Jason Scott

For over 15 years, I've been maintaining a near-comprehensive collection and overview of all the BBS Software that was ever released. New versions and items come in occasionally, and the addition of a few more recently made me remember it.

(F15SIM came by and fixed up the whole thing recently, too.)

If you're sitting on BBS software, or want to, visit it:

http://bbsdocumentary.com/software/

The BBS Software Directory

Oct 30, 2023 at 6:02pmWeb
Show threadPJ EvansOct 30, 2023
@textfiles There's another one for the ZX Spectrum that used microdrives. I'll go digging.
Show threadMeaTLoTioNOct 30, 2023
@textfiles There are still a lot of us that run BBSes in 2020's, check out the newer documentary "Back to the BBS - The return to being online" here; https://erb.pw/y/bttb (link to a youtube playlist)
Back to the BBS - The Return to being online (Documentary Playlist)

"Back to the BBS" is a documentary series introducing the viewer to what 'going online' was all about before the web. More importantly, it shows that BBSes a...

YouTube
Show threadJason ScottOct 30, 2023
@meatlotion I need you to consider/explain how you think I've not seen/heard of the Back to the BBS documentary.
Show threadMeaTLoTioNOct 30, 2023
@textfiles if you have heard/seen it then awesome, but I just never expected/assumed you to have.
Show threadf15simOct 30, 2023
@meatlotion @textfiles Al did a great job on this, but @textfiles is still the gold standard when it comes to BBS documentaries.
Show threadJeffOct 30, 2023

@textfiles

Simultaneously... Why? and Thank you for your service!

Show threadJason ScottOct 30, 2023
@jeff As part of the endless research for the BBS Documentary, I was acquiring stacks of software, documents and images for reference, so I made it a point of making all of it public.
Show threadMike Fraser  Oct 30, 2023
@textfiles @jeff The fediverse is just Fido Net on steroids.
Show threadJeffOct 30, 2023

@mike @textfiles

There is a bit-o-truth there.

Show threadResunaOct 30, 2023
@mike @textfiles @jeff You're thinking of Usenet. The Fediverse is Usenet except inside out.
Show threadJason ScottOct 30, 2023
@resuna @mike @jeff folks, folks. the fediverse is if fidonet became usenet
Show threadNik (Nicholas) JohnOct 30, 2023
@textfiles @kdriscoll
Show threadKevin Driscoll 📳Oct 31, 2023
@nik @textfiles yay all my friends are here =) 💾💾💾💾💾💾🧑‍💻💾💾💾
Show threadDan SandersonOct 30, 2023
@textfiles Delighted to see JetBBS for DOS in the list. I'm the "Dan Sanderson" mentioned in the description. Was my first tech writing gig, I think I was 14 years old.
Show threadProfoundly NerdyOct 30, 2023
@textfiles Is any of this still maintained?!
Show threadTroed SångbergOct 30, 2023

@textfiles Here's RATSoft software: https://dfunct.net/ratsoft

/ex RATSoft SysOp

RATSoft/ST – dfunct

Show threadAndrew AbernathyOct 30, 2023
@textfiles Awesome, thanks! That list reminds me that there were two different CP/M BBS' called “BYE" and I don't remember which one my little community played with.
Show threadf15simOct 30, 2023
@andrewabernathy @textfiles BYE isn't a BBS. It's basically a fancy I/O redirector for CP/M. (There IS a DOS version!) The ones I'm aware of are BYE, MBYE, and NUBYE. Any one of which was the core of an RCP/M system.
Show threadAndrew AbernathyOct 30, 2023

@f15sim @textfiles Oh that's ringing some bells: I’m remembering using that to connect to a friend's computer. (I had a Xerox 820-II and he had a Kaypro II; they were very similar and could often use the same software.)

I think MBYE is the version we used; I see that it was written by Kim Levitt and that name rings a bell.

(Complete tangent, but all of this is for some reason also reminding me of the NSWEEP file manager; had forgotten about it.)

Show threadTom M0LTEOct 30, 2023
Hey @textfiles do you know about packet radio, a niche of amateur radio, where off-internet BBS exist?
Show threadMartin HaukeOct 30, 2023
@textfiles
Show threadMorgan DavisOct 31, 2023

@textfiles Thanks for all you do, Jason, and for listing ProLine.

http://bbsdocumentary.com/software/APPLE/II/PROLINE/

The BBS Software Directory

Show threadTrinsecOct 31, 2023
@textfiles Neat. I ran a Remote Access
BBS and later switched over to ProBoard. Memories. 😄
Show threadRob\Viewdata UKNov 1, 2023

@textfiles
It's a long time since I wrote the description of OBBS you've got on there.. I should dig out a copy of it to send you, though I know there are copies floating about.

In the meantime, since I get asked for it occasionally, the manual is at https://www.irrelevant.com/bbc/OBBS%20manual.pdf

Show threadarcadeshopperNov 9, 2023
@textfiles missing after hours for TI-99/4A .. i'm running one now at thekeep.net:9918 pm me for more info
Show threadarcadeshopperNov 9, 2023
@textfiles some more info for your TI entries.. see TI-sub (TI-NET's original name) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBS_software_for_the_TI-99/4A
BBS software for the TI-99/4A - Wikipedia