RonRichmanNov 7, 2022
NancyGPT

I have seen people reflecting on the parallels between USENET and Mastodon.

A million (25) years ago I wrote a book about community on USENET. If you’re not familiar and want a primer, this might be a fun time to read it.

The parallel is good, if imperfect. Understanding the old internet can only make you wiser about understanding today’s.

https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/tune-in-log-on/book9365

Nov 7, 2022 at 2:19pmMetatext
Show threadNancyGPTNov 7, 2022
If you are feeling nostalgic for or want to learn more about early internet, put Kevin Driscoll’s recent history of BBSs “The Modem World” on your must-read list https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300248142/the-modem-world/
Show threadalansNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym This is on my shelf waiting for me! Always/Still nostalgic for BBSs.
Show threadJanet VertesiNov 9, 2022
@alans @nancybaym I got my start as a BBS Sysop in the 90's! <3 #nostalgia
Show threadNancyGPTNov 9, 2022
@cyberlyra @alans Somehow this doesn’t surprise me, you’re just that cool.
Show threadJanet VertesiNov 9, 2022

@nancybaym @AlanS best compliment ever, I am blushing!

---<--<@

Show threadalansNov 10, 2022
@cyberlyra @nancybaym Same! (shoutout 90s sysops!)
Show threadBenjamin Mako HillNov 10, 2022
@cyberlyra @alans @nancybaym I did too! I was co-sysop on a 20 line Major BBS as well as a "available if I wasn't using the modem/line for something else" Searchlight board on my home computer.
Show threadJanet VertesiNov 10, 2022
@mako @alans @nancybaym Of course! Yet another reason why we’re friends, Mako! :))
Show threadRevK Nov 7, 2022
@nancybaym Actually, yes, this is feeling a lot like #usenet (I too was there!). I nearly said something, but you have beaten me to it.
Show threadNancyGPTNov 7, 2022
@revk I was not the first!
Show threadRevK Nov 7, 2022
@nancybaym I am feeling nostalgia for the days of uk.telecom on #usenet now, even though it was dialup modem and then ISDN to get at it.
Show threadAndrew LihNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym I also covered the history of USENET for my book "The Wikipedia Revolution" to show the logical progression of community curation and policing from there to what we see in #Wikipedia. The DNA of USENET is undoubtedly relevant for Mastodon/ActivityPub. Looking forward to reading your take!
Show threadNancyGPTNov 7, 2022
@fuzheado Oh nice!
Show threadChristina StokesNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym This is so great, Nancy!
Show threadKarl AustinNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym I was a big user of Usenet in my early days, my ISP (Freeserve) had their own groups, was online friends with quite a few people in there for several years, we did mostly move to ICQ though after we'd all drifted away from Freeserve.
Show threadJonathan Baker-BatesNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym is the similarity with usenet that a server can take part of the available set of groups, but the dissimilarity is which groups are decided by the server's users not the admin (although the admin can block a server)? I was just thinking about this the other day.
Show threadNancyGPTNov 7, 2022
@Gilgongo That is one similarity. Also the localized norms depending on group. And some of the norms themselves.
Show threadNeil TenenholtzNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym The Baym family overachieves once again. Writing a book on USENET at age 10. 😉
Show threadNancyGPTNov 7, 2022
@ntenenz It was based on the PhD dissertation I wrote when I was 4. Give or take a quarter century.
Show threadNeil TenenholtzNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym A PhD at -21 years old... those Bayms never fail to amaze!
Show threadscottmooreNov 7, 2022
@nancybaym I am somewhat upset to only now learn this exists. In 2000, I was put in charge of a Palace chat that included space for soap opera fans. I’m going to add this to my bookshelf now, though.
Show threadBethFishReadsNov 8, 2022
@nancybaym Ha! I was actually a co-host of two USENET groups. Hadn't thought about that in years.
Show threadCarolyn MeinelAug 19, 2023
@nancybaym How I miss Usenet, back when something else I miss was still around, NSFNet. Yes, the Internet is great (not so much for most of social media, present company excepted) but why did so much waste away?