Long before the Internet....

Onkel Neal · 03-04-09, 12:41 AM

This sure brings back some memories!!

BBS: The Documentary (2005)

Quote:

Long before the Internet escaped from the lab, connected the planet and redefined what it meant to use a computer there was a brave and pioneering band of computer users who spent their time, money and sanity setting up their home computers and phone lines to welcome anyone who called. By using a modem, anyone else who knew the phone number of these computers could connect to them, leave messages, send and recieve files.... and millions did.

They called these places "Bulletin Board Systems", or BBSes. And their collections of messages, rants, thoughts and dreams became the way that an entire generation learned about being online.

When the Internet grew in popularity in the early 1990s, the world of the BBS faded, changed, and became a part of the present networked world.. but it wasn't the same.

A Very Super Market · 03-04-09, 12:49 AM

2005! That's sooooo long ago...

UnderseaLcpl · 03-04-09, 02:03 AM

What an intersting look into the history behind communities like this one. I must confess, I didn't really know any of that before.

Two cool things I learned from that video; I should buy my next computer from Crazy Eddie's, and now that I know a little about the substance material, I can post like I'm an expert and call people names. It's part of our heritage.

Thanks for the vid, Neal

Letum · 03-04-09, 03:02 AM

Before internet?
Doesnotcompute.

Overboard · 03-04-09, 03:36 AM

Internet ?

bookworm_020 · 03-04-09, 04:02 AM

I remember the joy of the old 28kb/s dial modem that seemed so modern back in the late 1990's

TarJak · 03-04-09, 05:15 AM

Aaah the good old days of 1200/75bps modems, handset coupling and the BBS. A mate and I used to run one which aside from a forum and real time chat room included online MP games! 1990 we started and shut it down in 1996.

All this suposedly Web 2.0 stuff is really just the same things that were around then rehashed and dressed in prettier graphics. The principles of communicating in a community have not really changed much from cave man days, just the technology being used.

Platapus · 03-04-09, 07:37 AM

I remember reading on the tech magazines where people were advised not to invest in the "new" 2400 baud modems as the phone lines would not be able to support the data rate.

In the early 80's, I remember, very fondly, with my little 300 baud modem, hooked up to my blazing fast 286, trying to hook up with another BBS.

I guess the current generation just does not have anything to compare with the joy and amazement of:

>can you read this?

>Yes, can you read this?

>this is so cool!

> Yes it is

And it was totally cool to be able to "talk" to another computer.

longam · 03-04-09, 07:46 AM

I had to mail in a 5.25 disk for a printer driver once. Then I discovered a huge magazine (more like a phone book) that had all of the listed BBS numbers in it.

I Dl'ed my drivers from that day...

kiwi_2005 · 03-04-09, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

I remember the joy of the old 28kb/s dial modem that seemed so modern back in the late 1990's

The joy of a 14kb/s modem running on work server with internet sharing to 12 PC's with show all folders enabled & no firewall

I remember the day when Zone alarm came out and i installed it on the server thinking this is rubbish it wont last 12months.

August · 03-04-09, 08:26 AM

I remember BBS's.

Here's another oldie but moldy term: DECnet.

Digital_Trucker · 03-04-09, 08:46 AM

I'm having flashbacks, stop it

Now, where is my Amiga? I know I left it around here somewhere.

Letum · 03-04-09, 09:03 AM

I remember when all this was just fields...

Carotio · 03-04-09, 09:25 AM

It reminds me that a guy I used to study with made his essays, translations and reports on his commodore64, while the rest of us laughed at him, because we had fast 486 pc's.....

Also, I found a couple of years ago while running win98 a commodore64 simulation program and some of the games I used to play in the 80'ies. Talk about nostalgy mode...

I think this guy once told me that it at some point was possible to connect to the internet with a c64. I'm not sure if it was true or just wishthinking.

Just for the record: he does use pc today...

SteamWake · 03-04-09, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Very Super Market

2005! That's sooooo long ago...

I believe that is the date the documentry was made. The technology they are referring to is from circa 1970. I know because I'm one of those aincent relics whom ran / used BBSes with dial up modems and awsome Baud rates of up to 300 :rotfl:

Makes me feel like an anitique to see this discussed in this manner.

03-04-09, 12:49 AM	#2
A Very Super Market The Old Man Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Deep in the Wild Canadian suburbs. Posts: 1,468 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	2005! That's sooooo long ago... __________________ The entire German garrison of Vanviken, right here in your thread!

03-04-09, 02:03 AM	#3
UnderseaLcpl Silent Hunter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Storming the beaches! Posts: 4,254 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	What an intersting look into the history behind communities like this one. I must confess, I didn't really know any of that before. Two cool things I learned from that video; I should buy my next computer from Crazy Eddie's, and now that I know a little about the substance material, I can post like I'm an expert and call people names. It's part of our heritage. Thanks for the vid, Neal __________________ I stole this sig from Task Force

03-04-09, 03:02 AM	#4
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Before internet? Doesnotcompute. __________________

03-04-09, 04:02 AM	#6
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I remember the joy of the old 28kb/s dial modem that seemed so modern back in the late 1990's __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

03-04-09, 07:37 AM	#8
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,360 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I remember reading on the tech magazines where people were advised not to invest in the "new" 2400 baud modems as the phone lines would not be able to support the data rate. In the early 80's, I remember, very fondly, with my little 300 baud modem, hooked up to my blazing fast 286, trying to hook up with another BBS. I guess the current generation just does not have anything to compare with the joy and amazement of: >can you read this? >Yes, can you read this? >this is so cool! > Yes it is And it was totally cool to be able to "talk" to another computer. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

03-04-09, 03:36 AM	#5
Overboard Medic Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 164 Downloads: 124 Uploads: 0	Internet ?

03-04-09, 05:15 AM	#7
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	Aaah the good old days of 1200/75bps modems, handset coupling and the BBS. A mate and I used to run one which aside from a forum and real time chat room included online MP games! 1990 we started and shut it down in 1996. All this suposedly Web 2.0 stuff is really just the same things that were around then rehashed and dressed in prettier graphics. The principles of communicating in a community have not really changed much from cave man days, just the technology being used.

03-04-09, 07:46 AM	#9
longam Admiral Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,014 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0	I had to mail in a 5.25 disk for a printer driver once. Then I discovered a huge magazine (more like a phone book) that had all of the listed BBS numbers in it. I Dl'ed my drivers from that day...

03-04-09, 08:26 AM	#11
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,197 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I remember BBS's. Here's another oldie but moldy term: DECnet. __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

03-04-09, 08:46 AM	#12
Digital_Trucker Silent Hunter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Peach State Posts: 4,171 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 10	I'm having flashbacks, stop it Now, where is my Amiga? I know I left it around here somewhere. __________________ RSM-GIEP-Killflags-LV Tribute-Playable Elco __Peace be with you, Dave.

03-04-09, 09:03 AM	#13
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	I remember when all this was just fields... __________________

03-04-09, 09:25 AM	#14
Carotio Mr. Bad Wolf Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aabenraa, Denmark Posts: 1,488 Downloads: 47 Uploads: 0	It reminds me that a guy I used to study with made his essays, translations and reports on his commodore64, while the rest of us laughed at him, because we had fast 486 pc's..... Also, I found a couple of years ago while running win98 a commodore64 simulation program and some of the games I used to play in the 80'ies. Talk about nostalgy mode... I think this guy once told me that it at some point was possible to connect to the internet with a c64. I'm not sure if it was true or just wishthinking. Just for the record: he does use pc today... __________________ Download my mods from SHMF Follow my photography here taler dansk, speak English, spreche Deutsch, parle français, forstår svenska/norsk, comprendo castellano