Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

As ya'll know, BBS cons used to be pretty common, for sure, back in the salad days of BBSing, when commercial interests were aligned.

Not so many commercial interests in BBSing these days, which, to be honest, is pretty cool.

But what if there was a way to have a couple days, maybe even regionally, where we got together in person when this pandemic shit is all over?

I'd be willing to help make that happen.

Picture this: speaking events, gaming, coding, art, learning -- maybe even that Synchronet blimp flying high overhead. And maybe some new documentary footage.

Maybe some sponsors, maybe not.

A dude can dream, right?

-+-+-
Alpha
-+-+-
--- SBBSecho 3.13-Linux
* Origin: ALPHACOMPLEX.US (21:4/158)

On 06 Apr 21 02:25:55, Alpha said the following to All:

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there was meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

Its not a crazy idea but given various restrictions or complications on travel especially international travel, it may be unworkable or too expensive.

The closest I've been able to arrange is a meetup of Toronto-area / Region 12 sysops. It started as a casual "what if" thread on another net which
quickly turned into an enthusiastic game plan. Others outside of the area have told me they'd love to show up... the idea was just some dive bar with good wings and cheap beer, darts, pool table etc. Whoever is welcome to crash at my place or maybe we rent a big AirBNB and have some outdoor backyard BBQ party.

That sort of meetup is realistic, somewhat doable, cheap... fun... but this:

Picture this: speaking events, gaming, coding, art, learning -- maybe even that Synchronet blimp flying high overhead. And maybe some new documentary footage.

Maybe some sponsors, maybe not.

... is too much, too wishful thinking in my opinion.

Many Sysops will not like even the slightest whiff of the aroma of corporate sponsorship or someone going gonzo with a camera.

I'm not going to a BBS meetup to code or hear a speaker... I'm there to drink all the booze, smoke where I'm not allowed to smoke, tell dirty jokes, find equally party-hardy Sysops to roundly heckle the speaker. And hit on any attractive female staffers at the event.

Atreyu

--- Renegade vY2Ka2
* Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (21:1/176)

On 06 Apr 2021 at 02:25a, Alpha pondered and said...

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

This is when

1) I wish I had $$ to travel
2) I wish I was not so far away from many folks.

Sigh...

Nice idea though, for those who are closer it's a nice way to meet.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 06 Apr 2021 at 12:19a, Atreyu pondered and said...

I'm not going to a BBS meetup to code or hear a speaker... I'm there to drink all the booze, smoke where I'm not allowed to smoke, tell dirty jokes, find equally party-hardy Sysops to roundly heckle the speaker.
And hit on any attractive female staffers at the event.

:)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

Am 06.04.21 schrieb Alpha@21:4/158 in FSX_BBS:

Hallo Alpha,

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there
was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

In Germany there is the FidoCon which was held yearly in the last years,
just 2020 it was a virtual event. For this year, it is not decided if,
when and how (virtual/real world) it can take place.

Just FYI :)

I haven't been there as I started BBSing again in late 2020 :)

Regards,
Anna

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: Imzadi Box Point (21:3/127.1)

On 04/05/2021 6:25 pm Alpha said...

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

That would be killa, but where in the heck do you hold it since we are spread all over the world?

--
~Nuke SYSOP Westwood BBS II King George VA USA
nuke@21:3/134 (fsx) 25:25/19 (metro) nuke@westwoodbbs.net (new crap)
telnet westwoodbbs.net 8888 (ssh 8889)
--- ENiGMA 1/2 v0.0.12-beta (linux; x64; 12.22.0)
* Origin: Westwood BBS II (21:3/134)

*** Quoting Alpha from a message to All ***

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if
there was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of
olde?

But what if there was a way to have a couple days, maybe even
regionally, where we got together in person when this pandemic shit
is all over?

I'd be game to meet up, but like you said, after this whole pandemic is over.

My province is under a new lockdown with rumours of a new "Stay at Home"
order coming down the pipes as we're at about ~3000 new cases per day since April 2nd.

I know there's a few of us BBS folk here in Ontario, I can't speak for them but I'd be game for something in the Toronto area, even Buffalo would be do-able once cross border traffic is permitted again.

Something to look forward to once covid is behind us. :)


Jay

... Always forgive your enemies - nothing else annoys them as much.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4/mL
* Origin: Northern Realms | 289-424-5180 | bbs.nrbbs.net (21:3/110)

Many Sysops will not like even the slightest whiff of the aroma of
corporate
sponsorship or someone going gonzo with a camera.

Ha, right, remove the word corporate. Maybe sponsored booze or grub by a mom-n-pop, not by Google.

I get the feeling it'd need to be more DEFCON than Comicon. Any Hyjinx
with an iPhone, lol.



|08---
|15++ |13Alpha |15++
|03TheDrunkenGamer.com|08:|078888
|08A Talisman BBS


--- Talisman v0.16-dev (Linux/x86_64)
* Origin: The Drunken Gamer BBS (21:4/158.1)

On 06 Apr 2021, Atreyu said the following...

Its not a crazy idea but given various restrictions or complications on travel especially international travel, it may be unworkable or too expensive.

I agree, we used to do it in my area all the time.

Many Sysops will not like even the slightest whiff of the aroma of corporate sponsorship or someone going gonzo with a camera.

I'm not going to a BBS meetup to code or hear a speaker... I'm there to drink all the booze, smoke where I'm not allowed to smoke, tell dirty jokes, find equally party-hardy Sysops to roundly heckle the speaker.
And hit on any attractive female staffers at the event.

Completely agree, years back we held a impromptu Image BBS get together in Philly during the weekend of the World Of Commodore, we all went to the show, but I was there to party and enjoy a weekend away and meet all the folks I
was spending $500+ a month on phone bills with! It did eventually turn into a coding evening for Ray Kelm who wrote the ML for Image BBS and John Moore who was doing the basic programming at the time, but the others who were there
was sitting in the living room of one of the guys houses drinking, smoking
and telling dirty jokes!

The way I see it, corporate sponsorship is only a means, it's what the
sysOp's do with their time that matters. If it were to be held at a Computer show like the Retro show which takes place in all 4 corners of the US, that's the means, but what takes place when the SysOp's are together is the fun part...

Al

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (21:4/131)

On 04-06-21 19:13, Avon wrote to Alpha <=-

On 06 Apr 2021 at 02:25a, Alpha pondered and said...

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

This is when

1) I wish I had $$ to travel
2) I wish I was not so far away from many folks.

Sigh...

Nice idea though, for those who are closer it's a nice way to meet.

The question is where would it be held? There's a few sysops on this side of the ditch, and there's now a travel bubble for you to be able to come over (well from ANZAC Day). :)


... This MSG written by pouring warm tea on an Ouija board.
=== MultiMail/Win v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (21:1/109)

BY: Alpha(21:4/158)


|11A|09> |10Not so many commercial interests in BBSing these days, which, to be|07
|11A|09> |10honest, is pretty cool.|07
|11A|09> |07
|11A|09> |10But what if there was a way to have a couple days, maybe even|07 |11A|09> |10regionally, where we got together in person when this pandemic shit is|07
|11A|09> |10all over?|07

I think we could have California BBS Convention. We could have the Synchronet and WWIV maintainers show up. We could have an old computer parts flea market. There are other good things we can do.


--- WWIV 5.7.0.3490
* Origin: inland utopia * socal usa * iutopia.duckdns.org:2023 (21:4/108)

Re: BBScon 2021/2022
By: Alpha to All on Tue Apr 06 2021 02:25 am

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

A few of us Sync-devs have been meeting at the annual Hamvention in Ohio for a few years straight, but naturally, it's been cancelled this year and 2020. But I expect we'll be back there next year.

We also audio-chat pretty regularly (almost nightly lately) on Mumble/murmur at cvs.synchro.net.
--
digital man

Synchronet "Real Fact" #25:
The Digital Dynamics company ceased day-to-day opperations in late 1995.
Norco, CA WX: 61.8°F, 67.0% humidity, 5 mph ENE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

On 07 Apr 2021 at 07:54p, Vk3jed pondered and said...

The question is where would it be held? There's a few sysops on this
side of the ditch, and there's now a travel bubble for you to be able to come over (well from ANZAC Day). :)

Could we meet in the Pacific Islands :)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 04-08-21 16:24, Avon wrote to Vk3jed <=-

On 07 Apr 2021 at 07:54p, Vk3jed pondered and said...

The question is where would it be held? There's a few sysops on this
side of the ditch, and there's now a travel bubble for you to be able to come over (well from ANZAC Day). :)

Could we meet in the Pacific Islands :)

Now there's a thought, except probably only us bubble residents would be allowed. ;)


... There will be a seminar on Time Travel last Thursday.
=== MultiMail/Win v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (21:1/109)

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if there was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?
As ya'll know, BBS cons used to be pretty common, for sure, back in the salad days of BBSing, when commercial interests were aligned.

Wow, ya that would be really cool. although most likelly would not be able to attend due to living in Ok.C. and nothing that cool ever comes out this way, lol. BUT it would be cool to check out the live video feed, and maybe have a webpage for checking out stuff the venders are selling. - i would say BBS for that, but i dont think ANSI art would do justice to seeing a product before
you buy it, lol.

Thanks
- Gamecube Buddy

telnet --<{bbs.hive32.com:23333}>--

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Hive32 (21:4/129)

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if th was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

This is when
1) I wish I had $$ to travel
2) I wish I was not so far away from many folks.
Sigh...
Nice idea though, for those who are closer it's a nice way to meet.

you know, it could be done across something like Zoom / MS teams or
something. have channels for the speakers, venders, one for people who want
to virtually drop by and chat with one another n video feed, ect...
that way,
1) it would cut down on expenses of renting someplace and traveling
2) it would still give a vibe of going to a BBSCON.
3) the whole event could be recorded onto DVD and onto youtube or some other more freindly patform.
4) no people infecting each other with covid.

just a thought....
:-)

Thanks
- Gamecube Buddy

telnet --<{bbs.hive32.com:23333}>--

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Hive32 (21:4/129)

On 06 Apr 2021, Nuke said the following...

On 04/05/2021 6:25 pm Alpha said...

Look, I know this may be a crazy idea. But was thinking... What if th was a meetup event for our little hobby group? Like, a con of olde?

That would be killa, but where in the heck do you hold it since we are spread all over the world?

All over the world of course ;) Via zoom or other apps.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/04/08 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: Mystic Pi BBS bcw142.zapto.org (21:1/145)

All over the world of course ;) Via zoom or other apps.

Right! thats what i was thinking too. that would be pretty fun!

Thanks
- Gamecube Buddy

telnet --<{bbs.hive32.com:23333}>--

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Hive32 (21:4/129)