© Mark Ollig
A common question asked during the early 1990s was, “Are you online yet?”
Back then, I had read Howard Rheingold’s book “The Virtual Community.”
With each page, Rheingold’s words reinforced my belief in the potential of what a dial-up computer Bulletin Board System (BBS) could bring.
Rheingold’s words described the benefits of a BBS online community. This new online social media was being used for sharing information, expressing ideas, and exchanging opinions.
Accessing a dial-up BBS required a computer using a communication software program, such as ProComm, along with a modem plugged into the computer and a telephone line.
Most BBSes required you to register to get a username and password.
Registered users of a BBS were then free to participate and communicate their viewpoints on a variety of discussion topics found in the BBS’s text forums.
From home, folks dialed in and were online actively participating in school, local government, and other organizational discussions they were unable to attend in person.
Having already started my own dial-up BBS called “WBBS OnLine!” I understood Rheingold’s enthusiasm for this growing online community.
The BBS community became a virtual venue for real-time interaction with other people.
The authentic “BBS culture” recognized and respected a participant’s opinions, both pro and con, on the topics being discussed.
We also didn’t tolerate any personal attacks, trolling, or hate speech; in those early years, we rarely saw it.
The social theme of a BBS varies from computer software and hardware to local and national politics to hobbies like astronomy, chess, genealogy, fishing, writing, cooking, gardening, music, and much more.
I monitored the text-based real-time conference forums on my own BBS and saw registered users expressing well-thought-out opinions concerning the popular topics of the day.
Before websites began in earnest, many companies had their own inhouse dial-up BBS to allow the growing online public to purchase products.
Many of you may recall local TV and radio stations advertising the telephone number of their computer BBS for the public to dial into.
Newspapers were also going online with their own BBSes.
Schools, universities, and local city governments across the country began BBSes to provide information and communicate with students, parents, and the public.
I started my BBS around 1990, with the desire to become an active participant in the growing local online community scene.
At the time, I subscribed to and learned a lot from a magazine called Boardwatch, which was a popular BBS publication started by Jack Rickard.
While operating my BBS, I frequently chatted with others who were running their own BBS. This person was known as the system operator or SysOp.
Many BBSes used a popular computer software program called “The Major BBS” made by Galacticomm. This is the BBS software I installed on my computer used solely for the BBS.
I also connected six dedicated local telephone lines to my BBS computer, which used 19.2 kbps Hayes modems.
My BBS was called “WBBS OnLine!” (Winsted Bulletin Board Service).
Many hours went into maintaining, promoting, and operating the BBS.
At that time, most BBS operators did not charge any fees to its users, and I didn’t either.
Duties of a SysOp included moderating the real-time conference room chats, adding new menu choices, utilities, and games, and caring for the software and hardware needs of the BBS.
I published ads in the local paper and posted paper flyers all over town. I even obtained a car vanity license plate “WBBS,” in a shameless self-promotional effort.
WBBS users logged in to play graphical games, text-chat in conference forums, check e-messages from other users, and share and download free-ware software, which was mostly DOS utilities and game files.
WBBS also had a UUCP (Unix-to-Unix Copy) interface for sending and receiving files and internet email.
BBS users found mutual camaraderie with others with whom they interacted within the BBS community.
Popular nationwide dial-up BBS services, such as Prodigy, America Online, and CompuServe, charged a monthly subscription fee for access.
In 1990, I subscribed to the Prodigy dial-up service to gather ideas for my own BBS. The Prodigy BBS required us to install client software using floppy disks.
Prodigy offered email, user forums, updated news, weather, sports, and online shopping services.
It may not surprise you to learn I still have my 1990 Prodigy coffee mug, which is in the shape of a computer monitor and keyboard.
For me, the BBS virtual community was like a local coffee shop, where folks gathered and talked about various topics while sipping their favorite brew.
Some of you may be surprised to learn there are still some dial-up BBSes operating independently of the internet.
There are also several BBSes reachable over the internet via telnet.
A few years ago, I exchanged text messages with Rheingold, who acknowledged my appreciation for his 1993 book.
Sure, I miss the days of the BBS community, the ancestor of online social media.
Sometimes, I envision starting another BBS.
People would say those nostalgic days of yesteryear are long gone and will never come back again; however, I recall what my mother used to tell me, “Mark, never say never.”
You can read the online version of “The Virtual Community” at www.rheingold.com/vc/book/intro.html.
A snapshot of how Prodigy’s login screen looked around 1990 can be seen at https://bit.ly/2ZAlD0h.
An ad for “WBBS OnLine!” (which is no longer online) can be seen here https://bit.ly/2Xp7aSa.
Stay safe out there.
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