Remember the old BBS - AKA Bulletin Board System
Jan23Written by:
2009/01/23 08:51 AM 
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system that had software which allowed users to connect and login to using some kind of terminal program. It was what we used back in the day instead of the internet, the WWW.
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system that had software which allowed users to connect and login to, using some kind of terminal program. It was what we used back in the day instead of the internet, the WWW. Originally BBSes were accessed only over a phone line using a modem. Remember connecting using a 1200 baud modem. By the early 1990s some BBSes allowed access via a Telnet or packet radio connection.
Once a user logged in, they could perform functions such as downloading or uploading software and data, reading news, and exchanging messages with other users. Many BBSes also offered on-line games, in which users could compete with each other, and BBSes with multiple phone lines often offered chat rooms, allowing users to meet each other.
Times have changed somewhat. As the use of the Internet became more widespread in the mid to late 1990s, traditional BBSes rapidly faded in popularity. Today, Internet forums, News Groups, Social networks, like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, occupy much of the same social and technological space as BBSes did. Today the term BBS is often used to refer to any online forum or message board.
So in fact. Social networking is not a new thing. It just has an extreme makeover, a new face.
Do you still make use of BBSes? Did you ever use a BBS? Let us know of you memories, good or bad.
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Re: Remember the old BBS - AKA Bulletin Board System
I used to use about a dozen BBS when I first got a modem (1997) but the number of people using them was dropping and they started closing down. One of my favourites outlived many others and didn't close until late last year.
Some of the BBS specialised in various stuff, demos, programming, etc and I spend hours downloading and occasionally playing the online games. The only thing I didn't like was the phone bill! :-(
By John | Retro Programmer on
2009/09/12 03:23 PM
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