Has anybody here gotten around to programming any apps for mobile devices?
I'm a linux/Android user, and I don't do apple so android would be my first choice, obviously. I've installed the android sdk on both my windows xp and debian boxes, but I have yet to start my own app. I've done some training
from the developer.android.com site, but thats it.

Oh, and I have a Kindle Fire gen2 (otter2) of which I've managed to install CyanogenMod onto. That has been my big first step; now I'm going to use it
to do my app development.

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thinking a good ANSI terminal app would be high on the list.

--- Mystic BBS v1.10 A38 (Linux)
* Origin: Cyberia BBS | Cyberia.Darktech.Org | Kingwood, TX

Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to All on Tue Apr 08 2014 09:36 am

Has anybody here gotten around to programming any apps for mobile devices?

A fidonet user from Russia developed HotdogEd, an Android app for Fidonet.

I don't use an Android device yet, but I'm sure I'll have one in the future since it's becoming so well established. I'd love to see a QWK reader.

---
■ Synchronet ■ Sovereign State BBS

On 04-09-14, Dreamer said the following...

Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to All on Tue Apr 08 2014 09:36 am

Has anybody here gotten around to programming any apps for mobile de

A fidonet user from Russia developed HotdogEd, an Android app for
Fidonet.

I don't use an Android deviceyet, but I'm sure I'll have one in the
future since it's becoming so well established. I'd love to see a QWK reader.

Ah, a qwk reader. That would be a good one.

I've been talking to Rudi about an android developer echo. Considering the amount of traffic, a new echo may not be warranted. Maybe might just be
using the programming echo instead.

--- Mystic BBS v1.10 A38 (Linux)
* Origin: Cyberia BBS | Cyberia.Darktech.Org | Kingwood, TX

Has anybody here gotten around to programming any apps for mobile devices? I'm a linux/Android user, and I don't do apple so android would be my first choice, obviously. I've installed the android sdk on both my windows xp
and debian boxes, but I have yet to start my own app. I've done some training from the developer.android.com site, but thats it.

Oh, and I have a Kindle Fire gen2 (otter2) of which I've managed to install CyanogenMod onto. That has been my big first step; now I'm going to use it to do my app development.

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thinking
a good ANSI terminal app would be high on the list.

Definitely, a good BBS-friendly ANSI terminal app for Android would be nice. There's one that I used to use for Apple iOS called iSSH, but since I no
longer have any Apple devices, I've found that there isn't much in the Android market that comes close. There is ConnectBot, but last time I used it, I
don't think it displayed high-ASCII characters very well.

Nightfox

Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to All on Tue Apr 08 2014 09:36 am

Oh, and I have a Kindle Fire gen2 (otter2) of which I've managed to install CyanogenMod onto. That has been my big first step; now I'm going to use it to do my app development.

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thinking
a good ANSI terminal app would be high on the list.

that bbsnexus android app is nice but i dont know how polished it is.
i tried it out and it crashed once in a while.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to Dreamer on Wed Apr 09 2014 10:49 am

I've been talking to Rudi about an android developer echo. Considering the

you're not talking about rudi timmermans are you? that guy who takes
open source software and abandonware and has this story where he says the author gave him the permission to charge for it.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: Android Apps
By: Nightfox to Gryphon on Wed Apr 09 2014 01:11 pm

Definitely, a good BBS-friendly ANSI terminal app for Android would be nice. There's one that I used to use for Apple iOS called iSSH, but since I no longer have any Apple devices, I've found that there isn't much in the Android market that comes close. There is ConnectBot, but last time I used it, I don't think it displayed high-ASCII characters very well.

Yeah, this definitely would be nice to see. I've tried to find stuff, and the best I can find is stuff in Chinese (actually there is an active Chinese BBS development scene, the fonts are just not right at all) and there is an app called Blowtorch that some people I guess have had some luck with ANSI emulation but I didn't have much luck recreating that success.

---
■ Synchronet ■ telnet to utureland.grudgemirror.com and check out our website for a sneak pre

On 04-09-14, Nightfox said the following...

Has anybody here gotten around to programming any apps for mobile devi I'm a linux/Android user, and I don't do appleso android would be my f choice, obviously. I've installed the android sdk on both my windows and debian boxes, but I have yet to start my own app. I've done some training from the developer.android.com site, but thats it.

Oh, andI have a Kindle Fire gen2 (otter2) of which I've managed to ins CyanogenMod onto. That has been my big first step; now I'm going to u to do my app development.

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thin a good ANSI terminal app would be high on the list.

Definitely, a good BBS-friendly ANSI terminal app for Android would be nice. There's one that I used to use for Apple iOS called iSSH, but
since I no longer have any Apple devices, I've found that there isn't
much in the Android market that comes close. There is ConnectBot, but last time I used it, I don't think it displayed high-ASCII characters
very well.

Yes, ConnectBot is the only game in town for any ansi bbs term programs for android. And yes, it is quite lacking in the ansi display. Even for me,
when I call my own BBS, it locks up all the time. There is definately a need for a good ANSI bbs term for android.

--- Mystic BBS v1.10 A38 (Linux)
* Origin: Cyberia BBS | Cyberia.Darktech.Org | Kingwood, TX

On 04-09-14, Mro said the following...

Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to All on Tue Apr 08 2014 09:36 am

Oh, and I have a Kindle Fire gen2 (otter2) of which I've managed to in CyanogenMod onto. That has been my big first step; now I'm going to u to do my app development.

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thin a good ANSI terminal app would be high on thelist.

that bbsnexus android app is nice but i dont know how polished it is.
i tried it out and it crashed once in a while.

I can't find it on google market. Do you have to install it from a separate source?

--- Mystic BBS v1.10 A38 (Linux)
* Origin: Cyberia BBS | Cyberia.Darktech.Org |

On 04-11-14, LaRRy LaGoMoRpH said the following...

Re: Android Apps
By: Nightfox to Gryphon on Wed Apr 09 2014 01:11 pm

Definitely, a good BBS-friendly ANSI terminal app for Android would nice. There's one that I used to use for Apple iOS called iSSH, but I no longer have any Apple devices, I've found that there isn't much the Android market that comes close. There is ConnectBot, but last used it, I don't think it displayed high-ASCII characters very well.

Yeah, this definitely would be nice to see. I've tried to find stuff,
and the best I can find is stuff in Chinese (actually there is an active Chinese BBS development scene, thefonts are just not right at all) and there is an app called Blowtorch that some people I guess have had some luck with ANSI emulation but I didn't have much luck recreating that success.

I think I've tried blowtorch before. But isn't it more of a MUSH client and less of a BBS term program?


--- Mystic BBS v1.10 A38 (Linux)
* Origin: Cyberia BBS | Cyberia.Darktech.Org | Kingwood, TX

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to Mro on Sat Apr 12 2014 03:20 pm

that bbsnexus android app is nice but i dont know how polished it is.
i tried it out and it crashed once in a while.

I can't find it on google market. Do you have to install it from a
separate source?

it's not ready for distribution yet. for me, it crashes sometimes
when i end a 'call' and go back to the main screen.
it's not bad though.

AND...it's pretty much the only one that gets the character page and ansi emulation correct.
screenshots here http://bbsnews.bbses.info/?p=205
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: Android Apps
By: LaRRy LaGoMoRpH to Nightfox on Thu Apr 10 2014 09:29 pm

I have been using JuiceSSH to connect on my phone. It seems to function quite well, though I have not attemted to determine the extent of it's graphical capabilities. It can be used to connect to and use a BBS with color.


---
■ Synchronet ■ RetroDigital.net BBS

Re: Android Apps
By: Mr. Cool to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Sat Apr 12 2014 11:33 pm

I have been using JuiceSSH to connect on my phone. It seems to function
quite well, though I have not attemted to determine the extent of it's
graphical capabilities. It can be used to connect to and use a BBS with
color.

That's cool, I'll have to check it out... What I've noticed in most of the term program that bugs me as far as usability goes is that the phone apps I've seen don't do a good job at displaying a keyboard and a standard 80 x 24 terminal while making effective use of the phones screen because of the way the keyboard gets in the way, and sometimes the term resolution changes when you tilt your phone, which I'm pretty sure on my BBS would crash the shell as it won't be able to adapt going from 80 x 24 to 30 x 70.

This is just my personal opinion, but I think a good term app for BBS's should consider these 2 things as design elements, since there are already plenty of terminals that are insufficient.

1. a nice 80 x 24 geared towards a horizontal phone display, with the terminal rows being able to extend from the top to the bottom of the screen.

2. a keyboard that does not compromise the size of the terminal display. sort of a layover type effect that at could have different skins or opacities, since people here can likely touch type, some might be able to use an invisible keyboard. but basically, i think shrinking the terminal because you are concerned by the keyboard is not the best way to experience a bbs on a phone.

oh, i'm just kinda replying generally probably more to Gryphon, not so much
you Mr. Cool, as far as design considerations I've noticed in trying to find stuff and what's lacking.

---
■ Synchronet ■ telnet to utureland.grudgemirror.com and check out our website for a sneak pre

On 04-13-14, LaRRy LaGoMoRpH said the following...

Re: Android Apps
By: Mr. Cool to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Sat Apr 12 2014 11:33 pm

I have been using JuiceSSH to connect on my phone. It seems to fun
quite well, though I have not attemted to determine the extent of i
graphical capabilities. It can be used to connect to and use a BBS
color.

That's cool, I'll have to check it out... What I've noticed in most of
the term program that bugs me as far as usability goes is that the phone apps I've seen don't do a good job at displaying a keyboard and a
standard 80 x 24 terminal while making effective use of the phones
screen because of the way the keyboard gets in the way, and sometimes
the term resolution changes when you tilt your phone, which I'm pretty sure on my BBS would crash the shell as it won't be able to adapt going from 80 x 24 to 30 x 70.

This is just my personal opinion, but I think a good term app for BBS's should consider these 2 things as design elements, since there are
already plenty of terminals that are insufficient.

1. a nice 80 x 24 geared towards a horizontal phone display, with the terminal rows being able to extend from the top to the bottom of the screen.

2. a keyboard that does not compromise the size of the terminal display. sort of a layover type effect that at could have different skins or opacities, since people here can likely touch type, some might be able
to use an invisible keyboard. but basically, i think shrinking the terminal because you are concerned by the keyboard is not the best way
to experience a bbs on a phone.

oh, i'm just kinda replying generally probably more to Gryphon, not so much you Mr. Cool,as far as design considerations I've noticed in trying to find stuff and what's lacking.

I like your thoughts about a semi-transparent keyboard. It would certainly
fix any issues with trying to fit the kb with the screen at the same time.
But I will admit, I think that the portait orientation lends itself well to
the most effective placement of the kb and the screen. But the landscape orientation does offer a bigger screen size.

--- Mystic BBS v1.10 A38 (Linux)
* Origin: Cyberia BBS | Cyberia.Darktech.Org | Kingwood, TX

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Mon Apr 14 2014 10:14 am

I like your thoughts about a semi-transparent keyboard. It would certainly fix any issues with trying to fit the kb with the screen at the same time. But I will admit, I think that the portait orientation lends itself well to the most effective placement of the kb and the screen. But the landscape orientation does offer a bigger screen size.

Take anything I throw out there with a grain of salt and don't let it deter you from your project, I'm just throwing out hypotheticals here, and a sort of wishlist. On a tablet with 80 x 24 resolution the vertical works fine I would imagine, but I would say on my Galaxy S4 it might be pushing it as far as maybe being unreadable, and I'd say that phone has a pretty big screen.

But also, I think another approach you can take to designing it, and I think this would be a cool thing to do, is leverage some of the phones strengths to make it so you can create a friendly approach to BBSing. When I talk to non-BBS people they seem to indicate an ambivalence until there is a cool phone approach, but even for Sysops maybe there's a few things you can do:

- Expanding on the virtual keyboard approach, you could make the keyboard swappable. Here's why. Imagine a controller for a game. Let's say you have the pit that uses the numpad (which I can't even use on my Macbook Pro different story), now imagine turning on another layout, where you can swipe in directions to move. Or take a sprite based game like pac man and design a nintendo controller layover. Or a macro based layout. They could maybe even be swapped out through an escape sequence or something to make it so that it automatically changes when you're switching through BBS functions.

Anyhow, this may all be some pie in the sky type stuff, and by no means am I suggesting that you should take it all on. But maybe if you have some sort of template system built in people would/could design other control/macro layouts.

The reason I suggest these sort of interface's are not so much for myself though, it's for the people who mostly interface with the net through their phones, and whether or not there's a way to improve the experience such that it can be more appealing should someone just download a BBS term app off the market. I'm not sure what the temperature is in the the community though about shooting for that target. i personally would like for some of my other friends to enjoy logging in, but without a cool phone app there's no way.

---
■ Synchronet ■ telnet to utureland.grudgemirror.com and check out our website for a sneak pre

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Mon Apr 14 2014 10:14 am

I like your thoughts about a semi-transparent keyboard. It would certainly fix any issues with trying to fit the kb with the screen at the same time. But I will admit, I think that the portait orientation lends itself well to the most effective placement of the kb and the screen. But the landscape orientation does offer a bigger screen size.

The keyboard should be transparent, but also hidable in case you don't want to see it. A quick tap on the screen should translate to a configurable keyboard key, so that way you could hide the keyboard and then have it send ENTER on taps so you can read a bunch of mail on the connected BBS, message by message, perhaps.

My vote is that it would work in both orientations. When in portrait mode, it could integrate the keyboard into the bottom and resize the terminal above it and so that it stays 80x25. When in landscape mode, it would use the full width but overlay the keyboard transparently (floating).

Then again, I find the idea of using a traditional terminal app on a mobile phone to be incredibly cumbersome. I do this with SSH clients now, and I can't stand it. Works great for quick jobs, but isn't something that is comfortable enough to do for a long time.

I'd think a nice approoach would be to extend the BBS paradigm to a custom app and API to the BBS. So, much like Mystic and Synchronet have SMTP, FTP, WWW, finger, etc, we could add a new specialized server to provide an optimized stream to custom mobile apps that display the BBS more natively (i.e. using UI metaphors that users on those mobile platforms already understand). It would be akin to RIP, only more integrated to the caller's device.

(That's something I've been tossing around in my head for years. I think it would attract a new generation of BBSers, if you can expand BBSes into the modern age by apps and UIs)

Knight

---
■ Synchronet ■ The Phunc BBS -- Back from the dead! -- telnet to bbs.phunc.com

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: LaRRy LaGoMoRpH to Gryphon on Mon Apr 14 2014 01:12 pm

shooting for that target. i personally would like for some of my other frie to enjoy logging in, but without a cool phone app there's no way.

Precisely. Classic terminal interface makes me happy, but that's because I'm a nostalghic BBSer and sysop. I'm also very technically inclined (systems admin/eng, software eng), so it's where I thrive.

But I'd really like to pull some friends in, and I know they would dig in harder if it was simpler and more engaging.

Knight

---
■ Synchronet ■ The Phunc BBS -- Back from the dead! -- telnet to bbs.phunc.com

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: LaRRy LaGoMoRpH to Gryphon on Mon Apr 14 2014 01:12 pm



hey you.

your bbs doesnt connect.
i sent you an email about this and your didnt understand and didnt reply
back when i elaborated.

you also have your dns setup weird.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Mro to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Mon Apr 14 2014 08:42 pm

hey you.
your bbs doesnt connect.
i sent you an email about this and your didnt understand and didnt reply back when i elaborated.

ahh, sorry, thanks. yeah, it would make more sense if i wasn't on the bbs, seeing it working,and i did connect from outside the LAN today. if you're having an issue though still i'm interested in knowing and would be curious
the circumstances that would make such a thing a possible. i did get your email though thanks, and I get those. cheers.

LLmorphG

\_/
O
-|-
/\

in fact i just went ape shit and made like a giant 800 line ansi
it comes up a lot right now if you start messing with the menus


---
■ Synchronet ■ telnet to utureland.grudgemirror.com and check out our website for a sneak pre

On 04-14-14, LaRRy LaGoMoRpH said the following...

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Mon Apr 14 2014 10:14 am

I like your thoughts about a semi-transparent keyboard. It would certainly fix any issues with trying to fit the kb with the screen a same time. But I will admit, I think that the portait orientation le itself well to the most effective placement of the kb and the screen the landscape orientation does offer a bigger screen size.

Take anything I throw out there with a grain of salt and don't let it deter you from your project, I'm just throwing out hypotheticals here,
and a sort of wishlist. On a tablet with 80 x 24 resolution the vertical works fine I would imagine, but I would say on my Galaxy S4 it might be pushing it as far as maybe being unreadable, and I'd say that phone has
a pretty big screen.

But also, I think another approach you can take to designing it, and I think this would be a cool thing to do, is leverage some of the phones strengths to make it so you can create a friendly approach to BBSing. When I talk to non-BBS people they seem to indicate an ambivalence until there is a cool phone approach, but even for Sysops maybe there's a few things you can do:

- Expanding on the virtual keyboard approach, you could make the keyboard swappable. Here's why. Imagine a controller for a game. Let's say you have the pit that uses the numpad (which I can't even use on my Macbook Pro different story), now imagine turning on another layout, where you
can swipe in directions to move. Or take a sprite based game like pac
man and design a nintendo controller layover. Or a macro based layout. They could maybe even be swapped out through an escape sequence or something to make it so that it automatically changes when you're switching through BBS functions.

Anyhow, this may all be some pie in the sky type stuff, and by no means
am I suggesting that you should take it all on. But maybe if you have some sort of template system built in people would/could design other control/macro layouts.

The reason I suggest these sort of interface's are not so much for myself though, it's for the people who mostly interface with the net through their phones, and whether or not there's a way to improve the experience such that it can be more appealing should someone just download a BBS
term app off the market. I'm not sure what the temperature is in the the community thoughabout shooting for that target. i personally would like for some of my other friends to enjoy logging in, but without a cool
phone app there's no way.

The more we talk about the features of tablets and phones, it just shows me
how much of a dinosaur a BBS looks to the newer audiences.

--- Mystic BBS v1.10 A38 (Linux)
* Origin: Cyberia BBS | Cyberia.Darktech.Org | Kin

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Tue Apr 15 2014 02:44 pm

The more we talk about the features of tablets and phones, it just shows me how much of a dinosaur a BBS looks to the newer audiences.

Which is precisely why it would be good to extend the BBS paradigm to the mobile one, in a way that is meaningful to the mobile experience but does not compromise the true integrity of the BBS.

I liked the somewhat BBS-like feel of Hotline/Carracho/Wired, which offered a nativ-client experience for files, chat, message boards, etc. They allowed some minor customization to logos and a few small things, but never gave the full customization experience that running a BBS does. Plus, it lacked the charm of doors, dynamic ANSI screens, etc.

I'd love to see a new protocol (beyond dialup, telnet, http, etc) that allows a client to interact with the BBS, but present a click-friendly interface (perhaps slightly graphical like RIP) that can display inline ANSI where we want the ANSI, but a UI that mobile users have become use to.

Obviously, the client should be customized by the BBS it's connected to. Colors, logos, feel, etc.

And imagine, getting mobile alerts when a user pages you, or you receive net mail.

Of course, it would still leave the existing access methods that we like to use, and perhaps would even encourage the new found BBSers to try it.
Knight

---
■ Synchronet ■ The Phunc BBS -- Back from the dead! -- telnet to bbs.phunc.com

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: LaRRy LaGoMoRpH to Mro on Tue Apr 15 2014 01:17 am

ahh, sorry, thanks. yeah, it would make more sense if i wasn't on the bbs, seeing it working,and i did connect from outside the LAN today. if you're having an issue though still i'm interested in knowing and would be curious

i send you a few emails elaborating. today i could connect. during the weekend there was some issue where your futureland.grudgemirror.com domain wasnt resolving to the ip, but when i would ping it and get your grudgedu.synchro.net sub domain and if i telneted to THAT url it would work.

maybe it was an issue with routing. i used 3 different servers to attempt to connect to you.

i'm not sure how you have it setup that it's showing your synchronet subdomain when i'm pinging it.

anyways, it's working now.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: Re: Android Apps
By: Mro to LaRRy LaGoMoRpH on Tue Apr 15 2014 09:04 pm

i send you a few emails elaborating. today i could connect. during the

ahh yes, thank you for the email, i appreciate it when people let me know that my board isn't working.

my setup as far as domains is a little strange, but my BBS web interface is so ugly and my router so silly it's not really for the public. that's the futureland subdomain, which I just forward to grudgedu.synchro.net or whatever it is.

if you visit grudgemirror.com without a futureland, it points to a different IP. www.grudgemirror.com is running wordpress... any bbs integration i do through there is through RSS feeds and message boards, and having the terminal embedded, which was just a bastardization of code in the header, i'm having a hard time doing on another site, but a google for jquery lightbox and konami code was kinda the jist of it.

futureland.grudgemirror.com is just a subdomain with my name host basically that should be accepting telnet connections, but it's not how I bookmark it so if it went down at the name server I'd have to notice some other way. It's catchier than grudgedu.synchro.net. I'd probably notice though if my name server went down, because it has, and it was a big hassle to use my website in that, it didn't work at all. i think they won't let that happen again. (namecheap)

ll morph G

---
■ Synchronet ■ telnet to utureland.grudgemirror.com and check out our website for a sneak pre

Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to All on Tue Apr 08 2014 09:36 am

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thinking a good ANSI terminal app would be high on the list.

That's a very good idea. I have not found a *GOOD* terminal program for BBSing on my tablet. As a fellow programmer, I would make one but I have way too many projects on the go now... ;)


-- High Spirit

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Creation BBS -- bbs.digitalcreationbbs.com

El 21/05/15 a las 22:02, "High Spirit" escibi≤:

Re: Android Apps
By: Gryphon to All on Tue Apr 08 2014 09:36 am

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thinking a
good ANSI terminal app would be high on the list.

That's a very good idea. I have not found a *GOOD* terminal program for BBSing
on my tablet. As a fellow programmer, I would make one but I have way too many
projects on the go now... ;)

i love if syncterm will ported and build on android at future

---
■ Synchronet ■ Dock Sud BBS TLD 24 HS - http://www.docksud.com.ar - telnet://bbs.docksud.com.ar

Does anybody know of a good app that they would like to see? I'm thinking a good ANSI terminal app would be high on the list.

That's a very good idea. I have not found a *GOOD* terminal program for BBSing on my tablet. As a fellow programmer, I would make one but I have
way too many projects on the go now... ;)

It's not a native app, but http://my.ftelnet.ca should work well on most tablets. If it doesn't, just let me know because I'm happy to fix any
problems people find (or at least try to!)

---
■ Synchronet ■ R&M Software Support BBS