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1. About the BBS
2. What's New in the BBS?
3. Getting There
4. Networks Affiliated
5. BBS Server Specs
6. Why the BBS Name?

About the BBS

The SkyWalker's Court (TSC) is the only electronic Bulletin Board System (BBS) in Central Luzon (Region III) of the Republic of the Philippines. It was founded by Jun Martin, the System Operator (SysOp), on 11 February 1996 in San Fernando, Pampanga.

The BBS was put up because the Sysop wanted local computer users to have easy access to shareware & freeware without incurring long distance charges calling BBS' in Metro Manila (as he was doing).

TSC is now offering free internet e-mail. This has been one of the main goals of the BBS from the start, and it has been realized with the help of Vincent Danen, the International Coordinator of Sysops' TechNet. Come, login to TSC BBS, and avail of this feature!

One of the first callers was Marco Antonio Cabazal, Sysop of Tambayan ng Bayan! BBS. He wasted no time in recruiting TSC into the Philippine Alternative Network (PAN). TSC became a member of PAN on April 21, 1996(?) and the Sysop immediately applied his newfound knowledge in networking to create a new BBS network, The Philippine AXiS Network. TSC went on to become a member of several other networks.

What's New in the BBS? (As of July 30, 1998)

• A 7-disc CD-Changer has been installed! That means 8 CD's online simultaneously!

• Now offering FREE INCOMING internet e-mail! The gateway is currently not processing outgoing email, but the sysop allows callers to send emails using his personal account. You may then specify your gateway address as a reply-to address for your associates' replies.

• TSC is now a member of OS/2 Net, an international BBS network for OS/2 supporters.

• An 8-CD package containing pre-1998 shareware and freeware programs from the PC-OHIO BBS (One of the largest BBS' in the world) has been acquired, and the CD’s are ALL available during online time.

• The operating system will be upgraded to Warp 4 when the Sysop obtains a copy, probably within the next 2 months.

Getting There

Connect to The SkyWalker's Court BBS anytime from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am everyday, and enjoy downloading files, use your free e-mail address, & get involved with various networks! Access is totally free!!!  :-)

• You can connect to us via terminal software or telnet (click here for examples of terminal software).

• Want it now? Click here to download the easy to use BananaCom. Install it, run it, press Enter on The SkyWalker's Court BBS entry.

• If you have HyperTerminal in Windows 95/98, click here to download HyperTerminal Connection File. Unzip it, open the extracted file in HyperTerminal, then click Dial.

You can install HyperTerminal right away if you have the Windows 95/98 Installer: In Windows 95/98 Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs, click Windows Setup Tab, select Communication, click Details, check HyperTerminal, click OK, click OK.

BBS Number

The telephone number is 963-2049. Prefix the area code 45 if you're outside San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines. Then prefix the country code 63 if you're outside the Philippines.

Connecting to TSC BBS via terminal software:

1. In your terminal software, bring up the dialing directory.
   1. Make a new entry for TSC BBS, with the telephone number 963-2049.
   2. Make sure emulation is set to ANSI
   3. Make sure these connection preferences are set:
      8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit
2. Dial the phone number of TSC BBS anytime during 9pm-6am.
   1. Log-in and follow the instructions to pass the callback verifier (if you’re a local call away).
   2. If you’re calling long distance, I will voice-verify you before giving you normal access to the BBS.

   If the online time is not within your comfortable range, you may notify me by e-mail beforehand, so I can leave the BBS online by appointment.

Recommended Terminal Software

• DOS: BananaCom (available here!), Terminate, Telix, {COMMO}
• OS/2: Livewire, ZOC, PMComm
• Win32: HyperTerminal 95, ProComm Plus, Qmodem Pro 95

Connecting to TSC BBS via telnet:

1. In your telnet software, specify samboy.dyn.ml.org as the telnet host to connect to.
   (Hint: You can click on the telnet link right now and see if the telnet nodes are online.)
2. Log-in using your real name and a unique password.
3. Connect. Voila!

Note, however, that the telnet nodes are available only when the BBS is polling my ISP for mail. Regular polling schedule is 5:00 am daily, until all the mail is downloaded.

The unlimited accounts are way too expensive for me, so I can’t make them available for longer than that.

Networks

TSC is a member of the following Philippine and International BBS networks:

• Sysops' TechNet
• FidoNet
• ChiliNet
• Philippine Alternative Network (PAN/Alternet)
• AXiSNet
• Vito Corleone Foundation
• United Sysops' Computer Network
• Philippine Free Network
• OS/2 Net

BBS Server Specs

Hardware

• Intel Pentium 233 MMX
• 64 MB SDRAM
• 7.5 GB total HD space (more than half of it allotted to the BBS)
• soon to feature a 6- or 7-CD changer so more of the 14 CD’s can be accessed simultaneously
• perhaps another 12GB of storage is coming up

Software

• Operating System: OS/2 Warp 3.0, Fixpack level 35
• BinkleyTerm 2.60 XE Gamma Rel. 5 for OS/2
• Squish 1.11 for OS/2
• Maximus 3.01 for OS/2
• Internet Rex 0.98 Beta for OS/2
• Legend of the Red Dragon I & II (door games that can be played while logged in the BBS)

Why the BBS Name?

You may be asking, why "SkyWalker"? Is the sysop a fan of Star Wars' main protagonist, Luke Skywalker? No, he's not. He named the BBS after Avelino "Samboy" Lim, aka "The SkyWalker," nicknamed that way because of his great acrobatics in the air when playing basketball (hang time, dudes!). Samboy is simply the greatest shotmaker in the history of basketball. Well, alongside Michael Jordan, the Samboy Lim of the NBA, of course. To see Samboy's stats (and those of other players, too), see the Philippine Basketball Association and the Metropolitan Basketball Association web sites.