written by xqtr of another droid bbs # andr01d.zapto.org:9999

as a hobbyist programmer for the bbs scene, i have a problem that is
difficult to solve. so i would like your help :) first of all the
problem... which actually is two :) but both lead to the same conclusion
so i count it as one. but before freaking out with me lets say what's the
problem...

the problem is... what is the best way to write programs/doors for bbses.
and before start throwing ideas and stuff let me explain more... to write
a door for linux is very easy. its just like you write a normal program
in the most part of it. but for windows its a lot different. you have to
use serial communication blah blah blah... which means that you have to
use a specific library, to make the door to run in a windows machine. for
freepascal, there is not such a thing today (2018), that works 100%. the
only guaranteed library is opendoor, but it's for the c programming
language and not for pascal or any other language. so, first problem is
that there are not many libraries, that are easy to use, for the mass of
the bbs scene programmers, but only for a few. for a hobbyist like me,
its difficult.

second aspect of the problem, is that even if you manage to write a door,
you have two choices. write it for a specific platform ex. windows and
ignore linux, rpi etc or make it work in all platforms, cross-compile. to
do cross-compiling, also its not very easy. you have to write code which
by 80% is common for all platforms, but there is a 20% which has to be
written specific for each platform. this means, that the programmer must
have the required knowledge and also more time, because actually you are
writing 2 or 3 programs, instead of one.

also there is a high probability that the platform we are writing today,
may not exist in the near future or not being compatible after 10, 20, 30
years. and as we all know, bbses are lasting for a long time... hehehe :)

so which is a good way to write doors that will be easy to write,
maintain the code and last long... think...



















think more...























you know the answer... :)




































ok... i'll tell it... for me its dos! yes dos! before start judging me,
let me explain why.

first of all, all operating systems that exist today, can run programs
for dos, by using dosbox or other dos emulators. windows, linux, rpi,
macos, android... all systems, can run dosbox.

we all ready use dosbox and dos to run old door games/programs even now!
if you search some well known echomail networks you can find tutorials
for using old doors in linux or windows with the help of dosbox. and we
all know that dos still exists today, even though we don't use it anymore.

third... the libraries we want to use for writing door programs in dos,
are all ready exist and work 100% in their dos environment. there are
dozens of door libraries, mainly for pascal to use and write door
programs. also dos is the "king" of ansi/ascii art! you can do things in
a dos console that you can't do in any other platform ;)

at last, but not least... instead of writing code for windows, linux, rpi
etc. you can write code only for dos and you know that it will run
perfectly in all platforms, with out any changes in the code, because of
dosbox :) now that i am thinking it, it looks like java... hahaha you can
write the code once and run it in every system through dosbox.

now... did i convinced you, that writing doors in dos is a good way? if
not what are your objections? which way (programming language, library,
platform) you think, will be the best, for writing doors or other bbs
scene stuff, that will endure in time? :)

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