Very Computer

I am a student of Oslo College of Engineering, working on my final project,
a distributing system for text based news bulletins. The system will be
programmed in X11, using script to initiate the physical process of sending
the news bulletins through modems and fax modems, via a multi-port serial
board.

As I am quite new to the Linux communications world, I would very much
appreciate recommendations for a communications program which can send
plain text files to variuos recipients through a multi-port serial board,
using internal scripts (as the different recipients have different setups
on their sides). This process will be initiated by the main X11 program
through scripts/distribution lists, so it has to be able to run from a
command line, preferrably something like this:

linux# commprog <loginscript> <textfile_to_send> <other_paremeters>

I also need an equivalent FAX-program that can send text files to many fax
recipients through the same multi-port serial board, because many of the
recipients just have fax machines, not modems.

It is critical that the communications programmes are able to handle
exceptions, or at least return error codes when a transmission is aborted
for some reason (busy, no answer, etc.)

Finally I'd like some advice on which multi port serial board to buy for
this Linux system. I need a minimum of 16 ports, as there often are about
200+ recipients, and they need the bulletins fairly fast. The system (a
386 Unix clone called Interactive UNIX) used today has an intelligent
Stallion 16 port serial board, but I understand that there is yet no
support for this under Linux.

Any tips, comments and views on any of these matters will be highly
appreciated!

Best regards from the land where we kill whales just for fun!

Erlend Schei

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E R L E N D       S C H E I
Oslo College of Engineering

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: Finally I'd like some advice on which multi port serial board to buy for
: this Linux system. I need a minimum of 16 ports, as there often are about
: 200+ recipients, and they need the bulletins fairly fast. The system (a
: 386 Unix clone called Interactive UNIX) used today has an intelligent
: Stallion 16 port serial board, but I understand that there is yet no
: support for this under Linux.

I'm using a BocaBoard 16 port board that treats me pretty well.  I have
no complaints.  It's not intelligent, but that doesn't seem to be a problem.
I also have a DigiBoard PortServer 16 on the same system which has 16
serial ports (over an ethernet link back to the system).
I use this for all our terminals (and the Boca runs printers,
modems etc. which are a bit nicer to control over a native port).

Good luck.
Kyle

: : Finally I'd like some advice on which multi port serial board to buy for
: : this Linux system. I need a minimum of 16 ports, as there often are about
: : 200+ recipients, and they need the bulletins fairly fast. The system (a
: : 386 Unix clone called Interactive UNIX) used today has an intelligent
: : Stallion 16 port serial board, but I understand that there is yet no
: : support for this under Linux.

: I'm using a BocaBoard 16 port board that treats me pretty well.  I have
: no complaints.  It's not intelligent, but that doesn't seem to be a problem.
: I also have a DigiBoard PortServer 16 on the same system which has 16
: serial ports (over an ethernet link back to the system).  
: I use this for all our terminals (and the Boca runs printers,
: modems etc. which are a bit nicer to control over a native port).

        Are you talkig about Interactive or Linux here?
        If Linux, where did you get Digiboard drivers from?