Using Bulletin Board Services - Toshiba Satellite 200 Series User Manual

protocols are faster than others. Popular protocols include XMO-
DEM (one of the earliest and still one of the most reliable proto-
cols) and ZMODEM (about the fastest available these days).
You don't really need to know anything about specific protocols—
just make sure you're using the same as the computer with which
you're communicating. If you would like to know more, protocols
are described in any book on telecommunications, available at
your local book or computer store.

Using Bulletin Board Services

Local electronic bulletin board services (BBSs), like their mun-
dane counterpart hanging on your wall, let you post messages for
friends, or questions to which a wide variety of people can
respond. Many BBSs also offer software (programs) or shareware
that you can copy to your computer (called downloading).
Shareware programs are copyrighted programs that you can
try out for free. If you decide you like the program, you must
send in a small registration fee. Upon registering some share-
ware programs, you may receive additional benefits, such as
a printed manual or free future upgrades.
Most BBSs serve a particular interest group and are run by an indi-
vidual or small group of people. For example, a science fiction
BBS may have messages from people looking for out-of-print
books and offer a few sample sections of new works.
Most computer companies offer a BBS as one way to provide
customers with software updates and answers to their questions.
Toshiba's 24-hour BBS offers Toshiba computing information and
is a good source of Toshiba utilities files and technical bulletins.
Complete information about accessing Toshiba's BBS is found in
"Toshiba's Bulletin Board Service" on page 298.
To access a BBS, you'll need an all-purpose communications pro-
gram, such as Hyperterminal, provided with Windows 95. See the
following section for information about using all-purpose commu-
nications programs.
Connecting to the World
Connecting Directly to Another Computer
207