Re: read the docs first!
By: pweck to All on Sun Sep 27 2026 22:07:56

read the documentation for your bbs software from start to finish before customizing. read that sentence again

First, you lose me when you tell me to do something again. I'm not stupid, I understand what you say the first time. I find it very condescending. Same when someone is talking to me and says "Listen...".

Second, Synchronet is highly customizable. There's a lot you do with it. There's hundreds of wiki pages on everything from installation, advanced installation like adding Letsencrypt certs, mqtt, login pages, user levels, menus, doors, etc etc. You're not going to sit down and read every bit of documentation. It's impossible, you'd never remember it and I expect most new people won't understand it.

With Synchronet the easiest thing to do it determine what you want to do, then go figure out how to do it. You want new menus? There's a section for that. Want to add email verification? Section for that. Want to fine tune bot resistance, yup, there's a section for that too.

Building a BBS isn't like putting together an IKEA couch. There are many ways to configure a board and what works for one doesn't always work for another.
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (23:250/12)

read the documentation for your bbs software from start to finish befor customizing. read that sentence again

First, you lose me when you tell me to do something again. I'm not
stupid, I understand what you say the first time. I find it very condescending. Same when someone is talking to me and says "Listen...".

it wasnt meant as a slight on you or anyone, but how many just blur over so much of anything anymore. doom scrolling for example, what is the point?
in refernce to the IKEA couch, i know from my experience with IKEA, there's always something I miss, and lay all those parts and screws out!
We are always in a rush to "get it done" all at the sake of correctness.
NR> Second,
Synchronet is highly customizable. There's a lot you do with it. NR> There's hundreds of wiki pages on everything from installation, advanced NR> installation like adding Letsencrypt certs, mqtt, login pages, user NR> levels, menus, doors, etc etc. You're not going to sit down and read NR> every bit of documentation. It's impossible, you'd never remember it and NR> I expect most new people won't understand it. NR>

With Synchronet the easiest thing to do it determine what you want to
do, then go figure out how to do it. You want new menus? There's a
section for that. Want to add email verification? Section for that. Want to fine tune bot resistance, yup, there's a section for that too.

for me, there's too much documentation for Sychronet - an overwhelming amount! maybe thats why i dont like it - give me something basic

Building a BBS isn't like putting together an IKEA couch. There are many ways to configure a board and what works for one doesn't always work for another.

i agree, and some dont even try to make it work for themselves? there are so many generic mystic boards that someone popped up one night with a thought for any personality. ive visited a whole lot of mystic boards just to be disappointed

pweck
sysopnet 23:1/1
bbs.pwecksretreat.com:2332

... BREAKFAST.COM Halted... Cereal port not responding.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Pweck's Retreat (23:1/1)

On 27 Sep 2026, pweck said the following...

read the documentation for your bbs software from start to finish before customizing. read that sentence again

most setup problems come from missing a single step in the manual

a slow first read saves a lot of backtracking

dont be the sysop that gets told/asked "the answr is in the docs"

pweck
sysopnet 23:1/1

Great post!! I can tell you from being the 1st line of support of Image BBS for the C64, I get asked questions like why doesn't my modem (TCPSER) set up on my new BBS? It's right in the docs! Read them cover to cover.. Over the past 8.5 years since I got back into BBS'n and started writing and supporting Image BBS again as I did in the 80's and 90's, I get asked the same questions over and over again!! Sometimes from the same person!!


|11 Bucko |14- |06Wrong Number Family Of BBS' |07- |03www.wrgnbr.com

... A program is used to turn data into error messages.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (23:150/11)

dont be the sysop that gets told/asked "the answr is in the docs"

Great post!! I can tell you from being the 1st line of support of Image BBS for the C64, I get asked questions like why doesn't my modem
(TCPSER) set up on my new BBS? It's right in the docs! Read them cover
to cover.. Over the past 8.5 years since I got back into BBS'n and
started writing and supporting Image BBS again as I did in the 80's and 90's, I get asked the same questions over and over again!! Sometimes
from the same person!!

thanks, i know ive asked dumb questions :)

pweck
sysopnet 23:1/1
bbs.pwecksretreat.com:2332

... "No comment" is a comment.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Pweck's Retreat (23:1/1)

* In a message originally to Shurato, pweck said:

read the documentation for your bbs software from start to finish

befor

zing. read that sentence again

EleBBS doesn't come with documentation... You have to use the RA

docs

and hope for the best!

there might be an opportunity to write a doc... pweck sysopnet

Not me. My ADD is too extreme and I have no need.

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3,ftps,nntps
,wss, ssh utf-8) (default ports, 2222 for utf-8 and 999 for wss)
---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (23:1/104)

read the documentation for your bbs software from start to finish before customizing. read that sentence again

most setup problems come from missing a single step in the manual

a slow first read saves a lot of backtracking

dont be the sysop that gets told/asked "the answr is in the docs"

pweck
sysopnet 23:1/1
bbs.pwecksretreat.com:2332

... A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. Asks: 'Can I join you?'

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Pweck's Retreat (23:1/1)

read the documentation for your bbs software from start to finish before cus zing. read that sentence again

EleBBS doesn't come with documentation... You have to use the RA docs and
hope for the best!

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3,ftps,nntps
,wss, ssh utf-8) (default ports, 2222 for utf-8 and 999 for wss)

---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (23:1/104)

read the documentation for your bbs software from start to finish befor zing. read that sentence again

EleBBS doesn't come with documentation... You have to use the RA docs
and hope for the best!

there might be an opportunity to write a doc...

pweck
sysopnet 23:1/1
bbs.pwecksretreat.com:2332

... When all else fails, read the instructions

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Pweck's Retreat (23:1/1)