Back to Table of Contents
Synchronet Features
General
- Designed from the ground up as a reliable and feature rich multi-node BBS
- Up to 250 simultaneous nodes with multi-node chat and external program
(door) support
- Sysop inter-node control (remote or local):
Interrupting - hang up on any node
Locking - only sysops can logon a locked node until the
lock is removed
Rerunning - re-executes BBS, reinitializing
configuration, etc.
Downing - shutdown a node from another remote node or
local console
- Real-time user database:
Amazingly complete user edit function
Remote changes to online-user data are immediately
effective
Disk image is always current for enhanced system fault
tolerance
Linked free-form data file for every user
International address and phone number support
- RIPscrip and WIP graphical user interfaces and
mouse support!
- Online, sysop configurable, chatting artificial intelligence engine
Multiple personalities available for your users to experience
- Pay BBS features:
Time credits, user expiration dates, credits, and 900/976 billing
Security
- ARS (Access Requirement String) security provides the
most flexible, comprehensive, and user friendly security available in the
BBS software industry
- Post/Call ratio, connect rates, time of day, and other user data fields
can be elements of any ARS security field
- Impenetrable to remote hackers
- 100 security levels with 104 sysop configurable flags per user
- Sysop can allow or disallow users to choose their own passwords
- Sysop can force periodic password changes (uniqueness is also forced)
Customization
-
Programmable Command and Menu Structure:
Includes free Baja shell/module compiler
Users can select a shell of their choice including emulations of other BBS
packages
Several shells included with Baja source code
The most configurable BBS available today:
Powerful object oriented menu driven configuration program
All menus, text, and colors are sysop configurable without source code
New User Questionnaire is available and customizable
All standard new user questions can be disabled individually
Over 120 message
variables (@-Codes) supported
Messaging
Hierarchical bi-level message areas with an unlimited number of
messages groups and an unlimited number of sub-boards within each group
-
QWK message off-line reader and networking support built-in
Off-line file requests
Off-line new message scan configuration and pointer adjustment
Send FidoNet or Internet NetMail from QWK REP packet
32-bit CRC duplicate message checking
Multiple compression formats supported
File attachments optionally automatically included
-
Inter-node message services:
Current node status - user online, action, connect rate, and more
User activity - credited downloads, mail activity, logons, and logoffs
Users can list active nodes and send private messages from any prompt
(even between external programs and the BBS)
Multi-channel multi-node chat with optional channel password protection
Private real-time node to node character by character chat with remote split
screen support
Users can send telegrams, single line messages, or enter private chat from any
prompt
User information (gender, age, location, etc) can be included in node status
display
Extensive networking capabilities:
Internal QWK network hub and node support with file transfer ability
FidoNet EchoMail and NetMail support
Send/Receive File Requests from within Synchronet
UTI drivers for PostLink Networks (RIME, ILink, etc)
Sub-boards can force real names
Allow/disallow/force private posts and anonymous posts per sub-board
Supports color codes for WWIV, PCBoard, Wildcat, and Celerity
Support for multiple networks of the same or different network technologies
with different addresses and tag/origin lines
Duplicate message checking using 32-bit CRC for QWK and Fido Networks
File Transfers
- Unlimited external transfer protocols with optional DSZLOG support
- Batch uploads, downloads, and bidirectional file transfers
- Transfer credit system is completely configurable
- File viewing, extraction, and partial downloading of archives
- Content rating, multi-disk numberings, and file upload dates can
automatically be added to file descriptions
- FILE_ID.DIZ and DESC.SDI files can be
automatically imported into extended file descriptions
- Personal user to user file transfers
- Optional batch download file flagging for user convenience
- Support for offline directories
- Multiple sysop file removal/move/edit search criteria
- Directories can be sorted by filename or date, ascending or descending
- Complete CD-ROM (single and multi-disk changer) support
- Optional forced upload directory can be invisible to users
- Optional allowance of blind (unsolicited) batch uploads with automatic DIZ
importation
- Download events available for adding files/comments just before download
(i.e. CD-ROM)
External Programs/Doors
- Unlimited number of external programs
- Multi-user or single user programs
- Programs that use DOS I/O (don't use COM port directly) supported
- 12 door file formats supported for an incredible level of compatibility
including:
DOOR.SYS, PCBOARD.SYS, USERS.SYS, CHAIN.TXT,
DORINFO#.DEF, EXITINFO.BBS, SFDOORS.DAT,
TRIBBS.SYS, CALLINFO.BBS, DOORFILE.SR,
and UTIDOOR.TXT
- Supports native WWIV color code expansion
- Free Software Development Kit (SDK) available for program development
- Comes with multiplayer Synchronet Blackjack game (with C source code)
- No batch file editing/programming necessary!
- Configurable credit cost on a per program basis
- Separate access requirements to see the program and execute
- Multiple Timed and Fixed Events:
Logon and logoff events
New user events
Upload events (integrity testing, adding of comments,
virus scan, etc.)
Node and system daily events
Timed events with support for forced exclusive execution
Version 3 (for Win32) Features
General
- All "nodes" run in a single multi-threaded process
- Minimal resource requirements and improved performance
- DOS Windows are automatically opened/closed for external DOS
programs/doors
- It's never been easier to run a 10+ node system (with DOS door
support) on one computer
- Professional GUI Synchronet Control Panel (SBBSCTRL) to monitor all
clients and servers simultaneously
- Replaces old "Waiting for call" screen
- Launch configuration and editor dialogs directly
- New Sysop Availability toggle button (replaces v2.3 Scroll-Lock
function)
- GUI User Editor
- Local and Remote Node Control/Spying
- Optionally plays sysop's choice of .WAV file on user
connect/disconnect
Internet
- Supports Telnet logins only (no more direct-dial user support)
- No third-party FOSSIL/Telnet driver (SIO/VMODEM, NetModem, COM/IP)
required
- Full FOSSIL/DOS/WWIV/XSDK program/door support (easy setup!)
- Outbound Telnet module included for external MUDs/BBSs
- Automatically detects and logs client IP and hostname
- Optional auto-logon via IP address (requires V exemption)
- Integrated FTP server
- Supports Anonymous (Guest) logins
- Virtual directory structure mimics BBS filebase hierarchy
- User security settings enforced
- Supports long/mixed-case filenames
- Dynamically generates index (description) files
- Supports blind upload and sysop directories
- QWK/QWKnet packet uploads and downloads
- Upload description support
- Transfers included in BBS and user upload/download statistics
- Time/Credit system enforced
- Custom login/hello/goodbye messages
- Optional connect/disconnect sounds (.WAV files)
- File aliases supported
Put links in your FTP root
directory to often access files
Link to files on your local hard
disk or your BBS filebase
Use general alias names to point
to often-changing versioned filenames
- Complete access to local file systems for remote sysops
- Integrated Mail (POP3/SMTP) server
- Check BBS mailbox using standard Internet mail clients (Eudora,
Outlook)
- SPAM Filters supported: RBL, RSS, DUL
- Configurable alias list
- Optionally receive mail by user number (1@yourbbs.com)
- Optional inbound/outbound sounds (.WAV files)
- Optional DNS/MX record lookup (no SMTP Relay Server required)
- Outbound Telnet/RLogin gateway function to run external MUDs, BBSs, and
TWGS
- Includes any-time ^] menu to see who is on the BBS, send messages,
etc.
- IP/hostname filter/trashcan files (ip.can/host.can) for all Internet
servers/services
Online Programs
Version 2 (for DOS) Features
- Enhanced DESQview, Windows, and OS/2 operation modes
- Runs under DOS 3.0 or higher on any 80x86 compatible computer with 450k
free RAM
- BBS can shrink to 288 bytes to execute external programs
- Interrupt driven COM I/O for the fastest through-put possible
- even with multiple nodes per CPU via a DOS multi-tasker
- Any COM port configuration supported (Intelligent and Non-Intelligent
Boards)
- Direct UART support as well as DigiBoard, FOSSIL, and PC BIOS int
14h drivers
- Automatic modem configuration for most modem brands and types
- DTE rates up to 115,200 baud
- Caller-ID support with optional trash-can file
- 48 Local macros and sysop function hot-keys
Back to Top
Copyright © 2000 by Rob Swindell
Synchronet BBS Software (Synchronet)
Version 3 is comprised of several documentation,
library, executable, and source code
files, all of which are covered by the
GNU General Public License with the exception of the following portions
covered by
the GNU Lesser General Public License:
SMBLIB and XSDK.
Synchronet Version 2 (for DOS and OS/2) and its source code was released to the
Public Domain by Digital Dynamics
in 1997 and remains Public Domain software today.
Synchronet Version 3 is not Public Domain software.
Rob Swindell
PO Box 501
Yorba Linda, CA 92885
http://www.synchro.net
For the complete Copyright Information please
read the Copyright Documentation
.