Wow I had no idea so many boards are still functioning. I'm going through http://www.bbscorner.com/.
They have a ton of "active" software listed and just a lot of BBS general info/how to stuff if anybody's interested.
I love this project, and I want it to actually be a thing. If I could bump up my Patreon and support just this project, I would. Brilliant idea, IMO. Yes I am an insanely nostalgic person.
Hi, I think the idea for the project is awesome and is much more useful than a doll. @wendell I would be interested in helping out. I'm currently studing computer science and have knowledge in many different areas. Although bbs systems where before I joined the game I think can still help make this project a reality. I like learning and this project seams like a good place to learn about some legacy systems like modemes and bbs. So if you have a task for me just let me know.
I think this is a brilliant idea. Wow, talk about bringing back some long-dormant memories. Ah, the good old days of DOS 3.3, using Telix v3.15 and later v3.21 to dial into BBSes around the state and running my own private BBS using Telix's host mode for family and a few friends. Spent hours upon hours making ASCII artwork for screens that maybe 20 people ever saw. Double 5-1/4" floppy drives with a 20MB hard drive was my hand-me-down hardware at the time. Learning early, BBSes were my only introduction to downloading a virus in a game and infecting my computer. Thankfully, I only needed to learn that lesson once.
Spent a lot of time conversing with people from all over the place on Usenet, but I still can't remember what offline news reader I used to use. A memory lost to the ages I guess.
Suddenly, I feel old... :-)
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Fight fire with fire! Billy Bass singing fish to play the modem tone on a live steam every time someone dials in? If you wanted to get really creative get it to read it posts on a twitch stream, or twitch plays tradewars with billy bass reading it the text out. OK reading them back they sound too silly. But hopefully it sparks someone elses imagination off.
I love the hacked modem idea. But then again, I remember those days, and they were great.
My first computer (I build from parts, way cheaper back then) had two 360k (yes kilobytes) floppies and I ran DR Dos on it. Then I found out about BB'sing... So I added a blazing fast 1200kb internal modem on my "turbo" 4.77MHZ (with turbo 8MHZ) computer. I started making ANSI graphic displays for myself and others using TheDraw. I had so much fun. Nobody was using Windows back then, it was DOS or a *nix variant. I later ran a BBS called "Celestial Odyssey BBS" that ran Searchlight BBS software, I upgraded my storage with 720k floppies and a "huge" 40MG Seagate HD. BTW my first internet experience was with a BBS that had a BSD shell account, telnetting into BBS's became a thing. Lynx was my first browser...
Please excuse my rambling, those where just some awesome times... Go for it Wendell.
I love this.
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not as cool as linux on your trash 80 tho
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Is there enough room in the case for both the modem electronics and the Pi? If so, connect the modem to the Pi and make the BBS available via dialup and telnet.
If you really wanted a '60s Belgian waffle iron, you could have asked a Belgian. Wouldn't be hard or expensive to find them here.
Hell, I'd have sent all the right ingredients and recipes along so you could actually make authentic Belgian waffles with it too.
I would not impose but maybe this idea is cooler. Also I just ate the last of your vanilla syrup waffles today and my god they are good
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I have rumblies in my tumblies :(
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You mean the modem or the waffle iron? If the latter, perhaps keep it for the next competition. A week ago I had time, now it's a bit more difficult.
The ingredients can be found in the US actually and there are some that I can't even ship (eggs and milk for instance), but there's no way I could go shopping for an iron before next Saturday (the 18th). That would mean shipping on Monday the 20th, arrival in KY around Thursday (the 23rd) if I pay for DHL's fastest shipping method (which for that weight would be around $150).
That gives you around 4 days to get everything working (assuming you don't need to source a converter too to get the 220V 50Hz iron working on 110V 60Hz).
It's a lot of money for such a gamble on such a short deadline.
I meant the modem :) I will wait for a good deal on a waffle iron here.. you'd have to read the old texts the bastard operator from hell -- I need to re-read them myself -- but I remember it being described as an elaborate waffle iron and the first time I saw a belgian waffle maker I immediately thought bofh.
I appreciate the thought exercise on your waffle iron though, holy crap, don't do that :D
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Just watched the video. I love the idea. I frequented a lot of BBSs growing up; it will be interesting to see how your gadget works!
The modem is a good idea, but is not as flashy as Lunduke's.
I think you can put Linux in a pair of those old Transformers walkie talkies, or another cool looking vintage walkie talkie, and turn them in encrypted communication devices, encrypted digital transceivers.
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Stealing my ideas......... 3:<
jkjk
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Leaning towards Sparky Linux
Me = scrub
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Hi Wendell, I just wanted to point you (and everybody else here) to this amazing short documentary on BBSes, I found it fascinating and even though it may have been made with a "low budget" its really well put together, great story line, nostalgia is well conveyed, all in all it's done with really good taste, it shows that the guys that made it really loved that era and the technology and the people it brought together.
For the record, I didn't get to live the "BBS experience" sadly. I'm writing to you from a god forsaken country in Latin America. My first contact with a CPU was in 93, I think it was an Intel 286. :P
Then, the next year I really hit the lottery when some family member discarded a lightning fast 386 WITH a math co-processor. Now that was fast computing if you ask me... :D Dude let me tell you... 4 MB of ram is all you need for your everyday computing needs!
Anyway, back to my ICQ instant messaging...
PS: I'm sure you've already read this, but just in case you haven't, this is also worth checking out.
Modems, wArEz, and ANSI art: Remembering BBS life at 2400bps
Bye dude, and please make a follow up video on this project as soon as you can, this will be amazing.
AND PLEASE, IF YOU CAN TRY TO REACH OUT TO ALL THE PEOPLE FEATURED IN THAT DOCUMENTARY, I'M SURE MORE THAN A FEW WOULD GLADLY SIT FOR AN AMAZING FIRESIDE CHAT AND YOU CAN MAKE SOME AMAZING VIDEO INTERVIEWS AND MAYBE LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT THE BBS WORLD. Or maybe you can at least schedule a few skype interviews, please make it happen, it would be awesome!!
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I'd love to see Linux on a trash 80. lol