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Most of the [[information]] was presented using ordinary text or [[ANSI art]], though some offered graphics, particularly after the rise in popularity of the [[GIF]] image format. Such use of [[graphics]] taxed available [[bandwidth]], which in turn propelled demand for faster modems. Towards the early [[1990s]], the BBS industry became so popular that it spawned two monthly magazines, ''[http://www.boardwatch.com/ Boardwatch]'' and ''[[BBS Magazine]]'', which devoted extensive coverage of the software and technology innovations and people behind them, and listings to US and worldwide BBSes. In addition, a major monthly magazine, "[[Computer Shopper]]", carried a list of BBSes along with a brief abstract of each of their offerings.
Before commercial Internet access became common, [[computer network|networks]] of BBSes provided regional and international e-mail and message bases. Some even provided [[gateway]]s by which [[member]]s could send/receive e-mail to/from the [[Internet]]. Elaborate schemes allowed users to download binary files, search [[Gopher protocol|gopherspace]], and interact with distant [[Computer program|programs]], all using plaintext e-mail. Most BBS networks were not linked in realtime. Instead, each would dial up the next in line, and/or a regional hub, at preset intervals to exchange files and messages.
The largest BBS network was [[FidoNet]], which is still used, to some extent, especially outside of the United States. Many other BBS networks followed the example of Fidonet, using the same standards and the same software. They were called '''FTN''' (Fidonet Technology Networks). They were usually smaller and targeted at selected audiences.
With the rise of the [[world wide web]] function of the [[Internet]] in the middle/late [[1990s]] BBSes rapidly declined in popularity in the west. In China and Taiwan, however, BBSes have gained a considerable increase in popularity since 2000. Several largest BBS sites once had tens of thousands of online users at any time, such as [[SMTH]], [[YTHT]], etc. However, those BBSes located in China have been limited on access or closed since 2004.
Several BBS systems connected directly to the Internet, removing the necessity of direct dial-up and consequently attracting a more geographically diverse user base.
Some general purpose bulletin board systems had special levels of access that were given to those who paid extra money or knew the sysop personally. BBSes that charged money usually had something special to offer their users such as [[door games]], a large user base, or [[pornography]]. While many pay BBSes had pornography, some of the largest BBSes charged users merely for discussion boards. Pay BBSes such as The [[WELL]] and Echo NYC (both of which exist to this day), and [[MindVox]] (which folded in 1996) were admired for their tightly-knit communities and quality discussion forums. However some "free" BBSes maintained close knit communities and some even had annual or bi-annual events where users would travel great distances to see meet face-to-face their on-line friends.
Some BBSes, called ''elite boards,'' were exclusively used for distributing pirated software. 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 weren't a law enforcement officer or a ''[[lamer]].'' The largest elite boards accepted users by invitation only.
Today, BBSing survives as a niche hobby for those who enjoy running BBSes and those users who remember BBSing as an enjoyable pastime. Many BBSes are now accessible over [[telnet]] through software such as [[Synchronet]], and typically offer free [[email]] accounts, web interfaces, ftp file downloads, irc chat and all of the protocols commonly used on the Internet. Revival of the hobby that most presume to be from a "dead era" long since left buried under the sands of time -- has been gaining massive awareness by people who are nostalgic for what is referred to as "the hey-days". Others, including the newer generations of the 21st Century -- are finding out about not only the "old school" BBS Technology -- but its modern day inheritor technology as well. Some BBSes are Web-enabled and have a Web-based user interface, allowing people who have never used a BBS before to use one easily via their favorite web browser. For those more nostalgic for the true BBS experience, one can use [[DOSBox]] and its modem emulation via TCP/IP to dial up Telnet BBSes with 1980's and 1990's era modem software, like [[Telix]], [[Qmodem]] and [[Procomm Plus]].
The website ''[[textfiles.com]]'' serves as a collection point of historical data involving the history of the BBS. The owner of this site produced [[BBS: The Documentary]], a program on [[DVD]] that features interviews with well-known people (mostly from the [[United States]]) from the "hey-day BBS" era.
==Shareware==
Much of the "[[Shareware]]" movement was started via sharing 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 ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'' and ''[[Doom]]'' from [[id Software]] and many [[Apogee Software|Apogee]] games.
''See also:'' [[ANSI escape code]], [[BBS door]], Fido and [[FidoNet]], [[Internet forum]], [[ISCABBS]], and [[Ward Christensen]]
==Features==
A typical BBS has:
* A [[computer]]
* One or more [[modem]]s
* One or more phone lines
* A [[List of BBS software|BBS software package]]
* A [[sysop]] - system operator
* Some BBSes allow [[telnet]] access over the Internet using a telnet server and a virtual [[FOSSIL]] driver:
**COM/IP (Windows)
**GameSrv/NetFOSS (Windows) [popular]
**NetModem (Windows)
**SIO/VMODEM (OS/2)
**Synchronet bbs [Windows, Linux, OS/2][http://www.synchro.net Synchronet Homepage] [popular]
The BBS software usually provides:
* [[Login screen]]
* [[Welcome screen]]
* One or more [[message base]]s
* File areas
* [[Online game]]s (usually single [[Player (game)|player]] or only a single active player at a given time)
* A [[BBS door|doorway]] to third-party online games
* Usage auditing capabilities
* Multi-user chat (more common in later multi-line or telnettable BBSes)
* Internet email (more common in later Internet-connected BBSes)
A BBS will often have mail (or ''mailer'') software to interface with a network, such as [[FidoNet]]. Commonly used mailers include (or have included):
*[http://btxe.sf.net BinkleyTerm] (''widely ported to different [[Operating System]]s'')
*[http://outpostbbs.net/abandonware.html#sgmail SGMail]
*Seadog (''very old!'')
*D'Bridge
*[http://www.defsol.se/ifd.html FrontDoor]
*Intermail
*[http://fmail.nl.eu.org/ FMail]
*[http://www.dsv.nl/~vld/mcmail/mcmail.htm McMail]
*Sinister Offline Mail Reader
*[http://sourceforge.net/projects/xenia-fidonet/ Xenia]
*[http://home.foni.net/~marcusroeckrath/dfue/portal.html Portal of Power]
*Qmail
*Rnet
*MarkMail
*SLMR
*CamMail
*T-Mail
*[http://www.santronics.com/products/pxpress/ Platinum Express] (for use with Wildcat! and WINServer)
*QFront (Wildcat! and PCBoard systems)
==See also==
* [[List of BBS software]]
* [[BBS: The Documentary]]
===Notable BBSes===
* [[Demon Roach Underground]], a popular hacker BBS and former home of [[CULT OF THE DEAD COW]]
* [[ISCABBS]], the largest worldwide BBS located at the [[University of Iowa]].
* [[Rusty n Edie's BBS]], raided by the FBI in 1993 and sued by [[Playboy]] in 1997
{{Noteworthy bulletin board system software}}
==External links==
*{{dmoz|Computers/Bulletin_Board_Systems/|Bulletin board systems}}
*[http://archives.thebbs.org The BBS Archives]
*[http://www.archive.org/details/bbs_documentary BBS Documentary Video Collection (Internet Archive)]
*[http://www.dmine.com/bbscorner/ BBS Corner]
*[http://www.dmine.com/telnet/ Telnet BBS Guide]
*[http://bbslist.textfiles.com/ The TEXTFILES.COM Historical BBS List]
*[http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=bbs_ads_a_tour_of_ascii_and_ansi_art_fro_1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 BBS ads: a tour of ASCII and ANSI art from the 80s and 90s][http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=bbs_ads_a_tour_of_ascii_and_ansi_art_fro_2&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1][http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=bbs_ads_a_tour_of_ascii_and_ansi_art_fro_3&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1][http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=bbs_ads_a_tour_of_ascii_and_ansi_art_fro_4&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1][http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=bbs_ads_a_tour_of_ascii_and_ansi_art_fro_5&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1][http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=bbs_ads_a_tour_of_ascii_and_ansi_art_fro_6&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1]
*[http://BBSFiles.com Preserving a Part of BBS History]
[[Category:Bulletin board systems| ]]
[[Category:Internet culture]]
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[[ko:전자게시판]]
[[it:Bulletin board system]]
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[[ja:電子掲示板]]
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[[th:กระดานข่าวอิเล็กทรอนิกส์]]
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[[zh:電子佈告欄系統]]
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