Glossary

Quick definitions for BBS / ANetBBS jargon.

ANSI — ECMA-48 escape sequences for cursor positioning and color.
Combined with CP437 it's the visual language of BBSes.

Areafix — A FidoNet-style robot user that handles echo-area
subscription requests. See AreaFix.

BinkP — Modern FidoNet mail transport protocol (TCP 24554). See
BinkP Setup.

Bridge — Glue between two protocols. The DosBridge copies
bytes between TCP and a terminal writer; the IRC Bridge copies
messages between local chat and IRC.

CP437 — The "OEM-US" codepage with line-drawing chars and blocks
that ANSI art relies on. See CP437.

Dropfile — A text file the BBS writes for a door so the door
knows the user's name, time remaining, etc. (DOOR.SYS,
DORINFOx.DEF, EXITINFO.BBS).

Echo / echo area — A globally-distributed message topic. See
Echomail.

FidoNet — The original BBS-to-BBS message network, started 1984.
Still alive. Uses zone:net/node addressing like 1:104/315.

MSP — Message Send Protocol (RFC 1312), the inter-BBS IM
protocol on TCP 18. See Instant Messages.

MRC — Multi-Relay Chat, the BBS-scene chat network. See MRC.

Netmail — FidoNet point-to-point mail (vs. Echomail which is
broadcast). See Netmail.

Node — One simultaneously-connected user slot. ANetBBS supports
up to 100; default 8 (BBS_NODES=8).

Nodelist — The list of every node in a FidoNet-style network,
distributed weekly. See Nodelist.

QWK — A mail packet format for offline reading; download QWK
once, read & reply offline, upload REP. See QWK.

Rlogin — Auto-login terminal protocol (TCP 513). See Rlogin.

SyncTERM — Reference BBS terminal client. CP437-native, supports
modern protocols, free.

TIC — FidoNet file echo control file. See TIC Processor.

Zmodem — Classic file-transfer protocol used inside terminal
sessions. ANetBBS supports it for Files downloads.