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An Introduction to BBS Systems |
Bulletin Board Systems are one of the best communications and entertainment mediums you won't find anywhere else. If you are new to the concept of Bulletin Board Systems (BBS for short), here is an overview on exactly what a BBS is and what a BBS does.
Skip to Overview of Bulletin Board Systems
Skip to Types of BBS Systems
Skip to What BBS Systems Have To Offer
Skip to Who Operate Bulletin Board Systems
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Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) are
self-contained online communities. A BBS is almost like a miniturized
Internet. A BBS has a variety of things for users to do - Read and Write
messages in Discussion Forums, Upload and Download files, and Play online
games.
Most BBS systems offer a general perspective - they offer a little bit of
everything. General perspective BBS systems do not have a
topical theme. Some are dedicated to bringing in large amounts of varying
topic message forums covering a wide variety of topics and
interests--using networks that you will never see on the Internet. Other BBS systems are specialized and follow specific themes
such as Genealogy, Sports, Programming, Religion, or just about anything
you can imagine. These systems usually carry and message forum conferences
related to their themes. Others
might host a large selection of online games for their users to enjoy.
Though dwarfed by the amount of software available now found on the
Internet, some BBS systems are large repositories of a wide variety of
software - and, in some cases - software not found anywhere on the Web.
As with any community, you will find some systems that appeal to you and
others that may not. After checking out various BBS sytems, you will find
several you will call "home". Then you will have yet another
place to happily waste time having fun with your computer - just like the
Web!
There are generally three types of BBS systems: Dial-Up, Telnet and Web-based.
Most BBS Systems fall under the first two catagories. Once you have connected to a Dial-Up or Telnet BBS system, you will notice things are different from when you are surfing the World Wide Web. The graphics are not of the picture quality you are familiar with on the Web. Another big difference is that on most BBS systems your pointing device (mouse) does not work. Some BBS users notice these differences and never see all what the BBS was offering. These users have truly missed out.
BBS software is currently under major re-development. Many developers are working towards making their BBS application look and feel just like the Web. Until these applications are ready, the traditional ANSI video graphic interface will just have to do.
Traditional Dial-Up Based BBS Systems
Until recently, most Bulletin Board Systems used the concept of connecting personal computers together via modems using regular telephone lines. There are still a large number of "dial-up" based BBS systems in use worldwide.
Accessing these dial-up BBS systems is different than accessing your dial-up Internet provider. You will need something known as Terminal Software that allows you to use your computer modem to "call" these BBSes via the regular telephone network There are many kinds to choose from.
We have collected a list of Modem-based Terminal Software (most of it is free or shareware) on the Getting Connected page.
Telnet BBS Systems - BBS systems on the Internet
The Internet has added greater accessability to Bulletin Boards. Instead of having to dial BBSes individually, many systems are now available via the Internet using the Internet protocol called Telnet. There are approximately 400+ of these systems available on the Internet - increasing in number each month.
Telnet BBS systems allow greater flexability for the BBS user since they call their Internet Service Provider as usual, then they use special Telnet Client Software to access Bulletin Boards on the Internet.
We have collected a list of Telnet Client Software (most of it is free or shareware) on the Getting Connected page.
Web-based BBS Systems
New technology is arriving to bring the
Bulletin Board System to the Internet with full point-and-click
accessability and full color graphics. These systems are still in their
infancy and their numbers are few. As this technology improves you will
see more of these systems in use.
What do Bulletin Board Systems Offer?
The Bulletin Board System concept offers a unique small online community environment. Each BBS is a "town" of its own. Many BBS systems offer message discussion forums, online games and shareware files for downloading. A number of these systems are "networked" where information is shared on a routine basis, while others are run as totally independent systems.
The following are details on what a typical BBS system may offer for its users. Each BBS is unique and may offer items in addition to those seen here.
Message Discussion Forums
Discussion Forums are undoubtedly the heart of many BBS systems. The ability to provide BBS users a means of sharing ideas, opinions, and information. Discussion forums fall in one of three categories: Local, Locally Networked, and Networked.
- Local Forums
Message Discussion Forums (also called Message Conferences) that are unique to the BBS system that the users is currently on. Messages in these areas is not distributed to other systems.
- Regionally Networked Forums
Some message areas that are distributed within a local network. An example would be the regionally-based forums for a specific geographic location. For example, local discussion forums carried by Fidonet Net 1:275. Messages in these areas are distributed through our net’s coverage area. In this case it’s the eastern Virginia area.
- Networked Forums
Networked discussion forums are sometimes referred to as "Echomail" since its 'echoed' across multiple BBS systems nationwide and sometimes worldwide. There are several large BBS networks just for Discussion forums, the largest of which is known as Fidonet. Different BBS Systems carry which Discussion Forums they want to subscribe to - depending on the desires of the users.
There are currently hundreds of Discussion Forums available on Fidonet. The topics of these forums range from those being highly technical to those which are non-specific (Open forum), and everything in between.
- E-Mail
E-mail has been around before the Internet. There are two kinds of E-mail when it comes to BBS Systems. The first kind is only designed to be sent from a user to another user on that specific BBS System. The other kind of E-mail is sometimes referred to as "Netmail" where the originator is on one BBS system and is sent via a network to another BBS system somewhere else.
Software / Applications (Shareware Files)
As any user of the World Wide Web knows, there are hundreds or even thousands of Shareware Files (Software Applications) available for downloading to one’s PC. With this one might think that there is very little a BBS system could offer. This is not the case. In addition to finding many of the files available on the Web, BBS systems offer files that are either non-existent on the Web or are very hard to find.
Some BBS systems specialize in hosting files of a particular theme or category. Systems that do this save the BBS user from endless searching Web by providing a consolidation of files.
Online Games (Door Games)
Online games, commonly referred to as "Door Games" are another feature of BBS systems. Games range from the very simple (example - Casino type games) to very complex strategy games (examples - Legend of the Red Dragon, Trade Wars 2002). Some games are simply for the caller's individual entertainment. Other games allow the callers to compete for high scores, and others are often educational in nature.
Another category of Online Games is known as Inter-BBS games. These games allows the users of one BBS to unite as a team to play against the users of another BBS or a league consisting of several BBS systems. These games usually last for weeks and months. Examples of such games are: Barren Realms Elite and Arrowbridge.
The graphics of these games is not what you are used to seeing on games you play at home on your PC. These games generally use ANSI graphics. Trying to push full-blown graphics (like those used in modern RPG games such as Quake) would bring the games almost to a stand still. However what these games may lack in esthetics they make up for in content. This is especially the case with the strategy games.
Chatting
Another favorite past time of BBS callers is just sitting back behind the keyboard chatting with others online. A small but growing number of BBS systems offer services similar to the IRC on the Internet: Private Chats, Public Chats and Chat Rooms.
Internet Services
Some BBS Systems are doubling as Internet Service Providers. These can
provide lower cost Internet access for those who are not heavy Internet
users. These can provide such things as Internet E-mail, IRC chat, Telnet,
FTP and more. Not all BBS systems offer Internet services - so check
around if this is what you are looking for.
Who Operate Bulletin Board Systems?
BBS Systems for the most part are run by hobbyists. These BBS System Operators (Sysops) have spent their money, time, and energy to provide the general public with a totally unique online experience that you cannot find elsewhere.
These are people like you and me - but have decided to give something back to the online community by sharing their knowledge, expertise, drive, ambition, and money towards the communication and entertainment of others.
Since these systems are operated as hobbies, please be considerate when using their system. They have given up a computer, spent money on software, and spend money month after month on electricity and telephone lines for your enjoyment.
Please support the use of Bulletin Boards as much as possible. Become active in the Discussion Forums and the Online Games to show your dedication to such a great cause. If you can possibly afford it, consider making a donation to the Sysop of your favorite BBS system. Its an expensive hobby and your local Sysop can use the money. If you want to see an improvement or to "register" software (i.e. a Door game), please help out the SysOp. They will be very grateful to you. Its a "Win-Win" situation for all of us.
Now that you've read the above overview, here is some additional information to help you get started in having fun enjoying and using Bulletin Board Syustems:
- How To Get Connected to Bulletin Board Systems
- Here are some resources on how to get connected to BBS systems in your town and around the world. Both traditional dial-up BBS systems and new Internet accessable (Telnet) BBS Systems are discussed.
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- Telnet BBS Guide
- The most comprehensive and up-to-date list of Telnet BBS systems on the Internet. Over 400 systems listed, and updated monthly. Operated by The BBS Corner.
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- BBS User Frequently Asked Questions
- If you need additional information - here is a quick listing of Frequently Asked Questions for BBS Users. Common questions are answered here.
Site Created April 1996. Page last modified January 1, 2006
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