Ice Breaker3h ago
It's been a long time since I updated pictures of the computer room - last ones I think were like 4 years ago or so. So.. without further adieu, here's a bunch of pics. #bbs #commodore #tandy #apple #retrocomputing #computers #computerroom #sinclair #hamradio #amiga
Ice Breaker4h ago
@rlauzon and a few others mentioned that the main message base is acting wonky (wonky (adj.) = full of wonk). Looks like a bad message.. trying to figure out which one. We'll be down for a few while I try to hunt it down. #bbs #commodore
danjmcs14h ago
I'm listening to #TheRetroHour (#Retro #Gaming Podcast) | 524: Confessions of a Pirate #BBS SysOp: The Arcadia Story - The RetroHour EP524 https://www.podbean.com/ea/dir-6mabv-2c472834
524: Confessions of a Pirate BBS SysOp: The Arcadia Story - The Retro Hour EP524

Step back into the underground world of 90s dial-up piracy as we’re joined by Beast of Quartex, SysOp of Arcadia, once the largest pirate bulletin board system in the UK. From trading disks in the post to running a five-line elite BBS packed with the latest cracked Amiga games, Beast shares how the scene really worked: the hierarchy, the rivalries, and the race to release first. Plus, the secret world of crackers and couriers, and the moment it all came crashing down when FAST raided his operation.Contents:00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories50:08 – Beast of Quartex InterviewPlease visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.comGo to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!Play Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needsWe need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesSega 32X Elite-Style Game: https://youtu.be/rR-arrDKu3sDouble Baboon Ninja: https://tinyurl.com/3fb748tmXbox 360 PS3 Wii U Retro: https://tinyurl.com/yeyn8w6pFinal Fantasy IX Animated Series: https://tinyurl.com/4fsm7b22PS2 Emulator iOS: https://tinyurl.com/4kefxjppNew Steve Jobs Video: https://youtu.be/EoM2Y2KO6kU

Show threadMark  1d ago
the idea is each #Meshtastic node is running the peer-to-peer #BBS client and every encrypted channel can become a #decentralized BBS with email, daily #wordle, rpg, #chess, SOS location services for families. It's a modern take on primitive software of the 80s that runs on a meshtastic node. This is off grid tech so it works without internet or gird power. you can power a node with a small solar panel.
Show threadMark  1d ago
I've been fleshing out this idea. It's called #TinyBBS #SideClique: A peer-to-peer decentralized #Meshtastic #BBS for families and friend groups. We have daily Wordle, chess by mess, and a daily LORD based multiplayer RPG based on the game Wastelad which is a meta game inside the #Fallout world. the wasteland is hashed so it's a daily social game take on an 80s classic Legend Of the Red Dragon type RPG. The RPG is on TinyBBS too, but I was able to move it to SideClique.
https://github.com/GoatsAndMonkeys/SideClique
GitHub - GoatsAndMonkeys/SideClique: TinyBBS SideClique - a peer-to-peer decentralized Mesh BBS for Meshtastic

TinyBBS SideClique - a peer-to-peer decentralized Mesh BBS for Meshtastic - GoatsAndMonkeys/SideClique

GitHub
Show threadMark  1d ago
This is really a vague idea so I'd love to hear from people who travel or go to festivals in groups with #meshtastic about the features you would want for a Peer to Peer #BBS client?
there could be features where if a family member goes missing you can send a message that changes their node to broadcast location every minute. stuff like that.
Mark  1d ago
I have a vague idea for a fork for my #TinyBSS. a #Meshtasdtic firmware where every client host a sort of #BBS. it would be for families or groups of friends at festivals. I would want stuff like persistent emergancy messages. If someone drops off the mesh or has their node off you can send a DM to them automatically once they get back online and you get an Ack from the DM. also stuff where parents can store all the GPS movements of the people in their family and store it int he external flash.
Show threadMark  1d ago
I have a Full version where you use a #python script to send the knowledge files on the the BBS to external flash. There is a Lite version that's just flash and dash. some NRF boards have less flash and can only run the lite version.
I also wanted to show the minimum hardware requirements for a fully functioning #meshtastic node #BBS. These are so low power you can retro fit a solar light into a solar powered node. the #ESP32 have way more capabilities but are power hogs
https://www.seeedstudio.com/XIAO-nRF52840-Wio-SX1262-Kit-for-Meshtastic-p-6400.html
Show threadMark  1d ago
I also want to flag #blind and #disability because the entire project is text based. A blind person can load the firmware entirely in text terminal or even use claude code to install everything. The #BBS itself is entirely text. unlike traditional BBS that have more resources I don't have a lot of ASCII/ANSI art that a reader can't deal well with. it's just text.
#meshtastic #firmware #nRF52 #nrf52840
Show threadMark  1d ago

I was running the #BBS on #ESP32 and making a companion mobile BBS #firmware that ran on NRF. I realized I could actually fit 85% of the BBS functionality on the NRF52.

You can't write to the enormous 2MB of external flash from terminal. however you can connect to the node with BT or serial so I wrote some code that takes up less than 2kb that allows you to send the files to the node and have the node write it to external flash.