TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: BBS: The Documentary

Re: BBS: The Documentary

T (nospam.kd1s@cox.nospam.net)
Tue, 27 Feb 2007 19:17:42 -0500

In article <telecom0.0.5@telecom-digest.org>, christopherz.lee@gmail.com
says:

> Yeah! A retro of old skool 80s geek out there at
> http://geekvideo.blogspot.com/2007/02/bbs-documentary.html

Awesome -- lots of younger people remember the BBS which is amazing.

Here's how I got into it. Back in 1982 I'd just graduated high school
and bought myself a Radio Shack DC-1 modem. This was the one where you
had to dial then flip the switch when you detected carrier, etc.

I did so on the advice of a friend who told me about this cool new thing
called the BBS. Providence, RI had but one BBS at the time called
NYBBLINK. About a month after I'd gotten the modem NYBBLINK went belly
up.

So I pressured my friend and together we built a BBS package for the
TRS-80 Model III called Syslink. Well, Syslink begat PowerCor and
PowerNet. The guy who built the Power* systems was Andy Green, who then
formed Intelicom Data Systems or IDS. IDS is now Conversent
Communications.

So all because I bought a modem and had nothing to connect to. Imagine
that.

For a few years in the late 80's I was the sysop for Syslink, but by
then it was running on a PC under TBBS.

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I started my BBS'ing in 1979 under the
tutalage of Randy Seuss in Chicago, but instead of the software and
computer he operated, I chose to use an Apple ][+ and a variation on
the People's Message System of Bill Blue. I got the Apple in 1981 and
thought that was better to use than the older OSI C-l-P machine I had.
I kept *Lakeshore Modem Magazine* alive through the end of 1985 at
which point I was pretty much involved in Usenet all the time. During
that same time period I was also sysop of the Chicago Public Library
BBS for about three years, but that (CPL) was on a volunteer basis
(which is not to say my own BBS made any money, either!) PAT]

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: T: "Re: Morton Grove, Illinois (was Party Line Dialing)"
Go to Previous message: USTelecom dailyLead: "Launch of Apple's TV Device on Hold"
May be in reply to: AnonGoo: "BBS: The Documentary"
Next in thread: Steven Lichter: "Re: BBS: The Documentary"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page