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DE NNN0ASA 036
R 071000Z APR 2006
FM NNN0ASA VA
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UNCLAS
SUBJ:REPLACEMENT FOR AA4RE/NNN0ZLS MDS BBS PROGRAM
1. OUR CURRENT STANDARD MDS PROGRAM WAS LAST MODIFIED IN 1999 TO
COMPLY WITH Y2K. THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO WORK WELL BUT IT IS DATED.
IT IS WRITTEN IN BORLAND PASCAL 7.0 WHICH IS NO LONGER SUPPORTED. IT
IS WRITTEN FOR DOS AND WILL NOT RUN UNDER WINDOWS 98 OR LATER
WITH THE PK-232. IT IS TIME TO FIND OR DEVELOP A REPLACEMENT.
2. I HAVE DONE A WEB SEARCH FOR A SUITABLE PROGRAM FOR WHICH SOURCE
CODE IS AVAILABLE WITH NO SUCCESS. HAVING ACCESS TO THE SOURCE CODE
IS ESSENTIAL SO WE CAN MODIFY THE PROGRAM TO MEET OUR NEEDS,
ESPECIALLY THE ABILITY TO HANDLE HIGH PRECEDENCE MESSAGES. I WOULD
ALSO LIKE THE ABILITY TO ADD ALE FEATURES TO THE PROGRAM (OR THE
ABILITY TO USE COMMERCIAL ALE RADIOS) SO WE ARE NOT SO PROPAGATION
DEPENDENT. BECAUSE OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM OLD TO NEW, THE NEW
PROGRAM WILL HAVE TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE CURRENT AA4RE/NNN0ZLS
PROGRAM.
3. ANOTHER FEATURE WE NEED IS TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT CAN BE CROSSED
FROM WINDOWS TO LINUX OR TO MAC OS X PLATFORMS. THERE ARE SEVERAL
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES THAT HAVE THIS CAPABILITY BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN
ABLE TO FIND ANY AMATEUR BBS PROGRAMS WRITTEN IN THESE LANGUAGES.
4. I REQUEST YOUR ASSISTANCE  IN FINDING A SUITABLE PROGRAM THAT CAN
BE MODIFIED TO SUIT NAVMARCORMARS. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE ON THE
PROGRAMMING TASK OF DEVELOPING SUCH A PROGRAM, THAT WOULD BE EVEN
BETTER. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ANY CODE DEVELOPED MUST BE PLACED IN THE
PUBLIC DOMAIN.
5. IF YOU CAN HELP EITHER WITH LOCATING A PROGRAM WITH SOURCE CODE OR
YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THE TASK OF DEVELOPING A PROGRAM FROM SCRATCH,
PLEASE NOTIFY ME DIRECTLY VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
6. NAVMARCORMARS: PROUDLY SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE.
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