[255D[40m
[0;1;34mQ: Baja, Synchronet's easily mastered programming language, was greeted with
   much enthusiasm when it was released with version 2. Are there plans to
   expand it's capabilities in a future release? If so, what might we expect
   in a new and improved Baja?[35m*

[31mA: [32mYes[37m. [33mAssignable and testable integer and string variables[37m, [0;36mfunction defi-
nition with parameter passing[1;37m, and other [36mgeneral programming enhancements [37mfor
the creation of [34mdoor-like [35mBaja [37madd-on modules and more [32madvanced command shells[37m.
[35m(* Editor's Note: Also see separate article on projected BAJA enhancements)

[34mQ: Setting up a Fido-style network is probably one of the most difficult
   tasks a SysOp can undertake. Are there any plans to incorporate Fido
   support into a future release of Synchronet?

[31mA: [37mThere is [33mFido [37msupport already in [34mSynchronet[37m. [34mSynchronet [37mdirectly creates
[33mFTSC-1 NetMail[37m, for example, as well as the many other [33mFidoNet [37mspecific
features. If your question is "Will [34mSynchronet [37mhave a [36mFront-end mailer
[37mbuilt-in?", this is not something we have planned.


[34mQ: Are there any plans to incorporate Internet accessing capabilities into
   a future version of Synchronet, thereby eliminating such third-party
   add-ons as NetXpress and GiGo?

[31mA: [32mNo[37m, not currently. We are [33mspending our development resources on enhancments
that cannot be achieved by a third-party add-on[37m. If in the future, we develop
a [36mUUCP [37mgateway, it would most likely be an add-on anyway.



[34mQ: Personalized customer service is a hallmark of Digital Dynamics as many
   SysOps will attest, so, towards that goal, if someone is having problems
   with one of your products, what information should they have at hand to
   help expedite their (sometimes long-distance) call to you?

[31mA: [37mThey should [33mbe in front of their BBS computer [37mwith the [31mexact error message
[37mon screen or written down (if applicable). They should have [35mdirect questions
[37m(as opposed to vague) and peferrably have their questions/problems written
down before calling. [32mKnowledge of the hardware configuration [37m(what IRQs and
I/O addresses in use, for example) can greatly shorten tech support calls.


[34mQ: What trends do you see in the near future for the BBS industry?

[31mA: [37mDepending on your definition of the "[33mnear future[37m", I think inter-node [31mDOOM
[37mand other "[0mserial linkable[1m" games will be a hit with users. I think the
proliferation of [32mPentium-90 and faster CPUs [37mwill make multinode BBSs more
attractive to space consious multiline sysops. The obsolesence of single node
BBSs will become more apparent to users and sysops alike. [35mInteractive multinode
games [37mwill increase in development and complexity.



[34mQ: And one final question: What does Digital Man like to do when he's not
   hard at work improving Synchronet or answering SysOp questions?

[31mA: [37mMy main "[32mhobby[37m" is music. I've been [35mplaying drums for 15 years [37mand currently
play in a local alternative rock (Power-pop) band called "[34mWeedpuller[37m". We
recently released a self-produced [32mCD [37mcalled "[34mCongential[37m". Interested fans of
this style of music can send [33m$10 [37mto WP Publishing; [33mPO Box 501, Yorba Linda CA
92686 [37mfor a [32mCD[37m. It can also be purchased at local [35mTower[37m, [35mBlackhole[37m, and [35mBionic
Record stores [37m(Orange County, CA).


[0mAs succinct and to the point as ever Digital Man. Thanks for the interview
and hopefully this has answered some questions that Synchronet BBS SysOps have
had over the years. Next issue, SYNCHRONETICS E-ZINE will try to get an inter-
view with the elusive Master of the Beast's Domain, King Drafus.
[0m
