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{{short description|Computer server}}
{{Distinguish|Internet forum software}}
[[File:FreePort Software banner, inverted.png|thumb|upright=1.35|A welcome screen for the [[Free-net]] bulletin board, from 1994]]
A '''bulletin board system''' ('''BBS'''), also called a '''computer bulletin board service''' ('''CBBS'''),<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author=Derfler Jr. |first=Frank |date=1980-04-01 |title=Dial Up Directory |url=http://www.bbsdocumentary.com/photos/130randy/FILES/dialup.txt |access-date=2018-02-20 |work=Kilobaud Microcomputing Magazine |language=en}}</ref>
Many BBSes also offered [[BBS door|online games]] in which users could compete with each other. BBSes with multiple phone lines often provided [[chat room]]s, allowing users to interact with each other. Bulletin board systems were in many ways a precursor to the modern form of the [[World Wide Web]], [[social networking service|social networks]], and other aspects of the [[Internet]]. Low-cost, high-performance [[Asynchronous communication|asynchronous]] [[modem]]s drove the use of [[online service]]s and BBSes through the early 1990s. ''[[InfoWorld]]'' estimated that there were 60,000 BBSes serving 17 million users in the United States alone in 1994, a collective market much larger than major online services such as [[CompuServe]].
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=== Precursors ===
A precursor to the public bulletin board system was [[Community Memory]], which started in August 1973 in [[Berkeley, California]]. [[Microcomputer]]s did not exist at that time, and modems were both expensive and slow. Community Memory ran on a [[mainframe computer]] and was accessed through terminals located in several [[San Francisco Bay Area]] neighborhoods.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Crosby|first=Kip|date=November 1995|title=CONVIVIAL CYBERNETIC DEVICES: From Vacuum Tube Flip-Flops to the Singing Altair - An Interview with Lee Felsenstein (Part 1)|journal=The Analytical Engine|publisher=Computer History Association of California|volume=3|issue=1|page=2|issn=1071-6351 |url=http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/chac/CHAC_Analytical_Engine/3.1_November_1995.pdf}}<!-- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050825165932/http://opencollector.org/history/homebrew/engv3n1.html An Interview with Lee Felsenstein (Part 1) in the newsletter of the Computer History Association of California] [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/chac/CHAC_Analytical_Engine/3.1_November_1995.pdf pdf][http://www.3kranger.com/HP3000/History/AE1995-11.pdf pdf][https://web.archive.org/web/20060825214122/http://www.chac.org/engine-ascii/engv3n1.txt txt] {{cite journal|last=Crosby|first=Kip|date=November 1995|title=CONVIVIAL CYBERNETIC DEVICES: From Vacuum Tube Flip-Flops to the Singing Altair - An Interview with Lee Felsenstein (Part 1)|journal=The Analytical Engine|publisher=Computer History Association of California|volume=3|issue=1|issn=1071-6351 |url=http://www.opencollector.org/history/homebrew/engv3n1.html|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323072155/http://www.opencollector.org/history/homebrew/engv3n1.html|archivedate=2010-03-23}}--></ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Crosby|first=Kip|date=February 1996 |title=COMPUTERS FOR THEIR OWN SAKE: From the Dompier Music to the 1980 Computer Faire - An Interview with Lee Felsenstein (Part 2) |journal=The Analytical Engine|publisher=Computer History Association of California|volume=3|issue=2|page=8|issn=1071-6351|url=http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/chac/CHAC_Analytical_Engine/3.2_February_1996.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/chac/CHAC_Analytical_Engine/3.2_February_1996.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref> The poor quality of the original modem connecting the terminals to the mainframe prompted [[Community Memory]] hardware person, [[Lee Felsenstein]], to invent the [[Pennywhistle modem]], whose design was influential in the mid-1970s.
Community Memory allowed the user to type messages into a [[computer terminal]] after inserting a coin, and offered a "pure" bulletin board experience with public messages only (no email or other features). It did offer the ability to tag messages with keywords, which the user could use in searches. The system acted primarily in the form of a buy and sell system with the tags taking the place of the more traditional [[Classified advertising|classifications]]. But users found ways to express themselves outside these bounds, and the system spontaneously created stories, poetry and other forms of communications. The system was expensive to operate, and when their host machine became unavailable and a new one could not be found, the system closed in January 1975.
Similar functionality was available to most [[Mainframe computer|mainframe]] users, which might be considered a sort of ultra-local BBS when used in this fashion. Commercial systems, expressly intended to offer these features to the public, became available in the late 1970s and formed the [[online service]] market that lasted into the 1990s. One particularly influential example was [[PLATO (computer system)|PLATO]], which had thousands of users by the late 1970s, many of whom used the messaging and [[chat room]] features of the system in the same way that would later become common on BBSes.
===The first BBSes===
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Speed improved with the introduction of 1200 [[Bits per second|bit/s]] asynchronous modems in the [[Modem#Speeds|early 1980s]], giving way to 2400 bit/s fairly rapidly. The improved performance led to a substantial increase in BBS popularity. Most of the information was displayed using ordinary [[ASCII]] text or [[ANSI art]], but a number of systems attempted character-based [[graphical user interface]]s which began to be practical at 2400 bit/s.
There was a lengthy delay before 9600
This also gave rise to a new class of BBS systems, dedicated solely to file upload and downloads. These systems charged for access, typically a flat monthly fee, compared to the per-hour fees charged by ''[[Event Horizons BBS]]'' and most online services. Many third-party services were developed to support these systems, offering simple credit card [[merchant account]] gateways for the payment of monthly fees, and entire file libraries on [[compact disk]] that made initial setup very easy. Early 1990s editions of ''Boardwatch'' were filled with ads for single-click install solutions dedicated to these new [[sysops]]. While this gave the market a bad reputation, it also led to its greatest success. During the early 1990s, there were a number of mid-sized software companies dedicated to BBS software, and the number of BBSes in service reached its peak.
Towards the early 1990s, BBS became so popular that it spawned three monthly magazines, ''[[Boardwatch]]'', ''
===GUIs===
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===Rise of the Internet and decline of BBS===
The demand for complex ANSI and ASCII screens and larger file transfers taxed available [[channel capacity]], which in turn increased demand for faster modems. 14.4
These increasing speeds had the side effect of dramatically reducing the noticeable effects of channel efficiency. When modems were slow, considerable effort was put into developing the most efficient protocols and display systems possible. [[TCP/IP]] ran slowly over 1200 bit/s modems. [[56 kbit/s modem]]s could access the protocol suite more quickly than with slower modems. Dial-up Internet service became widely available in the mid-1990s to the general public outside of universities and research laboratories, and connectivity was included in most general-use [[operating systems]] by default as Internet access became popular.
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Unlike modern websites and [[online services]] that are typically hosted by third-party companies in commercial [[data center]]s, BBS computers (especially for smaller boards) were typically operated from the system operator's home. As such, access could be unreliable, and in many cases, only one user could be on the system at a time. Only larger BBSes with multiple phone lines using specialized hardware, multitasking software, or a [[LAN]] connecting multiple computers, could host multiple simultaneous users.
The first BBSes each used
In 1981, the [[IBM Personal Computer]] was introduced and [[MS-DOS]] soon became the operating system on which the majority of BBS programs were run. [[RBBS-PC]], [[porting|ported]] over from the CP/M world, and ''Fido'' BBS, developed by [[Tom Jennings]] (who later founded [[FidoNet]]) were the first notable MS-DOS BBS programs. Many successful commercial BBS programs were developed, such as [[PCBoard]] BBS, [[RemoteAccess]] BBS, Magpie and [[Wildcat! BBS]]. Oopular [[freeware]] BBS programs included [[Telegard]] BBS and [[Renegade (BBS)|Renegade BBS]], which both had early origins from leaked [[WWIV]] BBS source code.
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| accessdate = 5 December 2017}}</ref>
Today{{when|date=September 2024}}, most BBS software that is still actively supported, such as Worldgroup, [[Wildcat! BBS]] and [[Citadel/UX]], is Web-enabled, and the traditional text interface has been replaced (or operates concurrently) with a Web-based user interface. For those more nostalgic for the true BBS experience, one can use NetSerial (Windows) or [[DOSBox]] (Windows/*nix) to redirect DOS COM port software to telnet, allowing them to connect to Telnet BBSes using 1980s and 1990s era modem [[terminal emulator|terminal emulation]] software, like [[Telix]], [[Terminate (software)|Terminate]], [[Qmodem]] and [[Procomm Plus]]. Modern 32-bit terminal emulators such as mTelnet and [[Synchronet#SyncTerm|SyncTerm]] include native telnet support.
== Content and access ==
Since most early BBSes were run by computer hobbyists,
As the BBS phenomenon grew, so did the popularity of special interest boards. Bulletin Board Systems could be found for almost every hobby and interest. Popular interests included politics, religion, music, [[matchmaker.com|dating]], and [[alternative lifestyle]]s. Many system operators also adopted a [[Theme (computing)|theme]] in which they customized their entire BBS (welcome screens, prompts, menus, and so on) to reflect that theme. Common themes were based on [[fantasy]], or were intended to give the user the illusion of being somewhere else, such as in a [[sanatorium]], wizard's castle, or on a [[pirate ship]].
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In the early days, the file download library consisted of files that the system operators obtained themselves from other BBSes and friends. Many BBSes inspected every file uploaded to their public file download library to ensure that the material did not violate copyright law. As time went on, [[shareware]] CD-ROMs were sold with up to thousands of files on each [[CD-ROM]]. Small BBSes copied each file individually to their hard drive. Some systems used a CD-ROM drive to make the files available. Advanced BBSes used Multiple CD-ROM disc changer units that switched 6 CD-ROM disks on demand for the caller(s). Large systems used all 26 DOS drive letters with multi-disk changers housing tens of thousands of copyright-free shareware or freeware files available to all callers. These BBSes were generally more family-friendly, avoiding the seedier side of BBSes. Access to these systems varied from single to multiple modem lines with some requiring little or no confirmed registration.
Some BBSes, called elite, [[Warez|WaReZ]], or pirate boards, were exclusively used for distributing [[copyright infringement of software|cracked software]], [[phreaking]] materials, and other questionable or unlawful content. These BBSes often had multiple modems and phone lines, allowing several users to upload and download files at once. Most elite BBSes used some form of new user verification, where new users would have to apply for membership and attempt to prove that they were not a law enforcement officer or a ''[[lamer]].'' The largest elite boards accepted users by invitation only. Elite boards also spawned their own subculture and gave rise to the [[slang]] known today as [[leet]]speak.
Another common type of board was the ''support BBS'' run by a manufacturer of computer products or software. These boards were dedicated to supporting users of the company's products with question and answer forums, news and updates, and downloads. Most of them were not a free call. Today, these services have moved to the Web.
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Some general-purpose Bulletin Board Systems had special levels of access that were given to those who paid extra money, uploaded useful files or knew the system operator personally. These specialty and pay BBSes usually had something unique to offer their users, such as large file libraries, [[warez]], [[pornography]], [[chat room]]s or [[Internet]] access.
Pay BBSes such as The [[WELL (virtual community)|WELL]] and Echo NYC (now Internet forums rather than dial-up), [[ExecPC BBS|ExecPC]], PsudNetwork and [[MindVox]] (which folded in 1996) were admired for their
Some of the BBSes that provided access to illegal content faced opposition. On July 12, 1985, in conjunction with a [[credit card fraud]] investigation, the [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]] Sheriff's department raided and seized The Private Sector BBS, which was the official BBS for [[grey hat]] hacker quarterly [[2600 Magazine]] at the time.<ref name=Psector>[http://thegreatgeekmanual.com/blog/this-day-in-geek-history-july-12 This Day in Geek History: July12], ''thegreatgeekmanual.com'', retrieved March 26, 2009</ref> The notorious [[Rusty n Edie's BBS]], in [[Boardman, Ohio]], was raided by the FBI in January 1993 for trading unlicensed software, and later sued by [[Playboy]] for copyright infringement in November 1997. In [[Flint, Michigan]], a 21-year-old man was charged with distributing [[child pornography]] through his BBS in March 1996.<ref name="flintj">{{cite news|title=Man Says Kiddie Porno Made Computer Site Popular|newspaper=[[The Flint Journal]]|date=1996-03-20|author=Doran, Tim}}</ref>
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==Shareware and freeware==
{{Main|Shareware}}
Much of the [[shareware]] movement was started via user distribution of software through BBSes. A notable example was [[Phil Katz]]'s PKARC (and later [[PKZIP]], using the same ".zip" [[algorithm]] that [[WinZip]] and other popular archivers now use); also other concepts of software distribution like [[freeware]], [[postcardware]] like [[JPEGview]] and [[donationware]] like Red Ryder for the Macintosh first appeared on BBS sites. [[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]] from [[id Software]] and nearly all [[3D Realms|Apogee Software]] games were distributed as shareware
Many commercial BBS software companies that continue to support their old BBS software products switched to the shareware model or made it entirely free. Some companies were able to make the move to the Internet and provide commercial products with BBS capabilities.
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== External links ==
{{
* [http://www.bbscorner.com/ The BBS Corner]
* [http://www.bbsdocumentary.com/ The BBS Documentary] – [https://archive.org/details/bbs_documentary/ (Video Collection)]
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* [http://thebbs.org/ The BBS organization (longest running bbs services site)]
* [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/11/the-lost-civilization-of-dial-up-bulletin-board-systems/506465/ The Lost Civilization of Dial-Up Bulletin Board Systems (The Atlantic, 2016)]
* [https://color64.com/ Color64 - official project website]
* [https://theoasisbbs.com/color-64-bbs/ Color64 documentation - OasisBBS]
{{BBS|state=expanded}}
{{Computer-mediated communication}}
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