TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Era of the BBS


Re: Era of the BBS


Tony P. (nospam.kd1s@cox.nospam.net)
Mon, 9 Jan 2006 19:07:31 -0500

In article <telecom25.12.2@telecom-digest.org>, Jason Scott
<textfiles.com> says:

> The TEXTFILES.COM Historical BBS List:
> An introduction by Jason Scott

> As the age of the Dial-Up BBS draws to a close, I thought it necessary
> to ensure a way to keep some understanding of the role of BBSes in the
> growth of the Internet. More importantly, I thought it might be fun to
> collect the phone numbers of every known dial-up BBS and find a way to
> enshrine them in one easy-to-browse list. This way, people could look
> back at the area codes and exchanges of their youth and remember all
> these electronic places, these meeting houses and hangouts that formed
> a part of so many people's youth.

I assume you've done it already. I've been forwarded that list several
times in my history on the net.

I used to administer Syslink at 401-272-1138

And now for some history. You see, in 1982 I'd just gotten a sum of
money and decided to buy a Radio Shack DC-1 modem. No automated
features, but it was direct connect.

The only BBS in town at the time was NYBBLINK. Two months after I got
my modem NYBBLINK ceased to exist. So with some pressure on the friend
that convinced me to buy the modem, Syslink was born.

Originally written by Don Lambert with serious debugging by me it ran
on a modified TRS-80 Model III. This machine had multiple serial
ports, an ISAM disk operating system, etc.

Syslink begat PowerCor and PowerNet developed and run by Andy Green.

PowerCor begat Andy Green's dream -- Intelecom Data Systems (IDS)

IDS was sold by Andy Green and became Conversent Communications.

All because I bought a modem to connect to a bbs that disappeared soon
after.

Tony

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