Back to the BBS - Part one: The return to being online

Ғылым және технология

Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's) were what people went online with before the web. This multi-part documentary shows you what BBS's do, why they are still relevant and fun to use today.
The documentary interviews some users and system operators, both young and old. Crazy as it may sound, BBS's are actually still around today and can be accessed via the net. BBS's offer information and provide mail systems that are away from the prying eyes of Facebook and Google. They're a very sociable place to be, with messaging & chat. They have art unlike any you've ever seen and some really cool games and mods.
Think of the best bits of E-mail, usenet, Reddit, Facebook Groups, filesharing and a few more besides. Package it all in one area, with a really cool retro aesthetic and you have a BBS. People run BBS's today because they are passionate about engaging in a community of people with similar ideals, something they won't get anywhere else.
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#retrocomputing #vintagecomputing #BBS
Featuring content from:
---------------------------------------
ANSI Graphics by:
Logo background scroller provided by: Blocktronics
BBS art by groups such as:
Fuel
Legacy Krew
Blocktronics
iMPURE
1oo%
Menace
Intro to ANSI 8-bit Animation / Happy Birthday: Blocktronics
BBS, The Documentary: Jason Scott Sadofsky (2005)
archive.org/details/bbs_the_d...
The Computer Chronicles:
* The Internet (1995)
* Modems & Bulliten Board Systems (1985)
archive.org/details/computerc...
Connect - A look at bulletin board systems: Roy Janke (1992), NewTek Incorporated
• Connect: A Look At Bul...
The Social Dilemma (Trailer): Netflix
• The Social Dilemma | O...
Tim Berners Lee ~ The World Wide Web: Dap Dapple, Christian Hainzinger, Lorenz Kloska. Inter/Aktion GmbH (SWR TV)
• Video
Mark Zuckerberg's Testimony Before Congress- The Six Best Exchanges: CNBC
• Mark Zuckerberg's Test... CBSN
Tech CEOs from Google, Twitter and Facebook testify at Senate hearing
• Tech CEOs from Google,...
Bulletin Board System (BBS) - The Internet's First Community (2020): Off the Cuf
• Bulletin Board System ...
The Facebook Dilemma, Part One: Frontline PBS
• The Facebook Dilemma, ...
What Google Does with your Data: 6 Months Later Reviews
• What Google Does with ...
"Surfing in 1986" Adam Colecovision session with Bulletin Board System: rbairos2
• "Surfing in 1986" Adam...
Epumundo en Modo Texto, various:
Epimundo (The Vault BBS) (2020) • Epimundo en Modo Texto...
MeatLotion does stuff - MRC Chat Stream: MeaTLoTioN (2020)
• MeaTLoTioN does stuff
The Art of Warez: Safe Crackers / Oliver Payne, Kevin Bouton-Scott (2019)
safecrackers.com
Nostalgia Nerd: Connecting a C64 to WiFi
• Connecting a C64 to Wi...
8-bit boyz Commodore BBS system:
8-Bit Boyz Website: 8bitboyz.com
Image BBS v2.0 on a stick - The Install...
• Image BBS v2.0 on a st...
Image BBS v2.0 Configuration (8-Bit Boyz & X-Tec)
• Image BBS v2.0 Configu...
Image BBS v3.0 Lt. Kernal Setup (8-Bit Boyz, Narrated by X-Tec)
• Image BBS v3.0 Lt. Ker...
Image BBS v3.0 CMD HD Setup (8-Bit Boyz, Narrated by X-Tec)
• Image BBS v3.0 CMD HD ...
BBS's Demoed:
The Bottomless Abyss (Stackfault / Dave Cloutier)
Acid Underworld BBS (Hawk Hubbard)
Absinthe (Anachronist / Daniel Kelly)
The Quantum Wormhole (Meatlotion / Christian Sacks)
All music used with permission via Adobe Stock or AudioHero, including theme music;
From Epidemic Sound:
Catch Up by Falcon Dives
Live Long by Falcon Dives
Daytona Synthwave
Dynamic Thinking by StockMuisc / AudioHero
Go Further Than You Can See by Stockmusic / AudioHero
***
If I have forgotten an acknowledgment, let me know & I'll credit ASAP
***
0:00 Intro
0:35 What's a BBS?
8:49 Why are BBS's fun? (interviews)
14:54 History
17:00 Connect via the Internet
18:17 ANSI graphics/text
19:42 How to get on a BBS
22:05 Dave Cloutier / BBS Demo
33:18 Subi (15 yr old BBS user)
36:34 Dave Perussell (future of BBS's)
38:11 Daniel Kelly (aBSINTHe BBS demo)
40:40 Conclusion

Пікірлер: 180

  • @MonospaceMentor
    @MonospaceMentor3 жыл бұрын

    I was a sysop back in the 80s into the 90s, and this really brings back memories. I'm going to spend the holidays thinking how I can bring these good times back. Much love!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your comments! I'm glad that this has given you incentive to get back to it!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ain't that the truth!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    For my board or the OP? My board is currently Mystic

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    @whitefolks telnet: bbs.alsgeeklab.com (port 2323). Mystic and Synchronet are the two most popular modern BBS server softwares out there these days. Check out part three of this documentary for more info on the various softwares available today. ▼

  • @scubasteve117

    @scubasteve117

    2 жыл бұрын

    WE should build a new and better BBS I have 20+ years experience as a software engineer and YES I too was a sysop. For example we could do end to end user encryption so that communications are secure. I have a million ideas how we can take lessons learned from the last 30 years to totally replace centralized social media platforms with distributed networks like BBS.

  • @TheDI
    @TheDI3 жыл бұрын

    Glad to see interest building again about the golden years of the BBS's and the current status of the culture of BBS's

  • @lordterra1377

    @lordterra1377

    3 жыл бұрын

    With the current war against the common man and free speech itself. I see this as a good idea during these dark times of 1984.

  • @guerrillaradio9953
    @guerrillaradio9953 Жыл бұрын

    I was a bit young to get into BBS the first time around. I was the age of geocities and AIM and ICQ. I've really missed the more nerdy times of the internet, and these really look right up my alley!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    Жыл бұрын

    Check out my BBS : bbs.alsgeeklab.com on port 2323. Hopefully you'll find it a good intro to BBSes!

  • @gdtyra
    @gdtyra Жыл бұрын

    BBS are a little before my time, but the way they describe the feel of being on a BBS is the same as how I describe the "old Internet" of the 90s and early 00s. When I was getting into building computers as a kid, there was a forum I went to with my questions and a relatively small number of very knowledgeable people would likely respond, so I got to know them in a way. I also remember going to people's personal web pages which would sometimes be served from a computer in their house. These days, everything is served from AWS or similar cloud services.

  • @AshleyIrons
    @AshleyIrons3 жыл бұрын

    Great documentary. I was SysOp of Unauthorised Access BBS in the UK 1990-1995. Fun times. Phantasm

  • @Mr76Pontiac
    @Mr76Pontiac5 ай бұрын

    I know this video is a few years old, but YT just uncovered this for me. I honestly, sincerely, whole heartily miss RUNNING a BBS. I saw them go away when DSL 5meg speeds were coming out to mainstream. I used to run a local-only (Meaning I didn't allow calls in) Renegade BBS because I was living with my grandparents, and they did NOT allow calls in on their single line. I co-sys'd on a TriBBS BBS (Pretty much ran it) then eventually moved it to Renegade. So much fun, so many good memories.

  • @MarkTDKKnight
    @MarkTDKKnight6 ай бұрын

    Congratulations on this series - a totally amazing, and insightful series going through what was my life back in the late 80's and early 90's. Simply stunning stuff!

  • @Firefoxfifty
    @Firefoxfifty3 жыл бұрын

    I used my dad's work IBM XT PC and Telix Terminal software to go on BBS's in the early 90's. I used to rack up a huge phone bill!!!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    You and pretty much everyone else that used BBSes in the 90s! Myself included! Good times 😊

  • @_wija
    @_wija3 жыл бұрын

    great video! i'm 19 years old and really interested in vintage tech. the thing about privacy concerns and disillusionment really hit home with me, i don't use much social media anymore and i'm starting to focus more on privacy. bbses look like a great experience! i love how simple they are, no extra fluff included. i'll have to try connecting to one this weekend. cheers!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    that's really cool to hear! I love that you're 19 and getting into it! if you need any help, hit me up! I'm releasing part 3 very soon, which covers privacy, I. think you'll like that!

  • @scubasteve117

    @scubasteve117

    2 жыл бұрын

    I used to be a sysop but I have been building systems for 20 years now. We could do so much better than resurrect vintage tech. if you know coders interested in launching a BBS remix technology we could make it so much better. We can use the internet, but we can do it securely and in distributed fashion to replace social platforms.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    Legacy/X (or whatever it's called now) is a new hybrid tech that is a total remix. All web based with fallback to terminal if desired

  • @john849ww
    @john849ww8 ай бұрын

    Back in the day, long distance calls were very expensive, so I would only connect to BBS systems in my area code, as did most other people. What was really cool about this is I could go out for coffee with someone I met on a BBS because they lived in the same area. Met some good friends this way!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    8 ай бұрын

    Yep! I even met my first girlfriend on a BBS!

  • @mawkeetwo
    @mawkeetwo3 жыл бұрын

    I literally searched for BBS's the day before yesterday, simply because of nostalgia. Found out many stuff, but this video goes above and beyond! Thank you so much! :-)

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for your kind words! Im so glad that the timing of this video is ideal for your needs! You are exactly the audience this video is for ☺️

  • @mawkeetwo

    @mawkeetwo

    2 жыл бұрын

    @whitefolks I will! Thank you

  • @mickypoo
    @mickypooАй бұрын

    Cool, will watch! Me & my mate both bought modems in 1995 to play Rise of the Triad/Doom 2 against each other. My nerdy uncle heard this & gave me this dog-eared piece of paper with all these phone numbers scrawled on it - gave me some terminal program (can't remember) & said "try ringing these." Blew our minds. We soon found the naughty, underground ones offering porn, warez, bomb making txt files, eventually MP3s etc. Internet was too expensive, but rich people would upload their Internet loot on the local boards. Was such a fun time to be a teenager! Only a few short years later and computing lost all it's magic :(

  • @daniel_007
    @daniel_007 Жыл бұрын

    When I used to be 8 years old, it was actually a transitional period from AMIGA to PC, and Internet was already starting to become a mainstream thing. I didn't had access to it yet, so the best way to get new software was on shareware and magazine CDs. I could already appreciate the blocky interfaces, the ANSI art, and the tracker music using the Sound Blaster. Now, fast forward to this year, in an internet era that's not as exciting as it was in the late 90s, I found out the origin of all of this. It was kinda like becoming a kid discovering the beauty of connecting a computer to the world, so I started calling several boards. Some of my favourites are Absinthe, The Quantum Wormhole, 2o For Beers, and The Bottomless Abyss

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    Жыл бұрын

    All very fine BBSes!

  • @seekingagreatperhaps6391
    @seekingagreatperhaps63913 жыл бұрын

    So cool to see these Sysops of these famous boards. Really appreciate you doing this!

  • @Daggy3D
    @Daggy3D6 ай бұрын

    I was lucky as a kid to have a father who was a computer science professor and we had two Mac Plus computers in our house and two phone lines so he could dial into the university internet connection, so I ran a BBS using the Hermes BBS software when everyone was in bed and would shut it down in the morning. I love the nostalgia. Maybe I should do it again?

  • @Unscrypted
    @Unscrypted3 жыл бұрын

    As an ex-SysOp from the 90's, this has inspired me to possibly get the board up and running once again! Awesome vid, looking forward to the rest!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    So pleased to hear it has inspired you Ryan! Any particular software you are going to choose ? Part two covers BBS software fyi

  • @Unscrypted

    @Unscrypted

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab i used to run with renegade -> synchronet back then so it’s either synchronet or perhaps mystic. Mystic seems like a modern callback to the cool renegade/obv2 boards of the time.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah I have installed mystic before it was easy, used videos from Avon (mystic guy on YT) to follow the installation process

  • @aquaferme1346
    @aquaferme13463 жыл бұрын

    modern BBS is one of the best ways to use Retro hardware, the experience is that much nicer in full screen on a traditional CRT monitor.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Absolutely! You should share some photos on my twitter! @alsgeeklab

  • @psecdocumentary
    @psecdocumentary3 жыл бұрын

    I used to be a Sysop for quite awhile. I started using Renegade BBS Software on a 14.4 modem. From there, I went to 28.8, then to 33.6, and then skipped 56K entirely and jumped straight into DSL (1.5mbps down / 768kbps up) to eventually arrive at my extremely fast cable internet connection that I've had for awhile now (100mbps down / 12mbps up). From Renegade BBS, I went to Telegard, then Mystic BBS, then Synchronet BBS. My BBS started in 1994 and in 2010 I shut it down. My reasons for shutting it down were, because it just wasn't the BBS Scene that I signed up for. The users were leaving left and right. Many of those who remained, egos were flying all over the place. Creativity, Community, Support and all of the fun productive social things that I enjoyed, started to become less and less and less. So one day in 2010, I ask myself "why am I even still running this thing if I'm not getting anything out of it anymore?". So, I took it down. So lets fast forward to present day. Has the BBS Scene made enough of a resurgence in those areas yet to make me want to throw my board back up? No. However, I do like what I've been seeing so far. Though I would probably never run Synchronet again for a variety of reasons -- Mystic BBS has made some impressive progress. Then there is Enigma 1/2 which though relatively new and not as fully developed as it really needs to be -- is extremely impressive with everything it can support so far, including not only echomail and various server functions, but also WebSocket and even BBSLink, Door Party and Exodus! So though I'm not quite ready yet to bring my BBS back from it's decade-long hibernation period, if progress within the BBS Scene keeps moving forward and does so with increasing speed -- I'll be a lot more tempted to give things another go. I honestly miss it. A LOT. But the Scene needs to return to being what I signed up for, before I'd be willing to make a full return. And of course no I don't mean the BBS Scene returning to the amount of people it used to have, that would be stupid. Regardless of how may people are in it, as long as the egos are dropped and the community spirit is once again rocking hard -- my temptation might very well turn to action :)

  • @elliotadams1471
    @elliotadams14713 жыл бұрын

    Nice documentary. I currently run a telnet bbs and the bbs era in the 80's and early 90's will always be an impressionable time in my life. Growing up in a very bad neighborhood, the bbs world was my only escape since going outside was a gamble with my life. Much love and respect for the bbs community.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing that story Elliot. What's the name of your BBS? Thanks also for your kind comments!

  • @elliotadams1471

    @elliotadams1471

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab The name of my bbs is The Arcade BBS bbs.thearcadebbs.xyz I am very happy to see the bbs community coming back to life in the internet era. Also, a HUGE thank you for doing this documentary as it was very well done and enjoyable to watch and to revisit an awesome era from my past. Kuddos to you my friend! Thanks again!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    I appreciate your comments! They make all the effort I put into it worthwhile!

  • @rs4080
    @rs40803 жыл бұрын

    Dude. Great vid. Flashback. I called the Bradley brothers bbs in the day in Toronto at 300 baud. Punter was one of the fathers of bbs.

  • @timcsmedic2162
    @timcsmedic21622 жыл бұрын

    Terminal programs and modem dialers. I miss this. The noise and text crawl. ANSI art and opening screens. This was fun.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    It's still there if you want it!

  • @RachaelSA
    @RachaelSA10 ай бұрын

    In the 90's when internet was starting to get big, my friends and I still hung out on BBS's because it was a toll free call and we would only connect to internet when we needed something. Later on but some of the BBS's were linked together over internet, and you could surf internet or use irc from the BBS, which was awesome cause it was still a toll free call.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    10 ай бұрын

    They were great times!

  • @WhereNerdyisCool
    @WhereNerdyisCool Жыл бұрын

    Love this...you are making me want to dust off my old Wildcat! 4 floppies and sort out how to go back online! Now I need a tutorial from the Sysop perspective of getting back online!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    Жыл бұрын

    I'd recommend going with mystic, syncronet or enigma 1/2 these. They work with modern O/S's Ave give the best of both worlds

  • @WhereNerdyisCool

    @WhereNerdyisCool

    Жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab appreciate the reply. I love Wildcat so I’ll stick to that. I could also update my WIN Server but I’ve always loved 4

  • @JamesTomlinson2
    @JamesTomlinson23 жыл бұрын

    Miss those days!

  • @exception360
    @exception3602 жыл бұрын

    Oh yeah! Writing 'doors'/extensions' (external apps for the BBS software that the online users could use like text-based games, upload handlers etc.) in Borland Pascal for RA (Remote Access) and Borland C++ for PB (ProBoard). That's how I learned programming lol :)

  • @shenysys
    @shenysys Жыл бұрын

    Came here from your interview on Retro Hour Podcast.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks! Hope you enjoy the docu-series!

  • @InsaneentertainmentNet
    @InsaneentertainmentNet3 жыл бұрын

    Sysop back in the early 90s... The Eleventh Hour BBS in Virginia. Eventually hit 110 phone lines and then launched into East Coast Internet. Bailed out in the late 1990s when I could no longer compete with the telecoms getting into providing internet access.

  • @cyber_alias9633
    @cyber_alias96333 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the videos. New to the BBS scene.

  • @themadmattster9647
    @themadmattster9647 Жыл бұрын

    Awesome gonna check modern day bbses out. It was exciting as a teenager to go on them back in the day

  • @WoodsPrecisionArms
    @WoodsPrecisionArms10 ай бұрын

    The BBS years were the best before the internet came and ruined it. I ran Maximus BBS (a better OPUS clone) at the age of 11 and I loved it.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    8 ай бұрын

    Good times!

  • @jrherita
    @jrherita3 жыл бұрын

    Former SysOp (The DeadBeat BBS) checking in :)

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for stopping by! Hope you like the video

  • @MeaTLoTioN
    @MeaTLoTioN3 жыл бұрын

    This is gonna be sweeeeeeeeet

  • @NodokaHanamura

    @NodokaHanamura

    3 жыл бұрын

    Damn straight :D

  • @KurisuYamato
    @KurisuYamato3 жыл бұрын

    Oh boy... I'm so nervous yet excited to see this!!!

  • @ouackstrax7356
    @ouackstrax73562 жыл бұрын

    I remember going on my first BBS at 300 baud... it was a DDIAL chat line outside of Chicago. There was nothing like it. I was a little too young but there were late night meetups at 24/7 diners and other types of gatherings of all types of different people with common interests. Once the net took off, I never found anything else that had that sort of community feel to it, even with forums or the chatrooms that were more like sewage systems. I am kicking myself for not backing up my own board that I made just for fun, I never even got to run it, but I had a ton of fun staying up late and doing my own ANSI graphics and custom menus. I but a lot of care into it, and have no pictures or files at all. I think that's why I'm such a data hoarder now... re-using floppies and erasing one of my favorite eras. I have maybe 3 amusing log files of convos surviving. I still can't recall what went wrong with my zmodem setup, it always gave me trouble.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    Great story, thanks for sharing!

  • @geoffpool7476
    @geoffpool74763 жыл бұрын

    Great Documentary! Brings back so many memories when 14.4 was fast and wondering got by on less than 28.8.... Thank you for doing this! Looking forward to the next part.

  • @Epimundo
    @Epimundo3 жыл бұрын

    Very interesting!! Thank you very much! We all gonna keep BBS`s alive.

  • @DosGamerMan
    @DosGamerMan3 жыл бұрын

    Very well done documentary! Great to watch.

  • @jackheritage2222
    @jackheritage22223 жыл бұрын

    can't wait to view this

  • @rodrigopelaez8541
    @rodrigopelaez85413 жыл бұрын

    Love it! thanks for doing this and for teaching with great detail how to connect to a BBS to people how don't know. Looking forward to part 2! (Don Rolo. The Vault BBS SySop).

  • @LasVegasImp
    @LasVegasImp3 жыл бұрын

    Part One was fantastic. Looking forward to the whole series.

  • @lizardking8342
    @lizardking83423 жыл бұрын

    This was so great to WATCH! I do look forward to see the rest of this series...

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks heaps for your kind words! I'm Looking forward to releasing the next parts soon!

  • @Jweing1
    @Jweing13 жыл бұрын

    This is super well done and informative. Thank you for this. I will show this to some friends who have never even heard of a BBS and see if it peaks their interest.

  • @harveysimpson5167
    @harveysimpson51672 жыл бұрын

    Just starting to watch this. Looks great so far. Interestingly, given that your documentary is so regularly interrupted by YT's advertising is one of the reasons why I am looking to return to the BBS scene.

  • @is2scooby
    @is2scooby Жыл бұрын

    Love the ASCII art!

  • @ktmkarl
    @ktmkarl Жыл бұрын

    Current sysop of Sinners Haven, Great video. Jack Phlash posted about it on ZeroNet so I ran to watch it.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    Жыл бұрын

    awesome! good to hear it's hitting the echos! glad you enjoyed the video!

  • @daveholloway185
    @daveholloway1853 жыл бұрын

    Well. That was fantastic. Thank you for your great work!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for your kind words! Means so much to me!

  • @agoraroad
    @agoraroad3 жыл бұрын

    This is an awesome documentary good work!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! Part two coming soon!

  • @bsorsdahl
    @bsorsdahl3 жыл бұрын

    Great job!! can't wait to see part 2 !!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    thanks Bentley, I'm working on it!

  • @dmoore7000
    @dmoore7000 Жыл бұрын

    Hmmm... I ran KBBS back in my day of being a sysop nothing like hearing the modem screech at 3 in the morning and rushing to a dark room to see who's logging in that was fun 😊

  • @theoddfirecat1498
    @theoddfirecat14983 жыл бұрын

    awesome stuff, cant wait for part 2

  • @DPAKLOD
    @DPAKLOD3 жыл бұрын

    Oh this should be interesting! Can't wait!

  • @grymmjack
    @grymmjack3 жыл бұрын

    Great video! Subbed. I can't wait for more :)

  • @Daggy3D
    @Daggy3D6 ай бұрын

    The difference between social media and a BBS is that social media decides what you see based on algorithms and favors what is most effective and this turns out to be things that make you upset. Upset = more engagement. BBS's don't use algorithms and you choose who you talk to and what you see. As you say in the documentary, you can pick a BBS that shares your passions and ideals.

  • @SexyBulldozerMan
    @SexyBulldozerMan3 жыл бұрын

    I created my own business back in the day. I still remember my parents getting passed off over the phone line. I used to have lots of people logging in all the time. I liked having that service for people to use. I was like 13 at the time.

  • @Spacewitchofthelittledancer
    @Spacewitchofthelittledancer19 күн бұрын

    Got into BBS as a fluke after seeing some random stream on KZread. HOOKED. I've already left "social" "media" and I am heading back to basics.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    19 күн бұрын

    So good to hear

  • @ShaneBro
    @ShaneBro3 жыл бұрын

    I am old. I started using my Coleco Adam computer with a 300 baud modem. Ran a bbs on that as well. Graduated to the Amiga and ran a couple of them into 1996. Those were fun days.

  • @danielkelly6523
    @danielkelly65233 жыл бұрын

    Just remember: aNSt in red shirt=no sleep, black shirt= rested and absinthe poured.

  • @psecdocumentary
    @psecdocumentary3 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video, great job! Maybe there might just be some hope for the BBS Scene yet! Isn't it interesting that those who are trying to divide us (big tech, main stream media, cancel culture, outrage mobs, etc) are actually facilitating the rebirth of the BBS Scene! Irony!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Ain't that the truth!

  • @minibikemadman
    @minibikemadman3 жыл бұрын

    I just setup a syncronet bbs. I used to run a 2 line wildcat bbs in the mid 90s. I also ran pcboard.

  • @dandlrecordingstudios
    @dandlrecordingstudios3 жыл бұрын

    I’m one of the “resurgence” users. I like to connect to dial-up BBSes (yes they still exist) on retro hardware, like a PCjr.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    I like connecting to BBSes from my IBM XT, but as I don't own a modem or telephone line or wish to pay for phone calls, dialling up a BBS doesn't appeal to me! I use the wi232 as if it were a modem. But mainly I use MTCP telnet - the telnet client works well and is designed for the PC Jr!

  • @104d_3rr0r_vince
    @104d_3rr0r_vince3 жыл бұрын

    I'm running a BBS for 3 years now, many folks registered but now is silent. Oh well, at least I visit it from my micros for testing and a dose of nostalgia :-D

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Is it listed on the telnet bbs guide? If yes, then make sure your bbs has lots of great ansi and doors that make it unique. If it's a stock board then people won't connect to it

  • @104d_3rr0r_vince

    @104d_3rr0r_vince

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab It is but no extra ansii, just some I made. No problem for the traffic, just sayin that people will visit once or two, and then you have nothing to do these days there. Discord is the new bbs - irc I think.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    I hate discord. It's hard to use and it doesn't really have a sense of community like the b a scene. No retro aesthetic. No real privacy

  • @devastatia3304
    @devastatia3304 Жыл бұрын

    If you see a series of textfiles called the Diggy Philes on Agency BBS, that was me. :P

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    Жыл бұрын

    Not sure what they are, but feel free to cross post/upload to BBS.alsgeeklab.com:2323 !

  • @Arkholt2
    @Arkholt22 жыл бұрын

    Just a note on telnet on MacOS: the most recent versions of MacOS actually don't come with a telnet client by default (I'm not sure if this was the case when this video was originally released). Thankfully, the homebrew package manager is easy to download and install, and you can use it to install telnet.

  • @ganiman
    @ganiman Жыл бұрын

    Great series. Have to comment though... the security focused BBS has a Facebook page/link? What. Facebook and security are oil and vinegar.. it also has a screen about enhanced security but you are using telnet. There is nothing secure about using telnet. While I am back into using BBSs myself and am running one, no one should be under the impression that any BBS is safe and securing your data when they dont force Telnet. FTN networks are not secure in any way either and any sysop can read any messages going through their board. Its a lot of fun, but people should be aware of security, and there is little to none on almost all of the boards running. What you do there is not private and can be tracked and watched especially when using unencrypted methods like Telnet and posting messages without any kind of GPG/PGP while messages are transmitted inter-bbs without SSL, etc, etc. I'd like to see the scene make a nice effort into enforcing encrypted communications.

  • @telesniper2
    @telesniper26 ай бұрын

    2:43 that's where phone phreaking came in, heheh

  • @danielkelly6523
    @danielkelly65233 жыл бұрын

    Here we go

  • @mikescholz6429
    @mikescholz64293 ай бұрын

    This is just encouraging my urge to make my install scripts for my open source software ansi art based.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 ай бұрын

    Do it!

  • @VarnHomestead
    @VarnHomestead3 жыл бұрын

    I would love to bring back a BBS server and build a community with others.. I miss those days. 90s early 2000s

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    you definitely should! I just did it, it was great fun! I used mystic, check it out: BBS.alsgeeklab.com:2323

  • @bluecollarwatches7048
    @bluecollarwatches70482 жыл бұрын

    I remember the good old bbs days, and Fidonet. I ran a bbs for 4 1/2 years, using renegade. Bre leagues was my thing.

  • @mth469

    @mth469

    2 жыл бұрын

    Fidonet Sonet Magnet Infinet

  • @TheCaptnHammer
    @TheCaptnHammer2 жыл бұрын

    Did you manually add that entire list into the syncTERM client? I don’t want to add them one at a time. 😀

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes I did, after visiting then one at a time. I'm sure that there is a downloadable phone book file you can get somewhere thought

  • @redlinechaser7942
    @redlinechaser79422 жыл бұрын

    I’m so into this! I hope I find a modem for my Commodore 64 at the 2nd hand shop.

  • @TheJohnPolka
    @TheJohnPolka3 жыл бұрын

    BBSs are still hosted on classic Atari computers! Check out the following link for a current list of Atari BBSs: sfhqbbs.org/ataribbslist.php

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    So I saw!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Check out the final part of the documentary which shows it working on retro kit!

  • @TheJohnPolka

    @TheJohnPolka

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab I'm not sure what you're referring to in your video. Can you provide a time stamp?

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@TheJohnPolka part 3 of the documentary covers this stuff. It will.be released in the new year

  • @paullee107
    @paullee1073 жыл бұрын

    I really want to experience the PTT Taiwanese BBSes. Is there any walkthrough or... way to convert to English? I’d love a video on THAT. BTW, this doc is WONDERFUL!! Thankyou, hyjinx!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    many thanks Paul! I don't really know much about PTT unfortunately, there's not much on google that's in English about it. as it's a bbs I doubt it'll be translatable

  • @danielkelly6523

    @danielkelly6523

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab As live video capture translation continues to improve, it's conceivable that one could set up a live stream of the board and run it through the translation service as you interact with it. That would be a fun experiment.

  • @retroguardian4802
    @retroguardian48022 жыл бұрын

    7:45 is this game available any where or can you say what bbs it is in? Thanks!

  • @diamonddave45
    @diamonddave453 жыл бұрын

    This shall be interesting... hope to have at least 15 seconds of fame. LOL!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    You do!

  • @diamonddave45

    @diamonddave45

    3 жыл бұрын

    @HyperNode BBS Not only am I a Sysop, I also run the BBS Corner and the Telnet BBS Guide. I'm at 36:34 in this video.

  • @WDCallahan
    @WDCallahan Жыл бұрын

    Ahh.. No sir! Baud did not mean bits per second. Baud was symbol rate. A very common mistake. So far the only mistake you've made. I was a I was the sysop of an 8 line MajorBBS/WorldGroup until 2000. And I am really enjoying this series of yours! We'll all be back on the BBS someday once this whole world wide web fad finally fades out.

  • @landoc05
    @landoc052 жыл бұрын

    19:07 Norton Commander!

  • @Synchronet
    @Synchronet3 жыл бұрын

    Nice video! I received some feedback that Synchronet BBSes were not represented in this video (though notably, SyncTERM is). I'm totally cool with that. I don't think there's any question that in the 21st century there are are (or have been) more Synchronet BBSes than any other. So those that choose to explore the BBSverse today will inevitably encounter those systems (and their software). But for the curious, go to synchro.net/. It's not like we're hard to find. Thank you for the quality contribution to the BBS community and looking forward to more! :-)

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your comments! No particular BBS software was discussed in this part, Synchronet, Magika, Enigma 1/2, CNET, Image 3.0 all get a mention in the upcoming part 2 of the documentary where BBS software is introduced.

  • @katmarie7102

    @katmarie7102

    3 жыл бұрын

    Synchronet and Mystic have not only kept the BBS scene alive but also created what a modern BBS is in their own ways. They should be well represented!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@katmarie7102 Couldn't agree more! I'm currently finishing off the next bunch of videos for the documentary. One part of it discusses BBS software specifically, both Synchronet and Mystic are well represented, however I'd love it if their respective authors came forward for a quick soundbite

  • @315_Elite
    @315_Elite Жыл бұрын

    We should bring a similar way of bbs back. I’m thinking a web crowler that only searches bbs threw a terminal base browser

  • @simondobes8570
    @simondobes85702 жыл бұрын

    Hi, central headquarters bbs has been offline for some time now, does anyone know what happened? Thanks in advance.

  • @haroldfarthington7492
    @haroldfarthington749211 ай бұрын

    I'd like to get into BBS and am emulating a virtual machine running Windows98, any things that would work with that (it is connected to the internet)

  • @Alkatross
    @Alkatross Жыл бұрын

    So the main difference in user behavior stems from the intention of the users in seeking the bbs. Do bbs' have trolls?

  • @DocKingliveshere
    @DocKingliveshere5 ай бұрын

    BBS' don't force you to watch stupid commercials. dBored BBS ruled!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    5 ай бұрын

    That's the one! ,😉

  • @DocKingliveshere

    @DocKingliveshere

    5 ай бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab ? The one what?

  • @TheMsLourdes
    @TheMsLourdes11 ай бұрын

    Honestly, I think we're at a point now where BBS'sing is basically resurged but it became things like Discord. THe problem with discord though is that its got centralized encryption and control that isn't yours because it doesn't work on your machine. I've got a WWIV bbs, but I keep having chinese hacker bots connecting... which is amusing since they are too advanced for the bbs. That said its still annoying. Though, I'm a software engineer... maybe I'll do something about that...

  • @alltidmagnus
    @alltidmagnus3 жыл бұрын

    my eyes (and heart) hurt from seing parts of this being in 240p and compressed to bits. :(

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm not sure why it's being compressed for you. It's all done in 1080p

  • @alltidmagnus

    @alltidmagnus

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab it's not horrible in most parts, just some of the guys being interviewed looks like have lower resolution cameras or something like that. Looking forward to see part two!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@alltidmagnus ah, webcams ! Can't help that unfortunately!

  • @yt-xe8ws
    @yt-xe8ws3 жыл бұрын

    Computers and the internet was better in the 80s and early 90s, before someone cam along and said "lets make this more like TV"

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    Never a truer word said, in my opinion!

  • @ashliesbooks6500
    @ashliesbooks65003 жыл бұрын

    How many parts do we have to look forward to?

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    3 parts in total

  • @TheJohnPolka

    @TheJohnPolka

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab When's parts 2 and 3 coming out?

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    3 жыл бұрын

    part two will be early in the new year. Some more (mainly ANSI) artists are wanting to interview so I am waiting on them

  • @themadmattster9647
    @themadmattster9647 Жыл бұрын

    We all met at Perkins in real life

  • @ShaneBro
    @ShaneBro3 жыл бұрын

    15:15, that is an Adam.

  • @jsmythib
    @jsmythib11 ай бұрын

    We need a bbs that uses 4k ansi terminal windows and 5mbit sockets :) It would be glorious! lol

  • @chrishowlett5916
    @chrishowlett5916 Жыл бұрын

    Anybody know if there's already BBS soft out there, preferably open source, with support for PGP encrypted traffic and crypto transactions? asking for a friend :P Oh, and some level of compatibility with RA doors would be nice too...

  • @marcello4258
    @marcello42582 жыл бұрын

    Just tried to connect but your domain does not resolve on those ports :/

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    Works perfectly for me. Are you sure you are using Syncterm or Netrunner and you have set port 2323?. Try the website and use the web client if all else fails: alsgeeklab.com/bbs/ You might have a.blocked IP so the website masquerades that as it goes via a proxy.

  • @marcello4258

    @marcello4258

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab I am sorry I was to dumb to use ssh properly and used a colon instead of a space

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@marcello4258 haha no worries. Although I still strongly recommend using SSH in Syncterm or Netrunner rather than just in the terminal. Proper Cp437 display font support is probably not available in your terminal and may look garbled at worst as a result.

  • @marcello4258

    @marcello4258

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab it works fine I am running on UTF-8 looks just right. I wasn't really interested in compiling another software if my terminal emulator just was fine handling it

  • @nickmack1975
    @nickmack19753 жыл бұрын

    Great stuff - Still running The Trashcan BBS in Christchurch, New Zealand. The BBS has been online since 1988... bbs.thenet.gen.nz

  • @nyccollin
    @nyccollin2 жыл бұрын

    I don’t feel like it’s an authentic experience to connect on modern PCs. I’m using a Compaq all in one 486 running DOS 6.22, and using Terminate as my terminal program. Raspberry pi with usb to serial.

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    I agree! I use mTCP's Telnet on my IBM 5162 XT/286. I also have Terminate but I have trouble so far getting reliable serial connections above 9600/19200 bps, even though I have an 16550AF UART.

  • @nyccollin

    @nyccollin

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab Thanks for the response! I have been having similar issues with Terminate. May have to try something else.

  • @Tweaker420666
    @Tweaker42066610 ай бұрын

    call in to aBSiNTHE BBS today!

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    8 ай бұрын

    Would recommend!

  • @jake_dev1046
    @jake_dev10462 жыл бұрын

    Im almost 15 and using bbs

  • @AlsGeekLab

    @AlsGeekLab

    2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! Have you checked out my BBS? bbs.alsgeeklab.com:2323

  • @jake_dev1046

    @jake_dev1046

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@AlsGeekLab No i have not, but i will thank you will call it.

  • @resonanz6496
    @resonanz64963 жыл бұрын

    If you liked this movie you might also like this chat movie that we've just released: kzread.info/dash/bejne/dX2bsZOrl6zOXZM.html

  • @lordterra1377
    @lordterra13773 жыл бұрын

    With the current war against the common man and free speech itself. I see this as a good idea during these dark times of 1984.

  • @cjhickspe1399
    @cjhickspe13992 жыл бұрын

    Never was a big BBS user - everything would have been a LD for me - but used a lot of modems and telnet for work in the 90s. I still have my ProComm Plus installation disk.

  • @turri4ev3r9
    @turri4ev3r93 жыл бұрын

    /X rul3z...

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