Them old BBS memories
February 12, 2008 2:32 PM Subscribe
Here's a tough one. Does anyone remember Relaynet? It was a network for BBS popular from the later 80s until the web took off. It was also called RIME
My question is, does anyone know if there is an archive? My google-fu fails me.
Perhaps I am mistaken, but the BBS software would have a different name, no? Like Synchronet can interface with RIME/Relay, right?
Perhaps the archive at BBS Documentary would be fitting?
posted by tcv at 2:58 PM on February 12, 2008
Perhaps the archive at BBS Documentary would be fitting?
posted by tcv at 2:58 PM on February 12, 2008
Response by poster: That's discouraging deadmessenger, I'm probably SOL.
I mostly wanted to look at the old COMICS board, one of the regular pros, Steve Gerber, just passed away and I was hoping to find some of his old postings.
posted by Bonzai at 3:05 PM on February 12, 2008
I mostly wanted to look at the old COMICS board, one of the regular pros, Steve Gerber, just passed away and I was hoping to find some of his old postings.
posted by Bonzai at 3:05 PM on February 12, 2008
Does anyone remember what they posted under? Their alias? Perhaps Google Groups has some of the messages if they went through a UU gateway?
posted by tcv at 3:38 PM on February 12, 2008
posted by tcv at 3:38 PM on February 12, 2008
TCV - RIME required a real (or at least real-looking) name. Also, I don't think RIME was ever linked with Usenet. That having been said, the link you posted brings back some serious memories for me.
posted by deadmessenger at 3:51 PM on February 12, 2008
posted by deadmessenger at 3:51 PM on February 12, 2008
Response by poster: This was like 15 years ago, no way I can remember the aliases or posting names. I'm pretty sure the messages were a closed system (at least while I was there) but I'll check google groups anyway.
posted by Bonzai at 4:05 PM on February 12, 2008
posted by Bonzai at 4:05 PM on February 12, 2008
IIRC RelayNet consisted more of multiple independent networks of local / related nodes - each network mostly isolated from the others - rather than an overarching cross-network infrastructure like FidoNet. Hence, I doubt there ever was a centralised archive of all messages from all RelayNet networks.
You'd have to track down the owner of the hub (or a major node) of the particular RelayNet network you want archives for, and hope they've got backups stashed away somewhere.
(I ran a minor RBBS system in the early 80's, and that's how I remember it being then. The local FidoNet hub was run by a prick, and the local RelayNet group wanted too much money to affiliate, so I looked at connecting to a US hub for both. IIRC, there were at least 5 separate RelayNet networks in the US.)
posted by Pinback at 5:42 PM on February 12, 2008
You'd have to track down the owner of the hub (or a major node) of the particular RelayNet network you want archives for, and hope they've got backups stashed away somewhere.
(I ran a minor RBBS system in the early 80's, and that's how I remember it being then. The local FidoNet hub was run by a prick, and the local RelayNet group wanted too much money to affiliate, so I looked at connecting to a US hub for both. IIRC, there were at least 5 separate RelayNet networks in the US.)
posted by Pinback at 5:42 PM on February 12, 2008
When I think BBS history I think of this site, but I don't know if it has specifically what you're looking for.
posted by forthright at 8:21 PM on February 12, 2008
posted by forthright at 8:21 PM on February 12, 2008
I was asked to stop by. Hello.
Generally, archives of artifacts (the surrounding bits of text, programs and the rest) are exponentially easier to find than the actual messages that went around. As people have kindly pointed out, I have collections of RIME rules, network listings and the like, but message bases just don't seem to be in the general air.
This usually requires someone to have archived in some way the message bases from their BBSes, and so few people have done that. Or, if they have, they're worried about privacy or some internal mail or who knows what. So it fades and disappears.
Realize, of course, we're all making the same mistakes again. Almost no web forums have a "export to an archive" option. A shame.
posted by jscott at 9:00 PM on February 12, 2008
Generally, archives of artifacts (the surrounding bits of text, programs and the rest) are exponentially easier to find than the actual messages that went around. As people have kindly pointed out, I have collections of RIME rules, network listings and the like, but message bases just don't seem to be in the general air.
This usually requires someone to have archived in some way the message bases from their BBSes, and so few people have done that. Or, if they have, they're worried about privacy or some internal mail or who knows what. So it fades and disappears.
Realize, of course, we're all making the same mistakes again. Almost no web forums have a "export to an archive" option. A shame.
posted by jscott at 9:00 PM on February 12, 2008
« Older How to find a good job without an Ivy League... | Looking for an explanation behind the steep... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by deadmessenger at 2:52 PM on February 12, 2008