Vision BBS v1.00

By

Kerry Messana

Introduction:

Vision falls cleanly into the category of the C-Net inspired bulletin boards. This conclusion is drawn from the look and feel of Vision's prompts and hard-coded display lists, from its complicated binary access system, the busy array of features that the user is presented with, the uncompiled basic module overlay scheme, and even from its horrible off-line configurators. Vision breaks from this mold however, by neglecting C-Nets highly modular structure and hard-coded menu commands.

Vision loader screen.

At the center of Vision is it's highly flexible menu structure. Both the menu display, and the commands that may be executed from many of the menus, are highly definable. A limited set of menu commands may be placed into the Sysop Menu, or into any of the "Subboard" menus, where the Subboards consist of message bases, or transfer areas. Questionaire, SysOp, and online game areas are may also partake of this flexibility in the availability and access of commands.

Vision Waiting For Call Screen.

Like C-Net, Vision maintains its online display even while waiting for a call, though that aweful (but powerful) menu is replaced by a much more readable one. While online, a similarly readable SysOp command menu may be drawn up for chatting, access changes, and other things.

Vision "suggested" main menu.

The system comes with a suggested structure and set of menus that may be used out of the box, and the manual does a pretty good job of describing how to customize these menus. All menu work is done through a text editor, however, and is not for the meek at heart.

The Facts:

Strangely enough, the manual reports this version as being 12.0, while the program says that it is version 1.00. Apparantly, 1.00 is the first color version of Vision, but shipped with the ASCII documentation for the last ASCII version (12.0) along with a color addendum.

Hardware Information

Computer    :   Commodore 64 or 128 in 64 mode
Video       :   40 columns, though 80 column users are accomodated
Drives      :   All CBM, limited CMD (parts, but no subdirs)
Modems      :   1670, Hayes compats (300-2400)
Input       :   Keyboard
Output      :   Screen or printer optionally
RAM use     :   N/A
Special     :

General

Pgm Struct  :   Main program with numerous small overlays
Menu Struct :   Definable Hotkey with limited definable menu structure
Translation :   ASCII, PETSCII
Access      :   9 levels, highly definable
Handle/ID   :   Handles not allowed, users listed by ID number
User info   :   Name, last call, access, xfers, msgs
User Logs   :   Name, date, uploads/downloads, posts, credits
Calls/Time  :   Call, time limits differ by access levels
Network     :   N/A
Customizing :   Highly
  Programs  :   Uncompiled BASIC, easy to modify
  Displays  :   Menus and displays are SEQ files, modifiable
  Commands  :   Most menus are completely definable, displays somewhat so.
Areas       :   Very definable, mostly modular system
  E-mail    :   Main menu, or from any menu upon which email commands are placed
  Messages  :   Separate menu
  Transfers :   Separate menu
  Network   :   N/A
  Programs  :   Main menu, or from any menu upon which module commands are placed
  Text      :   Main menu, or from any menu upon which file commands are placed
  User Cmds :   Main menu, or from any menu upon which user commands are placed
  SysOp     :   Separate menu and from any menu upon which commands are placed
  Voting    :   Questionaires on main menu, or any menu upon which commands are placed
  News      :   Main menu, or from any menu upon which commands are placed
  Help      :   N/A
Other       :

SysOp Utilities and Support

Offline     :   Full configurator, dos, msg reader, user editor
Online      :   chat, access, time, logoff, credits
Remote      :   Full drive support, file editors, user editor
On-L Display:   ID, Name, Baud, Access
W.F.C. Utils:   Same as online
Chatting    :   During a file display
User        :   Full user editor available
Msg Bases   :   Offline configurator for bases, limited sysop support
Transfers   :   Offline configurator for bases, offline and online support utilities
Programs    :   Not much, though online menu editing can affect availability
Network     :   N/A
Drives      :   Complete drive support
Terminal    :   Full featured terminal w/ dial, xfers (& multi), dos commands

News

Structure   :   Single text file, viewed at logon
Header      :   No set header
Weeding     :   By SysOp
Display     :   At logon, or on demand

Messages

Structure   :   Well threaded, semi-linear system
Bases       :   Named bases, listed by number
Limits      :   Separate message limits per base
            :   Enforced when new messages are added
Reading     :   New messages, global new, or individual
Headers     :   Subject, to, from, date/time, times read
Format      :   Text, or color/graphics
Writing     :   As new posts, or as replies to posts
Anonymous   :   Supported
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Message Editor

Structure   :   Line editor
Commands    :   A slash in first column followed by a command letter
Editing     :   Search/replace, rewriting, insert, delete, justify, etc.
Formatting  :   Word wrap, Menu codes
Graphics    :   Full upper and lowercase color/graphics support

Transfers

Bases       :   Named bases, listed by number
Storage     :   Directory files for each base 
Limits      :   Enforced by SysOp only, files can be probationary
Credits     :   Block/credit system implemented
Protocols   :   Punter, Xmodem, Multi-punter
Headers     :   Number, name, type, size, accessed times, description
Selection   :   By number
Listing     :   Scan, file list, local and global new listings, filename search
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Text Libraries

Structure   :   Limited number of files, located at any menu
Storage     :   As standard SEQ files, with specific names
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

E-Mail

Structure   :   Email commands may be at any menu
Sending     :   From message reading, or by ID
Receiving   :   At logon, or on demand
Network     :   N/A
Other       :

Program Libraries

Structure   :   Limited number of program files, executed from any any menu
Programs    :   BASIC overlays, explicit interaction with BBS
Network     :   N/A
Other       :


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