Msg: 2943 *Conference*
07-31-92 22:58:46
From: RICHARD HANSON
To : DERWOOD TWIGG
Subj: REPLY TO MSG #2939 (BBS MAINT)
----- Derwood: Message base management is one of the more complex subjects I've been dealing with lately. Generally speaking, managing messages can consume quite a bit of time and organizational effort. You've noted, I'm sure, that there are only 2 message areas on this BBS; (1)Conference - public, and (3)ElectMail - private. Only two message areas is VERY unusual for a BBS. Some BBS's carry several hundred message threads; think of managing that system. Managing your private messages in the (3)ElectMail area is a simple matter of deleting your old message, i.e., messages you send and those you receive. Select (R)ead (F)rom and (R)ead (T)o. Managing messages in the (1)Conference is a bit more complex. Not all messages are yours. Also, deleting your messages from the public message base deprives others from the collective wisdom of the message thread. That is the major reason I leave public messages online for a long time. More folks read then write, but the readers gain much value from the past interchange. I have found this important. Reading public messages, and joining in, in an organized manner takes some doing. To keep this simple, assuming you've read the last message in the base, staying up on what's what is a matter of doing a (R)ead <N>ew messages with no pause. You may either capture all the messages to a RAM file, assuming you don't run out of RAM, in which case you make note of the last message number you read before running out of RAM. Then, log off, save the file, log back on, and (R)ead (F)orward, no pause, starting from the next message number after the one you last captured. Another way is to simply capture all the messages to paper. Capturing messages to a disk file on a DOS or Mac computer is another subject with much fewer limitations as Model T's. Editing messages online is a real big no, no but almost everyone does it, then complain about online costs. I long ago descovered another method. I'd capture all the messages, then log off and develop responses. My response files are named Rxxxx, for Reply Messagenumber. I then log back on, (R)ead (I)ndividual message, wait for the prompt line at the end of the messsge then <R>eply <N>o new subject, <Y>es for prepared message, choose #3 protocol, then <F3> filename <enter> <enter> ... wait fo the message to pass... <S>ave. In fact, this is the method I've used this evening to reply to your message number 3937 Hope this helps... -Rick- PS: Make sure your prepared message file contains no <CR>>s on blank lines within the message text. All blank lines actually contain one space character. (see "(H)ow to use this area" for further details)