Subj : RSS
To   : Adept
From : Ogg
Date : Thu Feb 09 2023 08:12:00

Hello Adept!

** On Thursday 09.02.23 - 11:58, Adept wrote to Ogg:

 Og>> It would be easy enough to build a BBS status-site using
 Og>> Wordpress.
 Og>>
 Og>> [1] WP can be configured to auto-post via email.
 Og>> [2] Users can simply check the RSS feed for updates.

 A> That seems like a solid idea.

 A> Though seems to depend on people actually using RSS feed readers.

It's usually a simple solution to get there: <sitename>/rss or  
<sitename>/feed.  Or.. a newer browser would probably need a  
plugin like Feedbro or something.  Anyway.. the rss result is  
direct, fast, efficient and no ads.


 A> That said, that immediately made me think of the idea of
 A> having a website that aggregates BBSs that are posting
 A> these things, and creates a table of BBS statuses, that
 A> seems like it might be neat.

With an appropriate plugin, a site can be built that aggregates  
the posts at other sites.

Or.. even a visual matrix of UP (green) or DOWN (red) bbses,  
where a visitor can hover over the appropriate status symbol to  
get a brief info-bubble.  Even a S)earch for a particular bbs  
right on that WP site could pull up the latest post.

Initially, I thought why can't FTN itself be used for the DOWN  
status annoucements. But with a system down, there is no way to  
post onto the network. Duh!  So.. email seems to be the best  
tool to send SOMETHING so that it posts on a website. It's fast  
and simple.


 A> Though still not sure on actual use case, other than,
 A> "someone tries to call a BBS they'd expect to work. It
 A> doesn't, so they check the BBS status list."

That's the very idea.  If a sysop needs to announce their bbs  
DOWN, one simple email to the WP site generates the post for  
anyone interested.


 A> Regardless, it does seem like there might be something
 A> there that doesn't take a _huge_ amount of work to get
 A> going.

The aggregate part might require constant fiddling as more  
bbses climb onto the idea.  But each BBS/sysop could have their  
own minimalist WP site (no user registrations) and just email a  
message to that site.




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 * Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

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