Rendezvous Release Notes

Release 3.2

• Delete Messages Remotely.  Authorized users can now delete forum and newsgroup messages over the web using either a browser or news reader interface.  This allows administrators to remove selected messages from anywhere, anytime.

• Improved Message Navigation.  With this release, it is easier to scroll back and forth through forum or newsgroup messages.  The browser window now includes buttons for displaying previous or subsequent messages.

• Apache Compatible.  This release is fully compatible with the iSeries Apache web server.

• Monitor specific IP addresses.  If your iSeries or AS/400 is associated with more than one IP address, you can now control which addresses the Rendezvous NNTP (news) server responds to.

Release 3.1

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• Interactive Web-Based Customer Support.  This version of Rendezvous allows AS400 web masters to add interactive customer support to their web site in a matter of minutes, without programming.  When a customer browsing a web site needs more information, they can click a button allowing them to converse with a live support or sales person.  The support representative is notified as soon as the user clicks, and both the user and the support representative are joined in a real-time chat session.  No special client software is required, so any customer visiting the web site can obtain help immediately.

• Live, Moderated Chats.  Also delivered with version 3.1 is support for live, moderated, web-based chat discussions.  As always, this feature can be added to an AS/400-hosted web site in just a few minutes, without programming.  Using a browser, a moderator filters and approves questions and comments submitted live by discussion participants.  Approved messages appear instantly in each participant's browser window.

• Validation List Security.  Rendezvous/400 allows administrators to control access to each web forum and chat room by user ID.  Previously, the user ID had to be an actual AS400 user profile.  With version 3.1, user IDs defined in a validation list can also be used to control forum and chat room access.  This enhancement adds an extra layer of security, allowing administrators to assign user IDs to web clients and control access based on those user IDs, while not compromising the secrecy of AS400 user profiles and passwords.

• Users Can Spin Off Private Chats.  With the click of a button, a web user can start a new, private chat room and specify which other users may join.  This new feature allows a subset of users engaged in a web conversation to break away for a private discussion.  Like all other Rendezvous features, this is purely AS400 based.

Release 3.0

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• Web Forums.  With Rendezvous Version 3.0, users can now use any web browser to access AS/400 hosted newsgroups.  For organizations with web sites hosted on AS/400s, this means that a simple hyperlink now allows you to add forum support to your web site.  No coding is necessary and the web forums are completely configurable.  Web administrators can easily create, delete and redefine forms. Read and write access for each forum can be regulated for individuals and groups of users.  News feeds from other Internet news servers can be combined with locally defined forums and all presented to clients' web browsers with a single integrated interface.  HTML source for the forum displays is provided, allowing web administrators to customize the look of their forums.

• Web Chat.  Also new to Version 3.0 is web-based chat, hosted by the AS/400.   Web administrators can create an unlimited number of "chat rooms" and regulate access by web clients to each chat room using individual and group profiles.  As for performance, it's a screamer. The chat interface is implemented entirely in CGI scripts, eliminating the need to upload applets to the client at run time.

• All New Engine.  The Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) engine--the heart of the Internet news server--was completely rewritten for this release.  The new version incorporates all of the latest modifications and updates to the Internet standards for news servers.

• Streamlined Operation.  Menus have been reorganized, new options have been added and existing options have been revamped, making release 3.0 of Rendezvous News Server easier to use than ever.  New users will be up an running in minutes.  Existing users will find familiar jumping off points, but will be able to accomplish old administrative tasks in half the time.

• Multiple Server Instances.  You can now run multiple, simultaneous instances of the NNTP server.  This allows you, for example, to accept connections with no password on one port, while serving only password secure connections on another port.

Please note that the following obsolete features from previous Rendezvous releases have been dropped in this release.

• Forum/section interface.  In the past, messages could be seen as belonging to sections within forums, as well as to newsgroups.  Many users found this dual perspective confusing.  The forum/section interface is now gone.  Users and administrators will now see only a clear, consistent newsgroup interface.

• Personal Favorites.  The Personal Favorites list has been dropped  With the elimination of the forum/section interface, users' action choices have been greatly simplified, rendering the Personal Favorites list unnecessary.

• APPC Support.  With the maturity of the AS/400, nearly all machines now have TCP/IP support.  Therefore, APPC protocol support was dropped.

• Attachment Post-Processing Programs.  All message attachments must now be saved explicitly.  The ability of triggering a program to execute when a message with an attachment has been sent to a newsgroup has been dropped.

• Command Changes.  The old Start NNTP Server (STRRVSNN) command has be renamed to  STRRVSSRV.  Commands referring to "forums" or "sections", such as Create Forum (CRTRVSFRM) and Create Section (CRTRVSSCT) have been dropped.