I see privacy as a bit of an issue these days as more and more communities like mine are looking to start a community mesh network so we have our own network and again the BBS will be at the heart of this system because it gives us everything we need. Email, IRC, File Share and more.
Users want their online communities back.
Users want their freedom back.
Users want their privacy back.
Above all they need “US” the BBS Sysops to make it happen.
Fast forward to today and what do we have?
Some would argue that this is where websites like the dreaded Facebook & forums come into their own, but do they? Erm no! I for one do not need to know what someone is doing every second of every day. “Brushing My Teeth”, “Having a shower” “Getting breakfast” ?!?
So where does all this leave us today? Well we can all resign ourselves to the fact that a BBS is now an old system that will never be used again OR look at new things we can do with the older technology.
The main point that the survey came up with was privacy. This is where I think the BBS will shine in the next 5 years.
Governments are always monitoring and closing sites that they don't agree with. Sites like Wiki Leaks, The Piratebay etc..
Re: .: The Humble BBS :.&
By: Raven to All on Sun Jan 25 2015 09:37:00
Hi Raven, very interesting post! Let me jump into the conversation
Fast forward to today and what do we have?
Some would argue that this is where websites like the dreaded Facebook
Teethforums come into their own, but do they? Erm no! I for one do not needto
know what someone is doing every second of every day. “Brushing My
,BBSes.
“Having a shower” “Getting breakfast” ?!?
Exactly, social media websites like Twitter or Facebook cannot replace
Facebook is all about getting likes, follows, self promotion... it's me meme.
BBSes were all about the community (local in most cases). I think this isthe
hidden reason why BBSes didn't dissapear completely yet. We need tounderstand
what made them so awesome. It's not just the nostalgia factor!the
So where does all this leave us today? Well we can all resign ourselvesto
the fact that a BBS is now an old system that will never be used againOR
look at new things we can do with the older technology.
I would add a third option. 3: Create a modern version of BBSes with new technologies. I know a lot of BBS folks might be turn down by this idea because
they don't want to lose BBSes in their current form. I understant that. I would
not want to lose them neither! Still, as the older BBSes remain alive, it would
be possible to create a modern version with new technologies.
To make it possible though we would first have to do a brainstorm with all
BBS users we can get. Our mission would be to extract the "jewel" that is hidden in BBSes. A bit like what you did with your survey but in moredetails.
I would be more than happy to participate to such a brainstorm.I
The main point that the survey came up with was privacy. This is where
agreethink the BBS will shine in the next 5 years.
Governments are always monitoring and closing sites that they don't
canwith. Sites like Wiki Leaks, The Piratebay etc..
Unfortunately telnet would not help us have more privacy. Telnet is an internet
protocol after all, and a very insecure one. We would need to think about ways
to make new bbses more secure on the internet... but the NSA and the likes have
long arms and lot of resources. Ahh... let's bring back phone modems so we
access remote computers without Internet! Ok, maybe I'm going a little too far... or am I? :)
Thanks for the inspiring read.
--
Deneb
---
þ Synchronet þ Tinfoil Tetrahedron BBS telnet://tinfoil.synchro.net
I would add a third option. 3: Create a modern version of BBSes with new technologies. I know a lot of BBS folks might be turn down by this idea because
they don't want to lose BBSes in their current form. I understant that. I would
not want to lose them neither! Still, as the older BBSes remain alive, it would
be possible to create a modern version with new technologies.he
To make it possible though we would first have to do a brainstorm with all t
BBS users we can get. Our mission would be to extract the "jewel" that is hidden in BBSes. A bit like what you did with your survey but in more details.
I would be more than happy to participate to such a brainstorm.I
The main point that the survey came up with was privacy. This is where
eethink the BBS will shine in the next 5 years.
Governments are always monitoring and closing sites that they don't agr
netwith. Sites like Wiki Leaks, The Piratebay etc..
Unfortunately telnet would not help us have more privacy. Telnet is an inter
protocol after all, and a very insecure one. We would need to think about ways
to make new bbses more secure on the internet... but the NSA and the likes have
long arms and lot of resources. Ahh... let's bring back phone modems so we can
access remote computers without Internet! Ok, maybe I'm going a little too far... or am I? :)
Thanks for the inspiring read.
--
Deneb
I would add a third option. 3: Create a modern version of BBSes with new technologies. I know a lot of BBS folks might be turn down by this idea because they don't want to lose BBSes in their current form. I understant
I think another reason why im so very keen on getting my setup working
the best it can be is that next year here in Ireland ALL ISP's will be monitored.
This means that you will be sent out a letter if you download a file
your not supposed to like a film or an MP3.
There will be no privacy any more as EVERYTHING will be monitored.
It would be nice for the system to have end to end encryption so "They" can see whats going down the line.
Im not sure how they can get away with this as I know alot of business users are up in arms over the ISP seeing their customer data.
Not to mention the implications of the Data Protection Act ??
Well thanks again for your comments and I just hope it will encourage
more people to start pushing BBSes again.
I couldn't agree more with Deneb. I think that we need to look at ways to use the new technologies to make the BBS communities more attractive to new users used to the Web. To me, the essense of the BBS that captivates us is that the BBS is a community, by the community, for the community.
I would add a third option. 3: Create a modern version of BBSes with new technologies. I know a lot of BBS folks might be turn down by this idea because they don't want to lose BBSes in their current form. I understant that. I would not want to lose them neither! Still, as the older BBSes remain alive, it would be possible to create a modern version with new technologies.
Yeah that would be a start. In that sense BBSes accessible via SSH are more secure. But even then, with the Snowden revelations we know that the NSA can break SSL encryption. For example, they knew about this
The problem is that for the most part, the modern evolution of the BBS is facebook. It is twitter. It is reddit. The big difference is that due to high long distance charges at the time, BBSing was almost always a local community of people that would have probably never met any other way - and because there were different BBSs in different areas, you could form cliques on different boards (due to the use of alias, people could be in different cliques on different boards) - it was a collection of smaller groups. There was the notion that you were doing something that most people couldn't or wouldn't do.
I think another reason why im so very keen on getting my setup working the best it can be is that next year here in Ireland ALL ISP's will be monitored.
This means that you will be sent out a letter if you download a file your not supposed to like a film or an MP3.
There will be no privacy any more as EVERYTHING will be monitored.
It would be nice for the system to have end to end encryption so "They" can see whats going down the line.
Wow, to be honest this kind of thing pissed me off to no end. I hope Ireland will fight back against this intrustion from its governement (I presume it's the government who wants to spy on you).
Yeah that would be a start. In that sense BBSes accessible via SSH are more secure. But even then, with the Snowden revelations we know that the NSA can break SSL encryption. For example, they knew about this "heartbleed" security hole a couple of years before everyone else learn about it. During this time they were able to exploit the bug to their advantage. The question is now: How many more security holes are they aware of?
Thinking about it, maybe the "new BBSes" should all be on the TOR network. It seems that even the NSA has not been able to completely break this technology.
That would be awesome. I'm sure there are enough of us who know deep inside that BBS are absolutely not dead and that they can shine again!
The problem is that for the most part, the modern evolution of the BBS
is facebook. It is twitter. It is reddit. The big difference is that
due to high long distance charges at the time, BBSing was almost always
a local community of people that would have probably never met any
other way - and because there were different BBSs in different areas,
you could form cliques on different boards (due to the use of alias, people could be in different cliques on different boards) - it was a collection of smaller groups. There was the notion that you were doing something that most people couldn't or wouldn't do.
How do you create that sense of community when anyone can call any
board they want? It's like going to an arcade that has 10 games or downloading MAME and having 5000 games. You appreciate the 10 that you have because that's all you have. When you have 5000 games, you play
each one for 10 seconds until you're bored.
Although I support Snowden's decision to do what he did, I'm not sure
he said anything we don't already know. Years before Snowden came out
and revealed what he revealed, I heard that the US government has made deals with cell phone carriers in the US to provide a back door through their encryption so that the government can listen to peoples' cell
phone conversations.
The BBS experience as an ANSI experience is great. But the first point
of contact for most new users involve websites. We need to focus on improving the web side of the BBS and I think the ANSI BBS will take
care of itself. Need user friendly web interfaces that are based at
least on some current technology. Bring the web BBS experience up to
some sort of current standards.
Re: .: The Humble BBS :.
By: Deneb to Raven on Tue Jan 27 2015 06:53 am
I would add a third option. 3: Create a modern version of BBSes with technologies. I know a lot of BBS folks might be turn down by this id because they don't want to lose BBSes in their current form. I unders
The problem is that for the most part, the modern evolution of the BBS is facebook. It is twitter. It is reddit. The big difference is that due to high long distance charges at the time, BBSing was almost always a local community of people that would have probably never met any other way -
and because there were different BBSs in different areas, you could form cliques on different boards (due to the use of alias, people could be in different cliques on different boards) - it was a collection of smaller groups. There was the notion that you were doing something that most people couldn't or wouldn't do.
How do you create that sense of community when anyone can call any board they want? It's like going to an arcade that has 10 games or downloading MAME and having 5000 games. You appreciate the 10 that you have because that's all you have. When you have 5000 games, you play each one for 10 seconds until you're bored.
One thing I miss about BBSing in the 80s & 90s is the sense of local communi that came from using mainly local BBSes (avoiding long-distance phone charge Now that many BBSes are available via telnet, you can connect to pretty much any BBS around the world, similar to a web forum, so any sense of community isn't necessarily based on locality.
Re: .: The Humble BBS :.forum,
By: Nightfox to nolageek on Tue Jan 27 2015 07:38 pm
One thing I miss about BBSing in the 80s & 90s is the sense of local communi that came from using mainly local BBSes (avoiding long-distance phone charge Now that many BBSes are available via telnet, you can connect to pretty much any BBS around the world, similar to a web
so any sense of community isn't necessarily based on locality.
I telnet to this BBS from Poland. Where is it located?
Exactly, social media websites like Twitter or Facebook cannot replace BBSes. Facebook is all about getting likes, follows, self promotion... it's me me me. BBSes were all about the community (local in most cases). I think
BBSes were all about the community (local in most cases). I think
this is the hidden reason why BBSes didn't dissapear completely yet. We
I would add a third option. 3: Create a modern version of BBSes with new technologies. I know a lot of BBS folks might be turn down by this idea
The problem is that for the most part, the modern evolution of the BBS is facebook. It is twitter. It is reddit. The big difference is that due to high long distance charges at the time, BBSing was almost always a local community of people that would have probably never met any other way - and
Indeed! The sense of community was so strong. The BBSes were like "villages", all with their distinct colors and personalities. These
villages could talk to each other but in the end they were all independent.
It's funny because, "In the real life", people want this again! Local communities, local currencies, local markets, etc. How many time we hear people speaking (rightfully so) about the importance of "buying local" ? So if a significant portion of people desire this kind of model in the non
Although I support Snowden's decision to do what he did, I'm not sure he said anything we don't already know. Years before Snowden came out and revealed what he revealed, I heard that the US government has made deals
they arent replacing bbses... they are BETTER than bbses. they provide people of today with what they want.
bbses didnt totally disappear yet because you cant teach an old dog new tricks. we are stubborn and dont change.
I know people that've gone into the NSA. Devious and manipulative technological savants that you don't want near your significant other, let alone precious data. They know about all kinds of stuff. I'll tell more in a bit here.
Well, that was developed by the US Navy and DARPA. They may not have it broken, but I guarantee they've got a whole lot of outbound enabled TOR nodes that they sniff the content from in order to trace back. And bandwidth profiling can tell a lot about the traffic going out. To be foolproof... Well, hold on a sec here.. Regardless, my BBS will be available via TOR soonish here.
It's simple. You create a community around a single fandom. When I took a break from BBSing, and sysoping, I had gotten a new hobby. I turned to bulk vending. Believe it or not, there are online forums out there for vending. I spent a lot of time on it. Believe me, I definitely saw the similaries between that forum and BBSes. The forum was called VenDiscuss it uses Community Forum Software by IP.Board. It had all the usual suspects that you would find in your typical BBS; grouped messages, personal user emails, games, chat, classifieds, galleries, etc.
Personally, I think that the BBSes *have* migrated to the web, and that is what it looks like now.
It's funny because, "In the real life", people want this again! Local
communities, local currencies, local markets, etc. How many time we
hear people speaking (rightfully so) about the importance of "buying
local" ? So if a significant portion of people desire this kind of
model in the non
they SAY that is what they want. what their intentions are is entirely different.
Although I support Snowden's decision to do what he did, I'm not sure
he said anything we don't already know. Years before Snowden came out
and revealed what he revealed, I heard that the US government has made
deals
well i dont support what he did. what he did was illegal. he could have taken other routes. he's no hero.
Exactly, social media websites like Twitter or Facebook cannot replace
BBSes. Facebook is all about getting likes, follows, self promotion...
it's me me me. BBSes were all about the community (local in most
cases). I think
they arent replacing bbses... they are BETTER than bbses. they provide people of today with what they want.
Re: Re: .: The Humble BBS :.
By: Gryphon to nolageek on Wed Jan 28 2015 09:55:00
Hi Gryphon,
It's simple. You create a community around a single fandom. When I to break from BBSing, and sysoping, I had gotten a new hobby. I turned t bulk vending. Believe it or not, there are online forums out there fo vending. I spent a lot of time on it. Believe me, I definitely saw th similaries between that forum and BBSes. The forum was called VenDisc it uses Community Forum Software by IP.Board. It had all the usual suspects that you would find in your typical BBS; grouped messages, personal user emails, games, chat, classifieds, galleries, etc.
Personally, I think that the BBSes *have* migrated to the web, and th what it looks like now.
Maybe you are right. I don't know. I already did the PHPBB experience myself. It's true that it had some similarities with BBSes. The problem
is that discussion forums are not really "sexy". It might not look like
it today, but as you know back then BBSes were pretty high tech. For example you had game developers who would create new games just for
BBSes. There was an ecosystem revolving around BBSes, everyone cared
about them. We cannot say the same with web-based discussion forums. Why is this so?
Is it possible that we threw out the baby with the bath water when the Internet arrived in our lives? Why are we still talking about BBSes
today? Nostalgia? Is that the only reason? Or maybe there is something else. Maybe there was something in the BBS "architecture" that the Internet was not able (or didn't care) to reproduce yet?
Absolutely. We already knew they did this before the Snowden leaks, but thanks to him it all became mainstream and accepted instantly. No one can deny that the NSA is spying on everyone now. It's great. Well, no, it's not great, it's sad... but it's great at the same time since now everyone knows. Oh, well, you understand. :)
I have absolutely no doubt that these control freaks put their dirty nose EVERYWHERE. You know, the only remedy to this kind of government/corporate intrustion is to stand up and give them the finger. You know like, We're not going to take it anymore so get the F*** out of our lives! :)
That would be awesome. I know that TOR isn't invincible... but everything that makes them work hard and pisses them off is worth it. :)
Which BBS are you referring to? Dove-Net is accessed by multiple BBSes, so you'll need to specify which one.
BBSes,Which BBS are you referring to? Dove-Net is accessed by multiple
so you'll need to specify which one.
So Dove-Net can be accessed from many BBSs? How does it work? I telnet to etow.com.
facebook is actually good for some things. even though it's governed by evil
people, facebook is good for finding lost relatives, msging people when you dont want to give them your phone number and many more things.
I strongly disagree with everything that you said. I respect your opinion but I don't think we're going to be able to exchange ideas together since
we are totally not on the same page.
that Facebook doesn't understand. Other social networks like Diaspora are much, much better... but still in their architecture they just cannot replace BBSes since they don't serve the same purpose.
it's all about extracting the diamond that is hidden inside the old
BBSes and applying it to the modern Internet.
Is it possible that we threw out the baby with the bath water when the Internet arrived in our lives? Why are we still talking about BBSes today? Nostalgia? Is that the only reason? Or maybe there is something else. Maybe there was something in the BBS "architecture" that the Internet was not
able (or didn't care) to reproduce yet?
communities, local currencies, local markets, etc. How many time we
hear people speaking (rightfully so) about the importance of "buying
local" ? So if a significant portion of people desire this kind of
model in the non
they SAY that is what they want. what their intentions are is entirely different.
Why do you say that? I don't understand. What are their intentions then?
The US government's spying activities seem rather seedy, and if there's a law against being straightforward about that to one's own people, that just doesn't seem right.
I think citizens have a right to know what their own
government is up to. There's a lot of corruption and seedy activity going on, and we shouldn't automatically trust that everything the government
does is for our well-being.
Re: .: The Humble BBS :.
By: Mro to Deneb on Wed Jan 28 2015 17:37:50
Exactly, social media websites like Twitter or Facebook cannot replace
BBSes. Facebook is all about getting likes, follows, self promotion...
it's me me me. BBSes were all about the community (local in most
cases). I think
they arent replacing bbses... they are BETTER than bbses. they provide people of today with what they want.
If you think those are better than BBSes, why are you still using BBSes?
I'm sorry Deneb, but it's sound like you are trying to force BBSes into a mold of your own liking. For me, A BBS "Is what it is". You appreciate it for what it has to offer, and don't try to make it into something it isn't. It reminds me of having Tofurkey for thanksgiving dinner. Why don't you just make a tofu dish and not call it something it isn't.
This I can agree with. Thanks to FB I've been reunited with friends
and family I lost contact with years ago.
I'm sorry Deneb, but it's sound like you are trying to force BBSes into a mold of your own liking. For me, A BBS "Is what it is". You appreciate it for what it has to offer, and don't try to make it into something it isn't. It reminds me of having Tofurkey for thanksgiving dinner. Why don't you just make a tofu dish and not call it something it isn't.
If you think those are better than BBSes, why are you still using
BBSes?
i dont really call bbses anymore, but i use pretty much everything i can get my hands on.
i'm sure not going to talk to my real life friends on a bbs, or email my boss on a bbs and tell him i'm going to call in sick. i'm also not going
Re: Re: .: The Humble BBS :.
By: Gryphon to Deneb on Thu Jan 29 2015 09:26:00
I'm sorry Deneb, but it's sound like you are trying to force BBSes in mold of your own liking. For me, A BBS "Is what it is". You appreci it for what it has to offer, and don't try to make it into something isn't. It reminds me of having Tofurkey for thanksgiving dinner. Why don't you just make a tofu dish and not call it something it isn't.
Really? I didn't want to sound like I'm trying to "force" anything at
all. I'm just sharing my ideas with everyone who care, mate.
And what is a BBS exactly? You're telling me I'm trying to make it into something it isn't. I don't understand what you mean. I love BBSes so dearly this is why I speak about them. I don't want them to fall into total oblivion.
I have nothing against discussion boards on the web. They're great but
to me these are not "modern" BBSes at all. I don't think I'm the only
one on the planet who think that way.
And I love BBSes in their current form (reto style) too. These BBSes
could co-exist with modern ones, why could they not?
NOOOOO!
hey, i've only been doing this shit for 25 years. i have no idea
what i'm talking about.
i dont really call bbses anymore, but i use pretty much everything i can get my hands on.
i'm sure not going to talk to my real life friends on a bbs, or email my boss on a bbs and tell him i'm going to call in sick. i'm also not going
I agree that Facebook & such are good, as everything has its use. I use Facebook quite a bit myself, to keep in touch with friends & family and see what people are up to, and to see what news & info people are sharing
for 25 years so when I say Facebook is better than BBSes, it's because it
is the truth!!1". How stupid can you get... seriously.
I just arrived on these boards. High enthusiasm, happy, upbeat... to share some of my views, ideas and creativity with people... and then I stumble upon you, an antipatic, condescending know-it-all jerk who never have
upon you, an antipatic, condescending know-it-all jerk who never have anything of value to say.
This attitude of yours is like a cancer to these boards.
You don't like the idea of modern BBSes^ Fine! It was just an idea. I
wanted to discuss in an intelligent manner. Seems like you are not able to do this... but you don't need to be a jackass.
This is the last time I write to you, so don't bother replying. I'm not going to waste my time and energy anymore on you.
Still, have a good day
When I go out to dinner, I have many options; I can have seafood, chinese, italian, or pizza. Is one better than the other? No, it's just about your mood at the time. There is a chinese buffet in town that has chinese food, mexican food and american food all in one buffet. I personally don't like it, because it's trying to be all things to everbody. Modernizing BBSes has the same feel as trying to be all things to everybody. I'm not sure why you are trying to 'modernize' BBSes.
Then focus on that, and don't try to turn it into a web BBS, or some app on your phone. Maybe the way to do it is to offer up different methods for connecting, like from a website using flashterm or something similar. Or create an iphone/android app that truely embraces the user experience. That is how I see you being able to bring BBSes into the mainstream.
i hope fb doesnt become groupware for the workplace, that's something i heard they are trying to push. i think that's a horrible idea.
By: Mro to Nightfox on Sat Jan 31 2015 00:00:50
i hope fb doesnt become groupware for the workplace, that's something
i heard they are trying to push. i think that's a horrible idea.
I heard about that recently. When I saw that, I thought: As if business want their employees spending time reading and posting on Facebook?
Nightfox
great with our villages (BBSes). Now I think we are at a point where we wantto
get back what we threw away when the Internet came. It's not really the BBS technology that needs to be revived, it's the BBS spirit. Haha, I'm ramblinga
bit. I hope you get what I'm saying :)
--
Deneb
I heard about that recently. When I saw that, I thought: As if business want their employees spending time reading and posting on Facebook?
Facebook is a Disneyland, packaged community. They want you to come and spend some time there so they can track your habits and put ads in front of your eyeballs. But to them, you are just another data point among millions. They don't care about you, they care about numbers.
The problem when we talk about "web based BBSes" however is that it is
a turn-off to almost all old school BBS users like myself. I picture myself clicking on a bunch of links on a website and I wonder what's the point? It's not a BBS, it's just another damn website! :) For this reason,
I think new BBSes should function like an application and not like a website. We would need a rich client that runs inside a browser (and/or a standalone client for those who prefer this option).
they arent replacing bbses... they are BETTER than bbses. they
provide people of today with what they want.
I strongly disagree with everything that you said. I respect your opinion but I don't think we're going to be able to exchange ideas together since we are totally not on the same page.
BBSes and applying it to the modern Internet. It has nothing to do about nostalgia or living in the past. It's all about being progressive, a word that Facebook doesn't understand. Other social networks like Diaspora are much, much better... but still in their architecture they just cannot replace BBSes since they don't serve the same purpose.
Re: .: The Humble BBS :.
By: Deneb to Mro on Wed Jan 28 2015 09:03 pm
they arent replacing bbses... they are BETTER than bbses. they
provide people of today with what they want.
I strongly disagree with everything that you said. I respect your opi but I don't think we're going to be able to exchange ideas together s we are totally not on the same page.
Exactly, where on Facebook can you hold a forum? It's just pictures of people in real life, and then comments on it. There are groups, but
again just pictures and comments, no deep conversation. BBSes allow for communication verbally. Message boards are BBS-like, but Facebook is
not BBS-like at all.
The standalone program exists; it is SyncTERM. Maybe a for-dummies version using SyncTERM as the back-end engine could draw in new users. A simple program with different BBSes preloaded as clickable buttons to choose which one to log onto. With cool logon graphics to indicate to the user the novel (for them) method that they are actually logging onto a computer (OMG, like a hacker!) and not just downloading webpages.
The standalone program exists; it is SyncTERM. Maybe a for-dummies version using SyncTERM as the back-end engine could draw in new users. A simple program with different BBSes preloaded as clickable buttons to choose which one to log onto. With cool logon graphics to indicate to the user the novel (for them) method that they are actually logging onto a computer (OMG, like a hacker!) and not just downloading webpages.
Yes, my use of BBSes has nothing to do with nostalgia. I perfere the interface; it's clean and looks good, colorful and easy on the eyes. It's a fast way to send messages to my family members. And it's just cool to have the BBS next to you! Or as a user, to go somewhere physical.
The standalone program exists; it is SyncTERM. Maybe a for-dummies version using SyncTERM as the back-end engine could draw in new users. A simple program with different BBSes preloaded as clickable buttons to choose which one to log onto.
The BBS buttons could be updated automatically from the Telnet BBS Guide listing. This way all BBSes have a fair chance, and not just the most popular being the only ones listed. But sorted by popularity, so their first experience is not a "dead" BBS.
Yes, my use of BBSes has nothing to do with nostalgia. I perfere the interface; it's clean and looks good, colorful and easy on the eyes. It's
Exactly, where on Facebook can you hold a forum? It's just pictures of people in real life, and then comments on it. There are groups, but again just pictures and comments, no deep conversation. BBSes allow for communication verbally. Message boards are BBS-like, but Facebook is not BBS-like at all.
That's not a bad idea, actually. Maybe a GTK wrapper around SyncTERM, or a C# version of it. God if it weren't for the character set & graphics horror I'd give that a bit of a shot in C#.
That's an interesting idea! Personally what I have in mind is more like a 100% asynchronous web (not telnet) interface written in javascript. The client could be written with a tool such as EmberJS, Backbone or AngularJS... and the server... I don't know. PHP, Ruby On Rails, Sinatra, some NodeJS framework , or anything else.
The UI could be 100% HTML5 & CSS... completely customizable by the sysops, using a built-in scripting language that the BBS software would provide.
It's still a very immature idea though. I'm not sure if it's a good one.
But the idea would be to preserve the BBS spirit and apply it to modern web technologies so more people could enyoy them.
Plus, like what Khelair was saying, the content is different. Instead of just narcisistically posting about yourself, or peering into other's lives, BBS users are contributing to conversations.
website. We would need a rich client that runs inside a browser
(and/or a standalone client for those who prefer this option).
The standalone program exists; it is SyncTERM. Maybe a for-dummies version
opinion but I don't think we're going to be able to exchange ideas together since we are totally not on the same page.
Exactly, where on Facebook can you hold a forum? It's just pictures of people in real life, and then comments on it. There are groups, but again
but again just pictures and comments, no deep conversation. BBSes allow for communication verbally. Message boards are BBS-like, but Facebook is not BBS-like at all.
<cough>google plus<cough>
That could be easily done by configuring the OS to associate telnet URLs with SyncTerm (or any other BBS-compatible telnet client).
I think nostalgia is a big part of it for some people. That's one of the main reasons I got back into BBSing and started running a BBS again. I realized I missed the look & feel and interaction on BBSes. I like the interface too, but more for the challenge of making things work well with the interface rather than because it's cleaner or looks better (I do think it can look nice though).
Some groups on Facebook are very much bbs like with actual conversations.. others not so much... for me, it pretty much allows me to keep in touch
with family and post pictures of food-porn.
I think nostalgia is a big part of it for some people. That's one of
i'm not so sure about that. i think nostalgia is a word they throw out because they arent putting thought into their answer.
why are you visiting a bbs "oh i love the nostalgia" meanwhile they go away after a week or so and probably dont come back.
not only that, but the site is barely up.
I've thought it would be cool to write a graphical connection manager for synchronet (probably C#, basic and capable of running with mono) that pulls from a shared directory (with voluntary stats) so that popularity can be determined... Of course I've had lots of thoughts over the years...
i wanted to like google plus, but i just cant. google does not know what
the shit it is doing when it comes to social media.
I'm gonna write down some notes, maybe I'll get to looking into it at
some point. The character set redefinition really scares me, though. Heh.
If you run syncterm in sdl mode, you really don't need to worry about the character sets for ansi-bbs connections... Which reminds me of another thought/issue and that is supporting utf8 clients, etc.. where translating block characters is necessary.
Tracker1 wrote to Khelair <=-
That's not a bad idea, actually. Maybe a GTK wrapper around SyncTERM, or a C# version of it. God if it weren't for the character set & graphics horror I'd give that a bit of a shot in C#.
I've thought it would be cool to write a graphical connection manager
for synchronet (probably C#, basic and capable of running with mono)
that pulls from a shared directory (with voluntary stats) so that popularity can be determined... Of course I've had lots of thoughts
over the years... --
My next step is to either to interact with the board over SSH, or start writing a server side daemon interacting directly with the system.
Depends on how much time I can devote to it right now.
My next step is to either to interact with the board over SSH, or start writing a server side daemon interacting directly with the system. Depends on how much time I can devote to it right now.
Have a look at how gtkMonitor does it. You can do a lot with just filesystem access thanks to all the various semaphore files.
i wanted to like google plus, but i just cant. google does not know what the shit it is doing when it comes to social media.
I really like how google plus works.. but everyone I know is not on it, and even then nobody is using it. What I don't get is the people that use kik... --
as much as people refuse to admit it, facebook is a useful tool for some things.
One thing I miss about BBSing in the 80s & 90s is the sense of local community that came from using mainly local BBSes (avoiding long-distance phone charges). Now that many BBSes are available via telnet, you can connect to pretty much any BBS around the world, similar to a web forum, so any sense of community isn't necessarily based on locality.
That's a good point but here is how I see it. Back in the days the local aspect was mandatory. You could simply not call on every BBSes because there were technical limitations. Today, these limitations are gone so the local aspect would have to be *desired* by the users themselves.
Nowadays a growing number of people are forming small communities in
real life. We hear more and more about communities who create their own currency, about people who buy from local artisans instead of going to walmart, etc. So the desire is there. It's like we came to the realization
that globalization didn't work or, at the very least, was not always desirable. I could be wrong, but I think that this "local movement" is finding echoes in the Internet community too.
How do you create that sense of community when anyone can call any
board they want? It's like going to an arcade that has 10 games or
downloading MAME and having 5000 games. You appreciate the 10 that
you have because that's all you have. When you have 5000 games, you
play each one for 10 seconds until you're bored.
Yes, you're right. Again, for this to work people would need to have the desire to stick with only a few boards, those they really like, instead of
visiting them all as if it was a all-you-can-eat buffet. :)
Absolutely. We already knew they did this before the Snowden leaks, but thanks to him it all became mainstream and accepted instantly. No one can deny that the NSA is spying on everyone now. It's great. Well, no, it's not great, it's sad... but it's great at the same time since now everyone knows. Oh, well, you understand. :)
If you mean keeping the ANSI BBSes as they are while developing a new kind of BBSes on modern technologies, then I'm with you at 100%!
The problem when we talk about "web based BBSes" however is that it is
a turn-off to almost all old school BBS users like myself. I picture myself clicking on a bunch of links on a website and I wonder what's the point? It's not a BBS, it's just another damn website! :) For this reason,
I think new BBSes should function like an application and not like a website. We would need a rich client that runs inside a browser (and/or a standalone client for those who prefer this option). The rich client could be developped using javascript platforms such as AngularJS or EmberJS. Every calls to the server would be done behind the scene to avoid any annoying page load. Door games and utilities would be written in HTML5 / Javascript, etc. Endless possibilities!
I'm getting a little bit technical so I will stop here. I've been thinking about this a lot lately :)
If you were a complete jerk-ass in the old days, someone could probably do the work to figure out who you were, figure out when you typically got home from work, and drive across town and give you a good beat down. Unless you
When the media began to rail endlessly about how the internet has become anti-social a few years ago, I thought back to how there was a limiting factor to some of that in the old BBS days.
If a problem user didn't get booted off a BBS by the sysop for being an ass, then people could handle it themselves.
If you were a complete jerk-ass in the old days, someone could probably do the work to figure out who you were, figure out when you typically got home from work, and drive across town and give you a good beat down. Unless you were bad bad Leroy Brown, you tended to give that some thought before mouthing off online.
That's a good point - although back then, I imagine it was probably
harder to find out someone's address. Since users often use handles,
you wouldn't necessarily know a user's real name (needed to look them up in a phone book). Nightfox
i never heard of that happening. the worst i've heard of is people getting their phone wires cut.
One thing I miss about BBSing in the 80s & 90s is the sense of localIf a problem user didn't get booted off a BBS by the sysop for being an ass, then people could handle it themselves.
community that came from using mainly local BBSes (avoiding
If you were a complete jerk-ass in the old days, someone could probably do the work to figure out who you were, figure out when you typically got home from work, and drive across town and give you a good beat down.
i never heard of that happening. the worst i've heard of is people
getting their phone wires cut.
that was *very* common in the late 80s early 90s in 201 (north jersey)
-+-
-SD
That's a good point - although back then, I imagine it was probably harder to find out someone's address. Since users often use handles, you wouldn't necessarily know a user's real name (needed to look them up in a phone book).
Figuring out who someone was, was done by social engineering. You'd figure out who on the boards appeared to be friends, and figure out which of the friends you knew, and infer info from that. Or you could check with a sympathetic sysop, even on other boards in town, to see if one would share some info.
[BN]
Re: .: The Humble BBS :.
By: Mro to Binary Ninja on Mon Jun 22 2015 09:34 pm
i never heard of that happening. the worst i've heard of is people getting their phone wires cut.
that was *very* common in the late 80s early 90s in 201 (north jersey)
-+-
Not that I would beat anyone down, but i used to voice validate all acounts by a handle that I didn't recognise from other boards or if someone just left a short "validate me" new user message. I talked to
so many kid's parents back then, it was a different time.
Me: "Hello, this is vincent; I run a computer BBS someone there asked to join. I'm looking for someone that goes by Wizard78?"
Wizard78's Mom: "Eddie! It's for you! It's one of those computer people again!"
that was *very* common in the late 80s early 90s in 201 (north
jersey) -+-
I think I spent most of my time on boards that didn't validate users. Having a handle and creating an online persona was so much more interesting than the mundane details of being a broke teenager.
| Sysop: | MCMLXXIX |
|---|---|
| Location: | Prospect, CT |
| Users: | 325 |
| Nodes: | 10 (0 / 10) |
| Uptime: | 47:58:25 |
| Calls: | 508 |
| Messages: | 220038 |