Msg: 2943 *Conference*

07-31-92 22:58:46

From: RICHARD HANSON

To : DERWOOD TWIGG

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #2939 (BBS MAINT)

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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)