• QWK vs. FTN

    From Irish_Monk@21:4/184 to All on Monday, August 29, 2022 19:58:27
    So whats the pros and cons of QWK vs. FTN. Hopefully I said that right. So right now I have Mystic BBS setup. Basically right now just use it for myself mostly. (few friends wanted to check it out that seem interested in BBSing). I have had FSXNET setup with FTN (BinkP) and now I have DoveNET setup thru QWK. Is there any problems with that I guess Im asking and whats the Pros and Cons of each? And either way would it have any affect on someone like me who set it all up just so I can basically use it for myself at this point? I actually have a 3rd NET setup but have not recieved a message yet on it, and I sent out a test message. So that will probably be my next little challenge. Thanks for everything!!

    |10I|02rish_|10M|02onk

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  • From paulie420@21:2/150 to Irish_Monk on Monday, August 29, 2022 18:48:04
    So whats the pros and cons of QWK vs. FTN. Hopefully I said that right.
    So right now I have Mystic BBS setup. Basically right now just use it
    for myself mostly. (few friends wanted to check it out that seem interested in BBSing). I have had FSXNET setup with FTN (BinkP) and now
    I have DoveNET setup thru QWK. Is there any problems with that I guess
    Im asking and whats the Pros and Cons of each? And either way would it have any affect on someone like me who set it all up just so I can basically use it for myself at this point? I actually have a 3rd NET
    setup but have not recieved a message yet on it, and I sent out a test message. So that will probably be my next little challenge. Thanks for everything!!

    I'm certainly not the best to answer this, and I'm sure one of the folks who know these old networks better than I will will answer shortly - but;

    QWKs were supported by Synchronet which has become a really popular bbS software; you create an account on the 'server' system for your QWK NET feeds and the setup was a little simpler, IMO.

    FTNs are FidoNet type networks, preceeded QWK - well, QWK *networks* at least - and have nodes for netmail... QWK has netmail, too - but I think your netmails go to the 'server' system and then out to wherever yer sending it - while FTNs can send netmail more directly using nodes...

    They are both antiquated networking protocols, and I think they both exist because no one can settle on 'the best' solution. I host both types @ 2o, and once you get them dialed in they both seem to work w/o issue.

    I have had more issues w/ FTNs - but I think that has more to do with the software / tosser [Mystic for me] side of things than anything else.

    I keep typing, while realizing I shouldn't be the one answering this. :P



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    |08.........

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  • From Vk3jed@21:1/109 to Irish_Monk on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 13:59:00
    On 08-29-22 19:58, Irish_Monk wrote to All <=-

    So whats the pros and cons of QWK vs. FTN. Hopefully I said that right.
    So right now I have Mystic BBS setup. Basically right now just use it
    for myself mostly. (few friends wanted to check it out that seem interested in BBSing). I have had FSXNET setup with FTN (BinkP) and now
    I have DoveNET setup thru QWK. Is there any problems with that I guess
    Im asking and whats the Pros and Cons of each? And either way would it have any affect on someone like me who set it all up just so I can basically use it for myself at this point? I actually have a 3rd NET
    setup but have not recieved a message yet on it, and I sent out a test message. So that will probably be my next little challenge. Thanks for everything!!

    Originally, QWK was more primitive, FTN was the full featured solution, but modern software, especially Synchronet, with its QWK networking extension has changed the game. Today, the feature set is closer.

    QWK: Easy setup, particularly between Synchronet BBSs. QWK also requires a lot less intervention from the hub node - it's possible for downlinks to "self serve". Other shortcomings of QWK, like short subkect lines and lack of netmail have also been addressed by modern software. QWK now supports wouted netmail, using an addressing scheme reminiscent of the old UUCP "bang paths", except that the network can work out the routing, if it's not specified.

    The biggest downside of QWK these days is that a lot of older software requires add on software that can do QWK networking, and extensions may not be supported. But between compatible software, QWK lives up to its name (as well as easy). :)

    FTN requires more setup, has more moving parts that can go wrong (mailer, tosser, BBS, possibly other components, depending on software stack). FTN has always supported netmail, and supports both routed and direct netmail. Like QWK, FTN has evolved on some newer software. Some mailer software (e.g. BinkD, BinkIT) supports nodelist lookup via DNS, which can be handy in a modern environment for crash/direct mail.

    And of course, FTN has a more comprehensive addressing scheme (love it or hate it ;) ). Finally, FTN is supported by almost all BBS software these days, old and new. FTN might be the system of choice for those running legacy software.

    As for mixing FTN and QWK, you can do that on a given system. I have a mix of FTN and QWK feeds. Some of these feeds are also gated to the other network type on my Synchronet system. So mixing and matching is no issue.

    One final comment is that FTN can get tricky when you have more than about 15 AKAs (at that point you have to tell your system which ones to present to the other end). In today's environment of multiple small nets, using QWK where available can help keep FTN from getting out of hand.

    Final comment - Use which you prefer and what suits the situation, if you're running Mystic, Synchronet or other software of similar capabilities, it really doesn't matter from a technical perspective which you use. If you're using something else, check compatibility.


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  • From Irish_Monk@21:4/184 to paulie420 on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 07:58:59
    I keep typing, while realizing I shouldn't be the one answering this. :P

    Awesome, Thanks for the info. I was just curious, and so far both of them seem to be working fine for me also.

    |10I|02rish_|10M|02onk

    ... Nine times out of ten the statisticians are wrong

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/07/15 (Windows/64)
    * Origin: WarpeD SocieTy (21:4/184)
  • From Irish_Monk@21:4/184 to Vk3jed on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 08:06:16
    As for mixing FTN and QWK, you can do that on a given system. I have a

    Yeah, Im using Mystic BBS and both seem to work fine for me. Usually any issues is a man made issue by myself. As for now, I installed Mystic BBS to give myself something to do. Installing NETS and other MODS has been a lot of fun. Thanks for all that info!!

    |10I|02rish_|10M|02onk

    ... Radioactive cats have 18 half-lives

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/07/15 (Windows/64)
    * Origin: WarpeD SocieTy (21:4/184)
  • From Adept@21:2/108 to paulie420 on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 14:29:49
    I keep typing, while realizing I shouldn't be the one answering this. :P

    I, for one, appreciate people giving helpful answers that are at least mostly correct.

    I also appreciate when people correct the mostly-correct answers to be even better.

    But it's nice when people share what knowledge they have.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Linux/64)
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  • From ogg@21:2/147 to Adept on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 11:56:29
    I, for one, appreciate people giving helpful answers that are at least mostly correct.

    I also appreciate when people correct the mostly-correct answers to be even better.

    But it's nice when people share what knowledge they have.


    I agree especially with the last line!

    ogg

    Sysop, Altair IV BBS
    Lufkin, TX
    fsxnet: 21:2/147

    ... If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice

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    * Origin: Altair IV BBS (21:2/147)
  • From Vk3jed@21:1/109 to Irish_Monk on Thursday, September 01, 2022 20:27:00
    On 08-30-22 08:06, Irish_Monk wrote to Vk3jed <=-

    As for mixing FTN and QWK, you can do that on a given system. I have a

    Yeah, Im using Mystic BBS and both seem to work fine for me. Usually
    any issues is a man made issue by myself. As for now, I installed
    Mystic BBS to give myself something to do. Installing NETS and other
    MODS has been a lot of fun. Thanks for all that info!!

    Sounds like you're well setup. :)


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