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From: Digital Man's blog

Why BBS?
By Rob Swindell, 1:103/705, rob@synchro.net

In the title, "Why BBS?", I'm using "BBS" as a verb. In other
words: "Why should anyone do anything with BBSes?".

Of course, the plural noun "BBSes" I'm referring to here are the
arcane systems you can run (as a sysop) or connect to (as a
user) today which emulate or replicate the old dial-up bulletin
board systems of the late 1970's through the 1990's. These BBS
connections are typically over the Internet using terminal
protocols like Telnet or SSH, but may also include traditional
dial-up modem connections over the "plain-old telephone service"
or even over amateur-licensed radio frequencies. But since
you're here reading this, you probably already knew that.

BBS users or sysops that are either new to the scene or
returning after a long absence often offer their observations
about the state of BBSing and their recommendations to restore
or at least increase the popularity of BBSes beyond the niche
they serve today. But not everyone has the same intentions or
goals when it comes to this hobby, so while some may think
relatively low usership or participation indicates something is
wrong, others might not see that as a problem. If you want
content consumption or participation from thousands of daily
users, maybe a BBS isn't the right thing for you. There are
certainly plenty of other interactive platforms and technologies
that may be more accessible or attractive to your target
audience or user group.

I'm not trying to talk you out of using or running a BBS; I just
think you should have realistic expectations. If *you* like
using or running a BBS, that should be all that matters. You
can't force that enjoyment or desire on others. If you can't
find the content or participation level you'd like to see in
BBSes, it's doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong
with BBSes.

If the BBS users and sysops of the 1980's and 90's were asked to
describe their dream online system of the future, they probably
would describe something similar to the AOL/CompuServe/Prodigy
online services of early 90's or the modern social media
Internet services of today, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Reddit,
YouTube, etc. I doubt very much they would envision a modal 80
x 25 ANSI terminal interface as the ideal online user experience
of the future!

I still endeavor to improve the content availability and user
experience of today's BBSes, but I'm under no delusion that any
BBS is about to supplant the behemoth social media services that
have been and continue to be created and cultivated by
mega-corporations.

However, that doesn't mean that BBSes can't remain fascinating
and captivating to those who are inclined to be fascinated and
captivated by them. *My* first fascination with BBSes was
because they were obscure and arcane: very few people at the
time were online and here was this secret world I had
discovered. I had similar discoveries later with MUDs, IRC,
CU-SeeMe and amateur radio. I'm attracted to these obscure
hobbies and enjoy the comradery I find in others with the same
interests.

Today, my interest with BBSes is more in the technical challenge
of marrying old technologies with new and creating bug-free
software while also trying to inspire BBS content creators and
participation among the BBS users we do have. I don't
necessarily think we need more BBSes or even more BBS users: if
all of today's BBS users just used one BBS, that'd probably
provide the BBS experience that a lot of users would
enjoy/expect more than the hundreds of tiny islands we have.
But having more BBSes provides more technical challenges for me
to solve: more platforms to support, more variance in
sysop-customization and configuration and BBS inter-networking
use-cases. And most of us really do like the idea of having
their own island to decorate and dominate as they see fit; so I
focus on inter-connecting hundreds of tiny islands as seamlessly
as possible with an engaging user experience. And that's fun
for me!

So that brings me back to the question: "Why BBS?" and here are
the answers I have to offer you:

Nostalgia: you likely BBSed back in your younger years and
its one of the ways we can still feel young

Obscurity: it's highly unlikely your ex or your next
prospective employer is going to find and judge your BBS
activity

Independence: the content, management and durability of your
BBS is really up to you (it's your island)

Challenge: the technical challenges involved should be fun
and give you a sense of wonder and accomplishment

Creativity: within the limited confines of BBSes, there's
still plenty of room for the astonishment and inspiration of
others

Experience: believe it or not, knowing how BBSes work may
give you a step ahead in your future technical aspirations

Community: there is a BBS community, or several, and they
will likely welcome your participation and enthusiasm for the
hobby

So in summary, I agree: BBSes can be made more accessible and
user-friendly than they are today and support more mainstream
use-cases than they do today. And maybe, probably, some of
those enhancements will come to fruition in the near future.
Maybe your contributions will help drive the innovation you
seek. But in the meantime, see if you can find the enjoyment
and inspiration that we've found in the BBSes of today and
rejoice in that!



FIDOGAZETTE Vol 12 No 39 Page 4 September 26, 2018


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--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-3
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