A BBS Retro experience

[Micom 2000]

I just checked out the "Retrochallenge" site that I had bookmarked. Couln't find the original announcement.

http://retrochallenge.net/2008/winter/index.html

An interesting idea and site. They have a BBS forum and I accessed it, registered etc.
WaZoo !! What a retrograde experience !

I virtually lived on BBS's thru the late 80s and 90s. The sysop on the Atari BBS in Toronto called me "cheap" cause I couldn't afford more than the 2400 I was using rather than a 9600. Hell I could barely afford floppies and he attributed any problems I had to this, rather than his own inadequate set-up. The sys-op reigned supreme in those days and challenging him meant banishment. That was devastating if the BBS was especially necessary to your needs.

I entered the world of the Internet thru the Toronto Freenet BBS(Compuserve was for the wealthy or corporations) and later explored other Freenets including the Case-Western and one based in Nova Scotia, Can., called the Chebucto Bay Freenet.
Voila ! That is the host of the site.

We used Lynx and all the Archie-comics based, and other primitive apps., as compared to the point and click web of today and I had to repeatedly consult the help file to traverse the ins and outs of using the programs. The BBS help file was like an old friend rediscovered.
I've been avoiding the on-line BBS' but that was fun.

Lawrence

 

[Yzzerdd]

Thanks for the reminder of the BBS! I finally figured out Telnet and went there, and it was amazing! That was the first time I ever used a BBS. It would be awesome if the forums had some sort of "BBS" on Telnet. The posts and such would have to be syncronized between the two, and obviously for some features you would have to use the "WWW" version of the forums, but still, I would gladly pony up some cash for that!(hint hint)

--Ryan

 

[Terry Yager]

I first experienced the Internet via the FreeNet system myself. I think my Toronto account predated even my Detroit account, which eventually became my only account, as the several others were deleted for lack of use. I remember lynx, pine, archie, veronica, wais, gopher, etc...Ahh, the good ol' dayz, can't beat a CLI. Couldn't login tho, have to try again later.

--T

 

[Micom 2000]

There was also a "Jughead" IIRC. can't recall what it did tho. A strange bunch those early internet guys. They had a refreshing throwaway lack of reverence, much like the later hackers, as opposed to the reverential corporate guys which we endure now-a-days.

Lawrence

I first experienced the Internet via the FreeNet system myself. I think my Toronto account predated even my Detroit account, which eventually became my only account, as the several others were deleted for lack of use. I remember lynx, pine, archie, veronica, wais, gopher, etc...Ahh, the good ol' dayz, can't beat a CLI. Couldn't login tho, have to try again later.

--T

 

[MikeS]

What, no mention of Canada Remote Systems, right here in good old TO?
(Well, OK, Mississauga...)

Mike
(Still using Toronto FreeNet BTW)

 

[Micom 2000]

I'd forgotten about CRS. I sent an old catalogue of software available from RCP/M to the
York U Computer Museum. RCP/M was the origin of CRS. CRS was also the main force behind the short-lived NANET I beleve. With all the free BBS sites most using Fido-net, and later usenet, available I avoided them.

Googling CRS I discovered an archive of the CBM section of CRS files. A scoop if I was still an active Commodore user. I left Toronto in 2001. Good to hear TorFree is still functioning.

Lawrence.

=MikeS;54387]What, no mention of Canada Remote Systems, right here in good old TO?
(Well, OK, Mississauga...)

Mike
(Still using Toronto FreeNet BTW)[/QUOTE]