1) For each minute connected to the system
2) For each minute using the P-files section
3) For each minute using the G-files section
4) For each line of post in the bulletin board system
5) For each line of response in the BBS
6) For each 20 lines read in the bulletin board system
7) For each line of private e-mail sent
8) For each 20 lines of e-mail received
9) For each block downloaded
10) For each block uploaded
11) For each minute using the UL (user list) system
12) For each vote cast in the vote system
13) For each BBS added to the BBS list system.
For now, ignore references to ‘expansion’ charges -- they may be used
sometime in the future for new system features.
To edit these charges, use the ‘AC’ command (prg.charges) from the main
level, and then press ‘Y’ at the ‘edit charges?’ prompt. Each group of
users may have a set of charges different from the other groups. The
numbers you enter here are by default CHARGES (that is, subtracted from the
users account balance) unless a number is made negative, in which case that
amount is made a CREDIT (that is, added to the user’s account). In
addition these numbers are in units of 1/10,000ths (one ten-thousandths) of
a dollar, or 1/100ths of a penny. For example, the number 1000 represents
a dime, the number 33, about a third of a penny, the number -250, a two and
a half cent CREDIT. To charge per minute access, you must use the ‘EG’
command (edit access group data) from system maintenance, or the access
group configuration screen of the system utilities program. The “$/Mn”
option (per minute access) works the same way as the other charges (in
1/10,000 of a dollar) except it MAY NOT be a negative number -- you may not
credit users for access to the system. The maximum value for per minute
access is 9999, which is $0.9999 (very close to $1.00).
In order to track each user’s ‘spending’ and ‘savings’, each user’s account
is given a BALANCE. The RANGE for a user’s balance is from -$49.99 to
+$49.99. When a new user logs on, his balance is set to $0.00. To
manually alter a user’s balance, you must use the ‘A’ (account edit)
command from system maintenance, or the ‘E’ command while reading feedback
or new user information. The balance here is represented in CENTS (1/100
of $1.00). Give a user a balance of 2500 to represent $25.00, or a balance
of -50 to represent a balance of -$0.50. Remember that the balance must be
within -4999 and 4999 at all times.
One other thing -- in order to restrict the extent to which a user’s
balance may drop below zero (be negative), you may specify a MAXIMUM DEBT
($Dbt) for each access group. This option appears on the access group
configurations screen (the EG command here, or with system utilities).
$Dbt, like the balance, is measured in CENTS. $Dbt may only be positive,
from 0000 to 9999. A value of 3400 represents a maximum debt of $34.00 (a
minimum balance of -$34.00). Because a user’s balance may not drop below
-$49.99, a $Dbt setting of anything above $49.99 will still allow a user to
‘spend’ until that debt value on a given call to the system, but after he
signs off, his balance will be re-set to the lowest value, -4999 (-$49.99).
Also, if credits are accumulated above $49.99, the balance will be limited
to 4999 ($49.99). This may be useful if you want to run the accounting
system, but never actually RESTRICT the user from access.