KillRQ v 2.5 Automated Message Deletion For QuickBBS and Remote Access Systems By Jason St

                              KillRQ v 2.5

                       Automated Message Deletion

                 For QuickBBS and Remote Access Systems

                    By Jason Steck 1:104/424@FidoNet







LICENCE:  KillRQ is released as Freeware as a part of the FreeNet
Project.  KillRQ is free for use so long as it is used in a manner
consistant with applicable laws and network policies.  The author
retains rights to the name "KillRQ" and to the specific source code used
to create this product.  Reverse-engineering or otherwise modifying the
executable code of this product is a violation of this licence.



                              INTRODUCTION


KillRQ gives sysops the functionality to control the content of their
messages base.  An unfortunately side-effect of echomail has been the
effect of giving "twits" an open and widely-distributed forum for the
plying of their irritating art.  As such, many echomail conferences have
been, at one time or another, all but taken over by people and/or
threads which are "twitty".

KillRQ is intended to give sysops a fast, efficient method to
automatically delete annoying messages and/or people in the local
message base.  As most networks have prohibitions on the censorship of
in-transit mail, KillRQ restricts its operation to messages already
tossed into the local message base.  Users of KillRQ are advised that
"re-scanning" a message board, with FastForward (tm) for example, can
lead to a "censored feed" which may be in violation of network policies. 
Accordingly, any such re-scanning should be executed PRIOR to running
KillRQ.


                          A NOTE ON CENSORSHIP


The following are some quotes from a newspaper column which seemed to
apply well to the concept of auto-deletion of echomail:

"In political Newspeak, people who are perfectly free to say whatever
they want to nevertheless claim that they are being 'censored' if other
people refuse to pay for their words."

"The cry of 'censorship' is raised even against private individuals and
organizations when they don't go along with things that are said and
done by those who demand not only freedom but also an audience."

"'I have a right to say what I want to!' one musician declared
indignantly.  It never seemed to occur to him that other people also
have rights -- including the right not to touch his stuff.  Once you
start talking about rights as if they override other people's rights,
then you are really talking about privileges."



                              USE OF KILLRQ

Killrq uses three files:

     KILLBRD.BBS  --  Auto-delete from certain people on certain boards.
     KILLALL.BBS  --  Auto-delete from certain people throughout message
base.
     KILLSUBJ.BBS --  Auto-delete all messages with certain string in
subject line.

These files must be in the same directory as the QuickBBS/RA message
base.  KillRQ must be executed in this directory, but it may be accessed
via the path.  Msgpack.exe, while not required, is highly recommended.

The format of KILLBRD.BBS is:   

For example, the following line would kill all messages from Doctor
Death on board 104:

104 Doctor Death


The format of KILLALL.BBS is:  

For example, the following line would kill all messages from Evil Hacker
throughout the message base:

Evil Hacker


The format of KILLSUBJ.BBS is: 

For example, the following line would kill all messages with "satan" in
the subject.

Satan

Messages would be killed if the search string is ANYWHERE in the subject
line -- even if it is contained in the middle of a word.  Accordingly,
care is advised when choosing search strings to kill -- if you want to
kill a "Sysops are scum" thread, choosing the word "sysop" in your
KILLSUBJ.BBS file would have the undesired side-effect of killing
messages with a subject line "Sysop meeting" and "Sysop Assistance" as
well.


                          COMMAND LINE OPTIONS

KillRQ may be executed with six command line options.

     /P - Full message base pack after message killing.
     /I - Index rebuild after message killing.
     /N - No packing performed.
     /T - Also kill messages TO targets.
     /R - RE: stripping performed.
     /L - Reset LastScan pointer.


There is a design bug in the way QuickBBS treats deleted messages. 
Messages with the deleted flag set will still be displayed unless an
index rebuild or message base packing is performed after KillRQ sets the
deleted flag.  /I is the default and will be used unless /P or /N are
specified on the command line.  /P should be used if the sysop wishes to
have KillRQ pack and renumber the message base with Msgpack.exe.  /N
should be used, for example, if MsgPack.exe is not available.  If the /N
parameter is used, some message index rebuilding MUST be accomplished
separately or else the "deleted" messages may be displayed.

KillRQ uses a KILLRQ.CTL file to remember the last message it scanned to
speed scanning in future cases.  If this file does not exist, it will
scan from the beginning of the message base.

When the message base is packed and/or renumbered, this last-scan
pointer MUST be reset to the end of the message base.  This may be
accomplished one of two ways:

1)  Run KillRQ with the /P parameter.  KillRQ will kill messages AND
handle message base packing by invoking Msgpack.exe.  KillRQ will then
reset its own LastScan pointer.

2)  Run KillRQ with the /N paramter.  Then execute the message base
packer with appropriate options.  Then execute KillRQ with the /L
parameter.  KillRQ will simply set the LastScan pointer to the end of
the newly-packed message base.


Use of the /T parameter will allow the COMPLETE auto-deletion of an
annoying individual.  Not only will messages FROM the people specified
be deleted, but messages/replies TO those people will also be deleted.

Use of the /R parameter throws an additional "benny" into KillRQ's
operation.  As KillRQ scans each new individual message, it strips any
and all "Re:" sub-strings from the subject line.  Qlink or other message
threading utility can then be executed accurately.  This functionality
in KillRQ kills any need for another utility and multiple message base
scans.


                   QUESTIONS, ASSISTANCE, BUG REPORTS

Bug reports, questions, or requests for assistance should be directed to
Jason Steck at the following addresses:

1:104/424@FidoNet
200:5000/400@MetroNet
99:910/952@EggNet
77:1910/5@LCRNet
11:11/200@OPCN