[nos-bbs] multi bbs with same call, bid overlap, history file, dupes, expires

[Michael Fox - N6MEF]

> 1) History file
>For instance, how many folks use the history file on their NOS
>systems, do you actively 'maintain' or heaven forbid 'delete' it
>on a regular basis ? This file is important (?) for dupe control.

We use it on all 7 of our JNOS machines.

oldbid 24 183

(I considered upping this to 365 days of history.  But I worried that it might affect forwarding performance, having to search through a longer list of history.  But I don't know that.  Just guessing.)

We expire twice daily, and we use "expire future yes"

(We have people that use more than one of our BBSs.  So making expiring more frequently leads to them being in closer agreement amongst the bulletin mailboxes.)

Different mailboxes have different expiries:
-- Most bulletins are 7 days.
-- Most mailboxes used for BBS forwarding are 3 days
-- One mailbox does not expire (where we store operational instructions for users)



>2) Multiple BBS using same callsign and ovelapping BIDs ?
>How many folks are running multiple BBS systems that havethesame
>callsign ? If you fall into this category, would you mind sharing a
>bit more information ?

I don't believe this is really allowed by the BBS specification:
https://www.scc-ares-races.org/data/packet/docs/BBS_Specification.pdf

What I mean by that is that the BBS spec assumes the callsign is unique, or else it would make previsions for duplicate call signs, such as the use of an SSID or other mechanism.  Without such provisions, much of the specification (like the construction of message numbers) makes no sense because it would create the potential for duplicates.



>3) I expire messages every so often, like anyone does. So I recently
>    expired my ww area, then the messages reappeared when forwarding
>    from another remote system who has different 'expiry' needs then
>    my own. 


I believe using "oldbid" with at least 6 months of history will solve that problem.  (It did for us.)


Michael, N6MEF