BBSing: Sysops vs. users

​Bulletin Board Systems
SysOps vs. Users
by: [email protected]
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Have you ever wondered what it was like before the internet?  Well, I tell
you, a lot of people were into Bulletin Board Systems before this new modern
age era.

A bulletin board back in the 80's and early 90's were a lot like how the
internet is today.  You had message base conference areas much like a large
audience of people like social media.  There was also netmail which is like
private messages such as today's e-mail system.  There were even text based
on-line games people played which could be played across the world; these
games had to exchange data files called game packets from a central hub and
distribute it out to other hubs throughout other countries.  It was quite
costly back then to even afford ten phone lines and the equipment tied into
it.  There was teleconferencing much like texting on your phone.  BBSing
simply is a retro/vintage type of spreading information and entertainment
much like we see today.

A SysOp or a System Operator had much control of the BBS.  Some had
Co-SysOp(s) to help maintain it and moderators to filter unwanted contact.
There were a lot fewer systems back then.  It was more of a user base with
hundreds of thousands of users across the globe.

Today, just about anybody can setup a BBS so the SysOp vs. User ratio has
changed dramatically in the past decades.  A lot of software is cheap and
the price to run one can be cheap as well.  I encourage more users on
existing systems to motivate the BBS scene by posting messages,
participating in teleconference chats, perhaps get a little gaming in there
for those interested, upload more files than download.

Together, let's work for a common purpose.  That purpose being to keep the
BBS community alive and well, to spread information technology to those
that have an eager passion for it.  Information should by all means be free
just like living water.  Take a step up and spread the word to your friends
what BBSing means to you in a positive way.  It can be fun for all ages and
you can possibly make a lot of friends and spend time learning something
new each and every day.

So, the question is: Is BBSing better than the Internet?  I believe the
internet is laziness; just point and click to anything you want.  BBSing
took a lot of time, hard work and felt a lot like more of a real community.

Now that you know a little about the past, lets not reinvent the wheel, but
change its direction.  Lets keep the dreams of BBS SysOps and BBS Users
alive by spending quality time on them.  I encourage it.