Subj : Re: External mailer
To   : IB JOE
From : Marceline Jones
Date : Sun Feb 21 2021 07:19 am

MJ> I currently do not understand how WC5 can receive a call from an external
MJ> mailer if there is no command on the WC5 side to receive a live
MJ> connection. In previous versions of Wildcat the "wildcat.exe" command
MJ> supported the "/B <baud>" switch to pass a live connection to the BBS.
MJ>
IJ> I just want to clarify WC5, the old version number and name for the
IJ> current WINServer... It is a windows 32bit program and needs to run
IJ> with other 32bit mailer programs.

I understand that my version of WC5 is a Windows 32-bit GUI application. However my version is apparently not WINServer (as detailed in its connection banner). (Notice from the following banners that one says WINServer and the other does not).

My banner:

==================================================
Wildcat! for Win95/NT (c) 1995,96 Mustang Software, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
Registration number: 00-0000.  v5.00.  Node: 1.
==================================================

Wildcat 5.3:

==================================================
Wildcat! Interactive Net Server (c) 1999 Santronics Software, Inc.
Registration number: 00-0000  v5.3.449 (Apr 26 2000)  Node: 1
==================================================

IJ> WC5 AKA Winserver readily answers a modem caller... Does not need a
IJ> mailer or any software... it has it built in.  The program that starts
IJ> the BBS to accept any calls is called wcOnline.exe.  Once that is
IJ> started, assuming you've configured things right, the BBS will accept
IJ> HTTP, FTP, Telnet & Modem period.  For the most part this should look
IJ> and fee the same way for all versions... There has been changes since
IJ> 1990 (Whatever) when WC5 came out... but what I just wrote should be
IJ> what you should expect from WC5/WINServer...

Wildcat version 5.00 does not come with HTTP or FTP (these were add-on products that needed to be purchased separately). I understand that wcOnline handles connections between callers and wcServer. But unlike a lot of DOS BBS's, WC5 does not have an option to load an active connection (high carrier) into the BBS from the command line.

IJ> NOW, the  wildcat.exe sounds like the DOS version of wildcat.  I have
IJ> been around since day 1 of WC5 project, I have the current version of
IJ> WINServer and run it, it is not the same as the as the DOS version.
IJ> If it is true that you have the DOS version... you can use any DOS
IJ> Mailer you want... Frontdoor, Intermail, Binkley... Bla Bla Bla.  What
IJ> you need is the command line for your batch file to pull up the BBS
IJ> after the mailer passes the user the BBS.  This is a different
IJ> question and it probably can be answered here...  If you want me to
IJ> answer the question I'll have to download the DOS version and read the
IJ> docs...  I can and will if I have to....

I have both DOS and Windows versions (WC4 and WC5).

If an external mailer like Frontdoor can exit without dropping carrier, and then SexPOTS can pickup and resume carrier and forward the connection on to WC5, then SexPOTS sounds like it might work.

IJ> NOW, I'm sorry if you own the current version of Wildcat... the
IJ> windows 32bit version... it runs differently... wcOnline.exe and my
IJ> mailer pxOnline.exe (Platinum Express) run at the same time... in
IJ> different windows and a human caller is passed directly to the BBS
IJ> without any SysOp intervention... seamless easy as pi.
IJ> So, is there a way to pass a human caller, I'm a summing it's a dial
IJ> up line with a physical modem... The Windows version... YES... Use any
IJ> windows mailer, Binkley has one... AND use a program called
IJ> SexPOTS.exe and you can have people dial in via modem and it'll be
IJ> passed to your BBS via telnet. This is the simplest, easiest and it's
IJ> free.

Does SexPOTS work with virtual modems (eg. an inbound call via TCP/IP) ?

IJ> Now, as I said, I have been around since day 1 of WC5, not WC4, I have
IJ> seen a few things.  I have talked about BGFax running as a frontend to
IJ> WC5... I used it and it worked fine.  It's been 25 years and I don't
IJ> recall how it did it but all I know was that it was easy.  Moreover, I
IJ> was on the beta team for InterMail and they were working on a mailer
IJ> that compatible with WC5 but it never made it into production... The
IJ> author, Peter, went MIA...

Is InterMail a Frontdoor clone ? (it looks like a lot like Frontdoor).

IJ> Anyway... to be honest with you... if you have WC5/WINServer just
IJ> spend the money and get its partner Platinum Express... it sells for a
IJ> 100 bucks and it might be the best 100 you spent... Hand in glove
IJ> works perfect... BUT even if you had those 2 programs you might need
IJ> an other... BinkP or Internet Rex.

Does Platinum Xpress support BinkP ?

IJ> Apparently not.... and I wrote all that stuff.... SHIT... in my
IJ> Platinum Express directory is an exe called pxmail.exe that you can
IJ> run in a batch file  and it'll toss and import your fidonet mail....
IJ> and I can only assume that it's looking at your PXW setup to know how
IJ> things are configured.

If "pxmail.exe" only works with Platinum Xpress then it is no good to me.