So where is everybody? It looks like the only people using bulletin
boards these days are other sysops. Here's the big question: How can we get more users?
boards are a great means of communication. I had one for about 5 years back in the early 1990s and it was quite popular.
Fast forward a few years and the internet was no longer just for defence and academia and the nerds of the day, and the mums & dad's, started
using that instead.
i'd say from like 98-04 or so was basically a bunch of telnet BBSes fighting for the last of the BBS callers who figured out what telnet
was. tbh they were probably driven away. some big BBSes made the jump to telnet and then closed up soon after, and most newer ones were around a couple weeks and then disappeared.
Honestly? The best bet for getting a BBS to be popular is
to have some kind of unique hook that users would find
interesting: running on vintage hardware or something that
would appear to some niche. Aside from that, I just don't
think it would be realistic.
We can introduce people to bulletin boards by volunteering to give talks at our local libraries or schools. Neighborhood community meetings. Everywhere. You say that if I am settting up and running a BBS for callers, I am doing it for the wrong reason. Well, what IS the reason?
Are we just entertaining ourselves? Other Sysops? If so, that's pretty sad.
We can introduce people to bulletin boards by volunteering to
give talks at our local libraries or schools. Neighborhood
community meetings. Everywhere. You say that if I am settting up
and running a BBS for callers, I am doing it for the wrong
reason. Well, what IS the reason? Are we just entertaining
ourselves? Other Sysops? If so, that's pretty sad.
I see this same sentiment in other hobbies like amateur radio. Just
enjoy your hobby without the constant _need_ to introduce other people
to it. Do stamp collectors run around with their collections trying to
get people
to collect stamps? do coin collectors ... well you get the point
Just have fun with, even if it's a niche or dying hobby.
In the end it doesn't matter.
telnet://bbs.roonsbbs.hu:1212 <<=-
i think it's up to you what you do with your useless hobby... or is it useless?... :)
Regards,
--
dp
I haven't used ftelnet myself but I will look into it. It would be nice if people could use a web browser to acccess our bulletin boards. Thanks for calling.
As a note, I'd suggest downloading the javascript and installing that on your website, as well as a proxy server so you don't need to rely on the free proxies when they go down, or if they are ever no longer offered.
On 28 Jun 2023, Shurato said the following...
As a note, I'd suggest downloading the javascript and installing thaton
your website, as well as a proxy server so you don't need to rely onthe
free proxies when they go down, or if they are ever no longeroffered.
i would never use proxies someone else runs. with ftelnet configured like that you're specifically adding a "man in the middle" who can easily watch the traffic and steal your passwords.
then again, i duno if it's very exciting knowing someone's bbs password.
i would never use proxies someone else runs. with ftelnet configured
like that you're specifically adding a "man in the middle" who can
easily watch the traffic and steal your passwords.
then again, i duno if it's very exciting knowing someone's bbs password.
then again, i duno if it's very exciting knowing someone's bbs passwordWHAT?!? Your password is %PW ... ha ha ha ha ha ..... I miss 1993.
Yeah, good point. Even if someone stole my password though, there's
really nothing on my BBS worth stealing. It's all there for anyone who bothers to log in.
We can introduce people to bulletin boards by volunteering to give talks at our local libraries or schools. Neighborhood community meetings.
Everywhere. You say that if I am settting up and running a BBS for callers, I am doing it for the wrong reason. Well, what IS the reason?
Are we just entertaining ourselves? Other Sysops? If so, that's pretty sad.
Similarly with school-age students: what would they use
a BBS for? They're just not as capable as other offerings
in the "digital native" landscape.
4. Non-commercialized, DIY infrastructure (though
honesty, without the Internet, none of this is
viable)
But for what purpose would those people use a BBS?
On 03 Jul 2023, tenser said the following...
Similarly with school-age students: what would they use
a BBS for? They're just not as capable as other offerings
in the "digital native" landscape.
4. Non-commercialized, DIY infrastructure (though
honesty, without the Internet, none of this is
viable)
tbh i could only see usership growing in an "underhanded" sort of way. have you ever looked at what the citadel bbs has turned into?
But for what purpose would those people use a BBS?
Just out of curiosity, maybe? A lot of people are interested in old technology and they would probably think bulletin boards were fun, even though we don't offer the same experience as social media sites and
things like that, And a lot of people would enjoy the retro door games
you can play on a BBS.
in HF). Similarly with BBSes. I think there's a bit
of an assumption that people will _want_ to use a BBS
if they just get a bit of exposure, but no one's
stopped to ask people if it they would use it as
in HF). Similarly with BBSes. I think there's a bit
of an assumption that people will _want_ to use a BBS
if they just get a bit of exposure, but no one's
stopped to ask people if it they would use it as
I've asked and several people have said that they want to use it. Mostly friends, really. We're just going to use the BBS as sort of a digital hangout. We're also going to use a guestbook as sort of a test for something we want to do on other platforms. It won't be a replacement
for what you can do on the Internet. It will just be something extra.
I've had my new BBS set up since last October and the only visitors I
get are people trying to break in with bots or a lot of key-slapping.
So where is everybody? It looks like the only people using bulletin
boards these days are other sysops. Here's the big question: How can we get more users? How can we spread the word, other than by using our own bulletin boards? Where do you think we can go to advertise? We have a
lot of bulletin boards, but no one is using them. I think bulletin
boards are a great means of communication. I had one for about 5 years back in the early 1990s and it was quite popular. I know the rest of you have some great boards. Let's find a way to get "ordinary" people
onboard.
I've had my new BBS set up since last October and the only visitors I
get are people trying to break in with bots or a lot of key-slapping.
So where is everybody? It looks like the only people using bulletin
boards these days are other sysops. Here's the big question: How can we get more users? How can we spread the word, other than by using our own
Honestly? The best bet for getting a BBS to be popular is
to have some kind of unique hook that users would find
interesting: running on vintage hardware or something that
would appear to some niche. Aside from that, I just don't
think it would be realistic.
Honestly? The best bet for getting a BBS to be popular is
to have some kind of unique hook that users would find
interesting: running on vintage hardware or something that
would appear to some niche. Aside from that, I just don't
think it would be realistic.
I totally agree with this. If some celeb (influencer, artist, whatever) *only* made their content available via a BBS, *that* BBS would be suddenly very popular and by extension likely other BBSes too. Cool/unique ANSI artwork or door games alone aren't going to do it.
| Sysop: | digital man |
|---|---|
| Location: | Riverside County, California |
| Users: | 1,064 |
| Nodes: | 17 (1 / 16) |
| Uptime: | 18:37:06 |
| Calls: | 501,325 |
| Calls today: | 4 |
| Files: | 109,413 |
| D/L today: |
2,235 files (311M bytes) |
| Messages: | 302,017 |