Chris MeyerMar 1
Blake Patterson

Feb. 16, 1978 -- forty eight years ago today -- the first public dial-up bulletin board system or BBS went online.

Wired: "1978: Ward Christensen and Randy Suess launch the first public dialup bulletin board system. The two unleash the kernel of what would eventually spawn the world wide web, countless online messaging systems..."

https://www.wired.com/2010/02/0216cbbs-first-bbs-bulletin-board/

I got my first modem in the summer of 1986, a Prometheus ProModem 1200A (modem on a card) for the Apple II. The first BBS I logged in to was OxGate, an RBBS/RCPM system the phone number of which I still can remember (my earliest BBS software -- firmware-based on that modem card -- had no phone book). I used BBSs avidly until sometime in 1994, when I subscribed to a local ISP's (Widomaker of Williamsburg, VA) dial-up modem-based PPP service that brought TCP/IP to my 486 PC with Windows 3.1. I could then browse the web from home, and that was basically the end of BBSing for me -- for the moment, anyway.

For those interested in experiencing this early form of online community, there are many BBSs online right now, accessible via telnet on systems old and new. I've enjoyed getting back into BBSing this way, especially when using vintage systems to login.

Most any computer can do it, today. Tips on how: https://bytecellar.com/bbsing

#BulletinboardSystem #BBS #BBSing #telnet #dialup #modem #online #terminals #terminalprograms #computinghistory #history #computers #vintagecomputing #retrocomputing #retrocomputers #nostalgia #ATDT #onlineforums #preinternet #internet #communication #RBBS #AppleII #CRT #memories #Wired #tech #technews #technology

Feb 16 at 4:29pmWeb
Show threadBlake PattersonFeb 16

I've found an excellent Historical Document to familiarize anyone curious with Prometheus and its line of modems... 😆

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7O5yWslW_s

Prometheus Pro Modem 1200 (1984)

YouTube
Show threadJTIFeb 16

@blakespot Given the epic speed of 1200baud (baud! not bps) I wonder if we'll see the return of the BBS's over those 866/433 MHz LORA network variations.

#lora #reticulum #meshcore #meshtastic

Show threadRichie McCoy aka Dr DeejFeb 16
@jti42 @blakespot I'm building one for RNS. There is also Nomad Net for RNS.
Show threadTom NardiFeb 16

@jti42 @blakespot
There are indeed several BBS servers that run over Meshtastic.

https://github.com/martinbogo/meshbbs
https://github.com/TheCommsChannel/TC2-BBS-mesh

GitHub - martinbogo/meshbbs: MeshBBS is a lightweight, text-based bulletin board system designed to run over Meshtastic radios, enabling simple games, utilities, and community messaging within the ~230-character message limit.

MeshBBS is a lightweight, text-based bulletin board system designed to run over Meshtastic radios, enabling simple games, utilities, and community messaging within the ~230-character message limit....

GitHub
Show threadChewieFeb 16
@jti42 @blakespot that would be amazing!
Show threadLinker3000Feb 16

A big issue is the allowed transmission duty cycle, which means compliant devices back off transmitting when they have used up their time block quota.

https://www.rfwireless-world.com/terminology/lorawan-duty-cycle

duty cycle & its application in LoRaWAN

Explore duty cycle usage in LoRaWAN network.

Show threadKarlo LeenhoutsFeb 16

@blakespot

A fond memory. I had my own BBS system in early 1992. A Proboard BBS with an Intermail frontend for Echomail. It ran on a 386 under DesqView, later under Windows 95. First with a 28 kbps modem, later with a 56 kbps modem on a dual ISDN line. Those were good times, and then came the internet... I still sometimes long for it, but I'm not sure how to implement a BBS system on modern linux systems. I'll have to look into that some more... 🫣

Show threadCheryl G KassonFeb 16
@KarloLeenhouts @blakespot My first social media was an LGBT BBS called The Denver Exchange in the early 1990s, soon after I bought my first modem.
Show threadideaPDishFeb 16

@blakespot

And not only that...
Ward was one of the nicest folk you'd ever want to meet.

Show threadDave FramptonFeb 16

@blakespot That's awesome, thanks Blake! Nice to see you here, I have been missing out.

I got introduced to BBSs by teachers at my school when I was about 12, so 1990ish[edit, no, sorry, around 1993-94] on a 2400baud modem, Mac Plus. Would search for lists of phone numbers for other BBSs and would explore around dialing them all up, it was an amazing world, hard to believe actually, looking back, how lucky we were.

Show threadBlake PattersonFeb 21

@majicDave Good to see you here!

Yes, BBSing was a main pursuit of mine on the computers back then. Did a bit way back when on Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga, PC, and Mac! '86 to '94 or so.