SPITFIRE NG Sysop Reference Manual

Website reading edition · D1–D3 accepted source, schema 37. The older 0.1.0 binary download predates this work. Current status · Start here.

Applies to: Current SPITFIRE NG source (main, schema 37)

Latest downloadable release: SPITFIRE NG 0.1.0 Development Preview

The downloadable Development Preview is older than the current source and may not include every feature described here. Pages call out a difference when it matters.

SPITFIRE NG is a modern, cross-platform reimplementation of Buffalo Creek Software's SPITFIRE Bulletin Board System. It keeps the terminology and caller experience that made SPITFIRE recognizable while replacing DOS-era hardware limits with maintainable native software.

This manual is for the person running the board—the Sysop. It explains how to install SPITFIRE NG, create a board, configure caller access, operate message conferences and file areas, choose presentation resources, protect private data, make backups, and recover when something goes wrong.

You do not need to understand Rust or SQLite to use this manual.

Start here

Want to get a board running first and explore the details afterward? Follow the Quick Start. It uses current source, one loopback-only SSH listener, the setup-created Sysop account, the starter message and file areas, and the supported cold-backup command.

For a fuller first-board walkthrough, continue with Getting Started. If you are upgrading or using the older downloadable archive, begin with Installation and Upgrades.

How to use this manual

The chapters are arranged around normal Sysop work:

• start with installation and setup;
• learn the caller-facing parts of the board;
• configure presentation, nodes, and transports;
• establish routine operations, security, and backup; and
• use troubleshooting and reference material as needed.

The Caller Guide explains the board from a caller's point of view. You may give that guide to callers without exposing operator-only procedures. The Technical Reference contains database, transaction, protocol, concurrency, security, and compatibility detail for advanced Sysops and developers.

Contents

Welcome, installation, and first setup

• Quick Start: Get a local board running safely.
• Installation: Build current source or install the Development Preview.
• macOS first run: Verify and open the unsigned Development Preview.
• Initial setup: Create and review your first board.
• Configuration: Use sfconfig online or offline; the legacy stopped-board menu retains identity and domain editors.
• Directory layout: Understand board-owned files and directories.

Running the board

• Starting and stopping: Run the board in the foreground and shut it down cleanly.
• Sysop operations: Status, the operator console, and routine operation.
• Board activity and statistics: Understand recent activity, live node status, notifications, maintenance, privacy, and retention.
• Live operator monitor: Monitor, chat, disconnect, and shut down with explicitly authorized sfmonitor Actions.
• Nodes and multinode operation: Node ownership and simultaneous caller sessions.
• Caller accounts: Creation, access changes, privacy, and public caller information.
• Security and access: Authentication and caller-access rules.

Messages and conferences

• Message conferences: Configure conferences.
• Messages: Post, read, reply, and use Your Messages.
• Caller and Sysop interaction: Comments, pages, and chat.

Files and transfers

• File areas: Configure, list, search, inspect, and upload files.
• Uploads and downloads: Follow the caller transfer sequence.
• Transfer protocols: ASCII, XMODEM variants, YMODEM variants, ZMODEM, and TeLink.
• Tagging and batch downloads: Queue files and choose a batch-capable protocol.
• Ratios, daily limits, no-charge areas, Preview areas, and upload credit: Transfer policy and accounting.
• Extended and read-only storage: Logical roots, unavailable media, and safe staging.

The transfer-policy and extended-storage links currently lead to the detailed Technical Reference. Human-focused chapters for those subjects are the next manual migration targets; the features themselves are current and verified.

Menus, displays, and presentation

• Menus and commands: Resource-driven menu behavior.
• Custom display files: Create board-owned BBS and CLR screens.
• Presentation profiles: Select and diagnose presentation packages.
• Classic presentation: Enable the Classic SPITFIRE-inspired profile.
• Language packages: Install, select, validate, and recover localization.

Optional future presentation methods, including Sixel, will belong in this part of the manual after they are implemented and verified. They are not current SPITFIRE NG capabilities.

Connections and terminal clients

• Terminal clients: SyncTERM, Qodem, OpenSSH, RAW, and RLogin guidance.
• Telnet, RAW, and RLogin: Transport boundaries and plaintext warnings.
• SSH caller access: Encrypted caller authentication and host-key handling.

SSH provides access to the BBS only. It does not provide an operating-system shell, command execution, SCP, SFTP, or forwarding.

Maintenance, security, and recovery

• Operator recovery: Setup, permissions, offline authority, invalid configuration, and maintenance routes.

• Backup and restore: Create, protect, verify, and restore a cold backup.

• Upgrades: Protect a board before changing source or binaries.

• Security and privacy: Deployment and data-protection principles.

• Troubleshooting: Common installation, listener, terminal, and recovery problems.

• Support: What to collect and how to report a problem safely.

Compatibility and reference

• Legacy SPITFIRE compatibility: What SPITFIRE NG preserves and what it modernizes.
• Current compatibility matrix: Implemented and planned boundaries.
• Historical background: SPITFIRE history and preservation context.
• Technical Reference: Implementation-level documentation index.
• Documentation index: All project documentation.

Reference tables and a glossary will be added as real manual content is consolidated. Until then, the linked operator and technical documents remain the canonical references; no empty chapter is presented as finished.

A note about board-specific choices

Every SPITFIRE NG board can choose its own name, access policy, conferences, file areas, menus, presentation, listener addresses, and security levels. Examples in this manual show safe starting points, not values every board must use. When a caller-facing command is unavailable, check the caller's access and the board's menu configuration before assuming the software is broken.

Documentation and help

Stable topic names in this manual are designed for future use by local help, the website, and operator tools. The repository Markdown remains the editable source; website and downloadable versions should be generated or synchronized from it rather than maintained as separate copies.

QWK network partners

Sysop manual and Technical Reference cover implemented public/private and transit exchange, controlled DOVE interoperability, typed partner configuration, queues, replay/loop prevention and recovery. M046 records the controlled interoperability evidence and limits.

• BinkP mailer: configured links, credentials, listener, Poll/Test, queues and recovery.

Networking operations and recovery — N5

See Networks operations for the cockpit, typed configuration, queue recovery and verified restore serial-floor reconciliation.

FTN hub services — N6

See operator workflows for downstreams, subscriptions, AreaFix, bounded rescan, points and recovery. Schema 25; en-US 1.23.0 / 1,249 messages.

FTN file networking — N7

See FileEcho, TIC, hatching and FREQ for implemented authority and workflows. Schema 28; en-US 1.25.0 / 1,306 messages.

See the account and posting identity contract for schema 28 name privacy and sender stability.

• CircuitNET offline conferences — C2 development/offline public-conference exchange.

C5 Events and CircuitNET operations

Events explains queue preparation, exchange policies, Run Now and recovery. CircuitNET role guides and distribution drafts support END/HOST/ROOT operation.

C6 native Files

Files explains native areas, original content, safe imports, DIZ, scanner policy and quarantine. CircuitNET explains explicitly configured file distribution and the existing Event policies. C6 acceptance/publication status is recorded in M069.

C7 catalog administration and joining

Catalog Administration covers signed publication, local create/map/ignore, retirement and recovery. Network Kit contains Charter/Rules 1.0, joining/application and role guides.

Network Kit role and recovery guides

See Network Kit role and recovery guides for the revised kit, Sysop access, generated identities and deliberate authority replacement. Member setup starts with the kit README.

Source: public docs/manual/README.md. Navigation is adapted for this site; stale overview version/networking labels are reconciled with the accepted D3 checkpoint.

Advanced networking and activity

Conference Health describes native readership/activity and the optional caller bulletin.

Current source implements N1–N6 networking and N7 FTN file networking. Native messages and files remain canonical; BinkP is transport only. No live public FidoNet participation is claimed.

Plain definitions of FTN, BinkP, QWK, Dossier and network roles.