Hello all,

Which platform do YOU run Synchronet on?

If you run on Linux, are you able to run the legacy doors that are built for MS-DOS?

(I ran a MS-DOS based BBS many years ago, but have since migrated most of my systems to Linux)

Do you run any doors that use DOOR32.sys (socket handoff) drop files?

If so (and you're hosting on Windows) have you noticed any issues using DOOR32.sys drop files? The DOOR32.sys spec seems to be plausible for a *nix environment, but I have doubts it would work in the presence of certain Layered Service Provider (LSP) chains that can be installed on Windows.

Looking at the Synchronet source, it appears the code is using Win32 DuplicateHandle -- which is valid, but notes some potential for issues (likely due to the LSPs I mentioned earlier). Microsoft has an alternate API call that seems to allow working around the LSPs by exporting additional state (WSADuplicateSocket(...)), but of course that isn't going to be compliant with the DOOR32.sys spec that *nix systems [presumably] work just fine with?

Anyways, just curious what the Synchronet host landscape looks like for systems hosting doors via Door32.sys.

Cheers,
Mike

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Re: Which platform do you run Synchronet on?
By: Mike Anderson to All on Mon Nov 30 2020 09:58 pm

Hello all,

Which platform do YOU run Synchronet on?

Windows (x64 and 32-bit) and Linux (x64).

If you run on Linux, are you able to run the legacy doors that are built for MS-DOS?

(I ran a MS-DOS based BBS many years ago, but have since migrated most of my systems to Linux)

Do you run any doors that use DOOR32.sys (socket handoff) drop files?

Yup.

If so (and you're hosting on Windows) have you noticed any issues using DOOR32.sys drop files? The DOOR32.sys spec seems to be plausible for a *nix environment, but I have doubts it would work in the presence of certain Layered Service Provider (LSP) chains that can be installed on Windows.

I'd never heard of Windows LSP, but according to wikipedia, it's a deprecated feature: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layered_Service_Provider

Looking at the Synchronet source, it appears the code is using Win32 DuplicateHandle -- which is valid, but notes some potential for issues (likely due to the LSPs I mentioned earlier). Microsoft has an alternate API call that seems to allow working around the LSPs by exporting additional state (WSADuplicateSocket(...)), but of course that isn't going to be compliant with the DOOR32.sys spec that *nix systems [presumably] work just fine with?

The *nix external program execution code (including socket duplication/sharing) code in Synchronet is very much separate from the Windows implementation of that same function. i.e. We can use WinSock or Win32 API calls just fine in the Windows implementation of sbbs_t::external().

Anyways, just curious what the Synchronet host landscape looks like for systems hosting doors via Door32.sys.

Works great and has for 20 or so years, but it is *mostly* a Windows BBS thing. --
digital man

Rush quote #5:
Some are born to rule the world, to live their fantasies
Norco, CA WX: 64.5øF, 18.0% humidity, 2 mph S wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
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Mike wrote:

Hello all,

Which platform do YOU run Synchronet on?

Ubuntu Linux

If you run on Linux, are you able to run the legacy doors that are built for MS-DOS?

Yes, pretty much everything except tw2002.

(I ran a MS-DOS based BBS many years ago, but have since migrated most of my systems to Linux)

That's nice.

Do you run any doors that use DOOR32.sys (socket handoff) drop files?

No.

Looking at the Synchronet source, it appears the code is using Win32 DuplicateHandle -- which is valid, but notes some potential for issues (likely due to the LSPs I mentioned earlier). Microsoft has an alternate API call that seems to allow working around the LSPs by exporting additional state (WSADuplicateSocket(...)), but of course that isn't going to be compliant with the DOOR32.sys spec that *nix systems [presumably] work just fine with?

Anyways, just curious what the Synchronet host landscape looks like for systems hosting doors via Door32.sys.

no idea.

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Re: Re: Which platform do you run Synchronet on?
By: Nelgin to Mike Anderson on Tue Dec 01 2020 12:56 am

Do you run any doors that use DOOR32.sys (socket handoff) drop files?

No.

There are several doors in the src/doors directory of the Synchronet source repository which use the door32.sys drop file and were ported to *nix by Deuce, if you care to play with them.
--
digital man

Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #86:
XON = Transmit On (ASCII 17, Ctrl-Q)
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Digital wrote:

Re: Re: Which platform do you run Synchronet on?
By: Nelgin to Mike Anderson on Tue Dec 01 2020 12:56 am

Do you run any doors that use DOOR32.sys (socket handoff) drop files?

No.

There are several doors in the src/doors directory of the Synchronet source repository which use the door32.sys drop file and were ported to *nix by Deuce, if you care to play with them.

I change my answer to "not that I know of but it's possible" :)

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Mike Anderson wrote to All <=-

Which platform do YOU run Synchronet on?

Slackware Linux.

If you run on Linux, are you able to run the legacy doors that
are built for MS-DOS?

Yes, using the 'dosemu' emulator, things work fine.

(I ran a MS-DOS based BBS many years ago, but have since migrated
most of my systems to Linux)

Do you run any doors that use DOOR32.sys (socket handoff) drop
files?

I don't believe so.

<SNIP Windows-stuff>


... AAcckk!! II''mm iinn hhaallff dduupplleexx
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Re: Which platform do you run Synchronet on?
By: Mike Anderson to All on Mon Nov 30 2020 09:58 pm

Hello all,

Which platform do YOU run Synchronet on?

Linux (CentOS 7)

If you run on Linux, are you able to run the legacy doors that are built for MS-DOS?

Yep, through dosemu. There's a howto on the Sync wiki. Not every door game will work, some are a bit glitchy, some won't run at all, but that's likely true on a modern windows OS as well. All the popular games seem to run quite well under dosemu.

Do you run any doors that use DOOR32.sys (socket handoff) drop files?

Nope.

DaiTengu

... When you haven't got enough iodine in your blood you get a glacier.

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Mike,

Which platform do YOU run Synchronet on?

Windows 10 32-bit. It's on what was my late Mom's computer.
The original computer the BBS was on "bit the dust".

Daryl

... If you have a rotary phone, please press 1 now.
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Re: Which platform do you run Synchronet on?
By: Mike Anderson to All on Mon Nov 30 2020 09:58 pm

Anyways, just curious what the Synchronet host landscape looks like for systems hosting doors via Door32.sys.

there's like 4 doors that use door32.sys so there ya go
i've only ran them on windows bbses
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Re: Which platform do you run Synchronet on?
By: Digital Man to Mike Anderson on Mon Nov 30 2020 10:25 pm

Hi Digital Man,

Thanks for your message; BTW, great job to you (and your team?) for creating this nice Synchronet software. This is my first time using the Synchronet message editor; It's way more advanced than I had expected :)

I'd never heard of Windows LSP, but according to wikipedia, it's a deprecated feature:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layered_Service_Provider

Yeah LSP is on the way out, but I still run a few apps that utilize their functionality. I won't cry to see them go as much malware also exploit them (as well as the many of the AV security products).

The *nix external program execution code (including socket duplication/sharing) code in Synchronet is very much
separate from the Windows implementation of that same function. i.e. We can use WinSock or Win32 API calls just fine
in
the Windows implementation of sbbs_t::external().

I did see that the code is organized nicely with separate implementations for Windows vs. Linux and can be easily extended for either platform.

Thank you again for your response,
M

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Re: Which platform do you run Synchronet on?
By: MRO to Mike Anderson on Tue Dec 01 2020 09:03 pm

Anyways, just curious what the Synchronet host landscape looks like for systems hosting doors via Door32.sys.

there's like 4 doors that use door32.sys so there ya go
i've only ran them on windows bbses

Thank you to everyone who responded!
All of your comments were very helpful.

M

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