configured to show areas which contain new mail. The area menu can also be configured for an automatic 2 or 3-column display, and will be generated on-the-fly, based on the user's priv level. * An entire slew of new MECCA tokens. The MECCA compiler can now handle wildcards, and can do timestamp comparisons for conditional compiling. In addition to a whole slew of informational and conditional tokens, MECCA also includes OACOMP-compatible simplified priv tokens, and tokens based on the current time of day. * Better LAN support. Maximus will now use SH_DENYNONE when opening most files, which means that it should run flawlessly on NetBIOS-compatible LANs. * Multi-line file comments. Users can now enter up to three lines of comments when uploading files. * External protocols can now be executed using an errorlevel method -- this means that you can run most protocols in tight-memory situations. In addition, this is transparent to the user, as are all other Xtern_Erlvl commands. * Maximus has a new Quick-Read mode, which allows the use of the left/right cursor keys for reading messages, in addition to the normal method. The hotkeys Alt-R (reply), Alt-E (enter), and Alt-K (kill) functions are there too, regardless of help level or hotkeys setting. These will even work on-line, if the user has a DoorWay function on his/her terminal! * With all of these new features, Maximus must be a real memory slob, right? It must at least take more memory than v1.00, right? WRONG. Maximus uses only 132K of memory, which includes ALL of the bells 'n whistles mentioned above, full-size nodelist support, etc. Maximus is tightly coded in C and assembler, which means that it's no slowpoke either. * Tired of all the obnoxious "Not Registered" tear lines, which try to use the tactic of PEER PRESSURE to get you to send $$$ to the author? Don't like companies using FidoNet, a group of non-profit hobbyists, as a proving ground for their commercial software? Fear not, since Maximus is FREE for non-commercial users! * In addition to the above new features (which are not a complete list, by all means), Maximus 1.02 supports all of the features of version 1.00, including: - An internal, full-featured full screen editor. Includes paragraph wrapping! - Internal new-file checker and mailchecker. - A powerful MECCA script/display file language and compiler, which allows one to completely customize the BBS's display files, create on-line questionnaires, and more. - Internal support for all major file-transfer protocols, including Xmodem, Xmodem-1K, Telink, SEAlink and Zmodem. - Compatible with 99% of Opus 1.03 programs, and many Opus 1.10 progs. WHERE CAN I GET IT? =================== Convinced yet? If so, you can get Maximus by file request from the following systems, as MAX102-1.LZH (300k), MAX102-2.LZH (330k), and MAX102-3.LZH (230k). Even the magic filename "MAX" should get you the most current version: Address Phone Number Speed Capabilities Location --------- ------------ ----- ------------- ---------------- 1:141/209 203-483-0348 14400 HST V32 New Haven CT 1:163/218 613-830-2802 2400 Ottawa ON 1:167/125 514-355-6541 2400 Montreal PQ 1:225/1 705-476-6227 2400 North Bay ON 1:249/106 613-389-8315 14400 HST Kingston ON 1:249/122 613-542-5110 14400 HST Kingston ON 1:250/628 416-867-9663 14400 HST Toronto ON 1:273/701 215-641-0270 9600 HST Spring House PA 1:342/6 403-424-3258 9600 HST Edmonton AB 2:2/108 +33164090460 14400 HST V32 Paris, France 2:320/5 +33164090663 2400 MNP Paris, France 3:640/820 61-7-371-5864 9600 V22b V32 PEP Brisbane, AUS The distribution package includes MAX102-1.LZH, MAX102-2.LZH and MAX102-3.LZH, and is about 850K in total. Maximus should also be available from your local Software Distribution System node. The source code (MAXS_102.LZH, ~550k) should also be available from the SDS, 249/106, 249/122, 250/628, and probably most of the other sites listed above.