Thought I would go out on a limb here and ask is there any possibility
you would be able to add PETSCII support in Mystic? Synchronet is doing it with the users connecting to port 128 or 64 and it does a decent job
of translating all the text and ANSI to Commodore PETSCII. Being a

Sure I'd be willing to look into it although it might end up being an Alpha 48 feature since I am pretty close to releasing A47 I think. Things have been mostly stable so I want to get a release out officially before I start making bigger changes again.

The biggest hurdle is probably that I don't have a Commodore or know too much about PETSCII. Its just something I never look into before as I don't think anyone has asked in the past. I would want a reliable way to test (maybe an emulator could be used since I don't have the hardware?) and one or two people who can test it as well to help provide some feedback.

... When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/07/27 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 * Mystic WHQ (1:129/215)

On 28 Jul 2021, g00r00 said the following...

Sure I'd be willing to look into it although it might end up being an Alpha 48 feature since I am pretty close to releasing A47 I think.
Things have been mostly stable so I want to get a release out officially

WOW This is really exciting!!! Thanks for looking into this!!

The biggest hurdle is probably that I don't have a Commodore or know too much about PETSCII. Its just something I never look into before as I don't think anyone has asked in the past. I would want a reliable way

Emulation would work, but I dare suggest (cringing): You can use Syncterm
which has PETSCII support if you want a down and dirty quick way to test it. I know that is sacrilege to suggest but it does. hehe

I would foresee PETSCII support making its way into Netrunner though as a result of Mystic offering PETSCII!! ;)

hardware?) and one or two people who can test it as well to help provide some feedback.

Well I know you would have me FOR SURE testing it on real hardware and emulation, I know Al (Bucko) would too!!!! Yeah I threw him under the bus but this is a feature that is huge to him and I for our BBS'. For me my 8bitboyz.com crowd of Commodore users would also be excited for this.

Thank you for considering this!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
* Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (1:305/3)

Emulation would work, but I dare suggest (cringing): You can use Syncterm which has PETSCII support if you want a down and dirty quick way to test it. I know that is sacrilege to suggest but it does. hehe

Hey there is nothing wrong with Syncterm, its a great terminal!

If Syncterm supports it I would use it to test with, but at some point it needs to be put through the motions with actual hardware (if possible). I don't want to assume that Syncterm would be 100% perfect in its emulation (although it very well could be).

Could you recommend a Windows C64 or C128 emulator and terminal software for the Commodore that could be used to telnet into a Mystic BBS from the emulator? Does such a setup exist? This would be my ideal testing platform and then I can have someone on real hardware give it a shot once I think I have it right.

I would foresee PETSCII support making its way into Netrunner though as a result of Mystic offering PETSCII!! ;)

That wouldn't be out of the question, although NetRunner is my neglected child so it could take a while lol

... My tagline could eat your tagline for breakfast

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/07/28 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 * Mystic WHQ (1:129/215)

On 28 Jul 2021, g00r00 said the following...

If Syncterm supports it I would use it to test with, but at some point
it needs to be put through the motions with actual hardware (if
possible). I don't want to assume that Syncterm would be 100% perfect
in its emulation (although it very well could be).

Yeah I would trust that Syncterm would be about 98-99% accurate.

Could you recommend a Windows C64 or C128 emulator and terminal software for the Commodore that could be used to telnet into a Mystic BBS from
the emulator? Does such a setup exist? This would be my ideal testing platform and then I can have someone on real hardware give it a shot
once I think I have it right.

I would but I will pass this request on to Al (Bucko) as such a setup does exist thanks to him. Bucko and I were talking this morning and he suggested to use his Image BBS setup that we had for download on my website. How ever he
is happy to get you setup with a modified version of that which would include the Terminal software and no BBS as you don't need that. LOL. It is so easy
to use, launch the bat file and before you know it your up and running on a Commodore 64 or 128 (for 80 column support) with full telnet ability using a commodore bbs terminal software like CGTerm.

I know Bucko will have better details for you when he chimes in on here later but he is already thinking ahead to make sure you have a true test bed!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
* Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (1:305/3)

On 28 Jul 2021, g00r00 said the following...

Could you recommend a Windows C64 or C128 emulator and terminal software for the Commodore that could be used to telnet into a Mystic BBS from
the emulator? Does such a setup exist? This would be my ideal testing platform and then I can have someone on real hardware give it a shot
once I think I have it right.

Hey g00r00, I will set you up with a fully set up emulation. All you will
have to do is click a runme.bat (in windows) and it will boot up into a term program for testing.. It will make life a lot easier for you. This setup is
the base of my now defunct "Image BBS on a Stick" project, it would boot up a fully functional Image BBS for the 64 on a USB stick or any computer.
Anyways, I will get it worked up either tonight or tomorrow night and send it off to Shane for him to get it to you. I have real hardware to test,
including a Ultimate 64 to test on.

That wouldn't be out of the question, although NetRunner is my neglected child so it could take a while lol

No comment about neglected child projects.. I have 2 which I have been doing for Image BBS for the 64 for the past 3 months and they should have taken no more then a week to complete but procrastination and neglecting have run rampant here too!

Al

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (1:267/157)

Hey g00r00, I will set you up with a fully set up emulation. All you will have to do is click a runme.bat (in windows) and it will boot up into a term program for testing.. It will make life a lot easier for you. This

That sounds great! Thank you I appreciate your help!

any computer. Anyways, I will get it worked up either tonight or
tomorrow night and send it off to Shane for him to get it to you. I have

Thank you again but please do not stress yourself out trying to get it done ASAP. I am planning to look into PETSCII for A48 and at this point A47 is probably 1-2 weeks away, so it'd be a couple weeks before I'd even begin to look at it. There is no rush but at your leisure I would love the help!

One question I do have regarding C64 BBSes is: Do they usually store art in a file in a similar way to a PC BBS would store its art in an .ANS file? I have called into C64 BBSes back in the day but I have never actually seen a BBS from the SysOp side on a C64 so I am curious if they are similar to traditional PC BBSes?

I'd love to check out Image BBS that you mention (or any others that you recommend looking at) on the C64 emulator too if its possible! I've always been facinated by BBS stuff and the C64 is one of the platforms I haven't worked with in terms of BBS software. Kind of odd too considering my first computer was a Commodore 128 (wish I still had it!)!

... Intelligence tests are biased toward the literate.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/07/28 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 * Mystic WHQ (1:129/215)

On 28 Jul 2021, g00r00 said the following...

One question I do have regarding C64 BBSes is: Do they usually store art in a file in a similar way to a PC BBS would store its art in an .ANS file? I have called into C64 BBSes back in the day but I have never actually seen a BBS from the SysOp side on a C64 so I am curious if they are similar to traditional PC BBSes?

Yes the CG art is usually saved in a SEQ (Sequential Data/Text) type of file for the Commodore BBS to read. When Al sends me the disk to pass along I can add the c128 80Col editor I found that works very well for creating/editing 80col PETSCII files. As for C64 40col editor Kaleidoscope on the c64 is the most popular, again it will be on your setup.

I'd love to check out Image BBS that you mention (or any others that you recommend looking at) on the C64 emulator too if its possible! I've always been facinated by BBS stuff and the C64 is one of the platforms I haven't worked with in terms of BBS software. Kind of odd too

once you get to playing with Image you will be amazed at how much it does considering it is an 8-bit machine program. Al and crew did an amazing job
and still continue to!

considering my first computer was a Commodore 128 (wish I still had it!)!

Sounds like this Mystic feature addition might make a great reason to reclaim
a 128 for yourself! Its a shame the retro world prices are soo over inflated though. That is a topic for another day and place. ;)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
* Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (1:305/3)