Dead as dial-up?
February 20, 2008 6:34 PM Subscribe
I'm jonesing for some old-school BBS action. Are there any worthwhile boards still around, with telnet access? I'd even settle for a social/builder MUD with good signal-to-noise ratio.
Echonyc.com
Though I haven't been for a while, I was one of the first 50 users in 1990-- and it was always engaging, with a strong New York flavor.
posted by Maias at 6:43 PM on February 20, 2008
Though I haven't been for a while, I was one of the first 50 users in 1990-- and it was always engaging, with a strong New York flavor.
posted by Maias at 6:43 PM on February 20, 2008
My husband (an 80s BBS afficiando) says that one of the most active boards is Roughnecks (telnet to theroughnecks.net).
He says, if you're really old-skool, you might try TELNETing to a Commodore BBS. (Yes, such a thing really exists.) In fact, he's jumped on my account to tell you the following in his own words:
http://cottonwood.servebbs.com/cbm-bbs-list.txt
This is maintained (and is current) by a guy named Andrew Wiskow, who runs Cottonwood (on All American 128 BBS software, if that means anything to you):
telnet to cottonwood.servebbs.com
These are both original Commodore 64/128 hardware and emulators which are telnettable through various technical gymnastics.
Use a free terminal called cgterm for native PETSCII support (the Commodore boards mostly run BBS software from the 80s and 90s - the original stuff). It runs on most platforms.
Syncterm is a good client to use for x86 based boards - it supports ATASCII (for Atari 8 bit boards, which are hooked up to telnet similar to Commodore boards), as well as ANSI graphics and color, along with a bookmarking / address book system:
A fairly comprehensive and current telnet BBS list can be found here.
posted by parilous at 7:00 PM on February 20, 2008 [3 favorites]
He says, if you're really old-skool, you might try TELNETing to a Commodore BBS. (Yes, such a thing really exists.) In fact, he's jumped on my account to tell you the following in his own words:
http://cottonwood.servebbs.com/cbm-bbs-list.txt
This is maintained (and is current) by a guy named Andrew Wiskow, who runs Cottonwood (on All American 128 BBS software, if that means anything to you):
telnet to cottonwood.servebbs.com
These are both original Commodore 64/128 hardware and emulators which are telnettable through various technical gymnastics.
Use a free terminal called cgterm for native PETSCII support (the Commodore boards mostly run BBS software from the 80s and 90s - the original stuff). It runs on most platforms.
Syncterm is a good client to use for x86 based boards - it supports ATASCII (for Atari 8 bit boards, which are hooked up to telnet similar to Commodore boards), as well as ANSI graphics and color, along with a bookmarking / address book system:
A fairly comprehensive and current telnet BBS list can be found here.
posted by parilous at 7:00 PM on February 20, 2008 [3 favorites]
I'd even settle for a social/builder MUD with good signal-to-noise ratio.
posted by GuyZero at 7:28 PM on February 20, 2008
telnet lambda.moo.mud.org 7777
posted by GuyZero at 7:28 PM on February 20, 2008
SDF has a unique ongoing MOO called thxmoo, plus the classic multiplayer games dopewar and hunt.
Additionally, they have a wide variety of classic Unix single-player titles including nethack, zork, and advent / Colossal Cave.
It's probably worth pointing out that SDF isn't a BBS per se, although it's old enough to have coexisted with them at their height. It's a Unix system offering free shell accounts, with a lot of software that accomplishes many of the same functions that a typical BBS might. But it also allows for a lot of stuff beyond that. You can get a limited account for free; for full access they ask for a nominal one-time donation.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:29 PM on February 20, 2008
Additionally, they have a wide variety of classic Unix single-player titles including nethack, zork, and advent / Colossal Cave.
It's probably worth pointing out that SDF isn't a BBS per se, although it's old enough to have coexisted with them at their height. It's a Unix system offering free shell accounts, with a lot of software that accomplishes many of the same functions that a typical BBS might. But it also allows for a lot of stuff beyond that. You can get a limited account for free; for full access they ask for a nominal one-time donation.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:29 PM on February 20, 2008
Just a clarification: you can play all the games previously mentioned on SDF with a free account. Upgrading to a donor level would get you compilers, outbound Telnet, and a lot of other goodies, but it's not necessary if you just want to interact with the other members and play games. A breakdown of what's allowed is available here.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:33 PM on February 20, 2008
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:33 PM on February 20, 2008
telnet to holodeckbbs.com for majormud, which has a pretty rabid cult following. Still quite active on evenings and weekends.
posted by bluejayk at 10:01 PM on February 20, 2008
posted by bluejayk at 10:01 PM on February 20, 2008
My BBS, Slumberland, has been up since 1991, and it is at bbs.slumberland.org (telnet -- you can also get there via a web browser, but if you do that, you get a crappy java client. Telnet with your preferred terminal software instead for the proper BBS experience).
It is a Citadel+ BBS. The interface may take some getting used to but the message rooms are actually not all that unlike MeFi's message format. There are no games, just posting/reading messages and now live chat.
Make sure you leave a message to the sysop that says you found us via AskMe. That always helps. :)
posted by litlnemo at 5:31 AM on February 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
It is a Citadel+ BBS. The interface may take some getting used to but the message rooms are actually not all that unlike MeFi's message format. There are no games, just posting/reading messages and now live chat.
Make sure you leave a message to the sysop that says you found us via AskMe. That always helps. :)
posted by litlnemo at 5:31 AM on February 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
Anybody know if any bbs with tradewars stil laround?
posted by majortom1981 at 9:55 AM on February 21, 2008
posted by majortom1981 at 9:55 AM on February 21, 2008
Majortom: If you go to the comprehensive BBS list (linked previously), you'll find hundreds of them -- they'll say so right in the description.
posted by parilous at 10:53 AM on February 21, 2008
posted by parilous at 10:53 AM on February 21, 2008
Grex is still around, although pieces of it can be pretty Michigan-specific at times. Both web-based and telnet interfaces are available, at grex.org or cyberspace.org in your preferred protocol. And, speaking of dialup, they've still got modems.
posted by FlyingMonkey at 10:32 PM on February 29, 2008
posted by FlyingMonkey at 10:32 PM on February 29, 2008
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