Subj : Re: Synchronet vs Mystic vs ??
To   : toofargone
From : paulie420
Date : Mon Apr 03 2023 18:25:40

 to> I'm curious as to what the difference between the various software
 to> packages are? Mystic seems to be on the easy end to set up compared to
 to> Synchronet which looks pretty complicated to set up - so many options!

You've gotten many responses, but I'll take a stab at this too. IMO, its much like it was back in the day. (With many less commercial/active BBS softwares available)

Mystic - The RENEGADE BBS of the 2000s. Free, closed-source and mostly-active with slow points when the dev is busy. Very easily modifiable - at least on the top levels. What the cool kids run. Quick, easy and still powerful if you need it. (MPL (PASCAL-like)/Python code for modding a BBS.)

Synchronet - The professional software. (I *don't* think it should be free even!) Actively developed every single year and very powerful. That being said, like other 'professional' BBS softwares - its the most ugly and basic without modification. It uses Java for customization/modding; very powerful, IF a sysop knows how to use Java - you can customize *EVERYTHING*, but most people do very little.)

Enigma.5 - A node.js/JSON project that was very active for a while, then slowed down - with new development recently. It's the 'new kid on the block' that came out hard and is really cool - but a LITTLE light on options/features... however, as stated its been getting some love lately. Powerful if you know node.js or even JSON syntax... can be moderately to heavily modified - but you might have to code some THING that you want to add.

Talisman - A hobbyists project. APAM has given SO MUCH to the BBS community; even another BBS software, Magicka BBS... but its really light on features. Doesn't mean it isn't cool as heck - it uses LUA for modification/customization... this one is neat cause you can talk to APAM right on fsxNet and, so long as life doesn't have him tied up, he'll add good ideas... has gotten a LITTLE modding love in the recent month w/ releases from Talisman sysops. A fun one for the right sysop.

RENEGADE - "Screw you and yer Linux/Windows/MacOS - BBSes belong on DOS, you dummy!" This is the O.G. Mystic (Shutup, you Telegard die-hard!) software... runs just like it did in 1993, with the same issues and errors. Some development in the past several years, but fragmented - theres two RENEGADE websites and two developers? (Scratch that, make it 3.) If you wanna run RENEGADE, you already know it.

Virtual/VBBS - Kinda like the RENEGADE thing, these are retro systems that are unique and cool... but most sysops running them are doing so because thats the only BBS software they'd ever run - heck, maybe from an old backup of their original BBS.

I'm missing several - Wildcat!, Major BBS, Image, cNet, etc etc etc.

For me, its; do you wanna run RETRO or CURRENT?

RETRO; Renegade, Telegade, Virtual, VBBS, etc.

CURRENT; Mystic, Synchronet, Enigma.5, Talisman - pick yer poison.

SPECIALTY: Image=C=Commodore, cNet=Amiga...

Thats all I got.



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