DLX MULTI-LINE BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM
Version 7.0

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the DLX community!  DLX is a multi-line, easily customized
BBS (bulletin board system) for the advanced SysOp (system operator -
that's you!).  It can be used for a social BBS or a business BBS or
for wherever your imagination leads you.  And if your board is a
success, you're not limited to a single telephone line.

DLX is most often used to run a social BBS.  On a social BBS, the
main activity is not file uploading and downloading, as on most
BBSes, but rather interacting with other callers by exchanging email
or chatting.  DLX supports two kinds of email: public and private,
and two kinds of chatting: one-on-one chatting and Open Forum (group
chat).

The DLX system requires an IBM PC compatible microcomputer, 1
megabyte or more of RAM, a hard disk with at least 10M free space
left and MS-DOS 5.0 or later.  You can support up to 2 telephone
lines with the normal PC serial ports and up to 32 lines by using
DigiBoard expansion cards.  And of course you'll need one modem for
each of your telephone lines.

DLX is designed to be easy for callers to use.  It is also fairly
easy for the system operator to manage, but to run DLX you first need
to become familiar with your PC and with MS-DOS.  You need to know
how to list a file, create and change directories and edit a file.
This manual won't teach you MS-DOS, so learn that first.

FREEWARE NOTICE

DLX V7.0 is placed in the public domain by its author, Richard
Gillmann.  Anyone who wishes to may run the program, copy it, or
modify it for any purpose, including commercial gain.


Legal Disclaimer
----------------

This DLX software is supplied "AS IS" with no warranty expressed
or implied.


DLX is now FREEWARE
-------------------

I have decided to stop selling DLX, to abandon my copyright on it,
and to make DLX a freeware, public domain program.  There is no
longer any charge whatsoever to use DLX.  You may make as many copies
as you like and you may redistribute them however you wish.  I'd like
to see Sysops add the DLX70BBS.ZIP file to their libraries, so that
it can become more widely distributed.

I am taking this action because I want to see social BBSes more
widely used.  Also, I would like to see them continue to evolve.  I
no longer have the time to do this work, and yet I don't want to see
DLX die.  Squeezing the last dime out of DLX as a commercial program
is not that important to me.

I have included the complete DLX manual in this Zip file, but of
course, that's never enough!  Please read the file SUPPORT.TXT for
information about tech support for DLX.

I have also included the complete source code for DLX in the file
DLX70SRC.ZIP, which is included in the DLX70BBS.ZIP file.  Writing a
multiline BBS program under MS-DOS is a tough programming job that
stymies a lot of would-be BBS writers.  The DLX source code will, I
hope, show the way.  Nothing would please me more than to have some
kid in his bedroom write the next great social BBS.  You are free to
use this source code for any purpose.  You may modify it and make
your own BBS program, and even copyright and sell your modified
version.  None of the source files in DLX70SRC.ZIP are needed to run
the DLX program, so if you're not a programmer, just ignore this
file.

The future: I may or may not do another version of DLX after this
one.  Frankly, I don't see why I should commit myself either way.  If
you would like to contact me with suggestions or feedback or the
number of your new board, I can be reached on the Internet at

        rag@hebron.connected.com

I love to hear about new boards, and I'll try to keep an Internet
mailing list of all who write me, in case there are further
developments from this end.

I wish you the most wonderful time calling BBSes, being Sysop of your
own BBS, or writing your own BBS software.  If this DLX software
helps you in that endeavor, then I have achieved my goal.

Happy BBSing!
Richard Gillmann, Programmer
Inner Loop Software