Was it fascinating? Did it feel like the amazing future? Were you all too aware of the mounting cost relative to what you were actually doing?

  • Zarxrax@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    How did BBS work? I think you had to dial their number directly like calling someone on the phone, right? How did you find BBS’s? Did you just have to know people who ran them or what? Was there a search engine or directory of BBS?

    • kersploosh@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      Yep, I dialed directly into a modem on the far end and used a terminal emulator to navigate the service. A local office supply store had a cork board by the door where people could post events or sell used stuff, and a few BBSs had their info posted there.

      The BBS I used actually partnered with the office supply store to sell credits. I would go to the customer service counter and buy a piece of paper with an access code that I could then redeem for hours on the server. That’s how the BBS paid for their hardware and phone lines.