PCBoard Enhancements

PCBoard Enhancements on ExecNet – Custom Tools for Power Users:

PCBoard was the software platform that powered ExecNet, but what made the system stand out wasn’t just its use of PCBoard — it was how deeply customized and enhanced the environment became through sysop scripting, third-party tools, and original development by ExecNet’s creators.

What Is PCBoard?

(For more details, see: What is PCBoard)

To summarize briefly, PCBoard was a DOS-based, professional-grade Bulletin Board System (BBS) software developed by Clark Development Company. It allowed sysops to run full-featured dial-up BBSes with support for:

  • File uploads/downloads
  • Public and private message boards
  • User accounts and security
  • Scripted add-ons and external programs
Custom Enhancements on ExecNet:

ExecNet wasn’t just “running” PCBoard — it transformed it. Through custom programming and utilities, the platform added:

Advanced Message Handling:

  • Enhanced threading, notifications, and group tagging
  • Automated cleanup and archiving of inactive threads
  • Integration with the Ilink Message Network for distributed messaging

File Library Automation:

  • Tools to verify file integrity upon upload
  • Keyword tagging for easier searching
  • Automatic notifications for file updates in subscribed categories

User Experience Tools:

  • Custom welcome screens, menus, and graphical ASCII art
  • System prompts that adjusted to user role (guest, member, sysop)
  • Scripts to handle forgotten passwords, expired logins, and role changes

Admin Utilities:

  • Monitoring tools for modem lines and call logs
  • Real-time user activity feeds
  • Traffic analysis for download stats and user behavior
Internal Programming:

ExecNet used PPL (PCBoard Programming Language) and other DOS-based batch scripting to create:

  • Unique utilities for user control
  • Specialized interfaces for SLIP/PPP internet users
  • Admin dashboards for internal maintenance

This gave ExecNet its reputation as a professional-grade BBS — trusted by IT professionals and sysadmins because of the extra polish and performance.

Why It Mattered:

Most BBSes used PCBoard out-of-the-box. ExecNet, by contrast:

  • Turned PCBoard into a LAN operations center
  • Provided tools for network administrators and developers
  • Integrated smoothly with NetWare, SLIP/PPP, and external message networks

These enhancements weren’t just cosmetic — they made the system powerful, reliable, and worthy of its reputation in publications like Boardwatch and PC World.

See Also: