DOS BBS client and server

This image is designed to let you run a DOS BBS inside Docker, or to connect to a remote BBS. It can be used standalone, or as a base for other images.

It is based upon:

• My qemu FreeDOS environment for Docker
• tcpser to simulate a modem.

An additional environment variable, BBSNODES, can be set to indicate how many nodes to start. It defaults to 0 in this image, and can also be set within the image by modifying /dos/numnodes.

Install and run

You can install with:

docker pull jgoerzen/dos-bbs

And run with:

docker run -d -p 5901:5901 -p 23:23 --name dos-bbs jgoerzen/dos-bbs

Installed files

Here's what you can find in this image.

• /dos/drive_* corresponds to particular DOS drives.
• Within the qemu network image:
  • H:\SCRIPTS is a convenient place to drop scripts as needed; also on the PATH
  • H:\ADF containts the ADF FOSSIL driver.
  • H:\COMM contains Telix and Telemate, nice DOS BBS clients.
  • G:\DOORS contains a few DOS DOOR games.
  • D: is presented likea local filesystem, and besides the BOOTUP.BAT script, also contains copies of the G: and H: files for those images that are not able to mount network drives.
• Config files:
  • /dos/numnodes is the default number of nodes to start. This image sets it to 0, and by default supports 9 (more could be supported via additional supervisor scripts). The BBSNODES environment variable can override this setting.
  • /dos/addtoboot contains additional commands to run at the boot time of a node (but not the main console). This would be a place to fire up a BBS.

See the jgoerzen/qemu-dos documentation for the recommendations on child image usage of these drives.

Note: this image provisions a number of files in /etc/supervisor.d/conf.d. Child images may want to modify them.

VNC Console

VNC is exposed on port 5901. You can connect to this port. You will see, by default, an xterm (white) and a qemu terminal (black) running here, though child images may alter these defaults.

If you want to see the console for a node, say node 2, just run viewnode 2.

Telnet ports

Telnet is exposed on port 23, and runs the TelnetBBS system.

Within the image, port 8000 will connect you to the emulated modem in the default console. Ports 8001 and above are used for the BBS node system. You will probably never need to work with these directly.

Dialing into DOS BBSs

From the VNC console with the default setup, you can dial into various BBSs. Here is an example of what to type to get started:

g: cd \comm\tm tm

This starts Telemate. Now, close the blue phonebook with Esc and type:

ATDTbbs.starbase21.net

This will begin a Telnet session with the simulated modem. Note also that you can add a port number with :port at the end (eg, ATDTbbs.starbase21.net:23).

Alt-X exits Telemate.

Source

This is prepared by John Goerzen jgoerzen@complete.org and the source can be found at https://github.com/jgoerzen/docker-qemu-dos

More resources

• Telnet to a BBS within DosBOX
• Telemate v4.2x under DOSBox Tutorial
• Reddit: Using DosBox to Dial into Telnet boards
• Configuring DOSBox to allow inbound and outbound telnet connections
• DOS BBS files

Copyright

Docker scripts, etc. are Copyright (c) 2017 John Goerzen All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
3. Neither the name of the University nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Additional software copyrights as noted.