One of the main reasons I chose Michtron 3.0 BBS software was because of its multi-user capabilities
something that seemed not to be available back in those days.
However I quickly discovered after hooking up multiple WiModems to the multiple modem ports
on my MegaSTe to use Michtron BBS 3.0 as a multi-user BBS
one needs a hardware expansion connected to the cartridge port of your ST.
Called DC-Port.
Michtron 3.0 BBS was released in a demo-version disk on the cover of ST Format 42 in January 1993.
Which can be found on the internet thanks to Exxos for example.
However nobody seemed to got ahold of a manual or had wanted to open their sealed manual.
The author Timothy Purves was notified about the topic on AtariAge and came to our aid
with a scanned version of the manual and helping me in understanding and setting up the BBS
So when I tried to go multi-user, I hooked up multiple Wimodems to my modem ports of the MegaSTe
but they were not recognised by Michtron except for the first Modem port.
After confirmation of the original author of Michtron BBS it was clear
to me I needed a DC-Port.
DC-Port is a hardware expansion by Double-Click Software.
You can find more information about Double-Click Software here
To use DC-Port you either need to load the driver for it seperately or when you are using Michtron 3.0,
the BBS software has it built in.
More info on the driver software can be found HERE
Michtron BBS was also the software of choice for the Atari Corp BBS to run a multi-node/user BBS.
Although it looks like there were running it first on 5 different ST each with their own dedicated modem and
phoneline, just running identical copies of the BBS on each of them.
Atari Corp might have used a 4 port version of DC-Port in a later stadium as suggested by one of the owners of
DoubleClick Software here
With no DC-Port available, I continued to launch thecell.ar as a single-user BBS for the time being.
However the dream of having multiple users logged on at the same time lingered.
On the 25th of June I asked my friend Manterola since he is way more capable than me when it comes to electronics
and schematics if he could have a look if would be possible to build the DC-port from the old schematics available
at the DC software website DCS
And so he did in his spare time , he reworked the PCB to use modern components, reducing the footprint needed.
Beginning of July he had his first mock-up of the PCB and around September he ordered a test-batch and the
necessary components to build and test.
And so in October he started testing the functionality of it , I must thank him for taking the lead in this
since I was having some difficult time as of end of August due to work and personal reasons.
And so here we are in November , the PCB on its way to me and this should turn thecell.ar BBS
in a 3 Wimodems, 3 simultanous user BBS.
Which also means there will be things to be explored what can be done of interacting multiple users.
My thanks foremost to Manterola without him, I would never been able to get this done.
Also Timothy Purves, the author of Michtron BBS, and last but not least, all Sysops who keep this
relic-of-a-past going and keep inspiring and motivating each other.