Excalibur Archive - 10/11/2010

This archive was given to me by a life long Excalibur sysop who did not want to see the bbs software vanish.  It includes the Excalibur bbs system, documentation, menu templates and all known games and utilitys.  Also included are registration codes and cracks along with a hacked copy of grail to allow 256 concurrent users. 

If you are used to traditional DOS bbs software then Excalibur will seem quite odd but it was once a very popular system used world wide and has many multiuser game/chat features that were never matched in the BBS world.  Excalibur Communications went under in 1999 and today it is impossible to purchase this software for any price.  The system was sold as a build your own AOL, compuserve, prodigy, etc.    

To my knowledge this is the only excalibur archive in existance.  I have not resorted or changed the archive with the acception of scanning it with NOD32 and adding this text file.  It includes everything you need to run a $7K+ Excalibur system (in 1990's money) with minimal work.  

If you are looking for help running an Excalibur system please remember to RTFM.  Google is your friend and there are still many Excalibur sysops lurking on alt.bbs.excalibur (http://groups.google.com/group/alt.bbs.excalibur/topics).

I logged onto my first BBS in the early 80's and enjoyed the community until 2006 when the last dialup BBS im my area closed.  BBSes are the social networks of yesterday with many features still not matched by the internets no matter how much flash or java they vomit into the browser.

Then they heard Cadwr Earl of Cornwall being summoned, and saw him rise with Arthur's sword in his hand, with a design of two chimeras  on the golden hilt; when the sword was unsheathed what was seen from the mouths of the two chimeras was like two flames of fire, so dreadful that it was not easy for anyone to look. At that the host settled and the commotion subsided, and the earl returned to his tent.

Behold EXCALIBUR!


Serial numbers:

100420022073990 
100420022141329 
100420022219758 
100420022387187 
100420022455516 
100420022523945 
100420022691374 
100420022769703 
100420022837132 
100420023060449  
100420023206207 
100420023374636  
100420029484069 
100420029552498 
100420029620827 
100420029798256 
100420029866685 
100420029934014 
100420030067365 
100420030135794 
100420030203123 
100420030371552 
100420030449981 
100420030517310 


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_BBS

Excalibur BBS was a Windows-based GUI BBS  client, developed by Excalibur Communications. Excalibur was released in 1993, and it has not been officially supported since 1999, when Excalibur Communications ceased operations.
[edit] Client Software

Users connected to the BBS by modem or over a TCP/IP connection with the Excalibur Client. For its time, the client provided a rich graphical environment allowing users access to instant messaging, message boards, and web-like hyperlinked navigation screens. Excalibur provided the platform for add on functions called plugins.

These plugins included games with/without animation/sound and expanded functions for file searches, local and Internet E-Mail, Fido net, Who's on, chat, change handle/password, edit your account info etc. Some systems used wave files for background music incorporating a "jukebox" like interface with multiple music choices. Others used very clever screen changes to provide different degrees of visual input. Multiple themes for low, medium and high end graphics cards.

The original program was written in Borland C++ by Tim Robinson, who is also the originator of the 99 Bottles of Beer website.

Though "official" support ceased in 1999, several Excalibur BBS's have continued to provide support and information via web and BBS.

The number one "hit" searching for Excalibur http://www.chevychase.com/excalibur.html

The "Flagship" Excalibur Information Server and Web Site http://tecmecca.ath.cx (great setup info and walkthroughs, BBS list and client terminals) @tecmecca.ath.cx (caller needs client terminal)

The oldest BBS in Arizona http://frankenserver.org (client terminals,lost license help, new license access and BBS list) Since 1983 @burmacave.ath.cx (caller needs client terminal)


Several "plugin" suppliers have returned to support their products. JDS, ACE and Genisoft have released their plugins "FREE" of charge. Tangent Thought has released their product though registration is no longer possible due to a fire many years ago. However, many plugins work without registration and only flash a non registered message when used. Tangent Thought's Scrabble is a prime example. It is by and large the "most" popular Excalibur plugin.