 
 
 
 
 
















   Using the SLC ADAM-LINK BBS
            (Part 4)
         By Alan Neeley 
@ 
All previous articles discussing the SLC 
A-L BBS have involved just the basics of 
the A-NET BBS system.  They included: 1) 
How to create an account and get logged- 
on as a new user, 2) The central area of 
the BBS (TC/MAIN), and 3) How to use the 
A-NET text editor and other general 
options found through out the A-NET 
system.  In this article and the ones to 
follow, we will concentrate on some of 
the more specific areas of the A-NET BBS 
system. 
@
     The PUBLIC MESSAGE AREA 
@ 
Whether you're looking for the latest 
info on the ADAM, have a question or a 
problem, or have something to share with 
all the other users on the system; the 
Public Message Area is the place to 
visit.  This area also provides a medium 
in which you can meet other ADAM owners 
all across the country.
 
To get to the Public Message Area, you 
must first be at the TC/MAIN prompt 
(Note:  other A-NET systems across the 
country are starting to use their own 
identification letters in front of the 
/MAIN prompt but it still represents the 
central area of the BBS).
 
Once at the TC/MAIN prompt, you have two 
options that will take you to the Public 
Message Area:  1) Enter B followed by a 
RETURN to go to the default message 
board #1.  or 2) Enter B followed by the 
number of the specific message board 
that you wish to go to.  The second 
choice is used after you have visited 















 
the Public Message Area a few times and 
are familiar with the various message 
boards.  Each message board has a name 
that represents a particular range of 
topics (see the L command later on in 
this article for info on how to list the 
available message boards).
 
When you first enter the Public Message 
Area, a message is displayed. This mes 
sage contains the name of the message 
board you have chosen, which user's have 
access to that board, and the name of 
the Sub-Board Operator (Sub-op) of the 
board.  Then the Public Message Area's 
main mode prompt is displayed.
 
The SLC A-L BBS at present uses a prompt 
that looks like:  SUBx:  (Where the x is 
the number of the message board that you 
are presently at).  It should be noted 
that most of the A-NET systems across 
the country are beginning to use a 
prompt that looks like:  MESSAGE BOARD 
#x:  (where x means the same as it does 
in the other prompt).  The SLC A-L BBS 
will probably begin using that prompt as 
well (or something similar). Just remem 
ber, no matter what prompt is used, you 
are in the main mode of the Public 
Message Area.
 
There are two different modes (each with 
their own prompt) that can be found in 
the Public Message Area.  Each mode has 
its own specific set of commands (and in 
2 cases, the exact same letter is used 
but produces different results in each 
mode).  The first mode I have already 
introduced.  It is the MAIN MODE that I 
spoke of above.  You are always in the 
main mode upon first entering the Public 
Message Area.  The second mode is known 
as the READ MODE and it is entered by 
 
using specific commands from the main 
mode.  Now I will go through and discuss 
the options (or commands) that can be 
found in each mode. 
@
      The MAIN MODE OPTIONS 
@ 
Like most other prompts found throughout 
A-NET, entering a question mark (?) will 
bring up a list of the options or com 
mands available in the area you are 
presently in.  Entering ?  and pressing 
RETURN from the SUBx: prompt, will bring 
up a similar list of options on all A- 
NET BBS systems:
 
Public Message Area Options:
 
P Post a public message 
Rx Read specific message x 
S Scan message headers 
K Kill messages 
L List available boards 
x Change to specific base x 
<,> Forward/Back one board 
M Feedback to Board Sub-Op 
V View Sub-Operator's Name
 
Special READ MODE commands:
 
RETURN reads next message 
CONTROL S pauses text reading 
CONTROL C skips through responses 
SPACEBAR aborts message reading
 
General commands: 
(Available from Subx: prompt)
 
F Feedback to system operator 
O Logoff system 
+ Fast logoff 
C Chat with system operator 
U Re-Read system rules 
I System configurations 
Q Quit from subsystem 
TD Local time/date information 
ST Your current call status
 
Let's go through and discuss the speci 
fic commands for the Public Message Area 
that can be entered from the Subx: 
prompt (or main mode).  I will discuss 
the READ MODE commands later on and the 
General commands were discussed in a 
previous article.
 
The S or SCAN command is used to pull up 
the heading of each message. It displays 
the number of the message, the number of 
 
responses to each message, and the sub 
ject of the message.  Here is what a 
typical line would look like:
 
1. (15) "THE TOPIC" 
2. (3) "FOR SALE"
 
Currently, The total amount of messages 
possible on one board is 15.  If there 
are already 15 messages on the board 
and a new one is posted, the first post 
is removed and the new one added to the 
end (for this reason, most operators of 
A-NET boards will delete the older and 
less important messages always leaving 
room for a new post).  There is no limit 
to the amount of responses made to each 
message.
 
The P for POST command allows you to add 
a new topic to the message board that 
you are in. Do not use this command when 
there has already been a message posted 
that covers the same topic (use the R 
for Respond command instead).
 
When the P command is entered from the 
Subx: prompt, you will first be asked to 
enter the name or subject of the new 
message that you wish to post.  Type in 
the subject (please keep it within 10-15 
characters and no commas) and then press 
RETURN.
 
Then after a few seconds, you will be 
taken to the A-NET text editor (discus 
sed in the last issue).  At this point 
you type in the text or message using 
the editor and then save it (you use a 
period and an S or '.S' on a line all by 
itself and press RETURN). You will get a 
message telling you that the new post is 
being saved and in a little bit, you 
will get a message telling you it has 
been stored.
 
If you don't have enough room to enter 
all your message in the A-NET editor, 
use the R for RESPOND command discussed 
later on in the READ MODE section.
 
The K for KILL command allows those who 
have proper access, to delete messages 
so that there will be room for new 
posts.  Currently, only those who have 
SYSOP status (level 10) can delete 
messages in the public area.

 
 
The L for LIST command is used to list 
the available message boards that are 
available in the public area.  It simply 
displays each board number, the name of 
each board, and then a brief message is 
sent telling you to enter the board 
number of the message board you wish to 
go to.  At the Subx:  prompt, you can 
enter the number and you will be taken 
to the board you choose.
 
You will also notice that you can enter 
a '>' or a '<' to move from board to 
board. The > command (greater than) will 
move you up one message board (if you 
are on board 3, you will go to 4). The < 
command (less than) will move you down 
one board (if you are on 3, you will go 
to 2).
 
The V or VIEW command allows you to view 
the name of the Sub-op for the particu 
lar message board that you are on.  This 
command is there so that you will know 
who to address in the event you need to 
contact the sub-op on a problem or ques 
tion and don't know who else to address 
it to.
 
The M command allows you to send a pri 
vate message directly to the sub-op of 
the board you are presently on.  This 
command is very useful if you discover 
that there is a problem with the board 
you are on and want to advise someone 
who will be able to correct it (or you 
can use the F command so that all sub- 
ops or SYSOPS will be notified of the 
problem).
 
After entering the M command, you are 
asked to enter the subject of the pri 
vate feedback and then you are taken to 
the A-NET text editor. Enter the message 
and then follow the proper procedures to 
save it.  If the sub-op needs a better 
explanation of what the problem is or if 
some other kind of reply is needed, you 
will most likely find the answer in your 
private mailbox (the private mail area 
will be discussed in a future article). 
@
      The READ MODE OPTIONS 
@ 
Now let's discuss the READ MODE area and 
the commands that are accessed from that 
area of the Public Message boards.  The 
read mode does just what it sounds like 
it does -- it allows you to read the 
 
messages and responses that have been 
left on the message boards.
 
There are two commands that can be used 
from the Subx:  prompt (or MAIN MODE) 
that will cause you to enter the READ 
MODE.  They are the RETURN key or Rx 
(where x is the number of the message 
you wish to start reading). When you use 
either of these commands, you will enter 
the READ MODE and begin reading the 
selected message. 
 
Now an A-NET message board is a little 
bit different than a conventional mes 
sage board. Most message boards on other 
BBS's store all messages and responses 
on the board in a chronological order. 
The A-NET message board stores the mes 
sages and responses in a STRING order.
 
Although current versions of A-NET don't 
offer a READ NEW command, I think that 
you will find this form of board very 
organized and that it gives you a chance 
to choose only what you want to read.
 
When a message is read, you will notice 
that some information is displayed be 
fore the actual message and each of its 
responses.  This is called the HEADING. 
The heading contains such information as 
the subject of the message, who left the 
message, the date the message was left, 
and the date of the last response, along 
with the total amount of responses for 
that message. Then after the heading has 
been displayed, the original message is 
displayed followed by each of the re 
sponses (each response has its own head 
ing that is similar to the original 
heading).
 
Using the Rx command along with the S 
for SCAN command can be very useful. You 
can first scan the headings to see which 
message that you wish to read and then 
use the the Rx message to begin reading 
that particular message (remember x 
represents the number of the message you 
wish to read).
 
The RETURN key works a little different 
ly. It reads the next message that is in 
line to be read.  If you have just en 
tered the public message area or changed 
boards, the message read mode is set to 
read message number 1.  If you've pre 
viously read messages or used the Rx 
 
command to read a specific message, the 
next message in line is read. This holds 
true anytime the RETURN key is pressed 
whether in the MAIN or READ MODES.
 
While a message and its responses are 
being displayed, there are 3 special 
commands that can be used. The CONTROL S 
command allows you to freeze or pause 
the text on the screen so that it can be 
read. Pressing any key after this allows 
the text to continue on. 
 
The CONTROL C command allows you to SKIP 
FORWARD through the message responses so 
that you can quickly get to the newest 
responses (consider it a manual READ NEW 
command).  Each time it is pressed, it 
will skip through the text until it 
reaches the next response.  Then it dis 
plays the heading of that response and 
continues on like normal.
 
Pressing the SPACEBAR, allows you to 
ABORT the current message and the re 
sponses to it and go to the READ MODE 
prompt. 
 
The READ MODE prompt is displayed after 
a message and all of its responses have 
been read or the SPACEBAR has been 
pressed. This prompt will look something 
similar to:
 
End of message -- Option?:
 
If you need to bring up a list of the 
options that are available to you, a 
gain, you can enter the question mark 
(?).  You DON'T need to enter the ?  to 
actually use the available options if 
you already know them.  They can just be 
entered from the READ MODE prompt.  The 
list of options that will be brought up 
if you do enter a ?, will look something 
similar to this:
 
RETURN to read next message. 
R-espond to message. 
P-rivately respond to message. 
Q-uit message read mode
 
We have already discussed what pressing 
RETURN will do -- it will simply con 
tinue on and read the next message in 
line.
 
Pressing the R command from the READ 
MODE prompt, will allow you to add a 
 
public RESPONSE to the last message 
read.  Using this command, will take you 
directly into the A-NET text editor so 
that you can enter the response and then 
save it (when it is saved, it is added 
to the end of the file that contains the 
original message and all the other re 
sponses).  Remember, don't confuse this 
command with the Rx command available 
from the main mode prompt.
 
The P command in the READ MODE, allows 
you to send a private response to the 
original user who posted the last mes 
sage read. This is very similar to send 
ing a person mail from the private mail 
area except that you don't have to leave 
the public area to do so.  You will be 
asked for the subject of the mail. After 
entering it, as usual, you are taken to 
the A-NET text editor. Enter the private 
message and then save it.  Remember, you 
can only use this command to send pri 
vate mail to the person who originally 
posted the last message that you read. 
Again, DON'T confuse this command to the 
P for POST command available from the 
MAIN MODE!
 
The Q for QUIT command allows you to 
exit the READ MODE and return to the 
MAIN MODE.  If you press the RETURN key 
again, you will enter the READ MODE 
starting with the next message in line.
 
That's all there is to know on how to 
efficiently use the Public Message Area. 
Now all that's left to do is call and 
try it!  The A-NET BBS system is an on 
going effort to provide the best BBS 
system for the ADAM possible. Because of 
this, there may be some actual changes 
to operation of the commands that have 
been described in this article or new 
ones may be added (at which time an 
nouncements are made and I may include 
an additional article on how to make use 
of them).
 
I am currently considering several dif 
ferent methods of adding a READ NEW 
command to the public area.  If I can 
come up with one that is efficient, I 
will most definitely add this feature. I 
may also go with a chronological message 
base but will try to keep available a 
command that will string the original 
messages and their responses together 
for those who like this feature.
 

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