Bulletin board system

A bulletin board system or BBS is a computer system running software that allows users to dial into the system over a phone line and, using a terminal program, perform functions such as downloading software and data, uploading data, playing games, reading news, and exchanging messages with other users. During their heyday (from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s), many BBSes were run as a hobby free of charge by the "SysOp" (system operator), while other BBSes charged their users a subscription fee for access.

Related Topics:
Computer - Software - Phone line - Terminal program - Message - User - 1970s - 1990s - Hobby - SysOp

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In current usage (primarily in Japan and China) the term BBS may be used to refer to any online forum or message board. See Internet forum.

Related Topics:
Japan - China - Internet forum

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Bulletin board systems were in many ways a precursor to the modern form of the World Wide Web and other aspects of the Internet. BBSes were a highly social phenomenon and were used for meeting people and having discussions in message boards as well as for publishing articles, downloading software, playing games and many more things using a single application. The BBS was also a local phenomenon, as one had to dial into a BBS with a phone line and would have to pay long distance charges for a BBS out of the local area. Thus, many users of a BBS lived in the same area and it was common for activities such as BBS Meets, where everyone from the same board would gather and meet face to face.

Related Topics:
World Wide Web - Internet - Social - Phenomenon - People - Message board - User

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The world's largest BBS was MBnet (1994–2002), located in Finland. MBnet ran PCBoard and had the most licensed nodes of any BBS in the world, 1000. The world's largest free BBS was The Gaming Center, at 40 licensed nodes.

Related Topics:
1994 - 2002 - Finland - PCBoard - The Gaming Center

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