5 Questions with an LC (League Coordinator)

Here at bbsnews we get asked a lot about our recommendations for Interbbs Leagues. I normally just redirect to other sysops or the message nets. But we like to do new stuff here. So I have decided to start interviewing people that are still key players in the BBS community.

I know we are a dwindling crowd, but we are still out there.

So in my first of 5 (hopefully) interviews we are going to interview One of the League Coordinator's of Gaternet, Timothy Cornett of Deep Space 69 BBS.

Dhakota: Timothy, How did you get started in BBS's and also what happened to make you want to become a LC/Network Admin?

Timothy: Well in 1988 I discovered BBSes and the first BBS I logged on was a Telgard BBS. After visiting it for a few months the sysop pulled me into chat and I just happened to mention that one day I'd like to run one of my own.
Well without even knowing me he made me co-sysop and basically told me to run his BBS. I ran his for a couple months and started working on my own. I opened mine in March of 1989. Late in 1989 I started experimenting with Vnet (my BBS software's type of BBS network and voila GatorNet was born. I had about 5 VBBS boards on GatorNet at the time. I decided to become an LC to try and get more BBSes into GatorNet and very unexpectedly it took off, I was really surprised.When I joined fidonet I added FTN to GatorNet and ended up with almost 100 BBSes in GatorNet. Needless to say I was estatic.

D: There are not many BBS's that are active in Interbbs. What do you do to try to let more sysop's know about it?

T: Ummm well I advertise the league in about 6 areas on fidonet, and about 5 other networks. I've also made http://gatornet.nwebt.com , a website just for GatorNet. Made the joining process as easy as possible by having an online application, a written application or one that's available from my main menu.
Most of the BBSes in GatorNet are very loyal so when they see a post about somebody wanting a message network or interBBS games they usually either send them to the gatornet website or put them directly in contact with me.

D: Back in the day cheating was what EVERY sysop had to look out for. In todays world you would think that most users that are still here are here for the games and would not cheat. Is it still bad, and what does Gatornet do to keep the cheating out/to cheaters?

T: Yes the cheating is still around. As a matter of fact I had to ban a user just the other day for it. Well most gatornet sysops run a disclaimer before a user is allowed into the ibbs game menu. This disclaimer is shown only the first time a user hits the menu and must be agreed to or it'll drop them back to the main menu and will continue to show itself till they have agreed to it.

GatorNet sysops also cooperate with each other in tracking down cheaters and removing them from the league. We don't share user info, but we will share the ip address of a cheater that has been caught so that each sysop can ban him if he desires, but if he decides not to ban the person I do ask that at least he make sure that that person does not play in league 69. A thurough investegation is done to be sure the person is guilty before action is taken however. We wouldn't want to ban or suspend the wrong person. We attempt to make sure that none of it is discussed in the games, that way the game isn't ruined for everyone else.

D: It is easily said that BRE (Barren Realms Elite) is still the Number 1 Interbbs game out there even thought there has not been an update in quite some time. Although there are a lot more IBBS games out there. Why do you think that that bre is the MAIN game that all leagues have to have?

T: BRE has been the most popular game since I can remember. I'd say the team play aspect as well as the ease of installation are what continues to make it so popular.

D: With the number of active bbs's shrinking, has there been any work towards consolidating ibbs networks?

T: Funny you should ask that, see GatorNet started with only league 69. About
3 years ago 3 other LCs and myself decided to put all the leagues under gatornet for a couple reasons. First they could use just the one node number for all the leagues. Second it allows better advertisement for all the leagues. Every once in awhile we get a few more leagues into gatornet, then the LC disappears and that league is consolidated into another existing league. That's what happened with both league 91 and league 70. League 91 became league 75 and league 70 was absorbed into league 84. So I'd have to say yes they slowly are being consolidated.

D: In closing can you give me all the information that a sysop would need to join your league if he wanted to? (I know this is question 6, but he took the time to do the interview so leave me alone)

T: The bare minimum would be BBS Name, Location, Sysop's Real Name, Sysop's handle, E-mail address, mailer type, weather FTN or QWK, if QWK his QWK ID, mailer/telnet address and port if not on 24554 and list of games he wants to participate in.

Optional would be prefered HUB, (QWK only has one hub sorry) and any Instant Messenger IDs (secondary means of communications) and of course give me about
12 hours to set him up on my end :)

D: THANKS Timothy!

Make sure to tune in next time when we are going to be looking for a door author to interview.