This is the README for ft_bbs.1.0.s.tar.gz [Download] [Browse] [Up]
FT_BBS V 1.0
WHATIS:
'ft_bbs' (File-Transfer-BBS) is a program for UNIX to offer files for
downloading (and uploading) by modems (ttys) in an easy and secure manner.
Additionally there are some BBS features: sending and receiving local user
messages and all kind of e-mail.
It is split in tree parts: a daemon 'bbsd' for logging etc., an e-mail
forwarder 'bbsmail' for receiving e-mail from 'sendmail' and storing it in
'ft_bbs's own mailboxes, and clients 'bbs', which interfaces to user by menu
(based on curses-library) allowing following main operations:
listing and changing directories, reading, down- and uploading files
(by Z-Modem and Kermit), on-line talking, sending/reading messages, e-mail
and netnews.
SECURITY:
'ft_bbs' works with pseudo-chroot: every user can only access a part of the
filesystem (typically '/users/ftp/pub', which is not accomplished by a
'chroot()'-call,'bbs' run without suid-root but as a unpriviliged user
('guest', e,g,). 'bbs' does no writings besides downloads to a selected
directry.
'bbsd', the daemon, will be started by the first 'bbs' (or 'bbsmail'), but
should run on a differnt uid, because it do writings and removings (to logfile,
usersfile, pidfiles, a lockfile and a socket), all writings/removings take
place in one directory ('INSTALLDIR/etc'). For security, the bbs-system should
be in a directory outside pseudo-chroot, so users cannot access any
configuration or users-data.
Use of Kermit is a little insecure, it can be inhibited for any user.
LANGUAGES:
All was written with german dialogs first, now you can switch between
german and english.
DAEMON-CONTOL:
If 'bbsdwatchtime' is set to a value > 0, the daemon checks every bbsdwatchtime
seconds, if there is a client to serve, if not it exits. This feature make
somtime problems.
BUGS + TODO:
better charset conversion
Please, send comments, bugreports to
Hinrich Eilts <eilts@late.uni-erlangen.de>
COPYING:
This program(s) are free (GNU-Copyleft).
These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Netfuture.ch.