        ͻ
                                                    Ŀ
              K E E P I N G   I N   T O U C H        
                      
            SPITFIRE Monthly Support Newsletter      
              for registered SPITFIRE Sysops!        
                      January 1993                   
           Compliments of BUFFALO CREEK SOFTWARE     
             Buffalo Creek's BBS * 515-225-8496      
               38400/19200/9600/2400/1200 Baud       
                          2 Nodes                    
                                                     
        ͼ 
          
                    Edited by Jacque Shipley
       The Mother Board BBS - (515) 986-3464 - 19200 Baud
                Sysop Of The Month by Walt Crede
      Roam This Fertile Land -  (515) 288-8755 - 2400 Baud
         Newly Registered SPITFIRE BBS List by Ann Woltz
                  Other Contributions As Noted


ͻ
    Notes from the author of SPITFIRE!   Ŀ
ͼ 
  

   Listed below are the active registered SPITFIRE boards state
by state and country by country. We are providing the number of
SPTIFIRE boards per state/country which were active at the end
of 1991 and the end of 1992 for comparison purposes.  These
statistics may not be 100% accurate but they are compiled using
the most up to date information that we have. These statistics
are arrived at by using only those boards operating with version
3.2. So in other words, we assume any Sysop who has not upgraded
to version 3.2 is no longer operating a board or is no longer
operating SPITFIRE.  Therefore those boards are not calculated
in this data even though we are aware of some SPITFIRE boards
operating with older versions.

_______________1991_1992_________________1991_1992_________________1991_1992
Alaska.........  14   18  Missouri.......  14   21  West Virginia..   6    5
Alabama........   7   11  Mississippi....   9   11  Wisconsin......  12   20
Arkansas.......  12   11  Montana........   2    4  Wyoming........   0    2
Arizona........  40   51  North Carolina.  19   26  Australia......  11    7
California..... 105  134  North Dakota...   1    2  Brazil.........   1    1
Colorado.......   5    4  Nebraska.......  24   26  Canada.........  89  116
Connecticut....  15   19  New Hampshire..   1    2  England........   7   13
Delaware.......  17   31  New Jersey.....  16   25  Finland........   1    1
Florida........  46   70  New Mexico.....   4    7  France.........   7   16
Georgia........  18   25  Nevada.........  34   43  Guam...........   1    3
Hawaii.........   0    3  New York.......  31   40  Israel.........   1    1
Iowa...........  38   49  Ohio...........  34   52  Italy..........   1    1
Idaho..........   8   12  Oklahoma.......  10   11  Netherlands....   9   13
Illinois.......  50   80  Oregon.........  10   23  New Zealand....  14   17
Indiana........  19   27  Pennsylvania...  30   45  Philippines....   1     
Kansas.........  13   23  Rhode Island...   5   11  Portugal.......   2    7
Kentucky.......   5   22  South Carolina.  16   12  Puerto Rico....   5    4
Louisiana......  21   33  South Dakota...   6    5  Scotland.......   1    1
Massachusetts..  15   12  Tennessee......   9   11  Singapore......   0    1
Maryland.......  11   16  Texas..........  65  119  West Indies....   0    1
Maine..........  18   34  Utah...........   5    5  AE.............   0    5
Michigan.......  17   25  Virginia.......  15   23  AP.............   0   11
Minnesota......   4    9  Washington.....  18   33  
 
    I can't help but wonder which state/country can brag about
making the greatest gains during the year of 1992.  I also
notice that there are some areas which reflect a loss.  I also
wonder if Texas is going to be able to out number California at
the end of 1993.  Who knows, maybe Canada will out number both
Texas and California. It would  be fun to see states/countries
competing with one another.  What do you think?
        
    We feel it is important to note that SPITFIRE has been
registered 2111 times and according to our information 1523 of
these boards are still active.  If my calculations are correct,
this means there is a 72% success rate among SPITFIRE Sysops.
This 72% rate is well in excess of the national average.

    Time is very quickly running out in regard to upgrading to
SPITFIRE v3.2.  In the event you know of someone who has not
upgraded, you should tell them that they are going to loose
their SPITFIRE free upgrade rights if they do not upgrade.
Thank you.

   The SPITFIRE v3.3 upgrade notices and upgrade request forms
will be mailed soon.  Thank you for your continued support and
promotion of SPITFIRE.


ͻ
    LAKOTA IN BETA TEST!   Ŀ
ͼ 
  

   As most of you are aware, SPITFIRE v3.3 will include its own
QWK mail door and it is be named LAKOTA.  LAKOTA is now being
tested at various sites.


͸
 LAKOTA, SPITFIRE MAIL SYSTEM 
;

    Mail exchange is becoming an increasingly important aspect of BBS
activity for callers and Sysops alike.  Netmail provides a means for 
exchanging thousands of messages, on any number of various subjects,
between BBSes from all over the world on a daily basis.  As a result it 
becomes extremely important for Sysops to provide a means by which
callers can access this mail both efficiently and conveniently.  And
as always, Buffalo Creek Software rises to the challenge with Lakota,
the SPITFIRE Mail System!

    Lakota is designed to work exclusively with SPITFIRE.  It allows
callers to download messages in mail packets using the QWK format.
The caller can then use their favorite QWK offline reader to read,
reply and/or enter messages.  These messages are compressed into a
reply packet which the caller can then upload by using SPITFIRE's
Mail System (Lakota) the next time they log on the BBS.

    One of the features Sysops will enjoy is Lakota's ability to
download messages when logged on locally.  Lakota will simply save
the QWK packet in the SPITFIRE home directory.  Similarly, replies
can be uploaded when the Sysop is logged on locally.  Lakota merely
requires the local caller to type in the path (drive/directory) and
filename of the reply packet to be uploaded.

    When downloading messages, the caller has the option of selecting
messages which are New Messages or messages To You.  New Messages
would include any unreceived messages and To You would include
any messages addressed to the caller.  The criteria can then be
further defined by selecting which conference(s) the New Messages
or the To You messages will be extracted for download from.  The
options available for defining which conferences will be included
are All Conferences, Select A Conference or Your Queued Conferences.

    If All Conferences is selected all New Messages or all messages
To You (depending on the option previously selected) would be
compressed into your download packet.  If you opted to Select A
Conference, you are required to enter in the number of the conference
you wish to extract messages from.  Lakota will then extract all
New Messages or all messages To You and compress them into your
download packet.  Selecting Your Queued Conferences works much the
same way except that it will only extract and compress messages from
the conferences which are configured in your queue.

    Once the messages are extracted and compressed into the downloadable
QWK packet, the caller is asked to select their preferred file transfer
protocol (provided the caller is not logged on locally).  The transfer
protocols available in Lakota include XModem, YModem and ZModem.

    When uploading reply packets, the same file transfer protocols are
available, provided the caller is not logged on locally.

    In keeping with the Buffalo Creek Software tradition, Lakota does 
not offer a lot of bells and whistle gimmicks.  If this is what you 
want for your BBS, there are any number of other mail transfer programs 
available.  But also, in the tradition of Buffalo Creek Software Lakota 
is very affordable for the Sysop (a $1 registration fee) and accomplishes
its tasks in a quick, purposeful and efficient manner!



͸
 SYMPATHY EXTENDED TO THE FAMILY OF JOSEPH SALINA 
;


   Mike Woltz and others associated with Buffalo Creek Software were
saddened to hear that fellow SPITFIRE Sysop, Joseph Salina passed away
on December 14, 1992.  Joe was a SPITFIRE pioneer (serial number 042)
and operated The Rusty Nail BBS in Palmerton, Pennsylvania.  Some 
Sysops may remember Joe from the first SPITFIRE conference which he
attended with his grandson.  He will truly be missed.  Our heartfelt
sympathy is extended to his family.


͸
 THINK IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO YOU? 
;

   One thing that will always aggravate me to no end are the virus 
writers on the planet.  I myself get particularly upset even thinking 
about a virus.  I have a good reason for this and it's because I was 
one of those unfortunate people to get hit by a virus.

   Have you ever downloaded with great anticipation a new utility, game,
or menu program?  You know the feeling!  You sit and watch the download 
counter, seeing the time count down.  Just can't wait can you?  Well, 
here's a small bit of advice from someone who's been there.

   NEVER EVER run a utility, game, or any other piece of software 
without first running your favorite virus scanner on it!!  All it takes
is one little command and BOOM! there goes a lot if not all of your many
hours of pounding on the keyboard.  As I said before, I was hit by a 
virus just because I couldn't wait to run a program and didn't virus
scan it before hand.  Due to this incredibly stupid ignorant spell, I
lost a hard drive with 80 MEGS of BBS on it.  Not to mention all of my
own personal programs and such.  I also spent a lot of time kicking 
myself afterward.

   This article maybe kind of short and not so sweet, but PLEASE never 
run anything without running some type of virus scan first.  Well, take
care and may your keyboard never lock!

Article Contributed by Rusty Whitten, Sysop
NightLife BBS * 318-345-3199 *  1200/2400/9600/14400

    
͸
 SPITFIRE BOARD-OF-THE-MONTH 
;

 Mike's
 ķ  ķ   ķ  ķ  ķ   ķ ķ ķ
     ķ   Ľ      ķ   Ķ Ķ ķ
 Ľ  Ľ     Ľ  Ľ   Ľ Ľ Ľ

 Sysop: Mike Downie
 Modem: USRobotics Dual Standard V.32bis & V.42bis
 Phone: 408-227-1583
 Where: San Jose, CA USA

 By use of this BBS, the user agrees to hold
 the Sysops harmless from any claim which may
 arise from the use of this BBS.

    This is the Log on screen you will encounter when you call to see 
what's going on at Mike's "Dis iz Dis" BBS...  What does this mean you
say?  Mike isn't telling...  However if you figure it out and tell him,
he will let you download the BCSALL.ZIP file he keeps updated with all
the Buffalo Creek SPITFIRE files.  (If you don't know he will let you 
download them anyway). 

    I'm a single Silicon Valley office grunt at a major Computer 
manufacturing company.  I'm currently working in a telesales organization 
in a Customer Service/System Admin capacity.  I used to work at Atari as 
a Software Reviewer in a user submitted software group which would (if 
accepted) publish Home Computer Software.  I would work with the authors
(no matter how moody they were Mike!) to help them improve their products.
Now I have an easier job, I deal with the public.

    After working at Atari in it's hayday, AND then while it was in it's
decline, I said "I never want to own another computer as long as I live". 
Then back in the summer of 1990 I was at friends house up in Tahoe.  My 
buddy Jim Dukat re-introduced me to computers with his brand new Northgate
386 with Windows.  I was hooked! When I got back from Tahoe I had a brand
new 386-20 mhz within two weeks. 

    Well that wasn't the end of it. about 3 months later I was asking a 
fellow employee about modems.  Got a $239.00 Practical Peripherals modem 
for $70.00 and off to the races I went.  2 months later I was running a 
private BBS.  1 month later I was on line with a 286-12mhz, 5 1/4 floppy
drive and that 2400 baud Practical Peripherals (oh and an 8760e Maxtor 
Hard drive, I like files).

    The choice to use SPITFIRE was obvious to me.  If someone could 
engineer a relatively technical piece software and make it feel friendly 
to the user, then the set up for the Sysop must be equally as friendly. 
My logic was correct.

THE BOARD

    Well enough about the start... I don't seem to be able to do anything
halfway.   I'm still running a single node board, but it's a beaut!.  I 
have since dumped the 2400 baud modem for a USRobotics Dual Standard with
V.32bis and V.42bis.  The single Maxtor was joined by a second Maxtor 
8760eh with a 1.2 meg a second transfer rate.  The original box (HP 286-12)
would not accommodate the second drive.  I needed more space.  A video 
capture card (impulse purchase) was traded for a Sprite 386-40 mhz board 
with 4 megs of ram on board.  A Clone box was purchased from Gary "the A 
in GAP" Araki.  Gary installed the "Mother" board and sent me home. Gary 
said "If you have any problems call me".  He thought I could put the rest
together.  Well Gary thanks for the push!  With the exception of the Tape 
controller card it went together without a hitch. 

    Because of my previous experience with Atari, I thought it might be 
fun to run games (doors) on the BBS...  Of course I was going to do files
no matter what.  Well these two just didn't seem to work well with each 
other on a single node BBS.  I wanted files to be uploaded and downloaded 
and there was this kid playing a game on my expensive computer.  If I have
games in files then this kid can play games on his computer.  The doors 
went away.

    During my development as a SPITFIRE Sysop, it was necessary to get 
information from other people who had already made the mistakes (momma 
didn't raise a fool).   Frank Crispell (files & netmail), Mike Stewart 
(netmail), Johnny Bowen (doors) and my close friend Bill Smith (who has 
moved on to PCBoard) have been both helpful and supportive friends.  I 
currently Hub through Mike Stewart for my Netmail (Rime and Racenet).  If 
someone calls my board and needs a door question answered I send him to 
the Silicon Valley doors Guru Johnny Bowen.  Mike Stewart gets the call 
on the netmail questions.  I still specialize in files.

    My Friend Bill Smith and I are talking about a CD-Rom.  The cost has
become minimal.  If we go in together we figure we can have a ROM made 
up for about a $125.00 a piece.  The files will be mainly the GIFS and 
Sound files which will never change.  This looks like the direction we 
will be going in the near future.
 
    I'm currently using an Alpha Version of SPITFIRE 3.3.  This BBS has
also been a supporter of HSLink since day one.  I still run Tom Kellen's 
HSLink door which was developed for use with SPITFIRE 3.1.  I'm running 
two mail doors which give access for message downloads in SFMail or QWK
format.  Kip Compton's Megamail, and Bob Zimmerman's SFmail help the 
users gain access to the RIME netmail carried on this BBS. 

    SFCHKUP is used on this BBS to both check for viruses and convert 
any other archive method to ZIP format.  SFCHKUP will also extract the 
FILE_ID.DIZ, if found, and append the first four lines to the SFFILES.BBS
description.  About all that's left for me is to move the files out of 
the Upload area, and answer the messages (Yeah, Right!). 

    This BBS is a Big SPITFIRE supporter.  If I don't have a SPITFIRE 
file you tell me where I can get it.  I also keep all the LATEST versions
of BCS S/W for download.  With Mike's blessing I keep one file (not listed),
in the free file area called BCSALL.ZIP.  Once again this file contains 
all the latest Buffalo Creek Software for download from Mike's board in
one file.  Create a temporary SPITFIRE File area, copy BCSALL.ZIP and open.
BCSALL.ZIP contains the current SFFILES.BBS.  Use SFFILES or like program 
to copy these files into your existing SPITFIRE directory.  These will be
the latest files.  DO NOT POST BCSALL.ZIP as this file will constantly be 
updated by me. 


͸
 SYSOP-OF-THE-MONTH 
;
            
                              Dan  South                        
                           Crystal City BBS
                        Bremerton,  Washington

   Dan signed to join the Navy in November, 1975, and left for Boot Camp 
after graduation from High School in July, 1976.  He met his wife Kathy 
in a Navy Technical School, where they were learning about Structural 
Repair during the day and more about each other after hours.

   "Seventeen years have gone by since the day I signed the Navy papers," 
he reports, "and nearly that long since the Navy assigned Sub-Custody to 
my wife.  I owe them both more than I can possibly repay.

   "Two things they did brought me to SPITFIRE.
   
   "The first was the Command I was assigned to automate. I had been 
interested in computers since the TI-99-4A I'd purchased in 1984 while we 
were in Long Beach, CA. Since I already knew a little and was interested 
the Command sent me to every computer school they could in 1988 to learn 
how to run our new Z248s.

   "The second was in spite of all our moving around (Philly, PA; Norfolk,
VA; Mayport, FL and Long Beach, CA) and after having three kids, Kathy 
finished her degree in social psychology at Iowa State University, doubling
our income overnight.

   "I found SPITFIRE 2.5 on a local board and immediately knew I wanted 
to run my own BBS.  Since the author of SPITFIRE was just across town 
from the Training Center where I was stationed, I left a message on 
Buffalo Creek and asked if I might register in person. I met Mike and Ann 
in their home in late April, 1989.  I found them both to be extremely 
pleasant and fun to talk to.  I have no idea what they thought of me. 
Mike wanted me to explain why I was licensing SPITFIRE 2.6C in West Des 
Moines, IA, but would not be opening the BBS until June when I got settled
in Bremerton, Washington (I had orders).  I could also tell he knew my 
8088 Packard Bell with a 30 meg hard drive and 1200 baud modem was less
than adequate to do the job, but he politely said nothing."

   Dan opened the Crystal City BBS on schedule in June, 1989, using his
limited equipment and at once determined to upgrade to more power.  Soon 
he had a 386 sx/20 with 2 nodes under Desqview.   Still unsatisfied and 
after a hard drive failure in October, 1991, (Halloween night even!), he 
decided to make another change.

   The Metro BBS Network was born in February, 1992, with a 486/33, a 
386/33 and a 286/10 running on a Lantastic Network.  He also added a 
Dual Standard and later a Telepath modem.

   "There are three important things in my life now," he allows, "Kathy 
and my family, the Navy and SPITFIRE."


    
͸
  NEWLY REGISTERED SPITFIRE SYSTEMS 
;

   A hearty welcome is extended to the following, who have
recently become public registered SPITFIRE Bulletin Board Systems:


The "Old 97" BBS.............................704-637-7890...19200 Baud
Ron Smith, Sysop...............................Spencer, North Carolina

The Swap Shop................................405-252-0347....9600 Baud
Douglas Bell, Sysop...................................Duncan, Oklahoma

The KRYPT....................................915-592-8619....9600 Baud
Douglas DeBord, Sysop...................................El Paso, Texas

Down To Business.............................217-793-6569....9600 Baud
Robert Levi, Sysop...............................Springfield, Illinois

Micro Systems................................513-797-6011...14400 Baud
John Troher, Sysop........................................Amelia, Ohio

Sidewinder...............................33-1-69-31-27-67...14400 Baud
Thibaut Vernier, Sysop................................Palaiseu, France

Bridges......................................715-258-2202....2400 Baud
Waupaca High School, Sysop..........................Waupaca, Wisconsin

The Lurker's Lair............................904-243-3298....2400 Baud
Steve McCarter, Sysop.......................Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Spanish Dagger...............................915-584-0227...14400 Baud
Kevin Scott, Sysop......................................El Paso, Texas

The Wizard of DOS BBS........................206-353-8574...14400 Baud
Bob Geddis, Sysop..................................Everett, Washington

EP2..........................................515-262-2660....2400 Baud
Electrical Power Products, Inc., Sysop................Des Moines, Iowa

Coffee Cup...................................519-751-0832....2400 Baud
Tom Graham, Sysop...........................Brantford, Ontario, Canada

The Cracker Factory..........................203-848-4802....2400 Baud
John LaFaille, Sysop...........................Uncasville, Connecticut

The 19th Hole................................214-390-2745....9600 Baud
Rodney Newton, Sysop......................................Allen, Texas

Dark Dungeon.................................513-631-0120....2400 Baud
Dana McBride, Sysop...................................Cincinnati, Ohio

Fantasy BBS..................................414-694-6593...14400 Baud
Dale Spencer, Sysop.................................Kenosha, Wisconsin

The Shepherd..................................604-392-3110..14400 Baud
Bob Holicza, Sysop...........................Williams Lake, BC, Canada

The Shadow Realms............................515-225-6775....2400 Baud
Jeff Aronow, Sysop.........................................Clive, Iowa

Fremont Free Files...........................510-623-9347...14400 Baud
Roger Scott, Sysop.................................Fremont, California

Coastal Empire...............................912-920-8563....2400 Baud
Richard Nyberg, Sysop................................Savannah, Georgia

Psychosys BBS for Creative Minds.............208-322-4650...14400 Baud
J. Kevin Putzier, Sysop...................................Boise, Idaho

Summer BBS................................351-1-988-88-72...14400 Baud
Paulo Adriano, Sysop...........................Loures Portugal, Lisboa

UNITEK Technology Inc................Unknown Phone Number...14400 Baud
Yubo Ho, Sysop.........................................Ontario, Canada

The Micro Sense BBS..........................504-682-5504....9600 Baud
Daniel Wilkinson, Sysop.........................St. Bernard, Louisiana

The Chatter Box..............................519-979-0624....2400 Baud
Chad Bardsley, Sysop.........................Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada

Blue Banner..................................214-475-8393...14400 Baud
Richard Bacon, Sysop....................................Rowlett, Texas

The Sight and Sound BBS......................503-325-8271....9600 Baud
Scott Spies, Sysop.....................................Astoria, Oregon

The PC Lounge................................201-319-1026...14400 Baud
Daniel Burton, Sysop.............................Weehawken, New Jersey



   In addition, there were 3 new private SPITFIRE BBS Systems
registered.  These private SPITFIRE BBS's included registrations
from: Schaumburg, Illinois; Baltimore, Maryland and Sunnyvale, 
California.

   There were 11 registrations for whom registration information was
incomplete.  These included BBS's in: Charlevoixm, Michigan; Erie;
Pennsylvania; Scottsdale, Arizona; Paris, France; Bath, Maine; St.
George, Utah; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jacksontown, Ohio; Ocean City,
New Jersey; San Jose, California and Pineallas Park, Florida.

   The increase in registrations where information is incomplete is 
largely due to Buffalo Creek's Software's new policy of accepting 
on-line Mastercard and Visa credit card registrations.


   JUST A REMINDER...the newsletter is always looking for contributions!  
Please forward any articles in ASCII text to either Buffalo Creek's BBS 
or The Mother Board BBS.  
