CNet Amiga BBS software on Amiga 500?

[Ilwrath]

Haha! Cool! I ran a CNET BBS from the Amiga 500.  As far as I know, there are no processor requirements for any version of CNET.  (though the 3.x series may require a 020+).  There were versions, maybe starting as early as the 2.x series that required OS2.04+, though.  I don't think any ever required 3.1, though.  

You didn't say what ROM you were running in the A500.  I'll assume the stock 1.3.  I am positive you can run CNETs through the 1.9x family on that.  Seems like I used to run a 1.92 or 1.98, or something.  My memory is pretty hazy.  (We're talking almost 15 years ago!)  Looking through the BBS disks here, I have a backup of my friend's old CNET 2.63, and a backup on  version 3.05c also, but by that time it was running on an A1200, so that's difficult to say what the requirements were.

If you can't find anyone associated with the CNET anymore (does Ray Akey still come here?), alternatives include

The great Excelsior! BBS (my 2nd favorite to the old-school CNETs), which I believe is now available as a freeware download.  (Though I can't find a link ANYWHERE!  Incredible!)  I'll check the dox on my 4000 later and let you know, if no one else has found it...

The DLG BBS wasn't too bad, IIRC.  I have a demo copy here, but never ran or personally knew anyone who did, though I seem to remember calling a few.

Those were the "Big 3" around here, besides the stupid PC TAG and Wildcat! systems.

[Ilwrath]

Power, at least in the US, is VERY minimal.  Picture the increase that leaving a 50-75 watt light bulb on 24/7 would be.  Hardly noticible.  In fact, unplug your nightlight, and you'll probably break even.  I'd be surprised if it actually cost more than $1-$2 a month.

Phone line, if you choose to go that way, is the cost.  And even it isn't so bad... $20/mo or so.  But who is really left as a local call?  The last holdout in my old 313 area code shut down last year.  And it was up from back in the early 80's until now.  Dial-up interest just isn't there.  So just run it telnet, and you should be ok.  I've thought about doing that, myself.  The real cost is in the computer, itself.  The 500's used to be all but indestructable... But age is catching up with them, and I don't really want to put a classic through that much abuse.  Plus, there aren't good network cards for the 500.  With the retro replay for the C64, I'm tempted to pull out my CNET 12.0 C64 and hack away to make IT a telnet-able BBS!  haha!!!  (I always liked my C64 BBS better than my Amiga one.)

[Ilwrath]

Heck I didn't know there WAS a Cnet for the c64. Back then I think I ran EBBS on a c128 up in Rochester NY.

Sure there was....   There was also a CNET 128 that ran in 80 column CG on a C128.  It would degrade to a 40 column wrapped C64 display for C64 callers, too!  It was cool as heck, for it's time!  

The CNET 12.0 for C64 was the last real CNet, at which point development forked due to an argument of some kind.  It resulted in the 12 source being  forked to the New Image BBS 1.0, and the original CNET designers wrote the CNET DS][, which was an incredible BBS, but just too late.  (~'89 or '90 release).