International conversations, delivered the BBS way.
Most early BBSes operated as individual systems. Information contained on that BBS never left the system, and users would only interact with the information and user community on that BBS alone. However, as BBSes became more widespread, there evolved a desire to connect systems together to share messages and files with distant systems and users. The largest such network was FidoNet.
As it was prohibitively expensive for the hobbyist SysOp to have a dedicated connection to another system, FidoNet was developed as a store-and-forward network. Private email (Netmail), public message boards (Echomail), and eventually even file attachments on a FidoNet-capable BBS would be bundled into one or more archive files over a set time interval. These archive files were then compressed with ARC or ZIP and forwarded to, or polled by, another nearby node or hub via a dial-up Xmodem session.
This program would scan for and pack up new outgoing messages, and then unpack, sort and “toss” the incoming messages into a BBS user’s local email box or into the BBS’s local message bases reserved for Echomail. As such, these mail processors were commonly called “scanner/tosser/packers.”
Before commercial Internet access became common, BBS echomail networks provided regional and international email and message bases. Some even provided gateways, such as UFGATE, by which members could send and receive email to and from the Internet via UUCP, and many FidoNet discussion groups were shared via gateways to Usenet.
Many of these networks are still in use today, though in a much smaller form. Below are the international Echomail networks available on The ROCK BBS.
Established: <info needed>
Creator: <info needed>
AgoraNet is the network for blatant exploitation of the greatest BBS scene art group ever: ACiD.
AgoraNet is being resurrected to promote the best and longest-lasting ANSI art group of all time and make sure a piece of it always remains where it started—in the BBS scene.
Established: 1984
Creator: Tom Jennings
FidoNet is a worldwide amateur computer network used for the communication of messages and files between Bulletin Board Systems. Today, most BBSes use the Internet to connect with each other, and FTN protocols such as BinkP are widely used.
The result is that messages now flow faster than ever before around the planet. FidoNet, while no longer as large as it was in the eighties, is still active.
Established: 2015
Creator: Paul Hayton
fsxNet is a fun, simple and experimental network established in late 2015. Experimentation is at the heart of its name and members are actively encouraged to be creative in their use of the network.
Topics include BBSing, ANSI art, amateur radio, retro computing and gaming, FTN communications, encryption, modern computers, programming and more. It is an open community and everyone who wishes to join is welcome.
Established: <info needed>
Creator: Frank Linhares
SciNet is an FTN-style network dedicated to bringing the best of the BBS scene together.
SciNet also offers an InterBBS DoorGame League which allows each member BBS to compete in InterBBS games.
Established: 1996
Creators: Vincent Danen & Kevin Nunn
SysOp’s TechNet is a network created to help the SysOp, whether novice or veteran. STN brings much-needed support to BBS systems and remains open to new ideas and new member boards.
