º WHAT IS A BBS? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ An electronic bulletin board system (BBS - sometimes EBB) is a PC that operates 24 hours a day. It can communicate to you through your PC if you have the following: 1. personal computer 2. modem 3. phone line (RJ11 cable type) 4. communications software Communications includes: a) reading information on the screen, b) transferring either text files or software programs to and from the BBS, c) leaving messages for other callers or the system's operator (SYSOP), and d) gateways to other BBSs. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º HOW DO I USE THE SBA ONLINE BBS MENUS? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ BBS features are accessed through the use of menus. Select menu items by typing the character highlighted in square brackets []. There are two menus on each screen of the BBS. Their functions are described below. UTILITY MENU: Located across the bottom of the screen, the UTILITY MENU provides access to the following utilities: [H]elp - General help on using the BBS, plus information for the menu currently on the screen. [T]op Menu - Moves to the MAIN MENU of the BBS. [P]revious - Moves one menu backwards. [M]ail - Accesses the message area. [F]iles - Used to transfer (download or upload) files to and from the BBS. [G]OODBYE - Disconnects you from the BBS. Type the Character shown in square brackets [] that corresponds to the function you wish to use. DATA MENU: Located at the top left of the screen, the DATA MENU accesses the data for viewing or may provide gateways to other online services. Type the number in square brackets [] that corresponds to the item you wish to access. In the "CHANGE USER PROFILE" area of HELP, you can set GRAPHICS=YES and ANSI=YES if you have the proper hardware and software to run color graphics. You should read the section below as well as the EMULATION section if you have any problems. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º HOW DO I GET GRAPHICS AND COLOR FOR THE BBS ON MY PC? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Color and Graphics will depend on... 1) the hardware you are using 2) the communications software you are using 3) the settings you have selected on your communications software 4) whether you have ANSI.SYS loaded on your PC ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ HARDWARE YOU NEED FOR COLOR AND GRAPHICS ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ 1. Monitor - CGA, EGA, *VGA, *SVGA 2. Monitor adapter - CGA, EGA, *VGA, *SVGA The monitor and adapter must be the same type (e.g., CGA monitors require CGA adapters). *Sharpest image ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ HARDWARE THAT WILL PROVIDE GRAPHICS, WITHOUT COLOR ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ 1. Monitor - Hercules, MGA or VGA paperwhite 2. Monitor adapter - Hercules, MGA or VGA The monitor and adapter must be the same type (e.g., Hercules monitors require Hercules adapters). ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE YOU NEED FOR COLOR AND GRAPHICS ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ When you first signed on the BBS, you were asked two questions: 1. Can your PC display color? 2. Can your PC display graphics? Color and graphics not only depend on your hardware, but also will depend on certain parameters you set up in your communications software package. Emulation is the main parameter that you will need to examine. See the "HOW SHOULD I CONFIGURE MY COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE" section for details. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ ANSI.SYS AND YOUR PC ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ANSI.SYS is a software file that comes with your computer's disk operating system (DOS). As a part of DOS, it is used by many of your software applications in the use of the screen and keyboard. It therefore will affect the colors you get on your screen. If used, ANSI.SYS must be added to a file on your computer called CONFIG.SYS. This is a file that you create to set up certain environment parameters for your system: such as memory, a mouse, etc. It is read by the operating system each time you turn on your PC. You probably already have a CONFIG.SYS file. From your C:\> prompt, type DIR CONFIG.SYS to see if it is listed. If it is there, you may look at the contents of the file by typing "TYPE CONFIG.SYS". After typing the contents of the file, determine if you have the following line: DEVICE=ANSI.SYS or DEVICE=C:\DOS\ANSI.SYS If this line is not present, you need to add it. To do this, you can either use the DOS EDIT program, DOS EDLIN, or your favorite wordprocessor. If you use your wordprocessor, after adding the line, you must save the file as a DOS TEXT file (ASCII) so that the operating system can read it. After making the change, you need to turn your computer off and then back on, so that the operating system can read the file. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º WHAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE SHOULD I USE? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: A communications software with full ANSI emulation and at least XMODEM file transfer. NONTECHNICALLY... Most communications software will work fine; however, some earlier versions do not provide complete graphics capabilities to let you use the BBS graphics menus. You would then need to select "no graphics" to use the text menus. (For more information, see "HOW DO I GET GRAPHICS AND COLOR?") If you plan to transfer entire files from the BBS to your PC or visa versa, you also need to know what type of file transfer your communications software supports. XMODEM is recommended for those uncertain. Complete file transfer options are explained fully in the "TRANSFERRING FILES" section and various protocol definitions are included in the "GLOSSARY OF TERMS". ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º HOW SHOULD I CONFIGURE MY COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: SBA ONLINE operates at 1200, 2400, 9600 or 14400 bps using n,8,1 and full duplex. If your communications software is capable, ZMODEM file transfer protocol is recommended; otherwise, XMODEM file transfer protocol is recommended. NONTECHNICALLY... These are simply a set of parameters that define how data is transmitted. You don't need to know what they mean, but you do need to make sure your software is set accordingly in order to communicate and transfer files properly. Your PC and the remote BBS system must agree upon how data will be transmitted. Data transmission parameters include: - the speed at which transmission takes place, - the number of bits transmitted for each character, - how (or if) data is checked for errors, - when each character transmission begins and ends - whether your system or the remote BBS system displays what you type on your screen, and desirable, but not critical: - whether your system can display the colors and graphics provided by the remote BBS system Imagine trying to understand someone who talks too fast or trying to read a letter that contains no punctuation or capitalization. Something like... "hello how are you today im just fine i thought id stop by to say hello howre your folks" For more complete information on each of these parameters, read the sections on SPEED, DATA PARAMETERS, and EMULATION.ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ SPEED ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: SBA ONLINE uses 1200, 2400 or 9600 bps. NONTECHNICALLY: If you read the "WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MODEMS?" section, you know that modems come in various speeds and that the SBA ONLINE can communicate with 1200, 2400 and 9600 bps (bits per second) modems. You need to tell your communications software what speed you will be using to call the BBS. Your system can communicate only as fast as your modem will allow. SBA ONLINE NUMBERS: (202) 401-9600 for all modem speeds 1-800 697-4636 for all modem speeds 1-900 463-4636 for all modem speeds ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³DATA PARAMETERS ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: SBA ONLINE uses: N,8,1 and full duplex NONTECHNICALLY: Start and stop bits are used to let the other PC know where characters begin and end (like placing a period at the end of a sentence and capitalizing the beginning of the next). Another bit called a parity bit may follow which checks for errors. Let's look at how data is actually transferred on the phone lines. People distinguish characters by their shape. PC's, however, know only ON and OFF signals represented by the numbers 1 (ON) or 0 (OFF). So the letter "A" looks like 1000001 to a PC. For SBA ONLINE, data parameters of N,8,1 = No parity bit, 8 data bits and one stop bit. Start Stop Bit Data Bits Bit | |----------------------------| | ÚÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄ¿ ³ ³ 1 ³ 2 ³ 3 ³ 4 ³ 5 ³ 6 ³ 7 ³ 8 ³ ³ = 1 Character ÀÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÙ | P (if parity error checking was used) ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ EMULATION ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: ANSI emulation give full color and graphics menus. VT100 with INFILTERS OFF may or may not give color and graphics. NONTECHNICALLY: The "emulation" setting in your communications software is what allows different kinds of computers to talk to each other (e.g., PCs talking to mainframes). If your communications software can emulate a specific terminal type, you can take advantage of special features offered by online services. These include ANSI graphics, colors, full-screen editors, and more. ANSI emulation will provide full color graphics. Unfortunately, older software packages may not provide ANSI emulation or if they do, it may not be 100% pure ANSI. Using VT100 emulation with the "IN FILTERS" parameter set to OFF will give you "near ANSI" - that is, you may get full graphics, but colors may be displayed incorrectly. If your colors look strange, select HELP from the BBS screen, then select #5 (CHANGE USER PROFILE) and set ANSI to "NO" (leave GRAPHICS=YES). This will give you graphics, but no color. For both features, you will need to change to software that provides ANSI emulation. The most current versions of communications software provide true ANSI emulation. A listing of the most commonly used communications software is provided below, indicating those that feature ANSI emulation and additional settings required for each. You may need to look up these settings in your software manual to determine where the options are located on your software menus. "IN FILTERS" are called by different terms in different communications software packages and the terms used by each package is listed under the INFILTER SETTINGS column. SOFTWARE VER. EMULATION INFILTER BBS SETTINGS SETTINGS =============================================================== PROCOMM 2.0 ANSI ANSI=YES GRAPHICS=YES BITCOM 3.58c VT100 INPUT FILTERS=NO ANSI=NO GRAPHICS=YES CROSSTALK 3.61 VT100 IN FILTERS=OFF ANSI=NO GRAPHICS=YES SMARTCOM 2.2 VT100 FORMATTED=DIRECT CARBON COPY 6.0 VT100 FILTER INCOMING ANSI=NO DATA=NO GRAPHICS=YES *TELIX 3.12 ANSI ANSI=YES GRAPHICS=YES **WINDOWS 3.1 VT100-ANSI FONTS=TERMINAL ANSI=YES TERMINAL GRAPHICS=YES * Public Domain or shareware software that is downloadable from SBA ONLINE FILES section (PROGRAMS, TELIX.EXE) ** Does not provide color. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MODEMS? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ You should know that modems come in different speeds that determine how fast you can communicate. The faster your modem can talk, the less time it takes to communicate! Modem speeds are measured in the number of bits of information per second (bps) that they can handle. Typical modem speeds are 2400 and 9600 bps (9600 of course being the faster of the two). A bit, by the way is an actual unit of data. It normally takes 10 bits to transmit one character, such as the letter "A" or the number "1", by modem. A 2400 bps modem can transmit approximately 240 alphanumeric characters per second, and since the average page of text is around 2000 characters, that's about eight seconds per page. A sixty page document would take about five minutes. (Using a 9600 bps modem, it would take a little over one minute.) ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º TRANSFERRING FILES º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Transferring a file to your PC from the BBS is called "downloading". Transferring a file from your PC to the BBS is called "uploading". By using the "FILES" menu offered from certain screens on the BBS you can upload and download files easily following the menu prompts. To save space on the BBS, many files are compressed. Compressed files will have an .EXE file extension and can be uncompressed after downloading by simply typing the filename from the DOS directory the file is located in. EXAMPLE: If the file is called EXPORTER.EXE, you would download it to your PC, go to the directory that it is located in and type EXPORTER. The file would then automatically decompress. When downloading, you will be asked the method of file transfer you wish. In BBS jargon, the "method" is called the "file protocol". File protocol choices are: T - TYPE file to your screen C - ASCII with DC2/DC4 Capture A - ASCII only, no Control Codes X - XMODEM O - XMODEM-1k Y - YMODEM (Batch) G - YMODEM-g (Batch) S - SEAlink K - KERMIT W - SuperKERMIT (Sliding Windows) Z - ZMODEM-90 (Tm) See the "GLOSSARY OF TERMS" for a definition of each. XMODEM is recommended for those uncertain of which to use. "TYPE file to your screen" simply allows you to view the file before you download it using another protocol. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º HOW DO I ACTUALLY TRANSFER A FILE? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ This will depend on the communications software you are using. If you haven't read "WHAT MUST I KNOW ABOUT TRANSFERRING FILES" or are unfamiliar with file transfers, you might want to read this section before going on. Instructions for using SBA ONLINE'S File Transfer feature follow as well as steps to take using several of the most popular communications software applications. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ DOWNLOADING FILES ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ "Downloading" means transferring complete files from the BBS to your PC. You can get a list of the files from any screen that offers the FILES option on the utility menu at the bottom of the screen. Complete instructions follow. 1. Select [F]iles from any screen where this options is offered. 2. Select #1 FILE DOWNLOAD AREAS. 3. Select the FILE AREA you wish to view. 4. See the list of files and a brief description. 5. When you have determined which file you wish to download, Press S to stop scrolling if you see that message at the bottom of the screen. 6. Select [D]ownload. 7. Enter the full name of the file you wish to download. 8. Select the transfer protocol. (XMODEM is the most commonly used.) 9. See the following: filename: filesize: Protocol: Est. time: X min, XX seconds at XXXX speed Awaiting start signal CTRL X to abort 10. Your next keystrokes will depend on the communications software you are using. Below are instructions using several popular software packages. If yours is not included, please let us know by sending a message to the SYSOP. We will try to add the most popular requests. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ If You are Using Procomm Plus ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ÚÄÄÄÄÄ¿ 1. Press the ³PG DN³ key. ÀÄÄÄÄÄÙ 2. Type the name of the file if it is not already shown and press [ENTER]. EXAMPLE: EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] NOTE: If you want the file to be located in a directory or on a disk other than where your communications software is located, you will need to specify this. EXAMPLE: A:EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] or C:\WORDPERF\DATA\EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] 3. You will see the file transfer information. Watch for any errors reported. If errors are found, you should try to download the file again. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ If You are Using Crosstalk ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ 1. Press [HOME]. 2. From the Command Line type RX (Receive File) 3. Type the name of the file and press [ENTER]. EXAMPLE: EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] NOTE: If you want the file to be located in a directory or on a disk other than where your communications software is located, you will need to specify this. EXAMPLE: A:EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] or C:\WORDPERF\DATA\EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ If You are Using Bitcom ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ 1. Press [F2] 2. Select "RECEIVE FILE" 3. Select the file transfer protocol #2 (XMODEM/CRC) 4. Type the name of the file and press [ENTER]. EXAMPLE: EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] NOTE: If you want the file to be located in a directory or on a disk other than where your communications software is located, you will need to specify this. EXAMPLE: A:EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] or C:\WORDPERF\DATA\EXPORTER.EXE [ENTER] 5. Watch the screen's BLOCK COUNT and ERROR COUNT until the file transfer is complete. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º GLOSSARY OF COMMUNICATIONS TERMS º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ ANSI American National Standards Institute. A nonprofit, privately-funded membership organization, founded in 1918, that coordinates the development of U.S. voluntary national standards in both the private and public sectors. It is the U.S. member body to the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Information technology standards pertain to the analysis, control and distribution of information, which includes programming languages, electronic data interchange (EDI), telecommunications and physical properties of diskettes, cartridges and magnetic tapes. For example, ANSI COBOL and ANSI C are the ANSI-endorsed versions of COBOL and C. See EMULATION. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. Pronounced "ask-ee." A binary code for data that is used in communications, most minicomputers and all PCs. ASCII is a 7-bit code providing 128 possible character combinations, the first 32 of which are used for printing and transmission control. Since the common storage unit is an 8-bit byte (256 combinations) and ASCII uses only 128, the extra bit is used to hold a parity bit or special symbols. For example, the PC uses the additional values for foreign language and graphics symbols. ASCII TEXT FILES Data that is free of any special formatting codes that is often placed into files by software applications. Examples: Bold, centering, indents, tabs, etc. ASYNC Asynchronous communications: A way of transmitting data in which start and stop bits are used to frame each character. Data is sent and received at irregular intervals of time. Most modems for PCs are asynchronous. BATCH FILE TRANSFER A feature which allows you to transfer a list of files, rather than one at a time. BAUD RATE 1) The switching speed of a line, which is the number of changes in the electrical state of the line per second. Baud rate is equivalent to bits per second at low speeds. For example, 300 baud is the same as 300 bits per second (bps). At higher speeds, the bits per second is greater than the baud rate, because one baud can be made to represent more than one bit. For example, the common V.22bis modem provides 1,200 bps at 600 baud. 2) Commonly (and erroneously) used to specify bits per second for any modem speed. For example, 4,800 baud erroneously implies 4,800 bps. BBS Bulletin Board System. A PC that usually operates 24 hours a day and provides a forum for information exchange. A variety of services, such as screen bulletins, file transfer and electronic mail are usually offered. BINARY A file transfer mode that transmits any type of file without loss of data. BIT The smallest unit of information that a computer can read. Eight bits are used to make one alphanumeric character, such as the letter "A". These eight characters make up a "BYTE". BPS Bits Per Second. Used to measure the speed of data transfer in a communications system. BYTE The amount of space that is needed to make up one alphanumeric character, such as the letter "A". See BIT. COM1,2,3,4: The name assigned to serial ports on a PC. COM ports are usually connected to a modem, mouse or serial printer. DOS versions up to 3.2 support COM1 and COM2. Version 3.3 and higher supports COM1 through COM4. OS/2 supports eight COM ports. CRC Cyclic Redundancy Checking: A method of error checking used in later versions of XMODEM file transfer to cut down on errors when transmitting data. DATA BITS A parameter used in data communications to determine the number of bits it takes to transmit one character. DATA COMPRESSION Encoding data in order to take up less space. DOWNLOAD Transferring files from another PC to your own PC system. DUPLEX Duplex is a parameter setting in your communications software. It is used to determine whether the computer you've dialed up echoes the characters you type at your computer's keyboard back to your computer screen. When the remote system (that is the one your are calling) is set to FULL-DUPLEX, your communications software should be set to FULL-DUPLEX. Otherwise, both your computer and the remote system will be echoing characters to you, and you'll see double characters, lliikkee tthhiiss.. Conversely, if the remote system is set to HALF-DUPLEX, and your system is set to FULL-DUPLEX, no characters are echoed to your screen and you will not see what you type. Therefore, the remote system's duplex setting must agree with your system's settings. Duplex is sometimes referred to as ECHO. ECHO ON equals FULL DUPLEX. ECHO OFF equals HALF DUPLEX. EMULATION Emulation is a "let's pretend" feature of communications software. Terminal emulation allows different kinds of computers to talk to each other (e.g., PCs talking to mainframes). If your communications software can emulate a specific terminal type, you can take advantage of special features offered by online services. These include ANSI graphics, colors, full-screen editors, and more. Common emulations are ANSI, VT100 and VT52. ANSI emulation is used by most bulletin board systems and allows your PC to view color screens provided by the BBS. FILE TRANSFER Moving files from one computer to another. FLOW CONTROL The pacing of data in a transmission. It ensures that the receiving device can absorb the data that has been sent before sending more. FULL DUPLEX See DUPLEX. HALF DUPLEX See DUPLEX. INTERRUPT A signal that gets the attention of the PC and is usually generated when input or output is required. For example, hardware interrupts are generated when a key is pressed or when the mouse is moved. Software interrupts are generated by a program requiring disk input or output. When an interrupt occurs, control is transferred to the operating system, which determines what action should be taken. All interrupts are prioritized; the higher the priority, the faster the interrupt will be serviced. KERMIT An asynchronous communications protocol for PCs developed at Columbia University and used in several public-domain communications programs. It is a slow protocol but is noted for its transmission accuracy over noisy telephone lines, because it checks for errors in the commands it sends as well as the data. Kermit can also communicate effectively with IBM mainframes. LINE FEED A character code that advances the cursor on the screen or paper in the printer to the next line. MNP Microcom Networking Protocol: A family of communications protocols from Microcom, Inc., that have become de facto standards for error correction and data compression. MODEM A modem links your computer to your telephone so that the information you wish to transmit can be communicated via telephone lines. OFF-HOOK The state of a telephone line that allows dialing and transmission but prohibits incoming calls from being answered. ON-HOOK The state of a telephone line that prevents dialing and transmission but allows incoming calls. PARITY BIT A bit used to check for errors. PARITY CHECKING An error detection technique that checks for the accurate transmission of digital data. Parity checking uses an extra bit (9th) that holds a 0 or 1 depending on the data content of the byte. In order to detect a transmission error, the parity bit is tested each time a byte is transmitted. PORT An external connector on a computer that is used to hook up a modem, printer or other devices. A serial port is where data enters and leaves the computer during a telecommunications session. This port, often referred to as the comm port, is where the RS-232 cable connects your modem to your computer when the computer requires an external modem. PROTOCOL A set of rules and regulations that govern the transmitting and receiving of data. RS-232 A 25-wire electrical cable used between a computer and a peripheral device, such as a modem, mouse, or printer. SEAlink A "windowed" version of XMODEM for faster file transfer over links which have significant propagation delays. SEAlink also is much faster than XMODEM at higher modem speeds. SEAlink supports the transfer of file name, exact file size and "batch" file transfers. Best uses: Links where delays occur (satellite- based long distance connections or packet switching networks). Also good for high speed (2400 bps and up). SERIAL PORT An external connector on a computer that is used to connect a modem or other serial device. The typical serial port uses a DB-25 or DB-9 connector. See port (above). START BITS A special bit that marks the beginning of a BYTE of information. STOP BITS A special bit that marks the end of a BYTE of information. SUPERKERMIT A "sliding windows" version of KERMIT which is immune to the slowdowns KERMIT suffers in higher speed and packet network environments. Other than being faster, it has all of the features of Kermit. Best Uses: Same as regular KERMIT, but much better efficiency on long distance or packet switching networks and at higher speeds. SYNC Synchronous communications: A method of communications where a group of characters are sent as a continuous stream of data at regular intervals of time. Most mainframe computers use synchronous communications. SYSOP System's Operator. This is the person who maintains the operation of the BBS. His/her duties include software upgrades, updating files, backing up the system, and ensuring the security and integrity of the data. TELE- COMMUNICATIONS The transmission or reception of data using any electromagnetic means, such as a computer. TTY Teletypewriter - A low-speed teleprinter. UPLOAD Transferring file from your PC to another PC. V.42 A standard for modem error correction. VT100 A series on asynchronous display terminals from Digital that are used on its PDP and VAX computers. They are available in text and graphics models in both monochrome and color. If your communications software provides VT100 emulation you can view both color and graphics and when IN FILTERS are turned off, will closely emulate ANSI, which most BBS's use. WORDWRAP A feature of text handling systems that causes text to drop down one line and start at the left margin when each line of text is full. Unlike a typewriter, which requires the carriage return key to be pressed to move to the beginning of the next line, word wrap keeps track of the characters being typed and performs the operation automatically. XMODEM A simple asynchronous communication protocol for PCs that can detect most transmission errors, but not all. XMODEM-1k An extension to Xmodem which increases the block size from 128 to 1024 bytes, thereby increasing transmission speeds. XMODEM-CRC An advanced Modem protocol that uses a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to detect all transmission errors. XON/XOFF A simple asynchronous protocol that keeps the receiving device in synchronization with the sending device. When the buffer in the receiving device is full, it sends an X-off signal (transmit off) to the sending device, telling it to stop transmitting. When the receiving device is ready to accept more, it sends the sending device an X-on signal (transmit on) to start again. YMODEM An asynchronous communications protocol for PCs that is identical to the Xmodem- CRC protocol, with the addition of batch file transfer. YMODEM-g A streaming protocol built around the philosophy that no news is good news. It sends the entire file before waiting for an acknowledgment. If the receiving side detects an error in midstream, it aborts the transfer. Ymodem-g is not an error correcting protocol; it is designed for use with high-speed modems, which have built-in error-correcting protocols. ZMODEM An asynchronous communications protocol for PCs that can handle larger transfers of data without error than Xmodem-CRC. UNZIPPING AND USING A FILE FROM SBA ONLINE To unzip a file you have received from SBA Online you must first obtain a copy of a program called pkunzip.exe. This is the utility that uncompresses files in a zip format, and is available in the miscellaneous area. This is pkunzip version 1.10, which is the version we have used for all of our zip files online, and will run on the widest variety of hardware. Once you have your zipped file, and a copy of pkunzip, you have everything you need to get your program working. But before proceeding you should understand that a file with the .zip extention could con- tain just one file, or it could contain hundreds of files. So we re- commend that before you unzip your file, you first create a subdirectory for your program and place both pkunzip.exe and your zipped file in the directory. To unzip your program, simply type "pkunzip filename.zip" from the C: prompt. This will "extract" all the files contained in the zip to your current directory, leaving the existing zip file intact. Since you may do this occasionally, even often, you might want to place a copy of pkunzip.exe in a directory that is listed in your path in the autoexec.bat. This will allow you to execute pkunzip from any directory in the system, with only one copy of pkunzip. Be aware that pkunzip will place the extracted files in the directory you are currenty in. This can work to your advantage. This means that you can create a subdirectory for your new program, go to that directory, and and type "pkunzip C:\download\filename.zip" and all the files from the zip will be deposited in your new directory, while the zipped file you down- loaded is still sitting in your download directory. Connecting to the 900 Number Difficulty in connecting with the 900 number is usually because of two reasons. 1. There is a block on dialing out of the home or office to a 900 number - this can be determined by calling your local telephone company. 2. The user is not in an equal access area. This also can be determined by calling your local telephone company. 3. The following is a partial quote from a user who lives in a non-equal access area, who received a recording requesting billing information. We do not warrant that this will work for you but you may wish to try the recommendations. The user has asked us to pass this along to you. PARTIAL QUOTE ".....Now, I was receiving a new message to enter my phone number for billing verification. However, dialing through my modem eliminates my access to the tone/voice features on my phone. - After spending 2 grueling hours with my modem manual, I found a solution that others may want to try: 1. Enter the manual dialing mode of your communications program. 2. Type in the following, all on one line without any spaces. (your number = your area code and home phone number - 10 digits). ATDT19004634636@,,,yournumber,,,,,,1 3. Press "ENTER". AT = Gets the attention of your modem D = The "dial" command T = Tells the modem to use touch tone dialing 19004634636 = The SBA BBS 900 number @ = Causes to modem to wait for a ring, then wait 5 sec. more before continuing. (You hear a phone ring, and then the recorded message asks for your phone number) ,,, = Each comma tells the modem to wait for 2 sec. before continuing - this gives the recording time to start its message. (increase or decrease the number of commas here as necessary - 3 works for me) your number = Your phone number is entered in response to the recorded message. ,,,,,, = More pauses - to wait as recorded message repeats your phone number, then asks you to enter a "1" if it's correct. (increase/decrease commas as necessary) 1 = This tells the recording, "yes, my number is corect". Then you will be connected to the BBS!......." END OF PARTIAL QUOTE ---------- End of Document