About Maddog Productions.....
It all started when my first game program was coded under the name of Maddog Productions back in 1981. Then in 1990, I started an On-Line Service in Lansdale PA called Maddog Productions continuing the theme of future programs for the online service community. The Online service consisted of a single 286, 40 meg Hard Disk Drive, 4 Meg of Ram, and running WIN 3.1 and Wildcat! Software from Mustang Software Inc. With the addition of a External Single Speed CDROM unit, Maddog Productions quickly became one of the largest BBS systems in the Lansdale area that offered close to 7,000 files On-line. As the years progressed, the BBS grew to a Multi-line system with 3 nodes, dual 28,80 dial up connections, 486/66 loaded with OS/2 warp and later WIN 95. The CDROM unit remained with the Files database growing to well over 100,000 files using special software that allowed rotation of the Compact discs. Maddog was known as "Home of the CD Rom Rotation system".
The BBS system in late 1995 had close to 1,000 users which spanned world-wide. Users would constantly login to play the On-line games (doors), read Email, and just spend time having fun with a on-line service. The system used Wildcat! software and was also linked into the Internet Email, Fidonet, RaceNet, and WildNet. These mail networks were the stepping stone to the internet as we know it today and used a complex nodelist and packet software. These nets offered over 30,000 message conferences and world-wide nodes which numbered in the millions.
During the time the on-line service was operating, William Mantz wrote, produced, and supported his own software. Many utilities were written for other system operators that allowed automatic and seemless operation for many tasks. CatCharge, Catnews! and wc5-ORDER were the biggest success stories for the on-line community. These programs simplified subscription, sales, and information via a Newsletter to the User. The programs are still available and in use today on many systems around the world. Today, the BBS System is merging into the Internet. Wildcat! v5 permits the System operator to become a full WebMaster. With the new revision of the Wildcat! software, the on-line service can now be expanded beyond the local and long distance phone call, but to the internet user and a much bigger audience. It is a BBS evolution that is taking place and William Mantz and Maddog Productions was part of it. The result is this web Page and the links listed on the Maddog Productions Home Page.
Enjoy.....