Galacticomm's Add-ons and BBS Editions

Starting with version 5.0 of The Major BBS, Galacticomm began to offer some extended editions. These extended the basic functionality of the BBS, or added new functionality entirely. Now, Sysops could offer a flexible menuing system like CompuServe, or offer a robust file download service, or even offer products for sale and/or rent stores. Of course, the large entertainment services weren't left behind, either.

Galacticomm also acquired Galactic Innovations and MajorWare, adding many of their individual add-ons to the company's catalog of software.

Extended Editions

Galacticomm released several "extended editions" that enhanced the functionality of the BBS product. These editions were varied, from connectivity solutions and extensions to advanced modules or module packages.

Two early editions released in 1989 for version 5.07+ were the File Library Edition and the MenuMan Edition. The File Library added a comprehensive file library with full wildcard searching, DOS directory integration, a full comprehensive suite of transfer protocols, and ANSI fullscreen file listings. It originally retailed for $149.00, but was discontinued as an add-on and included in the base BBS starting with version 6.0.

The MenuMan Edition allowed the SysOp to define submenus instead of the standard one-menu BBS. In addition, it enabled global /GO commands, and page FIND commands. It included menu command concatenation, so Sysops who wanted a Quikscan All New Forum Messages function on a menu could now have it! MenuMan retailed for $149.00, but was also included in the base BBS starting with version 6.0. The MenuMan edition code was based upon Submenus, by Don Arnel of Logicom.

A third basic edition was the Entertainment Edition, which was a way to package games and entertainment-oriented modifications together for one price. The original lineup in April 1989 was Quest for Magic, Androids, and the Action Teleconference Link-Up (which was purchased from Moonshae Telecomm). Later, Quest for Magic was dropped in favor of the Flash protocol. For version 6.25, it included Fazuul, Kyrandia, Hangman's Secret Cove, Super Nova, Super Lotto, Flash protocol, Action Teleconference Link-Up, and three Teleconference games - Blackjack, Poker, and Tingo! The Entertainment Edition retailed for $149.00.

Some other editions were more than simple modules - the first being the Online Shopping Mall Edition - the Shopping Mall Edition extended the system into online order entry, catalog sales, and credit-card based purchases of both physical products and online time. An unlimited number of stores were creatable, each run by an assigned user, each with its own product line, pricing policies, discount schedule, shipping methods with pricing methods, payment methods, and built-in Kuhn validation of credit cards. Later, the Mall added unlimited departments to the mix. The Shopping Mall allowed the Major BBS to be used not only for support and service providing, but as a sales vehicle as well. It was a major reach into a new category. The Shopping Mall edition retailed for $249.00.

Other editions branched the system out to new ways of connecting users. The first breakthrough was The Major BBS/X.25 (a/k/a The X.25 Software Option), which worked with the PC X-Net packet-switch package from OST, Inc. It enabled Sysops to deal with X.25 virtual circuits as though they were ordinary serial channels. No PAD (Packet Assembler/Disassembler) hardware was required! Using this option, Sysops could attach their system to TELENET, TYMNET, ARPANET, Datapac, RBOC videotex gateways, and other X.25 networks without needing expensive PAD hardware, and without having to map each incoming line to one channel group. The X.25 software option retailed for $935.00

The second major connectivity option was the Advanced LAN Option, which allowed systems on Netware Networks to define LAN channel groups that are not hardwired to specific machines. Any machine on the LAN could connect to the BBS, and once they disconnected, the channel was available for use by another machine. LAN users were thus limited only by your user count license. The option also utilized SPX and IPX Virtual circuits in addition to regular IPX. The Advanced LAN Option retailed for $635.00

A little later, with late versions of 6.x, Galacticomm announced the ICO - Internet Connectivity Option, which provided incoming/outgoing channel groups using TCP/IP, the protocol of the Internet. This package had two major revisions over its lifetime - the original ICO, and the "ICO2", which was based upon a different TCP/IP stack. The ICO allowed systems to offer connections via telnet, rlogin, ftp, and eventually, web. In addition, Sysops could offer the internet to their dial-up callers through SLIP. The ICO never quite matched the power and features of Vircom's Major TCP/IP package.

Add-ons

Here we will profile some of the modules that were offered as add-ons to The Major BBS and Worldgroup by Galacticomm. Some of these were bundled with the Entertainment Edition at times, others never were.

Note: While Galacticomm merged with Tessier Technologies in 1997, we will profile all of the TTI modules in the ISV section of the site. Similarly, the [Moonshae Telecomm/Galactic Innovations|isv:MoonshaeTelecomm MajorWare modules will also be profiled in the ISV section.

  • Fazuul - The first multiplayer interactive fiction game; predated Galacticomm itself
  • Androids - The first realtime ANSI arcade game for The Major BBS; demonstrated the realtime ability of the system
  • Flash Attack - Flash protocol port of a two-player PET combat game; the most popular Flash game
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