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history:waynebell_chat [2014/12/26 23:47] – created digital manhistory:waynebell_chat [2014/12/27 02:59] – more typos fixed digital man
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-====== Digital Man's Captured Chat with Wayne Bell ======+====== Digital Man's Captured Chat with Wayne Bell (1992) ======
  
 Wayne Bell was the creator of [[wp>WWIV]] BBS Software. Due to my familiarity with WWIV, both as a user and a sysop, I originally modeled the Synchronet BBS user experience (the "look and feel", color scheme, command keys/combinations, etc.) on that of WWIV. Because of this, there were often rumors that Synchronet was a "WWIV hack" (meaning it was derived from the WWIV source code). The WWIV source code (both v3 in Pascal and v4 in C) was available for purchase from Wayne Bell and some people redistributed illegal copies of the WWIV source code leading to several "WWIV hacks" (e.g. Tag, Telegard, Renegade)... Synchronet was not one of these. Wayne Bell was the creator of [[wp>WWIV]] BBS Software. Due to my familiarity with WWIV, both as a user and a sysop, I originally modeled the Synchronet BBS user experience (the "look and feel", color scheme, command keys/combinations, etc.) on that of WWIV. Because of this, there were often rumors that Synchronet was a "WWIV hack" (meaning it was derived from the WWIV source code). The WWIV source code (both v3 in Pascal and v4 in C) was available for purchase from Wayne Bell and some people redistributed illegal copies of the WWIV source code leading to several "WWIV hacks" (e.g. Tag, Telegard, Renegade)... Synchronet was not one of these.
  
-On June 16, 1992, Wayne Bell (a.k.a. "Random") logged onto my (Digital Man's) Synchronet BBS, [[bbs:Vertrauen]] and initiated a chat session with the sysop (me). He introduced himself and explained that other people had told him that I was selling a BBS program that a derivative (hack) of his program (WWIV). I of course explained that I was not and he asked to see some of my source files, which I showed him as proof that Synchronet did not use of any of WWIV's source code. The following is a partial capture of our chat session that followed:+On June 16, 1992, Wayne Bell (a.k.a. "Random") logged onto my (Digital Man's) Synchronet BBS, [[bbs:Vertrauen]] and initiated a chat session with the sysop (me). He introduced himself and explained that other people had told him that I was selling a BBS program (Synchronet, aka SBBS) that was a derivative (hack) of his program (WWIV). I of course explained that I was not and he asked to see some of my source files, which I showed him as proof that Synchronet did not use of any of WWIV's source code. The following is a partial capture of our chat session that followed:
  
 ===== Legend ===== ===== Legend =====
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 ===== Capture ===== ===== Capture =====
 ** **
-would never try something that stupid.  But, unfortunately, for most users, the look  +would never try something that stupid.  But, unfortunately, for most users, the 
-look-and-fell is the only part they can evaluate.**+look-and-feel is the only part they can evaluate.**
  
-Yeah, well Synchronet is quite different in the type and amount of feautures as+Yeah, well Synchronet is quite different in the type and amount of features as
 well, but I guess that isn't enough either. Sad that you released ALL of your   well, but I guess that isn't enough either. Sad that you released ALL of your  
-source code. It makes it real hard for you to lte   tell if it's a hack or not+source code. It makes it real hard for you to tell if it's a hack or not
 remotely. I don't give out 100% just for this reason. Someone with the source   remotely. I don't give out 100% just for this reason. Someone with the source  
-cannot get rid  of the Synchronet name and version and registration number before the NN: prompt. That a way they could never say it was something else.+cannot get rid of the Synchronet name and version and registration number before the NN: prompt. That way they could never say it was something else.
  
 ** **
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 give a out any ASM source. Let me just say that it's also "protected". That's give a out any ASM source. Let me just say that it's also "protected". That's
 all the detail I can give on that. On another note, I was bummed to discover all the detail I can give on that. On another note, I was bummed to discover
-you didn't give out technnical specs on your net format, as I was at one time +you didn't give out technical specs on your net format, as I was at one time 
-going to try and implement WWIVnet compatibility. I've since changed my mind.+going to try and implement WWIVnet compatibility. I've since changed my mind.
  
 **Actually, the file 'wwivdoc.zip' on my system is a tech doc on the network.** **Actually, the file 'wwivdoc.zip' on my system is a tech doc on the network.**
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 Well, you might be curious at the bench marks of WWIV vs. Synchronet. Just Well, you might be curious at the bench marks of WWIV vs. Synchronet. Just
 viewing messages or menus, searching 154,000 files for a text string or 20,000 viewing messages or menus, searching 154,000 files for a text string or 20,000
-posts for a string (I don't think WWIV does that anyway). But there are+posts for a string (I don't think WWIV does that anyway). But there are
 certainly many things that require speed. The faster and smaller, the better. certainly many things that require speed. The faster and smaller, the better.
  
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 getting something to work that well if they started from scratch.** getting something to work that well if they started from scratch.**
  
-Yes, very disturbing. But they say that imitation is the greatsest form of+Yes, very disturbing. But they say that imitation is the greatsest form of
 flattery. I don't believe hacking someone else's code is an imitation - it's   flattery. I don't believe hacking someone else's code is an imitation - it's  
 plagiarism. I say Synchronet is an imitator to a degree. So I guess you should plagiarism. I say Synchronet is an imitator to a degree. So I guess you should
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 **Well, it's hard to tell.  There are some systems where you have to process a **Well, it's hard to tell.  There are some systems where you have to process a
-lot of data, but mostly, in the future, I think they're goign to be going to be more +lot of data, but mostly, in the future, I think they're going to be going to be more 
-concerned with I/O.  I   D Computer hardware development now is really stressing CPU+concerned with I/O. Computer hardware development now is really stressing CPU
 power and ignoring IO bandwidth.  Oh well.** power and ignoring IO bandwidth.  Oh well.**
  
-true. 8mhz AT bus is such a joke - and on a 50mhz 486. What a mist match. (this  +true. 8mhz AT bus is such a joke - and on a 50mhz 486. What a mismatch. (this 
 discussion could go on forever, of course). I'll let us break it here if you discussion could go on forever, of course). I'll let us break it here if you
 wish. It's your bill. wish. It's your bill.
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 **It's not like usenet, you only get those posts you ask for, so if you wanted **It's not like usenet, you only get those posts you ask for, so if you wanted
-to just be a node without any netted subs, you wouldn't have much traffic at a  +to just be a node without any netted subs, you wouldn't have much traffic at  
 all.  But, whatever.** all.  But, whatever.**
  
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 ===== Epilogue ===== ===== Epilogue =====
-Although I use to be a user on Wayne Bell's BBS and participated at one time on his BBS network (WWIVnet), the above chat was my one and only interaction with him, ever.+Although I used to be a user on Wayne Bell's BBS (Amber) and participated at one time on his BBS network (WWIVnet), the above chat was my one and only interaction with him, ever.
  
-From my exposure to Wayne's software, its documentation, and its source code, I had assumed that he was no older than I (a teenager at the time). It was only later that I realized the was actually about 10 years older than me and actually much more experienced in the professional world of software development, though you could not tell that by looking at the WWIV source code.+From my exposure to Wayne's software, its documentation, and its source code, I had assumed that he was no older than I (a teenager at the time). It was only later that I realized the he was actually about 10 years older than me and much more experienced in the professional world of software development, though you could not tell that by looking at the WWIV source code.
  
-WWIV is no longer in the hands of Wayne Bell and is actually "open source" (like Synchronet). It's a bit ironic now, but WWIV version 5 actually includes the Synchronet FOSSIL driver to enable support for 16-bit external programs (doors) on Windows systems. So while Synchronet never included any of Wayne's code, WWIV has now (for several years) included some of mine.+WWIV is no longer in the hands of Wayne Bell and is actually [[http://wwiv.sourceforge.net/|open source]] (like Synchronet). It's a bit ironic now, but WWIV version 5 actually includes the Synchronet FOSSIL driver to enable support for 16-bit external programs (doors) on Windows systems. So while Synchronet never included any of Wayne's code, WWIV has now (for several years) included some of mine.
  
 ===== See Also ===== ===== See Also =====

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