Installation:

Put the BeBS executable wherever you like.  When you run it for the first time, (or if it detects a problem with your setup), it will create the necessary files/folder structure in your home directory.

After you launch the board, you'll want to edit the text files in the ~/BeBS/banners and ~/BeBS/help folders.  A brief explanation of each follows:

  banners/welcome - this is shown when a new user connects
  banners/goodbye - this is shown when a user terminates
  help/help - a general help file.  You'll want to put some basic instructions in here
  help/about - you will want to describe your board here

You can also add new help files to cover whatever you like by making new text files in the help/ directory.  These files will be available to the users through the in-board help system.

If you ever want to totally reset your BBS, simply delete the BeBS folder from your home directory.  Similarly, you can back up your board by copying that folder somewhere else, and restore it by simply copying the folder back there and restarting the BeBS app.

Instructions for use:

Double-click the app.  Simple, eh?

There are several administration options available on the console window.  Most are self-explanitory, but a couple need explination.

  Twit - users who abuse the board, or whom the sysop otherwise doesn't like, should be twitted.  Simply select the username from the list, check the Twit box, and hit apply.  This user can post and read messages as normal, but their posts will only be readable by them.  Smart twits can figure this out in around two or three weeks... dumb ones may take longer.  "Hey!  Why is everyone ignoring me?!?"
 
  Fortress mode - check this box to lock down the board.  While in fortress mode, new users must contact the sysop to create an account--new accounts can only be created from the console in this case.  As a sysop, you'll want to come up with some way to verify that people really are new users, and not just the same old twit getting a new account to pester you with.

  Max posts/room - we'd like to think that we've got an infinite amount of hard drive space and an infinitely powerful computer to power it, but as it stands most of us simply don't have the hardware to make that work.  Setting this number (and then hitting the apply button) will set a maximum number of posts per room that are allowed.  The default is 50, but you can set it higher (or lower) to your liking.  If there are more posts in a room than the maximum, it will clean out old posts the next time that someone posts in a room.

Users connect to the BBS by telnetting to port 8088.  If you're not on a network, "telnet 127.0.0.1 8088" works just fine for trying it out locally, though it'll be a trick getting users if you're not on the 'net.

Login by hitting 'L' for <L>ogin.  Commands are issued with a single keystroke, as indicated by the letter in the <>'s.  Hit the '?' in the board for more details.

To post a message, hit <E>nter message.  Type in your message.  To end, hit return twice, and you'll be given a prompt.

Doors:

You'll notice that there's a folder in the BeBS directory called "doors".  This is where you'll put door games that will be available to users.  There will be a door kit released for those that want to write games for BeBS, and http://www.bebs.net will maintain archives/links for those that have been written.  To date, there is only one door game for BeBS: Scary Caverns.  Scary is available for free download from bebs.net.

Miscellaneous stuff:

BeBS is freeware - if you paid for it, someone is ripping you off.  The source code, however, is not.  If you'd like to do something with the source code other than look through it, I only ask that you contact me with what you'd like to do with it first.  Thanks.

BeBS is freely distributable, so long as you include this help file, unaltered, with it.  If you want to charge money for BeBS, contact me for arrangements first.

If you are in a position to offer a programming job to entry-level candidates, and you really like BeBS, please let me know.

If you want to contact me, either visit the official BeBS homepage at:
http://www.bebs.net
or email me at
xaroth@visi.com