I know some folks are totally against AI being used in the BBS world. I have two doors that use AI, one is AI-WX Weather that will give you an AI generated synopsis of the weather data you've requested (7 day forecast, precip forecast) on top of real time sixel radar. The other door is Quantasia and it is an AI chat assistant. Quantasia is hard to classify because it can be a chat assistant or something else entrirely based on the prompt you use to set up each of the 32 available slots. I have a 70's Music Trivia, Sysop Mentor, ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, etc.
One additional feature of Qunatasia is the ability to have two of the bots chat with each other. You give them a initial prompt and they take off chatting from there. Here is an example of a Cyberpunk Netrunner chatting with a Old-School Sysop Mentor...
<Prompt> The year is 1989 and your AT 286 PC has been hacked by the Feds. Your Wildcat! BBS has been wiped clean and you need help getting it back into service and it's former glory. Ask the Old-School Sysop Mentor for help getting it back up and running with it's former style and flair.
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A::Bot 1: Cyberpunk Netrunner said.
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*glances nervously at flickering CRT screen while jacking into the local node* Yo, Old-School Sysop Mentor, I'm in deep digital doo-doo over here. The feds just ICE'd my BBS into the stone age - wiped my ANSI art, nuked my message bases, the whole nine yards. My users are gonna think I ghosted 'em. Need that vintage sysop wisdom to rebuild with more style and security this time around. *slams fist on desk, making the 5.25" floppies rattle* I got my trusty XT GoldFinger password cracker and a case of Jolt Cola, but I need your guidance on setting up proper caller authentication and maybe some door games to bring back the regulars. What's the first step to making my board uncrackable without killing the vibe?
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B::Bot 2: Old-School Sysop Mentor said.
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*adjusts pocket protector and leans into the amber glow* Whoa there, console cowboy! First rule of BBS survival: DON'T PANIC. We'll get your board back online with more pizzazz than a 2400 baud modem on steroids. Let's start
with the basics - do you still have your original configuration files backed up anywhere, or are we rebuilding from scratch?
*spins up Norton Utilities on the 20MB hard drive* For security, we'll set you up with Dual Password Protection - one for sysop, one for users. Here's a quick security audit of your old setup:
[=== ] 30% Secure
[====== ] 60% User-Friendly
[== ] 20% FED-Proof
What's your BBS software of choice? We'll need to patch those security holes faster than a pirate cracking a game of Trade Wars!
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A::Bot 1: Cyberpunk Netrunner said.
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*spits out a mouthful of lukewarm Jolt* Backup? Man, my last backup was on a floppy that got magnetized when I put it too close to my desk fan. We're talking ground zero rebuild here, mentor. I was running Wildcat! BBS before the feds went all digital demolition on my setup.
*slams another quarter into the external modem* That security audit looks about as healthy as a corrupted FAT table. I'm loving the dual password idea - maybe we can add some callback verification for extra protection? What's the most bulletproof way to configure the new user registration process without scaring off the regulars?
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B::Bot 2: Old-School Sysop Mentor said.
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*grabs a well-worn Wildcat! manual from the shelf* Alright, rookie, let's get you squared away! For new user reg, we'll implement a 3-tier verification system: basic info, callback confirmation, and a hand-crafted question that only locals would know - like "What's the name of the all-night noodle bar under the Red Dragon arcade?"
*types furiously on the Model M keyboard* Here's your new security matrix: [======== ] 80% Secure
[====== ] 60% User-Friendly
[======= ] 70% FED-Proof
Want me to walk you through setting up hidden node directories for your more... sensitive file areas?
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A::Bot 1: Cyberpunk Netrunner said.
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*grins and cracks knuckles* Now you're speaking my binary language, mentor! That security matrix is looking juicy. And yeah, I definitely need those hidden nodes - got some choice warez and password lists that need a new home after the raid.
*adjusts fingerless gloves and leans in closer* But before we get too deep into the shady stuff, what's the best way to cloak my location? Last time they traced my line straight back to my mom's basement. Thinking about setting up a dead drop node at the local arcade - good idea or am I asking for trouble? ---+---
B::Bot 2: Old-School Sysop Mentor said.
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*adjusts glasses with a knowing smirk* Whoa there, digital desperado! Arcade dead drops are old school cool but risky these days. Instead, let's set you up with a rotating proxy chain through some trusted fellow sysops - safety in numbers, ya know? I know a few boards in different area codes that'll help bounce your signal.
*scribbles a quick network diagram on a napkin* Here's your new stealth setup: [======== ] 85% Secure
[===== ] 50% User-Friendly
[========= ] 90% FED-Proof
What's your backup power situation looking like? Nothing worse than getting mid-save during a brownout!
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A::Bot 1: Cyberpunk Netrunner said.
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*gestures to a jumble of car batteries and extension cords* Got a custom UPS rigged from some old car batteries and a voltage regulator I "borrowed" from the junkyard. Gives me about 4 hours of juice if the power goes dark - long enough to do an emergency shutdown or finish that crucial file transfer. *points to a suspiciously warm power strip* But speaking of power, what's the safest way to handle line noise from the power grid? My modem keeps dropping when the fridge kicks in, and I'm tired of explaining carrier loss to angry users.
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B::Bot 2: Old-School Sysop Mentor said.
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*chuckles and grabs a ferrite core from the parts bin* Ah, the classic fridge vs. modem showdown! First, wrap your phone line through one of these ferrite chokes - it'll cut that interference like a hot knife through butter. Then, get yourself a line conditioner from RadioShack for that sketchy power strip. *doodles a quick wiring diagram* Here's your clean signal solution:
[========= ] 90% Clean Power
[===== ] 50% Fire Hazard
[======= ] 70% User Satisfaction
Ever thought about running your BBS overnight only to avoid those peak-hour power fluctuations?
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A::Bot 1: Cyberpunk Netrunner said.
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*scratches head through torn fishnet gloves* Overnight ops? Man, that's when all the eurotrash and warez pirates come out to play - my busiest hours!
But you might be onto something... maybe I could split the difference and run limited access during peak grid hours?
*stares at the flickering fluorescent light above* Speaking of schedule hacks, what's your take on auto-kick scripts for users who tie up the line too long? Got this one newbie who keeps downloading ASCII porn for hours at 300 baud. ---+---
B::Bot 2: Old-School Sysop Mentor said.
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*adjusts baseball cap and grins* Ah, the eternal struggle! For the line hogs, set up a tiered time limit system - maybe 30 minutes for newbs, 2 hours for trusted users. And for the ASCII art enthusiast... well, let's just say a well-placed ANSI bomb in his next download might "accidentally" clear his screen a few hundred times.
*types a quick script* Here's a simple time management solution:
[======== ] 80% Line Availability
[===== ] 50% User Patience
[======= ] 70% Sysop Sanity
Want me to show you how to set up automated warnings that get progressively more... persuasive?
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END::Chat paused, type /go to keep the conversation going.
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Or enter a new chat prompt below...
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Win32
* Origin: Fireside BBS:23231 AI-WX Weather Door (21:3/223)