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HISTORY.DOC
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1994-11-28
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===========
HISTORY.DOC
===========
* THIS FILE WAS THE "README.DOC" FILE FROM THE FIRST EDITION OF
SBI, AND WILL BE RE-POSTED IN ALL REVISIONS FOR HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL PRE-RELEASE COPY OF "GUIDE TO SELECT BBS'S ON THE INTERNET"
------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for downloading this *first* edition of "Select BBS's on the
Internet" (SBI). The list is -by no means- complete, but its probably the
most complete listing of these kinds of systems available anywhere. A lot
of the systems listed are also lacking some of the "details" I'd like to
add in future lists. It is my hope that by getting this list out early on
the Internet and other distribution channels that sysops of the listed
systems will send updated information for the next edition. So consider
this issue a "pre-release", with the next issue being FAR more complete!
SYSOPS: Please take the time to review your information and send me any
updates to your system information. Many of the records are incomplete -
particularly the descriptions. Most of the descriptions have been taken
from the online information I found when verifying your IP address.
Hopefully this will be the only time I'll have to do it that way, and
sysops will send me the information they want displayed. This is a great
opportunity to describe your system how YOU want it described. How and
where to send the update is listed in the SYSOP.DOC file included with the
list.
Let me also take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Richard Mark,
and I've been running a BBS since 1987 (Dragon Keep), along with my
partner "The Dragon", in Gainesville Florida. Although the BBS charges
fee's, none of the sysops (myself included), make any money doing this.
But we do support a nice 50-line system with a dedicated 56KB internet
feed supported entirely by membership fee's. So, as you see, I'm already
a compulsive-obsessive BBS sysop who's used to doing a lot of work for no
compensation and very little appreciation. A perfect personality type for
maintaining an ongoing list of BBS's on the Internet <g>. Professionally,
I'm an IRM working for a state agency. Basically, I am not an "internet"
kind a guy - I am a "BBS" kind a guy... but I am one of a new virtual
community of "BBS people" suddenly a part of the Internet community.
I decided to start this list because there was the NEED -- other lists
primarily promote Government run databases, and University mainframe
"message base" systems also called "BBS's". No where was there a list of
privately-owned "standalone" BBS systems (like we've come to know and
love) that were now on the Internet. What I mean by "standalone" is a
seperate system - not part of a University computer system. And what I
mean by "privately-owned" is just that - not a goverment funded entity. I
have nothing against those types of systems -- but there are already a
dozen lists out there that provide that information. One very good
listing is by Scott Yanoff ("Special Internet Connections") and another by
CC May ("Not Another List!"). To illustrate my point, only (2) of the
systems on this list can be found on either of these otherwise
exceptionally complete and well done lists.
Setting up my own BBS telnet menu is what got me started collecting
addresses and information. One of my hopes with this list is to make
the task of setting up a "Telnet to other BBS's" type of menu or
gateway easier for everyone else :)
I'd also like to note that a lot of the systems on this list are MBBS
systems - but not by design. These were simply the systems I
personally knew about. This list is designed to promote ALL BBS
software types on the internet.
The list will be widely distributed amongst BBS's, and via Anonymous FTP
and FINGER on the Internet. We're also working on a LISTSERV type of
system where people can write email requests for the list.
Since this is the "first" edition of the list, I am very open to
comments and suggestions. All the information in the list is being
kept in a database for easy list creation, editing, collection. At
this point, I'd be willing to re-structure it as needed. As for the
list itself, I decided not to have a catagory for "rate", since some
systems rates are so complex, it would take many lines of text to
describe it. Systems are welcome to include rate information in their
description if they so desire. This list also contains no graphics or
ansi characters for maximum readability with all system types. Please
don't include ansi in your system info - I'll just have to strip it
out.
As a final note to those that may say "hey, why do we need a list like
this if there are only 25 systems on it?". Well, in the MBBS world
alone, another 50 BBS's will be on the net by the end of next year.
The BBS world is over 50,000 systems strong, and according to industry
experts, such as Jack Rickard, editor of Boardwatch Magazine, a huge
percentage of them are contemplating internet connectivity. It is my
personal belief that eventually MOST BBS's will, in fact, be a part -
and hopefully a welcome and valuable part - of Internet Cyberspace!
Looking towards a great future of BBS Cyber-Surfing...
Richard
cerebus@dkeep.com
cerebus@freenet.ufl.edu